Chapter 20 The Dementor’s Kiss

Harry had never been part of a stranger group. Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Harry and Hermione brought up the rear. Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Harry could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Harry had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this. â€Å"You know what this means?† Black said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. â€Å"Turning Pettigrew in?† â€Å"You're free,† said Harry. â€Å"Yes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Black. â€Å"But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather.† â€Å"Yeah, I knew that,† said Harry. â€Å"Well†¦ your parents appointed me your guardian,† said Black stiffly. â€Å"If anything happened to them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry waited. Did Black mean what he thought he meant? â€Å"I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle,† said Black. â€Å"But†¦ well†¦ think about it. Once my name's cleared†¦ if you wanted a†¦ a different home†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry's stomach. â€Å"What — live with you?† he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. â€Å"Leave the Dursleys?† â€Å"Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to,† said Black quickly. â€Å"I understand, I just thought I'd –â€Å" â€Å"Are you insane?† said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. â€Å"Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?† Black turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care. â€Å"You want to?† he said. â€Å"You mean it?† â€Å"Yeah, I mean it!† said Harry. Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding. They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches. Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out. The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harry's mind was buzzing. He was going to leave the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parents' best friend†¦. He felt dazed†¦. What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television†¦! â€Å"One wrong move, Peter,† said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest. Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then – A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight. Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop. Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake. â€Å"Oh, my –† Hermione gasped. â€Å"He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!† â€Å"Run,† Black whispered. â€Å"Run. Now.† But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin. He leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back. â€Å"Leave it to me — RUN!† There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away — As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other. Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted him — Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap. â€Å"Expelliarmus.† Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. â€Å"Stay where you are!† Harry shouted, running forward. Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass. There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest — â€Å"Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!† Harry yelled. Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back, but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds. Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron. â€Å"What did he do to him?† Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them. â€Å"I don't know†¦.† Harry looked desperately around. Black and Lupin both gone†¦ they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair. â€Å"We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone,† said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. â€Å"Come –â€Å" But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain†¦. â€Å"Sirius,† Harry muttered, staring into the darkness. He had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble — Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean – The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head. â€Å"Nooo,† he moaned. â€Å"Nooo†¦ please†¦.† And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. He spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them†¦. â€Å"Hermione, think of something happy!† Harry yelled, raising his wand, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, shaking his head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it — I'm going to live with my godfather. I'm leaving the Dursleys. He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant: â€Å"Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!† Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death. He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him. â€Å"Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!† â€Å"Expecto –† Hermione whispered, â€Å"expecto — expecto –â€Å" But she couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione, and were getting closer†¦. â€Å"EXPECTO PATRONUM!† Harry yelled, trying to blot the screaming from his ears. â€Å"EXPECTO PATRONUM!† A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, Harry felt Hermione collapse next to him. He was alone†¦ completely alone†¦. â€Å"Expecto — expecto patronum –â€Å" Harry felt his knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding his eyes. With a huge effort, he fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — We'll be okay — I'm going to live with him — â€Å"Expecto patronum!† he gasped. By the feeble light of his formless Patronus, he saw a Dementor halt, very close to him. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside. â€Å"No — no –† Harry gasped. â€Å"He's innocent†¦ expecto expecto patronum –â€Å" He could feet them watching him, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood. Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth†¦ a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle. A paralyzing terror filled Harry so that he couldn't move or speak. His Patronus flickered and died. White fog was blinding him. He had to fight†¦ expecto patronum†¦ he couldn't see†¦ and in the distance, he heard the familiar screaming†¦ expecto patronum†¦ he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm†¦ they weren't going to take him†¦. But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harry's neck. They were forcing his face upward†¦ He could feel its breath†¦ It was going to get rid of him first†¦ He could feel its putrid breath†¦ His mother was screaming in his ears†¦ She was going to be the last thing he ever heard — And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter†¦ He felt himself fall forward onto the grass†¦. Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him†¦The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away†¦ Something was driving the Dementors back†¦ It was circling around him and Black and Hermione†¦. They were leaving†¦. The air was warm again†¦. With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake†¦ Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was†¦ It was as bright as a unicorn†¦ Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it can'ter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back†¦ raising his hand to pat it†¦ someone who looked strangely familiar†¦ but it couldn't be†¦ Harry didn't understand. He couldn't think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.

Exam Question and Answer on Market Segmentation

QUESTION AND ANSWER ON MARKET SEGMENTATION Salim Brommer is the Marketing Director of Ashkol Furniture Supplies, a medium-sized company which specializes in manufacturing office furniture. The company makes its products in India, so benefiting from relatively low labour costs. However, it has recently experienced intense competition from suppliers who have even lower cost bases. Salim has decided that his company will benefit if he focuses on those customers who can provide higher profit margins. He has decided to target domestic customers in Europe.Increasingly, private households, particularly those with computers, are converting spare rooms into office-style areas. Additionally there has been a noticeable trend towards working from home. This saves employers incurring the costs of office provision, and also employees save on travel and can also work at times convenient to themselves. However, Ashkol has no experience of dealing with these types of customers. The company now needs to develop a suitable marketing strategy to succeed in this new area and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.Required: a. Using a suitable model of your choice, develop a marketing approach which Salim might use to enter this new market. b. Explain how Salim could select appropriate target markets and position his products so as to create and sustain competitive advantage. Suggested Answer Salim needs to develop a marketing strategy for entry into the domestic market in Europe. This can be achieved by looking at the factors that make up the marketing mix: product, price, place and promotion. Choosing a marketing mixThe design of the marketing mix should be decided on the basis of management intuition and judgment, together with information provided by market research. Elements in the marketing mix partly act as substitutes for each other and they must be integrated. The product needs to be positioned to appeal to the target customer. For example, Ashkol would struggle to de velop a luxury brand image if they set price at a low, penetration level. Product The physical product needs to be appropriate for the private household market.Office furniture may have a very different style to household furniture, so a different approach may need to be taken to the design of the product in order to make it appealing for the domestic buyer. A customer will only buy one of Salim’s products if they get a better deal from buying it than from buying any of the alternatives. This highlights that the nature of the products in the new range will need to meet the demands of the new target market. Areas to consider here are design (size, shape) and features. For example, it may need to be smaller and made of better quality material.The space available in domestic accommodation is likely to be quite restricted, so some standard items may not sell well simply because they are too large. Multi-purpose items, such as desks that incorporate filing drawers and PC monitor s tands may be required. Place Place deals with how the product is distributed, and how it reaches its customers. Establishing a suitable distribution system is going to be one of Salim’s largest tasks. His products are bulky and will therefore have to be transported by ship from India to Europe, probably in freight containers, which will impose a minimum economic scale of shipment.Distribution Channels Serious consideration will have to be given to how customers will be able to view, order and receive delivery of the products. Furniture showrooms are necessarily large areas and need to be in areas where customers will be attracted. Even if selling is by direct mail or over the Internet, there will be probably have to be a warehouse to receive bulk shipments from India, break them down and dispatch individual orders. All this has major cost implications perhaps offsetting the cost savings from cheaper labour.These considerations alone may push Salim towards a co-operative ventu re with a European agent who knows the market and is prepared to take on the selling and distribution task. Promotion involves arousing attention, generating interest, inspiring desire and initiating action. Marketing communication involved in this could be advertising, public relations, direct selling or sales promotion. A furniture showroom would be part of this but a wider approach will be needed. The target market is people working from home and the promotional methods used should be appropriate to this market.Types of promotion * Direct promotion via mailing lists may be appropriate, although because Salim has no experience in this market, he would probably have to buy the list which may make this an expensive option. * There are numerous home style magazines in which adverts can be placed. * The Internet is a vital part of the life of people working from home and its potential for promotion should be fully utilized, perhaps by setting up a dedicated website. Organising and des igning the marketing communication effort will almost certainly require input from someone familiar with the European market.Price is the final element of the marketing mix and is an important signal to customers about the product. It is important that the price should be competitive so Salim should investigate the prices being charged by competitors who have similar product ranges. Price should also indicate the quality of the product so Salim will need to decide if he wants to produce a deluxe range or a more basic model. Discounts and payment terms need to be considered as a potential way of attracting customers especially in the initial start up phase of the new product line. Part (b)Because of limited resources, competition and large markets, organisations are not usually able to sell with equal efficiency and success to every market segment. It is necessary to select target markets. A target market is a particularly attractive segment that will be served with a distinct market ing mix. While Salim’s products may have some application for commercial users, he intends to sell then to customers, who will view them as shopping goods. These goods have a higher unit value than convenience goods and are bought less frequently, usually after some thought and consideration have been expended.Salim should try to specify the segment of the customer market into which he wishes to sell his products with some care, since this will influence important decisions about all the elements of the marketing mix, including such things as product design, marketing communications, price and distribution methods. Kotler identified six steps: Step 1- Identify segmentation variables and segment the market Step 2- Develop segment profiles Steps 1 and 2 are in segmentation Step 3- Evaluate that attractiveness of each segment Step 4- Select the target segment(s)Steps 3 and 4 are in targeting Step 5- Identify positioning concepts for each target segment Step 6 – Select dev elop and communicate the chosen concept Steps 5 and 6 are in positioning Segmentation variables fall into a small number of categories. Geographical segmentation is very simple, but can usefully be combined with socio-demographic segmentation. Psychographic segmentation is not based on objective data so much as how people see themselves and their subjective feelings and attitudes towards a particular product or service, or towards life in general.The behavioural approach segments buyers into groups based on their attitudes to and use of the product, and the benefits they expect to receive. Both of these methods are most useful for convenience goods and are not, therefore likely to be very useful to Salim. Probably, the best segmentation approach for Salim is socio-demographic segmentation, which is based on social, economic and demographic variables such as education, income, occupation, family size and social class.Much work has already been done on this approach, in the ACORN syst em, for example, and Salim would be able to buy in the basic information he needs. Segment Validity A market segment will only be valid if it is worth designing and developing a unique marketing mix for that specific segment. Salim will have to be sure of several things about his chosen target market: Is it large enough to be profitable? Does this segment respond differently in the marketing mix than another segment? Can he reach the potential customers? Can the segment be reached profitably?Is the segment stable enough to justify resources being spent on it? Will it enable him to build on the company’s strengths? Internal Analysis It is important to assess company strengths when evaluating attractiveness and targeting a market. This can help determine the appropriate strategy; because once the attractiveness of each identified segment has been assessed it can be considered along with relative strengths to determine the potential advantages the organization would have. In thi s way, preferred segments can be targeted. Product PositioningIt is unlikely that Salim will be able to identify a market segment where there is no direct competitor, so it will be necessary to position the product line in such a way as to create of some form of product differentiation. The aim is to make the customer perceive the product as different from its competitors. An aid to this is to try to identify gaps in the market by considering the mix of the product attributes such as price, applications, users, occasions for use and specific aspects of quality may be drawn to refine knowledge of product position.

