Sakae Sushi Business Plan

BU2005 Entrepreneurship Sakae Sushi Business Plan By: Lu Mi (12668064) Zhou Ke Jun (12618536) Aditya Nandal (1266) Mayank Bhardwaj(12669440) mayank. [email  protected] jcu. edu. au Executive Summary This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current and prospective marketing, sales strategy, target customers, production cost, expenses and capital requirements of Sakae Sushi. It is an in depth report that discusses about the rise of Sakae Sushi as one of Singapore’s major restaurant chains.This report talks about the methods implemented by Sakae Sushi to attract customers during the time of the Asian financial crisis. This report contains financial statements of Sakae Sushi; it also contains information related to the costs involved in running the business, i. e. expenses, salaries and cost of raw materials, etc. It also contains information about the management team of Sakae Sushi and it provides insights of the industry and the company on the whole. Also discuss ed here are the various products and services offered at Sakae Sushi and the methods implemented by them to promote and advertise their brand to the masses.At the end there are a few questions addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Sakae Sushi, Mr. Douglas Foo Peow Yong, which will help us to gain first hand knowledge about Mr. Foo and also about Sakae Sushi. It will also help young and budding entrepreneurs to understand how to analyze the market and make right decisions from time to time. Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. Overview of the Industry 3. Insights on the Company 4. Market/Product Positioning 5. Products and Services offered 6. Marketing (4 P’s) 7. Sales 8. Business Development Status 9. Production Process 0. Suppliers 11. Staff training and requirements 12. Expenses and Capital Requirements 13. Balance Sheet 14. Income Statement 15. Cash Flow Statement 16. Balance sheet & cash flow statement of Sakae Holdings 17. Financial Highlights 18. Management Profil e 19. Board of Directors 20. Funding Request and Exit Strategy 21. Risks and Contingency Planning 22. Recommendations Introduction Sushi is a Japanese specialty that consists of boiled vinegar rice wrapped around by a sheet of seaweed usually dry seaweed. Sushi is the most famous Japanese food found outside Japan.In Japan sushi is portrayed as a traditional food, the Japanese people enjoy various types of sushi during several occasions. For example oshi-zushi, which is made by pressing fish onto the sushi rice in a wooden box, inari-zushi is a very simple and most inexpensive type of sushi in which the rice is filled into deep fried tofu, chirashi-zushi is another variety of sushi in which seafood, mushrooms and vegetables are added over the sushi rice (Japan-guide. com, 2008). The main ingredients involved in preparing sushi are Shari that consists of short white-grained Japanese rice mixed with a dressing consisting of rice-vinegar, sugar and salt. Next ingredient is Nori, which is basically black seaweed wrappers; it is a type of algae very common in the harbors of Japan. It mostly involves the use of fish tuna, being the most common and also the chef’s specialty. Other seafood’s like shrimp, octopus, squid and crabs are used in preparing sushi. There can be more ingredients added to sushi by just adding them to the rice before it is rolled with the seaweed. One can use the bamboo mat for making the sushi roll (Japan-guide. com, 2008). Sakae Sushi was first introduced during the Asian financial crisis when almost all of the major Asian economies were going through a phase of turmoil.Mr. Douglas Foo Peow Yong, the Chief executive officer of Sakae Sushi opened the first branch of his now famous chain of restaurants in 1997 at Raffles Place, Singapore. At that point in time many would have thought of it as a very risky business and a great risk, but the company did exceptionally well to maintain its image in the mar ket and they established themselves as a tough competitor among other food chains. They managed all this by providing excellent quality customer service and serving one of the most delicious sushi dishes in the city.Sakae sushi took the heart of many Singaporeans and there innovative idea of serving sushi on the conveyor belt attracted more and more customers, not only the Japanese people living in Singapore but also tourists from all over the world visiting Singapore being a tourist hotspot. Many foreigners visiting Singapore were in search of great ambience and good quality fine dining cuisine, which was served at Sakae Sushi and the hospitality of the staff at Sakae sushi made their customers visit them more often and also recommend them to their fellow colleagues and friends. Overview of the IndustryMr. Douglas Foo would never have imagined that taking a gamble of launching his business during tough times would have paid of so much and help him reach such heights, as during the times of recession it is always very hard to enter a new market and sustain in the market, but his hard work along with the compassion and commitment of his colleagues and their dream of becoming the best in the business not only allowed the business to flourish during hard times but in due course it also became one of the most famous and trusted restaurant in qSingapore and also in different parts of Asia. Mr.Douglas Foo implemented his business idea with full dedication and attention and he also operated his business at low profit margins, which helped him attract more customers including the budding middle class and also students to enjoy great tasting authentic Japanese cuisine sitting at home in Singapore. He saw that his business was doing well in Asia and this made him think of expanding outside Asia. He started of with the United States of America but due to the world financial crisis in 2008 his dreams of doing well in the States were shattered and it was hard to sustain th e business in New York.Mr. Foo being a great Entrepreneur spotted the difficulties early on during the financial crisis and he finally decided to shut down operations at the Chrysler building in New York. Insights on the Company Mr. Douglas Foo introduced the first branch of Sakae Sushi at Raffles place in Singapore in the year 1997, knowing it’s going to be a tough fight Mr. Foo never backed out. He worked really hard along with his team to penetrate into the market and establish Sakae Sushi in the country.To attract customers they kept the prices low in comparison to other competitors, which attracted more customers and soon went on to open new outlets one by one and finally today they own more than 30 outlets in Singapore but he did not stop here, his plans of becoming world renowned motivated him to open new outlets in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, with intentions of entering North Korea and also looking to operate i n the United States of America in the near future (Apex-Pal International, 2009).They opened many branches in the suburban areas of Singapore, which gives a clear idea of them trying to reach out to the masses; this is another reason for their success. To grow along with the fast growing new generation, Mr. Foo introduced several other chains apart from sushi, he opened chains like Sakae Teppanyaki, Sakae Izakaya, The Pasta shop by Sakae, Hibiki and also for private sector parties he introduced Nouvelle Events and they soon became one of the best caterers in the whole of Singapore.The innovative idea of using conveyor belt to serve food met with a huge success and attracted customers who were looking for a great ambience to enjoy delicious food. He also introduced Sakae Delivery that enabled people to even order sushi at their home by calling Sakae Sushi directly. Their good quality food, safe environment and customer friendly service allowed them to achieve high customer satisfacti on, thus making them one of the best restaurant chains not only in Singapore but in many different parts of Asia (Apex-Pal, 2003). Mr.Foo does not just want to stop here; he has plans enter other Asian markets like North Korea that has strong monopoly power and also he still hopes for achieving success in the United States of America. Market/Product Positioning Sakae sushi not only serves sushi but it also has a variety of products that were introduced by Mr. Foo to maintain domination in the market. He knew very well that Singapore being a tourist nation attracts many foreigners who have different taste buds, so he introduced various other signature dishes that suit the taste buds of the customers.To keep up with the demand they keep on innovating and introducing new offers and new themes every month for example they started with Soba theme for the month of April which involved several Soba food specialties like soba soup, soba salad and soba cheese rolls, and the best part is that all of these items are affordable even for the middle class. At some stores they even serve free meals on every first Sunday of the month for the young children.Its important to attract the young generation and today’s generation loves to have fast food so they introduced variety of burgers like Teriyaki Chicken, Unagi and Salmon Mango, the school going children and college students also cherish such delicacies provided to them at reasonable prices. Sakae sushi also runs several sushi buffets for each meal of the day like lunch buffet, teatime buffet and dinner buffet for every member of the family from children to youth to adult they cover all the generations. Their customers love the availability of different desserts with several fruity flavors and they are even healthy.The vast varity of desserts offered like sesame with red bean, vanilla with chestnut, mango and strawberry, etc. are cherished by one and all, thus the people enjoy coming to Sakae Sushi again and again (A pex-Pal International, n. d. ). Marketing Marketing is an art and science of mixing up of elements such as appealing products, competitive prices, convenient places/locations, and promotions to comprise the basic building blocks of the firm’s offer to the market (Noel Capon, 2009, p. 11). Marketing basically involves 3 types of orientation, i. e. Consumer, goal and system orientation.All three orientations need to go hand in hand so as to achieve golden success for any firm and this is exactly the case of Sakae Sushi. Mr. Douglas Foo and other members of the management team were able to address all three orientations very well and were able to create such a brand in Singapore that now has operations in some of the major economies of Asia. The marketing mix of services marketing included 4 P’s that are essential to effectively market a product to the prospective target market, the 4 P’s are namely; Product, Place, Promotion and Pricing.For any firm to excel in it s marketing efforts it needs to focus on these 4 P’s so as to effectively market their product and create a well-established brand image. (Please refer to appendix 1. 1) Product The term product refers to the tangible physical products as well as services that include decisions to be made regarding the brand name, styling, packaging and design, etc. of a product. The way Sakae Sushi has brought about a change to this concept is something for which the management at Sakae Sushi deserves a great round of applause.Introducing an already known product to the customers in a totally new way and effectively marketing it to the masses by introducing a totally new concept of conveyor belt is something to learn from. It not only requires creativity but also innovation at its best, so that whatever hard work is put in is reflected by the craving the customers have for their sushi (Lovelock, 2007). Price The level of competition in today’s world is very high and everything costs a great amount of money as compared to the past.So to effectively market out a product to the customers out of the 4 P’s, price is a very important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration as it affects the demand of a commodity inversely. If the price is more then the demand for a good falls and vice-versa, so to increase the sales pricing should be competitive, and Sakae Sushi has done exactly the same by introducing the Sakae Buffet at competitive prices for different days of the week so that every sushi liver gets to eat all what they crave for. PlacePlace or distribution strategies are concerned with making products available to the customers where and when they want them (Charles W. Lamb et al. 2008,pg. 46). Sakae Sushi outlets in Singapore are located at strategically important and accessible places, so that their customers need not walk miles in search for good food. Being located at many of Singapore’s prime locations and almost all outlets accessible b y M. R. T, it makes Sakae Sushi the preferred choice for the working class of Singapore in areas such as City Hall, Dhoby Ghaut and Orchard during peak office hours.Sakae Sushi targets those areas to operate their stores where they find a potential target market also keeping in mind other areas in close vicinity. Promotion Promotion represents the methods of communication that a