Monday, December 30, 2019
Essay on Key Performance Indicators - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1409 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Narrative essay Level High school Did you like this example? A performance indicator or also known as key performance indicator (KPI) is a kind method to measure performance used by organization or company (Irwin, 2011). It is mostly use to monitor an operation or to measure focusing in the aspects of organizational performance which are most critical for an organization current and future success (Irwin, 2011). According to MaryLynn Zahn, KPIs are used in order to assess the companyà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â ¢s performance in their business units, division, departments and employees (Zahn, 2013). Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Essay on Key Performance Indicators" essay for you Create order It is very helpful in providing evidence that certain results have or have not been achieved, enable achievement of intended outputs, outcomes, goals and objectives to be mad by decision makers, help in perceiving differences, improvements or developments which is related to a desired change in a particular context and also it consists of information which shows the changes such as factors or variables that provide a simple and reliable which reflect the changes (Zahn, 2013). There are a few types of performance indicators in an organization with certain characteristics and description. Key performance indicators or KPIs are non-financial measures and they are not expressed in monetary figures. For example, if you put a Ringgit Malaysia sign in measuring, you have not dug deep enough. Yesterday sales made by an organization will be a result of sales calls made previously into existing and prospective customers as well as in advertising, amount of contact with the key customers and product reliability. Result indicators are a sales indicator which has been expressed in monetary terms (Irwin, 2011). Most of the organization uses KPI for certain activities which undertaken their key customers and who are often generate most or all of their profit (Irwin, 2011). Besides, KPI will be used in measuring frequently. It is usually being monitored and reported 24/7, daily or perhaps weekly. It could not be use in monthly measurement as it will be shutting the stable door well after the horse has bolted (Irwin, 2011). It is current or future measures and as opposed to the past measures. Most of the organization measures are past indicator and they usually measure events of the last month or quarter (Irwin, 2011). These measures are not KPI which is why a satisfaction percentage such as 65% of customer satisfaction survey performed in every six months couldnà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â ¢t be a performance indicator (Irwin, 2011). KPIs should be made clear of what action is ne eded and can be understood by staff. Usually they are acted upon by the CEO and senior management and good KPIs can make differences to the CEO or superior for constant attention such as with daily calls to the relevant staff (Irwin, 2011). Besides, they have a very significant effect upon the organization. Usually it will affect the critical success factors and more than a balanced scorecard perspective. In other words, when theCEOfocuses on the KPI and the staff follows, the organization scores goals in all directions (Irwin, 2011). KPI also has a positive effects or a flow on effect on the other measure. For example, reducing late planes would improve performance measures around improved service by ground staff as there is less firefighting to distract them from a quality and caring customer contact. There are three types of key performance indicator which are quantitative, directional and actionable. This sub categorization could be an extremely valuable tool for a company in the assessment of its performance (Zahn, 2013). In quantitative indicators, it is used to measure quantity or expressed it as in a form of numbers (Zahn, 2013). Depending on the data being used and involved, they can be expressed in a number ways. It could be in the form as whole number, decimals, ratios, fractions, percentages and monetary values. This type of indicator is easy to use and compare and it benefits us when it come to comparing data (Zahn, 2013). For example, an organization can use the data to compare a scientific indicator throughout a period of time in order to understand the business trends or the position of a company against the competitor. As an example of quantitative indicators in business world are number of invoices processed, turnaround time, number of payments posted, number of reconciliations completed, number of journal entries posted, annual sales, annual expenditures and etc (Zahn, 2013). The second type of directional indicators is used to prov ide the necessity data for a company in order to get a pulse around whether they wish to improve, remain the same or failing. It will be used to help in identifying the improvement or progress as such in comparing last monthà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â ¢s and this monthà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â ¢s sales (Zahn, 2013). Directional indicators are extremely helpful to identify the areas which are not performing effectively or efficiently and also to track and corrective action which is taken in a timely manner or it can be the mean difference in between a company success and failure (Zahn, 2013). Actionable