Early 1920s and Hitler’s Rise to Power

The Rise of Hitler 1. Why did so many German people join the Nazi Party? In the early 1920s, Germany was especially hard-hit during the Great Depression after the first World War, mainly because of the Treaty of Versailles, which made Germany go into an extreme hyperinflation. People could not buy anything with a reasonable price. In 1922, a loaf of bread costed 163 marks. In September 1923, it would have costed 1,500,000 marks and in November of that same year which was the peak of the hyperinflation, the loaf of bread would be worth 200,000,000 marks.Prices were going up faster than people could spend their money. Naturally, workers were unhappy with the social and economic conditions in Germany. Then came Adolf Hitler, who formed a party known as the Nazis which promised many things that the workers and the people of Germany wanted and implemented his ideas through his propaganda. Hitler told people that he would make sure everybody got a job and that he would help the peasants. T hese ideas were implemented into his propaganda and proved to be very effective. . Why did the Munich Putsch 1923 fail? The Munich Putsch of 1923, also known as the Beer Hall Putsch was Adolf Hitler’s attempt to overthrow the Weimar government of Ebert and establish a nationalistic one instead in its place. The Munich Putsch failed because of several factors. First, Hitler had only about 35,000 supporters at that time so there was a shortage of rebels. Second, the Kahr had called in army and police reinforcements and 16 Nazis were killed.Hitler was threatening to shoot anyone that left the Beer Hall and didn’t rebel so not everyone was happy about participating in it, so when the police and army reinforcements came, most of them fled since they didn’t even want to be there in first place. Overall, the reason for the Munich Putsch failing is because the Nazis, despite not having enough supporters at the time, tried to force itself into power against superior mili tary and political forces. 3. Why did Hitler receive such a light sentence at his trial for treason?What were the consequences of his trial and time spent in prison? In 1923, after being arrested for participating in the Munich Putsch, Hitler served a fairly light sentence of 5 years and a 200 mark fine after being accused of high treason. Hitler actually only served 9 months of those 5 years in prison. However, the usual consequence of high treason was death. The question is, why didn’t Hitler get executed? In the courtroom at the time of the trial, Hitler used that time to make another one of his speeches, causing more people to join his cause.This also made the judge like him, so the judge gave him a particularly light sentence. However, even if the judge didn’t like him, he would have gotten a lighter sentence anyways. This is because there were many more German people supporting Hitler now and if the judge sentenced Hitler to death, then that might have caused an uprising or a protest. Therefore, the judge decided to send him to pay a 200 mark fine and serve a 5 year prison sentence, although he would be eligible for parole after 9 months.

Theory of Language

1. THEORY OF LANGUAGE The theory of language underlying Duysel Learning was derived from a view of proposed by Turkish Linguistics in the 2000s. Duysel Learning Method involves both the learning of language knowledge and the cultivation of language skills, with the emphasis on both the form and the content of a language. In teaching practice, its all-inclusive nature requires English teachers to select special and effective teaching methods in conformity with its special tasks to avoid turning it into a pure practical course of oral English or a pure theoretical one on grammar.Regardless of all criticism it has received, the grammar-translation method has been an indispensable method in English teaching as well as a necessary step in the cultivation of students’ communicative ability in a non-English environment. A person cannot have successful communication before having a correct mastery of language rules. Although the applicability of the communicative method has been widel y accepted, this method is confronted with some practical problems.I think we should search for a fusion between the traditional teaching method and the modern teaching method with a more rational attitude based on the learner’s practical ability and request that is, adopting a new method fusing the two methods together in one class of comprehensive English. 1. THEORY OF LEARNING Language is the most important aspect in the life of all beings. We use language to express inner thoughts and emotions, make sense of complex and abstract thought, to learn to communicate with others, to fulfill our wants and needs, as well as to establish rules and maintain our culture.Language is a subtle and complex instrument used to communicate an incredible number of different things, but for our purposes here we can reduce the universe of communication to four basic categories: information, direction, emotion, and ceremony. The first two are often treated together because they express cogniti ve meaning while the latter two commonly express emotional meaning. Language is not learned primarily by learning the â€Å"rules† but rather by first listening to and understanding the spoken language and then practicing speaking.Occasionally, however, learning of rules can help many adults learn and use the language. Just do not make rules the focus of the course. While repetition and memorization can play an important role in language learning, they cannot by themselves insure that students will be able to use the language for any real purpose. Repetition and memorization, if used, must be accompanied by other activities requiring the application of the learned patterns in novel situations and with variation in vocabulary and even structure. . DESIGN a. Objectives/Syllabus In Duysel Learning Method, grammar teaching is not intended for studying grammar but help students to grasp language rules and fulfill listening, speaking, reading and writing practice in a better way. A s a result, teachers should create situations for real activities according to students’ daily life to guide students to understand, grasp and use grammar correctly in such situations.I once adopted a four-step method including introduction, imitation, summary and application to promote grammar teaching at comprehensive English class. In the introduction section, the teacher gives oral demonstration on some original or relevant sentences related to a certain grammar rule in order to introduce it. Selected examples should be in conformity with certain communicative situations hence putting it across to students to what situations this grammar rule applies.In the imitation process, students are required to have oral imitation of some expressions fit for the given situation after understanding examples, which further establishes a pattern for correct use of grammar knowledge in a new situation as well as checks whether they have understood the given knowledge points or not. In t he summary part, students are guided to sum up grammatical rules and points by analyzing specific situations themselves so that they will enjoy the joy of success. Students are expected to take notes so as to accumulate material for review.In the last step, some real situations are set to help students to practice using the learnt grammatical knowledge to have communication. Once they find that they can apply grammar to real communication and specific tasks instead of memorizing grammatical rules, students’ learning enthusiasm will be stimulated and their ability of independent analysis and solving problems will be cultivated as well. b. Types of Learning and Teaching Activities Duysel Learning Method emphasizes students’ comprehensive training in listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation.Due to the specialty of listening and speaking training, they are usually dealt with separately while other three skills are mainly trained through the learning of texts. As for listening and speaking, students are expected to follow classes given in English, to understand short conversations, lectures as well as reports with familiar topics, simple structure and a speed of 120 words per minute, to ask and answer and retell based on relevant listening material, to make conferred presentations based on familiar topics after adequate preparation.Obviously, the communicative method helps to achieve the teaching goal in listening and speaking practice. In practice, teachers may ask students to listen to tapes, do exercises and have discussions based on hot issues with teachers’ checking and instruction; they may also analyze some difficult points in listening material and have more extensive learning of new words and expressions. However, those who have been accustomed to the traditional method tend to keep silent and think little of this method since they cannot learn sufficient knowledge and language points.As a result, teachers should use the g rammar-translation method at times with the communicative method as the main line. For instance, some difficult points at the linguistic level can be explained with the traditional method. Students’ reading, writing and translation skills are mainly trained in learning texts. Teachers are expected to base their teaching on texts to give students certain information and language knowledge first of all by focusing on the translation and understanding of texts and then establish new situations beyond the texts for practice of communicative skills.I once adopted a four-step method including preparatory reading, listening and answering, communication on text and conferred communication in the text teaching process, achieving a natural transition and fusion of grammar-translation training and communicative training. In the first step, students are required to preview a text beforehand with their grammar-translation experience in which they can make sure about some new words, the gi st of the text and some questions and therefore have the next day’s class with full preparation.In the second step, the teacher first asks students to correct their pronunciation and intonation by imitating the tape and then plays the tape once again for students to answer questions or make judgments so as to check their preparatory reading. In the third step, the teacher may guide students to have communication in the context related to the text and help them to solve some problems in key words, sentences and understanding of content they displayed in the previous two steps.When explaining key words and sentences, the grammar-translation method should be used to deepen students’ understanding of the text and improve their ability to use language correctly and flexibly through right communication on the text. In the last step, students’ enthusiasm for communication is fully encouraged. Here the communication in this step is different from that in the previous st eps since teachers need to employ a variety of advanced teaching methods to create language situations and communicative tasks which originating from text while going beyond of it.Students are able to apply what they have learnt to real communication through continuing writing texts, having simulated dialogues, having role-plays, having discussions and so on, hence achieving the purpose of communicating ideas through language. c. Learner Roles Learners have to participate in classroom activities that were based on a cooperative rather than individualistic approach to learning. Students have to become comfortable with listening to their peers in group work or pair work tasks, rather than relying on the teacher for a model.They are expected to take on a greater degree of responsibility for their own learning. d. Teacher Roles Teachers have to assume the role of facilitator and monitor. Rather than being a model for correct speech and writing and one with the primary responsibility of making students produce plenty of error-free sentences, the teacher have to develop a different view of learners’ errors and of her/his own role in facilitating language learning. e. The Role of Instructional Materials Classical texts and carefully compiled texts according to grammar system are used.The materials usually consist of three parts: grammar, vocabulary, and text. The main functions of the materials used in Duysel Learning are presenting and reinforcing grammar rules and new words, and offering cultural information. Additionally, exercise handbooks, cue cards, activity cards, pair-communication practice materials. And student interaction practice booklets are employed in the activities with the aim of improving communicative skills. f. The Role of Native Language The role of language in learning cannot be over-emphasized. Language is the prime resource teachers have and use for mediating learning.When learning languages, then, teachers and students are working with language simultaneously as an object of study and as a medium for learning. In teaching languages, the target language is not simply a new code – new labels for the same concepts; rather, effectively taught, the new language and culture being learned offer the opportunity for learning new concepts and new ways of understanding the world. The target language should be used not only during communicative activities, but also for explaining the activities to the students or in assigning homework. However, native language is only used in making translation. . Feelings of Students Learner’s feelings are very important because students will be more motivated to study a foreign language since they will feel they are learning to do something useful with the language. They are given an opportunity to express their individuality by having them share their ideas and opinions on a regular basis. h. Evaluation The teacher evaluates not only the students’ accuracy, but also t heir fluency. Use an integrative test which has a real communicative function. To assess students’ writing skill, a teacher might ask them to write a letter to a friend.Written tests in which students are asked to translate from their native language to the target language or vice versa are also used. Questions about the foreign culture or questions that ask students to apply grammar rules are common. i. Treatments of Errors Errors of form are tolerated during fluency–based activities and they are seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills. But in the translation part, having the students get the correct answer is considered very important. If students make errors or don't know an answer, the teacher supplies them with the correct answer.

