Tccc Business Strategy

This report is centered on research of The Coca Cola Company (Global) in the carbonated beverage market. Various methods and models of analysis were used in examining the company’s market position and determining its strategic competitive advantage. The Pestel model and Porter’s five forces model was used to identify the company’s opportunities and threats. The barriers to entry in the carbonated beverage market are really high which means that the threat of other companies successfully entering into the industry is low and this has been a big advantage for the company. Brand loyalty is another. People today in general are becoming increasingly aware of a healthier lifestyle in light of new information regarding nutrition and this has been a major threat to the company and the market in general. The Company’s strategic competitive advantage stems from its three main core competences. The manufacture and distribution system of its beverages (products), branding through marketing campaigns and the innovative nature of the company in its market are all major strengths. One thing special about the company is that it uses its resources in a way unique to its competitors and consumers see value in their product. The Coca Cola Company understands the clout of their stakeholders and they have set their strategic objectives to meet their individual demands. This message has been firmly implanted in the company’s mission statement. Coca cola competes on the basis of value added for customers. People will pay the premium over lesser brands for the coca cola product and this may be why they have chosen (from Porters model) a differentiation strategy. This has paid off for them. Their manufacturing and distribution system has been an effective business level strategy. The Coca Cola Company and its bottlers can work together to determine local responsiveness and produce products that best suit the local tastes in that particular geographical area. Amongst other business level strategies these two would have to be the most effective. The companies structure and systems lend there hands to the successful implementation of their planning. Without which it might not have its position within the carbonated beverage market today. Strategic Analysis External Analysis We looked at the external environment of the carbonated beverage industry using the pestel model and Porter’s five forces model to find the key trends or influences on the industry. People today in general are becoming increasingly aware of a healthier lifestyle in light of new information regarding nutrition. People are trying to eat and drink a lot healthier and as a result there has been an increase in market demand for drinks such as orange juice, water, and other healthier alternatives. This was once a threat to the business of The Coca – Cola Company. Instead they eliminated this threat through product diversification. As you may have seen The Coca – Cola Company has a product from most drink categories. The barriers to entry in the carbonated beverage market are really high which means that the threat of other companies successfully entering into the industry is low. Virgin once tried to enter into the industry with Virgin Cola and was unsuccessful because Coke and Pepsi were already too strong. The Coca Cola Company has already well established brand awareness and distribution channels and the production costs are also substantial in the industry. Creating brand awareness and achieving market acceptance is a very costly procedure, extensive market research needs to be undertaken to understand local tastes and preferences. The Coca Cola Company has arrangements with certain Fountain Outlets (MacDonald’s and Subway) who are contractually obliged to distribute only their drink product. There are many other fountain outlets that have existing contracts with one of the soft drink companies and this makes it harder for new entrants. The large quantity of marketing and propaganda has lead to increased brand loyalty and is a major strength for the Coca Cola Company. It has also lead to the brand Coca Cola being perceived as the premium Cola drink. The dominance of Coca Cola can be seen by the failure of the drink Virgin Cola. Because of the limited size of the market, the growth in market share of one brand will result in the decrease of another. The Coca – Cola Company has used the large amount of resources at their disposal to wage competitive war on PepsiCo and other brands and results have shown that they have come out on top. One of the major strengths of The Coca – Cola Company is its sheer size in the industry because of which it can effectively utilize economies of scale. TCCC concentration is on marketing the brand, new product development, researching future venture opportunities and warding off competition. Their operations take place in a very dynamic environment and therefore innovation is vital to their success. Internal Analysis The company as the leading brand of carbonated beverages has a number of core competencies which it utilizes to give it its strategic competitive advantage (SCA) in the market. The manufacture and distribution of non alcoholic beverages The process of manufacture and distribution of Coca Cola products is unique to the industry. The Coca Cola Company has different bottling partners throughout the globe which manufacture and bottle the final product which the end consumer ultimately receives. The Coca Cola Company produces the concentrates and syrups of the products itself and then sells the rights to manufacture the products to its bottling partners. They do not control the policies and programs of these bottling partners, but they do have mutual self-interests and therefore work together to find common ground and take common action in many areas. Through this system they can effectively devise the appropriate strategy for responding to the needs of the local environment. Branding through marketing campaigns The Coca Cola Company has put a lot of emphasis over the years on creating and maintaining its brand name through large scale marketing campaigns. They have effectively used their resources to build a brand that is unique and known on a large scale throughout the world for its quality. This has led to a brand loyalty factor. Innovation: Product, packaging, equipment and marketing Coca Cola is always bringing out new carbonated beverages. Through the use of its resources and technology, it has led the innovation of new, improved, and different soft drinks around the world. A recent example of this from Coca Cola is â€Å"Jianchi† meaning strong inner energy in Chinese, the drink, made with fruit juices and plant extracts and available in three flavors is inspired by ancient Chinese wisdom to enhance the inner balance. The Coca Cola Company has invented a bottle which is made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and up to 30 percent plant-based materials named the ‘plant bottle’. It is a significant development in sustainable packaging innovation. The new bottle reduces carbon emissions by up to 25 percent, compared with petroleum-based PET, and is 100% recyclable. â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company is the first company to introduce a beverage bottle made with recycled plastic has been focused on ensuring the sustainability of its packaging for decades. It has put resources behind creating packaging that is recyclable and investing in recycling infrastructure to ensure that its packages are collected, recycled and re-used†. The Company has built the world’s largest recycling plant with the ambition of reducing costs and the amount of materials in their packaging through recycling. The packaging being lighter will also reduce the cost of fuel on delivery etc. To increase the market for recycled materials, The Coca Cola Company has also released a line of merchandise which is made from 100% recycled material. Overall the innovation of recycled packaging will reduce costs, prevent waste and maximize value over the life of the product and inadvertently adding value to the Coca Cola brand. Coca Cola won the Gold lion in the point of sale category at the 2009 Cannes lion’s international advertising festival with the â€Å"video vendor† being the latest innovation in vending machines. It is believed to create a uniquely immersive experience for consumers. Strategic Directions; Strategic Objectives Vision The vision of Coca Cola â€Å"specifies what the organization could achieve if it performed perfectly† (Viljoen and Dann, 2003:97) â€Å"To refresh the world, to inspire moments of optimism and happiness and to create value and make a difference† Mission The mission statement of The Coca Cola Company has all the elements a good mission statement should have. It specifies the company’s commitment to their shareholders. Their mission is to: Achieve sustainable quality growth, be a great place to work where people are inspired to be the best they can be, bring the world a portfolio of quality beverage brands that anticipate and satisfy peoples desires and needs, nurture a winning network of customers and suppliers, be a responsible citizen that makes a difference be helping build and support sustainable communities, maximise long term return to s hareholders while being mindful of our overall responsibilities and be a highly effective, lean and fast moving organisation. |Stakeholder |Salience |Stakeholder demands / needs |strategic objective(s) to address | | | |that must be satisfied |stakeholder demands / needs | |   |   |   | | | | | | |Shareholders |Definitive |High dividends & growth in share |Growth in profitability | | | |price |Increase in revenue | | | | |Financial stability | | | | |Efficiency | | | | |Research and development | |   |   |   |   | | | | | | |Customers |Dominant |Quality products at lowest price |Social Responsibility | | | |socially and environmentally aware |Product quality and service | | | | |Higher level of customer satisfaction | | | | |than rivals | | | | |Research and development | | | | |Focus on the needs of consumers, | | | | |customers, and franchise partners | | | | |Listen, observe and learn in the market | |   |   |   |   | | | | | | |Employees |Domina nt |All employee benefits satisfied |Employee welfare | | | |Clean and safe working environment |Financial stability | | |Friendly working environment |Be a great place to work where | | | |Job security |people are inspired to be the best | | | | |they can be | |   |   | |   | | | | | | |Community |Dominant |Minimal environmental impact |Social responsibility | | | |Support the community |Be a responsible citizen that makes a | | | | |difference by helping build and support | | | | |sustainable communities | | | | |Support charities and community | | | | |organizations | | | | |Research and Development – | | | | |Environmentally friendly products | | | | |Possess a world view | |   |   |   |   | | | | | | |Suppliers / Bottlers |Dominant |Network and communication |Nurture a winning network of customers | | | |Reliability |and suppliers, to together create mutual | | | |Support |and endearing value | | | | |Research and evelopment | |   |   |   |   | | | | | | |Government |Dormant |Abide by the laws and legislation |Abide by the law | | | |governing each county TCCC has |Be mindful of overall responsibilities | | | |its products | | |   |   |   |   | The strategic objectives of The Coca Cola Company are in alignment with the demands of each of its stakeholders. Its strategic objectives are firmly bound within its mission statement showing their commitment to upholding their responsibilities to meeting the demands of all possible stakeholders. Key Strategies – Current Using Ansoff’s product / market strategies model it can be determined that The Coca Cola Company is pursuing a product development / diversification strategy. This means that their aim is to keep distributing new products into the same existing market as well as look for opportunities in new markets. An example is the release of Jianchi a new product made from fruit juices and plant extracts. Miles and Snow’s adaptive strategies model reveals that the company is in the prospector / defender position in the market. The company is a prospector leading change in the industry through creating new products and identifying new opportunities in the market place. High innovation is key in the prospector business strategy. However it could be said that it is a defender as well in terms of the original coca cola product and its position in the Cola market. They are defending vigorously focusing on high quality and creating barriers to entry. Their position on strategy is characterized by stable growth, profits, efficiency and flexibility in a dynamic environment. Their business structure is flat / loose and authority is decentralized within the organization. The high level of innovation can be seen through the company’s marketing at a functional level with the recent release of the new four and a half minute Music Video released by The Coca Cola Company titled – â€Å"open Happiness† which has taken marketing in the carbonated beverage industry to a new level. Coca cola competes on the basis of value added for customers. People will pay the premium over lesser brands for the coca cola product and this may be why they have chosen (from Porters model) a differentiation strategy. In the past the company has focused cost leadership however this sometimes leads to lowered market entry barriers this has led them to a differentiation strategy and a focus on pervasive penetration, preference and price related value. Due to economies of scale Coca Cola has the opportunity to be a low cost provider and undercut Pepsi's prices but from what we can see it chooses the differentiation strategy and distributes its products at a premium. A possible reason why they may not have chosen a cost leadership strategy is that it can generally be seen as a weak competitive advantage. Competitors may undercut you and it is easily emulated as well as difficult to sustain over time. In order to differentiate from the conventional Coke product, The Coca Cola Company has produced / innovated other such products as cherry coke, vanilla coke and diet coke and it has undertaken competitive marketing against such companies as PepsiCo and Cadbury / Schweppes to advertise how their products are so different and better in quality. The Coca Cola Company has employed a strategy which closely resembles a multidomestic strategy. A multidomestic strategy is characterized as being â€Å"orientated towards local responsiveness†, establishing â€Å"semiautonomous national units in each country in which it operates to produce and customize products to local markets†. It does this in a unique way in collaboration with its bottling. Together The Coca Cola Company and all its bottlers form one system called The Coca Cola System. The benefit of this strategy is that The Coca Cola Company and its bottlers can work together to determine local responsiveness and produce products that best suit the local tastes in that particular geographical area. We have seen this strategy in action with the introduction of the Coca Cola equivalent of red bull being â€Å"Mother† the energy drink being release certain regions but not others. Strategic Implementation; General Perspective Evidence of unrealized strategy The Coca Cola Company was set for the acquisition of the Huiyuan Juice business in China around March earlier this year, which looked to agree with their product development / diversification and differentiation strategy. Unfortunately the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) decided to decline approval for the proposed purchase. Coke released a statement saying: â€Å"We will now focus all of our energies and expertise on growing our existing brands and continuing to innovate with new brands, including in the juice segment. † The innovation of one of their newest products – â€Å"Jianchi† came approximately around this time. Apart from minor setbacks such as the failure of the Chinese juice company merger and acquisition, the coca cola company has implemented its strategies of diversification and differentiation well and this can be seen in the popularity of their products and their prosperous position in the carbonated beverage market. Key Strategic Implementation Issues Using the Mckinsey 7’s’ model we found that the three major strategic implementation issues that confront The Coca Cola Company is structure, style and systems. Structure The Coca Cola Company has in the past gone through major restructuring of its organization. It has cut out various levels and moved to a more multi-domestic structure. A couple of years ago they restructured their operations in both North America and internationally. â€Å"Not to save pennies but to simplify decision making and expedite the speed in which we can execute†. To this day they continue to refine their business structure. In June 2009 they integrated three core functions for a new business structure: Global Business Services, Global Information Technology and Transformational productivity. This will allow the company to deliver services that are highly dependent on technology and standardized processes to its business units in a more effective and efficient way. Style Amongst the list of The Coca Cola Company’s seven â€Å"values† includes integrity and accountability. Muhtar Kent the current CEO of the company was caught betting against the company’s stock allegedly based on insider information then claimed not to know that his actions were illegal. This does not constitute good leadership and could however be classified as an implementation issue for the company. The style of leadership a CEO shows can have a massive effect on the shared values or culture of an organization. So far there are no further signs of further situations like the one described above by the CEO and the company is continuing to improve. The signs point towards Muhtar Kent redeeming his reputation in the company. Systems The Coca Cola Company has the largest beverage distribution service in the world. With close to 1. 6 billion servings a day consumed in over 200 countries, The Coca Cola Company has had to develop effective and efficient system to cope with the magnitude of the business. Systems are as important to The Coca Cola Company as they are to any business. The distribution system of their products is unlike any other in the industry. It ties in with their business structure closely resembling a multi-domestic organizational structure. The Coca-Cola Company frequently utilizes promotional merchandise to connect consumers with its brands. It is critical that all such merchandise make a positive impression upon consumers. It is important that they monitor quality control not just for their concentrates and syrups but also on their promotional merchandise. The organization of The Coca Cola Company comprises many systems which enable the company to run smoothly. It takes strong successful systems for a company to survive and they can also give a company its strategic competitive advantage. However they must also be monitored and evaluated. TCCC has a triple bottom line approach to reporting and they utilize the balanced scorecard to achieve this. Evaluation of Strategy – Current / Future Efficient evaluation has been implemented through a triple bottom line reporting approach. They understand due to their large public profile they have to maintain a focus not just on financial reporting but also on their social responsibilities and the environment. The balanced scorecard is used in their financial reports based on key performance indicators to measure their performance in implementing their strategic objectives. The message is therefore communicate to their stakeholders through their general purpose financial reports (GPFR). References Textbooks Hill et al. 2007, Strategic Management: An integrated approach 2ed, Wiley and Sons. Page: 4 – 19, 64 – 72 Internet News Article I’d like to sell the world a Coke http://www. nytimes. com/ref/business/20070527_COKE_GRAPHIC. tml Viewed: 10:52 Monday 31st August The Coca Cola Company Website: Innovation http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/innovation. html Viewed: 4:59 Monday 31st August The Coca Cola Company Website: The System The Coca Cola logo (used above) is a registered trademark of The Coca Cola Company http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/ourcompany/the_cocacola_system. html Viewed: 4:59 Monday 31st August Strategic management http://www. docstoc. com/docs/10713752/Strategic-Management Viewed: 4:00 Saturday 10 October 2009 Brand Spotlight: Coca-Cola http://www. brandingstrategyinsider. com/2007/04/brand_spotlight. html Viewed: 6:31 Sunday 11 October 2009 Organization Strategies: Strategies used in Coca Cola http://www. findfreecollegeessays. com/show_essay/47865. html Viewed: 6:40 Sunday 11 October 2009 Open Happiness: Music Video http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Cxfkg3RaRjs&feature=related Viewed: 4:53 Saturday 10 October 2009 THE COCA-COLA COMPANY INTRODUCES INNOVATIVE BOTTLE MADE FROM RENEWABLE, RECYCLABLE, PLANT-BASED PLASTIC http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/presscenter/nr_20090514_plantbottle. html Viewed: 10:16 Sunday 11 October 2009 ACQUISITION OF HUIYUAN JUICE GROUP IN CHINA NOT TO PROCEED http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/presscenter/nr_20090318_huiyan_juice. html Viewed: 11:37 Sunday 11 October 2009