marketer may use to provide information to different parties about his product. Promotion comprises of elements such as:  advertising,  public relations,  personal selling  and  sales promotion. To gain most out of the target market and potential customers, various sought of promotions need to be given out form time to time so as to keep the interest of the customers alive.Sakae Sushi has done enough advertising campaigns and has offered its customers with new themes every month so that their customers never get bored of the same old dishes. By introducing â€Å"Sakae Signatures†, â€Å"Sak ae Buffet† and â€Å"Sakae Lunch Mix â€Å"N† Match†, etc. they try to offer more and more to their customers so that the customers can indulge in eating more delicacies without having to worry about their pockets. This has revolutionized the service industry. They also offer burgers and pastas so that they can expand their target market customers and let more people crave for mouth-watering delicacies (Lovelock, 2007).SWOT Analysis Strengths Well-established brand in terms of customer satisfaction and also they provide quality service. Market leaders and trendsetters in terms of addressing the needs of the customers by bringing new and apt themes and promotions every now and then that is according to the demands of their customers. Managing high sales revenue without charging hefty prices to their customers. Dedicated and honest staff that always looks to serve the customers with a smile. Weaknesses The business structure is highly complex in terms of operations and the cost of maintenance is also high.Providing on the job training to their employees also costs a lot of money. Opportunities Can look to capitalize on the advantage they have over their competitors as a well-established brand. They also have good tie-ups in foreign countries including major Asian economies like China. Their company is a well-recognized company listed on Singapore Stock Exchange. Threats Competitors can copy their business idea and try to monopolize on it. The competitors can offer jobs to their employees at their own restaurant. It is also difficult to keep up with the ever-changing demands of the customers.Sales Effectively marketing a product is only one side of the coin, the other side of the coin is the sales strategy that is implemented by a company so as to boost revenues by increasing sales. All the marketing efforts can go down the drain if a company fails to capitalize on the efforts put in by the marketing team. Main motive of any company is to earn profits and this can only be achieved by boosting sales, and to boost sales it is very important to come up with fancy promotions and schemes so that the customers are lured into indulging themselves with the products offered by the company.By introducing Sakae Sushi membership and giving Sakae Card to the customers for S$38 and still managing to give the customers value worth S$55 is a good step taken by the management. The card not only gives bonus value, but it also can be used to avail discounts and other promotions from Sakae Sushi outlets, this keeps the customers craving for more and more new delicacies and keeping a look at new offerings.Various schemes and promotions like â€Å"The Sakae buffet, Min â€Å"N† Match, Drive-Thru menu and Self Collect and Save† help Sakae Sushi to maintain high standards of customer satisfaction and this in turn motivates them to bring up new themes for each month of the year. For example the theme for the month of April is the à ¢â‚¬Å"Soba† theme. New promotions, new monthly themes and discounts help boost sales and as the past records show Sakae Sushi has done well enough to maintain the stream of profits and also innovate to perfection (Dalrymple, 2000). Business Development StatusSakae Sushi was stared in the year 1997, since then it has grown tremendously and expanded and reached out to other countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and China etc. Douglas Foo’s ambition is to turn Sakae into a major food franchise and to be considered as â€Å"the McDonalds of sushi† worldwide. After starting its first branch in Raffles place (business district of Singapore), it has now opened more than 15 branches in Singapore alone. In 2001, Sakae opened its first overseas outlet in Thailand, a joint venture with a Thai food company and other local partners.By 2002, Sakae was in Indonesia as well and was grossing annual revenue of around $23 million SGD. For the financial year ended 31 December 2009, the Group reported revenue of SGD88. 8 million and net profit of SGD3. 3 million (Theresianto, 2008). In 2001 Sakae Sushi opened its first Drive through restaurant in Trade Hub 21 in Jurong east MRT station. Sakae Sushi tends to open their branches near MRT stations so as to attract the crowd and the frequent travellers. In 2006 Sakae sushi decided to expand its business to north Korea, Mr.Foo made his first visit to North Korea in 2001 as part of a Singapore Manufacturers' Federation delegation and has maintained the contacts he made then. He believes it will be â€Å"business as usual†, and he might step up talks with his North Korean business partners on plans to take his sushi outlets there and bring North Korean cuisine to Singapore. In 2003, Sakae’s parent company Apex-Pal was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange. Apex-Pal’s food businesses, of which Sakae is the flagship brand, represented over 95% of the company’s re venues.In August, Apex-Pal’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) set out 16. 5 million shares, of which 836,000 were for public investors and the rest for institutional investors, clients and company employees (Business Times, 2004). Production Process The rice used for the sushi served in our Sakae Sushi restaurants, unlike most conventional sushi restaurants, is enriched with Vitamin E. Their experienced chefs are able to produce a consistent level of quality for all dishes served in Sakae Sushi, thus raising the level of confidence their customers have in their restaurants.To maintain high level of quality and freshness, raw food is not rotated on the kaiten (conveyor belt) for more than an hour, and cooked food for more than two hours. This standard of freshness is maintained through a color-coding system. For the regular dishes, the staff can immediately identify plates, which have been on the Kaiten (conveyor belt) for too long using our color-coded system. In relation to the premium red plate dishes, as the quantity of such premium dishes is much smaller compared to the regular dishes, our chefs personally monitor these dishes using our color-coded system.Their aim is to provide their customers with unique, hassle-free dining experience at Sakae Sushi restaurants. The dual-directional conveyor belt upon which the sushi dishes are displayed was designed to both maximize the seating space available and to provide customers with efficient service. Self-service hot water dispensers are located at each table and at each station of the kaiten (conveyor belt) for customers to fill their complimentary cups of green tea.Also installed is the interactive menu system at most of the restaurants from which customers can surf the menu containing both illustrations and descriptions of the dishes before placing their orders directly with the kitchen through the ordering system on the interactive menu. Where logistical difficulties affect the installing the interactive menu system at any booth portable, the intercom ordering system is installed instead, thus maintaining the high level of efficiency in service. Sakae Sushi adopts a simple two-tier pricing structure in relation to their kaiten sushi.Sakae’s simple price structure proved to be very popular. The majority of sushi dishes were priced at S$1. 90 and premium dishes at S$6. 50, which made Sakae more affordable than other Japanese restaurants. Suppliers The decrease in purchases from them in FY 2001 and FY 2002 is due to Sakae Sushi’s ability to secure alternative sources of those products at lower costs. To reduce their reliance on All Big Trading Co. and to diversify our supplier base for seafood, they began to purchase seafood from Surapon Foods Public Company Limited and LianHup Fish Merchant Co. n FY 2001 and FY 2002 respectively. These purchases helped them increase the turnover, which was also due to the increase in the number of Sakae Sushi restaurants. In addition to Marukawa Trading, they also purchased frozen food products from Tomo-Ya Japanese Food Trading, Shimaya Trading Pte Ltd and Moon Marine Singapore Pte Ltd who supply Sakae Sushi with frozen food products. The amount of purchases made by the Company from each of these three suppliers was relatively constant for the last three financial years (Apex-Pal International, 2009).The following are the suppliers for Sakae Sushi: All Big Trading Co. (All Big Frozen Food Pte Ltd) – Seafood Marukawa Trading – Dried / frozen food products Tomo-Ya Japanese Food Trading- Frozen food products Shimaya Trading Pte Ltd – Frozen food products Moon Marine Singapore Pte Ltd – Frozen food products Surapon Foods Public Company Limited – Seafood LianHup Fish Merchant Co. – Seafood Staff training and requirements Sakae Sushi provides all new employees with a complete orientation and training which is specific to their positions.New full-time operations staff, for their F;B outlets and, those of the franchises is sent to ITE-certified On-The-Job Training (â€Å"OJT†) schools to be trained by Sakae Sushi’s special OJT trainers. The OJT schools have been certified by ITE to be able to conduct OJT for our staff working in their F;B outlets. Such training involves the training and coaching of new employees by supervisors and managers through hands-on learning at the OJT schools. This type of training allows new employees to develop the required skills within a short period of time, without leaving their work place.Apart from kaiten sushi, the restaurants also serve ala-carte dishes. All members of the service staff are trained with the necessary skills and menu knowledge to provide a consistent level of customer service and to assist our customers in food selection as and when called upon to do so. Sakae Sushi also conducts refresher courses for their staff. Part-time service crew is given on-the-job training by our qualified trainers (A pex-Pal International, 2009). Expenses and Capital Requirements The main expenses of Sakae sushi are the purchase of the raw materials from its suppliers.Since the raw materials have no fixed cost F ; B have to face variable cost of the raw materials. Since the prices of the items on the Sakae Sushi menu cannot be changing constantly, Sakae sushi have to find different ways to maintain their budget and expenses. Every time Sakae sushi opens a new branch it has to incur certain costs like furniture, rent, labor, electricity, operating costs etc. Thus the capital required to open every new branch is different and may vary from places to places and from time to time. In the year 2011 Sakae Sushi spent around S$40,000,000 on the property, plant and equipment.Also the labor cost in Singapore is considerably much higher than most countries, so it is harder to start an F ; B based business like a Sakae Sushi restaurant in Singapore. Balance Sheet (Apex-Pal, 2003) Income Statement (Apex-Pal , 2003) Cash Flow Statement (Apex-Pal, 2003) Balance sheet and cash flow statement of the Sakae Holdings The Group’s cash and bank balances as at 31 December 2011 stood at $6. 1 million, a decline of $6. 4 million during the year, due to increased investment in property, plant and equipment with the construction of new central kitchen in Singapore and setting up of a headquarter in Malaysia.The Group has also made investments in associates in the beginning of the year, which was funded by bank loans. Shareholder’s equity stood at $27. 2 million as at 31 December 2011 (Full Year Financial Statement And Dividend Announcement {n. d. }). The Group was in a negative working capital position of $5. 9 million as at 31 December 2011 due to short-term revolving loans balance of $10. 3 million, which are renewable at maturity. The Group has repaid some of the revolving loans during the year (Full Year Financial Statement And Dividend Announcement {n. d. }). Financial Highlights A.Actual (‘000) Results200420052006200720082009 Revenue45,16151,90566,64583,83893,80488,817 Profit/Loss before tax2,7964,7436,6973,485(3,695)3,336 Profit/Loss attributes to share holders2. 0853,6845,0812,261(3,748)3,262 Non-current assets4,8334,62712,43318,51619,87630,852 Non-current liabilities30128942159058610,088 Shareholders equity10,76213,57620,51516,39811,15320,256 Net assets per share10. 0912. 7414. 4511. 557. 8614. 26 Earnings per share1. 963. 463. 741. 59(2. 64)2. 30 B. Expected (‘000) Results201020112012 Revenue71,69583,644. 1790,058. 03 Profit/Loss before tax2,893. 672,909. 942,604. 4 Profit/Loss attributes to share holders2,104. 172,107. 361,844. 59 Non-current assets15,189. 5016,915. 5818. 963. 68 Non-current liabilities2,045. 832,336. 642,677. 91 Shareholders equity15,443. 3316,223. 5616,664. 81 Net assets per share11. 8312. 1112. 