Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Women in “Merchant of Venice” Essay

In Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, there are numerous contentions over religion and companionship, yet the possibility of the play that intrigued me the most was the job of ladies. The two ladies that are in this assume the job of the guardian angels of the men who appear to be defenseless and sad contrasted with them. Impacts of the Radical Feminist Perspective in The Merchant of Venice Angela Caravella 2006 The job that ladies play inside numerous Shakespearian plays frequently features their tirelessness, quality, and insight. This maybe demonstrates the playwright’s understanding that ladies ought to be on equivalent ground with men. In any case, the finish of his works lead to the amazing, free lady settling once more into society with her better half. Inside the play The Merchant of Venice, the female characters accomplish astounding deeds to â€Å"clean up† the wrecks that their spouses had made and accomplish their own objectives, just to come back to their subordinate situations as wives. Portia, Nerissa and Jessica’s suspicion of the male structure to move unnoticed among Belmont and Venice permitted them a brief look into the universe of feministic beliefs. In later scenes, when Portia and Nerissa push the limits of their camouflage, they explicitly underline the idea of radical woman's rights. The changing of Portia, Nerissa, and Jessica’s sexual or ientation to suit the general public of Venice is an immediate altercation despite the male controlled society inside the earth of The Merchant of Venice. Sadly, the overall beliefs of the world as of now can recover their stranglehold on Jessica, Portia, and Nerissa. The build of women's liberation depends on the woman’s battle in the public arena for social, political, and monetary fairness with men. Women's liberation tries to dispense with the thought of sexism, which is the debasement, persecution, and subjection of ladies (http://www.feministissues.com/radical_feminism.html). Woman's rights has numerous subcategories that emphasis on explicit zones inside the circle of women’s imbalance tin combination to men. One sub class, radical women's liberation, frets about the possibility that society is affected by a male commanded or man centric pecking order. Under this way of thinking, the male centric society can be depicted as â€Å"the division of rights, benefits and force principally by sexual orientation, because of mistreating ladies and privileging men. An extreme women's activist basically accepts that they are persecuted on the single perfect that the sex of a lady is second rate and it tends to be viewed as that to change one’s sexual orientation would be an extreme women's activist movement. The technique where the man controlled society is practiced upon ladies exists in physical and mental structures through the physical activity of deeds perpetually prompts the mental acknowledgment of the female’s job as subordinate. Ladies must stick to a few physical norms that comply with the rules that decide the ladylike structure. They should be of the attractive body type, with little and agile developments kept to an imperceptible encased space that is humbly dressed and eyes cast descending (Bartky, 67-69). On the other hand, men with respect to space, take up however much of a region as could be expected that he impacts not at all like a lady who will in general be a survivor of her condition. A lady who doesn't fit i n with such rigid gauges is frequently named by society as a â€Å"loose† lady or awful impact. This kind of lady has just been represented under the male centric framework. She is of less height than ladies who cling to the best possible set of principles and society has marker her for disrespect: â€Å"Her detachment is show in her ethics, however in her way of discourse, and truly in the free and simple way she moves† (68). Eye to eye connection is another physical activity wherein the correct lady makes little of in order to not provoke the man to whom she talks with. The free lady again is viewed as a danger to accepted practices since she takes a gander at whatever and whomever she requests her consideration (68). At the point when an activity has been performed by the lady to disappoint a man a lot of enduring results. The man himself may deny closeness in the event that he is unsatisfied with a female’s execution however the lady also rebuffs herself for having contaminated the desires set on her by the male controlled society. â€Å"The profundity of [these] women’s disgrace is a proportion of the degree to which all ladies have disguised male centric measures of substantial acceptability† (77). Since ladies have made male centric qualities part of their inward mental being, it is hard to not feel the consequences of feministic rehearses inside one’s self. Inside the play, The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, the three female characters: Jessica, Portia and Nerissa’s involvement in varying degrees of the impact of the male controlled society upon their extreme women's activist activities taken all through the play. The extreme women's activist perspectiveâ has an emphasis on sex imbalance, so to challenge customary cultural standards of sexual orientation; for instance, cross-dressing may be a physical activity that a lady could proceed as a technique for control, strengthening and activism to advance this perfect. The female characters Jessica, Nerissa and Portia all take part in cross-dressing in any case, every lady utilizes this action to accomplish various points just as have shifting feelings with respect to its utilization. Inside Act II Scene 6 of the play, Jessica expect the type of a man so she may escape from her father’s get a handle on and steal away with Lorenzo. I am happy ’tis night, you don't look on me, For I am a lot of embarrassed about my trade. In any case, love is visually impaired, and sweethearts can't see ,The pretty indiscretions that themselves submit For on the off chance that they could, Cupid himself would redden To see me changed to a boy†¦ What, must I measure up to my disgraces? They in themselves, great sooth, are excessively light. Why, ’tis an office of revelation, love, And I ought to be darkened (Shakespeare, 2.6, 36-40,42-44). Jessica is humiliated by the mask of a page to escape which represents how close the male centric standards are bound to her character. She is practically incapable to spare herself and exercise her own will when she understands that she should profess to take care of business. When Portia and Nerissa cross-dress, the asse ssment is very unique or if nothing else not showed by Shakespeare. At the point when we are both accounted like youngsters, I’ll demonstrate the prettier individual of the two, And wear my knife with the