Automated Labeling System (Cost Benefit Analysis an IRR) Assignment

Automated Labeling System (Cost Benefit Analysis an IRR) - Assignment Example However, the intuitive controls for the system facilitates in ensuring that the training efforts are reduced significantly. The benefit of the automated labeling system for an ASRS is that the ASRS is fully automated and it attains a higher operation and efficiency in terms of storage and retrieval of information and data. Thus, the process time for the system is improved significantly with the automation of the labeling system. Moreover, the automation creates an opportunity for the integration of the system with all the electrical and mechanical software and hardware, which is provided. The implementation of the system will also ensure that ASRS attains cost effectiveness, flexibility and reliability in the conduct of its services (Michaelyn et al., 2002). Furthermore, process scheduling and data management occurs effectively. Such entails tracking of the results. The automation will also address the issue of the personnel shortage since there is less manpower needed for the operation of the system. Such employees are relocated to other job tasks in the organization, which are demanding a boost on thei r man-power level. Hence, system automation will ensure that the storage and retrieval time is reduced significantly. In addition, monitoring and evaluation of the performance level of this system can be done easily by tracking the results of the system output on daily basis. The internal rate of return for implementing the automated labeling system is very high. Such is based on the potential of the system to improve on the performance and efficiency of ASRS, which increases the productivity and profitability level of the organization. The system also has a higher rate of return on the investment based on its cost effectiveness, improvement of the accessibility and flow, labor reduction, easy maintenance and saving on the floor

US Automobile Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

US Automobile Industry Analysis - Essay Example Of the over 60,000 employees, 56,447 work in production, for an total of about 114 billion hours every year. The employees working in the automobile industry in the US cost the industry a combined 5.1 billion US dollars. For the production workers there are high levels of unreleased employees’ wages which were almost 4.5 billion dollars at the time of the 2007 census. Despite the intense focus on production, the export market remained vibrant and was able to ship over 84 billion worth of automobiles and automobile parts, against capital expenditures of less than 2 billion US dollars. The US automobile industry is a big industry, engaging in vicious competition in the highly dynamic car market. For instance, the industry spent a staggering $9,961,000 in advertising for the year 2007. From another perspective, the industry contributed even more to government coffers, spending $111,334,000 in taxes and license fees. The study of the US automobile industry reveals some clear segme ntation according to size of the industries. The eight largest companies account for 91.3% of all shipments in an industry that has over 50 car-manufacturing companies. Of the top eight companies, the four biggest accounts for over half of the shipment revenue, scooping a significant 67.6%. The largest 20 companies take a 99.2% share of the export market, meaning that 12 companies following the top 8 companies account for just 7.9%. Thirty of the automobile manufacturers in the US account for just 0.6% of the shipments to overseas markets. Under the Herfindahl-Hirschman index, the 50 biggest car-manufacturers have an index of 1,448.8 (US Census Bureau, 1). The index is used to establish how a group of firms fare with regard to size for the industry. According to the index, a value of below 1,500, as given in our case, usually indicates lack of concentration, with significant amounts of competition within the corporations (Investopedia, 1). For the five-year period ranging from 2007 to 2002, the US car-market experienced considerable growth in revenues from shipments, with a small 3,386 million US dollars. over the same time period, the number of shipments per employee fell from 1,295,000 to 1,094,000 (US Census Bureau, 1). In addition, the annual average pay per employee fell from over 78 thousand USD to about 63 US dollars. From a geographical view of the US car market, it is apparent that most manufacturing interests are located on the eastern side of the US, off the noticeably off the coastal states. Also, the number of establishments per million residents remained constant at 0.6. With regard to states, Michigan is the source of most shipments out of the US, with a 25.17% contribution to the shipment incomes. Only Illinois comes close with a 10.14% value of the shipments, while the others account for the remaining 64.69%. Michigan also boasts of 22 establishments for automobile manufacturing. However, the leading state in this regard is California with 32 automobile manufacturing establishments. Noticeably, the industry has had considerable drops in the number of shipments, value of shipments, and annual payroll amounts. Shipments dropped by 7.6%, which closely matched the fall in establishments, which stood at 7.8% (US Census Bureau, 1). The drop in annual payroll was more steep at almost 20%. Company Analysis: Honda Motor Company Background to Honda Motor Company Honda Motor Company is a multinational car manufacturing company incorporated in

Role played by Housing in Relation to Urban Regeneration in London Essay

Role played by Housing in Relation to Urban Regeneration in London - Essay Example However, housing in London contributes to urban regeneration indirectly because it has relationships with various other physical, environmental, social, cultural, and economical issues that result to urban regeneration. In London, the contribution of housing towards urban regeneration can be divided into two broad parts; indirectly contributions (housing plus) and direct contributions (Stouten 2010, p. 46). These two types of housing contributions towards urban regeneration has impacts on all levels of regeneration such as national, individual, and local levels.From the year 1850 onwards, the condition of urban poverty in the London’s slums started to draw the interest of most social reformers as well as philanthropists. The social reformers as well as the philanthropists due to the increased urban poverty in London slums started a movement to ensure implementation of social housing, which highly contributed to urban regeneration. Their fast target was one of the biggest and n otorious slums in London known as Devil’s Acre, which is near Westminster (McCarthy 2006, p. 68). This is clear evidence that housing played a vital role towards urban regeneration in London as well as in other countries. The founders of this new social housing movement were George Peabody and Peabody trust who had great impact towards urban regeneration in London.Clearance of slums in London started with all Rochester buildings around the Perkin and Old Pye Streets whose constructions took place in the year 1862.

