Ethical decision making for Procter And Gamble Essay

  Procter & Gamble (PG) is a global investor, a company that is always on top of marketing and reinforcing its brand names as being at the top of the pack. One example of how the company has used social media to reinforce its brand and then offer a short term income play. The creativity in marketing today can be amazing when one uses social networking in combination with brand awareness. And this type of quick thinking and awareness can set a company apart, contributing to sales. Procter and Gamble is a great example of this. P&G has a purpose to keep current on events that happen through the day that could have an impact on its brands. It looks for things that could possibly have a direct attitude upon loyal customers. â€Å"In one instance, for example, the Tide brand came to the rescue after a fiery explosion during the Dayton 500 covered the Speedway with 200 gallons of burning fuel. TV viewers watched track workers using Tide to clean the track during a two-hour delay in the Great American Race. Corporate Governance is the interaction of the management, shareholders and Board of Directors to help ensure that all investors—both shareholders and creditors—are protected against managers acting solely in their own best interest. Corporate Governance consists of laws, policies, procedures and, most importantly, practices that ensure the well-being of the assets of the Company. Corporate Governance is at its highest levels when management acts as if they are long-term investors in the Company.The policies, procedures and practices spelled out in this section demonstrate that Procter & Gamble takes Corporate Governance very seriously. Our management acts as long-term investors of the Company because they, like most Procter & Gamble employees at all levels, are in fact long-term investors. Employees Are Long-Term Investors In 1887, before P&G was even a publicly traded company, William Cooper Procter introduced a profit-sharing program for employees. At the time he said, â€Å"We should let the employees share in the firm’s earnings. That will give them an incentive to increase earnings.† He revised that program in 1903 to have the profit sharing be awarded in the form of actual P&G stock. He reasoned that as employees became stockholders, their economic interests and those of the Company would be bound more closely together. That program still exists today with a large part of each U.S. employee’s retirement consisting of P&G stock. Additionally, virtually all employees own P&G stock or stock rights via various investment programs. Because of that fact, employees’ economic interests are aligned to those of the Company. Further, our Executive Share Ownership Program requires senior executives to own shares of Company stock and/or restricted stock units valued at eight times base salary for the Chief Executive Officer, and five times base salary for the other senior executives. Non-employee directors must own Company stock and/or restricted stock units worth six times their annual cash retainer. These compensation programs help to ensure the alignment of the interests of our senior executives and directors with shareholders. A Foundation of Integrity, Control and Stewardship P&G has a strong history of operating with integrity throughout the Company—at all levels, in all countries, both internally and externally. Our actions and the actions of all our employees are governed by our Purpose, Values and Principles. The basis for every decision we make at P&G can be found in our Purpose, Values and Principles—our PVPs. The clarity and constancy of the Company’s PVPs is the one factor above all others that has driven the Company’s growth over generations. Our commitment to operate responsibly is reflected in the steps we have in place to ensure rigorous financial discipline and Corporate Governance. We have an active, capable and diligent Board of Directors that meets the required standards of independence, with members who understand their role in providing strong Corporate Governance. Our Audit Committee is comprised exclusively of independent directors, with significant financial knowledge and experience. The Audit Committee als o meets regularly in private session with the Company’s independent auditors, Deloitte & Touche LLP. We maintain a strong internal control environment. Our rigorous business process controls include written policies and procedures, segregation of duties and the careful selection and development of employees. The system is designed to provide reasonable assurance that transactions are executed as authorized and  appropriately recorded, that assets are safeguarded and that accounting records are sufficiently reliable to permit the preparation of financial statements conforming in all material respects with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. We monitor these internal controls through an ongoing program of audit self-assessment and internal and external audits. We maintain disclosure controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed is recorded, processed, summarized and reported in a timely and accurate manner. Our Disclosur e Committee is comprised of senior-level executives responsible for evaluating disclosure implications of significant business activities and events. We execute financial stewardship by maintaining specific programs and activities to ensure that employees understand their fiduciary responsibilities to shareholders. This ongoing effort encompasses financial discipline in strategic and daily business decisions and brings particular focus to maintaining accurate financial reporting and effective controls. In addition, our Global Leadership Council is actively involved in rigorous oversight of the business. We reinforce key employee responsibilities through the Company’s Worldwide Business Conduct, which details management’s and the Board of Directors’ commitment to conduct the Company’s business affairs with high ethical standards. Every employee is required to be trained on the Company’s Worldwide Business Conduct Manual, and every employee is held p ersonally accountable for compliance. Portions of the Worldwide Business Conduct Manual comprise P&G’s Code of Ethics for SEC and New York Stock Exchange Regulatory Purposes, as further described in the Manual. Doing What’s Right P&G’s reputation is earned by our conduct: what we say, what we do, the products we make, the services we provide and the way we act and treat others. As conscientious citizens and employees, we want to do what is right. For P&G, and our global operations, this is the only way to do business. A.2.1.5.1. External reporting on social/ethical issues 100.0% A+ The company provides comprehensive and transparent social/ethical reporting on a regular basis. Coverage: Group-wide coverage (= 100% of employees are  covered by reporting). Comment: The company reports on social/ethical issues in its Sustainability Reports and on its corporate website as well as affiliated websites (www.scienceinthebox.com, www.pgbeautyscience.com). The company provides information on employees (diversity and health & safety data, layoffs/outplacement programs, training, working conditions), product responsibility, as well as on its community involvement and philanthropic initiatives. In addition, P&G re ports on HSE non-compliance and fines. Some issues in the report are covered in-depth (e.g. community initiatives, diversity, training and consumer information). Some issues, however, are only covered in a rather general way (e.g. working conditions). Apart from policies and standards, there is only little information on the company’s supply chain management such as on supplier audits or counseling with regard to social issues. The company’s 2007 sustainability report was prepared using the Global Reporting Initiative’s reporting guidelines. No information is available whether the report has been audited by an external accountant. BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — Procter & Gamble Co. and Unilever have battled over many things over the decades, from soap shares to spy scandals. But the latest battleground may be the most surprising and intriguing — a race to show who’s best at saving the world. P&G Global Marketing Officer Jim Stengel P&G Global Marketing Officer Jim Stengel Nothing indicates the growing hold â€Å"ethical marketing† has on the industry better than the concept’s growing embrace by the world’s two biggest spenders. While both have been engaged in such efforts for years, they’re talking about them, and particularly advertising them, like never before. No less than Bill Gates recently mentioned Unilever as a top-of-mind example of a company involved in sustainability efforts in a CNBC interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Unilever also won top honors in global ethical-reputation rankings from PR-monitoring firm Covalence in 2007 and Columbia University’s Botwinick Prize in business ethics, in part for such efforts as Dove’s â€Å"Campaign for Real Beauty† which aims to reach 5 million girls with self-esteem programs. In fact, the line between doing good and marketing has become blurry enough that Dove’s â€Å"Evolution† viral video had to be yanked from a not-for-profit classification at the last minute to qualify for last year’s Film Grand Prix at Cannes. The same day as Mr. Gates’ interview, P&G indicated it would be communicating about its sustainability efforts — defined to encompass a broad range of community-betterment programs — a much bigger priority in 2008. P&G goes beyond It will be hard to do more communicating than P&G already has done. At least eight P&G brands have active ad campaigns touting environmental or philanthropic efforts, everything from Always and Tampax supporting efforts to keep African girls in school by providing them with free sanitary-protection products to Pantene collecting locks of hair for cancer patients. Two of those efforts already are leading to new-product launches, in the cases of Pantene and Pur water filters, the latter having switched ad agencies in part to advance its cause-related marketing. Though both P&G and Unilever see prospects for substantial gains from such efforts on their bottom lines and for the communities in which they operate, both acknowledge that much of the effort is for internal consumption. Simply put, it’s getting impossible to attract or retain marketers without a solid reputation for ethical marketing. â€Å"We are seeing, particularly with the new generation of young business people and young marketers, that they are only attracted to companies that fit with their own value set,† said Kevin Havelock, president of Unilever U.S. â€Å"And the value set of the new generation is one that says this company must take a positive and global view on the global environment. †¦ The ethical positions we take on brands like Dove, the positions we take on not using models of size zero across any of our brands, the positions we take in terms of adding back to communities †¦ these all underpin an attractive  proposition for marketers.† It’s a similar story at P&G, which has had a fairly long tradition of marketers leaving for philanthropic or religious pursuits. Cause-marketing efforts have â€Å"a big motivational impact,† said P&G Global Marketing Officer Jim Stengel. â€Å"It fires the agencies up, too. †¦ It just feels like you’re playing to a higher-order ideal.† Telling everyone But neither P&G nor Unilever is just preaching to the choir anymore, or even limiting the message to its long-standing public-relations silo. They’re increasingly incorporating their cause marketing into mainstream brand advertising and product assortments. P&G’s Pur has one of the most elaborate cause-marketing efforts — a $20 million program that aims to purify 2 billion liters of water in Africa and save 10,000 lives by 2012. New Age as the program may be, the ads are classic package goods. The Pur water-purification packets make for an amazing product demo. Take the most turbid swamp water imaginable, mix in a sachet of Pur Purifier of Water and strain it through a cloth. Within a minute or so, it produces a pitcher of perfectly clear, drinkable water. The trouble is, the people who need it most have no money. Hence it became one of the cornerstone projects in the company’s global Live, Learn, Thrive philanthropic program, albeit with a commercial twist. P&G has licensed the product to Canada’s Reliance Products for a U.S. launch aimed at campers and disaster-preparedness kits that broke in late February behind a feature in P&G’s March and April Brand Saver newspaper coupon inserts. Saatchi gets in the game Though those ads for the P&G-Reliance effort came from Quigley-Simpson, a Los Angeles direct-response agency, Pur’s shift to a sustainability message played a role in the shift of the brand’s creative account to Omnicom Group’s TBWA/Chiat Day, Playa Del Rey, Calif., from Publicis Groupe’s Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles, last year. Saatchi lost Pur, but the agency has definitely not given up on sustainability. In January, Saatchi acquired San Francisco-based consultancy Act Now Productions, headed by former Sierra Club executive turned Wal-Mart consultant Adam Werbach, to form a Saatchi & Saatchi S (for sustainability). The growing interest in sustainability issues from P&G, Unilever, Wal-Mart and others is creating ripples of change throughout marketing services. ARS Group, which for decades has tested TV copy for P&G and others in package-goods, recently formed its own green consulting unit, ARSGreen. What ARS is finding underlines the big reason that sustainability has become so popular with analytical package-goods types: it works — at least sometimes. Green ads in the ARS database do about as well as others on recall and persuasion, said Ashley Grace, president of ARSGreen and head of research and development for ARS Group. Doing about average is actually a testament to sustainability’s selling power, as he sees it. Offering solutions â€Å"In our database, about one out of 50 ads usually has a negative tone,† Mr. Grace said. â€Å"In the green data set, it’s more like 75%.† ARS has found for decades that negative ads — which raise a problem without offering a real solution — usually fare poorly in tests. But negative green ads generally do about average. And green ads that go the extra step of offering tangible solutions can sometimes score exceptionally well. Ashley Grace, president of ARSGreen and head of research and development for ARS Group Ashley Grace, president of ARSGreen and head of research and development for ARS Group While many in the package-goods industry believe sustainability messages resonate with only about 10% to 15% of consumers, ARS research indicates such appeals can sway about two-thirds of people, including 24% in the hard-core health and sustainability segment who rate both personal and environmental health highly. To be sure, copy testing is widely loathed by advertising agencies, particularly creatives. But marketers such as P&G use the results because they correlate with sales results. It’s clear that ethical marketing really can make a difference in people’s lives. For example, since P&G’s Pantene launched its Beautiful Lengths program in 2006 to solicit locks of hair to be woven into wigs for women receiving cancer treatments, it has gotten enough donations to make 3,000 wigs. Compare that to the 2,000 wigs created over 10 years by the previously existing charity in the space, Locks of Love. It doesn’t hurt P&G, of course, that Oprah snipped the locks of Hilary Swank on air for one of those wigs, or that schoolgirls have organized events to collect hundreds of hair donations at once. Oh, and it dovetails nicely with the launch of Pantene Beautiful Lengths shampoo and conditioner later this year to care for those long locks. Mitigating factors Of course, such programs only work if other factors, such as product and pricing, are also right. For example, P&G Chairman-CEO A.G. Lafley identified the U.S. Pantene business as the only real problem in the company’s global hair-care portfolio in a January investor conference call, but the share losses date to the brand’s restage last year, not to the launch of Beautiful Lengths a year earlier. Unilever’s Campaign for Real Beauty, while very much alive, last year stopped delivering double-digit sales gains Unilever had seen the first two years of the effort. Dove’s 2007’s new-product lineup didn’t go over as well as prior years (and a price hike on bar soap, not initially reciprocated by P&G and others, didn’t help, either). By whatever name — ethical, sustainable or cause marketing â€Å"is an important secondary factor† for consumers, said Unilever’s Mr. Havelock. â€Å"A great product at the right price is the entry point,† he said. â€Å"Once there, a company or a brand that has a social responsibility position or a sustainability position will then have an edge over other brands.† Of course, in an age of social media, marketing’s good deeds seldom go entirely unpunished, and never unquestioned. Even P&G’s ads about efforts to provide free sanitary protection in Africa to help keep girls from missing school, which broke in December from Publicis Groupe’s Leo Burnett Co., have prompted lengthy discussions on some blogs criticizing the motives in using giveaways to develop new markets — and generating more waste as a result. â€Å"When you do it in the right way, with the right tone and authenticity, consumers reward us [for these programs],† Mr. Stengel said, citing Pampers’ 20-country, multiyear effort to fight tetanus via Unicef as the P&G program that appears to have had the biggest positive impact on sales and brand equity to date. Such programs work best when owned by the brand, which is why P&G, like Unilever, has generally avoided multi-company efforts such as the Red campaign to fight AIDS or the Susan G. Komen pink-ribbon campaign against breast cancer, instead focusing on efforts linked specifically to their own brands’ equity and function. â€Å"It has to be right for the brand’s voice,† said Mr. Stengel. â€Å"And it has to really work for the business.†

