Son of the Morning Star

Son of the Morning Star Analysis Evan S. Connell has a unique writing style. While most stories are told from beginning to end, Son of the Morning Star: Custer and The Little Bighorn (North Point Press, 1984) begins with the aftermath of The Battle of the Little Bighorn. It is then followed by numerous events which led up to this battle. Connell chose this non-linear writing style in order to distribute the details he finds most fascinating and interesting to share with his audience. Using the conclusion of the battle as the introduction of the narrative creates a suspenseful tone.In the beginning of the story, the setting is the battle field which The Battle of the Little Bighorn had taken place a few days earlier. Lieutenant James Bradley has led his troops to the land where they discover the corpses of which they believe are General George Armstrong Custer’s troops. Custer himself was nowhere in sight. Even after a reward was offered upon his retrieval he could not be found . The deserted battle field raised questions and the men began to imagine what had happened days prior to their arrival.The author writes, â€Å"While discussing the day’s events around a campfire most infantrymen predicted more unpleasant news†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 3) The troops discovered a woman who was present during the battle and described to them what she had witnessed. The woman’s recollection of her experience opens up the story to a chronicle of the events which happened during the battle. The reader is given details regarding to Custer’s entrance and also each opponent’s fighting style: â€Å"Instead, Reno’s men dismounted and formed a skirmish line. Then they began to retreat. They ran very fast, she said, dropping guns and cartridges.She was disgusted by the conduct of these whites, saying they must have been seized with panic worse than that which seized her own people. † (pg. 7) As the plot approaches its conclusion, the reader is taken back to the aftermath of the battle and receives a tale told by a Cheyenne woman named Kate Bighead. She delivered a short story about the corpses she saw laying on the battlefield, one in particular she identified as General Custer: She said two Southern Cheyenne women were at the Little Bighorn and when the fighting ended they went to the battlefield.They saw Custer. They knew him well†¦they recognized him even though his hair was short and face was dirty. (pg. 422) Although the plot of this story does not have a chronological structure, it develops a more personal connection because the characters in the story are directly speaking to the audience as they give their personal accounts on the battle. For example, it had already been said that Reno was dead; however, an outburst made by Reno himself is mentioned shortly after. â€Å"The major was swigging at a flask when DeRudio splashed by. What are you trying to do? ’ Reno asked. ‘Drown me before I am k illed? ’† (pg. 50) Evan S. Connell’s work, Son of the Morning Star is an extraordinary and captivating narrative. He has an acquiring mind and was not afraid to step away from the traditional form of writing. Behind the chaos there is meaning. The writing style presented in this story is untraditional which could possibly lose the attention of the reader; however, this was a valid decision. ? Based on its cover the reader might think that the entire story is about General Custer and his troops.Despite expectations, the audience actually catches a glimpse of both the lives of Custer as well as his opponents. The author gives the reader a little information on the background of Crazy Horse, formerly known as Curly. â€Å"Curly did not reveal this manifestation to anybody until he was sixteen and ready to become a warrior†¦Except for moccasins and breechcloth he rode naked. † (pg. 67) The author also gives the reader the opportunity to read a few journal entries about Crazy Horse. These entries come from the diary of Jesse Lee, â€Å"Saturday, Sept. th, 1877. Everything is quiet and I think will remain so. Crazy Horse’s body was brought to this agency and put on a little platform, Indian fashion, on the hill overlooking the post, not half a mile away. † (pg. 75) He also includes a background on Chief Gall as well, providing facts about his birthplace and family. For example, he writes, â€Å"He was not a hereditary chief. The family seems to have been undistinguished, and because his father died at an early age the boy was regarded more with sympathy than respect.So it appears that not through any legacy did he become a chieftain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 376) Throughout the story, the audience develops an idea of the motives of the Native Americans during the battle. The reader becomes aware of what Sitting Bull was thinking: If Sitting Bull did indeed call off the attack it was not because of any affection for whites, who , he hated with abiding and impenetrable rancor, but because he understood how vindictive they could be. If all the soldiers were slaughtered the whites would insist upon another battle†¦ (pg. 6) The audience was not only given an idea of what they were thinking before the battle. The author also makes a point to include a song that the Indians wrote after they had defeated General Custer and his men, â€Å"At that time the Indians did not realized they had fought Custer†¦when they found out, they sang about him. David Humphreys Miller transcribed one such kill-song†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 54) With the erudition given in the story, the reader concludes that the Native American leaders were fully developed human beings. Connell includes information regarding Chief Crazy Horse’s smart battle technique.For example, there are quotations given from a journalist: At critical moments Crazy Horse would dismount before shooting: â€Å"He is the only Indian I ever knew who did t hat often†¦he didn’t like to start a battle unless he had it all planned out in his head and knew he was going to win. (pg. 63) Chief Gall was compared to other great leaders and his leadership skills are described by his people including Lieutenant Godfrey, â€Å"He perceived Gall as a man of tremendous character natural ability, and great common sense, a chief whose massive physiognomy reminded him of Daniel Webster. (pg. 375) The comments made about these two leaders in particular demonstrate their equality of humanity compared to Custer’s men. Not only does he give details about the lives of the Native Americans but Connell also gives insight on the lives of those who fought with General Custer. The reader is given an idea of the reputation and trial of Benteen. For example, â€Å"In this, that Major Frederick W. Benteen, Ninth Calvary when in command of the Post of Fort Du Chesne, Utah, was found drunk†¦Specifications 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th were id entical, only the dates changed. (pg. 34) The reader also gathers information about Major Marcus Reno regarding his leadership and his behavior thus similar to that of Benteen’s. â€Å"Reno got demerits easily, almost deliberately†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 40) He also writes, â€Å"At least it failed to mollify the exasperated colonel because Reno found himself saddled with another charge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 45) Although a great deal of this piece is devoted to the lives and motives of the Native Americans, the author also takes time to write about Custer’s men as well.Including battle experience as well as family history, Connell captures the importance of The Battle of the Little Bighorn. Throughout the non-linear story, the reader is taken back and forth between stories about Custer’s challengers and his troops. The author’s objectivity is apparent because the reader is given the opportunity to capture the battle from both perspectives. ? Before The Battle o f the Little Bighorn, General Custer had celebrated many victories; however, this battle ended in tragedy.Unaware of what caused the downfall at Little Bighorn, many have speculated possible causes of Custer’s defeat. These possibilities include Custer’s sanity, his confidence and other stereotypes. In the story, Connell’s collection of stories told by Sioux woman and other survivors give the reader ideas of what might have been the cause of this disastrous downfall. When looking back on the battle a discussion between an Indian and General H. L. Scott reveals a possible cause of this defeat.For example, Connell writes: During subsequent conversations Feather Earring emphasized that if Custer had approached diplomatically the Indians would have gone back to the reservations†¦General Scott observed that such a method of dealing with the hostiles had not occurred to anybody. (pg. 414) Shortly after this discussion more information about Custer’s skewed communication with the Indians is unveiled. If this miscommunication had never occurred the battle would have been avoided altogether.A Sioux chief gives his recollection on the events occurring prior to the battle: He asked Custer to promise that he would not fight the Sioux. Custer promised†¦After we got through talking, he soon left the agency, and we soon heard that he was fighting the Indians and that he and all his men were killed. If Custer had given us time we would have gone out ahead of him, but he did not give us time. If we had gone out ahead of Custer he would not have lost himself not would his men have been killed. (pg. 415) The attack had been approved by his officers, however, there had been some objections.Some of his troops did not believe the plan was logical but Custer’s confidence does appear to take over his mentality. He ignores a suggestion made by Gibbon, â€Å"Custer, instead of proceeding at once into the valley of the Little Big Horn, even should the trail lead there, should continue on up the Rosebud, get closer to the mountains†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 255-256) Losing touch with reality Custer continues to explain his plan to attack, â€Å"the combined forces would count coup on Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Gall†¦and all the rest† (pg. 56) Custer’s plan includes a victory rather than an alternative in case of any misfortune, he left no room for the unexpected. Although Custer’s plan seemed a little unrealistic his stubbornness was not the only thing to lead to the downfall at Little Bighorn. Many troops give their comments regarding Major Reno’s choice of leadership, â€Å"several military analysts believe Reno should have stayed there instead of doing what he did. They point out that his battalion so near the village would have engaged a great many warriors, thus allowing Custer’s plan to unfold. † (pg. ) It is also mentioned that Reno had an altercation with one of the Indian s which he encountered, â€Å"Reno misunderstood a figure of speech, taking I as an insult, and threatened to shoot High Bear-who responded by drawing a knife. Another scout, invoking Custer’s name, jumped between them and managed to prevent a bloody settlement. † (pg. 10) Not only was Reno’s lack of intuition a cause of defeat but it is also possible that his belligerent temperament lead to Custer’s labefaction. After analyzing the attitudes and actions of Custer and his troops, the reader can infer many causes that led to this disastrous defeat.Based on the strategic analysts’ comments, Reno could have used better instincts when leading his men into battle. It is possible that if the major would have had stronger intuition Custer’s men would not have suffered as much as they did. The reader can conclude that there was a sense of overconfidence made not only by Major Reno but Custer as well; however, if Custer had kept his promise to Sioux the entire battle could have been avoided. Custer and his five companies certainly underestimated their Native American opponents.

Joystick

What is the essence of the visitor's point? Discuss how this quote could apply to the novel. Option 2: A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt. Never Let Me Go is filled with euphemisms such as â€Å"donations,† â€Å"completing† and â€Å"deferrals. † After explaining what these words literally mean in the context of the novel, discuss why the â€Å"guardians† of Hails use these terms in talking with the students. On a broader level, how does the author's use of these words enhance the effect of the novel as a whole?Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Options : In literature the term foil describes a character that serves to highlight or emphasize opposing traits in another character. How is Bernard a foil to Biff? How is Charley a foil to Wily? In this paper you will need to discuss the differences in these two pairs of characters. Options: Wily Loan is often referred to as a modern tragic hero. One of the traits of the tragic hero is that he is brought down by a combination of his own tragic flaw as well as forces surrounding him over which he has no control. What do you think is Wily Loan's tragic flaw?What are the outside forces (the things that are not his fault) that contribute to his suicide? Option 3: On the surface, Linda Loan appears to be a traditional and subservient wife and mother who Linda demonstrates a clear-eyed intelligence and an almost heroic sense of loyalty. Using specific evidence from the play, discuss the admirable qualities of this character. Your Name Dyspepsia Literature: Section (Be sure to put in section number. ) 17 September, 2014 Title of the Paper Goes Here When typing a paper in MEAL format, remember this simple rule: everything is bubble-spaced.This includes the heading, the space between the date and the title, and the first line of text. There should never be any large gaps of blank paper. There should BEA 1 inch m argin on all sides of the sheet. Use a standard looking font (this is Caliber) with a font size of 11 or 12. Be sure your paper has a title; it should not be underlined or in bold-face. If you mention the name of the novel or play in the title, it should be italicized. In fact, be sure to italicize the name of the book title whenever you use it.

