J.G. Ballards texts Essay Example

J.G. Ballards texts Essay Empire of the Sun is a novel that takes the reader to the pre and post World War 11, and the repercussions of the detonation of the atom bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, through the eyes of a very young British boy trapped in a war where there are no winners.The novel is a first hand description of most of the experiences of the author J.G. Ballard who was interned there from 1942 to 1945 in the same prison camps mentioned in the book. It is a profound and moving account of what it was like to be a boy in Japanese occupied Shanghai at wartime.J.G. Ballards texts have a great deal in common with each other. The Guardian said he is a writer who can be relied upon. He rarely writes much below his best, and if you develop a taste for his preoccupations you will find it satisfied by any of his earlier four books. Clearly this opinion gives the reader the impression that the novel is regarded as impressive and should be enjoyed by the reader. The Guardian went as far to say, indeed, it could be said that if there is still room for a masterpiece about the Second World War, then this is it. Like other masterpieces it gains its initial effect in standing at a slightly oblique and unexpected angle to its subject matter.Ballards heightened sensitivity to violence, as well as the corollary themes of isolation and social chaos, which permeate much of his work, may well have its roots in his childhood in wartime China. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and technological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature.Due to the theme being war, the reader can expect the language to be predominately harsh and somewhat vile, this use of language reflects the feelings people have towards war, and the feelings the characters would have felt towards the war. The text can be considered as somewhat surreal writing, that beguiles the reader with its gentleness, yet forces the reader to confront many atrocious episo des concerning the sick, the dying and the dead. The fact that the reader sees them from a childs perspective makes the descriptions even viler and explicitly shocking. His explicit use of language, and his crude descriptions of the events that occur, lead me to the conclusion that Ballard is unemotionally detached from this story, the events are his memories, yet he doesnt appear to put any feeling into the characters, this is especially the case within Jim. There are several occasions, where Jim witnesses brutal behaviour, yet no emotions of remorse or feelings of pity are apparent.Ballard conveys a sense of place, through his descriptions of the different nationalities that are present within the novel. The protagonist British characters are described as stoical throughout the war. The descriptions given presented of the Chinese give the setting of Shanghai. They are constantly described as insignificant people who only survive from the money that the British inject into the coun try. The Japanese, the nation whom instigated the war are seen as the people that give some of the characters hope. This is the case especially for Jim. Their bravery and stoicism impress him. The descriptions given of the Japanese convey a sense of atmosphere. The actions they take create the feelings of many of the characters.The American and Japanese planes are for Jim a symbolism of hope and freedom. Although he idolises the Japanese kamikaze pilots, the sites of the American planes symbolise and signify the end of the war.The novel begins prior to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The significance of the reader recognising this event is clear, as there are many references to the way in which this attack is publicised. To Jims dismay, even the Dean of Shanghai Cathedral had equipped himself with an antique projector. This shows the reader that war was a part of life for the people of Shanghai. This point is emphasised by the opening lines of the novel, Wars came early to Shanghai, ov ertaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze. The dropping of the atom bomb is clearly another significant, event that the reader is supposed to recognise. The descriptions of the event given is complex and in thorough detail. But a flash of light filled the Stadium, flaring over the stands as if an immense American bomb had exploded somewhere to the northeast of Shanghai. Jim smiled at the Japanese, wishing that he could tell him that the light was a premonition of his death, the sight of his small soul joining the larger soul of the dying world. To Jim, the event of the atom bomb was symbolic for the death that was coming to him, and the death that had already reached many, his delirium had reached the stage that disallowed him to realise that the light he was seeing was literally a bomb sent from the Americans.Although Jim is a British boy of the wartime, he has distanced himself from the reality of the war. War as seen through the eyes of a child is an exhilarati ng and mysterious experience that rarely can be related to reality. The childlike disbelief that war will actually occur is evident many times throughout the novel, Sometimes the Pathe newsreels from England gave him the impression that, despite their unbroken series of defeats; the British people were thoroughly enjoying the war. It is clear that war to the British at this stage of the novel was considered a form of entertainment. The fact that whilst Jim was watching the newsreels, all he could think about was going to Dr. Lockwoods party, clearly shows the distance Jim has to the war.Shanghai during the time the novel was set, was inhabited by British, American and French people. These people were the upper class society of China. They were mainly there for their large firms that operated internationally. China was a colony of the British Empire, something, which greatly tormented the Japanese people as they felt they should be the owner of China. This great amount of upper class people had taken over China, and the local inhabitants had become almost inhuman and insignificant. This fact is clear throughout the novel. The opening paragraph demonstrates this sheer insignificance of this nationality of people. Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral piers of the Chinese Bund. The poverty of the Chinese is demonstrated here, the reader is aware that the Chinese cannot even afford to bury their dead. This description is symbolic for the majority of the Chinese race. Their bodies drift away in the wooden coffins, yet are always brought back by the tide, it is almost as if for the Chinese, there is no escape from this land that submises them so greatly. The imagery of the floating corpses introduces the theme of death and survival that pervades the novel.Jims attitude to the Chinese is demonstrated by one simple thing that he says, Ama h, dont touch it! Ill kill you! Clearly Jim has no respect for his Chinese slave, he assumes that he has enough power over her to order her death. The beggar outside Jims house demonstrates the social difference between the Chinese and Western European classes. Usually his mother would caution Yang to avoid the old beggar who lay at the end of the drive. But as Yang swung the heavy car through the gates, barely pausing before he accelerated along Amherst Avenue, Jim saw that the front wheel had crushed the mans foot. Even though the reader is aware that Jim has seen this happen to the old beggar, he doesnt appear to show any remorse or guilt towards the man, this lack of feelings is shown again when Jim witnesses the beheadings. The description given of the beheading is in great detail, but Jim doesnt demonstrate that he has any emotions about this public inhumane act. Usually Jim would have paused to observe the crowd, Jim watched the coolies and the pheasant women staring at the h eadless bodies. Jim is observing the situation in a manner that suggests to the reader that he is used to this sort of behaviour. This fact supports the stereotype that Ballard has as a detached and unemotional writer. Jims lack of emotion would appear almost abnormal to a reader, as a child would be usually upset and more respectful towards the dead, regardless of their nationality. Jims detachment from reality is once again demonstrated.Dr. Lockwoods party shows a strong contrast between the predominant nationalities within the novel. The British are indulging in extravagant parties, as a war is occurring. The party is full of British people dressed in bright exotic outfits, the entertainment consists of Cantonese acrobats climbing their comical ladders and pretending to disappear into the sky. The party is nothing short of what would be expected from the rich Westerners, but readers may regard it as somewhat insensitive to the war situation. The Chinese that are there are quietly removing a dead oriole from the deep end of the now drained swimming-pool. There are twenty Chinese women, dressed in black tunics and trousers, each on a miniature stool. They are sat shoulder-to-shoulder, weeding knives flashing at the grass, while keeping up an unstoppable chatter. Ironically, although the war is occurring, the Chinese people are still working as servants for the British; this shows the lack of importance of the Chinese in comparison to the British who are spending their time at a lavish party.It is during the party that Jims admiration of Japanese pilots first emerges. Whilst exploring an abandoned plane, Jim has his first encounter with the Japanese soldiers. He was about to jump from the blockhouse, when he noticed that a face was looking up at him from the trench. A fully armed Japanese soldier squatted by the broken earth wall, his rifle, webbing and ground sheet laid out beside him as if ready for inspection. An entire company of Japanese infantry was res ting in this old battlefield, as if re-equipping itself from the dead of an earlier war, ghosts of their former comrades risen from the grave and issued with fresh uniforms and rations. The Japanese appear to be like predators from this description, it is as if they are lying in wait for there pray, this is something that later in the novel Jim begins to admire. The descriptions given of the three nationalities, is a great contrast to what their lives are like within Lunghua Camp. There is almost a role reversal between the British and Chinese, and between the British and the Japanese.The Japanese, the instigators of the war, ironically are greatly admired by Jim, a boy from a nationality who would be considered one of their vast amount of enemies. This admiration comes in many forms throughout this novel. Jim was impressed by their bravery and stoicism, and their sadness which struck a curious chord with him, who was never sad. Although Jim deeply admired the Japanese, his admirati on for them grew stronger due to them having the things he didnt. Food the main attributer to life, was something that Jim lacked, and the Japanese had As they smoked their cigarettes the Japanese smiled to themselves, watching Jim devour the shreds of fatty rice. The Japanese soldier who had taken pity on Jim, recognising that this small boy was starving, began to laugh good-naturedly, and pulled the rubber plug from his metal water-bottle. Food is power within this period of time, it is therefore as if the Japanese are in control of all, they control Jim, but fortunately for him, they do not abuse this power. Due to the kindness of the Japanese soldiers, Jims admiration for them has grown. They have helped his survival. This relationship that Jim has with the Japanese occurs many times within the novel.Private Kimura is example of Jim bonding with a Japanese soldier. Private Kimuras kindness to Jim is clear within the form of many events that occur within the time that they know e ach other. Private Kimura had grown almost as much as Jim in his years at the camp. Jims admiration for the Japanese soldier had been noticed and this admiration was fed by Private Kimura often inviting Jim to the bungalow he shared with three other guards and allowed him to wear his kendo armour. This kindness to Jim is later contrasted by the brutal beating of the Chinese Coolie. Like many of Jims previously detailed and dispassionate descriptions of brutal behaviour, the coolies beating isnt described any differently. Private Kimura walked behind the rickshaw and kicked the wooden seat, hurling the vehicle against the coolies legs, raising their staves, they each struck him a blow on the head, then strolled away as if deep in thought. Jim whilst watching this horrid event appeared disconcerned he is described to be wondering whether to read an article about Winston Churchill. All of the British internees of the camp are described to be unconcerned and only sit and observe the eve nt, this demonstrates the differences of nationality status, although the Chinese and the British are both prisoners of war, under the Japanese authority, the Chinese are not given the right to be in a camp and to be looked after, even during times of war, they are inferior to the British and the Americans. The fact that no British internee would help the Chinese coolie shows their sheer unimportance within the eyes of the British. Jims upbringing is questionable here. Is he so disconcerned about the brutal event, as he has been hardened by war, or is he so disconcerned due to him being used to this kind of behaviour bestowed upon the Chinese. The most likely answer would be that he is used to this insignificance for Human life regardless of nationality.The Americans role within the novel is to bring hope. Jim is the predominant character that symbolises this hope. The first American characters to be introduced demonstrate this. Basie and Frank, appear to be using the war as a way t o make money, they appear to be disconcerned for their own safety. Frank says that Basie wants to stay in Shanghai now the Japs are here. He thinks we can make a pile of money once we get to the camps. Dr Ransome, someone whom isnt particularly fond of Basie tells Jim that its a good thing that youre friends with Basie. Hes a survivor, though survivors can be dangerous.Many internees consider the American blocks within the camp as the place to be, the place where everything is happening. Jim liked the Americans and approved of them in every way. Whenever he entered this enclave of irony and good humour his spirits rose. There they lay on their bunks and entertained a steady stream of adolescent girls, single British women and even a few wives drawn to them for reasons not very different from Jims. The Americans were clearly the idealised nationality within the camp that held a presence that made them appear to not have any cares in the world, this presence kept many people alive. Th e Americans symbolised hope, this hope for Jim, came within the shape of the American warplanes. Fearsome American planes emerged like pieces of the sun. Jim reflected that the prisoners ought to celebrate, throw their clogs in the air, seize the air raid siren and play it back at the incoming American planes. Although for the prisoners, this should have been a great moment, it wasnt. The repercussions of the war had taken its toll on many of the prisoners, and many like Jim were almost scared to leave the camp, for fear of what life