A rose for Emily Essay Example for Free

A rose for Emily Essay In William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† the focus is on Miss Emily and her Southern upbringing. In the South during Miss Emily’s life time for a woman not to be married was socially unacceptable. In Southern society during this time, and even today, it was encouraged and believed that to be happy it was necessary for one to be married. Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a classic example of Southern literature because of the importance of family, community, religion, time and place. Miss Emily represented the importance of all of these things on Southern society. Miss Emily, is forced to conform to her father’s Southern societal values. Her family represented a monument of the past; Emily was referred to as a â€Å"fallen monument.†. She was a relic of Southern gentility and past values. She was considered fallen because she had been proven susceptible to death and decay. Like the rest of the world Miss Emily’s father chased away any and all men that tried and wanted to marry her. Miss Emily was very controlled by her father. He was very protective of her and extremely dominating. This kind of family environment for women was typical of southern society. Miss Emily herself represented, â€Å"a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation. Miss Emily was merely a product of her environment. William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† displays an ideal of the antebellum Southern society that is ofte n still associated with the south. Faulkner succeeded in writing a work of Southern literature that displays a romantic pull of the past and the idea that submission to this romance was a form of death thematically, death conquers all. The story of Miss Emily Grierson from Yaknapatawpha County is a tale depicting the romance of the South combined with the story itself created a captivating atmosphere, a world where no one wants.

Social Work Personal Values Essay

Social Work Personal Values Essay Values are part of my upbringing and play a big part in my life, as they underpin my thoughts and actions. As a social work student I need to question my personal values, beliefs and ethics as these will have a big impact on my behaviour as a professional. My personal values are congruent to the values of social work, which is the reason why I have chosen a career in a social care. This values are self determination to promote social justice, being caring and helpful toward others, truthfulness (honesty) and respect. Working in Residential and Care Homes further developed my interest in promoting social justice and social change on behalf of the service users. I understand, that as a social work student I need to act in accordance with the values, and ethics of the profession, recognizing how personal and professional values may conflict with the needs of diverse clients. VALUING DIVERSITY To value diversity means acknowledging my own prejudices, allowing people to be different and respecting these differences. Being raised in Poland, where 96, 7% of population is polish my upbringing was white and influenced my prejudice about people from other cultures. Due to lack of contact and knowledge I have made a preconceived judgment about other races. My social environment such as religion and culture has influenced me to behave in certain ways towards other people. My religion created a stereotype and prejudice about homosexuality. My beliefs would not accept homosexuality due to influence of the church on my attitude towards sexual orientation. Moving to England and changing my social environment made me realize how wrong those perceptions were. Living in multicultural environment made me aware of different cultures, religions, races, which helped me to change my attitude towards people from diverse backgrounds. I have made friends from different parts of the world what he lped me to enhance my understanding of different cultures and religions. I have learned how to accept and respect the differences. I understand and recognise that we living in a diverse society and that there is much to be gained by having a variety of people, with a variety of backgrounds, approaches, talents and contributions. DISCRIMINATION My experience with discrimination started when I moved to England in 2004. I was often subject to insulting racial jokes. The stereotypes about my culture and people along with labelling were very offensive and painful. The people with whom I have been working held hostile attitudes toward Polish people and culture. I was working in Bed and Breakfast where the majority of employees were English. My employer treated me differently than other employees. When allocating the tasks, she would often give me the most of them living the rest of the staff doing almost nothing. On one occasion one of the employees did not complete the given task and she said Let the Polish get on with this. She would not have dared to treat other employees the way she treated me. Probably she thought that she could get away with it because I did not know my rights and my English language was very poor. I found that experience very painful and could not understand why I was treated this way. Later on I have dis covered that it was a direct discrimination and it is against the law to be treated this way. There are a number of policies and legislations that could apply to my situation such as: The 1976 Race Relations Act, which makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you on racial grounds. Race includes: colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. ( www.direct.gov.uk) The Equality Act 2010 provides a new cross-cutting legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all; to update, simplify and strengthen the previous legislation; and to deliver a simple, modern and accessible framework of discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.( www.equalities.gov.uk) I could also use agencies such as Citizen Advice Bureau, which provides free advice to foreigners, and often offer a translator to provide information and advice on employment rights, including discrimination. ACAS is another organisation, which provides general information on employment rights and responsibilities. Being discriminated in the past made me realise how damaging the effects of discrimination can be. I have started to wonder why people discriminate against each other. On many occasions I have witness discrimination but due to lack of knowledge I was not able to challenge it and simply accept or ignore it. Last year on the Access Course I have developed a knowledge which helped me to understand why discrimination happens in society. I have learned different theories behind discrimination which helped me to understand its roots. Since then I have become more observant and started to reflect on my own actions and actions of others. Schon (1983) identifies two types of reflection. Reflection in action, which is thinking back on what we