Discuss the ways in which women’s domestic role

Beginning in the home, a woman's role is socially constructed from an early age. A woman's role models are traditionally her parents and many women naturally follow in their mothers footsteps. However, this can often work In reverse and women of whose mothers stayed at home In a domestic care role then go on to carve careers for themselves. Although these days women do have careers they are still socially seen as the homemaker regardless of this.A woman's domestic role is often run alongside other work and a great number of women choose careers which are care eased. The sexual division of labor is at the heart of gender inequality, which is underpinned by the patriarchal family structure where the man Is the highest authority and sole provider and there Is a rolled dolls of tasks and responsibilities, all of which have been regulated by social norms that have become constructed and ingrained over time. Florence Nightingale was a great influence in creating the nursing/caring role.She acknowledged that a great number of women naturally progressed into care roles and so she introduced the role of a nurse yet it was not a consider profession at this point Medical stations in the Crimean war were poorly staffed with awful medical and sanitary conditions. This was reported by the media In Britain. Florence Nightingale, one of 38 voluntary nurses traveled to Turkey to help relieve the situation. Nightingale worked towards improvements in sanitation, nutrition, and activity for the patients of the hospitals.Death rates were reduced dramatically with the introduction of such measures. Nightingale kept meticulous records of the number of deaths, and the causes of deaths, so that on her return to Great Britain she could Justify the need for Improving conditions In hospitals. Criticisms of Florence Nightingale have been that she created a female occupation, excluding males based around her view that women were naturally caring and naturally gifted at looking after people. This only emphasized ‘female virtues' especially in the media as they made this her main point even though there was much more to her than Just this point. As a result of what she did the beliefs of the male professionals were further supported. Those beliefs being that women are innate males in the workforce and the nursing role was stereotyped as a role which only women performed bringing with It the stereotype which we still hold today. Even now, with many more men taking on the role of the nurse we seem to find this unusual and sometimes quite a surprise.During this time the education system excluded women from the ability to gain scientific knowledge and the medical profession denied access to women who actually had managed to gain education. After Florence Nightingale, Ethel Bedford Fenwick (who is she) said that by 1901 , although we had moved on from the workhouses there was still no professional nurses in Britain and campaigned for a nationally recognized training sys tem to create an actual nursing ‘profession' This era was such named the era of the ministering angel' She worked to elevate nursing from the time of Florence Nightingale.During much of the 20th Century there was little progress with the imbalance of male to female care professions, even with the introduction of the INS women still made up the majority of the workforce in the INS with the male professions making up the majority of top rank Jobs, such as surgeons and insulates, much higher paid, recognized and respected professions. Domestic service of all kinds was the single largest employer of women (40 per cent of female occupations stated in the census of 1851 in provincial cities and 50 per cent in London).The textile and clothing sectors came a close second (http:// www. BBC. Co. UK/history/British/Victorians/women's_work_OLL . SHTML) A greater number of women than men choose Job roles in the care industry. Ann Oakley refers to this as being the influence of gender oscil lation and the women's domestic role in the home throughout history. This fact adds to the divide between men and women in the health and social care sector with statistics showing that in 2010 for an example, women made up 74% of the workforce in the INS and men only 26%.Even the most educated women earn less than men, women generally receive a lower return on their education and workplace discrimination against women is reflected in pay irrespective of educational level. In 2009 the BAM report was released, highlighting the inequality in male and female salaries within the health care industry. An average gap of El 5,245 between men and women in the same reversions. â€Å"Our results show that men and women with identical experience and expertise are paid differently – which suggests evidence of discrimination† (BAM 2009) It seems women are discriminated against due to her weakness in her ability to move.