without routine and rules would be like again.The British internees at Lunghua Camp, unlike the Americans refuse to take in the facts that they are prisoners of war, this is evident by due to the fact that they have named parts of the camp after British roads and places. The Vincents, the people whom Jim shared a room with, completely disregarded Jim, even though nationality wise he was one of there own. Mrs Vincent is described as treating Jim like her Number Two Coolie, and he was well aware that he tolerated this for reasons he barely understood. Ironically, the British who treat all Chinese with disrespect are treating Jim one of their own, in the same manner. The fact that Jim is only a child makes the situation even more callus. Mrs Vincent a woman who is already a mother, is pushing away a young boy, and not giving him any help what so ever. The curtain that the Vincents have up within the room is a clear indicator to Jim and to the audience that the Vincents do not want any part in Jims life. They do want to face the realities of war and work together, they want to remain a happy, private family.The British before the war, were described as being lavish and exotic people, they are now within the camp, shown to be the people who are the more feeble race. They are constantly described to be sat in their own excrement, something, which by many is considered to be degrading, and generally an embarrassing situation. The old wom en lay in the pools of urine at their husbands feet. The English brothers huddled against Basie while Mrs Hug leaned on her fathers knees. This description is a complete contrast to the previous way in which the British people were described, this description is somewhat similar to the constant way in which the Chinese people are thought of and said to be like.Mr Maxted and Dr Ransome two of the central British characters within the novel are separated from the typical British people. They are both characters that give the other internees hope. They both take on roles of responsibility within the camp. Dr Ransome is not only a doctor for the people, along with Basie; he is Jims tutor. He therefore provides medical help for internees and mental stimulation for Jim. He could therefore be considered as a person of power within the camp, he has to some extent the power to maintain peoples health, and with regards to Jim, he has the power of knowledge.Mr Maxted, towards the beginning of the novel, is described as a very easygoing man, Jim admired Mr Maxted, an architect turned entrepreneur who had designed the Metropole Theatre and numerous Shanghai nightclubs. Jim often tried to imitate his raffish manner, but soon found that being so relaxed was exhausting work, Mr Maxted was the perfect type of Englishman who had adapted himself to Shanghai. Mr Maxted is clearly an easygoing person, whom is adaptable to many situations. This attribute would help any person survive within the camp circumstances. Mr Maxted on many occasions assists Jim with getting food, making sure he is okay, tasks that an almost father figure would do. Mr Maxted can therefore be considered as a father figure to Jim that remains calm and collected, for the benefit of Jim and many others. Even with the foreboding events that lead to the death of Mr Maxted, he remains calm and gives Jim hope, in every situation possible. Good lad, Jamie you hang on. Mr Maxted is remaining hopeful for the sake of this young boy, whom without people to keep him occupied and hopeful, would more than likely be drawing near to his end.Jim although a British born character, adopts and idolises many other nationality traits. Jims dream is to become a Japanese pilot; this is ironic, as it is the Japanese who are keeping the British people within confinement. On numerous occasions, Jim tells the internees of Lunghua Camp, that he wishes to be a Japanese Kamikaze pilot, and how he admires their bravery and stoicism. Jims cultural upbringing and multicultural town, make him aware of cultural traits and differences between people from different nationalities. As he is only a young boy, Jim would be more inclined to adopt some of these multicultural traits and admire them; therefore his admiration for the Japanese isnt unexpected.Jims friendship with the young Japanese pilot makes the reader look upon the Japanese in a not so harsh light. The Japanese raised his wooden stake. Like a sleeper waking from a dream, he hurled it into the nettles. As Jim flinched, he reached into the waist-pocket of his flight overalls and drew out a small mango.Jim took the yellow fruit from the pilots calloused hand. The mango was still warm from his body. This act of kindness shown from the young Japanese pilot, shows the reader that the Japanese are not all cruel people, although they instigated this particular war, they are at war as well, things concerning food etc, are a problem for them to, and the fact that he has given Jim this exotic piece of fruit demonstrates the Japaneses kindness.The novels ends on a somewhat sombre note, although Shanghai has returned to the normal bustling city that it used to be, Jim has grown up and begun to notice the horrors of it, he has in many ways become aware of the horrors that the Chinese suffer from day to day. Jims confinement within the war has opened up his mind to what is right and wrong in respect to the way in which people are treated. When he witnesse s the British and American sailors urinating down the steps, this new awareness becomes evident. Fifty feet below them, the Chinese watched without comment as the arcs of urine formed a foaming stream that ran down the street. When it reached the pavement the Chinese stepped back, their faces expressionless. Jim glanced at the people around him, the clerks and coolies and peasant women, well aware of what they were thinking. One day China would punish the rest of the world, and take a frightening revenge. Jims time within the camp has made him realise that the Chinese are actually alive, their existence has actually become noticeable to Jim, and he now disagrees with the cruel treatment that he once issued onto them.The final paragraph of the novel is very similar to the beginning paragraph, except the mood is greatly different. The description unlike many in the book appears to have a sense of sadness and feeling to it. Previously when the Chinese coffins were described, a brief de scription was just given, whereas now, the description ends driven once again to the shores of this terrible city. This feeling added to the final description given of Shanghai, makes the ending of the book powerful. Ballard known not to include any feeling into his work, ends his story with an impact on the reader, they are aware that Jim feels a sense of sadness and possible hatred to the city that he once thought was a great place to be.This novel is a first hand description of a war experience, and is therefore considered by many as a masterpiece. This novel leaves nothing to the imagination, everything is described in great detail, and in a way that paints a picture in the readers mind. This effective use of detached unemotional memories makes the descriptions powerful and creates emotions within the reader.This novel is considered by the Guardian as above all, a book of triumph and truthfulness of tone. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and techn ological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature. Ballards work although considered by many as somewhat grotesque, is thoroughly enjoyed by many today as a great novel, I would agree with this, it is interesting to read, and every word and description grips the readers attention. J.G. Ballards texts Essay Example J.G. Ballards texts Essay Empire of the Sun is a novel that takes the reader to the pre and post World War 11, and the repercussions of the detonation of the atom bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, through the eyes of a very young British boy trapped in a war where there are no winners.The novel is a first hand description of most of the experiences of the author J.G. Ballard who was interned there from 1942 to 1945 in the same prison camps mentioned in the book. It is a profound and moving account of what it was like to be a boy in Japanese occupied Shanghai at wartime.J.G. Ballards texts have a great deal in common with each other. The Guardian said he is a writer who can be relied upon. He rarely writes much below his best, and if you develop a taste for his preoccupations you will find it satisfied by any of his earlier four books. Clearly this opinion gives the reader the impression that the novel is regarded as impressive and should be enjoyed by the reader. The Guardian went as far to say, indeed, it could be said that if there is still room for a masterpiece about the Second World War, then this is it. Like other masterpieces it gains its initial effect in standing at a slightly oblique and unexpected angle to its subject matter.Ballards heightened sensitivity to violence, as well as the corollary themes of isolation and social chaos, which permeate much of his work, may well have its roots in his childhood in wartime China. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and technological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature.Due to the theme being war, the reader can expect the language to be predominately harsh and somewhat vile, this use of language reflects the feelings people have towards war, and the feelings the characters would have felt towards the war. The text can be considered as somewhat surreal writing, that beguiles the reader with its gentleness, yet forces the reader to confront many atrocious episo des concerning the sick, the dying and the dead. The fact that the reader sees them from a childs perspective makes the descriptions even viler and explicitly shocking. His explicit use of language, and his crude descriptions of the events that occur, lead me to the conclusion that Ballard is unemotionally detached from this story, the events are his memories, yet he doesnt appear to put any feeling into the characters, this is especially the case within Jim. There are several occasions, where Jim witnesses brutal behaviour, yet no emotions of remorse or feelings of pity are apparent.Ballard conveys a sense of place, through his descriptions of the different nationalities that are present within the novel. The protagonist British characters are described as stoical throughout the war. The descriptions given presented of the Chinese give the setting of Shanghai. They are constantly described as insignificant people who only survive from the money that the British inject into the coun try. The Japanese, the nation whom instigated the war are seen as the people that give some of the characters hope. This is the case especially for Jim. Their bravery and stoicism impress him. The descriptions given of the Japanese convey a sense of atmosphere. The actions they take create the feelings of many of the characters.The American and Japanese planes are for Jim a symbolism of hope and freedom. Although he idolises the Japanese kamikaze pilots, the sites of the American planes symbolise and signify the end of the war.The novel begins prior to the attack on Pearl Harbour. The significance of the reader recognising this event is clear, as there are many references to the way in which this attack is publicised. To Jims dismay, even the Dean of Shanghai Cathedral had equipped himself with an antique projector. This shows the reader that war was a part of life for the people of Shanghai. This point is emphasised by the opening lines of the novel, Wars came early to Shanghai, ov ertaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze. The dropping of the atom bomb is clearly another significant, event that the reader is supposed to recognise. The descriptions of the event given is complex and in thorough detail. But a flash of light filled the Stadium, flaring over the stands as if an immense American bomb had exploded somewhere to the northeast of Shanghai. Jim smiled at the Japanese, wishing that he could tell him that the light was a premonition of his death, the sight of his small soul joining the larger soul of the dying world. To Jim, the event of the atom bomb was symbolic for the death that was coming to him, and the death that had already reached many, his delirium had reached the stage that disallowed him to realise that the light he was seeing was literally a bomb sent from the Americans.Although Jim is a British boy of the wartime, he has distanced himself from the reality of the war. War as seen through the eyes of a child is an exhilarati ng and mysterious experience that rarely can be related to reality. The childlike disbelief that war will actually occur is evident many times throughout the novel, Sometimes the Pathe newsreels from England gave him the impression that, despite their unbroken series of defeats; the British people were thoroughly enjoying the war. It is clear that war to the British at this stage of the novel was considered a form of entertainment. The fact that whilst Jim was watching the newsreels, all he could think about was going to Dr. Lockwoods party, clearly shows the distance Jim has to the war.Shanghai during the time the novel was set, was inhabited by British, American and French people. These people were the upper class society of China. They were mainly there for their large firms that operated internationally. China was a colony of the British Empire, something, which greatly tormented the Japanese people as they felt they should be the owner of China. This great amount of upper class people had taken over China, and the local inhabitants had become almost inhuman and insignificant. This fact is clear throughout the novel. The opening paragraph demonstrates this sheer insignificance of this nationality of people. Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral piers of the Chinese Bund. The poverty of the Chinese is demonstrated here, the reader is aware that the Chinese cannot even afford to bury their dead. This description is symbolic for the majority of the Chinese race. Their bodies drift away in the wooden coffins, yet are always brought back by the tide, it is almost as if for the Chinese, there is no escape from this land that submises them so greatly. The imagery of the floating corpses introduces the theme of death and survival that pervades the novel.Jims attitude to the Chinese is demonstrated by one simple thing that he says, Ama h, dont touch it! Ill kill you! Clearly Jim has no respect for his Chinese slave, he assumes that he has enough power over her to order her death. The beggar outside Jims house demonstrates the social difference between the Chinese and Western European classes. Usually his mother would caution Yang to avoid the old beggar who lay at the end of the drive. But as Yang swung the heavy car through the gates, barely pausing before he accelerated along Amherst Avenue, Jim saw that the front wheel had crushed the mans foot. Even though the reader is aware that Jim has seen this happen to the old beggar, he doesnt appear to show any remorse or guilt towards the man, this lack of feelings is shown again when Jim witnesses the beheadings. The description given of the beheading is in great detail, but Jim doesnt demonstrate that he has any emotions about this public inhumane act. Usually Jim would have paused to observe the crowd, Jim watched the coolies and the pheasant women staring at the h eadless bodies. Jim is observing the situation in a manner that suggests to the reader that he is used to this sort of behaviour. This fact supports the stereotype that Ballard has as a detached and unemotional writer. Jims lack of emotion would appear almost abnormal to a reader, as a child would be usually upset and more respectful towards the dead, regardless of their nationality. Jims detachment from reality is once again demonstrated.Dr. Lockwoods party shows a strong contrast between the predominant nationalities within the novel. The British are indulging in extravagant parties, as a war is occurring. The party is full of British people dressed in bright exotic outfits, the entertainment consists of Cantonese acrobats climbing their comical ladders and pretending to disappear into the sky. The party is nothing short of what would be expected from the rich Westerners, but readers may regard it as somewhat insensitive to the war situation. The Chinese that are there are quietly removing a dead oriole from the deep end of the now drained swimming-pool. There are twenty Chinese women, dressed in black tunics and trousers, each on a miniature stool. They are sat shoulder-to-shoulder, weeding knives flashing at the grass, while keeping up an unstoppable chatter. Ironically, although the war is occurring, the Chinese people are still working as servants for the British; this shows the lack of importance of the Chinese in comparison to the British who are spending their time at a lavish party.It is during the party that Jims admiration of Japanese pilots first emerges. Whilst exploring an abandoned plane, Jim has his first encounter with the Japanese soldiers. He was about to jump from the blockhouse, when he noticed that a face was looking up at him from the trench. A fully armed Japanese soldier squatted by the broken earth wall, his rifle, webbing and ground sheet laid out beside him as if ready for inspection. An entire company of Japanese infantry was res ting in this old battlefield, as if re-equipping itself from the dead of an earlier war, ghosts of their former comrades risen from the grave and issued with fresh uniforms and rations. The Japanese appear to be like predators from this description, it is as if they are lying in wait for there pray, this is something that later in the novel Jim begins to admire. The descriptions given of the three nationalities, is a great contrast to what their lives are like within Lunghua Camp. There is almost a role reversal between the British and Chinese, and between the British and the Japanese.The Japanese, the instigators of the war, ironically are greatly admired by Jim, a boy from a nationality who would be considered one of their vast amount of enemies. This admiration comes in many forms throughout this novel. Jim was impressed by their bravery and stoicism, and their sadness which struck a curious chord with him, who was never sad. Although Jim deeply admired the Japanese, his admirati on for them grew stronger due to them having the things he didnt. Food the main attributer to life, was something that Jim lacked, and the Japanese had As they smoked their cigarettes the Japanese smiled to themselves, watching Jim devour the shreds of fatty rice. The Japanese soldier who had taken pity on Jim, recognising that this small boy was starving, began to laugh good-naturedly, and pulled the rubber plug from his metal water-bottle. Food is power within this period of time, it is therefore as if the Japanese are in control of all, they control Jim, but fortunately for him, they do not abuse this power. Due to the kindness of the Japanese soldiers, Jims admiration for them has grown. They have helped his survival. This relationship that Jim has with the Japanese occurs many times within the novel.Private Kimura is example of Jim bonding with a Japanese soldier. Private Kimuras kindness to Jim is clear within the form of many events that occur within the time that they know e ach other. Private Kimura had grown almost as much as Jim in his years at the camp. Jims admiration for the Japanese soldier had been noticed and this admiration was fed by Private Kimura often inviting Jim to the bungalow he shared with three other guards and allowed him to wear his kendo armour. This kindness to Jim is later contrasted by the brutal beating of the Chinese Coolie. Like many of Jims previously detailed and dispassionate descriptions of brutal behaviour, the coolies beating isnt described any differently. Private Kimura walked behind the rickshaw and kicked the wooden seat, hurling the vehicle against the coolies legs, raising their staves, they each struck him a blow on the head, then strolled away as if deep in thought. Jim whilst watching this horrid event appeared disconcerned he is described to be wondering whether to read an article about Winston Churchill. All of the British internees of the camp are described to be unconcerned and only sit and observe the eve nt, this demonstrates the differences of nationality status, although the Chinese and the British are both prisoners of war, under the Japanese authority, the Chinese are not given the right to be in a camp and to be looked after, even during times of war, they are inferior to the British and the Americans. The fact that no British internee would help the Chinese coolie shows their sheer unimportance within the eyes of the British. Jims upbringing is questionable here. Is he so disconcerned about the brutal event, as he has been hardened by war, or is he so disconcerned due to him being used to this kind of behaviour bestowed upon the Chinese. The most likely answer would be that he is used to this insignificance for Human life regardless of nationality.The Americans role within the novel is to bring hope. Jim is the predominant character that symbolises this hope. The first American characters to be introduced demonstrate this. Basie and Frank, appear to be using the war as a way t o make money, they appear to be disconcerned for their own safety. Frank says that Basie wants to stay in Shanghai now the Japs are here. He thinks we can make a pile of money once we get to the camps. Dr Ransome, someone whom isnt particularly fond of Basie tells Jim that its a good thing that youre friends with Basie. Hes a survivor, though survivors can be dangerous.Many internees consider the American blocks within the camp as the place to be, the place where everything is happening. Jim liked the Americans and approved of them in every way. Whenever he entered this enclave of irony and good humour his spirits rose. There they lay on their bunks and entertained a steady stream of adolescent girls, single British women and even a few wives drawn to them for reasons not very different from Jims. The Americans were clearly the idealised nationality within the camp that held a presence that made them appear to not have any cares in the world, this presence kept many people alive. Th e Americans symbolised hope, this hope for Jim, came within the shape of the American warplanes. Fearsome American planes emerged like pieces of the sun. Jim reflected that the prisoners ought to celebrate, throw their clogs in the air, seize the air raid siren and play it back at the incoming American planes. Although for the prisoners, this should have been a great moment, it wasnt. The repercussions of the war had taken its toll on many of the prisoners, and many like Jim were almost scared to leave the camp, for fear of what life without routine and rules would be like again.The British internees at Lunghua Camp, unlike the Americans refuse to take in the facts that they are prisoners of war, this is evident by due to the fact that they have named parts of the camp after British roads and places. The Vincents, the people whom Jim shared a room with, completely disregarded Jim, even though nationality wise he was one of there own. Mrs Vincent is described as treating Jim like her Number Two Coolie, and he was well aware that he tolerated this for reasons he barely understood. Ironically, the British who treat all Chinese with disrespect are treating Jim one of their own, in the same manner. The fact that Jim is only a child makes the situation even more callus. Mrs Vincent a woman who is already a mother, is pushing away a young boy, and not giving him any help what so ever. The curtain that the Vincents have up within the room is a clear indicator to Jim and to the audience that the Vincents do not want any part in Jims life. They do want to face the realities of war and work together, they want to remain a happy, private family.The British before the war, were described as being lavish and exotic people, they are now within the camp, shown to be the people who are the more feeble race. They are constantly described to be sat in their own excrement, something, which by many is considered to be degrading, and generally an embarrassing situation. The old wom en lay in the pools of urine at their husbands feet. The English brothers huddled against Basie while Mrs Hug leaned on her fathers knees. This description is a complete contrast to the previous way in which the British people were described, this description is somewhat similar to the constant way in which the Chinese people are thought of and said to be like.Mr Maxted and Dr Ransome two of the central British characters within the novel are separated from the typical British people. They are both characters that give the other internees hope. They both take on roles of responsibility within the camp. Dr Ransome is not only a doctor for the people, along with Basie; he is Jims tutor. He therefore provides medical help for internees and mental stimulation for Jim. He could therefore be considered as a person of power within the camp, he has to some extent the power to maintain peoples health, and with regards to Jim, he has the power of knowledge.Mr Maxted, towards the beginning of the novel, is described as a very easygoing man, Jim admired Mr Maxted, an architect turned entrepreneur who had designed the Metropole Theatre and numerous Shanghai nightclubs. Jim often tried to imitate his raffish manner, but soon found that being so relaxed was exhausting work, Mr Maxted was the perfect type of Englishman who had adapted himself to Shanghai. Mr Maxted is clearly an easygoing person, whom is adaptable to many situations. This attribute would help any person survive within the camp circumstances. Mr Maxted on many occasions assists Jim with getting food, making sure he is okay, tasks that an almost father figure would do. Mr Maxted can therefore be considered as a father figure to Jim that remains calm and collected, for the benefit of Jim and many others. Even with the foreboding events that lead to the death of Mr Maxted, he remains calm and gives Jim hope, in every situation possible. Good lad, Jamie you hang on. Mr Maxted is remaining hopeful for the sake of this young boy, whom without people to keep him occupied and hopeful, would more than likely be drawing near to his end.Jim although a British born character, adopts and idolises many other nationality traits. Jims dream is to become a Japanese pilot; this is ironic, as it is the Japanese who are keeping the British people within confinement. On numerous occasions, Jim tells the internees of Lunghua Camp, that he wishes to be a Japanese Kamikaze pilot, and how he admires their bravery and stoicism. Jims cultural upbringing and multicultural town, make him aware of cultural traits and differences between people from different nationalities. As he is only a young boy, Jim would be more inclined to adopt some of these multicultural traits and admire them; therefore his admiration for the Japanese isnt unexpected.Jims friendship with the young Japanese pilot makes the reader look upon the Japanese in a not so harsh light. The Japanese raised his wooden stake. Like a sleeper waking from a dream, he hurled it into the nettles. As Jim flinched, he reached into the waist-pocket of his flight overalls and drew out a small mango.Jim took the yellow fruit from the pilots calloused hand. The mango was still warm from his body. This act of kindness shown from the young Japanese pilot, shows the reader that the Japanese are not all cruel people, although they instigated this particular war, they are at war as well, things concerning food etc, are a problem for them to, and the fact that he has given Jim this exotic piece of fruit demonstrates the Japaneses kindness.The novels ends on a somewhat sombre note, although Shanghai has returned to the normal bustling city that it used to be, Jim has grown up and begun to notice the horrors of it, he has in many ways become aware of the horrors that the Chinese suffer from day to day. Jims confinement within the war has opened up his mind to what is right and wrong in respect to the way in which people are treated. When he witnesse s the British and American sailors urinating down the steps, this new awareness becomes evident. Fifty feet below them, the Chinese watched without comment as the arcs of urine formed a foaming stream that ran down the street. When it reached the pavement the Chinese stepped back, their faces expressionless. Jim glanced at the people around him, the clerks and coolies and peasant women, well aware of what they were thinking. One day China would punish the rest of the world, and take a frightening revenge. Jims time within the camp has made him realise that the Chinese are actually alive, their existence has actually become noticeable to Jim, and he now disagrees with the cruel treatment that he once issued onto them.The final paragraph of the novel is very similar to the beginning paragraph, except the mood is greatly different. The description unlike many in the book appears to have a sense of sadness and feeling to it. Previously when the Chinese coffins were described, a brief de scription was just given, whereas now, the description ends driven once again to the shores of this terrible city. This feeling added to the final description given of Shanghai, makes the ending of the book powerful. Ballard known not to include any feeling into his work, ends his story with an impact on the reader, they are aware that Jim feels a sense of sadness and possible hatred to the city that he once thought was a great place to be.This novel is a first hand description of a war experience, and is therefore considered by many as a masterpiece. This novel leaves nothing to the imagination, everything is described in great detail, and in a way that paints a picture in the readers mind. This effective use of detached unemotional memories makes the descriptions powerful and creates emotions within the reader.This novel is considered by the Guardian as above all, a book of triumph and truthfulness of tone. Ballards rich metaphoric prose and his emphasis on psychological and techn ological themes make him a somewhat unique and impressive figure in contemporary literature. Ballards work although considered by many as somewhat grotesque, is thoroughly enjoyed by many today as a great novel, I would agree with this, it is interesting to read, and every word and description grips the readers attention.

