Great Expectations Study Guide

Throughout these early scenes it Is clear that there Is a feeling of evil pervading. The evil comes not so much from Magnetic or even the Terrible young man' that PIP so fears as a young lad, but rather the presence of the gibbet and the nearby reference to the ‘hulks that appear â€Å"like a wicked Nosh's Ark. † It is a symbol of evil that is presently at hand as well as foreshadowing future ills. In this chapter we can see that the presence of the soldiers makes Pip ill at ease because of the guilt that he eels at aiding and abetting the escapees.He fears that they will tell of his collusion if they are captured. We know that it is their own quarrel that brings their escape to grief. We are told that they came from different class groups. The fierce young man is supposedly a ‘gentleman. ‘ This brings into doubt the definition of this term. This is important as Dickens Is most concerned in his work with defining the class groups and In fact the true definiti on of a gentleman. The evil of the convicts is contrasted with the sympathy that both Pip and Joe feel for them.Joe Is particularly selfless In is forgiveness towards Magnetic upon his admission of stealing from their household. PIP on the other hand allows this deception to pass as It favors his position. â€Å"l was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong. † His guilt is intense and this isn't lessened by the forces around him that would condemn him and subdue him prejudicially for being young, fatherless and vulnerable. These forces ironically seem to come from his own parish and family.Joe, who is ironically not blood related is the one that he ants to impress the most and tone who he fears alienating by telling the truth. The irony is that Joe has already displayed tangible signs of being able to forgive anybody for anything on humanitarian grounds e. G. Magnetic. Magnetic himself has done a noble act In his confession. This Is In contact to Pip's cowardly secrecy. Chapter 7 Pip lacks education. This is remedied by Pip's being sent to Mr†¦ Whoopee's great aunt. Unfortunately she tends to sleep through these lessons. Fortunately, though, Pip learns to read through the assistance of Biddy, the granddaughter of this lady.Pip, who is apprenticed toes displays a very disturbing quality during this chapter that is to affect his development and the responder's opinion of him, that being snobbery. He ostentatiously offers to tutor Joe who is illiterate, but changes when Joe tells his story of how he met Mrs.. Joe and how he had cared for Pip. Joe goes further to show his magnanimous affection for all humanity as well as Pip: â€Å"l wish there warrant no Tickler for you, old chap; I wish I could take It all on myself,† He also looks at the frost on the marshes and pities all those that might be caught up In It.Pip Is Invited through Uncle Bumblebee's to visit a rich and grim lady who lived in a large and dismal house, MISS Having looms large as life at the end of this chapter. Pip breakfast for his uncle before heading to Stats house. ‘Stats' refers symbolically to the irony of being satisfied. In contrast to the name of this Manor House there is nothing that is satisfied. When Pip arrives he is greeted by a young girl who comes across the courtyard to give Pip entry and usher him through the grim house by candlelight.Her name is Estella and she seems like a shining star to Pip although ironically her spurning of Pip seems to remove much of her luster to the responder. When we are introduced to Miss Having she appears as a weird and shrunken lady who seems surreal and almost lifeless. Her watch and the clock remain at twenty minutes to nine. This is the time that her life stopped and she began to decay metaphorically and literally. She tells Pip that her heart is broken and then orders him to play. Pip is unable to satisfy this request until Estel la is ushered in once more to play cards with him. Miss Having sits acropolises during this before dismissingPip and ordering him to return in six days. He is ushered out and given something to eat before experiencing an hallucination of Miss Having being hung. He walks home with his mind buzzing with the contempt that Estella had for him. Chapter 9 This chapter finds Pip being ‘grilled' by the negative forces at home, Uncle Bumblebee's and Mrs.. Joe. He prefers to lie being embarrassed about his treatment at Stats house. He eventually owns up to his lies to Joe at the forge that night but is haunted by the fact that Estella found him coarse because of his hands and boots. He wishes that he wasn't coarse.Joe tells him that: â€Å"If you can't get to be uncommon through going straight, you'll never get to do it through going crooked. † Pip thinks about Joey's wisdom as he is going to sleep that night, however, he can't help thinking that Estella would consider Joe common and his boots thick and his hands course. It would seem that this first visit to Stats House has infected Pip psychologically and he is experiencing quite a deal of disquiet. Ironically it is his childhood innocence that has been lost. After visiting Stats house and gaining a glimpse of a more privileged lifestyle he will himself never be satisfied again.This creates a prelude to his expectations. Chapter 10 Pip is obsessed now with improving himself, presumed to make himself more acceptable to Estella and Miss Having. He asks Biddy to privately tutor him in addition to the classes that he was getting at Mr†¦ Whoopee's great aunt's school. The disquiet that Pip is increasingly feeling and that was first heralded by his hallucination of Miss Having hanging is now seen further in his dreams. This follows when he sees Mr†¦ Hopple at the public house tailing to a mysterious stranger who is stirring his rum and water with a file. It is Joey's file.Pip is further haunted by nig htmares about the convicts and the file. Most importantly he is concerned that having such secret associations with criminals might be perceived as being ‘common' and therefore unpalatable to Estella. Chapter 1 1 wonders why he doesn't cry when she slaps him. This hardens him against emotion and this suggests also what Miss Hafnium's design was in this relationship. Another foreshadowed event occurs as he enters when he encounters a strange man of dark complexion. Pip returns to Stats house on the appointed day to find that Miss Having is being visited by fawning relatives.It seems as if the responder is strangely and unexpectedly given an emotional empathy for Miss Having. We feel for this character because she is Jilted and because we know that the relatives that are fawning after her have only her inheritance in mind. The relatives are Raymond, the henpecked husband; Camilla the hypocrite; Miss Sarah Pocket the fawning woman and Georgian the quiet but slippery woman. When t hey have gone Pip is asked to play again but refuses and agrees instead to work. He is forced to walk Miss Having around the table where she tells Pip that she will one day be placed when she is dead.The Juxtaposition of this frank request and the fawning relatives brings death to the fore. Miss Having also places expensive Jewelry on Estella breasts and hair to suggest her beauty and suggested inheritance. This is to tease and taunt Pip in a way starting the process of gaining revenge on mankind through her ward Estella. The notion of Juxtaposing two different classes is also part of this process. Pip is taken outside to be greeted by a pale young gentleman who wanted to fight Pip. Pip betters him and is rewarded with a mocking kiss by Estella. Chapter 14 Pip is totally miserable in this chapter.His discontent has reached apparently unbearable levels. This content is highlighted by the Juxtaposition of the good- natured Joe. His only solace is in that he hasn't shown Joe how he fee ls about him. Nonetheless it is a point of further pain as he realizes the extent of his character flaw as it contrasts with Joe: â€Å"l know right well that any good that intermixed itself with my apprenticeship came of plain contented Joe. † This heightens his cognitive dissonance. He feels guilt and shame at being ashamed and dissatisfied with things surrounding such and amiable character as Joe. He fears that Estella and MissHaving may visit and see him in his grimiest state. He is fully aware of the level of shame that he feels about Joe and his apprenticeship as a blacksmith. Pip feels that all hope for him has been lost. It is not incidental that this has come as a direct result of his visit to Stats House. His depression is evident in his thoughts made evident in this chapter: â€Å"l have felt for a time as if a thick curtain had fallen on all its interest and romance, to shut me out from anything save dull endurance†¦ † Chapter 15 The cognitive dissonan ce or guilt that Pip felt last chapter reaches its zenith in this chapter.He is the focal point of a fight between Joe and an itinerant worker (journeyman') named Rollick. Pip decided that he would like to visit Miss Having to thank her for organizing his apprenticeship as it was the anniversary of the establishment of the same. He asked Joe for a half day off so that he could visit Stats this leads to Mrs.. Joe arguing with Rollick and then Joe feeling that he had to defend his wife, the resulting fight leads to Joe defeating Rollick. They later make up over a pint but Pip's guilt about this incident is enduring. He visits Stats House but is greeted by Miss Sarah Pocket instead of Estella.Estella is overseas to become a lady. This leads to further dissatisfaction in Pip. Mr†¦ Hopple meets Pip and leads him to Uncle Puncheons place to see a play by a young George Lillo. The play is about an apprentice who murdered his Uncle. This adds further guilt as Pip feels that this is all aimed at him because he is an apprentice. It is as if the adults surrounding him feel that he will amount to no good. On the way home they walk with Rollick before reaching the village and finding that something is wrong at the Gagger house. Pip runs home to find out that his sister has been struck on the back of the head.Chapter 16 The theme of guilt continues in this chapter as Pip thinks that he may be somehow responsible. He fears one of two sources of this crime both that would somehow be his responsibility. It could have been Rollick, in which his asking for a day off may have indirectly be responsible; or the strange young man with the file in which it would have been his fault because of his association with convicts. Meanwhile Mrs.. Joe lies unconscious and then speech impaired. She continually asks for Rollick and designs a â€Å"T† that seems to point at the assailant.Biddy comes to live with them to help nurse Mrs†¦ Joe in the light of the death of Whoopee's aunt's death. Chapter 17 Pip's life has become routine except for his annual visit to Stats House on his birthday, at which time he is given a Guiana. Each visit makes him further dissatisfied with his lot in life. After one visit he takes Biddy walking on the marshes, where all bad things happen. He is oblivious to the fact that Biddy might love him even though he does see that she is attractive on one level. He thinks that he is better than her and acts in a patronizing manner towards her.He apparently cannot get the specter of Estella out of his mind†¦ If I could only get myself to fall in love with you†¦ † This reveals how self absorbed he is as he cannot appreciate her affection for him or even her feelings. The tragedy of this scene is that his soul-mate is in front of him and he is crippled from recognizing this. On the way home Rollick confronts them but Pip dismisses him. Biddy suggests that she is uncomfortable with Rollicks manner as she fears that he lik es her. Pip wishes to get him dismissed but his new relationship with Mrs†¦ Joe prevents this action.Chapter 18 In the fourth year of his apprenticeship Pip goes with Hopple to the Three Jolly Bargeman where Hopple reads out an account of a local murder. Those around him believe the man to be guilty. A stranger chimes in asserting everyman right to be man that he met on the steps of Stats House all those years ago. Pip learns that he has ‘great expectations' from an unknown benefactor. He is to retain his name as Pip; he is to be educated and he must not seek to know his benefactor. Ironically he is more morose than ever and is sad and lonely. His emotions do not move further away than himself.He cannot fathom what Joe and Biddy might be feeling at his departure. He is to be educated by Mr†¦ Matthew Pocket, Miss Pocket's relation. This to the responder as well as to Pip seems to link this lady to his expectations. It seems unlikely that it could be anyone else respon sible. Whilst Pip counts the days down to his departure, Biddy and Joe feel the opposite about the passing of this time. Chapter 19 Pip feels satisfied and free as Joe and he burn his indenture papers. After church he goes to the marshes again and thinks condescendingly about his village and feels superior to everyone.He thinks that he would do something for the village once he has made his mark. He recalls his first meeting with the convicts on the marshes. Pip's negativity and superiority ironically has him wishing ill to these convicts that had frightened him all those years ago. Pip hopes that the convict is transported or perhaps dead. He presumes that the benefactor is Miss Having and wonders whether part of the plan for himself involves Estella. This misapprehension is encouraged by her when she says: â€Å"Goodbye Pip – you will always keep the name of Pip you know. This of course echoes the instructions given to him by Jaegers from his benefactor. This combined with the fact that Jaegers was associated with Miss Having seems to be too much of a coincidence for him and the responder. Pip snoozes only to wake to find Joe smoking next to him. Again he acts in a superior condescending manner towards him. We notice the sycophants come out of the woodwork at this point of the novel. Mr.. Tract spurns Pip until he learns of his money and expectations. At this point he starts to fawn after him, as does Bumblebee's and even Miss Sarah Pocket.Dickens, it would seem, is determined to satirist the money dominated society in which he lived. He was more concerned with humanism and the real values of human beings Great Expectations – Charles Dickens: Part 2 Chapter 20 In this chapter Pip arrives in London and finds the city dirty and revolting. This seems to represent to the responder that he is disappointed in his