Twelve Angry Men

According to Rose, the jury system is flawed; discuss Rose Kealy A jury is a body of people who are sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them. This is shown and demonstrated in the play, Twelve Angry men, written by Reginald Rose. However, in the play, the jury system can be seen as flawed and imperfect. The faults in the play are displayed by the twelve juries that were selected to represent the case presented. The lack of knowledge, prejudice and the personality clashes are all examples of the flaws in the jury system that are shown in the Twelve Angry Men. Rose was able to express that in the play During the play Twelve Angry Men, Rose finds the flaws in the personality chosen for the jury case. Rose demonstrates to the audience that the 12 juror members have very different personalties which in some circumstances work together but most of the time they create incidences and commotion. The personality clashes are mostly seen between the 3rd juror and the 8th juror â€Å"God damn it! I'll kill him! I'll kill him† and â€Å"Shut up, you son of a bitch! † shows the tension, suspense and displeasure between these two jurors. The two jurors are a huge part in the play and it is their personalities that clash the most. The tension however is not just shown between these two jurors. â€Å"Do you know you're a sick man? † â€Å"who the hell is he to tell me that? † is examples from the 9th and 10th jurors. These remarks are found throughout the play and underline the importance of needing to work together. Rose is able to point out the flaws in the jury system by not having each juror analysed before the case to learn their personalties and traits. These incidents however can relate and intertwine with the prejudice and discrimination found in the jury rooms. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the potential flaws that can be found in the jury system, where prejudice interferes and the pursuit of justice. This is shown mostly by the 3rd Juror in his unwillingness to change his initial ‘guilty' verdict and the manner in which he characterises, ‘kids†¦ owadays. Angry! Hostile! ‘. This view is held because the 3rd Juror relates to his troubled and tense relationship with his son as it corresponds to the defendants relationship with his father. It is displayed that the 3rd juror wants to punish the young boy for the pain that the jurors on pain put on him. The 3rd juror isn't look for the facts or details of the case, he is just acting on his own emotions. This then leads to a fault in the jury system as the personality of one jury impacts the ability for the jurors to make a logical verdict on the case. The 10th juror also makes some assumptions in deciding the boy's guilt or innocence rather than looking at the actually facts. â€Å"It's those people! I'm tellin' you they let the kids run wild up there. Well, maybe it serves em' right†¦ † In the play, Rose was able to point out that the flaws of the jury system and that not knowing the twelve people chosen can result in prejudiced and discrimination and not the truth that surrounds the case and defendant. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the importance of knowing and understanding the jury system and what it involves. There is a range of different jurors who have different knowledge and expectations of what is expected of the jury room and role. â€Å"I never knew they locked the door† is a prime example of the awareness and insight of the jury system. Whereas Juror 11, the immigrant watchmaker seemed to be more interested and fascinated by the juror system then those who are from America. â€Å"I don't believe I have to be loyal to one side or the other†¦ † demonstrates the 11th jurors judgement and appreciation for the system and the case. Rose is able to explain the importance of understanding and the importance of the jury system and the case that is presented in front of the 12 jurors. According to Rose, the jury system is flawed and this can be demonstrated through the play of Twelve Angry Men. The play is based around the personality clashes of each of the jurors, the prejudiced and discrimination found by some of the men and the lack of knowledge and interest in the jury system by all the jurors. All these contribute to a jury system that can be seen as faulty and imperfect by Rose. Twelve Angry Men According to Rose, the jury system is flawed; discuss Rose Kealy A jury is a body of people who are sworn to give a verdict in a legal case on the basis of evidence submitted to them. This is shown and demonstrated in the play, Twelve Angry men, written by Reginald Rose. However, in the play, the jury system can be seen as flawed and imperfect. The faults in the play are displayed by the twelve juries that were selected to represent the case presented. The lack of knowledge, prejudice and the personality clashes are all examples of the flaws in the jury system that are shown in the Twelve Angry Men. Rose was able to express that in the play During the play Twelve Angry Men, Rose finds the flaws in the personality chosen for the jury case. Rose demonstrates to the audience that the 12 juror members have very different personalties which in some circumstances work together but most of the time they create incidences and commotion. The personality clashes are mostly seen between the 3rd juror and the 8th juror â€Å"God damn it! I'll kill him! I'll kill him† and â€Å"Shut up, you son of a bitch! † shows the tension, suspense and displeasure between these two jurors. The two jurors are a huge part in the play and it is their personalities that clash the most. The tension however is not just shown between these two jurors. â€Å"Do you know you're a sick man? † â€Å"who the hell is he to tell me that? † is examples from the 9th and 10th jurors. These remarks are found throughout the play and underline the importance of needing to work together. Rose is able to point out the flaws in the jury system by not having each juror analysed before the case to learn their personalties and traits. These incidents however can relate and intertwine with the prejudice and discrimination found in the jury rooms. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the potential flaws that can be found in the jury system, where prejudice interferes and the pursuit of justice. This is shown mostly by the 3rd Juror in his unwillingness to change his initial ‘guilty' verdict and the manner in which he characterises, ‘kids†¦ owadays. Angry! Hostile! ‘. This view is held because the 3rd Juror relates to his troubled and tense relationship with his son as it corresponds to the defendants relationship with his father. It is displayed that the 3rd juror wants to punish the young boy for the pain that the jurors on pain put on him. The 3rd juror isn't look for the facts or details of the case, he is just acting on his own emotions. This then leads to a fault in the jury system as the personality of one jury impacts the ability for the jurors to make a logical verdict on the case. The 10th juror also makes some assumptions in deciding the boy's guilt or innocence rather than looking at the actually facts. â€Å"It's those people! I'm tellin' you they let the kids run wild up there. Well, maybe it serves em' right†¦ † In the play, Rose was able to point out that the flaws of the jury system and that not knowing the twelve people chosen can result in prejudiced and discrimination and not the truth that surrounds the case and defendant. In Twelve Angry Men, Rose highlights the importance of knowing and understanding the jury system and what it involves. There is a range of different jurors who have different knowledge and expectations of what is expected of the jury room and role. â€Å"I never knew they locked the door† is a prime example of the awareness and insight of the jury system. Whereas Juror 11, the immigrant watchmaker seemed to be more interested and fascinated by the juror system then those who are from America. â€Å"I don't believe I have to be loyal to one side or the other†¦ † demonstrates the 11th jurors judgement and appreciation for the system and the case. Rose is able to explain the importance of understanding and the importance of the jury system and the case that is presented in front of the 12 jurors. According to Rose, the jury system is flawed and this can be demonstrated through the play of Twelve Angry Men. The play is based around the personality clashes of each of the jurors, the prejudiced and discrimination found by some of the men and the lack of knowledge and interest in the jury system by all the jurors. All these contribute to a jury system that can be seen as faulty and imperfect by Rose.

Roc of Ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Roc of Ages - Essay Example To my surprise, my first period teacher revealed the identity of the mystery man when she announced that she was sure we had all met the doorman, Roc. "Don't try to skirt the dress code" she explained. "And don't be late. Roc likes punctuality". According to the school board classification Roc was the custodian, but as time passed she said we would come to view him as much more than just a simple janitor. She had no reservations in informing us that Roc was not only here to restore order to the mess left behind by students with social skills still stuck in elementary school, but he was also here to teach a class that wasn't offered in any classroom. That subject was humility, humanity, and modesty. I panicked. I wasn't even prepared for biology, much less a class taught by a one armed custodian, not even on my schedule as to where or when it met. As the first year progressed, I did however, have many opportunities to attend Roc's classes. He was assistant coach for the football team, throwing and catching with one arm as great as Johnny Unitas. He held class in the hallway, on the football field, and at the front door. I was surprised to learn he had a degree in animal psychology and was always willing to be a tutor for any needy student.

