Twelfth Night - Analysis Of Fools Essays (1288 words) - Theatre

Twelfth Night - Analysis of Fools A fool can be defined in many meanings according to theOxford English Dictionary On Historical Principles. The word could mean "a silly person", or "one who professionally counterfeits folly for the entertainment of others, a jester, clown" or "one who has little or no reason or intellect" or "one who is made to appear to be a fool" (word originated from North Frisian). In english literature, the two main ways which the fool could enter imaginative literature is that "He could provide a topic, a theme for mediation, or he could turn into a stock character on the stage, a stylized comic figure". In William Shakespeare's comedy, Twelfth Night, Feste the clown is not the only fool who is subject to foolery. He and many other characters combine their silly acts and wits to invade other characters that "evade reality or rather realize a dream", while "our sympathies go out to those". "It is natural that the fool should be a prominent & attractive figure and make an important contribution to the action" in forming the confusion and the humor in an Elizabethan drama. In Twelfth Night, the clown and the fools are the ones who combine humor & wit to make the comedy work. Clowns, jesters, and Buffoons are usually regarded as fools. Their differences could be of how they dress, act or portrayed in society. A clown for example, "was understood to be a country bumpkin or 'cloun'". In Elizabethan usage, the word 'clown' is ambiguous "meaning both countryman and principal comedian". Another meaning given to it in the 1600 is "a fool or jester". As for a buffoon, it is defined as "a man whose profession is to make low jests and antics postures; a clown, jester, fool". The buffoon is a fool because "although he exploits his own weaknesses instead of being exploited by others....he resembles other comic fools". This is similar to the definition of a 'Jester' who is also known as a "buffoon, or a merry andrew. One maintained in a prince's court or nobleman's household". As you can see, the buffoon, jester and the clown are all depicted as fools and are related & tied to each other in some sort of way. They relatively have the same objectives in their roles but in appearance wise (clothes, physical features) they may be different. In Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Feste's role in this Illyrian comedy is significant because "Illyria is a country permeated with the spirit of the Feast of Fools, where identities are confused, 'uncivil rule' applauded...and no harm is done". "In Illyria therefore the fool is not so much a critic of his environment as a ringleader, a merry-companion, a Lord of Misrule. Being equally welcome above and below stairs.." makes Feste significant as a character. In Twelfth Night, Feste plays the role of a humble clown employed by Olivia's father playing the licensed fool of their household. We learn this in Olivia's statement stating that Feste is "an allowed fool"(I.v.93) meaning he is licensed, privileged critic to speak the truth of the people around him. We also learn in a statement by Curio to the Duke that Feste is employed by Olivia's father. "Feste the jester... a fool that the Lady Olivia's father took much pleasure in"(II.iv.11). Feste is more of the comic truth of the comedy. Although he does not make any profound remarks, he seems to be the wisest person within all the characters in the comedy. Viola remarks this by saying "This fellow's wise enough to play the fool"(III.i.61). Since Feste is a licensed fool, his main role in Twelfth Night is to speak the truth. This is where the humor lies, his truthfulness. In one example he proves Olivia to be a true fool by asking her what she was mourning about. The point Feste tried to make was why was Olivia mourning for a person who's soul is in heaven? "CLOWN Good madonna, why mourn'st thou? OLIVIA Good Fool, for my brother's death. CLOWN I think his soul is in hell, madonna. OLIVIA I know his soul is in heaven, fool. CLOWN The more fool, madonna, to mourn for your brother's soul, being in heaven. Take away the fool, gentlemen. Adding to the humor of the comedy, Feste, dresses up as Sir Topaz, the curate and visits the imprisoned Malvolio with Maria and Sir Toby. There he uses his humor to abuse Malvolio who is still unaware that he is actually talking to the

Individual Case Google Incorporation

Individual Case Google Incorporation Introduction Google Incorporation is one of the largest internet-based companies in the world. The company’s headquarters is in California. The company deals in areas such as software vending, search engine, and internet marketing. In the recent past, the company has added cloud computing to its products line. The company has grown through product differentiation, acquisitions, and merges in the last ten years.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Individual Case: Google Incorporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main competitors of Google are Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn, which have the ability to offer alternative perfect substitute to customers who may be unsatisfied with products offered by Google. The company successfully used flexible sourcing, retail distribution, and product focused differentiation to survive the impact of these competitors. As at the end of the year 2013, Google had th e largest market share of 66.7% which was growth by 4% from 63.7% in the year 2010 (Gamble, Peteraf and Thompson, 2015). Google utilized retail distribution (software vending and internet marketing) in the recent past to further expand its presence in markets like Japan, China, and Europe. It applied product differentiation strategy to expand and position itself as search engine. Google’s scope of operations was characterized by online retailing of different internet based products targeting individuals, corporate, and government institutions across the globe market segments. For instance, Google created renowned brands for a number of products within its software vending service. Google applied a series of grand strategies such as concentration, market development, product development, vertical integration, market penetration, and online retail distribution strategies to expose its numerous products across the globe as the most competitive brand. For instance, Google managed to expand its markets outside North America within the first two years of inceptions besides launching a series of new products such as internet marketing and software vending across the globe.Advertising Looking for book review on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategic Issue Analysis of Google