Philosophy Oedipus and Aristotle - 1255 Words

Through Aristotle’s specific definition of a tragic hero, it can be concluded that Oedipus is a tragic hero. Oedipus The King was written by a well-known tragic dramatist named Sophocles. This story is considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time. In fact, the Marjorie Barstow of the Classical Weekly says that it â€Å"fulfills the function of a tragedy, and arouses fear and pity in the highest degree† (Barstow). It is also very controversial because of the relationship that Oedipus has with his mother, although it was unknown at the time that they were related. The qualifications of a tragic hero, according to Aristotle, include coming from a royal family and falling from power due to actions that only the protagonist can take†¦show more content†¦After Oedpius and Jocasta are married, Oedipus makes it his goal to find out who killed the former king. His determination to find the murderer actually shows part of his good character. It portrays him as a caring and loving king, as he was so vigorously looking for the killer because it was what was best for the people and for his family. This loving character helps the audience pity him, overlooking some of the bigger flaws in his character. However, this act also exemplifies one of Oedpus’ biggest character flaws. Being a very prideful man, Oedipus fails to even consider that he himself was the one to kill the former king. This concept is called hubris, or excessive pride. It is fair to say that Oedipus’ greatest act of hubris is when he tries so hard to deny his fate. His prophecy was that he was destined to murder his father and marry his mother. By trying to deny his fate, he ironically fulfills it. He is so determined not to that he will not even consider the possibility that he was the murderer of the former king. This character flaw is another example of how Oedipus is a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition. His excessive pride is a charac ter flaw that cannot be overlooked and causes him to deny having any part of the murder. Aristotle described how the protagonist of the story must have a fall from power. This ties into the term hamartia. Oedipus’ hamartia and his tragic flaw are often confused to have theShow MoreRelatedIs Oedipus Rex A High Minded Man?782 Words   |  3 Pages11  October,  2014   Does  Oedipus  fit  the  qualities  of  a  high ­minded  man?      In   Greek   society   entertainment,   like   the   theatre,   was   an   enormous   part   of   many   lives.   Theatre   represented   a   culture   and   values   found   in   Greek   society.   Theatre   was   also   a   way   for   many   different   of   people   to   enjoy   similar   things,   despite   being   from   different   classes.   ​ Oedipus   Rex   was   one   of   the   major   plays   shown   in   Greek   society.   Sophocles’   Oedipus   Rex   ​ tells   the   hardship  Read More tragoed Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) as Ideal Tragic Hero1245 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex as the Ideal Tragic Hero If we give ourselves up to a full sympathy with the hero, there is no question that the Oedipus Rex fulfills the function of a tragedy, and arouses fear and pity in the highest degree. But the modern reader, coming to the classic drama not entirely for the purpose of enjoyment, will not always surrender himself to the emotional effect. He is apt to worry about Greek fatalism and the justice of the downfall of Oedipus, and, finding no satisfactory solutionRead MoreOedipus The King, A Tragic Hero Story Of Fate1495 Words   |  6 Pages OEDIPUS THE KING, A TRAGIC HERO STORY OF FATE Pamela A. Long L26269572 ENGL 102 Professor Givens March 2, 2015 Turabian Sophocles is one of the great ancient Greek tragedians in the history of drama. In the play â€Å"Oedipus the King,† Oedipus is an excellent example of fate happening to a tragic hero. In addition, this play has all the elements of tragedy; human weakness, powerless, suffering, and one not having control of his own destiny. As a result, â€Å"Oedipus the King†Read MoreOpedipus, a tragic hero Essay example1708 Words   |  7 PagesOutline Thesis Statement: Oedipus is the embodiment of Aristotle’s characterization of a tragic hero through his ability to preserve his virtue and wisdom, despite his flaws and predicament. Introduction I. Sophocles’ Oedipus: A Tragic Hero A. Definition of a tragic hero B. Oedipus Character as it relates II. Tragedy A. Language of Tragedy B. Tragedy as it affects the audience III. Plot A. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic plot B. Significance of the plot IV. Virtue and Morality Read MoreTragic Hero1598 Words   |  7 PagesHero From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A tragic hero is a protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his demise. The concept of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle. Usually, the realization of fatal flaw results in catharsis or epiphany. The tragic flaw is sometimes referred to as an Achilles heel after the single fatal flaw of the Greek warrior Achilles. [citation needed] Aristotelian tragic hero InRead MoreOedipus The King Analysis1235 Words   |  5 Pageslegacy memorable plays still live along generations today. One of his most famous plays that tends to be memorable to most people is Oedipus the king because Oedipus is an obvlious ignorant king who tries to blame everyone in his circle and soon realizes hes the killer, and runs away from all of the chaos. In the short article, written by Bernard Knox it relates to Oedipus the king because of how civilization is like in the city of Thebes and how there is conflicts within and outside the kingdom. AlsoRead More The Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia2178 Words   |  9 PagesThe Philosophy and Psychology of Sophocles’s Antigone and The Eumenides in Aeschylus’ Oresteia There is a consensus among readers of the poetry or plays written in the fifth century that the plays succeed with inspiring profound movement on the audience. The methods or reasons for the reader to be moved by a text are often disputed. Specific to tragic works the concepts of philosophy and psychology are critical elements to understand the cause of the stirred emotions of individuals whoRead MoreAncient Greek Theater1235 Words   |  5 PagesCheese’s, or not letting you hang out with that dreamy hunk Bryan on Saturday. For Oedipus, killing his parents was not something petty he threatened when he got too worked up, but rather his fate. This suspenseful and masterful plot, conceived by the legendary playwright Sophocles, was one of the many groundbreaking works to come out of fifth century BC Greece. Works of ancient Greek theater, particularly Oedipus the King, embodied the spirit of innovation that fifth century BC Athens was knownRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic He ro1939 Words   |  8 PagesThesis Statement: Sophocles’ Oedipus is a perfect example of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero through the main characters prosperity to an emotional downfall caused by a tragic flaw. I. Oedipus is a Tragic Hero a. Definition of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle i. Aristotelian tragic hero is defined (Aristotle 1961, p. 1453a). b. Oedipus falling into Aristotle’s tragic hero definition i. Aristotle directs us to Oedipus the King as a tragic hero (Bruening 1997, pp. 14-15). II. How TragedyRead MorePhilosophy Is The Love Of Wisdom919 Words   |  4 PagesAs said in the Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities textbook, philosophy is the â€Å"love of wisdom.† Philosophy shows us the different forms of nature and how you see the world through logic and reasoning instead of faith and emotion. Philosophy was used to justify questions about the meaning of life, form, and human nature. The first to practice philosophy were the Greeks. â€Å"The Greeks believed that what distinguished human beings was their ability to reason, and thus the philosopher

Carl Rogers And The Humanistic Psychology Movement Essay

The field of psychology has evolved considerably in the last century and Carl Rogers (1902-1987) has been one of the most influential figures contributing to its growth. Rogers is considered by many to be the leader of the humanistic psychology movement. He spent the majority of his professional career demonstrating â€Å"how supportive, growth-producing conditions can unleash healing, responsible self-direction, and creativity in individuals and groups in all walks of life† (Kirschenbaum, 2004, p.121). Today, more than half a century after publishing his theories, Rogers’ conditions for effective therapy have continued to serve as a foundation for mental health professionals around the world, regardless of their theoretical orientations. Rogers’ Early Years Rogers grew up in the Midwest with his parents, four brothers, and sister. His parents were extremely conservative Protestants. They led family prayers on a daily basis and made every attempt to protect their children from the corrupt influences in society (Kirschenbaum, 2004). Rogers was a sensitive child and was easily hurt by his family’s teasing; however, expressing feelings was not encouraged in the Rogers’ household (Kirschenbaum, 2004). These early experiences Rogers experienced with his family may be the most influential aspects of his childhood that contributed to the development of his theories and the importance of understanding the subjective inner experience of the client. 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A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-nine Free Essays

