Token Economy

Leadership Model Jim Forrest was a skilled professional in related issues managing in substance abuse. Forrest had the opportunity to utilize his abilities as a lead in a mental health center. Forrest began his search for new employees by interviewing each person the same. Forrest talked to each candidate in the same style rather than finding out their strengths and weaknesses so he would have a better idea of where to place them to assist with client care. Although Forrest noticed positive change in client care, he also noticed concerns with his employees slowly surfacing.Forrest began to question his professional relationship with each member of his staff. It is important to recognize leadership comes in various styles to provide applicable direction to accomplish specific objectives in the workplace. Supervisory leadership must discuss the task and goals set for the organization clearly to its employees. Contingency Theory believes individuals are different; therefore there is not one way that is the best way of leading a team. Contingency Theory takes a look at the bigger picture that contains dynamics about supervisory leadership skill and other variables within the circumstances.Success of any organization is influenced by a variety of reasons, one of which is leadership style. One style of leadership may not be appropriate in some cases, however may be best in others. Supervisory Process There are 4 main steps in the supervisory process. The first is the beginning phase of the purpose of the supervisor. One of the elements of this process is obtaining reviews from staff and discussing concerns and ideas to make working together more productive (Lewis, Packard, & Lewis, Chapter 7, 2007).In case 7, Jim did not get feedback from his new staff about the implementation of the token economy. The middle phase of the process is the stage where Jim should have realized that his way was not working for everyone; he should have been open minded and ready to make ch anges when concerns were voiced to him, instead he thought that giving them freedom to make their own schedules they should be following the way he wanted things to be done.At this point Jim should have discussed issues and created an action plan. Jim is now in the facilitative confrontation phase (Lewis, Packard, & Lewis, Chapter 7, 2007), problems have began to surface and Jim hears complaining, with the incident of no one being there when he needed Jim will need to sit and discuss his role with the staff and their issues with the way things are being ran.The transition phase is when changes are made (Lewis, Packard, & Lewis, Chapter 7, 2007). If Jim follows through with the confrontation phase, he may be ready to compromise token economy and focus on rules and regulations to get everyone on the same page to productively help clients. Reference Lewis, J. A. , Packard, T. , & Lewis, M. D. (2007). Management of Human Service Programs (4th ed. ). Retrieved from The University of Phoe nix eBook Collection database..

1984- Orwel’s Parallelism to Modern Times Essay

Orwell wrote at a time when communism seemed likely to spread across the word, which is a similar situation that we see today in some countries. Studying the Orwell’s works is relevant as it parallels with modern times. Orwell’s writing mostly focused on the nature of human in the society; his opinion about the non-democratic world and central authority focused in social and political areas. He wanted to educate people and expose everything he was against. Through the use of symbolism, extended metaphors and intensive imagery, Orwell wrote â€Å"naturalistic novels with unhappy endings, full of detailed descriptions and arresting similes† (Orwell, Why I Write) thus turning his harsh words into an art form. In his essay, ‘Why I Write’, Orwell stated that he wanted to capture the truth of human nature. As exemplified in his story of poverty, Down and out in Paris and London; he captured the realism of life during the Spanish Civil War in Homage to Catalonia, and in The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell studied human misery in an exploitative social order. In 1984, Orwell described utter and total hatred to people who are different, hate of evil and hate of all other humans. It is where love is described as absurd, and totally unnecessary. People are raised to hate, and hate is the primary emotion that people feel. The lack of love and kindness is what brings the society to a complete totalitarian state. Human beings instinctively crave love and care to thrive; without it, no one can experience happiness or freedom. This works well for 1984 because of its hate-driven society; however the lack of love causes unrest with those who can see the importance of love. Orwell’s non-fictional works greatly differ from his fictional works though; they both constitute the same understanding of human decency. His fictional works contained many details with the use of imagery, themes and symbolism. On the other hand, Orwell’s non-fictional works is structured differently as he utilized a first person point of view, colloquial diction and a tone that points out the moral decency of humanity. Orwell’s trend in his writing, since 1936, had been directly and indirectly against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism. Orwell confessed that he wrote â€Å"because there [was] some lie that [he wanted] to expose, some fact to which [he wanted] to draw attention, and [his] initial concern [was] to get a hearing [in the world’s politics]† (Orwell, Why I Write). While Communism might have exited the world stage in terms of competing for dominance, there needed to be a mindful and attentive presence taken against what happened when a central authority took over. Orwell didn’t criticize the act of revolution itself but the misery it could cause if the leaders grow to be corrupt, shortsighted, greedy and indifferent. He wanted to expose the most important issue that affected everyone in the world. Animal Farm was the first book he wrote to expose the Soviet myth of socialism. Even in his finest fictional novels, Orwell conveys the same basis of human reality. Nineteen Eighty-Four explored his hatred towards totalitarianism and government security. Animal Farm was his satirical, allegorical and metaphorical masterpiece elucidating his abhorrence of Stalin’s dictatorship in the Soviet Union. Orwell’s use of symbolism in 1984 reveals more about what he wanted to portray in a new creative way. His use of symbolism allowed readers to easily understand his message as well as appreciate his writing style simultaneously. For example, in 1984 Orwell used Big Brother as a symbol to represent the Party. The citizens were told that Big Brother is the leader of the nation and the head of the Party, but Winston could never determine whether or not he actually existed. In any case, the face of Big Brother symbolized the Party in its public manifestation; he is a reassurance to most people (the warmth of his name suggests his ability to protect), but he is also an open threat (one cannot escape his gaze). Big Brother also symbolizes the vagueness with which the higher ranks of the Party presented themselves—readers are left wondering who really rules Oceania, what life is like for the rulers, or why they act as they do. Additionally, in Animal Farm he used the farm to symbolize Russia and the Soviet Union under a Communist Party rule. Generally, Animal Farm stands for any human society are it capitalist, socialist, fascist, or communist. The farm reflects the dynamics of a nation represented by animals: the government (the pigs), the police force or army as the dogs and the working class as the other animals. Its location amid a number of hostile neighboring farms supports its symbolism as a political entity with diplomatic concerns. Orwell portrayed detailed symbolism in 1984 and Animal Farm, keeping both novels renowned up to the day. Orwell remains an important author as his themes reoccur in the twentieth century. His writing gives a sense of how life is a struggle but it is not to be feared – that fitting in and belonging need not be the most important goals in life. Orwell was willing to go out there and fight in trenches for what we believed and he wrote about what he thought was important. He was a great representational novelist, as seen in Nineteen Eighty-Four, for portraying the realities of mundane life in totalitarian societies in such original and artistic manner.

Develop an Export Strategy for an Organisation Essay - 4

Develop an Export Strategy for an Organisation - Essay Example The Board of Directors should be cognizant of the recent economic crisis that destroyed the financial platforms for many countries in EU. However, Sweden avoided financial crisis through watertight and strong economic foothold. According to OECD Economic Surveys (2013), the country GDP is expected to grow by 2.5 percent by the end 2015, which is a great mileage that any economic giant in EU could achieve. The country aims at reducing the levels of unemployment though the current rate averages at 8.5 percent. The organization targets to concentrate on manufacturing and engineering services. Schön, (2012) argues that the Swedish economy has grown over the years to become one of the advanced nations in the engineering manufacturing. The organization also aims at participating in the efforts to eliminate unemployment rates in Sweden. Will not only the export-entry strategy feature provision of employment for the locals but also match with the increasing need for services that are in tandem with advanced information communications technology. The exportation will feature a direct strategy for products in the manufacturing and engineering sector. The country has a high demand for the services and a long-standing tradition in mining, shipbuilding and IT products. The products must be in keeping with the sustainability and earth-friendly innovations and competitive in terms of price and quality (Schön, 2012). Additionally, the export strategy recognizes the international trade theories. The process of developing an export strategy for Sweden was informed by the international trading theory, which includes country similarity and product life cycle theories. Being an Asian form calls for a strategy that features expansion to the competitive global market. The strategy also acknowledges the trade flows that include customer loyalty, advanced technology, and quality. Country similarity theory is

Bluetooth technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bluetooth technology - Essay Example The Bluetooth technology works across a secure and unlicensed short-range radio frequency. Bluetooth technology sends information within our own personal space which is known as our Personal Area Network (PAN) at distances of up to 10 meters. Bluetooth is also known as the IEEE 802.15.1, an industrial standard for wireless PANs (personal area network), since it can be used in smaller offices with few employees (Peter, 2006). A product having Bluetooth facility means that it some hardware or small computer chip along with some software that lets one product connect wirelessly to another using the Bluetooth technology. History of Bluetooth: The Bluetooth technology was formulated in 1994 by the Engineers of a company called â€Å"Ericsson†, a Swedish company. The reason behind this invention was to eradicate the rummage in homes and offices. In 1998, Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) was developed and its founding members were Ericsson, Intel, IBM, Nokia and Toshiba. The mo tive behind was to connect their products and also the organization devoted its time in maintaining the Bluetooth technology. Within six months success of the Bluetooth technology many other companies joined in this new invention. Since then the Bluetooth technology has boomed and has been adapted by many other companies. ... the King’s work, Bluetooth is all about connecting and communicating in an uninterrupted single flow allowing different devices from cell phones to automobiles to communicate and network with each other. The Bluetooth Logo is established on the H and B of Harold's name. How the technology works: Initially the range of Bluetooth device brooded over 5meters but now it can attain a range of 10meters after expanding into 700-800kb bandwidth. The transmission frequency range for Bluetooth is between 2.4 and 2.4835 GHz with a maximum transfer speed of 2 Mbps per second whereas at the beginning it was around 1Mbps per second and the frequency range was 2GHz. Bluetooth technology functions in the unlicensed industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band. It uses a spread spectrum, frequency hopping, full duplex signal at a nominal rate of 1600 hops/sec (Justin, 2004). The network of Bluetooth contains a powerful topology PAN (personal area network) also known as piconet. These piconets are established dynamically and automatically. Nodes are organized in small groups of piconets. Every piconet has a leading node known as master and other nodes in a piconet are referred as slaves. A node can belong to a multiple of piconets, and such a node is called as a bridge. Piconet contains a minimum of two and a maximum of eight peer devices. The devices will communicate using protocols that are part of the specification. Slaves do not directly communicate with each other but instead rely on the master as a carrying node. Bluetooth provides a half-duplex communication channel. Communication between nodes in different piconets involves the bridge nodes. A bridge node can’t be active in more than one piconet at a time. It is active in one piconet while being deposited in others. Data