indicator is used to assist in a company to identify area which they can be changed effectively by taking action. As an example that could be shown is a company would do better by the outsourcing processes (Zahn, 2013). In this, the true benefit can be realized when a company or organization analyzes the indicators in place and take appropriate action. Companyà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã¢â ¢s performance could be a ssist by these indicators because it is a valuable tool for them in order to stay ahead of the company competitors. If this indicator is being use to their fullest, it will make a great difference in between a highly successful company or whether the company is barely only maintaining (Zahn, 2013). There is another one type of indicator which was not included by MarLynn Zahn, the qualitative indicators (Evaluation, n.d.). In qualitative indicators, it does not show the numeric measures but the depict the status of something which is in more qualitative terms. These indicators are not seem to be appealing but there are some things which are better as compared to the quantitative indicator (Evaluation, n.d.). For example, how much a poor community is empowered may not be measurable in strict quantitative terms. But they can be graded based on qualitative findings. Whether a cooperative body is properly functioning or not, can be assessed in qualitative terms and then it can be grad ed (Evaluation, n.d.). In my opinion, if a small company or organizations which wish to identify their own company performance, it will be appropriate to use quantitative indicator as it will be easier to understand and view by them. It will be more appropriate and easy to view since the data all will be shown in the form of numbers and it can be clearly seen through the graphs or tables (Zahn, 2013). For company which wants to know about their performance as in the total of sales or profit without the intention to against their competitor, quantitative indicator will be the best indicator to be used (Institute, 2011). However, for a company or organization that wants to improve in their performance or sales, it will be useful to use directional indicator. This is because in directional indicator, it can help an organization to identify the improvement or the progress of their performance such as their sales or rundown of the company from time to time (Methadology, 2014). This wi ll ease them in looking or identifying what is the reason or factors of the success. It can be the same for them to identify their problems as well if there happen to be a loss rather than profit so they could identify the problem and solve it before it leads to another crisis of an organization or company. It is not a comparison or competition in between the types of indicators but rather depends on own perspectives values and respective importance by an organization or company. Depending on their goal to get from the performance indicators and select which is the one that suits them using it (Evaluation, n.d.). Bibliography Evaluation, M. a., n.d. [Online] Available at: https://monitoringevaluation.weebly.com/quantitativequalitative-indicators.html [Accessed 20 March 2014]. Institute, T. A., 2011. Continuos Progress. [Online] Available at: https://fp.continuousprogress.org/node/33 [Accessed 20 March 2014]. Irwin, T., 2011. Mondaq Connecting knowledge and people. [Online] Available at: https://www.mondaq.com/x/140520/Operational+Performance+Management/Key+Performance+Indicators+KPIs+What+They+Are+And+What+They+Do [Accessed 12 March 2014]. Methadology, G. E., 2014. GEM. [Online] Available at: https://www.apcwomen.org/gemkit/en/gem_tool/step4a.htm [Accessed 20 March 2014]. Zahn, M., 2013. The Accounting Minute. [Online] Available at: https://clarity.sutherlandglobal.com/blog/accounting-minute/types-of-performance-indicators/ [Accessed 20 March 2014].
Sunday, December 22, 2019
Financial Analysis of Hershey Corporation Essay example
INTRODUCTION The Hershey Company is North Americas largest manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionary products. They produce and sell a wide variety of confections from the familiar favorites such as Hersheys, Reeses, and Hershey Kisses to the Ice Breaker line of gums and mints. They have also emerged as the forerunner in the dark and premium chocolate category (http://www.thehersheycompany.com/). This paper will discuss the history of The Hershey Company, general facts and information pertaining to operations as well as industry statistics including trends and key competitors. Furthermore, this paper will examine the financial position of The Hershey Company, through use of ratio analyses and forecasting models inâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦When combined the international operations share most of the aggregation criteria and represent less than 10% of consolidated revenues, operating profits and assets. Industry Overview The confectionery industry while having some difficulty with consumer demands concerning health seems to be a quite lucrative industry. The food and beverage industry as a whole sustained sales and profitable growth due to improved efficiencies and new and innovative product lines. The major problem in the food and beverage industry continues to be the rising costs of raw materials and the uncertainty of being able to increase the price of their products (MergentOnline.com). The Hershey Company and other chocolate confectioners are worried with civil unrest in the worlds largest cocoa- producing country, The Ivory Coast, where prices have remained volatile. During 2006, cocoa prices traded between .67 and .75 per pound, based on the New York Board of Trade futures contract (The Hershey Company Annual Report). As mentioned earlier, health conscience consumers also play a huge part in the success or failure of this industry. Although the majority of consumers are stil l purchasing junk food and the like, there are a growing number of consumers that demand a healthier option. Several companies including The Hershey Company, MM Mars, and Nestle have begun to provide a spectrum of healthier products. According to The Washington Times, companies areShow MoreRelatedEssay on Acc 504965 Words à |à 4 PagesExamYour Course Project Financial Statement Analysis Projectââ¬âA Comparative Analysis of Oracle Corporation and Microsoft Corporation Here is the link for the financial statements for Oracle Corporation for the fiscal year ending 2011. First, select 2011 using the drop-down arrow labeled for Year on the right-hand side of the page, and then select Annual Reports using the drop-down arrow labeled Filing Type on the left-hand side of the page. 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He believed there would be great demand for affordable, mass-produced chocolate, and thus he built the Hershey Chocolate Company. Hersheyââ¬â¢s is now the largest producer of quality chocolates in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectioneryRead MoreComparative Analysis of Kohl and J.Cpenny Essay909 Words à |à 4 PagesYour Course Project Financial Statement Analysis Project -- A Comparative Analysis of Kohlââ¬â¢s Corporation and J.C. Penney Corporation Below is the link for the financial statements for Kohlââ¬â¢s Corporation for the 2010 fiscal year ending January 29, 2011. Under the term Groupings Filter, change the term All Forms to Annual Filings using the drop-down arrow and press Search. 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Considering the humble beginnings of its founder, Milton Hershey, Hershey Food Corporationââ¬â¢s success is as sweet as the chocolates it produces and as lovely as the candies it offers its customers. But before gaining its sweet success, it had undergone business dilemmaRead MoreCourse: Financial Ratios and Ratio1201 Words à |à 5 PagesYour Course Project Financial Statement Analysis Project -- A Comparative Analysis of Oracle Corporation and Microsoft Corporation Here is the link for the financial statements for Oracle Corporation for the fiscal year ending 2011. First, select 2011 using the drop-down arrow labeled for Year on the right-hand side of the page, and then select Annual Reports using the drop-down arrow labeled Filing Type on the left-hand side of the page. You should select the 10k dated 6/28/2011 and chooseRead MoreHershey Food Corporation7395 Words à |à 30 PagesHERSHEY FOODS CORPORATION: BITTER TIMES IN A SWEET PLACE Teaching Note Synopsis and Objectives The proposed sale of Hershey Foods Corporation (HFC) during the summer of 2002 captured headlines and imaginations. After all, Hershey was an American icon, and when the companyââ¬â¢s largest shareholder, the Hershey Trust Company (HSY), asked HFC management to explore a sale, the story drew national and international attention. The companyââ¬â¢s unusual governance structure put the Hershey Trustââ¬â¢sRead MoreCfa Hershey Chocolate7124 Words à |à 29 Pagesevident that one of the main responsibilities that the Hershey Trust Board views their responsibility to be is to the Milton Hershey School. In 1918, Milton Hershey endowed the trust board. The objective of this endowment was to have full support for the Milton Hershey School. Further in March 2002, the Trust Board decided to make a decision that was more in the schools favor, which was making sure that its holdings were less concentrated in Hershey stock. Moreover, the composition of the board movedRead MoreHershe y Case Study3050 Words à |à 13 PagesCase 1: Hershey Christopher Dobbins MBA 710 July 24th, 2012 Dr. Moscato Introduction to Hershey Hershey Foods Corporation is number one in the confectionary foods market. Although many people associate Hershey with chocolate, the company started when founder Milton Hershey decided to produce caramel in 1894.They are most famous for their major candy brands such as Hershey s, Reese s, Kit Kat, Kisses, Twizzlers, Jolly Rancher etc. However, Hershey also sells grocery products including: baking
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Bird Watching Free Essays
Birdwatching or birding means going outside to enjoy watching birds. It is a popular hobby. Someone who does this is called a birdwatcher or birder. We will write a custom essay sample on Bird Watching or any similar topic only for you Order Now These two words mean the same thing, but people who spend a lot of their time watching birds, taking their hobby seriously, are more likely to call themselves ââ¬Å"birdersâ⬠, while ââ¬Å"birdwatchersâ⬠may just be people who like watching birds when they happen to go for a walk. Both birdwatchers and birders are usually amateurs. The scientific study of birds is called ornithology. People who study birds as a profession are called ornithologists. Birdwatching (or birding) is very popular in countries such as Britain and the United States. It can be especially awarding in spring when a lot of birds are singing and building nests to raise their young. In spring and autumn many birds can be seen as they migrate. In winter some other kinds of birds may be visiting from colder areas such as the Arctic where there is no food in the winter. A pelican flying moves steadily enough for it to be followed with a pair of binoculars It is useful to have a good pair of binoculars to help to see birds that are far away more clearly. Scopes or telescopes can also be used. These give much greater magnification than binoculars (making the birds look much bigger), but they need to put on a tripod because they cannot be held steady by hand. They are useful for looking at birds that stay in one place for some time such as ducks swimming on a lake, but no use for birds flying in the air or hopping quickly from one tree to another. Some birders like to take photographs of birds. This is difficult to do well unless one has good, expensive cameras and long lenses. Telescopes can be attached to cameras. This is called digiscoping. Twitchers a pair of binoculars are essential for birdwatching Some birdwatchers are called twitchers. Twitching means spending all oneââ¬â¢s time trying to see as many different kinds of birds as possible (the normal word ââ¬Å"twitchâ⬠means: making little jerks in the body, often with muscles in the face). Twitchers keep lists of all the birds they have seen, and if they hear that a rare bird has been seen somewhere, they travel long distances to try to see it so that they can add it to their list. Birdwatchers are useful Although birdwatchers are amateurs, they can be very useful, because they can tell organizations such as the British Trust for Ornithology about what they have seen. This information can be useful when discussions take place about possible damage to the environment, e. g. because of new developments (building). It can help us to protect the birds, because we understand their needs. Some birders help with bird ringing. Putting a ring on a birdââ¬â¢s foot helps us to identify it when it is seen again so that we can understand where birds go and what they do. Birders can also take part in bird counts. In Britain a ââ¬Å"Big Garden Birdwatchâ⬠project takes place one weekend each year in late January. Over 400. 000 people watch the birds in their gardens for one hour and are asked to make a list of how many they see during this time. By comparing the results with other years this helps us to see which birds are surviving well, and which ones are becoming less common. Code of behaviour Birders are always reminded how important it is not to disturb the birds. This is particularly important in the nesting season. If birds are nesting on the ground in fields or reedbeds one should never go anywhere near them. Some birds get used to humans being near, but others may be very shy of humans. How to cite Bird Watching, Papers
Friday, December 6, 2019
Lower Dauphin Falcon Basketball Team Essay Research free essay sample
Lower Dauphin Falcon Basketball Team Essay, Research Paper The Champ It was halftime ; the mark was tied. The Lower Dauphin Falcon Basketball squad was playing with such personal appeals as we started to surge over the Susquehanna Indians in the 2nd half. It was one shooting after another, and shortly we were winning by 2 points. The star of the game was of class our figure 33, Evan. He shined on the tribunal like an angel in camouflage. The crowd was heartening with exhilaration as the concluding proceedingss were weaving down on the scoreboard. The game was tied at 44 with 5 seconds staying, and of class it was our? angel? who came to the deliverance once more. He caught the ball at the border of the three-point line, squared up, and allow it wing. We watched with hopeful eyes as his shooting sailed towards the basket. It was a success ; we had beaten our challengers for the 2nd clip this season. The crowd rushed the tribunal ; cryings of joy fell from the participant? s eyes, including Evan? s. After the game we all went over the Evan? s house to observe. Many of us non cognizing that the remainder of the weekend would alter our lives. We played pool, ate pizza, and watched the 11:00 intelligence to see high spots from the game. Evan sat with me and thanked me for coming to watch him. After all, I wore his New Jersey and his figure painted on my face. I left that dark at 12:30. I was unaware of the large party that was taking topographic point at another house, or I would hold stayed with Evan so he would non hold gone. Alternatively I went place and went to kip. Besides, I had a reasonably unbelievable dark as it was, and I wanted to enjoy the minutes captured. All of a sudden I sat up in bed ; it was 8:00 on a Monday forenoon. School was cancelled because a fresh bed of snow had fallen on the land. To my surprise the telephone rang. ? Kristen, did I wake you? ? These were the first words spoken by my friend? s female parent, Mel. ? Yes, ? I said courteously, non holding a hint as to why she was naming so early. With her voice shaking, as something awful had happened, she asked me if I had heard the bad intelligence. ? No, ? I uttered. ? Mel, what happened? ? Then she began to state me something that I thought I would neer hold to hear. ? Evan was in an atrocious auto accident last dark, ? she said. ? Oh my goodness, is he all right, when can I see him? ? These words flew out of my oral cavity non cognizing the remainder of the narrative waiting to be told to me. ? Kristen? he was killed. ? Tears immediately began to turn over down my pale white face. So many ideas, memories, and amusing brushs ran through my caput in a affair of seconds until my train of idea was broken. Mel offered to come over, being that she lived two houses off. I turned down her offer, and told her that I had to name my ma. I eventually got my fingers free from clinching the telephone so t ightly that I was able to name my ma. She answered, I tried to talk but my pharynx was dry and nil was able to come out. Then all of a sudden I blurted out? ? Mom, Evan Gourley was killed in a auto accident last night. ? She didn? t understand a word that I had said, so she asked me to reiterate myself. When I eventually came around to it, she told me to quiet down. Her offer was besides to come place ; I rapidly rejected her every bit good and called my fellow Brandon. While dialing his phone figure, teardrops were pouring from my eyes. There was no reply, merely the drone recording of the answering machine at the other terminal. It must hold sounded like I was shouting into the phone while I was go forthing the message, but I was certain that person would recognize there was serious intelligence expecting them and name me back shortly. Seconds later my phone rang. ? Kristen, its Brandon, what is the job? ? Relieved to hear his voice, I asked him if he would come over. He questioned my petition and asked me one time once more what was incorrect. ? Evan died in a auto accident last dark, ? I responded. ? Do non travel, I? ll be right there. ? Brandon spoke these soothing words to me. Until person arrived at my house for me to sorrow with, memories upon memories ran throughout my head. Evan was a star hoops and baseball participant, member of the homecoming tribunal, and merely an all about great cat. He was the funniest, sweetest, and most charming cat in our category ( good, possibly non but he certainly did seek ) . He merely had one defect, imbibing and drive. His ruddy Ford Probe hit an icy chuckhole at 2:00 a.m. It so collided with a bank along the side of the route and came to a landing on its roof. He was pronounced dead at the scene when person eventually found his demolished auto 45 proceedingss subsequently. Even though that is how he died, none of us judge him by his hapless determination that dark. Yes, it could hold been prevented, but it wasn? T. Traveling to his funeral was difficult, but traveling back to school on Tuesday was even harder. Besides, Evan had sat next to me in every category except for one. For the first hebdomad I would travel to state something to him, or delay for him to do a amusing comment at one of the instructors or pupils, and it merely wouldn? t happen. Finally world had set in. Although we know that Evan Cooke Gourley made one important error in his life, we had come to recognize that his clip here on Earth was cherished and that he made the best of it. He knows that he could neer be forgotten, and that he made an unbelievable impact on each of our prevarications. He is non remembered for doing that three-pointer to win the game, or striking out the last hitter for a no batter. After all, Evan was our friend, and my? angel? . He will go on to populate on in our Black Marias as person really particular until we can all fall in him in ageless peace.
Friday, November 29, 2019
A Guide to Renaissance Humanism
A Guide to Renaissance Humanism Renaissance Humanism- named to differentiate it from the Humanism that came later- was an intellectual movement that originated in the 13th century and came to dominate European thought during the Renaissance, which it played a considerable role in creating. At the core of Renaissance Humanism was using the study of classical texts to alter contemporary thinking, breaking with the medieval mindset and creating something new. What Is Renaissance Humanism? One mode of thinking came to typify Renaissance ideas: Humanism. The term derived from a program of studies called the studia humanitatis, but the idea of calling this Humanism really arose in the 19th century. There remains a question over what exactly Renaissance Humanism was. Jacob Burckhardtââ¬â¢s seminal 1860 work, The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy, solidified the definition of humanism into the study of classical- Greek and Roman- texts to affect how you viewed your world, taking from the ancient world to reform the modern and giving a worldlier, human outlook focusing on the ability of humans to act and not blindly follow a religious plan. Humanists believed God had given humanity options and potential, and humanist thinkers had to act to make the most of this. That definition is still useful, but historians increasingly fear that the tag Renaissance Humanism pushes a large range of thought and writing into one term that doesnââ¬â¢t adequately explain subtleties or variations. Origins of Humanism Renaissance Humanism began in the later 13th century when Europeans hunger for studying classical texts coincided with a desire to imitate those authors in style. They werenââ¬â¢t to be direct copies but drew on old models, picking up vocabulary, styles, intentions, and form. Each half needed the other: You had to understand the texts to take part in the fashion, and doing so drew you back to Greece and Rome. But what developed wasnt a set of second-generation mimics; Renaissance Humanism began to use knowledge, love, and maybe even obsession with the past to change how they and others saw and thought about their own era. It was not a pastiche, but a new consciousness, including a new historical perspective giving a historically based alternative to medieval ways of thinking. Humanism began to affect culture and society and powered, in large part, what we now call the Renaissance. Humanists operating before Petrarch, called Proto-Humanists, were mainly in Italy. They included Lovato Dei Lovati (1240-1309), a Paduan judge who may have been the first to mix reading Latin poetry with writing modern classical poetry to major effect. Others tried, but Lovato achieved far more, recovering among other things Senecaââ¬â¢s tragedies. A hunger for bringing old texts back to the world was characteristic of Humanists. This searching was vital because much of the material was scattered and forgotten. But Lovato had limits, and his prose style stayed medieval. His pupil, Mussato, connected his studies of the past to contemporary issues and wrote in the classical style to comment on politics. He was the first to deliberately write ancient prose in centuriesà and was attacked for liking pagans. Petrarch Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374) has been called the Father of Italian Humanism, and while modern historiography plays down the role of individuals, his contribution was large. He firmly believed that classical writings were not just relevant to his own ageà but saw in them moral guidance that could reform humanity, a key principle of Renaissance Humanism. Eloquence, which moved the soul, was the equal of cold logic. Humanism should be a doctor to human morals. Petrarch didnââ¬â¢t apply much of this thinking to the governmentà but worked at bringing together the classics and the Christians. The Proto-Humanists had been largely secular; Petrarch bought religion in, arguing that history can have a positive effect on a Christian soul. He has been said to have created the Humanist program, and he argued that each person should study the ancients and create their own style. Had Petrarch not lived, Humanism would have been seen as threatening Christianity. His actions allowed Humanism to spread more effectively in the late 14th century. Careers needing skills of reading and writing were soon dominated by Humanists. In the 15th century in Italy, Humanism once more became secular and the courts of Germany, France, and elsewhere turned away until a later movement brought it back to life. Between 1375 and 1406 Coluccio Salutati was chancellor in Florence, and he made the city the capital of Renaissance Humanismââ¬â¢s development. The 15th Century By 1400 Renaissance Humanismââ¬â¢s ideas had spread to allow speeches and other orations to become classicized: diffusion was needed so more people could understand. Humanism was becoming admired, and the upper classes were sending their sons to study for the kudos and career prospects. By the mid-15th century, Humanism education was normal in upper-class Italy. Cicero, the great Roman orator, became the core example for the Humanists. His adoption jibed with a turn back to the secular. Petrarch and company had been politically neutral, but now some Humanists argued for republics to be superior to the dominant monarchies. This wasnââ¬â¢t a new development, but it came to affect humanism. Greek also became more common among the humanists, even if it often stayed second to Latin and Rome. However, a huge amount of classical Greek knowledge was now worked in. Some groups wanted to adhere strictly to Ciceronian Latin as the model for languages; others wanted to write in a style of Latin they felt more contemporary. What they agreed on was a new form of education, which the rich were adopting. Modern historiography also began to emerge. The power of Humanism, with its textual criticism and study, was shown in 1440 when Lorenzo Valla proved The Donation of Constantine, ostensibly transferring much of the Roman Empire to the Pope, was a forgery. Valla and others pushed for Biblical Humanism- textual criticism and understanding of the Bible- to bring people closer to the word of God that had been corrupted. All this time Humanist commentaries and writings were growing in fame and number. Some Humanists began to turn away from reforming the worldà and focused instead on a purer understanding of the past. But Humanist thinkers also began to consider humanity more: as creators, world-changers who made their own lives and who should not be trying to imitate Christ but finding themselves. Renaissance Humanism after 1500 By the 1500s, Humanism was the dominant form of education, so widespread that it was dividing into a range of sub-developments. As perfected texts passed to other specialists, such as mathematicians and scientists, the recipients also became Humanist thinkers. As these fields developed they split, and the overall Humanist program of reform fragmented. The ideas ceased to be the preserve of the rich, as printing had brought cheap written materials to a wider market, and now a mass audience was adopting, often unconsciously, humanist thinking. Humanism had spread across Europe, and while it split in Italy, the stable countries to the north fostered a return of the movement that began to have the same massive effect. Henry VIII encouraged Englishmen trained in Humanism to replace foreigners on his staff; in France Humanism was seen as the best way to study scripture. John Calvin agreed, starting a humanist school in Geneva. In Spain, Humanists clashed with the Church and Inquisitionà and merged with surviving scholasticism as a way to survive. Erasmus, the 16th centuryââ¬â¢s leading Humanist, emerged in the German-speaking lands. The End of Renaissance Humanism By the mid-16th century, Humanism had lost much of its power. Europe was engaged in a war of words, ideas, and sometimes weapons over the nature of Christianity (the Reformation) and Humanist culture was overtaken by rival creeds, becoming semi-independent disciplines governed by the areaââ¬â¢s faith.
Monday, November 25, 2019
David Mamets play Oleanna Essays
David Mamets play Oleanna Essays David Mamets play Oleanna Paper David Mamets play Oleanna Paper Essay Topic: Literature David Mamets play Oleanna is as complex and asks as many questions as the characters it contains. Oleanna has no easy answers, you can be right or you could be horribly wrong at the same time depending on what gender you are or what views you have. John is a lecturer at a university he is hard to understand; he is seen to be innocent and guilty but always to have some of the blame for his actions. Carol is shown to be deceitful and is always twisting things to make John into prey for her group on many occasions. Around the time this play was written there was a large interest in sexual harassment and cases of that nature, in that year a film called Disclosure where the actress Demi Moore sexually harasses a male worker. John is a character who could be misinterpreted as he is a great believer in himself, which makes him appear ignorant and uncaring, As Maurice Patterson (2002) explains She goes to her professor for help who sympathises with her frustration. He lectures her of his own frustration that he felt as a student which shows even when he agrees to hear to Carols problems he continues to talk about himself and how he had those problems bringing the intention back to himself John: Yes. And, and perhaps my problems are, do you see? Similar to yours. This shows although John believes he is helping Carol with her problem, the word similar shows it isnt the same problem but just John talking about his own problem, Johns ignorance to what Carol is talking about is a part of his downfall. John is to blame for his actions because everything that Carol has said he has done, has actually taken place, it is just Carols interpretations of Johns actions which are apparently false which leads John into a difficult situation, his carelessness leads him to forget his ethics and slips out of his role of lecturer and begins to tell stories about sexual acts and using terms such as John: I like you. This can be seen as an intimate comment or as John trying to level with the student. Linda Lopez McAllister (1995) perhaps unfairly makes the point At one point he decides to launch into a more personal mode, switching from the stern taskmaster into the patronizing I-know-all-about-whats-wrong-with-you-and-Ill-help-you role There are many personal phone calls made to John by Johns wife throughout the play, these are used to remind us of the world outside his office giving the play a more 3-d feel and shows Johns personal life to the audience and more importantly Carol as he is making a personal and private phone call to his wife whilst Carol is listening. John: I hope so (pause) I love you, too. (pause) I love you too. This is inappropriate as Carol is a student and he is airing his personal life in front of her. Cynthia Fuchs(1995) telephone interruptions from secretary, wife, friends, confirm our already negative opinion of Johns character: not a nice guy. David Mamet uses pauses and repetitions of words, to create the sound of reality in everyday conversation with conversation interruptions being the basis for the power struggle throughout the play such as in act 1 when John and Carol are first introduced Carol:. dont I think.? John: mmmm Carol: did I? John: . what? Carol: Did . did I did I say something wr John: (pause) no im sorry. This shows John in power in act 1 to be higher than Carols in the staccato method used, this helps the audience understand the characters a lot more and really get into the play. This can show Johns downfall of being to ignorant to other people maybe if he had let Carol speak a bit more he wouldnt have made a situation that was risky for himself. McAllister writes He almost talks non stop at Carol John is also seen to have the power when we are introduced to him; it is his office, his phone, his desk and his chairs. This is his environment for him to be ignorant in believing that teachers can never do any wrong but this can be his downfall as it is in his own office then it is shown to be his own fault as it is his responsibility to have either had another member of the faculty or at least the door open. His unprofessional behaviour is only open to one interpretation as the door is shut and that is Carols such as when he tells a story involving sexual content with explicit details John: the rich copulate less often than the poor. But when they do, they take more clothes off Carols interpretation of this was the tone of suggested sexual tones and as no one else was around it was only her interpretation that matters. All in all in the first act John is seen as an ignorant lecturer oblivious to Carols problems as she is seen as a meek and nai ve student having problems with her class. This is all changes in the 2nd and 3rd act where Carol comes back having new confidence with her new found group as her back up David Litton (1996) writes With the second act, he reverses the characterization of Carol, turning her into a well-educated tyrant with a penchant for big words and in-your-face histrionics (not exactly the meek little girl we saw only moments earlier). The group may possibly not be new found, as thought as the whole of the first act seems to be revealed to the audience that it couldve been a big ploy to bring down John, in act 2 Johns enemy is not so much Carol but what she represents and her group is the enemy. When John asks her to come back she is the one who interrupts him and Johns power decreases and he then becomes the one asking for help and mercy from Carol, when Carol tells him a list of books that she wants banned he becomes enraged that his free speech should be taken away for someone else to have their own free speech. Carols change from act 1 is almost unbelievable from being meek student to a super literate part of a feminist group C. W. Harris (2000) writes This is a young clueless student, who turns into a vindictive accuser cleverly manipulating language to destroy her sophisticate professor This over the top change can be seen to be a big turning point in peoples ideas of who is too blame, as the sheer slyness and cunning of Carol using Johns make notes and learn teaching philosophy against him, might turn people to think it was not Johns fault at all, as Chuck Dowling (1996) says throughout the film the teacher does noting wrong although this may be true to the extent of the accusations put against him, his actions were still wrong when he did not listen to Carol, Cynthia Fuchs said on this subject he is self absorbed and insensitive, even as he thinks he is being innovative this shows John being a victim of his own inadequacy. There is one last phone call from Johns wife which ends in John saying I love you baby, Carol once again has invaded his privacy and makes personal remarks about Johns family by saying Carol: Dont call you wife baby this sends John over the edge as the tables had turn against him just as he mentioned a father figure to her earlier in the play. This caused him to lash out against Carol, giving her evidence to prove how Johns inadequacy and un-professionalism in class has got him into this situation. When asked to answer the question is John a victim of his own inadequacy or Carols malice the audience reaction is mixed due to audience gender, men can relate to Johns frustration of his help being shot down and turned into a sexual harassment law suit and women can relate to Carols anger at being pompous and ignorant to her needs an example of a feminist view of the play is Linda Lopez McAllister when she writes John is an pompous, arrogant overbearing jerk in love with the sound of his own voice whereas males who have attended the show have been known to cheer in the final act when Carol is about to get hit by John. In conclusion John is not only a victim of his own mistakes but of Carols malice too, when Carol realises she may have a case to put against John her confidence escalates and is seen to be a big ruse, this shows John as the victim for the rest of the play helping the audience sympathise with him in some cases causing audiences to cheer when Carol is attacked, John is not free from blame by far, only in the first act is Carol sympathised with whereas the rest of the play John is to be sympathised with because he lost all of his livelihood and dreams because of one feminist and her gr
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Supply chain management at Zara Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Supply chain management at Zara - Essay Example Supply chain management is the management of the network used to acquire raw materials, production and distribution to the customers. It can be said to be the process of attaining raw materials, production, storage and supply to the end users. Every business or company has to employ a good purchasing and supply chain management if it has to succeed in its production. Supply chain management is important to Zara because it helps in recognizing the number of suppliers that can be accessed by the company, their location, the distribution centers, management of inventory and warehousing facilities. It also helps in determining the strategy to be used in integration of information within the supply chain. Zara opened its first store in Spain in 1975 and since then its stores gave grown into giants and are distributed all over the world. It holds about 1000 stores which have been successful. Zaraââ¬â¢s success is contributed by its unique style in fashions and accessories as well as its supply chain management.... Zara has been chosen for this analysis because of its success despite the stiff competition that is evident in the clothing industry. Sourcing Strategies and supply chain configurations For the management of supply chain to be successful, it requires a change from the management of individual activities to the integration of all the activities in the supply chain process. There are two crucial departments in the supply chain: the purchasing department and the marketing department. It is the work of the purchasing department to place orders for the company and to let the requirements of the company known to the supply chain manager (Venus 2010). The work of the marketing department is to distribute the finished goods to the customers. In doing so it interacts with the customers, gets view concerning the products and makes recommendation to the supply chain. In its attempt to respond to the demand of the customers, it gets in touch with the available retailers and distributors in their locality. The partners in the supply chain share information with one another through process integration. This involves collaboration between the suppliers and the buyers and the internal processes of production. For this integration to be effective there should be free flow of information among the key components (Christopher 1992). In the fashion industry, the chain of supply is complex especially for the retailers. It is rather long with many parties involved. In order to achieve a rapid response, proper management of the supply chain is required which will help in reducing the lead time and which can use other approaches to fasten the whole process. According to Daly & Towers (2008), there has been
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