Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Essay - 11

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Essay Example The paper intends to analyse the impact of globalisation and technological changes on Apple Inc. Industrial organization model and resource-based model will be used to determine how Apple Inc. can earn beyond its average returns. In addition, the paper will also assess the vision and mission statement of the company that has influenced its overall success. Moreover, each category of stakeholders will be evaluated in order to analyse its impact on the overall success achieved by Apple. Globalisation has been ever-persisting in the contemporary business scenario which has influenced the business operations of various companies. In this regard, it is considered that globalisation has impacted the products and services produced by Apple Inc. wherein it has been developing products that are quite competitive in the globalised market. Apple has adopted forceful price cutting which has reduced its gross profit margin on each product. Apple has been frequently launching new products in the market with undersized product life cycle along with developing industrial standards. Consequently, it has been revealed that globalisation has helped the company to improve its product characteristics along with making it to adopt new technologies that have resulted in product advancements and price sensitivity in its products (Apple Inc., 2013). Technological changes on the other hand have impacted the overall business operations of Apple due to which it has been developing innovative products in the market. Apple has developed a set of unique designs for its products through effective use of advanced technologies. This uniqueness has been witnessed in terms of software applications, operating systems and other services related to the products. It is worth mentioning that the competitive advantage of Apple Inc. in the global market has been highly impacted as competitors using these

Social Work Management in Youth and Communities

Social Work Management in Youth and Communities 1.0: Introduction Youth work in the community, which is mainly performed by specially trained youth workers who work with youth at risk in group homes and community centres demands a high level of managerial skills blend with the skill in social work as argued by Mark Krueger (2000)[1]. The fact that the youth work is a non-profit approach makes it clear that the established management concepts were successful in profit-based organization need necessarily prove effective when deployed. In this report an overview of the theories embracing the management and social work with regards to youth and community work is presented to the reader. The report also demonstrates relevant examples from my previous experience in order to justify that the author of this report is ready to perform as an autonomous and reflective practitioner in the area of youth and community work. Furthermore, the report also presents a critical analysis on the British Social policies and the European Union perspective. A brief review on the global view on the youth work is also presented before concluding the report. 2.0: Overview of the theoretical concepts embracing youth and community work with examples This section commences with the overview on the management and historical content that reflects upon the youth work is presented to the reader. This is then followed by the analysis of the information and control system where the importance of the planning and information management is presented to the reader. The section is then concluded with an overview on the human resource management concepts embracing the youth work. 2.1: Management and historical content Peter F. Druker (1990)[2] says that management in the non-profit context is not only about effective performance and development but mainly embraces the idea of value addition to the society. The fact that the non-profit organizations are increasing in number with the support from government and public as argued by Robert F. Ashcraft (2000)[3]. This is not only because of the fact that the non-profit organizations are focused upon charity and fund raising but also involves the development of people at risk. The youth at risk development, which is of interest in this report, was given high level of importance only since the dawn of the twenty-first century even though it was emphasised by many researchers as early as 1978 by Paul Osterman (1978)[4]. As stated before, youth work in the community is a non-profit approach where the aim is to provide support and development to the youth at risk. This makes it clear that the nature of the work involved is varied and hence management skills that embrace the social work and value addition are essential than the effective performance managers who fair well in the profit-based organizations. Furthermore, it is also interesting to note that the youth work is not always about the social work to revive youth in danger but also to provide value-added service to the community in order to develop the youth of the nation through imparting culture and discipline. Alongside, it is also an intriguing fact that even through the youth work is a non-profit approach, the investment involved with the setting up and the running costs of the community work are relatively high with negligible or no income being generated. The support by the government and the local city council being the major source of the support financially, the management skills of the youth workers should not only embrace the efficient cost management methods but also focus upon developing the effective relationship strategy with the community in order to involve the neighbourhood to support the community work morally or even financially as argued by Mark Krueger (2000). The fact that youth work is predominantly involves the counselling, teaching and caring for the youth who come to the youth shelter having been abused, or in need of respite from home. In these cases the managerial skills of the youth worker should be more empathetic than focusing upon the development. The soft skills of the management like patience, proactive management to support people in need are the essential elements of management that should be demonstrated by a youth worker as argued by Mark Schoenhals (1998)[5]. This justifies that the effective management in the social work context is not about performance but mainly about the deployment of the soft skills to support the youth in need. Alongside it is also essential to mention that the youth worker’s management skills should not only reflect upon the development