The following is an analysis of the IKEA Essay Example for Free

The following is an analysis of the IKEA Essay The following is an analysis of the IKEA case study found in the Strategic Management Text book. This analyses the strategies used by IKEA to gain competitive advantage in markets outside its original area. The report begins by providing a background into IKEA. It studies International Business Level Strategy and the three international corporate level strategies. The case study goes into informing its target market and pricing strategy, which is already discussed. This case study further says how different people in different parts of the world thinks about IKEA, how elegant their designs are and how affordable for them to purchase IKEA products. Some of IKEA’s main markets are in three of the fastest growing markets such as Russia, US and China. IKEA store bring out products such as furniture to small product like a scented candle. IKEA has over 1300 suppliers in about 53 countries. They further have 12 full time in- house designers with 80 free lancers and other production workers to identify the correct raw materials and produce products ef? ciently and cost effectively. Primarily, IKEA produced standardized products however; this international strategy did not work for one of its vital markets that is, US. Therefore, they had to emphasize on taking corrective actions. The report also analyses the entry methods used by IKEA and its sustainability. IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad a native of Sweden in 1943, when the founder, at the age of 17 was given money by his father in return for doing well in his studies. This money was used to start up his own company, IKEA, which stood for his intials and the ? rst letters of the farm and village in which he grew up. The company initially sold basic items such as pens, picture frames, table runners, wallets, jewellery, nylons stockings and watches, at a low price(History of ikea, 2010). Furniture was ? rst introduced into the IKEA range of products in 1948, and due to a positive response, the product line increased in size. Customers were allowed the ability of viewing and touching the furniture that was previously only viewable through catalogue. IKEA opened a showroom in Sweden to create a competitive advantage, due to a price war with their main competitor, so that customers could determine whether they were getting value for money. Finally IKEA made the decision to design its own furniture due to competitors trying to make suppliers boycott IKEA products. The â€Å"? at-packs and self assembly† concepts arose when an employee disassembled a table in order to prevent damage during transport (History of ikea, 2010). In 1963 the ? rst IKEA store outside of Sweden was established in Norway. From this point on, IKEA began to spread like a wild? re, ? rst to Denmark, then Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Canada, Austria and Netherlands. Many alliances were struck up with different suppliers in order to introduce new products, together with new concepts, which led to costeffectiveness. One example was an innovative, multifunctional seat/recliner, which was made by utilizing a denim, a raw material from another industry, which could be obtained at a low cost. In 1980, together with the new furniture concepts being born at certain intervals, IKEA was looking to expand to further markets, and did so through franchising. To ensure continuation and long term independence of IKEA, the founder created a new ownership structure and organisation. The major portion of IKEA was donated to a foundation, while the right to franchise the IKEA concept worldwide remained with the IKEA group of companies. In the 1990’s, the IKEA market expanded not only geographically, but in terms of target market. The company began to design furniture that catered expressly to children. A website was launched to cater to the many markets that were now open, and the children’s line was enhanced on consultation with experts on with experts to develop play areas, room settings, and baby areas within the stores themselves. Kitchen-ware and kitchen areas were another concept developed in this period. IKEA also began participating in a number of forestry projects to ensure sustainability, by taking responsibility for developing acceptable practices and policies in countries where IKEA works. IKEA Case Study 4 Company Outline IKEA is a world renowned furnishing company reputed for selling Scandinavian-style furniture and other home-based goods. The company has 230 stores, with operations carried out in over 42 countries with well over 70 000 employees. The stores themselves can host 410 million shoppers per year. It is a Swedish based company built on the idea of offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products such low prices, that a majority of people will be able to afford them. The IKEA group is currently solely owned by the INGKA Foundation through a holding company, unlisted on any stock exchange. The vision at IKEA is to â€Å"create a better everyday life for the many people†(Ikea, 2011). The main business of IKEA supports this vision, by the manufacture and selling of a wide range of home furnishing products at an affordable price. Since the ethos of IKEA is to make good quality products at an affordable price, the company has succeeded in development of costeffective and innovative production methods. This has been the company’s focus since its inception, and the company has succeeded in doing so by making the maximum use out of raw materials, and adapting the products to meet people’s needs. 04-02-18 Currently, in addition to the historical additions to the IKEA range, customers can now shop online. Other innovations include 2 the boards with patterns created on them directly, called â€Å"print on board†, in addition to a concept known as â€Å"product !! Expert where returned products are repaired instead of equipment etc where possible. recovery concept†functions such as IT, food services, retailbeing thrown awayoperates under economies of scale and is supportive to the basic operations !! IKEA of Sweden AB is responsible for the range design, purchase from etc The majority of the operations occur within the retail business; while IKEA does developmentexternal suppliers, in addition !! Inter IKEA systems B. V (The Netherlands) owns the IKEA concept and trademark which the company produces its own products through their industrial group known as Swedwood. is bought by the retail operations but is also sold to outside operators on a franchising basis !! The furniture is purchased through purchasing operations (trading service offices) in 33 countries with 1800 suppliers in 55 countries. !! The distribution operations covers 25 regional distribution centres in 14 countries supplying goods to the stores !! The retail operations are geographically organised with a specific organisation for Retail Europe

The desire for wealth and possessions

The desire for wealth and possessions Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be Is American materialism increasing? Is American materialism increasing? To answer this question, we need only look at the current buying trends in present day society. Even a cursory glance at these trends would cause the question to be answered with a resounding YES! The pursuit of the American dream has become rather costly in that it is fraught with a large quantity of material possessions. The requirements to â€Å"keep up with the Joneses† are becoming more and more burdensome. Americans are made to feel that they absolutely must have certain things that had not even been invented just a few years ago. The increase in high tech, computerized, and digitized devices in the areas of electronics and household appliances has altered the landscape of the American home and family. What has fostered and fed these new trends? First and foremost, Americans will continue to subscribe to the pursuit of material goods, especially high tech devices for two basic reasons: the need for comfort and the need for entertainment. The deep, sometimes unspoken desire is to be coddled, catered to, and distracted. Embedded in this need for comfort and entertainment is the need for easy, quick access to information and resources. So, along with popping the family dinner into a microwave oven and eating the meal in a room with perfect temperature control, bill paying can be done from the comfort of home without ever writing a check or mailing an envelope. One can simply place his or her laptop on their laps from the comfort of any room in the house (thanks to a home-based wireless network), type in a few digits and press â€Å"go.† Any topic may be researched from the limitless stores along the information highway from how to treat a skin rash to exploring ancient religion s. Next, a parent can â€Å"talk† back and forth with a son or daughter in college or to an elderly mother halfway across the world. Such things were virtually unheard of many years ago. After the bill paying, research, and e-mailed correspondence, one can relax in the family room and choose from literally hundreds of movies or programs accessed through their cable or satellite TV provider. The picture will be viewed on a screen nearly covering the entire wall while the stereo sounds fill the entire room. These are just a few of the things that have become necessities, along with video games, luxury cars, summer homes, boats, designer clothing, and disposable contact lenses. These are the â€Å"must haves† of the American dream. Families, couples, and individuals expend hours, days, and years of their lives to obtain these things so that they may feel that they have â€Å"arrived† and so that they may be comfortable. This increase in American materialism, unfortunately, exists along with other less fashionable increases; teen suicide, depression, divorce, the disintegration of the family, bankruptcy, and despair. It does not appear that those living by the law of materialism are necessarily happy or fulfilled. The increase in the pursuit of things is evident; satisfaction from possessing these things is suspect and spurious. Jesus declared in John 10:10b, â€Å"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.† He also asked the rhetorical question, â€Å"Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?