Incorporation Strategic Capabilities Google has a number of resources that have contributed to its success in the global market over the years. In order to ensure business sustainability, Google has concentrated the focused strategy through clear definition and targeting of specific market segment for its online based products. The strategies are achieved through provision of high quality and unique internet based products, effective distribution and secure network, individual internet user segment, and variety of the internet based products. Despite the success of these strategies, Google is threatene d by its competitors with more or less similar approach in doing business within the Internet Information Providers industry. For instance, Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn threaten to reverse the gains that Google has made in the Internet Information Providers industry. Strategic issue As a prerequisite for sustainable organization performance, the strategic issues that Google is currently facing pivot around the most appropriate market that the company should focus on or neglect in order to survive competition. Under this strategic issue, Google currently faces the dilemmas of critical focus on the most reachable software market, potentials and threats of entering the stratified software market, potential of re-branding its current software and internet marketing brands, and the best strategies of increasing visibility without appearing as a copy cat of the main competitors. Therefore, what are the best strategies that Google should focus on to survive competition in the dynami c Internet Information Providers industry? In order to respond to this question, the following sub questions will be answered. Should Google re-brand or introduce more brands to its current product line? What strategy will be necessary to properly differentiate the Google’s brand? External Environment Analysis Porter’s five forces analysis is necessary for Google as it assists in comprehension of the market strengths and weaknesses. Although Google has been a household name in the global internet information providers industry, there are several players that have limited its competitive advantage in the industry. The five forces determining the competitive advantage of companies operating within the industry are discussed below.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Individual Case: Google Incorporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Industry competitiveness analysis using Porter’s 5 forces model Threat of entry It is very difficult for a new entrant in the Internet Information Providers industry to successfully create a strong brand that can challenge dominance of Google, Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn among others. It would require massive capital for an aspiring investor to outperform their business prowess. Therefore, a new entrant may face difficulty in increasing brand visibility and cutting a piece of the market share. Since the Internet Information Providers industry is characterized by the ability to create high quality brands, a new entrant will have to build a following from scratch. This requires a lot of resources. Threat of substitutes In the internet marketing and software vending segments within the Internet Information Providers industry, threat of possible substitutes is very strong since most of the products are customized to perform specific functions, thus, rarely have substitutes. Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn have the ability to offer an alternative perfect substitute to customers who may be unsatisfied with products offered at Google Incorporation. Unsatisfied customers, therefore have other alternatives from where they can get the products traded by Google. However, imitations may threaten the market of new or current players. When the counterfeits softwares make it into the mainstream market, the revenues of genuine companies will decline. In order to remain relevant, the Google Incorporation has established a unique market for its customer through tailored optometry internet marketing and software products that are customized. Suppliers’ bargaining power In the Internet Information Providers industry, the influence of the suppliers is highest when large volumes of softwares are purchased by a service provider. When the influence is high, profitability of the establishments in this industry is low since the cost of creating and licensing some of the products is very high. Since suppliers within the Inte rnet Information Providers industry operate at local and international levels, their influence differs. For instance, China, India, and Japan suppliers the largest volume of softwares that Google integrates in its business platform to offer fast and reliable search engine. Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft and other industry players have more than 1000 suppliers each.Advertising Looking for book review on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The partnerships between independent manufacturers and vendors of softwares reduce the power of the suppliers in this industry. Google Incorporation has endeavored to use its deep reservoirs as a strategy for balancing the supply forces in the fragile software vending and internet marketing sectors of the US and across the globe. Buyers’ bargaining power There is strong power in the fragmented internet marketing and software vending segments which are indirect and direct to customers. Despite the fact that these search engine businesses have very strong brand names; the buyers in this sector have the power to influence the prices for the products since there are a variety of services to choose from. The power of the buyers is high since this industry is characterized by high competition. Therefore, each company considers the perception of their customers before setting prices in order to survive competition. Fortunately, Google has been consistent in maintaining their prices at half of the average prices of other brands due to global coverage and high economies of scale. Rivalry There are several brands operating in the same industry with virtually all of them dealing with a variety of search engine products and services. Players in the industry must be careful to survive any aggressive move by a competitor through creating a flexible brand name and constant product diversification. For instance, Yahoo provides the biggest competition to Google due to its big market share and expanded network standing at 30%. With many customers looking for good value for their money, quality in service delivery has remained the main basis upon which customers are making their final decision