have done in order to discover how our knowing in action may have contributed to an unexpected outcome. We may do so after the fact, in tranquillity or we may pause in the midst of action (stop and think) (Schon,1987:26). Reflection -in -action is about challenging my assumptions, thinking again, in a new way about the problem that I have encountered. Reflection In Action is happening where we may reflect in the midst of action without interrupting it. Our thinking serves to reshape what we are doing while doing it (Schon, 1987:26). By observing others in my current work place I have identified negative experiences present in a Care Home based on feelings of discrimination and unfair treatment which was against my own values and believes. One of the examples of discrimination that I have witness was discrimination through the language. Working in a Residential Home as a carer I have noticed a member of staff using patronising and insulting language towards residents. I found that language very disrespecting and decided to challenge my colleague. I have realized that he held a negative attitude towards older people, as he regards to residents as dirty old woman, and call them as useless . I have explained to him that one day he also will be old and is that the way he would like to be seen. At this point my Manager came in and after explaining what has happen, the member of staff was asked to leave the premises. In reflection on this experience I have realized that people have different attitudes to aged population, which are different to my own attitude. Another observation involves a resident having negative attitudes towards black people. The resident would not allow a black member of staff to provide any kind of help or personal care. She would shout and swear using insulting language as soon as they entered the room. Because the majority of carers are black it is hard to allocate a white member of staff to help her. When asking her why she does not want a black member of staff she answered that she does not want blacks to help or touch her because they are dirty and useless. On one occasion when attending this resident I decided to challenge her perceptions about black people and called a new black member of staff to help me when giving personal care. I have explained to the resident that she is a new member of staff and she will only observe me. She accepted it but was not very happy about it. While working with resident I started to ask the girl questions, such as why she wants to work here and does she like her job. She respon ds that she was looking after her grandmother who passed away recently and has a lot of experience and that she enjoys helping other people. The resident was listening but did not say anything. I was hoping that she will change her negative attitude after spending some time with the black member of staff, after watching me having a positive interaction with her. Not being aware of the resident attitude the girl asked her if she would like her to do her hair because she used to do it very nice to her grandmother. The resident did not answer just sat on the chair and gave the girl a hair brush. On that stage I have left the room hoping that this experience will change her attitude and prejudice against black people. The resident now is being attended by black staff without any problems, and communicating in a respectful way. REFLECTION ON THE POLICIES OF CHALLENGING DISCRIMINATION IN MY WORK PLACE (JEWISH RESIDENTIAL HOME) The use of Anti Discriminatory practice at my work place is fundamental to the ethical basis of care provision, and equality legislation is crucial to the protection of service users dignity. It imposes particular responsibilities on public and service providers to avoid stereotyping and to respect service users diverse needs and cultural diversity. To challenge discrimination Jewish Care has put into place a written policies and procedures to deal with discriminatory behaviour and practice. CHALLENGING DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION A starting point in challenging discrimination and oppression is having awareness of the different types and ways that discrimination and oppression can occur. Thompson PCS Analysis provides a clear and understandable method of consideration discrimination and oppression in the context of personal, cultural and societal levels. The process of empowerment is also crucial in challenging oppression. On a personal level we could empower individuals to take control over their lives, for example through enhancement of self-esteem and confidence. On a cultural level empowerment is concerned with becoming aware of ideologies premised on inequality. Discriminatory assumptions and stereotypes should be challenged in order to break down an oppressive culture. On a structural level empowerment involve abolition of structural inequalities from the structure of society. Education plays important role in challenging discrimination. By educating people to understand the causes and effects of discrim ination we can challenge traditional beliefs and practices concerning particular groups and promote equality, diversity, inclusion and tolerance. ANTI DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE Anti discriminatory practice is an approach which seeks to combat discrimination and oppression, in terms of challenging all forms of discrimination and oppression from our own practice and practice of others (Thompson, 2006). As a social work student I need to develop further my anti discriminatory practice. To do so I have to recognise the significance of discrimination in peoples lives, especially in the lives of disadvantaged people. I also need to develop self-awareness and make sure, that my own action does not reinforce discrimination.

Marketing Essays Red Bull

Marketing Essays Red Bull Table of Contents Introduction Red Bull and Marketing Theory Introduction Market Entry Market Strategy Marketing Communications Company Analysis Analytical Methods Company Sales and Diversification Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Conclusions Future of Red Bull and Recommendations References Introduction Red Bull has created a strong brand image, using colourful icon with two bulls in opposition and a memorable tag line; ‘Red Bull gives you wings’. Through creative marketing and sponsorship it has linked itself with extreme sports, innovative music and art, all aimed squarely at the youth market (Dahlen, Lange and Smith, 2010). This brief examines brand development, which strategies have helped it to success and where the brand goes from here as it faces the prospect of losing its cutting-edge image while continuing largely with only one product. Red Bull is a European success story. The product was launched in 1987 in Austria. It faced opposition from the Food and Drink Administration (FDA), who refused to clear it for distribution but despite this it became an underground success through clubbers and snowboarders. This anti-establishment stance