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Summary - Assignment Example This focuses on reducing psychological problems that may significantly affect the employees. A critical analysis of the case under study which is based on employee perception of problems, it is evident that smoking is an aspect of challenges the organization and the employees grapple with. In the opinion of Noe (pg.44-8), the main issue is how to solve it with regard to supervisor or management awareness and appropriate mitigation measures as illustrated in table 19, question 7. For in-depth research study on the problem of smoking it is imperative that the available statistics is critically evaluated to promote development of informed decision. The provided case indicates that Smoking is a common addiction among workers and is attributed to diverse problems that workers experience. Cording to DeCenzo and Stephen (pg. 56-9),some employees smoke out of frustration in their job while others undertake it in pursuit of happiness as they cannot find it at home and this is explained from the tabulated finding in table 18,question 5. It is therefore important from some of the feedback that human resource management asses the emotional feelings of the workers. Through such practices, the individual psychological problems that lead to smoking among the employees can be helped by guidance and counseling. Such programmes can significantly boost the overall welfare of the employees, enhance their health and improve their productivity. Several scholarly works have been produced to explore the issue of smoking as one of employee challenges and appropriate human resource measures. It is therefore important to give an annotated bibliography as shown below. The author explores the critical human resource practices that emphasize the need to understand the social problems facing individual employees. It is relevant to the case under study in which employees show significant urge to see their supervisors counsel and

The Living Theatre- Julian Beck and Judith Malina Term Paper

The Living Theatre- Julian Beck and Judith Malina - Term Paper Example Malina, unlike Piscator, was committed to nonviolence and anarchism. Malina met her husband, Beck, in 1943 when he was a student at Yale University. Beck, a painter, came to share her interest in political theatre and in 1947 the couple founded The Living Theatre. Malina appeared occasionally in films, beginning in 1975. In 2008 she was honored with an annual Artistic Achievement Award from the New York Innovative Theatre Awards (Ruth et al, 15-17). In 2009, she was honored with the Edwin Booth Award from the Doctoral Theatre Students Association of the City University of New York. Other awards include an honorary doctorate from Lehman College among others. Julian Beck, an American actor, director, poet and painter, was born in New York City in 1925 and died in 1985. He briefly attended Yale University, but dropped out to pursue writing and art (Ruth et al, 41-42). He was an Abstract Expressionist painter in the 1940s, but his career turned upon meeting his future wife. He met her in 1943 and quickly came to share her passion for theatre; they founded The Living Theatre in 1947. Beck’s philosophy of theatre carried over into his life. He once said, â€Å"We insisted on experimentation that was an image for a changing society. If one can experiment in theatre, one can experiment in life.† He was indicted a dozen times on three continents for charges such as disorderly conduct, indecent exposure, possession of narcotics, and failing to participate in a civil defense drill (Takis 44). Besides his theatre work, Beck published several volumes of poetry reflecting his anarchist beliefs, two nonfiction books and had several film appearances. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1983 and died two years later. The Living Theatre has staged nearly a hundred productions performed in eight languages in 28 countries on five continents. This is a unique body of work that has influenced theatre all over the

Financial statement analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial statement analysis - Essay Example This implies that the firm has less liquidity as compared to the industry generally. However, both ratios are below the Third quartile and therefore there are companies in the industry with higher liquidity ratios than S&S Air. The company may therefore have less predictable cash flows and less access to short-term borrowing (Fridson, & Alvarez, F., 2002). A quick ratio of 0.37 is slightly higher than the industry median and this has the meaning that S&S has about the same value of inventory as the Current Liabilities. Since the company has about the same inventory as the industry median, its inventory to current liabilities ratio is more or less the same as the median for the industry. The turnover ratios as compared to the industry median are all higher and even higher than the upper quartile. This implies the efficiency of S&S Air than the whole of the industry. On the other hand, the leverage ratios are all below the industry median depicting that the firm is less dependent on debt than related companies are. In addition, the Profit Margin for the company is equal to that of the industry median while the ROA and the ROE are all above the industry median as well as the lower quartile. In short, the performance of the airline is good despite the liquidity ratios indicating that close monitoring is necessary in its operations. Using ROA of 10.61% and the retention ratio, we will be able to get the internal growth rate. The constant b= $9,233,930/$1,845,242 = 5.004; Using the internal growth rate equation: Internal growth rate = (0.1061 Ãâ€" 5.004) / [1 – (0.1061 Ãâ€" 5.004)] =113.18%. we go further to find the sustainability growth rate using ROE of 19.31% as follows; Sustainable growth rate = (0.1931 Ãâ€" 5.004) / [1 – (0.1931 Ãâ€" 5.004)] = 28.65. Without outside financing of any sort, the company is able to achieve a growth rate of 113.18% and the growth rate would even be enormously higher when it gets funding externally (Robinson,

Land Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Land Law - Essay Example If she however failed to make the necessary enquiries then she remains to be bound by the lease agreements.2 Mr. Wood claims to have a lease interest that was executed under deed. A purchaser’s legal obligations over a lease under deed are determined by legality of the deed. If the deed is legal then registration of the interest in the property is considered. In such a case, the deed must have been legally or properly constituted. The lease is legally binding under common law if Mr. Wood can prove that the deed was properly constituted.3 Otherwise, the purchaser’s obligation to to be bound by the lease will be determined under the doctrine of equity4 . Under this approach, Wood would need to prove that the agreement was in writing and was correctly registered.5 If this was the case, then the existing lease will bind Henrietta on ground of registered notices. The underlying principle of the written and registered agreement is that a purchaser of a registered property is supposed to make a search over all third party rights that are attached to the property before proceeding with the purchase. Failure to make the search and a subsequent existence of a right binds the purchase. If the lease was not registered then Henrietta is not bound by the agreement this is because unregistered interest on registered property is considered as null and void.6 Annabelle claims that she made a share contribution to the purchase of the property sold by Fred. The first factor is Henrietta’s enquiry to find out if such claim was registered.7 If the claim was not registered then it can only be enforced under equity. The case can therefore be considered based on property held under trust. Rights due to trust can be overreached if the the purchase price is paid to more than one trustee. Under such a circumstance, the purchaser is not bound by any claim of ownership by a third party, as the purchase price is sufficient under overreaching principle.8 Payment of the p urchase price to one trustee however introduces the doctrine of overriding interest in the case. For this to be applicable, Fred’s grandmother must prove that she was in occupation of the property at the time of sale. If occupation can be successfully proved then the grandmother’s right over the land binds Henrietta. However, failure to prove interest or occupation in the property at the time of sale protects Henrietta from the grandmother’s claim.9 Mohamed has warned Henrietta against carrying out constructions on a portion of the purchased land on the basis of a restrictive covenant with a former owner. Restrictive covenants are not enforceable under law and would be interpreted in line with the doctrine of equity. In order to determine the legal position of Mohamed’s claim, circumstances under which the covenant was created as well as the nature of the created rights will be evaluated. Since covenants create interest in land, the next factor to be cons idered in determining Henrietta’s liability over the covenant is registration of the right created by the covenant. If the agreement was duly registered, then Henrietta has no legal option but to honour the terms of the covenant as was created between Mohamed and the former property owner. A different scenario would however be witnessed if the covenant was not duly registered.10 Failure to meet requirements under the registration deprives Mohamed of any legal claim over the covenant. In such a case, under which restrictive coven

Conflict Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict Management Plan - Research Paper Example Firstly, they should begin with David’s accusations against James, which have stated that James is causing confusion in the production line, which is causing the earlier to miss quality checks. It is vital to solve this through collaboration that is a win-win strategy for all the parties (Dontigney, 2014). The problem in question that is quality checks requires an all-inclusive approach. If situation is resolved as per David’s accusation, James will be of the view that the solution favours one side. Similarly, if the manager and the superintendent dismiss David’s allegations, then he will miss more quality checks. Based on the above, the two senior officers should check if there is anything, which James does which results in David missing quality checks. If there is, then James should desist from doing it, if there is not, then David missing quality checks was a culmination of his own inefficiency, which he had heaped upon James. Subsequently David should be reprimanded for levelling false allegations against a co-worker. The two senior officers, the manager and superintendent, should focus on forging cooperation between the two employees, which is vital for ensuring that the industry churns out products that meet set quality regulations (Dontigney, 2014). Cooperation between the two employees will result in an effective production