Managed Globalization Essay

While imperialist thinking wreaks havoc around the world, the trend toward greater globalization offers hope, provided that adequate efforts are made to ensue that globalization is managed well. Globalization is the most popular trend in international economics. Increasing integration of world markets and exchanges of information and technology are definitely expected to help the least developed nations, thereby bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Thus, the thesis of Bhagwati’s book, â€Å"In Defense of Globalization† – that, in fact, globalization helps the poorest people of the world – must be agreed with. After all, foreign direct investments are an extraordinary boost for the economies of the developing world. Moreover, by importing and exporting more goods and services than before, a developing nation may very well increase its income and also improve the standard of living of its peoples. It is generally believed that an increase in international trade is accompanied by an increase in income inequality, seeing that the majority of the people in developing nations are poor and cannot afford to purchase relatively expensive foreign goods in the local market, nor form gigantic enterprises to sell to the foreign public. Furthermore, globalization involves the risk of foreign companies taking advantage of the undeveloped regulatory structures in developing nations. As an example, a foreign water company in Argentina, after the mass privatization of Argentinian business, was said to have been very ethical before it entered Argentina. The company had connections with France and the United States. All the same, the company turned to poor service in Argentina soon after privatization. The water company was eventually taken over by the Argentinian government for its careless, irresponsible behavior. If managed correctly, though, globalization is expected to help our world in significant ways. The famous observation of Thomas Friedman must also be considered in this analysis: â€Å"No two countries with McDonald’s have fought a war against each other since each got its McDonald’s. † Indeed, peace is conducive to global economic growth. But, so is equality. Even though the gap between the haves and the have-nots has been widening in recent years, good management of globalization may work wonders for the global economy. BOOK REFERENCES Bhagwati, J. N. (2004). In Defense of Globalization. New York: Oxford University Press. Friedman, T. L. (2000). The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization. New York: Anchor Books. WEBSITES Hacher, S. (2007). Argentina Water Privatization Scheme Runs Dry. Global Policy Forum. Retrieved from http://globalpolicy. igc. org/socecon/bwi=wto/wbank/2004/0226argwater. htm.

The Online Advertisement Market Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

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To describe and assess the listeners experience of two different Essay

To describe and assess the listeners experience of two different compositions or two performances of the same composition - Essay Example Sometimes it is created by â€Å"mixing† of several parts of the original composition, superimposing various sounds on it, special effects, change the tempo, key, and so on. There are different branches of re-mix, so-called megamix (compilation of several pieces of music), and a re-make re-work. Looking at the pages of musical history, it is worth noting that the dawn of the era of the remix was at the end of the 20th century and nowadays. The fact is hat the technique is developing in parallel with improvement of remixing recording equipment. If person means taking as a basis the essence re-mix, reworking the melody, this trend has appeared in music long before the development of technology. One of the distinguishing features of the popularization of remixes, for example, the front direction of dance music, was the desire of musicians and DJs to return to the former popularity in some songs, giving them a â€Å"second birth†. In 1972, when songs like "Hey Jude" The Beatles and "Layla" by Eric Clapton and Derek and the Dominos paved the way long songs in the charts, re-issued it and â€Å"Nights in White Satin† quickly gained gold status. The song was written by Justin Hayward, when he stayed with a friend in Swindon in England on a bed with satin sheets. Experts find that the song is very autobiographical: the musician has just started a serious relationship (Manuel et al.56). Hayward was only nineteen at that time. Most listeners heard this song in the music collections and on the radio, so not everyone knows that the album called â€Å"Nights in White Satin† was significantly longer. The single cut the orchestral introduction and the final, as well as the poem â€Å"Late complaint† written by keyboardist Mike Pinder and recited by drummer Graeme Edge. It must be said that the record was really teamwork. The authors of all the songs were listed as

Job Analysis and Job Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Analysis and Job Design - Essay Example It states the duties and responsibilities of various people in a particular job. The statement of work is a document that defines and captures the work activities, timelines, and deliverables that vendors must execute in their performance of a particular job. In the HR management, job analysis is valuable since it aids in the preparation of sound human resource policies and practices. That is because job analysis provides a deeper comprehension of the behavioral requirements of a particular job thus playing a significant role in the defense of HR employment practices. Besides, job analysis improves the management of a company since it helps in human resource planning. The process also provides information on methods of recruiting and selecting employees who can best fit the job requirements. Moreover, the process is essential in HR management since it guides the compensation and performance appraisal of the employees. The reason is that it provides clear-cut principles of performance for each job that can be used to determine pay surveys and appraising workers that perform their duties and responsibilities appropriately. Job design refers to the specification of content, structure, methods, relationship and configuration of the jobs to satisfy both the organizational, technological, social and personal requirements of a jobholder. Job design involves putting together different elements to form a job while considering the organizational, health, safety, and the individual worker requirements. The process involves integrating all the job responsibilities and specific qualifications that are needed to perform the same (Shantz, Alfes, Truss & Soane, 2013). In the human resource management, job design is essential since it improves the management of an organization thus enabling it to perform its activities in an efficient and effective manner. That is because it provides

Hydraulic Fracturing In Coal Seam Gas Mining Dissertation

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Applying Theory to Practice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applying Theory to Practice - Term Paper Example origin of the juvenile delinquent behavior may be understood by looking at the backgrounds of young people who for various reasons have led a life full of misery. For instance, youths who are at risk of becoming delinquent may have originated from families with parental alcoholism, overcrowded neighborhood, family breakdowns, the increasing HIV/AIDS scourge, abusive circumstances in the home, or the death of parents due to armed conflicts. It may be noted that young people from such backgrounds may be either unaccompanied or orphaned and lack the means of subsistence, shelter, and other basic needs, increasing their chances for falling into juvenile delinquency. Many developing nations do nothing or very little to look into the needs of the young citizens or ignore some petty crimes reported concerning these youths. Some of these youngsters commit crimes at a tender age and they are either ignored by the authorities or go unreported, yet the petty crimes lead to more serious crimes in future. Developed countries on he other hand are engaged in activities designed to prevent juvenile delinquencies but the overall effect of such programs is weak because the techniques in place are usually inadequate to address the situations that already exist (Siegel & Welsh, 2011). According to geographical analysis, nations with more urbanized populations register more juvenile delinquency rates than those with strong rural communities and neighborhoods. This may be linked to the dissimilarities in social cohesion and control. Rural groupings depend on community and family control to deal with antisocial behavior, thus lower crime. Urban lifestyles resort to judicial and formal measures, an impersonal mechanism that links to higher juvenile delinquencies. i. Youth crime results from unresolved internal conflict and mental anguish. Some youths who have been mistreated or abused may go through unconscious feelings linked to fear, resentment, and abhorrence. If this conflict s

Operations Planning and Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Operations Planning and Control - Essay Example However, demand for organizational products is influenced by many factors as explained by Ahlersten (2008, p. 87). These factors include the price of the products, time of the year, price of other substitute and complementary products, taste and preferences of customers and the income of the population. In addition, demand is determined by the expectations of customers in changes of price and quantities supplied in the market. This however depends on all other factors remaining constant. Dilts (2004, p. 68) asserts that demand must be backed by the purchasing power of the customers and is always related to a specific price and time. Consequently, it is critical for organizations to optimize the supply of products during the peak demand period to ensure that the customers are able to access the services demanded. This is the greatest dilemma facing Holly Farm. The Farm at the beginning of 2007 decided to open its doors for paying visitors to view their Farm. The organization is involv ed in both dairy and arable livestock rearing. To ensure the comfort of their visitors, the company invested its entire savings constructing a 50-space car park and a six park for the 40-seater coaches. Furthermore they invested in constructing a safe area for viewing the milking parlour, purchased special trailers to transport passengers around the farm on guided tours and a children’s recreation playground. Behind the shop, the farm constructed a small facility for making dairy ice cream. Through aggressive advertising and events organized in local schools and organizations; the number of visitors to the Farm has grown steadily and by the end of 2010, the annual number of visitors was over twenty one thousand. There are great variations in the number of visitors during different months of the year and time of the day. Although the allowed visiting hours are from 11.00 am to 6.20 after milking is completed, approximately 90 percent of the visitors in cars and coaches arrive after midday picnic until around 1.30pm and make a tour of the farm in the afternoon. By 3.00 pm about 40 percent would leave the Farm while 60 percent wait to view the milking process and there after visit the shop for ice cream and other products. There are more visitors from April to October while demand is too low outside this period. Moreover, visits are high from Friday to Monday, the demand peaking on Saturdays and Sundays. The period between November and March is usually too cold for tractor rides and the animals have to be kept inside. Gillian who is charged with the responsibility of managing the visitors has initiated an ambitious plan to increase the number of visitors to the Farm by forty percent in 2011. Moreover, a state of the art milking parlour has been launched by the Farm where cows are milked on a slow moving turntable and milking is to last from 3.00 to 6.00 pm. To optimize the number visitors visiting the Farm, Gillian has to determine whether concentrate on i ndividual advertising or promoting visits by coaches during the peak time. In case