expectations. It certainly takes the gloss of his expectations. This can be clearly seen through the repetitious use of the word â€Å"di smal. † â€Å"Mr†¦ Jigger's room was lighted by a skylight only, and was a most dismal place. This also gives an idea about how we are to view Jaegers. He too is a dismal man with very little regard for the societal ‘garbage' that provides him with his living. They provide him with a living but he treats them in a superior way as goes his clerk Hemming: â€Å"l wondered †¦ Whether they all claimed to have the same obtains perjured witnesses for Jaegers. Jaegers tells Pip to go to Barnyard's inn where he is to meet Herbert Pocket. Jaegers ends this chapter telling Pip: â€Å"of course you'll go wrong somehow, but that's no fault of mine. Chapter 21 This chapter mostly contains information about the city and about Barnyard's Inn and its environs. We learn about the seedy nature of London when Hemming advises: Mimi may get cheated, robbed and murdered in London. † Pip begins to despair: â€Å"So imperfect was this realization of the first of my great exp ectations, that I looked in sigma at Mr†¦ Hemming. † We are told that Weenie is to be a major influence on Pip as he controls the money from Jaegers. The end of the chapter has Pip meeting Herbert who recognizes Pip as the â€Å"prowling boy. † Could things possibly get worse!Nonetheless he is to find Herbert' company a bright spot in a â€Å"dismal† London landscape. Chapter 22 Herbert and Pip become friends despite the earlier altercation. They share stories about Estella as it is obvious that Herbert too has had dealings with her. Herbert describes her as a â€Å"Tartar†: miss, Miss Having had sent for me, to see if she could take fancy to me. Despite this obvious parallel to his situation Pip does not waver from his affections for Estella. We find out that Estella is adopted by Miss Having. It would seem to reek revenge on all mankind by her â€Å"haughty and capricious† nature.We find out that Matthew Pocket is Miss Hafnium's cousin and th is coincidence is the driving force behind Pip's supposition that he must be favored by this woman and hence she must, it would seem be his secret benefactor. In this chapter the familiar relationship with Herbert is established and he is given his nickname Handel after the piece of music called the Harmonious Blacksmith. This provides a link to Pip's roots and his true personality that suggests that he is not as haughty as he aspires to be. It also suggests that whilst Herbert is of this world he also has a sense of identification with normal societal dealings.Nonetheless Herbert does try to teach Pip proper etiquette such as how to use his utensils. Chapter 23 This is a chapter where we are introduced to the strange world of the Pockets household. Mrs.. Pocket has aspirations to be royalty and is ‘precious' being removed from the upbringing of her children. We are told they are not brought up but in fact eave â€Å"tumbled up. † When they annoy her she simply has them sent inside to have a nap. We are also introduced to Matthew Pocket, Herbert father. The responder is told that he is well educated at Cambridge. His other tutees are are Drummed and Startup.These characters are also introduced here. The total impression of the scene is painted as mildly amusing and Pip feels comfortable here, probably because despite the dysfunctional nature of the relationships it is more hospitable than his variety was not possible in the country and he appreciates it and finds it interesting and amusing. Chapter 24 Pip's future is discussed whilst it seems it is still very vague and not sent in concrete. He is told that he was: â€Å"not designed for any profession. † His education therefore is to be a generic one. He wants to secure his place at Barnyard's inn and needs to get furniture.Jaegers plays with him about the sum that he will need for this. Again this suggests something about the nature of Jaegers more than anything. This is also suggested whe n talking with Hemming about this man. He tells Pip to note his housekeeper carefully when he is invited to dine with his guardian. † You'll see a wild east tamed. † This provides some foreshadowing for this scene. Hemming also invites him to Walworth to observe â€Å"†¦ Three curiosities as I have got. † Chapter 25 In this chapter we find that Pip visits Whimsies Walworth castle. This provides a contrast to the world of Stats House that is dark an gothic.Whimsies house is warm and inviting. It is personal and quirky and provides and interesting view of the lower echelons of society and how happy they can be. Perhaps this is the vision of society that finally gives Pip something to build upon for his future. Earlier in the novel he experiences such rejection and dislocation from his own sphere of influence including his sister that there is no stability other than Joe, who is himself under siege by Mrs.. Joe. We are also introduced to Startup and to Drummed a nd find out more about these fellow students.Further is said about Jaegers and the dictatorial power and influence he has over the criminal underclass of society p. 206. The aged provides an interesting sideline in the world of Hemming and this shows his concern with family and support of others. It certainly shows how he has developed a dual persona between home and work life. When I come into the office, I leave the Castle behind me, and when I come into the Castle, I leave the office behind me. † Chapter 26 Pip, Startup and Drummed head to Jaegers for dinner and gives an unusual degree of attention to Drummed.It certainly also provides a comparison with Whimsies house for the responder: â€Å"†¦ L had an early opportunity of comparing my safeguard's establishment with that of his achier and clerk. â€Å". Jaegers makes his housekeeper show her wrists to the guests after they themselves had spent a ludicrous amount of time showing off their own muscles in an absurd di splay. We are also told that her ace compared with the faces that Pip had seen around the cauldron in a play of incident : â€Å"the Spider's time with Mr†¦ Pocket was up for good, and, to the great relief of all the house but Mrs†¦Pocket, he went home to the family hole. † This suggests that his societal aspirations and ambitions are closely aligned to Mrs†¦ Pocket. This taints our feelings towards Drummed and suggests that his significance to the story will be greater than this. Chapter 27 In this chapter the country comes to the city. Biddy writes a letter in typically familiar tones as Joe suggests he wants the letter written including slang What larks. The letter discusses that Joe is coming to London and in fact Hopple is coming to London as well to make his mark upon the London stage.Pip's snobbery has developed and he is not too pleased at this news and greets it â€Å"†¦ Not with pleasure, though I was bound to him by so many ties. It seems that he is in fact embarrassed by Joe as was suggested in Pip's discussion with Biddy before he came to London. When they meet there is an awkwardness evident and they in fact have trouble finding conversation. We are even made privy to Pip's thoughts when Joe does visit about his clothes and he way that he eats: â€Å"As to his shirt and collar they were perplexing to reflect on†¦ He sat so far from the table, and dropped so much more than he ate. Joe brings news that Miss Having requires Pip to return to Stats House to visit regarding the return of Estella. Pip is mortified with the poignancy of Joey's parting comment which highlights the societal division between the two that has developed: Pip†¦ Life is made of ever so many partings welded together†¦ One man's a blacksmith, and one's a whitest†¦ You and me are not two figures to get together in London: nor yet anywhere else but what is private and Benson and understood among friends. † Chapter 28 Pip return s home but decides not to stay at Joey's, instead opting for a room a the Blue Boar.He says that he would have liked to take his servant the Avenger, Just to show off particularly to that impudent rascal, Tract's Boy. Coincidence again plays its hand as he happens to be on the same stage as two convicts are traveling. One of them Just happens to be the same convict that gave him the two one pound notes. Pip departs the carriage with haste and makes for the Blue Boar where he discovers local newspaper that tells of Bumblebee's being the founder of Pip's fortune. Pip feels self-righteous indignation about this. Chapter 29 This chapter is a study in self delusion.Despite the fact that Herbert had told him of his experiences at Stats House he feels that his situation is different and that his affection for Estella is real. He thinks about seeing Joe but doesn't, instead walks on the other side of town to avoid running into him. Whilst walking he has a daydream about his relationship wi th her. He sees himself as doing â€Å"†¦ The shining deeds of the he tells us that he â€Å"†¦ Loved her none the less. Interestingly he finds Rollick at the door and there is some banter before he is admitted to Miss Having and Estella. Later he advises Jaegers to advise the dismissal of this unsanitary individual.He also haughtily advises the dismissal of Tract's Boy after Tract's boy mocks him for his airs and graces. When Pip meets with Estella she tells him that she was the ghost that he had seen that night. P. 238. Miss having appeals to Pip to love her charge but Estella herself informs Pip how unprepared she is to love anybody. â€Å"I'll tell you what real love is. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission. Finally we are told that Estella in her turn would come to London and that Pip would host her. This leads to Pip's love expectations and pride: â€Å"†¦ Hat she should be destined for me, once the blacksmith's boy. † Chapter 30 This chapter is the most satirically poignant chapter in the novel. Dickens points the disapproving finger of social condescension and snobbery squarely at Pip but he is too caught up in his new superiority to take it to heart. Perhaps this is because the person who is pointing the finger is the subject of his own need to show off, Tract's boy, therefore it is too easy to shrug all of this off as Jealousy. Nonetheless from the responder's perspective there is no character that is less pretentious than Tract's Boy.Audacious †¦ Yes, irreverent †¦ Yes, but not Jealous. Coincidence is again the device of this chapter. Pip is keen to avoid running into Bumblebee's, probably because of the newspaper article that he read last chapter, so he decides to walk for a bit and meet the carriage to London, that Jaegers is also in, further down the road. This provides the circumstance for Pip to run into Tract's Boy. When Pip sees him walking towards him â€Å"lashing himself with an empty blue bag,† he deems that â€Å"a Rene and unconscious contemplation of him†¦ † Would be the most dignified thing to do.Here is Pip trying to seem dignified to the unseemly, knockabout Tract's Boy. This in itself is pure folly. It was met by Tract's trilogy of mockery for Pip's apparent snobbish and condescending demeanor. He pretends to be afraid; asks for â€Å"mercy in front of many people; then â€Å"crows† him out of town with his cry of â€Å"don't know yah, don't know yah, pony my soul don't know yah,† to mock Pip's haughty dismissal of his town and all of his previous acquaintances that now seem below his recognition. Chapter 31 The comic satire continues in this chapter as Pip visits the theatre to see Whoopee's performance of Hamlet that is poor in the extreme.Nonetheless when he is taken backstage he is complementary telling Mr†¦ Wallpapering (Hopple) that he thought â€Å"massive and concrete. † After this experi ence Pip dreams of performing Hamlet to Miss Hafnium's ghost in front of â€Å"†¦ Twenty thousand people, without knowing twenty words of it. † This again reminds the responder how much of a hold this woman and her actions have a hold over his psyche. His dreams and nightmares and subconscious desires are all caught up with the world of Stats House. Chapter 32 In this chapter Hemming invites Pip to Join him in a visit to Negate prison.The Prison is described vividly. The metaphor of the Jail as â€Å"Whimsies greenhouse† is used. Hemming is described as walking amongst the prisoners: â€Å"†¦ Much the same as a gardener might walk amongst his plants. † In this environment, his work environment, takes upon himself the same superiority as Jaegers. Pip parts from Hemming and thinks about his: â€Å"childhood out on our lonely marshes on a winter evening. † Then regrets coming with Hemming on this particular day when he is supposed to be meeting wit h Estella. He tries to â€Å"beat the prison dust off†¦ † And even to â€Å"exhale its air. Ironically he fears, but doesn't understand, the â€Å"†¦ Nameless shadow which again in that one instant had passed. † Chapter 33 Pip is more confused and dissonant regarding his relationship with Estella than ever. She arrives and tells him that she is bound for Richmond to live and that Pip is to escort her, to this end she gives him her purse to pay for the expenses. There is a strong sense that Estella is a victim of her own fortunes and that she is a cannonball in flight without control over being fired or even what she might destroy when she ands. We have no choice, you and l, but to obey our instructions. We are not fee to follow our own devices, you and l. † Then she â€Å"†¦ Drew her arm through mine, as if it must be done. † Estella recognizes Matthew Pocket's qualities but feels that she has to add â€Å"†¦ For I hate that class of man. † She also murmurs the contemptuous utterance â€Å"Wretches! † as she approaches Negate. The narrator confesses that he would never have told her of his â€Å"†¦ Visit for any consideration. † This again shows how she has been ruined by Miss Hafnium's patronage. Her superior demeanor is objectionable to the responder.Pip gives voice to his affections for her and she is dismissive Mimi silly boy†¦ How can you talk such nonsense. † Nonetheless he steals a kiss with her permission even though he recognizes that he could â€Å"†¦ Build no hope on it. † He in fact recognizes that she will probably have many admirers in his absence in Richmond. Pip thinks about confiding in Matthew Pocket and gain his advice on women, but then sees Mrs†¦ Pocket reading â€Å"a book of dignities† and concludes that perhaps his advice may not be as sound as he'd hoped. Chapter 34 Regret plagues Pip as he starts to realize the social ramificat ions of his expectations.