to purchase products in the volatile Internet Information Providers industry of the US and across the globe. All the players in the industry are putting measures in place to ensure they attract more customers and therefore expand their market share through creation of a smooth suppl y chain, diversification, and brand positioning. In line with this, Google has created multiple brands from its internet marketing and software vending products. Key Success Factors Within the External Environment Strong brand Google has established a brand image that enables it to attract customers with less effort as opposed to most of its less established rivals. The entrants have to invest heavily in promotion and advertising for them to attract new customers and maintain their customers. The established brand image has enabled the company to cut on its cost and get increased levels of profitability. Steady commitment to quality Strong commitment to quality and product innovation enables the company to get the right experience for their customers. This has been possible through the recruitment of employees with the right skills and knowledge. These employees are further trained to understand the company production strategies. Moreover, the company conducts more market research t o ascertain customer thoughts and changing demands. Expanded market Google has an active presence in all over America with an expanding presence in all other continents. In the past five years, revenues from sales doubled annually and the company expanded steadily. Market experience Having been in the Internet Information Providers industry for over 10 years, Google has acquired enough experience to compete favorably in the industry. It has had sufficient time to learn from its weaknesses and develop long-term strategies that will anchor it through the future of the market. Industry Analysis Industry Profile and Attractiveness The Internet Information Providers industry has experienced steady growth as more customers embrace renowned brands such as Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn. The global Internet Information Providers industry has an estimated market value of over $200 billion. The US, Asia, and Europe represent 76% of the market share. Despite the economic swing of 2007-200 8 financial years, the players in this industry managed to recover and are currently experiencing an average growth of 20% annually. At present, the Internet Information Providers industry command 18% of the total market value of the consumer internet purchases across the globe. The market share is anticipated to expand further to 22% by the year 2020 (Gamble et al., 2015). The search industry at present is controlled by Google, Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn, who have managed to establish a household name for their brands. Moreover, promotional services adopted by these companies have spurred the growth of internet service market across the globe. In addition, adoption of efficient and reliable technology in the marketing of these products positively skewed the market to the advantage of these internet based giants. Based on the annual growth and market share, the incumbents are positioned to benefit in the future because the industry is highly attractive, especially in the em erging markets in Asia and Africa. Industry structure The Internet Information Providers industry is fragmented because there is no single enterprise with large enough shares to determine the industry’s direction. There are about ten major companies in the industry and the four major players have about 85% share combined and the rest of the industry is made up of small private-owned companies. The largest, most important player in the industry is Google who currently holds 67.5% of the market share on its own. The second largest player in the Microsoft Company with an estimated 18% market share, followed by Yahoo with a 16% global market share (Gamble et al., 2015). The industry is very competitive because these companies offer similar products and trade within the same platform. Because of this, the basis for competition in the industry is price followed by product design. There are five success factors that are the most important to this industry, which include contacts wit hin key markets, guaranteed supply of key inputs, ability to alter goods and services in favor of market conditions, production of services currently favored by the market and a highly trained workforce. The industry is heavily influenced by the state of the economy and consumer’s disposable income. Growth over the past 5 years has come from a post recession increase in consumer’s disposable income. The recent recession is also a good example of this industrys sensitivity to disposable income as 2011 saw a 27.9% decrease in revenue as compared to 2010 (Gamble et al., 2015). Google and other competitors operate in the oligopolistic market structure. The industry has unique operational strategies which can be equated to the ideals of oligopolistic market, characterized by few competitors dominating the global search engine, internet marketing, and software vending markets. Strong commitment to quality and product innovation has enabled these companies to get the right ex perience for their customers. Moreover, the companies conduct more market research to ascertain customer thoughts and changing demands. For instance, Google has consistently increased its production modification and diversification of products in the market instead of reducing output with intent of increasing prices. There are few competitors who dominate the industry such as Google, Yahoo, AOL, Microsoft, and LinkedIn among others. These companies control the industry. The Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide Incorporation has the largest market control of 24% with the other companies sharing the rest of the market (Gamble et al., 2015). Since the industry is dominated be few global brands, it is very difficult for a new company to enter in this market and breakeven since the competitors benefit from economies of scale. Besides, the capital requirement for entry is very enormous for a new entrant. Most of products and services offered by Google and its competitors are perfect su bstitutes and tend to have similar price ranges due to standardized operational costing and targeting strategies. Since these companies target similar customer segment, they have limited alternatives in terms of multiple pricing. The companies use self advertisement and other forms of media to market different products. The self advertisement is possible due to their global brand image and active presences in the major markets across the globe. The industry