Organ Donation Essay Example for Free

Organ Donation Essay Organ Donation The process of taking functional organs and tissues from one person for transplantation into another individual is called organ donation. Whereas, any part of the body that performs a different and special function is referred to as an organ. Transplantation takes places quite successfully today between well-matched human beings. Majority of the organ recipients are able to live five or more years. Skin, cornea, bone marrow and kidney transplants are the most common today. Moreover, lung and heart transplants are also gaining precedence. In commonplace terms, organ donation is the removal of working, healthy organs from the body of an individual who had pledged while being alive that his organs could be donated to a person requiring it. Usually the tissues or organs are taken out in a manner similar to surgery. Moreover, all the incisions are clogged at the end. Organ donors can include people of all ages. It is not restricted to any particular group, nor is it restricted to any certain age limit. In the present era, organ transplantation is widely recognized as of the most gripping medical advancements. It is almost the elixir of life to individuals with deteriorating organs who require other fellow beings to donate them organs. With the increasing cases of organ failure in society and the insufficient supply of organs, there is an enormous gap between organ supply and organ demand. Subsequently, it takes ages for a person with deteriorating organs to get functioning organs from another being. Moreover, numerous deaths have been reported in that waiting. Thus, these events have aroused moral, societal and ethical concerns regarding the allocation of organs, supply and the use of surviving donors as volunteers,  including those who qualify as minors. Unfortunately, it has spurred the practice of selling organs by money-makers for their own monetary gains and vested interests in many parts of the world by exploiting the poor. This has spurred corrupt practices where organ donation is concerned (Shroff, 2009). While we are on the subject of organ donation, an ethical issue is the procurement of organs and tissues. Firstly, this includes the buying and selling of human organs and tissues: There are some people who believe that human organs and tissues ought to be bought and sold in order to quantify the supply and show deference for other people’s autonomy. On the other hand, there are people who believe that treating any part of the body like a saleable good is a violation of human dignity. Organ donation has evolved considerably in the last 50 years. Following is a history of the procurement of organs and tissues. †¢ Successful transplantation of various organs Initially, organ transplantation started with kidneys, but now it has diversified to lungs, livers, hearts and other organs. It has slowly evolved to encompass various parts of the body. Progress in organ donation and cadaveric practices To decide who can donate organs has been a continuously evolving process. Firstly, it started with living donors and later moved on to include dead and brain dead donors. Even today, there are debates about growing and limiting the qualified donors. In the year of 2001, the surviving donors managed to even outnumber cadaveric donors. This was a milestone in the history of the United States. Formulation of anti-rejection drugs to enhance development and success The formulation of anti-rejection drugs has compounded the success of organ transplants. In the 1960s and 1970s, immunosuppressant drugs were used to increase the success rate of organ transplants (Flaman, 2008). Cyclosporine was stumbled upon in the 1980s. It greatly improved the success rate for patients undergoing transplants. The overall results were also improved. A phenomenon called xenotransplantation also became well-known – this entails the usage of animal organs for human transplantation. Subsequently, the firs t xenotransplantation was conducted  in 1986. This breakthrough means of transplantation started gaining popularity and researchers started performing more intensive studies on it. The number of people who required organ transplantation started to multiply. The discovery of the first artificial organs In the 1980, the first artificial heart transplant took place which was followed closely by the American public and the news media. This basically involved segmenting organs into pieces (either from cadaveric donors or surviving donors). In 1996, the first split liver transplant too place. It permitted one cadaveric liver to be used among several patients who required a transplant. Stem cell research: This basically involves the examination of human embryo and adult’s cell in an endeavor to find out how organs are development and what stimulates their development. There are certain ethical concerns regarding how organs and tissues are obtained. For instance: a pharmaceutical company in France buys placentas from 110 Canadian hospitals in order to produce blood products and vaccines. However, there are some poor people in countries, such as India, who sell their kidneys for $700 or even more than that. There have also been cases reported in India where people have gained consci ousness after a kidnapping incident, only to discover that one of their organs has been removed in that process (Caplan, 2010). In regards to this issue, there are people who draw a difference between waste matter of humans, certain body parts that happen to regenerate such as blood and non-regenerative human organs such as kidneys. There are many people who differentiate profit making from covering the donor’s expenses. If a donor has to pay for organs, this can put undue pressure on him. It nullifies a contract or free consent. There are some people who are also fearful of the fact that if the buying and selling of organs became a notorious business, then it would undermine the nobility associated with organ transplants. It could be detrimental if the organ just went to the highest bidder. The equity would be compromised upon as donating organs would depend upon the ability to pay rather than finding out how they should be distributed. There are some people who argue that this can be brought under control by monitoring sales. If the buying and selling of organs and human tissues is completely restric ted, then it would drive the market underground. Since there are numerous controversies associated with  the buying and selling of human parts, there are many who believe that other alternatives should be adopted (Thomas, 2009). Media Publicity There are several instances when an organ or tissue is acquired for a person by showcasing their need through the media. This could negate the other transplant channels through which it is normally obtained. Moreover, the correct criterion of selecting recipients, which is usually done on the basis of greatest needs and greater likelihood of benefit, can also be overlooked. However, publicity through media creates awareness in the public domain about the need for transplants and in the long run will increase the supply of organs and tissues. Voluntary consent basically entails a person making an intended offer to donate their organs after their demise. In the case of cadaver donation, a person can intimate their consent by advanced directives, such as by filling out the Universal Donor Card, part of their driver’s license. When the transplant is from a living donor, free consent is necessitated. However, it is best to have established consent regarding a deceased donor because this act exhibits love and responsible stewardship over one’s body. Moreover, it also communicates the wishes of health care professionals and family to the individual as well as others. When there is no pre-existing consent, the person who holds responsibility for the dead body should be approached regarding donation. It is imperative that the wish of the deceased person should be upheld. Medical ethics in organ donation has become imperative. This is basically a system comprising of moral principles that applies judgments and values to the process of organ donation. Autonomy is the sole prerogative of the individual to choose what happens to him/her even if this means dying in the process. In this regard, even if a person wishes to contribute his organs to another and thus die, he should not be prevented from doing so. On the other hand, fidelity entails adhering to the choices of someone, even if paying no heed to them would save another person’s life. Confidentiality means protecting the names of the donor from being let out in public or as per the desire of the patient. Hence, if a person prefers to remain unnamed while consenting to donate organs, his wish should be upheld. The team performing the transplantation can ask questions, but foremost it is imperative to prioritize the desire of the patient over anyone else (Truog, 2005). In order to address the ethical issues associated with organ donation stated above, it is important for health care professionals to be acquainted with the meaning of organ and tissue donation. They should be well-versed with the procedure of organ donation and to perform it in the best and most efficient manner possible. It would also be a good idea to render training to members of the health care team so that they can approach potential donors and families in a sensitive manner. To facilitate the process smoothly, they should be able enough to provide the necessary social and personal support during the process of mourning. Providers of health care also need to learn that respecting a dead person is a prerequisite of our humanity. It is also pertinent to mention that any reference to the deceased should be done with utmost sensitivity and using the most appropriate names. Furthermore, to compound the potential for transplants, providers of health care have a fundamental duty of rai sing the general level of awareness of needs. It should be done in a way that protects the rights and privacy of the patient, does not tamper with the medical process in any way and also does not remove attention from other urgent matters (NHMRC, 2012). References Shroff, Sunil, NCBI Legal and ethical aspects of organ donation and transplantation, (2009), Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2779960/ Flaman, Paul, Organ and Tissue Transplants: Some ethical issues, (2008), Retrieved from: http://www.ualberta.ca/~pflaman/organtr.htm Truog, Robert, The Ethics of Organ Donation by living Donors, (2005), Retrieved from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp058155 Thomas, Chris, Ethics around Organ Donation, (2009), Retrieved from: https://www.chf.org.au/pdfs/hvo/hvo-2008-1-ethics-organ-donation.pdf NHMRC, Donating organs after death, (2012), Retrieved from: http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/e29.pdf Caplan, Arthur, Organ Procurement and Transplantation: Ethical and Practical Issues, (2010), Retrieved from: http://www.upenn.edu/ldi/issuebrief2_5.html

