Work of Composition

Introduction The English language has gained a wide acceptance and is being used by many people across the world. This language is used as an official language in many countries. Globalization is said to be the major cause of English Internationalization. Many nations are currently under pressure to involve English in their communication. The non native speaking countries are also under pressure to learn the language in order to facilitate communication in the international world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Work of Composition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper summarizes the arguments provided in the article â€Å"An Essay on the Work of Composition,† which has been written by Min-Zhan Lu. The article is found in the journal titled â€Å"College composition and communication† that was published in the year 2004. Argument Summary As the language attracts considerable users across the w orld, there is a need to establish what is meant by being a responsive and a responsible user of English. There are assumptions, which have helped in the development of responsible and responsive approaches to the relationship between English users and the language itself. The reason for summarizing this essay is to ensure that it is possible to reiterate the major points of the argument faster, at any time, and anywhere. In addition, it is important to incorporate summaries in any paper that has been written in order to communicate the main ideas of the work effectively. Thesis There has been a set of reasons as to why English users need to be responsive and responsible. Globalization has been mentioned to be among the drivers for the increased use of the language. In fact, the aspect of globalization can be argued to be the main reason for the spread of the English language. The aspect of globalization tends to bring countries together to interact through business transactions. Ho wever, the use of the English language varies depending on the purpose and individual users. The author of the article presents assumptions, which are likely to develop considerable responsive and responsible approaches in the relation between English and its users. The main argument presented in the essay is that the assumptions developed by the author can help in the composition of the English language against the grain of all systems and relations of injustice. Sub-arguments In supporting her argument, the author says that people should be responsible especially in the catastrophe of the modern world. Being responsible will help people who are using the language. This is especially in selecting the best places where they can use the language, as well as how it should be used. People have to overcome the fears of communication breakdowns resulting from language imperfection. This will ensure responsibility and responsive communication is achieved.Advertising Looking for essay on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More If a language is not effective, then it can as well be termed as dead. The language effectiveness depends on its ability to pass on the required message at the right time. Language should not be biased for it to be effective. In this case, the non native speaking countries are making efforts to learn the language in order to communicate effectively using the language. As the language continues to become international, it is being differentiated into various versions with varying accents and pronunciation depending on the country that is using the language. The pressure to learn the language will eventually submerge the other cultures in the process. The use of English as a monopolistic language is likely to lead to capitalism, which is said to be in the interest of the US. An approach that is said to be behind this relationship of English and other languages is the commodity approach. Individuals learn the English version they need depending on the commodity they want. There is a fear that the designers of tools for learning such a language are likely to suppress the efforts to acquire or learn the language. This becomes challenging since people do not understand how the English users establish the different ways to design standards of learning the language. Users of the English language experience some level of dissonance in their discursive resources, and this has an influence on the English they are interested to learn. In fact, potential dissonance can assist an English writer in grasping the context of the language. If efforts are made to make the redesigned language to an existence of collectiveness, this is likely to bring long term changes. Therefore, the composition need to be redesigned. In the long run, this will help in the composition of the English language irrespective of all the challenges. Conclusion The English language has become or is becoming an international language at a high rate. The language has gone on to include a number of versions, which are dependent on the country in which the language is being used. As a result, learners will learn the version they wish to know depending on their interests.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Work of Composition specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Different approaches define the relation between the English language and other languages. Nonetheless, there have been fears that the increased pressure to learn the US English is likely to result into capitalism. That is why the new approaches need to be embraced. This essay on Work of Composition was written and submitted by user Taraji Monroe to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