Managment and leadership development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managment and leadership development - Essay Example In order to understand the value of management and leadership development, it is important to go to the roots of why and what makes management and leadership development under focus. Do we have the appropriate environment and systems to develop these Leaders? Why do we need success managers and success leaders? And then what makes success managers and leaders. What sort of influence does early childhood on leader's success? What critical channel must leaders follow on their Journey to success? How long will take them? What are the life experiences that contribute to leadership success? What must success Managers and great Leaders do exceptionally very well to become and remain outstanding? So is it education? Is it luck? Is it who knows how? Is it chance? †¦and so on. Years back when we talked about the old management theories such as the Scientific theory of Fredric Taylor and Henri Fayol – The Science Management concept and even Max Webber in Germany with his concept an d theories after the II World War as all military soldiers sent to work in the Civil Service offices as Supervisors, Managers and Department Heads. Unfortunately, these were wrong people at wrong jobs as they keep on practicing the Military rules by passing instruction like Father to Son and Supervisor and Subordinate. Such theories in my opinion have not developed effective management and success leaders, because there were no proper management development centre's or assessment systems such as 360 degree feedback, or key performance indicators (KPI) as of today. 2. Leadership – overview, definition The Common belief that leaders are born has come to be outdated. Continued studies and researches have come to conclusion that leaders are made rather than born. I and based on my analysis, reading and researching belief that yes leaders are made but also are born with certain characteristics, charisma and qualities of proper personalities example if a person is shy, weak, hesita nt, negative minded†¦etc will be difficult to develop him as a leader. Leadership is badly needed for Organizational success, as someone has to take the hard and tough decisions, take responsibilities during crises, lead the way forward. There is a say that one Lion leads thousands of Rabbits better than one Rabbit leads thousands of Lions. Various definitions have been developed for explaining the context of leadership. One of the most known definitions of this type is that of Kotter (1996). In accordance with the above theorist, the leadership should be described as follows: ‘Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision and inspires them to make it happen, despite the obstacles’ (Kotter 1996, p.25 in Wallin 2010, p.26). 3. Theories on leadership Leadership is influencing people to get things done to standard and quality above their norm and doing it willingly. Generally, leadership could be described as follows: lead more, M anage less, empower inspire and energize people and unlock their true potential. Also great leaders make a difference not only to themselves but also to those around them. However great leaders produce great results. In accordance with the theory of Mintzberg, the elements of the leadership can be made clear if the specific framework is explained using a metaphor; in the context of this metaphor, as Mintzberg notes, the leadership should be regarded as an art or craftsmanship (Koivunen et al. 2009, p.169).

LOVE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LOVE - Essay Example The implementation of Adam Smith’s ideas of a free market economy, where the invisible hand would determine how, what and how much to produce in what quantities was a radical concept, as was his assertion that saving is better than consumption, giving rise to a capitalist economy. It was supported by David Ricardo’s Theory of Comparative Advantage as the basis for international trade and exchange. Modern societies depend on elected leaders and thinkers as they try to find solutions to our communal problems and bring a sense of order and belonging to our daily lives. This involves the formulation of policies that are in the public interest. In fact the degree of evolution of society can be traced to the quality of its laws, policies, procedures, ethics and morals that define and perpetuate its existence. A qualifying criticism that can be leveled against policy makers is that they tend to act in their own self interests rather than in the public interest. In other words, power tends to corrupt the best of individuals as they tend to seek what is best for them rather than society at large. F.A. Hayek saw these deficiencies in the mechanism of socialist economies as well as a capitalistic system. He argued that it was liberalism that needed to be included in the system to make it work better (Hayek, 23). Ronald Coase would interject that social costs would also enter into the equation of deciding the price of a good, as few entrepreneurs or capitalists have the capacity or talent to produce goods themselves (Coase, 12). The answer to this quandary would therefore lie in public and private watchdogs, professional and private agencies that make it their duty to point out the good and bad points of evolving laws and policies- much like a Board of Governance in a modern organization. The only caveat is that they should be answerable to no one but society at large. If we truly acted principally in the public interest and not just our own, we would soon realize that

Serial Killers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Serial Killers - Essay Example Moreover, physical or sexual abuse on them by parents or some members of society, like suffering in the hands of peers may cause them physical and mental pain forcing them to seek revenge. They are also thought to be antisocial, introverts, and spend a lot of time thinking of ways of getting satisfaction and control over others. They may also be in the need to dominate their victims completely, and the satisfaction they may get when in total control of their victims lives. This may make them create scenes in their heads of what they could do to people, obtain such pleasure and exert fear in their victims as they commit the murders. The mental scene may sometimes fade in their minds and these forces them to act and try what they envisioned to a victim (Andreu, 1). The performing of the first killing, which is the hardest, may give the killer some satisfaction for only a limited amount of time. Moreover, the guilt of the murder is in the long-run overshadowed by the mental satisfaction that the killer feels as he/she dominated the victims makes them get the urge to kill again. In addition, some serial killers create or have some ideal characteristics that they have envisioned their victim should have. These may be either physical appearance of the victims have or some other criteria from social, cultural or economic traits. For example, if it is a woman she may kill only blonde of a certain age category or from some place. Some may pick victims from a certain profession, for example, a serial may target prostitutes, or high school students. For some cases, the serial killer may also not find his/her ideal victim, and may settle on who nearly meet their criteria for their murders to achieve satisfaction (Mauro, 1). The work of identifying a serial murder and investigation is always hard as this serial killer commit their crimes discretely. The police normally have a hard time creating a profile for these killers and motive for the killing. Moreover, any of the ser ial murders may go unsolved as the police may find it hard to profile the murders and many of the serial killers commit the murders and hide the traces well (Andreu, 1). The police may first need to identify the pattern in the killings and this is normally done to try figure out what the victims have in common to have warranted their killing by the serial killer. For instance, they need to identify if they have any blood relation, whether they knew each other or had been involved in any activity together. If there is no relation at all then they may try to identify a pattern in their activities, whether they go to the same workplace, and same shop among others. In addition, the physical location in which the murder was committed or where the bodies are found is also important. The location may give them the pattern if available on the map on the link or on the place where the next victim may be killed. Serial murders have been known to commit murders on their victims near their home s. In addition, the serial murder may take time and processes depending on one serial murderer to another, as they try to do it as it is in their mind. The serial murderers need discrete places where they may work uninterrupted until they complete their murder. The location of the murders may also act as an indicator of where the next victim may be murdered by the killer. Moreover, the police need to identify what is considered as a signature for the serial killer.

Data Presentations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Data Presentations - Essay Example The economy, the social life and the satisfaction with life can be estimated using the statistical analysis of the corresponding data. The analysis permits to find the mean value of the parameter and to estimate whether the difference between the mean value and the particular measurement is due to the effect of the certain factor or whether it is within the confidence limit for the estimated parameter. The statistical analysis permits also to estimate the hidden trends and relationship between the parameters (Mendenhall, Beaver and Beaver, 2013). The aim of this analysis is to estimate the parameters related to the economy, demography and social life of the countries. The data from 100 counties represents the information about the following indices: average lifespan, average number of people per household, median household income and average number of people per household. The provided data permits to estimate each parameter, as well as the relationship between them. The analysis is started from the estimation of each variable. The Data Toolkit in Excel is used for this purpose. To obtain the descriptive statistics for each parameter the option â€Å"Descriptive Statistics† is chosen in the Data Toolkit. The obtained table provides information about the mean, median, mode, range and other main parameters of the descriptive statistics (Anderson, Sweeney, Williams, Camm and Cochrane, 2015). The information and its analysis are given below. The descriptive statistics for the median household income shows that there is a significant difference between maximum and minimum value of this index. The minimum value is more the two times less from the maximum value. The data is distributed symmetrically because the mean and the median are very close and the skewness is comparatively small. It can be assumed that the data is normally distributed (Mendenhall, Beaver and Beaver, 2013). The main feature of the data is the large difference

Topic is listed in the details Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Topic is listed in the details - Term Paper Example Attention is then focused on-patient provider interactions and the impact of the larger ecology in which these interactions are nested. An exploration of future challenges and directions for mental health services for American Indians and Alaska natives, with emphasis on the role of traditional treatments, the promise of the chronology and issues raised by evidence bases practices (Strong,2012). Health disparities for minority populations are defined by sociopolitical contexts. American Indians are among American minorities in their historical and current relationship with the U.S. government. As a matter of fact, from their first contact, European settlers’ interactions with the native groups were characterized by conquest, seizure of resources, compulsory relocation, and systemic campaigns of genocide. The new government however continued these practices by developing policies of resettlement, attempted assimilation, and forced reservation relocation. By the 20th century, most American Indians tribes had been exterminated, dispersed, or driven onto federally created reservations.AS if not enough, on the reservations, the tribes continued to face threats to their identity from explicit government policies, for example, when federal laws banned traditional religious practices practices, the latter half of the 20th century for many American Indian native communities b rought self determination, self governance, community and cultural rights, and greater awareness of the challenges facing American Indian communities. Disparities in mental health for American Indians are inherently tied to the history and current sociopolitical landscapes experienced by this population. There are more than are currently 562 federally recognized tribes representing a diverse array of distinct cultural groups and a wide range of accumulation. There are more than 200 different languages with more than a quarter million f the 4 million