of the youth but also to focus upon the entire neighbourhood the youth worker is working at as argued by Mark Krueger (2000)[6]. The fact that the youth worker predominantly working in a volatile environment (i.e.) an unstable work place like the temporary youth shelter, working with the parents, foster parents etc as identified by Mark Krueger (2000) makes it clear that the youth worker management skills should be versatile to accommodate the changes in the environment effectively. The author’s experience from working with the Coventry Youth service has justified the aforementioned argument where the author gained experience of working with the Asian community youth in Hill-fields are of Coventry. Alongside, the student development programme conducted at Binley area which was focused upon the development of the youth through working with the parents and foster parents of the youth is another justification that the versatile management skills that embrace the soft skills is essential for the successful development of the youth work. It is also critical to state here that the author who led the youth development programme at Binley with a team of six youth workers accomplished the goals of the project (provide support and development opportunity to the youth in the community through working with their parents or foster parents) through the efficient deployment of the management skills discussed above. 2.2: Information and Control system Information and control in the youth work is a critical element in order to achieve the goal of providing development services to the youth. This is mainly because of the fact that the youth worker having to face a varied environment requires accurate and comprehensive information so as to effectively deploy the development plan. Mark Krueger (2000) argues that the information is a vital element for the successful planning of the development plan in a give youth and community work scenario. This is not only because of the need to effectively deploy the resources but also to accomplish the goal of the youth work that is projected for the day. Alongside, it is also essential to note that the control over the youth work is essential in order to accomplish the set goals of the project on hand without wastage of time and resources. Sara Banks (1998)[7] argues that the youth work in a community should be deployed in a controlled manner reflecting upon the ethical conduct and code of ethics mainly because of the fact that the youth work itself involves the deployment of self-discipline and control by the youth worker who strives to set an example of himself to the youth community he/she targeting to reform or protect. The fact that the control in the youth work is not the control of the youth but the stages of the programme being deployed makes it a critical that the information gathered is accurate and effective in nature. The information being the vital ingredient for the deployment of a plan in the youth work as argued by Sara Banks (1998) further justifies that the youth work should comprise effective background research on the community targeted prior to planning. Sara Banks (198) further argues that the information research and the planning can be accomplished effectively and successfully deployed through closely working with the city council and the local community centres by which the youth worker enjoys higher level of support and help from the community. Sara Banks (1998) also state that stating the objective of the youth work for a particular project is the critical element for the successful planning itself. This is also justified by the arguments of Abraham Daniel (1999)[8] who says that the objective of the youth work is the main element that attracts the community to participate in the youth development programme by the youth workers. Apart from the objective setting the factors of planning and evaluation are essential in order to deploy the resources since the plan of the youth work devised can be accomplished only through the effective evaluation of the information and plan in the light of the needs in the community targeted. The youth work participated by the author at Shotton in North Wales where the major barrier was the language because of the predominant Welsh population in the community. Alongside the cultural differences faced by the author and his team members along with the language barrier was overcome only through the effective information research on the community and closely working with the city council. The objective of the work being the rehabilitation of the youth who were under drug abuse was effectively planned through the effective information gathering on the activities of the youth in the community as well as the involvement of the local community centres to support the planning of the project. Furthermore, it is also essential to mention that the author who was the team member during the deployment of this project was given the opportunity of planning the work along with the team leader. It was clearly evident from the experience gained that the efficient planning is an essential el ement for the successful deployment of the youth work on hand. Alongside, the work at Shotton also provided valuable experience on the development of the controls around the project and the targets to meet in order to effectively accomplish the revival of the youth from drug abuse in the community. Since the project was initially misinterpreted as a rehabilitation project than support to the community, the marketing and communication of the project objective as a supporting element to develop the youth in the neighbourhood rather than a rehabilitation school. The process of working closely with the local community centres and the city council was highly supportive to achieve the confidence and support from the parents and foster parents of the youth. This is synonymous to the arguments of Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2005)[9] who argue that the marketing communication is the vital tool for successfully reaching the target customers both in case of the profit-based and non-profit organizations. The discussions cited above comprise a vital example for the critical nature of the information and control in the youth work. 2.3: Human Resource management in youth work Human resource in any kind of work is indispensable in nature as argued by Derek Torrington and Laura Hall (2003)[10]. This is apparently because of the fact that the effective performance of the personnel involved in the project is the kindling element for accomplishing the project goals. This is also evident from the arguments of Michael Armstrong (2003)[11] who