Similes in the Purgatorio Essay Example

Similes in the Purgatorio Essay The concept of a plainness held back hints at an absolute meaning: behind the veil of rhetorical language lies a potential exposition. The composer of ornamented rhyme chooses to cover his meaning with ornamentation, but a translation, or an illumination, must be available upon request for the obscurity to have any worth. Dante veils his grief at Beatrices death, in part, by placing it at a linguistic remove: in a book written solamente volgare there is no place for a letter earlier composed in Latin to tell of the worlds new condition. Because of this determined linguistic consistency, the words, Dante pleads, may not be quoted in full (the word he uses for quote, . allegare, also means plead, and this plea replaces the quotation he refuses to make) but a full translation into the vernacular is not raised as a possibility. The excuse is deliberately flimsy, sustaining a sense of the potential for a fuller understanding alongside its being withheld. Videmus nunc per speculum in enigmate tunc autem facie ad faciem nunc cognosco ex parte tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum (1 Cor 13, 12). Christianity involves the conviction that all human knowledge is partial, but this requires that a whole be understood to exist. La Vita Nuova dismisses as stupid in their practice those who cannot divest their words of covering, to show the object rather than its reflection. Writing of God involves the difficulty that God may not be unveiled fully, but also the faith that there is a true meaning which might be divested of its veil. We will write a custom essay sample on Similes in the Purgatorio specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Similes in the Purgatorio specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Similes in the Purgatorio specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It seems crucial that Dante conceive this exposition would be made on being asked: a series of pressing questions, driven by the urgent desire to comprehend more fully, mark Dantes progress through the Purgatorio, so that there are degrees of partial knowledge. It is not enough to wait until you enter into the state of knowing as you are known by God, despite the fact that entering Purgatory secures the knowledge that such knowledge will be enjoyed in a matter of time. Yet God may not be unveiled, and writing about God means that the words may not be stripped of their covering upon demand: faith is required, by the reader as well as the writer, that the ornamentation does not disguise further confusions. Comfort, for the writer, lies in the word Dante uses for meaning in the passage from the Vita Nuova: intendimento is both meaning and intention, so that a full exposition is not demanded of the writer, but only his aim for the shape and plan of the work, the truth as far as it goes. Exposition, in human terms, is conceived as a further stage of rhetorical engagement, recalling Socratic dialogue. TS Eliot wrote of the Commedia that it is not necessary that the allegory or the almost unintelligible astronomy should be understood only that its presence should be justified. (The Sacred Wood). Justification may be a persuasive action, yet Eliots choice of tense allows this suggestion to be sustained alongside an alternative, that something is justified in a set way, and not that the process of justification need take place on a rhetorical level. God need not justify, because he is just. It is the provision of a structure which matters, perhaps, not the confusion of those lost in it. Being lost, or in discomfort, in the Purgatorio may be urgent because of the intensely temporal nature of its activities, and yet it is a place, in its upper slopes, safe from sub-lunar decay, a place which changes without itself being changed. Salvation lies at the end, so any sense of confusion is curiously unthreatening; blanks are deliberately left to be filled in. Often, they are filled in silently by Dante, part of the growth of an understanding partially withheld accio che tu per te ne cerchi (C17) but nonetheless attained. It is a way of conveying the experience, without revealing it, offering points of entry which involve further thought. Dante often tells Virgil he is satisfied with the reply to a question; the reader can only take his word for it, and attempt to make the same leap, confronted with the same explanation, leading to generations glossing passages like the following. e se pensassi come al vostro guizzo guizza dentro allo specchio vostra image, cio che par duro ti parrebbe vizzo People being like something. They were like people who were weary etc etc. Are they it, or like it? Word is God and is with God etc. Relates to thin spirits. Inner and outer stuff: when youre concentrating on something the outside world disappears/ is changed, and your experience of time changes, as a metaphor, being digressive, changes the fabric of the poem by taking up lines. In Canto XVII Dante discusses how the imagination works without any outward stimulus from the senses, having just shown how it may do so. A metaphor is such a stimulus, calling upon memory (ricorditi, lettor ) of a natural event, a common experience brought into relation with the poem, in order to illuminate the situation of Purgatory. Seeing the sun in mountain mist is the conceivable shadow of the experience of emerging from the Purgatorial veil, less a metaphor than an instruction as to how the experience may be glimpsed. Ricorditi, lettor e fia la tua imagine leggera in giugnere a veder There is strikingly little contrast between tenor and vehicle, so that although this passage recalls Classical epic similes in its reference to domestic experience and its sudden transport of the reader from the remote and heroic into the everyday, its appeal to the everyday is to show that everyday things may be imperfect impressions of exalted things. The common experience of seeing the moon in cloud is a conceivable glimpse of what it is like to see the sun through the acrid smoke of Purgatory. Its likeness projects a partial understanding, its unlikeness hints at a whole unencompassed by the span of the comparison, yet it is the same kind of thing, a pattern of the same experience in a different way from that in which Classical comparisons and similes often work, or even others in Dante, people huddling like sheep. It is a way of thinking relatively which recalls the medieval belief that passages from the Old Testament foreshadowed passages in the New Testament, often in obscure and subtle ways. An Old Testament passage is enriched by its relation to the New, just as this close relation of experience, seeing the moon and seeing the Purgatorial sun, enriches the readers appreciation of the everyday sight, as well as unlocking understanding of the purgatorial experience. This quality, a sense of the ways in which texts, and experiences, may illuminate each other, informs Dantes use of Classical sources, rendering his consciousness of the influence of Virgils epic similes one aspect of the workings of an imagined divine love. Canto XV, in its model for love, builds upon similes from the Aeneid, recalling especially the simile of reflected light used in Book 8 to describe the movement of Aeneas agitated mind. There, the hero is alone, with the burden of his race upon his solitary shoulders. Dante recalls this solitude while creating a vision of infinite sharing: the hero responsible for bringing a chosen race into the promised land of Italy is replaced by a wider covenant, of which an infinite number of people may come into possession. In his awareness of his own writing at this point, Dantes Virgil makes a mirror which, in describing how love between people works like an intensifying series of reflections and refractions, also shows that texts may be illuminated, not diminished, by their interrelation. It is a vision which balances the recognition, in the humility of Purgatory, that earthly fame will be swept away, that the renown of one artist will swiftly be usurped by another. Purgatory is a place which exists, in geographical and other terms, in relation to Italy; it is almost a mirror image, familiar constellations moving in unexpected directions in its sky. It is particularly apt that Dante should include such a comparison (between moon and sun) at this point, one which indicates the understanding that the shadows on the walls of a cave are only shadows of the real thing. The infliction of blindness upon the angry in Purgatory is not only the physical manifestation of the effect of their sin, but also a handicap to aid better understanding, complete knowledge reached through the very process of recognising that their knowledge is partial. The seven wounds are healed per esser dolente, another appeal to experience; wounds sting when they are healing. The disk of the sun is more easily seen through the dissipating smoke than in its unveiled dazzle.