found synergy with consumers, even after it was cleared for sale. It quickly spread into neighbouring countries and into the US market (Franzen and Moriarty, 2009). Dahlen, Lange and Smith (2010) note that by 2004, it had gained 40% share of its market sector and 70% in Europe. However, the brand still faced problems; it was banned in Denmark and France following unsubstantiated rumours that people had died from drinking the product in Sweden and Ireland (Mail Online, 2001). The European market was stagnating, and it faced distribution problems from companies supporting their own-brand products. The ever-present competition from Pepsi and Coca-Cola limited the scope for expansion. With these pressures, the company developed a marketing strategy that avoided mainstream advertising, instead focusing on grass-roots promotion. The product was sold in trendy nightclubs and bars, and the credibility of those held in high regard by the young target audience, such as DJs (Boswijk, Thijssen and Peelen, 2007). Brand education was provided by high-profile visits to places where the company felt people ‘might need a lift’. Examples include offices, building sites and garages. Self-styled Red Bull distributors exploited their local knowledge to help sell the brand and its products. It terms of higher profile marketing, Red Bull has primarily focused on maintaining its links with extreme sports. It sponsors two Formula One teams (Red Bull and Toro Rosso), as well as snowboarding, kite-boarding, surfing and aircraft racing. All of these underline its commitment to its youthful, energetic target audience. The next part of the brief examines how its marketing strategy fits into contemporary marketing theory. Red Bull and Marketing Theory Introduction Red Bull is essentially a one-product brand, offered at a premium price in its market sector. Having started in Austria, it quickly spread to other markets including the USA and has become the market leader in its sector. It uses a novel approach to marketing, which is discussed later in this section. In terms of the traditional 4Ps of marketing, therefore, the company is easy to categorise. However, the 4P method has received criticism as being somewhat limited (Lee, 2001), and therefore the company is examined from a number of perspectives in this section, starting with market entry. Market Entry Any new company has to determine how they intend to enter a new market. This will be predicated by a number of factors such as the available resources, the sales objectives, product offered and existing competition (Fifield, 1998). In the case of Red Bull, the launch of the new product established a new category of product; that of energy drinks. Derived from a concept found by Dietrich Mateschitz in the Far East, the formula developed included large amounts of caffeine, sugars (glucose and sucrose) and taurine (Red Bull, 2014). Taurine is a ‘conditional amino acid’, which means it cannot be created by the body but needs to be provided in the diet. It is found in meat and fish (WebMD, 2014). It is used medically in the treatment of congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, among other conditions, and it is present in infant formulas. Taken together with the other ingredients, Red Bull claims that it provides an energy boost (Red Bull, 2014). Since no similar type of product existed on the market, there was no direct competitor. As an innovator, the company had to educate its target audience on the product’s benefits. If a mass market entry approach is used, this can be extremely expensive (Hill and Jones, 2012), since customers have to be convinced that the new product is safe, has unique benefits and is socially acceptable. Rather than attempting to do this on a large scale, Red Bull adopted a novel method based on introducing the product at a grass roots level. It is promoted as a trendy drink at events where its main target audience gathers; nightclubs, extreme sports events and even parties. In the latter, it encourages students to set up Red Bull parties and provides them with free cans to distribute to their friends. The company also uses cars in the corporate colour scheme – together with a gigantic can – which give out promotional samples (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2009). Initially, distribution is set up using small distributors. In some cases, the company has hired warehouses and set up young people to aggressively sell the product (Pride and O’Ferrell, 2006). As far as can be determined from the available literature, this approach is likely to continue to be used in addressing new markets in future. Market Strategy Its chosen strategy has led to strong word-of-mouth sales in new markets, and this provides a springboard for further success in those markets. As it grows, it invests further in creating events such as the Flugtag, in which competitors attempt to fly from a pier using homemade, unpowered aircraft – most of which are incapable of flight, and soapbox racing (Red Bull, 2014a). This draws both competitors and audiences. Most of the events the company sponsors are more professional in nature and cover an increasing range of activities, from spectacular air racing using stunt planes, to cliff diving, wingsuit racing, motorsports and adventures. The company has even moved into computer gaming and e-sports. The features that are common to all of these activities are their attraction to their target audience and their physical and mental requirements. Having identified this approach, the company appears to be keen to continue to exploit it. When considering the market positioning of the Red Bull energy drink, it almost appears that it has arisen organically from the properties of the product; it supports physical and mental exertion and therefore the market position supports this. However, this belies is underpinned by clever physical and psychological positioning. The physical positioning refers to the product’s unique characteristics (it provides energy from its unique formula) and the psychological positioning derives from its brand image as being youthful and energetic, and socially desirable to its twenty-something core audience (Lantos, 2011). From its original product offering (one product), the company has added a little to its portfolio through the introduction of Red Bull sugar-free, Red Bull zero-calories, Red Bull editions (in flavours of cranberry, lime and blueberry) and Red Bull cola. The cola is promoted as being the only cola drink made from 100% natural ingredients and makes the case that, unlike other brands that might be mentioned, it has no secret formula. The company follows the same basic branding approach for these additional products, presumably on the grounds that they will appeal to subsets of their existing target audience. Marketing Communications However impressive a brand is, it has no value unless it can communicate its unique characteristics to the consumer. On this basis, Red Bull has a highly effective marketing communications