† (Matthew 6:25b). While Americans continue to search and work for the â€Å"full life† it is urgent that they also discover the real source of full life. Materialism And Consumerism In The 1920s A crucial transformation to the structure of American culture during the 1920s was the rise of consumerism and materialism. As the country experienced an extraordinary economic boom, the outlook of America shifted. People began receiving higher wages, and there was a sudden increase of spending on discretionary goods which advertisements claimed people could not live without. The progress of the automobile industry, radio and motion picture production, and advanced technologies made it possible for this great escalation of the economy. There were many notable critics of the decade that made their opinions known in various ways. One such critic was F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote the novel The Great Gatsby. In this novel, he is critical of the 1920s as the obsession of consumerism and materialism flourish throughout the United States. Fitzgerald feels that it is this mindset that ultimately leads to the tragedies and miseries at the end of the novel, as well as at the foreseen end of t he 1920s. The Great Gatsby portrays an image of abundant leisure and excess, which parallels similar ideas with those of the 1920s. To illustrate this, Nick Carraway, the storys narrator, compares his â€Å"eye-sore† of a house with the man In addition to Jay Gatsby, materialistic and consumerist elements are also present in other characters in the novel. Daisy Buchannan becomes conscious of the fact that her husband Tom is cheating on her, yet she does nothing about it. It can be argued that she doesnt confront him, or threaten to leave him because Tom has all the money that she could ever need. That is what truly matters to Daisy and what will always make her happy, not honesty and commitment, but financial benefits. Also all the people in attendance at Gatsbys parties are guilty. They have no problem showing up at his home to party, drink, and dance all night long, but when it came to his funeral, â€Å"the minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasnt any use. Nobody came† (p. 182). This shows that all those materialistic party-goers werent really friends of Gatsby, but just there to use him for his wealth with no common courtesy for him. Another character in the novel, Jordan Baker, seems to be rather superficial in her outlook on life. She appears to lie her way out of bad situations she may get herself in, and her lack of honesty and careless attitude are some of the factors that turn Nick away. Nick says â€Å"she wasnt able to endure being at a disadvantage† (p. 63). Another character, Meyer Wolfshiem, Gatsbys business associate, apparently had been the man responsible for fixing the 1919 World Series. It is fitting that Fitzgerald included a Wolfshiem type of character in his novel, for the fixing of the World Series mirrored the idea that money could buy any American utterly anything, even love and happiness. As Americans continued to gain material prosperity, in return, they began to lack spiritual wealth and strong religious faith. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald depicts a world in which value systems have been distorted and religion faded. It illustrates a nation that gets too caught up in the moment to reali 1. The theory or attitude that physical well-being and worldly possessions constitute the greatest good and highest value in life. Advertising generates new needs and establishes brand loyalties. Ads alert people to both new products and new versions of old ones. Consumption today is not only about keeping up with the Joneses. The labels you wear, the food you eat, the restaurants you frequent, the haircut you flaunt, where you go on holiday, even your spiritual cravings are social symbols. What is happening to the average man, the man who is caught in the web of a consumerist and materialistic culture with all the temptations it offers him? The general scenario is one of utter helplessness and nobody seems to have any control over his future. Added to this is the acquisitive tendency of those who are tempted to go for all kinds of things the market offers. A kind of insatiable greed seems to have taken control of all of us and no effort is being made anywhere to limit ones wants. And this has become a global phenomenon and no country seems to be free from it. Thus the average man finds himself to be tr! In conclusion, most advertisements do not tell the whole story. They neglect to tell you the problems that their car can cause the environment. In most of these cases the advertising agency attempts to gain your interest through certain aesthetics in the ad. I chose to show a car ad because they have so many components that directly effect society and the environment in a harmful way. Because car ads like to show you what the ideal car (without pollution) would be like, society needs to simply keep in mind that what you see is NOT always what you get. Carbon dioxide is another gas released through exhaust emissions. It isnt dangerous directly to humans, but it is considered to be a â€Å"green house gas.† A â€Å"greenhouse gas† is a gas that is associated with global warming. Global warming is the gradual increase of temperature due to human activity. Certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone allow radiation from the sun to break through the atmosphere and go to the earths surface. Global warming affects all living things on the entire planet.1 In a few ads, like the Outback commercials, you see the car in the wilderness with green lively trees and wild life flourishing. A true, maybe exaggerated, depiction would be animals suffering from car pollution and the sky covered by smog. One of the most important things that is neglected is the fact that, there may not be a hugely visible affect of pollution where you are but in other parts of the world there is plenty; in other words, we have only one Eart h. The fact that most of society does not care enough about the environment to take a bus, or carpool to minimize the amount of hydrocarbons in the air, only encourages manufacturers. Sure society can say that in a few years we wont have to worry about these emissions and there is nothing to worry about now. That sounds great, except following the trend of the human race thus far, we have only created more harmful and destructive things such as the atom bomb and biological warfare. The thing to keep in mind is that the things that affect the environment now may be gone in a few years, but who is to say there will not be something even worse Materialism: As Seen Through Four Different Authors As defined materialism refers to the theory that physical matter is the only reality and that everything, including thought, feeling, mind, and will, can be explained in terms of matter and physical phenomena. Although it is far too easy to merely look up the definitions of materialism understanding the concept is rather difficult. To help with the comprehension of materialism we take a look at four renowned authors who are tied to the idea of materialism. These four men are Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Morton Fried, and Marvin Harris. First we take a look at Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles, who collaborated to produce Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlook. Both Marx and Engles were idealist in every sense, they grasp on reality was far reaching. Although they were both idealists, Engles believed that ideas where what shaped people, and that if a person where to think like a wealthy land owner they would indeed start feeling like a wealthy land owner. Marx on the other hand had a more sensible approach he felt that means of production were what drove society not ideas. The things in particular that drove society were not only basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, and protection, but also, money, need for material things, division of labor, exchange, and ownership. Ownership is a concept that ties in with materialism, ownership as presented in the article has various forms. The first form of ownership is tribal ownership which is limited to within the family. This is followed by state o wnership which is where there is a collaboration of many tribes which have the power to control the workers only under their state ownership. Finally, there is estate property which gave rise to the concept of princes and peasants. As we can already see these different Materialism I can get no satisfaction There is something perverse about more than enough. When we have more, it is never enough. It is always somewhere out there, just out of reach. The more we acquire, the more elusive enough becomes. -Unknown. Materialism is todays religion. We always value ourselves by what we wear, what we drive or how much we can spend. Brands are taking over the world very fast and today a 3 year old child is more likely to recognize and remember McDonalds than to know his last name. (Lynas, 2007) As the quantity and variety of brands and products grow, so does our need to have it all, apparently we can get no satisfaction. But what is materialism and why is it spreading so quickly around the world? The two most important definitions of materialism include those of Belk (1984,1985) and Richins and Dawson (1992). Belk describes materialism as â€Å"believing the acquisition and possession of thing is the ultimate source of happiness†. Richins and Dawson define materialism as a â€Å"set of centrally held beliefs about the importance of possessions in ones life.† The people who follow this trend are the perfect consumers, willing to buy anything the industry convinces will make them feel better. They are easy prey for advertisement and follow it without further thinking. When buying they are low involved and not pay attention to the product characteristics. But why do people focus so much on their possessions and turn into materialists? Researchers have found that family communication is a decisive factor when determining if a person will become materialistic or not. Families where parents do not fulfill the childrens needs, adolescents who do not have good communication with their parents and who make social Ethics Of Materialism Repercussions of Materialism Materialism and the want of consumer goods, has proved to be a prevalent force in the last century. When superficially thinking about materialism, one would not immediately register that there is a relationship between materialism and ethics; although, under examination, we can see that there is indeed a great association between the two. Are materialism and the obsessive consumer culture we have made for ourselves ethical? Peoples opinion on this question can be polar opposites. Some people believe that materialism has great benefits for the technological and economic growth, while others argue that materialism strips people of their individuality and creates unethical division between the rich and the poor. Its very easy to understand why someone would chose to live a life full of materialism as there is a lot of luxuries, lavishes and comfort. However, looking at it deeper, consumers have now become victims of this never ending cycle of materialism where they always want the newes t and latest goods. Also, people who cannot afford to pay for these products try and find illegal and immoral ways to gain wealth so they can be accepted in society. So, although materialism promotes technology and modernity, excessive amounts of it creates a division between social classes, which causes poor people to act unethically in order to live up to the materialistic standards society has created. The goal of a materialistic life style is to be on the top of the social hierarchy, to