01 Earnings per share1. 741. 701. 40 (*Projected Figures based on previous year average) (Apex-Pal International, 2009) Manageme nt Profile Board of Directors Douglas Foo Peow Yong (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) Foo Lilian (Executive Director and Executive Vice President) Andy Ong Siew Kwee (Non-Executive and Independent Director)Lim Chee Yong (Non-Executive and Independent Director) Chan Wing Leong (Non-Executive and Independent Director) Audit Committee Lim Chee Yong (Chairman), Chan Wing Leong, Andy Ong Siew Kwee Nominating Committee Lim Chee Yong (Chairman), Chan Wing Leong, Douglas Foo Peow Yong Remuneration Committee Chan Wing Leong (Chairman), Lim Chee Yong, Douglas Foo Peow Yong Company Secretaries Rachel Ng Meijing (CPA, Singapore), Chan Lai Yinb (ACIS) (Apex-Pal International, 2009) Board of Directors â€Å"A  board of directors  is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a  company†(Robert, H. , 2000).Other names include  board of governors,  board of managers,  board of regents,  board of trustees, and board of visitors. It is often simply referred to as â€Å"the board†. In a stock corporation, the stockholders elect the board and it is the highest management authority of a company. In a  non-stock corporation  with no general voting membership,  e. g. , a university, the board is the supreme governing body of the institution (Robert, H. , 2000). The duties of the board of directors of Sakae Sushi are as follows: * Establishing policies and objectives. * Selecting, appointing, supporting and reviewing the performance of the  company. Ensuring the availability of financial resources. * Approving annual budgets. * Accounting for the performance of the company. * Managing salaries and compensation of the employees. MANAGEMENT: Mr. Douglas Foo Ms. Foo Lilian Mr. Lim Chee Yong Mr. Andy Ong Siew Kwee Mr. Chan Wing Leong MR. DOUGLAS FOO (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) Mr. Douglas Foo has been a Director of the Group since 17 February 1997. As Founder and CEO of the Group, he manages the overall management, strategic planning and business development functions of the Group. Mr.Foo started his career as a marketing executive but with his talent and entrepreneurial skills he was able to come up with an idea of opening a garment trading business which was not really successful, so a year later he thought of getting into the food and beverages industry by opening the first branch of Sakae Sushi and has since developed Apex- Pal into a successful enterprise that it is today (Apex-Pal International, 2009). MS. FOO LILIAN (Executive Director) Ms. Foo Lilian was appointed as Sakae Sushi’s Executive Director on 2nd May 2002 and is responsible for the general management of the Company. Ms.Foo handles the Group’s leasing, business development and legal matters. She is also responsible for the consultancy, maintenance and research and development work for all IT-related matters of the Group. In 1997, Ms. Foo joined the Central Provident Fund Board where she was a databas e administrator until February 2000. She also worked with the Keppel TatLee Bank Limited as an assistant manager. Ms. Foo left Keppel TatLee Bank Limited to join Sakae Sushi in January 2001 (Apex-Pal International, 2009). MR. LIM CHEE YONG (Independent Director) Mr. Lim Chee Yong was appointed as our Independent Director for Sakae Sushi on 14 July 2003.From October 1982 to April 1987, Mr. Lim served as a senior corporate banking officer in Overseas Union Bank Limited. In May 1987, he joined Banque Paribas, Singapore Branch as a deputy manager of banking, where he stayed until April 1989. He was appointed an executive director of Alliance Technology and Development Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of the SGX-ST, in May 1989. Mr. Lim left Alliance Technology and Development Limited in March 2000. Mr. Lim is also an independent director of Twinwood Engineering Limited, a company listed on the SGX- CATALIST, from 1997 to 2007 (Apex-Pal International, 2009). MR.ANDY ONG SIEW K WEE (Independent Director) Mr. Andy Ong Siew Kwee was also appointed as Sakae Sushi’s Independent Director on 14 July 2003. Mr. Ong is the CEO of ERC Holdings Pte Ltd. ERC is a leading player in the education industry in Asia. He oversees the regional development as well as the merger and acquisition activities of the firm. He is also the Founding President of the Financial Planning Association of Singapore, a professional body for financial services that issues world-renowned Certified Financial Planner marks. He has written several best-selling books on financial management and business (Apex-Pal International, 2009).MR. CHAN WING LEONG (Independent Director) Mr. Chan Wing Leong was appointed as an Independent Director on 30 April 2005. Mr. Chan holds an honors degree in Economics from the University of Singapore. He started his career in the Administrative Service of the Singapore Government in 1981, and has held stints in several government posts in the Ministry for Trade and Industry and Economic Development Board, as well as in Government- linked Corporations. Mr. Chan was an investment banker in the late 1980s to 1995 at Schroders PLC and Bankers Trust Corp in both Singapore and Hong Kong.In 1995, he returned to Singapore to be Chief Financial Officer of Sembawang Corporation until 2001 (Carter, 2008). Funding Request and Exit Strategy In December 2007, Sakae opened its first outlet in the United States at the Chrysler Building in New York, its 61st outlet worldwide. Initial S$3 million had been invested by Apex-Pal in the outlet. The outlet did not to well because of tougher times and they have since then shut down their operations in USA. Initially, because of the company’s small size, Mr. Foo’s strategy for Sakae’s expansion was to enter into franchise agreements.As the company grew, the company also utilized a strategy of foreign direct investments in those countries where such investments were feasible and also welcomed by the respective governments. Global economic crisis occurred in 2008 and Sakae found its margins reduced by high prices for commodities such as rice and vegetables. The company cut salaries and executive pay but decided against staff layoff. A profit of S$2. 3 million in 2007 was followed by a net loss of S$3. 8 million, in 2008 due to rising rentals, salaries and commodity costs. It was Apex-Pal’s first annual loss.Sakae introduced cost cutting measures such as finding new food suppliers, minimizing waste and tightening other operational practices. The company returned to making profit in 2009, posting a S$3. 3 million profit. Risks and Contingency Planning The Starting Point It is vital that any organization takes development and maintenance, disaster recovery and business continuity plans seriously. It cannot be left until it develops into a serious problem. Impact Assessment One of the first tasks to be undertaken is to prepare a comprehensive list of serious issues tha t can affect the normal operations of a business.This list should include all possible issues no matter how likely they are to occur. Since Singapore is an island one of the major risk factors can be floods. Developing the Plan Once the assessment stage has been completed, the structure of the plan can be established. The plan will contain a range of milestones to move the organization from disrupted status to return to normal operations. The first important milestone is about dealing with the aftermath of a disaster. The next stage is to determine which business functions need to be resumed.The plan will be detailed, and will identify key individuals who should be familiar with their duties (The Contingency Planning Guide, 2002). Testing the Plan Once this plan has been developed it must be subjected to rigorous testing. The testing process must be properly planned and should be carried out in a suitable environment to produce authentic conditions. Those who would undertake the maj or activities of the business should test the plan. The test procedures should be documented and the results recorded. This is important to ensure that feedback is obtained for fine-tuning the Plan.Personnel Training This stage is dependent upon the development of the plan and the successful testing of the plan. It is necessary that all personnel are aware of the plan, its content and their own related duties and responsibilities. Again, it is important that all personnel take the disaster recovery plan seriously, even if the events that would trigger the Plan seem unlikely. Obtain feedback from staff in order to ensure that responsibilities and duties are understood, particularly those that require dependency on others actions (The Contingency Planning Guide, 2002). Maintaining the PlanThe plan must always be kept up to date and applicable to current business circumstances. This means that any changes to the business process must be properly reflected in the plan. Someone must be a ssigned responsibility for ensuring that the plan is maintained and updated regularly and should therefore ensure that information concerning changes to the business process are properly communicated. Any changes or amendments made to the plan must be fully tested. Everyone should be kept abreast of such changes that affect their duties (The Contingency Planning Guide, 2002). Recommendations To develop business in America and to attract American customers it’s important for the Sakae group to develop some American friendly food like Sakae beef burgers, hot dogs, rolls and other food loved by the people there, this will affect the revenue that Sakae can make in that country. * In countries like North Korea, they should find local partners to work out a good franchising option. * Conduct more on the job training activities to enrich the employees to possess all the required skill to excel in their job. * Expand their product base and standardize their products across all their branches to lower their costs. Conduct extensive market research to identify the target market and develop products and services according to the needs of their customers. * Tie up with other food ; beverage organizations to promote and diversify their brand. * Sponsor events like marathons, blood donation drives and cultural fests to attract the masses especially the younger generation to get involved with Sakae Holdings. * As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sakae Holdings should adapt eco-friendly practices like recycling, reusing and reducing the waste generated.Also they can contribute towards the environment by implementing energy saving practices like maintaining a constant temperature of 24 degrees while using air-conditioner. * By working with their suppliers they can research and develop new ways to store their inventories effectively by keeping it fresh and ready to use. * They should also develop ways to minimize their transportation cycles and also save on fuel costs and reduce their carbon footprint. Appendix 1. 1 The 4P’s of Service Marketing References Apex-Pal International. (2009). Going Global- 2009. Retrieved 4 5, 2012, from Apex-Pal: http://www. apexpal. om/Files/Apex-Pal%20AR09%20for%20SGX. pdf Apex-Pal. (2003, 8 18). The Innovative F;B People. Retrieved 4 5, 2012, from ir. zaobao. com. sg: http://ir. zaobao. com. sg/apexpal/pages/doc/apexpal_ipo_prospectus. pdf Apex-Pal International. (n. d. ). What's Hot. Retrieved 4, 5, 2012, from Sakae Sushi: http://www. sakaesushi. com. sg A simple goal – to be the McDonald’s of sushi. (2004, February 9). Business Times. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from Factiva. Carter, M. ,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Overview of Roles and Responsibilities of Corporate Board of Directors†. Free Management Library. Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Retrieved 2008-01-26. Capon, N. , 2009.Capon's marketing framework, Wessex Publishing. Dalrymple, D. J. , Parsons, L. J. (2000). Sales promotion and public relat ions. In Dalrymple, D. J. , Parsons, L. J. , Basic Marketing Management (pp. 272-276). New York, United States of America: John Wiley ; Sons. Japan-guide. com. (2008, 05 31). Sushi. Retrieved 04 10, 2012, from Japan-guide. com: http://www. japan-guide. com/e/e2038. html Lamb, C. W. , Hair, J. F. , McDaniel, C. (2008). Essentials of Marketing. Cengage Learning. Lovelock, C. H. , Patterson, P. G. , Walker, R. H. (2007). Understanding service products, customers and employees. In Lovelock, Patterson, P. G. Walker, R. H. , Services Marketing (pp. 26-30). NSW, Australia: Pearson Education Australia. Robert, H. (2000). Robert's Rules of order newly revised. Philadelphia: Perseus Pub. Sakae Holdings Ltd. (2012, 2 28). Retrieved 4 5, 2012, from http://www. finanznachrichten. de: http://www. finanznachrichten. de/pdf/20120228_172124_5DO_752F7CDF0A7BD282482579B2002082FC. 1. pdf The Contingency Planning Guide. (2002). Retrieved 4 5, 2012, from http://www. contingency-planning-disaster-recovery -guide. co. uk Theresianto, N. (2008, February 11). Apex-Pal expands its Sakae Sushi empire. The Edge Singapore. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from Factiva.