approach, it is currently recognised as the 74th most valuable brand in the world, with a value of $7.5 billion USD (Forbes, 2014). From grass roots marketing, these days the brand is more recognised through its sponsorship initiatives. This is backed up with a strong online presence that strongly reflects the brand image and provides a form of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The company sees modern communications media as being critical to their success (Kotler and Keller, 2012). The reason Red Bull has achieved such success has been that it has successfully aligned its brand identity with that of its target audience in a way not achieved by its competitors (Urbany and Davis, 2010). Even when it uses traditional marketing media such as TV, it does so in a quirky ways that does not take itself too seriously. In doing so it maintains the image that appeals to its customers. It is this consistancy of message that is so important to IMC. Whatever channel is used to get the message across, it must be the same as those used on alternative channels. Digital media provides an increasingly important method of communicating with consumers, and Red Bull has identified this. As well as having a strong website that focuses on the sponsorship activities it is involved with, it also provides links to social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and You Tube. These sites provide consumers with a means of communicating with the company and with like-minded individuals across the world. This fosters a club-like experience that enhances the company’s alignment with its customers. The use of social media to build on relationship marketing is now well recognised, and Red Bull has been in the forefront of exploiting this (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2011). The company has also been active in the field of mobile marketing, launching its own app to allow subscribers to keep in touch with the company when on the move. Overall, Red Bull is one of the most effective marketing communications companies in the world, and it does so by offering interesting content to its customers. The actual advertising of the products forms a small part of this. However, the brand is intimately linked with its products and thus the message gets across clearly. The continually changing content prompts users to visit its sites frequently, and in doing so keeps the brand close to the user’s attention. Few companies have been so successful in doing so. The next section looks at the current state of the company in the market. Company Analysis Analytical Methods There are a variety of methods available for the analysis of a company. These include analyses on the external environment in which the company operates, such as PESTLE (Political, Economic, Social, Technical, Legal and Environment), and those that examine the internal context such as SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) (Allen, 2001; Murray-Webster, 2010). Other techniques include VRIO (Value, Rarity, Imitability and Organisation), used to determine the level of competitive advantage a company has and how long it is likely to be retained (Peng, 2011). In this case, a PESTLE analysis would provide results indicative of the energy drinks market rather than being specific to Red Bull. A VRIO analysis lacks the depth of SWOT analysis in terms of a general assessment of the internal and external situation, and therefore a SWOT analysis was chosen for analysis of the company. This is shown later in the next section. Company Sales and Diversification Apart from its energy drinks, the company has diversified into other businesses that have synergy with its brand image. These include football clubs, youth academies, online clothing sales and even a construction company. It has moved into media ownership, with print magazines and the mobile phone service industry. Red Bull is privately owned and therefore does not need to report its performance publicly. However, it reported net sales of 4.9 billion Euros in 2012, with 5.2 billion cans of its primary product sold. This represented considerable growth on the previous year (15.9% on sales; 12.8% on number of cans). The company showed very strong net sales growth in South Africa (52%), Japan (51%), Saudi Arabia (38%) and strong continued growth in France (21%), the US (17%) and Germany (14%) (Euromonitor, 2012). The company attributed this to ongoing brand investment and efficient cost management (Euromonitor, 2012). Strengths The main strength of Red Bull is its brand, which is very valuable and has allowed it to grow a strong set of customers. It is synonymous with its energy drink, which is a positive factor (Park et al, 2013). The company has successfully developed new markets internationally using the same brand image. It can therefore be considered as a global company. This is important in that many of its current markets are at or near market saturation. Its use of social media to help to build its brand by relationship marketing is also a strength (Segrave, Carson and Merhout, 2011). Weaknesses The main weakness of the brand is its limited product portfolio. It primary relies on its single main product. This product is at risk of political or legal controls owing to the high levels of caffeine used, or it could just lose its appeal to the market (Aaker and McLoughlin, 2010). This could adversely affect the ability of the company to maintain its position in various markets. Opportunities The company has been effective in developing emerging markets, and if this continues it could largely offset poorer sales developments in the mature markets. Its global marketing message appears to be universally appealing to its target audience, despite cultural differences. It has also invested in new production facilities in Brazil to support domestic sales in the South American continent management (Euromonitor, 2012). This model could easily be extended to local production in Asia and other developing markets. This would both reduce cost of sales and provide a greater sense of community belonging. Threats A range of similar drinks have emerged following its success, increasing the level of competition within its market sector. Some of these competitors use natural ingredients, which may be seen as more desirable to its target audience. This includes the Monster product, which is pressuring sales particularly in North America management (Euromonitor, 2012). The company also faces competition from entrenched market leaders in the wider drinks market such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. These companies work continuously to reduce the threat level posed to themselves from Red Bull. With their huge marketing budgets and ability to develop new products, this could eventually prove decisive and reduce the success of Red Bull. The company also faces the law of diminishing returns in marketing in its mature market, in that the cost to reach the relatively small number of potential customers remaining in these