be recognized as the most powerful and to be able to flaunt the greatest amount of luxuries. Without consciously realizing it most of us judge others on their status and position in society. This means, that we are internally programmed to look at people based on the amount of materialistic goods they have. This is one of the main reasons why people who can not afford to live up to the materialistic standards set by the privileged, have to resort to unethical means American Materialism Materialism in American Society Over the course of the last century America has undergone many societal changes, none of which have had as great an ethical effect as the nations transition towards ever increasing materialism. Materialism, or the desire for wealth and possessions, has faced virulent opposition for thousands of years from both religious institutions and social activists. Throughout time, materialism has been widely slandered not only as spiritually corrupting, but also as a major cause of a multitude of societal ills throughout the world. Although absolute materialism would obviously be awful for all involved, to date materialism has overall been very positive for American society, driving it towards ever-greater productive, intellectual, and ethical heights. First, the most obvious benefit bestowed upon America by materialism is the increased productivity of its people. With the attainment of wealth and possessions as the predominant motivation, it is to be expected that the majority of Americans go to great lengths to attain material success. Even with such a relatively short lifetime as a nation, Americas capitalist beliefs have catapulted it to the forefront of the world as the only true modern superpower. One of the most significant factors contributing to Americas dramatic rise in power is the capitalistic drive for success and achievement, a love for material possessions that has manifested itself in the typically American value of hard work, both in ones profession and in school. Since education and socioeconomic position are closely correlated, it is not surprising that America is the worldwide leader in higher education. Not only does America produce great thinkers, but it also attracts the best and the brightest of other countries, people who are drawn to Americas freedom of thought and the material possibilities that abound. So many great minds have made America a land of unprecedented innovation. The copious amounts of money Materialism Materialism: Can it make you Happy? Can Greed and Materialism lead to true happiness? â€Å"Greed is good. Greed is right. Greed works and greed will save the USA.† (Wall Street) â€Å"Cause we are living in a material world and I am a material girl† a theme in one of Madonnas most famous songs. Greed and materialism stand in apposition to any manifestation of true happiness. People are under a false perception that money will solve all of their problems and as a result bring them their utmost joy and happiness. Many psychologists, philosophers, and religious figures throughout the ages have refuted this assertion. People in American society take money very seriously because it can either make or break your life choices. In order to fit in todays society Americans feel the need to obtain material assets so that they are looked upon as being â€Å"in style† or being economically sufficient. Money and greed is the main factors that cause people to be in debt. People today work hard to obtain wealth and success not so that they can be happy but just because they want to â€Å"keep up with the Jones†. Money can only make you happy temporally because if you are working hard just so that you can buy material things you really are not going to enjoy them because all o f your time and energy is put into maintaining your material wealth by working extra hard. It is Normal to think that money is not everything in life, although in the world we live in your not going to accomplish anything or get anywhere or even live a life that is considered normal to the world without money. Even though you cannot buy love or happiness you are very unlikely to find either if your living under a bridge. We rely on money, if all the money in the world disappeared tomorrow the world, as we know it would collapse. Everything is connected to money in some way. Everything essentially has a price tag on it if your pocket is fat enough. This is what makes money extremely appealing. But money shouldnt be the Materialism Is The Root Of All Evil There is an old adage which says, â€Å"The root of all evil is money.† This, however, is not true in America. In America, money is not the problem, the love of money, or materialism, is the problem. Materialism is at the core of our American dream. We grow up learning that success is rooted in material wealth and power. We live in a country where material things mean more to the general populous than a good education, where material things dictate the amount of money we spend, and where material things motivate our lives in most every way; something needs to change. Realizing that we are corrupted by materialism is not difficult. What is difficult, however, is finding a solution to the problem. Habits recognizes the difficulty by saying, â€Å"And since we have believed in that dream for a long time and worked very hard to make it come true, it is hard for us to give it up, even though it contradicts another dream that we have- that of living in a society that would really be worth living in.† (Bella, et. Al. 285) Materialism is closely tied to our individualism. We are taught to pursue our materialistic American dream, to get ahead in life, to be somebody, to pursue our own happiness. Even our own Declaration of Independence assumes we are individuals first and for most: â€Å"We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. . .† For Americans to be primarily self-reliant and selfish is not surprising. Americans only do what is beneficial to themselves, if it helps someone along the way, then thats great, but helping people is not their initial motive. In order to have the necessary balance between individualism and community, we must be willing to give and then, only after giving, take what has been given to us. If we learn to give, and then take what has been given to us, we Materialism In the oxford English dictionary materialism is described as a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural; therefore, that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material possessions, but this is frequently where problems occur. We can become obsessed by a desire to obtain them, or simply frustrated by the need to maintain them. In a short play called Rodeo written by Jane Martin, a young girl name Lurlene, becomes unsuitable for the rodeo because she doesnt dress like a showgirl and wear material clothes (Martin 9). In an essay called Super-Size It written by Lisa Colletti, consumer commodity and must need material possessions are major concerns in the daily lives of Americans. Money is a valuable thing and wasting it on unnecessary items is a sin. Contrary to popular belief, Americans spend on average $3500.00 a year on unnecessary products such as a new iPod, a flat screen TV, a computer, clothes, dining out or a vacation. Nowadays, new products advertised on TV make the people watching it feel as if they need to buy that item. This is the problem with Americans; we buy what we dont need just so we can say I have that! And show off to our friends. We spend money we dont have just to be up to date with the latest fashion trends. Its unethical what this world is coming to, what happened to the days were people watched every penny they made and only bought necessary items. Stores that have been in business for decades are being remodeled by new management in order to lour in customers. In the same fashion, Lurlene from the story Rodeo is kicked to the curb by new management because she is not up to date with the new fashion True Materialism It is human nature for people to desire material possessions. Our material yearnings are an attempt to satisfy are need to special and wanted. In a world where most of society defines â€Å"socially acceptable† as the material possessions one owns such as, the latest clothing, the biggest house, or the fastest car one comes to believe that you need all of these things to be viewed as a part of society. For many, work has taken over community life and has had a major effect on happiness. Advertising has also become a primary determinant of our satisfaction, and is only a small part of a larger materialistic culture in which we are not only enticed customers but also prominent consumers. We have been beguiled into believing that material possessions will bring satisfaction and happiness. We imagine ourselves as being more than we are and in this we see how powerful images are. As a teenager I have fallen victim to the web of deceit and lies that has been spun by the stereotypical belief that we need to buy the latest fashion or the best technological devices. I put a lot of effort in my appearance and my material possessions. I watch and look at the advertisements and the images presented within them wishing that I had, or could afford what they are selling. I have come to realize that I am a very materialistic person and that I buy expensive phones, cars and clothing in order to appear better than others who do not have what I have. For instance, I wanted a new cell phone that cost well over four-hundred dollars. So I got a second job just to afford it. Another instance was when I bought my new car. It is a 2006 Phantom. I now have three jobs just to afford the car note, insurance, gas, and general up-keep of the car. This only goes to show that I have become so enamored with the desire for material possessions that I will go to unearthly lengths to obtai n them. Some of the possessions I have show me for what I want to be, but not for who I really am. My cell phone, Has America known its finest hour? Are we losing our religion and sanity as well? What is wrong with our society anyway? These are baffling questions that are frequently being asked by more and more people, even the media. From environmental pollution to spiritual pollution, from artificial food to artificial joy these are the side effects of the pursuit of materialism (a by-product of the American Dream, as we know it). Today, everything is fair game in the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain and personal responsibility, not to mention the absence of morality and a wholesome values system. Is America at risk of reaching a point of no return, or worse becoming a third world nation? According to universal laws, its all a simple matter of cause and effect or as its been said â€Å"as you sow so shall you reap.