Human Nature and Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Nature and Psychology - Essay Example Naturally, human beings are ever considered as the source of norm of conduct or the creatures that define their ways of life and resenting constrains and obstacles of leading or living a virtuous life. Human nature has been evolving since time in memorial. Each historic era is usually defined by distinct characteristic of human nature as well as the psychological concepts. However, since the human generation moves from one era to another, they tend to shade off some defining human characteristic of a given era while moving to other era. Nonetheless, some of the characteristics are carried into the new era. Therefore, the nineteenth century and twentieth century are defined by some similarity and differences in the conceptions of human nature and psychology. Similarities and Differences The end of the nineteenth century was marked with numerous developments that led to rejection of Victorian principles. The Victorian age was marked by shift an agricultural society to an industrial soc iety. The period was as well defined by the decline in traditional religious beliefs and adoption of moral aesthetic. However, they retained the literature values maintaining that the literature would enable them understand and perfectly adapt to the newly founded society (Jeeves, 2006). It means both the nineteenth and twentieth centuries had same literature but remarkable, different economic activities and religious beliefs (Gopal, 2008). Some novelists defined the subsequent change in a society that marked the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century as a breaking down social structure. They intensively talked about social mares and expressed their topic on realism. According to Darwin, human is an animal creature that is conditioned by influences that are beyond his or her control; thus, human being is devoid of free, moral choice or will. In other words, human is a creature that usually shaped by external factors such as environment, hereditary, and immedia te circumstances pressure. Considering Darwin’s view, though there was a change in both industrial and social life of human nature they both shared some characteristics (Stevenson, 2007). Putting Lewontin work in perspective, as a population geneticist of the nineteenth century, he argued that human species are highly varied in their genes than within racial population. He further noted that racial identity features that include hair, color of the eye, and skin color are more aligned to adaptation that is clearly defined by geographical conditions among other factors (Gopal, 2008). This nineteenth century psychological reasoning overlaid the basic genetics of commonality among the human species. In relation to genetics and human commonality, the psychologists of the twentieth century did not argue much but rather used more sophisticated machine to examine and understand human genes. The contributions of Lewontin limited the applicability of Jensen’s IQ testing between different races. Jansen used conversational racial groups to compare the IQ scores to come to the proof of genetic difference between racial groups (Jeeves, 2006). However, Lewontin dismissed the claims that the consistent difference in genetics lies in the differences in the brain within races. He added that if Jensen could not provide any further evidence, then IQ also was also influenced different physical environment or social.

Communication and Culture Issues over disrupted Software management Assignment - 1

Communication and Culture Issues over disrupted Software management - Assignment Example However, to achieve this, there is a need for a globally organized team to handle the production and the distribution of software. Considering that a single organization cannot afford to undertake the production and distribution of the software globally on its own, the collaboration with other partners to achieve this is inevitable (Andreessen, 2011). It is this collaboration with other business partners that makes the coordination of the business more complex, threatening to affect the software development project negatively. As observed by Lee, Delone and Espinosa, the factors that creates major barriers to the coordination between the software producers and their partners include geographic distance, time separation, cultural differences, language differences and organizational boundaries (Lee, Delone, & Espinosa, 2006). To add to this complexity is the fact that, businesses rarely understand what makes the global software business successful. Thus even when confronted by such challenges, businesses are not in a position to dissect and clearly identify the appropriate strategies that would see them overcome these challenges (Gonsalves, 2011). Nevertheless, there are certain strategies that can be applied to overcome such challenges, which include building a common platform, where the business partners should share an initial understanding of the suitable framework that would drive the collaboration between these business partners successful (Rosenberg, 2012). Labor organization is yet another strategy applicable to overcome the challenges of global software business partners’ communication since it entails the allocation of specialized duties to each of the partners, which ensures that they do not duplicate or overstep their operations thus avoiding the confusion that would ensue (Hoffman, 20 13). The creation of understanding is yet another vital

The Relationship between the State and the Citizen Essay

The Relationship between the State and the Citizen - Essay Example The exact relationship between a state and its citizens is of profound concern since the state seeks to acquire maximum authority while the citizen seeks to acquire maximum liberty, a condition that is impossible in reality. However, to achieve a necessary compromise of both sides, reasonable amount of power and authority is made available to the state to ensure its smooth running and reasonable liberty is made available to the citizens to ensure the best developments of their personalities. A citizen is not necessarily a person who lives within the boundaries of a state but rather an individual who enjoys the rights made available to them and that are recognized by the state and also one who participates in the affairs of the state. The interests of the citizen should not be in conflict with the state since both the state and the individual depend on each other. The citizen depends on the state for safety, law and order as well for facilities that enable them undertake their day-to- day activities with ease. According to Veneklassen and Miller (2002), there are three definitions of citizenship that relate the status of an individual to the relationship with a nation-state (32). These include: Civil citizenship. It emerged in the Western world in the 18th century and it refers to the human rights necessary to ensure freedom of every individual. These rights include free speech, freedom of assembly, equality and property rights. Political citizenship. This definition emerged as a result of the struggles in the 19th century and it accentuates the right to participation in exercising political power. It was characterized by the struggle by women, minorities and poor people to acquire the right to vote which was initially granted only to male individuals who owned property. Social citizenship. It emerged in the 20th century and it emphasises on minimum rights and standards of economic, social and cultural well-being. It is a struggle by the disadvantaged groups to make this view of citizenship legitimate. States today are generally less responsive to the needs of their citizens and the deficit of most democratic states in being adequately democratic is a clear indication of this. The governments in these states are adapting a trend in which they are becoming more responsive to the needs of individuals or groups who are concerned with a particular part of the economy and are less responsive to the needs of the general public. Despite the requirement of a democratic political system where every citizen has equal rights and a say in the governing process, some organizations and individuals have an elevated influence over the governing process by trying to influence legislators or bureaucrats to act in their favour. As a result of this, the few in power satisfy their greed at the expense of the needs of the majority of the citizens. A state that is less responsive to the needs of its people is generally less likely to undertake duties allocated to it in the best interests of the general

Undertake an examination of the Marketing Environment of the UK book Essay

Undertake an examination of the Marketing Environment of the UK book retailing market - Essay Example y, being a highly competitive sector, also seems to have taken the cues and is bracing itself up in order to comply with the phenomenal rate of globalisation. According to the findings of Miyamoto and Whittaker (2005), â€Å"major UK publishers have been absorbed to huge media conglomerates, for instance, which pursue strategies to maximise profit through leveraging synergy effects of the publishing business and other media businesses on a global scale† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 1). Owing to the basic fact that most business interests are centred on the need to maximise stakeholders’ value as well as corporate profit, British publishers are inclined towards inculcating this philosophy into their corporate goals. It is interesting to note that the UK market has gradually transformed from being cooperative to one that is predominantly free and competitive (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 3), and as a result the market characteristics have also changed. In the present business context, the British publishing industry is driven by corporate philosophy, its primary objective being the pursuit of individual profit. The British publishing industry has been observed to have a rich heritage as â€Å"publishing guilds were formed in London by the 14th century, and developed with the progress of the printing techniques in the middle of the 15th century† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 3). London plays an important role in shaping the course of business for this industry as far as the UK is concerned as most of the functions that are associated with this industry are concentrated in this area. The UK also precedes most other economies in terms of crucial developments that were made to this profitable industry and this may be justified by the fact that â€Å"the division of firms in the value chain of the publishing industry was formed in the UK by the middle of the 19th century† (Miyamoto & Whittaker, 2005, P. 4). The UK publishing as well as book retail industry has gone

Access to Higher Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Access to Higher Education - Research Paper Example This paper stresses that access to higher education has tremendously improved since independence. This is well highlighted in this excerpt. The level of access has been greatly underscored by the provision of loans to learners, the aids that have been given to the institutions of higher learning by that state as well as individuals. This has been coupled by investment in education sector. The federal government has equally been supportive of guaranteeing that there is greater access to higher education. The provision of academic infrastructure too, cannot be ignored when it comes to bolstering access to higher education too. The author declares that student loan debt levels have been on the rise, this has been coupled with an increase number of student defaulters. These challenges pose a great burden in society. This report makes a conclusion that noble policies, programs and processes in education have contributed largely to the upsurge in attainment of higher education. The pursuit of fulfillment in the rank and file of academic ladder has also pushed most learners to acquire higher education in spite of the challenges that come with it. Opportunities that are in most cases seriously envied by most members of the society are attained by merit founded on degrees obtained from higher institutions of learning. These in general have led to a consistent increase in the number of enrollment in the universities. In summation, a number of factors and modalities have been in place to speed up the realization of higher education access as one of the rationales of education