Psychoanalysis of Hamlet

There are always three sides to a coin when it comes to psychology. Two being the heads and tails, the other being the thickness of the coin represented here by the why factor. No action is ever considered to be an accidental behavior, thus making Hamlet an intriguing subject of analysis. Critics of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet often debate the cognitive processes of young Hamlet’s mind. To examine Hamlet through a psychological perspective, one must use knowledge of behavioral psychology, which is the study of behavior that reveals inner thoughts.Hamlet is a complex character full of deep emotions and developmental problems it is revealed through his actions, thoughts, and words portrayed during the play. Traumatic experiences in a person’s life can have serious mental repercussions, such as disconnection from others, self-blame, or permanent mental instability. Accordingly, Hamlet’s behavior demonstrates textbook symptoms of emotional and psychologi cal damage. With the loss of his father, and the quick remarriage of his mother, the dramatic changes in the familiarity of life become the triggers for Hamlet’s change in behavior.These psychological triggers are very relevant in patient cases today such as the remarrying of a parent, the death of close friend, or development during adolescence. The triggered behaviors become dangerous, as the ability of being able to confide in someone else does not seem a possibility to Hamlet. Losing a loved one is never easy, in Hamlets case the loss leads to a downward spiral of behavior that ultimately affects many different people in his kingdom. This problem of seeking comfort or advice in times of need is crucial for the development during adolescence.Psychologists agree that bottling up emotions can cause explosive and irrational behavior, such as in the case of Hamlet. â€Å"Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. † A person’s actions revel to the world what is going on in his or her mind to a tremendous extent. Hamlet’s actions in the play depict a mix of complex planning with sporadic displays of mental instability. Such actions such as the hesitation of killing Claudius, the murder of Polonius, and Hamlet’s interactions with Ophelia reveal Hamlets true mental state. Many critics have scrutinized the delay of Hamlet not killing Claudius over the years.â€Å"Freud offered what seemed to many a decisive answer to this riddle for the ages: that Hamlet is stymied by the weird coincidence of Claudius's crime with his own oedipal wishes. † (Kilgore) This quote represents the deep internal conflict of Hamlet’s actions because of his obsession with his mother’s sexual behavior. â€Å"Hamlet is able to do anything but take vengeance upon the man who did away with his father and has taken his father's place with his mother — the man who shows him in realization the repressed desires of his own childhoodâ €  (Kilgore).This quotation suggests that Hamlet wanted to be like Claudius subconsciously. In addition, this quote answers why Gertrude’s quick remarriage to Claudius is taken so heavily by young Hamlet. â€Å"Freud considered this complex the cornerstone of the superego and the nucleus of all human relationships. † (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia) Next, the action of killing Polonius is one example of Hamlet’s temporary insanity. Moments after Hamlet fails to kill Claudius as he prays because he is unshriven; he slays Polonius under the impression it was Claudius.The contradictory nature of these two decisions shows in behavioral psychology that Hamlet is emotionally unstable. This action also demonstrates that aggression has taken over reasoning. Emotions are one of man’s greatest strengths but can cause the greatest downfalls. For example, In Hamlet, Polonius’s murder eventually leads to Hamlets death at the hands of Polonius’s son. Hamlets lack of cognitive reasoning ultimately conflicts with his short-term plans as Hamlet is sent away from the kingdom by the man who he is trying to murder.This shows that the catastrophe occurs as a result of instinctive reactions rather than pre-meditation. â€Å"To inhibit actively one’s behavior is stressful and disease related; when individuals do not or cannot express thoughts and feelings concerning a traumatic event (i. e. , when they engage in behavioral inhibition), there is an increased probability of having obsessive thoughts about the event and of having illnesses in the long run† (Kelly). Keeping secrets from people or being burdened by others secrets is an action that can be harmful in every aspect of health.Hamlets action of keeping secrets from others is representative of his mistrust in people. Hamlet has no one to confide in which leads to irrational decisions and obsession. Most psychologists agree that having someone to confide in is crucial in the developmental process. The act of not revealing such traumatic information destroys Hamlet from a mental perspective and causes Hamlet to slip in and out of sanity. The relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is an example of the destructive nature secrets can cause.Good relationships are built on the fundamentals of trust and communication; neither of which is demonstrated in their relationship. Hamlet’s subconscious mistrust in the ability of people to keep secrets is projected into the communication of their relationship. Ophelia thinks that Hamlet has gone insane, and this lack of communication drives her into madness and her death. Secrets can inadvertently destroy many people, making them more dangerous through the subconscious influences. All authors project their own life experiences and thoughts subconsciously in to their literature.â€Å"Shakespeare had a son named Hamnet who died of the bubonic plague years before the play Hamlet. †(Wheeler 127-153) I t is through this loss of Shakespeare’s own child that the play takes on a deeper psychological aspect. Hamlets â€Å"to be or not to be† soliloquy can be viewed as a projection into the troubles facing Shakespeare during his own life. The loss of a loved one is a powerful influence and subconsciously can cause feelings of depression and suicide. This soliloquy is one of the most recognized worldwide due to its contemplation of life and death due to the struggles that face Hamlet.â€Å"To be, or not to be–that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them†. (Shakespeare) Hamlet is clinically depressed and overwhelmed by the troubles in his life. Not even being able to kill the murderer of his father, he is unlikely that to kill himself. â€Å"Shakespeare presents us with a vivid recital of the thought processes of a man making up hi s mind about a critical step in his life†.  (Kilgore)Thus many people believe that hamlet is overthinking the problem. Thus if this soliloquy was recited to a psychiatrist he would recommend anti-depressant medication. Contemplating life and death is a process that we all do at different points in life. However, it is the manner in which we approach our lives and deaths that define us as individuals. Hamlet has received a liberal education; thus his learned critical thinking and questioning about every action causes obsessive self-criticism. Hamlet’s soliloquy of Act 2 Scene 2 shows hisinnermost feelings of self-disgust about his inaction. â€Å"But I am a pigeon-livered and lack gall to make oppression better, or ere this I should have fattened all the regions kites with this slave’s offal. † (Shakespeare) Thus, this harsh self-criticism leads to Hamlet making irrational decisions. In teenagers the frontal lobe is still in the developmental stages, and affecting his self-perception in addition to his decision making. Hamlet is the perfect storm of decisions based on pathos rather than logos.Hamlet’s decisions, although sometime requiring calculation, often are unrealistic and impetuous representing the trial and error method of learning. Hamlet’s words are invaluable to the shaping of his character. His attitude towards the murder of Polonius disconnects him from the norms of society. Making jokes about the body of someone whom he just murdered demonstrates almost a psychopathic tendency brought about by intense levels of stress. In addition to this, Hamlet is in a position where his actions do not have repercussions evidenced by the town looking the other way on his actions.The psychological effect of having no consequences for actions starting at a young age can have disastrous effects of the development during adolescence; and often in cases can lead to the development of Oppositional defiance disorder children. C hildren with ODD â€Å"have little (or no) regard for what their parents or society expect of them. †(Abraham) Hamlet does not care about how he should behave in society and does as he pleases. Hamlet feels entitled to manipulate the lives of others for his own personal success and has no regard for anyone’s welfare but his own.Hamlet was set up for failure in societal norms from childhood. Other insights into Hamlet’s mental state can be examined through Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship. The words† I loved Ophelia forty thousand brothers/ could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. † (Shakespeare 296). Hamlet is under false pretenses of what love means due to his adolescence, demonstrated by his harsh words to Ophelia and inability to communicate his distresses and concerns with her.In addition Ophelia’s and Hamlets relationship is skewed by how he perceives own mother and women in general. This is demonstrated by Hamlet ’s command â€Å"Get thee to a nunnery,† which reveals that he holds the belief that all women are whores. Nunnery was a colloquium, which meant brothel in Shakespeare’s day. The projections of past experiences to present experiences dramatically affect his relationships. Hamlet’s unkind attitude and words to others ultimately affect the lives of people around him substantially.In conclusion, Hamlets complexity and behavior is attributed to adolescence and going through life crises that trigger developmental and textbook psychology issues. Using Hamlets actions, thoughts, and words gives the reader a microscope for further examination the character. Shakespeare was a master of creating complex characters, some based on his real life experiences. Hamlet’s reactions to the changes in hi+s life much reflect the type of behavioral changes people in real life experience after similar trauma. Hamlet has been a popular subject for psychoanalysis since the discipline became popular.