emphasises the fact that the human resource especially in a non-profit scenario is the foundation pillar for the entire project itself. The fact that the motivation and encouragement in the youth work or in any other form of social work is only through the effective leadership skills of the team leader who has to consider that the motivation is purely moral in nature and does not always include financial benefits. This apparently means that the leadership skills of the manager managing the project should be exemplary and must also demonstrate flexibility along with the authority and control. This is essential because of the volatile nature of the community work and the continuous changes that can affect the performance of the team members in involved in the community work. Andrew Rothwell and John Arnold (2005)[12] argue that the human resource management in a non-profit scenario and mainly the performance management are dependent upon the level of authority and control exercised by the manager in deploying the resources. This is also because of the fact that the results are not easily measurable in case of youth and community work, which makes it critical to understand that the performance of the youth workers is predominantly dependant upon their adherence to the controls and effectiveness in deploying the plan. Alongside, the authority element as argued by Mark Krueger (2000) is also an element of management and influence among the team members mainly because of the fact that the managers in the youth and community work do not have direct supervisory control over the team members since they work in a dispersed nature within the community under consideration itself. This makes it clear that the effective management can be accomplished only through the effective exercise of the authority. Furthermore, the fact that the youth workers and the youth with whom they work comprise the overall project plan makes it a complex job to effectively manage the youth worker to demonstrate self-discipline and character so as to set an example in the youth community they work. This being an essential element for the success of the youth and community work project is the major element that attributes to the human resource management by the managers in the youth work. Unlike the profit-based organization the non-profit approach with the need to demonstrate empathy and maintain effective relationship with the community makes it further critical for the managers to deploy a structured approach to the management of the youth and social work as argued by Peter F Druker (1990). A structured approach will not only enhance the performance of the youth workers but also help accomplish the objectives of the project effectively. This is also evident from the need to effectively organize the resources in order to accomplish the objectives as well as establish effective relationship with the community. The fact that the relationship with the community can be effectively nurtured through the structured deployment of the project by the managers emphasises the importance of the structured approach and performance management in youth and community work. The learning development project by the author and his team members at Tividale, in Dudley port at Birmingham is a classical example for the aforementioned discussions. The author being the team leader not only faced the language and cultural barriers but also a level of non-cooperation by certain community centres. Since the population in the target community was of diverse origin the need for a structured approach was essential to accomplish the planning and information research stages itself. This is not only because of the structured deployment but also through the effective deployment of the human resource (i.e.) management of the team members. The team had an inherent advantage of inclusion and diversity since the members were of different origin working for the same goal. This was effectively utilised to liaise with the community centres and gather required information and involvement to the project. The management of the members through the exercise of authority for example t he emphasis on working for target by the author was the factor that contributed to the effective performance among the team members. Furthermore, the planning and deployment of the project through allocating each team member a team of youth and an attached community centre also proved successful to the youth work as well as motivating to the youth worker. The effective planning process, which provided effective management as well as accomplishment of the targets within the time frame agreed, helped to the success of the project greatly. From the above discussions it is clear that the author of the report has strived to demonstrate a clear understanding of the management theoretical concepts with examples from this experience gained through fieldwork. In the next section a critical analysis on the big picture of the British Youth policies and comparison to that of the European Union and a global perspective is presented to the reader. 3.0: The big picture The British youth policies as argued by John A. Calhoun (2002)[13] is predominantly rehabilitation based (i.e.) the use of law and order to accomplish the youth development can be seen in the system. Although the youth development in the UK embraces the welfare of the youth, the stringent laws present on the Binge drinking and other anti-social activities that results in cash penalties and even imprisonment makes the youth policy a little overstated in the UK. Bill Katz (2004)[14] further argues that the policies adhered in the UK is not only the critical element for the successful deployment of youth and community work in the society but also establishes the need to establish trust among the public in order to gain their co-operation. The British youth policies in general even through as stringent laws is focused upon the overall development of the youth community in the UK in order to present an effective and sustainable environment for the future. This approach of the government is necessary because of the increasing diversity in the population in the UK. The interesting fact that the diversity in the UK population has not tarnished the support by the community to government’s strive to youth development but is also against the use of force and law against youth accused for anti-social activities. The need for self-discipline and control in the society as stated by John A Calhoun (2002) makes it clear that the need to use force when necessary to accomplish the aforementioned is inevitable. Furthermore, an insight into the Greater Manchester