Vulnerable Population and Self-Awareness Research Paper

Vulnerable Population and Self-Awareness - Research Paper Example Most of these people fall under the categories of people with disabilities, children, and the elderly. The Service Community Assessment of Needs state that these groups are considered most vulnerable due to their being unaware of their situation and the lack of services and resources made available to them (Poirrier, 2001, p.73). Furthermore, these groups are very much dependent on other groups to fight for their welfare since they are mostly unable to do it on their own. A big percentage of these people are within the poverty level, and the concern does not yet include those who may be HIV positive, or may be suffering from mental issues, etc. As a nurse, one should understand that dealing with the vulnerable population is more than counting the numbers or acquiring percentages (Poirrier, 2001, p.36-7). It is about eliminating the factors that put these people into these situations. However, in this paper, a different view of vulnerable population will be discussed. Young adults may not normally be deemed as vulnerable in terms of nursing or health care. However, there are certain factors that show that this population is as susceptible as the elderly, the children, or the people with disabilities in terms of access to proper and adequate health care VULNERABLE POPULATION AND SELF-AWARENESS 3 (Poirrier, 2001, p.74). ... ople are are the peak of their strength and capabilities, and are given more options or choices compared to other age brackets (Stergiopoulos, Dewa, Durbin, Chau and Svoboda, 2010, p.1033). While this may be true in certain aspects, there is one big factor that prove this population can be as exposed to harm as the other vulnerable populations. Most of my researches and observations are within the community setting. I have seen and heard about homeless young people who are picked up from the streets and sent to the E.R. at every dangerous rise or fall of the temperature. I have seen and heard about young people experiencing the trauma of unwanted pregnancies, sexual assaults, or sexually transmitted diseases at a time when they are too young to be prepared for such major life events, just because they are living in the streets. As I go on seeing and hearing about these people, I have come to realize that these young individuals are as vulnerable as the ones that the health industry c onsider. My major concern here is the â€Å"harm being done to this population that will reflect further in their lives† (Poirrier, 2001, p.74-5). The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council states that among those falling under the 18-24 age bracket, a big percentage experience homelessness, and that the number continues to rise annually (Stergiopoulos et al., 2010, p.1032). Homelessness among these young adults reach up to 2 million a year (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2008, p.213). This alone speaks a lot about the large number of individuals exposed to multiple dangers and susceptibilities daily. This, too, VULNERABLE POPULATION AND SELF-AWARENESS 4 tells us that they require much-needed attention as much as the other considered vulnerable populations in the health industry. Furthermore,

Doing Business in a Foreign Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Doing Business in a Foreign Country - Essay Example The understanding of the things that can determine the performance of a business operation in Brazil will ensure that foreign investors will be able to establish sustainable businesses in the country. Though doing business in Brazil cannot be easy and has several issues, it is achievable for a foreign organization that is committed to explore the opportunities in the country. The business environment of Brazil requires that the investor be willing and dedicated to the performance of business by supplying sufficient resources and personnel (Ibp Inc 56). Political environment of Brazil Brazil has a business environment that is regulated by the political atmosphere of people in the country considering the federal government has a lot of input into the operation of the business. The government strategies in the country have contributed to the kind of operations into which investors can venture so that they exploit the economic opportunities in the country. Through the government system, the parliament of the country decided on the amount of interest that businesses and individuals could be charged when they acquire loans from the banks. This regulation of the interests on loans shows that there is political influence in business operations in the country (Ibp Inc 55). Legal Environment Foreigners who have to invest in Brazil take a considerable long time to comply with the bureaucratic systems that are established to allow them to operate in the country. This time is taken in filing of issues that show compliance to the legally acceptable charges like taxation, labor laws, reporting and getting permits for their businesses. These processes are legally stipulated and, therefore, every foreign investor has to conform to the requirement to be allowed to start a business (Ibp Inc 55-57). Economic Environment Brazil is a capitalist state that operates in the southern America and has firmly established itself in export of high quality products that attract customers. Thi s means that businesses in the area have to compete for their customers and ensure that they make sales to them so that they can sustain their operation. In many instances, the operations in the business in this country involve export of coffee and other agricultural products, as well as impost of machinery and other products from its business partners that may include the US, China and South Korea among others (Ibp Inc 56). Monetary Environment The federal government of Brazil has Real as its currency since 1994 and, therefore, business operations in the country are done using this currency, especially when it targets the local population. The currency has performed well at the steady exchange rates with other popular currencies within the business environment. This means that the operations of the business in the country are not threatened if the exchange rates in the currency shift within considerable limits. The currency is used to trade with the people within the country or tho se who want to buy products from the country from other countries (Marr 76). Fiscal Constraints in doing Business in Brazil In Brazil, the rates of interests in the central bank of the country are high as compared to other countries in the world and, therefore, it can affect adversely the foreign investors who want to

Types of Advertising Media Essay Example for Free

Types of Advertising Media Essay There are various types of advertising media through which companies can advertise products, brand and services, in order to promote their businesses. Ogilvy (1987) who is considered to be one of the pioneers of advertising and marketing concepts once stated in his book entitled Ogilvy on advertising that advertising is the promotion of companys or personal products, brands and services carried out primarily to boost sales and is extremely pervasive in todays society. Advertising has become an essential element of the corporate world and hence many companies allot a considerable amount of resources towards advertising their products either by the print media, outdoor media and the broadcasting media advertising. Firstly, the print media advertising, in an research by Manohar (2011) entitled types of advertising media he noted that, the print media is achieve by promoting products through the use of newspapers and magazines, in which the media offers options such as promotional brochures and fliers to achieve their advertising purposes. Often, this type of advertising medium impacts a large portion of the advertising world through its daily publication that goes directly to the targeted customers. In addition to that, many local businesses use the print media to ensure that they capitalize on the advertising market, knowing that people read magazines and daily newspapers and are likely to come across advertisement that are strategically place there to capture their interest. The outdoor media advertising is also an important and very popular form for promoting products. Mentioned in an article by advertising- suite (2009) entitled types of advertising media the outdoor media makes use of several tools and techniques to targets the general public, but is achieved by way of placing advertisements on billboards, kiosks, moving transportation as well as events and trade shows. Terse and catchy phrases are implemented in this type of advertising media to grab the attention of the general public and effectively leave a lasting effects on them. Moreover, the outdoor advertising media is a fantastic medium businesses used to communicate their information strategies between themselves and intended audiences. Finally, another form of advertising is through the broadcasting media. The book entitled Broadcasting and Cable by Warner (1986) views broadcasting media as advertising that is electronically transmitted to people, it constitute several branches such as television, radio and the Internet. When companies advertise on television or radio they often rely on repetition of ads in order to gain consumers interest in their products. According to Hassam (2011) in an article entitled types of advertising media people spend considerable amount of their time watching television, browsing the Internet and listening to the radio and as such the broadcasting advertising media reaches a wider audience both nationally and globally. Moreover, it also gives marketing agencies the opportunity to be creative in effectively conveying their marketing messages through sight, sound and motion. Conclusion: The use of advertising media for many companies has been seen as an important component for their marketing tactics to promote businesses as well as to communicate their information efficiently. Advertising through the print, outdoor and broadcasting media have improve product sales, popularize companys name and brand value, if a product is advertised well and its information reaches to the masses, then the chances of more people getting to know about it spread. Thus, making advertising beneficial for the consumers, manufacturers and the advertising agencies within the local or the global market.