Shorefast Case Study B March 2013

Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Financial Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Strategy Diamond Model†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Internal Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8 Value Chain Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 VRINE Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 External Analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 Porter’s five forces†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦13 PESTEL†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.. 14 Alternative Evaluations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦15 Fit analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 18 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 19 Re commendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦19Introduction Plant Nutrients Inc. (PNI) is an international company that supplied fertilizer ingredients used by its subsidiaries in 6 geographic area which are Northeastern United States, Eastern Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. The general manager of PNI is Brian Dunwoodie and the marketing manager is Dave Claussen. Mr. Dunwoodie and Mr. Claussen are the main decision makers within the organization. They were meeting with each other to determine the main issues of the company, which how to improve company’s performance next year (1999).They came up with three potential alternatives, which are strengthening the existing business, adding a seed business and adding precision agricultural services to better PNI’s performance next year. For choosing the best alternatives, this paper will use d ifferent frameworks and models to analyze each alternative, for example financial analysis, strategy diamond model, internal analysis (Value Chain and VRINE), external analysis (Porter’s 5 forces and PESTEL). After analyzing all these parts, the fit between internal and external environment will be analyzed as well. Financial Analysis 1. Operating income statement (Exhibit 1)As Exihit 1 in the case shows that the main product PNI had sold was Fertilizer, the total sales of PNI in 1998 is $4,621,097, which consist of the sales of Fertilizer( $3,339,097), the sales of pesticides ($1,058,000) and the sale of services ($224,000). The sales of fertilizer accounted for 72. 3% ($3,339,097/ $4,621,097) of total sales, the sales of pesticides accounted 22. 9% in the total sales, and the service only accounted for 4. 8% in the total sales, so fertilizer product generate more sales than pesticides and services and this also means the sales of pesticide and services may have huge growth potential in the future.Hence, PNI should focus more on the sales of pesticide and service in the future. In addition, the gross margin of fertilizer was 20. 07%, and the gross margin of pesticides was 18%. Among these products, fertilizer was the major contributor of PNI’s profit. In terms of the sales of each product, the analyst will use the following tables to identify what the major markets and customers of these products. 2. Fertilizer sales No. 1 The percentage of PNI’s customers accounted in the Fertilizer Market. (Formula: Number of Customers in PNI / Number of Customers in the whole market)Market AreaPNI Farm SizeSalesCustomersSalesCustomersMarket Share Small$1,128,000527$986,00040476. 7% Medium$10,635,0001578$1,259,00017110. 8% Large$3,631,00095$319,00099. 5% Total$15,394,0002200$2,564,00058426. 5% No. 2 The percentage of the fertilizer sales for the market and for PNI over the total sales by customer segment, 1998 Market AreaPNI Farm sizeSalesSales Small7. 33%38. 5% Medium69. 1%49. 1% Large23. 6%12. 44% Total100%100% Market AreaPNI Farm sizeSalesSales Small100%87. 41% Medium100%11. 84% Large100%8. 79% Total100%16. 7% No. The percentage of PNI’s fertilizer sales contribute to the market sales by customer segment, 1998 3. Pesticide Sales No. 4 The percentage of PNI’s customers accounted in the Market. Market AreaPNI Farm SizeSalesCustomersSalesCustomersMarket Share Small$797000527$35600020939. 6% Medium$63120001578$4580001066. 7% Large$3,300,00095$244,00077. 4% Total$10,409,0002200$2,564,00032214. 6% No. 5 The percentage of pesticide sales for the market and for PNI over the total sale by customer segment, 1998 Market AreaPNI Farm sizeSalesSales Small7. 66%33. 6% Medium60. 64%43. 3% Large31. %21. 2% Total100%100% No. 6 The percentage of PNI’s pesticide sales contribute to the market sales by customer segment, 1998 Market AreaPNI Farm sizeSalesSales Small100%44. 67% Medium100%7. 26% Large100%6. 79% Total100%10. 16% I nterpretation of tables 1. Table No. 1 and No. 4 For both fertilizer products and pesticide Products, PNI’s major customers are the small farm owner (Fertilizer: 76. 7%, Pesticide: 39. 6%), so the future trend for PNI is to take more medium and large farm size customers (Medium: Fertilizer: 10. 8%, Pesticide: 6. 7%; Large: Fertilizer: 9. 5%, Pesticide: 7. %). 2. Table No. 2 and No. 5 in the market area, the sales of fertilizers, the medium farm account the largest portion of sales (69. 1%). For the sales of pesticides, the medium farm still accounts the largest portion of sales (60. 64%). In the PNI’s area, both the sales of fertilizers and pesticides to the medium farm customers have the highest percentage (Fertilizer: 49. 1%, Pesticide 43. 3%); therefore, PNI should focus on the sales of fertilizer and pesticide to the medium farms’ customers because it accounts the largest part of PNI’s total sales. 3. Table No. 3 and No. The sales of PNI’s fert ilizers and pesticides to the small farms’ customers have already gained the largest sales in the whole market (Fertilizer: 87. 41%, Pesticide: 44. 67%). However, for the sales of PNI’s fertilizers and pesticides to the medium and large farms customers account a very small portion of the total sales in the whole market (Medium: Fertilizer: 11. 84%, Pesticide: 7. 26%; Large: Fertilizer: 8. 79%, Pesticide: 6. 79%). Hence, PNI should also pay more attention to increase the sales to the medium and large farms’ customers due to its huge growth potential. . According to the Exhibit 5 in the case, the large farm size prefer Materials and Regular fertilizers and it contributes almost 54. 3% of the material sales to total sales. Therefore, PNI should focus on selling Materials to large farm size customers. However, the sales percentage of the premium and regular fertilizers, which in the medium farm size contributes the most to the total sales of the market, and the sale percentages are 53. 1% and 59. 7% respectively, and the Exhibit 4 showed that the Premium fertilizers and Regular fertilizers of PNI have the highest ($89. 5) and second highest gross margin ($66. 11); hence, PNI should focus on selling premium and regular fertilizers to small and medium farm size customers. In addition, it is unnecessary for PNI to focus on the sales to dealers because PNI cannot stop the trend that the sales volume to dealers is decreasing year after year. Observation: 1. Medium and large farmers have great grow potential. 2. Small and Medium farms prefer Premium blends fertilizers, which is the most profitable fertilizer product in PNI (gross margin: $ 89. 95/ ton) Strategy Diamond ModelThe strategy diamond, which includes arenas, vehicles, differentiators, staging and pacing, and economic logic, shows how well a company do its business in a strategic level. Arenas: PNI’s current product and service lines consisted of fertilizers, pesticides, custom appli cation services and oil testing. The PNI in Lancaster is one of the subsidiaries in the 6 geographical regions, which are Northeastern United States, Eastern Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. In terms of distribution channel, the company outsource a trucking company to cut down on their distribution costs.Moreover, the company have modern equipment to produce products and have the best trained operators to provide services in the region. Vehicles: There is no information about vehicle in the current situation. However, if PNI select the second alternative, which is adding a seed business in the near future, the company may alliance with Larson Seed, a regional seed producer, to provide expertise and sales training for PNI sales consultants. Differentiators: PNI bundles their prices so that when a farmer buys their product the services are also included in the price.The services provided are also customizable to the farmer’s needs. They have the most q ualified operators in the region, and because of this, they are able to provide the highest quality services. They have a strong long lasting relationship with their customers as they have been in the business for 20 years. Furthermore, PNI is the only fertilizer supplier in the area with proprietary, premium fertilizers, had invested heavily over the years to develop and test their products. Each customer needs different services that depend on that customer's situation by creating value bundle.Staging and Pacing: There is urgency for PNI to do internal development because the company wanted to perform better in the next year (1999). So, the top management had come up with three alternatives to either adding new businesses or strengthening the current business. Economic logic: There is a great potential for PNI to generate more profits when the company minimize its cost. The case mentioned that PNI didn’t achieve its maximum capacity. For example, the capacity of PNI blendin g plant is 14,000 tons/ year; however, it just blended approximately 10,000 tons in 1998.By achieving the maximum capacity, the company can utilize the economies of scale to assign the fixed costs of the production into each process, so that the company can make more profit. Observations: Overall, PNI didn’t perform very well in 1998 because the operations within the organization don’t function well. The major reason of it is that the production level didn’t meet the maximum capacity, which increases the cost of each product. When costs go up, the revenue will decrease (assume the volume sold is the same).Internal Analysis-Value Chain analysis The Value Chain is a tool to analyze the internal environment of a company and determine where the business concentrates their efforts. Inbound logistics: PNI’s warehouse met the latest U. S. environment standards for fertilizer and pesticide storage; however, its storage is able to handle a substantially larger vol ume than currently required. This means the company have high variable cost per item because it didn’t fully utilize its storage. Operations: The capacity of PNI blending plant is 14,000 tons/ year; however, it just blended approximately 10,000 tons in 1998.This means PNI were not achieving the maximum capacity. The company has two types of application equipment, which are modern and in good working order. The first type is fertilizer equipment, which consist 25 bulk, full-typed spreaders. The cost of the equipment is incorporated in the price of fertilizer, so it is free for customers. However, customers just used bulk spreaders on about 80, 000 acres in 1998, which is about 32000 acres per spreaders, which is less than a spreader’s capacity of about 4000 acres. So, the company can reduce the number of spreader it gave to customers to reduce costs.Air spreader is more attractive to large and medium farmers. The capacity is 8000 acres per year under ideal condition, ho wever, only 4000 acres in 1998, which is only half of the actual capacity. Consumers can choose to pay for it by bundling price of equipment to fertilizers or separate the price for spray equipment and fertilizers. The other type of application equipment is pesticide application equipment. There are two self-propelled applicators under pesticide application equipment, which are small unit applicator and larger unit applicator.The capacity is 8,000 acres per year for smaller unit and 10,000 acres per year for larger unit. In the last two years, these two units are fully utilized, which sprays a total of 18, 000 acres of land each year. The problem is two application units were fully booked, whether lack of application capacity might be constraining pesticide sales. The soil testing lab can handle 14000 samples per year; however, it only handled 6000 samples in 1998. Outbound logistics: PNI deliver raw materials by using an excellent rail service and a local trucking firm handled all shipment to customers.Dunwoodie said that the outsourcing of PNI’s trucking had reduced costs and investments substantially. Marketing and sales: PNI is the only fertilizer supplier in the area with proprietary, premium fertilizers, had invested heavily over the years to develop and test their products, which are urea and ammonium, regular N-P-K, and premium N-P-K. The last product was a proprietary product that carried the Nutri-Plus brand, which provides significant economic benefits to farmers and the sales of it accounted for half of sales in 1988 and an increasing percent percentage of PNI's total sales over time.Most of customers didn’t ask about price, so they are less price sensitive. Dunwoodie estimated that to be about 40% of the total acres treated with chemicals sold by PNI. The market segments are depending on the size of farm, which are sorted by small, medium and large. There are up to 100 acres of crops in small farms, 100-500 acres of crops in medium f arms and over 500 acres of crops in large farms. PNI charge on the basis of the customer's ability and willingness to pay and are sharing in the benefits it create for the customers, which result in higher margin, premium products.However, PNI lost profit on the higher prices of these products due to high cost of service. The company had about $25,000 in its budget for marketing. PNI spent most of them on PNI-sponsored events where 25-50 local farmers were treated to a meal, some entertainment, and an information program. PNI also advertised in local newspaper and gave away hats, pens, and other premiums to customers and prospects. Moreover, $5000 was spent on a corporate brochure in 1998. Service: extensive agronomic services: soil analysis, crop scouting, nutrient consulting, micronutrients analysis, and pesticide and fertilizer application.Sales representative do delivery, application, consultation, consultation, and billing to customers. Also, they kept latest product knowledge and attempted to build strong personal relationships with each customer result in low customer turnover rate. Procurement: Supplied by its mother company. Technology development: PNI use modern equipment to produce products and advanced information system to provide more accurate data and feedbacks to the company. Also, if it decides to enter into the precision agricultural business, it needs to use GPS system and other AgriTechs, such as Yield Mapping and Remote Sensing Mapping.Human resources management: Brian Dunwoodie has 11 staffs reporting to him that includes sales, marketing, accounting, production, administrative functions. Staffs are flexible and empowered, so that they could do what needed to be done. Dave Claussen is responsible for developing PNI's marketing program. There are two services managers who work with sales consultant to determine the types of products and application rates for individual farmer clients. PNI is possible to use high-level technical support bec ause it use full time and better trained employees than competitors.Other company use part-time employees with little expertise with the equipment or procedures involved for applying fertilizers and pesticides. There are 4 sales consultants who is selling PNI products and services, working with existing customers, explaining soil test results, helping develop an annual fertilizer and pesticide program, providing general technical advice and attracting new customers. Average 30 days each year to sales and product training, compared to other competitors less than 15 days on training. Each consultant had a designated sales territory, which has approximately 140 customers. Observations: 1.PNI have extra capacity of warehouse and machinery. 