Metropolitan Police report (2004)[15] makes it clear that the use of force is the last used method to control anti-social behaviour by the youth involved in anti-social behaviour. This further makes it clear that youth policy both at the local and national level use force to control anti-social behaviour of youth as a last sought method rather than using it in the first instance. This justifies the youth policy of the nation, which is focused upon the development of youth and protection from abuse whilst exercising force when involved in anti-social behaviour. The youth policy proposed by the European Union is similar to the approach of UK except for the emphasis on the use of force on youth. The policy not only reflects upon the need to provide development and support to the youth but also emphasises upon the restricted use of force in by the authorities. Since the approach of European Union embraces the member states it is thus essential to emphasise upon the restriction on the use of force. This is because of the varied nature of the exercise of law and order across European Union member states thus making it essential to prevent the use of force on the youth. It is also intriguing to note that not only the western countries are involved in the youth development and support but also the countries in the Far East like China and India. The Chinese government approach to youth development as a critical element for the economic growth of the nation makes it clear that the Far eastern countries have realised the importance of youth development in order to sustain the economic growth of their nation. 4.0: Conclusion Thus to conclude this report, it is clear that the management of youth and community work by the youth workers and managers is a challenging role that requires versatile people skills blended with effective management and planning. The overview on the theoretical concepts and the examples has revealed the author’s understanding and knowledge in managing youth and community work. The overview on the big picture detailing the British youth policy and the European Union has also justified the extent of research conducted in order to establish as an autonomous and reflective practitioner in the area of youth and community work by the author. 5.0: References Books Derek Torrington and Laura Hall (2003), Personnel Management HRM in Action, UK: Prentice Hall Michael Armstrong and Tina Stephens (2003) A handbook of employee reward management and practice, London Kogan Page Peter F. Druker (1990), Managing the non-profit organization: practices and principles, London: Butterworth-Heinemann Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2005), Marketing Management 12e, Prentice Hall India Journals and reports Abraham Daniel (1999), ESTABLISHMENT OF INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATIVE UNITS. Annals of Public Cooperative Economics, Vol. 42 Issue 2, p169 Andrew Rothwell and John Arnold (2005), How HR professionals rate continuing professional development Human Resource Management Journal, 2005, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p18-32 Bill Katz (2004), Youth Policy: The Monthly Report on National Youth Program and Issues. Library Journal, 4/1/89, Vol. 114 Issue 6, p119-119 Greater Manchester Metropolitan Police (2004), Performance Statistics John A. Calhoun (2002), Claiming youth: A new paradigm in youth policy. New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising, Winter2002, Vol. 2002 Issue 38, p67-80 Mark Krueger (2000), Presence, Fear, Curiosity, and Other Themes in Community Youth Work. Applied Developmental Science, 2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4. Mark Krueger (2000), Presence, Fear, Curiosity, and Other Themes in Community Youth Work Applied Developmental Science, Jun2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4 Issue 3, p21-27 Mark Schoenhals (1998), The Educational and Personal Consequences of Adolescent Employment. Social Forces, Dec98, Vol. 77 Issue 2, p723-762 Paul Osterman (1978), Youth, Work, and Unemployment. May/Jun78, Vol. 21 Issue 2 Robert F. Ashcraft (2000), Where Youth Work Preparation Meets Higher Education: Perspectives From an American Humanics Campus Program. Applied Developmental Science, 2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4 Sara Banks (1998), Codes of Ethics and Ethical Conduct: A View from the Caring Professions. Public Money Management, Jan-Mar98, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p27 Footnotes [1] Mark Krueger (2000), Presence, Fear, Curiosity, and Other Themes in Community Youth Work. Applied Developmental Science, 2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4. [2] Peter F. Druker (1990), Managing the non-profit organization : practices and principles, London: Butterworth-Heinemann [3] Robert F. Ashcraft (2000), Where Youth Work Preparation Meets Higher Education: Perspectives From an American Humanics Campus Program. Applied Developmental Science, 2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4 [4] Paul Osterman (1978), Youth, Work, and Unemployment. May/Jun78, Vol. 21 Issue 2 [5] Mark Schoenhals (1998), The Educational and Personal Consequences of Adolescent Employment.. Social Forces, Dec98, Vol. 77 Issue 2, p723-762 [6] Mark Krueger (2000), Presence, Fear, Curiosity, and Other Themes in Community Youth Work Applied Developmental Science, Jun2000 Supplement 1, Vol. 4 Issue 3, p21-27 [7] Sara Banks (1998), Codes of Ethics and Ethical Conduct: A View from the Caring Professions. Public Money Management, Jan-Mar98, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p27 [8] Abraham Daniel (1999), ESTABLISHMENT OF INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATIVE UNITS. Annals of Public Cooperative Economics, Vol. 42 Issue 2, p169 [9] Philip Kotler and Kevin Lane Keller (2005), Marketing Management 12e, Prentice Hall India [10] Derek Torrington and Laura Hall (2003), Personnel Management HRM in Action, UK: Prentice Hall [11] Michael Armstrong and Tina Stephens (2003) A handbook of employee reward management and practice, London Kogan Page [12] Andrew Rothwell and John Arnold (2005), How HR professionals rate continuing professional development Human Resource Management Journal, 2005, Vol. 15 Issue 3, p18-32 [13] John A. Calhoun (2002), Claiming youth: A new paradigm in youth policy. New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising, Winter2002, Vol. 2002 Issue 38, p67-80 [14] Bill Katz (2004), Youth Policy : The Monthly Report on National Youth Program and Issues. Library Journal, 4/1/89, Vol. 114 Issue 6, p119-119 [15] Greater Manchester Metropolitan Police (2004), Performance Statistics