Four Factors of Organizational Success Essay Example for Free

Four Factors of Organizational Success Essay There are numerous ways to achieve organization success. Ask any two business guru their opinions and you will undoubtedly get two unique lists. Successful entrepreneurs covet their secrets of success and business school faculty lecture what the latest texts have written. Defining a check list of do’s and don’ts may seem like a rather easy task, but the implementation of those ideas is what will truly lead to organizational success. But what is organization success? That question can have many answers depending on the business. A University might define it as job placement of graduating students, but a middle school may be successful if its American history program is nationally recognized. A publicly traded company (and its stock holders) could define it as profits over the last quarter, whereas a small technology start-up could consider the issue of a patent on their newest widget a success. It’s my assessment that of all the factors pertaining to organizational success, those that revolve around the people within the organization and adaptation within the organization are the largest factors of success. I believe when a commitment to improvement, a continuous workforce development plan, and an implementation of a shared vision are harmoniously integrated by a resilient leader, it will place a company on a path to organizational success. Commitment to Continuous Quality (Process Improvement) There are no perfect scenarios where a company continues to profit and does nothing to improve. Updating a process is a continuous method that involves employees at all levels while focusing on the needs of the customer (John, 1992). Successful organizations are able to identify potential areas for increasing the value of processes or products. Not all products need to undergo substantial change in order to qualify as a process improvement. A change in the perceived value of the product is all that is needed. For example, a recent advertisement from McDonald’s is touting their Egg McMuffin sandwich as a luxury and higher class item. Taking from old consumer adage â€Å"It’s the Cadillac of †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , McDonalds has substituted â€Å"McMuffin† for Cadillac. There have been no changes to the recipe of the sandwich, but they have changed the perception of the item by comparing it to a separate premium item and in turn increasing a perceived value (Biasi, 2012). Whether a company modifies a current product, updates a process or simply re-brands, constant improvement is a key factor in the success of an organization. Shared vision In order for a company to achieve a goal, its employees must be on board with the missions of the organization. That is, employees must be aligned with the mission, values and goals of the organization in order to foster growth and achieve long term success (The secrets of organizational success, 1995). In order for an organization to implement any changes, those within (at all levels) must share in the vision of the organization (Kanter, 1988). Every company should have a vision. Without a vision there are no goals to achieve and the company has no definition of success in the future. A successful vision provides a company with a few goals to which they can devote their resources to while inspiring its workforce to achieve those goals (Clancy, n.d.). The importance (as stated by Clancy) lies with inspiring employees. A vision alone needs support. Simply wanting something done, without dedicating recourses to it, is futile. Creating a shared vision, one in which employees have a stake, is significant in the organizations long term success. Providing a personal connection to the product (or process) drastically changes the way employees approach their work and makes a substantial impact on their work quality (Hill Tande, 2003). People have to want to work, not because they are told to (Senge, 1990). The creation of a shared vision adds value to the work of an employee. A paycheck cannot be the only motivation. The employee must want to take stake in the operation of the company and understand their work is critical to the mission of the company. Continuous Learning / Workforce Development Former CEO of Intel Andrew Grove once said, â€Å"Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure† (1996). It is important for a company to provide its staff with the opportunities to develop and provide new insights into company processes. While in his tenure at Intel, Grove urged executive to allow staff to experiment with new techniques and processes while concurrently performing the production of existing products (Grove, 1996). Acknowledging the importance of creative freedom and invention allows for an improved process to be implemented without a significant reduction in production levels (Sheridan, 2004). Learning enhances people’s abilities; it drives creation, workplace competencies and motivates others to do the same (Loon, Lim, Teck, Lai, 2012). A company can develop their staff internally while creating new ideas, updating procedures and processes. Constant improvements do not come automatically. Instituting a program that promotes continuous learning and workforce development can eliminate down time between successes and will create a substantial competitive advantage. Strategic decision maker As an organization undergoes change, its leaders also need to have the willingness to do so. Strategic decision makers are flexible yet concise; they must make crucial decisions regarding growth, divestment, new products and cost cutting (Grant, 2008). As a company attempts to succeed in the marketplace, its leader must effectively navigate a myriad of executive decisions that affect the livelihood of the company. While any company can claim they want to improve, the implementation of that vision is the key. R.M. Kanter (1988) discusses that the best of those leaders are called â€Å"Change Masters†; leaders who are able to create a shared vision, encourage innovation, and support internal education. She continues that change isn’t always necessary, but a strategic decision maker will identify times where change is eminent and make adjustment rapidly. Take for example Lee Iacocca and Chrysler. Before his hire, the company was on the edge of complete failure. Something desperately needed to change. With the hire of Lee Iacocca came a decision to layoff those employees not willing to accept changes he believed would right the company. Those who stayed for a maximum $14 per hour salary, redesigned the brand and help the company earn over $2.5 billion within three years of his hire. (Roberts, n.d.). I am not suggesting a change in company culture is necessary, but a leader must be able to identify the need for change, have the ability to implement such change, and the gumption to do so. Finding a leader with the before mentioned qualifications will aid in corporate success. Four factors working together There are many other factors which could lead to (or prevent) organizational success. It’s my belief that the four points briefly discussed are deeply intertwined and provide an ever changing path towards success. The proper mix of these four items creates an environment that fosters company development. Just a few examples of the cohesion of these four factors have been noted in other publications: * Great leaders must be passionate about their visions and responsible for advancing workforce development (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly Konopaske, 2006; Loon, et al., 2012). * Continuous learning among all levels leads to future process improvements (Zairi, Whymark. 2000). * Leaders must also have the mindset required for visionary leadership; otherwise they are managers and not leaders (Transforming leadership for success and sustainability, 2011). * Continuous process improvements that are derived from a shared vision are more readily adapted by employees (Guti, Llorà ©ns-Mon tes, Óscar. 2009). The items above are not meant to be all inclusive. There are numerous other factors that one could argue have equal impact on success. While I do not discredit those other factors, it’s my determination that the four mentioned are factors that are able to be controlled within the organization. Other factors such as environmental conditions, consumer behaviors, and external costs, remain out of the control of the business leader. Focusing on supplying staff with the necessary leadership to achieve the company vision will lead to success. As the newest management fads pass and business trends change, one thing will remain constant: the success of organization will rely on heavily people who are a part of the organization. References Biasi, A. (2012) Increasing Perceived Value (of your product or service). Smart Marketing Solutions. http://www.smartmarketingllc.com/2012/01/14/increasing-perceived-value-of-your-product-or-service/ Clancey, K.J. (n.d.). Shocking truth of the month. Most companies are operating without a vision. Retrieved from http://www.thekevinclancy.com/truths_102009_g.html Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H. Jr., Konopaske, R. (2008). Organizations. Behavior, structure, processes. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY. Grove, A. (1996). Only the paranoid survive. Double Day Publishing. New York, NY. Guti, L. J., F.J. Llorà ©ns-Montes, Óscar, F. B. S. (2009). Six sigma: From a goal-theoretic perspective to shared-vision development. International Journal of Operations Production Management, 29(2), 151-169. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01443570910932039 Hill, B., Tande, C. (2003). Personal impact maps: Chart the course to a shared vision. Workspan, 46(10), 38-42. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. John, S. W. F.,Jr. (1992). Managing process improvement at the cherry point naval aviation depot. National Productivity Review (1986-1998), 11(4), 533-533. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database Kanter, R. M. (1988). Change masters vs. change stiflers. Executive Excellence, 5(3), 12-13. Retrieved from ABI/ Inform database Loon, M., Yet, M. L., Teck, H. L., Cai, L. T. (2012). Transformational leadership and job-related learning. Management Research Review, 35(3), 192-205. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/01409171211210118 Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday/Currency. Sheridan, J.H. (2004). 1997 Technology Leader of the Year, Andy Grove: Building An Information Age Legacy. Industry Week. Retrieved from http://www.industryweek.com/companies-amp-executives/1997-technology-leader-yearandy-grove-building-information-age-legacy Sudhir, K. C., Pullig, C., F, D. A. (1997). Critical success factors from an organizational life cycle perspective: Perceptions of small business owners from different business environments. Journal of Business and Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 47-0_7. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database. The secrets of organizational success: Aligning employees behind new corporate goals and objectives. (1995) Training Development, 49(8), 28-28. Retrieved from ABI/Inform Database. Transforming leadership for success and sustainability. (2011). Strategic Direction, 27(3), 19-21. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02580541111109598 Zairi, M., Whymark, J. (2000). The transfer of best practices: How to build a culture of benchmarking and continuous learning part 2. Benchmarking, 7(2), 146-167. Retrieved from ABI/Inform database.

Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven

Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven Elizabeth Davis Abstract Media portrayals of mental disorders often provide the only contact one may have on the topic. Because of this, filmmakers have a duty to accurately portray the disorders. Clean, Shaven provides first-hand look into the frightening symptoms of schizophrenia in an attempt to humanize the disorder and admonishes society for false presuppositions based upon those suffering from mental disorders (Lim, 2006; Owen, 2012). Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven In Clean, Shaven, Lodge Kerrigan attempts to place the viewer in the mind of Peter Winter, a schizophrenic recently released from a mental institution, through the use of strange camera angles and a bizarre, glaring soundtrack (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The film seeks to humanize the day-to-day struggles of life dealing with the symptoms of schizophrenia, such as auditory and visual hallucinations. One of Winter’s auditory hallucinations fits especially well with this theme: â€Å"For you it’s paranoia. For me it’s a reality† (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In addition, the film comments on society’s discrimination against mental illness by allowing the viewer to falsely assume Winter murders a young girl (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Symptoms and Diagnosis According to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, one must exhibit at least two of the five active symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Additionally, at least one of the symptoms must be one of the first three (delusions, hallucinations, and/or disorganized speech) and must occur for at least one month (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Clean, Shaven only provides a brief glimpse into Peter Winter’s life, however during this time, he does exhibit both delusions and hallucinations, as well as catatonic behavior and inappropriate affect (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Winter suffers from delusions that during his commitment to a mental institution he underwent a surgery to implant a radio transmitter in his finger and a receiver in his head (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In two separate scenes, Winter attempts to remove both the transmitter and the receiver, speaking to the persi stence of the delusions (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Additionally, Winter suffers from both visual and auditory hallucinations, the latter of which he believes originate from the transmitter in his finger (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), catatonic behavior may be expressed through excited and over-activity, such as pacing or repetitious movements. Repetitious movements appear at several times throughout the film, especially in times Winter is exceptionally stressed, such as in a scene in which he repeatedly bangs a card catalogue in a library (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Winter also exhibits inappropriate affect. Upon reuniting with his daughter who was placed for adoption when Winter was committed, Winter expresses increasing agitation instead of happiness (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The DSM-5 enumerates additional criteria for diagnosis. The B-level criterion addresses the level of dysfunction in major areas of life, such as self-care, work, and interpersonal relationships (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Because Winter has spent an unknown quantity of time in a mental institution and is just being released in the beginning of the film, his job performance cannot be analyzed, however, the viewer will note a steady decline in personal grooming throughout the film (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In the beginning, Winter exhibits fastidious grooming habits, keeping his clothes meticulous and his hair neatly trimmed (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). During a shower scene, Winter is seen scrubbing down with steel wool, suggesting a compulsive aspect to his hygiene habits (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Towards the end of the film, Winter becomes markedly disheveled (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). An interaction with his mother reveals strained interpersonal relations (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The remainin g diagnostic criteria were not addressed in the film due to the limited dialogue and the time constraints of the film. However, judging by the age of Winter’s daughter and comments on the onset of the symptoms made by his mother, it can be inferred that his symptoms have persisted for a time period exceeding the necessary six months. The quality and duration of symptoms along with the level of dysfunction confirm the diagnosis claim of schizophrenia. Causes of Schizophrenia According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), the interaction of both biological and environmental factors combine to cause schizophrenia. A wealth of data supports a physiological and genetic component to schizophrenia, based upon brain scans showing structural abnormalities and evidence of neurotransmitter dysfunction (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). However, this evidence only supports a predisposition to the disorder that may remain dormant until an environmental factor triggers the expression (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Oltmanns and Emery (2015) state environmental triggers include complications during pregnancy or birth, maternal malnutrition, certain viral infections. A correlation between schizophrenia and various social factors has also been found. For example, the highest concentration of schizophrenia occurs amongst those with the lowest socioeconomic statuses (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), two theories exist to explain this phenomenon: social causation, in which the status causes the disorder, and social selection, in which the disorder forces the status. Additionally, higher rates of schizophrenia occur in those who immigrate from another country, perhaps causing social adversity that triggers the disorder (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). It is unclear what combination of factors caused Peter Winter’s disorder. His mother mentions that as a child he had a strong attachment to a neighbor’s dog and became despondent and uninterested in enjoyable activities when the dog passed away (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Additionally, she mentions that he dropped out of college after only a few months, lost 20 pounds, and cut contact with the family, which is within the typical age of onset (15-35 years of age) for schizophrenia (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Judging from setting elements in the film, such as the fishing industry and farm houses, Winter lived in a predominantly working class town, which supports the social causation hypothesis (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Media Messages on Schizophrenia and Mental Health Filmmakers, when representing a mental disorder, have a moral obligation to accurately portray that mental disorder. According to Owen (2012), many cinematic depictions are based upon misinformation. In her analysis of 42 film characters, Owen (2012) found all depictions of schizophrenics carried some form of incorrect information. For example, 79 percent of these characters were male, a much higher rate than in actual occurrence (Owen, 2012). Additionally, 95 percent were Caucasian, whereas schizophrenia occurs at a much higher rate with African-Americans (Owen, 2012). Byrne and Kerrigan (1993) are guilty of dissemination both of those inaccurate depictions in Clean, Shaven. Owen (2012) found that while Clean, Shaven did rely on some inaccuracies, they were â€Å"inconsequential and did not detract from an overall accurate and compelling portrayal of schizophrenia† and praised the film for providing a â€Å"realistic and sympathetic representation [of the] day-to-day struggl es to cope with symptoms.† Of additional note, Kerrigan allows the audience to formulate presuppositions about Peter Winter’s guilt. In the opening scene, Winter sits in his car as a girl bounces a soccer ball against the windshield. Startled by the sound and frightened by the glare she gives him, Peter steps out of the car and walks off out of camera range. Next the viewer hears loud bangs and a girl screaming, then Winter gets back in the car with a large item wrapped in orange plastic bags. In a later scene, Detective Jack McNally is called on a case of the murder of a girl who looks similar to the girl with the soccer ball. Throughout the movie, McNally, and the audience as well, believes Winter murdered the girl, however he is unable to find any conclusive evidence. In a final scene, McNally rips open the orange plastic to find nothing but newspapers. This interplay comments on society’s false notions that the mentally ill are much more likely to commit violent acts (Oltmanns Emery, 2015; O wen, 2012). The viewer is left questioning whether the sounds of violence from the beginning were just another of Winter’s auditory hallucinations. In conclusion, Clean, Shaven provides a unique, sympathetic view into the life of someone suffering with schizophrenia. Byrne and Kerrigan (1993) portray auditory and visual hallucinations realistically and in a way that the viewer experiences them as if his own, providing more understanding for the development of the delusions. References Byrne, J. D. (Producer), Kerrigan, L. (Director). (1993).Clean, Shaven[Motion picture]. United States of America: DSM III Films. Lim, D. (2006). Clean, Shaven: Inside man. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved from http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/453-clean-shaven-inside-man Oltmanns, T. F. Emery, R. E. (2015). Abnormal psychology (8th Ed.). Boston: Pearson. Owen, P. R. (2012). Portrayals of schizophrenia by entertainment media: A content analysis of contemporary movies. Psychiatric Services, 63(7), 655-659. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201100371

The Visual Culture Essay -- Technology Internet Essays

The Visual Culture Over the past few decades, enhancements in the visual fields have greatly improved, giving weight on the importance of visual material in text. Something that is more visually stimulating can usually make a text more convincing or credible. The term â€Å"seeing is believing† proves this fact. As humans, we tend to believe something if we can actually see it, which is why Jay David Bolter has referred to this phenomenon of the changed role of text and graphics as the â€Å"visual culture† in his book Writing Space. â€Å"Mere words no longer seemed adequate; they had to share their space with images.† (Bolter, 69). As Bolter describes the visual culture that we are immersed in, in this day and age, he discusses various terms and components of this idea of the changed role of graphics and pictures. The idea is that a visual and a text are complementary to each other, however can coexist together or separately to interpret the same thing. â€Å"The main point is that the relationship between word and image is becoming increasingly unstable, and this instability is especially apparent in popular American magazines, newspapers, and various forms of graphic advertisements† (Bolter, 49), he says. An interesting idea that was brought up by Bolter is that of â€Å"picture writing,† which is the idea that the signs, symbols, pictures and stylized images comprise their own language allowing no language barriers. Even though the writer and reader many use words to interpret the picture, different people could interpret and explain the same message in different words and people who speak different languages can share the same system of picture writing. Since the Internet is such a visual space,... ...es using the images as a way of â€Å"enhancing and conveying meaning.† It’s really interesting to see the changes that technology has come to. The advancements in technology in just the past decade have been astounding. It’s hard to think that there really was life without high-speed Internet, e-mail, and AOL Instant Messenger. However, not only have there been so many advancements in technology, but also with it came advancements in the visual field, in that our culture and society became so much more driven with such a visual drive. Works Cited: Bolter, J.D. (2001). Writing Space: Computers, Hypertext, and the Remediation of Print. London, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. KAIROS: 7.2. Zeliner, M.â€Å"New Media and the Slow Death of the Written Word† http://english.ttu.edu/kairos/7.2/binder.html?sectionone/zeltner/NM. (March, 2004).

Metaphysical Conceit Essay -- English Literature

Metaphysical Conceit Metaphysical Conceita highly ingenious kind of conceit widely used by the metaphysical poets, who explored all areas of knowledge to find, in the startlingly esoteric or the shockingly commonplace, telling and unusual analogies for their ideas. Metaphysical conceits often exploit verbal logic to the point of the grotesque and sometimes achieve such extravagant turns on meaning that they become absurd (e.g. Richard Crashaw's description of Mary Magdalene's eyes as "Two walking baths; two weeping motions,/Portable and compendious oceans"). These conceits work best when the reader is given a perception of a real but previously unsuspected similarity that is enlightening; then they may speak to our minds and emotions with force. Examples of potential metaphysical conceits->love is like an oil change; love is like a postage stamp; love is like a pair of compasses; the soul of a sinner is like a damaged pot. As you can see, the temptation to be merely clever must be hard to resist, while the difficulty in making such a conceit truly effective is quite considerable. The Flea 1. Background: Étienne Pasquier and Catherine Desroches, 1579. Pseudo-Ovidian flea poems in which the lover wishes to become a flea in order to gain enhanced access to the beloved's charms; theme is often bestialization of the lover by his own passion. 2. Plot is simple: a) speaker points to a flea that has jumped from him to the woman and bites both; b) she has hunted down and caught the flea; speaker tries to dissuade her from killing it; c) she disregards his pleas and kills it. N.B. all the action occurs between the stanzas. Elaboration: he has argued that their being bitten by the flea is tantamount to ha... ...en the most moronic of women-unless she were as desirous of being convinced as the speaker is of convincing her-and this one is far from moronic. She is clearly not bewildered or dazzled by these arguments. The whole poem has the air of a little intellectual game indulged in by these two, both of them knowing what the outcome will be even if they don't quite know how the conclusion will be reached, and both enjoying the game for its own sake, rather than that of a serious attempt to lead someone astray. If the poem is read this way, the fact that the argument is false, is pure sophistry, is at least beside the point and can even become a strength-it is the interaction between the participants that is central. Donne (also Spenser, see 28, 29, 75, 54) frequently uses argument as a form of love-play and posits a woman who is an intellectual match for the man.