75 Terms Pertaining to Color

75 Terms Pertaining to Color 75 Terms Pertaining to Color 75 Terms Pertaining to Color By Mark Nichol This post lists numerous nouns and adjectives that describe or pertain to qualities of color, plus brief definitions. 1. ablaze: bright and full of light or color 2. bleached: washed out as a result of exposure to chemicals or sunlight 3. bold: very bright, clear, or strong in color 4. brash: contrasting vividly 5. bright: filled with light, or having a light but strong color 6. brilliant: very bright 7. chatoyant: having a changeable color 8. chroma: purity of color 9. color scheme: combination of colors used in a design 10. colorful: distinguished by bright colors or many colors 11. colorless: lacking color 12. complementary: matching well 13. contrast: differences in color or light 14. cool: containing blue or green 15. dappled: marked with spots of color or light 16. dark: heavily saturated 17. deep: see dark 18. delicate: a charming or dainty quality 19. depth: brightness of a color 20. discolored: see faded 21. dusty: dark or dull 22. faded: lacking brilliance or freshness 23. fast: resistant to fading 24. fauve: see vivid 25. festive: bright and cheerful 26. fiery: very bright red, orange, or yellow, or a combination of two or three of these colors 27. flamboyant: brightly or elaborately colorful 28. flaming: bright or glowing red, orange, or yellow 29. fluorescent: very bright and reflective 30. gay: see brilliant 31. glowing: see bright and warm 32. ground: color used as a base in painting 33. harmonious: pleasantly complementary 34. harsh: excessively bright 35. hue: color 36. intensity: see chroma 37. iridescent: showing various colors in different types of light or from different angles 38. light: pale or minimally saturated 39. loud: ostentatiously bright 40. matching: of the same color 41. medium: between light and dark 42. mellow: clear, warm, and soft 43. monochrome: made of one color or of shades of one color 44. monotone: uniform 45. multicolored: consisting of many colors 46. muted: soft, not bright 47. nacreous: see iridescent 48. neutral: not bright or strong 49. opalescent: see iridescent 50. pastel: pale and soft 51. pearlescent: see iridescent 52. psychedelic: very bright, with busy patterns 53. pure: clear, unmixed 54. rich: deep, vivid 55. riot: disorderly or random 56. saturation: see chroma 57. shade: a variation of a color caused by the addition of black 58. sickly: unpleasantly pale 59. sober: plain, not bright 60. soft: pale and gentle 61. somber: dark and dull 62. tinge: slight shading 63. tint: a variation of a color caused by the addition of white 64. tonal: pertaining to a tone 65. tonality: range of colors in a painting or image 66. tone: see shade 67. translucent: very light or pale or light 68. two-tone: having two colors 69. value: degree of brightness 70. vibrant: bright and colorful 71. violent: very bright, intense 72. vivid: very bright, strong 73. warm: containing red, orange, or yellow 74. washed out: pale, desaturated 75. watery: pale Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)Personification vs. Anthropomorphism

Is British Foreign Policy mainly conducted by the Prime Minister Essay

Is British Foreign Policy mainly conducted by the Prime Minister - Essay Example Ideally, the foreign policies are supposed to protect the interests of the citizens of a particular nation. This has not always been the case. According to Steiner (2004, p. 21) the state has collective representation on different fronts. These include, Heads of state, Prime Ministers, Presidents, commissioners and ambassadors among others. It becomes a bit difficult in understanding that realy plays the leading role in foreighn policies. According to Williams (2004, p. 910) the British foreign policy is not a product of political vacuum but rather a product of domestic factors such as the current public opinion on certain issues, pressure from global emerging issues like technology, interactive, activities from regional organization like the European Union and other transnational forces like the NGOs and other lobby groups. Ideally speaking, the ministers, government officials and other outsiders who are experienced and informed on particular issues are the ones who are supposed to formulate policies. This is on the basis of informed talks of any possible alternatives and putting into considerations relevant historical background and presidents. They also put into account the positions of any involved institutions and the legality of the proposed policy. After the formulation, the policy is interpreted by officials who later implement in order for it to attain the objective intended for. During the whole process, th ere are other interested parties that need to go through the policy. These are both in UK and abroad. In general the process of policy making in UK is made up of the following steps; Formulation, Interpretation, Implementation and Presentation. The process of policy making in the UK at some point seems to be very wide and may involve all government officials and a huge number of outsiders from both foreign states and NGOs. Despite that is said that this remains to

Defining African Religion and Insiders and Outsiders Essay

Defining African Religion and Insiders and Outsiders - Essay Example African theology is highly felt in present day America due to the presence of the African Americans. Most of the religions are an affirmation of the existence of natural law. Natural laws are sets of unwritten laws that place emphasis on morals and obedience. The cultural practices are passed on from one generation to another. Africans practiced their religions before the interference from the white colonialists. At this time, there was no knowledge of factors such as the Holy Trinity or the Bible. Religious practices are geared toward having prosperity, peace and happiness in the community. Each type of religion has a different set of rules that should be followed to the T. lack of commitment to the religion displays disregard for the community. People who are caught committing an offence face a number of punishments which range from minor punishments to cases of exile (Magesa, 1997). Jacob Olupona offers an alternative view of the practice of African religion in most of the African communities. The writer takes a different outlook towards the practices of different communities. The book thus gets its inspiration from countries like South Africa and Nigeria. Despite the difference of locations, the two countries have some common similarities. Some of the similarities are seen in the use of proverbs. Africans value the opinion of the elder members of the society. Most of the proverbs are created by the ancestors and passed on to the offspring’s. The use of proverbs has thus been incorporated into the religions. They act as a way of guidance in that they have moral codes of behavior. The book mentions the importance of rituals in the African community as a whole. Rituals are reserved for several occasions and celebrations in the community. Each celebration has a special ritual which acts as a symbolic example. In the case of religion, Africans dedicate an immense number of rituals to worship.