structure affects the strategies used by Google and its competitors in terms of pricing of products and customer segmentation. Since the main competitors offer perfect substitute products, Google has to ensure that its prices remain competitive to avoid losing customers to some of the competitors. Besides, the company has to constantly remodel and integrate its products to maintain its current top position, which can easily be taken by the few giant competitors. Since the market structure is oligopolistic, the financial performan ce of Google has been stable and predictable since it has been able to earn very high profits since the barriers to entry such as large capital and logistic support blocks new entrants from penetrating the market. Besides, the company has been able to use product differentiation strategy by offering series of brands from similar product category to ensure that the revenues of the company are above that of its major competitors. Company Situation Financial Standing The financial standing of the Google Inc. has fluctuated significantly between 2008 and 2012. From the balance sheet, it can be observed that the total assets grew from $2.467.12 million in 2010 to $3,663.10 million in 2013. Further, the liabilities rose from $961.82 million in 2010 to $1,242.50 million in 2013. Also, it can be noted that the value of equity followed a similar trend. It increased from $1,505,293 million in 2010 to $2,420.70 million in 2013. The highest growth rate was attained in 2008 where sales grew by 2 1.75%. The least growth rate was attained in 2012 where sales decreased by 5.30%. During the global financial crisis that is in 2009 sales grew by 1.56% only (Gamble et al., 2015). Financial analysis Profitability Return on assets The return on assets improved from 29.79% in 2010 to 33.43% in 2011. It declined to 21.33% in 2012. This implies that the amount of profit generated from a unit of asset decreased over the period. This shows that the profitability and the efficiency in the utilization of the assets of the company declined over the period. This could also be a signal that the property of the company have dilapidated, thus, they cannot engender a considerable amount of returns. Return on equity The values of return on equity were high and they improved from 48.82% in 2010 to 54.62% in 2011. However, in 2012, the value dropped to 32.28%. The high values promises the shareholders high returns for their investments. The declining amount of return on equity can also be caused by the increasing amount of long term debt. An increase in debt results in an increase in interest expense. Liquidity Current ratio The current ratio was fairly stable during the period. The value of the ratio was 2.56 in 2010 and 2.54 in 2012. Thus, it can be observed that the company can adequately pay the short term obligations using current assets. This shows that the company has a sound financial standing. Working capital The working capital rose from $773,605 million in 2010 to $859,371 million in 2011. The value rose further to $1,042 million in 2012. It implies that the value of current assets exceeds the current liabilities. The two liquidity ratios were stable during the period. It shows that the company is effective in liquidity and working capital management. This gives confidence to the debt and capital providers. Leverage Debt to assets The value of debt to total assets was stable during the period. The ratio was 0.3899 in 2010 and 0.3880 in 2011. The fractions imply tha t the percentage of assets that are funded using liability remained stable during the period. The ratios also show that the company maintained a low leverage level during the period. Debt to equity The debt to equity ratio was also stable during the period. The value of the ratio was 0.639 in 2010 and 0.6341 in 2011. It is a suggestion that about 63% of the assets of the company are proactively funded through the debt option. The two leverage ratios show that the Google Company has a low debt proportion in the capital configuration. This gives the company room to take more debt that can be used or growth and expansion. Thus, the company has not fully exploited its potential. The growth prospects will translate to better performance in the future. SWOT Analysis Strengths The stable and management team comprising of directors and several managers is instrumental towards providing necessary support and guidance in provision of software vending, internet marketing, and search engine pro ducts to customers and reviewing current operational strategies in line with the demands of their clients at Google. For instance, the management team introduced the internet marketing service in response to the demands of the clients. This has enabled Google to fund different business project initiatives at affordable loan repayment interest rates. Google also enjoys a wide network and subsidiaries in the US and several representative offices in different regions outside the US. This is important in attracting more customers in those regions where the company is yet to reach full potential. Besides, the numerous branches have improved its products visibility and accessibility. Google has increased own software vending and internet marketing business in the last few years, particularly in Western Europe and North America. Company owned software vending and internet marketing products have become growth drivers and important distribution points for the company. The vivid presentation of Google brands supports differentiated perception by consumers beyond their product experiences, further strengthening the brand image. Moreover, the establishment of a strong and reliable internet marketing product by Google represents a major growth for the company. The other strength of Google is efficient customer relationship management strategy. Weaknesses Google has more presence in the US than other parts of the globe. Specifically, unlike its main competitor Yahoo, Google has limited presence in Asia. Thus, the company does not enjoy the substantive demand in the global market as its customer catchment area is restricted outside the expansive Asian market. Besides, the focus of Google is more on customized internet based brands and products. This is counterproductive in terms of revenue generation since the majority of its customers are small businesses and private individuals who cannot operate in the customized platform. Besides, Google has high inventory cost since it software development is very expensive to create and maintain. Managing some of the research and development projects may not be sustainable in the long run if the annual turnover reduces at Google. As a result of these weaknesses, Google