Seven Pounds Ethics

Seven Pounds Ethics The delivery of this assignment is going to expound the notion of ethics in relation to the film Seven Pounds, from two main dimensions In this regard narrative ethics serves as the central framework for a deep appreciation of bioethics. Central to the bioethical themes is that of suicide and organ donation. As regards the latter, it is a highly contested argument to question on what particular grounds a person can be qualified as being good or bad , and to what extent should organs be donated to sustain ones welfare .Since the realm of bioethics is highly complex, it is pertinent if not imperative to contrast the subjective perspective of diverse schools of thought ,including the utilitarian ,deontological the Christian and the purely secular perspective .The latter perspective needs to be highlighted in depth since seven pounds reflects a deep secular background of the postmodernist culture of the US{United States} In this respect this presentation is going to adopt an integrated approach so as to evaluate ethical thought in comprehensive terms, and on the basis of mature insights. It is relevant to present the following inspirational viewpoints highlighted by Kwame Anthony Appiah in Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a world of strangers, this film critic questions Why, you might ask, should we care how people think and feel about stories? Why do we talk about them in this language of value?(Kwame Anthony Appiah 2006.) .Evaluating stories together is one of the central human ways of learning to align our responses to the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and that alignment is ,in turn, one of the ways we maintain the social fabric ,the texture of our relationshipsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ In this respect it is essential to note, that Appiah being a reputed film critic is not only strongly hinting to us the need that we enjoy the beauty of stories. Moreover in the process, we need to venture a step ahead by reflecting on the multiple dynamics of the social fabric, and how this is impacting as well as being impacted by our personal life. In this respect Seven Pou nds represents a profound filmic experience, which probes deeply within the texture of our relationships This presentation is going to focus on an ethical perspective of Seven Pounds written by Grant Nieporte and released by Colombia Pictures. A unique characteristic on the part of Grant Nieporte is that he persistently seeks to blend his subjective personal experiences, within the wider social context .The underlying objective is to capitalize on the indirect experience of others ,this logically conduces to a higher level of maturity. The spark of the inspiration of Seven Pounds occurred to Grant, when he was in a bar and came across the subject during a typical conversation. The respondent confessed to Grant that he wanted to commit suicide for purposes of redemption of an accident which he personally committed and contributed to the innocent loss of life. The film attained a reasonable level of success, possibly due to the fact that the audience tends in general to be more interested to the entertainment factor, rather than the profound philosophic deductive message. The latter in the context of this film deals with both psychological and personal issues. The focus is on the reciprocal relationship between the filmic experience {which is fictiscious} and the purely ethical domain. The film industry is constantly experiencing revolutionary changes, as regards film genre backed by a constant stream of innovative technologies, reflecting a social mentality undergoing a rapid stage of transition. The film being essentially a cinematic medium represents an authentic message of values. Thus, it is pertinent on the part of the audience, to identify and asses these values within the context of the contemporary emerging culture. From a critical angle the members of the civic public, seek to be trend followers without critically questioning whether the direction of the social trends are worth pursuing. The public tends to appreciate films in terms of their bare narrative rather than more meaningful ethical implications and this demands that the audience be more directly educated in this respect. Narrative is thus undeniably a strategic ingredient incorporating diverse forms of ethical analysis. We will all do better to be more self conscious about the literary nature of ethical understanding and assessment .It remains to be seen however whether narrative would ever be in a position to supplant an ethic also reinforced by principles and theory . It is deemed important that the narrative of the film is expanded so as to reflect the modus Vivendi of the characters. The subjective perception of the presenter is in line with that of many film critics who observed that the initial scenes represent a set of chronologically scrambled set sequences. Thus the audience has to engage itself not only emotionally but also intellectually in understanding the role of the characters and their respective interrelationships. The element of conflict on both an intra and inter personal level, is the driving force of the plot .The protagonist who drives along the movie plot is Ben Thomas which is acted by Will Smith. Ben gets into an auto accident when he is using his cell phone whilst driving .So far Ben has been a highly successful American citizen, both in his love relationship as well as well as in his highly reputed profession .One can assume that he has attained this success due to diverse interblended ingredients. Foremost we can include his wit, intelligence, practicality and skills in handling people .From the initial film shots; he is presented as being highly energetic. Ben has engineered an optimum balance in life with a highly meaningful and motivating vision which he is seeking persistently to accomplish and satisfy competing interests. In substance he is a highly ambitious person, possibly overambitious within all the aspects of the spectrum of life he came in contact with. One can observe that Ben had a high level of positive energy within him. His primary fulfillment was to transform the challenges of life into meaningful opportunities. In the accident which ultimately developed in a tragic outcome, he accidently kills his fiancà © ,who was riding with him together with six strangers other when he lost control of his car and crushes into another vehicle .Ironically enough the author of the accident emerged from the scene unscratched .However the audience only realizes the outcome of the tragedy towards th e end point of the film .This heightens the element of suspense on the part of the audience .This technique of revealing strategic information towards the end of the film, as well as adopting diverse types of flashbacks so as to transform the filmic experience into a half puzzle, or in simple terms a combination of puzzle film narration ,melodrama and fiction is typical of the 60 s era art film .This reflects subtle elements of the post classical thriller as well as the crime film .An interesting factor is that the accident which took place within the space of a few seconds, definitely had generated a powerful impact on the life of Ben .Ben fell into a serious and profound irreversible depression. His face from this point onwards throughout the film appeared masked ,so as to conceal the hidden turmoil ,together with the dark and somber intentions on the part of Ben. One can observe that the guilt feelings within Ben generated due to the accident which precipitated, have reshaped completely his psychological perceptions on life .This is appreciated to the extent that he was transformed in a different being having a particular mind set .In this critical situation immersed in a profound depression he was definitely not in a position to take decisions about his own personal life, let alone being accountable to others. Among the factors which have inspired the audience, he had lost the love of his girlfriend .She could have served as the intimate person who could have helped him in order to ride the tide. From a figurative aspect, the seven fatalities by Ben conduce to the endorsement of a debt-at least on a psychological plane .This debt entails a pound of flesh for each victim .From an analytical view point this presents a self imposed burden .However Ben is persistently believing that he is acting out of good faith .The underlying logic of Seven Pounds is that wealth is necessary for true charity, because in order to be charitable, one needs to have something to give such as the accumulation of wealth. In fact Ben went out of his way in granting his beach house to a female who was the victim of domestic violence .More importantly he had communicated with the female in a letter which he dispatched to her ,so as to live abundantly . The term live abundantly, resonates Utilitarian thinking. This approach needs to be appreciated within the context of the highly secular culture of the U.S in terms of Bens frame of thought , to take the best for oneself out of life .However in practice how far did Ben manage to adopt this particular message within his own philosophy ?.It appears that it is easier to preach to others rather than to council oneself .One cannot but ask -Was Ben in this particular circumstance seeking the privilege status of a demi god ? .A clear factor which transpires at this point is that Ben definitely was facing a confused state of mind ,and subsequently his personal priorities had changed . The dialogue is carefully crafted so as to reflect the stream of consciousness on the part of the characters, and to ensure an intellectual form of participation on the part of the audience .Ben is becoming aware of the psychological changes within him. In fact he comments in an intimate manner with Emily that I havent been taking care of myself lately . The term care has multiple meanings, and it is very difficult to specify in a precise manner to what particular type of care Ben is referring to. This is understood in view of the different mindset which Ben has developed throughout the immediate post tragedy period .Certain critics have identified Ben as this point as having a confused mind However this is not a fair judgment in objective terms since Ben has developed a specific intention of his ultimate goal-the donation of his personal intimate body organs to others. Ben started scheming by analyzing the characters of diverse individuals so as to serve as worthy recipients of his own organs .He was very smart and original in the particular process of scheming adopted. He took the identification card of his brother who worked as an IRS officer .When his brother realized that his card was missing he recalled the attention of Ben .Ben in an intelligent manner replied If I recall rightly I gave you something In this respect one can note that Ben is highly tactful in presenting an effective defense mechanism especially in situations in which he is undergoing a very profound torment. In the process of Ben getting to know Emily, he was fully aware of his love towards Emily. It is essential to evaluate the motives highlighting the shift of reasoning on the part of Ben .Emily is suffering from an eminent heart failure being only a matter of a few weeks up to her death .Ben is ready to go out of his way and donate his heart to Emily. However it is important to note, that his act towards her is going to be carried out as an act of love, rather than merely an act of redemption .The sexual act involving Ben and Emily has no intrinsic meanings. However it helped both protagonists so as to clarify their respective minds. An interesting fact is that events from this point onwards developed as if designed by an invisible hand in a timetabled manner .Ben phoned his intimate friend being a lawyer ,and asserted in highly emotional terms that it is time .This is a straight forward declaration, however it also reflects that Ben s commitments in terms of his goals were on the po int of being realized . Seven Pounds is centered or actually revolves around the central theme of suicide. This acts as a pivotal platform around which one finds a number of secondary themes which are directly interwoven .Foremost among the secondary themes the state of redemption on the part of the protagonist, which can be interpreted in terms of both altruism and indifference .Other themes were egoism, self centeredness, and living on the edge and following a self imposed lifestyle of emargination. Durkheim identified four types of suicide, egoistic, altruistic, anomic and fatalistic, based on degrees of imbalance of two social forces being social integration and moral regulation. The exposition of socially vulnerable members within society is clearly contrasted with the life style of affluence on the part of the protagonist. Thanks to the language of values, being exposed via the cinematic medium, the author details both the virtues and vices of the characters, scrutinizes their choices, and analysis the ethical relevant particularities of their situation as well as the distinct elements linked to justice or injustice of the social world the characters outlined within the film inhibit .Why however should one care about how these authors think and feel about these cinematic narratives? It is my aim that the philosophical, legal, medical, moral, anthropological, literary, psychological and sociological expertise that these authors bring to bear within their films, generate a profound philosophical reflection among viewers, whilst helping to clarify, refine and challenge the ethical positions, the members of the civic public hold bioethical approaches. The central underlying theme of suicide involves basic principles and fundamental moral rules. One needs to question -What is it that makes an action morally acceptable or unacceptable? Is this due to the inherent characteristics of the action, or rather due to its consequences? Most ethical thinkers argue that death is an unpleasant reality which mankind will have to experience sooner or later being part of the cyclical process of existence .However if death is unpleasant and suicide is a genre of death, is it immoral? Whenever one affirms that suicide is immoral, this implies it that it is rationally unacceptable. It may be argued that in certain situations ,suicide is the ideal option, in view of its long-term consequence .For the person who is committing suicide, what counts is that he frees himself/herself from a permanent and inescapable state of suffering. Thus the agent in this case perceives suicide as a means to an end rather than as an end in itself .Some ethical thinkers refer to this approach as being integrated with consequential ethics focusing on further applications of the act .The consequentilist ethical approach assesses the future direction of an act within different time scenarios. A further bioethical issue which needs to be granted paramount importance concerns a deep assessment of both the feelings and the thoughts of those impacted by suicide. The notion of consequentalism surfaces at different phases of the film .The act of suicide creates unnecessary distress to the family and friends, although these are still outweighed by the person himself. Life is a matter of choices and this applies to all the protagonists within the film, every choice represents a mixed package, having both positive and negative implications. Although the loved ones close to the victim of suicide regret the situation, however they tend to agree at the end at least they are not in pain or agony . It is imperative at this stage to focus on the Utilitarian Perspective .The central maxim of the utilitarian approach is the production of happiness for the greatest number ,so that in this particular manner, both suffering as well as misery will be minimized .From the utilitarians stand point the morality of suicide is a double edged reality .It