2. Outsourcing trucking service reduce the company’s cost. 3. Staffs are well-trained and be able to provide superior services to customers. VRINE analysis VRINE is a tool to analyze the internal resources and capabilities to determine if a com pany has a competitive advantage over competitors. Value: There is no unique resource within the organization because the technology and resources the company use to produce the products is easy to access by other competitors. However, the company provide customized services and products to customers, which provide benefits to farmers.Also, PNI has the best operators within the organization to serve its customers, which helps the company to build a good relationship with customers. It also used the â€Å"win-win† philosophy and dispatched sales representatives to keep a good long-term relationship with its customers Rarity: The resources the company use are not rare, because it can be access by competitors too. Inimitability: The technology the company use to produce products is easy to imitate by competitors. Non-substitutability: The chemical fertilizer product can be substituted by Biofertilizers, which is made from microorganisms.Pesticide can be substituted if farmers bu y pest-resistant seed to remove the need to by pesticides. Exploitability: PNI didn’t manage its resources well because they have wasted a lot of resources in the process of operations. For example, the capacity of PNI blending plant is 14,000 tons/ year; however, it just blended approximately 10,000 tons in 1998. Air spreader is more attractive to large and medium farmers. The capacity is 8000 acres per year under ideal condition, however, only 4000 acres in 1998, which is only half of the actual capacity. Observation: 1.PNI has a non-sustainable competitive advantage. 2. The exploit of resource within the organization is poor. External analysis -Porter’s five forces Michael Porter's five forces model, which determined industry profitability, included degree of rivalry, threat of new entrants, supplier power, buyer power and threat of substitutes. Rivalry (High) There were five companies sell fertilizers and chemicals to farmers around Lancaster. PNI's largest competi tor is Lancaster County Co-op. It supplied both crop and livestock inputs and purchased grain through a separate division.It also offered application services-farmers were dissatisfied with the quality of these services and co-op didn't provide many value-added services, such as precision agriculture. Another competitor is Smith Farm Supply, which is an independent dealer. It only sold chemicals and fertilizers and provide custom application services using less expensive, poorly trained, part-time operators. Smith Farm Supply offered the best prices in the area. The other three competitors are Archibald Farm Supply, Henderson Farm Supply, Wilmington Crop Services; they all focus on supplying chemicals rather than fertilizer.Threat of new entrant (Low) Since the competition is so fierce, there is less chance that new entrant want to enter into the market. Supplier power (Low) PNI can directly get supplied from its mother company. Plant Nutrients International supplied fertilizer ingr edients to its subsidiaries. And their sales would not be influenced by the suppliers. Buyer power (High) The switching cost for customers is very low, so no matter which company offer good service and lower price customers could switch forth and back. Threat of Substitutes (medium-high)Fertilizer’s potential substitute: Customers may switch to biofertilizer, which is made from organism is applied either by coating seeds with the fungus, because people’s awareness of body health. Pesticide’s potential substitute: farmers may buy pest-resistant seed to remove the need to by pesticides Observation: Overall, the profitability of the market is not attractive because the competition is fierce, buyer power is high and there is some product can substitute the products the company currently sell. PESTEL AnalysisPESTEL analysis is used to analyze the external environment of a company; it stands for Political, Sociocultural, Environmental, Economic, Technological and Lega l. Political: PNI’s warehouse met the latest U. S. environment standards for fertilizer and pesticide storage. Sociocultural: Many of the small and some of the medium farms in Lancaster were owned by Amish farmers, they were hard-working farmers whose religious beliefs called stewardship of the land. Most of them are willing to adopt technology that supported stewardship of the land.Environmental: The chemical fertilizers and pesticides PNI sell have a potential to pollute land, so the company should be careful about the environmental costs regarding ecological or environmental issues. Economic: Asian financial crisis happened in 1997-1998, so it is not a timing to enter market into Asia. However, the financial crisis has limited influence to the United States’ economic environment. Technological: The company use advanced Information System to provide more accurate and detailed data on customers.Moreover, PNI is possible to use high-level technical support because it u se full time and better trained employees than competitors. Legal: Several federal regulations cover fertilizer manufacturing and transportation safety and limit their potential impact on the environment and security. Observation: Overall, there are many factors outside of the company have the power to influence a company’s decision and strategic plan. Alternatives Evaluation 1. Working the existing business harder Dunwoodie says that if they were to make no changes and just work their existing business harder they would be able to meet their objectives.They are lagging in the large farm segment and if they were to add 20 farms from that segment they would be able to meet their objectives. They could use their excess capacity to spread out their fixed costs. Advantages: a. It has a great potential to increase the number of customers from medium and large farmers. b. It can help the company to achieve its maximum capacity, which will reduce the cost of each product because it assigns the total fixed cost into more numbers of products. (Economies of Scale) c.Could meet the financial obligation within one year by attracting more medium farmers (the most profitable market segment) Disadvantages: a. It is hard to attract larger farmers because they prefer low-priced products. If PNI wants to attract larger customers, it should reduce product price, which means the profit will decrease as well. b. They should hire and train more sales consultant to meet the increasing number of customers, which increase PNI’s cost too. 2. Adding Seed Business Dunwoodie thought that adding a seed business to PNI would add value to the company.With the new genetic seed technology chemical sales would decline in the future thus creating more opportunities for seeds. Companies like Larson Seeds were already successful seed suppliers. Larson was looking for a distributer in Lancaster, but Dunwoodie was worried about the already existing competition in the seed market, the n ew staff they would need to hire, and the training for the employees and the company alike to get into this business. Advantages: a. Its new genetic technology might increase seed sales. b. It can help PNI complete the product line. Disadvantages: a. he new genetic technology can also decrease chemical sales in future, which conflict with PNI’s current product line. b. Another challenge for PNI to access to the seed business was that it needed to partner with a good seed producer, so whether PNI can cooperating with a regional producer would became an important question for Dunwoodie to consider if he wanted to enter the seed business. c. This alternative is hard to meet the company’s one year financial obligation because it is a new business to add a seed business, PNI should take times to discover the right strategy to sell seeds. . the competitive market is fierce, for example, Monsanto is a giant in the seed business. It is hard to steal market share from it. 3. Ad ding a Precision Agriculture Services If PNI was to adapt the precision agriculture they would be the first ones to market with this service, thus creating a huge competitive advantage. There would be a huge start-up cost to start such a venture, expenses like; new staff, equipment, trucks, and training. With is new technology they would be able to better serve their customers allowing them to put together superior agronomic packages.A lot of farmers were skeptical of the new technology but after reading the survey, I find that not many of the farmers are educated in the benefits of the new technology. It would be the sales force’s job to educate the customer on the benefits to be able to make the sale. Advantages: a. Many farmers were aware of precision agriculture and precision agriculture was a coming trend, so adding precision agriculture would improve the customer service and increase total sales. b. It can complete the company’s services by providing more precise and accurate method to application service. . It will be a competitive advantage for the company, because no competitor enters into this service. Disadvantages: a. High cost: it would cost $10,000 to set up one pull-type spreader and $225,000 to purchase the truck with six separate tanks. Moreover, PNI still needed people, computers, software, and monitors and so on; the investment would be extremely large. b. The survey found that many farmers had skepticism regarding the real benefits of the precision agriculture. c. It cannot meet the company’s financial obligation in one year. FIT AnalysisInternal: Internally PNI hires the best operators and most experienced sales consultants so that they are able to provide the best services and knowledgeable employees. By meet the company’s goal, which is better financial performance in the next year, PNI should hire more sales consultant to meet the increasing number of customers. Moreover, the company should try to achieve its maximum capacity in the next year, because it will significantly reduce the COGS. External: PNI has 5 competitors in Lancaster, which created a fierce competitive environment.However, PNI has its competitive advantage over other competitors, which is the customized and superior service it provided and also the relationship it built with customers are both the assets of the company Moreover, there are many factors externally have the power to influence a company’s decision and strategic plan. Observation: Overall there is a good fit between PNI’s internal and external environment. It recruited full-time and well trained staff to provide superior services to customers, which is a competitive advantage of the company.Externally, customers and even competitors perceived PNI as superior services providers with knowledgeable sales reps in the region. Conclusion In conclusion we think that PNI has the resource and capability to either entering new business or strengthening t he current business, because they haven’t achieve the maximum capacity of machinery and warehouse. Moreover, medium and large farmers have great growth potential and they prefer premium blends fertilizers, which is the most profitable fertilizer product in PNI.In addition, outsourcing trucking service reduces the company’s cost. Furthermore, PNI staffs are well-trained and be able to provide superior services to customers. PNI has a non-sustainable competitive advantage, which means its competitive advantage can be imitate by competitors. In addition, there are many factors outside of the company have the power to influence a company’s decision and strategic plan, such as government’s regulation and sociocultural factors. RecommendationAfter analyzing the organization’s internal and external environment, and all three alternatives, we recommend PNI choose the first alternative, which is working on the existing business harder. We also suggest that PNI focus on targeting medium farmer because of the following reasons: 1. PNI have a competitive advantage over their competitors because of their superior quality and customer relations. At the same time, medium farmers value good services when buying products, which is what PNI good at to do. 2.They are less price sensitive than larger customers, which can help PNI increase sales. 3. Medium farmers prefer premium blending fertilizer, which is the most profitable products in PNI. 4. There are only 6. 7% of medium farmers buy fertilizers of PNI and 10. 6% medium farmers purchase PNI pesticides. This means there is a great potential for PNI to get more customers from medium farmer segment because the customer base is big. 5. It has a greater potential than other alternatives to help PNI achieve its one year financial goal.Other two alternatives need longer term than the alternative 1 to breakeven, because PNI needs cost more money to implementing the seed business and precision busin ess. However, it costs the company less to implement the first strategy, because the company already have all capabilities and resources to implement the first alternative. However, it is not to say PNI should only target on medium customers. Instead, PNI should keep targeting small and large customers, because it is good to diversify the risk of targeting only one market segment. However, the medium farmers should be the priority of PNI.