has not been able to efficiently penetrate the small business segment within its Business-to-Business model of operation. Google focus on quality products has compromised its ability to incorporate views of a section of its consumers, such as addition of more search languages. Opportunities Google has an opportunity to expand its scope to cater for expanded product and service lines since its asset base is strong enough to sustain any growth in the market. This opportunity will help in boosting Google’s revenues and leadership position in the global Internet Information Providers industry. As a result, Google will be in a position to double its current revenues and increase the customer base. The company’s global presence and strong performance in most regions demonstrate that it can be successful in nearly all countries of the world. It is on this ground that Google plans entry into the regions where its presence is not yet felt. Secondly, working in collaboration with subsidiary companies may enable ease of entry into new markets. Threats The main threat to the survival of Google is the competition from counterfeit products that may act as direct substitute to its brands. Thus, the expansion and market penetration strategies that Google proposes are likely to face opposition if these fake products are expanding their market share. Google is faced with fierce competition from its rivals, which requires adoption of more vigilant strategies. The soaring demand for software and integrated internet marketing applications across the world may prompt suppliers and independent producers to increase the prices, resulting in high costs of production and lower levels of profitability. Political issues in different marke ts, such as control of internet accessibility in some countries in Asia and Africa may threaten the company from achieving its profitability objectives in the market. Generic and Grand Strategy Recommendations In order to remain competitive, the company should implement focused product differentiation strategy by applying concentration, market development, product development, vertical integration, market penetration, and retail distribution as grand strategies as summarized in appendix 3. Product concentration Google should ponder concentration to its products in countries which do not have strict laws that protect the business, when expanding further to other foreign markets, especially in software vending and internet marketing product segments. Countries like China do not have strict rules which protect business entities from being copied by competitors. Objectives This will help in safeguarding its products’ brands and making sure that it targets specific market segment s. In the process, the company will gain a fair share of the current market controlled by Chinese search engine companies. It will also ensure that Google introduces measures in its operative process that would make it distinct in the market from any firm. Application and justification The introduction of product concentration should be applied while ensuring that the targeted markets, especially in Asia, have customized products that are unique to that region. The key performance indicator will be increased revenue in the Asian market by 6% in the first year of implementation and 10% thereafter. Therefore, product concentration will position Google as a strong incumbent brand in the global Internet Information Providers industry. Vertical integration Google may partner which medium businesses retailing products similar to those of its competitors. For instance, the company may partner with private programmers and software developers to boost its current product brands. Objective The objective of this recommendation is to expand Google’s market and make it easy for customers to access the products. Application and justification This objective can be achieved through created on in-house production, supply chain, and marketing strategies for the software vending through partnerships with private software developers. When properly implemented, the company is likely to counter the strategy of its competitors, such as Yahoo, of reaching the customers through proxy business platforms. The key performance indicator will be reduced inventory cost by 10% in the first year of application since costs related to running the business are expected to drop. This strategy takes some initial costs to develop the integration concept but the advantages are ability to legally protect the product, creation of some barriers to competition, and general promotion of customer loyalty. Innovation Cost leadership strategy is vital in business management, especially in an indus try with stiff competition, such as Google. The company may penetrate the African and Asian markets further through introduction of customized products that target different market segments such as direct customers through an innovative approach. The objective of this recommendation is to adopt the market leadership strategy to improve Google’s product quality and appearance. Objective This objective is achievable through creation of different high quality products and distinctive brands. Application and justification As a result, this venture will develop a cumulative experience, optimal performance, and product availability through application of alternative technology and human skills. The key performance indicator for this strategy is the ability to create a new product, thus increased number of customer ratings by 3% after the first year of implementation. An improved approach to product management through diversification will improve the visibility of Google brands. T he buyer will make an effort to learn the Google’s values, vision, challenges, and operating environment. Such cooperation will turn new brands into a competitive advantage instead of a cost. Operational efficiency Operational efficiency and market niche provide an indication of how well the company manages its resources, that is, how well it employs its assets to generate sales and income. It also shows the level of activity of the corporation as indicated by the turnover ratios. The level of activity for Google has remained relatively stable despite threat of competition, constant change of taste, and varying preference. Objective To ensure that the company streamlines its operational costs. Application and justification Through implementing this proposal, the company will reduce its wage bill and seal cost loop holes. Consumer Centricity Properly designed online marketing and product distribution management facilitate the success and sustainability in online marketing. T o increase credibility and maintain professionalism, the current channels