Gods Existence and Aquinas Objection Essay Example for Free

Gods Existence and Aquinas Objection Essay I was in the debate team in high school. And there were times that our team would take the against side of the statement. In his famous work Prologion, written in 1077-1078, Anselm presents the idea the God exists because God is the greatest thing of all, that the idea of thinking of God exists prove its existence. Hundred of years later, Thomas Aquinas brings up the account that addresses Anselms idea in objection 2 of Question II, First Article of Summa Theologica. Aquinas objects Anselms argument later in his work by attacking the idea that God is something that can be thought greater. To understand Anselms argument for Gods existence, one must first understand the principles that forms the argument. The first principle is the claim that â€Å"nothing greater can be thought. † There is too types of existing, existing in understanding (existing0) and existing in reality (existing1). Then, we try to think of something is existing1. Anselm let â€Å"something† be â€Å"something than which nothing greater can be thought (NGT),† or in another word â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived† according to the Proslogion. The very first act of thinking that something is existing1 serves as the basis of it existing0. Because in the process of trying to think of something greater, we already establish its existence0. For example, there is a flower A, existing1. This flower A is the most beautiful flower, that this flower is a NGT. In order to prove this flower is NGT, one has to think of all the flower he has seen, flower B, C, or D. In the process of searching through ones mind trying to think of a flower that is more beautiful than flower A, flower A already exists in ones mind, which is existing0. To open his argument, Anselm then said an example of NGT is God. The second principle is the principle of â€Å"thinking of non-existing objects (Principle E). † Anselm uses the example of a painter conceiving the drawing he will paint, then executing his plan in mind to make the painting exists in reality. To breakdown his argument, lets begin with something that exists0. Because one has the ability to imagine that something exists0, one can also imagine that the same thing exists1. This priniciple is the most uncontroversial because it is just a matter of imagination. The fact that one has imagination allows him to imagine whatever he wants. For example, one imagines he won the lottery and has a million dollars. It is safe to say that one can proceed to think of that million dollars is existing1, regardless of if the million dollars truly exists1. Applying Principle E back to the argument of NGT, if one can imagine NGT in existence0, one can also go ahead and imagine NGT existing1. The third principle is â€Å"thinking something greater than something (Principle G). This principle compares the greatness of existing0 and existing1. Anselm proposes that â€Å"greatness† has two faces: qualitatively and existentially. To further support his argument, Anselm implies that greatness qualitatively means everything positive, such as, more beautiful, more knowledgeable, more influential, etc. Base on this assumption, Anselm argues that, â€Å"Suppose it exists in the understanding alone: then it can be conceived to exist in reality; which is greater. † To apply this principle in daily life, one can relate to a million dollars example above. One can imagine having a million dollars in his mind, but that million dollars doesnt exist1. In another case, one owns a millions dollars, which means that million dollars exists1. The rhetorical question here will be, which case is more appealing to you, which scenario is â€Å"greater? † Back to Anselms claim, the â€Å"it† in his argument is, of course, NGT, which is God. That God exists1 is better than God only exists0 but not exists1. The next principle returns to the basic meaning of NGT. Principle N presents the idea â€Å"if something can be thought to be greater than x, then x is not an NGT. † Assume something is an NGT, nothing greater can be thought. If there is another thing that is greater then it. This â€Å"something† is no longer an NGT. This principle is pretty self-explanatory. To put it in everyday examples, imagine the beautiful flower A is the most beautiful flower in the whole wide world. However, one found another flower more beautiful than A. Now A is no longer an NGT, regardless in existence0 or existence1. Now substitute God in for NGT in the equation. Because Anselm already claimed that God is an NGT, if one can think of something greater than God, God is no longer an NGT. According to the Proslogion, â€Å"God cannot be conceived not to exist. God is that, than which nothing greater can be conceived. That which can be conceived not to exist is not God. † The upcoming principles idea bases that of principle E. Principle T simply proposes the idea that â€Å"an NGT can be thought. † Because one has the ability to think of an object either exists0, exists1, or even both, one can also think of NGT existing0, existing1, or both. The idea that one can think of something is very broad and universal, that â€Å"something† can simply be anything. The final piece of Anselms argument is Principle M. This principle presents the very vague idea that â€Å"if something must be thought as existing1, then it exists1. † If one must think of a flower exists1, then that flower does exist1. Now that all principles Anselm needed to support his argument that God exists are gathered, he begins his argument with a â€Å"fool (thinker)† that â€Å"understands [God] is in his understanding; although he does not understand it to exist. † To fully understand this argument, one has to accept Anselms assumption that God, indeed, is an NGT. The argument that the thinker has the ability to think of NGT existing1 is based on Principle E that if one can think of an object then he can think of it existing1. The idea of thinking NGT exists1 is â€Å"greater† than the idea of thinking NGT exists0 but doesnt exist1 (Principle G); therefore, one can think of something greater than the NGT that exists0 but not in reality. However, this violates the basic meaning of an NGT (Principle N), nothing greater can be thought. So the idea that one can think of something greater than the NGT that exists0 but not in reality is contradictory to the fundamental element of an NGT. Which comes to the agreement that if one think of an NGT it is to be existing1. The conclusion implies the principle that one can thought of NGT exists1 (Principle T). Also, one can and must only think of an NGT exists1. This lead to the final conclusion. If one has no choice but think of something exists1, that something must be existing1 (Principle M). Therefore, an NGT, God, exists. Aquinas gives an condensed version account of Anselms argument in Summa Theologica. In objection 2 of question II, â€Å"Whether the existence of God is self-evident? †, Aquinas addresses the idea much abruptly. He first implies that Anselms idea of God is an NGT is equivalent to saying â€Å"things are said to be self-evident which are known as soon as the terms are known,† that the significant of the word â€Å"God† is nothing better can be conceived. He follows the account by stating that the word â€Å"God† â€Å"exists actually and mentally is greater than that which exists only mentally. † Therefore, if the word â€Å"God† is understood mentally it has to be understood to exist actually. Both Anselms argument of Aquinass account of it come to the same conclusion that God exists, that the thought of it existing lead to its real existence. Aquinas objects Anselms idea by stating that not everyone understands the word â€Å"God† will agree that it is an NGT. He follows his objection by stating: Yet, granted that everyone understands that by this name God is signified something than which nothing greater can be thought, nevertheless, it does not therefore follow that he understands that what the name signifies exists actually, but only that it exists mentally. Aquinass main objection is that the idea of NGT can be interpreted that it can only exists mentally. However, for Anselms argument to work, one has to understand that God can exists in reality; therefore, Aquinas further objects Anselms claim by stating those â€Å"who hold God does not exist† will not admit the fact that God is an NGT and it exists in reality. In Anselms defense, he based all his argument on the fact that God is â€Å"a being than which nothing greater can be conceived. † As a true believer of God, Anselm would have simply oppose those who does not believe in God has not fully understand the meaning of â€Å"God†; therefore, they fail to grasp the idea God exists in reality. If one understands God, he will be able to think of Gods existence in mind then agree to think of it in reality. After reading excerpts both from the Proslogion and the Summa Theologica, I am more inclined to support Aquinass claim. Although I do not think Aquinas has successfully destroyed Anselms argument, I think there are more weak links in Anselms argument than that of Aquinass. The most apparent loopholes are Principle M and Principle G. First, Principle M states that if one has to think of something as existing1, then that something has to exists1. However, Anselm neglects the fact that what one believes exists1 does not has to be true. For example, children were told to believe Santa Claus exists in reality and many of them do believe that idea. The contradiction being what those children â€Å"can and must† think exists1, Santa Claus, does not exists1. Second, the positivity of â€Å"greatness† implied in Principle G is too vague. The concept of greatness of reality is â€Å"better† than that of in mind can be subjective. Just because one person thinks the existence in reality is greater than existence in mind does not equal others perception of greatness. With doubts in Principle M and Principle G, I think Aquinas has a stronger position compare to Anselm does.