emerges that although the actions on the part of the victim of suicide can produce positive results relative to his/her objectives, the act of suicide still remains morally unacceptable by the utilitarian . At the other side of the spectrum Deontology stresses that the right to life outweighs consequences .This approach focuses on the consequences and other morally relevant factors .The factor under consideration in terms of its wider implications, is not just the result to be attained but more significantly the specific means adopted for the attainment of the results. The means adopted for the production of the act, definitely harms innocent people. This conduces to a new line of thought which has not been tackled by the utilitarians ,It needs to explicitly stated that it is never legitimate to harm innocent people .However whenever an act is done to oneself, it implies that the individual particularly consented to it .The consent principle is highly relevant at this point ,thus on ethical terms one needs to distinguish between consent carried out when the individual is sane and competent , keeping in view the objectives behind the consent .This is based on the constructive grounds tha t the concept principle cannot be judged at face value, but rather in terms of the particular situational context in which it occurs. One needs to bring under review the particular situations in which a specific individual is behaving .In this respect, one needs to distinguish between acting under distress as well as acts which are not carried out for the appropriate moral ends .The deontological approach states in explicit terms that one must never permit and allow a person to commit suicide .There is a tendency that we do fail to think critically about death ,and in most situations ,we tend to avoid if not disregard the subject completely . The rationality of suicide is assessed at this stage. There are two central questions which need to be granted paramount importance are -when if ever would it be true that one is better off dead? The underlying contest of this question concerns whether there are specific situation where it is more worthy to be dead then to be alive. Another concerns -could it be rational on the part of the individual to kill oneself? This implies an assessment whether suicide or at least certain types of suicide represent a rational act. One must keep in view that although Ben appears highly depressed in most of the situations of the film ,yet he was equally focused .The latter implies that he was fully conscious of the rationality and logic of his own actions .It is important to highlight that insightful and critical judgments need to be carried out both before and after a particular act .From a Christian moral perspective it is both immoral and unethical to state that it is better to be dead then b eing alive .This is because the state of death once experienced cannot restore the individual back to life ,and that human life retains a special and unique dignity. Although ethical thinkers tend to adhere to different viewpoints, one thing is certain; being dead is deprivation of good things in life. Individuals who feel life as meaningful journey enjoying the benefits of love, accomplishment and happiness these are directly linked to the spiritual dimension alternatively whenever these benefits are lacking in ones life, life will lose its dignity, and its virtues of beauty will perish. In the Nichomachean ethics Aristotle way back in the classical age advocated that The man who is angry at the right things and with the right people ,and, further ,as he ought, when he ought, and as long as he ought, is praised this perspective is highly applicable to the particular scene in which Ben Thomas explodes in anger at the old peoples home .in addition Aristotle argued that anger ,as a virtue ,has an excess a deficiency and a mean .Aristotle stressed that the mean is gentleness. Whenever one gets excessively angry then he is considered wrathful. Moreover whenever one is deficient in anger than he is timid. One of the greatest concerns of suicide victims {as often evidenced but the content of their notes} is the pain they may cause to the loved ones they leave behind .Whilst the suicide of a loved one may be an almost an impossible event to accept, it may be of some assistance in the healing process for those that left behind, to know that the death of their loved ones death did help save others lives. This can be expounded in terms of the brother of Tim .This knowledge has been known to be helpful to family members of people who die by other means resulting in organ donation. It is essential to focus at this particular stage on the deductive element of the film .This is centered around the motif of Redemption at the cost of ones life .The two major commanding motifs of the film are moralism and subjectivity .They are fruit of post modernism played out .They affirm that there is no absolute moral or ethical decision ,only the moral or ethical subjectivity on the part of the critic .Further they affirm that there is a good and bad aspect that dwell inside of all of us . Subsequently if I became conscious of this dualism, and work at it, I can overpower the bad that is in me, with the good that is in me. In the end, I would have saved myself. A thorny bioethical issue which remains unresolved concerns -on what particular grounds can one determine a good from a bad person .The first question arose because of a seemingly trivial conversation between Ben and George the hockey coach .George asks why me ? The claim that someone is a good person is made on a daily basis, but what justifies this belief when one makes an ethical statement? .Conversely, we have all stated that someone is a bad person .Implicit in these claims are an appeal to some standard .One can recognize something bad if they have some idea about what is good .The movies writhing theme seems to be drawing on a shared intuition .An intuition that ethical theory attempts to understand in holistic terms. A directed donation of organs to strangers is highly polemical since it challenges the perspective that an organ is a gift of life, rather than a mere commodity which can be commercially marketed. However the ethical debate as regards Seven Pounds gets a step further. On what particular criteria can one decide that a potential criteria can one decide that a potential recipient of an organ merits their donation, on the basis of being good .The latter needs to be appreciated since it is already polemical in donating organs, when cases are chosen on the basis of race, religion ethnicity -In this respect it is imperative to note non directed donations raises different ethical concerns. The radical altruism that motivates a person to make a potentially life threatening sacrifice for a stranger calls for careful scrutiny. One needs to question whether Ben is seeking compensation for depression. One must implement standards for both directive and non directed donation prohibiting transplantation when the chance of success is insufficient to justify the risks. Comprehensive oversight is necessary if the ethical pitfalls are to be adequately addressed. The message in this film is interpreted by the audience as being a bioethical claim, a claim giving the impression that suicide is permissible in this particular context. After reviewing Bens life, one has to be highly sensitive and prudent of the ethical approach .Bens life deviates from the ideal Christian virtues. However it does not mean his end action is completely selfless ,most, if even considering these actions would at least want some sort of acknowledgment .Ben was haunted and not fully in possession of his rational faculty by the end of the film . .Morally one must fully understand that Ben has a profoundly disturbed personality due to the unpredicted circumstances which he has experienced .Like many on the path of success his character floated above the real world .This ignorant autonomy and arrogance led to the tragic crash, both in the death of seven individuals and generated a profound detrimental impact on the life of the protagonist Likewise Seven Pounds has a double sided appeal, incorporating profound sociological, psychological and ethical implications. .Muccino is highly inspired by Italian neorealism which marks a sharp contrast with American postmodernism .To a substantial degree, these two different sociological approaches mirror two distinct cultures which have attained distinct levels of socio and ethical development .The anthropological factor needs to be granted sufficient importance within this context .The southern Mediterranean cultures in part the Italian counterpart tend to perceive individuals as part of a wider social web ,having both a formal and informal character .Thus whenever individual face critical problems kinship pressures will help the individual to restore the balance however this is not the case within the context of the American capitalist society .,In fact Muccinos vision creates a kind of sympathy for ordinary Americans who struggle to get by .according to Muccinos perception the American society is very cynical, very severe with those who fail, there is no safety net, when you fail straight down . The ethical notion of altruism in the context of this film is highly debatable. .Am I doing what is right or am I merely serving my ego. Is there such a thing as a good deed or am I in fact putting others in my debt as a way to control or use them to redeem myself .These questions have been highly inspired by Albert Cameos in view of the particular approaches and interpretations of life. When the film was released, the world was undergoing a recession and many citizens interpreted altruism in terms of material goods, not in terms of body organs. Certain critics have interpreted this film as being in substance an assault on the Judeo /Christian ethic .However one needs to question whether this assault is justified .One needs to recognize that not only suicide is a sin, it is the sin .it is the ultimate and absolute evil, the refusal to take an interest in existence, the refusal to take the oath of loyalty to life .The man who kills a man kills a man. The man who kills himself kills all men .As far as he is concerned he wipes out the world. His act is worse symbolically considered then any rape or desperate outrage for it is a challenge and indifference to creation .from the Christian moral perspective one can identify to main lines of thought on the one hand there is the traditional more conservative perspective particularly as regards the notion of suicide ,from the other end of the scale is a fresh contemporary perspective as regards the values of human life ,and the particular purpose and values which need to be attributed to it . The film was watched and critically evaluated on a number of occasions since its narrative and postmodernist ethical aspects could not otherwise be appreciated. Within the ethical dimension this film generated a powerful sensation, since it combined strong secular and utilitarian approaches on the particular manner how one perceives the complex and dynamic reality within a mature industrial context. It is worthy to note that the film is a fictitious story. From a subjective analytical perspective, it results that we are presented with an unusual genre project, partly melodramatic and partly being a puzzle film. As commercial film its plot is not straightforward ,but includes a high degree of narrational ambiguity .This because it includes occasional flashbacks, which towards the terminal part of the film tend to become more frequent, and these feedbacks provide sufficient food for thought .In my regard seven pounds is a very specific story which has a profound moral message .This is coulered by a high degree of pathos or profound emotional impact which motivates the audience so as to participate directly within the life of the protagonist. A profound moral stand point concerns that suicide is simply wrong even if it is carried out for redemption .However does a suicide enacted out of redemption or out of love for others makes sense. Within the context of the Christian morality all sorts of suicide regardless of the particular objective they were carried need to be condemned .This is because life has a sacrosanct identity. From a purely Christian point of view, the actions carried out by Ben are acts of blasphemy ,and definitely in line with the message of Christ .This film created a very powerful sensational uproar particularly within highly secular societies foremost the United States ,which have already advanced in depth within the post modernist culture- In this respect the film would definitely create a profound sensation in Malta, were catholic values are still relatively strong .It is recommended in this respect that the audience who are appropriate to enjoy the film need to be sufficiently mature, intellectually open and have a direct contact with the realities of life. So one keeps asking is Ben a hero or a lost soul? One cannot doubt Bens intellectual prowness since he attained a highly respectable profession as an engineer within the aeronautic industry. Whenever individuals fail to exert a neat balance between work and non work commitments, they will unnecessarily complicate life to the point of being driven to the very edge of a tragedy. From a philosophical perspective, one can safely argue that Ben through the intended suicide sought to escape from his torment via the easiest path. However in practice the easiest path does not mean it is justified in moral terms. Bens actions generate a wide spectrum of perspectives from the members of the civil public. Ben in granting his personal life support organs as part of a retribution process so as to make for seven deaths which he directly yet unconsciously caused. There is the background echoing of the seven pounds of flesh in Shakespeare Merchant of Venice, reflecting clearly that the viscous cycle of evil is constantly taking place throughout history. The Self Giving of Vital Organs A highly insightful approach has been adopted by Paul Ramsey, who advocated initially that it is imperative that one focuses on the past Roman Catholic moral theology. The debate encompassing protagonist Christian moralists pivots around the central principle of Totality, specifically between a justifiable and unjustifiable mutilation. The latter is also related to the intrusion within a persons bodily integrity. As already highlighted humankind enjoys the power but this does not imply that he enjoys the right to manipulate any part of his own body. We enjoy full stewardship, as administrators of our own body .This represents the appropriate act of administration, so as to ensure a holistic bodily life, were health is a cardinal principle. A part of the human body such as Individual limbs, organs, or functions are directly linked to a mans bodily life within the health dimension .There is a direct relationship between the parts and the whole. Although these may be taken away, their functions will be permanently denatured, whenever this is beneficial for the holistic good. In this respect the principle of proportionality plays a pivotal role. Man can be considered as a whole enjoying a high level of dignity, within the context of social wholes to which he pertains. At this pt the principle of totality comes into the forepart .Although the principle of totality conditions self mutilation for ones own good, however it does not influence self /mutilation for the case of ones neighbor. From a subjective perspective, does this militate against the good neighbor policy? Every case needs to be assessed on the basis of its merits. On the same lines of thought, the judgment that the self/giving of organs is not morally accepted on the grounds of the principle of totality does not constitute a minor reflection, or alternatively one the devoid of its core substance so as to attain more meaningful goals .