more daring elegance, And talk between the difference in man and kid With reed voice; and turn two mincing strides ,Into a masculine step; and discuss quarrels Like a fine gloating youth; and lie, How decent women looked for my affection, Which I denying, they fell debilitated and kicked the bucket †¦(3.4,63-71). These characters â€Å"neatly fathom a knotty legitimate problem† for Antonio and Bassanio under the pretense of male legal advisors (Jardine, 30). In their structure they can control the strategy inside the court just as outside it by pulling in ladies’ consideration and persuading Bassanio and Gratiano to surrender Portia and Nerissa’s rings. By opposing their sexual orientations to go into the male-overwhelmed society in Venice they establish the embodiment of radical woman's rights. Portia and Nerissa don't hold disgrace for their activities that could be a sign of their absence of worry for male centric qualities yet in addition an enthusiasm for sparing the life of Antonio on the grounds that he has a profound relationship with Bassanio. The most impressive purpose of Portia and Nerissa’sâ activity as attorneys in Venice is that they can move undetected in the public eye and accomplish their objectives. This movement deconstructs the male order sinc e they accomplish more than what Bassanio, Antonio or Shylock could achieve inside the court. As men these ladies were fit for achieving astounding deeds since they were out of the domain of low desires put on ladies. To additionally fortify the extreme women's activist way of thinking, Portia and Nerissa can get control over the men in order to alter the sexual orientation irregularity while not covered under the attire worn by men also. â€Å"Portia’s garments impact no transformation on her soul, the legal advisor was never a woman, despite the fact that the woman is continually something of an attorney (Dusinberre, 267-268). While Belmont can be viewed as increasingly liberal with respect to women’s equity there is at rent one announcement that remaining parts ardent, Portia’s marriage as decided from the coffin test. Portias father’s control over his little girl even in death is a demonstration of the control men have in the illicit relationships of ladies, as if they were property and not individuals. As indicated by her father’s will, Portia’s spouse will be the man who picks the right coffin that contains an image of Portia. â€Å"Oh, me, the word, â€Å"choose†! I may neither pick who I would nor decline who I detest; so is the desire of a living little girl checked by the desire of a dead father† (Shakespeare,1.2,22-24). While the coffin determination gives off an impression of being an exacting specification, the astute Portia translates a technique wherein she can in any case have an impact upon the man that she weds. Portia â€Å"accepts† t he way that she should wed Bassanio after he chooses the lead coffin as the satisfaction of her father’s wants. She had the option to steer the results of the dynamic procedure in support of herself with the goal that she could pick her better half by attentively giving intimations to show the right coffin. â€Å"Let music sound while he doth make his choice†¦Let every one of us ring fancy’s chime I’ll start it-Ding, Dong, ringer. Ding, Dong, bell† (3.2, 43, 69-71). Hastily, the circumstance identifies with the general male centric society and its quality; Portia in any case, demonstrations to neutralize the abusive agreement she is bound to and graph the course of the choice of her better half (Dusinberre, 85). In

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Challenges of Internet Marketing and Customer Empowerment Essay

Difficulties of Internet Marketing and Customer Empowerment - Essay Example The utilization of the Internet as a main issue for organizations and buyers has blasted since 1995 and is presently turning into a focal territory for organizations to move in the direction of explicit arrangements. Lately, there has been a lot of development with people interfacing on the web just as scanning for online systems that have been created to help organizations in associating with others that are on the web. The utilization of the Internet is one which has created in given territories, however is turning into a worldwide method of associating with organizations and to people for data. As found in figure 1, the utilization of the Internet is proceeding to develop with a huge number of people in each area of the world utilizing this specific device as a fundamental technique for associating. The development that is happening with the Internet is then being noted as an essential power for organizations, data and associations that are required for the advancement of various needs on a worldwide level. The development by area has encouraged with changes that are currently influencing organizations as a primary method to interface on the web and to associate with others. Organizations are utilizing this as a fundamental defender for an assortment of reasons. The first depends on the monetary downturn which started in 2008. ... s associating on the web just as looking for online procedures that have been created to help organizations in interfacing with others that are on the web. The utilization of the Internet is one which has created in given zones, however is turning into a worldwide method of interfacing with organizations and to people for data. As found in figure 1, the utilization of the Internet is proceeding to develop with a huge number of people in each area of the world utilizing this specific instrument as a fundamental strategy for interfacing. Figure 1: Use of the Internet by Region The development that is happening with the Internet is then being noted as an essential power for organizations, data and associations that are required for the advancement of various needs on a worldwide level (Internet World Stats, 2011). The development by area has promoted with changes that are presently influencing organizations as a primary method to interface on the web and to associate with others. Organi zations are utilizing this as a fundamental advocate for an assortment of reasons. The first depends on the financial downturn which started in 2008. Numerous organizations are finding that Internet advertising is an approach to use the expenses and organizations from various levels while finding new open doors that are required in the territory. The second depends on publicizing openings, for example, online networking and interfacing with others at a worldwide level. For organizations, this is a shortsighted method of venturing into the market and across locales. It is additionally noticed that there are changes in buyer practices that lean toward the utilization of innovation, explicitly with development of utilization on the Internet by 27%. This is comprehensive of online business deals that are proceeding to ascend over the Internet. Inside this are new types of publicizing that are currently anticipated, including video and portable