great gatsby essays

great gatsby essays The characters in The Great Gatsby illustrate that, by the 1920s, the American Dream is deteriorating. Through symbolism, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows that the lost generation brought with it the deterioration of the American Dream. Immigrants from all over the world, at the beginning of the twentieth century, came to America with the hopes of establishing new lives different from the way they lived in Europe and other parts of the world. America was that land where anything was possible. People who lived in poverty, without any way of making their lives better, could come to America and start over. Dreams could come true in America. Well-paying jobs and nice houses, complete with white picket fences, were ideals that exemplified the American Dream. Gatsbys vision is like the American Dream itself, the illusion that youth and beauty can be forever recaptured if only one can make enough money. He is the symbol for the whole American experience. Gatsby, who is in love with Daisy thinks that by turning materialistic, he can win her over. He thinks that money alone will be enough to fulfill an ideal, which shows what the American Dream had come to mean to people in the 1920s. Daisy is a depiction of the American woman of her class. She is beautiful and charming but yet very hollow. Her apparent emotion is only the illusion of love, just as her voice gives only the fallacy of sincerity; behind it is a self-satisfied smirk. Jay Gatsby never really accepted or was content with his parents who were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people(Fitzgerald 104). At seventeen years old, Gatsby changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby, and to this conception he was faithful to the end(104). In this way, Gatsby erases his past and his parentage in a very superficial manner. The name change serves as a transition for Gatsby in the same way immigrants had naive innocence and idealistic ho...