Week 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Week 5 - Assignment Example the mother suspects that the boyfriend is sexually abusing the daughter and has requested for a thorough examination of the child’s urinary symptoms. The child may have emotional and behavioral reactions because of her mental retardation illness. Therefore, confidence and skills are required to comprehend the patient. The approach used is by checking the level of consciousness to determine if she comprehends questions asked and the manner of response. In addition, the level of consciousness will establish if the patient will lose track of the subject and keep silent or fall asleep. If the patient does not respond, the questions asked, there is a need to elevate the stimulus through various steps. First, speak to the patient by her name in a high tone, and then shake the girl gently like when waking up someone from sleep. If there is no reaction to these actions, the patient should be evaluated for a severe drop in the level of consciousness. The motor and posture conduct is assessed observing if the patient prefers to walk around or lie in bed and her capability to relax. In addition, facial expression is detected when she intera cts with others and at rest (Bickley, Szilagyi & Bates, 2013). The 2014 Florida Statutes 39.201 describe the ‘Mandatory reports of child abuse, abandonment, or neglect; mandatory reports of death; central abuse hotline’. Clause 1(b) applies to this case because there is reasonable cause to suspect that the 5-year-old mentally challenged girl is abused by the caregiver (The Florida Legislature, 2015). Florida Council Against Sexual Violence is a resource provides various local centers in Florida State. It provides free services to children, persons with disabilities and adults. The services range from legal, medical, therapy, short-term counseling, HIV/AIDS testing (Florida Council Against Sexual Violence, 2009). The symptoms presented by the patient indicate that the child might be suffering from a urinary tract infection. Tests