Fate in Death of a Salesman

Fate in Death of a Salesman Abstract Death of a Salesman is a tragedy written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It describes a story about Willy Loman whose American dreams shattered and eventually he lost his life for it. Willy Lomans tragic experience reveals the conflicts between the individual, the family and social values of the United States. Miller tells us that we should not be misled by the money worship; otherwise we will become victims of commodity wrong values. This paper will analyze the tragic fate of Willy Loman from four different perspectives: inaccurate self-evaluation, incompetent role-player in family, wrong outlooks on values and being a victim of the American Dream, hoping to inspire and enlighten the readers from the tragic fate of Willy Loman and to find our real selves in the complicated and changeable world. 1. Introduction 1.1 Arthur Miller Arthur Miller was one of the most distinguished dramatists of the twentieth century. He was born in Jewish family in New York on October 17th 1915. As his fathers business failed during the Depression and the family suddenly became poor, Miller had to discontinue his studies and go to work to earn his university fees after he finished high school. He worked various jobs, such as a truck driver, a waiter, a farmhand, etc. Through these jobs, he saw the injustice of the capitalist system and understood the hard life of workers. The personal experiences provided him with firsthand knowledge about the lower class when he came to write plays and fiction. Through Millers career, he wrote lots of valuable masterpieces which contributed a lot to the American theater, ranging from All My Sons (1947) to Death of a Salesman (1949), from The Crucible (1953) to A View from Bridge (1955), from After the Fall (1964) to Broken Glasses (1994). Miller continually addressed several distinct but related issues in both his dramatic and contemporary writings: the form of tragedy applicable to modern times and contemporary characters, the individuals relationship to society, and family relations, particularly interactions between fathers and sons (à ©Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ®, 2007: 421). He criticized the social problems sharply and at the same time showed his compassion to the common people living at the foot of the society ladder. He has influenced many younger American dramatists, such as Edward Albee, August Wilson, and David Mamet. Miller is a major pioneer in the development of American theater alongside Eugene ONeil and Tennessee Williams, and Death of a Salesman is his important work. The play suggested new theatrical possibilities with its unique blend of realism and expressionism, as well as offering a challenge to previous definitions of tragedy (Susan C.W., 2007: 71). 1.2 The plot of Death of a Salesman Death of a Salesman is one of the best three plays with Eugene ONeils Long Days Journey into night and Tennessee Williamss A Street Car Named Desire. After it staged in 1949, it ran for 742 performances on Broadway. It won important awards, including the New York Drama Critics Circle Best Play, Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. The play presents the tragedy of a common person, Willy Loman, an aging travelling salesman who is working for the Wagner Company. After having labored for thirty-four years for that firm, he is fired by Howard Wagner, the head of the company, because he is too old to sell products to make profits for the company. But he is still in debt, so he and his wife are struggling to pay the bills while his two sons are not helpful. Willys two goals throughout his life have been to be popular and have his own company, but they havent come true. Biff, a habitual thief, and Happy, a self-deluded guy, have failed to fulfill their fathers dream of achi evement. Reviewing his life, he is forced to confront its futility and failure. He kills himself in a planned car accident, hoping to provide Biff with twenty thousand dollars from the life insurance company to start his store. The play has profound social significance, because it is from the real life and authentically reflects the tragedy of common man in America (à ¥Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ »Ã‚ £Ãƒ §Ã‚ Ã‚ Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2008). 1.3 Purpose of the paper Willy Lomans tragic experience shows the conflicts between the individual, the family and social values of the United States. Miller tells us that we should not be misled by the money worship; otherwise we will become victims of commodity wrong values. In materialistic society, People tend to ignore the cruel reality. Their cravings for material things seem never satisfied. People cannot distinguish reality and illusion. Inevitably, this will causes contradictions between individual, family and society and eventually brings about peoples downfall, like Willy Loman in the play. According to this phenomenon, this paper will analyze the tragic fate of Willy Loman from four different perspectives: inaccurate self-evaluation, incompetent role-player in family, wrong outlooks on values and being a victim of the American Dream, hoping to inspire and enlighten the readers from the tragic fate of Willy Loman and to find our real selves in the complicated and changeable world. 2. Literature Review Death of a Salesman is written in realistic dialogue about ordinary people. It is based in large part on the experiences of Millers family during the Depression and his passionate belief in the honor of work and the difficulties of living the American dream. After its opening in Broadway, response to the play was tremendous; audiences and critics had been attracted. The criticism on Death of a Salesman came from the anti-communist movement known as McCarthyism,but the larger part of comments are praises. Robert Coleman of the Daily Mirror called the play emotional dynamite and reported that sobs were heard throughout the auditorium, and handkerchiefs were kept busy wiping away tears (Robert Coleman, 1949:360). Brooks Atkinson declared it superb, commenting on its poetry and calling it a wraith-like tragedy (Brooks Atkinson, 1949:27). Richard Watts asserted that under the director, Elia Kazens vigorous and perceptive direction, Death of a Salesman emerges as easily the best and most i mportant new American play of the year (Richard Watts, 1949:359). Yes, Death of a Salesman is a significant masterpiece of the American play. In theme, the play criticizes the role of capitalism in American society and condemns human nature with pity and sorrow. In technique, Miller broke out of the realistic confinements of time, space and psychology, with the innovative interweaving of the past with the present and of events inside Willys mind with those outside, which merges elements of both realism and expressionism(à ©Ã‚ »Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ãƒ ¥Ã‚ ®Ã‚ ¶Ãƒ ¤Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ®Ãƒ ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’2007:423). Compared to traditional tragedy, Loman, as a protagonist, is neither upper class nor very intelligence. But he still manages to strike an emotional chord. He has a faulty vision of what makes a person successful, which makes him flawed, but regardless of the opposition and the ultimate cost to himself, he refuses to give up that vision, which makes him, in Millers eyes, a tragic hero. A man of his time, Loman bears realistic and far-reaching significance and connotation. In Contemporary American drama:a study in the plays of Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and Edward A, Singh Abha comments that Willy Loman, the salesman, is a typical embodiment of modern business morality, but he is also a more universal figureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Like the great tragic figures of Sophocles and Shakespeare, Millers Willy is both an individual and a type (Singh, Abha, 1998: 70-71). Furthermore, Loman has attracted international audiences and continues to interest them to the present day. Theater scholar Brenda Murphy talks about the ease with which audiences all over the world have understood and sympathized with the plight of Willy Loman, and have grasped the issues of the play (Brenda Murphy, 1995:126). No doubt, the play attracts numerous audiences and critics. Whereas, the common audience are seriously concerned about the fate of Willy and are melt into tears for this tragedy of an everyman. In china, based on my survey on the domestic journals from 1979 to 2009, there are above 22 articles studying on Willy Lomans tragic fate in Death of a Salesman. Different critics have their own views. Wang Yan, from Shandong University, considers that Lomans tragedy is caused by the conflict of his dream and the reality. Zhu Yaning, from Foreign Languages Department of Henan Mechanical College, views that the disillusionment of American Dream leads to Lomans tragedy. W ang Dongmei, from Foreign Languages Department of Liaoning Technical University, regards that Lomans fate is caused by his own personality distortion. Wang Hong, from Huainan Normal College analyzes Willy Lomans fate from the respect of family factors. But for me, inaccurate self-evaluation, incompetent role-player in family, wrong outlooks on values and being a victim of the American Dream resulted in Willy Lomans tragedy. 3. Analysis of Willy Lomans Fate Willy Lomans whole life seems to have been a sellout; his sons have turned out badly, and his relationship with Biff has soured. Disappointedly, Willy chooses to end his life with expectation that his death could exchange for his sons success. The quasi-resolution that his suicide offers him represents only a partial discovery of the truth. He fails to grasp the true personal, emotional, spiritual understanding of himself. His name provides insights. Compared to William, Willy is a childish version indicating an intrinsic immaturity in his nature. He is too driven by his own willy-ness or perverse willfulness to recognize the slanted reality that his desperate mind has forged. Loman has been read as indicating Willy to be a low-man, common and insignificant. From the insights of his name, we can infer that Willy Lomans life will be a tragedy in the end, like characters of Dream of the Red Chamber. Not his name resulted in Willys tragedy fate, but his inaccurate self-evaluation, incom petent role-player in family, wrong outlooks on values and a victim of the American Dream resulted in his tragedy. 3.1 Willy Lomans inaccurate self-evaluation As a travelling salesman, Willy Loman sells products for Wagner Company by driving around New England. When he was young, he was ambitious and set his mind to provide a good life for his family. He worked diligently and enthusiastically, so that he made good profits. He averaged a hundred and seventy dollars a week in the year of 1928. He built up good relationship and reputation among his clients. He has much confidence about his life and dreamed that one day he would set up his own company. However, thirty-four years later, as he became too old to make profits for the firm, he was fired by his employer relentlessly, regardless of his thirty-four years contribution to the company. But he could not confirm his failure. When he would not sell products and get his commission, he borrowed money from his neighbor Charley and deceived his wife that the money was his commission. He trapped himself in the illusion and memory most his time. Under the pressing realities of his life, he could not endure the overwhelming tensions and commit suicide to earn the insurance money to help Biff become successful. Why Willy Loman lived so afflictingly? One of the reasons is that he can not evaluate himself accurately. Throughout the play, there are many implications that Willys wrong self-evaluation leads to his wrong choice of profession. He failed to find his real self, because he was covered by the illusions and the myths. From ACT ONE, Willy told Charley that, A man who cant handle tools is not a man (Arthur Miller, 1949:44). He can put up the ceiling in the living-room. That is a great piece of work, but Willy managed to do it. He, like his father, can build things with his own hand. However, Willy failed to recognize his abilities. If he could realize his talent and choose the job that can fulfill his talent, instead of being a salesman that way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine (Arthur Miller, 1949:138), Willy might seek both job satisfaction and fortune from his job. Also, he failed to recognize his natural inclinations and instincts. When Biffs decision to seek a business loan raises Willys spirits, and the way in which Willy expresses his optimism is quite revealin g. The first thing Willy thinks about is planting a garden in his yard; he then muses to Linda that they should buy a house in the country, so that he could build guesthouses for Biff and Happy when they have families of their own. These hopeful plans seem to illustrate how ill-suited Willy is to his profession, as it stifles his natural inclinations. His wistful fantasy of living in the forests of Alaska strengthens the implication that he chose the wrong profession. Indeed, the competitive, hyper-capitalist world of sales seems no more appropriate for Willy. He does not seem to like living in an urban setting. He complains that the way they boxed us in here. Bricks and windows, windows and bricks. The street is lined with cars. Theres not a breath of fresh air in the neighborhood. The grass dont grow any more, you cant raise a carrot in the back yard. They shouldve a law against apartment houses (Arthur Miller, 1949:17). From his words, we can infer that Willy is looking forward to living a leisure life, a farm life, not the busy, atwitter and strenuous life in New York. But Willy was unaware of this; he chose to be a salesman that conflicts with his natural inclinations and instincts. At first, his motivation to be a salesman was impure. He chose the job not from his own abilities and interests, but from the admiration for Dave Singleman. If Willy could evaluate himself accurately and respect his own needs, he would live a totally different life from now. He would not commit himself to a pathetic death and meaningless legacy. 