Sansa Sansa rode to the Hand’s tourney with Septa Mordane and Jeyne Poole, in a litter with curtains of yellow silk so fine she could see right through them. They turned the whole world gold. Beyond the city walls, a hundred pavilions had been raised beside the river, and the common folk came out in the thousands to watch the games. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-nine or any similar topic only for you Order Now The splendor of it all took Sansa’s breath away; the shining armor, the great chargers caparisoned in silver and gold, the shouts of the crowd, the banners snapping in the wind . . . and the knights themselves, the knights most of all. â€Å"It is better than the songs,† she whispered when they found the places that her father had promised her, among the high lords and ladies. Sansa was dressed beautifully that day, in a green gown that brought out the auburn of her hair, and she knew they were looking at her and smiling. They watched the heroes of a hundred songs ride forth, each more fabulous than the last. The seven knights of the Kingsguard took the field, all but Jaime Lannister in scaled armor the color of milk, their cloaks as white as freshfallen snow. Ser Jaime wore the white cloak as well, but beneath it he was shining gold from head to foot, with a lion’s-head helm and a golden sword. Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain That Rides, thundered past them like an avalanche. Sansa remembered Lord Yohn Royce, who had guested at Winterfell two years before. â€Å"His armor is bronze, thousands and thousands of years old, engraved with magic runes that ward him against harm,† she whispered to Jeyne. Septa Mordane pointed out Lord Jason Mallister, in indigo chased with silver, the wings of an eagle on his helm. He had cut down three of Rhaegar’s bannermen on the Trident. The girls giggled over the warrior priest Thoros of Myr, with his flapping red robes and shaven head, until the septa told them that he had once scaled the walls of Pyke with a flaming sword in hand. Other riders Sansa did not know; hedge knights from the Fingers and Highgarden and the mountains of Dorne, unsung freeriders and new-made squires, the younger sons of high lords and the heirs of lesser houses. Younger men, most had done no great deeds as yet, but Sansa and Jeyne agreed that one day the Seven Kingdoms would resound to the sound of their names. Ser Balon Swann. Lord Bryce Caron of the Marches. Bronze Yohn’s heir, Ser Andar Royce, and his younger brother Ser Robar, their silvered steel plate filigreed in bronze with the same ancient runes that warded their father. The twins Ser Horas and Ser Hobber, whose shields displayed the grape cluster sigil of the Redwynes, burgundy on blue. Patrek Mallister, Lord Jason’s son. Six Freys of the Crossing: Ser Jared, Ser Hosteen, Ser Danwell, Ser Emmon, Ser Theo, Ser Perwyn, sons and grandsons of old Lord Walder Frey, and his bastard son Martyn Rivers as well. Jeyne Poole confessed herself frightened by the look of Jalabhar Xho, an exile prince from the Summer Isles who wore a cape of green and scarlet feathers over skin as dark as night, but when she saw young Lord Beric Dondarrion, with his hair like red gold and his black shield slashed by lightning, she pronounced herself willing to marry him on the instant. The Hound entered the lists as well, and so too the king’s brother, handsome Lord Renly of Storm’s End. Jory, Alyn, and Harwin rode for Winterfell and the north. â€Å"Jory looks a beggar among these others,† Septa Mordane sniffed when he appeared. Sansa could only agree. Jory’s armor was blue-grey plate without device or ornament, and a thin grey cloak hung from his shoulders like a soiled rag. Yet he acquitted himself well, unhorsing Horas Redwyne in his first joust and one of the Freys in his second. In his third match, he rode three passes at a freerider named Lothor Brune whose armor was as drab as his own. Neither man lost his seat, but Brune’s lance was steadier and his blows better placed, and the king gave him the victory. Alyn and Harwin fared less well; Harwin was unhorsed in his first tilt by Ser Meryn of the Kingsguard, while Alyn fell to Ser Balon Swann. The jousting went all day and into the dusk, the hooves of the great warhorses pounding down the lists until the field was a ragged wasteland of torn earth. A dozen times Jeyne and Sansa cried out in unison as riders crashed together, lances exploding into splinters while the commons screamed for their favorites. Jeyne covered her eyes whenever a man fell, like a frightened little girl, but Sansa was made of sterner stuff. A great lady knew how to behave at tournaments. Even Septa Mordane noted her composure and nodded in approval. The Kingslayer rode brilliantly. He overthrew Ser Andar Royce and the Marcher Lord Bryce Caron as easily as if he were riding at rings, and then took a hard-fought match from white-haired Barristan Selmy, who had won his first two tilts against men thirty and forty years his junior. Sandor Clegane and his immense brother, Ser Gregor the Mountain, seemed unstoppable as well, riding down one foe after the next in ferocious style. The most terrifying moment of the day came during Ser Gregor’s second joust, when his lance rode up and struck a young knight from the Vale under the gorget with such force that it drove through his throat, killing him instantly. The youth fell not ten feet from where Sansa was seated. The point of Ser Gregor’s lance had snapped off in his neck, and his life’s blood flowed out in slow pulses, each weaker than the one before. His armor was shiny new; a bright streak of fire ran down his outstretched arm, as the steel caught the light. Then the sun went behind a cloud, and it was gone. His cloak was blue, the color of the sky on a clear summer’s day, trimmed with a border of crescent moons, but as his blood seeped into it, the cloth darkened and the moons turned red, one by one. Jeyne Poole wept so hysterically that Septa Mordane finally took her off to regain her composure, but Sansa sat with her hands folded in her lap, watching with a strange fascination. She had never seen a man die before. She ought to be crying too, she thought, but the tears would not come. Perhaps she had used up all her tears for Lady and Bran. It would be different if it had been Jory or Ser Rodrik or Father, she told herself. The young knight in the blue cloak was nothing to her, some stranger from the Vale of Arryn whose name she had forgotten as soon as she heard it. And now the world would forget his name too, Sansa realized; there would be no songs sung for him. That was sad. After they carried off the body, a boy with a spade ran onto the field and shoveled dirt over the spot where he had fallen, to cover up the blood. Then the jousts resumed. Ser Balon Swann also fell to Gregor, and Lord Renly to the Hound. Renly was unhorsed so violently that he seemed to fly backward off his charger, legs in the air. His head hit the ground with an audible crack that made the crowd gasp, but it was just the golden antler on his helm. One of the tines had snapped off beneath him. When Lord Renly climbed to his feet, the commons cheered wildly, for King Robert’s handsome young brother was a great favorite. He handed the broken tine to his conqueror with a gracious bow. The Hound snorted and tossed the broken antler into the crowd, where the commons began to punch and claw over the little bit of gold, until Lord Renly walked out among them and restored the peace. By then Septa Mordane had returned, alone. Jeyne had been feeling ill, she explained; she had helped her back to the castle. Sansa had almost forgotten about Jeyne. Later a hedge knight in a checkered cloak disgraced himself by killing Beric Dondarrion’s horse, and was declared forfeit. Lord Beric shifted his saddle to a new mount, only to be knocked right off it by Thoros of Myr. Ser Aron Santagar and Lothor Brune tilted thrice without result; Ser Aron fell afterward to Lord Jason Mallister, and Brune to Yohn Royce’s younger son, Robar. In the end it came down to four; the Hound and his monstrous brother Gregor, Jaime Lannister the Kingslayer, and Ser Loras Tyrell, the youth they called the Knight of Flowers. Ser Loras was the youngest son of Mace Tyrell, the Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South. At sixteen, he was the youngest rider on the field, yet he had unhorsed three knights of the Kingsguard that morning in his first three jousts. Sansa had never seen anyone so beautiful. His plate was intricately fashioned and enameled as a bouquet of a thousand different flowers, and his snow-white stallion was draped in a blanket of red and white roses. After each victory, Ser Loras would remove his helm and ride slowly round the fence, and finally pluck a single white rose from the blanket and toss it to some fair maiden in the crowd. His last match of the day was against the younger Royce. Ser Robar’s ancestral runes proved small protection as Ser Loras split his shield and drove him from his saddle to crash with an awful clangor in the dirt. Robar lay moaning as the victor made his circuit of the field. Finally they called for a litter and carried him off to his tent, dazed and unmoving. Sansa never saw it. Her eyes were only for Ser Loras. When the white horse stopped in front of her, she thought her heart would burst. To the other maidens he had given white roses, but the one he plucked for her was red. â€Å"Sweet lady,† he said, â€Å"no victory is half so beautiful as you.† Sansa took the flower timidly, struck dumb by his gallantry. His hair was a mass of lazy brown curls, his eyes like liquid gold. She inhaled the sweet fragrance of the rose and sat clutching it long after Ser Loras had ridden off. When Sansa finally looked up, a man was standing over her, staring. He was short, with a pointed beard and a silver streak in his hair, almost as old as her father. â€Å"You must be one of her daughters,† he said to her. He had grey-green eyes that did not smile when his mouth did. â€Å"You have the Tully look.† â€Å"I’m Sansa Stark,† she said, ill at ease. The man wore a heavy cloak with a fur collar, fastened with a silver mockingbird, and he had the effortless manner of a high lord, but she did not know him. â€Å"I have not had the honor, my lord.† Septa Mordane quickly took a hand. â€Å"Sweet child, this is Lord Petyr Baelish, of the king’s small council.† â€Å"Your mother was my queen of beauty once,† the man said quietly. His breath smelled of mint. â€Å"You have her hair.† His fingers brushed against her cheek as he stroked one auburn lock. Quite abruptly he turned and walked away. By then, the moon was well up and the crowd was tired, so the king decreed that the last three matches would be fought the next morning, before the melee. While the commons began their walk home, talking of the day’s jousts and the matches to come on the morrow, the court moved to the riverside to begin the feast. Six monstrous huge aurochs had been roasting for hours, turning slowly on wooden spits while kitchen boys basted them with butter and herbs until the meat crackled and spit. Tables and benches had been raised outside the pavilions, piled high with sweetgrass and strawberries and fresh-baked bread. Sansa and Septa Mordane were given places of high honor, to the left of the raised dais where the king himself sat beside his queen. When Prince Joffrey seated himself to her right, she felt her throat tighten. He had not spoken a word to her since the awful thing had happened, and she had not dared to speak to him. At first she thought she hated him for what they’d done to Lady, but after Sansa had wept her eyes dry, she told herself that it had not been Joffrey’s doing, not truly. The queen had done it; she was the one to hate, her and Arya. Nothing bad would have happened except for Arya. She could not hate Joffrey tonight. He was too beautiful to hate. He wore a deep blue doublet studded with a double row of golden lion’s heads, and around his brow a slim coronet made of gold and sapphires. His hair was as bright as the metal. Sansa looked at him and trembled, afraid that he might ignore her or, worse, turn hateful again and send her weeping from the table. Instead Joffrey smiled and kissed her hand, handsome and gallant as any prince in the songs, and said, â€Å"Ser Loras has a keen eye for beauty, sweet lady.† â€Å"He was too kind,† she demurred, trying to remain modest and calm, though her heart was singing. â€Å"Ser Loras is a true knight. Do you think he will win tomorrow, my lord?† â€Å"No,† Joffrey said. â€Å"My dog will do for him, or perhaps my uncle Jaime. And in a few years, when I am old enough to enter the lists, I shall do for them all.† He raised his hand to summon a servant with a flagon of iced summerwine, and poured her a cup. She looked anxiously at Septa Mordane, until Joffrey leaned over and filled the septa’s cup as well, so she nodded and thanked him graciously and said not another word. The servants kept the cups filled all night, yet afterward Sansa could not recall ever tasting the wine. She needed no wine. She was drunk on the magic of the night, giddy with glamour, swept away by beauties she had dreamt of all her life and never dared hope to know. Singers sat before the king’s pavilion, filling the dusk with music. A juggler kept a cascade of burning clubs spinning through the air. The king’s own fool, the pie-faced simpleton called Moon Boy, danced about on stilts, all in motley, making mock of everyone with such deft cruelty that Sansa wondered if he was simple after all. Even Septa Mordane was helpless before him; when he sang his little song about the High Septon, she laughed so hard she spilled wine on herself. And Joffrey was the soul of courtesy. He talked to Sansa all night, showering her with compliments, making her laugh, sharing little bits of court gossip, explaining Moon Boy’s japes. Sansa was so captivated that she quite forgot all her courtesies and ignored Septa Mordane, seated to her left. All the while the courses came and went. A thick soup of barley and venison. Salads of sweetgrass and spinach and plums, sprinkled with crushed nuts. Snails in honey and garlic. Sansa had never eaten snails before; Joffrey showed her how to get the snail out of the shell, and fed her the first sweet morsel himself. Then came trout fresh from the river, baked in clay; her prince helped her crack open the hard casing to expose the flaky white flesh within. And when the meat course was brought out, he served her himself, slicing a queen’s portion from the joint, smiling as he laid it on her plate. She could see from the way he moved that his right arm was still troubling him, yet he uttered not a word of complaint. Later came sweetbreads and pigeon pie and baked apples fragrant with cinnamon and lemon cakes frosted in sugar, but by then Sansa was so stuffed that she could not manage more than two little lemon cakes, as much as she loved them. She was wondering whether she might attempt a third when the king began to shout. King Robert had grown louder with each course. From time to time Sansa could hear him laughing or roaring a command over the music and the clangor of plates and cutlery, but they were too far away for her to make out his words. Now everybody heard him. â€Å"No,† he thundered in a voice that drowned out all other speech. Sansa was shocked to see the king on his feet, red of face, reeling. He had a goblet of wine in one hand, and he was drunk as a man could be. â€Å"You do not tell me what to do, woman,† he screamed at Queen Cersei. â€Å"I am king here, do you understand? I rule here, and if I say that I will fight tomorrow, I will fight!† Everyone was staring. Sansa saw Ser Barristan, and the king’s brother Renly, and the short man who had talked to her so oddly and touched her hair, but no one made a move to interfere. The queen’s face was a mask, so bloodless that it might have been sculpted from snow. She rose from the table, gathered her skirts around her, and stormed off in silence, servants trailing behind. Jaime Lannister put a hand on the king’s shoulder, but the king shoved him away hard. Lannister stumbled and fell. The king guffawed. â€Å"The great knight. I can still knock you in the dirt. Remember that, Kingslayer.† He slapped his chest with the jeweled goblet, splashing wine all over his satin tunic. â€Å"Give me my hammer and not a man in the realm can stand before me!† Jaime Lannister rose and brushed himself off. â€Å"As you say, Your Grace.† His voice was stiff. Lord Renly came forward, smiling. â€Å"You’ve spilled your wine, Robert. Let me bring you a fresh goblet.† Sansa started as Joffrey laid his hand on her arm. â€Å"It grows late,† the prince said. He had a queer look on his face, as if he were not seeing her at all. â€Å"Do you need an escort back to the castle?† â€Å"No,† Sansa began. She looked for Septa Mordane, and was startled to find her with her head on the table, snoring soft and ladylike snores. â€Å"I mean to say . . . yes, thank you, that would be most kind. I am tired, and the way is so dark. I should be glad for some protection.† Joffrey called out, â€Å"Dog!† Sandor Clegane seemed to take form out of the night, so quickly did he appear. He had exchanged his armor for a red woolen tunic with a leather dog’s head sewn on the front. The light of the torches made his burned face shine a dull red. â€Å"Yes, Your Grace?† he said. â€Å"Take my betrothed back to the castle, and see that no harm befalls her,† the prince told him brusquely. And without even a word of farewell, Joffrey strode off, leaving her there. Sansa could feel the Hound watching her. â€Å"Did you think Joff was going to take you himself?† He laughed. He had a laugh like the snarling of dogs in a pit. â€Å"Small chance of that.† He pulled her unresisting to her feet. â€Å"Come, you’re not the only one needs sleep. I’ve drunk too much, and I may need to kill my brother tomorrow.† He laughed again. Suddenly terrified, Sansa pushed at Septa Mordane’s shoulder, hoping to wake her, but she only snored the louder. King Robert had stumbled off and half the benches were suddenly empty. The feast was over, and the beautiful dream had ended with it. The Hound snatched up a torch to light their way. Sansa followed close beside him. The ground was rocky and uneven; the flickering light made it seem to shift and move beneath her. She kept her eyes lowered, watching where she placed her feet. They walked among the pavilions, each with its banner and its armor hung outside, the silence weighing heavier with every step. Sansa could not bear the sight of him, he frightened her so, yet she had been raised in all the ways of courtesy. A true lady would not notice his face, she told herself. â€Å"You rode gallantly today, Ser Sandor,† she made herself say. Sandor Clegane snarled at her. â€Å"Spare me your empty little compliments, girl . . . and your ser’s. I am no knight. I spit on them and their vows. My brother is a knight. Did you see him ride today?† â€Å"Yes,† Sansa whispered, trembling. â€Å"He was . . . â€Å"Gallant?† the Hound finished. He was mocking her, she realized. â€Å"No one could withstand him,† she managed at last, proud of herself. It was no lie. Sandor Clegane stopped suddenly in the middle of a dark and empty field. She had no choice but to stop beside him. â€Å"Some septa trained you well. You’re like one of those birds from the Summer Isles, aren’t you? A pretty little talking bird, repeating all the pretty little words they taught you to recite.† â€Å"That’s unkind.† Sansa could feel her heart fluttering in her chest. â€Å"You’re frightening me. I want to go now.† â€Å"No one could withstand him,† the Hound rasped. â€Å"That’s truth enough. No one could ever withstand Gregor. That boy today, his second joust, oh, that was a pretty bit of business. You saw that, did you? Fool boy, he had no business riding in this company. No money, no squire, no one to help him with that armor. That gorget wasn’t fastened proper. You think Gregor didn’t notice that? You think Ser Gregor’s lance rode up by chance, do you? Pretty little talking girl, you believe that, you’re empty-headed as a bird for true. Gregor’s lance goes where Gregor wants it to go. Look at me. Look at me!† Sandor Clegane put a huge hand under her chin and forced her face up. He squatted in front of her, and moved the torch close. â€Å"There’s a pretty for you. Take a good long stare. You know you want to. I’ve watched you turning away all the way down the kingsroad. Piss on that. Take your look.† His fingers held her jaw as hard as an iron trap. His eyes watched hers. Drunken eyes, sullen with anger. She had to look. The right side of his face was gaunt, with sharp cheekbones and a grey eye beneath a heavy brow. His nose was large and hooked, his hair thin, dark. He wore it long and brushed it sideways, because no hair grew on the other side of that face. The left side of his face was a ruin. His ear had been burned away; there was nothing left but a hole. His eye was still good, but all around it was a twisted mass of scar, slick black flesh hard as leather, pocked with craters and fissured by deep cracks that gleamed red and wet when he moved. Down by his jaw, you could see a hint of bone where the flesh had been seared away. Sansa began to cry. He let go of her then, and snuffed out the torch in the dirt. â€Å"No pretty words for that, girl? No little compliment the septa taught you?† When there was no answer, he continued. â€Å"Most of them, they think it was some battle. A siege, a burning tower, an enemy with a torch. One fool asked if it was dragonsbreath.† His laugh was softer this time, but just as bitter. â€Å"I’ll tell you what it was, girl,† he said, a voice from the night, a shadow leaning so close now that she could smell the sour stench of wine on his breath. â€Å"I was younger than you, six, maybe seven. A woodcarver set up shop in the village under my father’s keep, and to buy favor he sent us gifts. The old man made marvelous toys. I don’t remember what I got, but it was Gregor’s gift I wanted. A wooden knight, all painted up, every joint pegged separate and fixed with strings, so you could make him fight. Gregor is five years older tha n me, the toy was nothing to him, he was already a squire, near six foot tall and muscled like an ox. So I took his knight, but there was no joy to it, I tell you. I was scared all the while, and true enough, he found me. There was a brazier in the room. Gregor never said a word, just picked me up under his arm and shoved the side of my face down in the burning coals and held me there while I screamed and screamed. You saw how strong he is. Even then, it took three grown men to drag him off me. The septons preach about the seven hells. What do they know? Only a man who’s been burned knows what hell is truly like. â€Å"My father told everyone my bedding had caught fire, and our maester gave me ointments. Ointments! Gregor got his ointments too. Four years later, they anointed him with the seven oils and he recited his knightly vows and Rhaegar Targaryen tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘Arise, Ser Gregor.’ â€Å" The rasping voice trailed off. He squatted silently before her, a hulking black shape shrouded in the night, hidden from her eyes. Sansa could hear his ragged breathing. She was sad for him, she realized. Somehow, the fear had gone away. The silence went on and on, so long that she began to grow afraid once more, but she was afraid for him now, not for herself. She found his massive shoulder with her hand. â€Å"He was no true knight,† she whispered to him. The Hound threw back his head and roared. Sansa stumbled back, away from him, but he caught her arm. â€Å"No,† he growled at her, â€Å"no, little bird, he was no true knight.† The rest of the way into the city, Sandor Clegane said not a word. He led her to where the carts were waiting, told a driver to take them back to the Red Keep, and climbed in after her. They rode in silence through the King’s Gate and up torchlit city streets. He opened the postern door and led her into the castle, his burned face twitching and his eyes brooding, and he was one step behind her as they climbed the tower stairs. He took her safe all the way to the corridor outside her bedchamber. â€Å"Thank you, my lord,† Sansa said meekly. The Hound caught her by the arm and leaned close. â€Å"The things I told you tonight,† he said, his voice sounding even rougher than usual. â€Å"If you ever tell Joffrey . . . your sister, your father . . . any of them . . . â€Å" â€Å"I won’t,† Sansa whispered. â€Å"I promise.† It was not enough. â€Å"If you ever tell anyone,† he finished, â€Å"I’ll kill you.† How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-nine, Essay examples