Evangelism and my Christian walk Essay Example for Free

Evangelism and my Christian walk Essay Evangelism is a passion of mine and this semester has helped me to develop more as a person and strengthen my passion for evangelism. Usually when you hear the word Evangelism most of the time, you will start to fear because of rejection. During my Christian walk, sometimes I have experienced the fear of rejection as it relates to Evangelism. However, this semester has taught me not to fear. Evangelism is standing up for your faith even if everyone else remains seated 1(Earley and Wheeler p. 32). This semester I have learned and developed new perceptions and challenges about evangelism, which has challenged my way of thinking. At first glance, when you hear or see the word evangelism you immediately think about sharing the gospel and that is true. That is only one part of Evangelism because listening is very important as well. This has caused me to think differently about Evangelism because now I understand how important it is to listen to people while witnessing. Evangelism can be challenging but the way I look at it now is that I have a part in fulfilling the great commission at all cost. Evangelism is about relationship building that involves changing a person ability to trust and receive the gospel. This course has reminded me that Evangelism does not come without great sacrifice. It requires you putting forth effort and work to share gospel with someone that does not believe. Anytime you deal with people and sharing the gospel you have to be patient. It has challenged me to become an effective witness for Christ because as I grow spiritually it is a reflection of Christ. This semester has reminded me that there has to be a balance between the incarnational and information Apologetics. Many people say that Christians are hypocrites because their lifestyle does not line up with what they are professing. My lifestyle should reflect what I am professing in my Christian walk. The scripture tells us in James 1:23-24 and it says: 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 2Therefore, many times people will not pick up a bible and read it but they will look at my lifestyle of a Christian. As you go through a course like this, it will cause you to look within to see if you are doing your part to help further the Kingdom of God. This semester has challenged me in so many ways to seek God more than ever and pay closer attention to the needs of others. God has called each one of us to spread the gospel whether it is in the workplace, community or other countries. Sometimes we forget the importance of evangelism and just leave it to the Pastor or other ministers. However, as part of the body of Christ, I have to be willing to hold myself accountable and be willing to meet the needs of others. Learning to love people where they are is very important and this course has showed me that I have to go where the needs are. Evangelism is investing your time to minister to others and there is a great reward seeing someone gives their life to Jesus. At times, I have taken the need to listen to others for granted but listening is important to the lost. Never underestimate the role of listening in building an evangelistic relationship,3 (Earley and Wheeler, p. 123).The scripture teaches us in James 1:19: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. 4Through this course, I have found that barriers can hinder you from being effective in servant evangelism. As it relates to my Christian walk, I have found that I have to confront those barriers that hinder me in my serving. Sometimes we can think we are super Christians and do not have any problems or need help. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to be transparent to those that do not believe and let them know you can relate to them and love them where they are. This semester has been  a revelation for me in my spiritual walk and building relationships with others. I have taken what I have learned in this class to bless others and encourage them that they can make it because God loves them. During the times of witnessing and servant hood, I have found so, many people that just want someone to listen and love them. My perception of people has changed because now I feel that I am more compassionate now, sensitive to the needs of others, humble, loving, and willing to be servant. My Vision for Evangelism My vision for evangelism is denying self to serve and be reflection of Jesus as I minister and love others. I would like those attributes to be a part of my daily life and walk in the fruit of the Spirit so, that other people will feel the love of God. I have gained so much knowledge from this course that I can take what I have learned and apply it in my own life to become a better person and to help others. In my Christian walk, my vision is to look for ways to be a blessing to others and to make an impact in my family and community. Also, ministering the word of faith thereby, changing mindsets and lives. Therefore, to help equip the believer so that it will cause them to live according to the word of God. However, there are a few changes I feel that I need to make in my life to be more effective as a witness for Christ. Some of the changes include reading the word of God more, seeking Gods way, being obedient, and trusting God. I can make an impact in my family by living the word of God before them and loving people where they are. Sometimes reaching your family can be hard but I believe that if I will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and trust God, I can make a difference in their life. Evangelism is a way of life for me and it is priceless. I count it an honor to take part in what God is doing in some else life because at some point I was where they were. I remember that someone took time out to witness to me and let me know that there is hope in Jesus. Therefore, I am thankful to God for allowing me another opportunity to change and get on the right course. Role as a servant Servant hood is about demonstrating the character and qualities of God. Taking on the heart of servant requires unselfishness, not looking for promotion or pay, honors God, and reflects Jesus. My role as a servant  requires humilty, sacrifice and it breathes the very heart of God. We can consider the humblest servant of all; Jesus despised, mocked, and rejected. Serving can be hard but it means I am putting Gods plans and purpose above my own. Being a servant can affect my ministry in so, many ways by having these characteristics making myself available to God to serve, do what is needed, even when it is inconvenient, see interruptions as an opportunity to practice serving others, pay close attention to the needs of others, and no task is beneath me. The scripture says in Matthew 23:11-12, 11 but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.12 and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.5My attitude as a servant will d etermine how I see things and the effectiveness of my servant hood. You should be able to identify a servant with Jesus because of the lifestyle he or she lives. Another important Characteristic of a servant is that I need to be open and teachable and sharing the gospel with joy. True ministry to others, ministry that was modeled by Jesus Christ, requires you to minister as a servant6 (Leach and Wheeler, p.5) A servant must have a willingness and desire to serve so, do not miss an opportunity to serve and provide some immediate relief for someone else. Many hurting people need what God has placed inside of you so you can be a blessing to others. Vision for future ministry God has placed some abilities in me that I can contribute to ministry, community and the marketplace. My future vision is to teach and empower believers in the state, surrounding areas and the nation in making disciples for Christ. I must lead by example in order to make disciples and it should be the responsibility of everyone to make disciples. I envision more unity in the body of Christ so; we can make an impact as we allow the Holy Spirit to change peoples heart and mind. The Scripture teaches us to tell others about Jesus Christ. In addition, while sharing the gospel is wonderful, it is simply not enough. We should continue to encourage and invest in new believers because many do not know where to begin to seek God. Evangelism will always be a part of my ministry and should be for other ministries as well. The way I look at evangelism is that if we stop evangelizing then the church stops growing both spiritually and naturally. God has commanded each of us to be a witness for him and we should not hesitate at this opportunity  to do his will. Some of my plans for evangelism include going out in the community and building relationships with people and lead them to Jesus. I would like to start a small group that will meet on a regular basis and have a nice fellowship but encourage each other. Sharing the gospel requires us loving as Christ has commanded us to do. I believe I have to stay focus on what God has given me to do. Most people are busy but not effective due to a lack of focus. Therefore, I cannot let someone else negative opinions of me become my reality. That is very important in evangelism because you may not always be received everyone all the time but I must stay focused. In the book Family to Family, it put emphasis on the family and individuals developing their relationship with Christ through some basic principles such as; spending time alone with God, prayer life, studying the word of God, accountability, and discipleship (Pipes and Lee, p.13)7 In conclusion, evangelism is a joyful experience, telling the good news; meeting people and helping them exchange their religion for a relationship with Jesus. It is my desire to spread the gospel with a passion to reach the lost with confidence and love. I believe as I continue to follow Jesus and be humble I can make a lasting impression on someone. I truly, have been blessed by taking this class and interacting with my classmates. Bibliography Earley, Dave, and David Wheeler. Evagelism ISHow to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence. Nashville, Tennessee: BH Academic Publishing Group, 2010. Fay, William, and Linda Evans Shepherd. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville, Tennessee: BH PublishingGroup, 1984. KJV Holy Biblbe. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1987. Leach, Richard, and David A. Wheeler. Minister To Others. Nashville, Tennessee: LifeWay Press, 2009. McRaney Jr., Will. The Art of Personal Evangelism Sharing Jesus In A Chaging Culture. Nashville, Tennessee: BH Publishing Group, 2003. Pipes, Jerry Dr., and Victor Lee. Family to Family Leaving A Lasting Legacy. Lawrenceville,Georgia: Jerry Pipes Productions, 1999.