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

So Youve Been Robbed ... Now What

So Youve Been Robbed ... Now What So Youve Been Robbed Now What? So Youve Been Robbed Now What?Getting robbed is scary, not to mention costly. Here are some ways that you can back on your feetâ€"and maybe even get some of your stuff back.A day at the amusement park. Playing catch with your dog. Participating in a pancake eating contest.These are just a few activities on the long, long list of things that are considered “fun.” You know what doesn’t show up on that list, not even once? Getting robbed. It’s a scary possibility that most people would rather not think about.Unfortunately, it’s a possibility that can happen, so it’s worth taking some time to think about what to do if it happens to you and how you can prevent it in the future.The scary scenario.One of the scariest robbery scenarios, the sort that keeps many people up at night, is an armed and dangerous burglar breaking into your home while you’re there.Thankfully, this robbery scenario is the least likely to occur. Most burglars break in during the day when they think the resident will be out because they’re more interested in stealing high-value items, like jewelry and laptops, than they are getting into a potentially dangerous confrontation with a witness.Only a little over seven percent of burglaries result in injury, so hopefully that will lessen your fears of that scenario, if you have them.The scene of the crime.However the robbery occurs, your next steps should be pretty similar. Obviously in the unlikely event that there were any injuries, those should be dealt with immediately. Regardless, it’s important not to panic.“If you or a loved one ever fall victim to a burglary, it is important to remain calm,” advised Chandler Clayton, Security Expert with ASecureLife (@ASecureLife). “Call the local authorities and provide them with every single detail that you can regarding the event. The more details you can provide, the better your chances of regaining your belongings.”Taking matters into your own hands.While the police may do their best to recover your stolen items, the odds of that happening are not very likely. Only around 30 percent of stolen items are recovered, and that number is only as high as it is because the recovery rate for locally stolen vehicles is around 60 percent. That’s why you should consider taking the search for your stolen items into your own hands.No, we don’t mean you should treat this burglary as your superhero origin story and skulk around at night as “The Bandit Basher,” a vigilante who robs the robbers… of their lives!What we actually mean is that you can try and find your stolen items on your own. Don’t put yourself into any dangerous situations, but by searching your local Craigslist listings and checking pawn shops nearby, you may be able to track down something that was taken.While this may not be worth the effort for some items, especially if you’re dealing with a pawn shop that refuses to believe the item belongs to you, it could make all the difference if someth ing with sentimental value was taken.Secure your stuff.While there may not be too many things you can do after a robbery occurs, there are steps you can take beforehand to protect your things.Having a security system can make a significant difference. Although the police may not catch someone while they’re breaking in, the presence of an alarm can send a burglar scurrying as soon as it activates.Most homeowners insurance will also cover theft, so for a relatively small investment, you can get thousands of dollars of coverage. After a break in, you can file a claim and receive reimbursement for the stolen objects. Just be aware that your insurance might require you to show proof you filed a police report. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process for filing a claim with your specific insurer so you’re prepared for any eventuality.It’s generally not the greatest idea to broadcast when you’ll be out of the house across your social media presence. You also need to be aware of more high tech theft possibilities.“Times are changing, and so is crime,” warned Clayton. “In 2017, over $1.4 billion was reported stolen through cybercrimes. Be alert on the streets, but also remember to secure your online presence.”Be sure to never give anyone your financial information unless you’re totally certain who you’re speaking too. And familiarize yourself with the red flags that may indicate someone is trying to scam you financially.Take care of your moneyâ€"and yourself.Worrying about theft can be a common source of stress. That’s why it’s worth considering all the various steps you can take to secure your things and, more importantly, secure yourself some piece of mind. Once you’ve secured your property, consider helping others in your life do the same. We’ve recently written an article on elder financial abuse, which is its own unique sort of theft.Stay safe, friend! And while you’re at it, consider grabbing a loved one and making a budget together. Because isn’t wasting money sort of like having a tiny burglar in your pocket? It wont do to protect yourself from thieves and scammers only to end up relying on short-term bad credit loans and predatory no credit check loans (like payday loans, cash advances, and title loans) to make ends meet.To learn more about how you can keep your money safe, check out these other posts and articles from OppLoans:5 Steps You Can Take to Prevent Identity TheftHere’s How to Keep Yourself Safe From Mail ScamsDating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Avoid Getting Scammed by a Fake RomanceNever Trust and Always Verify: How to Avoid Getting Scammed Over EmailDo you have a   personal finance question youd like us to answer? Let us know! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.  |  InstagramContributorsChandler Clayton is a security expert with  ASecureLife (@ASecureLife). Honing his skills from the University of Wisconsin, he writes to inform the public on the latest trends and innova tions in the security market. He draws his experience from his constant life efforts to learn and adapt in the modern era.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Technology And The Interrupted Brain Seeks Out A Professional