The Influence of Technology on Literature Essay -- Computers Digital E

The Influence of Technology on Literature This essay will discuss the way new technologies have influenced some of the areas of literature. Whilst the writer of this essay acknowledges the development of cyber books for their pure entertainment value, this essay will focus on the influence of new technology in the practical advances in the literature and associated industries. This includes the influences that new technology has had on the entertainment aspect, the educational aspect, the industry aspect and the employment aspect. This essay will discuss the influence that new technologies and new uses for old technologies have had on some aspects of literature and the producers and consumers of books. This includes authors, publishers and of course the reader. The purpose of this article is to convince the reader that new technologies have a place in literature and that through an adoption rather than a fear of these technologies both authors, publishers and readers can benefit. The first issue to be considered is the influence and implications of new technologies on authors. For example, voice activated software. Voice activated software and writing materials are not a new technology. However, particularly in the literature industry it would appear that its full use is only just being recognised. Howell (2004) interviewed someone who he claims is a noted and famous author and reports of the nerve damage incurred in his elbow after years of typing at a typewriter and then computer whilst writing books. Unfortunately, being self-employed, workers compensation didn’t ‘kick in’ for this author and he was forced to think outside the box to find an alternative to continue his career. This author adapted voice activated soft... ...Some Technology Holdouts Find Computers Distracting, Impersonal. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, 1. Howell, K. (2004). New Technology Solves Old Cases and Writes New Books. 2004, 25(16), 38. Lewis, P. (2004). Prose and Cons: Sony new E-Book. Fortune, 150(5), 62-64. Prain, V., & Hand, B. (2003). Using new technologies for learning: A case study of a whole-school approach. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(4), 441-447. Roush, W. (2002). The death of digital rights management? Technology Review, 105(2), 24-26. Staley, D. (2003). The Future of the book in a digital age. The Futurist, 37(5), 18. Strayhorn, C. K. (2004). Teaching the Tech-savvy. Fiscal Notes, 6-5. White, J., Anthony, J., Weeks, A. C., & Druin, A. (2004). The International Children's Digital Library: Exploring Digital Libraries for Children. Bookbird, 42(2), 8-15. The Influence of Technology on Literature Essay -- Computers Digital E The Influence of Technology on Literature This essay will discuss the way new technologies have influenced some of the areas of literature. Whilst the writer of this essay acknowledges the development of cyber books for their pure entertainment value, this essay will focus on the influence of new technology in the practical advances in the literature and associated industries. This includes the influences that new technology has had on the entertainment aspect, the educational aspect, the industry aspect and the employment aspect. This essay will discuss the influence that new technologies and new uses for old technologies have had on some aspects of literature and the producers and consumers of books. This includes authors, publishers and of course the reader. The purpose of this article is to convince the reader that new technologies have a place in literature and that through an adoption rather than a fear of these technologies both authors, publishers and readers can benefit. The first issue to be considered is the influence and implications of new technologies on authors. For example, voice activated software. Voice activated software and writing materials are not a new technology. However, particularly in the literature industry it would appear that its full use is only just being recognised. Howell (2004) interviewed someone who he claims is a noted and famous author and reports of the nerve damage incurred in his elbow after years of typing at a typewriter and then computer whilst writing books. Unfortunately, being self-employed, workers compensation didn’t ‘kick in’ for this author and he was forced to think outside the box to find an alternative to continue his career. This author adapted voice activated soft... ...Some Technology Holdouts Find Computers Distracting, Impersonal. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, 1. Howell, K. (2004). New Technology Solves Old Cases and Writes New Books. 2004, 25(16), 38. Lewis, P. (2004). Prose and Cons: Sony new E-Book. Fortune, 150(5), 62-64. Prain, V., & Hand, B. (2003). Using new technologies for learning: A case study of a whole-school approach. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(4), 441-447. Roush, W. (2002). The death of digital rights management? Technology Review, 105(2), 24-26. Staley, D. (2003). The Future of the book in a digital age. The Futurist, 37(5), 18. Strayhorn, C. K. (2004). Teaching the Tech-savvy. Fiscal Notes, 6-5. White, J., Anthony, J., Weeks, A. C., & Druin, A. (2004). The International Children's Digital Library: Exploring Digital Libraries for Children. Bookbird, 42(2), 8-15.

Compare and contrast images of heroism in these two poems

Heroism is a trait that we seem to have no problem identifying, yet when asked to define what a hero is a myriad of answers emerge. This phenomenon is not unique to today's society; the definition of a hero is something that is constantly under revision and debate. An example of this can be seen in two older pieces of English literature: Beowulf, written circa 750-900, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written circa 1375-1400. These stories both have a main character that possesses heroic qualities, many of which are very similar. Gawain's identity as a hero is not clearly demonstrated, but when compared with Beowulf, who is demonstrated to be a hero, hiss merits earn him that title as well. Exactly what defines a heroic act, or a hero for that matter? Often times we dismiss the question due to its complex nature. But when confronted with an individual with heroic qualities we readily identify them as a hero. So what set of traits makes up this amorphous definition that we call hero? I would agree that the very definition is one that is dependent upon the time and society in which its context is being used. A person who shot someone to save the life of another may be viewed as a hero under the scrutiny of one