Lufthansa Marketing Analysis: SWOT and PESTEL

Lufthansa Marketing Analysis: SWOT and PESTEL This report will take a closer look at the turnaround of Lufthansa airlines which went from near bankruptcy in 1991 to a now profitable airline. The evolutionary patterns of strategy and structure are identified in this report as well as how strategic leadership and German culture contributed to the turnaround. Furthermore, this paper will analyse the airline industry in terms of Porters five forces and will also take an extensive look at Lufthansas current situation by means of a SWOT and TOWS analysis. Additionally, Lufthansas business-level and corporate-level strategy will be identified and the Star Alliance, the worlds most important airline alliance, will be discussed in detail. 2.0 Company Background The Lufthansa Aviation Group is considered to be one of the worlds leading air transport corporations. It includes a number of independent group and affiliated companies with business segments in passenger airlines, logistics, aircraft maintenance, catering, tourism and IT services. Lufthansas headquarter is located in Cologne, Germany and its operational centre for passenger and cargo services is situated in Frankfurt (Key data on environmental care and sustainability at Lufthansa 2002/2003). Lufthansa is 78 years old and has currently about 93,000 employees worldwide and in 2003-reported revenue of about 16 billion Euros (Lufthansa Key Figures 2003- see also Appendix I). In terms of traffic performance, Lufthansa is in third position in worldwide passenger transport. For many years the company has also been the market leader in international cargo traffic. In 2002, Lufthansas 368 aircrafts operated on routes to 327 destinations, carrying 50.9 million passengers and 1.63 million tons of airfreight. Lufthansa was also one of the founding members of the Star Alliance in 1997, when 16 partners joined into the worlds largest airline alliance (Key data on environmental care and sustainability at Lufthansa 2002/2003). 3.0 The Industry Background The organization also has to deal with cyclical risks. General economic fluctuations as well as geopolitical developments can have a large impact on the performance of the Lufthansa Group. As good examples serve the events of September 11, the Iraq conflict and the outbreak of SARS in Asia along with a stagnating global economy which seriously influenced the business activity of the entire airline industry in a negative way (Heerkens 2003). Lufthansa is also confronted with some capital market risks as its international business activities expose it to exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations in the international money, capital and also the foreign exchange markets (Zea 2003). A substantial threat is the price of fuel since fuel consumption remains one of the main cost items for the whole airline industry. In 2003, it contributed 7.6% to Lufthansas total operating expenses. Fluctuations in fuel prices can have a significant affect on the organizations operating result (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). Furthermore there is the threat of higher costs of insuring Lufthansas fleet. Insurance costs increased dramatically after the events of September 11 and since then stayed at a very high level. The reason for that are the massive additional premiums that are being charged for insuring against war and similar events. In case of more wars and terrorist attacks the premiums are likely to increase even further (Zea 2003). There are also a number of infrastructure risks that Lufthansa will have to deal with. There are plans for an extension of the runway system at Frankfurt Airport, which is a major hub for Lufthansas operations, and is extremely important for the long-term competitiveness of the German airline. The extension project is also crucial for securing Frankfurt Airports future as an international air traffic hub, which also applies to the building of the maintenance hangar for the new Airbus A380 super jumbo that will be used from 2007 onwards. Nonetheless, a range of operational restrictions on extending the airport has recently been debated which would hinder its efficient use. In case a solution cant be found, Lufthansa would have relocate part of their business to alternative hubs. Additionally, bottlenecks in many European air traffic control systems cause many flight delays. The infrastructural limitations are a huge burden on the profitability of all European air carriers. On top of t hat, they are inhibiting the industry to keep up with the growing demand for air transport services (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). There are also a few risks relating to the development of alliances. One of the foundations for Lufthansas commercial success was its integration into the Star Alliance, the worlds leading airline partnership system. Currently, many of the airlines worldwide are in a loss-making situation which, in the case of a few of Lufthansas partners like United Airlines and Air Canada, reached proportions that threatened their existence and also affects Lufthansa negatively. In regards to the Star Alliance, there are also challenges of coordinating and incorporating strategic activities like the establishment of a common global brand, a shared technology platform as well as joint training and personnel development (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). Being part of the Star Alliance also poses the threat that Lufthansa might lose its identity. It is vital for them to preserve the Lufthansa brand (Bruch Ghoshal 2002). Labour unions are an additional threat; especially in Germany they have a lot of power. Labour unions can initiate strikes, which in the past have already led to delays of departures and substantial costs to Lufthansa (Steinborn 2003). 4.0 The Company Objectives Structural analysis of an industry is a useful way of determining a companys long-term profitability. Comprehending the dynamics of the competitive forces in an industry can give an insight whether an industry is attractive and whether there are any chances for returns on capital. Michael Porter, a professor at Harvard Business School, created a framework for understanding the structure of an industry. According to Porter, the five competitive forces that can have an impact on an industry are threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining powers of buyers, competitive rivalry, as well as the threat of substitutes (Analysis of industries 2003). 4.1 Threat of new entrants The threat of new entrants offers the possibility that new firms are going to enter the industry, which will consequently lead to a reduction of industry returns by generally passing more value to consumers in terms of lower prices and also increasing the cost of competition. Factors like economies of scale, capital requirements, product differentiation, access to distribution channels, switching costs as well as brand value determine the threat of entry (Analysis of industries 2003). From my point of view it currently seems very difficult to enter the airline industry as this area of business as well as the world economy is facing a period of recession. Due to large product differentiation the entry barriers are fairly high. There is a range of flag carriers, charter airlines as well as a number of low-fare airlines in the industry. All these different types of airlines offer an extensive range of products that seem to satisfy most customers needs. Additionally, entering the aviation industry requires very high capital investments because aircrafts, technical support and IT services need to be purchased or leased. This industry is also very labour and fuel intensive which requires a lot of funds. Companies with an interest in entering the market also require access to distribution channels. This means that it is necessary to gain trust within the industry so as to get access to take-off and landing spots. This can be quite challenging as national policies still p lay a major role in the aviation industry. Furthermore it is a requirement to obtain permission from governments to enter airspace. Moreover once the market is entered, it is very difficult to exit which raises switching costs to a high level. Throughout the last decade the market opened due to the deregulation policy, which provided low budget airlines with an opportunity to enter the industry. The first entrants like Ryanair and Easyjet utilized this opportunity and developed strong brand names due to their first-mover advantage. Airlines that recently entered the market that have a similar price and cost structure generally find it more difficult to generate the traffic that is required to fill the seats in their aircrafts (Jacob Jakesova 2003). All in all it can be said that the threat of new entrants is not that high in the airline industry in the current business environment. 4.2 Bargaining power of suppliers Factors that are connected with the bargaining power of suppliers include the threat of forward integration as well as the concentration of suppliers in the industry. Supplier power decreases the ability for competitors in the industry to earn higher profits (Wheelen Hunger 2000, p. 64). The main suppliers within the airline industry are the manufacturers of aircrafts like Airbus and Boeing, fuel suppliers such as Shell, British Petroleum and Chevron Texaco. Furthermore there are technical support and IT services as well as the catering services. Suppliers are very concentrated in the airline industry as Boeing and Airbus supply most commercial fixed-wing aircrafts. The concentration of suppliers makes it difficult for the airlines to exercise leverage over the two manufacturers and negotiate lower prices or play one supplier against the other. Moreover, at the current stage, aircrafts for long distance travel cannot be substituted by any other product, which strengthens the bargaining power of the suppliers even more. Fuel providers have an excellent bargaining position as they can increase fuel prices without regarding the airlines as an important customer group. Forward integration, which is the expansion of a business products or services to related areas in orde r to directly satisfy the customer needs, is fairly low. The reason for this is that it can be assumed that neither aircraft manufactures, fuel providers nor technical support companies will purchase an airline and staff it with flight attendants, commercial pilots, a maintenance crew and operate flights across the world (Jacob Jaksova 2003). Nevertheless, the strong position fuel suppliers as well as the relatively strong position of manufacturers of aircrafts need to be taken into account when operating an airline. 4.3 Bargaining power of buyers Buyers can have significant power, as they are able to push down prices, and negotiate for better quality and service. Buyer power is determined by relative volume of purchase, switching cost, standardization of the product, brand identity, elasticity of demand as well as quality of service (Del Vecchio 2000). Since customers are not very concentrated and generally dont purchase plane tickets in large volumes they do not have a strong bargaining position. A single purchase of an airline ticket does not represent a significant fraction of the amount offered. Switching costs are quite low as consumers have a range of choices when selecting an airline. Due to the Internet, information about prices is also less fragmented and much easier to compare. Quite frequently, a customer can find price differences for the same flight and one seat is generally not any better, since everyone arrives at the destination at the same time. Considering the worldwide recession as well as the psychological effects of September 11, airline companies are under substantial pressure as customers switch to alternative transportation like trains. Vacation travelers also tend to shop around for the best price. Traveling by plane is quite expensive and can make up the largest part of the expense of a family vacation. For that reason, demand is quite elastic for some buyers. As soon as the price drops, the demand increases. However, airlines can move their prices in tandem with other airlines, which forces customers to purchase tickets for the market price until a price war starts (Analysis of Industries 2003). Nevertheless, all in all it can be said that the bargaining power of buyers is relatively low. 4.4 Threat of substitute products The airline industry is threatened by a number of substitutes. This threat is quite substantial within Europe, where Lufthansas main customer base is located. Many European countries have an excellent railway system with high-speed trains like the ICE in Germany and the TGV in France. These trains can travel up to 300km/h fast and can cover large distances within the countries in just a few hours. Trains can be considered the largest threat as they offer a variety of advantages over flying. From my point of view it seems that flying is much faster, but on a domestic flight in a European country there is not much of a difference in comparison to trains. The reason for that is that it always takes a while to get to the airport, as they are mostly located further away from cities; check-in and security checks usually require being there at least an hour before take-off. After the plane has landed, it usually takes at least another 30 minutes to get out of the plane, claim the baggage an d organise transportation to leave the airport. Railway stations on the other hand can be much more easily accessed than airports, there is no check-in and security check required and the destination railway station is generally in a very central location close to hotels or offices that need to be visited on a business trip. Furthermore, trains offer generally great scenery while travelling and also offer more legroom. Most importantly the prices are generally lower than those of prestigious airlines like Lufthansa. Alternatively, travellers could use their own car, which would be more time consuming, but would have the advantage of increased flexibility and having transportation at the destination location and not having to use public transportation or taxis. Depending on the distance, this substitute can be either more costly or less expensive (Jacob Jaksova 2003). Moreover, short international trips to major European capitals are often done by bus and also by ferry if it is a tr ip to the United Kingdom. From my experience this is the most inexpensive way of travelling throughout Europe. However, there is no real substitute to flying if the desired destination is overseas. The only alternative to planes would be ships and unless the customer is looking for a relaxing trip on the oceans, it will just take too long to reach the destination. Recently there is also a tendency of larger companies towards purchasing corporate jets rather than flying first class. According to Costa et al. (2002) corporate jets might reduce first class traveller by 10% by 2005. 