Pat Galagan, author of Technology and The Interrupted Brain seeks out a professional to explain this. Dan Willingham, professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia states, â€Å"Data from the last thirty years leads to a conclusion that is not scientifically challengeable: thinking well requires knowing facts, and that s true not only because you need something to think about. The very processes that teachers care about most—critical thinking processes such as reasoning and problem solving—are intimately intertwined with factual knowledge that is stored in long-term memory (not just found in the environment)† (Galagan). This generation of adolescents is so used to looking up everything in the internet that their brains don’t go the extra mile to think and develop. Therefore, they don’t possess the amount of factual knowledge needed to mold higher level thinking and analysis. Take a look at this study done by researchers at the University of Connecticut in 2005. A group of seventh graders were asked to read information on a website on the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and evaluate the site’s credibility and trustworthiness. All but one student deemed the site to be credible due to extensive cited sources, pictures, and a wide array of scientific words. The truth? The site was a hoax designed just for this experiment (Galagan). One might ask, why weren’t most of the students able to recognize this? That’s because these students didn’t have a basic knowledge andShow MoreRelatedEuthanasi The Moral And Ethical Choices Faced By Medical Professionals2477 Words   |  10 PagesMe Before You. In the story, a man is paralyzed and decides that he cannot live in that condition any longer so he seeks to end his life by medical means. The movie ultimately makes his decision to end his life look almost beautiful, glorifying those partaking in the act. 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Wednesday, May 13, 2020

My Problem With Her Anger By Hope Edelman Analysis

In the article â€Å"The Myth of Co-Parenting: How It Was Supposed to Be. How It Was.,† author Hope Edelman claims her husband does not put forth effort in their marriage. Edelman discusses the difficulties of parenting with a spouse who is seldom present and her misconception of marriage. In the article â€Å"My Problem With Her Anger,† author Eric Bartels claims his wife is angry with him all the time regardless of what he contributes to their family. Bartels discusses how the effort he puts forth in his marriage goes unappreciated and how he thinks his wife’s anger is negatively affecting their marriage. Bartels and Edelman both believe they entered marriage with unrealistic views resulting in dissatisfaction of marriage however, Edelman†¦show more content†¦He feels like his wife should have praised him for bathing the children and putting them to bed instead of getting mad about something as simple as leaving the water in the bathtub. Although Edelm an and Bartels have different expectations for men and women in marriage, they both are bitter about the state of their marriage. In order to pick up the slack of the other parent, both authors make sacrifices to ensure their children’s needs are met. Edelman feels like she was expected to reduce her work hours instead of her husband because of the gender roles forced upon parents in society today. Edelman became angry with the fact that she felt pressured to prioritize her husband’s career and give up her own career to care for their child. Edelman states â€Å"...there was something vaguely unsettling about feeling that my choice hadn’t been much of an actual choice†(51). Edelman also angrily states that the reason she was forced to give up her career was because â€Å"...he was ‘the husband’ and†¦his career took precedence...†(54). Edelman is angry at the fact that society made her believe her career was inferior to her husband ’s. Bartels also makes sacrifices for his family. Bartels makes the sacrifices to take pressure off of his wife, who is constantly running their children around to daycare and

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard Free Essays

string(108) " the latter remains a formidable competitor, as are other companies such as Toshiba, Lenova Group and Aver\." 1. Introduction Hewlett Packard (HP) is a multinational information technology corporation headquarterd in Palo Alto, California, USA. This report examines the external and internal factors that have influenced HP defining their strategic and competitive position. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard or any similar topic only for you Order Now Evaluation of the company’s strategic choices is presented. The models of Porter’s five forces, Ansoff Matrix, SWOT and PESTEL are used in the analysis. 1.1.(i) PESTEL Analysis Political: The political analysis of HP pertaining to government controls and rules in the effort of HP to keep up with the Environmental and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Codes and in terms of decency, quality and environmental concerns. Economical: HP mainly relies on revenue from its printing hardware, financial investments, investments in small and medium enterprises and internet solutions for its maintenance. Social: HP has the local US consumer base well captured but it seems that there is very little to be done here in terms of attracting the upcoming young generation of IT zealot and unless there is a stress upon updating the models of its hardware for printing and PC’s to catch up with the hype created by HP and Intel who unveil new models almost every other month. Technological: HP went â€Å"cyber† almost a decade ago, which is fairly recent in comparison to its 70 year long market presence (HP, 2009). In fact the turning point of HP’s luck came in 1998 when HP’s corporate software and support division and corporate systems division was amalgamated and Ann Livermore took over to run this new Enterprise Computing Solutions Organisation (ECSO), with an investment of $15 billion and an employee base of 44,000 employees (Moore and Snyder, 2000). Environmental: HP’s operations are subject to regulations under federal, state, local and foreign laws concerning the environment, including laws addressing the discharge of pollutants into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, and the cleanup of contaminated sites. Legal: Patent Reform Legislation – As one of the largest patent holders in U.S, HP is on average granted four patents every day. HP is a constant target of frivolous patent lawsuits. These lawsuits force HP to divert resources away from innovation and product development, leading to reduced economic benefits from invention (HP, 2009). 