markets becomes prohibitively high (Mike, 2004). The company invests considerable resources in its relationship marketing, and this ongoing cost may also become more onerous, should sales in its target market fall for any reason. Therefore the company faces the potential of having high marketing costs leading to smaller sales despite its dominant position in many markets. Conclusions Red Bull has demonstrated a novel approach to marketing and has introduced a new product to the market that has spawned an entire new category of product. Through its actions, the company has become very successful and has become the market leader in its sector. Its use of a marketing message that is light on selling the product but heavy on building the brand image and associating it with extreme sports and other activities of interest to its target audience has possibly shown the future direction of much marketing effort. The current position of Red Bull remains strong in its market sector. However, as it is now the leading brand in many markets, it will find it difficult to maintain its position due to increased competition from other brands that have seen the opportunities offered by the sector. The growing age of its original target audience may also prove a factor; the company has deliberately addressed a youthful market and as these original customers grow older, it remains to be seen whether the product will continue to appeal to newer generations. However, the company can n develop new markets, and it can potentially reduce costs by focusing on domestic production. These new markets may allow the development of complimentary new products. . It is possible that these could then be sold in its mature markets, widening its product portfolio. Whether the company remains successful will depend on a number of factors. Primarily, there is a question of whether the brand can continue to be trendy now that it is well established in the market. It faces increasing competition in its sector, and this will affect sales unless the company can successfully fend it off. However, it can still expand into new markets and streamline its production facilities to allow the business to continue to grow. Future of Red Bull and Recommendations In order to protect its position and continue to grow, the company should embrace the opportunities offered in emerging markets. It should also work to streamline its distribution to reduce costs. This could be through domestic production or through setting up alliances with existing distributors in those regions. The competition to Red Bull is only likely to increase as more manufacturers seek to exploit its market sector. Emerging products may replace the Red Bull brand image of being cutting edge and anti-establishment; one company cannot keep this mantle forever. The company should therefore consider adapting its message to existing consumers as they mature. The company is well placed to make this transition. However, it cannot simply rely on existing customers, but must appeal to new consumer groups. This could be assisted by the launching of additional products aimed at different demographics. Red Bull is used as a mixer for spirits such as vodka. This offers an additional opportunity to target the more mature audience by launching pre-mixed alcoholic drinks. Red Bull has shown itself adept at social media. The company should develop this as far as possible, embracing new technologies as they arise. This is vital for it to maintain its relationship marketing and also allow the brand to continue to spread through word-of-mouth and sharing of information online. Since the company has so much news to share from the events and teams it sponsors, it has a readymade store of information. This could prove to be important in maintaining brand loyalty in the future. References Aaker, D. A. McLoughlin, D. (2010), Strategic Market Management: Global Perspectives, UK: John Wiley Sons Allen, M. (2001), Analysing the Organisational Environment, UK: Select Knowledge Boswijk, A., Thijssen, T. Peelen, E. (2007), The Experience Economy: A New Perspective, Netherlands: Pearson Education Benelux Dahlen, M., Lange, F. Smith, T. (2010), Marketing Communications: A Brand Narrative Approach, UK: John Wiley Sons Euromonitor (2012), Red Bull GMBH in Soft Drinks (World), available from http://www.euromonitor.com/medialibrary/PDF/RedBull-Company-Profile-SWOT-Analysis.pdf , accessed 4th November 2014 Fifield, P. (1998), Marketing Strategy, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann Forbes, Red Bull, available from http://www.forbes.com/companies/red-bull/, accessed 6 th November 2014 Franzen, G. Moriarty, S. (2009), The Science and Art of Branding, USA: M. E. Sharpe Inc. Hill, C. Jones, G. (2012), Essentials of Strategic Management, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Kotler, P. Keller, K. (2012), Marketing Management 14th Edition, USA: Pearson Education Lamb, C., Hair, J. McDaniel, C. (2011), Essentials of Marketing 11th Edition, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Lantos, G. P. (2011), Consumer Behaviour in Action, USA: M. E. Sharpe Inc. Lee, O. (2001), Internet Marketing Research: Theory and Practice, USA: Idea Group Publishing Mail Online (2001), Three Deaths linked to energy drink, available from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-59862/Three-deaths-linked-energy-drink.html , accessed 6th November 2014 Mike, S. (2004), Marketing and Sales, India: Lotus Press Murray-Webster, R. (2010), Management of risk: guidance for practitioners, UK: The Stationery Office Onkvisit, S. Shaw, J. (2009), International Marketing: Strategy and Theory 5th Edition, UK: Routledge Park, C. W., Eisingerich, A. B., Pol,G. Park, J. W. (2013), The role of brand image in firm performance, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 66, 180-187 Peng, M. W. 92011), Global Business, USA: South-Western Cengage Learning Pride, W. O’Ferrell, O. C. (2006), Marketing, USA: Houghton Mifflin Red Bull (2014), Red Bull Energy Drink Ingredients, available from http://energydrink.redbull.com/ingredients-red-bull, accessed 3rd November 2014 Red Bull (2014a), Events, available from http://www.redbull.com/en/discover/events, accessed 4th November 2014 Segrave, J., Carson, C. Merhout, J. W. (2011), Online Social Networks: An Online Brand Community Framework (2011). AMCIS 2011 Proceedings All Submissions. Paper 249. http://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2011_submissions/249 Urbany, J. E. Davis, J. H. (2010), Grow by Focusing of What Matters: Competitive Strategy in 3 Circles, USA: Business Experts Press

Irving Washington, The History of New York Essay examples -- LIterary