Post-conflict peacebuilding in Afghanistan

Afghanistan The aim of the following essay will be to evaluate the impact which the ISAF and peace-keeping efforts by the United Nations have had on the peacebuilding process in Afghanistan, following the US military intervention in Operation Enduring Freedom. Following two Anglo-Afghan wars, Afghanistan gained independence in 1919 and joined the League of Nations. Its example was followed by other states which gained independence from imperial domination and governance, which following the establishment of the United Nations resulted in the shaping of the contemporary geo-political order (Rubin, 2006). Afghanistan was built by the co-ordination of flows of foreign aid and when the aid flows were directed towards the sponsoring of opposing military forces, a civil war erupted, eventually leading to the collapse of the state as the flows of foreign aid were stopped (Rubin, 2002). For most of its known history, Afghanistan remained a heterogeneous and tribal state having multiple and conflicting l egal, cultural and political systems (Dupree, 2002; Simonsen, 2004). When the Soviet Union withdrew in Afghanistan in 1989, the Taliban gained supremacy within the state and the lack of consensus lead to the eruption of a civil war (Matinuddin, 1999). The period of 1992-1994 in Afghanistan was one of chaos and civil war, as the opposition factions failed to form an effective coalition government, thus leading to a civil war (Coll, 2004; Maley, 2009). In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the US and a Coalition of other states to initiate a ‘war on terror’, a result of the Taliban’s refusal to cooperate in the apprehension of Al Qaeda’s leader Bin Laden (Rubin, 2013). Following the re-capturing of the capital by the Allied forces and the dispersal of the Taliban, the foundations of Afghanistan’s re-structuring were set out in the UN Bonn Agreement (UN, 2001). In summary, it set out the path for a transition towards a western-style consti tutional democracy with significant emphasis being placed on human rights, social justice and gender equality (Nesiah, 2004). ISAF Mission Following Operation Enduring Freedom and the liberation of the capital Kabul, the UN Security council passed Resolution 1386 with which it layered the foundations of the ISAF, which was deployed initially in Kabul. The ISAF was set to operate in close cooperation with the both the UN and the Afghan government whilst working the country’s reconstruction and the training of its security personnel (ISAF, 2014). Its key participation in the reconstruction process was manifested by the establishment of Provisional Reconstruction Teams in provinces in the northern and western parts of the country (ibid.) Initially, ISAF’s mandate was constrained to providing security in the capital city, but following the UN Resolution 1510 in 2003, its mandate was expanded so as to provide security throughout the country’s territory (ISAF, 2014a). The International Security Assistance Force is representative of all NATO member state countries and over the years has been b roadened so as to include troops from non-member states such as Australia and New Zealand (ISAF, 2014b). The activities of the ISAF and its mission objective can considered in line with strategies utilised for state-building and peace-making (Rose-Ackerman, 2001). During its mandate from 2001 onwards, the ISAF has been established as the main provider of national security within the country, whilst at the same time training the newly formed Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Police (ANP) (ISAF, 2014). In addition to providing security on a national scale, the ISAF has been actively involved in the demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) of rogue militants, thus enabling the state to claim monopoly over violence (NATO, 2013). Until the expiry of its mandate at the end of 2014, the ISAF will continue to help the transitional state to train its own security forces as part of international efforts to ensure stability within the country and ensure that a peace ful transition from the civil war onto a more democratic pathway of governance is achieved. Evaluating ISAF Defining both ‘success’ and ‘failure’ in peacekeeping missions is a difficult task due to lack of consensus with regards to their definition (Druckman et al. 1997; Bellamy and Williams, 2005). It has also been suggested that peacekeeping is more likely to succeed in more developed states and in countries where the death toll is minimal (Fortna, 2004). If one is to use the latter framework, then all efforts in Afghanistan are likely to be in vain. More recent research has identified six factors which appear to be of significant relevance: the successful deployment of available resources, overlap of interest among key stakeholders, emphasis on continuous conflict regulation, external cooperation as well as recognising the specific environment in which the conflict has taken place (Wolff and Dursun-Ozkanca, 2012). In the case of Afghanistan however, the US-led invasion had no clear strategies for a state-building process (Ayub and Kouvo, 2008). As a result, the initial focus on the ‘war on terror’ lacked a clear direction at it failed to provide a clear division between short-term goals of pacifying the terrorist threat and the longer-term peace-building process within the country (ibid). The invasion of Afghanistan was not about promoting security bur rather reducing the spreading sense of insecurity in the US (Nesiah, 2004).The state-building process that followed had no clear goals and was characterised by competing paradigms, as well as incompatible agendas (Weinberger, 2002; Rubin, 2006; Suhrke, 2012). It can be argued that the Taliban resurgence in 2005 and consequent lack of security in the country precluded any substantial democratization effort. However, this ignores the causal relationship between the two: failure of the political process, and an incoherent US/NATO military strategy, which provided the vacuum and space necessary for the Taliban and other counter-systemic actors to establish and expand their influenc e in the country (Suhrke, 2008). Linked to the incoherent military strategy is the limited impact of the DDR process that was to strengthen the position of the ISAF (Reynolds, 2006; Saikal, 2012). The expansion of ISAF outside of Kabul also played a significant part in the escalation of the conflict (Suhrke, 2011). The escalating war ratcheted up the demand for rapid and visible results, both within Afghanistan and from domestic audiences in the contributing countries. To deliver quick and visible results, the interveners adopted measures that undermined basic precepts of state-building and by extension its contribution to peacebuilding. In order to rapidly create Afghan military capacity, for example, the international forces started rearming the militias (Lefevre, 2010). A large amount of resources were diverted towards training the ANA, whereas the lack of training for the ANP produced problems for the ISAF, mainly in terms of corruption and human rights abuses (Beljan, 2013). Th e establishment of PRTs throughout the country was seen as the solution for providing security and reconstruction at the same time (ibid.). However, their activity was characterised by lack of clear objectives, lack of a clear commanding structure and lack of resources (Sedra, 2005). This lack of coherence is not only characteristic of the PRTs themselves, but rather to the lack of a clear strategy for the operation of ISAF (Sperling and Webber, 2012), as the establishment of security needs to run parallel to economic development as part of restructuring efforts. As it was noted, the availability of resources for peacebuilding has a significant impact on the successful resolution of a violent conflict. Yet, the large flows of unconditioned aid are said to re-create the environment in which the civil war in the 1990s erupted and evolved (Goodhand and Sedra, 2007). Afghanistan is also a challenging case for the study and application of peace conditionalities, as the Bonn Agreement its elf only legitimised a ‘victor’s peace’, leaving the Taliban quite potent. Secondly, the dual nature of the process should be emphasised – building peace in a climate of ongoing war. The approach adopted by the Alliance forces, to create a security force whilst at the same time failing to provide an institution that is to be responsible for its management is yet another reflection of the prioritisation of short-term goals over peace-making and state-building in the longer term (Sedra, 2005). Although reconstruction has been a top priority and used as a political platform during the first parliamentary elections (Wilder, 2005), the international spending has emphasised security over reconstruction (Rubin, Hamidzada and Stoddard, 2003). The long-standing conflict itself has resulted in the development of a war economy (Felbab-Brown, 2005; Fielden and Goodhand, 2001) in which it is difficult for the emerging democratic state to claim monopoly over violence. F acing considerable historical and institutional constraints, the UN Assistance mission in Afghanistan, a part of which is ISAF, has found it difficult to implement its ambitious democratisation mandate (Tadjbakhsh and Schoiswohl, 2008; Saikal, 2012). In conclusion, despite ISAF has achieved some successes in the training of Afghanistan’s security forces and improving security (Beljan, 2013), it is difficult to claim to the mandate and goals which were set as its main tasks have been achieved. Over the period of reconstruction the country has been relying on foreign aid for the maintenance of its structures, it is still a fragile state on the brink of re-emerging conflict, as there is still a lack of a clear political settlement among the different interest parties in the country. Bibliography Ayub, F. and Kuovo, S. (2008). Righting the courseHumanitarian intervention, the war on terror and the future of Afghanistan. International Affairs, 84(4), 641-657. Beljan, R. (2013). Afghanistan: Lessons Learned from an ISAF Perspective. Journal Article| May, 30(2), 30am. Available at: http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/afghanistan-lessons-learned-from-an-isaf-perspective Bellamy, A. J., & Williams, P. D. (2005). Who’s keeping the peaceRegionalization and contemporary peace operations. International Security, 29(4), 157-195. Coll, S. (2004). Ghost wars: The secret history of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet invasion to September 10, 2001. New York: Penguin. Druckman, D., Stern, P. C., Diehl, P., Fetherston, A. B., Johansen, R., Durch, W., & Ratner, S. (1997). Evaluating peacekeeping missions. Mershon International Studies Review, 151-165. Dupree, N. H. (2002). Cultural heritage and national identity in Afghanistan. Third World Quarterly, 23(5), 977-989. Felbab?Brown, V. (2005). Afghanistan: when counternarcotics undermines counterterrorism. Washington Quarterly, 28(4), 55-72. Fielden, M., & Goodhand, J. (2001). Beyond the TalibanThe Afghan conflict and United Nations peacemaking. Conflict, Security & Development, 1(03), 5-32. Fortna, V. P. (2004). Does peacekeeping keep peaceInternational intervention and the duration of peace after civil war. International studies quarterly, 48(2), 269-292. Goodhand, J., & Sedra, M. (2007). Bribes or bargainsPeace conditionalities and ‘post-conflict’reconstruction in Afghanistan. International Peacekeeping, 14(1), 41-61. ISAF (2014). Mission. Available at: http://www.isaf.nato.int/mission.html ISAF (2014a). History. Available at: http://www.isaf.nato.int/history.html ISAF (2014b) Troop Numbers and Contributions. Available at: http://www.isaf.nato.int/troop-numbers-and-contributions/index.php Lefevre, M. (2010). Local Defence in Afghanistan. A Review of Government-backed Initiatives. Kabul: Afghanistan Analysts Network. Maley, W. (2009). The Afghanistan Wars. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Matinuddin, K. (1999). The Taliban Phenomenon in Afghanistan 1994-1995. Oxford: Oxford University Press. NATO (2013). ISAF’s Mission in Afghanistan. Available at: http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_69366.htm Nesiah, V. (2004). From Berlin to Bonn to Baghdad: a space for infinite justice. Harv. Hum. Rts. J., 17, 75. Reynolds, A. (2006). The curious case of Afghanistan. Journal of Democracy, 17(2), 104-117. Rose-Ackerman, S. (2001). Trust, honesty, and corruption: reflection on the state-building process. European Journal of Sociology, 42, 27-71. Rubin, B. R. (2002). The fragmentation of Afghanistan: State formation and collapse in the international system. Yale University Press. Rubin, B. R. (2006). Peace Building and State-Building in Afghanistan: constructing sovereignty for whose security?. Third World Quarterly, 27(1), 175-185. Rubin, B. R. (2013). Afghanistan from the Cold War through the War on Terror. Oxford University Press. Rubin, B. R., Hamidzada, H., & Stoddard, A. (2003). Through the Fog of Peace Building: Evaluating the Reconstruction of Afghanistan. Center on International Cooperation, New York University. Saikal, A. (2012). The UN and Afghanistan: Contentions in Democratization and Statebuilding. International Peacekeeping, 19(2), 217-234. Sedra, M. (2005). Civil-military relations in Afghanistan: The provincial reconstruction team debate. Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies. Simonsen, S. G. (2004). Ethnicising Afghanistan?: inclusion and exclusion in post?Bonn institution building. Third World Quarterly, 25(4), 707-729. Sperling, J., & Webber, M. (2012). NATO’s Intervention in the Afghan Civil War. Civil Wars, 14(3), 344-372. Suhrke, A. (2008). A contradictory missionNATO from stabilization to combat in Afghanistan. International Peacekeeping, 15(2), 214-236. Suhrke, A. (2011). When more is less: the international project in Afghanistan. New York: Columbia University Press. Suhrke, A. (2012). Waging War and Building Peace in Afghanistan. International Peacekeeping, 19(4), 478-491. Tadjbakhsh, S., & Schoiswohl, M. (2008). Playing with fireThe international community’s democratization experiment in Afghanistan. International Peacekeeping, 15(2), 252-267. United Nations (2001) Bonn Agreement. Available at: http://peacemaker.un.org/afghanistan-bonnagreement2001 Weinberger, N. (2002). Civil-military coordination in peacebuilding: the challenge in Afghanistan. Journal of International Affairs-Columbia University, 55(2), 245-276. Wilder, A. R. (2005). A House Divided?: Analysing the 2005 Afghan Elections. Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit. Wolff, S., & Dursun-Ozkanca, O. (2012). Regional and International Conflict Regulation: Diplomatic, Economic and Military Interventions. Civil Wars, 14(3), 297-323.

Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” the Peter Brooke version (1960) and the Harry Hook Essay

A media study comparing two cinematic interpretations of Golding’s â€Å"Lord of the Flies† the Peter Brooke version (1960) and the Harry Hook version (1990). These two interpretations of William Golding’s â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† have been directed by Peter Brooke in 1960’s and then Harry Hook’s version in the 1990’s. The original, black and white, version stays far closer to the book storyline altering only the slightest things. Peter Brooke keeps the boys from a public English school with strict rules about behaviour and uniform. The main idea behind the story is to see, just how long these boys will keep rules and order now that they have no one to enforce them upon them. It’s to see, just how long they will live with this civilised and orderly world, before they turn to the savage and more primitive world. In Harry Hook’s version, the story has been changed a great deal. The main difference is the boys themselves are now Americans from an American military school. Harry Hook has brought the film right up to date and more modern. The main reason for changing the boys to American, I believe, is because of tickets sales. Far more people would want to see these boys than English boys, partly because many people wouldn’t understand the English boys’ accent. Another major change Harry Hook has added is the role of the pilot. In the book and Peter Brooke’s version, the pilot is dead upon encountering the island on top of the mountain in the middle of the island with the tangled parachute, rapped around him, to make him look more like a beast. However, in Harry Hook’s Colour version, he has kept the pilot alive, with Ralph, one of the main boys, saving him from drowning at the start. Later on, he then dies up in a cave on the mountain, making him appear to be a beast. I think that Harry Hook’s version is more effective and believable to a modern viewer like me because if we look at a person wrapped in a parachute it wouldn’t appear to be a beast or anything like that. I believe in the 60’s people were far easier scared than what we are today. Also Harry Hook has touched up the film a bit by adding more technology into it, like the glow sticks or the pyrotechnics of the burning island. These changes he’s added make it easier for modern viewers to understand. I belief Harry Hook has been successful in creating a more updated and modern film. The opening scenes and sequences to both these films are very effective in their own ways. They both use different techniques of camera shots and angles and different audio and soundtracks and different way of putting across the message of what has just happen to this group of boys. In Peter Brooke’s version he runs through a series of images resembling certain things about the civilised world and what they are about to al leave behind. First of all he show images of some class rooms with lecturers at the front, dictating what appears to be maths and Latin. These symbolise rules and order, maths with all the rules and Latin with a very orderly structure to the language. He is trying to put across how the boys used to live before the plane crash. He also shows images of a cricket match showing more rules and the idea of fair play and all working together as a team. The quire is also introduced into these images representing harmony and peace. Peter Brooke then starts flicking in images of war, like the planes, tanks, bombs and troops. He is trying to show just how bad things are about to get. Peter Brooke has all the boys in these images dressed up smartly in there uniform. This again represents order. He is putting across to the viewers just how much the boys are going to loose and how far the boys are willing to stray from civilisation. The quire, which he also introduces, is also dressed up in these very smart and fine black robes. Peter Brooke has got them all dressed this way to show they are all together as a team and are all united in peace. When Peter Brooke has these war images introduced to the credits the intensity of the soundtrack is increases, adding this drum beat in the background. The very same drum beat is reintroduced later on in the film to show that civilisation has finally fallen apart completely. I this worked very well, reintroducing this intense drum beat because you then are able to relate the drums to war and uncivilised behaviour which is a very important theme to the whole film. In Harry Hook’s version, he has decided to put these images across in a very different way, but still, he’s very effective in doing so. His first shot is of the pilot sinking down the screen under water, until Ralph dives down and rescues him. Everything is silent underwater, until they hit the surface then is a burst of screams and shouts from the other boys. He’s trying to make it look and feel like the boys are being reborn. The sea is representing the old world and blue representing an empty or neutral colour and everything has been wiped clean suggesting everything has been wiped clean and they are starting life over, rebirth. Ralph is the first to be briefly introduced, which is also before the title credits. He dives down into the sea, rescuing the pilot, and then again, diving down rescuing the life boat which saves all the boys. The pilot is a good symbol of the old world and how it’s slowly disappearing and slipping out of their grips. Harry Hook is immediately trying to show, Ralph as the one who wants the old world to come back, her wants to hold on to the old world and save it. Underwater, it has been deliberately made silent to try and contrast the two worlds and show how completely different they are. This worked very well for the film. The title is then brought up onto the screen against a black background with the films theme tune. In my opinion, I feel this has worked better than Peter Brooke’s opening credits because there’s more drama and suspense about, whether these boys are actually going to survive in the water and what they will do. Also it is easier to read the opening credits against a black background, rather than have to focus on what’s going on in the background as well as read the credits. In both of the films they then start to introduce the main characters, starting mainly with Ralph, closely followed by Ralph and Piggy two. Both directors have decided to focus mainly on these three characters at the beginnings. Each one of these has also been singled out and is noticed by a very distinguishing feature. In Peter Brooke’s film, Ralph is noticeable because he has kept all his uniform on, whereas most the others have started to take items off, whereas, in Harry Hook’s film Ralph is given a sling. Giving Ralph this sling makes him stand out a great deal from all the other boys. In both the films, Piggy just looks completely different from all the other boys. He’s short, fat and has glasses. Piggy is also the most mature out of the group and can see a lot more clearly about what’s going to happen to them. His glasses are a symbol of the old world; they enable him to see things clearer than what the other boys can. He is also able to blind him self from the truth if he doesn’t like it or danger by taking them off. If he knows trouble is going to happen, he generally takes them off to clean or something. Finally there’s Jack. In Peter Brooke’s version he is the head chorister of the quire and then in the Harry Hook version he is first seen with no jacket on. Jack is the first boy in both films to remove all his clothes and becomes the chief of the tribe, which is created later on in the film. I think again Harry Hook has been more successful in singling out the main characters of the film. When first viewing the island, both directors have kept it in black or a silhouette against the sky. They keep it in this format to symbolise mystery and uncertainty about things to come. When all the boys are sailing into the island, in Harry Hook’s version, the main point he is trying to portray is all the boys are altogether as one group. No individuals and no one have any identity yet. They’re all in black against the blue sea representing the old world, with no characteristics trying to show they are still together and united as one group, coming from the old world of civilisation. This is done differently in Peter Brooke’s version because they are all assembled together on the beach but the same points are still made. I feel Harry Hook made this scene better too because all the characters no each other and can be classed as a group, whereas Peter Brooke’s boys didn’t no each other and have to find out who each boy is at the beginning. When Ralph saves the pilot in the colour film, it shows that he still clutches to this old world and wants it back. The boys wrap the pilot in a mosquito net and treat him like a child, I feel Harry Hook is trying to show the roles have now been reverse and the adult is now this child or baby and the boys are the adults. When the boys are in the big group on the beach, Ralph starts with a green glow stick, the green symbolising fear and loneliness. The camera angles in both films are mainly all in medium shot while introducing the boys, so you can get a good look at all the boys and work out first impressions for yourself. It also has a few close-ups on the main characters to show these are the one’s that’ll make a difference. The boys soon discover that the island isn’t that bad, by finding water and wild pig’s for food. In both films, all the boys are working together to show they are still this team but some of the boys have already started to get annoyed by piggy and mock his name. Both directors establish the island in more detail and show it’s a small island. For Ralph, this island is a dream come true or a paradise for him. Yet again, I feel Harry Hook has captured this better by introducing this gigantic water pool they find in the middle of the forest, where all the boys drink from and play in. Ralph can’t get enough of this paradise, golden sun, sandy beaches, warm and clear water, but best of all, there is no adults to enforce any rules upon them but he soon starts to wish there were adults. This soon becomes a nightmare and a burning hell. Piggy is the first boy to realise this and what will happen, so he goes back to the water, in hope to find someway of brings back the old world and what he finds is the conch. This allows them to keep some rules and order with the other boys but this doesn’t last very long and it not long, before a lot of the boys start to rebel against all these rules and start to realise they aren’t going to be rescued so make the most of it. When Ralph and Piggy are first introduced in to Peter Brooke’s version, they are frantically struggling through the undergrowth of the forest floor, in an attempt to gain access to the sea once again and the old world. I don’t think this scene is capture very well, not because of camera angles or soundtrack because I feel they worked very well, having