1.1 (ii) Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Threat of Entry: Threats of entry in this case is moderate. There is low brand loyalty of existing firms. Consumers usually compare the prices with different brands when they decide to purchase PCs. They think that every PC has the same price and has the same function no matter what brand it is, which means low product differentiation. There is medium capital requirements, no government regulations and low economies of scale in manufacturing. There is low investment for independent stores. Decreasing profitability indicates that there is a threat of new entrants Threat of Substitutes: Threat of substitute products is low. HP believes in standards-based technology, which represents the opportunity to decide in the item of much preferance. HP tries to eliminate barriers by continuous updating processes and presenting new products to remain in the top of the industry. The Power of Buyers: Bargaining power of buyers is high. Consumers are very price sensitive because they like to buy cheap and high quality products. If they see a hardware or software or PC with similar functions but different brands and price, they will tend to buy a cheaper one. The buyer power for HP can be low since product demand is high, this means that the company has power to control the amount of production and also its products price. On the other hand, customers have lots of substitutes. Moreover there is not a huge difference between products which are produced in the market. The Power of Suppliers: HP bargaining power of suppliers is high. There are large number of suppliers for every component parts of the PC, for example, one can make a PC by using component parts from different suppliers, including hard disk, DVD drive, monitor, etc. Microsoft and Intel have tremendous bargaining power against the PC manufacturers. There are high switching costs. Competitive Rivalry: Rivalry is high. For instance, price, when one company acts to protect its position by lowering the price of PCs, it will affect other companies. This means all other firms may want to lower their price in order to attract the customers. There is also decreasing profitability. Since the firms sell their PCs in a low price, they will make less profit. 1.2. Opportunities And Threats 1.2. (i) Opportunities Expanding presence in cloud computing market – In July 2008, HP along with Intel Corporation and Yahoo, created a global multi-data centre, open source test bed for cloud computing research and education. The goal of the project was to promote collaboration among industry, academy and governments by removing the financial and logistical barriers. In 2009, HP announced HP Cloud Assure, a new SaaS offering designed to assist businesses to safely and effectively adopt cloud-based services. The increasing demand for cloud computing is likely to create demand for HP’s solutions in coming years. The global spending on cloud computing is forecast to cross a value of over $40 billion by 2012. Expanding portfolio of imaging and printing solutions – HP has made several strategic acquisitions and introduced new products in the imaging solutions segment in recent times. Its imaging solutions strategy entails the commercial markets, from print services solutions to new growth opportunities in commercial printing. HP has launched several retail photo printing solutions and services that provide consumers the tools to personalise their photos and publish customised creative output. 1.2. (ii) Threats Projected decreases in the IT markets – Forecasters predict a decrease in the worldwide demand for various IT products offered by HP. The economic slowdown has negatively affected many market segments, including information technology. HP has experienced this decline not only in the U.S. but also in its global markets. Hyper-competitive Environment – Although HP recently overtook Dell in sales, the latter remains a formidable competitor, as are other companies such as Toshiba, Lenova Group and Aver. You read "Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard" in category "Essay examples" It competes in terms of price, quality, brand, technology, reputation, distribution and range of products, among other factors. In some regions, the company faces competition from local companies and from generally-branded or white box manufacturers. 2.1. Internal Analysis Comparative Analysis – The three dominant producers (competitors) in the PC industry are HP, Dell and IBM. HP has always been a leader in this industry and in all aspects of technology. Through its merger with Compaq, HP has created an even bigger market share to compete with Dell’s PC division. As far as research and development, HP is always at the head of the game. HP has created and patented some of the leading products in technology development, such as touch screen monitors. HP still receives royalties today, from that invention. All three companies agree that employee learning is a very important aspect of their organisations. Each of the companies spends a substantial amount of money on educating and rewarding employees. HP and IBM have similar strategies for learning. When it comes to sales, Dell is at the top of the market. With regards to IT services, IBM is a far more profitable company than either HP or Dell. Organisations willing to spend money on research and development, like HP and IBM, will likely be here in years to come because they are not just relying on PCs to make a profit. Dell will likely have to get involved in producing other products in order to stay on top of the market. Resources: HP has 324,600 employees worldwide while servicing more than one billion customers in 170 countries on six continents (HP annual report, 2010). It has three main business divisions namely: HP Enterprise Business – is the largest business segment of HP accounting for 36% of HP’s 2007 revenue, providing servers, storage, software and information technology services that enable enterprise and midmarket business customers to manage their current IT environments and transform them into a business enabler. HP Enterprise Business has three sub-divisions namely HP Personal Systems Group, HP Imaging and Printing Group and HP Financial Services. HP Labs – is the exploratory and advanced research group for HP with some 600 researchers in seven locations throughout the world HP Software Division – is the Enterprise software division of information technology company. From September 2005 through 2010, HP purchased a total of 15 software companies as part of a publicized, deliberate strategy to augment its software offerings for large business customers (HP, 2010). HP also has subsidiaries namely, 3Com, 3PAR, Compaq, Palm, Inc, ProCurve, Snapfish and VoodooPC. Finance: HP’s posted net revenue in 2010 was $126.3 billion, in 2009, net revenue was $115 billion, with approximately $40 billion coming from services. In 2006, the intense competition between HP and IBM tipped in HP’s favour, with HP posting revenue of $91.7 billion, compared to $91.4 billion for IBM, the gap between the companies widened to $21 billion in 2009. In 2007, HP’s revenue was $104 billion, making HP the first IT company in history to report revenues exceeding $100 billion. In 2008, HP retained its global leadership position in inkjet, laser, large format and multi-function printers market and its leadership position in the hardware industry. The financial position of