A Non Excusable Delay Construction Essay

A Non Excusable Delay Construction Essay 2.1 Introduction In this chapter, I will discuss types, causes and effects of delay of project in the construction industry. Besides that, I will also discuss the method to minimize the delays happening in construction industry 2.2 Type of Delay In construction industry, there are the categories of delays used in determining delay damage as shown in table 2.1 Delay Concurrent Delay Excusable Delay Non-Excusable Delay Entitlement for time Compensable Non-compensable Figure 2.1 Types of Delay 2.2.1 Excusable delays Excusable delay as define a delay that is due to an unforeseeable event beyond the contractors or the subcontractors control. Usually, based on common general provisions in public agency specifications, delay resulting from the following events would be considered excusable such as fires, floods, owner-directed changes, errors and omissions in the contract drawing, unusually severe weather and etc. Excusable delays can be further classified into excusable with compensation and excusable without compensation. (Ibnu Abbas Majid,2006) 2.2.1.1 Excusable with compensation Compensation delays are caused by the owner or the owners agents. An example of this would be the drawings late release from the owners architect. An excusable, compensable delay normally leads to a schedule extension and exposes the owner to financial damages claimed by the contractor. In this scenario, the contractor incurs additional indirect costs for both extended field office and home office overhead and unabsorbed home office overhead. (Abdul Hamid Kadir Pakir 2009) 2.2.1.2 Excusable delays without compensation Non-compensable delays are caused by third parties or incidents beyond the control of both the owner and the contractor. Examples typically include acts of God, unusual weather, strikes, fires, acts of government in its sovereign capacity, etc. In this case, the contractor is normally entitled to claim extension of time but no compensation for delay damages. (Abdul Hamid Kadir Pakir 2009) 2.2.2 Non-excusable delays Non-excusable delays are cause by lack of performance of the contractor on the construction project. This delay can be cause by underestimates of productivity, improper project planning and scheduling, poor site management and supervision, wrong construction methods, equipment breakdowns, unreliable subcontractors or suppliers. Therefore, it is contractor responsibilities to continue their work with no entitlement to claim for extension of time or delay damages until they completed the project. For instance, a contractor failure to provide an adequate material to completed their job. 2.2.3 Concurrent Delay Concurrent delay is a problem that happening on most of the construction industry project. This issue arises when two or more delaying event at the same time in a project cannot complete on time. In this situation, both owner and contractor are responsible for the delay. Commonly concurrent delays which involve any two or more excusable delays result in extension of time. When excusable with compensation and non-excusable delays are concurrent, an extension of time can be issued or the delay can be distribution between the owner and the contractor. Concurrent delay can be categories in three types of delays: If excusable and non-excusable delays occur concurrently, the contractor only to allow claim for extension of time: If excusable with compensation and excusable without compensation delays occur concurrently, the contractor is entitle to claim extension of time but no delay damages: If two excusable with compensation delays occur concurrently, the contractor is entitled to claim extension of time and delay damages. For instance, a concurrent delay would be if the owner failure to give more detail regarding either using ceramic tile or homogeneous tile for toilet floor finishes. But at the same time contractor made with own decision and using ceramic tile for toilet floor finishes but actually owner plan using homogeneous tile. In this situation, the contractor cannot claim for damages. It is because contractor is not follow owner instruction but he can claim for extension of time with owner failure to give more detail of drawing 2.3 Cause of delay Bramble and Callahan (1987) have defined that ; a delay is the time during which some part of the construction project has been extended or not performed due to an unanticipated circumstance. An incident of delay can originate from within the contractors organization or from any of the other factors interfacing upon construction Project. Some projects are only a few days behind the schedule; some are delayed over a year. So it is essential to define the actual causes of delay in order to minimize and avoid the delays in any construction project. Many and various studies were carried to assess the causes of delays in construction projects. Assaf et al., (1995) surveyed the causes of delay in large building construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The most important causes of delay project in construction industry included approval of delays in payments to contractors and the resulting cash-flow problems during construction, shop drawings, design changes, conflicts in work schedules of subcontractors, design errors, labor shortage and inadequate labor skills, slow decision making and executive bureaucracy in the owners organizations. Mezher et al., (1998) conducted a survey of the causes of delays in the construction industry in Lebanon from the viewpoint of owners, contractors and architectural/engineering firms. It was found that owners had more concerns with regard to financial issues; contractors regarded contractual relationships the most important, while consultants considered project management issues to be the most important causes of delays. Ogunlana et al., (1996) studied the delays in building projects in Thailand, as an example of developing economies. They concluded that the problems of the construction industry in developing economies could be nested in three layers: problem of shortages or inadequacies in industry infrastructure, mainly supply of resources, problems caused by clients and consultants, and problems caused by incompetence of contractors. Kumaraswamy et al., (1998) surveyed the causes of construction delays in Hong Kong as seen by clients, contractors and consultants, and examined the factors affecting productivity. The survey revealed differences in perceptions of the relative significance of factors between the three groups, indicative of their experiences, possible prejudices and lack of effective communication. Chan and Kumaraswamy (1996) conducted a survey to evaluate the relative importance of 83 potential delay factors in Hong Kong construction projects and found five principal factors: poor risk management and supervision, unforeseen site conditions, slow decision making, client-initiated variations, and work variations.these causes were categorized into the following into eight groups: Project-related factors include project characteristics, necessary variations, communication among the various parties, speed of decision making involving all project teams, and ground conditions; Client-related factors include those concerned with client characteristics, project financing, their variations and requirements, and interim payments to contractors; Design team-related factors include design team experience, project design complexity, and mistakes and delays in (producing) design documents; Contractor-related factors include contractor experience in planning and controlling the projects, site management and supervisions, degree of subcontracting, and their cash-flow; Materials related factors include shortages, materials changes, procurement programming, and proportion of off-site prefabrication; Labor factors related include labor shortages, low skill levels, weak motivation, and low productivity; Plant/Equipment related factors include shortages, low efficiency, breakdowns, and wrong selection; and External factors include waiting time for approval of drawings and test samples of materials and environmental concerns and restrictions. Abd. Majid and McCaffer (1998) studied the factors of non-excusable delays that influence contractors performance. They classified the main causes of non excusable delays according to the source of occurrence, and then identified the factor contributing to those causes. It is assumed that the client has more control over the compensable delays and can take action to prevent them. The contractor is expected to have control over the non-excusable delays and, presumably, do more to prevent them. They classified the factor of causes of non-excusable delays into twelve groups: material-related delays; labor-related delays; equipment-related delays; financial-related delays; improper planning; lack of control; subcontractor-related delays; poor coordination; inadequate supervision; improper construction methods; technical personnel shortages; and poor communication. Mansfield et al., (1994) studied the causes of delay and cost overrun in construction projects in Nigeria. The results showed that the most important factors are financing and payment for completed works, poor contract management, changes in site conditions, shortage of material, and improper planning. Al-Momani (2000) conducted a quantitative analysis of construction delays by examining the records of 130 public building projects constructed in Jordan during the period of 1990Â ¯1997. The researcher presented regression models of the relationship between actual and planned project duration for different types of building facilities. The analysis also included the reported frequencies of time extensions for the different causes of delays. The researcher concluded that the main causes of delay in construction projects relate to designers, user changes, weather, site conditions, late deliveries, economic conditions, and increase in quantities.

Stress Essay -- essays research papers

How to Deal With StressMany students go to school full time, and hold a part time job to earn money for school. Most students have about four classes, and each of the teacher’s of these classes gives an average of about an hour of homework each night; that averages out to four hours per night of homework, plus a part time job. School causes a lot of students stress because there are so many things to do, and so little time to do it. Stress is a normal part of everyone’s life; and is not a disease. It is not necessarily good or bad; however, reactions to stress can be harmful. Lack of time puts the stress on many students, and causes students to often procrastinate because they are constantly trying to meet deadlines and they don’t have the time to work on their assignments. Many students feel their grades are important; they need plenty of time to work on their work so they can do good. I can relate to them because if I get a low grade I get disgusted because I p ut a lot of time and effort in doing that assignment. But I think that a lot of the stress from school is caused, not only by the teachers, but also from the students to do well. Students put too much stress on themselves. A student just has to learn to manage their time well and just do as good as possible. Stress management involves the effort of that student to make emotional and physical changes. The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine the level of change that will take place. If a student wants to change the amount of stress in their life, they have to be willing to work and manage their time properly, even if it means sacrificing hours from a job or a night out with friends to study for a test or write a paper. Many students feel an increase in stress and anxiety when writing a paper, meeting a deadline, or studying for an exam. This can cause twitching, trembling, muscle tension, headaches, sweating, irritability, fatigue, and even dry mouth (An xiety, Stress, and Tension). When talking about stress, there are many things that can influence a student. The five main topics that influence a student’s well being are attitude, physical well being, physical activity, support systems, and relaxation (World Book on Health, 235). Attitude: The attitude of a student can influence whether a situation or emotion is stressful or not. A student with a negative attitude will ... ...oolwork and go out with their friends. It is important that a student interacts with others because it boosts self-confidence and helps maintain social stability in their lives. Lastly, rule number five when dealing with stress is using relaxation techniques. There are many relaxation techniques such as: listening to music, daydreaming, sleeping, writing poetry and many others. Also a student dealing with stress should take time out of their schedule for personal interests and hobbies. Students need to take time from stressful situations and do what makes them happy and have fun. It is also good to take a mini vacation from time to time. This helps keep the stressful student’s mind off of things and allow them to retreat somewhere to think and relax. In conclusion, stress can be very harmful and have a lot of effects on a student’s body. Some stress is good, but a lot of it can be bad. The five ways a student can prevent and deal with stress can be very useful. The student dealing with stress just needs to relax and deal with their problems with ease, instead of making things hard on themselves. Things will fall into place; just have patients and life will be a lot less stressful.