3 Easy Content Optimization Tips Every Blogger Should Focus On

3 Easy Content Optimization Tips Every Blogger Should Focus On You may be producing regular content as a way to drive traffic to your blog, but are you testing that content just like you would test any other landing page? Content marketing- or using your blog as a tool for traffic growth- is a great way to encourage readers to visit your site, share your content with others, and hopefully become a verified lead that you can follow up with. But this doesn’t happen automatically. You need to make sure that your content creation process has a suitable content optimization layer. Just like the rest of your site and business. Here’s the key thought- you know that good optimization and A/B testing works on landing pages, home pages, and product pages, but are you properly testing things where your regular content lives? On your blog, for example? With all of the knowledge out there about content optimization, it can be easy to apply the same scientific process to optimize your content marketing. There are  three simple methods you can use to optimize your content, and help you introduce an optimization layer to your blog. The result? More traffic, more shares, and more leads- it’s as simple as that. 3 Ways To Optimize Your Content For More Traffic And ConversionsTip  1: Optimize Your Content To Get More Traffic If you use a blog to create content and as a marketing tool, then one of your key metrics for success is the inbound traffic that comes in at the top of your funnel. While traffic  isn’t the only metric that matters, it is an important place to start. Its also one of the areas that deserves some heavy content optimization. There are three primary sources of traffic that you can optimize. Source #1- social media When new content goes live, you should be sharing it across all of your social media properties. Did you know that this process can be tested so that it will bring in more traffic? One of the ways to test this is to create a social sharing schedule that simply distributes  your social messages more than once on each network. Share your content more than once on social media. You can see the different times well share this post on different social networks. For this, you should be testing different times to post your content and different messages that may drive better results. We were able to double our own traffic with this process. Use a #socialmedia sharing schedule to share your #contentmarketing at just the right time.Source #2- email marketing Most email marketing software makes it super easy to A/B test your email subject lines, or pretty much any of the content within the email itself.  This is an important practice that is easy to implement. In fact, we never send out a major email that doesn’t have an A/B test built in. Always A/B test your email subject lines. After A/B testing our own email subject lines for months, we’ve been able to draw several conclusions about how to make our audience more likely to consume and share our content. The results for your audience will be different, but it is such an easy place to do testing,  itss  almost a no-brainer. Source #3- SEO and  SEM Most of us are regularly optimizing our blog content based on keywords that potential customers and readers might search for on Google. This is a smart practice, and one that you can easily A/B test. What you need to do is narrow your content down to one or two different keywords or keyword phrases that you think your visitors are the most likely to use. From there, optimize your content accordingly and make a small AdWords campaign for each keyword phrase that you are testing. After you run the paid campaigns for a few weeks, you should get a clear picture of what keyword will bring the most click-throughs, and you can optimize your content according to that keyword. For more tips on A/B testing your SEO pages, check out this excellent guide on the KISSmetrics blog. Optimize your current #blog content by #ABtesting with an AdWords campaign.Tip 2: Optimize Your Headlines  To Get More Shares After reaching a milestone of more than one million headlines in our database, our team started to wonder if we could find a way to predict how likely a headline was to be shared on social media. To our surprise, we found a little secret. Emotional headlines are in fact more likely to be shared via social media. With that in mind, we decided it was time to build a new tool to combine that data with everything else we know that makes up the best headlines. Thats the headline analyzer. Content with headlines scoring 70 or better with the headline analyzer  are  some of the most likely to be shared. This means that one of the best ways to get more shares is to write better headlines, and there are some easy ways to test those headlines as you learn. A/B test your headlines. Buffer, for example, has outlined their own process for A/B testing headlines on their blog. Their method is simple. By sending out a couple tweets with two alternate headlines, they are able to see which headline gets the most attention on Twitter. From there, they can adjust their post to accommodate the winning headline. Another option for A/B testing your headlines is by using the KingSumo Headlines WordPress Headline tool, which allows you to test multiple headlines at once. Over time, the tool will automatically select the best headline to use permanently going forward. It is a great ‘set it and forget it’ option. Write Better Headlines With A  Free Headline Analyzer The headline analyzer  will help you: Use headline types that get the most traction for social shares, traffic, and search engine ranking. Make sure you have the right word balance to write readable headlines that command attention. See the best  word and character length for search engines like Google and email subject lines, while also seeing  how your readers will scan your headlines. Try The Free Headline Analyzer Now Optimize your #headlines to increase your #socialmedia shares.Tip 3: Optimize Your Content To Get More Leads So, you’ve optimized your content to get more traffic and more shares, but what are you doing with all of those new visitors? Hopefully, youre converting some of those visitors into leads. This is another area that begs for some efficient A/B testing. Test different lead collection methods. There are several methods you can use to collect email leads, and even a few simple plugins that will help you with the process. But don’t take the default settings for granted. You need to test the methods for finding leads. For example, Noah Kagan recently shared his extensive pop-up box testing. He was able to determine the best time to display a pop-up box and learned exactly how often he could display it without annoying his readers. A few of the things that you should be A/B testing include: The overall look and feel of your lead collection area. We were able to increase conversions by switching from a blue to an orange option form. A simple change with a big result. The copy and content displayed on your lead collection form. Can you increase conversions by adding social proof? How long a user needs to be on your page before seeing your lead collection form. Noah Kagan found the magic number to be 5 seconds. Various methods and locations for lead collection. For example, does a pop-up or slide-in lead collection form perform better? Test different signup offers. Another thing you can test is the offer you make visitors in exchange for signing up. For example, does offering them a valuable piece of content improve conversions? We found that by offering a free e-book or download, we were able to double our conversion rate over night.