HP as of October 2010 is as follows: (HP,2010) US$ billion Operating Income 11.479 Net Income 8.761 Total Assets124.503 Total Equity 40.781 Value Chain Analysis: Inbound Logistics Building products to order, maximise manufacturing effeciencies by producing high volume of basic product configurations Configuring products to order – for customer customization JIT to minimise inventory Purchase supplies from multiple vendors Operations Utilizes its own manufacturing capacity as well as origional design manufacturers and contract manufacturers for cost efficiencies HP is the largest customer for most of their suppliers – best terms and prices Outbound Logistics HP uses external partners for its outbound logistical needs Marketing and Sales HP has a number various types of partners including retailers, VARs, distribution partners, OEMs, system intergrators and independent software vendors Services HP Services competes in IT support services, consulting, intergration and outsourcing services. Products : HP has successful lines of printers, scanners, digital cameras, calculators, PDAs, servers, workstation computers and computers for home and small business use. HP not only supplies hardware and software but also a full range of services to design, implement and support IT infrastructure (HP, 2010). Culture: HP founders, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard developed a unique management style that came to be known as â€Å"The HP Way†. The HP Way focuses on employee satisfaction as the source of company success. Some of the by-products of the HP Way include flex time and open communication between managers and employees. 2.1 (i) Strengths Prominent Brand Name Recognition: HP has launched a branding initiative called, â€Å"One Voice,† in order to better intergrate its line of consumer electronics and computer hardware products. The project resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in cost savings by automating package design creation. In 2009 the company moved up from the 12th to the 11th most recognisable brand (Interbrand.com). Successful Strategic Acquisitions: HP’s major mergers and acquisitions in recent past include Compaq Computer Corporation in 2002, Mercury Interactive in 2006 and Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS) in 2008. In Nov 2009, HP announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire 3Com, a provider of computer network equipment for $2.7 billion. Strong Market Position: HP can boast of a 30% global server market. Its domination of the global printer market is evidenced by its 40% market share. In 2008 HP took a major step in strengthening its position in the IT services market by acquiring EDS. 2.1 (ii) Weaknesses Weak Market Segment Intergration: HP’s portfolio of offerings lack significant software product or manage consulting services when compared to major competitors, for instance, IBM and Accenture are establishing management consulting divisions so as to provide more comprehensive and intergrated range of services. 3. Key Strategic Issues 3. (i) 2002 deal to acquire Compaq While the merger went smoothly, it didn’t solve too many of HP’s strategic challenges. The Compaq merger helped HP vault to no. 1 in storage and no. 2 in servers while becoming stronger in technology services. In the fourth quarter, the corporate unit’s sales rose a surprising 10%. Still HP was struggling with profitability at the same time IBM and other competitors were reaping strong profits. Even with HP’s top line gains, the margins and profits declined. Also, combining the market shares of HP and Compaq was designed to create a market leader that could slow Dell’s advance, but Dell had blown past HP in market share and had widened its lead to 18.3% of the market, versus HP’s 15.7%. HP had also fallen short of its 3% operating margin goal, reporting margins of less than 1% for 2004. This merger meant a lot of people lost their jobs. 3. (ii) No Defined Smartphone Strategy While the HP company directors had confirmed their interest in smartphones, nothing had been communicated about its strategy, even, if previously, projects existed which were looking to combine hardware and mobile services in a harmonious fashion. Always enterprise oriented, HP completely missed the uptake of smartphones by general public, allowing market leadership to be taken by a smaller player. In the first quarter of 2010, latest financial results indicated that this business unit was losing money at a fast rate, generating only $25million compared to $57million, the same period in 2009 (NYT, Feb 2010). There was a dilemma whether to continue with the smartphone market. 4. Relevant Frameworks 4. (i) With reference to Ansoff’s growth strategies, HP used â€Å"product development† strategy in acquiring Palm. Suitability: HP had already acquired the iPaq line of smartphones in 2001 when it bought Compaq Computer although there had been a decline in profits. Before the acquisition, HP had no legitimate play in the vital smartphone space, so this strategy is suitable. The deal would give HP access to Palm’s homegrown software that could run phones, as well as other types of devices like computer-tablets. It was an opportunity not to be missed. Feasibility: HP has all it takes in terms of finance, technology and skills, to make the acquisition profitable. This came at the right time as both companies were struggling and therefore needed a big fix. Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices. Product development is therefore a feasible strategy. Acceptability: The strategy is acceptable but with some risks of â€Å"new strategic capabilities† and â€Å"project management risk†. Both companies were failing in the smartphone industry therefore there was no guarantee that when the two companies come together, there will be any improvement, especially since Palm chief executive was to stay on. Product development also involves heavy investments which could be a risk in case the project fails. 4. (ii) Alternative Option In order to deal with its key strategic issues HP could possibly have adopted â€Å"market penetration† strategy. Suitability: This was going to be a suitable strategy, as in the case of compaq, market penetration would have meant hq would gain compaq’s customers. It would have worked well also for the smartphone industry. All that HP was going to do is attracting non-users of HP products and convincing current clients to use more of their products through promotions and advertising. Feasibility: Market penetration is the least risky way for any company to grow, also, penetration pricing involves the setting of lower rather than higher prices in order to achieve a large, if not dominant market share so this makes it a feasible strategy. Acceptability: It is however not such an acceptable option as there might be a likelihood of competing suppliers following suit by reducing their prices also, thus nullifying any advantage of reduced prices. The other potential disadvantage is the impact of reduced price on the image of offering, particularly where buyers associate price with quality. 