Writing assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Writing - Assignment Example However, numerous counter arguments have been presented to prove that these austerity packages actually take the economy many steps behind rather than forward. The purpose of austerity packages is to reduce the budget deficit that is fiscal budget deficit to be specific. However, it can be seen that these packages have actually worsened the situation in Greece and budget deficits have increased. The first major aspect of this argument is that when an austerity package is implemented, the government expenditure decreases. When this happens, the investment in the economy decreases. This investment is a key factor in the calculation of the gross domestic product (GDP) and such a measure will indirectly decrease the GDP of the economy with the aid of a decrease in investments. When the government expenditure goes down along with the investments, people go out of employment. This is what has happened in Greece where the investments have either been drawn out of the economy or the government is not spending enough money to help the employment rate. This rise in unemployment leaves less number of people with the disposable income and the living standards of the people go down. Although this living standard cannot be measured with the assistance of budgets but this surely increases the anxiety and frustration in the society leading to poor law and order and eventually lower injection of funds due to poor confidence in the economy. (Tyson, 2012) One thing that can negatively influence the budget deficit directly is the fact that when unemployment rises, people have less money to spend and the consumption in the economy goes down. This lowers the GDP of the economy and this causes the budget deficits to increase even further. Another factor related to unemployment is that the unemployed people cannot pay taxes and this negatively influences a key source of revenue for the government. This results in even a greater fiscal budget deficit and

The Legacy of Rome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Legacy of Rome - Essay Example For a long period of time Rome used to be the main epicenter of art and architecture for the whole world (Claridge, 61-70). The Roman architecture initiated the use of shapes like domes, arch and the vault. Rome became the most important centre during the Renaissance period. Now let’s have a look on the other aspects of the Roman Legacy. In the seventeenth century, and throughout the entire of the eighteenth, the written works of Rome practiced a majestic influence over European taste. The customary record of the root of written works at Rome, acknowledged by the Romans themselves, is that it was altogether because of contact with Greece (Garwood, 33- 35). The writing time came in the first place, and is signalized by the names of Cicero, Sallust, and Caesar. The commended authors were currently basically men of activity and high position in the state. The standards of the dialect got settled; its syntactic development was altogether comprehended, and its particular genius wisely acclimates to those manifestations of creation in which it was characteristically equipped for outperforming (Edwards, 114-117). The flawlessness of verse was not accomplished until the time of Augustus. The Roman engineering is still mesmerizing and versatile in nature (Caldwell and Caldwell, 123). The first thing the Romans did after entering another locale, in the wake of winning the war that picked up them their new domain, was develop ways and extensions (Dyson, 217-220). The history of Roman law could be separated into three frameworks of technique: that of legis actiones, the model framework, and cognitio additional ordinem. Throughout the republic and until the bureaucratization of Roman legal strategy, the judge was normally a private individual (iudex privatus). He must be a Roman male native. The gatherings could concur on a judge, or they could select one from a record, called collection iudicum. They went down the agenda until they establish a judge

The Effect of Osmosis on Potato Tissue When Placed In Different Essay

The Effect of Osmosis on Potato Tissue When Placed In Different Concentrations of Sugar Solutions - Essay Example This is in contrast to the potato slice in the first beaker in which only 1 teaspoon of sugar was dissolved and which has shrunk the least. This pilot experiment will now be conducted in a much more accurate fashion and the investigation will deal with sugar in moles per litre of solution and the weight difference of the potato slices will be determined in order to correlate the sugar solution molarity with the change in weight of the potato slice. Hypothesis- Place potato tissues of the same dimensions and weight and taken from the same potato in sugar solutions of different molarities (a measure of concentration i.e. the number of moles of sugar present in 1 liter of solution), all at the same temperature and pressure, then osmosis takes place and there will be a difference in the weights of potato slices in the different samples. Materials needed to conduct the experiment- a sharp knife, a weighing balance, 4 beakers, 4 potato slices, sugar solutions of different concentrations of sugar-0.1M, 0.2M, 0.3M and water with no sugar dissolved in it. (around 68F/20C) and pressure.