Textiles Del Hogar

DEFINICION DEL PROBLEMA: Resolver si es mas conveniente continuar con el negocio o liquidar. Si mi decision es liquidar la empresa debo definir cuando y como hacerlo. CARACTERISTICAS PRINCIPALES DE TEXTILES DEL HOGAR S. L. : Antecedentes A mediados del 2002 tras el gerente Oriol Ventura presentar los demas accionistas llamaron a RamonQuesada para que les asesorara. La entrada de los Quesada en Textiles del Hogar se dio el 6 de Febrero del 2003 tras 24 horas de reuniones con los accionistas por un contrato de gestion, una opcion de compra por parte o el total a ejecutar en 6 meses segun resultado de una due diligences y refinanciacion de la empresa. La sociedad Altafix. SL (creada por los Quesada) adquirio en acciones y refinancio el prestamo o aval lo preciso para que textiles del Hogar mantuviera en operaciones. _Objetivos _Estrategicos Los objetivos de los Quesada en Textiles del Hogar era aumentar la facturacion, generar fondos para poner la empresa al dia y generar dividendos para los accionistas. Producto Buena imagen en las tiendas de barrio y un producto con buena calidad/precio en comparacion con la competencia nacional y extranjera. Ventas Estacionales y con tendencia a la baja. El mercado acusa las importaciones asiaticas y se reduce el mercado para los fabricantes nacionales. Proceso de fabricacion e instalaciones Muy poca productividad debido a maquinaria muy obsoleta. La produccion se fabricaba en forma continua. Se fabricaba para stock en tejidos crudos para cumplir plazo de entrega mas cortos. Los pedidos de clientes de pocas unidades se producian sobre pedido Personal Ambiente laboral inicial muy deteriorado con 24 perronas (11 h + 13 m) con una edad media de 48 anos y una antiguedad de 20. 6 Cosedoras que no constaban en nomina y no habian sido dado de alta en la Seguridad Social. Entre el 2003 y 2005 la situacion se habia mejorado notablemente con el ingreso de los Quesada. Canales: Cartera de pedidos: Los pedidos oscilaban entre 1 y 4 semanas. Con mucha Incertidumbre. A pesar de apretados plazos, solo entre 5 y 10% se retrasaban en la entrega y casi unca mas alla de 5 a 10 dias. Proveedores: Principalmente fabricantes de hilo o de tejidos no fabricados por Textiles del Hogar. Subcontratistas solian ser acabadores. CRITERIOS PARA LA TOMA DE DECISION _Matriz de _decision _ _ Dividendos a Accionista Los socios llevan mucho tiempo sin cobrar ni un solo Euro y con las ventas cayendo a un 4 % constante en los siguientes anos siendo optimista el resultado del ejercicio es pos itivo sin embargo se va disminuyendo con el paso del tiempo lo que refleja poca viabilidad a largo plazo bajo las condiciones actuales. El ingreso para los accionistas en caso de liquidar seria solo por la venta de las existencias, las cuales son no perecibles y se pueden vender rapidamente aplicando un descuento, y las cuentas por cobrar (cartera 100% recuperable) ya que por las maquinas no obtuvieran ningun valor representativo. *Caida de facturacion del 4 % constante Gastos fijos aumentan a 180 para cubrir los 9 mil de los Quesada *(GESL tiene pendiente de recibir 5. 000â‚ ¬ durante 30 meses (150. 000â‚ ¬). Inversion en Tecnologia. Debido a que en Textiles la maquinaria era de cuarenta anos de antiguedad y los rendimientos muy bajos invertir en maquinaria permitiria mejorar los costos de fabricacion que permitan seguir los niveles de ventas. A esto lo debemos agregar la compra de un ERP (para mejor control administrativo) mas una normativa municipal esta inversion no seria menos 200. 000 euros. Entorno Economico* (Mercado y Ventas)*. Los mercados emergentes (especialmente China) son una amenaza constante para la sostenibilidad. Las ventas se vienen reduciendo en promedio 4 % anual peros esto puede aumentar por el factor mencionado haciendose mas dificil cada ano cumplir el presupuesto. Otro factor del mercado es que se compite via precio y no por disenos u otro factor diferenciador. La salida del mercado textil puede representar el ingreso al sector inmobiliario que segun uno de los accionistas , Adria Guasch, quien es propietario de las naves tiene un gran potencial. Indemnizaciones a Empleados Los costes de jubilacion se ven reducidos por la nueva legislacion en el sector textil lo ue facilita la liquidacion de esta. Este factor debe ser tomado en cuenta en para el â€Å"cuando† cerrar ya que el importe de 300000 euros es bastante significativo para la compania Responsabilidad social De acuerdo con el analisis de los criterios realizado en el punto anterior y ya que los dividendos y responsabilidad social son los criterios con mas peso se llega a la conclusion que los Hermanos Quesada deberian de c ontinuar con el negocio de Textiles del Hogar pero definiendo un plazo de espera para que repunte el negocio segun el plan de accion. Segun proyecciones de ventas y estado de resultado este punto debe ser el ano 2007 ya que la utilidad del negocio disminuye despues de este ano. PLAN DE ACCION Al tomar la decision de continuar con el negocio se debe de hacer cambios en los criterios expuestos para tener estabilidad y sostenibilidad a corto y largo plazo. Se debe empezar por potenciar el mercado que permita disminuir las comisiones de 5 al 8 % y asi aumentar el margen. Una alternativa puede ser consolidar una fuerza de venta propia. De manera paralela debemos buscar la manera de salir del mercado de commodity (via precio) a un mercado donde la calidad sea el diferenciador. Tambien se debe buscar capital para inversion en maquina ya que estas estan muy obsoletas y asi ser mas competitivos en tiempos y reducir costos de produccion. La otra inversion que se necesita es la de la normativa municipal y el ERP que conjuntamente ascienden a 200000 Euros. Reducir la estacionalidad en ventas es un punto igualmente importante. Una solucion seria buscar productos alternativos para los periodos en que las ventas caen. Si bien es cierto que la jubilacion sin costo por la nueva ley jubilacion del personal puedes ayudar ya que se puede contratar mano de obra mas joven y barata, considero que debe ser una ultima medida ya que la responsabilidad social para los Quesada es un criterio muy importante como se habia mencionado anteriormente.

CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE COGNITIVE AND PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACHES TO Essay

CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE COGNITIVE AND PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACHES TO UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING DEPRESSION - Essay Example But on the other hand, a clinically depressed patient would be one who has immersed himself either in grief, self pity, worthlessness, anger, helplessness and even very low self esteem. In such â€Å"over the top† cases great care and understanding should be shown to a person suffering from such depression as this may lead to a â€Å"suicide attempt†. Depression not only affects our mental state of health but it also affects our physical state. In fact it affects every aspect of our lives – from the way we eat or sleep to the way we interact with everybody around us. 2nd biggest cause of death. Depression is more than a feeling of â€Å"down† or low† – it affects our thinking, working, our behavior, our emotions and physical health. â€Å"Clinical depression† is a whole body disorder resulting from a great loss or trauma and as such has to be treated diligently. Dysthymia is a type of depression that is a lot worse than a major depressive disorder and takes a longer time to cure, usually around a year. Dysthymia is characterized if a person has many of the symptoms of major depressive disorders but these symptoms may not be so severe. Many of the professionals feel that a person having Dysthymia disorder is very likely to get into a major depressive disorder. A person going through depression could be easily recognized by the following symptoms – Generally they lose their zest for life and show lack of interest and enthusiasm and enjoyment for their day to day activities. Some of them exhibit a loss of appetite while others eat excessively and put on lot of weight suddenly. Anxiety seems their key word and they have a total lack of concentration. In other words they seem to be lost in no man’s land. They suddenly complain of chronic pain and loss of memory. A depressed person shows a lapse in personal hygiene and has uncomfortable sleep patterns ranging from very poor sleep to no sleep at

The High Renaissance & Mannerism in Italy and the High Renaissance in Essay

The High Renaissance & Mannerism in Italy and the High Renaissance in the North - Essay Example This differed from the stylistic and artistic ideals of the high renaissance, which focused on the exploration of the harmonious ideals. Mannerists painted figures by using twisted or contorted poses and foreshortening. They used this technique to achieve an illusion of form projecting into space. This is evident in Michelangelo and Raphael’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. The paintings in the chapel appear stretched. The figures have elongated necks and torsos, which create unrealistic illusions of space (Murray, 2007). Additionally, the paintings in the ceiling of the chapel show sharp jumps from the foreground to the background instead of the usual gradual transition. In this case, Raphael and Michelangelo experimented with traditional subjects from mythology or the Bible in order to intensify emotional responses from the audience. This was also used in order to add to the visual or literary references. Mannerism differs from high renaissance in terms of approach, content and form. High renaissance was the apex of visual arts. This was a period of extraordinary artistic production. The most popular artwork of this period is the Last Supper by Leonardo. Artwork of the high renaissance emphasized on classical tradition and the expansion of the network of patronage. During this period, there was a gradual attenuation of figures into an artistic style, which was later known as mannerism (Murray, 2007). Though the frescos of Michelangelo and Raphael were produced during the period of mannerism, their standards are considered as a culmination of the high renaissance style. These paintings are viewed as high renaissance because of their ambitious scale, complexity of composition, use of pointed iconographic and closely observed human figures. The paintings of Raphael and Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel have differences and similarities to the artwork of the high renaissance. The

The Industrialization of American West and its Impact to the East Term Paper

The Industrialization of American West and its Impact to the East - Term Paper Example Yet skeptics were proven wrong as this ‘wilderness’ gradually expanded and metamorphosed into a booming industrial sphere and provided a promise that would last a lifetime. True enough, wherever opportunity springs, people swarm. This catapulted the growth of population in the US West and prompted the creation of more industries in the area, affecting not only the other side of the country but also some parts of the world. Evidence The construction of the transportation systems that link the nation’s East to West saw the dawn of great migrations within neighboring states. The Cumberland Road (1811) and the Erie Canal (1825) paved the way for people to explore far-flung areas in the West. This made people, especially those from the East who saw the level of opportunity in the area insufficient, realize that the vast land only waited for their attention and promised them an unspeakable prize. The California Gold Rush of 1849 â€Å"attracted people from all over the world to venture on the mining industry† (â€Å"The California Gold†). As time went by, however, gold deposits in California depleted, so expedient merchants immediately looked for other resources. Some of them ventured into another business while others still believed in the promise of mining. The gold mines in Colorado (1858), South Carolina (1860) and Dakota (1874) rewarded the faith of numerous miners. Several of them explored other natural resources of the West such as coal, copper, ore, and iron. Then the quest for precious minerals began and struck the entire nation with awe and fervor. Decades ago before these, the invention of the cotton gin also revolutionized the industry of farming in the United States during that time. Production of the crop increased and offered a competitive advantage for farmers. The area became a large-scale and respected supplier to the world. Not only that this yielded satisfactory income to workers and immense profits for businesspe rsons, but also contributed much in the revival of a feeble domestic economy. Accordingly, machines and tools were already invented to support industrial productions, especially in textiles and light metals that contributed to the export capability and competitiveness of the country. Generally, the agriculture, mining and construction industries actively facilitated the boost into the economy of the US since this era. The Americans of the East, the West, the natives, and even the immigrants saw these as an amazing turn-of-events. This period of American history, according to the academic Frederick Jackson Turner speaks about the â€Å"virtue of discovery, the courageous determination to trail new paths and an objection to the dogma that because an institution or condition exists, so it must remain† (Turner 35).  

Designing a whole school approach to the management of student Essay

Designing a whole school approach to the management of student behaviour - Essay Example The school is situated in beautiful surrounding and has adequate space for play and extra curricular activity. However, it is found that the material facilities were not proving enough for the success of educational goals of the school. The school was established in the year 1982. The mission of the school was to provide world class education with the aim of developing and shaping students to become complete human beings rather than just focusing on their education. The school has been doing good with the ideas and the plans that were implemented by the founders. The staff of the school is a senior staff working since the establishment and believe in following the same ideas that were implemented when the school was established. Only three teachers are new and they are efficient in their job of handling students. The staff has meetings with parents every month and the discussion mostly focuses on the performance of their children in school. The teachers used to have meetings every week with their management staff to discuss the progress of the curriculum, behavior problems in classrooms, measures for improvement and overall performance of the class. However, the solutions were never discussed. The meetings were taken in a very mechanical way and there was no fruitful interaction between the teachers and the management representatives. Teachers who have joined recently were not encouraged to share their thoughts or opinions. The classes are functioning on strict disciplinary rules and have set guidelines for behavior. The students who perform well in their studies are rewarded every month and get recognition throughout the school as their photos are published in school

Maintaining the Music Business while Introducing iPhone and Apple TV Essay

Maintaining the Music Business while Introducing iPhone and Apple TV - Essay Example Maintaining the Music Business while Introducing iPhone and Apple TV Apple also faces challenge in maintaining its core competencies relationship building, marketing, innovation, and brand management - as it moves on controlling the broader range of products and oversees wider markets. Wider customer base and new rivals brings on much variety of strengths and strategies. The entertainment and technology in itself are constantly updating. It is even uncertain that the Apple could bring on innovative design campaign for its brand reputation or launch new products or give out technological breakthroughs that will attract wider enjoyers. Moreover, the company’s products rather than depending upon the internally developed software and hardware depends on the ability to safe the media contents. Apple’s growth and success balancing stakeholder demands has even been facing problems. At times managing the clashing expectations of suppliers, partners, customers, investors, legal/governmental entities, and others put greater amount of stress on Apple's management team. Moreover the company is dependent upon its vision, Job’s charisma, relationship-building skill and mass communication put the Apple in to at risk in case of improper succession planning and the likewise non-proficiencies. An appropriate set of goals written and strived for would help ensure that Apple Computer remain updated with its current position in the market or otherwise. Apple success strategy also ensures steps are taken for copyrights infringement. http://www.apple.com/legal/trademark/claimsofcopyright.html A healthy way to obtain customer satisfaction and ensure constant growth for the company would be to make use of following dimensions: Dimensions for Success Financial Performance Measures: Cash Ratio - ( Cash Input over Cash Output comparison) Sales Ratio - (sales per 100 customers) N.P Ratio - (Net Profit on sales) Gearing Ratio - (Long Term Debt to Shareholders Equity) Stock Turnover Ratio - (Inventory to Cost of Goods Sold) Creditor turnover - ( Creditors to Cost of Goods Sold) Debtor turnover - (Debtors to Accounts Receivable) P.E Ratio - (Market Price to Earnings Per Share) MPS - (Market Price per Share) Non-Financial Performance Measures/ (strength and weakness analysis through inte rnal factors) Product life Cycle (stages through which a product moves) Labor Turnover (refers to movement of employees in and out) Analysis of stock-outs (out of stock events) Complaints re manuals

Fianancial reporting and analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fianancial reporting and analysis - Essay Example In 2011, the international accounting standard board revised the existing financial standards, and issued a new set of standard for purposes of reflecting the changes in global business practices, economies of the world, and markets. The new rules are, consolidated financial statement (IFRS 10), joint arrangements (IFRS 11), disclosure of interests other entities (IFRS 12), separate financial statements (IAS 27), and revised associates and joint ventures (IAS 28). The consolidated financial statement (IFRS 10) was created for purposes of outlining the presentations of a consolidated financial statement. This rule requires business organizations to consolidate the entities that are under their control, and this includes giving them the rights of variable returns, and the capability of affecting the returns acquired over an investee (ACCA, 2012). On this basis therefore, the rule was created to institute the values that will guide the preparation of consolidated financial statements wh en one business organization controls one or more business organizations (ACCA study text, 2011). This rule was created for purposes of defining the concept of control of a business entity, and as a basis of consolidation. It establishes the principles of identifying whether an investor has some level of control over an investee, and therefore consolidating the investee (ACCA, 2012). This standard has the following key requirements; 1. It requires business organizations that have an interest in other business organizations to conduct an assessment in order to determine whether control exists or not. 2. In order for a business organization to control another business organization, the following characteristics must be present, rights to the benefits of variable returns because of the involvement of the business entity with the investee, authority over the investee, the ability to influence the investee for purposes of benefiting the investor. 3. An investor must have substantive righ ts for purposes of giving him control of an investee and legitimacy to control some affairs of the organization. Joint arrangements on the other hand outline the accounting procedures that business organization that jointly control an entity ought to follow. There must be a contractual agreement that denotes the control of an entity by the business organizations in question. Media (2011) denotes that joint arrangements are of two types, namely joint operations, and ventures. In a joint venture, net assets and equity are accounted for, while in a joint operation, accountant’s factor in the obligation of liability, and right to access the assets by the business organization under collaboration (ACCA study text, 2011). On this basis therefore, the International Accounting Board established this standards for purposes of determining the nature of a joint arrangement business organizations engage in. This is to enable stakeholders gain the capability of analyzing the rights and ob ligations of these business entities under the joint arrangement. For a joint arrangement to exist, the following are the main requirements (Gray and Manson, 2012); 1. There must be prove of control of the organization by the business entity involved. 2. The concept of unanimous consent must be present, and this

Discussion questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Discussion questions - Assignment Example This can be configured for the home setting so that it can include easy access to different personal files. The same can be done at school setting. It can be configured to include access to student records, for instance. The differences are in the actual content and security access measures. †¢ Internet Explorer is often updated. Imagine you need to explain to a CIO what needs to be explored before deciding whether he / she would need to adopt the new version or stay with the old version and why. The CIO must explore the benefits and drawbacks of IE 8 and to consider how they will affect the business. For instance, the advantages of IE 8 are security because of Smart Screen filter and other built-in security features, reliability, such as through Automatic Crash Recovery, manageability through manageability features, and accurately displaying Web content. Its drawbacks are: 1) as a closed-source system, to have add-ons means paying for a license and 2) it still has security issues. The CIO must think about the time and costs for the adoption of IE 8. †¢ The text implies that restricting the applications users can run on their computers creates a consistent workstation environment and provides increased security. As a CIO, take a position on this topic and support your position with supporting examples. How would your response differ if you were an end user? This is good if only one group of people accesses the computers. What if aside from IT, engineers also need access to the system? Should engineers ask for permission and access every time they need these computers? These restrictions will affect overall productivity. Security should not sacrifice the efficiency and effectiveness of the company as a whole. Restrictions must not be too limited, especially to those who need to use the computers for their various workplace needs. Employees should be able to use these computers according to their functions and security

Bio-ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bio-ethics - Essay Example Following a close analysis on the issue, I think that surgeon’s desire for fame has no effect on their work. To begin with, surgeons are human beings although they have an extra ordinary gift and therefore their desire for fame is human nature and therefore has no negative effect on their work. Their desire for fame only contributes to confidence on their work with little or no effect on the patient’s wellbeing. Secondly, Surgeons are trained persons who value their profession and therefore their desire for fame is for personal interest with little or no effect on their patient. Becoming a surgeon is not an easy affair since they have to go through intensive and extensive training before qualifying for the job. This makes them value their job and patients more than any other personal desire such as fame. Fame is not given but earned and most surgeons would agree with this fact, this implies that a surgeon who desires to have fame must strive to earn it through genuine methods (Scott 101). The only possible genuine method through which surgeons can earn the much-needed fame is by improving the care they give to their patients and this has no interference on a patient’s

All My Sons by Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

All My Sons by Arthur Miller Essay Explain how Arthur Miller makes this moment in his play All My Sons so dramatic. Refer to Extract 6 for passage In his play All My Sons, Arthur Miller makes the moment of George Deever’s arrival highly dramatic through the sense that a crisis looms for the Kellers and is then narrowly avoided. Hostility is reduced to calm and jovial equanimity through Kate Keller’s maternal dominance and controlling nature, and this in turn ensures that the threat posed by George is negated. At first, the interactions between Chris and George are adversarial as Chris repudiates the truth George asserts. Kate Keller resists Chris too, though in a very different way, which is ultimately successful in nullifying George and the threat he represents to the false reality of Joe Keller’s innocence. The initial interactions in this passage create a hostile atmosphere that arises from the clash between George Deever and Chris Keller. George has arrived to insist that Ann does not marry Chris because Joe’s guilt, or, more particularly, Joe’s dishonesty about his guilt, resulted in their father’s imprisonment and the destruction of their family. Chris insists that George â€Å"won’t say anything now.† He intends to marry Ann and, more importantly, has systematically suppressed any doubts about his father’s innocence. Miller has George speak past him to Ann, â€Å"you’re coming with me,† he says, and again, â€Å"you’re coming with me.† This repetition in his dialogue conveys his tenacity and suggests that he’s unlikely to desist. His challenge to Chris is part of a larger challenge to the false reality in which the Keller’s have been living, a reality in which Joe is innocent. Kate has protected thi s reality for years and proceeds to do so again now. When Kate Keller enters she immediately adopts a tone of maternal care and concern toward George. â€Å"Rais[ing] both hands† she â€Å"comes†¦ toward him† saying â€Å"Georgie, Georgie.† This diminutive calls into the present George’s past, his childhood and the happy associations he would have attached to Kate Keller during that time. Miller’s stage directions describe how she â€Å"cups his face,† a gesture suggestive of the affection and intimacy between a mother and young son. She remarks that he has become â€Å"grey† and that â€Å"he looks like a ghost.† This dialogue paints a vivid image of George as a gaunt and almost lifeless figure deserving of pity and perhaps plays on any feelings of self-pity he might have. She declares that she will â€Å"make [him] a sandwich,† and insists that he is â€Å"going to sit here and drink some juice.† Her theatrical and almost hyperbolic performance is one that seeks to emphasise her concern for George’s well-being and the motherly desire to nourish him and see him in good health. George is not actually her son, instead he belongs to the now fractured and dysfunctional Deever family. There’s a real sense that Kate is playing on this. She works to establish the nature of her interaction with George as obviously maternal, and thereby implicitly encourages him to adopt the corresponding role of dependant and grateful son. Moreover, Kate works to displace both George’s mother and Ann as the female figure to whom George owes the most loyalty and thereby establishes her own dominance and control. â€Å"What’s the matter with your mother,† she asks, â€Å"why don’t she feed you?† This question undermines George’s mother as a capable maternal provider. Next, Miller has her takes aim at Ann, admonishing her for saying that George was â€Å"fine† since he so demonstrably is not. Just as George’s mother supposedly fails to nurture him, Kate points out a similar failing in Ann when she notices Ann hasn’t given George grape juice. Ann says â€Å"defensively† that she â€Å"offered it to him.† The stage direction that describes her tone as â€Å"defensive† makes it clear that she feels as though she is under attack. And indeed she is. Kate’s reply is said â€Å"scoffingly,† showing that she is ridiculing Ann for her apparently inept attempts to adequately care for her brother. By undermining both George’s mother and sister, Kate implicitly offers herself as the female figure on whom George can really depend. Ultimately, Kate succeeds and Chris defers to her utterly. Hostility dissolves into amiability and affection. Miller makes it clear from the beginning that George â€Å"always liked† Kate. This stage direction reveals a vulnerability he has in regard to her. At first he is gently dismissive of her, saying â€Å"I know† and â€Å"I feel all right.† This dialogue suggests he isn’t buying into her performance, or at least not at first. Eventually, however, he declares â€Å"Kate, I feel hungry already.† This line signals a crucial shift. It is so obviously said with affection and good humour. Clearly, the thought of doing anything to hurt Kate could not be further from his mind. Moreover, it indicates that he has adopted the role into which she has been cajoling him; that is, the dependent and acquiescent son. Throughout this passage Kate is highly manipulative. She is motivated by an instinct to protect the false reality she and Joe perpetuate and on which she depends if she is to see her husband as anything but a monster who killed their son, Larry. Her success hinges on quelling George and the uncertainty of this is what creates the angst-ridden drama at this moment in the play. Ultimately, of course, her success is only momentary.

Developing Creative Thinking in Teachers

Developing Creative Thinking in Teachers Introduction Communication is a dynamic process in which a transmitter transmits information receiver via a channel , in order to produce some effect on the receptor. Effects of transmitter on the receiver are often persuasive in nature because when we communicate the information will be understood as send us. Any information directed intentionally gets the message. This implies the existence of a recipient or acceptor and not just a receiver or collector . Also involved there is a issue, encoder or decoder court. Communication involves reversal of messages within the relationship which unites two entities, even if the messages are of the same order. Man can communicate with animals, with nature, but the most developed, evolved and of course analyzed is communication within groups of people. This implies the existence of natural or cultural structures and techniques that require organization and regulatory guidelines . Communication implies the existence of individual goals linked to other targets individuals or groups and subgroups. In a subgroup can be shaped by objectives, skills, availability and situations that cause structure. Communication within a group involves specific techniques and exercises by: group organization, group members complete interaction , reporting real and creativity of its members. Creativity is regarded as a property of the human psychic system. It is a particular dimension of personality dimension interacting many factors such as mental ( intellectual, affective, motivational, volitional, skills, attitudes), the nature of social (socio cultural, educational) and biological. This interaction gives deep complex phenomenon that is fully justified that domain experts could not reach a universally accepted definition. Most definitions of creativity subsumed visions characterized by addressing the concept of aptitude or ability to produce something new, the process to produce new or problem solving. Therefore, the literature is taken as a reference framework or personality variables or creative process or product of the act of creation itself. Modern research on creativity was born in America on her motivation is pragmatic one, namely the lack of personalities creative . The explosion was triggered studies in the field of Guilford s speech at the meeting of the American Psychological Association in 1950. This speech occur in the same year in an article that warned neglect this problem in scientific research. Guilford posted a three-dimensional model of the structure of intellect which opens early emancipation creativity from under oppressive intelligence. In his model, Guilford distinguish between convergent thinking and divergent thinking. Convergent thinking, confronted with a problem, always seek to deduct the fair way to solve them and also to obtain the unique solution : this is the kind of thought checked using conventional tests of intelligence. Divergent thinking rather seek more opportunities for settlement and this method brand new usage given state of knowledge. Guilford revealed three groups of factors involve d in creation : mobility, flexibility and elaboration. In the 1980s , creativity becomes a favorite theme applied psychology studies. A proof of the importance given to this area in the social context of those years is organizing exhibitions dedicated to creativity. This exhibition marks the time of revival of experimental studies in the psychology of creativity and the emergence of a new model and a new methodology, namely the type cognitivist. Lately studies on creativity have expanded the reference. Research revealed relationship between creative thinking and critical thinking and the role of variables such as personal style. Moreover the question of creative potential (which has varying degrees each person) and the importance of stimulation and its development. Content Creativity is a specifically human phenomenon. Most experts agree that creative potential is present in each individual, it is possible to transform it from virtuality to reality (active under the influence of an environment favorable) that stimulate and develop their creative potential. On this idea, saying that P.P. Neveanu human potential and therefore the creative is not a given size permanently. It can be stimulated by a complex socio-educational approach and organized, including simultaneous activation phenomena, training, cultivation and development through creative virtues update by passing them through effective assertion of possible real. We must not forget the distinction between creative potential (the potential latent ) and creativity (the actual act), and the distinction made by Aristotle. Otherwise we could draw hasty conclusion that as long as the premise of the original product creativity is only the privilege of adults, children and even adolescents do not possess creative potential. In fact, he still performs acts of originality, but it does mean that it has the potential. In addition, it was found that there is a specific creative potential by age, it should not be considered the childs potential by adult achievements. Complexity creativity requires the participation of a large number of factors, different in nature. May be noted, however, two types of factors: Objective factors (represented by economic and social conditions necessary for cultural climate) ; Subjective factors (represented by intellectuals factors, skills, attitudes, motivation and willpower ). Factors considered indispensable in the creative process are: flexibility, fluidity and originality. Fluidity is the richness, ease and rapidity of associations between images and ideas flow verbal fluency, rich ideation. J. Guilford fluidity distinguishes three types : verbal, ideational and expression. It considers that it is important so as quality of ideas speed. Flexibility is the effective restructuring of walking thinking in relation to new situations, the ability to easily operate transfer (perceptive plan in the figural and the conceptual) orientation and thinking ability in many different directions ( Carter ) . Guilford distinguish three types of flexibility :figural, semantic and symbolic. P.P. Neveanu consider originality with central factor in creation, since as the number of responses is greater, increase the chance of an original response. Originality defined by rarity and novelty involves interpretation and personal expression of things, common situations . A. Koestler distinguishes ordinary originality by three criteria :a) the level of consciousness that is driven activity, b ) the type of guidance that trusts subject, c ) the nature of the obstacle to be overcome. F. Barron determined following originality : the independence of the reasoning, complex views, nonconformity, rich perceptual systems, high capacity of generalization, self-confidence, authority. Originality makes the product to be characterized by novelty, singularity, freshness, uniqueness. Another factor influencing creativity is perceptive style, apprehension. This factor cognitive reaction designate how to solve problems. Creativity, both at individual and group level may be limited by a number of obstacles (blockage). Among them, in his opinion A.Cosmovici (1998 , pg 154 ) the most common are: Social jams and conformity , mistrust of fantasy, imagination, or exaggerating the value of logical reasoning and so on; Methodological bottlenecks resulting from the processes of thinking, in this category include :stiffness previous algorithms, functional fixity (using only objects according to their function and rarely recognized for another purpose) and premature criticism. Emotional blockages such as :fear of failing, of not embarrass us, rushing to accept the first idea promoted ; discourage rapid and premature , etc. . All these barriers in the way of creative and innovative attitudes event can be avoided when discussing and analyzing problems to be solved is achieved through genuine effective interpersonal and group work through a positive attitude to each group member to common task and through open communication, uncensored opinions. Such an atmosphere is provided especially when, for creativity group is calling and a number of methods and techniques that create relaxation group, less critical condition favoring free association as ideas promoted in the debate. The most effective means for overcoming inertia and psychological barriers in the process of creation is the joint creation of intuitive techniques. The most common methods are intuitive creation: Brainstorming, synectic, Panel Discussion, Philips 66, 6-3-5 method, Delphi method and method Frisco. Brainstorming, or, brain storming, it is an effective method for generating ideas group being drafted in 1948 by the A. Osborn. It is a creative deliberation with the purpose of generating and aligning a set of ideas that can serve as guidance for solving a problem in question. Basic principles of brainstorming are: Postponement of criticism (evaluation) . Osborn believes that imagination should be allowed first to soar up into the sky, then back on the ground with critical thinking ( Osborn, 1971); The need to develop as many ideas on the principle of transformation of quantity into quality. In addition to these basic principles must be respected and other rules such as encouraging the enunciation and ideas seemingly bizarre , unusual, but the analysis can be very effective, it stimulates combining and improving ideas, formulation of ideas generated so personal thinking and that of other group members. Synectics or free association is the method developed by Gordon WI and consists in combining different elements, apparently uncorrelated with the aim of releasing the constraints in the problem formulated, eliminating negative responses, annealing thinking and thinking out the template for the development of original ideas and viable. 6-3-5 method involves six people who initially formulated by 3 ideas each. Figure 5 shows the number of people who worked the first 3 ideas neighbor. The exchange of ideas is done until 3 ideas first pass by each group member. Finally, centralized management ideas and transmitted. Philips 66 method was developed by Philips and JD is actually a brain storming paticipanÃ…Â £i number is 6, and during the discussion is limited to 6 minutes. There are several groups each consisting of six members, each having a leader who realizes report ideas. Delphi method was developed by O. Helmer and consists in mutual consultation between the participants. We develop a questionnaire on the topic in question to be sent for completion of specialists. When the responses are collected. Subsequently return the questionnaires for completion this time accompanied by unarticulated responses of the other participants. Phasing ideas that deviate from the average, the circuit ending once the stabilizing responses. Frisco method aims to discover, to solve difficult problems, complex ways of solving both simple and effective. Involves the formation of two teams. Investigation team, consisting of 12 to 15 persons examined problem solving and re-imagines the classic methods, analyzes them critically and emphasizes basic difficulties. Actual creative team consisting of 5-6 experts, receiving checklist first team, trying to find solutions to enrich new or even existing ones. Lately, experts have focused on developing a program to promote the work of new ways of learning and thinking styles designed to contribute to the foundation for effective learning, sustainable and constructive. Its about promoting methods of developing students critical thinking designed to help them, through the confrontation of ideas through collaboration and cooperation to find appropriate solutions to resolve data issues. This educational program was initiated by Jeannie Steele and Kurtis Meredith in 1995 and today, through the Foundation Open Society based in New York, he is promoted in many countries of the world. In our country, one of the teachers trainers on effective learning strategies and promoting creative thinking in working with pupils and students, Ion. Dumitru, he published The development of critical thinking and effective learning ( West Publishing House, Timisoara, 2000) we present, in summary, the main features of these methods. Firstly it should be noted that, in terms of this concept, critical thinking is not to have a negative position, unrealistic, inefficient but rather critical thinking is a way to address and solve problems constructively, with the purpose of grounding and foundation opinions , rational argumentation their acceptance of their knowledge. It involves : formulation of each pupil / student of his own mind, personal, original possibly related to an issue responsible debate ideas and advanced solutions for each individual individually or as a result of group work, manifesting a high degree of flexibility, tolerance and respect for the ideas of others and thus acceptance of diversity of opinions and ideas and asking questions like what if?, what would happen when? etc. to encourage exploration of phenomena from multiple perspectives, even when some of them are only possible or probable etc . These features of critical thinking and methods used for its development a very close group creativity peculiarities and methods used for its stimulation. Thus, the main methods of developing critical thinking include: a) Think / Pair / Communicate . Based on a question from the teacher, students develop their answers individually, then in pairs to communicate to each other the answers, to listen and try to finally reach a consensus or a new response, improved following discussions; b) the cube method. Helps students to study a theme, a concept from different perspectives , it involves using a cube (real or imagined ) that has different instructions written on each side of it, as follows: Describe, Compare, Associate, Analyze, Apply, Argues. The teacher asks students to write about a particular concept or a theme through all six sides of the cube. It is preferable to follow the order presented because it leads students gradually to complex thinking. c) Technique cluster. It is a technique of teaching and learning that encourages students to think freely and openly, to highlight the various connections between ideas or to build new associations between them. Technology cluster may be used individually, but used group enables each student to become acquainted with the ideas of others, links and associations between them made by his colleagues. d) joint investigation and discussion network. It is a learning technique based on group work, activity guided by one or more questions asked by the teacher, admitting different answers, the result of choices based on arguments. This method involves: reading by students individually, text that contains ideas likely different interpretations, grouping students into pairs and their collaboration to answer one or more questions asked by the teacher to the whole class setting a discussion networks between the advocates of a position to produce the necessary arguments and counter counter-arguments supporting it. In work -based training group investigation and discussion network, several requirements must be met: encouraging participation of all group members in discussions to achieve joint investigation and summarizing the arguments of the group with the agreement of all participants, focusing on the â€Å"dismantling adverse position and arguments not personal attack. Such a method of training helps the students acquire some skills and abilities related to: receptivity to arguments offered in support of their beliefs, the ability to make assumptions about the beliefs and the beliefs of others, the ability of everyone to express open and disagreement in a problem free, creative ability as evidenced by the construction of original cognitive approaches, but also strongly motivated etc. Conclusions This brief overview of some of the methods and techniques for developing creative thinking by teachers in the activities with groups of pupils/students is able to provide just one example of their concern for creating adequate conditions to achieve effective learning, and to enhance their creative and innovative capacity. Communication is the tool by which the teacher stimulates the creativity of pupils/students and also the way they externalize their creative potential. Creation itself is the result of symbiosis of communication between teacher and student. Therefore the act of learning focus should be not on the reproduction of information transmitted, but the creation of new ideas that reflect each students personal touch. Therefore, obedience school groups and generally any grouping of scientific research conducted from the perspective of the psychology of new acquisitions can provide teachers and other professionals effective ways of optimizing the activity. These methods and techniques of research in psycho-sociology of human groups are meant to decipher various ways of investigating social groups, structures and processes that arise within it.

Pest Analysis Macro Environment Marketing Essay

Pest Analysis Macro Environment Marketing Essay The purpose of this report is to analyse the food retail industry in the United Kingdom. The reasons of the industry selection can be concentrated to the broad range of provided products and services, the financial activity of the industry, the influence in the peoples life and the various external factors that affect the sector. The analysis will begin with a presentation of the food retail industry and a highlight of its significant features. Furthermore, to assess the remote environment of the industry a PEST analysis will be conducted, analysing the political, economical, social and technological factors that affect the industry. Furthermore, a Porters 5 forces analysis will be used to evaluate the operating environment and the nature of competition. Moreover the major competitors and their competition strategies will be identified. Additionally, the effect of the remote and operating environment on the players of the industry will be highlighted. Also, a critical analysis of the industrys strength and its future will be presented. Finally, a critical evaluation on the used business analysis techniques will be illustrated. The UK food retail industry is an established sector of the UK economy. During the last thirty years the food retail corporations expanded their activities to serve various consumer needs. The products that are provided to the public include food and its sub-products, but also alcohol, tobacco, health and beauty products, clothing, electrical products, homeware, fuel and financial services. However, according to the Mintel report 2009, more than half of the total sales in 2008 were assigned to food. Furthermore, concerning the size of the industry an increasing trend of sales can be observed of about 4% per year from 2004 to 2008 and a total amount of 108.1 billion pounds in 2008 (National Statistics Mintel report 2009). The food retail industry is mainly controlled by large supermarket chains that possess the overwhelming majority of the industrys market share, as it will be analysed further in the report. Concerning the size diversification of the retail stores, the majority are large units like hypermarkets, supermarkets and discounters with a percentage of 62% of the total number of stores. Furthermore, small units as convenience stores and gas stations represent the 21.2% and food and drink specialists the 11.3%. The minority are drug stores, warehouses and cash and carry stores (Datamonitor 2009). 3. PEST analysis Macro-environment To analyse the macro-environment or otherwise known remote environment of the food retail industry, a PEST analysis will be used to specify how Political and legal, Economical, Social and Technological issues affect the industry. 3.1 Political There are many political and legal factors that affect the food retail industry. Future political decisions concerning taxation or the retail industry legislation will definitely have an impact in the industry competitors policies and strategies. The current legislation and regulation concern competition, employment, environmental, food and grocery safety, financial services and health issues. Specifically, the UK food retailers are obliged to follow food hygiene legislation set by the Food Standards Agency and the equivalent European Union regulation such as the General Food Law Regulation. In the UK the food safety act of 1990 was enacted to set the food safety requirements for food intended for human consumption. The Food Standards Agency was created in 2000 after the food standards act of 1999, which was enacted to further secure the public health related to food safety (Office of Public Sector Information, 1999). The UK food retailers are obliged to follow the above regulations in conjunction with the General Food Regulations 2004 that set the rules about the transportation, distribution, quality, hygiene, maintenance, advertising and selling of food and its substances. Especially for the food hygiene and maintenance the rules and requirements of the Food Hygiene Regulations of 2006 and the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) must be followed (Food Standards Agency, 2010). Therefore, possible disobedience of the above regulations by the supermarkets will cause legal problems and the enforcement of fines, harming their budget and social image. The competition in the UK is observed and controlled by two government bodies, the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. The two government bodies ensure that the companies in the UK comply with the competition law and practices. Therefore, they observe and interface the market to avoid monopoly, oligopoly and cartel phenomena. Their role beyond the control of competition between the competitors within the industry is to ensure the fair trade between the supermarkets and their supplies. According to recent press publications the fair trade is currently the most important issue (Haurant S., 2009). In 2001 the Office of Fair Trading enacted the Supermarkets Code of Practice to regulate and assure the trade between supermarkets and suppliers, who include amongst others, farmers and breeders (Office of Fair Trading, 2001). Additionally, the major supermarket chains had been often accused for anticompetitive, unfair practices and failure to meet the necessary requirements . For example, in April 2010 the Office of Fair Trading fined nine retailers for anticompetitive practices at their tobacco pricing between 2001 and 2003 (Mintel report, 2009). For this reason the Competition Commission planned to change the existing Supermarkets Code of Practice to a new Grocery Supply Code of Practice (Haurant S., 2009). The new code of practice added intensive pressure to the Grocery retailers because they were forced to comply with stricter regulation and to cover the costs of the observation body. This new regulation led to greater competition which toughed the operations of the supermarkets but reduced slightly the prices to benefit the consumers. Another important group of regulations are those concerning the planning and environmental law. The grocery retail companies need to comply with the planning law to be able to expand their activities in new places. During the past years, the grocery retailers tended to expand their stores in places away from town centres. The reason was primary the reduced property prices and the ability to construct large supermarket units, maximising their profits. However this trend provoked a series of issues such as the increased pollution from the consumers transportation leading the government to change the legislation, demanding the presence of town centre stores at first. Therefore, the reaction of the supermarket chains was to increase the number of mid-size and small stores who complied with legislation and increased the supermarkets points of presence (Tescopoly; Butler S., 2006). Furthermore, the grocery retail corporations need to comply with environmental law and regulations concerning goods transportation pollution, aesthetics, proper disposal and recycling. For example the supermarkets were forced by new legislation to charge their customers a certain cost for each provided plastic bag (Brogan B., 2008). There is a significant percentage of the workforce that is employed in the food retail industry. Therefore, the food retail companies are obliged to comply with the UK and EU employment legislation exactly as the rest of the employers. Labour law such as the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Act 2002 specify the workers rights including wages, working conditions, work hours and job security Also, during the past thirty years, a series of anti-discrimination laws were enacted to establish equality and diversity in the workforce (Businesspme.com, 2008; direct.gov.uk, 2010). Also, the food retail corporations are obliged to comply with health and safety standards in the workplace in operations like the use of machinery, electrical equipment, transportation of goods, violence etc (Shropshire, 2010). These regulations are mainly set by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace regulations of 1992. Therefore, any political decision leading to more complex employm ent legislation can increase the labour costs in the industry and reduce the profitability. Additionally, non compliance with the labour regulations can lead to long term litigations with former or employees or the government. During the last years the large supermarket chains expanded their activities to provide financial services such as credit cards, loans and deposits. Therefore the supermarkets are obliged to comply with the legislation and regulations enacted by the Financial Services Authority (Financial Services Authority, 2010). Therefore, a possible change in financial services taxation or regulation will affect their profitability. Furthermore, the supermarkets are obliged to pay the equivalent corporate tax at the HM Revenue and Customs. 3.2 Economical The economic factors, incidents and situations that affect the food retail industry can be concentrated in the following categories: Consumer spending and disposable income, inflation, taxation, interest rates, unemployment, monetary issues, and the recent financial crisis. The recent financial crisis has definitely brought many important changes in the food retail sector as well as to the majority of the industries. However, the effect of the financial crisis did not affect negatively the consumer demand. On the contrary the consumer spending in the food retail industry increased from 2007 to 2008 especially in the food products and continues to increase at an approximately rate of 5% (National Statistics; Mintel report, 2009). The main implication for this trend was that because of the recession, the consumers cut their eating out expenses and started to consume food at home as it is much cheaper. Furthermore the sales of organic food, specialised products such as television and sound systems and expensive products declined (Mintel report, 2009).On the contrary, the sales of own brand products and hard discounters chains increased indicating the consumers turn in low cost products. The price competition and the importance of food increased the consumer demand and expenditure; however it is doubtful if it will continue to rise mainly because of the general economic uncertainty and the higher upcoming personal income taxation. In macroeconomic terms, the GDP after a massive decline in its change rate started to increase after the mid 2009 to reach a positive 0.5% in early 2010. Also, the inflation after a decline during the recession increased in late 2009 which probably led to an increasing trend at groceries prices (National Statistics, 2010). However, the Bank of England continues to maintain the interest rates at a low level (0.5%), to protect the fragile economy (BBC, 2010). This low interest rate will lead to increased consumption because consumers will favour to spend than to save their funds and the food retailers will be able to borrow funds at a low costs to cover their liabilities. This fact will act as compensation to the increased inflation and will probably maintain the prices. Concerning the monetary issues, during the last three years the sterling faced a significant decline of approximately (-26%) towards the euro and approximately (-25%) towards the dollar which increased the cost of imported goods in the UK (Yahoo Finance, 2010). Therefore, this situation might force the UK food retailers to construct food manufacturing plants in the United Kingdom and prefer UK suppliers. Thus, the grocery retailers will be able to have a stable pricing policy and larger price margins. From 2009 to 2010 the exchange rates fluctuated causing uncertainty and maintaining the food prices high One of the most important parts of the economic factors that affect the food retail industry is taxation. This is divided to personal income tax for the consumers and to corporation tax for the supermarkets. After May 2010 elections a coalition government between the Conservatives party and the Liberal Democrats party formed and changes are expected in taxation. Concerning income tax an increase in tax contributions is expected in 2010/2011 which will lead to a decline in consumption possibly affecting the more expensive goods and food retailers. On the other hand the corporate tax will be probably reduced during 2010 to boost economy and development. (Vincent, 2010) Therefore, the food retail corporations will be able to afford larger margins to price competition. The above facts will possibly lead the supermarkets to a trend of decreasing prices in basic goods and making offers to maintain consumer spending levels. For example there is a trend at supermarkets to offer products in r ounded prices ( £1,  £2) creating an offer impression (Felsted A., 2010). 3.3 Social The next sector of the PEST analysis is consisted by the social factors that affect the industry such as the demographics, lifestyle, culture and population trends. It is well known that Europes population is getting older and as years are passing this phenomenon will be more intense. In the United Kingdom (Mintel report, 2009) the average age and the percentage of retired people are rising. This trend has many implications to the food retail industry. First of all, elder people tend to consume less than younger people. This happens because their income which mainly comes from pensions is lower. Secondly, elder people tend to shop from the cheaper discounter retailers. Therefore, the market share of the discounter chains will increase against the rest of the competitors in the industry (Mintel oxygen, 2009). Also, the additional needs of this age group leads to an increasing trend of online and distance shopping which increase the home grocery deliveries. Thus, the operational costs of the supermarkets increase due to increased expenses for vehicles and personnel. Another implication coming from the ageing population will be the need for new product lines designed for people with various chronic ailments which are common amongst elder people. An important issue that concerns the society is obesity. According to the Health Survey for England, there is an increasing trend of obesity especially in children (NHS, 2009). The health problems and their consequences led the government and various organisations to promote a healthier lifestyle in Britain. Therefore, the consumers health awareness increased and they turned their interest to healthier foods and to more fruit and vegetables. Thus, it can be supposed that the food retail corporations will continue to adapt to the consumers demand enhancing their existing product lines with new healthier products such as organic foods, low fat and low sugar products and healthy food campaigns. Also, it will be possible to appear products for specific social groups such as people suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and allergies. Therefore, by targeting these consumer groups the food retail corporations will increase their income and improve their corporate social image. Furthermore, the increasing trend of more women entering the workforce, led to the need for ready meals at the supermarkets because women had less time to prepare food after work (International Labour Organisation, 2008). As this trend continues the supermarkets will expand their ready meals variety and create new categories depending into cost, calories and taste covering different needs. Also, the presence of different people from different background and culture in the UK changed the structure of the society. According to the UK National Statistics approximately the 10% of the UK population is non-British (UK National Statistics, 2001). Different cultures mean different habits and different food preferences. Therefore, the food retailers often provide goods from all over the world to serve those needs. 