10 Fascinating Facts About Dung Beetles

10 Fascinating Facts About Dung Beetles Is there anything cooler than a dung beetle pushing a ball of poo? We think not. But lest you disagree, please consider these 10 fascinating facts about dung beetles. 1. Dung Beetles Eat Poop Dung beetles are coprophagous insects, meaning they eat excrement of other organisms. Although not all dung beetles eat poop exclusively, they all eat feces at some point in their life. Most prefer to feed on herbivore droppings, which are largely undigested plant matter, rather than carnivore waste, which holds very little nutritional value for insects (and really, who could blame them for that preference). Recent research at the University of Nebraska suggests dung beetles may be most attracted to omnivore excrement, since it provides both nutritional value and the right amount of odor to make it easy to find. 2.  Not All Dung Beetles Roll Their Poop When you think of a dung beetle, you probably picture a beetle pushing a ball of poop along the ground. But some dung beetles don’t bother rolling neat little dung balls at all. Instead, these coprophages stay close to their fecal finds. Aphodian dung beetles (subfamily Aphodiinae) simply live within the dung they find, often cow patties, rather than investing energy in moving it. The earth-boring dung beetles (family Geotrupidae) typically tunnel below the dung pile, making a burrow which can then be easily provisioned with poop. 3. Dung Beetles Provision Their Nests With Poop for Their Offspring When dung beetles do carry or roll the dung away, they do so primarily to feed their young. Dung beetle nests are provisioned with poop, and the female usually deposits each individual egg in its own tiny dung sausage. When the larvae emerge, they are well-supplied with food, enabling them to complete their development within the safe environment of the nest. 4. Many Dung Beetles Are Good Parents Dung beetles are one of the few groups of insects that exhibit parental care for their young. In most cases, child rearing responsibilities fall on the mother (surprise!), who constructs the nest and provisions it with food for her young. But in certain species, both parents share child care duties to some degree. In the Copris and Ontophagus dung beetles, the male and female work together to dig their nests. Certain Cephalodesmius dung beetles even mate for life. 5. Most Dung Beetles Are Particular About the Poop They’ll Eat For most dung beetles, not just any poop will do. Many dung beetles specialize on the dung of particular animals, or types of animals, and simply will not touch the poo of other critters. Australians learned this lesson the hard way, when the outback was nearly buried in cattle dung. Two hundred years ago, settlers introduced horses, sheep, and cattle to Australia, all grazing animals that were new to the native dung beetles. The Australian dung beetles were raised on poop from Down Under, like kangaroo poo, and refused to clean up after the exotic newcomers. Around 1960, Australia imported exotic dung beetles that were adapted to eating cattle dung, and things got back to normal. Phew. 6. Dung Beetles Are Really Good at Finding Poop When it comes to poop, the fresher the better (at least from the dung beetles perspective). Once a dung patty has dried out, it’s less palatable to even the most dedicated poop eater. So dung beetles move quickly when an herbivore drops a gift in the pasture. One scientist observed 4,000 dung beetles on a fresh pile of elephant scat within 15 minutes after it hit the ground, and shortly thereafter, they were joined by an additional 12,000 dung beetles. With that kind of competition, you have to move quick if you’re a dung beetle. 7. Dung Beetles Navigate Using the Milky Way With so many dung beetles vying for the same pile of poop, a beetle needs to make a quick getaway once he’s rolled his dung ball. But it’s not easy to roll a ball of poop in a straight line, especially when you’re pushing your ball from behind using your hind legs. So the first thing the dung beetle does is climb atop his sphere and orient himself. Scientists had long observed dung beetles dancing on their poo balls, and suspected they were looking for cues to help them navigate. New research confirmed that at least one species of African dung beetle, Scarabaeus satyrus, uses the Milky Way as a guide to steering its dung ball home. The researchers placed tiny hats on the dung beetles, effectively blocking their view of the heavens, and found the dung beetles could only wander aimlessly without being able to see the stars. 8. Dung Beetles Use Their Poop Balls to Cool Off Have you ever walked barefoot across a sandy beach on a scorching hot summer day? If so, you probably did your share of hopping, skipping, and running to avoid painful burns to your feet. Since dung beetles often live in similarly hot, sunny places, scientists wondered if they, too, worried about burning their tootsies. A recent study showed that dung beetles use their dung balls to cool off. Around noon, when the sun is at its peak, dung beetles will routinely climb atop their dung balls to give their feet a break from the hot ground. The scientists tried putting tiny, silicone booties on the dung beetles, and they discovered the beetles wearing shoes would take fewer breaks and push their dung balls longer than the beetles that were barefoot. Thermal imaging also showed that the dung balls were measurably cooler than the surrounding environment, probably because of their moisture content. 9. Some Dung Beetles Are Surprisingly Strong Even a small ball of fresh dung can be hefty to push, weighing 50 times the weight of the determined dung beetle. Male dung beetles need exceptional strength, not just for pushing dung balls but also for fending off male competitors. The individual strength record goes to a male Onthphagus taurus dung beetle, which pulled a load equivalent to 1,141 times its own body weight. How does this compare to human feats of strength? This would be like a 150 lb. person pulling 80 tons! 10. Millions of Years Ago, Ancient Dung Beetles Cleaned up After Prehistoric Giants Because they lack bones, insects rarely show up in the fossil record. But we do know that dung beetles existed around 30 million years ago, because paleontologists have found fossilized dung balls the size of tennis balls from that time period. Prehistoric dung beetles collected the poop of South America’s megafauna: car-sized armadillos, sloths taller than modern houses, and a peculiar long-necked herbivore called Macrauchenia.

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Business Ethics - Essay Example Business ethics requires the view of all business activities through the moral values lens to determine their acceptability in the society. For smooth business operations, all business actors must understand various issues such as the personal aspects of business including family, sex, marriage and friendship, individual rights, and the moral values ascribed by society within which the business operate. This paper entails discussion of chapters covered between week 4 and 8 and identification of different sources of information with information relevant to the readings. â€Å"It’s Not My Problem†: The Concept of Responsibility (Chapter 8) The concept of responsibility is applied in business in different ways in which every actor in the business world has a role to play. The different forms of responsibilities in the business field include consumer responsibility, corporate responsibility and shareholder responsibility. The view of these responsibilities through the busin ess ethics lens converts them into moral responsibilities and prima facie obligations. In this case, all business actors are obliged to ensure fulfillment of such responsibilities in orders for the business undertakings to have constructive ends or positive impact on the society. Lange and Washburn (2012) have explored the meaning irresponsible behavior in the business world to divert attention from what corporate social responsibility implies, to what business actors do that is against the expectation of responsible behavior. The information covered by the two authors closely relates to information covered in this chapter in which much emphasis has been put on the different responsibilities and the misunderstanding of the responsibility concept in business. According to Lange and Washburn (2012), business responsibility is deeply rooted in the external expectations and the perception of the people experiencing the business activities. The survival and success of a business organiza tion or venture greatly depends on the widespread external perception as to whether the organization acts in socially responsible manner and the ability to meet external expectations. Nevertheless, it is important to understand that the responsibility concept in business does not imply going against self-interests in the business venture but the need to strike a balance between self-interests and societal interests. The greatest dilemma in business ethics revolves around the conflict of responsibilities, where individual’s power may be limited by external expectations or responsibilities. Social Responsibility and the Stakeholder (Chapter 9) Social responsibility in the business world refers to the different roles that businesses and actors in the business world have by virtue of operating within the society. The concept of corporate social responsibility encompasses the social concerns of stakeholders and the economic interests of business owners and shareholders. The corpor ate world and the society directly depend on each other, where the society cannot function in absence of economic and social roles of corporations while at the same time corporations cannot exist without the society. The stakeholder approach in business social responsibilities ensures that business owners commit to serve broader interests, in addition to the business economic and

Discuss Nora Helmer's journey from 'dolly' wife to emanicapted woman Essay

Discuss Nora Helmer's journey from 'dolly' wife to emanicapted woman in ''A Doll's House'' by Ibsen - Essay Example In this situation, Nora is depicted as an extravagant woman who spends a lot of money on Christmas presents and home improvements. Yet the play goes well past such meanings and point of view, so that when all the characters and intensities have appeared during the plot development, the play seems to point to something different from what the readers have supposed at the beginning. The first factor of change is marked by a blackmail form Nils Krogsta. In order to save her husband, Nora lent some money from Nils Krogstad, but he found that Nora forged her dying father's signature. When Nora finds a letter, she matures and understands that the disclosure will cost her love and devotion of her husband and happy family life. As a mature woman, she does everything possible to solve the situation (ask her friend Christine to help her), but fails. In Nora's remarks, readers can find the stages of a repudiation of such a "civilized" development, and this refusal, going deeper than a social responsibility. Though, because social role of the wife is predetermined, Ibsen underlines that Nora feels miserable and depressed. The symbolic meaning of blackmail helps readers to grasp the idea at once shaping atmosphere of the play. Also, this setting contemplates nature, both the natural world around the narrator and her own inner nature. Another unique setting is Torvald's st udy. Before he shuts the door he calls to him" (Ibsen).

Mid Term Essay Example for Free

Mid Term Essay I affirm that the attached work is entirely my own, except where the words or ideas of other writers are specifically acknowledged according to accepted citation conventions. This assignment has not been submitted for any other course at Robert Kennedy College or any other institution. I have revised, edited and proofread this paper. I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I received in its preparation is fully acknowledged and fully disclosed in this paper (examination). I have also cited any sources (footnotes or endnotes) from which I used data, ideas, theories, or words, whether quoted directly or paraphrased. I further acknowledge that this paper has been prepared by me specifically for this course. MIDTERM ASSESSMENT Q1. 70 Points Understanding Human Behavior is critical to organizations discuss the benefits of self evaluation/self assessment as it relates to leaders today. Q2. 30 Points: Prejudice can be hurtful and destructive discuss how you can personally reduce prejudice in your workplace please provide an example. Understanding Human Behavior is critical to organizations discuss the benefits of self evaluation/self assessment as it relates to leaders today. As the world is becoming more dependent on electronic gadgets, its becomes more difficult to have a face to face discussion or contacts with the people we work with. These have made it more important to understand the behavior of the people we work with and more critical to any manager that wants to be successful in his organization. For a leader to fully understand Human behavior, that person need to first do what is called self assessment. † being self aware allows one to recognize and improve their strength and weakness in order to maximize their leadership[ potential† Discovering your Authentic Leadership, Harvard Business Review February 2007 page 3 Human behaviors are must predictable if one have taken time to sturdy another person. In organizational Behavior 15th edition by Stephen and Timothy page 11 â€Å"Behavior is generally predictable and the systematic study of behavior is a means to making reasonable accurate predictions† Self evaluation is a major factor towards becoming a good leader, because this evolves looking at oneself so that all aspect that is important are identified and evaluated. As a leader you need to know your capacity and ability. The oxford dictionary defines self assessment as an evaluation of oneself or actions, altitudes or performance. As the definition implies there are several ways that a leader can evaluate his or her performance. In Harvard Business review of 2007 with the title discovering your Authentic leadership page 5 eight key questions are asked, and this I believe if well understood can benefit a leader today. And help to develop a better self evaluation mechanism. The people and experience in your early life have a great impact on an individual, As a leader knowing where your coming from is very important and this makes you to compare note to with were you want to be in the future. Self evaluation will help you know if progress is being made and were more efforts are required. As a modern leader you need to be systematic in your assessment, without over overrating your skills, this can be done through your pears subordinates by way of asking questions that brings out the honest answers from them. Arrogance should not have a part in these for your survival depends on their honest response. Every leader most have values, HBR in discovering you Authentic leadership page 4 says â€Å"The value that forms the basis for Authentic leadership are derived from your beliefs and convictions, but you will not know what your true values are until they are tested under pressure† must time people say† Nothing will ever make me change my mind â€Å"only to shift ground when much pressure are mounted on us, In other wars pressure is what refines our true vales, and when self evaluation is applied the value that you have or come out with unshaken is your true value. A leader is also motivated to act by one action or the other, self assessment will help you to know your motivation, does it come from the inside or the outside? Knowing the answers will help you to discover yourself. Most people waste there life leaving a programmed life, and not having satisfaction, only when they do things out of motivation will they truly be happy. You’re Family, friends, workmates and neighbors all reflect the kind of a leader one is so in the process of self assessments one needs to evaluate all to be sure whether the right set of people are what he has around him. Success is a team work; we are all interdependent on each other. Another area of leadership self awareness is on consistence, Do I double speck? A leader should be known as one who is constant in all situations that confronts him, and make sure everyone within the organization is carried along on most activities. A leader should assess his personality to see if he owns up to his mistake, leaders are human, they make mistakes and should accept correction. Leaders need to make out time for themselves and family. Having done a proper self assessment as a leader am ever more determined to develop a system and process were talented people are attracted and aligned to be future leaders. â€Å"No individual achievement can equal the pleasure of leading a group of people to achieve a worthy goal. When you cross the finish line together, all pain and suffering you may have experienced quickly vanishes† HBR discovering you authentic leadership page 8. In conclusion every leader must do some kind of self assessment periodically for improvement; this in true reflects in the person the quality of a good leader. Q2. Prejudice can be hurtful and destructive discuss how you can personally reduce prejudice in your workplace please provide an example. â€Å"All human being are born free and equal in dignity and right, they are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood†. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human right. Despite this well articulated statement, Prejudice is still a universal problem, we all are prejudiced in one way or the other, but for us to be good leaders we all need to work hard in other to reduce prejudice in our work place. As a step towards reducing prejudice one has to acknowledge that it really exists. It is only when we accept it existence can we start to discuss way to end or reduce prejudice. â€Å"Prejudgment becomes prejudice only if they are not reversible when exposed to new knowledge† says the book the Nature of prejudice. And only the type of contacts that lead people together is likely to result in changed attitudes. According to the report UNISCO against Racism â€Å"education could be a precious tool in the struggle against new form of racism, discrimination and exclusion† having this fine idea before us should make us more aware of our responsibilities. The book Understanding Prejudice and discrimination says. â€Å"Perhaps they must important conclusions to emerge from prejudice research are 1. No one capable of human thoughts and speech is immune from harboring prejudice. It often takes deliberate effort and awareness to reduce prejudice and 3. With sufficient motivation it can be done† As a business owner I have I have synchronized the research work into my working environments. And this have reduced Prejudice in our organization, My country Nigeria is a multi ethnic and culturally diversified nation with more than three hundred ethnic groups. Must time working with people of different ethnic groups can be challenging if once does not do away with his pre conceived thoughts about another tribe. As an IGBO specking person I have come not to think that any other tribe is inferior to mine. So during recruitment we do not discriminate or apply mono-ethnic sentiments, rather we appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of our individuality. So everybody who performs well is given the opportunity to work with us. I have also made sure that each project team is not mono-ethnic; so that they can all learn from their diversity and this have really reduce the level of prejudice in our work place. I have notice a staff who was once very prejudiced about an individual from another ethnic group being good friends after they worked together on a project for a period of time, when I asked about his the new closeness and friendship with the person he was once prejudiced about he simple replied â€Å"ignorance can kill†. This was because by working with the individual as project team member he came to realize that the person has a very good principle and very hardworking too against what he previously thought.

Pablo Picasso Essay -- Essays Papers

Pablo Picasso "Yet Cubism and Modern art weren't either scientific or intellectual; they were visual and came from the eye and mind of one of the greatest geniuses in art history. Pablo Picasso, born in Spain, was a child prodigy who was recognized as such by his art-teacher father who ably led him along. The small Museo de Picasso in Barcelona is devoted primarily to his early works, which include strikingly realistic renderings of casts of ancient sculpture. "He was a rebel from the start and, as a teenager, began to frequent the Barcelona cafes where intellectuals gathered. He soon went to Paris, the capital of art, and soaked up the works of Manet, Gustave Courbet, and Toulouse-Lautrec, whose sketchy style impressed him greatly. Then it was back to Spain, a return to France, and again back to Spain - all in the years 1899 to 1904. "Before he struck upon Cubism, Picasso went through a prodigious number of styles - realism, caricature, the Blue Period, and the Rose Period. The Blue Period dates from 1901 to 1904 and is characterized by a predominantly blue palette and subjects focusing on outcasts, beggars, and prostitutes. This was when he also produced his first sculptures. The most poignant work of the style is in Cleveland's Museum of Art, La Vie (1903), that was created in memory of a great childhood friend, the Spanish poet Casagemas, who had committed suicide. The painting started as a self-portrait, but Picasso's features became those of his lost friend. The composition is stilted, the space compressed, the gestures stiff, and the tones predominantly blue. Another outstanding Blue Period work, of 1903, is in the Metropolitan, The Blind Man's Meal. Yet another example, perhaps the most lyrical and mysterious ever, is in the Toledo Museum of Art, the haunting Woman with a Crow (1903). "The Rose Period began around 1904 when Picasso's palette brightened, the paintings dominated by pinks and beige, light blues, and roses. His subjects are saltimbanques (circus people), harlequins, and clowns, all of whom seem to be mute and strangely inactive. One of the premier works of this period is in Washington, D.C., the National Gallery's large and extremely beautiful Family of Saltimbanques dating to 1905, which portrays a group of circus workers who appear alienated and incapable of communicating with each other, set in a one-dimensional space... ...ods. This paperback version is the smarter buy. Also available: A Life of Picasso: Volume II, 1907-1917, which covers the critical Cubist Period. Picasso : The Early Years 1892-1906 This is the catalog to the blockbuster show of 1997, featuring the Blue and Rose Periods. The graphics are of exceptional quality, and the accompanying essays are enlightening, focusing on less well-known aspects of this period of Picasso's career. Picasso and Portraiture : Representation and Transformation William Rubin (Editor), Anne Baldassari, Pierre Daix This is the catalog to the blockbuster show of 1996, featuring portraits from the beginning to end of Picasso's long career. The graphics are again of exceptional quality. Rubin's essay in particular is critical in art historical writing on the Spanish master. Picasso's Variations on the Masters : Confrontations With the Past Susan Grace Galassi This is an extremely interesting look at Picasso's series paintings based on masterworks from the past, from Velazquez to Delacroix to Manet. It was as if he could not find sufficient competition among contemporary artists, and looked to outdo the masters of the past in their own works.

Rain Dance Essay

A rain dance is a dancing ceremony performed by some Native American Indian tribes, asking their spirits or gods to send rain. It is more common among Southwest Native Americans, who live in drier regions. Time Frame * The rain dance normally takes place during the spring planting season and the summer months before crops are harvested. The dance asks the gods or spirits to send the appropriate amount of rain at the correct time to assure a plentiful crop. Geography * Some Native American Indians of the Southwest include the rain dance as part of their religious ritual. Rain dances can be found in other cultures in different parts of the world, such as in ancient Egypt, 20th century Romania and in Slavic countries. History * Stories of the origins of ceremonial dances have been passed from generation to generation orally. When the Native Americans were relocated in the 19th century, the United States government banned certain tribal ceremonial dances. In some regions tribal members would tell federal representatives that they were performing a â€Å"rain dance† rather than disclosing the fact they were actually performing one of the banned ceremonies. Features. * One thing that makes rain dances unique from some other ceremonial dances is that both men and women participate in the ceremony. Rain dances vary from tribe to tribe, each with their unique rituals and ceremony. Large headdresses are often worn, along with specific ritual dress and accessories. Dance steps usually involve moving in a zigzag pattern as opposed to other ceremonial dances that involve standing in a circle. Identification * Native Americans have many different types of ceremonial dances, which may vary from tribe to tribe, depending on their particular religious and spiritual beliefs and needs. The rain dance is perhaps one the most stereotypical Native American ceremonial dance depicted by Hollywood. Many Native American people continue to honor their ceremonial dances. Some Native Americans on reservations perform this ritual daily. Each year on August 19th, the Pueblo Zuni people in New Mexico hold their rain dance ceremony. Both the men and women take part in the ceremony, each wearing masks. The men perform the ceremony with a nude torso, adorned with paint and a necklace of beads. A fox skin is attached to the back of the waistline of the embroidered apron they wear. Leather or silver bracelets are worn. Their legs are bare and they wear moccasins. Women performing the dance are fully covered, with only bare feet. Shawls cover their dress and hands. * Form two lines parallel to each other and about four feet apart. Men stand in one line; women in the other. * Step forward with your left foot. * Raise your right foot while moving forward and bring that foot to the floor. The men can stomp more vigorously than the women. * Continue to step forward in this way–left foot, right foot higher, stomp to floor. Unlike other Native American dances performed in a circle, rain dancers move in a square pattern around the sides of the room or area in which they’re dancing. * During one measure of the song, and while moving forward, face to the right. During the next measure, face to the left. A zigzagging pattern is formed as you continue on in this manner * Between measures, dancers can stop and twirl in imitation of the wind, which is showing the promise of rain. The women may chant or sing the song that’s playing, and the men can yelp with the beat.