† What we are witnessing is the powerful consequences of these laws from which no one is exempt. We live in a time characterized by a modern battle between good and evil which can be defined as limited awareness (the norm) and integrity and enlightenment (which are the exception). Its a time when chaos and anarchy are the order of the day. While technologically we may live in a space age, morally we are still living in the stone age as reflected in our social ills, the failure of our systems and institutions and the growing conflicts both domestically and internationally. One of the greatest human tragedies is not the lack of resources and/or control over our own circumstances, but rather the lack of awareness. Whether we realize it or not, the current climate of insanity, including terrorism, is a reflection of a moral and spiritual crisis. Its indicative of our denial of our own spiritual roots and the perception that we are separated, which eventually leads to conflicts and even wars. An engineer can look at the foundation of a building under construction and tell you its eventual height and even fate of a structure. Similarly, a society is as strong and free as the pillars of the spirit upon which its built. Spiritual roots are the foundation upon which total prosperity and peace and harmony are built. When we reject concepts of spirituality, integrity and morality we also deny the greatest part of our existence (our spirit) which enables us to prosper and experience a fuller life of meaning, purpose, real joy, fulfillment and peace (inner and outer). By so doing, we also deny our access to the ultimate real and positive power, the ever-present force (God) that builds and doesnt destroy. Thats because we are spiritual beings experiencing the human experience and not the other way around. As such we were designed and meant to live a life of meaning and purpose through spirit and integrity beyond the narrow boundaries of the material world. In a materialistic-driven society where vanity, not virtue, is worshipped, all the things we used to hold dear like, religion, marriage, family, loyalty, faithfulness, hard work, and being of service to the community are no longer sacred. Instead consumerism, in the spirit of â€Å"He with the most toys lives,† rather then â€Å"He with the most joys lives,† is promoted and driven by profit and greed to the point that even a holiday like Christmas is now more of a marketing concept and devoid of any real meaning. The media, especially Hollywood, is also at fault. Rather than celebrating excellence and the human spirit, by promoting positive concepts such as personal responsibility, making a difference, tolerance, kindness, giving and sensitivity to the human condition, the media produces shows and movies that celebrate human weakness, vanity and perversion. These productions promote social ills such as anti-social behavior, excessive self-indulgence and entitlement, instant gratification, greed, corruption, compromised integrity and obsession with external, shallow values, including the obsession with fame, fortune, and youth. This has led to a significant increase in substance abuse, senseless violence in our schools, and increased teen suicide. You can blame it all on the pursuit of the American Dream, as we know it, which is an illusion based on a materialistic values system characterized by corruption, greed, compromised integrity and the erosion of morality whereby the love of power overcomes the power of love. It certainly does not represent the true spirit of America, which was based on perspiration, innovation, risk and reward and where the focus used to be on a strong work ethic, high integrity, family and community. All of which created a nation of producers with an enviable prosperity that created real joy and fulfillment. Its obvious that America has gone off track and is in desperate need for healing and revival if we are to maintain a free and thriving nation, not to mention our leadership in the international arena. The solution to restoring our spirits and our economy is through increased awareness and by reconnecting with our spiritual roots. Awareness can be used as a useful tool to better understand the unity of life, our place in the universe and ourselves. By understanding ourselves better, we come to understand God as the

Information system strategy assignment

Information system strategy assignment Introduction Information systems could be defined as systems for processing and managing information, generally computer-based. IS, as it could be called, is also a serviceable group within an organisation that manages the operations and development of the businesss information and possible transactions. So information system strategy (ISS) could be explained as a method that brings into line information technology priorities with business strategies and defines the approach to take to achieve those business objectives. Since the mid 80s, researchers and business specialists have carried out many studies and produced number of theories in feeding the world of business and may be the field of strategic studies in particular. Nowadays, those theories are counted as the support and basics of any business strategy to be adopted by any organisation. Experts in the field of strategic management, such as Michael Porter and also Michael Earl, are both considered to be among the most influential experts in that area. Through a series of writings, Porter influenced a shift in the focus of the literature on strategies from strategic planning to strategic management. Earls publications also resulted in establishing a range of concepts and frameworks that were created to assist strategic planners in coming up with plans to build and sustain competitive advantage. Michael Porter developed the original theories of the famous strategic approaches that include â€Å"The 5 forces†, â€Å"The 3 generic strategies for competitiveness† and â€Å"The value chain model†. On the other hand, Michael Earl established the â€Å"Multiple methodology†. The Digital Era Digital era has been used as a term since the late 1980s. It carried the shift of transfer from a traditional industry to an industry based on the transactions of information and data through technological methods. Many old aged views of strategy are getting thrown out the window in the digital era, however, some solid views are still being found as the base of strategic thinking in the world of business. In a survey it was found that fast pace of developing e-business application only few businesses did take their time in developing their strategy properly or plan new initiatives (Wilder, 1999). We are experiencing a world that is continuously changing, where companies are being re-established and may be deregulated. New systems and ecommerce functions are providing management with a one off opportunity to rearrange the business rules and change the ways of business forever (Corcoran, 1999). In the world of todays nature of e-business transactions, strategy is being considered to be vital than ever. Yet, many organisations are still not properly cooping with the environment of todays business. These companies look as if they are frightened rabbits caught in the headlights of an oncoming car (Chattel, 1998). It is considered to be important for businesses in the digital era to familiarise themselves with factors that will put them on steady steps throughout competition and run successfully. Businesses should realise that it is possible and easier nowadays to target customers and to customise products to the requirements (needs and wants) of the customer. Also comprehend the fact of being first is seen as more important than producing it well. Businesses should also realise that communication methods have opened up new opportunities for transaction and increased access to customers. For example, television adverts, radio stations, mobile SMS, emails and internet blogs. Todays electronic applications are providing 24hours a day, 7 days a week access to businesses in anytime and from anywhere in the world. These factors have been the short term methods for new business opportunities, but in the long term, there will be a little chance of success without a clearly defined business and IT st rategy. The traditional approaches in ISS Porters five forces model studies the forces that take part in an organisation and illustrates how IS can construct barriers and give competitive frame. Porter defines the competition of the organisation in the relation to the industry where high level of rivalry guides to low level of profits. The threats from new entrants are considered as the heights of the barriers in place to obstruct them and outline the profitability of the industry. Whereas threats from substitutes is the threat by others in copying the product so the margin for the definite profit decreases and consumers are more settled to change. The bargaining power of buyers counts on the price of the product and the influence or the pressure the customer possesses. Likewise the power of the suppliers is resolute by the price the consumer wants the product and how much they are willing to pay or able to spend. Another ISS traditional approach is Porters 3 generic strategies. Porters generic strategies outline methods of achieving above standard performance. To create competitive advantage for an organisation Porter identified three generic strategies: focus and niche, cost leadership and differentiation. The suitable generic strategy will result in positioning the business to empower its strengths and guard against the unfavourable effects of the five forces. The focus or niche strategy was to find a gap in the market where a select product would fit in and do well. For example, the customised cars market, which makes the cars unique and leads in creating a niche for high class and therefore attracting big spending customers. Cost leadership involves having low level profit margins and selling big number of units of a product. Where differentiation, as its called, is when a business produces or provides something totally different from any other businesses in the industry. Michael Porter also discussed that the actions that are available to be taken can be recognised by the adoption of the Value Chain Model. This model, or approach, concentrates internally within an organisation and was expanded as a systematic ground for analysing all the performance that a company carry out and how they cooperate. The value chain approach outlines that products go through several roles in an organisation, where maximising the value adding activities while minimising those that do not add value should be the objective. A different traditional approach from a different scholar, Michael Earl, believes IS Methodology helps businesses meet their objectives fully for the reason that IS methodology is not on internal but external or outward looking. Earl established a multiple methodology with three approaches for business strategy: bottom up, top down and inside out. A bottom up approach takes into consideration the current system, afterwards investigates it for possible gaps, which can be achieved by adopting SWOT analysis. This approach outlines the current condition of the company and what does it want to achieve in the upcoming. The top down considers the organisation from a structural point of view bring into line IS with the business strategy