3.2 Incompetent Role-player in family Willy is a salesman who struggles for a better life in the cruel society, a husband who has his wifes love and support and a father who lives with his children. It is important to examine the evolution of Willys relationship with his family, as the solid family is one of the most prominent elements of the American Dream. But in the present, Willys relationship with his family is fraught with tension. 3.2.1 A father unfit for his position As a common father, he hopes to win the respect and love of his sons and has great expectation to his two sons. But the cruel reality is that Biff is a pilferer and Happy is a liar. Everything goes against his wishes. The main reason is that Willys improper education to his sons. As a youth, Biff was led to believe that since he was well liked he could get away with anything. He begins to steal: a football from school, lumber for the house, a crate of balls from Bill Oliver. Willy is desperate that Biff should succeed in life, so instead of punishing him, he condones the thefts and makes excuses, neglecting to instill in his son the moral values a parent should teach a child. For instance, when the young Biff stole the football from the school, Willy said, Coachll probably congratulate you on your initiative! à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thats because he likes you. If somebody else took that ball thered be an uproar (Arthur Miller, 1949:30). This way of education makes Biff lose the ability to recognize the correct moral views. Biff appears successful in high school as a football player, but reaps no benefit from this as he never goes to college. Initially he had planned to retake the math course he needed, but he catches his father with a mistress. After leaving the high school, he did many jobs but all failed. As biff said to Willy, I never got anywhere because you blew me so full of hot air I could never stand taking orders from anybody! Thats whose fault it is! (Arthur Miller, 1949:131) Obviously, again it is Willys improper education that leads to Biffs failure. 3.2.2 A husband disloyal to his wife In Willys reminiscence, there exists a woman, his mistress. Willy has affair with the woman and the affair was discovered by Biff. As a result of this, his belief in the fantasies his father has fed him cannot be maintained. This adultery is an indirect cause that Biff gave up to retake he math course, but evidence that Willy betrayed his wife, Linda. If Willy had had not affair with the woman, Biff might retake the math exam, and then he would go to college and had a promising future. Willy is always untrue to Linda. He tries to play the salesman with her. Every time he over his trip, he inflates his commission, but Linda also his lie. Although she does not buy his pitch to her, she still loves him. She does not measure Willys worth in terms of his professional success. Willy, however, needs more than love, which accepts character flaws, doubts, and insecurityhe seek desperately to be well liked. As such, he ignores the opportunity that Linda presents to him: to view himself more honestly, to acknowledge the reality of his life, and to accept himself for what he is feeling like a failure (Selena Ward, Brendan Greaves, 2003:61). If Willy could be true to Linda and himself, he would not choose to commit suicide. 3.3 Wrong outlooks on values Willy Loman is living in a time when the nature of business itself is undergoing intrinsic changes, partly due to the capitalist pressure to make more money and become more efficient. But he fails to understand the complex and ruthless business community and he still pursue equity and justifiability blindly. So he hugs his outmoded beliefs: Just work hard, be honest and well-liked, you will succeed. However, he is rebuffed in the real life. The reason is that Willys outlooks on values are wrong. His recurring description and memory of Dave Singleman manifest his ideal life in his mind: What could be more satisfying than be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people? and When he diedand by the way he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker of the New York, New Haven and Hartford, going into BostonWhen he died hundreds of salesmen and buyers were at his funeral. Things were sad on a lotta trains for months after that. (Arthur Miller, 1949:81) He speakes of Dave Singleman as a legend and imagines that his death must have been beautifully noble. But he fails to realize the hopeless of Singlemans lonely, on-the-job, on-the-road death. During Singlemans age, there was personality, respect, comradeship and gratitude in it. But in the present day, it is all cut and dried. The time full of light and friendship is long gone. Todays American society has been a concrete jungle. Here the survival law is like the law of the jungle in the animal world in primitive time, even more relentless and ruthless. People are molded to be more indifferent and greedy. They worship money. Money dominatesalmost everything including personality, respect, gratitude and even man, could be evaluated in terms of money. But Willy doesnt realize the shift of the times and values. He still keeps riding on a smile, making friends, exaggerating and hoping being liked so as to make a sale. He adheres to his own principles and wrong values that cost his life i n the end. 3.4 A victim of the American Dream The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States of America in which democratic ideals are perceived as a promise of prosperity for its people. In the American Dream, first expressed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, he states, The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position (James Truslow Adams, 1931) The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence wh ich states that all men are created equal and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. (the Declaration of Independence) However, the industrialization of the 19th and 20th centuries began to erode the dream. After World War II, the United States faced profound and irreconcilable domestic tensions and contradictions. Although the war had ostensibly engendered an unprecedented sense of American confidence, and security, the United States became increasingly embroiled in a tense cold war with the Soviet Union. The propagation of myths of a peaceful, homogenous, and nauseatingly gleeful American golden age was tempered by constant anxiety about Communism. (Selena Ward, Brendan Greaves, 2003:3)The government cannot provide the citizen with a fair environment. People feel desperate and lose themselves. They consider their American dream as making a fortune. They pursuit their dreams by centering their lives around material possessions, such as cars, appliances. There are exhausted to keep up with their equally materialistic neighbors. Seemingly, they are rich in materials, but they are in poor spirit. Many American families become the victims of the American Dream. Unfortunately, the Lomans is one of them. In the search of the good life, the Lomans surroud themselves with many things above and beyond the necessities of life. However, these goods are only available at a price, and not everyone in society can afford them. The Lomans try to keep up, with a refrigerator, a vacuum, and a new car, but they find themselves in a constant state of worry that they may be not able to meet all the payments. So when Willy is sixty-three years old, he is still in debt. In Willys life, he has two dreams. One is to set up his own company while the other is his two sons can succeed. But Willys two great dreams come to a totally failure. Because he believes that any well liked and personally attractive man can achieve the dream. And he also passes this belief to his sons. Bernard can get the best marks in school, y understand, but when he gets out in the business world, yunderstand, you are going to be five times ahead of him. Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like Adonises. Because the man who makes an personal in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. (Arthur Miller, 1949:33) His understanding of the qualities of attractiveness and likeability is very superficial. He blindly expects to achieve material, emotional, and even spiritual satisfaction through personal attractiveness and being well liked. He fails to see that Charley and his son are successful because of lifelong hard work and not because of the illusions of social popularity and physical appearances. His blind faith in his stunted version of the American Dream leads to his rapid psychological decline when he is unable to accept the disparity between the ideal dream and his own life. 4. Enlightenment from Willy Lomans fate From the previous analysis, we have a better understanding of Willy Lomans fate. We cannot help showing our sympathy for his downfall. But this tragedy leaves us not only the sigh, but also the deep meditation. We can gain a good deal of enlightenment from his fate. Firstly, we should have a round and accurate evaluation about ourselves. Everyone is unique in the world. We have both merits and demerits. If we can make best use of the advantages and bypass the disadvantages, then we will become more competent and more confidence to deal with the changeable and competitive society. Secondly, our dreams should not go too far away from the reality. It is good to have dreams. Dreams can motive us to work hard to live a better life. In this way, the society can make progress. But our dreams should base on reality. It should be practical to realize the dreams. If the dreams seem impossible to realize, we may feel disappointed and lose confidence when we find the disparity between the dream and our life. Thirdly, we should make a plan that fit ourselves to realize the dream. We should see through the key to success. We should not like Willy Loman think it is well liked. But we can learn from Charley that the key to success is hard work and maintain our morality intact. Fourthly, spiritual wealth is more important than material wealth. In the modern society, material civilization is highly developed while there exists a crisis of mental world of human beings. Money worship and hedonism are prevailing, the view of value is collapsing, and men tend to become the slaver of material desire. So we cannot ignore our spiritual world. In our spare time, we should enrich our spirit world by reading books of real worth and live a worthy life. 5. Conclusion In Death of a salesman, Miller charges America with selling a false myth constructed around a capitalist materialism. And this materialism obscured the personal truth and moral vision of original American Dream described by the countrys founders. Willy Lomans inaccurate self-evaluation, incompetent role-player in family, wrong outlooks on values and being a victim of the American Dream bring about his downfall. His fate reveals the contradiction between material and spirit, reality and dream. Thus it makes the play become one of the best modern tragedies.