5. (a) Key HP stakeholders Stakeholders have different interests in supporting or opposing a particular strategy (Johnson et al., 2008) and this is best illustrated below: Stakeholder power vs level of interest (Adopted from Johnson et al., 2008) Key players are those where their reaction towards the organisation’s projects and initiatives must be given primary consideration. Shareholders exercise their ultimate control over HP and how it is managed, for example, having a say on how the management is paid. Recently, (March, 2011), investors expressed how unhappy they were on pay packages for top managers , saying they are paid a lot of money and claiming it’s a waste. By voting against these pay packages, the board approved the change (Inquirer, March 2011). Managers are key players in the sense that for any company to succeed, it needs management that is driven and ambitious. In 2007, HP produced a report called â€Å"The Seven Habits of Ambitious Companies†, briefly laying down that its managers have big ideas, stay focused, build momentum, put people first, encourage communication, manage innovation and listen to their conscience (HP, 2007). With all these habits, the company is bound to thrive for the best and stay at the top. Employees are equally important as they are integral to the success of the business. The talent, expertise and skills of employees drives everything from how HP innovates its products and manage its supply chain to how they connect with customers and collaborate with partners (HP, 2010). Consumers may, for example, exert pressure on sales managers to represent their interests within the company, so in a way they can also be regarded as key. 5. (b) Implementation of HP’s acquisition strategy A stream of acquisitions have strengthened HP position in the software business (alcrastore.com). Key stakeholders have the power to influence HP’s implementation of its acquisition strategy. This can be done in different ways: Involvement in strategic implementation: This is through exercising discretion. Shareholders have to vote for or against any acquisition meaning the power is in shareholders hands as they are the ones who ultimately decide if any acquisition is to succeed or not. Control of strategic resources: Management is responsible for the allocation of resources to implement the policies and plans, projects and programs. For instance when HP acquired Compaq, there were job losses so its vital for management to take this into consideration. There has to be a balance between the longer term needs of the future and the short term imperatives of the present.. Hierachy (formal power): This is management’s role through decision making. They have to make sure that the acquisition is suitable, feasible or acceptable. If after such considerations, the strategy does not meet the interests of HP then management have the power not to implement such strategy. Control of human environment: The board of directors play a vital role in negotiating HP acquisitions. They are the ones who eventually seal the deal financially so it is vital that the share price is right. Possession of knowledge and skills (competitive advantage): Expert knowledge that forms the organisation’s core competencies is equally influential. It is the core competencies of an organisation that differentiates it from its peers and competitors. For instance, in the case of HP acquisition of Palm, there were other companies who had shown interest. Potential buyouts from companies like HTC and Lenovo ultimately fell through but HP had an advantage over its competitors – the global strengths. Since HP is such a global company, it has gained significant skills and knowledge hence making it more attractive. How to cite Strategic Analysis (SWOT, Porter, PESTEL) on Hewlett Packard, Essay examples

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Social Policy - Social Justice and Change

Question: Discuss about theSocial Policy, Social Justice and Change. Answer: Settlement of Issues for Refugees Coming to Canada from Situations of Forced Displacement People who are compelled to leave their countries under the fear of persecution and are unable to return home are called refugees. Several refugees undergo dreadful experiences and therefore are forced to leave their own country. The refugees belong to the marginalized group and often face challenges relating to violence, starvation and, in particular, education. The marginalized group are denied equal and full access to the economic, cultural, political and social institutions of the society and are powerless (Lacroix, Baffoe Liguori, 2015). It is a well-known fact that the socially powerful groups have an easy access to all the privileges of a society as compared to the less powerful groups who easily become subject to social oppression (Edge, Newbold McKeary, 2014). Social oppression may be termed as social exploitation of a group of people. The social oppression continues to exist in the society, mostly because it is not recognized by most of the individuals. Consequently, these inequalities become permanent as the oppressed group hardly has access to the social privileges that would prevent them from being mistreated. Social marginalization may be defined as a phenomena wherein a certain group of individuals are deprived of the rights and opportunities that are otherwise, available to a member or members of another group and such rights are elementary to the social integration within that other group. Such rights include employment opportunities, housing, healthcare facilities, participation in decision-making proce ss and other civil rights. Social work practices can be divided into three categories that aims at resolving the issues related to social oppression carried out on a micro and macro level that has been discussed below: Macro level The social work involved on the macro level is extending help to the clients through intervention in big and powerful systems like the health care law system, educational system, promoting social policy reforms, etc (Ott Montgomery, 2015). Macro social practices are often resorted to in order to address mezzo or micro social issues. The main objective of the macro social practices is to make the less powerful groups or the marginalized groups participate in the change that is brought in the system (Netting et al., 2016). This level concentrates on institutionalized form of oppression, which demonstrates the fact, that how the people within the more powerful group are capable of taking advantage of the privileges in order to retain their power. Institutional oppression takes place when the law, practices and customs