of the organisation through studying the Critical Success Factors (CSF). CSFs are explained through interviews, debates and current policies. And finally, the inside out approach studies different methods to carry research and business through new technologi es that is done by observing the organisation in order to gain competitive advantage. The Traditional approaches in ISS Vs The Digital Era Strategy configuration is considered to be even more challenging in the digital era, not only because of the involvement of the developing objective, but also because of the disadvantages of practising a cleared and defined strategy in a digital industry. Under the influence of the developing era during the last decade, traditional approaches in strategies have became more and more subject of critique. The appearing of the Internet, for example, and other electronic applications has noticeably affected almost all industries. Considering that Porters theories were based on the economic situation in the late eighties. This phase was characterised by cyclical developments, strong competition and stable market structure. Porters approaches looks at the analysis of the current situation related to suppliers, customers and competitors. Strengthening the position itself within the five forces model has developed competitive advantage. Therefore, models in that era are unable to analyse or explain the dynamic changes in the digital era, which do have the power to change all industries. However, the analysis of industrial structures when employing Porters five forces model can serve as an analytical framework for outlining the distribution of resources and choice of business. This model can be adopted in the digital era and also provide a framework for employing new technologies as the internet, also as opportunities to businesses related in the direction of creating value for customers and gaining competitive advantage. Tackling the validity of Porters Five Forces could be analysed as each force by its own. The power of rivalry is assessed when knowing that the characteristics of developed technology, such as the internet, is the access to large numbers of customers, lower costs in operational or functional fields, simplicity of entry into the market, the prospective for adding value to customers, therefore gain competitive advantage. It is vital to outline that progressing competitiveness could be done by offering customers unique values and products, where it is not easy to keep the advantage gained because of the simulation of business forms, processes and technologies. Within regards to the second force, the threat of new entrants that may appear in an industry, digital methods and means has reduced barriers to entry of new businesses in the market because of the cut in numbers of employees and lower costs for required physical property. Companies that run on the internet through economies of s cale can usually prevent new entry of other firms. When a company reaches critical mass and realises the influence of network externalities, can then powerfully compete with companies that have only entered the market, due to the already built relationships with clients or customers and their loyalty. The threat of substitute goods or services is vast for ease of the entry process into the digital market. Customers can simply get on hold of information about other similar products and compare the different specifications of each product and get to a decision if the original product can be substituted at reasonable means with other alternatives and also can be done easily. Internet empowers the bargaining power of customers. They now do not face any obstacles when seeking any information on quality, price or even detailed specifications. In addition, the existence of the web sites that offers price comparison of products and services, so that the procedure of obtaining information in the digital era has become much easier. The fifth and last force within the five forces model is the bargaining power of suppliers. Where internet enjoys both negative and positive factors on the fifth force of the model, which is the bargaining power of suppliers. It is considered that the bargaining power of suppliers tend to provide easiness to customers to approach essential information related to prices, products and markets which limited bargaining power of suppliers. Another negative factor around involving the internet that affected the bargaining power of suppliers is the ease of entry into virtual markets that leads to an increase in competition. Suppliers are able to increase their power by applying a special procedure for supply and be well-known in or working on increasing the quality of their goods or services. The positive factor is that suppliers through technology methods and especially the internet can easily access a large number of customer and other businesses as well. And again, the internet gets rid of any possible intermediaries, which means that if suppliers were serving in the industrial sectors, the ability of intermediaries in influencing customers are reduced to a minimum. Within regards to the Value chain model, the American guru has clearly outlined in one of his publications â€Å"Strategy and the Internet† that information technology has a penetrative effect on the value chain. The outstanding advantage of the internet is the ability to link an activity with others and making data widely available with both, the company and suppliers, customers and channels. Many of the most important applications of the internet in the value chain involve moving physical activities online, while others involve making physical activities more cost effective. To notice how these technological developments will eventually affect the value chain, some historical view is enlightening. The influence of the internet in the value chain should be kept in perspective. While internet purposes have an essential impact on the quality of activities and on the cost, they are not the main influences. Traditional factors such as the skills of personnel, process technology and investments in physical assets also play important roles. The internet is a turning point is some terms, but many traditional sources of competitive advantage remain secure (Porter, 2001). The co-author of â€Å"Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance† highlights that those traditional approaches are not valid anymore. Larry Downes originated three new forces that require a new strategic framework: deregulation, globalisation and digitalisation. Deregulation happens when governments influence decreases several industries like communications and banking, which are fed by the new opportunities of information technology, firms in these industries were forced to restructure their businesses and to seek for other alternatives. Where globalisation is related to the developments of distribution and communications that have allowed almost all businesses to sell and buy globally. It could be added here, that networked and global markets need new requirements on organisations strategies. And so positioning themselves as quality leaders or price leaders, like Porter suggests in his Generic Strategies model, is not enough any more. Finally, digit alisation is explained as the influence of information technology develops, all stakeholders within a market will have access to even more information. Downes arguments are considered to be convincing. Where deregulation, globalisation and digitalisation have become powerful forces during the past years, but Porters models hardly ever took them into consideration. Todays markets are strongly affected by technological developments especially in information technology. Therefore, it is not beneficial to develop a strategy exclusively on the basis of Porters models. Downes concludes that the job of information technology is the main difference between the traditional strategy approaches and the digital era, which is the new world of the new forces. Where the traditional economy used information technology as an instrument for applying change, today information technology had become the vital factor for change. Conclusion Critique of Porter, by Downes, implies that Porters models concentrates too much on the economic conditions of their era of origin. Therefore, their practicality is restricted under change and developed conditions. It should be added too that Downes new forces are created from the economic conditions of their own era as well. Possibly within the next decades, they will tend to loose their importance due to other developments that took place in that future. In summary, Michael Porters approaches do not have the impact they used to have any more. Nevertheless, that doesnt mean that Porters theories became invalid. What has to be done is to apply them with the knowledge of their limitations in mind and to use them as a part of a larger framework of theories and techniques. This approach, however, is advisable for the application of every business model, brand new or old, from Porter or from somebody else, and in every economy.

What is Philosophy? :: essays research papers

What is Philosophy?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe that Philosophy is the study of different ways of thinking. In philosophy, you should question everything and never take anything for face value. There are always two sides to every coin as there are different ways of looking at things, is what philosophy teaches us. In philosophy, you must throw off all the limitations you have set on yourself when dealing with how you view things and how things seem to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reality is a big topic of discussion in philosophy. How you view things may not be how they really are. A schitzophrenicÕs reality is different from the reality of a Ã’saneÓ persons. Therefore I deem reality to be based on experiences, and perceptions. Something you deem to be wrong may be the same thing your friend deems to be right. So does this mean that there really is no one true reality?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Philosophy, we learn that it is okay to doubt things that occur in our lives. It is not only okay but it is a natural response to something you are unclear or uncertain about. Sometimes, though, the build-up of doubt becomes too much for someone to handle so they become suicidal or just give up trying to think about it all together. When this happens, there is a tendency to become cynical, and this is a tragedy because then you feel like nothing is really worth trying to figure out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most of philosophy deals with the Ã’selfÓ. People are always trying to find out who they are; why theyÕre here; or how things relate to them. All of our lives are spent on a road of self discovery, seeing what the world has to offer us, and where our place really is. If we were to actually look closely, we would see that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  page 2 we knew who we were all along, we just didnÕt realize it.