of reaching the consumers at Google should be tailored to encompass processes and features that flawlessly facilitate a healthy and a lifetime relationship between the business and its clients. Objective The new development elements that the company should incorporate include trust, liability acceptance, distribution, fair retribution process, and passing accurate information to target audience in order to restore confidence within these networks. Application and justification Essentially, the success of e-marketing depends on proper alignment of a functional team that is responsible for the creation of flexible and quantifiable measurement tracking tools for periodically reviewing results. This strategy will ensure that the business is sustainable. Strategic justification The above recommendations may become the new blueprint for sustainable expansion, cost management, and product development for Google sin ce the company already has a global appeal and deep capital reservoir. Through implementation of the recommendations, the company will be able to expand its current market share through competitive pricing, innovation, and multiple-branding of its product. As a result, Google will increase its competitive advantage over Microsoft, Yahoo, and other competitors. Conclusion Generally, Google has been largely successful in the market, and bears ability to competently survive in the market. Incorporation of the Porters market forces in the management of this successful US based search engine giant is directly linked to its consistency, profitability, and efficiency. Successful execution solely functions of inclusiveness, creation of quantifiable tracking devices for results, and recruiting an informed support team. Generally, the above recommendations should be practiced flexibly since Google’s operation environment is characterized by constant dynamics that may make previous desi gns irrelevant. Appendices Appendix 1 – Summary of the Five-Force Analysis Appendix 2 –SWOT Summary Strengths Weaknesses Clear product differentiation Strong global brand image Positive urban influence Established online store Failure to focus on the low-end market High inventory costs Opportunities Threats Strong global presence depicts the ease of entry into new regions Better collaboration with subsidiary companies Fierce competition High supplier power reduces profits The threat of counterfeiting products of Google is very high Appendix 3: Summary of industry ratio RATIOS SUB-RATIOS Google Ratio Industry Average (Approx) Profitability Ratios Return of Assets 0.34 Return of Equity 0.29 Liquidity Ratios Current Ratio 2.54 1.60 to 2.30 Quick Ratio 1.36 1.30 to 1.80 Leverage Ratios Debt-Equity Ratio 0.29 Interest Coverage Ratio Efficiency Ratios Assets Turnover Ratio 1.45 1.20 Inventory Turnover Ratio 3.19 Refere nce Gamble, J., Peteraf, M., Thompson, A. (2015). Essentials of strategic management: The quest for competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Achievements of the EU

Achievements of the EU Mao Julin Hay Jean Leang Pisey Kim Chansreynich Hao Kanhamonisopea Bun Kimsour European Union (EU) is a union formed by mainly European countries, which is established in term of economy and politics. Its origin is European Community that formally created in November 1, 1993 which involves with 6 members-Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherland. Nowadays, there are 28 members. EU’s headquarter is located in Brussels, Belgium. So far, European Union has reached many achievements such as the promotion and expansion of cooperation with its Member States in economic, trade, social issues, foreign policy, security, defense, and judicial issues. Another major accomplishment of EU is the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) that makes EU succeed in having a single currency (EURO) along with a common monetary policy. EU is famous for its economy on which many countries around the world are being focused. Economic integration is one of the main goals that EU has considered since its first establishment in 1957, and it has a significantly visible success based on fundamentally by a single currency-the Euro. It is a common currency in the circle of euro area that recently can facilitate the monetary circulation in 18 countries of the member states. Interestingly, its achievement of becoming the second largest currency of the world after dollars has pushed the European community’s economy to flourish further. Euro contributes to maintain the stability and prospect of economic society climate, which attract more investment and international or regional trade through the convenient calculation without involving with the foreign exchange rate. The common monetary policy has been adopted in order to acquire greater achievement, common objective and ensure benefits of all euro area states that use euro as their currency. In addition, cross-border trade and investment are the ultimate goal of Euro zone countries. EU removed trade barri ers in order to facilitate the flow of goods and services, which can fill in each other’s gap between the Member States. The common purpose is to increase competition and take away all restriction obstacles of the free movement of goods in the Common Market so that they can accelerate the economic development. The mobility of products, goods and capital facilitate human consumption within the region. Moreover, the free movement of capital is intended to permit movement of investments such as property purchase and buying of shares between countries. All intra-EU transfers in euro are considered as domestic payments and bear the corresponding domestic transfer costs. Another EU achievement is a so-called Custom Union, which was established in an attempt to adopt the common arrangement for imports from other countries based on common external tariff, provides to all members. This effort is made to develop the world trade and facilitate trade beyond border from all countries arou nd the world. What is more important about its achievements is to establish a society with the same rule for different nationalities; for example, people from each country in the name as membership of EU can possibly travel and move freely to settle down, work, retire, or vote, either permanently or temporarily, without any discrimination. For students who want to experience cross-border education. Thousands of students from EU citizen can get a common standard of education simultaneously experience intercultural understanding and good condition of living and studying in other European member states annually. Due to common passport creation, it has been granted to EU people in order to be indicated as EU citizen and move freely.