culture, but in a different time or location the very opposite may be true. Nevertheless, heroes exist and posses these ever changing heroic qualities. Beowulf is clearly demonstrated to be a hero, and we can observe the qualities he possesses to enable him to have that title. While Sir Gawain's heroic accomplishments are a little more debatable, I would argue that he deserves the same title; he exudes qualities which can be considered heroic in the context of Arthurian Legend as well as today. Although we can attribute no authorship to Beowulf or Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we can see that Beowulf was meant to be a hero and if nothing else, Gawain was portrayed as the story's protagonist. One such way this was done was by having neither of the main characters as all powerful rulers; in fact each Beowulf and Gawain served some sort of higher authority. Beowulf, throughout approximately 2/3 of the story serves Hrothgar. Similarly, Gawain was not ruler of his domain but served King Arthur. It is important to note that while both served other men, they were not themselves servants. Beowulf traveled from his land to assist in the destruction of Grendel, and Gawain chose to be a knight of the Round Table and indeed viewed his service to Arthur and his kingdom as an honor. By the construct of having both main characters serve others, the author has created more capacity for heroism to become apparent. If the President of the United States were to prevent nuclear war, the people would obviously be relieved and grateful that he fulfilled his duty. If a soldier on the field accomplished the same task, he would be regarded as a true hero. Transcending one's traditional role and going above and beyond is a characteristic which helps to set heroes apart from other people. Sir Gawain goes above and beyond his role when declaring his intention to battle the Green Knight. â€Å"I would come to your counsel before your court noble. /For I find it not fit, as in faith it is known, /When such a boon is begged before all these knights, /Though you be tempted thereto, to take it on yourself† (lines 347-350) King Arthur at this point had already accepted the challenge, yet Gawain decided to take his place because he was aware of the danger and risk involved in letting the King fight. He admits just a few lines later that â€Å"I am the weakest, well I know, and of wit feeblest; /And the loss of my life would be least of any;† (lines 354-355) This indication that is ability to fight is low makes his decision to fight that much more heroic, and this is all done in the name of Arthur. Beowulf, on the other hand, does not have an issue of inferior strength, but quite the opposite- he seems to posses a sort of superhuman strength. Even so, his level of self restraint and wisdom prevents him from overthrowing Hrothgar despite his superior abilities. This amount of loyalty and service is a trait that helps develop his character even further as a hero. Both Gawain and Beowulf having been in similar instances serving a higher authority have shown heroic qualities although they may have differed. While the two main characters in discussion are being portrayed as heroes, they are still human and have fallibilities. It is the dynamic experience, the rise and fall of these characters which makes them real and human, that shows what they are truly made of. This insight may prove to be disappointing or disheartening for many, I find the revelation to be comforting as it reasserts that a hero isn't an idyllic state but a condition which can be humanly attained. Beowulf's rise and fall is demonstrated rather clearly throughout the progression of the story. At his peak, he kills Grendel with his bare hands. In the second encounter with Grendel's mother he is victorious, but requires the use of armor and the sword Hrunting. As time passes, he becomes king. He helps to slay the dragon that is terrorizing the land with the assistance of Wiglaf and his men, but at the cost of his life. This failure of his strength is foreshadowed earlier by Hrothgar, â€Å"Choose dear Beowulf, the better part, /eternal rewards. Don't give way to pride. /For a brief while your strength is in bloom/ but it fades quickly† (lines 1759-1762). Beowulf's wisdom, which he relies on throughout the story even diminishes as he faces the dragon, as shown when he elects to strike first by himself with full knowledge that his strength is not as great as it used to be. Another interesting point is that while in the service is Hrothgar is heroic qualities shown through but when he became leader, he was still a hero but many of the qualities such as his wisdom and strength in this instance have decreased. Likewise to Beowulf, Gawain experiences a rise and fall. His circumstance is slightly different than Beowulf's however. Gawain's worthiness to even be named a hero is often put into question, and his final deeds tend to overshadow the previous ones when that consideration is made. This is an unfair judgment as no one would rescind Beowulf's status as a hero because of his pride blinding his judgment towards the end of his life, but would still consider him a hero because of his previous heroic actions. The same is true of Sir Gawain. Near the end of the story when he thinks he will die and flinches when the ax is coming down on his neck, he's viewed as a coward. I'll concede that it was a cowardly thing to do, but then I'm forced to ask the rhetorical question, â€Å"What would you do? † Moments later, Gawain recomposes himself, doesn't flinch and gets nicked. Of course, one could argue that Gawain is a coward disguised as a hero because of his protest to the Green Knight claiming his debt is paid, and that he decided to use the green girdle. First of all, Gawain spends the rest of his days lamenting his decision to use the girdle, so he isn't ignorant of what he as done. Secondly, there is absolutely nothing heroic about dying without a cause, which is what would have been the case had the Green Knight carried out his threat. I see no harm done in preparing oneself for an encounter such as the one he went through. We often laude heroes for their cunning in wisdom, so why should those same traits in Gawain be looked upon negatively? While there are many more facets to declaring someone a hero, these are a few that both Beowulf and Gawain share. Beowulf demonstrates that its namesake is a man who is supposed to be regarded as a hero. This same intent is not made in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, but when the two are compared with each other, Sir Gawain is shown to be a hero, not a simple coward that he may initially appear to be.