Actions and context of social Essay

Hale arrives in Salem and begins to interrogate Abigail. He is very direct and soon Abigail realises that she cannot avoid his questions any more. She knows she must escape his attention but she cannot run otherwise she will look suspicious. Instead, she cleverly implicates Tituba. Abigail constructs her involvement to become the leader of the proceedings, trying to force the other girls and her into following her lead. After confession, Tituba is told to tell the names of people seen with the devil. Mrs Putnam asks whether her past midwives had been in contact with the devil. Abigail soon says the names of Sarah Good and Goody Osburne as she quickly reveals that they are in contact with the devil. By satisfying her interrogator’s suspicions, despite their untruthfulness she can divert attention away from herself. Her intelligence and unique influence is demonstrated as she does so and sends the professional men of the court into a frenzied excitement, as they believe they have found someone in touch with the devil. By being the first and shouting out names, she has power and trust with the court. She then begins to call out more names, adding to Tituba’s list. This excites Betty whom immediately rises and joins in the chanting of names. She is described to be calling out ‘hysterically’ and ‘with great relief’. Then their ecstatic cries turn into a gleeful tone, adding an evil edge. Abigail has forged her way out of trouble and Betty has picked up on the plan, assured that she is safe from punishment and joins Abigail. They are now beyond accusation or danger and happy to call names out. Betty is following Abigail, but Abigail has no need to continue as she has already said Elizabeth’s name. The other names of people, she has no involvement with and most importantly, people who bear no importance in Salem and are vulnerable to prosecution. It is a fiendish scene, as if the girls are possessed by evil. They are not however and that leaves only one reason, that Abigail is wreaking her specific revenge for her parents deaths. It is one of her more evil actions in the play, as it cannot be accounted for. This shows that she does not hate and have power over people she wants revenge for, but everyone of human society. In my opinion, she is a disturbed character. She is initially perceived as being wild bright and proud. Her character then develops a ghastly quality that becomes a large influence over everybody in the village of Salem. She abuses this ability to turn things to her advantage and others fate. She develops an evil insensitive, which would seem to be her character, however occasionally she shows different emotions in moments of intense passion and fear. Abigail is the hidden secret of the play. She covers behind her sweet little girl innocence and manipulates it between the characters, which brings up many truths from the past. Her quest however, soon becomes an addiction as she has people killed and blames anyone to get back John Proctor.

An Introduction to Creativity and Creative Arts Essay

Domain 5 of the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework is The Creative Arts, which includes four elements: music, art, movement, and dramatic play. Each of these Domain Elements supports children’s imaginative thinking and self-expression and enhances their progress in other Domains. For example, children may count musical beats, experiment with mixing colors to make a new one, create dialogue for a story drama, or move like the animal characters in a story. In such activities, they are learning in several Domains and using a variety of social, cognitive, and creative processes. The creative arts engage children’s minds and senses. They invite children to listen, observe, move, solve problems, and imagine, using multiple modes of thought and self-expression. Active involvement in the creative arts stimulates brain connections that support children’s learning. A growing body of research on the effects of early arts experiences shows their positive relationship to improved, overall academic performance. Research in the arts also demonstrates that when creativity is developed at an early age, its benefits are continual and are transferred to many intellectual tasks (Arts Education Partnership 2000). All areas of creative arts can incorporate the diversity of children in the program. Dance, art, pantomime, and creative expression are areas where English language learners can be included without needing to rely on language skills in English. Music can be particularly effective since it can be fun for children to learn a song in either English or ano ther language. Music experiences for young children involve listening to, learning about, and making music. Children can listen and respond to different kinds of music by moving, dancing, painting, or talking about how it makes them feel, what instruments they hear, how it compares to other pieces they have heard, or what they do or do not like about it. They may use simple rhythm instruments to create music or to accompany live or recorded music. Children also enjoy singing favorite songs, learning new ones, and making up their own. Art experiences allow children to convey their ideas, feelings, and knowledge in visual forms. Individually and in groups, children use materials such as crayons, paint, playdough, clay, found objects, glue, tape, and paper, along with tools such as scissors, brushes, rolling pins, cookie cutters, and more. They explore the processes of art using materials, tools, and techniques and create products such as drawings, paintings, sculptures, mobiles, and collages. Developing an appreciation for and aesthetic awareness of art is also a part of this Domain element. Movement includes dancing to music and moving in various ways to learn what the body can do or to express an idea or feeling. Children might imagine how an animal moves, then try to imitate it. They could focus on a specific feeling, such as joy or fear, and create movements to express the feeling. Movement facilitates spatial awareness and sensory integration, contributes to overall health and fitness, and promotes development of physical skills. Dramatic play and drama involve make-believe. Children take on roles such as mother, waiter, mail carrier, or doctor. They put objects to imaginative uses—for example, transforming a large box into a spaceship or cave. Dramatic play also offers a wide range of opportunities for children to use and expand their cognitive, language, literacy, and social skills (as described in other Domain sections). To support children’s involvement in the creative arts, Head Start teachers need to focus on what it means to be creative. Individuals are creative when they take existing objects or ideas and combine them in different ways for new purposes. They use their ever-growing body of knowledge to generate new and useful solutions to everyday challenges. Early childhood teachers are creative when they invent new ways to individualize the environment, curriculum, and interactions with young learners. In addition to understanding and recognizing the creative process—in themselves and in children—Head Start teachers can encourage learning through the creative arts by introducing children to excellent and varied examples of art forms. They can involve children in noticing, thinking about, and discussing artistic productions. Using open-ended questions, teachers invite children to examine critique, evaluate, and develop their own aesthetic preferences. Teachers also provide raw materials, props, tools, and appropriate spaces so that children can create in their own ways. They observe and respond to children in ways that communicate acceptance for creative expression. They can plan and offer integrated experiences to take advantage of the many ways creative arts support learning in other Domains.