demonstrates inequalities towards the less powerful groups (Rothman Mizrahi, 2014). The instances of social oppression on the macro level may include the huge differences that may take place in the health care systems, education systems, etc. Micro level- The social work practiced on this level is usually considered as the most common kind of social works. The social worker on this level involves the individuals and their families in order to resolve the issues that are often faced by the marginalized groups. The social workers take into consideration that takes place in the daily lives of the marginalized groups (Harrison, VanDeusen Way, 2016). Mezzo level- The social works on this level are conducted within the small and medium sized groups. The instances of mezzo social practices include managing social organization, organization of the community, to bring about changes in the institutions or culture instead of the individuals. The social workers, who address issues on the mezzo level, also participate in the social works conducted on the macro and the micro level. The social workers aim at meeting the challenges and the requirements of the individuals and focuses on resolving larger social issues. The Isms Classism, Ageism, Sexism, Racism, Heterosexism and Anti-Semitism are some forms of oppressions that purport to retain power and control. Several authors have defined the isms as a social phenomena that defines a particular norm based on which each individual shall be judged. This norm is supported by institutional or individual violence that retains oppression in the society. Each of the isms possesses the ability to destroy lives by causing discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, gender and class. For instance- sexism states that every woman who tries to step out of the rules of patriarchy is expected to be hated. Similarly, racism refers to the belief some races are superior to other races based on their cultural characteristics and respective hereditary factors. Classism denotes that certain groups of individuals are subjected to prejudicial conduct for belonging to a specific social, political and economical status (Miley, O'Melia DuBois, 2016). Social Policies Addressing the Issues Related to the Marginalized Groups The social service non-profit organizations (NPOs) in Canada work in alliance with the marginalized groups in order to attain healthier communities by rendering social service and through policy advocacy. Some of the policy initiatives introduced by the NPOs do not include the marginalized groups. However, there are certain policies that involve the marginalized group of people. Some of them include the low-cost transit policy, domestic violence act, child welfare geographical boundaries, city anti-violence by law, extrajudicial sanctions for youth, provincial social assistance policies, etc. The social policy advocacy of the NPOs focuses on the reforming or modifying the prevailing government policies on behalf of or with the marginalized group of people. The advocacy strategies adopted by the NPOs include public conducting awareness program with the help of the media, interactions with the policymakers and, lastly, obtaining legal aid from the courts. In Canada, there are various social and humanitarian programs for the marginalized group, in particular, the refugees. The refugees who leave their homes because of the immense hardships that they have undergone are compelled to dwell in refugee camps for years. Canada being one of the members of the international community conducts programs and implements policies in order to resolve the issues related to the refugees (Fook, 2016). Canada works in collaboration with the United Resettlement Assistance Program (UNHCR) for the resettlement of the refugees. The legal framework of Canada stipulates that all the resettlement cases must be scrutinized vigilantly to prevent any criminal, health and security issues relating to the refugees. The Immigration Refugees Citizenship Canada (IRCC) deals with the resettlement cases in associating with the Canada Border Services Agency. The individuals and families that are nominated under the Government-Assisted Refugees (GAR) program become entitled to the essential services and financial assistance under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). The financial assistance is provided to the individuals for a period of one year or till they find a source of earning, whichever is earlier. The financial assistance provided under RAP enables the refugees to afford food and shelter for themselves. The other essential services provided by RAP include temporary accommodation, providing relevant information about other provincial and federal programs regarding settlement services (Thompson, 2016). The Canadian Federal government has taken several initiatives to provide assistance to the marginalized groups, in particular the refugees. However, these initiatives have not proved to be completely effective because they are single-variable initiatives, which are incapable of reaching out to the intended population, and they are inefficient in resolving all the issues (Rubin Babbie, 2016). For the purpose of uprooting an issue or addressing a crisis, in particular, an unrelenting one, it might take a considerable period of time. However, effective implementation of policies that aims at addressing all the social problems relating to health, housing, education and human rights shall ensure well being of the society as a whole. Reference List Edge, S., Newbold, K. B., McKeary, M. (2014). Exploring socio-cultural factors that mediate, facilitate, constrain the health and empowerment of refugee youth.Social science medicine,117, 34-41. Fook, J. (2016).Social work: A critical approach to practice. Sage. Harrison, J., VanDeusen, K., Way, I. (2016). Embedding Social Justice within Micro Social Work Curricula.Smith College Studies in Social Work,86(3), 258-273. Lacroix, M., Baffoe, M., Liguori, M. (2015). Refugee community organizations in Canada: From the margins to the mainstream? A challenge and opportunity for social workers.International Journal of Social Welfare,24(1), 62-72. Miley, K. K., O'Melia, M. W., DuBois, B. L. (2016).Generalist social work practice: An empowering approach. Pearson. Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., Thomas, M. L. (2016).Social work macro practice. Pearson. Ott, E., Montgomery, P. (2015). Interventions to improve the economic self-sufficiency and well-being of resettled refugees: a systematic review.Campbell Systematic Reviews,11(4). Rothman, J., Mizrahi, T. (2014). Balancing micro and macro practice: A challenge for social work.Social Work, swt067. Rubin, A., Babbie, E. R. (2016).Empowerment Series: Research Methods for Social Work. Cengage Learning. Thompson, N. (2016).Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan.