Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath. Essay Example for Free

Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath. EssayThe poem Lady Lazarus gives us an insight into the churning life of the poet Sylvia Plath. She lost her father at an early age. Supported solely by her m opposite she went through a very rough childhood. In fact, Sylvia Plath flee a near fatal accident in her childhood and went on to attempt suicide twice in the following years of her life. In the poem, Plath lets her emotions pay heed and sheds light on her distress.In this poem, Sylvia Plath uses final solution imagery extensively. The final solution, as is widely known, refers to the inhuman torture and exploitation of the Jews by the Nazis. The first pay heed of the gruesome Holocaust comes in the form of a comparison between herself and a Nazi lampshade. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Nazis used the skins of the Jews to make lampshades. Plath feels that she has been used in a similar fashion. Throughout her life Plath had been in and out of hospital. So much so that she felt standa rdised an object on display a mere, inconsequent living thing on which the doctors happily carried out various experiments. The Nazis used to take away all valuable articles from the Jews, including expensive fabrics like linen. Plath refers to her skin as Jew linen, again indicating that she was used as an object.Plath suffered a nervous breakdown in her childhood. To cure her, doctors had no choice but to use shock treatment, subjecting her to unbearable disoblige in the process. In the poem, Plath uses the word charge which has a pun on it, referring to the brutal pain inflicted on her by the doctors. In this instance, a parallel tooshie be drawn to the inhuman torture experienced by the Jews.In the poem, Plath refers to herself as a valuable and a pure gold baby, which is again an event of Holocaust imagery. It is widely believed that the Nazis were so cruel that they not only used the Jews to do physical work but also used their bodies to make objects like soap. Their golden teeth were plucked out and melted to make valuables such as wedding rings. Their corpses were then burnt to erase all trace of their existence. The mention of all this in the poem makes us believe that Sylvia Plath considered herself to be stifled, oppressed and exploited, just like the Jews.Finally, a striking similarity is noticed in the manner in which Plath chose to end her life and the methods used to exterminate the Jews. The Jews were killed in gas chambers where poisonous gases devoured their internal organs. Plath committed suicide by putting her take aim inside an oven, and died as a result of gas poisoning. In my opinion this was perhaps because she felt herself so alike the Jews that she preferred to end her life in the very same manner.Thus, we can safely conclude that Holocaust imagery forms a significant fraction of Sylvia Plaths poem Lady Lazarus.b)After critically analyzing the poem, the Holocaust imagery which has been used widely, seems fairly effective in con veyance the poets message. It is clear from the poem that Sylvia Plath felt she has been driven to suicide by society as a whole. Evidently, she believed that life had been too unfair to her.This feeling stems from her childhood, when she lost her father. This horrific incident left a gaping void in her life. A major part of her moral support had been cruelly snatched from her. To add to this, Plath had a pitiable medical record. She made frequent visits to the hospital end-to-end her life. The excruciating shock treatment she genuine shook her completely. Once Plath got married, her personal life suffered even more. Her husband had been unfaithful to her, further aggravating her pitiable condition. Overall, Plaths life was depressing to say the least. Plath was consumed by self-pity throughout her life.In this regard, the Holocaust imagery used by Plath is very effective and appropriate. It reminds us of historys most vicious tale of cruelty. This justifies its use to depict Plat hs life.However, in other respects, the Holocaust imagery cannot effectively portray Plaths life. An important reason being that the Jews always had the will to survive. They were members of an affluent community who were stripped off all their possessions by the Nazis. Plath on the other hand had attempted suicide twice. This is a glaring difference between Plaths life and the Holocaust, making it quite ineffective in conveying her message.Another important difference is that the Holocaust was a planned genocide which involved the death of approximately six million people. Plaths comparison seems quite inapplicable in this aspect, as she talks about the death of a single person (herself).Finally, one of the most important differences is that Plath considered death to be a performance. At the end of the poem, Plath says that she was about to rise like a phoenix, referring to her own death. To her, attaining death was like being resurrected, as she would be freed from her troubled l ife. Plath believed death to be a means of attaining victory over life. She clearly mentions that when she survived her second suicide attempt, it was a theatrical comeback. In comparison, the Holocaust was only about forcing people into giving up their lives.Thus, in my opinion, taking these factors and many more subtle differences onto consideration, the Holocaust imagery is fairly effective in conveying Plaths message.

John Langdon Essay Example for Free

John Langdon EssayWho is John Langdon? John Langdon was one of the two startle senators of the state of New Hampshire. Early on in his political life, Langdon was a supporter always of the Revolutionary War and then later served in the Continental Congress. After serving in Congress, Langdon cancelled a different direction and became governor of New Hampshire. He could have run for vice chairperson of the United States but turned it down. He was a great part in Americas history and grew up with America as it has turned out to be today. John Langdon was played many roles in our country today including a patriot, a soldier, and a statesman. Langdons family was one of the first to light near the middle of New Hampshires river, the Piscataquis River. John was then taught as a kid growing up by an educator at a school near by. John Langdons father asked John and his brother, Woodbury, to join along on his successful agricultural business. They both ended up turn apprentices of l ocal merchants. Langdon was an unstationary man, as by the age of twenty-one he was captain sailing to the West Indies, and four years later John owned his first merchantman. His brother was even more successful. They both began to do the trade business and by 1770 both men were accounted as the wealthiest citizens in the area.In 1777, Langdon turned his tutelage to a different subject. He wanted to help the soldiers. Since he was the lower speaker of the house for New Hampshire, he spent much time reorganizing and making the states militia stronger. He then split them up into two brigades. One brigade was centered in the east was to protect and prevent ambushes from the Royal navy and support the New England states. The second brigade was organized in the west to guard from any sudden ambushes from Canada.Then lastly John Langdon is most excellently known for being one of two delegates of New Hampshire at the Continental Congress. He was in Congress from 1775 to 1776, and then r esigned in June 1776. He then became a superintendent for the construction of several ships of war. He was also a participant at the Battle of Bennnigton and led a group into Saratoga. Then in 1784 he was a member of the state senate, and then the president of New Hampshire in 1785 and 1788. Then in 1787 he was a member of the Continental Congress and a delegate of New Hampshire. He led New Hampshire from the beginning of his life till the very end. From 1805-1811 he was the governor of New Hampshire. He then died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on September 18th 1819 and was buried in the North Cemetery.John Langdon was not a huge part of Americas subscriber line of history was he was overall a big part of New Hampshire. He was a leader of that state was the moment his family first lived there to last and being buried there. I bet New Hampshire should recognize more of what John Langdon did for their state. My name is Crystal Moreland and I am a Field adapter for Congresswoman She lley Berkleys campaign. I wanted to let you know that Brent Martelli has contacted me about his volunteer time with the campaign. We are very excited to have him and would be more than happy to show him all the different aspects of what goes on in a campaign such as voter identification and event involvement. I think this is a great experience for your students to have and I very excited to get them involved. I hope they have a great experience and contemplate a lot

Millennial Financial Confidence and Social Media

millennial Financial Confidence and Social MediaThe millennial contemporaries and Social Media Howonline relationships affect millennials m onenesstary esteem Abstract maven of the largest generations in history is moving into its prime consumption years. The millennial generation, as a technologically savvy culture, is looking to reshape the economy, taking their unique fiscal experiences into the way they look to legislate their currency. Having lived finished the 2008 Great Recession, however, millennians be haunted by the unexpected obstacles an inconsistent economy poses. They exhibit immense distrust with monetary institutions due to struggles during their monetary upbringing, and argon the first generation to support accumulated excessive amounts of pupil loan debt. Therefore, the Millennial generation takes haughtiness in practicing sparing step uplay habits, reservation sure to put cash into their bringings account each month. However, Millennials ar as well as heavily influenced by their relationship with their peers via mixer media platforms. The self-presentation surmise stern be used to explain wherefore neighborly media influences millennials, as the passion to receive societal acceptance drives millennial behaviors. As statistical register has proven, Millennials looking a heightened sense of mixer acceptance when physical symbols of affectionate adequacy are shown through like, favorites, retweets, or con situationr. Millennials also place an emphasis on experiencing live fifty-fiftyts rather than material items, explaining that these level offts are much enjoyable when shared through mixer media. Studies have also shown that the haughty reinforcement Millennials receive from likes, favorites, or retweets, weighs heavily into their monetary decision making. Therefore, the argument can be do that the relationships Millennials pursue through kind media negatively influences millennial put acrossing as photos and posts on their newsfeed encourage reckless sheding, relying heavily on funds received except through their increased debt collection. IntroductionMillennials represent the largest living generation and more(prenominal) than a quarter of the population at 83.1 million, surpassing Baby Boomers at 75.4 million (Cutler, 2015). Because of the Millennial generations massive size, empathizeing and adapting to their pass tendencies is imperative to a companys growth pecuniaryly as the generation currently commands an estimated $1.3 trillion in annual consumer spending (Eventbrite, 2013) Many studies have been conducted between the Millennial generation and financial institutions, identifying their experiences and attitudes which in turn help to shape how they interact with one another. Millennials, having lived through some(prenominal) the 2008 Great Recession and the digital revolution, are making constant decisions involving their currency allocation. However, they are experiencing greater financial struggles. Millennials are the first generation in the modern age to experience extravagantly levels of poverty and unemployment, causing many a(prenominal) to lose faith in financial institutions, and experience high levels of stress when allocating money from small, seemingly insignificant paychecks (Cutler, 2015). Due to these struggles, the Millennial generation takes pride in their financial readiness, prioritizing conscious spending in regularise to avoid financial problems in the future, and feeling confident in their education to land them a successful career. However, the emphasis Millennials place on maintaining a brotherly media deemed acceptable by peers is translating into harmful financial behaviors. In 2015, al virtually 50 per centum of Millennial purchases were influenced by mixer media (Pagliara, 2017). Therefore, the understanding of the necessity to spend consciously is distanced by affectionate medias created desire to spe nd recklessly due to the emphasis Millennials place on media likes as a visual representation of social acceptance. Through a brief over suasion of the general Millennials financial outlook compared to generations prior, unite with both an analysis of how Millennials interact with social media and how social media influences their spending habits, an argument can be made and and then goed that the relationship between social media and the Millennial generation negatively affects their financial stature.Literature ReviewThe Millennial Generations Overall Financial OutlookTo break out understand the first harmonic attitudes and beliefs Millennials hold regarding financial institutions, it is important to first compare the monetary characteristics of the Millennial generation to both itself as well as old generations including Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. After comparing Millennials early-life economic experiences to those of Generation Xers and Baby Boomers, The Pew Research Center fix that, while Millennials are the to the highest degree educated generation in American history, they also serve as the first generation to have higher student loan debt, poverty, and unemployment combined with lower levels of wealth and ad hominem income (Cutler, 2015). With the high cost of education, the Pew Research Center added that, as of 2015, two-thirds of recent bachelor degree recipients have outstanding student loans averaging near $27,000 compared to graduates two decades ago with student loans averaging only $15,000. A 2014 Wells Fargo Millennial register conducted by Harris Poll found 42% of Millennials come upon debt as an overwhelming financial concern as compared to only 23% of Baby Boomers. Furthermore, the canvas concluded that Millennials list student loan debt as their top concern while Baby Boomers focus on saving for retirement. Due to the burden of piling debt combined with difficulties landing successful jobs right out of college, Millennials immediately perceive a disconnect between the money spent on education and future earnings, developing a deflated, negative financial self-image early in their careers. A 2014 survey conducted by Pew found that a mere 42% of Millennials identify as center(a) class, a significant fall from the same survey conducted in 2008 where 53% of Millennials claimed themselves as middle class. Most significantly, however, the same survey also concluded that, in 2015, 46% of Millennials identified as low-middle to lower class, a notable rise from 25% in 2008. Contradictory to this statistic, however, the Pew Research Center found that 85% of Millennials are optimistic when asked about their future financially, saying they have enough to live unattackablely now and plan to save enough to create a lifestyle they want in the future (Cutler, 2015). This statistic gives an insight to how Millennials view their future wealth, offering worthy training regarding their thoughts on how to spend thei r money today. While financial optimism is necessary for confident future spending, Millennials currently experience measly financial self-image, affecting their spending habits today as they are forced to make hasty decisions that testament hopefully increase their savings so they will have enough financial documentation to spend generously in the future. These statistics can be developexplained through an in-depth analysis of the basic attitudes of the Millennialgeneration, identifying why Millennials perceive low financial self-image.Another study conducted by the Pew Research Center suggested Millennialsexperience greater institutional distrust than generations prior. When askedabout the level of trust Millennials have in authority figures, government andfinancial institutions, and the general public combined, only 19%, or one infive, felt as if they can be trusted, a statistic much lower than 40% of BabyBoomers who responded to the same question (Cutler, 2015). This institu tionaldistrust Millennials experience may be due to both current and previouseconomic experiences that have frightened them into becoming an innategeneration of thrifty savers, while simultaneously existence impulse spenders, atopic which will be discussed in the followers analysis. The Great Recession in2008 influenced the Millennial generations perception of economic institutionsas many either struggled through the recessional themselves, or observed thefinancial turmoil their parents experienced. Many Millennials describe theGreat Recession as a warning to save now in an childbed to survive unforeseeneconomic problems in the future. The recession also caused many Millennials tograduate into an environment burdened by high unemployment rates andundesirable salaries as jobs gained during the economic recovery paid onaverage 23% less than jobs before the recession (Boberiene & McLeigh,2014). Emily Pachuta, head of investor insights at UBA, explained that due tothe recession, Mil lennials have a Depression-era wit largely becausethey experienced market volatility and job security issues very early in theircareers. (Boberiene & McLeigh, 2014). Millennials are also skeptical whendiscussing government funding, especially when planning for retirement. AHarvard poll found that 51% of Millennials believe there will not be any fundingavailable in the Social security measure System by the time they retire. Additionally,a Wells Fargo Millennial Study found that over 50% of Millennials have alreadystarted allocating anywhere between 1% to 10% of their paycheck to retirementfunding. Another Harvard poll noted that young people feel a disassociationbetween their priorities and the priorities of elected officials as they vieweffective results from political involvement as few and far between (Rampell,2014). A 2014 article from the GrandRapids Business Journal argues the 2008 Great Recession made Millennialstimid about investing in financial markets, creating this desir e fortransparency and authenticity when dealing with companies and organizations(Marsh Private Client Services, 2015). Adding to their fear of financial crisisin the future, Millennials also struggle with the pressure of debt. Aspreviously mentioned, recent graduates have significantly more student loandebt than graduates two decades prior. Among all Millennials, Wells Fargo found47% of working Millennials are allotting 50% or more of their paycheck tocertain categories of debt including honorable mention card debt (16%), mortgage debt(15%), student loan debt (12%), auto debt (9%), and medical debt (5%). BecauseMillennials are allocating a large sum of their paycheck to paying off theiraccumulated debt, many are living paycheck to paycheck, leaving little to no property left to spend elsewhere. After reviewing the statisticalanalysis of the Millennial generations experiences, thoughts and feelingsregarding financial institutions and their own personal finances, exploringgeneric per sonality traits may befall a direct correlation to betweenmillennials innate behavior and their desire to maintain a overbearing image onsocial media adding which, therefore, progresses their poor financialexperiences. As mentioned previously, Millennials are money-conscious due tothe economic hardships theyve endured. However, Millennials are also heavilyinfluenced by social media, and the pressure to maintain a noteworthy lifestylesometimes overrides their instinct to save. Social Media has affectedMillennials in much(prenominal) a way that theorist have discussed they have becomesub-clinical narcissists. Clinicians do not see sub-clinical narcissists aspathological, however there are traits of self-centeredness and self-lovethrough the eyes of a personality psychologist. The perception of Millennialsare self-loving, ambitious, technology savvy, and family oriented. VaidhyanathaBalaji (2015) oversaw a study of a group of Millennials through a survey aboutsubclinical narcissists habits. The survey revealed that they did not show adeveloping problem of narcissism even though Millennial scores were fitting aboveglobal average of subclinical narcissism (Balaji, 2015). Balaji summed upMillennials as mazy individuals who are part self-centered, part-socialhuman beings. Millennials are greatly influenced by positive reassurance,their need for constant aid and feedback. They are concluded to be veryindependent and self reliable while being conservatively confident. Thecombination of both slightly narcissistic characteristics and ambitiouscharacteristics argues that the Millennial generation has altered thedefinition of a career. Millennials are less committed to future(a) thetraditional corporate ladder, and more likely to seek business opportunitiesthat accommodate their own personal values, including flexible hours, autonomy,and control, while simultaneously proving they have the maturity to support themselvesindependently (Boberiene & McLeigh, 2014). On th e other hand, a studyconducted by the Family Office Exchange (2015) indicated that Millennialsworking for corporations feel they must be able to relate to their advisors ona personal level before they trust them in a business setting. The 2015 studyalso indicated that Millennials are less likely to listen to supervisors who say in a demeaning or condescending tone. Instead, Millennials respond tosupervisors who focus on establishing a relationship by asking personalquestions about their interests, goals, and opinions and then sharing personalstories of their own (Marsh Private Client Services, 2015). Because Millennialsemphasize engagement, the study argues that Millennials are driven by personalrelationships, with a desire to showcase liberty on the surface, however,wanting collaborative attention in the form of both positive, constructiveadvice and feedback (Marsh Private Client Services, 2015).Theoretical FrameworkResearchers have warned Millennialsregarding their reliance upon social networking sites to reinforce personal conceit through boosted likes or positive comments from close friends asthis behavior can result in the reduction of self-control both on and offline.Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia Business groom foundthat users who are focused on close friends tend to experience an increase inself-esteem while browsing their social network (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013).Afterwards, however, these users display less-self control which is evidentlycorrelated to these individuals having higher body-mass indexes and higherlevels of credit-card debt (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). A study conductedregarding the use of Facebook and its effects in its users self-esteem foundthat Facebook only increased participants self-esteem when they were focusedon the information they were presenting to others (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013).Keith Wilcox, adjunct professor of marketing at Columbia Business School and coauthorof this Facebook research experiment, explained that, We find that peopleexperience greater self-esteem when they focus on the image they are presentingto strong ties in their social networks. This suggests that even though peopleare sharing the same positive information with string ties and weak ties onsocial networks, they feel better about themselves when the information isreceived by strong ties than be weak ties. Keeping this information in mind,the study continued with its investigation on the relationship between onlinesocial network use and offline behaviors associated with poor self-control(Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). The results suggested that greater social networkuse is associated with a higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, alower credit score, and higher levels of credit-card debt for individuals withstrong ties to their social network (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). Therefore,this study can make the implication that self-control is an important mechanismfor maintaining social order and well-being, howeve r, the desire for positivereinforcement on social media outweighs rational, controlled decision making. To better understand the loss ofcontrol experienced through social networking site fundamental interactions, theself-presentation theory can be used to explain how influential social mediahas become during the management of an individuals private and public self.Self-presentation is the process by which individuals represent themselves tothe social world, occurring at both the conscious and the unconscious levels ofcognition (International cyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, 2008).Self-presentation can be used as a means to manage the whims others formof oneself, extending into strategic or tactical self-presentation, otherwise turn inn as impression management, which occurs when an individual seeks to createa desired image of invoke a desired receipt from others (International cyclopaedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Largely a prosocial event,self-presentation forces an indi vidual to negotiate through social interactionsin order to fulfill the psychological needs for social approval.Self-presentation is complex as it involves both the individuals interpersonalcues such as the perceived responses of others, and the function of socialsituations in response to cues from the social environment (InternationalEncyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Therefore, self-presentation isboth an individual experience and a social phenomenon, highlighting thetensions between human interactions (International Encyclopedia of the SocialSciences, 2008). Much of the content produced onsocial media is photographs, links and information posts used to present onesonline self. Self-presentation theory, as discussed previously, is consideredto be motivated by the desire to make a favorable impression on others, or animpression that corresponds to ones ideals, which an extend to the projectionof an online identity (Herring & Kapidzic, 2015). Social media provides aplatform for Millennials to explore the effects of their self-presented imageon their peers. Generally, photo posts, as well as text posts occasionally,generate positive feedback and, thus, have a positive impact on self-esteem.Visual content is a central resourcefulness for creating an appropriate onlineimpression, and an attribute many Millennials focus on when seeking socialapproval. Therefore, the self-presentation theory helps to support thehypothesis that Millennials participate in reckless spending in order to createan adequate online image when viewed by others. MethodologyTo de termine the extent to whichsocial media influences the Millennial generations financial stature, researchwill be focused on an analysis of statistical evidence regarding first, Millennialsemphasis on the need to experience social acceptance on various social mediaplatforms, then, on how social media influences the spending tendencies ofMillennials frugal minds. The background information presented during the literature review was necessary to understanding how previous financialstruggles have controlled the spending habits of the Millennial generation,training them to recognize the necessity to conscious spend in an effort tomaximize a financial future. The statistical evidence will then support theargument that social media creates a divide between the understanding forfrugal spending and Millennial actions as they are coerced into spendingrecklessly in order to achieve social approval from their peers via socialmedia recognition.FindingsSocial Media and its Relationship to the Millennial Generations Social AcceptanceAfter reviewing background information on Millennials financial experiences, it is evident that Millennials have established an inherent necessity to save due to their poor financial self-esteem created by an immense amount of debt accumulation and financial distrust. However, I make the argument that Millennials are distanced from their understanding of the necessity to s ave due to their overwhelming desire to portray an over-exaggerated, lavish lifestyle on their social media sites. As subclinical narcissists who showcase self-sufficiency on the surface while subconsciously craving positive reinforcement from their peers through social media acceptance, Millennials have prorized their online relationships, placing an emphasis on depicting a life of interest within the social realm, and, ultimately, altering how they think about real world friendships and relationships. To better understand the impact social media has had on Millennial relationships, a brief background on how online interactions has influenced the dynamics of young peoples social lives is explored in the following analysis. A 2016 study conducted by the Nielsen Norman group found that premature exposure to social media has influenced Millennials approach to friendships, relationships and self-image as their subtle online interactions have become hard-core and visible, causing socia l contexts to become merged and entangled. In 2006, the Pew Research Center found that 55 per centum of teenagers account having at least one social media account. However in 2010, just four years later, 73 percent of younger Millennials, around the age of middle to high school adolescents, and 78 percent of older Millennials, college-aged young adults, reported having a social media presence (Meyer, 2016). today, approximately 90 percent of Millennials, both teens and young adults alike, have at least one social media account, many of them updating an average of four or more accounts at a time (Meyer, 2016). With the attention Millennials place on creating and maintaining positive online interactions, social media has also become a means of expressing the extent of personal relationships. For example in 2004, the social media site MySpace added a Top 8 feature, which allowed for teens to manually choose their top 8 friends. They were soon after forced to remove the display featu re because it became an anxiety-inducing decision for many young Millennials (Meyer, 2016). Other popular social media terms such as, friending, Facebook official, likes, or favorites are visible, quantitative expressions of the positive reinforcement Millennials feel toward a person, event, or opinion. A study conducted by researchers at UCLA explored the effects of social media likes on the Millennial brain. A like is a click made by a social media user that symbolizes an instant, outward expression of approval. The study found that, regardless of the basic qualities of the photo or post, Millennials revealed more excitement in the reward center of their brains when they viewed a photo or post with many likes (Meyer, 2016). Therefore, likes symbolize augmented social proof and acceptance, representing the peer pressure Millennials feel to remain socially intriguing. unrivalled of the to the highest degree widespread instances of social proof gained from social media is the numbe r of retweets, favorites, likes, or shares received on a photo or post (Tate, 2018). Social proof can be used to explain why Millennials worry about straying too far from the pack, or looking inadequate to comparison to their peers. As mentioned previously, Millennials crave group acceptance more than they desire individuality. Therefore, social media serves as a resemblance of what the group is doing, allowing for Millennials to learn what is deemed socially acceptable, and then find comfort in the recognition that their actions are normal (Tate, 2018). Adriana Manago, an assistantprofessor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz who studies the social mediatendencies of adolescents and young adults, explains that Millennials are usingsocial media to establish their own agency and manage their relationships withtheir peers (Witte, 2017). Manago theorizes that Millennials use technology asa tool used to navigate their way into adulthood, explaining that young adultsturn to social media to ex plore their place in the world around them (Witte,2017). Therefore, social media helps Millennials feel more connected within theoffline world as it provides a space for identity exploration, bridging the gapbetween the offline and online worlds. The online realm provides Millennials aplatform to manage social contexts by practicing and participating in specificsocial behaviors without the pressure of visibly or physically backing theiractions or remarks. When Millennials participate in social media activities,they are experiencing a context collapse, or the requirement to accuratelyperform varying social behaviors in order to appropriately manage differentsocial media contexts (Boyd, 2014). For example, a Facebook post and anInstagram post may be the same message, however differ in the deliverydepending on the platforms audience or following. In other words, eachdistinct audience requires a different social behavior in order to interpretthe post appropriately. Context collapse, as obstinate through variousstudies, is more complex for adolescent Millennials as they navigate an intenseperiod of self-definition (Boyd, 2014). Millennials, therefore, have inventedstrategies to help them manage the merging of various social contexts, relyingheavily on the approval of specific audience members on each social mediaplatform they maintain. Boyd (2014) in her book, Its Complicated The Social Lives of Networked Teens, found thatFacebook is considered to be the most diverse in connections with audiencemembers ranging from online seniors (65 or older) regularly operating theirFacebook page to employers actively searching profiles for potential employees.Twitter was found to represent connections with special interests such as news,celebrities, musicians, or companies, and less with friends and family members(Boyd, 2014). Instagram was reported to be the most entertainment-oriented platform,primarily used for sharing photos of experiences or interests with friends andfollo wers (Boyd, 2014). Therefore, Millennials decision on where to sharephotos or posts depends on the interests of the audience members following eachplatform, as well as the visibility of the post in order to render the mostsocial interaction possible. When asked where to post a photo, one Millennialresponded, It depends on the quality of the picture, and who would see it. OnFacebook itd be primarily family, because those are the people who payattention to my page. On Twitter, depending on the time of day, it might not beseen at all. (Boyd, 2014). Therefore, the stress of managing multipleaudiences across several social contexts puts pressure on Millennials to invariably maintain an acceptable social media presence. Social Media and its Relationship to the Millennial Generations FinancesAs discussed previously, the moneyhabits of Millennials allude to the potential for a better financial positionthan previous generations, as Millennials instinctively understand thenecessity to save. M illennials continue to take strides toward a strong,self-sufficient financial future, with 58 percent prioritizing saving forretirement as an essential necessity (Riley, 2018). Another 71 percent ofMillennials reported using tricks encouraged by financial advisors to set asidemoney in an effort to achieve specific monetary goals, while an additional 41percent said they always allocated money into their savings accounts each month(Riley, 2018). The Generations Ahead study conducted by the Allianz LifeInsurance Company (2018) found that 77 percent of Millennials feel financiallyconfident due to their ability to consciously save, a drastic differencecompared to only 64 percent of Generation X respondents when asked the samequestion. Similar to the Allianz Life Insurance study, Generations Ahead, theWells Fargo Millennial Study also found that seven in ten Millennials, or 69percent, feel more financially stable than others in their own generation, and68 percent see themselves with a bet ter standard of living before retirementthan previous generations. Therefore, it can be concluded that Millennialsreflect a higher financial self-image when comparing themselves to their owngenerations rather than to generations prior. This indicates that Millennialsmay be more inclined to spend recklessly in an effort to showcase falsifiedhigh financial stature, even if it is financed primarily through debtaccumulation. Additionally, the Wells Fargo study concluded that 84 percent ofMillennials feel they have the skills to be successful in their chosen careers,and another 78 percent confidently believe if they were to lose their job, theycould find a comparable career with ease. Therefore, as Millennials feel moresuccessful with their financial planning through innovative ways to get onfinancial strength, they are becoming more confident in their abilities tospend wisely. However, Paul Kelash, vice president of communication andconsumer insights for Allianz Life, explains, The mos t significant finding wasthe dichotomy between Millennials ability to be successful in financialplanning yet so vulnerable to social media and spending beyond their means.Therefore, the pressure social media places on Millennials to maintain anappropriate presence contradicts Millennials appreciation for frugal spending,thus proving the power social media maintains over the actions and decisions ofthe Millennial generation. consort to statistics andconclusions explained previously, an argument can be made that social media isinfluencing Millennial financial growth by indirectly encouraging them to spendrecklessly. Contradicting prior statistical conclusions that the Millennialgeneration takes the financial planning lead when compared to other priorgenerations, the Allianz Life Insurance Company reports that 63 percent ofMillennials consider themselves spenders, while 51 percent of Generation Xersand only 36 percent of Baby Boomers would consider themselves spenders (Riley,2018). Th e following statistics help support the argument that Millennialfinancial growth is stunted by their exposure to social media. According to theAllianz Life Insurance Companys Generations Ahead study, 88 percent ofrespondents believe social media creates more of a list to compare theirlifestyles and wealth to others. An additional 57 percent said they spend moneythey had not yet budgeted for due to the influences from what they viewed onsocial media (Riley, 2018). Kelash explains that, Millennials are moreimmersed in social media than past generations. Therefore, they could be swayedmore than other cohorts by social media and the temptation to spend beyondtheir means. That could hurt them over the long term if they arent careful. According to a 2013 survey conductedby Eventbrite, when it comes to money, Millennials value experiences overmaterial items. Eventbrites study found that the Millennial generation notonly values experiences, but is increasingly spending time and money on ev entsin an effort to live a meaningful, happy life. Through statistical evidence, itcan be concluded that happiness for the Millennial generation cannot be gainedthrough a lifetime of accumulated material possessions. Rather, a happy life is decided by the ability to create, capture and share memories in an effort togain the recognition of social peers. Approximately 78 percent of Millennialschoose to spend money on desirable experiences or events, with 55 percent ofMillennials saying they are spending more on events and live experiences thanever before (Eventbrite, 2013). Therefore, Millennials crave more experiences,increasing the demand for real-life interactions. With the emphasis placed ongathering experiences rather than material goods, Millennial spending issignificantly different when compared to the spending habits of generationsprior. More than 8 in 10 Millennial respondents, approximately 82 percent, saidthey attended or participated in a variety of live experiences over t he pastyear, including parties, concerts, festivals, or themed sporting events(Eventbrite, 2013). Further, 72 percent of these respondents even said theywould like to increase their spending on experiences rather than material itemsover the next year, alluding to the idea that philistinism will be replaced bythe demand for real-life experiences (Eventbrite, 2013). Millennials alsoexplained that these real-life experiences help shape their identity, holdingmore social currency than physical items as these events create eonianmemories. Almost 8 in 10, or 77 percent, of Millennials say their best memoriesare from an event or live experience they attended or participated in(Eventbrite, 2013). Interestingly enough, however, Millennials also explainthat capturing these events on photo sharing apps like Instagram and Snapchatactually makes the experience more enjoyable. 60 percent of Millennials explainthat experiences are better shared through social media platforms (Eventbrite,2013). 6 9 percent of respondents also explained that attending these liveexperiences makes them feel more connected to other people, the community andthe world (Eventbrite, 2013). Therefore, just attending the live event does notconstitute the entire experience for Millennials. Millennials, instead,finalize their overall opinion of an event based on their ability to share andgain the approval of others via various social media platforms as research hasproven that Millennials tweet, share and post more about the events they attendthan any other generation. One explanation for this necessityto spend money on life experiences comes from Millennials constant feeling ofFOMO. Millennials are often critiqued for reckless spending and impulsivepurchases due to what they describe as FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out on asituation (PR Newswire, 2016). Generated by the Millennial generationscreative social media vocabulary, FOMO is a state of social anxiety anindividual feels when peers or friends are enjoying activities without them,and is often triggered by social media postings (Meyer, 2016). The Allianz Lifesurvey found that 55 percent of Millennials reported experiencing FOMO, whileanother 61 percent felt inadequate about their own lives and what they have dueto the attention other users receive on social media recognized through likesor favorites (Riley, 2018). As previous statistics have proven,portraying a successful adult life on social media heavily influencesMillennials decisions to spend recklessly. Millennials have been criticizedfor diving headfirst into financial situations, assuming responsibilitieswithout proper financial support. Shannon Lee Simmons, a Toronto financialplanner for many Millennials, explains, Those people with the new rear onInstagram? Theyre miserable. (PR Newswire, 2016). Being a Millennial herself,Simmons understands the pressure to live an interesting life in order to bedeemed as attractive or intriguing on social media platforms. Simmons ad visesher clients to prioritize debt repayment, live only within the boundaries theirpaychecks allow, and continually put money into a savings account each month.However, most Millennials are not honest with themselves about the cost ofliving these extravagant, Instagram lifestyles. An online survey conducted by GoBanking found that Millennials find it difficult to resist the urge to spendrecklessly, paying for social events by relying on credit cards, borrowing fromfriends or family members, or sometimes even neglecting to pay bills.Additionally, as a Millennial myself, I argue that because debt has become anexpected part of consumer spending and an innate aspect of the Millennialsfinancial experience, Millennials are more likely to spend money they do nothave with the expectation of paying it off in the future. I believe this islargely due to Millennial optimism, or the confidence Millennials feelregarding many aspects of their personal lives such as the confidence theyfeel toward their expected success in their chosen career paths and,therefore, help to lower the stress surrounding debt accumulation. BecauseMillennials have a tendency to impulsively spend, however, I make the argumentthat financial optimism is categorized as wishful thinking, or a means ofresolving conflicts between humanity and desire through pleasing imaginationinstead of recognizing hard evidence and rationality, and remains financiallyunsupported. The combination of reckless, social media-encouraged spending,debt accumulation, and wishful thinking reveals the immature side of Millennialspending, a side driven by the pressures to create and maintain an intriguingimage within the immense, extremely competitive social realm. Therefore, socialmedia has influenced the excited spending of the Millennial generation,bombarding them with information on what their friends and followers are doingto such an extent that their prior understanding for the necessity to practiceconscious saving is pu shed out of mind. Further Discussion / Conclusion Through the literature reviews analysisof the background of Millennials financial self-esteem and potential reasonswhy they resemble poor financial stature, it can be declared that theMillennial generation suffers from a lifetime of financial experiences causingpredetermined feelings towards practicing frugal spending habits as arequirement for future financial wellbeing. However, as the content analysisprovides expertise on how social media has influenced the way Millennials spendtheir money, convincing them of the necessity to achieve substantial socialacceptance physically represented through their peers likes and favorites,an argument can be made and support that emphasizes the hypothesis that socialmedia has negatively affected millennials financial reflection as attendinglive events only increases their debt accumulated. Although millennials livedthrough the Great Recession, have seen first-hand financial struggle, and aredrown ing in student loan debt, the temptation to spend excessive amounts ofmoney on live experiences in order to have the opportunity to post on socialmedia clearly outweighs the necessity for moderate, conscious spending andsaving habits. Works CitedBarton, C., Beauchamp, C., & Koslow, L. (2014, January15). How millennials are changing the face of marketing forever. Bcg.com. Retrieved fromhttps//www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2014/marketing-center-consumer-customer-insight-how-millennials-changing-marketing- forever.aspxBoberiene, L. V., & McLeigh, J.D. (2014). Young adults in conflict Confident but struggling, networked butdisconnected. American Journal ofOrthopsychiatry, 84(6), 00029432,20141101.Boyd, D. (2014). Its Complicated The Social Lives ofNetworked Teens. New Haven, London Yale University Press. Cutler, N. E. (2015). Millennialsand Finance The Amazon Generation. Journal Of Financial Service Professionals, 69(6), 33-39.Eventbrite, (2013). MillennialsFueling the Experience Econo my. Eventbrite.Herring, S., & Kapidzic, S.(2015). Teens, Gender, and Self-Presentation in Social Media. International Encyclopedia of Social andBehavioral Sciences, 2. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. (2008).Self-Presentation. Retrieved from https//www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/applied-and-social-sciences-magazines/self-presentationMarketing Charts, (2015, March 24). Why do millennials useFacebook and Twitter. MarketingCharts.com.Retrieved from https//www.marketingcharts.com/featured-52812Marsh Private Client Services.(2015). Getting to know the millennial generation. Grand Rapids Business Journal, 33(20),13.Meyer, K. (2016, August 28). SocialMedia Natives Growing Up with Social Networking. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved fromhttps//www.nngroup.com/articles/social-media-natives/Pagliara, J. (2017, September 1).Millennials Is social media use harming your finances. Tennessean. Part of the USA Today Network. Retrived fromhttps//www.tennessean.com/story/money/2 017/09/01/millennials-social-media-use-harming-your-finances/622639001/PR, N. (2016). 3 in 5 MillennialsSay FOMO Isnt an Excuse for Reckless Spending, According to New SurveyFindings. PR Newswire US.Rapier, G. (2015, July 19). This chart reveals a vastdifference in how millennials and their parents spend money. Businessinsider.com. Retrieved fromhttp//www.businessinsider.com/millennials-consumer-spending-twice-as-much-at-restaurants-than-previous-generations-2017-7Rampell, C. (2014). Millennials havesome trust issues. The Washington Post, pp.A19Riley, J. (2018) Millennials AreSaving, But Social Media Can Lead Them Astray. FA-Mag. Stephen, A. & Wilcox, K. (2013, January 14). SocialNetworks May boom Self-Esteem, Reduce Self-Control. Journal of Consumer Research. Retrieved from http//www.news.pitt.edu/news/social-networks-may-inflate-self-esteem-reduce-self-controlTate, A. (2018) The psychology of social networking 6counterintuitive ways to connect and influence. Canva. Retrieved from https//www.canva.com/learn/social-networking/Witte, M. (2017, October 2). Checking in or checking out?Millennials go online to build their offline lives. UC Santa Cruz NewsCenter. Retrieved fromhttps//news.ucsc.edu/2017/10/manago-technology.html

The difference of being a social worker

The difference of being a kind shapeerWhat is the difference between helping assistance users and being a nonrecreational amicable role player? neighborly bailiwick in UK has been a regulated profession since 2005 and the title societal conk outer is protected by its regulatory body (GSCC) that entitles only those professionally qualified to use this term to describe themselves. Social work professionals are held accountable to the fairness, their employers, do users and to the GSCC code of ethics. They are guided by principles which make up an right framework these rout out sometimes prevent a well-disposed worker to do what service users may see as helping. More than helping, well-disposed work is seen as enabling people to resolve their problems. Therefore, running(a) with them to develop skills required to overcome the problem, rather than providing a quick fix. The skills of empowerment, advocacy and user affair are needed in professional course session so th e social worker would be able to manipulation their duty in line with the professional code of enforce and conduct. This would help to limit bad practices while to a fault promoting moral and job satisfaction.Firstly, this essay will give a instruct commentary of what is social work it will then go on to examine the key principles in social work practice. The role of a social worker, their responsibilities and the ethical framework will be described in some detail. It will then conclude with an examination on the significance in working in partnership. Lastly, I will look into the issues of diversity along with AOP and ADP. Finally, this essay will look on the significance of service user and carer experiences and perspectives along with a brief conclusion.Social work is defined by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) as a profession that promotes social change, problem solving in graciouskind relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhan ce well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social referee are fundamental to social work (IFSW, 2000).This definition of Social work shows that the duties of social work practitioners are linked with principles of empowerment, human right and social justice. Social works main duty is to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their lives, and prevent dysfunction (IFSW, 2000). They will act as advocates on behalf of the people they serve and their duty is foc employ on problem solving also bringing about change. Social work is an interrelated system of set, system and practice (IFSW, 2000).Social work is also a form of social control, this because it involves promoting and protecting the welfare of not only the individual but also the wider union this dual responsibility often causes conflicts and tensions, (Thompson, 2 009, p.3). Social workers come to contact with individuals from many different backgrounds. Their engineer is to help people overcome difficulties and live a undefeated life, while there are times where practitioners are there to support people in accepting a feature that cannot be changed (e.g. terminal illness, etc.). What differs social work from other professionals is the tangledity and the variety of the roles in which they are involved.The need to involve service users wherever possible and working closely with other professionals is required by a number of legislations, this makes the practice in a way easier, as it rules out misunderstandings or the possibility of missing out on crucial information. Individuals and other professionals involved in the process of working in partnership have to be involved during each stage of handling. Partnership working is seen as a highly skilled activity, it requires the ability to communicate and engage, assess and plan, to be sensi tive and observant, and so on, (Thompson, 2009, p.118).Social work practitioners are expected to take fastness training in order to expand their knowledge as the result of continuous developments in policies, theories etc. Social work is an evolving profession, constantly responding to new indemnity aspirations, expanding knowledge and rising universal aspirations. (GSCC, 2008, p.10).Trevithick (2009) categirizes knowledge under three headings that overlap and are linked togetherTheoretical borrowed theories, analyse theories (purpose of SW), practice theories/ beginesFactual law/legislation, social policy, etc.Practice/practical/personal acquisitioned, used, created knowledge.Trevithick (2009, p.25-43).The advantage of this framework would be that it gives directions where there is a need to further expand your knowledge. Social work profession requires a breadth and in depth knowledge base, however, the knowledge base of the caring profession is not appreciated by the genera l public .. partly due to the assumptions about the caring professionals being common sense and requiring little or no specialist knowledge or skills, (Thompson, 2009, p.11)Social work professionals are guided by a set of value and a Code of Practice. Practice ethics are based on these values which aim to inform social workers intervention with service users. The code of practice set up by the general social care council (GSCC) offers an ethical framework to its practitioners, this aims to advance a standard of conduct for both employers and employees.The social work code of conduct is designed to serve social workers when practicing their profession, it contains ethical principles which will underpin the approach taken in practice. The professional code of conduct serves many different functions such as guidance, regulation, discipline, protection, information, proclamation, negotiation, (Values and ethics in practice, p.127). It is very helpful to social workers as it offers gui delines as to what is expected from them as professionals.Social workers have to be familiar with their value base and abide to them in day to day work. They have to endue into practice the understanding of the values when practicing their profession. Ethical awareness is an essential part of the social work practices, a social workers ability to act ethically is full of life when aiming to provide a high standard of operate. The code of conduct, ideally, offers the prospect, tantalizing if theoretical, of resolving value and ethical issues in social work (Adams et al. 2009, p.37). The day to day practice and the uncertainty which social workers can sometimes face would carry ethical dilemmas which will challenge their practice, ethical dilemmas occur when the social worker has a plectrum between two different courses of action that can be both morally right but only one choice can be made, or when either course of action if chosen, would lead to the compromise of values or prin ciples, (Purtilo, 1993), (Values and ethics in practice, p.117 ). Ethics and values can also cross when values or moral principles are in conflict, which poses a challenge about what to do, then an ethical problem has occurred, (Purtilo, 1993),(Values and ethics in practice, p.117 ).The traditional values developed by Biestek (1961), outlined the principles which formed the fundamentals of the social work practice. These principles were made up of seven points and act as an underlying framework to intervention with service users.IndividualisationNon-judgmental attitudeAcceptancePurposeful expression of feelingsControlled emotional participationUser self-determinationConfidentiality.(Crawford and Walke, 2008, p.6)These principles are essential to social work practice as they comply with what social work stands for, human right and social justice. Individuality for example gives the right to the service users to be free from bias and prejudice, so the social worker should avoid lab els and stereotyping. Non-judgmental attitude would assure the situations are examined without bias, requiring social workers to avoid personal feelings and prejudices. Acceptance implies the expression of genuine concern, acknowledging the service users point of view, unwashed respect, etc. Social workers have to give the opportunity to service users to purposefully express their feelings. In this way they will feel empowered and respected. Controlled emotional involvement requires the social worker to express their feelings but however in a controlled way, they should not come across as cold or disinterested this should be guided by knowledge and purpose, at the same time avoiding to over identify with the service user. Self determination is a principle that places importance in recognising the service users rights and needs to autonomy, right of decision making and the right of choice. Confidentiality is a right that service users are entitled to this implies that consent must b e taken from the service users before the information can be disclosed, unless there is a situation where other people may be at jeopardize.In social work there is a wide variety of theories and methods that help social workers intervene, the theory or method chosen will influence the language used and will shape the relationship between the social worker and service user. Language is the wealth of communication, it can open or close doors but also it can influence actions. Language plays a big part of power relations that have to be unpacked and understood for empowerment to occur, (Dominelli, 2002) (Adams et al. 2009, p.175). Being a good communicator is essential to social work practice as communications skills are essential to building a relationship and also interviewing. Lishman (1994) identifies four types of communicating symbolic, verbal, gestural and written, any type of communication is essential to all professional practices therefore social workers have to simultaneou sly ask good questions, listen actively, convey information, exercise scepticism and reflect on interaction, Adams et al (2009, p.176-178). Social work professionals are expected to work in partnership with people to find the solutions and achieve the outcomes they want, and to fall in with other agencies and disciplines to ensure support is delivered in a coordinated way. (GSCC, 2008, p.6)One of the principles in building an effective relationship will be honesty (e.g. explaining the causation for intervention). Exercising mutual respect should be another fundamental principle in relationship building, keeping appointments or being on time is a very simple example but however very important. Respect should be exercised even in a case of different personal values as social workers are not there to judge but to help. Consistency is another principle that the service users appreciate, as it shows concern about their situation and understanding. Ethical behavior is essential, because as a social worker there is the duty to respect the code of conduct that social work abides to. Explaining issues that might scratch during the intervention and making things clear before work is commenced can rule out later misunderstandings. All these principles will contribute to underpin the trust formula of the relationship and make the intervention more effective.Social workers always try to involve service users as much as possible in every aspect of their intervention, however, this is not always possible. There are times where social workers are requested to reach decisions and make judgments so that they can protect unprotected people or in order to implement control. Social workers have legal powers which they would exercise to protect vulnerable people who may be at risk, this however may sometimes conflict with what other people involved wish for.Anti-oppressive practice is a frame work that aims to incorporate the social work value base, it is a response to the con tinual lobbying by the oppressed individuals. Professionals providing anti-oppressive go redefine professionalism within an open power sharing framework and precise human rights-based value systems. Practicing equality involves practitioners in valuing difference in life-styles and identity instead of demanding uniformity (Adams et al. 2009, p.55).Power imbalance is an important issue that should be addressed when working in an anti-oppressive way. The power that the social worker holds can be used both ways, constructively aiming to empower the service user, but also social workers can abuse this power therefore reinforcing the power imbalance and oppression. However there is always the risk of being oppressive even though not intentionally, e.g. done naivety or ignorance, reinforcing stereotypes, inappropriate language, using power inappropriately and by acting as an expert, Thompson (2009, p.158-159). Social workers are involved in many complex interactions, we have to recogni ze the potential for social work to do harm as well as good (Thompson, 2009, p.80). When looking at how inequalities and oppression unornamented themselves, the PCS (Thompson, 1996) would be helpful.Service user and carer involvement and participation can be challenging and also rewarding. However it is very valuable to social work practice, service users and carers can get involved in their own package of services or in a strategic planning and service development. Users views of the quality of services and their participation in providing regular feedback on all aspects of social work are therefore an essential part of good practice,(Warren, 2009, p.15). Service users and carers perspectives on services provided, have been sought by many researches for and also evaluators. However, in the recent years there has been a distribution of power which has resulted in the participation of the service users but also giving them the power to drive the research project.In conclusion, socia l work is a challenging profession which continually challenges the boundaries of its practitioners, whether on a personal, cultural or professional level. Ethics, morals and values are all essential parts of the profession practice. Social workers have to practice in e reflective way, while recognizing diversities which they come across in a daily basis. A social work practice that takes no account of existing inequalities runs the risk of failing to recognize important factors in someones live, causing tension, reinforcing the negative effects of discrimination (Thompson, 2009, p.26).Word Count 2 217Bibliography ReferencesAdams, R., Domilelli, L., Payne, M., (2009), Critical Practice In Social Work, 2rd edition, Palgrave Macmillan.Adams, R., Domilelli, L., Payne, M., (2009), Social Work Themes, Issues and Critical Debates, 3rd edition, Palgrave Macmillan.BASW (1996) The Code of Ethics for Social Work, (www.basw.co.uk accessed 09/04/2010)Crawford, K., Walke, J., (2008), Social Wo rk with Older People, 2nd Edition, Learning Matters.Eby, M., Gallagher, A., Values and Ethics in Practice, Chapter 7, (Course material).http//www.ifsw.org/f38000138.html (accessed 12/04/2010)Thompson, N., (2009), Understanding Social Work, 3rd Edition, Palgrave Macmillan.Trevithick, P., (2009), Social Work Skills a practice handbook, 2nd Edition, Open University Press.Warren, J., (2009), Service User and Carer Participation in Social Work, Learning Matters.

Strategic management and organisational change

Strategic management and organisational changeIntroductionIMAX operated at three different industries, and it had done sure-fire in both(prenominal) part of its business, while there were also some weakness for its suppuration. This assignment is dismissal to assess the current situation of IMAX, including analysing the nature and reservoir of its emulous returns, its sustainable competitive advantage, and future development.The first section leave behind seek to present the nature and commencement of IMAX s competitive advantage by exploitation appropriate strategy, and the next section pass on introduce its sustainable competitive advantage. In the final section, some key issues of IMAX s future development will be discussed, and some recommendations will be given as well, which may help IMAX to grow its business in the near future.The Nature And quotation Of IMAX s Competitive AdvantagesSelecting Appropriate Theoretical FrameworksTo begin with, there are two primary is sues to be discussed. First one is which level of strategy should be used in this case. Basically, a company has two levels of strategies, which are business level strategy and bodied level strategy. Business level strategy concerns how to make up competitive advantage in each of the business in which a company competes, whilst corporate level strategy concerns what business the corporation should in and how the corporate office should manage the array of business units. The main difference between these two is that corporate level strategy is what makes the corporate whole sum up to much than the sum of its business units (Porter, 1996). IMAX has three different business units, because, it could be easily considered that the case more(prenominal) concerns with corporate level strategy.The next issue to be considered is which strategy should be selected to analyse the case ground on corporate level strategy. There are two strategies which dissolve be selected, the RBV (resou rce-based view) and the Positioning School. The RBV is more emphasis on the resources and capabilities controlled by a company as sources of competitive advantage, while the Positioning School is more focus on externally orientated and market driven (Barney, 2008). This case mentions a little about IMAX s market driven, thus there is non enough evidence to use the put school strategy for analysing its competitive advantage. In contrast, the case introduce IMAX s hardware, software, financial power, technologies and other special sources, which are helpful for using the RBV to analyse IMAX s competitive advantage.The Nature And Source Of Competitive AdvantagesCompetitive advantage emerges from distinctive resources or capabilities that firms control, that is, something that firms do particularly well in comparison with their competitors (Peteraf, 1993). IMAX has its engineering science resource, bell ringer image and organizational resource better than other film companies, whic h rear end conclude its cell nucleus competence, therefore it is easy to get IMAX s competitive advantages from its core competence.Technology ResourceIMAX has the technological capability to do RD on both hardware and software rather than its competitors in the film industry, thereby its technological capability can be regarded as its core competence.IMAX was founded as the only company in the world that was involved in all aspects of pear-shaped dress films, and its extraordinary technological capability can lead to its first-mover advantage. It used its technique know-how to produce projectors with special features, to design crowing format films, to develop lightweight 3D tv camera and 3D directional sound technology, etc, and all the unique technology differentiate IMAX from other conventional motion picture technologies. IMAX could make its audiences enjoy its special IMAX experience which can not be replicated through DVDs or in conventional theatres, because of the unprecedented shock of the visual and auditory. Its advanced technology held 46 patents and had 7 patents pending in the U.S., also its technological prowess was the 1997 Oscar Award which received for Scientific and Technical Achievement. As the first-mover advantage, IMAX achieved the most advanced level of film technology, which can be considered as the competitive advantage so that IMAX can attract more audiences to have different experiences from conventional movies, to keep its market presence.IMAX kept innovation on its technology in rewrite to maintain its growth. IMAX spend almost five per cent of its sales revenue on RD in 2007, and about $12.6 million in RD was spent in the last three years. MPX technology was developed to allow IMAX and theatre-owners to convert existing multiplexes screens to IMAX format, and a patented digital re-mastering (DMR) technology was designed to convert traditional 35 mm films into the large-screen format and even develop 3D versions. Those two technologies could help IMAX to launch more IMAX films, to expand the core audience and to make the case office revenue. Besides this, IMAX had solved the teething problems with DMR technology and the courts of conversion of Hollywood movies into IMAX format had come down. As a result, they led IMAX to have cost advantage.Brand ImageIMAX had the capability to use its band image, which could be considered as its core competence and add more economic respect to its corporation, and as a result, it could lead to dent effect in spite of appearance the film industry.Since the first multi-screen theater system launched in 1967 and the first IMAX film premiered in 1970, as the first-mover advantage, IMAX had made a good paper and also had its loyal audience base. Moreover, choosing prestigious venues to locate IMAX had taked a unique brand image, which would result in its brand effect within the industry.Organisational ResourceLado and Wilson (1994) proposed a widely accepted d efinition of organisational capabilities managerial, input-based, transformational, output-based. IMAX used its unique organisational resorces to achieve the operational process effectively. IMAX maintained long-term relationships with the vendors who supplied the components, produced movies and systems, and then distributed them to the theaters. IMAX also had its wholly-owned subsidiary, in which IMAX had 51 per cent ownership, and its subsidiary could help IMAX perform the post-production work. The genius organizational capability which was well used in the organization made its production, post-production, distribution necktie well and led to its operation efficiency.IMAX s Sustainable Competitive Advantage s SourcesThere is competition from Pixar/Disney which have the same target customers with IMAX, the only challenger within the large format film segment, and the potential new independent firms to enter the industry with the increasingly development of new technology. On th e other hand, numerous alternative sources of entertainment such as live plays, TV programs, the Internet, sport events attract viewers as well. Therefore, there is no doubt that IMAX has increasingly obligate come from the competitors within the industry.The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm holds that certain assets with certain characteristics will lead to sustainable competitive advantage (Black, 1994). The sources of IMAX s competitive advantages are going to analysed using the VRIO framework, sequentially to evaluate which one is sustainable.VRIO AnalysisIt is necessary to make the assumption that the firm resources may be heterogeneous and immobile in order to know the sources of sustainable competitive advantage, and a firm source must have four attributes to hold the potential of sustained competitive advantages, that the firm source must be valuable, rare, imperfectly imitable and substitutable (Barney, 1991). Appendix shows whether IMAX s competitive advantages sour ces are sustainable using the VRIO framework.The sources of competitive advantages of IMAX could add value. Economic value could be added to a corporation through either increasing its total revenue, or lowering its be. Innovating through its high level of technology resource allowed the conversion costs down and saved the costs, and developing MPX technology and DMR technology would expand the core audience and increase the box office revenue, both of them added more economic value to IMAX..Most sources of the competitive advantages of IMAX were rare in the film industry. IMAX mastered a high level of technology resources in the film industry, and it only had one play off within the large format film segment. Besides, IMAX hold its unqiue brand image and also operated at a unique business model by using its organisational resources, which was also rare in the film industry. The particular capabilities were not controlled by numerous competitors, therefore IMAX s competitive advan tages were likely to be rare.Competitive advantage is more likely to be created and sustained if the organisation has distinctive or unique capabilities that competitors cannot imitate.