Methods and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Methods and Analysis - Essay Example Interviews are very useful methods of data collection. If done properly and professionally, the findings of the interview can provide the researcher with very important insights regarding the subject matter. In most interviews, structured questions are used to guide the interviewer in his/her quest to extract useful information from the interviewee (Denscombe, 2007). This interview in particular focuses on professional experience as well as online education. The main objective is to find out the perception of people regarding their present jobs as well as any online courses they may have studied. The set of questions used in this interview will enable me get to understand how people perceive their own employers and their job as well as if they make any significant contribution to the success of their organization as a whole. The questions will also be useful in understanding how people who studied online courses find the whole experience. Why do you work with your current employer? I believe the institution I work with has goals that resonate very well with my beliefs. I wanted to work in an institution that gives priority to good teaching practice as well as a great commitment on taking care of students needs as far as education is concerned. I have a great passion for teaching and impacting on the lives of young students in campuses and colleges and I believe I have the capacity to offer what my current employer wants and help the whole institution achieve its goals. What makes you very different from your other colleagues at work? There nothing much really to separate us because we all share similar views on education and teaching. I would however say that I am an all rounded individual and with my experience, I offer the institution a lot of useful opinions and perspectives in terms of where we want to be and what we have to do to get there as a group. I think that is what sets me apart from my colleagues, my desire to succeed and wide experience. What plan s do you have for research and development in your field of specialization? I believe in proper research to bring out new and relevant knowledge to help us cope with emerging issues. As far as my own research is concerned, I am currently working on some projects that will be due for publication soon. I am working on a book to be released soon, which I hope will help institutions deal with emerging challenges as they strive to educate young students. After my PhD, I plan to take my research further and work on more books as well as research papers that I hope to present to all stakeholders in the field of education. What would you say is your major contribution to your institutions department? I have initiated and taken part in various reforms at the department to make it more functional. We have improved significantly in the way we offer our services to students ever since I joined the department and I am glad to be part of this success. What courses do you enjoy teaching? I have ex perience in a wide range of subjects ranging from humanities to social sciences as well as business courses. I therefore give my contribution in any field that I am well versed with; however I mostly tend to be biased towards philosophy. I enjoy teaching philosophy more than anything else, but as I said, I always give my contribution in other areas when I am called upon to do it. What was your experience when taking your university degree? I enjoyed every bit of it. For my first degree, I was a regular student and the environment was very conducive for study. We had a great time on campus with friends as we undertook our studies. By the time I wanted to start my Masters degree, I was already employed full time, so I had to register for online courses which demanded a lot of commitment and dedication. I am glad I gave it my all and am now taking my PhD. How does the online course work? It is pretty simple because all you do is to enroll on a university or college website. Once you ha ve been

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable Essay

The development and effectiveness of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetable policy in the United Kingdom - Essay Example (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) Hence, the two top causes of these diseases are highly preventable. "It has been estimated that eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day could reduce the risk of deaths from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer by up to 20%." (5 A DAY health benefits, 2003, Department of Health's The NHS Plan, 2000.) Breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and gastric cancer are just a few of the cancers that can be prevented. Loaded with plenty of vitamins and minerals, these foods also contain phytochemicals which are "non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties," as defined by Phytochemicals (n.d.). Phytochemicals include flavonoids and fiber along with many other substances that are necessary for sustaining life. Flavonoids are found in the colored portions of the fruits and vegetables prevent the release of histamines, fight free radicals, and increase blood circulation and the immune system. Phytochemicals perform various functions including the prevention of cancer cell replication, prevention of cell damage, and the lowering of cholesterol levels. Amazingly, there are more than 900 different phytochemicals that have currently been identified and one vegetable serving contains 100 different phytochemicals. ... Diet and cancer: the evidence (2006) reports, "EPIC scientists recently found that eating foods high in fiber can reduce one's risk of bowel cancer. People who ate the most fiber had 40% less bowel cancer risk than people who ate the least. Some other large studies have supported these findings." There is much evidence to support the benefits of eating an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables. Groups such as The NHS Plan, The NHS Cancer Plan and the National Service Frameworks for Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes and Older People also stress diet/nutrition as a top factor in the strategy of prevention. (Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, 2003.) These are just a few reasons why the government created the 5 A DAY programme. The goal of this programme is to inform the public of health benefits gained by consuming fruits and vegetables via targeted action. Most people in England consume less than three servings per day. Children eat less fruits and vegetables than adults. The reasons that people eat such few servings include the cost, availability, and quality especially after inconveniences such as shipping, storing, preserving, etc. The government's 5 A DAY programme aims to raise awareness and change the public's attitude. Many people feel that the cost, preparation, "lack of taste", and other inconveniences are not worth it. In today's hurried society, it seems easier to grab something packaged, processed, and "less expensive". But the cost of one's health and quality of life is quite high and more expensive in the long run. Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (2003) lists the target actions of the government in implementing and enforcing the programme: National School Fruit Scheme Local 5

Tie the Novel Frankenstein by Mery Shelly (1831) to the topic of Research Paper

Tie the Novel Frankenstein by Mery Shelly (1831) to the topic of cloning - Research Paper Example Cloning is the creation of an embryo by the method of human somatic cell nuclear transfer (Ramsey 3). This procedure involves implanting DNA cells from one organism into a 'neutral' egg. A 'neutral' egg is one in which the DNA nucleus has been removed (Ramsey 4). After implantation, the newly constituted egg is then chemically treated so that the egg begins to behave as though fertilization has occurred. This results in the creation of embryonic growth of another organism that contains the complete and identical genetic code of the original organism. By learning more about the genetic code and how it works, scientists are hopeful that they can begin to breed out some of our more fallible weaknesses and breed in stronger codes. All of these conjectures can be said to have started with the introduction of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a sci-fi gothic horror novel that excited the imaginations of the post-Victorian age and continues to inspire today. Like the concept of cloning emerging now during a time of unprecedented change in computer technology and the many applications this has, the Industrial Revolution brought about world-changing possibilities during Shelley's time. â€Å"By the beginning of the Victorian period, the Industrial Revolution †¦ had created profound economic and social changes, including a mass migration of workers to industrial towns, where they lived in new urban slums† (â€Å"The Victorian Age†). Advances in technology and machinery during Shelley's age touched off new scientific debate in the same way that our ability to discover things on a micron level has increased our ability to manipulate the world around us and the morals and ethics of whether we should do that. Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution emerged during Shelley's time as well, which threw into question many of the people's religious beliefs (Landow) in a similar way in which new technological advances in gene manipulation have made many question w hether or not we are trying to play god with human cloning. During Shelley's time, the increasingly literate public was becoming more involved in these debates because newspapers and other periodicals were more widely available to them. This, too, has a parallel to today's times as the Internet, Facebook and other media sites are linking people from far away to bring about new changes in the way we think and who is able to participate in the conversation. New media proved essential then and now in introducing and maintaining widespread discussions in the political and social issues of the day. One difference then was that fiction novels were recognized as having a voice in these discussions. â€Å"The Victorian novel, with its emphasis on the realistic portrayal of social life, represented many Victorian issues in the stories of its characters† (â€Å"The Victorian Age†). What Mary Shelley questioned most strongly in her novel remains a major question asked today: what is the proper role of the scientist in the contemporary age? In Frankenstein, the young scientist and one of the main characters is Victor Frankenstein. Frankenstein pushes technology to its outer limits because he wants to overcome death. His idea is to re-animate dead tissue. Within the book, the science of the past is criticized because it has been

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

Colonialism - Essay Example A treaty influenced by the Pope in the year 1494 demarcated the world into two sides between Catholic Spain and Portugal. Spain sailed into North and South America in search of precious metals and gave little thought to colonizing the areas they went through. However, when other powerful countries like France began taking an interest in the region did Spain start making permanent settlements in North America (Mignolo and Ennis, 2001). Other evidence of the economic reason for colonization can be seen from the influx of the French and Dutch powers into the colonial race. This started as late as the 16th century when both of the powers came into North America and started setting up colonies. This was done with the express aim of exploiting the resources of the New World to benefit the areas back home. However, religion also played a factor in the setting up of colonies, especially in the case of British controlled North America. First, the Pope in 1494 influenced the drawing up of the treaty that saw the demarcation of the world between Spain and Portugal (Mignolo and Ennis, 2001). One of the main aims of the Catholic Church was to make a lot of converts from the natives in the regions. In the case of the British and the development of different colonies, examples can be cited of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Plymouth Colony in North America was predominantly set up by religious separatists who wanted to be separated from the Church of England. In much the same way, the Massachusetts Bay Colony started commercially but most of its inhabitants became people escaping religious and Crown persecution in England. In this way, the colony nearly became a purely theocratic rule where the church had ultimate authority in all decisions (Mignolo and Ennis, 2001). From an analysis of the two main reasons for the creation of colonies in the Western

Measures of Personality Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Measures of Personality Research - Essay Example Appreciating the fact that human behavior falls into certain personality types and groups makes us less judgmental when observing someone's behaviour (Renee 1998). We see behavior that's quite in contrast to our own actually follows a pattern exhibited by many people of that type. Understanding these differences enables us to communicate in more efficient ways when we know another's personality type. Two important personality indicators in widespread use are the Meyer-Briggs Type Index and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. The Meyers-Briggs Type Index or MBTI is a personality test indicating an individual's personality preferences or type of personality he or she is, for example whether the person is largely extroverted or introverted, whether thought or intuition dominates the mental processes. The results of this test offers indications as to which work situations an employee might be best suited, and if they are in conflict or in harmony. The MBTI was developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers in the 1920's and published in 1975 having undergone stringent testing for validity and reliability. The method is based on Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, who talked of personality types in his book Psychological Types (Quenk 1999) Although the MBTI has been around since 1956, it wasn't until 1975 that it became available to all qualified professionals who could administer the test and since then over 30 million people have taken part in it. It is now one of the most widely used personality test tools with an annual use of about 2 million people (Quenk 1999). The MBTI gives individuals a greater understanding of themselves. The different indicators of personality show that people communicate and decide upon things differently. The various personality type preferences can sway experiences, learning, life choices and the things that motivate people. It is a framework for gaining insights into the personality of others and also our own. Since the tool of use is a self-report questionnaire, it is not actually a test since there are no right or wrong answers, but acts as an indicator looking at normal behavior. Rather than identifying skills, abilities, competencies, the indicator scrutinizes preferences. The indicator does not favor some personality traits over others and each is considered to have its own merits. The MBTI is a useful tool to build teams in a workplace, act as a career guidance for students or job seekers and provide a gauge for leadership qualities. The MBTI consists of 4 scales of opposite preferences or dichotomies (Quenk 1999). 1) The manner in which we channel personal energy can be either through Extraversion or Introversion. E or I. Extroverts channel their energies outwards. They show a keen interest in the people and things and receive energy from communicating and interacting with others. Introverts channel their energies inwardly and show greater interests in thoughts and reflective ideas. 2) The manner in which we absorb external information can be through Sensing or iNtution. S or N. Individuals who show tendencies towards sensing, favor absorbing information from the five senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. They

Critically assess, using examples, the extent to which practice Essay

Critically assess, using examples, the extent to which practice perspectives give a coherent and complete account of the challenges involved with introducing new technologies into organisational settings - Essay Example pective approaches, leaders and managers within an organization can objectively evaluate and understand the depth and breadth of challenges associated with change within a workplace. According to practice perspective, social and cultural contexts play a significant role in influencing actionable practices demonstrated by individuals within a professional environment. Zachary (2012) mentioned that practice perspectives offer an insight into the intricate relationship between individual’s performance patterns, and the individual’s social attributes. For example, introduction of new technologies within an organization invariably presents specific challenges that can be accounted for through practice perspective techniques. In practice perspective, social elements of race, class, age, and gender among other relevant parameters are used to account for observable changes in actionable behaviors. Today, inclusion of social networking applications like Facebook and Twitter in an organization’s computers is helpful in facilitating online interactions between a company’s staff, customers, and other stakeholders. However, new technological tools like social network platforms can cause considerable challenges like distraction of employees at work. Actually, time spent by employees on friendly chats through social network sites can substantially compromise on productivity. According to Zachary (2012), young employees below 30 years are highly likely to spend more time on social networks compared to old workers above 35 years. On the other hand, productivity of female employees is minimally affected because they can easily multitask; hence they can still perform their duties effectively while at the same time using social network sites compared to their male counterparts. As aforementioned, practice perspective offers insight into the influential role of social parame ters like age and gender on individuals’ actionable performances. In this regard, challenges

What effect did Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the Studio System have on Dissertation

What effect did Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the Studio System have on Film Production today - Dissertation Example ‘Motion pictures evolved from stage presentations when portable movie cameras were invented. â€Å"Magic Lantern† shows were popular in the late 19th century, but they required an artist to design and perform a show. The show itself could not be duplicated, merely moved to another venue. Thomas Edison invented the Kinetoscope, a box with a hand crank with which to run film over a lamp, similar to a â€Å"peep show†. Its limitations were obvious; the design limited the audience to one viewer. Louis Lemià ¨re improved on the Edison technology with a hand held motion picture camera which could feed a film through a claw device. Once the film was shot and developed, the camera acted as a projector, and in conjunction with the magic lantern, large audiences could view the film together.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.22-5) ‘At first, films served to bring distant places or recorded acts to vaudeville and burlesque shows. These films were brief, often only a minute or t wo. Travelogues and news dominated early film. At the same time projected movies developed, mass production newspapers became popular. In many ways, early film competed against newspapers and only supplemented stage shows.Motion pictures’ advantages included realism, global appeal, reproducibility, visual reports and propaganda value.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.26-7) ‘The urban environment of the early 20th century consisted of immigrants and a faster paced lifestyle compared to the farm. Industrialization sped life up a bit. A two minute news film could be viewed at a commuter train station, and the viewer did not need to know the language since the films were silent or accompanied by a musical score.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.28) ‘In the beginning of the film industry, the artistry of camera work was as much the spectacle as the scene itself, and time did not a flow naturally. Modern films move a story forward temporally while the first films were more analogous to i nstant replays, showing the action from differing angles.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.33) ‘The Brighton School of Filmmakers, a British group, experimented with and developed camera angles, moving camera shots, close-ups and point-of-view shots. This innovative technology allowed films to tell more compelling stories, and â€Å"modern† cinema was born. ‘(Sklar, 1993, p.37) ‘When films told stories, they competed with live stage, vaudeville and burlesque. Rather than embrace this innovation, vaudeville and burlesque rejected the new technology and films moved to permanent movie houses, theaters known as nickelodeons.’ (Sklar, 1993, p.47) Now entertainment and news were combined to compete in the urban market. The very early film industry was confused. Harold Lloyd wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own productions. Mack Senate produced and directed his films, but often wrote them as the cameras were rolling, an advantage in silent films. Howard H ughes bought the RKO studios, but kept his office at Goldwyn’s. The Golden Age of Hollywood served to organize and industrialize film making. In the Henry Ford image of mass production, producers and directors were meant to turn out volume. As movie houses began to win the competition with stage performances, and innovation such as talkies emerged, many old vaudeville performers entered the film industry as a more profitable means of entertaining. ‘Notably the Marx Brothers and other ensemble casts became movie stars. Irving Thalberg of MGM studios market researched his audience reactions by sending the Marx Brothers on the road to perform their musical

Recruitment At Richer Sounds Essay Example for Free

Recruitment At Richer Sounds Essay John Clayton is the training and recruitment director within the business. His two key areas are the colleague support or the recruitment/training office. He works closely with the manager of colleague support, Tracey Armstrong. Richer Sounds personal views on Recruitment Richer Sounds always tries to recruit people who have friendly personalities and like to enjoy their work. The company looks for these keys on candidates rather than much of their grades because normally these people normally start to work as a sales person or work in the support department. The promotion policy in Richer Sounds enables efficiently working colleagues to be promoted up in the company rather than recruiting new employees who have no understanding within the business. Richer Sounds only recruit employees if they need someone who has the skills to do particular work such as professional in I.T. How Richer Sounds advertise for new colleagues Within every edition of the in-store catalogue and website they advertise their vacancies, these vacancies are usually for needs of new sales person or need new employees to work in the departments. This generates ongoing application from many interested people. If there are no vacancies at that time then they keep all record of people who applied, for about six months. Colleagues are also able to advice his/hers friends o relatives to work in the company, however these applicants should also follow the same rule of application as all other people. These adverts causes the company to save major amount of money each time because if they would publish it on the newspaper everytime then they would have to pay certain amount to the newspaper company therefore this idea of having to publish on their catalogues and website is good idea. If the company doesnt receive any phone call from any people regarding the job then finally the company will have to publish it on the newspapers. For specialist employees to recruit the company notifies the vacancy to the employment agency. The recruitment process at richer sounds The recruitment process is shown on the following steps: Identify any vacancies within the business Advertise the vacancies The company the looks through all the CVs relevant to that store or department They schedule for interviews with appropriate store or department manager. In Richer Sound all managers have completed their Managers Development Course and while doing they also received training on interview, how to interview a candidate. The applicant which is been successful is been given a trial day to work at richer sounds If all the interview and trial day is completed and the candidates are successful then the candidates can either send an application form which states that he/she is agreeing to work with richer sounds. Next all these new candidates have to meet either Jez Avens, John Clayton or Lee Nelson for their final approval When the company receives the application form, the business then sends these forms for references and as the candidate gets one or more good reference he/she is offered the job. They then write a letter to the candidate, which also includes the statement of terms of employment. Final step for the company is to send off letters to all candidates given an interview regarding that they have given this job to someone. This is given so the candidates would know if he/she would get the job. The company policy and rules Richer sounds have several policies on recruitment so they do not operate within the law but also operate truthfully. These include The companys equal opportunities statement. The test shouldnt require high level of English Richer Sounds never ask a woman about their family

Science at work research Essay Example for Free

Science at work research Essay For this project I have sent a letter to each company, I have emailed 1 of the companies and visited 2 of the companies in order to help me with my research. Although not all companies gave me the relevant information, I also used the internet to help me fill in the missing gaps. Production Organisations The only product organisation I have chosen to do is Dulux. Dulux is a paint company. Dulux Customer Care Centre ICI Paints Wexham Road Slough SL2 5DS Tel: 08444 817 817 Dulux produce a wide range of different paints and products both interior and exterior to help you paint. Here are a few examples of what products they make. Paint Paint is any liquid liquefiable or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to a solid film. Products made for interior:Paint pod: Paintpod roller system, Paintpod matt emulsion, Paintpod silk emulsion, Paintpod 2m extension tube, Paintpod extra reach handle, Paintpod roller sleeve, Paintpod dip tube, Paintpod edging brush, Paintpod spare parts Main Range: Matt, Natural hints matt, Feature wall matt, Soft sheen, Solid emulsions matt, Solid emulsions silk, Non-drip gloss, Satin wood, Professional liquid gloss, Pure brilliant white eggshell, Quick dry gloss, Quick dry satin wood, Tile paint, Cupboard paint. Exterior products: Products made for exterior:Main range: non-drip gloss, professional liquid gloss. Once: Gloss. Weathersheild: smooth masonry paint, textured masonry paint, ready to roll smooth masonry paint, exterior gloss, exterior satin, exterior one coat gloss, exterior undercoat, exterior stablishing primer, multi-surface fungicidal wash, exterior preservative primer. What Science is involved? Paint is manufactured with mineral fillers (clay and limestone) and pigments from various minerals. Paint contains four basic ingredients pigments, resin solvents and additives. Each has a different purpose. The pigment is for colour, resin is a binder, the solvent carries the pigment and resin from the paintbrush to the wall, the additive is added to change or improve its characteristics, in paint it is added to help the paint stick better. Making the paste: Pigment manufacturers send bags of pigments to the paint factory where it is them premixed with the resin, the solvent and additives to form a paste. Dispersing the pigment: The paste mixture is then routed to a sand mill (shown below) this agitates tiny particles of sand to grind the pigment particles to make them smaller then dispersing them throughout the mixture. The mixture will then be filtered to remove the sand particles. Although not all paint companys use a sand mill, instead they may be used in a high speed dispersion tank. (Shown below) here the premixed paste is subjected to high speed agitation by a circular toothed blade attached to the rotating shaft. Using this process will blend the pigments into the solvent Thinning the paste: No matter how it is dispersed whether by sand mill or dispersion tank the paste must be thinned to produce the final product. The paste is transferred to a large kettle where it is agitated with the right amount of solvent to match the paint desired. Canning the paint: The paint is then pumped into the canning room. Empty cans are rolled horizontally onto labels the set upright for the paint to be pumped into them. A machine will then place the lids onto the filled cans and a second machine will press the lid so it is sealed. The handles are then made and cut by a bolometer before hooking them into the holes made on the cans. The cans are then boxed and sent to the warehouse. Health and safety act: The health and safety act defines general duties on employers, employees, contractors, suppliers of goods and substances for use at work, person in control of work premises and people who manage and maintain them. The act enables a regime of regulations by the government ministers through the statutory instrument. They created an extensive system of specific provisions for various industries, including discipline and risks. It enforces powers backed by criminal sanctions extending to unlimited fines and imprisonment for up to 2 years. The act provides a critical interface with the law of European Union on workplace health and safety. How is the HS act used in Dulux? The health and safety act will be used in Dulux to make sure that paint is not left on the floor and so that the company is a safe environment to work in. listed below are a few ways in which they will ensure health and safety:   They are to make sure there is no paint left on the floor to ensure no accident occur   They are to make sure Special clothes will be worn to protect the workers from toxic chemicals. They will Ensure that all equipment is safe to use to help prevent accident occurring   They will ensure that All fire exits are clearly marked and not covered so easy access incase of a fire   All rules and regulations are clearly stated, visible and always followed. There is a fire safety point Cleary situated.   Ensure all fire alarms work Service organisations The 1st service organisation I have chosen to do is within the health care system. I have chosen to do a hospital. I will research manor hospital. Manor Hospital Moat Road, Walsall, WS2 9PS 01922 721172. Manor hospital offers a wide range of services from AE to Vascular surgery. I have listed a few below:   AE   Cancer services   Care of the elderly Dermatology   Ear, nose and throat surgery   Maternity Orthodontics   Pharmacy and medicines   Sexual health Therapy services   Urology   Vascular surgery Manor hospital is a place where you can get medical treatment. They help you in a variety of different ways. I have chosen to do focus my project on the AE What Science Is Involved? In the AE there are a variety of different sciences involved. Although not all are used daily. There are some things that you may not be aware off that use science. The AE is a place where you go if you have been involved in an accident. They deal with all accidents and emergencys ranging from a sprain up to a breakage of a bone. Although this may seem like no science is involved there is. Biology is mainly used because its deals with the human body. They need to have a biology degree. For example if somebody were to come into AE with a nail in there hand, they would have to use the biology in order to figure out the best treatment n how to go about getting the nail out. Would they just pull it out or would they operate? After deciding this they will need to sterilise the nail in order to stop the micro-organism infecting the wound. This is another form of science involved. After that if they choose to operate they will use anaesthetic. Although this may seem as if this is not using science it is. This is used to temporarily reduce sensation so that painful procedures or surgery can be performed. There are 2 types of anaesthetic:   General; makes the patient unconscious   Local; numbs the part of the body that would feel pain. They will ensure that there are enough seats available so that people are not standing around. The 2nd service organisation I have chosen to do is Berkley practice. This is a GPs practice. Berkley practice Churchill Road Walsall West midlands. WS2 0BA The Berkley practice provides a wide range of services such as:   Blood tests STI Tests   Pregnancy tests At the Berkley practice there is more than one GP available to suit your needs, as each GP may have a different area of expertise. This also may be so that it is easy access to your GP if you live close by. Although you may have a personal GP you may also chose to use a different Doctor. What Science is involved? As a dentist they will need to know a variety of different thing that involve science such as x-ray machines and chemicals. Here below are some of the sciences used. A dentist will diagnose and treat problems relating to the teeth and gums in the mouth. This means the dentist will need to know the science of the body but specifically the mouth and teeth. This will be so they can give advice about brushing and healthy eating for looking after teeth and gums. They will also need to know the science of chemicals and antibiotics so that they are able to provide proper protection and pain relief. Dentist will also need to know the science of x-rays machines and other equipment so that they can be used safely and easily without accidents occurring. Finally dentist will need to know the science of infectious diseases so that he can prevent them happening whilst providing treatment. Health and safety: Like in the hospital the GP may have some of the same constraints to ensure safety. Ensure all equipment is clean and safe to use   Ensure that gloves are worn when treating a patient   All needles will be put into a container   A fire safety point clearly stated   Ensure that all rules and regulations are stated, visible and always followed.   Ensure that all fire alarms work The 3rd service organisation I have chosen to do is Darlaston leisure centre Victoria Road Darlaston Walsall WS10 8AP Telephone 0121 526 7473 Fax 0121 568 7379 Darlaston leisure centre offers a wide range of activities and facilities such as:   Childrens gym Adults gym   Swimming pool   Tanning studio   Swimming lessons   Vending area   Spectators area steam rooms   holiday camps Darlaston leisure centre also caters for disabled people by providing disabled access, parking and disabled changing facilities. What Science is involved? Chlorine: Chlorine is the chemical that is often used to keep swimmingpools free of bacteria that can be hazardous to humans. It kills bacteria through a simple chemical reaction. The chlorine solution breaks down into different chemicals including hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite ion. Both of these kill micro organisms and bacteria by attacking the lipids in the cell walls and destroying enzymes and structures inside the cell, thus making them harmless. If not enough hypochlorous acid present the cleaning process can take much longer. After the cleaning process both chemicals either combine with another or are broken down into single atoms, this then makes the chlorine harmless. Although chlorine is good for swimming pools it may also produce side effects such as; Itching; chlorine may have an itching effect on some skin, more likely to affect people with sensitive skin.   The smell; chlorine has a distinctive smell that some people may find sickly   Fading clothes; clothes may begin to fade if being exposed to chlorine for to long, such as your swimming costume around summertime.   Inhaling; inhaling a massive mount of chlorine may be hazardous to your breathing. Health and safety Darlaston leisure centre will also be a service provider that uses the health and safety act 1974. They will use this to ensure that all children using the facilities are safe. They may do this by:   ensuring there are ore than 2 staff watching the pools at all times   ensuring all fire exits are clearly labelled and visible   Ensuring that staff is watching children whilst in the gym children should not be in the gym as accidents may occur. Children should be out having fun. The equipment used may be too complicated for them. The age range for this gym is 8-16.   ensuring all food available is able to eat clearly stating the rules and regulation of the centre and are always followed  Ã‚  making sure that there are qualified first aiders available  Ã‚  ensure that a fire safety point is clearly situated ensure that all fire alarms work Below are copies of the emails and letters sent to the companies in order to help me with my research? Letters: This is the letter that I used to send to all of the companies. I edited the letter in order for it to be suitable for the companies. Dear whom ever this may concern, My name is Jaymie lee Howard I am 17 years old and am currently at 6thform, I am studying applied science. At the moment we are currently doing organisations using science. I am using your company as part of my coursework and was hoping you could answer these questions for me in order to help me. I would like to ask you if you could please answer these questions for me. 1) What type of work takes place within your company? 2) What science is used to help make the products offered for service? 3) What health and safety constraints do you have? 4) Does everybody follow the health and safety act? It would really helpful if you could answer these questions for me as they are not displayed on the website. Thank you for your time, Yours sincerely, Jaymie-lee Howard I also used this layout for my emails.