Skywest , Inc. and the Regional Airline Industry in 2009 free essay sample

SKYWEST , INC. and the REGIONAL AIRLINE INDUSTRY IN 2009 WHAT ARE THE DOMINANT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE US REGIONAL AIRLINE INDUSTRY? Regional airlines specialize in short-haul flight services from small cities that do not have the facilities or frequency of passenger travel to support larger airports. Regional airlines used to travel shorter distances with inferior aircrafts, but today, regional aircraft are getting larger, faster, and flying longer ranges. Regional airlines are considered to be their own segment of airline carrier, the other 2 being network and low-cost. Larger regional carriers operate using a business model which relies on contracts with major carriers to generate revenue. Regional airlines sell all or most of their flights to larger carriers who offer long and short haul flights. Regional airlines conduct their businesses in one of two ways. As feeder airlines, contracting with major airlines or operating under their own brand name and providing service to small, isolated communities, where the airline is their only reasonable link to a larger town. We will write a custom essay sample on Skywest , Inc. and the Regional Airline Industry in 2009 or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this role, the term commuter airline is generally used. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE INDUSTRY TO THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL AIRLINES? Most of the revenues of the regional airline companies come from their contracts as feeder airlines for the major companies. They rely on each other in order to do business. Regional airlines that have partnerships with major national companies have an advantage because they are able to gain access to large established internet bases. In the partnership between the regional airlines and the big carriers, it is mostly the regional airline companies that control the power. This is mainly due to the fact that major airlines with international flights don’t have the capability to transport passengers from small communities to the big main airports themselves.