The Pioneers Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Pioneers - Term Paper Example This paper is a critical analysis of contributions of Isaac Newton and Aristotle, some of the most distinguished scientific pioneers in the history of humanity. Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton, a distinguished English philosopher is considered as the most creative and prominent scientific theorist of all times. His most remarkable contribution in mathematical and scientific fields includes the discovery of infinitesimal calculus and pioneering theories in the study of light and color. Moreover, Isaac Newton revolutionalized physical science by the discovery of the three laws of motion and the law of gravitational pull (Westfall, 1971). His contribution in science and mathematics resulted to development of classical mechanics, a very influential scientific discipline. Though Isaac Newton is considered to be one of the most original thinkers, he collaborated the works and ideas of other scientists in the 17 century and before such as Kepler, Galileo, Descartes and Copernicus among others . Isaac Newton asserted this fact by acknowledging in one of his most famous quote that if he had seen further, it was by standing on the shoulders of giants (Alexandre, 1965). He distinguished himself as a brilliant physicist, astronomer, mathematician, alchemist and as a natural philosopher. According to Westfall (1971), Isaac Newton was born in January 4, 1643 to Hannah Ayscough and Isaac Newton. His actual place of birth was at Woolsthorpe, a rural town in Lincolnshire County. During his birth, the Gregorian calendar was not used in England then and hence his birth date was recorded using the Julian calendar as 25 December 1642. The Gregorian calendar, which is the modern style, was adopted in 1752 in England and it was ten days ahead of the Julian style (Westfall, 1971). Isaac Newton was born prematurely and his father had died three months prior to his birth. Later, his mother Hannah remarried when the boy was just three years old, an incident that most Newtonian biographers c onsider as traumatic to his childhood and adulthood. Soon after his mother remarried, Isaac Newton was left under the care of his maternal grandmother Margery Asycough (Westfall, 1971). Isaac Newton was separated from his mother until 1653, when she returned to her motherland after the death of her second husband. He enrolled at King’s school after refusing her mothers attempt of dropping him out of school to train him become a farmer. Isaac Newton’s early academic life was lackluster, but he later, he discovered his abilities after joining Cambridge University from Woolsthorpe in 1661 (Hall, 1980). Cambridge University is a renowned institution of higher learning but at the time of Isaac Newton admission, the centre had not yet grasped emerging scientific changes in its curriculum (Hall, 1980). In this regard, Ackrill (1981) noted that the curriculum was based on ancient works of Aristotle and other classical authors. In this respect, most biographers affirm that Isaa c Newton’s undergraduate studies involved a lot of Aristotle, resulting to his undistinguishable academic performance. However during this time, Isaac Newton concentrated and mustered the works of

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Criminal Justice - Essay Example In the United States, the criminal justice provides justice to the people of this country. This is because the law is subjected equally to all people. The law is supreme, and people are required to exercise their rights in accordance with the law. The impartiality of the system makes it acceptable to the people of the United States. The justice system plays an imperative role in the American society (Barkan and Bryjak 9). However, just like many systems across the globe, the United States legal system has its strengths as well as weaknesses. This implies that, although the system offers justice to the public, there exist some faults that should be addressed. Justice is best served by the system in that the Supreme Court is independent from other arms of the government. For instance, the president may hold a particular opinion or even the Congress, but the interpretation of issues concerning the Constitution is left to the Supreme Court. The power given to this court ensures that justice is best served to the people of the United States without prejudices from other areas such as political issues (Barkan and Bryjak 11). Nevertheless, the system fails to provide justice in some cases. Economic biasness, racial bias, and over taxation are some of the weaknesses associated with the justice system. For instance, there are a number of life sentences that have been made by the court of law. However, only few are implemented. This raises concerns about how the selection is done. These issues taint the image of the justice

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Management - Essay Example These problems are usually referred to as public information resource management or sometimes as knowledge management. According to Henry (2011, p. 155), this is â€Å"the collection, administration, and use of social and organizational data, including the development of policies and procedures for information resources and systems, for the purpose of forming and delivering public policy.† Public managers play a key role in the management of public information resources in that they assure well and operational information systems that provide critical knowledge that is used in developing strategies that ensure organizational success (Henry, 2011, p. 155). The management of resources entails the collection, administration, and the use of social and organizational data. This includes the development of policies and procedures for information resources and systems, for the purpose of forming and delivering public policy (Henry, 2011, p. 155). Henry (2011, p. 157) asserts that the use of information technology has been embraced by public bodies in information management in that it possesses a higher rate of success. This is partly due to the fact that it is more inclusive as it encourages participation of the persons affected by the particular information that is to be managed (Henry, 2011, p. 158). For successful public knowledge management, ... Thirdly, the organizational process should be the focus in the introduction and management of information resources (Henry, 2011, p. 163). Fourthly, Henry (2011, p. 164) asserts that there is need to develop strong skills among information resource managers to foster strong relationship between the managers and the rest of the organization and lastly, public policy decision making should always ensure that there is minimal risk in the management of information. However, Henry (2011, p. 164) argues that public information resource management faces numerous challenges. One challenge is the dilemma of sharing of private information via public information agencies. To cure this challenge, Henry (2011, p. 165) affirms that the government of the United States has enacted several legislations that protect individual citizens in regards the management of information. An example of such legislation is The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 that created the Privacy and Ci vil Liberties Oversight Board which protects a citizen’s financial and other personal records from undue scrutiny by federal authorities or agencies (Henry, 2011, p. 166). Governments and other public agencies also fear what people may use with the information they gather. This is due to the risks associated with information technology such as cybercrime in the form of hacking, harrowing and humiliation (Henry, 2011, p. 167). To counteract this, the government and public agencies insist on certain standards in information management security. The measures include ensuring that there is compliance with standards, policies and the law, ensuring of the effectiveness of information security controls and the overall impact of the