Media & Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Media & Communications - Essay Example The internet, satellites, optics and mobile technology are but ordinary elements of modern life (Willinsky, 1999). Communications and technology, taken separately, are both pervasive forces in society. They both influence each other but does either of them drive the other to the extent of defining its existence The theory of technological determinism states that technology is the major molding factor in how society progresses (Franklin, 1990). Technological determinism's central theme is that technology dictates how societies create themselves. It further suggests that the introduction of new technologies have a direct and permanent means of changing society (Craig, 2000). Marshall McLuhan is one of the proponents of the technological determinism theory. His work was inspired by Harold Innes and Lewis Mumford to study the effects of media on people and society. The first part of his theories tackles the uses of senses in the communication process. The second part of his theory involved the greater impact of the medium, which is greatly immersed with technological developments, versus the content of communication (Munday, 2002, para. 5, 6). The book "The Medium Is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects", states that, "Before the invention of the phonetic alphabet, man lived in a world where all the senses were balanced and simultaneous, a closed world of tribal depth and resonance." (McLuhan, and Fiore, 1967, p. 245). This suggests that because of developments in technology, specifically through print and the phonetic alphabet communication, that the immediate transmission of thought is compromised as well as the social interaction involved in speech communication (Munday, 2002, para. 7). The implication is that communication need not be a directly social process and can be achieved with a degree of isolation. Another implication that was suggested was that the visual superseded auditory awareness as the sense essential for communication. It was further suggested that developments such as that of the printing press and mass media will fuel these developments. He points out to an ominous scenario of diminishing sensory perceptions and increasing social isolation Implications of Technological Determinism to Communications One of the reasons why technological determinism and communications have been brought up together is primarily because it figured prominently in McLuhan's theorization. Since communication involves the exchange of information and ideas, the level of efficiency and effectivity of the communication progress is indicative of the degree of organization and management there is in the society. In the context of today's life, technology and communication are even more intertwined as shown by the development of electronic media and communications. Technological Determinism in Critique Raymond Williams, together with Eric Hobsbawm, and E. P. Thompson became the important intellectuals of the Western World from 1965 to 1985 (Cowling, 1990 para. 1-2). In the 70's and 80's, Williams spoke regarding feminism, Welsh nationalism, the environment and the imperialism in the Third World (para. 5). He gained prominence publishing his book in 1958 entitled "Culture and Society: 1780-1950". He was a popular and prolific writer in the 1960's and used literature and

The security threats and their strategic implications Essay

The security threats and their strategic implications - Essay Example Although the application of technology in different activities and practices in organizations is associated with a lot of benefits, there are also security threats that go hand in hand with it (Balogun and Hailey, 2004). This piece of work examines the security threats suffered by organizations that utilize social networking networks and the strategic implications they have on the particular organizations. The essay also tries to identify the means and approaches adopted by organizations in their effort to achieve strategic change using ICTs, the key issues associated with the approaches, and practical examples of effectiveness of the ICTs in bringing about strategic change through case examples, (Coca-Cola Company Ltd.). There is a lot of relevant literature from research undertaken in this field which can help us in the understanding of this topic more specifically the security threats associated with social network applications and their implications in organizations. According to Jenny (2010), social networking is a tool that has helped organizations meet their goals for instance through the establishment of business contacts. Jenny also names the four best social networking free applications as the Fishbowl, Flexamail, Tweetdeck, and Microsoft Silverlight 4 client for Facebook. Fishbowl is an application that helps in the integration of social networking with the computer desktop. Flexamail on the other hand allows for easy access of different social network sites like Facebook and Twitter while Tweetdeck.

Research Proposal: The Effect of Extra-Curricular Activities on Academi

Introduction Do extra-curricular activities have a positive or negative effect on a student’s academic performance? If they do, then why do schools take activities away from students at the first sign of academic troubles? If they are scientifically proven to be positive, then why are they not curricular rather than extra curricular? There are numerous influences that impact the academic performance of a student other than after school activities. However, this study will focus on the effect of extra curricular activities on academic performances. In many cases, participation in extra curricular activities positively influences attendance and connection to school. This study will investigate the impact of extra curricular activities that require a daily commitment over an extended period of time, greater than a month. Athletics is the dominant after school activity that requires a daily commitment; therefore, this study will involve student athletes as well as students who are invo lved in other extra curricular activities. Another reason why student athletes will be a large part of this study is that there may be a correlation between the skills necessary to succeed in athletics and academics (American Sports Institute, 1991). While most evidence in the literature proves that extra curricular activities improve academic performances, Solanco School District has no program supporting or promoting the link between the two. This study will examine the effects of participation in extra curricular activities on student academic performance at Solanco High School. Findings from this study could be examined by Solanco High School and similar school districts to support and promote programs of extra curricular activities at... ... as Researchers. 2005 Emmons, Leonard S (1995). Athletic participation and academic achievement: Can the two coexist? National Association of Secondary School Principals. NASSP Bulletin. Vol. 79, Iss. 574; p. 107. Libbey, Heather (2004). Measuring Student Relationships to School: Attachment, Bonding, Connectedness, and Engagement. The Journal of School Health. Vol. 74, Iss. 7, p. 274, 10 pgs. NEA Today (2004). See Ya After School. Vol. 22, Iss. 6, p. 13. Neill, James. www.wilderdom.com Parks & Recreation (2003). After-school programs help kids achieve. Vol. 38, Iss. 6; p. 15. Schneider, Timothy and Klotz, Jack. November 2000. The Impact of Music Education and Athletic Participation on Achievement. 36 pages. Seigle, Del. http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/research/Qualitative/qualquan.htm. 1979

Family Counsel Approach Essay