Call Of The Wild Essays (404 words) - English-language Films

Call Of The Wild Call of the Wild Jack London's thrilling epic tale of adventure and bravery, through the eyes of a part St. Bernard, part German Shepherd named Buck. Our story opens with the author describing the lifestyle of this pampered dog on the premises of his master's home, Judge Miller, in the Santa Clara valley. John London describes a particular gold rush that transpired in 1897 and it was named the Klondike gold rush. Very early in the story line, Buck is kidnapped by Manuel, one of the gardener's helpers, who's major weakness was gambling. Buck was sold to two men named Francois and Perrault. Buck was shipped to Alaska to serve as a sled dog during the Klondike gold rush. One of my favorite lines in the book is where John London writes; Buck's first day ashore was like a nightmare. Every hour was filled with shock and surprise. (Page 12) You can see that he is trying to convey how different his new life is now. Buck was placed among a pack of savage husky, wolf-like dogs. (Billie, Joe, Sol-leks, Dave, Spitz and Curly are just to name a few. After Buck had completed his wearisome labor his body had become feeble and weak. (Injuries also added to this dilemma later on.) The other savage animals that Buck is placed with, live by only one rule, the law of club and fang. Buck is placed in several predicaments where he must defend himself against the other savage animals and he is disciplined for it. B uck loved his 'master', John Thorton who saved Buck's life from Hal, Buck's master, prior to this event. Following his departure, Buck finds himself in the wild, trusting and depending on his primal instincts. Learning how to pursue his food is but one of the many milestones in the book that Buck must overcome. (Jack London describes how Buck hunted down a rabbit for food. Buck encountered many hazardous situations including almost being viciously attacked by a pack of wolves, before proving himself worthy of being able to defend himself to them. Having done this, Buck then becomes one of the 'pack'. He learns about his ancestry and how to answer the call of the wild. At the beginning of this story Buck lived quite a pampered life, however, an incident would change his life forever. Buck rediscovered himself, his life and the world. Book Reports

Canine Parvovirus essays

Canine Parvovirus essays There are many diseases and viruses that come in conflict with the average dog today. If no precautions are taken to prevent these viruses, chances are the dog is more than likely to contract one. One of the most common among these viruses is called canine parvovirus. Since the discovery of the canine parvovirus in 1978, the number of dogs infected has increased rapidly and tremendously (Welch). Canine parvovirus has appeared worldwide making it one of the most common viruses to dogs. It can be transmitted from canine to canine by way of contaminated feces or coming in contact with other bodily fluids of an infected animal. Since the parvovirus can be transmitted outside the animal for many years, this makes it one of the most contagious viruses. Canine parvovirus can survive outside the infected animal from one to two years, if conditions are favorable. Parvoviruses can be carried on shoes, hands, other inanimate objects, and even through dust particles in the air. Canine parvovirus is one of the most common and most contagious viruses in the United States today. The canine parvovirus is not an old virus. It developed around the year 1978. Canine parvovirus contains similar properties and characteristics of feline parvovirus, a disease found in cats. Feline parvovirus appeared before canine parvovirus, and it is believed that feline parvovirus is a variant of canine parvovirus. Both diseases are similar antigenically, and they both cause epidemic enteritis and myocarditis. Canine parvovirus though very similar biologically to the feline parvovirus, has its own recognizable properties that distinguish it from feline parvovirus (Breaux). When first discovered the canine parvovirus caused thousands of deaths among both wild and domestic canines. Canine parvovirus is a type II ssDNA virus. It is also one of the smallest viruses known to man. The canine parvovirus molecules contain palindromic sequen...

Influence Internet and Digital Technologies on Supply Chain Essay

Influence Internet and Digital Technologies on Supply Chain - Essay Example From the report it is clear that  organisations demonstrate concern on the agility of supply chain, reduction of product time cycle, efficiency, and product delivery. The essence of the above contention is to achieve high performance through introduction of effective and efficient services. The move from the traditional system to the electronic system was because of the influence created by the electronic system to the organisation performance.According to the paper findings the understanding of internet or information technology with respect to SCM would refer to a system where the organisation has no boundaries of sharing its information. Supply chain management is a process where an organisation coordinates, plans, and controls materials (goods) from supply to consumer. The chain consists of geographical facilities of distribution and links created through the transport system that connect the chain to the facilities. The chain would begin from the manufacturing organisation and would end with the consumer. The length of the chain determines the efficiency of the organisation.  Supplier to buyer relationship shows some degree of interdependence. Factors, which influence the interdependence, are bargaining power and supply power among others. The development of organisation’s strategy largely depends on its supply power.  The effectiveness of the chain would depend on the trust demonstrated by the concerned parties. Analysts contends that application of electronic system in product marketing i.e. IT reduces costs associated with coordination because it drastically cut cost of communication and the assets which offer create chain relationship (Salo and Karjaluoto, 2006:56). The competitiveness of a product in the market depends on the consumer information about the product. The essence of digital technology is to influence the traditional supply chain by creating effective operations. Study on traditional chain show that information availability i s limited thus leading to in adequate performance (Simchi-Levi, et.al. 2004:132). Communication is a vital element in the supply chain because it dictates terms of service between the suppliers and the buyers. The effectiveness of the system leads to strategic approaches, which influence the performance of the organisation. Researchers have observed that many organisations have embraced internet and other digital systems in their supply chain process. The shortcoming of the traditional chain includes limited functionality of the enterprise, inflexibility to adapt to environmental changes, limited support functionality in decision-making and limited modularity (Gordon, et.al. 2008:58). Supply Chain in the Book Industry Research on internet influence on SCM in book industry indicates that the application has an influence in the following areas procurement, supply relationship management, customer relationship management, and logistics (Wang, et.al.2011:13). The processes involved in s upply chain of books include publishing, creation, consumption and distribution. The trend is similar to other trends employed by other organisations. A bid to understand the impact of internet application to SCM leads to the following approach of explanations. Internet and other digital technologies on purchasing Availability of information through internet has influenced processes involve

Innovation and Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Innovation and Change - Assignment Example According to Dehoff (2005, 1-2) the internal factors that influence an organization’s ability to innovate and change is the decision making process within the organization, the amount and nature of information available, motivators within an organization and the structure of an organization. Furthermore, Dehoff (2005, 1) stated that organizations focus their innovation efforts on development cost, quality of services and products, and the time it takes for products and services to reach the market. This present assignment will provide answers to questions regarding innovation and change, drawing on readings and research that were previously provided. The hallmark of strategic innovation Philips et al. (2006, 175-196) conducted a research on the innovation process as well as the effective management of innovation and the findings overwhelmingly indicated that there is are set of good practices or the hallmarks for innovation that denote an effectively managed innovation process . However, these good practices are only applicable in times when there is stability in the market as well as on the products and hence, the innovations are only required to make the market and the product better. Philips et al. (2006, 183) stated that in case there is a realignment in political force, market force, and technological force an organization will be required to implement discontinuous innovation that has its own distinct set of good practices. Philips et al. (2005, 176) listed the hallmarks of strategic innovation and they include close monitoring and evaluation at each stage of innovation, active involvement of users in the innovation process, the early identification of problems with the innovation, simultaneous engineering to assist in the speedy development whilst retaining cross-functional involvement. Other hallmarks of strategic innovation are incorporation of teamwork into the process and utilization of tools such as rapid prototyping or CAD to increase speed a nd quality of the innovation process. In case of discontinuous innovation, Philips et al. (2005, 183) listed some of the good practices and they include exploring alternative future scenarios and then identifying different possibilities and building the capacity for exploring different innovation strategies at the same time. Importance of organizational features in encouraging innovation Kontoghiorghes et al. (2005, 185-2005) conducted a research study that aimed at exploring the relationship between some characteristics of learning organization and adaption of change, innovation, and the financial performance of an organization. From this study, it is possible to extract the importance of some organizational features in encouraging innovation within an organization. For example, in their study Kontoghiorghes et al. (2005, 197) stated that open communication and information sharing within an organization are the leading organization feature that have an influence on change adaptatio n, innovation, and improvement of a company’s profitability. These features encourage innovation in the sense that different stakeholders within an

Change Readiness, Resistance, and Success Term Paper

Change Readiness, Resistance, and Success - Term Paper Example Some organizations implement the theory of community of practice to drive all the employees towards a common organizational goal, where each individual acts as vital equipment in the organizational machinery (Bach and Kessler, 2012). The creation of a community allows the company to develop a team or group with a common interest that works in favor of the organizational goals (Price, 2011). This paper is focused on the use of community of practice in the four frame model. The community of practice is a group of people who are engaged in the pursuit of a common goal or objective. This group of people usually shares a common issue or concern and they work together to meet both the individual and group’s objectives. Creating a community of practice helps a firm to develop new knowledge base and generate new ideas. The key feature of the community of practice is the high level of communication among the members. The constant interaction allows them to share individual knowledge and narrow down on a particular set of activities that needs to be performed in order to meet the desired goals (Wenger, McDermott and Snyder, 2002). Community of practice helps the firm to strengthen its human resource base by improving their overall efficiency level. This is achieved by connecting the people together, thereby facilitating a seamless communication within the group and also with the higher management. The vertical communication enables the employees to receive proper guidance and direction from the managers, whereas the horizontal communication helps them to learn about each other’s strength and weakness. Depending on this, the manager can make proper allocation of different roles and responsibilities (Delanty, 2003). The formation of community also helps the employees to work as a team where all the individuals are doing their part to achieve the desired organizational goals. It also provides a shared context of organizational knowledge and information, as the

Madrigal leading up to Monteverd

Madrigal leading up to Monteverd Account of the evolution of the Madrigal leading up to Monteverdi. Madrigals are secular songs for all voices. It formed the basis of poems and sonnets set to music, and various other types of poetry. The first generation of Madrigals were set for four voices; these were (cantus) Soprano (altus) Also (tenor) tenor and (bassus) bass. Madrigals dealt freely with the music, mainly of a homophonic and contrapuntal textures, in a series of overlapping sections and consistent use of imitation. The Madrigal was written for all voices, except at the time, of sacred music, which was written for male voices only. Madrigals in the fifteenth century were written in the vernacular. At this time there was an international style of music. The sixteenth century goes development of voices and new influences. The development of the Italian Madrigal is in three stages. This progression is shown in the third generation madrigal composer, Monteverdi. The Madrigal development spans from 1530 to 1620 approximately. This is at the same time as the end of the Renaissance period and the baroque period. With the development of instruments at this time, harmony was adapted and instruments were brought together to create a contrast of new music. This illustrates the development along with the Madrigals, and how they developed with the music. The First Generation of Madrigals includes composers such as Jaques Arcadelt (ca. 1507 1568). He was a Franco-Flemish composer, and worked in Florence, Rome and France. Arcadelts composition Il bianco e dolce cigno was first published as a set of Madrigals in 1538, and is the most famous of the early Madrigals. This work is predominantly homophonic, and uses imitation for harmonies of 3rds and 5ths. The piece has four parts, and is predominantly consonant, apart from a few suspensions and resolutions. The typical sixteenth century Madrigal is through composed, meaning nothing is repeated and is continuous. Thus, all new words have new music. This is also very typical as it is set for 4 voices. The meanings of the words is the most important part of the madrigal, thus, the words are drawn out over a long moving melody and occasional use of dissonance and chromatic usage, to show the connotation of the words. Mid-sixteenth century (the second generation), Madrigals now consist of 5 to the maximum of 6 voices. This shows the steady progression of Madrigals from the first to the second generation. Cipriano De Rore (1546 1565) who composed Da le belle contrade doriente around 1560 1566. In this madrigal, the woman expresses sorrow that her lover is about to depart. The composer chose intervals associated with sadness and reflected the natural speech inflection. He also includes Melisma, dissonant notes, and a lot more chromaticism, and breaking phrases, to really draw out the emotion of the words. This has clearly adapted from the first generation of Madrigals, more technically demanding and increased range and use of cross rhythms than that of earlier Madrigals. The Third generation of madrigals occurred around the late sixteenth century. In this period, this launched the Baroque era, and experimentation and development of harmony and literal context. A highly experimental composer was Luca Marenzio (1553 1599) who composed Solo e pensoso 1590. It starts with an ascending chromatic sequence, which demonstrates the use of experimentation with harmony at this time from the earlier Madrigals, hence, with the chromatic opening and harmonic usage. The texture in this generation is much broader in its approach and fuller than that of earlier Madrigals. At this point, Madrigals would have been sung for a purpose, because earlier Madrigals were sung just for the enjoyment for the singers. Another third generation composer was Carlo Gesualdo (1560 1613). His use of experimentation with madrigals continued to be used throughout into the Baroque era, with such contrasts between chromatic and harmonic passages, to express the meanings of the words and convey the emotion. His Madrigal ‘lo parto e non piu dissi, is experimental both harmonically and rhythmically. This is highly dissonant due to the chromaticism in all parts of the melody and countermelodies. In short, the Madrigal took course of several changed throughout the three generations. Its harmonic progression becoming more complicated and experimentation with rhythms progressed through the sixteenth century and was a primary key of basic song writing for the Baroque era.

The Knowing Psychical Body :: Psychology Psychological Papers

The Knowing Psychical Body ABSTRACT: By offering four epistemological structures as guidelines, I will review the relationships as described by Freud between internal and external perceptions, conversion, and over-determination. In doing so, I have speculated that a second preconscious dynamic should be recognized as functioning within this system, namely the psychical body. The activity of this preconscious psychical body promises to resolve the aporias that arise in Freud's work concerning the role of internal perceptions in the processes of conversion and over-determination. In the end, I show that the positing of an imaginary, psychical body is the means by which the arguably intuitive, internal perceptions which Freud at times refers to as sensations and feelings are expressed according to the logic of imagination. The unconscious has access to a wealth of knowledge, and it is not expressed in a form we have come to expect truth to be in, i.e. following rational logic. But rather, it is a direction, an unconscious motion, that can be described to be more of an affect than a statement and is epistemologically the function of intuition resulting from a repressed logic. In the end, I show that the positing of a psychical body is the means by which, the arguably intuitive, internal perceptions that Freud at times refers to as sensations and feelings are expressed according to a repressed logic. First I will outline four possible ways of knowing. The first two belong to the realm of reason and, I will argue, occur at the level of a well-defined ego. Within the parameters of reason, one finds the mode of knowing which is common and well-known, that of rational, scientific, observation which concerns itself with moving bodies and their respective interaction within the realm of the visible in the sense employed by Merleau-Ponty. The second mode is what is known as abstract, rational, thinking, and here the individual is interested in the interaction of abstract bodies. The force behind this method of knowing resides in the abstracted bodies, which are extrapolations of what one once observed in the first mode of knowing. With regard to the two modes of rational knowledge, we see the individual observing the interaction of a plurality of bodies, for rationality operates on the assumption that the smallest number is two, (1) that is, rational logic are based on a binary system. Within this realm, all comparisons and observations need to be performed under standardized, regulated conditions, i.

Religions of the World Jesus/Mohammed

Two thousand years have come and gone, but still they remain the unfinished story that refuses to go away. Jesus of Nazareth, a Jew from rural first-century Galilee, and Mohammed from Mecca are without doubt the most famous and most influential human beings who ever walked the face of the earth. Their influence may at present be declining in a few countries of Western Europe and parts of North America, as has from time to time transpired elsewhere.But the global fact is that the adherents of Jesus and Mohammed are more widespread and more numerous, and make up a greater part of the world's population, than at any time in history. Two billion people identify themselves as Christians; well over a billion Muslims revere Jesus as a prophet of God (Freedman 2001). Unnumbered others identify themselves as know and respect his memory as a wise and holy man. This work begins with tracing the lives of Jesus and Mohammed historically. Then it deals with different aspects of the practice and th e teaching of Jesus and Mohammed. How their messages are being carried out in the world today will be considered in the conclusion.The personality of Mohammed remains obscure in spite of his sayings and the many legends about him. There have been almost as many theories about the Prophet as there are biographers. According to tradition, he was born in A.D. 570, about five years after the death of Justinian, into a cadet branch of one of the leading families of Mecca. His father died before Mohammed was born, and his mother died when he was still a small child. First his grandfather, then an uncle, who was in the caravan trade, reared him.As a youth in the busy center of Mecca he probably learned to read and write enough to keep commercial accounts; he also heard Jewish and Christian teachers and early became interested in their religious ideas. Mohammed must have suffered, in these early years, from hardships, and he evidently became aware of the misery of many of his fellowmen. The se early experiences were later to be the basis of his fervent denunciations of social injustice. At the age of twenty-five, he married a wealthy widow and probably went on some long caravan trips, at least to Syria.This gave him further contacts with Jewish, Christian, and Persian religious teachers. At the age of forty, after spending much time in fasting and solitary meditation, he heard a voice calling him to proclaim the uniqueness and power of Allah. Mohammed seemingly did not, at first, conceive of himself as the conscious preacher of a new religion. It was only the opposition from those about him at Mecca that drove him on to set up a new religious community with distinctive doctrines and institutions. In 632 Mohammed died, the last of all the founders of great world religions.Little is known of the early life of Jesus Christ. Born a few years before the year 1 A. D. in Bethlehem of Judaea, he lived in Nazareth, a city of Galilee, until he was about thirty years of age. We h ave no reason to doubt the tradition that after the death of Joseph, the head of the family, Jesus became the main support of Mary and the younger children. He worked at his trade, that of a carpenter, and lived the life which would be expected of a religiously-minded young Hebrew.At about the age of thirty Jesus suddenly appeared at the Jordan, where John, a cousin of his, was performing the rite of baptism on those who came professing a desire to amend their ways and live better lives. Jesus also came and, against the scruples of John, who saw that Jesus was in different case from the others, was baptized. It marked a turning-point, for with the outward ritual act came an inner spiritual experience of profound significance for Jesus. A voice assured him that he was in a unique sense his Father's â€Å"beloved Son,† in whom he was â€Å"well pleased† (Borg 1997). It seems to have been the consummation of his thought and prayer and eager yearning for many years.He had received his revelation; he would proclaim God as a Father and men as his sons. He was filled with a sense of mission, of having a work to do and a message to deliver, which to the end of his life did not leave him for a moment. He went from place to place in Palestine preaching in the synagogues and out-of-door places wherever the people congregated, and talking to individuals and to groups as they came to him with their questions and problems. He began to gather about him a little company of disciples, which soon grew to twelve and which accompanied him on all his journeys.He spent much time in giving them instruction and on several occasions sent them out to heal and to preach. Jesus came to establish a kingdom, and this was the burden of his message. But he never forgot that the form of the Kingdom and many things connected with its coming were of lesser significance than the inner meaning and the principles on which it was based. The first of these was man's relationship with G od.Jesus was not only a teacher; he was a worker of miracles. The Gospels tell us that he cured the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, fed the hungry, stilled the storm, and even raised the dead. Much was made of these wonders by former generations of Christians, who used them as proofs of the divine character of the One who performed them. Such use of these incidents does not produce the effect it once did and is being discarded.A closer study of the attitude of Jesus toward his own miraculous power clearly indicates that he minimized its significance. He would have men secure a better perspective and realize that moral power was on a higher level than the ability to work marvels. With this in view it scarcely seems congruous to use the miracles in a way which could scarcely be acceptable to Jesus himself. But of all the impressions Jesus made the strongest was that he was in touch with God his Father and that this was the explanation of all the wonderful things about him.Jesus, h owever, was not only winning followers and bringing them close to God; he had come into collision with the religious authorities of his people, and in the end lost his life at their hands. They were formalists and as such had not averted the danger of losing sight of the vital principles of their religion. Jesus was an innovator, and felt free to act in accordance with the inner spirit of the old precepts even when by doing so he ran counter to the letter of the law.When Jesus appeared in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, He was seized and, after having had a preliminary hearing before the Jewish high priest and Sanhedrin, was taken before Pontius Pilate, the Roman procurator, and was condemned to death. He was crucified, together with two criminals, and died at the end of six hours' agony on the cross. His body was taken down by friends in the early evening and laid in a rock-hewn tomb. The hopes of his disciples were dashed to the ground, and undoubtedly the Jewish leaders a nd the Roman authorities thought they had rid themselves of an exceedingly troublesome creature (Allen 1998).But such was not to be, for a very remarkable thing happened the third day after. To the utter amazement of his disciples, who had not recovered from the paralyzing effect of their grief and disappointment, Jesus appeared to them so unmistakably that they were convinced that death had not been able to hold its victim and that Jesus was alive.Their new enthusiasm, the founding of the Christian Church on the assurance of the presence of the living Christ, the adoption of the first day of the week as a memorial of the day when Jesus reappeared alive -all these historic facts bear witness to the genuineness of the disciples' testimony that the same Jesus who had journeyed with them, who had died and had been laid away in the tomb, was raised from the dead, their living Master forevermore. They immediately went out to preach â€Å"the gospel of the resurrection,† and with t hat the history of the Christian Church was begun.Mohammed's teaching, from the beginning, shows strong Jewish and Christian influence. Mohammed learned the great stories of the Old Testament; especially was he impressed with the life of Abraham whom he later considered one of his own predecessors and who he claimed had founded the Ka' bah at Mecca. He, likewise, learned of the Christian Trinity whom he understood to be God the Father, Mary the Mother, and Jesus the Son.He was looking for common ground on which to found a faith for all monotheists. He had a profound respect for Jews and Christians, especially for the Jews, though when they refused to join him and when later they thwarted him, he attacked them fiercely. Mohammed took from Jewish, Christian, and also Persian teaching only what he wanted, and he combined all he borrowed in a set of ideas that always bore his own mark. In the Koran, for example, he uses the characters of the Bible as successful advocates in the past of the doctrines of Mohammed in the present. Mohammed called the Jews and the Christians the â€Å"People of the Book,† and he came to believe himself called to give his own people, the Arabs, a book.Soon after Mohammed's death in 632, a wave of conquest gathered in all of Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Egypt, and part of Persia. In less than a century all of North Africa, Spain, Asia Minor, and Central Asia to the Indus River were swept by the conquering armies of Islam. These conquests were as orderly as they were speedy; little damage seems to have been done, and immediately after the Arab armies entered an area they organized it. The Arab annexation, at first, meant little more than a change of rulers.Life and social institutions went on as before with little interference and no forced conversions; the conquered peoples could even keep their own religion by paying a tax. The Arab colonies planted in each new territory became the centers from which Islamic religious ideas spread a nd in which, at the same time, a new culture developed. Not until the new peoples, like the Seljuks, who were outside the Graeco-Roman tradition, were converted to Mohammedanism did Islam become fanatical. Indeed, no such militant intolerance as characterized the Christian attack on paganism was normally shown by the Mohammedans until into the eleventh century.The reasons for these fantastic conquests were various. To his own people, especially to the desert tribes, Mohammed offered war and booty, and to those who lived in the Arab towns he offered the extension of commerce. Caravans travelled in the midst of the Muslim armies. For those who died, Islam promised a glowing paradise. One drop of blood shed in battle, even a single night spent under arms would count for more than two months of prayer or fasting.Christianity and Islam have, like every other religion, developed their own mythology. These mythologies are at its height in the beautiful imagery that centers around the festi vals of Christmas, Easter and Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha (â€Å"Eid† or â€Å"Id† means festival). Indeed, there is today a rediscovery of the value of myth in human life. Today Christianity and Islam provide a good framework for the religious life. Some people, possibly lots of people, would claim that if Jesus and Mohammed were wrong, they can no longer be relevant. That claim can probably be disputed on theological grounds (Freedman 2001).The remarkable ‘footprint' of Jesus and Mohammed in history has strangely contradictory implications for an encounter with them today. On the one hand, it means that a true and adequate understanding of the men remains a vital task, even as third millennium has dawned. Just as in the first century Jesus was embraced as Saviour of the world by Jews and Gentiles excluded from religious and political power, so today he is welcomed above all by ordinary, poor and marginalised people – in the west and the east, and especia lly in the South. Like Paul, they see him, God's gospel, as having the power to liberate them from sin, their personal sins, the socio-political, cultural and structural sins of their nations, cultures and churches and the unjust economic and technological structures of the so-called ‘global village'.At least in the western world, it remains true that we can understand neither Christian faith nor much of the world around us if we do not come to terms with Jesus of Nazareth and the two millennia of engagement with his heritage. The followers of Jesus and Mohammed live in every country of the globe. They read and speak of these people in a thousand tongues. For them, the world's creation and destiny hold together in their gods, the wholly human and visible icon of the wholly transcendent and invisible God. Jesus and Mohammed animate their cultures, creeds and aspirations.ReferencesAllen, Charlotte. (1998).The human Christ: the search for the historical Jesus. Oxford: Lion.Borg, Marcus J., ed. (1997). Jesus at 2000. Boulder: Westview Press.Freedman, David Noel. (2001). The Rivers of Paradise: Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Jesus, and Muhammad as Religious Founders. Eerdmans: Grand Rapids, MI.

Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and Honda

Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and Honda The automotive industry produces and sells motor vehicles, which are goods. It is one of the highest revenue generating industries in the world.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and Honda specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Approximately 80.1 million cars were produced in 2011. The major industry players are Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and Honda. (OICA, 2012) Company background Audi is an automobile manufacturer based in Germany; it manufactures a wide range of vehicles. Volkswagen AG as a subsidiary owns Audi as a brand. The four rings in the Audis symbol represent the 1932 amalgamation of the four brands that formed the Auto-union AG. The four brands were The Saxon brands of Audi and Horch from Zwickau, Wanderer from Chemnitz and DKW from Zschopau (Audi, 2012). Toyota Motor Corporation is the manufacturer of Toyota Land cruiser S.U.V. Toyota has its headquarters in Toyota city, Aichi, Japan. Toyota deals in the automotive, robotics and financial services industries. It is the largest automaker in the industry. Toyota was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, and has grown on since the production of AA Sedan in 1936 to become the largest car manufacture in the world (Toyota, 2012). Product overview The sports utility vehicles are vehicles build on light truck chassis and are accompanied by a four-wheel drive for on and off road use.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Toyota land cruiser is a vehicle designed to meet off road needs and urban roads. It is also luxurious vehicles. This is evident as, it has a V8 engine, which enables it to have off-road capabilities. In addition, it is luxurious and can carry up to eight passengers. It has a $77,955 price tag (Toyota, 2012). Audi S.U.V A6 all road is a vehicle that is luxurious, and gives an off-road experienc e too, it is cheaper compared to the Toyota land cruiser S.U.V. Is offers more fuel economy as compared to the land cruiser as it has a $70,000 price tag (Audi, 2012) Strategic marketing Strategic marketing is the use of a company’s strategic plans to market its products. It entails the company to identifying areas where a firm has a sustainable competitive edge over the other firms in the market and it use them as their marketing strategy. (Procto, 2000) Macro environmental forces These environmental forces are outside the organization. They affect industries as wells as individual organizations. The organization has little or no control over these forces. They include the following among others: politics, economics, social cultural factors, technology, Environment and the legal frameworks (Pride Farrell 2012). Micro environmental forces Microenvironment is the organizational environment. It comprises of the internalities of the organization that is the forces the organizat ion has some control over. They include among others, employees, Trade unions, local community, suppliers and customers (Pride Farrell 2012). SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is the analysis of strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats a firm is facing. It involves looking at factors that are both within as well as outside the firm.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Volkswagen, Toyota, Nissan and Honda specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strengths and weaknesses are factors that affect the organizations internal environment, while opportunities and threats affect the organizations external environment. An analysis of these factors is very important in formulating corporate strategic plan and the marketing and positioning plan for a product (Procto, 2000). Market segmentation Market segmentation is the subdividing of the market into distinct subsets of customers who are relatively homogeneous so that specific marketing mix strategies can be developed to secure each market (Pride Farrell 2012). Target markets Target markets are the markets in which a firm wants to sell its goods and services. The firm chooses the market segments it wants to operate in according to its abilities. This should be based on their current use, their potential for future growth, and competitors’ strengths (Procto, 2000). Positioning strategy Positioning is the process by which a company establishes an image of its products in the minds of the customer relative to the image of the competitors’ product offering. Positioning strategy are the strategies that the firm is using to position itself in the minds of their consumers (Procto, 2000).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Toyota S.U.V cruiser and Audi S.U.V A6 are positioned as premium class vehicles. They are sold to the upper end markets, where consumers want luxurious cars for off and on road use. Recommendations This is the section where the recommendations about the report recorded. In the recommendation section, the writer makes his recommendations based on the facts preset in the report. The recommendations give suggestion on possible solutions to what the report seeks to achieve (Bentley 2003). References Audi Worldwide Home. (n.d.). Audi of America Luxury Has Progressed . Retrieved from https://www.audi.com/en.html Bentley, T. J. (2003). Report writing in business: the effective communication of information (Repr. ed.). London: Elsevier. OICA. (n.d.). OICA . Retrieved from oica.net/ Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C. (2012). Marketing (2012 ed.). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Proctor, T. (2000). Strategic Marketing An Introduction.. New York: Routledge. Toyota Motor Corporation g lobal website. (n.d.). Toyota Motor Corporation global

Free Essays on The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers By Alexander Dumas Historical Fiction The protagonist of this book is d’Artagnon. A young Frenchman from Gascony. Who dreams of becoming a Musketeer. The antagonist of this book is the Cardinal, who wishes to expose the queen’s love affair with the Duke of Buckingham. d’Artagnon stands in the way of his plans. This book is about a young man d’Artagnon who comes to Paris to be a musketeer on his way he meets three musketeer’s Porthos, Athos and Aramis who serve the king. d’Artagnon falls in love with Constance de Bonacieux. The kings wife Anne has fallen in love with the duke of Buckingham to show how much she loves him she gives him a twelve stud diamond bracelet that her husband gave to her on her last birthday. Milady de Winter one of the Cardinal’s spies steals two studs off the bracelet, and gives them to the king. But at the same time the duke had two more put on and d’Artagnon rushes back to give them to the queen before a banquet in witch the king has ordered Anne to wear. Constance the queen’s seamstress knows all about the queen’s secrets, therefore the cardinal wants to improson her and get those secrets, and he does. Later Constance is sent to a convent were lady de Winter poisons her with wine before d’Artagnon reaches her . d’Artagnon later finds out that Athos, who was once a lord of France and was married to lady de Winter and he discovered that she was marked with the fleur de lit witch means she is a terrible villain, he has the right to sentence her to death he hangs her from a tree but she survives. They all swear revenge. She is sent to England to kill duke Buckingham. She is imprisoned by the duke but she manipulates the guard and convinces the guard to murder’s the duke of Buckingham. d’Artagnon, athos and Porthos and an executioner who branded her with the fleur de lit. they execute her and are not punished because they have the letter that the cardinal w... Free Essays on The Three Musketeers Free Essays on The Three Musketeers The Three Musketeers By Alexander Dumas Historical Fiction The protagonist of this book is d’Artagnon. A young Frenchman from Gascony. Who dreams of becoming a Musketeer. The antagonist of this book is the Cardinal, who wishes to expose the queen’s love affair with the Duke of Buckingham. d’Artagnon stands in the way of his plans. This book is about a young man d’Artagnon who comes to Paris to be a musketeer on his way he meets three musketeer’s Porthos, Athos and Aramis who serve the king. d’Artagnon falls in love with Constance de Bonacieux. The kings wife Anne has fallen in love with the duke of Buckingham to show how much she loves him she gives him a twelve stud diamond bracelet that her husband gave to her on her last birthday. Milady de Winter one of the Cardinal’s spies steals two studs off the bracelet, and gives them to the king. But at the same time the duke had two more put on and d’Artagnon rushes back to give them to the queen before a banquet in witch the king has ordered Anne to wear. Constance the queen’s seamstress knows all about the queen’s secrets, therefore the cardinal wants to improson her and get those secrets, and he does. Later Constance is sent to a convent were lady de Winter poisons her with wine before d’Artagnon reaches her . d’Artagnon later finds out that Athos, who was once a lord of France and was married to lady de Winter and he discovered that she was marked with the fleur de lit witch means she is a terrible villain, he has the right to sentence her to death he hangs her from a tree but she survives. They all swear revenge. She is sent to England to kill duke Buckingham. She is imprisoned by the duke but she manipulates the guard and convinces the guard to murder’s the duke of Buckingham. d’Artagnon, athos and Porthos and an executioner who branded her with the fleur de lit. they execute her and are not punished because they have the letter that the cardinal w... Free Essays on The Three Musketeers Alexandre Dumas’ novel â€Å"The Three Musketeers† remains extremely exciting and funny. This novel keeps the reader on the edge the entire time, wondering what will happen next. The novel follows four men that remain insupportable: D’Artagna, Athos, Porthos and Aramis in their heroic acts, D’Artagnan’s love interests and the continues scandals between the Queen, King and Duke of Buckingham. The end of this novel is the best part. It leaves the reader jaw dropped in amazement. The most important characters are the four best friends: D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. It has become apparent that D’Artagnan is the central character of the novel, Dumas has portrayed the reader that not only is D’Artagnan still a brave, noble, intelligent and ambitious young man. But is also very crafty and romantic. He is driven by love, and tends to often find himself in love with more than one person at a time. This has been a steady flaw of D’Artagnans from the very beginning of the novel, to the very end. Throughout the novel D’Artagnan turns to Athos for guidance. Athos is the most important of the three musketeers. He is also a father figure to D’Artagnan. This may be because he is also the oldest of his comrades. However He is still young at heart and loves being a musketeer. This becomes more evident in the last half of the novel. Aramis on the other hand, is constantly announcing he is only temporarily in the muskete ers, and that any day now he will r! eturn to the church to pursue his true calling. By the end of the novel the reader can almost predict what he will say next. This makes Aramis a predictable character, however the reader can count of the level-minded advice of Aramis to call reason to a situation. Aramis has a mysterious mistress; her name is Madame de Chevreuse. He tries to keep her existence and identity hidden from his friends however by the end of the novel all four men know the truth. Por...

The Act of 1593 against the Puritans and the Act against the Recusants Essay

The Act of 1593 against the Puritans and the Act against the Recusants - Essay Example ceforth I will from time to time obey and perform her majesty's laws and statutes, in repairing to the church and hearing divine service, and do my uttermost endeavour to maintain and defend the same. (Gee & Hardy, 1896) The Church at that time, led by the Queen, forebad all that the Queen did not agree with and would ensure that all laws pertaining to the Church and the Parliament were enforced. Any signals from the citisenry at the time of Queen Elizabeth's reign that did not follow the orthodox Church of England at that time and chose to follow any puritan religious movements was dealt with by the Courts. Historically, the Puritans were members of a group of English Protestants that were looking to reform and possibly separate from the church establishment of the time. From the onset, the Puritans ranted to have the Church replace the popish rituals including the ornaments and rituals that were prevalent in the Church at that time such as vestments, musical organs and genuflection and move toward a more Presbyterian model, otherwise known as a Congregationalist model. As Puritans were commonly referred to during that period of history as Dissenters, it was common for those following the Puritan practice to be barred for any profession that required official religious conformity, which then endeavored new industries to be developed. The Puritan and Recusants Belief System Although both groups equally professed their disdain for the secularism that was found within the Church itself. The Puritans refused to accept the entire Church structure as it was currently showing. The Catholics who were then referred to as Recusants, did not wish to take any part of the church's services and would rather be punished than attend Elizabeth's church. Puritans did not directly challenge Elizabeth's claim to the throne but couldn't be accused of working for a foreign power. The Puritans The central belief system within the Puritanism movement is "God's supreme authority over human affairs, particularly in the church, and especially as expressed in the Bible." (Wikipedia, 2006) The Recusants The Recusants, as defined by Encarta, were " Roman Catholics in the 16th century who refused (Latin recusare, "to refuse") to attend religious services in the Church of England because of their allegiance to the pope. Because Recusants rejected the ecclesiastical supremacy of the Crown and constituted a minority who did not go to the state church, they were penalized with increasingly severe legislation. This culminated in fines of 20 per month. In times of danger from foreign invasion further disabilities were imposed. The issue came to a head with the papal bull of 1570, which absolved all subjects

Research for the Bernard Madoff Case Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

For the Bernard Madoff Case - Research Paper Example Finally, Madoff himself revealed the truth to his sons and they reported this case to the court. Bernard Madoff Investment Securities Scandal involves many ethical issues. Moreover, many stakeholders were also involved in this case. This paper briefly explains some facts, ethical issues and stakeholders involved in Bernard Madoff’s investment securities scandal case. â€Å"Madoff founded the Wall Street firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in 1960, and was its chairman until his arrest on December 11, 2008† (Bernie Madoff’s Investment Scandal Exposed, 2010). Madoff was able to command the respect of the investors because of his huge experiences in Wall Street in different positions. When he offered the customers huge return even on short term investments through his Ponzi scheme, nobody was in any sort of doubt about the fraudulent nature of the scheme. Investors thought that Madoff has got some magical power to multiply their investments because of his huge experiences in Wall Street. Vernon Silver (2009) has mentioned that the returns that Mr. Madoff’s firm provided were consistently good over the years (Silver, 2009). â€Å"Concerns about Madoff’s business surfaced as early as 1999, when financial analyst-whistleblower Harry Markopolos informed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that he believed it was legally and mathematically impossible to achieve the gains Madoff claimed to deliver† (What Has Bernard Madoff Investment Securities Done to Investment Securities?, 2010). These concerns expressed by the financial experts forced Madoff to confess his guilt to his sons in December 2008 which they reported to the court. Even though Madoff revealed that he has started his fraudulent activities in the 1990’s, investigating agencies believe that he has started such activities as early as the eighties itself. â€Å"Madoff told the agents that it was his entire fault, and that he "paid investors with money that

Effects of Media on Fear of Crime, Perception and Reality Essay

Effects of Media on Fear of Crime, Perception and Reality - Essay Example The main part of fear of crime is the scope of emotions that is roused in people by the chance of oppression. While usual measures of concern about crime repeatedly prove between 35 percent and 55 percent of the residents of England show some type of apprehension about becoming a victim, surveys tell that a considerable number of individuals in fact worry for their personal wellbeing on a daily basis. Contrary to usual perception, this level of fear has reduced since 1990s according to British Crime Surveys from 40% to 27% in 2003 in the United Kingdom. As a result, one can differentiate between fear and broader apprehension. Nonetheless, it should come under notice that a number of individuals might be keener to disclose their uncertainties and vulnerabilities as compared to others. Hearing about happenings; identifying others who have been persecuted - these are thought to increase insights of the risk of oppression. This has been explained as a ‘crime multiplier’, or procedures functioning within the inhabited atmosphere that would reach the impacts of illegal happenings. â€Å"Such proof exists that hearing of friends’ or neighbours’ victimisation increases anxiety that indirect experiences of crime may play a stronger role in anxieties about victimisation than direct experience†. Nonetheless, there is an advisory note: several inhabitants of a locality merely know of offence indirectly by means of channels that may ‘inflate’, ‘deflate’, or distort the actual picture.... Nonetheless, it should come under notice that a number of individuals might be keener to disclose their uncertainties and vulnerabilities as compared to others. Hearing about happenings; identifying others who have been persecuted - these are thought to increase insights of the risk of oppression (Flatley et al, pp. 1-220, 2010). This has been explained as a ‘crime multiplier’, or procedures functioning within the inhabited atmosphere that would reach the impacts of illegal happenings. â€Å"Such proof exists that hearing of friends’ or neighbours’ victimisation increases anxiety that indirect experiences of crime may play a stronger role in anxieties about victimisation than direct experience† (McCluskey & Hooper, p. 173, 2001). Nonetheless, there is an advisory note: several inhabitants of a locality merely know of offence indirectly by means of channels that may ‘inflate’, ‘deflate’, or distort the actual picture.’ Public views of the threat of crime are as well shaped strongly by mass media reporting. People pick up from media as well as interpersonal contact spreading representations of the criminal happening - the perpetrators, injured parties, cause, and signs of significant, irrepressible, and sensational crimes. The concept of stimulus likeness may be significant: if the reader of a newspaper categorizes with the portrayed victim, or feels that their personal neighbourhood has similarity to the one explained, then the image of threat may be taken up, individualised and interpreted into personal security concerns. In addition, reports have indicated differences in perceptions of fear based on the type of newspapers read by locals in the United Kingdom (Simmons & Dodd, pp. 1-189, 2003). In a recent study, â€Å"subjects

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay Example for Free

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay 1) How have changes relating to management and organisational structural affected a global organisation of your choice, over the last 75 years. Relate your findings to growth, distribution, and various external influences and strategies. 2) Undertake a SWOT analysis and explain its relevance in relation to your company and/or its sector Word Count 1250. Harvard Style Referencing. Bibliography Required. Global organisation Laura Ashley Holdings Plc has suffered differing fortunes since Bernard and Laura Ashley founded it in the 1950s. It has been involved in the designing, manufacturing, distribution and selling of garments, accessories, perfume, gift items, fabric, wall coverings, bedding, lighting, and furniture. Famed for its floral prints, the chain was highly successful during the early and mid 1980s but things changed in the early 1990s when various management and structural problems as well as those relating to growth, distribution, and various external influences such as global recession surfaced Laura Ashley herself died in 1985. There is a notable difference in the organisation up to and after this year. Up to 1985, it was a simply structured, steadily expanding organisation operating in a non-complex environment (complexity arises when there are numerous complicated environmental influences [Johnson and Scholes, 1989]). In the months and years after, many changes took place. Laura Ashley went public in flotation, acquired other companies involved in areas such as knitwear and perfume, made heavier investments in manufacturing and information technology (IT), moved towards segmentation with Mother and Child shops, exclusively home furnishing shops and unit shops (franchise operations). The organisation moved gradually away from vertical integration (it had always manufactured and delivered all goods itself) The Guardian reported that Laura Ashley was withdrawing from manufacturing by the end of the year in 1998. In order to facilitate growth, there was a shift from the simple functional organisational structure to a more complex divisional structure (which was  re-organised with every change of leadership). The most notable chief executives of Laura Ashley who were in place whilst and after problems developed were Jim Maxmin (1991-1994) and Ann Iverson (1995-1997). Each of these people were responsible for major overhauls within the organisation. Vora (1998) states, Laura Ashley has undergone various restructuring strategies and umpteen management upheavals, all to no avail, and all of which have decimated shareholder value and abused the brand name. As highlighted above, the major problems of Laura Ashley began to manifest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first fall of profits were reported in the year to January 1989. It is important, then, to look at its success before this from its beginnings in the 1950s to 1985. One area to naturally consider is the key success factors of the organisation for this period i.e. what specifically can its success is attributed to. Key success factors are what an organisation must do well in order to be successful, be an effective competitor and satisfy stakeholder requirements (Thompson, 1997). Bearing this in mind, the key success factors of Laura Ashley up to 1985 are identified as high quality production, innovative designs, good brand management (the Laura Ashley name was and is strong), well placing of stores, creation of good atmospheres in stores, general design and creative competencies, staff training, creation of a vertically integrated structure and operation within a simplist ic organisational structure in general. Also, the Groups IT capabilities factored into the success as it was a source of competitive advantage e.g. they were an early adopter of electronic point of sale (Heath, 1996 as cited by Johnson and Scholes, 1999). These factors may also be interpreted as strategic excellence positions (SEPs), which can be described as the capabilities, which allow an organisation to produce better than average results in comparison with competitors (PUmpin, 1987). Thompson (1997) presents a particularly useful model that can be helpful in explaining the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985. The EVR congruence model, by Thompson, considers if an organisation is being managed effectively with regards to strategy. It represents the matching of an organisations resources (for Laura Ashley these would include plants, vehicles, IT systems  and locations) to the key success factors dictated by the environment (external factors such as opportunities and threats, stakeholders, competition etc). A determinant in matching these is the values of the organisation (again, in the case of Laura Ashley, these would include the lifestyle they promote/project, shop designs and atmospheres, product designs, the brand, staff training policy and the family culture). If the congruence (fit) between these three areas is great, then this indicates effective management of resources (Hamel and Prahalad [1993] comment that it is important for organisations to manage reso urces well in order to achieve objectives), strategy formulation and all-round success. It can be argued that the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985 can be attributed to greater EVR congruence. That is such things as the number of shops and plants, distribution systems, stakeholders, threats (including competition), products, level of vertical integration and so on fit together well in relation to the size, structure, culture and speed of growth of the organisation then. The key success factors are also indicative of this congruence. So that they can be developed to help ensure both present and future success, it is important key success factors are recognised and understood. One particular way Laura Ashley could do this is through a SWOT analysis. This reviews an organisations internal strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats in the external environment (Cole, 1996). This may be done for a particular moment in time or as an overview encompassing the past and present. As made clear, Laura Ashley has faced much change during its existence. Opportunities and threats come about as a result of constant change and the SWOT analysis can help to identify these and internal strengths and weaknesses relevant when dealing with change (Johnson and Scholes, 1989). This SWOT analysis can be used in relation to analysing the problems faced by Laura Ashley in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. They can be greatly attributed to the weaknesses and threats identified. For example, fluctuations in the economy had a knock-on effect on the sale of property and hence on the sale of household furnishings. Also, high borrowing, wastage and forced discounting meant that, despite sales increases, shops were making a loss. The reorganisations in 1988, 1991 and twice in 1995 had their effect too they were costly and highlighted inefficiency. Chandler (1977) states that structures are not adapted until pressure of inefficiency forces the change and that this change process is usually a painful one often carried out by a different chief executive each time. Upon and after his appointment in 1991, Jim Maxmin found that the organisation lacked a core identity, clear strategies, empowered staff, thorough market research, efficient logistics, and many probl ems in the US such as limited growth, poor management and delivery problems. He responded with his Simplify, Focus and Act programme. This included reorganisation, institution of a Global Operations Executive (GOE) and Global Collection Development (GCD) which aided globalisation and marketing, encouragement to empower staff, an alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics to improve delivery and distribution systems, sourcing half of the organisations manufacturing to  the Far East (rather than in-house in Britain) and management replacement in the US. Before leaving Laura Ashley in 1994, Jim Maxmin commented that throughout the entire organisation, people has embraced the principles of the Simplify, Focus and Act programme and set about sorting out the operational problems which have plagued Laura Ashley (Maxmin, 1993 as cited by Warnaby, 1994). Ann Iverson was appointed chief executive of Laura Ashley in 1995. She was to spearhead the rush into the US and revamp the product range (Teather, 1999). Her observations found various problems all of which can again be attributed to identified weaknesses. It was found that the product range was too broad, there was no unified look to match globalisation, the supply chain was inefficient and problems continued in the US. Ann Iversons response included strengthening the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics, opening larger stores in the US and reviewing marketing and sales. These changes were considered to be good as Laura Ashley restored dividend payments in 1996 for the first time since 1989. Ann Iverson was dismissed in 1997, however, mainly due to continuing problems in the US and the organisations image (Keynotes, 1997). Each of the changes mentioned came about from the organisations particular strengths (as identified) at the time. For example, whilst such things as restructuring and shop closures were happening, the strong name of Laura Ashley and strong customer loyalty were greatly relied upon. Bowman and Asch (1987) comment that the strengths of an organisation are a if not the determinant in how it handles weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Opportunities open to the organisation in dealing with its various problems can be identified as the opportunities in the SWOT analysis. Opportunities change and differ over time. For example, the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics resulted from available opportunities at the time. A possible opportunity in the early 1990s would have been a speedier move away from vertical integration for example. Laura Ashley became totally vertically integrated in the 1970s and continued  to be so though gradually moved away from this in the 1990s completely in 1998. Vertical integration can be backwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning supplier and forwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning retailer Laura Ashley was both backwardly and forwardly vertically integrated everything from the supplying of materials and manufacturing to distribution and retail. The main benefits of this throughout the organisations development included greater control, greater ability to differentiate, the opportunity to achieve economies of scale (higher margins), assurance of supply and greater synergy. Despite this, there were numerous disadvantages particularly that it was costly and greatly increased operational leverage as well as the need to keep up with technological change. This tied up capital having long-term affects. It meant that there was not full concentration of key strengths (design and retail) on which key success factors are dependent (Thompson, 1997). Furthermore, vertical integration was inflexible (cheaper manufacturers could not be sourced) and sensitivity to decreases in sales increased. It was the cost aspect that had the greatest impact particularly in the face of costly expansion (especially in the US). Warnaby (1994) comments that vertical integration was responsible for financial problems in the early 1990s. The costs of vertical integration had an impact on the organisations ability to successfully expand internationally. Perhaps with the exception of a distinctive product look and the adoption of a divisional structure, Laura Ashley did not expand internationally applying Treadgolds keys/strategies each was applied/introduced incrementally as problems arose to highlight the need e.g. it was not until 1995 when Ann Iverson felt the need for a unified product look. This is indicative that the organisation was not particularly capable of embarking on such ambitious international expansion as it did. This is highlighted by the numerous problems faced by the organisation e.g. poor marketing/marketing strategy, inefficient logistics and lack of direction and clear strategy. Additionally, the paternalistic management style was not suited to rapid expansion and this coupled with high finance demands from vertical integration, reorganisation and early acquisitions further indicate poor planning in terms of development Laura Ashley has faced so many problems throughout its existence. Problems owing to management, organisational structure, logistics and rapid international expansion continuously came and went. In 1998 bankruptcy looked imminent but an injection of ?44 million in equity capital by Malaysian businessman Dr Kay Peng Khoo (giving his MUI property company 47.5% share ownership whilst the Ashley family retained just 9% [Gibbs, 1999]). He installed Ng Kwan Cheong as chief executive who made changes including the disposal of the problematic North American franchise (retail operations were sold to a management buyout team for $1 at the end of July, 1999 [Gibbs, 1999]), targeting of younger markets and investment in e-commerce (Abdullah, 2000). However, all of these changes looked to have no major impact in the Groups success with sales steadily decreasing from 1998. Whether or not Laura Ashley manages to achieve the sort of success it enjoyed in the early 1980s under its new management remains to be seen as does its survival. Chief Executive Ng Kwan Cheong refrained from placing false hopes, commenting in March of 2000 We have a lot of things to do. All I can say is we are moving in the right direction and things are changing (Cheong, 2000 as cited by Abdullah, 2000). REFERENCES Texts  · Bowman, C. and Asch, C. (1987). Strategic Management. Macmillan Education.  · Chandler, A.D. (1997). The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business. Harvard University Press.  · Cole, G.A. (1996). Management Theory and Practice (5th Edition). Letts Educational.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1989). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. Prentice Hall.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1999). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.  · PUmpin, C. (1987). The Essence of Corporate Strategy. Gower.  · Thompson, J.L. (1997). Strategic Management: Awareness and Change. International Thomson Business Press. Journals and Publications  · Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1993). Strategy as stretch and leverage. Harvard Business Review, 71, March-April, pp75-84.  · Keynotes (1997), Keynote Market Report Clothing Retailing, 1997 Reports, p23.  · Treadgold, A. (1991) Dixons and Laura Ashley: Different Routes to International Growth. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol. 19(4), pp13-19.  · Warnaby, G. (1994). Laura Ashley An International Retail Brand. Management Decision, Volume 32 (3). Other  · Abdullah, S.A. Turning around Laura Ashley. http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/mar3.htm (09 December 2000).  · Gibbs, G. (1999) Laura Ashley bids farewell The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3904775,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Teather, D. (1999) Banks push Laura Ashley to quit US The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3855892,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Vora, K. (1998) Lessons from Laura Ashley. The Motley Fool: The Daily Fool, Evening Fool Tuesday, 03 March 1998, (online) (cited 04 January 2001). http://www.fool.co.uk/DailyFool/1998/DailyFool980303.htm . BIBLIOGRAPHY Texts  · Cole, G.A. (1997). Strategic Management (2nd Edition). Continuum.  · De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (1994) Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective. West Publishing.  · Hatch, M.J. (1997). Organization Theory. Oxford.  · Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (1996). The Business and Marketing Environment (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill.  · Palmer, A. (2000). Principles of Marketing. Oxford.  · Porter, M.E. (1980) Competitive Strategy Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competition. The Free Press.  · Porter, M.E. (1985) Competitive Advantage Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. The Free Press.  · Wild, R. (1994) How to Manage (2nd Edition). BCA. Other  · Framed-Art Wholesale. Laura Ashley The History http://www.framedartwholesale.com/aboutLA.htm (20 December 2000).  · Herzog, J. (1997) Laura Ashley closure a strategic decision. Daily Yale News Online Friday, 12 September 1997, (online) (cited 20 December 2000). http://www.yale.edu/ydn/paper/9.12.97/I-1lauraashley.html .  · Hoovers Online. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Capsule Companies and Industries http://www.hoovers.co.uk/uk?capsule/5/0,3042,90245,00.html?referer= (20 December 2000).  · Wetfeet. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Profiles. http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/companyprofiles.asp (18 December 2000).  · Wright Investors Service. Research Report: Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Corporate Information http://profiles.wisi.com/profiles/scripts/corpinfo2.asp?cusip=C826EG930 (18 December 2000).