Nintendo History Essay

Nintendo was founded in 1889. It was a poker card workshop. But now it’s Japan’s most famous game production company. Its production of electronic games are popular all around the world. Nintendo is the NO.1 of the world’s video game companies. With only 850 staffs, Nintendo used to beat such super enterprises as Toyota occasionally, thus becoming Japanese first profit-making company. Nintendo spells â€Å"Wii† with two lower-case â€Å"I† characters means: To resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together.Wii sounds like ‘we’, which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. The Nintendo Wii is the 7th generation video game console of the Nintendo series. It plays Nintendo video games via discs, and detects movement in three dim ensions. The Wii is meant to stimulate interactivity and movement among its users, so that they play games and get exercise simultaneously. The primary wireless controller, the Wii remote, is a handheld pointing device which makes the on-screen player mimic the movements of the person possessing the Wii remote. Nintendo production of electronic games In 1983ï ¼Å¡NES In 1989ï ¼Å¡Game Boy In 1990ï ¼Å¡Super Famicom In 1996ï ¼Å¡Nintendo64 In 2001ï ¼Å¡Game Boy Advance In 2001ï ¼Å¡GameCube In 2004ï ¼Å¡Nintendo DS In 2006ï ¼Å¡Wii In 2012ï ¼Å¡Wii U http://game.people.com.cn/n/2012/1120/c49419-19633647-4.htmlhttp://blog.eio.com/2012/07/21/an-introduction-to-the-nintendo-wii/ 1. Was Nintendo just lucky, or does the Wii’s success have strategic merit? Nintendo’s strategy was very clear and clever. It thought that it could not survive in the competition with Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Play Station 3. So, Nintendo do not try to compete to the competitor rather than it tried to rebuild the gaming system. Without concerning the more advanced technology, it tried to do more using less investment. They realized that they couldn’t make a better product, so by changing the way in which the product is used they created a whole new market at their control. By changing their focus away from the game but the experience Nintendo created a unique strategy that is now synonymous with their name. Nintendo developed the Wii with a very specific design and marketing strategy in place. So, Nintendo’s strategy was so resourceful and it worked like magic mix strategy.Their success with the Wii really stems from two sources. First, they have gained substantial market share with previously untapped demographics (elder ly, smallchildren, and families). Second, because they have eliminated many of the additional costs and features of the more advanced game systems, they have been able to better compete based on price.Even while they were struggling, Nintendo maintained a strong brand within the gaming industry. Marketing Strategies of Nintendo are through the product, pricing, promotion, and place. With the product, Nintendo redesigned the controller to make it easier and more nature to play games,e.g motion sensitivity, IR sensors. Nintendo keep price at $250.00 while XBOX and PS3 over $350.00. Wii games cheaper $10.00 than XBOX and PS3. It offering various accessories to generate revenue. Ninendo promotion through mass selling, uses intermediary (GameStop, hypermarket, mall), uses both push or pull techniques. Pushing is used by advertising through commercials, ads, circulars, magazines, and internet.Pulling is demonstrated by keeping on-hand inventory low leaving customers returning to check availability.Nintendo has included a free game with eachWii unit, other systems, they increase the price by $20-50. they offer the Nintendo WiFi connection. This allows you to play certain online games against friends and others. Nintendo's WiFi connection is free and offers many nice updates. A bout the place, Nintendo has distribution centers around the world. Each distributing the regions version of Nintendo’s systems or games. In the United States there are 2 distribution centers, that are Redmond, Washington; Atlanta, Georgia. Retailers get their inventory directly from Nintendo.Businesses are gaining approximately $10 per unit sold; however, they make their money through game and accessory sales. 2) In which stage of the product life cycle is theWii? Based on that stage, is Nintendo employing good marketing mix strategies? The sales of Nintendo keep increasing and last sales not significant. The stages is growh- early maturity. If a product is accepted by the marketplace, it enters the growth stage of the product life cycle. The growth stage is characterized by increasing sales, more competitors, and higher profits. Unfortunately for the firm, the growth stage attracts competitors who enter the market very quickly. For example, when Diet Coke experienced great success, Pepsi soon entered with Diet Pepsi. You’ll notice that both Coca-Cola and Pepsi have similar competitive offerings in the beverage industry, including their own brands of bottled water, juice, and sports drinks. As additional customers begin to buy the product, manufacturers must ensure that the product remains available to customers or run the risk of them buying competitors’ offerings. For example, the producers of video game systems such as Nintendo’s Wii could not keep up with consumer demand when the product was first launched. Consequently, some consumers purchased competing game systems such as Microsoft’s Xbox. A company sometimes increases its promotional spending on a product during its growth stage. However, instead of encouraging consumers to try the product, the promotions often focus on the specific benefits the product offers and its value relative to competitive offerings. In other words, although the company must still inform and educate customers, it must counter the competition. Emphasizing the advantages of the product’s brand name can help a company maintain its sales in the face of competition. Although different organizations produce personal computers, a highly recognized brand such as IBM strengthens a firm’s advantage when competitors enter the market. New offerings that utilize the same successful brand name as a company’s already existing offerings, which is what Black & Decker does with some of its products, can give a company a competitive advantage. Companies typically begin to make a profit during the growth stage because more units are being sold and more revenue is generated. The number of distribution outlets (stores and dealers) utilized to sell the product can also increase during the growth stage as a company tries to reach as much of the marketplace as possible. Expanding a product’s distribution and increasing its production to ensure its availability at different outlets usually results in a product’s costs remaining high during the growth stage. The price of the product itself typically remains at about the same level during the growth stage, although some companies reduce their prices slightly to attract additional buyers and meet the competitors’ prices. Companies hope by increasing their sales, they also improve their profits. The Maturity Stage After many competitors enter the market and the number of potential new customers declines, the sales of a product typically begin to level off. This indicates that a product has entered the maturity stage of its life cycle. Most consumer products are in the mature stage of their life cycle; their buyers are repeat purchasers versus new customers. Intense competition causes profits to fall until only the strongest players remain. The maturity stage lasts longer than other stages. Quaker Oats and Ivory Soap are products in the maturity stage—they have been on the market for over one hundred years. Given the competitive environment in the maturity stage, many products are promoted heavily to consumers by stronger competitors. The strategies used to promote the products often focus on value and benefits that give the offering a competitive advantage. The promotions aimed at a company’s distributors may also increase during the mature stage. Companies may decrease the price of mature products to counter the competition. However, they must be careful not to get into â€Å"price wars† with their competitors and destroy all the profit potential of their markets, threatening a firm’s survival. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have engaged in several price wars with regard to their microprocessors. Likewise, Samsung added features and lowered the price on its Instinct mobile phone, engaging in a price war with Apple’s iPhone. With the weakened economy, many online retailers engaged in price wars during the 2008 holiday season by cutting prices on their products and shipping costs. Although large organizations such as Amazon.com can absorb shipping costs, price wars often hurt smaller retailers. Many retailers learned from their mistakes and ordered less inventory for the 2009 holiday season. Companies are challenged to develop strategies to extend the maturity stage of their products so they remain competitive. Many firms do so by modifying their target markets, their offerings, or their marketing strategies. Next, we look at each of these strategies. Modifying the target market helps a company attract different customers by seeking new users, going after different market segments, or finding new uses for a product in order to attract additional customers. Financial inst itutions and automobile dealers realized that women have increased buying power and now market to them. With the growth in the number of online shoppers, more organizations sell their products and services through the Internet. Entering new markets provides companies an opportunity to extend the product life cycles of their different offerings. Many companies enter different geographic markets or international markets as a strategy to get new users. A product that might be in the mature stage in one country might be in the introductory stage in another market. For example, when the U.S. market became saturated, McDonald’s began opening restaurants in foreign markets. Cell phones were very popular in Asia before they were introduced in the United States. Many cell phones in Asia are being used to scan coupons and to charge purchases. However, the market in the United States might not be ready for that type of technology. Modifying the product, such as changing its packaging, size, flavors, colors, or quality can also extend the product’s maturity stage. The 100 Calorie Packs created by Nabisco provide an example of how a company changed the packaging and size to provide convenience and one-hundred-calorie portions for consumers. While the sales of many packaged foods fell, the sales of the 100 Calorie Packs increased to over $200 million, prompting Nabisco to repackage more products. [5]Kraft Foods extended the mature stage of different crackers such as Wheat Thins and Triscuits by creating different flavors. Although not popular with consumers, many companies downsize (or decrease) the package sizes of their products or the amount of the product in the packages to save money and keep prices from rising too much. Car manufacturers modify their vehicles slightly each year to offer new styles and new safety features. Every three to five years, automobile manufacturers do more extensive modifications. Changing the package or adding variations or features are common ways to extend the mature stage of the life cycle. Pepsi recently changed the design and packaging of its soft drinks and Tropicana juice products. However, consumers thought the new juice package looked like a less expensive brand, which made the quality of the product look poorer. As a result, Pepsi resumed the use of the original Tropicana carton. Pepsi’s redesigned soda cans also received negative consumer reviews. Tropicana’s New Packaging Tropicana’s new (and now abandoned) packaging look didn’t compare well with the â€Å"orange and the straw† but is still used on the lower-calorie Tropicana. When introducing products to international markets, firms must decide if the product can be standardized (kept the same) or how much, if any,adaptation, or changing, of the product to meet the needs of the local culture is necessary. Although it is much less expensive to standardize products and promotional strategies, cultural and environmental differences usually require some adaptation. Product colors and packages as well as product names must often be changed because of cultural differences. For example, in many Asian and European countries, Coca-Cola’s diet drinks are called â€Å"light,† not diet. GE makes smaller appliances such as washers and dryers for the Japanese market. Hyundai Motor Company had to improve the quality of its automobiles in order to compete in the U.S. market. Compan ies must also examine the external environment in foreign markets since the regulations, competition, and economic conditions vary as well as the cultures. Figure 7.15 Some companies modify the marketing strategy for one or more marketing variables of their products. For example, many coffee shops and fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s now offer specialty coffee that competes with Starbucks. As a result, Starbucks’ managers a decided it was time to change the company’s strategy. Over the years, Starbucks had added lunch offerings and moved away from grinding coffee in the stores to provide faster service for its customers. However, customers missed the coffee shop atmosphere and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and didn’t like the smell of all the lunch items. As a result of falling market share, Starbucks’ former CEO and founder Howard Schultz returned to the company. Schultz hired consultants to determine how to modify the firm’s offering and extend the maturity stage of their life cycle. Subsequently, Starbucks changed the atmosphere of many of its stores back to that of traditional coffee shops, modified its lunch offerings in many stores, and resumed grinding coffee in stores to provide the aroma customers missed. The company also modified some of its offerings to provide health-conscious consumers lower-calorie alternatives. [6] After the U.S. economy weakened in 2009, Starbucks announced it would begin selling instant coffee for about a dollar a cup to appeal to customers who were struggling financially but still wanted a special cup of coffee. The firm also changed its communication with customers by utilizing more interactive media such as blogs. Whereas Starbucks might have overexpanded, McDonald’s plans to add fourteen thousand coffee bars to selected stores. [7] In addition to the coffee bars, many McDonald’s stores are remodeling their interiors to feature flat screen televisions, recessed lighting, and wireless Internet access. Other McDonald’s restaurants kept their original design, which customers still like. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Assignment-Case-Study-Of-Nintendo-878245.html http://www.papercamp.com/essay/46271/Nintendo-Case ï‚ · http://www.xbitlabs.com http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/2030?e=fwk-133234-ch07_s02