The Opening Sequence Of Mary Poppins Film Studies Essay

The Opening Sequence Of Mary Poppins Film Studies Essay The opening sequence of Mary Poppins shows a backdrop of the city of London. Credits scroll by as the camera pans from right to left on the backdrop until it zooms in on Mary Poppins, (Julie Andrews), sitting on a cloud. A medley of songs: Feed the Birds, A Spoonful of Sugar, and Chim, Chim, Cher-ee play in the background. Finally, the camera pans down to a park where Bert, (Dick Van Dyke) sings and plays a one-man-band to a crowd of onlookers. He begs a tip from an affluent audience and then leads the viewer to Cherry Tree Lane. This introduces the story, characters, and location of the film. Bert tells of a changing wind, which suggests that Mary Poppins is arriving. Using the same backdrop of London at the beginning and the end brings the movie full-circle when the wind changes again and Mary returns to the clouds. At the end of the movie, Mary leaves while the Banks family flies kites together. Bert says goodbye to Mary on her way back to the clouds over London. The song, Lets Go Fly a Kite plays as credits roll past. The movies theme is that only a tuppence of change can make a difference. Mary Poppins brings that change when she teaches the Banks family that little things like a tuppence for feeding birds, making chores fun when the children clean their rooms, and going for imaginary outings in the park can make a difference in the their lives. The opening scene sets up this theme when Bert expects a tip from his well-dressed audience. Some give generously to help him, but others dont give anything at all. Did you find the aforementioned film to be satisfying and/or entertaining? Did it make an impact that will be lasting? Will you or will you not recommend it to others? Why? Mary Poppins is an entertaining childrens movie, although I dont care for other musicals. It reiterates how I feel about doing small things that make a difference to help others. I recommend this movie to parents of young children because I think it would appeal to a young audience. It has great music like A Spoonful of Sugar, animated scenes of penguin waiters, and colorful carousel ponies that children would like. Isolate a five-to-ten minute continuous stretch of the required film from Lesson 4 or Lesson 5. As an exercise, turn off the sound and watch for every cut in a scene(s). Briefly describe a number of editing cuts you see. Be explicit about what film stretch you observed and what editing cuts are evidenced. Is the cutting conspicuous or inconspicuous, rapid or slow, smooth or jarring? What is the point of the cutting in each scene(s)? To clarify? Lyricize? Create suspense? Explore an emotion or idea in depth? Explain. Describe how the action is pictured in these cuts. In scene 13, Mary and the children visit Uncle Albert. They walk down an alley to a building. The camera cuts to a low angle shot of Mary at the door. After Bert opens the door for them to come inside, the scene cuts to a shot inside Uncle Alberts home. A medium shot shows Bert, Mary, and the children (Mat Garber, Karen Dotrice) standing by a stairway. The camera pans and follows them through another doorway. The scene cuts to another room they all go in. The camera pans to an establishing long shot of everyone in the room including Uncle Albert (Ed Wynn) who sits in the air near the ceiling. The next cut is a high angle shot from Uncle Alberts point of view looking down to Mary, Bert, and the children. It cuts to a close-up of Uncle Albert laughing and gesturing with his hands. Then a cut to a high angle reaction shot of the childrens faces as they see Uncle Albert. Several reaction shots, low or high angle shots, and close-ups cut back and forth from Uncle Albert laughing and tumbl ing in the air, to the children laughing, to Bert trying to keep from laughing, and Mary admonishing them. A cut to a long shot for reestablishing everyones place in the room keeps viewers focused. Finally, all four characters join Uncle Albert in the air for tea. The conspicuous and classical cuts jump back and forth quickly, but they are smooth and give emotional details of the facial expressions of the characters and physical details of where everyone is in the room. For instance, one can see that Mary disapproves when she rolls her eyes, glares down at the children, or looks crossly at Bert in several two shot cuts. In other cuts the camera shows disorienting shots of Uncle Albert near the ceiling, or follows him as he tumbles around. Using the required film viewed from Lesson 2, 4, or 5, concentrate on sound effects in one scene with quite a bit of movement. Describe the different sounds/noises in the scene and how they are used. Watch this one scene again without sound. How do sound effects contribute to the impact of the scene? As with #3, be explicit about what scene you observed for sounds and movement. In the Step in Time dance number of scene 19, chimney sweeps dance on rooftops. Dancers keep time with the rhythmic music, but no tapping feet are heard. The music seems to tap the beat for them. When the songs lyrics say, act like a birdie, a shrill whistle mimics a birds sound. When Admiral Boom (Reginald Owen) fires on the dancers, the audience hears hissing, pops, and booms of rockets soaring through the air with whizzing sounds. Without sound, the chimney sweeps appear to be marching to war. This might be confusing when Admiral Boom fires rockets across the sky, but the cheerful vocals and the beat of the music soften the scene so the viewer is entertained instead of misinterpreting it as a war scene or being bored by its length. Using the required film viewed from Lesson 2, 4, or 5, describe how music is employed. What type of musical score does the film feature-orchestral music, jazz music, ballroom music, vocals, etc.? What types of musical instruments are heard? List several instruments. Is music used to underline speech or is it employed only for action or dance scenes? What precise songs, tunes, or vocal performances are prominent? The music in Mary Poppins sets the tempo of the movie and allows characters to sing what is happening instead of using boring dialogue. For instance, Mrs. Banks (Glynnis Johns) sings about her role in helping Womens Votes, and Mr. Banks (David Tomlinson) sings about keeping his home on schedule. The film uses vocals and orchestra music throughout the movie. Violins, cellos, drums, flutes, trombones, harps, cymbals, and tubas can be heard in the orchestra. The movie depends on vocals and music to underline speech and tell its story; however the chimneysweep Step in Time sequence uses the music for action and dance. Other favorite songs of the movie are A Spoonful of Sugar, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, and Chim, Chim, Cher-ee. Now a Disney classic, Mary Poppins is a favorite of children and adults.

Archetype of Ulysses in the Odyssey :: essays research papers

We have read an adventurous story called The Odyssey. It was about a hero named Ulysses who goes through many conflicts to get home. He has faced monsters to beautiful women, but he still got home. Ulysses fits the model of an archetype. There are three ways he fits into the model. One way that Ulysses fits into the model of an archetype is that he has a supernatural power. An archetype means an original pattern. Ullyses has the abilities of strength. He is also very clever. Ulysses has alot of strength because he can bend the bow to connect it but no one else could. He had also liffted his men onto his ship two by two. He is also very clever because he outwitted many of the monsters he faced. For example, when Ulysses faced the cyclops Polyphemus he planned to blind his one eye. It was really clever when Ulysses and his men hid under the sheeps. Another way that Ulysses fits the model of an archetype is that he has flaws.In other words he is not perfect.If he was perfect he would be boring and it wouldn"t be interesting if he does the amazingest thing.It wouldn"t be interesting because you would already expect that from someone who is perfect.One of Ulysses flaw is that he is greedy. In the beginning of the story when Ulysses won the war between Troy he had taken all the treasures. He had taken so many there ship barely had room for food. Then when they went to more places he got greedy and took more treasures now leaving no room for food.That is why Ulysses and his men went hungry. He is also a little stubborn because when he saw his men eating the cattle that was forbidden to eat he had gotten all mad but, when his men convinced him he ate. The third reason why Ulysses fits the model of an archetype is because he had someone supernatural help him. The supernatural someone was Athena who helped Ulysses and helped him make important decisions . Athena is the godess of wisdom and it wasn't a coincidence that Ulysses was also clever.

A Place to Go - Original Writing :: Papers

A Place to Go - Original Writing Night after night I had passed the strange location. I began to recognize it and became aware of every detail. I found the building light in the same way. My eyes became attracted, addicted to this place, every eve it beckoned me to return. Simply gazing on it seemed to provide a relaxation, it warmed me. My body became accustomed to its feeling and presence; I found it, almost difficult to leave it. Despite this I had to carry on, they where close behind me now. This was not the first time that I had passed the building and approached it with curiosity. I had wandered here before. This building seemed of some overwhelming significance, when near I felt pathetic and feeble, this building, mansion or 'castle' seemed to posses some great inhuman power far beyond my conceivable imagination. As previously I waited and rested near to the building, my back lay vertical against the huge wall, again this unbelievable feeling of nostalgia, anomalous refreshment and suspicion passed through the very material of my being. It happened suddenly. I was unrepentant, almost unaware of this 'attack' I was about to undergo. I felt a hard thud to my right, this failed to affect me, and I was dazed and confused by the sheer marvel of this magic place. The second warning was more obvious and harder to ignore. A hand was placed on my shoulder. The way in which it touched me was indescribable, there was no feeling or emotion in this being I was now contemplating. I pondered its nature for a while, until the hand did seem to posses a feeling, an emotion; the hand now gripped my shoulder with intensity, a feeling of urgency and aggression showered over me. I was now left with now choice but to confront this creature. I slowly turned my head. I could see, in the corner of my eye a man. A tall man. A big man. An old man and an interesting man. This aggression and urgency flourished and eventually disappeared,

Pride and Predjudice - Money and Marriage :: English Literature

The novel Pride and Predjudice is based on money and marriage. Discuss. The novel reflects society at the time in which it was written, womens powerlessness in a patriarichal society. Men dominated all walks of life and expected women to attend their every need. In order to secure a "safe future" for themselves women expended a lot of time and energy learning skills with which to attract a man of substance. Indeed Darcys view was 'A woman must have a thourough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing and the modern languages' an extremely tall order for any one. The major themes of money and marriage are indeed married together in the opening lines of this novel 'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man, in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife'. During this period of time moral themes such as love and respect did not play a pivotal role in marriage. Charlotte Lucas remarks, 'if the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to eachother it does not advance their felicity in the least and it is better to know as little as possible about the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life'. In this day a nd age a very strange notion indeed. Charlotte Lucas did not believe that she deserved to be happy in a marriage. When she married Mr. Collins they were strangers and remained so. Marriage in the early nineteenth century was an economic contract and in the case of the Bennet girls a means of financial security and social acceptability. Therefore Mrs. Bennets life revolved around her daughters security, 'The business of her life was to get her daughters married' and, 'A single man of large fortune what a fine thing for our girls'. Mrs. Bennets own marriage was not a happy one. Mr Bennet found retreat in his library. When he first married he was 'captivated by youth and beauty and that appearance of good humour had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to real affection.. all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown..' A womans entire social,emotional and economic future depended entirely on how wealthy her husband would be. So time spent in pursuit of a wealthy mate was a matter of survival in the upper class. If you happened to like or love that mate it was a highly beneficial bonus. 'Happiness in a marriage is entirely a matter of chance'. It is sad that three of the marriages in the novel ended up as unhappy unions. The Bennets marriage was based on physical attraction.