3.4 Technological The final element of the PEST analysis concerns the technological factors that are related to the food retail industry. The technological development affected and changed the industry in different categories including consumers, environment, cost, distribution, and logistics. During the last decade, the supermarkets in the United Kingdom took advantage of the internet and they are offering online shopping to the consumers. Through this innovative feature the supermarkets offer their entire catalogue of products to the consumers and the ability to compare prices, search for a product, pay and order for their groceries. Therefore, the food retailers reduce their personnel costs while they are able to advertise almost free and make consumers aware of their offers. Also it is not unusual that many products cannot be found inside the stores and are available only through e-commerce (Tesco annual report 2009). This is another example of minimising operating costs while increasing sales. Furthermore, the food retail corporations used the information technology to organise their operations and maximise the organisations efficiency and profitability. Specifically, the management of each organisations functions is assigned to specialised software and digitalisation of processes. Through the use of innovative technology the cost and the paperwork is reduced and time is saved. Also, the logistics department increases its efficiency because the supply chain is more efficient controlled and the stock management provides a real and immediate view (Sainsburys annual report 2009). The implementation of technology can be beneficial for both retailer and consumer. The self-checkout machines reduce the labour costs of the company because they usually require one person per five machines to observe. Also, in that way the consumers save time and control their groceries shopping. The introduction of point earning cards offers discounts and rewards to the consumer while it provides valuable information to the supermarket company about the preferences and habits of each individual. The analysis of this information assists to the companys advertising planning and strategy while it offers the ability of targeted marketing (Moody, 1997). The effective application of technology in the distribution and transportation process through energy efficient vehicles protects the environment as it reduces the vehicles carbon emissions. Furthermore, the food retail company improves its corporate social responsibility and reduces the goods transportation cost. Finally, the Universal Product Code or in other words bar-code was an innovation that brought a revolution in the industry. Each product could have its specific bar-code, simplifying the pricing and check-out while saving time and establishing accuracy. Also, the use of wireless technology and the attachment of electronic chips on the products can prevent theft and measure the product availability on shelves. Therefore, the inventory is the supply process becomes faster and the food retail corporations avoid unexpected losses that due to their volume can have a significant cost for the organisation (Food Marketing Institute, 2010). 4. Porters five forces analysis Operating Environment To analyse the operating environment of the food retail industry and evaluate its competitive nature, a Porters Five Forces Analysis, created by E.M Porter professor at Harvard University Business School, will be used. According to Porter the five forces are: the industry competitors rivalry, the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitutes products or services (Porter, 2004). 4.1 The industry competitors rivalry. The competition in the food retail industry is intense. The named big4 supermarkets which are: Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons own the 73.3% market share, fact that makes the industry an oligopoly (Mintel report 2009). Below are the identified the major competitors in the industry and their competitive strategies. 4.1.1 Tesco Tesco is the market leader with a market share of 31%, and a total number of outlets 2,282, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had  £41,520m sales and  £2,381m profit in 2009. Beyond food products it sells electrical equipment, health products, petrol, clothing, homeware, telecommunications through a joint venture with O2, and financial services through Tesco Bank (Datamonitor, 2009). Also, Tesco is expanding to land telecommunications, construction and youth clothing (Parker; Felsted; Poulter; Minton, 2010) Tescos expansion plans target to the development of the small Tesco Express who satisfy the legal size requirement of Sunday trading act to operate on Sunday (DEFRA, 2006). The objectives of Tescos strategy are concentrated in five areas: to be a successful international retailer, to grow the core UK business, to be as strong in non-food as in food, to develop retailing services such as Tesco Personal Finance, Telecoms and tesco.com and to put community at the heart of what we do (Tesco Annual report 2009). 4.1.2 Sainsburys Sainsburys is a supermarket chain in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.4%, and a total number of outlets 792, is traded in the London Stock Exchange and had sales  £18,911m and  £466m profit in 2009. Sainsburys sells food products, home and garden products, electrical appliances, clothing, health products, sports and leisure products, petrol and offers financial and insurance services. Also, Sainsburys is expanding to Electricity and Gas, broadband and digital TV. Furthermore, Sainsburys collaborates with convenience store chains Bells Stores, Jacksons Stores, and JB Beaumont Stores in a strategic alliance move to increase its market share in the convenience stores battle. Sainsburys concentrate its corporate objectives in five areas: Great food at fair prices, Expansion in non-food products and services, Reaching more consumers through alternative distribution channels (online shopping), growing supermarket space and active property management of existing stores (Datamonitor, 2009; Rigby and Killgren, 2008; Sainsburys annual report, 2009). 4.1.3. Asda Asda is a supermarket chain owned by Walmart a United States of America supermarket corporation. Asda operates in the United Kingdom with a market share of 15.1% and a total number of outlets 356 and had sales  £18,573m and  £520m profit in 2009. Asda sells food products, health and beauty products, household products and petrol. Also it offers telecommunication services through its own mobile network Asda mobile and clothing through the George stores. Asdas competitive strategy is to differentiate from the competition emphasises in the fresh food, including bakers and butchers in its stores. Also, Asda operates a discount store Asda Essentials with own brand products competing directly with the discounters Lidl and Aldi. In a generic view, Asda targets in price competition boasting better prices and offers. (Datamonitor 2009; Corporatewatch.org.uk, 2004) 4.1.4. Morrisons Wm Morrison supermarkets or otherwise Morrisons is the fourth supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. Morrisons have a market share of 11.8% and a total number of outlets 420. Morrisons sells groceries, household products, petrol and dry cleaning and photo services. Morrisons operates through its own stores and its subsidiaries with Safeway among others. Morrisons target is to become the Food Specialist for Everyone as it owns 13 manufacturing plants and a fresh food factory. Morrisons concentrates its strategy around three brand values: Fresh, Value and Service. This means that Morrisons targets to offer fresh food in competitive prices in a premium consumer service. Generally, Morrisons is an emerging power in the industry and tries to gain competitive advantage by connecting the gap between value and high quality products. (Datamonitor, 2009; Wm Morrison annual report, 2009) Examining the nature of competition and the competitive rivalry it can be observed that the market share of mid-size and local grocery retailers is too small and the increasing appearance of big4 convenience stores and the large fixed costs. This leads to the implication that the competition in the industry is mainly concentrated among the major competitors. The major competitors are operating in a mature market, which pushes them to fiercely compete for market share through price, range and service (DEFRA 2006). In a mature market with a stable population like in the UK the consumption cannot be increased significantly. Thus, the main objective is to acquire a bigger percentage of the market share pie. Therefore, this situation has driven the grocery retailers to compete in a price war to maintain their customers and if possible to attract more to increase their revenues (Felsted, 2010). For this reason the grocery retailers aim to innovate and minimise the cost to be able to allow larger price margins. Also, taking into account the recent financial crisis and the recession it can be observed that the consumers were cutting their expenses and turned to hard discounters chains such as Lidl and Aldi. (Mintel report, 2009) This situation strengthens the price competition from sophisticated to basic products such as milk, poultry and bread. Also, the major competitors adopted aggressive advertising policy comparing often their prices with competition (Leroux, 2009). Furthermore, to increase their competitiveness supermarkets expand their activities and increase their product range. For example they offer in their stores non-food products like electrical equipment, homeware, pharmacy, financial services etc. This action widened their competitive arena, as they compete with a large portion of the retail sector such as electrical equipment, clothing, DoItYourself, furniture and health and beauty stores. The existence of petrol stations at the supermarkets competes directly with the petroleum providers e.g. BP and SHELL. Also, the supermarkets expansion to financial services e.g. Tesco Bank, place supermarkets to compete with retail banks. It can be suggested that the supermarkets because of the mature food market aim to provide a total package of products and services to their customers covering all their consuming needs; thus increasing the food retail industrys sales and profits. 4.2 The threat of new entrants. The entrance of new competitors in the food retail industry faces several difficulties. The creation of a new supermarket chain requires large capital investment, funds for corporate planning, advertising and trading capital. Furthermore, the majority of the industrys market share is acquired by the established big4 chain supermarkets and the margins for expansion are very limited. Also, the acquisitions are very difficult to realise because of the high value of the existing chains. However possible mergers or strategic alliances might take place. Other barriers to entry in the industry are the large fixed costs and the developed supply chains. Also, the existing dominants of the market benefit from the economies of scale which gives them the ability to adopt an aggressive pricing strategy. Therefore, it is very hard for the smaller retailers to compete and survive in that environment. According to the Competition Commission (2008) there are three different factors that lift entry barriers to the industry: a) cost advantages that large grocery retailers have b) the planning regime for grocery retailing and c) the control of land of large grocery retailers. The Competition Commission report divides the large grocery retailers cost advantages in two categories: distribution costs and purchasing costs. The large grocery retailers gain benefits from reduced distributions costs occurring by economies of scale and economies of density. The economies of density benefit the supermarkets because they operate satellite distribution centres that serve groups of stores. This process reduces the distribution costs because the distribution centres supply only the short and medium distance branches saving time distance and transportation costs. The economy of scale impact is that the supermarket chains use technology to control the products availability, to maintain the sensitive groceries such as meat and vegetables. Also, the supermarket maximise the efficiency of the distribution from and to suppliers, supermarket stores and consumers. Therefore this acts as another barrier to entry because the large supermarket chains have established channels of distribution and a cost effective distribution network supported by their own distribution fleet which covers the majority of the British territory (Competition Commission, 2008). The purchasing costs act as a barrier to entry to the food retail industry. The large supermarket chains because of their high volume purchases are able to deal better prices with their suppliers. Therefore, they are able to offer their products at a lower price in contrast with the smaller retailers who are obliged to purchase at a higher price (Competition Commission, 2008). Also, the big4 chains have already a competitive advantage because they possess knowledge and information about the suppliers. The volume of their sales gives them the ability to make large orders of supplies in lower prices. Another barrier to entry in the industry is the current planning regime for grocery retailing. The planning regulation sets limitations to the ability of new and existing competitors to open new stores in the positions they want. The reasons for this include environmental, competition and town planning issues. Also, the continuous development of supermarket outside towns led the UK government to demand the town centre development since 1996 (Competition Commission, 2008). Additionally the large supermarket chains already control the suitable land and the best locations, which make the rest of the sites expensive and difficult to find. All the barriers to entry in the industry are beneficial to the oligopolistic big4 supermarket chains and allow them to increase their profitability through the reduced costs and by controlling the goods prices. 4.3 The bargaining power of suppliers. According to the Datamonitor report (2009) the suppliers in the grocery retail industry include: food manufacturers, food processors, farmers, and agricultural co-operatives. The most powerful suppliers are the food manufacturers and the food processors because their number is smaller and in some cases they are irreplaceable. The bargaining power of the suppliers is high when they supply the supermarkets with branded goods that are highly demanded by the consumers. The supermarkets cannot apply big pressure to secure low prices and the suppliers can negotiate better prices. Therefore the supermarket chains make long term contracts with certain suppliers while maintaining their deals with a variety of suppliers to keep the switching costs low. Furthermore, the presence of the supermarkets own brands weakens the position of the suppliers and reduces their bargaining power. For example the supermarket chain Sainsburys includes in their product line their own branded Sainsburys ham and the Danepak ham and the consumers prefer them because they are usually sold at lower prices (Ali, 2009). The implication is that the supermarkets gain bargaining power because they are able to change suppliers or to make big orders. However when the food retailers choose to cooperate with only a few suppliers they give bargaining power to suppliers. For example big food manufacturer like Nestle have loyal consumers who give high value to the brand. Therefore, the supermar

Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteaus Infernal Machine Essay -- compariso

Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine   Ã‚  Ã‚   The myth of Oedipus dates back centuries. Overtime a myth changes in many ways as each author or orator presents their own version. The main plot usually remains intact, but authors add their own style to the tragic story. In the case of Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Jean Cocteau's Infernal Machine both authors focus on the arrogant nature of Oedipus. Since this quality ultimately has destructive powers, the relationships Oedipus has with other characters demonstrates this arrogance. Although, the two authors portray Oedipus in different ways to emphasize their different themes both use the relationship between Oedipus and Teiresias to demonstrate Oedipus' arrogant nature. In both plays, this arrogance manifests in Oedipus' rejection of the prophet Teiresias. However, the two playwrights differ greatly in the relationship between these two characters. Cocteau's Oedipus immediately disrespects Teiresias' prophecy. This rejection of the prophecy and warnings of Teiresias emphasizes his theme of malevolent gods. Equivalently, in Sophocles' version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias demonstrates the main theme of the destructive nature of arrogance. Instead of the gods holding him back, Oedipus' own pride does not allow him to believe Teiresias. Oedipus believes that he is above everything and everyone. Just as in Cocteau, he even believes that he can defy the gods and disregard fate. In Sophocles version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias does not occur right instantly. At first, Oedipus regards the prophet Teiresias in the proper, respectful manner. Oedipus greets him by exclaiming, "My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone one that can rescu... ...uture. They provide him with numerous hints regarding the impending doom that hangs in the atmosphere. However, Oedipus' arrogance blinds him to the truth of his situation and leads to his ultimate demise. Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Benardete, Seth. â€Å"Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Cocteau, Jean. (1963). The Infernal Machine in The Infernal Machine and other plays. (A. Bermal, Trans.) New York: New Directions Publishing Corporation. Nagle, Brendan D.   The Ancient World: A Cultural and Social History. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Sophocles. (1991). Oedipus the King in Sophocles I. (G. David, Trans.) Chicago:University of Chicago Press.    Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine Essay -- compariso Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine   Ã‚  Ã‚   The myth of Oedipus dates back centuries. Overtime a myth changes in many ways as each author or orator presents their own version. The main plot usually remains intact, but authors add their own style to the tragic story. In the case of Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Jean Cocteau's Infernal Machine both authors focus on the arrogant nature of Oedipus. Since this quality ultimately has destructive powers, the relationships Oedipus has with other characters demonstrates this arrogance. Although, the two authors portray Oedipus in different ways to emphasize their different themes both use the relationship between Oedipus and Teiresias to demonstrate Oedipus' arrogant nature. In both plays, this arrogance manifests in Oedipus' rejection of the prophet Teiresias. However, the two playwrights differ greatly in the relationship between these two characters. Cocteau's Oedipus immediately disrespects Teiresias' prophecy. This rejection of the prophecy and warnings of Teiresias emphasizes his theme of malevolent gods. Equivalently, in Sophocles' version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias demonstrates the main theme of the destructive nature of arrogance. Instead of the gods holding him back, Oedipus' own pride does not allow him to believe Teiresias. Oedipus believes that he is above everything and everyone. Just as in Cocteau, he even believes that he can defy the gods and disregard fate. In Sophocles version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias does not occur right instantly. At first, Oedipus regards the prophet Teiresias in the proper, respectful manner. Oedipus greets him by exclaiming, "My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone one that can rescu... ...uture. They provide him with numerous hints regarding the impending doom that hangs in the atmosphere. However, Oedipus' arrogance blinds him to the truth of his situation and leads to his ultimate demise. Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Benardete, Seth. â€Å"Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Cocteau, Jean. (1963). The Infernal Machine in The Infernal Machine and other plays. (A. Bermal, Trans.) New York: New Directions Publishing Corporation. Nagle, Brendan D.   The Ancient World: A Cultural and Social History. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Sophocles. (1991). Oedipus the King in Sophocles I. (G. David, Trans.) Chicago:University of Chicago Press.