Within White’s therapy, the therapist adopts a position of consultant to those experiencing oppression at a personal level from their problems and at a political level from a mental-health discourse and set of practices which permeate western culture. Thus people with problems of living are viewed as requiring help in fighting back against these problems and practices which have invaded their lives. This positioning is described by White, drawing on ideas from the French philosopher Derrida (1981), as both deconstructionist and constitutionalist. A deconstructionist position entails empowering clients to subvert taken-for-granted mental-health definitions and practices. A constitutionalist position entails working from the premise that lives and identities are constituted and shaped by three sets of factors: †¢ The meaning people give to their experiences or the stories they tell themselves about themselves. †¢ The language practices that people are recruited into along with the type of words these use to story their lives. †¢ The situation people occupy in social structures in which they participate and the power relations entailed by these. The positioning of the clinician within narrative therapy involves addressing these three sets of factors by deconstructing the sense people make of their lives, the language practices they use, and the power relationships in which they find themselves. In deconstructing practices of power, White draws on the work of the French philosopher Foucault (1965, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1984). People are unconsciously recruited into the subjugation of their own lives by power practices that involve continual isolation, evaluation, and comparison. Eventually our clients internalize ludicrous societal standards, yet believe that in doing so they are justifiably aspiring to valued ideals of fulfillment and excellence. This leads, for example, to self starvation and anorexia, extreme self-criticism in depression, or a sense of powerlessness in the face of threat and anxiety. In turn, mental health professions have compounded this problem by developing global unitary accounts of these states that purport to be objective truths, such as the diagnostic categories contained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Edition (World Health Organization, 1992). Furthermore, these professions support practices that prevent clients from questioning the socio-political contexts within which these so-called objective diagnostic truths emerged. The collaborative co-authoring position central to narrative practice is neither a one-up expert position nor a one-down strategic position. At a 1997 workshop White showed a clip of videotape in which he used turn taking at questioning to help a young girl with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to participate in an interview. Other professionals involved in the case had been unable to help the girl to do this and had labeled her as uncooperative. White made an agreement with her early in the meeting that for every question she answered, she could ask him a question. The girl stuck to this bargain because she was very curious about his perception of the world, since he told her at the outset of the meeting that he was color blind. This collaborative approach was highly effective in helping the girl tell her story about her difficulties in managing friendships and school work. Within White’s language in therapy there is an openness about the therapist’s working context, intentions, values, and biases. There is a privileging of the client’s language rather than the therapist’s language. There is a respect for working at the client’s pace that finds expression in regularly summarizing and checking that the client is comfortable with the pace. The therapist assumes that since social realities are constituted through language and organized through narratives, all therapeutic conversations aim to explore multiple constructions of reality rather than tracking down the facts which constitute a single truth. There is no room for questions like: †¢ From an objective viewpoint, what happened? All inquires are about individual viewpoints. †¢ How did you see the situation? †¢ How did your view differ from that of your mother/father/ brother/sister/etc? There is a constant vigilance for marginalized stories that might offer an opening for the person to engage in what White (1989, 1995) refers to as an â€Å"insurrection of subjugated knowledges.† That is, an opening that will allow the person to select to construct the story of their lives in terms other than those dictated by the dominant narrative which feeds their problem. This requires the therapist to privilege listening over questioning, and to question in a way that helps clients to see that the stories of their lives are actively constructed, rather than passively recounted and given. EXTERNALIZING THE PROBLEM Externalizing the problem is the central in counseling and supervision used by Michael White to help clients begin to define their problems as separate from their identities. A particular style of questioning is used to help clients begin to view their problems as separate from themselves. Central to this style of questioning is inquiring about how the problem has been affecting the person’s life and relationships. Of a young boy with persistent soiling problems Michael White asked the boy and his parents a series of questions about Mr. Mischief, an externalized personification of the soiling problem: †¢ Are you happy what Mr. Mischief is doing to your relationship? †¢ How is Mr. Mischief interfering with your friendships? Of a girl with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa he asked: †¢ How far has anorexia nervosa encroached on your life? †¢ How did anorexia nervosa come to oppress you in this way? With people diagnosed as psychotic and experiencing auditory hallucinations he asked: †¢ What are the voices trying to talk you into? †¢ How will their wishes affect your life? In a health education project which aimed to prevent the spread of aids, AIDS was personified and participants in the project were asked: Where will AIDS be found? †¢ How will AIDS be recognized? This procedure of asking questions in a way that assumes the problem and the person are quite separate helps clients to begin to externalize the problem and to internalize personal agency (Carr,1997). It may also interrupt the habitual enactment of the dominant problem-saturated story of the person’s identity. In relative influence questioning the client is invited to first map out the influence of the problem on their lives and relationships, and second to map out the influence that they exert on the problem. Relative influence questioning allows clients to think of themselves not as problem-people but as individuals who have a relationship with a problem. Here are some examples of relative influence questions: †¢ In that situation were you stronger than the problem or was the problem stronger than you? †¢ Who was in charge of your relationships then? Were you in charge or was the problem in charge? †¢ To what extent were you controlling your life at that point and to what extent was the problem controlling your life? This type of questioning also opens up the possibility that clients may report that on some occasions the problem influences them to the point of oppression, whereas on others, they can resist the problem. Thus relative influence questions allow clients to construct unique outcomes which are the seeds from which lives may be re-authored. When it is clear that in some situations problems have a greater influence than people, whereas in other instances people win out, questions may be asked about clients’ views of contextual influences on this. Here are some examples of such questions: †¢ What feeds the problem? †¢ What starves the problem? †¢ Who is for the problem? †¢ Who is against the problem?