Genre Conventions of Punk

The task I have been set is to firstly, produce a CD front and back cover for the band/artist I have chosen, this part is called pre-production. Then I have to produce a magazine double page spread, advertising my band/artist, this part is Production. Then lastly I will need to produce a report where I will be evaluating my production, and also comparing it to real ones and commenting on the weakness and strengths mine has. The Genre I have chosen is punk rock/pop punk, It is not clear when the term pop punk was first used, but pop-influenced punk rock had been around since the 1970s, performed by bands such as the Ramones, Buzzcocks, The Jam, The Clash, The Undertones, and Descendents. Bad Religion, who started in 1980, was another early band to play the genre, and some consider them godfathers of pop punk. In the mid-1990s, Southern California-based pop punk bands achieved worldwide commercial success, and the genre's association with that area has led some to the term social sound. As pop punk at that time was not commercially viable, no major record label would sign a pop punk band until Green Day's breakthrough in 1994. Both these factors contributed to the emergence of a few independent record labels. Some of the most famous were, Lookout! Records which was formed by Larry Livermore of the band the Lookouts, Fat Wreck Chords formed by Fat Mike of NOFX, and Epitaph Records formed by Brett Gurewitz of Bad Religion, but technically Lookout! and Epitaph were formed in the late 80's but becoming increasingly popular in the 90's. Pop punk had various degrees of commercial success since the late 1970s, however it has had a massive international commercial success in the 1990s and 2000's, with hit bands such as Fall out boy, Hellogoodbye, New found glory, Sum 41 and Blink 182. Genre conventions included in a typical punk rock band was instrumentation includes one or two electric guitars, an electric bass, and a drum kit, along with vocals. Vocals sometimes sound nasal and lyrics are often shouted instead of sung in a conventional sense, particularly in hardcore styles. Punk rock lyrics are typically frank and confrontational; compared to the lyrics of other popular music genres, they frequently comment on social and political issues. Trend-setting songs such as The Clash's â€Å"Career Opportunities† and Chelsea's â€Å"Right to Work† deal with unemployment and the grim realities of urban life. Especially in early British punk, a central goal was to outrage and shock the mainstream. The conventions of punk pop are similar to those of punk rock as the music has emerged from that genre. The punk bands dress code is very dressed down and more casual wear. Over time, tattoos, piercings, and metal-studded and -spiked accessories became increasingly common elements of punk fashion among both musicians and fans. The typical male punk haircut was originally short and choppy; the Mohawk later emerged as a characteristic style. Baggy jeans, bright t-shirts and cuffs/sweat bands were also part of their rebellious look. Punk bands normally have a lot of tattoos, either sleeves running up their arm or stars on their body. Album covers for Punk bands are usually bright and eye catching, with iconic art work on the front, e. g. Blink 182. They tend to then have a picture of the band on the back cover to show authenticity, and also get an image across to the audience, a track list is also included and the record label the band is with. The target audience for my band will be young males ranging from 13-25 years of age, but there would also be a smaller target audience for teenage girls. The target audience would have a rebellious dress sense with piercings and enjoy going to gigs of their favourite bands. They will not be too intelligent as the writing in magazines such as Kerrang is not for heavy reading and includes a lot of slang and abbreviations, and this is the type of magazine my target audience would buy. With the ratio of pictures to text in these magazines and the mode of address it suggests that they do not require a high reading age, if they did they would alienate most readers. The research I have found out will influence my designs for pre-production and production as I have found out many aspects that are included in magazines and CD covers, some that need to be included such as bar code, record label, band name, album title etc, and others to help sell it like how I will represent the punk culture in my pictures, colours, and writing style I use. There are also many techniques that are used to attract the audience's attention which will need to be used. The layout of my CD is one that most bands use with a picture on the front along with band name and album title, and then on the back the track list and another picture, of the band. I also placed parental advisory sticker in the bottom corner, this is because it needs to have the label on it to warn people, it is in the corner as it is not the main focus point of the CD, and this was also the case for the album name as the main selling points are the picture and band name. From looking at my two page spread and existing magazine articles, such as Q, Uncut and Kerrang, I can see the strengths and weaknesses in my work. The visual codes involved in my article include the use of columns as in most magazines, with the format of a big picture of the band at the top to show the reader who is being interviewed, and a large heading to grasp the reader's attention. There is also an opening paragraph to the article and one to end it, firstly to explain about the band and then to give an over view of the interview. I have also included a little fact file so it's not all heavy reading, this technique is used in many magazines such as Kerrang. The mode of address is informal and casual using colloquial language, â€Å"They rip up the stage like a tornado. † I done this because the readers of my magazine won't be ones of great intelligence; also using more slang flatters the reader and makes them feel better as they know what you're talking about and people who aren't in to that music won't. I have included in the writing a few names of other more famous bands and music names such as kerrang, this is called name dropping, which again flatters the reader as they know who you're on about while others might not, an example of this would be, â€Å"I'm excited to hang out with Rise Against. † I also noticed in other magazines they have the name of the photographer below or on top of the pictures so I have used this on my pictures. The background of the pages is a guitar and amp; I used this so the white background wouldn't be to plain. The pictures used are one of the band together showing unity, all wearing similar clothing of baggy jeans which has a connotation of being related to skaters and the punk scene, they are all wearing skater shoes which also is related to the punk scene and the hair styles are all messed to perfection to give the rebellious look punk rockers go for. The fact they dress down in the pictures show they care more about the music than their look which many punk bands go for, showing their authenticity. The picture has been edited to give a psychedelic look to the picture as punk bands are also related to the drug scene. The camera angle on both pictures is a low one to show the band's dominance and status. The other picture I used is one, of the bass player on stage with amps in the background, this picture is in black and white making the main image of the bass player stand out to the dull background. I used this picture as the interview is with the bass player and I have noticed in other magazines that they have a single picture of the person they are interviewing to show their importance. If I had to re-do this task I would change a number of things, firstly I would like to include more pictures of the band with a more themed approach to it as they do in most music magazines. Another problem I found was the writing lacked interest in the way it was set out in a Q&A style; I would change this so the answers to the questions are worked in to the writing which would give it more of a flow while reading. Also I find my fact file is not as exciting, or looks as good as one in a real magazine. So to improve this I think I would look at more techniques in other magazines to see what else I could place there instead. Another problem I found was it doesn't look as professional as it should do, the layout of it seems too structured and not like in a magazine for this category and the colours I feel don't suit the style of the band as I would like them too. It also seems colourless and plain which may put the reader off, but too much colour is also off putting being too â€Å"in your face†. I have also realised I would need a spine on my CD cover if I wanted it to be a proper CD cover in a case.