4.5 Competitive rivalry Highly competitive industries are generally less profitable as the cost of competition is high or customers are receiving the benefits of lower prices. Competitive rivalry is affected by industry growth, brand identity, fixed costs, as well as barriers to exit (Wheelen Hunger 2000, p. 63). It can be said that the airline industry is highly competitive and that industry growth is fairly moderate with airlines struggling in taking away market share from each other. The barriers to exit are considered to be very high. Planes that are grounded dont earn any returns and it is quite complicated to dispose of these assets. Due to bankruptcy laws, airlines that are in financial stress can often remain competitors for a long time (Del Vecchio 2000). In Lufthansas home market, the European airline industry has seen some recent changes with the development of low budget airlines that compete with the more mature airlines. Additionally, recent airline crises like September 11 put even more pressure on all competing airlines. This leads to a process of consolidation and the creation of strategic alliances. Airlines within one alliance dont tend to compete directly with each other anymore, which lead to a slight decrease of the pressure (Jacob Jakesova 2003). By utilizing a range of strategies a company can have an effect on the five forces of competition and thus reform the attractiveness of an industry. Historically, various strategies shifted the principles of competition and future events like war or new inventions are likely to reshape the airline industry again. Lufthansas ability to be very cost effective is also of advantage. As part of its strategic change, Lufthansa implemented Program 15, a strategic cost management program. The goals of this program included an improvement of the competitive position through a reduction in cost, internationalisation of cost-structure and making staff conscious of reducing costs in their daily work. This cost management contributed substantially to Lufthansa making profits again in 1999 (Bruch Goshal 2000). Generally it can be said that Lufthansas change management during its crisis was outstanding. Its management was able to identify the signals for the potential problems, showed great strategic leadership through CEO JÃ ¼rgen Weber and transformed the organization into a profitable company. This experience in strategic change management is very valuable and will surely help the organization with any challenges in the future (Bruch Sattelberger 2001b). Furthermore, Lufthansas management is very conscious of the need for innovation and customer service. They developed the brand ambassador concept where employees with use of personality and dedication create brand loyalty through day-to-day interactions with the customer (Rubens 2004). They recently also introduced a range of innovations and quality improvements at their passenger airlines and some innovations will be implemented in the near future. A special focus is on the business class on long-haul routes as this segment is the most profitable one. The key feature of Lufthansas new business class is a technically sophisticated seat that converts into a flat bed, which is 2 meters long, the longest bed in this class (Manuelli 2003). Lufthansa is also the first airline in the world that offers broadband Internet access on board its planes (Anonymous 2003). On the ground, they are also improving procedures for their status customers with Lufthansas Priority Service by relying on the Internet, mobile phones and check-in terminals simplify reservations and ticket sales as well as to reduce check-in times. A good example of Lufthansas innovative strength is their new terminal at Munich Airport, which was build to optimise operational procedures. In accordance with the best international standards they reduced the minimum connecting time to 30 minutes (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). An additional strength of Lufthansa is that it has a policy of operating a young and modern fleet. They recently started a fleet renewal program in 2003 and by 2005 they will replace older aircrafts with ten new Airbus A340-600 jets, as well as ten new Airbus A330-300s. By 2007 the new Airbus A380 super jumbo will go into service that can carry 40% more passengers than the currently largest aircraft. The average age of Lufthansas fleet is just under 9 years, which puts them into a good position in comparison to airline world average of almost 15 years (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). Another strength, which gives Lufthansa a comparative advantage, is the use of a premium executive jet service on North Atlantic routes like DÃ ¼sseldorf-Newark and Munich-Newark. This involves flights in Boeing and Airbus aircrafts that were remodelled so they fit 48 business class seats only and no economy class. Lufthansa introduced this service, because they identified that these routes were in high demand for business class travellers (Ghazvinian Fragala 2002). Lufthansa also offers a very good website that has a lot of features the customers can utilize. Online bookings have more than doubled in 2003. Lufthansa are also constantly expanding their destinations, which can be reached with etix, the companys electronic tickets that offer convenient paperless travel. The number of passengers that use etix is gradually increasing as it can be used to fly to 70 per cent of Lufthansa destinations (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). Lufthansas Miles More customer loyalty program is also a great tool to encourage customers to fly Lufthansa again. The program has grown in popularity since it was introduced ten years ago and developed into the leading frequent flyer program in Europe (Miles More). Furthermore, Lufthansa is one of the founding members of the Star Alliance, the worlds leading airline alliance. The alliance was voted Alliance of the Year in 2003 on three different occasions (Lufthansa Annual Report 2003). The Lufthansa group consists of seven independent subsidiaries. Lufthansa centrally coordinates their strategy development process. A principal element of the Lufthansa group is clear customer-supplier-relationships between the seven companies. However, the relationships between the individual companies are a weakness, as they dont function as planned. Lufthansa has not reached the required relationships for a market-based internal coordination. So far, the internal customers dont act as normal customers yet since the demand conditions, which they would never demand with other external business partners (Bruch Ghoshal 2000). Another weakness is that the openness for change has almost vanished since Lufthansas amazing turnaround was achieved. During the turnaround, changes were implemented very quickly, but today it takes a very long time for small innovations to take place. Lufthansa also admits not to be perfect in the areas of punctuality, luggage safety, waiting periods, technical reliability and telephone availability, but is in the process of improving this situation (Bruch Ghoshal 2000). Another weakness could be that Lufthansa does not do anything about their low-budget competitors in the European market. Lufthansas management claims that they would not start a low-fare airline under its name, as it would cannibalize its own traffic and damage its brands (Anonymous 2002). 5.0 Economic strategy of Lufthansa According to Hitt (2003, p. 122), a Economic strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions the firm uses to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product markets. The literature suggests that there are a number of different business-level strategies. However, I believe that in the case of Lufthansa an integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy is used. The reason for this is that Lufthansa operates globally and therefore it is vital for them to implement cost leadership strategies as well as differentiation strategies in order to develop competitive advantages. Lufthansas Program 15 serves as a good example of a cost leadership strategy. After Lufthansa had undergone privatization they implemented this extensive strategic costs management program with the goal of reducing overall unit cost by 20% within five years (Bruch Sattelberger 2001a). In terms of a differentiation strategy, Lufthansa constantly tries to come up with a range of innovative ideas to stay ahead of the competition. A list of these ideas could be seen in the strengths section of my SWOT analysis of Lufthansa. It can be concluded that Lufthansa has made the right decision to implement an integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy, since the literature also suggests that there is a relationship between the successful use of this strategy and above-average returns (Hitt 2003, p. 135). 5.1 Corporate-level strategy of Lufthansa According to Hitt, a corporate level strategy involves specific actions by a company to gain a competitive advantage by having a group of different businesses competing in several industries (2003, p. 183). In the case of Lufthansa, the organisation consists of seven economically independent subsidiaries that include LH Passenger Service, LH Cargo AG, LH Skychef, LH Ground Services, LH Technical Services, Thomas Cook Travel Agency and LH IT services. The individual Lufthansa companies are quite successful. LH Technical services, LH Skychef and LH Ground Services are number one in their market (Bruch Ghoshal 2000). Product diversification, a primary corporate-level strategy deals with the scope of the industries and markets in which the company competes in addition to how managers buy, establish and sell different businesses to equal skills and strengths. In regards to Lufthansa, the organisation uses a related diversification corporate-level strategy which means that Lufthansa generates more than 30% of its sales revenue outside a dominated business and its businesses are related to each other since Lufthansa centrally coordinates their strategy development process. Lufthansas motives for such a corporate level strategy are likely to be issues such as taking advantage of economies of scope, sharing activities, transfer of core competencies, and an increase in market power as well as blocking competitors through multipoint competition (Hitt 2003, p. 187). 5.2 Strategic Alliances While concentrating on internal costs and structural redevelopment, Lufthansa also worked on its external relationships by implementing the strategy: growth through partnerships (Bruch Sattelberger 2001b). While in other industries globalization triggered a wave of mergers of companies that operate internationally; airlines had to look for alternatives because national ownership regulations do not allow cross-border mergers. No airline worldwide has the capacity infrastructure to offer a suitable network by itself. Only through cooperating and alliances can the industry cater for the mobility requirements of the world economy. Therefore, founding the Star Alliance was a logical consequence and Lufthansa was one of the key-founding members of the first airline network in the world (Global Network Five years of Star Alliance). The purpose of the Star Alliance is to realize higher revenues and decrease costs by exploiting synergy effects. The synergies range from shared use of ground facilities like check-in-counters, a city office in Paris and also airport terminals. At the airports in Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Shanghai and Beijing the Star Alliance has its own check-in area with staff member of partner airlines. In addition the first Star Alliance Lounge went into service 2001 at ZÃ ¼rich airport. Other advantages include common frequent flyer programs, joint travel agency contracts collective market research and joint purchasing of materials and equipment (Economic effects for the airlines). Alliance members can also use code sharing a system by which two or more airlines agree to use the same flight number for a flight in order to attract more business by means of extending their networks through partner airlines (Collis 1998). Besides cost-saving synergies, the combined networks of Star Alliance members also offer many customer benefits. In comparison with other industry alliances, the Star Alliance is the recognized market leader (see Appendix 2). For 82 % of all offered flight connections, the Star Alliance is the fastest network. Every four seconds an aircraft of the Star Alliance starts or lands somewhere in the world and it possible to fly once round the world in 36 hours with Star Alliance airlines. Other fundamentals of its brand value include the presence of its members in important home markets and large international hubs, a high degree of customer recognition, excellent service and good cooperation between the frequent-flyer programs of the individual airlines. Furthermore each airline has its individual strengths with a strong market position in its home bases and regional hubs like Lufthansa in Germany. Due to the good cooperation, a whole network of these hubs was established and regional str engths complement each other (see Appendix 3). Additionally, most members also have regional alliances with smaller airlines, which improve the Star Alliance network even further (Global Network Five years of Star Alliance). Research has also shown that alliances result in lower ticket prices and more flight connections. It is suggested that there is a price advantage of an average 6% in comparison with conventional tariffs. In terms of the Star Alliance this leads to estimated passenger savings of between 50 and 82 million dollars per year. Additionally due to the sharing of terminals service counters of the airlines are more easily seen and found and walking distances are decreased. Having counters in the same area at airports also creates a single contact point and improves changes and baggage loading. Staff members of partner airlines can also help and advise customers with enquiries on behalf of the entire alliance. For the alliance to work properly certain level of quality needs to be ensured. This is achieved through frequent mutual quality checks. Jointly agreed quality standards in the areas of security, services and environmental protection are checked on a regular basis (Global Network Five years of Star Alliance). 5.3 Strategic Leadership and German Culture Strategic leadership, which is the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and empower others to create strategic change as necessary (Hitt 2003, p. 386) was extremely important in Lufthansas turnaround. The main responsibility for effective strategic leadership generally rests at the top, especially with the CEO, but also with other recognized strategic leaders like members of the board of directors and the top management team. In the case of Lufthansa, the formulation and implementation of strategies was also in the hands of the top-level management, in particular Dr. JÃ ¼rgen Weber, who was Lufthansas CEO at the time. In 1992 JÃ ¼rgen Weber realized the full extent of Lufthansas problems and called for a crisis management meeting with 20 carefully selected senior managers. The outcome of this meeting was Program 93, 131 key actions aimed at drastically cutting about 8,000 jobs, lowering non-personnel costs, reducing the aircraft fleet as well as increasing revenues by DM 700 million to reduce the losses of DM 1.3 billion. The Executive Board then appointed a number of different teams that had the task to achieve the implementation of these 131 projects. Line management was responsible for the implementation of the staff cuts. It was seen as important for the success of Program 93 that line managers took that responsibility to realize the unavoidable cuts, on the one hand, but also to motivate the remaining employees, on the other hand. JÃ ¼rgen Weber also created the OPS team (Operations Team) as a forceful engine in the process of implementing the 131 actions. They constantly monitored, created activities, advised and supported the line managers who were ultimately responsible for the implementation process. Weber showed his total support for the OPS team and personally supported them in many ways. He also implemented visible actions like a 10% reduction of the salaries of all Executive board members (Bruch Ghoshal 2000). Furthermore, to convey and spread these actions, Lufthansa implemented Town Meetings, which were initially an idea by General Electric. A typical agenda of a Town Meeting would mainly involve a talk with the particular Lufthansa units management about problems and plans. An extensive dialogue then follows with the employees where the top-management explains latest plans and also listens to the concerns and suggestions of staff members. JÃ ¼rgen Weber decided to hold as many