Development in ICT and strategic opportunities offered for competitive Essay

Development in ICT and strategic opportunities offered for competitive advantage in organisations - Essay Example Founded in 1984 by Leonard Bosack and sandy Lemer, a husband and wife team of academics from Stanford University, as a means of sending data between computers. Cisco has grown to be the company that, according to David Stauffer in Business the Cisco Way, is the company that makes the Internet. Cisco's networking products are designed to connect people, computing devices and computer networks, allowing access or information transfer regardless of differences in time, place or type of computer system. Cisco provides end-to-end networking solutions that customers use to build their own unified information infrastructure or to connect to and outside network. And end-to-end networking solution is defined as one that provides a common architecture that delivers consistent network services to all users. The broader the range of network services, the more capabilities a network can provide to users connected to it and thus the more effective it is. Large organisations with complex networking needs, spanning multiple locations and with many types of computer systems. Such customers include major corporations, government agencies, pan-governmental organisations, public utilities and educational institutions. Cisco operates in over 115 countries using a direct sales force, distributors, value-added resellers and system integrators. The company is headquartered in San Jose, CA. With major operations in Research Triangle Park, NC, and Chelmsford, MA; as well more than 225 sales and support offices in 75 countries. As a company that is in tune with the individual needs of its customers Cisco does not take a rigid, product-led approach that favours one particular solution regardless of the fit with customer requirements. Cisco's philosophy is to listen to customer needs and then develop solutions for discussion to ensure that those needs are met- a customer driven approach. Cisco's strategy: This high-tech company has the strategy of being a one-stop shopping provider of networking equipment. Operating models include a well-honed model for acquiring

Education As The Cornerstone Of Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 8

Education As The Cornerstone Of Success - Essay Example Many opportunities come because of acquiring education. From the basic standards of formal education, it ensures that individuals acquire life skills from the starting point. A person develops knowing the basic requirements of him from society. It is interesting to note that the definition of success in life depends on what the society believes in. Therefore, by learning what society requires exposes people to the path of fulfilling their destiny resulting in success. The curriculum then provides all the skills available to the individual as it awaits him to develop an interest in his own areas. By providing all the skills, education gives the individual an opportunity to choose what he is interested in partaking. The curriculum defines each an every skill and puts measures to see them grow into success. By so doing, it helps to shape the individuals’ interests without influencing them into taking something else. Its basic role is to shape their interests and nurture them. Education plays a role in enlightening people. As noted earlier, education involves the acquisition of knowledge and skills. This knowledge improves the mode in which the brain works. The brain receives a lot of information, after which it sorts and arranges them in a way that an individual is conversant with many things that occur daily. This knowledge broadens the way of thought and arguments. An argument entails a manner in which a person is capable of reasoning with the issues and being able to separate facts from mere propaganda. It is only because of acquired knowledge that someone is able to reason out consciously. In addition to this, a person with an average education is able to think in a higher level as compared to another average uneducated person.

Water Footprint Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Water Footprint - Essay Example The essay "Water Footprint" presents a website as an excellent resource to get an idea about how water footprint provides insight into the way different countries utilize their water resources by observing the larger countries that are economically significant and have larger footprints which are perhaps a way of saying that their economies are growing, since a major limitation in the economic growth of countries is the availability of water resources. The water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use. It can be measured for a single process, such as growing rice, for a product, such as a pair of jeans, for the fuel we put in our car, or for an entire multi-national company. The water footprint can also tell us how much water is being consumed by a particular country – or globally – in a specific river basin or from an aquifer.In this regard, USA, China and India appear quite significant. Additionally, I have observed that regions of the earth like the north Africa have scarce water resources, and hence both their water footprint as well as their economic growth are minimal. So, they have to rely on imports to meet their needs and in the process, they have to spend their valuable resources to import from countries that have abundant water resources and hence sound growing economies. This clearly indicates that the knowledge about water footprint is essential to understand how different countries are performing on a global scale.

Philosophy paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Philosophy paper - Essay Example Their affiliation determines who they like and don't like. If Euthyphro says "What is dear to the gods is pious, what is not is impious" then it would be proven illogical in Socrates' counter argument that Athena and Ares consider the same group of people both pious and impious. These qualities should be universal but they are not. This is the principle of Euthyphro's Dilemma.(Round 3) The gods can agree and be universal in their choices. Definition Round 3 : "the pious is what all gods love.. and what all the gods hate, is the impious†¦" Socrates gives strenuous opposition because the answer is not straight forward. "Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?" Euthyphro agrees that it cannot be answered universally. The gods love some things because they are pious or good. This shows that that the god- loved and pious have to be different. The idea of right and wrong have to have an intrinsic anchor. Socrates goes ahead an explains cause and effect. Euthyphro's arguments cannot only be based on the same laws of the physical universe. He based his laws of piety on the same laws of the physical universe. The laws of piety are not rules and regulations which can been governed by gods or bodies of government. The best answer accepted by both Socrates and Euthyphro is to question one because the pious can be immaterial grammatically as it can be a person or an animal. The moment gods like it the "thing becomes pious. The Euthyphro Dilemma is presented by Socrates as showing that pious cannot be grammatically defined as it was done in ancient Greek. 2)If the Universe is like a watch the universe represents a complex organism of parts which function together . Paley never develops the analogy but compares the universe to a rock in the woods and a watch. He uses this comparison to develop his version of the Design argument which is later refuted by Hume's counter arguments. He knows that a rock would not be easily accepted as having a Designer as a creator. Using the watch as an analogy to the comparison to the world assumes that there is a designer to the universe who must be God. Functionality assumes a designer which assumes the existence of God. The watch analogy shows the complexity of natural order and thus an existence of a creator. The natural events in life cannot be contributed to happenstance. Yes a watch has problems as does nature. A watch has a maker though you don't see him. You cannot see the inner workings of the watch though they exist. They have been put together as the universe was put together. They were designed before they were created. The universe functions because of the work of the presence of an omnipotent designer. Even though the watch can have problems in working properly, it was designed in its inception. A perfect example would be the climatic problems we are having in the world. The weather system was designed but it is not working as it s hould. If the watch is missing a battery or needs to be taken to a watch maker because it is no longer keeping proper time, these are two conditions we would not be able to fix because of our lack of understanding. This does not assume that there was not a designer. The casing of the watch as well as all other items in the world have structure, otherwise there would be total chaos. The watch would not be able to hold together its parts. He uses a deductive argument if noticeable things were

Research Design DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Design DB - Essay Example The said actions resulted to a vicious cycle of manipulating records to be able to present a continuous growth of the company (Fusaro, Miller, & James, 2002). Basically, the misrepresentation of the company records can be considered as an escalating problem that is a continuous threat to the company’s survival. The fraud has been kept for long due to the fact there is an existence of accounts in other countries that were able to hide the real losses of the company. In the absence of such accounts, the manipulation of the records cannot be possible. On the other hand though, although the said actions are carefully undertaken, the unconventional presentation of records continuously raised suspicion until the said company finally collapsed due to the lack of supporting assets (Fusaro, Miller, & James, 2002). The misuse of the data by Enron can be considered to benefit the reputation and the price of the stocks during the particular time. The company had been able to continuously lead the market although loses can be considered substantial. The said loses which are well hidden during that time had been the cause of the fall of the company. Every data that are related to finding out the crimes committed limits the operation of the company (Bazerman, 2006; Fusaro, Miller, & James, 2002). In relation the ethical implications of the Enron case, the fraud and deceit of the different parties that are involved can be considered as the main issue. Basically, any misrepresentation of data specifically in business organizations can be ethically questioned. The fact that the company lacks the real assets that amounts to the values represented in the records can be considered as the main basis of the bound failure of Enron. In addition, the ethical implications of such actions of the financial personnel can be considered of detrimental effects in any business

Adolescent Offender Essay Example for Free

Adolescent Offender Essay Lionel Tate, a fourteen year old Florida boy was sentenced to life during March 2001 for killing Tiffany Eunick, a six- year boy during a wrestling match which took place in 1999. Thus he was convicted of first degree murder as the killing was due to aggravated child abuse and he was sentenced to life without parole.   His sentence was questioned by many critics and many wonder how the justice system allows to send a just fourteen year old boy to prison for life. The underlying question in the ongoing debate was that how a juvenile can be awarded punishment similar to their adult offenders. [i] Adolescent can be defined as the stage of life cycle from puberty to maturity ends at the age of majority. Adolescent thus refers to the change in physical system of a human leading to sexual maturity. Many adolescent teenagers without proper support factors can end in the ‘cracks’ and may land in hostile world. Juvenile delinquency means antisocial attitude beyond the control of parents and result in crimes that is punishable with imprisonment. In other words, it is a criminal offense committed by a minor. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Rolf Loeber has conducted research on delinquent paths or trajectories and recognized three discrete paths to a criminal career such as 1) the authority conflict pathway 2) The convert pathway 3) The overt pathway; He also recognise that disruptive behavior that starts from in early childhood with truancy ,lying , threat to animals . There were more than 600 murders that were committed by young people aged 12. Thus in the case of Lionel, it starts from early age of 12 and corroborates with Loeber finding under the overt pathway which escalated to aggressive acts beginning with aggression leading to violence i.e. murder. The Lionel may be of suffering from Problem behavior syndrome (PBS). People with these syndromes will resort to physical abuse, sensation seeking, and arrogance. Researches reveal that delinquent possessed this inherent behavior from very early young age. Some had resorted to drug abuse and heavy drinking as early as at age of 10 or still younger.   Thus the Rolf Loeber and David Farrington study reveals that early-onset offenders had a disruptive behavior with truancy, lying, cruelty to animals and theft. Thus the attitude of young offenders can be attributed when there is no adequate parental care, the environment of their brought up , inherent characteristics at birth and may also due to Problem behavior syndrome ( PBS) [i] Scott, Elizabeth S, ‘Blaming Youth’, Texas Law Review, Feb, 2003. Children Committing First Crime at Just 11. (2005, February 15). The Evening Standard (London, England), p. 16.