all the bugs and animal noises in the background, but because of Hugh Edwards, the boy who played Piggy. I feel he didn’t relate into the character as well as the new Piggy, Dan iel Pipoly. This has let the film down but it was still a very good film, putting across all the main points. Soon the fire is introduced which is a huge symbol of power and nature. As the film progresses the fire’s symbol changes. First off it starts off as power of nature and stands for rescue but later on it is used for cooking and hunting. The first fire the boys set goes horrible wrong and out of control very rapidly. The directors here are trying to give us a glimpse of things to come like disaster. All the boys are still together at this pint and work together to put the fire out, except Piggy who is isolated and alone. Piggy is shot through the fire showing he hasn’t got long left and he knows it. Piggy’s specs are also a great aspect and an important feature of the film because these start the fire. Piggy can’t see without them so when there is danger, he uses this to his advantage and takes them off, blinding him from the truth. With the fire lit the boys now start to get out of control and start almost a tribal dance, Piggy is again deliberately shot outside the group, showing he is already being left out. Piggy knows this and he knows what is going to happen. In the colour version, Harry Hook, has added a single tree standing alone, next to the fire. This is completely burnt down and incinerated. This tree symbolised innocence which has now gone, destroyed and crashed down. This again shows the power of nature and things to come. Probably the main or key scene, of the film is when Simon, the first to be killed and realise the truth about the beast, is killed. This is the key point where finally the boys are divided and both groups head off in completely different directions. Once Simon has been killed, nothing could ever be the same. Once Jack, has finally become more like a native and so primitive, he’s killed once and is willing to kill again. Ralph and Piggy now realise they are the only ones with any sense left and know if they aren’t rescued soon, they too will be killed. The sequences leading up to Simon’s death introduce the face paints and body paints, acting like masks, where the boys can hide behind. Once the boys have these paints they are hidden from everything and are able to commit far more serious crimes, like murder. On both films, Simon sits in front of the sacrifice, or the pig’s head, which Jack has placed for the beast, just staring with no expression or emotion, just trying to work out what actually is going on. In Peter Brooke’s version he has nothing but the buzzing of flies in the background to show it’s the flies eating away the flesh and meat of the head, not a beast. Simon figures it out and goes up to the mo9untain to check what he believes and finds the dead pilot in both versions. Simon has a lot more sense than the other boys and can see that there isn’t a beast, but the beast that they fear is inside of them all. The camera’s keep switching between the beach, where Jack and his tribe are dancing around a fire, in a very primitive and savage way, pretending to do rituals where they chase a boy round the fire who is pretending to be the pig, or the beast which builds up tension for when Simon is actually killed, it also gives the film a lot more co nfusion to show the boys aren’t to sure what is going on. Each time the screen is switched from Simon to Jack and his tribe, it’s getting darker and every time it gets darker the tribe are getting far more wild and aggressive. The sound of crashing waves against rocks is introduced to the backing music to show there is a war going on between these two worlds. A few boys start throwing the fire into the water, rejecting the old world. Both films captured these sequences very well and all this helps built up tension, suspense and fear before Simon’s death. Simon races down to the beach to tell the other boys his discovery. By now it’s really dark, the night has drawn in and the only light is the central fire where all the boys are dancing round and racing round after a pretend pig. Ralph and Piggy are still shot out of the group though because they can sense something bad is going to happen before the night is over. When Simon is spotted, there is a big question mark on whether Jack actually knew it was Simon and had him deliberately killed or he genuinely thought it was the beast. This question arises because Simon keeps the boys in his tribe by fear of the beast and by threatening them. He goes on about how his hunter will protect him from the beast, but if the truth is revealed, that there is no beast, not many of the boys would actually follow Jack. Harry Hook, in my opinion again, has captured this scene very well. It was a good effect, having a camera track Simon down the beach and have him running, with this green glow stick. The glow stick gives him a more monstrous appearance and makes the accidental killing storyline more believable to viewers. After the boys back away and realise what they’ve done, the sea comes rolling up the beach once more. The sea representing the old world comes crawling up the beach and wraps around Simon, now taking him back to this old world. Peter Brooke captures this very well, giving it a religious appearance by having the stars sparkling reflection upon the water shore and the quire in the backing music. This makes it feel like a religious ceremony. I think the point Peter Brooke was trying to put across was Simon was a martyr, dying trying to reveal the truth about the beast. Once the boys have committed this, there is no going back. This scene is the very turning point of the play, where Jack, finally, has total power and all the boys except Piggy and Ralph have turned so primitive. Jack has now painted his whole body with these paints in tribal markings which singles him out as the leader of the tribe. Also the original uniforms, which were a symbol of the old world, have now been taken over by these markings, and the new world. Ralph and Piggy have both lost all hope in rescue and know if t hey stay here it’ll be there turn soon enough. An additional scene Harry Hook has added into his version is the dream sequence where Ralph is dreaming about them all being rescued and saved when, suddenly, the helicopter just bursts into flames and explodes in Ralph’s face. Here Harry Hook is trying to emphasize the point that Ralph and Piggy are giving up hope on getting rescued and it is getting more and more less likely for them to get rescued. However I don’t think this was a very good idea because all it does is confuse the viewer. In the last scene, where Ralph is being hunted down in the forest by the hunters in there new natural habitat, the directors for both films have concentrated greatly upon creating the ending with so much suspense and tension and excitement as they could possibly get. Harry Hook has Ralph go speak to Sam and Eric the night before the hunters attack on Ralph to confirm what Ralph thinks will happen. He calls them Jack’s slaves. The whole area surrounding them is in this dark blue showing Ralph is lost within the darkness and can’t find away out, but needs to soon. By going up to Sam and Eric, Ralph is testing their loyalty to him and to see just how primitive they have got, to see if they have any civil behaviour at all left in them. He wants to see if they are just another tribal unit. Peter Brooke didn’t add this scene in which again, I feel, lets the film down slightly. This part explains the film more clearly to viewers. Both Harry Hook and Peter Brooke, have Ralph awaken in the forest, lost and alone, only to hear the sounds of birds, insects and small creatures. He then starts to hear the quiet cries of the hunters calling to each other, like a pack of animals; this again shows just how primitive the other boys have become. Suddenly the sound of burning is brought into the background. The camera shows close ups on Ralph’s face, trying to capture his fear. When Ralph realises the hunters are coming after him, he jumps up and runs as fast and as far as he can. He doesn’t know where he is going though, he’s trapped on the island, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The camera tracks Ralph through the forest and every where he runs. Peter Brooke has Ralph literally crawling on his hands and knees through the forest, sprawling through the undergrowth of the forest floor. He is trying to suggest the Ralph has now become this Pig and is being hunted. This works very well and gives another glimpse to just how far the boys have gone. When Ralph is running through the forest, the directors have both chosen to shoot a reverse shot on Ralph. This is when in the one minute he’s running to the right, then the next he’s going to the left. They have done this to show just how lost and confused Ralph is, showing he has nowhere to run. Usually this is seen as a weakness in films, but I feel it worked well for this film and gave it more suspense. It also enables the directors to show more fear within Ralph, having him know he doesn’t know where the hunters are, but they are on the island somewhere. They also both do panning shots of Ralph, running past the camera. In Harry Hook’s version, because of the 30years of advances in technology, he is able to use pyrotechnics at the end on the burning island, which I believe, gives the film more suspense, it shows the island burning, resembling the island has now become this hell. Peter Brooke wasn’t able to do this in his interpretation of the lord of the flies because they didn’t have the technology so they just used smoke which didn’t work as well for me. After scrambling through the forest, Ralph eventually stumbles upon the beach and in front of a navel officer. Both films jump from images of the hunters, all in these rags and paints, then to the naval officer, all in uniform, all perfect and orderly. Both directors are trying to sum up, just how far the boys had finally gone and strayed away from civilisation. Peter Brooke has done this exceptionally well. He picks out one boy who, at the beginning of the film could remember his name, address and telephone number but now can’t even speak. He just walks up to the officer and is speechless; he opens his mouth to talk but can’t remember anything. This again underlines have far the boys have gone. The final images you get in Peter Brookes version is the burning island, which has now become this burning hellish nightmare. He also gives you images of Ralph’s face. The camera shot is a close up to see the emotion this ordeal has put him through. Overall, I feel Harry Hook’s version was better, purely because of the advances in technology like colour. Also the use of language and swearing makes it easier for a modern viewer to interpret it. I believe the script editor has done a great job and fits the story in well and keeps it up to date with technology, which in turn make the whole film more believable and interesting.