Financial Distress: Bankruptcy Essay -- Economy, CNN Money, Kmart

Halley 1 Financial Distress: Bankruptcy Financial distress which results in bankruptcy are very common for businesses in today’s economy. According to CNN Money Fortune 500, â€Å"Last year marked the highest number of billon-dollar bankruptcies ever recorded. And corporate bankruptcies have continued at an elevated clip, with about twice the number of businesses filing for bankruptcies filing for bankruptcy protection in the 12 months ending June 2010, as they did during the same span of time in 2008, 2007, or 2006.† (Roane, 2010) It is very important for every financial manager to acknowledge that bankruptcy can be a reality for any company and financial managers have to know how to prevent it. Most all companies have debts and these debts are used for financial leverage, but they have to be closely monitored by the financial manager. Many monthly debts that companies are faced with are, making monthly payments to vendors, and paying employees. It is the financial managers to manage and monitor th ese debts, so that the debts don’t become more than the equity. (Ross, Westerfield, & Jordan, 2010) Companies will be considered in financial distress when all of their liquidity has to be used to pay their outstanding debt. Companies can file bankruptcy to deal with and manage the lack of liquidity. When a company files bankruptcy the company is protected and bondholder or creditors cannot sue them for money that is owed. According to the authors of Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, â€Å"In principal a firm becomes bankrupt when the value of its assets equals the value of its debt.† (Ross... ...s trying to compete with Wal-Mart and Target on similar name brands, and prices, which became detrimental to Kmart. (CNN Money.com, 2002) According to CNNMoney.com Kmart filing included â€Å"Kmart, which has about $37 billion in annual revenue, said it had secured $2 billion in debtor financing to pay its $1.6 billion in debt and expected to emerge from bankruptcy in about a year.† (2002) Kmart wanted to emerge from restructuring with a new image that was totally different form their competitors and by filing bankruptcy and reorganizing their organizations they were able to do that. Conclusion: In order for a company to prevent any type of bankruptcy a company will need to keep its assets lower than his debt. It is important for financial managers of a company to manage a company’s debt-equity ratios while still increasing leverage within the company.

A Second Adolescence

He is healthy, has no known diseases or a family history that would suggest him particularly prone to illness. He awakening into a life and body he no longer recognizes. He has physically let himself deteriorate In a dark cubicle showing no Importance to his physical self (Lachrymal, 2004). Concern for ones physicality Is important in accepting the changes of middle age and being comfortable in one's own body (Sharon, 1998). He begins to recognize his own body s importance because off crush he develops on his daughter's friend.Starting to work out and place Importance on how he looks Is symbolic of his acceptance of his new body (Ben-Earl, Leave, & Shave, 2008). His office job has made him somewhat sedimentary yet it appears to have little effect on his physical wellbeing except in athletic terms he begins to address. His body and physical image becomes important to him. He wants to feel attractive and begins working out vigorously. He once again sees himself as a sexual being and wa nts to feel good about himself physically. Ben-Earl, Leave, & Shave, 2008) Changes at his Job serve as a catalyst for Lester to begin a transformation in his life in order to unify his self image with the actuality of his everyday Life(Lachrymal, 2004). Family dynamics: Luster's relationship with his wife Is In shambles. They no longer support each other or have a sexual relationship. His relationship with his daughter is almost nonexistent and it is unclear if there is any extended family. No close familiar relationships exist in Lester life. It Is clear though that there was a time that he and his wife and daughter were happy.He often reminisces of a time when he had less to no responsibility and his whole life ahead of him. He feels stifled by his family and his Job and has no outlet to address this problem. Throughout the period of observation Lester makes a complete circle to self acceptance. He takes some drastic tepees but they are In the end successful. He develops a sexual obsession with his daughter's friend which functions to snap him out of his state of complacency and begin to mix things up in every area of his life.He effectively begins to identify himself as an adolescent would testing boundaries and forming a new personality(anger, 2004). Caroline Is the dominant member of the family. She Is louder and more demanding than her child or partner. Image Is everything to her. 1 OF 7 important to her than her actual ability to successfully fill these roles(Barnett, 2004). Her whole persona is a set of illusions that are not based on reality. She is materialistic and lives in a world of half truths and delusion. As a mother her actions are hollow and self serving.They are for show as opposed to being truly supportive or helpful. She is overcritical, berating Jane on her appearance repeatedly. Adolescence is a time which is difficult for both the child and the parent(Anger, 2004). On the one hand a parent must be supportive an seen as in a position of authority while still giving their child room and space to mature and grow into the adult they are attempting too. Respecting an adolescent's budding maturity while arming an adult relationship with them is extremely hard on a parent, who still sees their child as being a child.It does not count to pretend to be friends with the adolescent, and being ‘cool When what they want is a level of actual respect and consideration, which is the case between Jane and Caroline. It is so important for Caroline to appear to be listening to and understanding her daughter that she loses sight of the person Jane is. As a father he is unable to connect with his daughter. Lester begins to try to talk to her but at this point she is uninterested in meeting him half way and it's unclear she ever will. The obvious attraction he has to Angela alienates Jane and separates them emotionally further.Father and daughter could potentially be allies against Carolynn ‘s conformist nature, but Luster' s adolescent fantasy puts them permanently at odds. By paying more attention to the object of his desire, Angela, he proves to Jane that her feelings are of no consequence to him. He genuinely seems to want a more honest relationship with Jane, but fails to see the connection between his feelings for Angela and his parental role. Lester is able to play a parental role for Angela that he cannot for his own daughter. He manages to e comforting and accessible. As a wife Caroline is the first to step out on their relationship and partnership.In order to feel like a woman and sexually attractive she begins a sexual relationship with an icon of her chosen profession(Barnett, 2004). She is able to validate her decisions through this sexual relationship. His perceived success emboldens her in her primary relationship(Ben-Air, Leave, & Shave, 2008). Psychological Influences: Lester becomes aware all off sudden that he is unhappy with his life. He makes a conscious decision to change his surr oundings and instead of losing his Job which as the probable outcome of restructuring at the office, he takes a stand and refuses to be overlooked.Revealing an abuse of power he is able to manipulate his bosses to give him a year's salary with benefits. This freedom allows him to begin a path to self discovery that codifies his self image with how he is perceived by the world. Over the course of the few months we have access to Lester he goes through distinctive stages of development akin to that of an adolescent. Risky serves as an attachment relationship for Lester. He is able to form a close secure attachment to Risky and egging to stretch the boundaries of his previously rigid position in family as well as community(Sable, 2008).This is in line with the convoy theory (Antibiotic, Kamala, & Dashiki, 2004) which stipulates that attachment relationships change and continue to form over time. Risky serves to both father and daughter as a stable reliable relationship that the can cou nt on(Sable, 2008). This allows Jane to express openly comfortable and confident with her changing body. It allows Lester to once again believe in himself as having worth and no longer defining himself solely as a husband and father. He begins to explore what he really wants and what he needs to do to get there. He finally begins to start doing for himself.Although in the most classic terms possible he is living out a midlife crisis, it appears that for him this is a process of maturation and acceptance he previously did not have a chance to experience(Lachrymal, 2004). He is mirroring the psychological experience his daughter should be going through(Morris, Silk, Steinberg, & al. , 2007). He buys the car he wants, starts working out, starts smoking pot and standing up to his wife. Lester brazenly demands respect and independence both in his family and Job. He exclaims that things are changing and no longer allows his wife to bully him or talk over him.He makes a loud and overt dema nd for respect. He wants the same amount of freedom as his wife and daughter and symbolically breaks the bonds of restraint by disrupting dinner, breaking a plate against the wall and demanding a change of music, atmosphere and pecking order. It is the first clear step towards Lester being able to redefine himself both internally and externally(Lachrymal, 2004). Theoretical perspectives: The majority of middle aged people report having more satisfaction and less anxiety bout their abilities and describe a sense of perfecting skills(Lachrymal, 2004).Stereotypically the midlife crisis hits a huge percentage of people yet only a small percentage actually seem to. It is a period in which people have a chance to review their decisions and life choices, and come to terms with what they have achieved or not achieved. They may be exactly where they want to be or some may have to adjust their self image to incorporate the way their life actually looks potentially leading to crisis. This is t he case of Lester Barman. He describes waking up from a 20 year mom and finally becoming aware of, and wanting to participate in his surroundings.Luster's internal world is pretty much dead before meeting him. He describes an awakening one day with the feeling that his life is n. Tot his and he no longer recognizes the different systems he is involved in. Using his work difficulties as a catalyst, he becomes able to change his entire life into something he can accept(Antibiotic, Kamala, & Dashiki, 2004). Lester seems to have not formed a functional attachment style with anyone in his life until he ‘wakes up' (film) after feeling like he had ‘been in a coma for 20 years. He starts to develop an attachment relationship with Risky in a sense.He eventually becomes comfortable with what he feels is his true self, and secure with Risky. Psychological Progress: Insinuators and Bowls idea that attachment forms and changes over the life span supports the idea that Lester gains a sense of security through his relationship with Risky(Antibiotic, Kamala, & Dashiki, 2004). Rick's attachment to his father is nonexistent. He feels protective of his mother but neither of his parents has provided safety or comfort for him in moments of distress, one of the most salient bobs of a caregiver(Sable, 2008).He instead has to take on the role of care-giver and protect and defend his mother who is otherwise helpless and alone. Risky easily slips into a similar role with Lester, being the familiar role he is used to. Lester gains wisdom and self awareness by mirroring an adolescent sexual attraction. He exploration and discovery an adolescent typically engages in (Aren't, 2000). Instead of his parents Lester rebels and redefines himself within in the family structure he has created as an adult. He pushes emotional limits and attempts to make connections in ewe and more passionate ways.Coming full circle Lester finally is able to accept the man he is and the life he lives. H e goes through a growing process a kin to that an adolescent would when creating an adult identity. Lester tests his new self out in all of the major areas of personality and finds himself in a body he accepts with a persona he is comfortable with(Anger, 2004). Luster's restraint in not having a sexual relationship with Angela demonstrates a level of maturity he did not previously possess indicating successful personality growth towards adulthood.When Lester anally sees Angela as the child she is and is able to comfort her expressing fatherly instinct his competence as a father is proven to him. He is able to reassure her without being patronizing and respecting her growing maturity, an important role parents play for adolescent children(Anger, 2004). In a sense Lester uses Angela as a proxy for his daughter as soon as he identifies her as something more than a sexual object. The fact that Lester recognizes the extent to which a sexual relationship with one of Cane's friends would b e inappropriate, the love he has for his daughter and ole as a father is reestablished.Lester gains solace by looking at a picture of the glory days of his family where they are all smiles. His ability to renew his life and find beauty in the ups, downs and seemingly mundane moments is testament to his development as a mature, well adjusted adult(Lachrymal, 2004). SOCIAL FACTORS: Gender Roles / Gender Conformity: Lester and Carolina's marriage does not follow strict gender roles in the classic sense of man as bread winner woman as home maker (Lore, 1994). Carolyn views herself as the bread winner of the family. She has proclaimed herself the captain of her emails social standing.She believes that one's social position can be directly related to economic gains. For her, money and material gains are the most important marker of one's overall success socially. Making money is the most important thing for her. It is unclear how much money she actually contributes to the family, but â₠¬Ëœsole bread winner' is a role she takes on readily if loudly (Mikhail, 2004). It is a typically make role, yet she somehow thinks that by both worrying about economic status and appearance she deserves more credit and admiration (Barnett, 2004). She is the first o fully disregard her marital relationship.Her sense of entitlement increases as their relationship moves forward. Masculinity and Homophobia: Considering masculinity to be socially constructed provides men with agency in forming the prevalent view of masculinity. Masculinity being malleable allows us to step back and identify exactly what we require of men to be ‘manly' in our society (Kismet, 2004). The pressure is insurmountable for some people. Risky dad is unable to accept himself for who he is and his internalized homophobia is so devastating that he feels he is forced to act to defend his manhood.Luster's truthful acceptance of the realities of his life in the end is what ends his life. Not accepting popular c ultures definition of masculinity and the freedom that allows is Lester is terrifying to a man who has based his life around not admitting or accepting the truth of his situation. Military Perspectives on Homosexuality: homosexuality. Don't ask don't tell (DADA) being the official position thought of by some as a progressive policy for the military was not repealed until 2011(Bird,2014).Showing how ingrained homophobia is in a military psyche. The staunch difference teen other nations policy on civil equality, even in the military is astounding. Take for example the United Kingdom and Australia's response to transgender soldiers serving verses the United States. Julia Bard's 2014 New York Times article ‘The Courage of Transgender Soldiers' elucidates Just how polarize these nation's policies actually are (Bird, 2014). ‘Department of Defense regulations don't allow transgender individuals to serve in the U.S. Military, based upon medical standards for military service. â €  (Bird, 2014) The official position of the United States military is hat being transgender is a mental disorder as defined by the ADSM Ill of 1980(American Psychiatric Association, 1980), instead of adopting the current medical standard for considering gender nonconformity (gender dysphasia) not as a psychological disorder in and of itself (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Solidarity and respect are shown to transgender members of the military in both the U.K and Australia while the United States military continues to use an antiquated theory of gender, allowing official intolerance (Kernighan, 2012). Homophobia in the Military: In 1999 DADA was the official Clinton era policy adopted by the United States in 1993 (Burlier, 2010) to address civil equality in the military. Homosexuality remained a disagreeable ‘offence' when openly expressed changing very little for LIGHT military personnel. Same-sex orientation after DADA was enacted was still a disagreeable offenc e.The law did not prevent service members from being asked about their sexuality rather it removed questions sexual orientation from recruitment questionnaires. Military members and prospective recruits were not allowed to discuss their same-sex orientation risking discharge or denial of entry if they did Burlier, 2010). The argument for not allowing homosexual service members to disclose was the concept that ‘an open statement by a service member that he or she is a homosexual will create a rebuttal presumption that he or she intends to engage in prohibited conduct,' (Burlier, 2010 p. ). Regulations are not put on heterosexual service members discussing their personal exploits, fantasies or desires. Several sexual practices are considered ‘prohibited' both under military code and civil courts, yet the assumption is not made that these acts have or ever will take place. DADA did very little for improving the actual situation and daily lives of LIGHT service members. The actual number of discharges due t same sex relationships was not significantly different before and during DADA policy years (Burlier, 2010).Rampant homophobia was a social requirement isolating and associating closeted LIGHT service members (Kier, 1998). The fear at being discovered was a daily reality. Anyone could tern a soldier in for same sex activity, actions as innocuous as holding hand. This leaves individuals suspected of homosexual ‘conduct' (Burbler & 1995) alienable physical and verbal attacks as well as official action being taken. Hetero- normative principles were the sole cultural atmosphere. Colonel Frank Fits served in the military even before DADA was the official policy.The much more restrictive, abrasively homophobic policy adopted during the time of his service shaped his attitude was a requirement of service. Any closeted member of the military would have to internalize feelings of self hatred due to the constant anti gay rhetoric. Internalized homophobia and it Repercussions: Frank Fits identifies himself purely based on his military experience. He has no identity other than colonel. He does not take on or identify with the role of husband or father. He coldly treats his family as cadets below his rank.His own sun refers to him as Colonel or Sir as one would a superior officer. The fact that Frank Fits cannot be anyone but the coroner he once was makes it impossible for him to explore, let alone accept feeling and attitudes that the military looked down on. Introspection does not exist for him. Orders, fear and denial run this man's life. His sexual curiosity and feeling of lust towards men are so unacceptable to Frank that he builds is life around his explicit homophobia. Cool. Frank Fits' residual self hatred, fear and shame pushed him to most the extremes of discrimination and racist principles.His internalized homophobia shaped his relationship with those closest to him, his wife and son who he alienates (Frost, Meyer, 2009). H iding this part of his internal self in the end defines his entire life. Offensively attacking any chance he got to not have his internal self exposed to the public or himself. Lashing out offensively is a defense strategy so that he will never be exposed to others or himself. The anguish and embarrassment Cool. Fits experiences by being what he thought to be rejected by Lester provoked emotions so strong that he had to kill Lester to be able to live with himself.Luster's comfort and ease while discussing his own marital relationship mixed with misunderstanding previous events convinces Cool. Fits that Lester is a closeted homosexual. The fact that Lester is neither actually gay, nor homophobic shattered Cool. Fits' world. The Cool had to play the role of the macho heterosexual for so long made that he became overly Jealous, controlling and abusive to his wife. Being less aggressive would have made him appear weak in his military unconsciousness. This fact made it inconceivable that Lester could be unapologetic, calm and without anger or Jealousy at the fact that his wife was with another man.A freedom Frank Fits could never allow himself. He ends Luster's life right at the moment that Lester is able to achieve something that the Cool. Cannot, self acceptance. Conclusion: Luster's acceptance and renewed love of life ends up being what kills him. Lester is able to accept in other people facts that they cannot accept about themselves. Cool Frank Fits does not possess the skills to regulate his emotions or cope internally hen faced with a threatening situation, choosing instead to lash out in violent anger (Morris, Silk, Steinberg, & al. , 2007).For Frank Lester becomes the embodiment of all the sexual feelings he cannot except within himself. Killing Lester is a desperate attempt to kill the feelings Frank most fears. Lester reaffirms his identity as a well adjusted adult when rejecting his foolish adolescent urges. He accepts what he has accomplished and is at peace with who he is, uniting the image he has of himself with the actuality of his life. Typically this type of review is done later in life(Lachrymal, 2004). Lester is afforded the luxury of being at peace before he dies even though it is sudden.