“Revisiting ‘Bakhar’: Power, Knowledge and Communities” Essay example -

This paper concentrates on the study of the selected ‘bakhars’. The ‘bakhar’, means a Marathi prose historical narrative. Except Mahikavati bakhar, most of the ‘bakhars’ were written from the 17th century to early 19th century. These bakhars were written by Maratha officials on the directions from their masters or senior officials. Those officials were considered as ‘Mahitigar’ i.e. well-informed and knowledgeable persons. The word ‘bakhar’ derived from Arabic word ‘khabar’, which means news or information. The bakhars were about biographies of great personalities, descriptions of great battles or genealogies of prominent families. The origin of ‘bakhar’ literature, from Persian ‘tawarikhs’ and ‘akhabarats’ or from Sanskrit ‘akhyans’ and ‘puranas’, is a matter of debate among the scholars of Maratha history and Marathi linguistics. The most of the historians raised serious questions about the authenticity of ‘bakhar’ as a reliable source for history writing. However, historians had always used and still using ‘bakhar’ as source. The Marathi literary critics, considering ‘bakhars’ as an important Marathi prose genre of the pre-colonial period, focused on various aspects in their studies of bakhars such as writing styles, sketches of characters and events, uses of ‘puranic’ and mythical legends, ideal and moral values, uses of divine interventions, descriptions of society and places, vocabulary and uses of phrases, changing meanings of words, constructions of sentences etc in ‘bakhar’ literature. Unlike the literary critics who mainly studied the origin of bakhar through literary studies as mention above mainly focused on one question i.e. from where bakhar is derived. Making departure from this point, Sumit Guha locates the s... .... Sumit Guha, ‘Speaking Historically: The Changing Voices of Historical Narration in Western India.’ American Historical Review 109, no.4(October 2004):1084-2004. Prachi Deshpande, ‘Creative Past: Historical Memory and Identity in Western India 1700-1960’ Permanent Black, Ranikhet, 2007, p.39. Ibid. See, Anirudh Deshpande, ‘Marathas,Rajputs and Afghans in Mid-Eighteenth-Century India: Bhausahebanchi Bakhar and the Articulation of Cultural difference in Pre-Colonial India’ , Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Occasional Paper: History and Society, New Series-10, 2013 Sabhasad Bakhar, Introduction, p.15 Ibid, pp.1. Ibid pp. 29-38, 116-127. Ibid, p.131 Ibid, p.132 Chitnis Bakhar, Introduction, p. 17, for more details see G S Sardesai, ‘Marathi Riyasat Khand 2’, Popular Prakashan, Mumabai, 2011. Chitnis Bakhar, Introduction, p. 17 Ibid, p.1

Affirmitive Action in California :: essays research papers

Affirmative Action in California   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Affirmative action has been the subject of increasing debate and tension in our society. Affirmative action has divided political parties, communities and campuses across the nation. The basis behind affirmative action is that because of past discrimination and oppression, such as the unequal treatment of women, and the enslavement of African Americans, minorities and women have difficulty competing with their white male counterparts. Tax breaks for home buyers may not be wrong but what is wrong are those who take advantage of all kinds of breaks for themselves while denying affirmative action for the most oppressed of society. The government runs many programs to increase opportunities for various groups including women, racial and ethnic minority groups. Affirmative action is necessary to ensure the recruitment and employment of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and Vietnam veterans. Affirmative action is a term, which refers to a variety of efforts u sed by employers and educational institutions to overcome past and continuing discrimination in order to allow qualified women and minorities to compete equally for jobs, education, and promotional opportunities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When talking about affirmative action, there is a common misconception between meeting quota and satisfying goals. A quota is a number that must be achieved. Consequently, if a company fails to show it has made an effort toward following this quota the company can be fined. This is every different from an affirmative action goal. A goal is a flexible percentage, which is established by the company to achieve a diverse workforce. The percentage is based on the availability of minorities and females in the area. One of the goals is to make sure that many people are made aware of job openings as possible to ensure that the applicant pool is reflective of the number of people, who are qualified. To accomplish this, employers place advertisements in different types of journals, including journals for women and minorities. Goals and timetables encourage the hiring of members of women and minority groups. Before affirmative action, companies did not post their jobs on bu lletin boards. Somebody just happened to know someone who needed a job and the job was filled. That person was not always the best-qualified person for the job. How can a company possibly tell if it is hiring the best people if they only consider a small portion of the population? One cannot assume that all the white males out there are naturally qualified and all the minorities and women are given breaks because they could not possibly be qualified.

Ambrose Bierces’ An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge Essay -- Occurence O

Ambrose Bierces’ Story â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ambrose Bierces’ story â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† tells the story of a confederate secessionist, who is being hanged by Union troops. At the time of the hanging, the soldiers drop him from the bridge. Luckily, just as he falls the rope snaps and the man dives into the â€Å"sluggish stream†. He miraculously takes off his ropes and swims away. When he reaches the bank of the creek, he runs for what seems like forever. He finally reaches home, where his family is waiting so anxiously for him. However, Bierce chooses to surround this intriguing tell with elements that carry visual, concrete, and intangible symbolism. The symbolic elements of â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† imply that the protagonist, Peyton Fahrquhar, is out of touch with reality, which evidently leads to the added twist at the end of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the symbols in the story have to do with visual representation. For example, Bierce focuses on one specific color, which is gray. Gray is the color of the Confederate soldiers’ uniforms. It is the also the color the Union soldier wears to deceive Fahrquhar. Gray is the color of the figures he sees in the distance in his delusion. It is also the color of the sharpshooter that misses him. Since gray is mentioned so often, the reader can assume that it has a meaning outside its visual representation. First, the color gray is used to describe the mood of the story. Generally, when one think of the color gray, a poignant feeling arouses. Linking the two, the mood of the story is therefore also distressing. Secondly, the color gray is used to symbolize Fahrquhars’ role: a middle man without much sense or direction. In the story, the first mention of the color is used to describe him. â€Å"He wore a moustache and pointer beard, but no whiskers: his eyes were large and dark grey†¦ † The reader should also notice that Fahrquar is the only one who sees gray, which means the color, represents him. Gray is the intermediate in character and position. Like Fahrquar, who is considered to be in the middle of the situation, only trying to do what he believes is right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bierce use of symbolism is far great than the actually concept of the story. He also uses solid or concrete objects to convey his hidden messages. For example his constant mention of the Bridge. Obviously it... ...ot so bad; but I do not wish to be shot. No; I will not be shot; that is not fair.† In Fahrquars’ hallucination, he gets mad at the thought of being shot after he managed to escape his hanging. Depression kicks in when Bierce says â€Å"By nightfall he was fatigued, footsore, and famished. He knew it (his neck) had a circle of black where the rope had bruised it.† Fahrquar is tired and confused. This is a clear sign that death is near, leading him into depression, which sheds light on his impossible endurance. Acceptance occurs when Bierce says, â€Å"†¦he has merely recovered from a delirium†¦ and sees home†¦ all bright and beautiful†¦ † This clearly shows that Fahrquar has accepted what is happening, almost as if he has given up. He finally enters the last stage of his symbolic dying process. Bierce says, â€Å"†¦then all is dark and silent†¦Peyton Fahrquar was dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬    Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† is riddled with symbolic meaning. Bierce creates a realistic disguise of events until the very end of the story, where he allows the reader to realize that Fahrquars’ escape did not actually occur. He uses symbols to convey the true meaning of this breathtaking story: Perception is Reality.