Case 6: the Financial Detective

Case 6 : The Financial Detective Financial data is the most crucial information in describing any sort of business, but this information is also useful in differentiating between different types of businesses. In any specific industry, many key players are present, yet their strategies and implementations of business vary greatly. Two firms may achieve the same earned profit, yet go about securing this profit in radically different ways . A close analysis of financial data for each business can be used to understand and explain these different strategies employed by a given company and how that strategy affects the financial performance of each company. This case calls for the examination of two different companies within the same field and, through analysis of selected financial information, determining which set of data belongs to which company based on the different characteristics and strategies employed by each company. The results of this analysis are as follows. Health Products The two companies listed here manufacture and market health care products. The first is the world’s largest prescription-pharmaceutical company containing a broad pipeline of ethical pharmaceuticals backed by significant research and development, which has recently divested many of its non-related business holdings and is considered the partner of choice in terms of licensing agreements. The second company is a diversified health-products company that manufactures and mass markets a broad line of pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter drugs, health and beauty products and medical devices. Brand development and management is key to this company. Company A is the more diversified company, while Company B is the world’s largest pharmaceutical company. A major signifier here is the intangible assets owned by Company B, 46. 1 vs. 22. 2, which would explain the patents and licensing deals mentioned in the company description, as well as the robust research and development budget. Another major clue here is in the inventory turnover. Company A, well-diversified with a mass-market strategy, turns over their inventory 3. 8 times vs. .93 of company B, which is to be expected of a mass-market company intent of volume sales to consumers. Beer Two brewers of beer are described here, the first being a national brewer of mass-market consumer beers sold under a variety of brand names who also owns a number of beer-related businesses and several major theme parks. The second is a smaller brewery with smaller production volume and higher prices that outsources most of its brewing activity. The firm is also mentioned to be financially conservative and has recently undergone major cost-saving initiatives. Company C is the national brewer while company D is the small market brewery. A major key here is understanding that company D is described as financially conservative, which helps explain the large amount of cash and short-term investments (55. 6) that they keep on hand, while also holding no long-term debt. A large, national company like C would be expected to carry some debt in order to finance such large operations. Also, as C operates an extensive network of breweries and distributorships, while also owning beer-related businesses and theme parks, it would follow that their net fixed assets would be quite large (54. 7) compared to the relatively smaller D (16). Computers The two companies described here sell computers and related equipment. One company focuses exclusively on mail-order sales of built-to-order PCs and devices and is an assembler of PC components manufactured by suppliers. The other company sells a highly differentiable line of computers and accessories and has recently begun to recover from a dramatic decline in its market share. The firm has an aggressive retail strategy intended to drive traffic through its stores and expand its installed base of customers. Company E is the online retailer, while Company F is the retailer. As E is an assembler of parts supplied by a manufacturer, their manufacturing is essentially outsourced, which accounts for the higher cost of goods sold (81) as well as the higher amount of accounts payable, as they consume more supplies in order to assemble their products. As well, since company F is a bricks & mortar retailer as opposed to an online vendor, F has had to adopt and aggressive retail strategy that requires advertising their products and stores and employees in which to sell their products, which accounts for the relatively higher SGA expense (23. 1). Books and Music Of the two companies profiled here, the first focuses its sales based on a vast retail-store presence. This company is the leader of traditional book retailing, and also maintains an online presence and owns a publishing imprint. The other company sells books and music solely through its web site. Media is the majority of their sales, but they also sell electronics and other merchandise, and the company has only recently become profitable due to an aggressive strategy of acquiring related online businesses. Company G is the online retailer while company H is the traditional seller. G reaches customers solely through the internet, and besides various warehouses used for shipping it would have no need to keep large fixed assets, which explains why their net fixed assets (7. 6) are significantly lower than the traditional seller (24. 4), who requires the retail outlets needed to reach their customers. Along these lines, as H is a traditional seller of goods, their inventories (38. 6) are bound to be much higher, as their retail outlets need to remain stocked rather than ordering as needed like G would. This explains G’s higher cost of goods sold due to not needing to buy in bulk. Paper The companies listed here are both paper manufacturers. The first company is the world’s largest maker of paper and paper products, who also owns timberland, numerous paper-related facilities and a paper-distribution network. The company has spent the last few years closing inefficient mills, implementing cost-containment initiatives and selling nonessential assets. The other firm is a small producer of specialty papers as well as towel and tissue products. Most of the company’s products are marketed under branded labels and the company purchases the wood fiber used in the paper making process. Company I is the larger firm while company J is the smaller firm. The first clue to this conclusion is the amount of long-term debt company I is carrying (41. 3) compared to company J (18. 3). As we know that the larger firm has spent the last few years reorganizing and attempting to cut costs, it would make sense that these initiatives were taken because of high company debt. Along this line, I’s total debt/total assets is much higher (42. 8), which would also help to explain the cost-containment initiatives needed. Also, I’s cost of goods sold (75. 3) is lower than J’s (82. 9), most likely due to their ownership of supply companies and J’s decision to buy theor wood fiber on the open market. Hardware and Tools These two companies manufacture and sell hardware and tools. The first company is a global manufactur er and marketer of power tools and power-tool accessories that sells primarily to retailers and distributors with the branded products intended to reach the average consumer. The other company manufactures and markets high-quality tools for professional users, offering a broad range of products sold through its own technical representatives and mobile franchise dealers. The company also provides financing for franchisees and customers’ large purchases. Company K is the global manufacturer while company L is the professional tool manufacturer. The first major hint here is the SGA expense for each company. Company L’s expense (38. 9) is significantly higher because of their use of technical representatives and mobile franchises that they themselves provide financing for. As well, company L’s gross profit (48. ) is significantly higher, most likely due to the higher prices they are able to charge due to the precision and quality of their professional-minded tools. Retailing These two companies are both large discount retailers. The first firm carries a wide variety of nationally advertised general merchandise and is known for low prices and its volume-orientated strategy. Most of its stores are leased near the company’s network of distribution centers and the company plans to expand. The second company is a rapidly growing chain of upscale discount stores that attempts to match other retailers’ prices and offers deep discounts. The company has partnerships with many leading designers and offers credit to qualified customers. Company M is the general merchandiser while company N is the upscale discount store. As mentioned in the description, company N is known for providing credit to boost sales, and thus this extended credit appears in their receivables (17), as opposed to M (1. 4). Also, company N’s gross profit and profit margins are higher, as their strategy isn’t based on volume sales (make smaller profit but sell way more) like company M is. Newspapers The companies listed here both own newspapers. The first is a diversified media company that generates most of its revenues through newspapers sold throughout the country and around the world. The company has large central controls and competes fiercely for subscribers and advertising revenues. The company also recently built a large office building for its headquarters. The second company owns a number of small community newspapers throughout the south and mid-west. The firm essentially holds a portfolio of small local monopolies and has a significant amount of goodwill on its balance sheet. The company’s success is hinged on decentralized decision making and administration. Company O is the Midwestern Company, while Company P is the well-diversified company. The description mentions how company P is forced to fiercely compete, which would surely raise their SGA expense (39. 7) as compared to company O (23). This is also true considering company O’s emphasis on decentralized management and administration, which affects the SGA expense. Also, P recently built and owns a large office building, which would add to their net fixed assets (34. 6) compared to company O’s (14. 1).