Finance- understanding cost, revenue and profit for a business Essay Example

Finance Finance- understanding cost, revenue and profit for a business Essay Finance- understanding cost, revenue and profit for a business Essay In accounting, costs are the monetary value of expenditures for supplies, services, labour, products, equipment and other items purchased for use by a business or other accounting entity. Here are some of the costs a business needs to know: * Fixed * Start-up cost : * Variable * Total * Marginal * Semi-fixed costs * Direct costs * Indirect costs * Average * Operating costs Fixed costs These costs do not change however many units of a product are made. Factory rent, insurance premiums and administration salaries stay the same, whether the factory is working at full capacity or producing nothing. The owner of the business may have taken out a loan to buy equipment or refurbish a building. The loan will have to be repaid whether or not the business has customers. Variable costs Variable costs change as output changes. For example, the amount of raw materials needed varies as the levels of output go up or down. Piece-work wages also fluctuate, depending on the employees efficiency and the demand for the companys products. Start- up costs These are incurred before a business begins to operate, such as the purchase of land, building and equipments. Total costs The fixed costs and the variable costs are added together to establish the total costs. The fixed costs remain constant, but the variable costs increase in direct proportion with output. Marginal costs Using marginal cost is a way of measuring how much more it will cost a company to make one more individual item. Semi-fixed costs Semi-fixed costs are costs which only change when there is a large change in output. For example, costs associated with buying a new machine to cope with increased production. Also telephones and electricity for instance have a fixed and variable element: a standard line rental and then a charge for each call/unit of electricity after that. Direct costs Direct costs are costs which can be identified directly with the production of a good or service; e.g. raw materials. Indirect costs Indirect costs are costs which cannot be matched against each product because they need to be paid whether or not the production of good or services takes place; e.g. rent on the premises. Classification of costs help allocate costs to right parts of the profit and loss account and also helps analysis of the break even point of the business. Average costs The example of the CD shows the benefits of economies of scale, where mass production results in a lower unit cost. The reason is that the fixed costs do not change and are spread across a greater level of output. Finding out the average cost of production helps a firm to monitor its progress, and makes it easier to set prices. It is calculated by dividing total cost by total output. Using the example of the compact disc firm above: Total costs / Total output = Average cost of production à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,000 / 100 CDs = à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 per CD This might seem expensive, but if the firm produces another hundred units at a marginal cost of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.00 per CD, its average cost will fall radically: Total costs / Total output = Average cost of production à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,100 / 200 CDs = à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.50 per CD The firm can use this information to decide whether it is worth accepting a new order for goods. Operating costs Variables costs and fixed costs added together are known as operating or running costs since they are both incurred when a business is running. Revenue In business, revenue or revenues is income that a company receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. Sales these are the main source of revenue for most organisations because customers pay for the goods or services they buy. Leasing a part of a building to another business can also provide a source of income. Some businesses specialise in leasing cars or equipment to other organisations. Interest this earned when a business has no money in an interest bearing accounts at the bank. Calculating total revenue To do this we need two items of information: * The selling price * The number sold We then need use the following formula: Profit Profit generally is the making of gain in business activity for the benefit of the owners of the business. Profit is the difference between the income of the business and all its costs/expenses. It is normally measured over a period of time. Profit is important in three ways: 1. It rewards the business people who have taken risks to run it 2. It provides the funds to develop the business further 3. It is a source of cash, which allows the business to meet its debts Gross profit This is the difference between sales income and the direct costs of making those products. Gross profit is used as a performance indicator to help the business make decisions over its pricing policies and use of materials. In the example, the business had sales of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½18,000 over the year. Its cost of sales was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4,850 and its gross profit, therefore, was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½13,150. Trading Account for Filling Snacks for year ended 31 December, 2000 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Sales 18,000 less Cost of Sales Opening Stock 750 Purchases 5000 Closing Stock (900) (4,850) Gross Profit 13,150 Net profit Net profit represents gross profit less all expenses associated with the normal running of the business. Net profit shows how well the business performs under its normal trading circumstances. It is used to calculate the primary efficiency ratio. Net profit is the final profit of the business. It is the amount of profit made by the owners of the business at the end of the period. In this Example when we take expenses into account, we can see that what was a gross profit of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½13,150 is now a net loss of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,650. Trading and Profit Loss Account for Filling Snacks for year ended 31 December, 2000 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Sales 18,000 less Cost of Sales Opening Stock 750 Purchases 5,000 Closing Stock (900) (4,850) Gross Profit 13,150 less Expenses Rent 10,000 Interest Payments 1,800 Light Heat 1,500 Advertising 500 Other 1,000 (14,800) Net Profit (1,650) Retained profit Retained profit is the profit left over after the shareholders have been paid their dividends. Retained profit is normally reinvested in the business. Profit is important to a business because it is a reward to the owners of the business. They have taken risks with their money and time. If there was no profit, then there would be little point in starting up or putting more money into the business, they might as well put the money into a bank or building society Profit maximization Profit maximization is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit. There are several approaches to this problem. The total revenue total cost method relies on the fact that profit equals revenue minus cost. There are two basic ways of improving profits: * Increasing sales income * Reducing running costs Increasing sales income There are different ways of trying to achieve this. They all have risks as shown in the charts. Methods Risks Increase prise Sales could fail Reduce prices to increase sales Not enough extra sales would be made to compensate Reducing operating costs We already know that cost fall in to two variables and fixed. Many business have operating cost like bills, labours, raw materials etc. An example of reducing operating profit is given below, a valeting business have a list which begins: Staff wages à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200,000 Property rental à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50,000 And end with Ball pens à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20.00 Paper clips à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4.50 Method of reducing costs falls into main categories: * Minimising usage * Finding the best purchase deal Item Use less Reduce purchase price Labour Reduce staff levels by increasing number of automated or computerised operations Increase productivity sub-contract work to cheapest bidder Raw materials Use fewer materials in product Look for a cheaper supplier Gas, water and electricity Replace older item with efficient ones, e.g. Energy- saving bulbs, light which turn off automatically. Switch utility company if this would reduced costs Consumable items, e.g. stationary Send documents by e-mail rather than by post. Shop around for cheaper suppliers and investigate online source The importance of profit After tax is paid the business can spend the remaining money in several ways. If the business is a limited company with shareholders, some of the profits will be paid as dividends. These are the rewards paid to shareholders for investing their money- similar to the interest you if you save money in the bank.