Zara Company Analysis

Zara Company Analysis I selected Zara to be the topic of my strategic management individual assignment. Ive chosen this topic because Zara is one of the leading companies in the fashion industry and they follow strategies that give them competitive advantage over other competitors like: MANGO, NEXT, GAP, HM. In this paper Im going to discuss the companys background and history, the SWOT analysis, the strategies that adopted in the company, challenges, opportunities, and the mission vision and objective. Background of the company Zara is a clothing retailer who has taken a new approach in the industry. It was founded by Amancio Ortega in 1963 in Spain. Its parent company is owned 60% INDITEX by the Ortega family and Inditex has carried out in 2005 to 6.741 billion turnovers. Zara has about 2000 thousands branches around the world. Zara is a distributor of apparels. It offers a wide range of choices: the collections for women, men and children. However, the brand launched a line of cosmetics, perfumes and household products. Since the beginning of its establishment, the main idea of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Zara is to make luxury products accessible to everyone. Thus, they managed somehow to democratize luxury manufacturer of products inspired by the evolution of fashion. With this policy, Zara is now an industry capable of offering trendy products at affordable prices. On the other hand, it is a company that wants to be close to young people. Also, this desire is felt in its recruitment policy. Zara young employees with styles very marked fashion. However, Zara understands what exactly the customers need and respond to their needs very quickly. Thats the main secret of Zara, which gives them a competitive advantage. Vision, mission, and objectives VISION To be number one fashion retailer. MISSION The world is getting smaller; we want the whole world to dress in style, class, and experience unique designs weekly. Objectives The main objective is to increase the customers demand and satisfaction, by giving them the chance to experience new unique designs weekly. Spread widely and open more branches in the main cities around the world and cover 80% of them by the end of 2011. SWOT Analysis Zaras strategy has both opportunities and strengths of threats and weaknesses. The following section will describe the four dimensions of Zaras agile approach. (S)trengths: Zaras value chain is vertically integrated, which offers many advantages. It can react quickly and it may have high control over the entire process from design to final product. Supply chain is efficient when they have a smooth use of distributions centers and warehouses. Its strategy also allows distributing the products within a wide geographic range within a very short time. The other thing also is that the products are close to market demand. Their products are made only in limited editions; consequently, they must sale their products in short period of time so they can be sold at full price without having them to be returned. This responsive approach involves both lower marketing costs, and higher profit margins for the company. IT integration is also an important aspect of Zaras strategy which is significant as it enables information sharing between different joints within the company. (W)eaknesses: Zaras business model is certainly well adapted to todays needs. But it has a significant weakness, which is that it is difficult to exploit the scalability of a continued expansion. Zara accounts for 80% of consolidated sales Inditexs, which means that the entire group is very dependent on Zaras sales figures. The vertical integration of supply chain has its limitations in scalability. Zara cannot produce clothing in larger quantities for a lower cost, and then the whole concept is based on insignificant quantities as quickly distribute to the stores. The rapid processes can thus compromising the quality in some cases. To always be close to market and capture the latest trends and translate them into clothes that are ready for sale within a short time requires outstanding effort from the employees and the management. Zara fails to implement online shopping which leads to lose orders to their competitors. (O)pportunities: Online shopping became huge and significant market; customers can go online and order what they need. If Zara allows customers to purchase online, that would increase their sales. Pablo Isla is the first Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive says: we view our entry into the Indian market to be of significant strategic importance. (T)hreats: The first threat is that the rent is continuously increasing in malls, Zara need to afford the high cost of rent, which means that they have to increase prices or cut other costs. The main competitors of Zara are HM, GAP, NeXT, and Uniqlo. These companies compete with Zara in several categories like: valuation. , sales, financial ratios, and profitability. Moreover, there is competition with the Asian clothing industry, which starts brands can earn price premium over the competitors in this industry. Challenges facing the company The Textile The textile industry is undergoing dramatic changes. This is an area that requires unskilled labor, which many relocation of production abroad (mostly in Asia) in order to lower costs. In addition, there is a certain paradox. Lower costs can certainly develop a competitive advantage, but if all companies do so, they may not have a competitive advantage. Thus, innovation plays a key role in building the advantage against competitors. The question now is how to gain time in order to be more responsive to customer requests. Zara has understood this need and its strategy, is essentially based on the time savings. The two risks in the textile: Demand Three adjectives can describe the demand part. First, it is unpredictable, which means studying the market may give an indication of demand characteristics. Second, it is a variable; it follows the fashion trends. Demand is also volatile, remain loyal to a brand is not the objective of the consumer. The two important things to the customer are the aesthetics and the price: no matter who proposes, as long as it pleases the customers and the prices are reasonable, then they will buy. Competition The textile sector is hyper competitive. The competition is twofold: that of basic products from countries with low production costs, and global companies that offer products high-end. Moreover, competition depends on costs but also on quality, image, responsiveness and, logistics company. Today, off shoring does not only to create a competitive advantage. Other factors should be taken into account. New markets The sales area is centered in Europe. The desire to penetrate a new market is ready for any enterprise. However, in the case of Zara, this conquest is hampered by the centralization of management and production. It appears as the first drawback of the strategy of the company. Therefore, they should revise the strategy to integrate the North American market, one of the largest markets in the world. Thus, they planned to open a distribution center in Mexico to serve the U.S. market. Competition with China This country is the largest producer and exporter of textiles. The lifting of EU quotas (in place since 1974 with the Multi-Fiber Agreement) the 1janvier 2005 has completely destabilized the textile sector (liberalization of world trade). The entry of China into the WTO in 2002 had already had a dramatic impact on the textile sector. According to the European Apparel and Textile Organization (EURATEX) in 2004, 165,000 jobs have been lost and it is anticipated the loss of a million jobs. A major advantage of China is its low production costs (for the violation of workers rights). More generally, Asia alone accounts for 75% of global textile production. China produced in 2003 17% of global textile and with the abolition of quotas, its share reached 50% within three years. Strategy of Zara All functions are centralized at Zara in La Coruà ±a (design, marketing, and communication), enabling cost control and responsiveness. The competitive advantage of the company based on three factors: quality items, reasonable prices and very short response time. Creating and marketing The degree of development of Zara is quite low, they copy the haute couture models: 40 researchers to attend fashion shows around the world and retain the ideas of top designers to fit the model Zara. About 11000 models are available per year, while other competitors have around 3,000 models. The Spanish firm has 12 collections a year, which is huge in this sector. Communication is minimal because Zara is about 0.35% of its turnover, in contrast to other textile companies who spend 3-4% on average. This reflects the lack of advertising campaigns and the consolidation of the communications department at Corunna. The groups websites are in English or Spanish, you cannot buy over the internet which reduces the cost of site management. Their philosophy is: No Marketing, no communication. Time Time is more important than costs. It is a primary fact in the world of fashion. Design, manufacture and delivery can be done within fortnight, while the market average is about two months. It is interesting to quote the remark of one analyst: Manufacturing activity is Inditex a cost center that has for vocation to better serve the sales activities. The cost is certainly higher than 20% of outsourcing but it is more than offset by increased reaction rate and a lower risk. The time strategy is the dominant strategy, because as I mentioned above, time is a cost itself for the company, so when Zara manufacture and deliver the products in two weeks while the others take months to finish this process, this means that Zara will have the chance to reduce costs and increase revenues, also increase the intangible and tangible assets of the company. Competition Zara cannot afford to operate in an extremely competitive market. So it must offer products of superior range by responding quickly to customer requirements and desires. Therefore, the distribution is important because it represents up to half the cost of the product, which means that the competitive advantage is created by low distribution costs. Marketing and sales Signs are open in the inner cities in order to compete with more expensive brands, being present in the very neighborhoods merchants in large cities. Stores are proper name, there are no deductibles Zara. The level of inventory turnover is very high; the shops are stocked twice a week, which creates a certain image of scarcity that can attract customers who do not hesitate to come to Zara quite frequently in order to discover the new collections of articles. Conclusion After we saw this issue appears, the disadvantages and advantages of Zaras strategy. First, it is important to note the unusual degree of it, since it is totally different from that established by the other competitors. The strategy worked to some extent but in the long run, it seems impossible to continue because as we saw in Part III, it is a barrier to entering new markets. In a context of globalization, it seems completely incongruous. If Zara wants a foothold in the U.S., it must decentralize its production, or need to relocate its production factors. The time factor can nevertheless still be the key to the European market but to enter the U.S. market, another strategy is to be considered. But, will they be sufficient to counter the Chinese giant?

Evolution -Them-to Us Essay -- essays research papers

Evolution The origins of mankind is an extremely controversial issue within today’s society. Scientists have a host of different theories pertaining to man’s inhabitance of earth. Many disagreements arise between scientists who have different beliefs pertaining to where and how mankind arose. One such argument is the conflict involving the theory of evolution versus the theory of creation. After extensive scientific research, it is apparent that the theory of evolution is correct. Evolution is the theory that life arose by natural processes at an early stage of the earth’s history and that complex organisms developed from simpler organisms by a process of slow change. It is the idea that new species rise from older species after thousands of years of gradual chemical, environmental, and genetic change. Evolution can be described as the complex processes by which living organisms originated on earth and have been diversified and modified through sustained changes in form an d function â€Å"Evolution†. Scientists, looking for an explanation to the origin of man and other organisms created this evolutionism theory, which also presented answers to the many asked questions dealing with similarities between species. Unlike the theory of creation, which states that the complexity of life and different species can only be explained in terms of a supernatural creator or god who placed life on earth, the theory of evolution has a plethora of evidence proving it to be true â€Å"Creation†. There are several different types of observations that support the theory of organic evolution as an explanation for the similarities and the differences among species. One such observation is in the geologic record. The geologic record is the rock scheme found within the earth’s outer crust. By means of radioactive dating, the ages of rocks in many places on earth have been determined. It is a timetable of the earth’s geologic history. This combin ed with the fossil record, another observation supporting the evolutionary hypothesis, has produced an apparent sequence of life forms from most simple to most complex during the history of the planet. Fossils are any remains or traces of a once-living organism, which are formed by preservation, petrifaction, or sedimentation. Organisms can be preserved and protected against decay by being trapped in amber, tar, or frozen in ice. The hard parts of ... ... the world could have been created in six days. Even though Scopes was found guilty of contradicting creationism and the Bible’s teachings, the persuasion of the defense’s case brought up the major question of evolution versus creation. In 1996, the issue was revisited and now teachers have the right to teach both theories. The Attorney General said the constitutional separation of church and state would be violated if both theories were not acceptable. This trial was a major step for those who believed in evolution. The outcome eventually allowed for people to open their eyes and accept new ideas. The theory of evolution proved to be true â€Å"Monkey†. The controversy over whether evolution or creation is the correct answer to human origins is a major topic of discussion and argument in today’s society. People are entitled to their beliefs, but a great deal of evidence and supporting information has confirmed the theory of evolution to be factual and accurate. By combining all of this information along with comparisons between man and ape and the discoveries of humanlike fossils, the truth is apparent. The theory of evolution in my opinion is correct.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Brave Roof Climber :: First Person Narrative Examples

I will never forget the evening of the rooftop--the evening I was christened "brave roof climber." For some time my older, more adventurous sister had been begging Father to let us go to the roof. He would not even be bothered by helping us to erect a ladder--the juniper tree next to the house would suffice! It was positioned at such a tempting angle, with its long, inviting branches just scraping the top of the roof. One particular evening Father said that we could go; this, much to Mother's chagrin! She had her motherly concerns to be dealt with; perhaps we would get scratched by the branches or fall off the roof; or, even worse, miss a branch entirely and have a very dramatic, Pollyanna-esque scene. And then, there were the shingle granules to be dealt with-- blast those wretched granules! Mother would admonish us to not let any of the granules come off of the new roof--maybe we should just forget about the whole thing and stay on solid ground. Luckily, fathers always keep a memento of youth and adventure in their pocket and are more sympathetic to amateur juniper-tree -climbers at night. I never would have been able to do it without Adrienne. Adrienne, what a girl! She always got into the most scrapes of any of we four girls. She was always insistent to tread "the path not taken". Even if that path led to scrapes and bruises, scolding and reproofs, gashes and rips in her clothes (that were then never handed down to me), ridicule and laughter, or come what may! She had her mark yet to make in this world. She would be a fashion designer, a novelist and poet, an explorer of the Australian outback, a gourmet chef! She always thought of putting the strangest combinations together! She used to dunk her animal crackers in red "Kool-aid," and try to convince me that the mixture of soap with one's toothpaste was the surest way for a brilliant "Colgate" smile. I believed her. Sometimes I wonder what that says about the kind of kid I was. However, she was my big sister, and I looked up to her. I didn't always agree with her though! For example, I would never plough through into the great unknown of beyond without thinking of the consequences! In any pair, surely there must be the cool-headed, sensible one who tries desperately to keep the other in line.