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene’s character

With specific reference to Act 2 Scene 1 examine Marlene's character. Consider how the interview process exposed what she is like and the choices she has made. Marlene is a high powered business woman; she has just gained a promotion to managing director of a successful employment agency called ‘Top Girls. ‘ In Act 2 Scene 1 Marlene is positioned in the work environment, this enables the audience to see her perform as she would on a daily basis. This is the first time the audience sees Marlene in the work place you are able to make the observation that Marlene is well suited in this career as she is very ambitious. Act 1 informed the audience that Marlene just received a promotion this shows she is dedicated and successful within this agency. Marlene's charisma does a lot to hide her working class roots which she has obviously tried very hard to conceal from the people around her. You would never make the assumption that Marlene is from an impoverish background however, this is revealed when her sister is introduced in Act 2 Scene 2 and shown in working class society. Marlene has made several choices in life in order to move herself up civilization, which Churchill discloses throughout the play. Marlene is interviewing a young girl, Jeanine, for a job in Act 2 Scene 1. The audience is able to see her brisk interviewing skills here and how Marlene would generally perform in the work place. Marlene is quick to notice Jeanine's faults; this shows her to be a relatively pessimistic person. She is fairly blunt and seems rushed in this scene. This shows she is a busy woman who is committed to her work. Churchill purposely exposes the differences within the two women here even though Marlene was once from the same background as Jeanine, her abandoning of the ‘working class' background is noticeable in this scene as she clearly views Jeanine as being underneath her. This is shown by Marlene using Jeanine's forename, † Right Jeanine, you are Jeanine aren't you? † which is generally informal and disrespectful in this situation. Marlene is very original in her views of other women, she seems very self indulged, even though she helps people get jobs she is very ambitious and constantly looking ahead. As Marlene has no one else to worry about Churchill shows her to be self reliant and not want to let anyone else into her life. Jeanine has different ambitions to Marlene, though Jeanine is not necessarily the ambitious type she does have one desire, to get married. Marlene's character is thoroughly exposed when the idea of marriage and children in introduced. She reacts very negatively to both these aspects and seems to view Jeanine negatively for having this ambition. It is revealed in the Act 3 of ‘Top Girls' that Marlene in fact gave up her own child in order to pursue her career. Marlene has made sacrifices, marriage and children to be in the position she is in now and Churchill portrays Marlene to view other people differently for taking this path, like she believes others should make the same choices as she has. When Jeanine mentions not receiving an engagement ring Marlene responds with, â€Å"saves taking it off. † This shows she believes marriage affects work and possibly should stay undisclosed. This shows she is very dedicated to work, possibly too much so. Marlene is definitely a woman who knows what she wants from life and plans ahead to the future. Jeanine is very much the opposite of this as she is very reliant on other people's views and ideas instead of her own. When Marlene questions her about ten years time Jeanine replies with â€Å"I might not be alive in ten years. † This shows the audience their obvious differences and Jeanine's lack of expectations for herself. Marlene is definitely the type of woman who has planned out her next direction in life with steady consideration. Marlene thoroughly believes in commitment to work in order to receive the things you want. She went in to do higher education in order to pursue a career and distant her self from the working class life, her sister's life. This has been an inevitable choice for Marlene and she seems very independent. Marlene does not have a close connection with anyone. Here distances are brought across while speaking to Jeanine on the idea of marriage and children but also the idea of cutting Jeanine's speech up meaning she does not care about her personal life. I don't believe Marlene leads a great social life as she is very work orientated. Act one shows us she has never really had any partners showing again her self reliance but also her inability to make time for others. We know she has at least had one partner when it is revealed that Angie is in fact Marlene's daughter who she handed over to her sister. Though it is never revealed properly why, you get the impression Marlene would not give up the time to look after her daughter and did not want a child to interfere with her plans in future. She wanted to pick the career path not the child path. Marlene's new middle class background Marlene is definitely in a better financial state than Joyce but Marlene chooses to leave Joyce to take care on Angie. Marlene is not fond of children so the audience is able to identify that this child was not planned and Marlene left her mistakes behind her by moving away and beginning work. When Jeanine is speaking about her marriage, Marlene is swift to change the subject, possibly showing she is lonely and knows what she has missed out on. Marlene has abandoned the idea of ever getting married, to work for this company, receive her latest promotion etc. The play provides negative connotations toward being married and having children in this work environment as Marlene says â€Å"So you won't tell them you're getting married†¦ It would probably help. † Showing it is more difficult to get a good job when you have other commitments. Relationships are a hindrance for Marlene while Jeanine sees her relationship as her main focus in life. Marlene is very enigmatic as she keeps most problems and situations to herself. She is a serious character, especially in the work place. In Act 1 you see a slightly more open and humorous side to Marlene however, this was most likely because of her severe alcohol intake. In this interview process, Churchill portrays Marlene as being straight to the point and says what she thinks so that she does not have to waste time. Her job is a busy one and the way she acts towards Jeanine in the interview shows she does not have time to waste â€Å"We don't have any foreign clients. You'd have to go elsewhere. † Marlene also speeds up the interview so it finishes quickly this may be due to her amount of other work or her disliking of Jeanine, it is unclear because of Marlene's secretive side. Marlene seems to live up to the middle class stereotype. There is no connection with anyone from working class background made; this shows Marlene to be ashamed. She is proud for leaving that world behind but keeps it to herself as she doesn't want people to judge her for whom she used to be. Marlene is presented in many ways. Seeing her in the working environment is very significant as this is how she exposes herself to other people. Churchill wants to shows the differences between the two characters in Act 2 Scene 1. Marlene is apathetic towards Jeanine. She has dissimilar ambitions to Jeanine and slightly frowns upon her for choosing this path that Marlene has been so successful without. The differences here really highlight Marlene's thoughts and her as a character. The choices she has made in order to live a middle class career following life are very significant. Giving up a child is a huge decision and Marlene believes in part she made the correct choice and she is now a very successful business woman. You do receive the feeling that it has affected her on the whole as she quickly switches the direction of conversation while speaking with Jeanine about marriage and children. Also the idea of being very secretive shows Marlene must be slightly ashamed or possibly does not find others very trust worthy. She has changed her image and does not feel the need to mention the past which is mature of Marlene. Overall she is exposed by Churchill as making many significant choices in life which she makes no attempt to change permanently. Marlene is portrayed as being dedicated and successful in the work place and this is largely helped by her steady ambition. She has transformed herself and sacrifices certain aspects of life in order to be successful and have her dream occupation.