Free Essays on Transformation Of Prince Hal

Prince Hal’s representation of â€Å"self† in Part I Henry IV is deceiving to the reader. Hal is portrayed as being a cowardly drunkard and a disgrace to his father, King Henry. But, as the play progresses, the reader will soon see Hal’s transformation from a low life to a noble warrior. Hall will reveal to the audience his method for madness, and when the time is right, Hal will accept his rightful possession of the throne. Shakespeare represents Hal’s transforming â€Å"self† to increase the drama of the play. Shakespeare introduces Prince Hal in Act I by having him compared to Hotspur, his rival. King Henry is very disappointed in his son’s actions and wished he and Hotspur were switched at birth: â€Å"Then would I have his Harry, and he mine† (1.1.89). Prince Hal spends most of his time with Falstaff drinking and being a menace to society, which disappoints King Henry greatly, and makes him envious of Hotspur’s father, lord Northumberland: Yea, there that mak’st me sad, and mak’st me sin In envy that my lord Northumberland Should be the father to be so blest a son- A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue, Whilst I by looking on the praise of him See riot and dishonour stain the brow Of my young Harry. (1.1.77-85) King Henry feels Hotspur possesses great honor while his son is a disgrace to the family throne. King Henry’s disappointment will soon change as Hal reveals his true self. Hal unmasks his character to the reader in Act I Scene 2, when he performs a very important soliloquy: I know you all, and will a while uphold The unyoked humour of your idleness. Yet herein will I imitate the sun, Who doth permit the base contagious clouds To smother up his beauty from the world, That when he may be more wondered at By breaking through the foil and ugly mists Of vapors that did seem to strangle him. (1.2.173-181) Hal’s deception is now revealed to the reader. His idling with the lower cl... Free Essays on Transformation Of Prince Hal Free Essays on Transformation Of Prince Hal Prince Hal’s representation of â€Å"self† in Part I Henry IV is deceiving to the reader. Hal is portrayed as being a cowardly drunkard and a disgrace to his father, King Henry. But, as the play progresses, the reader will soon see Hal’s transformation from a low life to a noble warrior. Hall will reveal to the audience his method for madness, and when the time is right, Hal will accept his rightful possession of the throne. Shakespeare represents Hal’s transforming â€Å"self† to increase the drama of the play. Shakespeare introduces Prince Hal in Act I by having him compared to Hotspur, his rival. King Henry is very disappointed in his son’s actions and wished he and Hotspur were switched at birth: â€Å"Then would I have his Harry, and he mine† (1.1.89). Prince Hal spends most of his time with Falstaff drinking and being a menace to society, which disappoints King Henry greatly, and makes him envious of Hotspur’s father, lord Northumberland: Yea, there that mak’st me sad, and mak’st me sin In envy that my lord Northumberland Should be the father to be so blest a son- A son who is the theme of honour’s tongue, Whilst I by looking on the praise of him See riot and dishonour stain the brow Of my young Harry. (1.1.77-85) King Henry feels Hotspur possesses great honor while his son is a disgrace to the family throne. King Henry’s disappointment will soon change as Hal reveals his true self. Hal unmasks his character to the reader in Act I Scene 2, when he performs a very important soliloquy: I know you all, and will a while uphold The unyoked humour of your idleness. Yet herein will I imitate the sun, Who doth permit the base contagious clouds To smother up his beauty from the world, That when he may be more wondered at By breaking through the foil and ugly mists Of vapors that did seem to strangle him. (1.2.173-181) Hal’s deception is now revealed to the reader. His idling with the lower cl...

Inside The Island essays

Inside The Island essays The time of 18th century and onwards, aspects of Australian life, attitudes and values reflected European origins. Views of the landscape, xenophobic attitudes, powers struggles, relation with the original inhabitants and different class are dealt with in Louis Nowras Inside the Island. This play deals with the survivors of post-colonial Australia's legacies of class inequality, imperial racism, native dispossession and the cultural displacements of a multicultural migrant society. Set in a farming district of western New South Wales in 1912, it is demonstrated how a matriarchal imitation of English society is destroyed by an outbreak of 'holy fire', madness from a wheat fungus. The characters attitudes towards the Australian landscape are of a realistic kind. Lillian Dawson, the central character, makes numerous comments on Australia having a dreadful climate and how everything seems so exaggerated around her. Mrs Dawson has family in England. Her lace and lemonade, her church-going, her charitable works and hospitality hide a cruel streak and a snobbish, hollow heart. The notion of colonialism is further developed by Lillians view of the land, and the treatment of the Aborigines. We learn from Lillians dialogue with the Captain that a portrait painting of Lillians father was painted by an Aboriginal youth who in doing so has rejected his own Aboriginal culture by portraying a trait of European culture. The juxtaposition of his resulting suicide and Lillians welcoming of refreshments shows her complete disregard for Aborigines. We can also see that Lillian is delighted as she effectively converted...one of the lubras by influencing her to sing hymns and admiring Lillians fair skin, making an exact contrast with their own dark skin. Once a colony has been established, it has to defend itself from outsiders. This is how Lillian and perhaps many other Britis ...