Different Types of Vietnamese Foods Essay

It is amazing how diverse the various types of culture can be. From country to country, even down to the different states and regions within the same nation. Culture is said to have five basic characteristics; it is learned, it is has symbolic structure, it is shared, and it has the ability to adapt. It is a system consisting of variables that constitute a rational way of life (Vien, 2003). A change in social environments results in a change in culture as well, which is why Vietnam has three different regions. Many times, food is a factor that differentiates cultures from various areas. Within Vietnam are three regions: Bac Bo (the north), Trung Bo (the center) and Nam Bo (the south). Each of these regions not only carries their own culture, but they also speak different dialects and are famous for their own kinds of dishes. One of the common traditions within all three regions is rice. Vietnamese culture always includes rice in every meal. With 70% of the Vietnamese population residing in rural areas containing small-scaled paddy rice farmers, Vietnam the second largest exporter of rice in the world (Rutten, Dijk, Rooij, & Hilderink, 2014). Rice is often served as the main complementary entrà ©e eaten with side dishes. The customary way to eat in The Vietnamese involves a family style dinner. Everyone has their own small bowl of rice, while the center of the table consists of many different types of side dishes and sauces (Countries, 2014). These types of dishes are representative of different regions and their wealth. The wealthier the family, the more protein or dishes are served. Everyone uses the chopsticks (the common Vietnamese utensil) to pick at the center dishes and bring food back to their bowl of rice (Countries, 2014). The traditional drink during mealtime is freshly brewed tea served from a teapot. Although the Vietnamese regions share some common food-related traditions, the dishes can differ in their own unique way. Each region is known to have its own specialty dishes that were influenced by its surrounding environment. Climate plays a huge factor in foods that are popular amongst these areas. Climate affects the food in several ways, such as direct effects production of crops, which leads to food supply (Gregory, Ingram, & Brklacich, 2005). Each of these groups has its own distinctive culture and is associated with a specific environmental setting (Vien, 2003). Also, another factor to consider on the different types of food from each region is the influences from the neighboring countries. The first region is North Vietnam; Bac Bo. China influences many of Bac Bo’s dishes. That’s why many of the dishes tend to be more stir fried and include egg rolls, soy sauce and MSG (Destination, 2014). Their dishes tend to have delicate flavors. The weather in North Vietnam is a bit colder; therefore they cannot grow much herbs and spices (Destinations, 2014). Their dishes have less vegetables, fish and meats compare to other areas in Vietnam (Destinations, 2014). Since they don’t cook with chilies, use black pepper and they use less sugar in their dishes. A popular dish that originated from Bac Bo is Banh Cuon. Banh Cuon is a paper-thin rice pancake rolled with ground pork and mushrooms with a side of dipping sauce with herbs and sausages. Southern Vietnam, Nam Bo, is also hugely influenced by China. However, influences from India, France, and Thai have also made an impact on their food (Destinations, 2014). The Red River Delta, in Southern Vietnam which is ri ght beside the Mekong Delta has the highest level of agricultural service distribute from their regions (Adger, 1999). The warmer weather supports the growth of more crops such as animals, vegetables and fruits (Food, 2014). Nam Bo cuisine tends to be richer in flavor since they use more sugar, fresh herbs and garlic. A popular dish from South Vietnam is Cha Tom. Cha Tom is shrimp wrapped in sugarcane. The Central of Vietnam, Trung Bo, is mostly known for their spicy dishes. This region contains the mountainous environment which produces many spices (Food, 2014). The foods in Trung Bo closely resemble the royal cuisine back in ancient Vietnam, very decorative and colorful for the kings and queens (Food, 2014). A popular  dish in Central Vietnam is Bun Bo Hue. Bun Bo Hue is a spicy soup with rice vermicelli and beef. Vietnamese cuisines are infiltrating into America as well. The popular Vietnamese soup, Pho, beef noodle soup has captured the hearts of America (Loh, 2002). Pho cannot be found everywhere in America yet, but it is likely to become the next mainstream Asian cuisine in America (Loh, 2002 ). There is a couple of states that have Pho restaurant but mostly in California. A Campbell Soup Company has partnered with a Vietnamese American chef to create a refrigeration pho broth to the food service industry (Loh, 2002). Also, Chefs at University of Massachusetts in Amherst started serving Pho once a week in the residential dining halls (Loh, 2002). The school’s director of dining services says, â€Å"If it gets more popular, we’ll make it three times a week.† The This Vietnamese broth is one of a couple of Vietnamese cuisines that influence Americans. Banh Mi, Vietnamese sandwiches is the next big food item that America has adopted. In 1983, the first Lee’s Sandwich was created in San Jose CA (Lee’s, 2014). Lee’s sells a mix of modern and traditional Asian-American cuisines: traditional Vietnamese sandwiches and American sandwiches on baguettes or croissants both can be found on their menu (Lee’s, 2014). With this strategy, Lee’s Sandwich has developed to become one of the fastest growing restaurants chains in the West. Lee’s Sandwich was recognized as one of the Top 50 foodservice bakery in the United states by Modern Baking in 2005 (Lee’s, 2014). Standing today with 55 stores country wide. Lee’s sandwich is another wonderful Vietnamese cuisine that is slowly but surely influencing America. The Vietnamese culture is gradually growing throughout America with the help of Vietnamese-Americans citizens. The U.S. does a good job of upholding our reputation of diversity; it is astonishing to see how this country is so open to trying new and different types of food. The willingness to intertwine with other ethic culture and food continues to make huge progress in this development. References Adger, W. N. (1999). Social Vulnerability To Climate Change And Extremes In Coastal Vietnam. World Development, 27(2), 249-269. Countries and Their Cultures. (n.d.). Culture of Vietnam. Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/Vietnam.html Destination Vietnam. (n.d.). Rice, herbs, spices. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.destination-asia.com/vietnam/about/taste/ Food. (n.d.). Inside Vietnam. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.insidevietnamtours.com/vietnamese-culture/food/ Gregory, P., Ingram, J., & Brklacich, M. (2005, October 24). Climate change and food security. Climate change and food security. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/360/1463/2139.full.pdf+html Lee’s Sandwiches Franchise. (n.d.). Costs & Fees. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.thefranchisemall.com/franchises/details/13774-0-lees_sandwiches.htm Loh, L. (2002, May 13). The Next Ethnic Dish of the Day: Vietnamese Pho. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://articles.latimes.com/2002/may/13/business/fi-pho13 Rutten, M., Dijk, M. V., Rooij, W. V., & Hilderink, H. (2014). Land Use Dynamics, Climate Change, and Food Security in Vietnam: A Global-to-local Modeling Approach. World Development, 59, 29-46. Vien, T. D. (2003). Culture, environment, and farming systems in Vietnam’s northern mountain region. Cambridge University Press: Southeast Asian Studies, Vol. 41. Vietnamese Cuisine, Food & Recipes. (n.d.). Asian Recipes. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.asian-recipe.com/vietnam

Gwen Harwood Essay

To what extent does your response to ‘Father and Child’ inform your judgement of this poem and Harwood’s poetry as a whole? (In your essay refer to at least one other poem) For a true appreciation of the sanctity of life and for true spiritual maturation, an individual must accept and come to terms with the frail mortality of human life. Harwood’s poetry uses truly harrowing language to convey how her own personal experiences and relationships have led her to an enlightened state of being, with continual use of religious metaphor and allusion to convey her enriched spirituality. One of her poems that shows this is, At Mornington, is a reflection of her life, from her early childhood experiences at the beach, to her present middle-aged self, by the graves of her parents. Another that examines this is Father and Child, which is in two separate sections, the first depicting her initial confrontation with death as a child and the second conveying her acceptance of mortality when she is forced to part ways with her dying father. Life is a fleeting and impermanent state that must be treated with an almost religious sanctity in preserving and protecting it. In Father and Child, Harwood uses the innocent and protected narrative voice of a child to convey the distressing emotions she experiences while watching the pain and suffering of a barn owl, and her shock when witnessing the true nature of death. This is shown in the recurring accumulation of graphic, morbid imagery of the owl as â€Å"this obscene bundle of stuff that dropped, and dribbled through loose straw, tangling in bowels†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This confrontation leads her into a self-discovery of her own brutality (in the metaphor â€Å"eyes†¦ mirror my cruelty†) and the need to preserve life. It also develops her mental and spiritual maturation while coming to terms with the transience of life. Experiences and relationships can also shape one’s appreciation of life and understanding of the nature of death. This is shown in part two of the poem, Night Fall, when, through a mature narrative voice, Harwood explores how, through loss, we can accept the morbid nature of death and truly appreciate life, as evidenced in the last two lines of accumulation as the narrator mourns the loss of her father, â€Å"grown to learn what sorrows, in the end, no ords, no tears can mend†. This ultimately furthers her ability to realise the value in appreciating the sanctity of life and accepting the inevitability of death. An acceptance of the transient nature of life is an essential part in achieving an enriched state of being and acknowledging the limits of human existence. The second poem, At Mornington, juxtaposes the innocence of youth in her first stanza with the mature an d understanding of her present self, throughout the rest of the poem, to signify the changing perspectives induced by experience and age. The recurring water motif in â€Å"caught by a wave†¦ among rattling shells†¦ on what flood are they borne†¦ fugitive as light in a sea-wet shell†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is symbolic of the various stages of her life and the conflicting nature of emotion, conveying the impermanent and fragile nature of life as she comes to an understanding of its sanctity. Upon reflection, an individual may also find an acceptance of death in an understanding of the transient nature of life, through reminiscing old memories and appreciating the varied yet cyclical nature of life. This is shown through the consideration of past sentiments in the last stanza, using symbolism, metaphor and an accepting tone in â€Å"the peace of this day will shine like light on the face of the waters that bear me away for ever†. Harwood is able to convey this meaning through her poetry so that a responder may be able to reflect upon their own experiences and come to a better understanding and acceptance of life, giving one the opportunity to further their own experiences and enrich their own lives with these wisdoms. It also leads an individual into a self-discovery of their own personal truths in terms of an appreciation of the life they live. For it is only through an acceptance of the frailty of human life and the inevitability of death that an individual can reach true spiritual maturation and fully appreciate life.