Irving Washington was born in 1783 in New York into a large family where he was the youngest of eleven children. He started his career from a law office feeling that it was a job not to his heart content. Being light-hearted and sardonic in his nature he attempted to write for the journal of his brother Peter called â€Å"The Morning Chronicle†. Later Irving and Peter thought of creating a high-quality literary mockery. Originally the text intended nothing else but a satire upon the â€Å"Picture of New York† by Dr. Samuel Mitchell whose text was rather boastful of erudition and pedantry; however, it turned out to be different from the original perspective broadening the scope of interpretative thinking over to history and philosophy as two great narratives. The text was published December 6, 1809 in New York when Irving Washington was 26 and brought him considerable critical acclaim. Worth mentioning are the two timelines: the actual historical timeline of the story which embraces the first two decades of the XVII century. Literary selection suggested revolves around a historical episode of purchase of New York (namely Manhattan Island) from the Indians and further life of the Dutchmen. In 1626 Peter Menuit arrived at the colony called New Amsterdam to govern as well as take part in educational and religious activities of the settlers. The first priority for the governor to realize was a purchase of the Island of Manhattan. The estimated sum of transaction was twenty-four dollars, which Irving Washington calls â€Å"a measure almost unparalleled in the annals of discovery and colonization† (Tuttleton, 1993, p. 209-212). The second timeline is actually tangible through the author’s voice within the frame of narration, as he comes from two... ... The other side of the conflict is never articulated, thus suppressed, kept silent and, therefore, eliminated, which makes the entire concept of conflict as a productive means of history. Irving Washington wrote the text looking back two centuries. Apart from being a satire it deconstructs the concept of history by devaluation of the conflict via removal of one of its constituents or dehumanization of it which is one of the main implied themes of the story. Works Cited Aderman, Ralph. M. Critical Essays on Washington Irving. // John G. Lockhart. Review of Knickerbocker’s History of New York. G.K. Hall & Co., 1990. P. 50. Irving, Washington. A History of New York: Washington Irving: History, Tales and Sketches. NY: the Library of Congress, 1983. P. 449-55. Tuttleton, James W. Washington Irving: the Critical Reaction. AMS Press, 1993. P. 209-212. Irving Washington, The History of New York Essay examples -- LIterary Irving Washington was born in 1783 in New York into a large family where he was the youngest of eleven children. He started his career from a law office feeling that it was a job not to his heart content. Being light-hearted and sardonic in his nature he attempted to write for the journal of his brother Peter called â€Å"The Morning Chronicle†. Later Irving and Peter thought of creating a high-quality literary mockery. Originally the text intended nothing else but a satire upon the â€Å"Picture of New York† by Dr. Samuel Mitchell whose text was rather boastful of erudition and pedantry; however, it turned out to be different from the original perspective broadening the scope of interpretative thinking over to history and philosophy as two great narratives. The text was published December 6, 1809 in New York when Irving Washington was 26 and brought him considerable critical acclaim. Worth mentioning are the two timelines: the actual historical timeline of the story which embraces the first two decades of the XVII century. Literary selection suggested revolves around a historical episode of purchase of New York (namely Manhattan Island) from the Indians and further life of the Dutchmen. In 1626 Peter Menuit arrived at the colony called New Amsterdam to govern as well as take part in educational and religious activities of the settlers. The first priority for the governor to realize was a purchase of the Island of Manhattan. The estimated sum of transaction was twenty-four dollars, which Irving Washington calls â€Å"a measure almost unparalleled in the annals of discovery and colonization† (Tuttleton, 1993, p. 209-212). The second timeline is actually tangible through the author’s voice within the frame of narration, as he comes from two... ... The other side of the conflict is never articulated, thus suppressed, kept silent and, therefore, eliminated, which makes the entire concept of conflict as a productive means of history. Irving Washington wrote the text looking back two centuries. Apart from being a satire it deconstructs the concept of history by devaluation of the conflict via removal of one of its constituents or dehumanization of it which is one of the main implied themes of the story. Works Cited Aderman, Ralph. M. Critical Essays on Washington Irving. // John G. Lockhart. Review of Knickerbocker’s History of New York. G.K. Hall & Co., 1990. P. 50. Irving, Washington. A History of New York: Washington Irving: History, Tales and Sketches. NY: the Library of Congress, 1983. P. 449-55. Tuttleton, James W. Washington Irving: the Critical Reaction. AMS Press, 1993. P. 209-212.

A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery OConnor :: Good Man Is Hard to Find Essays

A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor In the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor, every object including the characters are symbols. The Grandmother, who is the one and only dynamic character, represents all of us who have repented. The story is, as Flannery O'Connor has suggested a spiritual journey because of the Grandmother's Plight. In the beginning of the story the Grandmother is obsessed with everything worldly and superficial. She cares far too much about how others perceive her, "Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady" (O'Conner 138). She gets dressed up for a car trip so that, on the off chance that they would be in a car wreck and that in that wreck she would be thrown from the car and laying on the pavement, she would be happy because the people passing would think that she is a lady. This represents us as humans because daily we choose to be way too self-conscience. Think about females and make-up. Make-up is a perfect example of us caring a great deal about what others think of us. She is also very selfish in her endeavors. Instead of caring about what is best for the family, she wants to go to Tennessee because she has friends there whom she would like to see. There are three phases of thought for the Grandmother. During the first phase, which is in the beginning, she is completely focused on herself in relation to how others think of her. The Second Phase occurs when she is speaking to The Misfit. In the story, The Misfit represents a quasi-final judgment. He does this by acting like a mirror. He lets whatever The Grandmother says bounce right off him. He never really agrees with her or disagrees, and in the end he is the one who kills her. His second to last line, "She would of been a good woman," The Misfit said, "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life," (O'Conner 152). might be the way O'Conner felt about most of us alive, or how she felt that God must feel about us.

Michael Cunningham Essay

Michael was the most ambitious of blokes. He stole the Wright Brothers’ ‘plane. He then flew all the way to Pluto, on one tank of fuel, to find one of his best mates eating the small planet. So he carried on to the end of the Milky Way and on to the next, Chocolate Log. The returned twenty years later saying that he had discovered another species of complex organisms and â€Å"humans† in the next galaxy. Michael Cunningham was born on the 14th of October in 1987 in the city of Birmingham. At the age of three he acquired a younger brother named Dean. In 1991 Michael started attending Harborne Primary School, then at the age of eleven he left Harborne Primary to start in Shenley Court Specialist Arts College and Sixth Form Centre. At the end of year eleven, aged sixteen, he left his secondary school with 10A* GCSE grades, and started training in the ATC in 2005. After two years he completed his training and startye4d full time work as an electrician for the Royal Air Force. Towards the end of October 2007, he was transferred to Duxford airbase to work as the Chief Electrician. At this time he was nineteen and Britain’s youngest Chief Electrician. Then towards the end of 2009 he received a letter telling him that Kelly, once the love of his life, had been killed in a car crash. After attending her funeral Michael stole the world famous Wright brothers’ ‘plane and that was the last the world saw of him for twenty years. Michael reappeared in 2029, aged 41, with claims that he had seen one of his best mates, David Smith, eating Pluto during 2019. Then during a press conference he also claimed that he had found another three planets on his â€Å"adventure† that were inhabited with beings more intelligent than us. â€Å"There is more life in this universe, more than you could ever imagine. † He later went on to say, â€Å"It is unbelievable how intelligent they are, and I mean when compared to them we know nothing. † Scientists later confirmed that Pluto had disappeared and we received a few visits from the intelligent beings Michael had found. Michael, at the age of forty-six, started studying some of the species he had discovered, he discovered that they were approximately five million years more advanced than us. Also that they were born with intelligence and ability to communicate, walk and work. At the age of seventy-three he retired to a semi-detached bungalow in Skegness after his wife, Jenny, had passed away. About six months after moving a killer ninja penguin attacked him. Another of his mates, Tom Bates, saved him moments before he was eaten. Approximately five minutes later Michael suffered a heart attack; after an examination it was determined that the heart attack was caused by the shock of the attack by the penguin. Looking at his personal life he had had a few girlfriends throughout his secondary school life, although only a couple had been serious, and from when he had joined the ATC until he had returned from his â€Å"adventure† he hadn’t had much of a social life. Then at the age of forty-three he started dating an old school friend, Kate, but this didn’t last for more six months. Then he became engaged to Jenny Wattrus in July of 2035 and married in November that year. They had seven children, five girls and two boys, and moved to London where they bought a large house and lived there until their children had moved out, at which point the two of them moved down to Devon and into a smaller house so that they didn’t feel so lonely. Show preview only

Occupational Adaptation Theory

There are many models that provide healthcare professionals with a filter in how they view and asses occupational challenges that individuals encounter. The occupational adaptation (OA) model is based on the assumption that the more adaptable an individual is, in an ever-changing environment, the more functional they become (Schultz, 2014). This assumption is what separates the OA model from other models (Schultz, 2014). The person-environment-occupation (PEO) model, for example, typically assesses environmental barriers which impede an individual's functional performance and make modifications to the environment to improve occupational performance (Brown, 2014). While the PEO model is successful in promoting the best fit between an individual, their environment, and their occupation (Brown, 2014), other healthcare professionals find success through the use of the OA model by promoting adaptability within the environment (Schultz, 2014).History of Occupational AdaptationThe theory of occupational adaptation was developed by Janette Schkade and Sally Schultz in 1992 at Texas Woman's University (Schultz, 2014). Schkade and Schultz were part of the faculty who was challenged by the dean of the program at Texas Woman's University to develop a Ph.D. program in occupational therapy (Schultz, 2014). It was agreed upon that occupation and adaptation were important concepts of occupational therapy (Schultz, 2014). When the Ph.D. program was established, occupational adaptation was foundational to their philosophy and research (Schultz, 2014). The focus of the theory of occupational adaptation is to enhance overall performance (Schultz, 2014). By developing this theory, Schkade and Schultz's goal was to develop adaptive skills and successfully achieve personal adaptation. Furthermore, the theory of occupational adaptation is based on the relationship between occupational performance and human adaptation (Schultz, 2014).Occupational Adaptation TheoryOccupational performance is defined as having the ability to carry out roles, routines, and tasks in response to demands of the environment (Ranka, J., & Chapparo, C. 1997). The OA theory emphasizes the influence of the interaction between the environment and an individual on occupational performance (Schultz, 2014). Schkade and Schultz found that the more adaptive a person becomes, the more functional they are which improves overall occupational performance. Personal adaptation is defined as an ongoing change of order and disorder, and reorganization (Schultz, 2014). The environment is an area that is largely out of one's control; to be functional in an ever-changing area, it is best to adjust to the given circumstance (Schultz, 2014). Schematic Schkade, J. K., ; Schultz, S. (1992)Occupational Adaptation Process ModelIn the occupational adaptation process model by Schkade ; Schultz (1992), the person is influenced by internal factors which demand adaptation and create a desire for mastery. An individual's internal factors are influenced by the sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial systems (Schultz, 2014). These systems are responsible for responses to the environment and challenges (Schultz, 2014). The occupational environment poses external factors in which an individual's roles and occupations take place (Schultz, 2014). The occupational environment creates a demand for mastery and is strongly associated with a person's physical, social, and cultural