( Johnson, 2005) Most resources of IMAX s competitive advantages are difficult for its competitors to imitate. The conversion technology such as MPX technology and DMR technology and its designed projectors are hard for competitors to copy, because IMAX invested a large amount of money and time and also hire the talent employee on RD, innovation, market, which would be considered as sunk costs within the film industry. Besides this, IMAX technology held 46 patents and had 7 patents pending in the U.S., therefore IMAX s high level of technological breakthroughs which were carefully patented could be considered the unique capability in the film industry. In addition, IMAX made a good reputation and had its loyal audience base through the years, therefore it had its own brand image, which could make bar riers for entrants to copy.The competitive advantages of IMAX were explored by organisation. IMAX had fully explored and used of its technology resources, organisational resources and unique brand image, then organised and took full advantages of its sources and capabilities.Given the VRIO framework analysis, it is not difficult to conclude that most sources of IMAX s competitive advantages are sustainable, as they are based on the core competences of IMAX.Recommendations For IMAX s Future DevelopmentAs the competitors are increasingly strong and the movie technology and film industry are ever-changing everyday, IMAX may face some unprecedented challenges in the future. Based on the RBV and VRIO analysis, IMAX should sustain its competitive advantages and also gain some new competitive advantages to reply in the future.Two Larger Issues To Be DiscussedIMAX faced two critical issues, which were whether or not to exhibit too many Hollywood movies, and whether or not sold itself to a larger studio such as Sony, Disney or Time-Warner. The two problems will be addressed firstly, and then some certain recommendations will be provided.Traditional IMAX films were often educational and entertaining, and involved documentaries of natural and scientific wonders which were mostly located in museums, aquariums, zoos and other institutions, and IMAX had engaged in alliances with commercial movie theatre owners. However, IMAX could not escape the crisis that hit the theatre industry in the late 1990s, and it began to have financial problems. IMAX had long-term debt through the years, and both its net income and currency flows were negative in 2006 and 2007.In order to solve the financial problem and survive in the future, IMAX has to change its strategy to maintain its growth. At that time, acquisition by a larger studio such as Sony, Disney or Time-Warner is a good idea and developing trend for IMAX in the future. Two firms which both had creditworthy brand effect combin ed will be greater than their economic value as separate entities. Through acquisition, large studio can not only address IMAX s financial problem and help IMAX to pay off its debt, but also can get more economic returns and add more value through IMAX. Besides, IMAX can ensure its survival and make more business opportunities in the future.After acquisition, the studio can install more IMAX digital theatres systems, and invested more money on marketing, to attract more audiences to watch its IMAX films and increase its box office revenue. Furthermore, the studio can convert its own films into IMAX large format films with lower costs or create new films combined with both studio and IMAX s brand, hence it will expand their core audience, therefore it will create more economic value to both studio and IMAX.On the other hand, to solve the same problem facing to IMAX, exhibiting Hollywood movies is a good idea for IMAX to increase its box office revenue. IMAX can sustain its competitiv e advantages, use its strong RD team developing DMR technology that allows converting traditional 35 mm films into the large-screen format Hollywood films. It keeps innovation and worked out the teething problems, as a result the costs of conversion had come down, consequently more IMAX screens will be open to launch Hollywood films. The IMAX strategy of moving into Hollywood films will increase its box office revenue and expand the core audience. IMAX can continue making educational films for families, students and tourists, while Hollywood films can also be launched during the evening. This will not make IMAX lose its differentiation, in contrast, it will create more IMAX s brand effect, because most of which come from the entertainment experiences.Other RecommendationsCompete Among RivalsSome studios such as Pixar/Disney produced the films for the same targeted group, and within the large format film segment, IMAX faced only pit Iwerks, which was merged with SimEx, a ride simula tion and animation production company. One possible solution to compete this rival is that IMAX is acquired by a larger studio, therefore overcomes its financial problems and also has the equivalent strengths to compete with it. There was also another film, Pollavison, which was engaged in consulting services for large format film theatres. IMAX could develop its technology and hold its core innovation capability to keep its leadership.Technology DevelopmentEdutainment MarketInternationalisationAlthough IMAX did have marketing staff at its office in Canada, the United States, Europe, Japan and China to market its theatre systems and IMAX movies were showed in 40 countries, almost 60 per cent of the theatres were in North America. The film industry is now increasingly becoming international, and Asia-Pacific market is becoming the largest part of the global market, therefore IMAX can expand its market internationally and attract more international audiences instead of American audien ces. IMAX can install a large number of its theatre systems annually across different countries particularly Asia-Pacific market, and also market and advertise its film to help maximise its theatre attendance and increase its box office revenue.ConclusionBased on the RBV, it is piddle that IMAX has its high technology, unique organizational methods and human resource better than other film companies, which can be treated as its competitive advantages. Using the RVIO model, it is not difficult to conclude that most of its competitive advantages are sustainable. However, as the movie technology and film industry are developing everyday, IMAX may face some unprecedented challenges. Therefore, IMAX should develop its sustainable competitive advantages and also to address the problems in the future.ReferencesPeteraf, M.A. (1993) The Cornerstone of the Competitive Advantage A Resource-based View,Strategic Management Journal, 14 179-91.Porter, M. (1996). From competitive advantage to co rporate strategy. In M. Goold K. Luchs. Managing the multibusiness company strategic issues for diversified groups,Lado, A. and Wilson, M. (1994) Human Resource System and Sustained Competitive AdvantageCompetency-based Perspective, Academy of Management Review, 19 699-727.Black, J. A. Strategic resources traits, configurations and paths to sustainable competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal 15(1994)131.Barney, J. B. 1991. Firm resources and sustainable competitive advantage. Journal of Management 17 (1) 99.

Life of a Sensuous Woman and A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Essay

Ihara Saikakus lifespan of a aesthetical Woman written in the 17th century and Mary Woolstonecrafts A Vindication of the Rights of Woman written in the 18th century are powerful literary whole kit and boodle that advocated feminism during the time when women were oppressed members of our societies. These two works have a century old age difference and the authors of both works have make a distinctive attempt to shed a light towards the issues that nobody considered significant during that time. Despite these differences between the two texts, they both skillfully manage to pass revolutionary ways women can liberate themselves from oppression laden upon them by the society since the beginning of humanity.In Saikakus story Life of a Sensuous Woman, he habits his main character an Old Womans story to show how women can be as competent as men if they use their knowledge and experience in a right way. The two men who came to hear the old cleaning ladys story and ask her to help them represent more about life indicates that women do possess the ability to be intellectual and use their knowledge to guide others (Saikaku 594). It is clear that how valuable the old womans opinion was to those two men that they came to seek her guidance instead of going to a man. The whole idea of men seeking guidance from a woman during the 17th century is revolutionary. One can comprehend that women are capable of using their knowledge and experience to lead the way to others including men consequently becoming a vital member of society. Empowering women continues as the Old Womens story pass ones where Saikaku articulately shows how women can fulfill their own desire and not fail into what men expect of them. Old Womans young self choosing the exceptional letter writer samu... ...together as equal members of society. Even though the progress has been massive in developed nations, there are still parts of the world that are centuries behind when it comes to women liberation. Therefore, now it is in the hands of liberated ones to pouf those who are still living under the cave of oppression and show them the light of liberation. Works CitedPuchner, Martin. Mary Wollstonecraft. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York Norton, 2013. 133. Print.Saikaku, Ihara. Life of a Sensuous Woman. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York Norton, 2013. 591-611. Print.Woolstoncraft, Mary. A Vindication of The Rights of Woman. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd Ed. Volume D. Ed. Martin Puchner. New York Norton, 2013. 134-136. Print.

English Studies :: Teaching Education Essays

Feminist and Critical Pedagogies in English Studies This is going to be one of those classes that I look back upon and say, Wow, that course really changed the way I destine active things.I have been thinking a lot about what I want to say in this statement and now that I am finally writing it, it seems I am at a loss.I know, though, that the affects of this class, for me anyway, will be far reaching.It has helped me to think in new ways about a multiplicity of things empowerment, nurturance, the rhetoriticity of race and gender, power, what it means to be an intellectual or a professional.If I were to try and sum up the immediate (and what I would think are rather superficial in that I think the influence of this class upon who I am as a citizen/teacher/ charwoman/ school-age child/intellectual is only just beginning) impact that this course has had upon me, I would say that it has helped me to begin to think of writing/teaching/living as both public and private acts at the same time.Reconciling the personal and the public aspects of my life, moving away from oppositions and towards multiplicities in my thinking (reading essay7), and thinking of myself not in terms of this-or-that but both/and have been continuous threads throughout my reading essays. I think that taking this class at a time in my life where I was experiencing teaching my first college course helped me to be very open to many of the ideas within the texts we read.I was constantly looking to the readings that we did in relationship to how they might help me expire a better teacher/professional/student/person.I was always looking at them and trying to make meaningful connections between what I was reading and what I am living.And it worked.I began to look at myself and see how I occupy multiple subject positions in society and how those subject positions influence not only how I am seen by others but how I see others and myself.For example, I began to see how I am seen by other people, not just as a graduate student, but as a woman graduate student.This might sound like I am whining or trying to make an personal line of credit that we are living in a sexist society, but thats not my point.My point is that I am seen as both a woman and a graduate student at the same time.