Britannia Industries Limited Is One Leading Bakers Marketing Essay

Britannia Industries Limited Is One Leading Bakers Marketing Essay Britannia Industries Limited is one of the leading players in the bakery segment in India. Its product portfolio includes various types of biscuits, breads and cakes. The company primarily operates in India. It is headquartered in Kolkata, India and employed about 2,358 people as on March 2008. The company recorded revenues of INR 26,177 million during the fiscal year ended March 2008, an increase of 13% over 2007. Top line of Britannia was driven by price increases by way of reduction in pack sizes and extension of excise exemption to biscuits with maximum retail price (MRP) below INR 100 per kilogram from INR 50 per kilogram earlier. The operating profit of the company was INR 2,723 million during fiscal year 2008, an increase of 80% compared with 2007. The PAT was INR 1,910 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 77.5% compared with 2007. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia) is engaged in producing and distributing bakery products including a variety of biscuits, breads, rusks, and cakes. The Wadia group of India along with Groupe Danone of France, are equal shareholders in ABIL, the UK which is a major shareholder in Britannia. The company operates through three broad product categories: biscuit and high protein food, bread and rusk, and cake. The biscuit products are marketed under the following brands: Tiger, Good Day, 50 50, Marie Gold, Treat, Milk Bikis, Nutri Choice, Time Pass, Pure Magic, Little Hearts, Nice Time, Vita Marie Gold and Greetings. Bread products are sold under the Premium Bakes, white sandwich bread brand. Cake products are sold under the Premium Bakes, Cakes and Rusks brands. The company also offers Cup Cakes in its cakes category. Britannias dairy operations are conducted through its subsidiary, Britannia New Zealand Foods Company Private Limited (BNZF). BNZF is a joint venture between Britannia and Fonterra Co-operative Group of New Zealand. The company exports its products to the US, Ghana, Seychelles, Singapore, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. HISTORY Britannia was established with an initial investment of INR295 in Kolkata in 1892. The operations of the company were mechanized with the advent of electricity in 1910. The company started using gas ovens in 1921. Britannia Biscuit Company took over biscuit distribution from Parrys in 1975. In 1978 the company became a publicly listed company. In the following year, the company was renamed as Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia). The companys executive office was relocated to Bangalore in 1989. In 1993 Wadia group acquired stake in ABIL, UK and became an equal partner with Groupe Danone in Britannia. Britannia introduced its new corporate identity Eat Healthy, Think Better; and launched Tiger Cashew Badam and Cheeker brands of biscuits in 1997. In 1998, the company introduced Milk Bikis and Nutri Choice brands; and Etnic Snacking. In 1999, the company issued bonus shares in the ratio of 1:2. During the same year, the company also introduced cheeselets. The company introduced biscuit brands GD Choco, Time Pass and Vita Marie Gold in 2000; Rourbon Pocket Packs, Maska Chaska and Vita Marie Gold in 2001. Britannia introduced many brands of biscuits in 2002 which include Time Pass Classic Salted, Jim Jam Pocket Packs, Chai Biskoot, Tiger Cream, GD Ginger Nut and Pure Magic. The company launched a joint venture with Fonterra, a dairy company; and started Britannia New Zealand Foods in 2002. The company launched, Treat Duet, a biscuit brand in 2003. In the following year, Britannias Good Day biscuit added Choconut, a new variety to its range of biscuits. The rebirth of Tiger biscuit was seen in 2005, with the tag line Swasth Khao, Tiger Ban Jao. In the same year Britannia launched Greetings range of premium assorted gift packs; and Britannia 50-50 Pepper Chakkar. In the same year, the company started its new plant in Uttaranchal. In July 2006, Britannia acquired Cafe Coffee Days 50% stake in Daily Bread, a Bangalore-based high-end food re tailer. In March 2007, Britannia formed a joint venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in the Middle East. Britannia and its associates acquired 70% beneficial stake in Dubai-based Strategic Foods International and Oman-based Al Sallan Food Industries Co SAOG. In January 2008, Britannia was asked by the Calcutta High Court to pay back the INR12 crore, which it withdrew from the companys pension fund. MAJOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Britannia Industries Limited (Britannia) is a producer and distributor of bakery and dairy products. It manufactures, distributes and sells a range of branded products including: List of products: Biscuits Bread Rusk Cakes Cheese Butter Milk List of selected brands: 50:50 Deluca Good Day Little Hearts Milk Bikis MarieGold Maska Chaska NutriChoice Pure Magic Treat Tiger REVENUE ANALYSIS Britannia recorded revenues of INR 26,177 million during the fiscal year ended March 2008, an increase of 13% over 2007. The company generates revenues through three business divisions: biscuits and high protein foods (89% of the total revenues during fiscal year 2008), bread and rusk (7.4%), and cake (2.9%). Revenue by division During the fiscal year 2007, the biscuits and high protein food division recorded revenues of INR 23,299 million, an increase of 11.4% over 2007. The bread and rusk division recorded revenues of INR 1,956 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 36.3% over 2007. The cake division recorded revenues of INR 769 million in fiscal year 2008, an increase of 23.2% over 2007. The others (including scrap sales) division recorded revenues of INR 144 million in fiscal year 2008, a decrease of 28% over 2007. SWOT ANALYSIS Britannia is a producer and distributor of bread, snacks and dairy products. The company has a portfolio of top selling food brands. Britannia produces and distributes premium brands such as 50:50, Good Day, Little Hearts, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Maska Chaska, NutriChoice, Pure Magic, Treat, and Tiger. An extensive portfolio of global brands facilitates customer recall and enhances Britannias market penetration capabilities. However, an impending litigation disputing the trademark of Britannias biscuit brand Tiger, with Danone, could adversely impact the companys brand image and its international expansion plans. Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand name Launch of innovative products and brand extensions Growth in operating segments High dependence on Indian market Fluctuating cash from operations Opportunities Threats Inorganic growth Strategic alliances Growing demand for health and convenience products Litigations Inflationary dairy product prices Outbreak of animal diseases Strengths Strong brand name The company has a strong portfolio of top selling food brands. Britannia produces and distributes premium brands such as 50:50, Good Day, Little Hearts, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Maska Chaska, NutriChoice, Pure Magic, Treat, and Tiger. Each of the companys six pillar brands (Good Day, Tiger, 50:50, Treat, Milk Bikis, and Marie Gold) generate sales in excess of INR1 billion. Further, the company is entering new product lines like snacking and health products and thus capturing a larger market share. In 2007, most of the companys brands secured double digit growth rate. Additionally, Britannia was ranked second among FMCG companies in the Business Worlds Most Respected Company Survey 2006. With a wide portfolio of brands and choice of product category, the company is able to differentiate itself in the market, nurture customer loyalty, and reduce its business risk. As a dairy product company, Britannia enjoys strong brand equity, and its extensive portfolio of global brands has helped it to expand its market presence and visibility. A strong brand portfolio not only facilitates customer recall but also enhances Britannias market penetration opportunities. Launch of innovative products and brand extensions The company has a strong orientation towards product innovation. In 2007, the company demonstrated its ability to innovate and extend its brands and products. Britannia launched many innovative products in 2007. Through an innovative product lineup, the company plans to strengthen and sharpen its brands and transform them from existing formats and conventional archetypes. In this context, the company launched cream and coconut varieties in its Tiger brand range. Further, the Chota Tiger, which is an extension of Tiger brand, draws on the kids snacking habit presenting biscuits as small, pop-able, snacks in a pouch pack. Similarly, the company also launched added Fruit Rollz under its Treat brand. Further, the company launched 50:50 Chutkule and NutriChoice Digestive and SugarOut. NutriChoice SugarOut is the first biscuit without added sugar, in the Indian market. Strong product innovation skills enable the company to stay ahead of the competition and create an edge in the market. Growth in operating segments Britannias operating segments has shown strong financial performance since 2005, which is evident from its revenue growth. Biscuit and high protein food segment revenue increased from INR14,926.9 million (approximately $330.8 million) in 2005 to INR20,910.8 million (approximately $463.4 million) in 2007, this representing compounded annual growth rate CAGR (2005-2007) of 18%. The bread and rusk segment also recorded increase in revenue from INR788.2 million (approximately $17.5 million) in 2005 to INR1,435.7 million (approximately $31.8 million) in 2007, this representing CAGR(2005-2007) growth of 35%. Further, the cake segment also recorded increase in revenue from INR355.7 million (approximately $7.9 million) in 2005 to INR624 million (approximately $13.8 million) in 2007, this representing CAGR(2005-2007) growth of 35%. Strong performance by the companys operating segment enhances its financial standing and strengthens its position against its competitors. Weaknesses High dependence on Indian market Though Britannia has made forays into other international markets, it is still dependent on the Indian market for a majority of its revenues. Though the company exports its products to many countries, the revenue contribution of regions other than India is too low to confer any significant geographical diversification benefit on the company. High dependence on India makes Britannia vulnerable to the market conditions in this region. Fluctuating cash from operations The company has not been able to generate consistent cash from its operations in recent times. The company has registered fluctuations in its cash from operations, registering a decline in every alternate year since 2004. Cash from operations decreased from INR1,961 million (approximately $43 million) in 2005 to INR649 million (approximately $14 million) in 2006. Again in 2007, it increased to INR871 million (approximately $19 million). Fluctuating cash from operation could upset the companys expansion plans. Opportunities Inorganic growth Britannia is aggressively pursuing inorganic growth model. In March 2007, Britannia concluded two acquisitions, including its first ever overseas partnership. In March 2007, Britannia formed a joint venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group, one of the largest business conglomerates in the Middle East. Britannia and its associates acquired 70% beneficial stake in Dubai-based Strategic Foods International LLC and Oman-based Al Sallan Food Industries Co SAOG. The two companies are major regional players in the biscuits and cookies segments in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) markets. Both the companies export to more than 40 countries across the globe including Africa, Australia and Japan, thereby giving Britannia access to many new markets. These two acquisitions are expected to allow Britannias portfolio to extend to those countries in which they have a presence. The joint venture could provide Britannia an opportunity to grow its international footprint by leveraging on the complementa ry strengths of the two partners. Strategic alliances Britannia entered into strategic alliance with Daily Bread Pvt. Ltd. (Daily Bread) to participate in premium bread and allied products market in India. In July 2006, Britannia acquired a strategic 50% stake in Daily Bread, a Bangalore-based company engaged in the manufacturing and retailing of premium breads, cakes, and ready-to-eat snacks. Daily Bread operates in both institutional and retail segments, and offers a wide range of international quality bakery products, including 50 varieties of specialty breads. Post-acquisition, Britannia holds the brand Deluca in India. Daily Breads business model includes a chain of own and franchised retail outlets, and catering to institutional customers. Daily Bread operates seven outlets in Bangalore and since its acquisition by Britannia; two large outlets have been added. Britannia is keen to scale up the outlet chain to 30-40 cities beginning Fiscal 2008. This acquisition marks Britannias entry in the high-end, freshly baked gourmet food. Th is alliance will help Britannia to scale up the bakery business in select markets with a range of gourmet products sold under its brand names. Growing demand for health and convenience products Consumers worldwide have become more health conscious in recent years. Increasing number of consumers are opting for natural, fat-free and healthy food products. Food items containing trans-fat are losing market share as they are linked to cardiovascular diseases. The primary drivers for this trend are changing lifestyles, late marriages, increase in single-parent households, increase in number of homes with two working parents, and increased working hours. Consumer expenditure on away-from-home dining is rising. According to the US Economic Research Service, spending on food-away-from-home is expected to increase by almost 10% per capita until 2025. The trend towards low fat, low sugar and low carbohydrate foods and drinks continues to drive the market. Britannia offers a range of low-fat and sugar free products. With a strong emphasis on healthy foods, the company is likely to benefit from the increasing health food market. The global nutritional market exhibited strong growth in 2 006, estimated at E127 billion ($159 billion), with half of this represented by the US market. The company is well positioned to exploit its focus on health and convenience platform to drive its future growth. Threats Litigations Britannia and Groupe Danone (Danone), a French dairy and beverages giant, are engaged in intellectual property rights battle, since many years. Wadia group and Danone have an equal stake in Associated Biscuits International Holdings (ABIH), which is a major shareholder in Britannia. Both the companies are disputing over the trademark of Britannias biscuit brand, Tiger. Britannia has accused Danone of registering the Tiger Trademark globally without its consent. Danone has already registered Tiger brand in nearly 35 countries and has applied for registration of the Tiger trademark in over 70 countries. In 2006, Britannia sued Danone in a Singapore court, seeking a speedy redressal of the Tiger brand issue. Danone has already registered Tiger trademark in Singapore, which will expire in November 2009. Britannia submitted its trademark application for Tiger in Singapore only in April 2007, which is still pending. An arbitration case between the two parties is also pending at the Bombay High Court. This long impending litigation (with Danone) could adversely impact Britannias brand equity and its international expansion plans. Inflationary dairy product prices Britannia, being a diary company, is exposed to general business risks faced by the global dairy market. Britannia is vulnerable to price fluctuations in the world market for raw materials such as flour, soya, maize and grain. In 2007, the industry witnessed an inordinate and simultaneous increase of approximately 20% 25% in the market prices of all key commodities like flour, refined palm oil, skimmed milk powder, etc. The companys top line growth of 28.4% was eroded by inflation in input costs, resulting in a gross margin decline of 6.7%.The global dairy market is marked by sharp fluctuations in the price of dairy products. Furthermore, sales prices are fixed with customers for relatively long periods in a number of markets, whereas the purchase prices of milk are subject to short-term fluctuations. In order to limit these risks, Britannia should try to minimize its operating costs by efficiently utilizing existing resources. Further increase in input cost could dampen the company s gross margin, which could result in declining top-line growth. Outbreak of animal diseases Britannia, as a diary product company, is dependent on constant supply and quality of the raw materials like milk. Any outbreak of animal diseases (especially Foot and Mouth Disease caused by a virus which is one of the most contagious and feared diseases), can cause heavy loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals world over. Britannia, which markets all dairy-based products like butter, cheese, and biscuits to different countries, may get affected by milk supplies and the production and sale of dairy products in case of diseases outbreak thus affecting its revenues. TOP COMPETITORS The following companies are the major competitors of Britannia Industries Ltd. Nestle India Ltd ITC Corporation Ltd. Parle Products Pvt. Ltd.