background (Schultz, 2014). External factors largely affect an individual's response and ability to adapt (Schultz, 2014). Through occupation, there is constant interaction between an individual and the occupational environment (Schultz, 2014). Due to the consistent interaction between a person and his or her environment, occupational challenges arise and a press for mastery is created (Schultz, 2014). The occupational role expectation is contingent upon the environment and demands for adaptation in response to the occupational challenge (Schultz, 2014). When an individual adapts to changes in the environment, this is called the â€Å"occupational response† (Schultz, 2014).Role of Occupational TherapistThe theory of occupational adaptation focuses on developing an individual's adaptive skills through therapeutic use of occupation (Schultz, 2014). The therapeutic use of occupation uses occupational activities to promote the desire to adapt and succeed (Schultz, 2014). The techniques that are used to promote the desire to adapt are crucial for success or otherwise could provide the opposite results and inhibit the desire to adapt (Schultz, 2014). Interferences that often impede an individual's success are poor approach, repetition of ineffective exercises, depression, and frustration (Schultz, 2014). Therapists should grade activities using the â€Å"just right† approach so that a person feels successful, but is still challenged (Schultz, 2014). While some interferences can be overcome for success, deficits in sensorimotor, cognitive, and psychosocial systems place significant limitations on an individual's ability to respond with adaptations (Schultz, 2014). The role of the therapist is not to take away a person's challenges, but to help them to discover their ability to adapt (Schultz, 2014).Application to Occupational TherapyThis theory can be successfully applied in intervention in schools, home care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and mental health (Schultz, 2014). Thus, there is a wide variety of individuals that could benefit from this model including children, people who have had strokes, post-surgery or injured patients, individuals with dementia, and caregivers (Schultz, 2014). People who have had strokes, specifically, have been successful with this model because of the structure and focus that it provides (Schultz, 2014). Therapists have guided these patients using this model by providing adaptive strategies for their new roles (Schultz, 2014). Therapists have also found success using this model in rehabilitation interventions (Schultz, 2014). Whether it is post-surgery or injury, therapists have found that their patients are more successful and engaged when the intervention plan includes strategies of adaptation within their daily occupational role (Schultz, 2014). In schools, this model has been successful when paired with the occupation of reading model for children who experience difficulty reading (Schultz, 2014). The OA model was used to engage children in meaningful reading activities where they feel confident and successful (Schultz, 2014). Therapists found that when adjusting the reading level, children experienced relative mastery (Schultz, 2014). While the goal of most intervention is improved performance, the OA model focuses on promoting adaptability, which improves overall performance (Schultz, 2014).ConclusionThe ecological model is similar to the OA model in that they both emphasize the influence that the environment has on an individual's occupational performance (Schultz, 2014; Brown, 2014). While the OA model focuses on the importance of adaptability within the environment (Schultz, 2014), the ecological model focuses on modifying the environment for optimal performance (Brown, 2014). The person-environment-occupation (PEO) model, specifically, relates function or dysfunction to a person's fit to the environment (Brown, 2014). Dysfunction, according to the PEO model, is due to a poor person-environment fit and can be rectified by changing the environment (Brown, 2014). The PEO model is based on the idea that therapists should focus on changing the environment to enhance performance rather than changing the individual (Brown, 2014). Consequently, an individual's occupational success is then limited to the confines of the environment that has been adjusted to their capabilities (Schultz, 2014). For example, a child that has difficulty attending to tasks in a loud room: changing the individual's environment to a quiet room would result in improved occupational performance, but the child is then limited to functional performance within the means of a quiet environment. The OA model adequately prepares a person for an ever-changing environment that they can adapt to, therefore their occupations are not limited to one environment (Schultz, 2014). For example, a child that has difficulty attending to tasks in a loud room: a child that is guided on how to adapt in a loud environment through the use of headphones will then be able to apply their new found adaptive skills in other environments. The OA model differs from other models through collaboration with the person and by instilling confidence as well as empowering them with skills that can be applied throughout all of their occupations (Schultz, 2014). I feel most aligned with the OA model because it focuses on life skills that are important to be successful throughout life (Schultz, 2014). The OA model is limitless in the population and settings that it can be applied in, which creates stability and structure to help people thrive (Schultz, 2014). In an ever-changing environment that is inevitable, the OA model provides the necessary structure and guidance to function throughout life (Schultz, 2014).ReferencesBrown, C. (2014). Ecological Models in Occupational Therapy. In Willard and Spackman's Occupational Therapy (12th ed., pp. 494-504). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.Model of occupational adaptation process. (1992). In Occupational adaptation: Toward a holistic approach to contemporary practice (Part 1).American Journal of Occupational Therapy. Retrieved September 20, 2018, from https://ajot.aota.org/article.aspx?articleid=1875314.Ranka, J., & Chapparo, C. (1997). Occupational Performance Model (Australia). Retriev ed September 1, 2018, from http://www.occupationalperformance.com/definitions/Schkade, J. K., & Schultz, S. (1992). Occupational adaptation: Toward a holistic approach to contemporary practice, Part 1. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46, 829-837. doi:10.5014/ajot.46.9.829Schultz, S. W. (2014). Theory of Occupational Adaptation. In Willard and Spackman's Occupational Therapy (12th ed., pp. 527-540). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams ; Wilkins.Schultz, S. , ; Schkade, J. K. (1992). Occupational adaptation: Toward a holistic approach to contemporary practice, Part 2. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46, 917-926. doi:10.5014/ajot.46.10.917