Compare and contrast concessionary bargaining and two-tire wage Essay

Compare and contrast concessionary bargaining and two-tire wage systems - Essay Example And supermarkets will contribute only 35% for the pensions of new workers, down from their previous contribution of 100%. The United Auto Workers also accepted a two-tier structure in a supplemental agreement with the two major parts suppliers, Delphi and Visteon, that employ 52,000 workers. While workers at the "Big Three" auto plants average around $24 an hour, the new hires at the parts plants will start at $14 an hour and can eventually rise to $18.50. In the public sector, the 121,000 members of District Council 37, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), have approved a contract that allows its members to gain wage increases that will be paid for by reducing the pay, sick days and vacation benefits of newly-hired employees. A two-tier system violates the basic union principle of "equal pay for equal work." How should a newly-hired worker feel if he is doing the same work as another worker and getting only two thirds of his pay It turns the new hires into second-class citizens within the union, breeding dissatisfaction and division. It makes it more difficult to foster unity and solidarity. Moreover, employers, in addition to drastically cutting their labor costs, can use their hiring policies to weaken the union. As union power wanes, companies are finding it easier to plead global competition and request stringent concessions that workers are unable to accept. Such "concessionary bargaining" happens during recessions or industry-specific downturns when some companies face the prospect of filing for protection under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. What's unusual now is how many cases involve companies that are in good shape but cite increased global competition as the reason for the demands. "A lot of companies now are doing it just because they believe they can; it's opportunistic," says Ron Blackwell, chief economist for the AFL-CIO. WORKS CITED: Harry, Kelber. "Unions Accepting a Two-Tier Pay System Are Giving a Major Concession to Bosses". June 9, 2004 Online article

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and Essay

William Blake's The Chimney Sweeper intends to change the mind and hearts of its readers. Explain how this might be supposed to work upon the consciousness and conscience of Blake's contemporaries - Essay Example Blake’s major poems are represented in two collections: Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. First collection of poems has many similar images of children, besides it presents many religious and social themes. The name of the collection implies that the themes and issues are present from the perspective of a child. The world is shown in the light which is different to the one an adult sees it. In his two collections of poems Blake presents the same themes, but in different lights and from different angles using words ‘innocence’ and ‘experience’ for collections’ titles. On the one hand, the contrast of the issues presented in the two great collections is strikingly vivid. However, on the other hand, the two opposing visions of life are equally important and necessary for better understanding of the wholesome picture of reality. State of innocence is a child’s vision of things and understanding of the world, while state of experience is a mature person’s perception of reality. One cannot be without the other. Two components, child’s innocence and adult’s experience, put together can create a wholesome picture of the reality and the world we live in. The poet makes his best to present all the truth of life through contrasting images of his two complementary collections of poems (Gallant 124). Blake’s intent ion is to change reader’s mind for the better by identifying evils and corruptions present in English society. He makes his contemporaries think of the reality they live in and perceive it objectively and adequately. Songs of Innocence is the representation of childhood and naivetà © it entails. Blake’s poem The Chimney Sweeper is one of the poems published in Songs of Innocence (1789). The poem contains all the hopes, fears, and naivetà © altogether a child might experience, especially during the time when child labor was such

Competitive Analysis and Business Cycles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competitive Analysis and Business Cycles - Essay Example However, with time several companies began manufacturing similar products. Given the high cost associated with the operations is the software market, only a few companies have managed to operate thereby developing perfect control of their respective market shares. Such companies include Apple, Android and AVG, an antivirus manufacturing company among many others. Each of these companies manufacture similar products thus competing for the market but have successfully acquired adequate market shares. The oligopolistic market structures present the sellers with several market entry barriers key among which include the extensive competition and government policies thus resulting in very few operators. The market however does not present the sellers with any market entry barriers thus resulting in multitude of buyers for which the companies thus compete favorably (Stackelberg, Damien, Lynn and Rowland 41). Question 2: The government has supported Microsoft and the computer industry in sev eral ways thus helping create the current oligopolistic market. Microsoft for example is a large American multinational corporation, one that the government considers too big to die. The death of such large companies especially during financial crises often leads to numerous ripple effects that may possibly paralyze the economy of a country in its totality. To prevent such, the American government has often provided the company with several incentives during such times to ensure that it continues to operate. The incentives include tax reduction and provision of bailouts whenever the companies near collapse. Microsoft has maintained a perfect operation over the years owing to the fact that it had monopolized the market for long implying that the company never neared a collapse thus requiring a bail out from the government. However, the government has developed specific incentive packages that best targeted the Microsoft Corporation. The government has supported the growth of Microsof t as industry and other similar companies by forming bilateral trade contracts. The government is one of the main spenders whose contribution to an economy is essential. The government has often sought tenders from Microsoft in the form of either the purchase of some of its products or seeking its services. Such large contracts safeguard the company’s profitability thus increasing their longevity in the market. The presence of such large tenders also makes the market more lucrative to other entrepreneurs a feature that resulted in the entry of other software and equipment manufacturers. Additionally, the government of the United States of America has formulated and implemented several legislations seeking to protect intellectual properties manufactured by such companies thereby safeguarding the interests of the companies. Microsoft, Android and Apple among others manufacture handsets and computers among other electronic devices. Additionally, they manufacture Software a uniqu e type of product that required protection. Through the provision of patents, the government created an effective platform on which company defendant its products thus maximizing profitability. Such policies have contributed to the growth and expansion of the industry resulting in the current numerous operators. Question 3: Intellectual

Harriet Beecher Stowe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harriet Beecher Stowe - Essay Example Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of the most famous female abolitionists and authors of the 19th century. Her writings fueled the anti-slavery movements before the Civil War. She used religion and family to connect with her white readers and relate the African American community to them. Stowe later housed fugitives on the Underground Railroad while living with her husband in Brunswick, Maine. She wrote and expressed her opinions at a time when women were repressed. She had no rights to vote or hold office but she made her opinions known and began the public debate on slavery and abolition. Her upbringing contributed to her anti-slavery feelings. Her father was a preacher and he encouraged his children to take action to better society. She was the middle child and had 11 siblings. Six of her brothers became ministers and her older sister pioneered education for women in the early nineteenth century. Stowe had a very self-righteous upbringing from her parents and this encouraged her to take a stand for social justice.

Business Function and Processes. (Coca Cola Company) Research Paper

Business Function and Processes. (Coca Cola Company) - Research Paper Example Because of the multidisciplinary nature of developing a design for a new product or service, most managers in this company considered risk calculations inappropriate within such a broadly creative and developed environment. This paralleled most scholars’ view that design is something that reflects both inner and outer environments of a firm with the interface between the two becoming that that meets the preferred objectives (Chiu, 2005: 6-7). This paper will seek to evaluate critically the implications of developing a decision to design and deliver a new product or service with which to enter either a domestic or an international market. Indeed, it is a heard task. The largest number of companies enters different geographical or international markets as a stratagem of finding and getting new customers. A product may be in maturity stage in one market while it might be in the introductory level in another. Making some product modifications like changing its size or packaging de sign can also prolong the maturity stage of the product. However, introducing a new product is a completely new story (Brooke and Mills, 2002:72). Every product must move through the four stages of a product life cycle, which include introduction, market growth, market maturity, and sales decline (Mohr, Sengupta, and Slater, 2009: 56-57). Therefore, when deciding to introduce a new product or service into the market, company decision makers must resolve to look into the kind of implications the new product will pose to pervasive issues affecting the company. Sustainability When Coca Cola is introducing a new product into the market, it means challenges and opportunities. A new drink going into the market must pass through the introductory stage of a product life cycle whereby, customers are not aware of the product and are certainly not looking for it. Coca Cola Company will likely operate at a loss because it is investing the new drink that is bringing in minimal sales. This new dr ink can pass through this life cycle stage commonly referred to as â€Å"kick them back† with much ease since Coca Cola is a large, well-known company and has many means of advertising a new product. This means that, when deciding to introduce a new drink, Coca Cola has the advantage of sustainability. This is because, when the drink enters the second stage of a product life cycle, market growth, its sales will increase at a quick pace (Daft, 2009: 280-82). At this stage, Coca Cola should make sure that the product moves through this stage at a slow pace since currently, customers are deriving satisfaction from the drink and continue to purchase it. As competitors start entering the market, they will try to imitate the product or make it better and at the process, the profits realized from its sales will start declining. At this stage, the drink maturity takes place when the industry sale level off and competition starts to grow stiffer. In some cases, some companies drops ou t of the market probably because that are inefficient and cannot withstand stiff competition. Decision basing introduction of a new drink must stage strategies on how overcome kick them back stage and withstand competition by engineering ways of establishing survival tools (Brooke and Mills, 2002:119). In order to achieve introduction of a vital new drink decision, Coca Cola’s design must cover the drink design, process selection, capacity planning, design of work systems, facility layouts, location planning, as well as decision analysis. The decision must bear in mind that satisfying customers begins with the new drink design

How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, Essay - 1

How does changing the ways in which we connect to others offer us new, positive possibilities How does it affect us negatively - Essay Example The development of new technologies has been providing all the more new ways of communication and connection between people. The distances are becoming faster and easier to overcome; contacts are easier to establish; new acquaintances and connections surround us everywhere, 24/7. Nowadays, technologies offer the mankind a thousand options and opportunities – for work, shopping, entertainment and communication. One doesn’t need travel to another part of the country or even the world to see and talk to his/her relatives as it is now possible to call them on the phone, e-mail them or write on Facebook. Keeping in touch with friends is also much easier via social networking technologies, and prompt professional communications are guaranteed as cellphones, faxes and computers are always at your fingertips. In general, technology has been playing a significant role in our lives recently, and its importance continues to increase. Growing popularity of the World Wide Web make u s more and more addicted to the new ways of communication and connecting to people. In fact, our entire social life is now dominated by technological means of communication, which produces a complex and dubious effect on us. However, the contour of things used to be different even a century or two ago: Adam Gopnik states that the key to the changes in our overall lifestyle and social behavior lies in invention of telegrams and trains (Gopnik). Yearning to reduce distances and draw closer together, people have invented technologies that have taken roots in the world’s developed communities so firmly that they might have a devastating effect. So what are those multifaceted impacts the new ways of connection between people have? Talking of the positive effects of globalization and growth of technological means’ of communication role, one should focus foremost on professional and personal relationships that

Walmex Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Walmex - Research Paper Example A year later the company commemorated fifty years of service to Mexican citizens. 2009 ended with the acquiring of Wal-Mart de Centro America by the Wal-Mart de Mexico giant expanding its service to six countries (Kojadinovc 41). There are credible reports that Wal-Mart the largest retailer in the world was aware that one of its branches, wal -mart de Mexico used bribes coerce foreign officials to allow their operations. The bribes were paid to acquire permits for the Mexico stores establishments in desirable places such as the Teotihuacan. Alleged bribes are said to have been given to the Teotihuacan Municipal Council and the National institute of Anthropology and History’s director. Handsome Bribes were also orchestrated in relation to zoning laws and environmental permits that would have been hurdles in the company’s expansion. It is also under scrutiny for subverting democratic governance such as public votes, transparent procedures and open debates and the same bribes to offset competition. This is against compliance to the mandated foreign Corrupt Practices Act which prohibits an American company from offering bribes to foreign officials. In a response to the claims, Wal-Mart stated that it has been conducting extensive investigations in relation to the allegation cases and that they are non-tolerant to non-compliance to the law anywhere at any level of the company’s branches and is diligent to provide necessary contribution. In a separate statement the spokesman reiterated that the company has divulged substantial resources dedicated to this effort. Corruption and bribery are vastly permeated notions in Mexico. The justice system in the city is feeble and I can be manipulated with ease. Further, bribery is fuelled by the relatively low salaries paid to the local public workers. Hence it was not shocking for Wal-Mart to have its way through the law. Wal-Mart de Mexico was an insistent and crafty corruptor offering humungous bribes to get

Integrated Approaches to Working With Children and Young People Essay

Integrated Approaches to Working With Children and Young People - Essay Example Moreover, these programmes are formulated with the intention of improving the quality of life of every children as well as young people. The Children Act 2004 provides legal support to all these programmes that are broadly initiated. Furthermore, this Act offers significant duties as well as determines the responsibilities for providing better services to children [1] (Crown, 2012). Every Child Matters ‘Every Child Matters’ is fundamentally considered to be the national framework for the programmes which are initiated in order to comply with the requirements of the youths and the children. This framework is initiated with the motive of increasing opportunities as well as decreasing risks that experience by the children or the young people. Moreover, the services which are to be rendered by the professional of these programmes are required to identify the risks that are associated with children as well as young people. The risks which are identified are required to be sor ted out in an efficient manner. The integrated working services can be rendered effectively with the assistance of local leaders and collaboration with local communities. Moreover, this framework determines the actions that are required to be undertaken by the local authorities and the support that is to be provided to the local authorities for carrying out these activities effectively (North Yorkshire County Council, 2013). The valuable outcomes of the ‘Every Child Matters’ that are mostly desired by the young people and the children have been portrayed hereunder. Being Healthy The children as well as the young people must possess better mental as well as physical health. Moreover, the young... This paper approves that integrated working is a process of involving every individuals as well as professionals who are included in welfare activities for the youths and the children. The children as well as the youths are required to be provided with better assistance as well as additional support in order to improve their life and growth. Risks as well as problems pertaining among children as well as young people are required to be identified at an early stage. Moreover, on identification of risks, measures must be undertaken to eliminate all these risks to children in an efficient manner. This report makes a conclusion that the government of the UK has initiated a programme named ‘Every Child Matters’ with the objective of providing additional requirement to children as well as young people in an effective manner. There are certain crucial outcomes that are mostly desired by children for better health as well as growth. Moreover, there are professionals as well as individuals who are entitled with the responsibility of meeting the needs as well as requirements of children as well as young people. Moreover, the government has also initiated that there should be lead practitioners who will be responsible for providing all the requisite packages of service effectively. In accordance with the scenario, Jordan is provided with SEN as well as SENCO decided that she will be offered with educational plan in order to provide enhanced educational facilities. These educational facilities will be provided to Jordan free of cost. All these will facilitate Jordan and h er family with better healthcare services.

Pros and cons of working at home Essay Example for Free

Pros and cons of working at home Essay Many people work at home using modern technology today. Some people think only the worker benefit from this, not the employers. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Essay: Technology is rapidly changing everything in the world, including the way people work. Working at home, as a new mode of work enabled by internet and multimedia technologies, is getting increasingly popular in some industries, especially the burgeoning IT sector. However, people have differing views on this new work mode. For example, it is believed that it only benefits employees, rather than the employers. I tend to agree with this view to large degree.Among all the differing views people have on this new work mode, I’m very inclined to the view that it only benefits employees, rather than employers. Apparently, by no means can the benefits of working at home for employees cannot be denied. To start with, nothing can be more comfortable and relaxing than working in their one’s own homes which are the most familiar environment to them. They He even can even settle back in their his soft sofa in his living halls, and drink have their his favouritefavorite drinks, or even enjoy an exciting action movie while working on their laptops. In addition, they an employee also havecould have much time to spend with their his family if theyhe could do his work at home. This new mode of work might be the most effective remedy for many family problems that are caused by the lack of time to be with family.They even can have meals with spouse and kids or see them anytime they like. Furthermore, an employ working at home could be saved working at home can save employees much expense and time that would spent on their way to and from work every day. However, what is unfair to employers is that they can hardly benefit from this new work mode, except that some overhead, like office rent and water/electricity bills, can be saved. The most unfavourable worrying problem of this new mode has to do with team building. A lack of face-to-face communication between team members employees that work at their own homesdue to their different locations, can could essentially undermine the team spirit and also is also likely to cause problemscreate barriers for in collaboration and cooperation between them team members. Similarly, it also could set intangible obstacle hurdles to team managers in their day-to-day team management, for it. It will bewould be rather difficult for mangers to supervise employees and monitor their performance. In  conclusion, although technology makes working at home mode possible, the only one beneficiary of this advancement is the employees. What employers and manager can get from it is will be nothing but troubles in the end.

The Company Culture Of Enron Management Essay

The Company Culture Of Enron Management Essay Just as the destiny of individuals is determined by personal character, the destiny of an organization is determined by the character of its leadership. And when individuals are derailed because of a lack of character, the organization will also be harmed (Josephson, 1999). The merger of two Houston-based pipeline companies in 1985 led to the creation of Enron. It started as an energy delivery company, but the deregulation a few years later helped it change its focus and become an energy matchmaker or energy broker. The company started matching the buyers and sellers of energy and utilised creative trading methods to generate profits. So in a short span of time, Enron corporations fortunes changed from just a surviving company and it become a thriving company- a symbol of successful American corporation. 1.2 The Company Culture The deregulation in 1988 led to a dramatic change in the corporation. Enron had become the symbol of dynamism and aggression. The culture at Enron was to encourage creativity amongst the employees. It embraced a culture that rewarded cleverness. The employees were motivated to explore innovative approach to their work. The limits were pushed for performance on the individual employee level to sustain the astonishing growth levels that the corporation was experiencing. It was slowly moving towards a culture that admired unchecked ambition. In the pursuit, Enron led a culture which believed in stretching the performance until the limits of ethical conduct were overlooked. We will also see ahead how the leadership at Enron affected a change in the culture of the corporation. If corporate leaders encourage rule-breaking and foster an intimidating, aggressive environment, it is not surprising that the ethical boundaries at Enron eroded away to nothing. Schein (1985) has focused on leaders hip as the critical component of the organizations culture because leaders can create, reinforce, or change the organizations culture. This applies not the least to an organizations ethical climate (Sims, 2000; Trevinoet al., 2000; Sims and Brinkmann, 2002).According to Schein (1985) there are five primary mechanisms that a leader can use to influence an organizations culture: attention, reaction to crises, role modelling, allocation of rewards, and criteria for selection and dismissal. Scheins assumption is that these five criteria reinforce and encourage behavioural and cultural norms within an organization. So to summarise the culture at the company as depicted in the movie which was influenced by the following factors. Leadership Behaviour (reference?) Espoused values and visions Communicating the vision for the organisation through stated strategic long-term objectives in the vision statement/annual general meeting statement. Role modelling and attention There were multiple instances of Management-Employee seminars. There were also Enron Gas services solution days, where the management would use motivational speech to inspire employees. Reaction to crisis Initially in the nascent stages of the accounting misdemeanours the management devised way to avert crisis with efficient use of Public relation to make the event look insignificant. Programs , structures Criteria for rewards and personnel decision Enrons remuneration system rewarded individuals who adopted Enrons aggressive, individualistic culture and were based on short-term profits and financial measures. Symbols , rituals and stories The enron management way of celebrating success- organising weekend adventure trips. Jeff Skilling mantra- Do it right, do it now , and do it better 1.3 The External Environment Enron had become an energy trading giant in the US market and it was expanding in more sectors and international markets. The surprise with the companys growth was not its ingenuity of doing business but the speed at which it was expanding. But with a careful balance of public relation and good CSR skill, Enron had succeeded in developing a niche amongst the American corporate houses, the American media and the masses. It was a symbol of corporate excellence teamed with an ambitious zeal to succeed at all cost. Enrons spectacular success was receiving positive reviews from the press and the financial analyst community which was incremental in adding fuel to the companys competitive culture. So the movie very succinctly describes the leadership at Enron which encouraged a culture that was morally flexible leading to ethical degeneration in the name of ambition. Leadership at Enron The pillars of Enron were the top management team which always believed in exuberant performance. They were driven in their pursuit of delivering on the bottom-line numbers at all cost. This attitude was percolated to the complete organisational structure at Enron by dividing the company in either the high performing employees or the so- called low-performers. The employees who were a part of the upper-crust were handsomely remunerated. This led to a negatively infected passion amongst the employees to break the performance bench-mark in the organisation to happily afloat. The reflection of the leadership style in the movie is Indirect leadership It is evident from the movie that there was a heavy influence of the top management on the culture of the organisation which cascaded down to all the employees of the company, but indirectly. A form of indirect leadership involves leader influence over the organization culture, which is defined as the shared beliefs and values of members (Scheinn, 1992- trice Beyer, 1991). Leaders may attempt either to strengthen existing cultural beliefs and values or to change them. There are many ways to influence culture, and they may involve direct influences (communication, a compelling vision or leading by example) or other forms of indirect influence, such as changing the organization structure or reward system. Transactional leadership It refers to the leadership style wherein the leader exchanges rewards of economic or financial value with the follower. These rewards are based on the premise that the leader recognises the parameters and the levels of performance which justify reasonably the task and also clarifies the conditions under which the rewards are available for justification. The goal is to enter a mutually beneficial exchange, but not necessarily to develop a enduring relationship. Although a leadership act transpires, it is not one that binds the leader and follower together in a mutual and continuing pursuit of a higher purpose. But in the movie it is also seen that leaders were in a constant pursuit to convince their followers about their genuine interest of promoting the welfare of the stakeholders, which was not the case in reality. Yet they were successful in blinding the stakeholders (employees) with their leadership position and skills. So here we see an overlap of transactional as well as transformational leadership traits as the leaders at Enron were successful in their motive. Effective transformational leaders may exhibit transactional behaviors, but their leadership style also includes one or more of the following characteristics: idealized vision, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Bass, 1985; Bass Avolio, 1994). These characteristics are assumed to transform followers and motivate them to do more than initially expected. This transformation presumably occurs through raising the followers awareness of the signi ¬Ã‚ cance of designated outcomes, getting followers to transcend their self-interests for the good of the organization, or augmenting followers needs on Maslows (1954) hierarchy of needs (Bass, 1985). Although leaders and followers purposes may begin as separate but related, they eventually become fused into a linkage of power bases that provide support for both members of the relationship. Leadership is about making choices (Kouzes and Posner, 2003). Choice is a binary action that divides options into two sets, the desired and the undesired ones, according to a higher principle or value (Rawls, 1999). Mostovicz (2008) posits that the way people choose is a reflection of their worldview. This discovery can be approached in 2 ways (1) By the need for achievement (the Lambda worldview); or (2) By the need for affiliation (the Theta worldview). Both the world views have a unique set of characteristics. The Lambda are self- motivated and highly driven to attain individaulistic goals whereas the Theta are more society welfare oriented. The Lamba have a narrow prespective towards the society as such whereas the Theta have a much broader view. The unique characteristics of both the worldviews along with leadership approach is as mentioned below. Theta Lambda Motivation/reason Socially oriented Personally oriented Goal Seeking unity and certainty Seeking challenge and creation Behaviour Communion Agency Benefit Building respect Looking for personal freedom Leadership principle Authenticity = truthfulness Authenticity =genuineness Inclination Toward choice Toward contrast Perception of truth As an objective As a set of rules Transformation of a leader A leader is born. Qualities are subconscious A leader is developed consciously So the reflection in the movie about the leadership at Enron is more on the Lambda worldview. The attitude induced by the top management through the company made the organisation develop a Lambda view which led to the massive breakdown of the ethical machinery. The Leader Jeff Skilling- the man with the ideas. He was the kind of a person who had big vision of things. One of his favourite books was the Selfish Gene, which was a description about the human nature being steered only by greed and competition in the service of passing on the genes. He wanted to alter the way in which Energy was being traded. He succeeded in initiating a market for natural gas wherein it started being traded as stocks. He converted energy into a financial instrument and this led to Enron becoming the largest energy trader in North America. Kenneth Lay was a visionary and he liked people who shared this attribute. Jeff Skilling fit in the picture perfectly. He was aggressive, intelligent and possessed exemplary leadership qualities which was incremental in creating a culture of aggression and incentivised competition in the organisation. Under his leadership the organisation transformed from a small energy market player to the biggest energy trading company in North America with a rapidly expanding global operations network. The company was being driven by the aggressive and individualistic attitude which was strongly ingrained in the system by Jeff Skilling and the policies of the management team for attaining short term profit. These were successful in achieving the results in hindsight but were seriously damaging the ethical balance in the system. According to the Big Five model (Hogan, Curphy Hogan, 1994, Page 61), Jeff Skilling exhibited the Surgency personality type which had specific traits of Extroversion, High Energy/activity level and a Need for power. Charisma was the most important aspect of his personality. He believed in gaining power and self glorification, caring very little for his followers, the ideals or values. This is usually seen in the case of negative charismatics. He used his charisma, to influence people in a way which made them awe-stricken, wanted his acceptance and hence they could not criticise him or his actions. This not just has an influence on the followers, but has an effect on the leader as well. The leader in such cases become not only over-confident but also delusional of their infallibility. To describe further we utilise the following table to understand the charismatic leadership and its effect on the organisation. The leader has total and absolute authority. Leaders build their eminence and maintain their grip on their followers throught a well-articulated ,emotive communication of their vision. The leader cultivates a compelling and captivating self image Immense faith invested in the leader Heavy emphasis on the charismatic attributes of leadership. The CEO had immense and unchallenged authority. Events such as the annual management conference, where leaders promoted themselves in a thearitical manner. Intense faith exhibited by emploess in Lay and Skilling and a declining confidence in the quality of their perceptions Charismatic Leadership A totalistic vision, leading to a higher sense of purpose and achievement. Employees assured they were transforming how business was conducted in the world. An intense transcendent ideology. A high degree of personal commitment by followers, to the goals of their leaders. The replacement of the followers existing belief system with a sense of being involved in a meaningful or revolutionary change. A compelling vision and intellectual stimulation Intense recruitement rituals, designed to engage employees in a process of affliation. The transformation of attitudes, behaviour. Constant messages that those hired were part of a special elite and were the brightest and the best in the world Indoctrination rituals that alternate between stressful and exhilarating. A process of conversion enacted Continuous indoctrination ,to reinforce initials sense of affiliation Individual consideration Perceived dissenters marginalised Financial data falsified Cultivation of obscure jargon, familiar only to people within the organisation Punitive internal regime. Promotion of a Common Culture Punitive internal environment: dissent demonised Unidirectional communication Negative information suppressed and positive information maximised. Total conformity from followers Power and Influence- Amongst the different types of powers Skilling had both at his disposal. He made use of his position power due to his position in Enron and also the personal power. In terms of position power it appears that applied the reward power which meant that his followers complied in order to obtain rewards and also legitimate powers where in the followers complied as they believed that he had the right to make the request due to his position. Also, we could see the use of his personal powers to a great extent where in his vast knowledge about the subject enabled his followers to comply. The followers also admired him and aspired to be like him due to his charismatic personality which also gave him the referent power which helped him gain loyalty and commitment. In order to influence his followers in supporting him he did use rational persuasion to show them the logical side of his argument based on factual evidence. The followers at some time did realise that Skilling was being unethical in his practices and in spite of this realisation still continued to support him. To explain the influence Skilling had on his followers we can make use of the 3 well known experiments-Milgrams experiment, Solomon Aschs conformity and Zimbardo prison experiment. Milgrams experiment tells us how people conform to an authority figure. The agentic state theory explains this further by stating that the person comes to view himself as an instrument in carrying out another persons wishes and therefore no longer sees himself responsible for his actions. Similarly the other 2 experiments highlight the human behaviour in terms of role conformity and social conformity where in people have a tendency to come under the pressure of social acceptability and conforming to everything they feel they need to in order to be a part of the group. Leader-Member Exchange Enron was a company of believers. In a survey in 1997, employees who were surveyed for a feedback faced tremendous faith in the leadership of Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling. It has been discussed in this analysis that the company had an indirect leadership style, whereby influence of the top management percolated to all the employees in the company through the use of multiple communication strategies (Enron Gas services day) when the top management discussed the future strategy of the company, the importance of employee contribution, commending excellent employee performance etc. So the employees became blind believers in the methodology adopted by the leadership at the organisation and started working with the win at all cost attitude which led to the slow erosion of the ethical fabric. Also the reward system that was created in the organisation, reflected the expectation of the management. The companies reward system only appraised employees who performed consistently with little re gard to ethical conduct. Overall, Enrons reward system rewarded individuals who embraced Enrons aggressive, individualistic culture and were based on short-term profits and financial measures. Leadership development at Enron Leadership calls for total commitment to the perpetual process of purpose seeking. While leaders are usually concerned with their legacies, their commitment to purpose has to go far deeper. This total commitment implies that, in reality, leaders seek either my way or nothing. However, this commitment is intrinsic; it calls for the leader to mobilise himself, body and soul, but in no way does it imply extrinsically that what is not my way is wrong. Ideal leaders do not exist in practice. Thus, we can relate to leadership as a progressive development only. Since humans cannot be fully conscious of our emotions, a posteriori, we cannot fully mobilise them in order to understand and attain our life goals and purpose. Because our purpose remains opaque at best, it follows that leaders will act unethically even when they do so unwillingly or unconsciously. The only way for leaders to improve their ethical position is to interact with others in society to help them reveal their hidden agenda over time. The particular worldview, in turn, shapes these agendas, either Theta or Lambda, that a person embodies in his search for greater self-awareness and contextualisation with his external environment. Appendix

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors

Toyotas Innovation Management and Success Factors   Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Background The primary reason for choosing this research topic is my genuine interest in cars and my intention to work in the automobile industry. And there could not be a better topic than to study the most significant change at the top which is the emergence of Toyota as the global leader. Although a lot has been written about Toyota, but this dissertation will study it from a different perspective, i.e. innovation management and critical success factors. Toyota Motors Corporation (TMC) has become one of the biggest car manufacturers of the world from a humble start seventy years ago (Toyota, 2008). Toyotas has been one of the most phenomenal success stories in the ultra-competitive automobile industry and can be a great benchmark for any company. The company has posted record annual earnings for almost a decade and has become the most profitable car manufacturer on the planet. And in the market that matters the most, the USA, its unbroken sequence of record sales stretches back even further. Fifty years ago, the Big 3 US carmakers (GM, Ford, Chrysler) dominated the industry, both in the US and worldwide. Now Toyota is set to overtake GM as the worlds largest carmaker, ending 70 years of dominance (BBC, 2007). Toyotas success is even more remarkable given the problems elsewhere in the industry (see Appendix 1). GM and Ford are cutting thousands of jobs and closing plants, while Toyota is building one new plant each year. Ford in parti cular has found the going tough and a $12.7 billion deficit in 2006 coupled with significant losses among its subsidiaries signals the most miserable year of the companys existence. As GM and Ford have racked up huge losses in the past few years, their financial ratings have shrunk. Toyota is now worth 10 times as much as GM on the stock market. So how has Toyota managed to buck the trend so dramatically? (Strategic Direction, 2007) Toyotas success with U.S. customers begins with the appeal of its cars and trucks, which are prized for their quality and durability, ease of operation, and thoughtful features such as controls that are intuitive to operate. Since demand is high and inventories typically low, Toyota, unlike Detroit, sells cars with skimpy marketing incentives, which protects its margins and boosts resale prices (Taylor, 2003). Moreover, Toyota does its homework thoroughly. For instance, the company closely monitors economic and demographic developments and regularly sends its researchers out in the field to interview those who matter most people who buy the cars. Keeping its ear to the ground ensures that the automaker remains best positioned to anticipate evolving customer preferences and future trends. Others carry out similar functions, so what makes Toyota different? How can a Japanese company be best at knowing what does the American car buyer want? This dissertation attempts to find out these factors from a different perspective; innovation. The competitive advantage that many Japanese firms had gained in their respective industries came not from advantages in â€Å"hard† technology †¦ but from the way they manned the same technology †¦ Toyota attained holistic integration of technology with people, organization, product and strategy †¦ the difference lay in their socio-technical system (Liker and Meier, 2006). 1.2 Aims and objectives of research The aim of this dissertation is to establish the factors leading to Toyotas success over GM in the US automobile market. In order to achieve this aim, the following objectives have been set:- To review critically the body of literature of innovation theory in explaining Toyotas success. To identify the changing critical success factors where Toyota gained the advantage. To study other factors and theories (like national competitive advantage) which led to Toyotas success. In order to achieve these aims and objectives, literature review is carried out in the next chapter which critically evaluates the theory surrounding this topic and then refined research questions are developed which will be answered by collecting secondary data. 1.3 Structure of dissertation This dissertation has been divided into five chapters. They are organised as follows: The first chapter describes the background of this research, a brief introduction about Toyota and this dissertations structure. It also mentions the aims and objectives of this dissertation which are broad but get refined at the end of chapter two. The second chapter critically evaluates the literature studied for this dissertation including innovation theory, critical success factors and other factors. It forms five propositions at the end of that chapter which are more refined research questions. Chapter three describes the methodology and discusses how the research is conducted to achieve the objectives set earlier. This chapter reviews the various factors of research design like research philosophy, paradigm, strategy and approach. It evaluates the options available and justifies the options chosen by the author. After methodology, research findings and discussion are presented in chapter four. Here secondary data is presented and used to test the propositions formed at the end of chapter two. Chapter five finishes this dissertation with conclusions and recommendations. And finally, the author shares his learning experience in the reflections section. Chapter 2: Literature Review This part of the dissertation will start with reviewing critically the body of literature in innovation theory and changing critical success factors in context to the automobile industry in general, and Toyota and GM in particular, to help explain the formers success over latter in US market. Besides these two theories; some other theories like national competitive advantage, lean etc are discussed in the third section. This chapter will end in forming research propositions based on the theories reviewed. Although this chapter is primarily designed to review general theory concerning automobile industry, the author has cited particular examples about Toyota and GM in some places as seen relevant to stress the point. 2.1 Innovation Innovation is defined in Oxford dictionary as ‘†¦ something established by introducing new methods, ideas, or products. In todays competitive world, innovation essentially can provide companies new ways to beat the competition. â€Å"Innovation process involves the exploration and exploitation of opportunities for new or improved products, processes or services, based either on an advance in technical practise, or a change in market demand, or a combination of the two. Innovation is therefore essentially a matching process† (Fagerberg et al, 2006). ‘†¦ not to innovate is to die wrote Christopher Freeman (1982) in his famous study of the economics of innovation. Certainly companies that have established themselves as technical and market leaders have shown an ability to develop successful new products. Innovation is defined by Myers and Marquis (1969; cited by Trott 2005) as not a single action but a total process of interrelated sub processes. It is not just the conception of a new idea, nor the invention of a new device, nor the development of a new market. The process is a combination of all these things acting in an integrated fashion. A new idea is normally the starting point for innovation. It is neither innovation nor invention; it is merely a concept or thought. The process of converting these ideas into a new product or service is invention. To convert that to a successful profit generating offering in a market is exploitation. And this complete process is innovation. Innovation has long been argued the engine of growth. Schumpeter (1934, 1939 and 1942; cited by Trott 2005) was among the first economist to emphasise the importance of new products as stimuli to economic growth. He argued that the competition posed by new products was far more important than marginal changes in the prices of existing products. For example, a car manufacturer can achieve far more growth by introducing new, efficient cars or new features than just slicing down prices. Fane et al. (2003) studied the Schumpeters view in detail. Schumpeter employed innovation to explain Kondratievs â€Å"long waves† in business cycle theory, those of 54 to 60 years duration, and the nature of the economic growth processes. The Kondratiev/Schumpeterian view gained increased popularity at the end of the 20th century. Innovation, for Schumpeter, was not the same thing as invention innovations may be copied and may not be protected by â€Å"intellectual property rights†, or IPRs, (with the exception, perhaps, of trade secrets) while inventions are protected for a specified period of time by IPRs such as patents and copyrights. Innovations for Schumpeter reflect: the introduction of â€Å"new methods of production† or a change in current production functions; the creation of â€Å"new forms of organisation†; the discovery of â€Å"new sources of supply†; or the opening of â€Å"new trade routes and markets†. Further, he identifie d the source of innovation as the consequences of the actions within a capitalist system of the entrepreneur seeking competitive advantage in the quest for profit. Another theory argues that sustained economic growth arises from competition among firms. Firms try to increase their profits by devoting resources to creating new products and developing new ways of making existing products. There have been many economists supporting the argument that innovations could be associated with waves of economic growth as mentioned earlier. Albernathy and Utterback (1978) contended that at the birth of any industrial sector there is radical product innovation which is then followed by radical innovation in production process, followed, in turn, by wide-spread incremental innovation. Some firms develop a reputation for innovation and it helps propagate a virtuous circle that reinforces a companys abilities. Trott (2005) views this concept as a specific example of Porters (1985) notion of competitive advantage. Porter argued that those companies who are able to achieve competitive advantage that is, above-average performance in an industry sector are able to reinvest this additional profit into the activities that created the advantage in the first place, thus creating a virtuous circle of improvement, or competitive advantage. The success or failure of a firm depends on a strategic competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can be achieved by delivering the product at lower cost or by offering unique benefits to the buyer. It can take many years for a company to build a reputation for being innovative, but once it has done so, it attracts further creative people leading to further leaps in innovation. But the company also has to provide the right atmosphere f or that by encouraging creativity and willingness to accept new ideas like Toyota does. Marketing also plays a very important role in the innovation process as it helps in finding out what customers want. This is crucial as success in the future will lie in the ability to acquire and utilize knowledge and apply this to the development of new products which meets and exceed the target customers expectations. But recent studies by Hamel Prahalad (1994) and Christensen (2003) suggest that listening to your customer may actually stifle technological innovation and be detrimental to long term business success. While sustaining or incremental innovation may appeal to existing customers as they provide improvements to established products; disruptive innovations tend to create new markets which eventually capture the existing markets. For example, the launches of video CDs have made the VHS cassettes obsolete. 2.1.1 Models of innovation There are two schools of thought over what drives innovation; market-based view and resource-based view. The market-based view argues that market conditions provide the context which facilitate or constrain the extent of innovation activity. This of course depends on the firms ability to recognise opportunities in the market place. The resource based view of innovation considers that a market-driven orientation does not provide a secure foundation for formulating innovation strategies for markets which are dynamic and volatile; rather a firms own resources provide a much more stable context in which to develop its innovation activity and shape its markets in accordance to its own views (Wernerfelt, 1995). 2.1.2 Types of Innovation Innovation can be divided into following types (adapted from Trott, 2005): Product Innovation: The development of a new product. E.g. A new car model. Process innovation: The development of a new manufacturing process. E.g. lean manufacturing, flexible platform sharing. Organizational innovation: A new venture division; a new communication system; introduction of new procedures. Management innovation: TQM systems; Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) which are explained in details later. Production innovation: Quality circles; Just In Time (JIT) Environmental Innovation: These are the authors views (see section 2.1.6). Among the various types of innovations mentioned, the author will discuss some crucial management and environmental innovations which will help in tracing down the factors behind Toyotas success. 2.1.3 Management Innovation 1: Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM can be defined as: An effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in an organization so to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allows for full customer satisfaction (Feigenbaum, 1986). An effective TQM approach demands all the employees in an organization to be involved. It regards quality as the responsibility of everyone and not limited to a manager or a particular department. Quality and employee improvements are therefore inextricably linked and should be part of a continuous cycle. TQM is an ongoing process of continuous improvements and incremental innovations. The impact of small, relatively easy to achieve improvements can be very positive. Much of the improvement in the reliability of cars over the past twenty years has been attributed to a very large number of improvements initiated by thousands of employees in all the manufacturing companies involved (Trott, 2005). Toyotas commitment to quality can be appreciated by this example. If there is even a small defect like a seatbelt not fitted properly, the workers can pull a cord and stop the production line until the problem is resolved. Workers at the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, pull the cord 2,000 times a week and their care is what makes Toyota one of the most reliable, and most desired, brands in the US. In contrast, workers at Fords brand-new truck plant in Dearborn, Michigan, pull the cord only twice a week indicating the legacy of generations of mistrust between shop-floor workers and managers (Schifferes, 2007). Toyotas relentless cost engineering creates efficiencies that Detroit can chase but not match. Its philosophy of continuous improvementrethinking the thousands of steps that go into building each modelallows Toyota to constantly trim material costs and production time. For example, the company lowered the base price of its 1997 Camry by 4%, after taking steps that included streamlining the front-bumper assembly from 20 parts to 13 and reducing the number of steel body fasteners from 53 to 15. Such improvements enable Toyota to assemble a car in 21 hours, vs. 25 for Ford, 27 for Chrysler and 29 for GM (Greenwald et al., 1996). (See also appendix 4) However, in pursuit of continuous improvement, there could be some stages where a radical change may involve complete withdrawal of a procedure leading to potential job losses for the employees. So the employees would be reluctant to pursue that idea. The very feeling of process ownership by the employees may obstruct radical change, i.e. TQM may not support major innovation (Giaver, 1998). 2.1.4 Management Innovation 2: Quality Function Deployment (QFD) QFD is another important management innovation. Making design decisions concurrently rather than sequentially requires superior coordination among the parties involved marketing, engineering, operations and most importantly, the customer. Quality function deployment is a structured approach to this problem that relates the voice of the customer to every stage of the design and delivering process. It promotes better understanding of customer demands and design interactions. For a company to achieve its own quality goals it must include and consider the quality programmes of its suppliers and customers. Identifying the causes of uncertainty, determining how this affects other activities in the supply chain and formulating ways of reducing or eliminating the uncertainty is essential to the management of all the processes involved. Here is an example to illustrate this. McDonalds built a restaurant in Moscow. To achieve its required and expected level of quality and service, the company set up an entire supply chain for growing, processing and distributing the food. McDonalds made sure that all parties along the whole chain understood its expectations of performance and closely monitored performance (Upton, 1998). The QFD approach requires trust between all parties. As in the modern world, the competition between organizations effectively becomes competition between supply chains. Only by innovating within the organizations supply chain, in terms of product and service, will the organization survive. 2.1.5 Management Innovation 3: Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) This is a completely opposite approach to that of incremental innovation preached in TQM. Slack et al. (2004) defines BPR as ‘The fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed. This approach is quite similar to that of Peters (1997) who suggests total destruction of company systems, hierarchy and procedures and replacing them with a multitude of single-person business units working as professionals. He argues that small modest improvement enshrined in TQM detracts effort from the real need to reinvent the business, i.e. ‘Incrementalism is an enemy of innovation. He argues that a radical approach is the only way organizations can be sufficiently innovative to survive in the twenty-first century. But BPR is criticised as one of the major downsizing tools common in 1980s and 1990s. The combination of radical downsizing and redesign can mean the loss of core experience from the operation. If taken too far (e.g. if the short term improvement was achieved at the expense of support for RD expenditure) the resulting organization could become hollow and die. Also, the core business has to be sound otherwise BPR is akin to ‘flogging a dead horse (Trott, 2005). So, an organization has to take care that their core knowledge is passed on and they do not suffer due to BPR. 2.1.6 Environmental Innovation The author has found a gap in literature in the form of environment innovation. It is not limited to any product or process innovation, but it is the holistic process companies have to follow to keep pace with the changing environment (also see section 2.2.1). Companies round the world are making more fuel efficient cars and alternative fuels to reduce the burden on fossil fuels. GM has realized this a little late and now their full attention is towards environmental innovation. This is because fancy designs and add-ons are not sufficient to compete in the environment-conscious market. Auto makers are under pressure to produce more efficient cars that use less fuel and thus pollute less, in part because petrol prices have soared in recent years in the US, but also because they will soon be required to do so by law. In December 2007, US President George W Bush signed an energy bill that will force the industry to cut average emissions from all vehicles. By 2020, the average must have been slashed by 40% to 35 miles per gallon, and the industry is convinced they will be able to deliver though it will not come cheaply (Madslien, 2008). Today, a fuel called biodiesel, which is derived from vegetable oil, is used throughout Europe. While it has been used in the United States in fleet vehicles for decades, only recently has it become more widely available to the general public. With the worlds oil supply declining and the increasing effect of greenhouse gases on global warming, the push for alternative-fuel vehicles will only continue to grow. In addition to increased production of the types of vehicles discussed here, the next step in alternative-fuel vehicles is fuel cells. A fuel cell vehicle is essentially a hybrid vehicle that is powered by an electric motor, which gets its power from a fuel cell stack rather than an internal combustion engine. There are only a handful of fuel cell vehicles in use today because the technology is still being developed. In addition, there are relatively few fueling stations with hydrogen, the fuel used to power the fuel cell stack. The U.S. Department of Energy, the agency that oversees a federally funded program to pursue fuel cell development, will decide by 2015 whether fuel cell technology is viable. Even if the decision is made to move forward, hybrid vehicles and gasoline-powered vehicles—as well as those powered by diesel and ethanol—will most likely remain in use for many years (JDPower, 2008). 2.2 Critical Success Factors Critical success factors are those product features that are particularly valued by a group of customers and, therefore, where the organization must excel to outperform competition (Johnson et al., 2006). A firm needs to have the threshold capabilities and core competencies to meet the critical success factors. Threshold capabilities are the bare minimum required for an organization to be able to compete in a market without which, an organization cannot survive. The threshold levels rise over time as critical success factors change and as new competitors enter the market. So a company has to keep on reviewing and improving its threshold capabilities just to stay in the market. But this is not sufficient to create competitive advantage. That can only be achieved by unique resources and core competencies which the competitors cannot imitate. Whereas unique resources are those resources that critically underpin competitive advantage and core competencies are the activities and processes through which resources are deployed to achieve competitive advantage. So, even if a company has unique resources, without having the requisite core competencies, it cannot achieve competitive advantage. Lynch (2003) refers to CSFs as KFS or Key Factors for Success. Lynch states that KFS are those resources, skills and attributes of the organisations in the industry that are essential to deliver success in the market place. There are endless issues that can be explored by an organization, but due to limited time and resources, it is better to narrow them down to KFSs and focus the resources on the most important matters. KFS are common to all organizations in an industry but they do vary from industry to industry. They are dependent on customers expectations, quality of competition and corporations own resources and skills. The author agrees with Lynchs view of the need to concentrate the organizations resources to KSFs. But the author also feels that they are not easy to pin-point and measure. Moreover, an organization should also create new CSFs through innovation and invention. For example, the creation of digital cameras completely changed the CSFs in that industry. Another point of view is provided by Sousa et al. (1989), who call it shared experience view. The shared experiences school maintains that the area of business strategies is amenable to research aimed at finding nomological statements. It is believed to be possible to find out how different strategy types are linked to business success under various conditions. This school can be called the shared experience school, because it builds on the expectation that, if experience on business strategies is shared, it becomes possible to build up general, empirically based theoretical knowledge, which then can guide the selection of business strategy. For this school, business success is governed by causal relationships, which exist as an objective truth, and which gradually can be uncovered by research. 2.2.1 Strategic Drift and Scenario Planning. Johnson et al. (2006) describes strategic drift as the stage where strategies progressively fail to address the strategic position of the organisation and performance deteriorates (see figure 2 below). For example, GM find themselves far behind in the environment innovation sector. Therefore, the organization needs to understand and address the contemporary issues that are challenging them. The figure shows environmental change and strategic change. An organization has to keep pace with the changing environment via incremental changes and when required, transformational changes. If it fails to do so, the organization is at the risk of completely failing. Johnson et al. (2006) provides a possible solution to prevent these risks through scenario planning. Scenarios are detailed and plausible views of how the business environment of an organization might develop in the future based on groupings of key environmental influences and drivers of change about which there is a high level of uncertainty. While it is not possible to correctly predict the future, but it is valuable to have different views of possible futures. Managers should form multiple, equally plausible futures and develop contingency plans for each scenario. They have to do so by limiting the number of assumptions and uncertainties to minimum by focussing on factors that are uncertain but can have a high impact. Such scenario planning will no doubt consume some resources currently, but it can prevent huge losses in the future by limiting the number of shocks and surprises and help create a pro-active organization which moves with the changing environment. 2.3 Other Factors 2.3.1 National competitive advantage: Porters Diamond It is argued that some nations provide better environment to foster innovation than others. Porter (1990) devised a diamond to explain the four main factors helping a country build and maintain competitive advantage These are: Porters Single diamond framework 1. Factor conditions: These include the human resources; physical resources such as land, water mineral deposits, infrastructure etc; nations stock of knowledge resources such as scientific, technical and market knowledge which can affect the quantity and quality of goods and services and finally, the cost of capital and availability. Although Japan was low on natural resources, they more than made that up with their excellent human resources. Morita (1992; cited by Trott 2005) argues that ‘you will notice that almost every major manufacturer in Japan is run by an engineer or technologist. However in the UK, some manufacturing companies are run by CEOs who do not understand the technology that goes into their own products. Indeed, many UK corporations are headed by chartered accountants whose major concern is statistics and figures of past performance. How can an accountant reach out and grab the future if he or she is always looking at last quarters results? Therefore, it is i mportant for an innovative firm to have the right leadership at the top who can guide the firm into the future. 2. Demand conditions: These include the composition of demand in the home market, size and growth rate of home demand, ways through which domestic demand is internationalized and pulls a nations products and services abroad. The demand for cars in Japan was low, so Toyota ventured into US shores to feed their ever-growing ambitions. 3. Related and supporting industries: These include the presence of internationally competitive supplier industries which can create advantage through speed and efficiency. Also related industries which are internationally competitive can create value when competing or by complementary products. Toyota was competing in Japan with the likes of Honda and Nissan who themselves, were very effective in their production methods. Moreover, Toyotas JIT was successful due to efficiency of their suppliers and their ability to keep up to Toyotas high standards. 4. Firm strategy, structure and rivalry: This includes the way in which firms are managed and choose to compete; companys goals and their employees motivation and the amount of domestic rivalry and the creation of value in the respective industry. Apart from the above four main factors, two other variable play an important role. 1. The role of chance: Some unexpected, odd events can sometimes nullify the advantage of competitors and change the entire competitive position of a market. These could be new inventions, political decisions, wars, drastic changes in economy, oil price surges and major technological breakthroughs. Toyotas innovations like JIT, lean manufacturing, TPS and hybrids were all responsible for its meteoric rise among soaring oil prices and environmental concerns in the USA. 2. The role of government: Government can influence all four of the major determinants through actions like subsidies, policies, regulation of market, product regulations, tax laws and antitrust regulations. While some countries like Japan, provided extensive support and subsidies to promote industrial innovation, others such as United States, have aimed to create positive effects in the economy by letting the market achieve the most efficient allocation of resources with minimal possible intervention. The so-called Chicago school paradigm for promoting competitiveness and innovation, which created a belief in the free market to maximise innovation and productivity has, for more than two decades, been the dominant perspective in the United States (Rosenthal, 1993). Critique of Porters Diamond Although Porter diamond provides us a useful tool to study national factors in competitive advantage, it has some shortcomings according to Rugman et al. (2003). First, it was constructed on the basis of aggregated data on export shares for ten countries: Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and West Germany. And it took only case studies from four industries. Therefore, it cannot be applied in every case without modification. Second, it fails to accept the notion that sometimes governments action can end up protecting a domestic industry excessively and in turn, make it less competitive internationally. Third, it considers chance as an important factor but it fails to acknowledge that it very hard to predict any such events and therefore not possible to include in an organizations strategy. Although a solution to this problem is scenario planning. (See page 14) 2.3.2 Lean and Multiple-project approach Michael Porter, could encapsulate the lean manufacturing strategy as being one which comprised (amongst other things) â€Å"a wide line of models offering multiple features†, based on â€Å"standard products† with a â€Å"wide range of options† (Porter et al., 2000).

Expanding Perception in Alan Lightman’s Einsteins Dreams :: Lightman Einsteins Dreams Essays

Expanding Perception in Alan Lightman’s Einstein's Dreams To attempt to describe Einstein's Dreams would be like trying to explain magic. For example, imagine that a magician holds a ping-pong ball playfully, transferring it from one hand to the other. The magician invites the audience to examine a red silk kerchief that had been neatly tucked into his jacket's front pocket. He then lays the kerchief flat in his left hand and places the ping-pong ball in that kerchief-covered palm. The magician gathers the four corners of the kerchief together, flings it into the air and lets it fall to the floor. He picks up the kerchief and presents it again to the audience for examination: The ping-pong ball is nowhere to be found. Can you say that, from reading this description, you were full of awe and wonder when you discovered the ping-pong ball's disappearance? I would wager that you were not. If you have ever read Einstein's Dreams, you can appreciate my dilemma. If you have not yet had the opportunity to experience this wonderful novel by Alan Lightman, I guarantee that after you read it you will expand your perception of the nature of time and of human activity. The novel is enchanting. It is a fictional account of what one of the greatest scientific minds dreams as he begins to uncover his theory of relativity. Whenever I suggest the novel to the uninitiated, they often say that they are not interested in the sciences. This novel is more like art and poetry, I reply. Einstein's Dreams is Lightman's first work of fiction, although he previously wrote at least six books and for several magazines. Lightman currently teaches physics and writing at M.I.T. From these two seemingly conflicting backgrounds come reviews like "A wonderfully odd, clever, mystical book of meditations on time, poetically spare and delightfully fresh" and "Endlessly fascinating. A beguiling inquiry into the not-at-all theoretical, utterly time-tangled, tragic and sublime nature of human life." Only sixteen of the 179 pages relate to Albert Einstein. The rest of the novel describes some of his "dreams" from April 15 to June 28, 1905. What if time were a circle? What if cause and effect were erratic? What if the passage of time brought increasing order? What if we had no memories? What if time flowed backward? What if we lived for only a day? What if time were measured by quality and not quantity?

Social Conflict and Inequality Essay -- Philosophy Economics Inequalit

Social Conflict and Inequality The social conflict paradigm is a theory based on society being a complex system characterized by inequality and conflict that generate social change. Personal life experiences dictate me to believe this theory is true. Discussion of the theory in question and how it pertains to myself will be covered in the paper. Social conflict can be seen all over the world we live in: in sports, politics and normal social engagements. The main point I have experienced with this theory would be the fact that I don’t come from a rich, powerful, and prestigious family, which in turn limits my chances of being successful. Karl Marx studied social conflict His entire life and wanted to reduce social inequality. The social conflict theory can be described as favoritism. Society tends to show favoritism to the prestigious members of that particular society. Social inequality is shown throughout the world from situations of race, ethnicity, gender, and age. These factors may dictate wealth, scho oling, power, and prestige. The social conflict paradigm views the patterns that benefit some people more than it would others, due to their social standings. Karl Marx was a sociologist who embraced the social conflict paradigm. Marx made his main goal to not just understand society but to reduce social inequality. Karl Marx devoted his life to explaining a contradiction in society. That contradiction was â€Å"How in a society so rich, so many could be poor.† Marx makes a good point here: If America is supposed to be a rich country and a free country where the streets are paved with gold and opportunity is knocking around every corner, then why is it that there are so Many poor people in America? The answer is social conflict. America does not provide the same opportunities to people from a poor family as they do with people who come from a rich and prestigious family. Two people with the same academic backgrounds and qualifications may apply for a job; however, one comes from a poor family and the other from a well-known rich family. Through the social conflict that exists in the world the person from the rich family has a much grater chance of receiving the job than does the person from the poor f amily. The same can be said of a person of color and a white person. The typical African-American family earns about 54% of the income of the average white ... ...he fact that I want to prove the Marxist or social conflict theory wrong and become prestigious myself and not just settle for a working class position. The social conflict theory is seen everywhere everyday. The struggle to achieve despite the hand you’re dealt at birth is part of everyday life. Sports teams draft second generation players because of their family backgrounds as opposed to another player with the same ability. Politicians are voted into office due largely in part to their economic stature. A poor person wouldn’t win an election would they? Not without the deception of the public leading them to believe they were a rich individual. There is no escaping social conflict it is everywhere and will continue to be a part of society forever. Maybe one day Karl Marx’s dream will come true to have society be on an equal playing field but do not look for that to happen in our lifetimes. Discrimination is a big part of society today and discrimination an d favoritism is what social conflict is all about. Discriminating against a person because of their background as opposed to a person with a wealthier background happens all the time and social conflict is the reason for it.

The Existence of Medieval Gender Archetypes in Present Day Culture Essa

The Existence of Medieval Gender Archetypes in Present Day Culture One of the aspects of the Middle Ages which is explored by numerous scholars today is that of the antifeminist stereotypes which pervaded literature and cultural mores during the period. In an era governed by men, the fact that women were treated as inferior is unsurprising; archetypal visions of femininity fit neatly into medieval history. However, most people would like to believe that such pigeonholing has been left in the past, allowing for more liberated times in which women are portrayed realistically and as the equals of men. It is undeniably true that an equality of the sexes exists today that was not even imagined in the medieval era. However, this rise in respect for women does not guarantee that all of the prejudices and stereotypes from preceding centuries have fallen by the wayside; on the contrary, most of the same archetypes are alive and well, even if modified to suit a new world. From the unattainably perfect virgin to the sexually insatiable temptress, these images appear throughout modern culture-but the disturbing nature of their existence is made far worse by the complacency with which women accept and further them. In many places, control of the image of women has passed into their own hands, yet broad generalizations and negative suggestions continue to fill daily life. Though images of women may cluster in many categories, the basic medieval archetypes are these: foremost is the Courtly Lady, a physically perfect and emotionally restrained creature that any gallant knight would pine for, the subject of innumerable poems. Her supporting cast include the lascivious Wanton Woman, a subhuman creature designed to tempt and torture men... ...owing Up Female With the Mass Media. New York: Times Books, 1995. Farhi, Paul and Megan Rosenfeld. "Made in America." 10 April 2003. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/mia/part1.htm "4 Ways to Punish a Naughty Boy." Cosmopolitan Apr. 2003: 166. Goins, Liesa. "Flirting Moves No Man Can Resist." Cosmopolitan Apr. 2003: 146-48. Keyishian, Amy. "Chick Flick Survival Guide." Maxim Apr. 2003: 78-82. Lewis, Carol. "Botox Cosmetic: A Look at Looking Good." FDA Consumer Magazine. 6 April 2003. http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/402_botox.html Lont, Cynthia M. Women and Media: Content/ Careers/ Criticism. Scarborough: Nelson Canada, 1995. Rogers, Mary F. Barbie Culture. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 1999. Straus, Alex. "Access Granted." Maxim Apr. 2003: 164-68. Walsh, John. "Top Gear: Bachelor Pad." Maxim Apr. 2003: 194-96.

Musicandlyrics

In living life in general, music plays a very important part in our lives. Through time and history, music has not only shown the culture of man in general, but also it has shown an essential reflection of what passions has driven man through time. Music is the window of expression to what each person feels in their lives in general. As we all know, it is through music that we share our common passions and in the lyrics that we verbalize which words appeal to us. This is pretty much what the plot of the movie Music and Lyrics by Marc Lawrence revolved mostly about. How music and lyrics composition is the reflection of passions and aspirations in the life of Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) and Sophie Fisher (Drew Barrymore). In the flow of the story, Alex Fletcher, a former band member of a hit 80’s band is trying to relive his glory days by singing with a famous singer; Cora Carmen to advance his own career. Cora agrees to do this if he makes the perfect song that they can duet to in her upcoming album. Alex at once tries to work at the song but struggles to find the lyrics given that he himself lacks what it takes of making the perfect lines to a hit song due to lack of passion in his own day to day life. In the process of racking his brains out in finding the perfect words to a song, Sophie; his plant lady comes waltzing in Alex’s house humming the perfect words that strikes Alex’s ears. He tries to convince Sophie to work with him at once and when she helped him out in making the perfect song, she also helps him out in a much more important thing he needed help in; his very own passions in life. In the process of making the song, Alex and Sophie gets really close as the stories of their lives unravel and frustrations are poured out. With Alex’s downfall in the music industry and Sophie’s mishap with dating a guy who ends up using her character in a book which traumatizes Sophie as all her frustrations in that relationship felt like was opened to the general viewing of the public eye. In the course of all this Sophie teaches Alex what it means to truly write a story of our lives through a song. She not only helped him in coming up with the words, she also thought him how to make it the proper way, through living your own life well and writing to sing about it. Eventually they come up with the song and Cora likes it but wants to put a modern twist to the melody so she can dance to it. Sophie doesn’t think that this is a good idea since it cuts out the essence of the song, this is where things get ugly when Alex refuses to tell Cora their opinions to the modern twist fearing that she will reject the duet contract. Sophie gets disappointed in Alex given that they have already reached an intimate relationship in the course of time that the spent together. This is when Cora requests for a another verse in the song and Sophie comes up with the perfect words to describe the scenario the two lovers were caught in; â€Å"There are moments when I don’t know if it’s real or if anybody feels the way I feel. I need inspiration, not just another negotiation.† This is where Alex realizes his mistake and makes it up to Sophie by making his own song of apology to her which he sings in Cora’s concert and convincing Cora to keep the song that he and Sophie made just at it is. All in all, I think this was a feel good movie where in the reality of the politics of show business and the music industry is also reflected. It also reflected the typical day to day drama that women deal with in love and lost specially with Sophie’s role as she felt like she’s been used and betrayed by two men; her ex and at one point even Alex Fletcher. It depicts traditional roles that women still play in society these days. The erotic pleasure in film, its meaning and in particular, the control place of the image of woman will be interwoven. Mulvey, Laura † Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema † 1975 Although there are different depictions that may be derived from the love story of Sophie and Alex or why Alex and Sophie fell for each other, the drama of their relationship and fear for entering a new intimate relationship reflects what most of use deal with in day to day life. The perceiver may find deeper or â€Å"explicit† meaning. The perceiver decides what the core of the film is from her own perspective. While one might see the crux of Saving Private Ryan as war is hell’, another might see it as saving one saves us all. â€Å"Chapter 1A: Making Films Mean† October 7, 2007 As a viewer, I loved the story line because it once again reminded me that no matter how complicated love and life can be, people are capable of making things work. That’s the beauty of romantic comedy films, no matter how redundant the plot can get, you keep on watching it for the very same reason; it’s â€Å"feel good factor†. I also found the lyrics of   Way back into Love and its lyrics very captivating so I really felt like the movie’s title gave justice to the show. I do think that the movie was quite typical especially with the variety of different plots that are emerging in the movie industry now-a-days. It was far too predictable for a contemporary movie, but given the genre of the show, I felt like I was supposed to be typical in order to captivate its target audience. It’s the type of movie that will be fun to watch with your family friends and loved ones wherein your quality time will be maximized not only by the feel good factor of the plot but also the comedic effect of the story line. The narration and the film technique was also pretty typical given that the plot of the movie didn’t really call for anything special work with the cinematography and the likes. I found the music video’s of POP also refreshing as it took me back to a trip to memory lane with the style and music of the band.. The setting was also perfect for the plot as Alex’s apartment and the surrounding locations did fit in perfectly in making the infamous song that they had to make for Cora. I also found the set of characters for the movie and the storyline brilliantly pieced in specially matching the lyrics of the song way back into love. It was like I was being taken into a journey with Sophie and Alex as I felt like I was being part of that song that they were making. No wonder the song became a hit once the movie hit the cinemas. The storyline captured the heart and soul of the drama of life and love and pieced it in to the song that everybody is still humming to months after its release. The characters were also perfect specially with Cora who did depict your typical popular pop star in dire need to dance to any of their songs. As simple as the movie was, it was a wonderful journey to the backstage of life and music and how it fits perfectly well together. I think it would give people a deeper appreciation for music. I also think that the movie also calls for a political challenge to artists and songwriters to write more about real things in life. This is because lately I have noticed the invasion of dance songs that has just connotations of sex, rage, unhealthy self image and vices to the point that it is no longer helping ourselves and the people around us in our modern day society. Music and Lyrics I think has a lot to show and tell us if we really read into the deeper meaning of what the movie had to offer. It was also refreshing that a love story has been put in the middle to buffer the point of embracing the heart and soul of the artistry of poetry and music. I really appreciated it given that I am a music lover myself. The soundtrack is a refreshing mix 80’s songs and modern dance in line with the story’s plot. It is a must see for people ready to unwind and enjoy catering to both young and old since the music is really bound to transcend generations as it has been shown in the film. Music and Lyrics has successfully fused the best ingredients in life; Love, Drama, Life, Music and Words! Just try singing to its soundtrack with your eyes closed while recalling scenes from the film and you will know what I mean when I say the movie could reach your soul if you let it. Just like how music has for many people and generations.