Slave Acculturation Essay -- American History

Slave Acculturation The seasoning process, as applied to the treatment of plantation slaves, was designed to ensure not only that the slaves would become totally dependent upon the dictates of their owners but also to destroy the cultural links which the slaves had with their former homelands. In the West African kingdoms which provided one of the major source of slaves at the height of the triangle trade, slavery was part of the indigenous culture; however, the motivation behind African domestic slavery was for the main part political, and intricately bound up with the way in which the capture of those from neighbouring tribes would allocate bargaining power to the captors; it was not necessary to impose a process of acculturation on the slaves in order to ensure their total obedience. (Curtin p 63) However, once slavery was extended to Europe and the Americas, there was a perception amongst the white slave-owners that to allow black slaves to maintain their cultural heritage would result in the fomentation of rebellion and invalidate the psychological and physical domination which was essential if small groups of whites were to successfully control large groups of slaves.(Inikori p 22) Depriving slaves of their physical strength, except when seen as necessary to set an example, would have been counter-productive. It was the potential for labour which was highly valued on the plantations; slaves cost money and it was in the interests of the plantation owners to maintain the physical health and strength of their slaves, even when they had established a breeding program which made the slave community essentially self-perpetuating. Seasoning was therefor... ...African heritage but developed along different cultural lines and could not be said to have a direct connection with its cultural origins in the modern context of Black American society. Bibliography Curtin, Philip D. and Paul E. Lovejoy, ed. Africans in bondage: Studies in Slavery and the Slave Trade. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1986. Burnard, T & Morgan, K. (2001) The dynamics of the slave market and slave purchasing patterns in Jamaica, 1655-1788. William and Mary Quarterly 58; 1: npa. Inikori, Joseph E. and Stanley L. Engerman, eds. The Atlantic Slave Trade: Effects on Economies. Societies, and Peoples in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1992. Africa in America: Slave Acculuturation and Resistance in the American South and the British Caribbean, 1736-1831., The William and Mary Quarterly.(JSTOR)

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay

Competition is becoming more and more fierce while the market is becoming globalization. With higher consumer sovereignty, customers are no longer satisfied with qualify products and good services. The society concerned more about the business ethic and environmental issues. Companies are expected to act virtuously nowadays. The ideas of Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship are spreading faster than ever before and become one of the hottest business models in the recent decades. â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)† is defined as â€Å"the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable economic development, working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their quality of life† at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development in 2000. The main idea of CSR is that corporations should be responsible to the stakeholders which include the customers, shareholders, suppliers, employees or any other party that may be influenced by the corporate actions. Different organizations may have formed different social responsible programs which can be categorized in four major components: the environment, the community, the work place and the market place. Different companies will emphasize on different aspects to create the social responsible programs. â€Å"Particular CSR initiatives may do good, or harm, or make no difference one way or the other, but it is important to resist the success of the CSR idea. â€Å" (Briggs & Verma, 2006) Mounting evidences show the benefits brought by the CSR Programs. For example, corporations made huge donation to disasters nationwide and to the bottom billions. However, not every CSR Program can be built up successfully. Nestlà © had suffered from a boycott last over 30 years which is the result from its failed CSR Program. Known as the baby killer, Nestlà © is blamed to kill thousands of Babies in the less developed region. They promoted and distributed free instant formula milk powder to replace breastfeeding and led to severe health problems or even death to the babies (Sethi, 1979). The two opposite results of CSR programs bring up queries for CSR programs. Is there a business case for CSR? How can corporations be benefitted from CSR? Theses questions will be discussed in this essay and so as the answers. B. Is there a business case for CSR? â€Å"Corporations are expected to be good citizens† asserted by Briggs and Verma (2006). Customers are demanding more from the corporations. Responsible corporates are required to meet the â€Å"Triple Bottom Lines† which are the economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability. Join Elington illustrate the interrelationship of the triple bottom line in 1997, â€Å"Society depends on the economy – and the economy depends on the global ecosystem, whose health represents the ultimate bottom line† (Elkington, 1997). CSR programs can also help the company to achieve sustainable growth which is the ultimate goal for every CSR program. Sustainable development is development to satisfy the needs of present generation without sacrificing the ability of future generations to development (WCED, 1987). Study indicates that sustainable growth and business success cannot be achieved solely by maximising short-term profits, but instead th rough market-oriented and social responsible programs (Neal, 2006). The CSR programs may engage with the following four aspects: the environment, the community, the workplace and the market place (World Business Council, 2000). As the foundation of every human being in the earth, responsible to environment is an essential part of CSR programs. Learnt from the Industrial Revolution when people sacrifice environment for business growth, private organizations today have worked to improve the environment. For example, Toyota has developed the hybrid card models which can use both fuel and electricity as power source. It can help to reduce the air pollution and reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This innovation is also being considered as long-term oriented and sustainable for future development so both the customers and investors are satisfied with it. The second aspect of corporate social responsibility is the community. Corporations have to be responsibility to the local community as they are the essential for the business success. Social responsible firms should hire local labour force in the work place. Corporations often make donation after huge disasters such as earthquake or hurricane. For example, companies had donated over US$547 millions after the catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 (Briggs & Verma, 2006). Although some criticize that the corporations are making disasters into opportunities for public relationship, the donation can certainly help the community to rebuilt their home afterward, The third aspect of corporate social responsibility is the workplace. Companies are responsible to ensure the safety and ethnic in the workplace. The employees are generating the profit so the companies should be responsible to them by creating harmless and harmony working environment. For example, Nike, and other American and European sports wear production companies, promise to monitor the working conditions in its supplier factories in less developed countries (Vogel, 2005, 1). Corporations should also be responsible to the market place. Not just manufacturing quality product but also meeting the needs of various customers. For example, although smart phones are becoming popular in recent years, some people with visual disability may not able to use those products without assistant from other people. By introducing the Voiceover application, customers with visual disability can use the smart phone or other devices created by Apple easily. Besides the positive point of view, there have always been criticisms of CSR ever since it was invented. In 1970, the Nobel Price winner, Friedman wrote â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its Profits† and the three main arguments he stated in his article have become the foundation for the criticisms against CSR. In his first argument, Friedman claimed that only human beings have a moral responsibility for their actions (Friedman, 1970). As a collected entity, companies do not have the responsibility of the decision made by the management. However, corporations act like human in many ways. For examples, in legal terms, corporations are consisted as an artificial person whose behavior is decided by the corporate internal decision structure and the organizational culture. Many corporations are acting progressively to create a public perception of good citizenship to gain positive image and competitive advantages from the society (Brigs and Verma, 2006). In the following article, Friedman pointed out that the government, instead of the private business section, should be responsible to solve the social issues and problems (Friedman, 1970). Later scholars support his argument that with huge amount of tax collected by the government, the responsibility of social support should be transferred to the government and the public sectors. However, in some cases, government may not be able to take the responsibility due to insufficient funds or malfunction of government agent. Geoge Kell, executive head of the United Nations’s Global Compact Office, indicated that â€Å"So long as government fail to do their part and so long as business goes global, CSR helps fill an important void† (Brigs and Verma, 2006). The last argument of Friedman is that the managers should be responsible for the interest of shareholders (Friedman, 1970). Charring out CSR programs may increase the cost and weaken the company’s performance. In which way, the interests of the shareholders are harmed (Henderson, 2001). This argument is proven wrong by the countless successful business cases of CSR programs. C. How can corporations be benefited from the CSR programs? 1. CSR can help the corporates to increase the profits. Corporations can be benefited from the CSR programs in many aspects. Since the most important goal for the company is maximise its profit, scholars and managers are working to figure out how CSR programs will influence the company’s profitability. Companies generally increase their profitability by two means: Cut cost and Differentiation (Porter, 1985). An effective CSR Programs can help the corporations to achieve both points. Cost reduction can be achieved by CSR Programs directly or indirectly. The direct way is to reduce the cost by using the raw material or energy in a more efficient way. For example, by reducing the packaging, companies can cut the unit cost of product and protect the environment by producing less waste at the same time (Welford, 2000). The other way is to reducing the indirect cost such as the employee training cost, the management cost. For example, the employee caring programs can lower the employee turnover rate and reducing the hiring and training cost for new employees. By this mean, the employees are more satisfied to the companies and will be less likely to resign and have better performance in the workplace. Google has been paid attention to this issue. The company created the â€Å"best† working environment in the world and create the most satisfied. The CSR program successes in increasing ability to attract and retain employees and reducing operating cost. Another way to increase profitability is differentiation. By using differentiation strategy, the products can be outstanding among the competitors (Welford, 2000). Corporates have been using CSR programs as differentiation points long ago and achieve positive result. Take the Body Shop as an example. They differentiate their products from the other skin care products by using all natural ingredients and making statements such as â€Å"no animal test† and â€Å"support community fair trade†. By building such social and environmental responsibility image, the Body Shop successfully build up its brand image and reputation and create the customer loyalty. 2. CSR can enhance brand competitiveness. Today’s companies can no longer afford to ignore CSR. More and more corporates build up their own CSR programs to enhance their brand competitiveness by enhancing the image and reputation of the corporates. Firstly, customers nowadays focus more on the image and reputation of the brands. They demand more than quality product and nice services. According to the research conducted by the PR firm Hill & Knowlton, 79% of Americans take corporate citizenship into account when makings purchase decision (Briggs and Verma, 2006). Corporate Social Responsibility Programs can help the corporate to gain the public trust and support which will enhance the brand competitiveness. Customer sovereignty has further supported the ideas that with high degree of freedom and information, customers can make their choices among different brands. The brand with better image or reputation will be more likely to win in the industry. Secondly, Corporate Citizenship is demanded by the government. Especially for some sensitive business that companies need to maintain nice relationship with the government. For example, Casino Industry in Las Vegas and Macao are expected to make large donation to the â€Å"responsible gambling program† or the charity funds. By making public donation, the firms may be able to build up better image to reduce the resist in the society and the government. Managers continually encounter demands from multiple stakeholder groups to devote resources to corporate social responsibility (McWilliams & Siegel, 2001). Investors consider more about the social responsibility of the invested firms nowadays. Companies cannot managing their impact on society and the environment if engaging in CSR (Brigs & Verma, 2006) D. Conclusion Corporate Social Responsibility is becoming the trend of social public relationship strategies in the recent decades. In this essay, questions of CSR programs have been discussed in many aspects. With thousands of successful cases of corporate citizenship, companies all working hard to catch up with the trend and develop their own CSR programs. Although there are criticisms about the intention and the necessity of corporate social responsibility programs, the effective of CSR programs is ascertained. Later study shows that successful CSR program can benefit the society and the company at the same time. The corporations can enjoy higher profits and better brand competitiveness by setting up CSR programs. Therefore, companies should work with the community to achieve the â€Å"win-win† situation. Bibliography: Briggs, W. & Verma, A. 2006. ‘Sharing the wealth’. Communication world. January – February 2006. pp. 25-28 Freeman, R.E. 1984 ‘Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach’. Marshfield, MA: Pitman Publishing Inc. Friedman, M. 1970 ‘The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits’. The New York Times Magazine, September 13, 1970 Henderson, D. 2001. ‘The Case Against â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Policy Vol.17 no.2. pp. 28-32. Winter 2001 Neal, A. C. 2007. ‘Corporate Social Responsibility: Governance Gain or Laissez-Faire Figleaf?’. HeinOnline. 2007-2008. pp. 460-474 Robison, M. 2002. ‘RSA Wold Leaders Lecture – Beyond Good Intentions: Corporate Citizenship for a New Century’. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. London, 7 May 2002. Sethi, S. P. 1979. ‘A Conceptual Framework for Environmental Analysis of Social Issues and Evaluation of Busin ess Response Patterns’. The Acdemy of Management Review, Vol.4, No. 1, pp. 63-74 Vogle, D. ‘The Market for Virtue: the Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility’. 2005. Harrisonburg, Virginia WCED. 1987. ‘Our Common Future, World Commission on Environment and Development’. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Welford, R. 2000 ‘Corporate environmental management 3: Towards sustainable development’, London: Earthscan.