Five Steps to Blogging for Businesses You Frequent Anyway

Five Steps to Blogging for Businesses You Frequent Anyway Even successful freelance writers find themselves in lulls at times, their pitches readily declined. 1.      Ã‚  Find businesses   The ideal company will either have a small, underdeveloped blog or no blog. Select businesses you already care about: brands you love or businesses operating locally. Consider businesses connected to your  writing niche   as well. If you know someone personally at the company, take advantage of that connection. In the past year, I pitched a start-up health and fitness company, a phone application company, and a local brewery for blogging work. 2.      Ã‚  Make first contact, but expect mixed responses   Search the website for a contact form or email. Send a quick, clear message stating that you avidly use the product or service. Mention you are a freelance writer and link to some of your closely related published work. Occasionally, you will catch a company at a point where they want to expand their web presence but dont have a ready candidate. Your offer will come before theyve set up an application or a job board post, which means that they save valuable time 3.      Ã‚  Bring up topics, then money   If you do receive a positive response, tailor your return email to the content of that response. However, show that you have ideas for content, if they dont immediately provide you with topics, and  ask what they pay  while mentioning your usual range. 4.      Ã‚  Know how much you are willing to accept Your typical pay range may be too high for some, so recognize your bottom line. This amount can change over time as your experience grows. For instance, I took $40 a post for a job writing 500-word blog posts, but I also accepted $40 for a 1000-word blog post on a topic I enjoyed researching. You decide how much you want this particular job, so value yourself while also acknowledging that small companies may not have much budget for writing. The site  Who Pays Writers?  also offers an idea of what freelancers charge for different lengths of articles at different kinds of publications. 5.      Ã‚  Do your best work to  become indispensable   Requesting blogging work using these steps doesnt guarantee that the client will keep you around forever, but in my experience, these clients provide a steady stream of work. I now have five long-term business blogging clients who give me two or more projects a month. One client in particular, a start-up marketing company, specifically chose to continue working with me even after a more prestigious writer queried them, because the other writer wanted more money and didnt want to work within their organizational structure. Using these steps, you can gather clients without competing with other writers, while building long-term relationships with businesses you enjoy.

Integrated Marketing Communications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Integrated Marketing Communications - Assignment Example The ambiguity centered on the definition of IMC has created complexity in assessing the operational efficiency of the process. There are many levels of integration, which produces problems collectively as well as individually. The ideal execution of IMC calls for the sharing of the entire organization. The purpose of marketing communication is to influence the thinking process of the recipient the communication about a brand, a project, a service etc. This called the conceptualization ion of the idea. The next step is the relationship building. The recipient of the communication and the brand should establish an emotional connection. This activity takes place at the subliminal level. Marketing communication should establish a relationship of trust with the entire clientele, which is comprised of the every day functional user of a product in the wider society as well as the user of a product in a chosen niche of the community. This trust of the recipient would be expressed in sales inquiry or attempt to switch to the new brand. This is the activation of behavioral change in visible forms. Once the activation is discernable, it is to be supported by immediate help by the quick operation of the service sector of the brand in the form of further information by some form of contact. Th is is followed by a product experience, which makes the initial trust with the communicator and the recipient of communication a concrete reality. All of the above dimensions have to be performed in a coordinated manner. An integrated marketing communications program guarantees that every chance to send a message to a customer functions efficiently and smartly. Many needs of the enterprise like increasing membership, ensuring member retention, or increasing non-dues revenue, entry into an impenetrable market etc is achieved by stretching and straining all the sinews and muscles of the enterprise. This can be also called persuasive communication. Chris Fill has observed the complexities that communication involves.  

The Impact of Roman Catholic Church on Capitalism Essay

The Impact of Roman Catholic Church on Capitalism - Essay Example The church helped the society to counter the vices by making moral values prevalent in their course of life. This indicates that the democratic society that has no accountability to god will finally degenerates. Thus Roman Catholic Church helped in the growth of capitalism and democracy by inculcating moral values in the Christian societies. The church and capitalism did not support the common property administered by state that is against the democracy. According to church and capitalism the socialism is against the natural justice and threatens the family life. Pius XI explained the above mentioned ideas in Quadragesimo Anno published in 1931. The personal responsibility, institutional changes are considered by Roman Catholic Church and capitalism against the socialism. Church helped in developing the institutions that constituted the society. This made the people to understand the reality in the capitalism according to catholic ideas. The Church supported the creative subjectivity of the human person in supporting the capitalism. This can be seen from two perspectives; philosophically and theologically. 1 The impact of Church on capitalism is due to its support to the free market economy that supports capitalism. In Centesimus Annus #32 John Paul wrote that the decisive factor has changed from land to man and knowledge. According to him this came from understanding the needs of others and ability to satisfy them. As a result the freedom will be a means of harmony between personal and societal interests. Capitalism enabled the greatest opportunity to engage creatively in economic sphere. This creativity in the capitalism is due to the church and it is the one of the ways the Church affected the capitalism. The diligence, industriousness, prudence, reliability and fidelity are the values that had shown impact on capitalism by Roman Catholic Church. The catholic ethic supports the capitalism as the human imperative that is creative and endeavor of the society to encourage the public virtue. The Roman Catholic Church as a supporter of free enterprise rejected the government's too much intervention. This is the 2nd aspect that has shown impact on capitalism from the side of Church. Catholicism contained the afore mentioned opposition for government intervention when it is extreme. Thus Catholicism rejected too much personalism in the economy. This thought has begun with Leo XIII's Rerum Novarum in 1891. The catholic society supported capitalism in the form of having right to private property with the presence of trade unions and wages. This resulted in distributist economic system. The Roman Catholic Church defended this economic system. This resulted in widespread owner ship of land. As small scale craft production obeys natural law and catholic tradition, there is some sort of opposition from the church for large scale craft production. As the economy has grown though effected by Catholicism, the large scale production