Importance of Customer Satisfaction

Importance of Customer Satisfaction Customer Service Introduction According to Hansemark and Albinsson(2004), satisfaction is an overall customer attitude towards a service provider, or an emotional reaction to the difference between what customers anticipate and what they receive, regarding the fulfilment of some need, goal or desire. Customer loyalty, on the other hand, according to Anderson and Jacobsen (2000) is actually the result of an organisation creating a benefit for a customer so that they will maintain or increase their purchases from the organisation. True customer loyalty is created when the customer becomes an advocate for the organisation, without incentive. To be successful, organizations must cater to the needs, wants and demands of their customers. That is the reason why many companies have continuously focused on the importance of customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, it has a positive effect on an organisations profitability. There is also a close and positive connection between customer satisfaction and loyalty. Therefore, customer satisfaction and loyalty are all very important for an organization to be successful. Many researchers have looked into the importance of customer satisfaction. Kotler(2000) defined satisfaction as: a persons feelings (pleasure or disappointment) resulting from comparing a product performance in relation to his or her expectations. Hoyer and MacInnis (2001) said that satisfaction can be associated with feelings of acceptance, happiness, relief, excitement, and delight. There are many factors that affect customer satisfaction. According to Hokanson (2001), these factors include: friendly employees, courteous employees, knowledgeable employees, helpful employees, accuracy of billing, billing timeliness, competitive pricing, service quality, good value, billing clarity and quick service. In order to achieve customer satisfaction, organisations must be able to fulfil their customers needs and wants (La Barbera and Mazursky, 2000). Customers needs state the felt deprivation of a customer (Kotler, 2000).Whereas customers wants, according to Kotler (2000) refer to the form taken by human needs as they are shaped by culture and Individual personality. However, Bowen and Chen (2001) said that having satisfied customers is not enough, there has to be extremely satisfied customers. This is because customer satisfaction leads to customer loyalty. Bansal and Gupta (2001):Building customer loyalty is not a choice any longer with businesses: its the only way of building sustainable competitive advantage. Building loyalty with key customers has become a core marketing objective shared by key players in all industries catering to business customers. The strategic imperatives for Building a loyal customer base is as: Focus on key customers Proactively generate high level of Customer satisfaction with every Interaction Anticipate customer needs and respond to them before the competition does Build closer ties with customers Create a value perception Sivadas and Baker-Prewitt (2000) said there is an increasing recognition that the ultimate objective of customer satisfaction measurement should be customer loyalty. Fornell (2002) said high customer satisfaction will result in increased loyalty for the firm and that customers will be less prone to overtures from competition. This view was also shared by Anton (2002) who said that satisfaction is positively associated with repurchase intentions, likelihood of recommending a product or service, loyalty and profitability. Loyal customers would purchase from the firm over an extended period of time. (Evans and Berman, 2003). Guiltinan, Paul and Madden (2001) said that satisfied customers are more likely to be repeat (and even become loyal) customers. Sivadas and Baker-Prewitt (2000) Satisfaction also influences the likelihood of recommending a departmental store as well as repurchase but has no direct impact on loyalty. Thus satisfaction in itself will not translate into loyalty. However, satisfaction will foster loyalty to the extent that it is a prerequisite for maintaining a favourable relative attitude and for recommending and repurchasing from the Store. Once customers recommend a department store it shows loyalty towards that store. Thus the key to generating loyalty is to get customers to recommend a store to others. Also, customers are likely to recommend a department store when they are satisfied with that store and when they have a favourable relative attitude towards that store. Evans and Berman (2003): Companies with satisfied customers have a good opportunity to convert them into loyal customers who purchases from those firms over an extended period. Conclusion Based on the views and research, it can be concluded that customer satisfaction is very important. Thus, though customer satisfaction does not guarantee repurchase on the part of the customers but still it plays a very important part in ensuring customer loyalty. This point has been echoed by Gerpott et al. (2001) when they said customer satisfaction is a direct determining factor in customer loyalty, which, in turn, is a central determinant of customer retention. Therefore, according to me, organisations should always strive to ensure that their customers are very satisfied. References Anderson, H. Jacobsen P. N., 2000, Creating Loyalty: Its Strategic Importance in Your Customer Strategy. Bansal, S. Gupta, G., 2001, Building Customer Loyalty Business-to-Business Commerce. Bowen, J. T. Chen, S. L., May 2001, the Relationship between Customer Loyalty and Customer Satisfaction, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality. Evans, J. R. Lindsay, W. M., 2003, the Management and Control of Quality. 3rd Ed. Guiltinan, J. P., Paul, G. W. Madden, T. J.,2001, Marketing Management: Strategies and Programs Hansemark, O. C. Albinson, M., 2004, Customer Satisfaction and Retention: The Experiences of Individual Employees, Managing Service Quality. Hoyer, W. D. MacInnis, D. J., 2001, Consumer Behaviour. 2nd Ed. Hokanson, S., January 2, 2001, The Deeper You Analyse, The More You Satisfy Customers Kotler, P., 2000, Marketing Management. 10th Ed. LaBarbera, P. A. Mazursky, D., 2000, A Longitudinal Assessment of Consumer Satisfaction. Sivadass, E. Baker-Prewitt, J. L., 2000, An Examination of the Relationship Between Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, and Store Loyalty.

Analysis Of Terrorism On The African Continent Politics Essay

Analysis Of Terrorism On The African Continent Politics Essay As the Middle East continues to be the primary spotlight of international attention in the American-led War on Terror, it is easy to overlook the fact that the most extreme terrorist attacks adjacent to 9/11 all took place in Africa. (BRON) Since the atrocities of 9/11, there has been a significant change in the United States (US) foreign policy towards the African continent, a progression that has been hastened by the demands of the War on Terror. The development away from the American hands off attitude to Africa has had a striking impact on human security on the continent. Yet, the imperative effects of the shift in the American foreign policy towards Africa to prevent and suppress the threat of terrorism and improve human security levels on the continent are an unexplored area of research. To create a base of knowledge on this topic, this paper examines the impact of the War on Terror on human security in Africa. The focus of research is put on the two major American military ope rations in Africa since 2002: the Horn of Africa Combined Joint Task Force (HOACJTF) and the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI). The successfulness of the War on Terror in Africa is indicated in the evaluation of the decrease in the number of terrorist incidents on the African continent and the improvement of the Human Development Index (HDI) of the Africans nations during these operations. The War on Terror has succeeded to improve national security on the African continent by the active promotion of democracy, peace and stability through the Horn of Africa Combined Joint Task Force and the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative. If the September 11 attacks would not have taken place, then-President George W. Bush would arguably never have made an official visit to the African countries of Nigeria, Uganda, Botswana, South Africa, and Senegal in July 2003 the first visit by a sitting Republican president to the African continent. At the very least, the attacks of 9/11 added necessity to his visit. Moments before his departure, Bush acknowledged that many African governments have the will to fight the war on terror we will give them the tools and the resources to win [this] war.(Quote Bush) According to United States National Security Strategy of September 2002, 9/11 taught the United States that weak states can pose as great a danger to our national interests as strong states. Poverty does not make poor people into terrorists and murderers. Yet poverty, weak institutions, and corruption can make weak states vulnerable to terrorist networks and drug cartels within their borders. After 9/11, U.S. focus on terrorism in Africa became much more pronounced. For the first time since 1993, the United States deployed a sizeable contingent of American troops on the continent with the establishment of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa is Africas bridge to the Middle East. Quietly the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa has emerged as Americas most productive post-9/11 alliance. Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa focuses its efforts on conducting unified action in the combined joint operations area of the Horn of Africa to prevent conflict, promote tourism as well as regional stability, and protect Coalition interests in order to prevail against extremism. At the time, the Operation also have several peacekeeping missions in Sudan and Somalia. Since the start of the operation in 2002, the Task Force has succeeded to promote good governance throughout the region by strengthening diplomatic understanding of the area of and increasing support to those countries that already play a key role in counterterrorism operations, but that suffer from poor employment, education, and social services. At the same time, Though the US presence is essential for the stability of the Horn, the Horn states themselves prove to be successful in resolving the regional threats- particularly the al Qaeda terrorist threat- that are essential to providing confidence among Horn states. Another operation that has played a pivotal role promoting human security is the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative (TSCTI). Much like the Horn of Africa Operation the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Initiative, or TSCTI, has exceeded the expectations of the participant countries and those of American military planners. The Initiative is an interagency plan by the United States government, combining efforts by both civil and military agencies, to combat terrorism in Trans-Saharan Africa. The goal of Initiative is to counter terrorist influences in the region and assist governments to better control their territory and to prevent huge tracts of largely deserted African territory from becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups. The Operation officially started in, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, but Current membership includes eleven African countries: The goal of the alliance is not to fight in hot spots, but to provide preventative training and engagement with governments to help prevent the growth of terrorist organizations in the partner countries. Member states noted the improvement in communications between the numerous conferences between senior military officers of participant states. Such gatherings have increased confidence among states, improved the training practices, improved joint tactics to confront indigenous terror groups or those outside the region, and assisted in the synchronization of communication. Another important result is that border security has increased throughout the regions. The Sahel countries (Chad, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania) in particular have dramatically increased the presence of troops along their borders, helping to prevent the emergence of safe havens in the expansive desert areas within the region. These elements and the administrations consistent statements regarding the importance of democratic governance represent another aspect of the legacy of the TSCTI. This point is fundamental because it is clear that the success of the TSCTI in the short term and long term will depend on the abilit y of member states to adopt and to implement democratic principles. After having analyzed the two most successful US operations in Africa to counter terrorism, the question of how these results reflect improvement in human security still remains. It is clear that the Operations have succeeded to play an active role in the promotion of democracy, peace and stability, but have they really improved human security in Africa. In order to show you so, I have linked to successfulness of the operations to two important statistic trends. First of all, I did research on the change of the number of terrorist attacks in Africa. Next, I focused on the Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of human development The statistic is composed from data on life expectancy, education and per-capita GDP (as an indicator of standard of living) The HDI has been used since 1990 by the United Nations Development Programme for its annual Human Development Reports. Conclusion (draft) although I hope to have convinced you that human security in Africa has improved indeed since the start of the War on Terror, I have to say there is still much room for further improvement of human security in Africa. The War on Terror in Africa is still facing some major humanitarian challenges, including the crisis in Darfur and the Civil War in Somalia. On October 1, 2008, responsibility for the Trans-Sahara Counter Initiative together with the command of the Horn of Africa Operation was transferred to The United States Africa Command or AFRICOM. It is now up to AFRICOM to prove it is capable of bringing and maintaining peace and stability on the African continent.