A Quiz About Combining Sentences

A Quiz About Combining Sentences A Quiz About Combining Sentences A Quiz About Combining Sentences By Mark Nichol One of the most useful techniques for tightening flabby prose is to concentrate more information into fewer words. This can be done with parenthesis and subordination. The result is that two or more sentences are combined into a single statement. Let’s try that again: One of the most useful techniques for tightening flabby prose is to concentrate more information, through parenthesis and subordination, into fewer words, with the result that two or more sentences are combined into a single statement. The outcome is a more complex construction and one that is not necessarily much more concise but one that is still digestible and creates a richer reading experience by collecting flat, simplified, isolated components of thought into an integrated whole. Not every multisentence passage merits combination, of course (and I admit that I favor longer sentences than some might find suitable), but vigilant effort to reduce verbiage has merit. Try this sentence surgery yourself with the following examples, and compare your results with my solutions: 1. â€Å"The Democratic presidential candidates had all been doing lousy imitations of Dean’s Bush-bashing road show. They noticed that his spiel was playing so well with the lefties in the North.† The second sentence folds easily into a parenthetical phrase placed within the first sentence; just omit the pronoun and change the verb form: â€Å"The Democratic presidential candidates, noticing that Dean’s spiel was playing so well with the lefties in the North, had all been doing lousy imitations of his Bush-bashing road show.† 2. â€Å"Christian leaders were used to spending a lot of time worrying about the faith of the unchurched. They were stunned to learn that the kids who showed up every week in the pews the churched didn’t know much more than those who didn’t.† The solution here is nearly identical to that in the first example, differing only in form; omit the first of the two repetitions of the verb were and delete the second sentence’s subject, but leave the form of stunned intact: â€Å"Christian leaders used to spending a lot of time worrying about the faith of the unchurched were stunned to learn that the kids who showed up every week in the pews the churched didn’t know much more than those who didn’t. 3. â€Å"The document addressed many issues that had been circulating in the government and industry sectors for the past several years. These issues were economic, military, and social in nature.† Here, the word count can be even further reduced by incorporating the second sentence in to the first one after deleting the verbose â€Å"issues . . . in nature† construction; relocate the subject so that it follows the series of adjectives: â€Å"The document addressed many economic, military, and social issues that had been circulating in the government and industry sectors for the past several years.† 4. â€Å"The group meets once a week. During each meeting, students participate in a mini-lesson that explains specific conventions or spelling patterns.† The first sentence has only one essential word in it: week. Slip its adjectival form into the second sentence before meeting and discard the rest, though you could, for more clarity, insert â€Å"in the group† after students: â€Å"During each weekly meeting, students [in the group] participate in a mini-lesson that explains specific conventions or spelling patterns.† 5. â€Å"The series has featured writings by a variety of French thinkers. It culminated in the publication of a two-part meditation by Jean d’Ormesson. This man was a well-known literary figure and member of the academy.† As I demonstrated in my introduction to this post, three sentences, not just two, can be reconstructed into one; in this case, convert all but the subject of the first sentence into a parenthetical for the second one, replace that sentence’s subject with the preceding one’s, and attach the third sentence to the second sentence as a subordinate clause: â€Å"The series, which has featured writings by a variety of French thinkers, culminated in the publication of a two-part meditation by Jean d’Ormesson, a well-known literary figure and member of the academy.† Voil! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Bare or Bear With Me?One Fell SwoopEmpathic or Empathetic?

Wolfgang Tillmans essays

Wolfgang Tillmans essays Wolfgang Tillmans was once quoted to say that with his work he was challenging the institutionalization of the image within both the gallery and the magazine. The photographs that he takes are of everyday things, such as a woman picking vegetables in a grocery store, gallons of juice sitting on a shelf, or even a mans shoe. There are many pictures found in magazines that consist of the same type of subjects. But look closely, and you will see that their views on these subjects are completely different. The way in which Wolfgang Tillmans portrays everyday life through his work shares both similarities and differences with the way in which the mainstream magazines decide to portray it. Tillmans photographs share a few similarities with some of the pictures that are used in common magazines, whether they are advertisements or a photo accompanying an article. Using Tillmans photograph of the city and comparing it to others found in magazines, it is easy to see the similarities between them. In Tillmans work, the city is presented as dark and dismal. You obtain this feeling when you look at the gray sky that casts a heavy shadow on the city below it. It is as if the city is being engulfed in darkness. It is the same scene in the magazine pictures. Many of the pictures of cities in the magazines had the same effect. The sky is dark, and it casts deep shadows onto the ground below. The buildings hardly contrast from one another in both Tillmans and the magazines photographs. The colors are the same on each building. It is as if they blend together, creating something dull and boring. Even the trees become dark and mixed in with their surroundings. Everything seems to become one, leaving little contrast between foreground subjects. Tillmans photograph focuses on one main subject, which is the woman. There are no other people around her. She is alone in this city. The magazine pictures do the ...

Education Technology Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Education Technology - Coursework Example Instead, from the information dispersed on the Web and across networks and (Seaman, 2013). The manifestation of knowledge being a democracy affair seen from Teach100 ranks and scores a number of education blogs. The websites present opportunities for sharing knowledge across the globe (Teach, n.d.). According to Wagner (2012), there are different PLNs platforms that can be use to encourage the concept of knowledge sharing being a democracy (Wagner, 2012). The core competencies are knowledge and acquaintance with educational technology. Development of efficient learning settings in an efficient approach is the objective of instructional progress. The procedure of instructional growth in highly multifaceted learning environments requires that educational technologists be competent in three fundamental core knowledge areas. Competency in three areas like instructional systems design (ISD) methodology, educational foundations, and identification (ID) process are essential (Tennyson, 2001). Educational technology is the efficient application of technological instruments in learning to prepare learners for their future jobs. I think the role is to prepare workers to learn job specifications. Seaman, A. (2013). Personal learning networks: Knowledge sharing as democracy. Retrieved December 4, 2014, from

Energy Utilization in a Hand Soap Manufacturing Plant Essay

Energy Utilization in a Hand Soap Manufacturing Plant - Essay Example On the other hand, electrical energy is primarily utilized for lighting, refrigeration, generation of compressed air, and conveyance of raw materials and final products. Thermal energy could be generated from a wide array of boiler fuels, ranging from coal and firewood to diesel combustion. The main processes that utilize energy include those using thermal equipment like saponification, vacuum drying, mixing and plodding. In contrast, electric equipment constitutes air compressors, lighting system, and refrigeration plant, machines that handle material, boilers, electrical drives, and diesel generators, among others. Better understanding of energy consumption can be gained from consideration of the soap production processes individually (Wansbrough, 2013). The first process of significance is saponification. During this manufacturing phase, raw materials or fats are treated using thermal heat. The latter form of energy is usually in form of steam. Thermal treatment is conducted in pr esence of caustic soda, an alkali, resulting in formation of glycerin and soap. The thermal heat promotes reaction of raw fats with alkali forming grains of soap. Further boiling of the mixture with alkali makes it possible to create more soap grains. The resultant soap during this phase comprises of approximately 65% soap and 35% water, among other trace materials like salt and glycerin. The subsequent production stage involves soap washing. This is necessary to remove the excess glycerin and water presently in the soap mixture.