The Relationship Between Corporations and the Environment

The relationship between corporations and the environment is a tumultuous one. Corporations have abused and violated the environment for generations. These actions have now become unacceptable in our present society. There is growing concern for our natural resources; the world's forests, waterways, and air are noticeably tainted. In the last twenty years, the U. S. has become more vigilant in recognizing and passing acts to attempt to regulate and purify our environment. Between 1938 and 1986, twelve acts regarding business and the environment have been passed. The Food and Drug Administration established the first act in 1938. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act was passed to regulate food and drug additives. The Delaney Clause in 1958 added the prohibition of the sale of foods containing human or animal carcinogens to the original act. The Wilderness Act of 1964 outlawed the development of wilderness areas and gave new procedures for the appointment of new protected areas. In 1969, the National Environment Policy Act created a nation wide environmental policy and the Council on Environmental Quality. A year later, the first legislation passed for the Clean Air Act. It was relegislated in 1977 and again in 1990. This act established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control the enforcement of air quality standards. In 1972, both the Federal Insecticide and Rodenticide Act and the Clean Water Act were passed. They were relegislated in 1988; and 1977, 1981, and 1987 respectively. FIFRA requires the registration of every pesticide, certification and preconsumer testing. The Clean Water Act established standards for wastewater treatment, sludge management, and set discharge limitation and water quality standards. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 protects animals that are threatened or endangered. Relegislated in 1984, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 standardized the manufacturing, transportation, storage, treatment and dumping of solid and hazardous waste. Also passed in 1976 was the Toxic Substances Control Act, which delegates the EPA control over the assessment of risks involved in chemicals and recordkeeping. 1980 saw the passing of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Recovery Act, which brought liability upon the owners, transporters and sources of hazardous waste, and established the Superfund to help with cleanup costs. The Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act requires companies to publicly disclose all chemical and toxic hazards in their operations. 1 These acts have often left companies feeling as though their hands were tied. The Clean Air Act by 1989 managed to reduce air pollution to two thirds of the 1970's level. The Act achieves this through the use of permits to regulate the construction and production of major sources of pollution. The act specifies that a major source is one that emits 100 tons or more per year. This means that a factory can be built that emits 90 tons of pollution per year with out a permit. A permit is also necessary if you want to increase an existing factory that emits 100 tons by 25 tons. This act has its shortcomings. For example, a university wants to expand its heating plant. The administration has two options either modify the existing plant or build a new plant. The university's heating plant emits 100 tons of pollution, this means that they will need a permit. The modification would normally be more cost effective because it is a smaller job and would not take as much time to accomplish. The practicality of the situation would force the building of a new heating plant that is to be smaller than 100 tons of pollution. The reason for this is the delay, cost and uncertainty of the permitting process, which would drive the over all cost up. It is probable that the modification of the single plant would ultimately produce less pollution that the two separate plants. 2 The SARA, or Superfund Amendment and Reauthorization Act passed by the government as an addendum to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act specifies that companies make public details of their storage and handling techniques. All firms manufacturing 300 specific chemicals must abide by this. Firms with ten or more full time workers must painstakingly report must report all chemicals released routinely. The quantity of the specific chemicals released into water, soil, and air, along with a listing of waste treatment efficiency must be made available to the surrounding community. It is difficult for companies to cite specific waste treatment facilities, for not many true ones exist. The public demands total removal of hazardous wastes and at the same time that the goods be produced with the same efficiency and quality. 3 The Clean Water Act is a system of minimum national standards for the discharge of toxins and hazardous waste into the environment. The rules given call for complicated technical decisions to be made by businesses. The fact that a company must comply with all new standards within a year causes for much loss and payment of fines. These acts do have negative effects upon businesses. However, corporations are finding advantages to environmentally sound procedures. Not only are environmentally friendly policies popular with consumers, but they can also save businesses a great deal of money. As the acts and their socially conscious agenda become more assimilated into the business world, business is working to gain advantage and minimize disadvantages. Many case studies support this idea. Corporations have discovered that they can often use environmental friendly programs and products to produce more profits. An excellent example of this is Ben and Jerry's ice cream company. The company began by making all natural ice cream on a very small scale in Burlington, Vermont in 1978. Natural food held great appeal in Vermont, even before it held nation-wide popularity. Soon, their product became extremely popular. Ben and Jerry's all natural products provided the first benefits of environmental-friendly policies for the company. Later, when two large manufacturing facilities were built in Waterbury and St. Albans Vermont, they decided to treat the waste created form their processing with a prototype solar aquatic treatment system. Like a wetland, the system combines solar energy with plants, algae and microbes to break down wastewater. Three â€Å"green teams† strive to ensure compliance with their priorities of managing their waste, conserving energy, practicing sustainability, finding renewable energy sources and forming environmentally positive community programs. Besides these positive actions, which attract many customers, other environmentally correct actions save Ben and Jerry's money. Instead of sending massive amounts of waste to the landfill, the company implemented procedures that minimize waste and reduce cost simultaneously. Cardboard waste is baled and sold or recycled, which saves the company $17,400 annually. Office employees must follow a recycling program to save energy, cost and trees. $235,000 a year is saved in recycling or reusing plastic buckets. As much as $250,000 a year will be saved from new energy saving devices incorporated by the company. There are environmentally positive aspects in every part of the company which prove Ben and Jerry's to be unhypocritical, for the environmentally friendly image they sell their products. Since their total sales were $97 million in 1991, it seems that this philosophy works and brings about a large customer base. 4 Other companies have found profit through environmentally safe Merck & Co. , a worldwide health product corporation for animals and humans, and specialty chemicals balances profit and responsibility even in the face of SARA. To maintain an inner accordance, Merck runs its operations with the same regard for health and well being that its products have. Merck has declared, â€Å"†¦ our commitment is to conduct our business worldwide in a manner that will protect the environment as well as the health and safety of our employees and the public. â€Å"5 Merck made formal its environmental commitment in 1990. In 1990, the company published a statement giving its environmental policies and goals. The progress toward these objectives was charted through periodic reports in a set five-year period. The objectives set by Merck were specific. The minimization of chemicals released into the atmosphere, in turn harming people, animals, the ozone layer, and causing acid rain and the greenhouse effect was one goal. Research to find new ways to minimize waste and conserve resources was a priority. Reduction of waste generation and self-sufficient waste treatment and disposal were another goal. Energy and resource conservation practices were to be utilized in its research, manufacturing and office facilities. Lastly, resource conservation was to be promoted through innovative product design and recyclable materials. 6 Merck, like all chemical producers, was directly confronted with SARA. Though the company is not forced to reduce emissions, its operation procedures go far above SARA suggestions and Clean Air Act regulations. Voluntarily, the company made a commitment to the EPA to follow these higher standards. Merck specifically vowed to reduce carcinogen air emissions by 90% at the end of 1991. Also, these air emissions were to be eradicated by 1993. Finally, Merck would reduce releases of corporate chemicals by around 90% of all direct releases and material transfers for off site disposal by the end of 1995. Merck had reduced all its worldwide releases of toxic chemicals by 50% from 1987 figures by the end of 1992. 7 The goals focusing on toxic waste processing and reductions were to be achieved through a strategic plan at division and plant levels. Divisions, plants and salaried employees directly or indirectly involved with manufacturing were to implement personal goals to help Merck achieve their overall goals. The eight plants under Merck's manufacturing division, along with the two manufacturing vice-presidents, were each accountable for the reduction and better management of waste in the plants. A central environmental resource staff coordinated and supported the effort. SOurce reduction was the biggest priority, followed by recovery/recycling/reuse, and waste management. Most of Merck's waste is non toxic. The toxic minority consists of primarily ethyl alcohol, acetone and methyl alcohol, used in manufacturing processes. The waste stream is boiled, the purified vapors condensed, and the liquid recollected. 90% is recovered for reuse. The remaining 10% is toxic waste. 8 Packaging components have experienced reduction in the interest of landfill space and resource conservation. Cotton wadding in drug bottles has been eliminated in the US. In Europe, there has been a 10% reduction in aluminum and foil waste. A conversion in Europe to standard blister packaging and high volume carton printing reduces waste and saves money. 9 New and more efficient equipment helps to reduce Merck's waste management problems. By standardizing and improving production, Merck is less likely to encounter problems with the FDA for making drug production changes. Approval for production changes is extremely time and cost consuming. Yield and product quality standards are on the same level as environmental standards. Merck, â€Å"takes responsibility for the total life cycle of materials we use and products we manufacture. â€Å"10 Merck keeps lines of communication open with the public concerning its environmental policies. By working with the Chemical Manufacturers Association's Responsible Care Program, Merck provides information to the public through a 1-800 number. The number is linked directly to Merck, where questions regarding Merck plants are answered. Emergency response systems are in place at factories, and for Merck transports. Literature regarding operations and safety procedures are distributed by Merck to keep the public informed. 11 Merck's environmental commitment extends to its corporate headquarters. Environmental preservation of woodland and wetlands upon the site was the priority. The 900,000 square foot hexagon-shaped building and the 700,000 square foot underground parking garage made a minimal effect upon the land. Awards and recognition were in order for this achievement. Kevin Roche, an architect known for designs that blend into the environment, was chosen for the project. The hexagon building surrounds five acres of forest, roads go over the land, and trees were moved rather than destroyed. They were nurtured in a nursery for as long as three years and then returned to the landscape. Energy saving features were utilized in the main building. All paper waste, the principal waste product, is recycled. 2. 8 tons of waste are produced per day, of which 8 tons are recyclable. 12 Merck has made an agreement with the Costa Rican Instituto Nacional de Biodivarsidad (INBio) to grant a million dollars to catalog the immensely diverse life found in Costa Rico. In exchange, Merck is granted the rights to any new medicines found. If a new medicine is found, the royalties will surpass the cost of the failure of the project. The diversity of Costa Rico is thought by scientists to contain more biodiversity then any other planet on earth. Many unknown animals and plants exist in Costa Rico and have yet to be discovered. Merck is training local people to take samples and perform extractions. INBio will analyze the samples. Merck will evaluate samples for agricultural and pharmaceutical applications. This mutual beneficent relationship will aid both the environment and Merck. 13 By improving their product, cutting their costs, and improving their public image, Merck has made a profit from environmental friendliness. The envirometal centered policy has opened up new markets and gained a competitive advantage. This compliance is expensive, but seems well worth the expenditure for the return. The EPA also has developed incentives in recent years for environmental policy compliance. The Green Lights program gives companies EPA support to drive down lighting usage, which accounts for over 20% of overall electrical costs. Software, financing information, lighting product consumer reporting is provided free of charge. Public recognition is given through public service ads, news articles, marketing materials, broadcast specials and videotapes. Computer manufacturers who install automatic â€Å"power down† on their computers join the Energy Star program endorsed by the EPA. Consumers and businesses look specifically for this symbol in many cases, causing a gain for the computer manufacturer. Variable Speed Drives for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems save 40% or more efficiency. The EPA has formed a special group buy to make them more affordable. Payback is within three years. Plans are on the board to endorse other â€Å"green† technologies this way. Refrigerators that are produced and function 30-50% more energy efficient then 1993 standards will receive a rebate. These are just a few incentives the EPA is providing. 14 Government and business have often debated over policies and laws. In the case of laws governing business practices and their effects on the environment, this holds true. The balance between being environmentally safe and still producing the quality and quantities needed is delicate. However, today's market makes environmental friendliness sellable, and the procedures involved often save businesses a considerable amount of money. Ben and Jerry's have utilized the market for environmentally aware products and combined it with their company philosophy. Merck has utilized the same business strategy and found ways to surpass SARA and other environmental acts. These businesses prove that being environmentally responsible is not only morally correct, but also profitable.