Uses of Australian Medic and other Legumes in the United States Essay

Uses of Australian Medic and other Legumes in the United States In recent years the United States has been experimenting with the uses of medics, clovers and other forms of legumes which include sweet clover, rose clover, crimson clover, barrel medic, button medic, Australian medic, burr medic, nitro alfalfa, and spotted medic just to name a few of the long list of plants used in these experiments. The purpose of these experiments were to determine the benefits of intercropping these legumes with non-nitrogen fixating crops such as corn, sunflowers and many others. Some of the suggested benefits would include using less fertilizer, gained water infiltration into the soil, and reduced soil erosion. A study was conducted in Stephenville, Texas over several years to determine the types of medics and clovers that could possibly be used in areas of the United States that have high temperatures in the summers with limited precipitation, another objective of the experiments conducted in Stephenville was to determine the affects of harvest height, as herbage removal affects the reproduction of the stand in following years. Some cool-season annual species looked to be promising candidates for this particular experiment. Many of these species have become widely naturalized across the Great Plains region of the United States which indicates adaptation to climate, soils, local vegetation, and pathogens (Muir et al., 2005). One of the biggest factors in the growth and reproduction of medic is the climate, especially temperature and rainfall, has the strongest effect on legume production. Annual Australian medic species that are accustom to the long growing seasons in southern parts of the continent took ten to seventy ... ...provided by these plants. References Groose, Robin W., 1999. Lamb Chops and Rolls on 12 Inches of Rain. Casper Star Tribune. Kandel, H.J., B.L. Johnson, and A.A. Schneiter. 2000. Hard Red Spring Wheat Response Following the Intercropping of Legumes into Sunflower. Crop Science 40:731-736 Muir, James P., William R. Occumpaugh and Twain J. Butler, 2005. Trade-Offs in Forage and Seed Parameters of Annual Medicago and Trifolium Species in North-Central Texas as Affected by Harvest Intensity. Agron. J. 97:118-124 Sheaffer, Craig C., Steve R. Simmons and Michael A. Schmitt. 2001. Annual Medic and Berseem Clover Dry Matter and Nitrogen Production in Rotation with Corn. Agron. J. 93:1080-1086 Smeltekop, Hugh, David E. Clay and Sharon A. Clay. 2002. The Impact of Intercropping Annual ‘Sava’ Snail Medic on Corn Production. Agron. J. 94:917-924

American Film and Movies from the 1950’s to Present Essay -- Movie Fil

American Film and Movies from the 1950’s to Present Today, American film is among the most internationally supported commodities. Financially, its contributions are enormous: the industry is responsible for the circulation of billions of dollars each year. Since its explosion into the new media markets during the mid-twentieth century, film has produced consistently growing numbers of viewers and critics alike. Sparking debate over the nature of its viewing, film is now being questioned in social, political, and moral arenas for its potential impact on an audience. Critics claim that watching films is a passive activity in which the viewer becomes subconsciously absorbed, and creates a reliance or "addiction" to the medium, and thus can be influenced by any perpetual concepts or images. Advocates, however, argue that viewing such programs is an active process in which audience members are able to choose to what they are exposed, and interpret messages based on their individual needs and background. Perhaps both views are too extreme. Film from the 1950s to present, as will be explored in this essay, is an extremely useful medium, often underestimated within the label of "entertainment"; unfortunately, it may be partially responsible for current socio-cultural problems, too. The critical question, then, is whether film has fostered the progress of a more open-minded America, or rather hindered its development through the perpetuation of antiquated concepts of stereotypes, densensitized violence and breeding of normalcy. Whether or not a naà ¯ve approach to film as an inclusive medium holds true to fact, however, is questionable. Since its popular arrival in American culture during the 1930s, film has sparked controversy over ... ...es, Francis, ed. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996. Jowett, Garth. "A Significant Medium", in Movie Censorship and American Culture. Couvares, Francis, ed. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996. Lyons, Charles, "The Paradox of Protest", in Movie Censorship and American Culture. Couvares, Francis, ed. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1996. Ross, Steven T., ed. Movies and American Society. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2002. Wasser, Frederick. "Is Hollywood America?", in Movies and American Society. Ross, Steven T., ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2002. Slocum, J. David, ed. Violence and American Cinema. New York: Routledge, 2001. Rotham, William. "Violence and Film", in Violence and American Cinema. Slocum, J. David, ed. Routledge, 2001. Turner, Graeme. Film As Social Practice. New York: Routledge, 1999.