Huck Finn Annotations

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain Chapter 1: -This book is written in a first person point of view -Huck is known from Tom's story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer -Huck and Tom found 6000 dollars, which is a lot of money in this era -Miss Watson is very nice to have taken Huck in -There is a lot of racism in the book because of the time period it takes place in -It seems like Tom Sawyer is Huck's role model Chapter 2: -Takes place in a time of slavery Jim keeps the same five cents on a string around his neck as the five cents Tom left for the candles -Tom shows that he is the leader type when he forms the club -All the kids say the oath is beautiful, even though it talks about murder -The club turns out to be just a childish game; for they do not do anything that they said they were going to do, like robbing and murdering -They are naive and do not know what they are talking about: they use â€Å"kill† and â€Å"ransom† interchangeably -It is ironic that th ey are talking about killing people, but will not do it on Sunday because it would be â€Å"wicked†.Killing itself is wicked Chapter 3: -Characterization: Huck is pretty selfish -Huck figured out that the clubs games of robbery were not as real as Tom said they would be -Tom lives in his own world that is made up of fairytales. -â€Å"†¦ One of Tom Sawyer's lies. † This shows that Tom lies a lot Chapter 4: -Huck is very superstitious -It's not just Huck that is superstitious. Everyone is superstitious -Both Huck and Pap are struggling with their consciences Chapter 5: -Characterization: Pap is violent with Huck Characterization: Pap is paranoid and threatened by Huck's ability to read and write, while he cannot -Pap only came back because he heard that Huck became rich and Pap wants the money -Characterization: Pap is an alcoholic -When someone becomes â€Å"powerful thirsty† they want to get drunk Chapter 6: -Characterization: Huck is rebellious -Recidivis m: To repeat a crime. -^Pap does this several times^ -Huck was not allowed to smoke before (with the widow) -Irony: â€Å"Pap was careful†, but he was usually drunk Characterization: Pap was insecure with how Huck was raised, so he takes over Huck's life -Huck was uneasy because the widow was unable to take Huck away from Pap -Huck did not like to be civilized with the widow -Why did Mark Twain compare a drunk the Adam from the Garden of Eden? -Ironic: Pap did not raise Huck much -Pap is racist and does not want to partake in the same activities as black people -Symbolism: Snakes like from the Garden of Eden -Characterization: Nothing is really Pap's fault; he is just a little proud and bombastic -When drunk, Pap is violent Ironic: Pap is now calling himself the poor devil after saying that he is worth 6000 dollars and he deserves better than the government will give him -Huck is killing his father from the inside via education, wealth, and lifestyle with the widow -What will Huck do with the gun? Use it for protection, or aggression? Chapter 7: -Characterization: Huck is a fast thinker -Huck talks with a motive to deceive -Huck chooses his own happiness over Pap's happiness -Pap is angel of death to some extent -Huck was very smart -Huck is faking a burglary and his own death Tom would have been proud -Characterization: Tom is good with escapes and is also fast thinking -Huck is clever and steers the investigation in the wrong direction -Is Huck the angel of death, not Pap? -Huck was on the boat all night Chapter 8: -â€Å"†¦ They was firing cannons over the water, trying to make my carcass come to the top. † Strange superstition -The bread floated to Huck. Does the superstition really work? -The widow is not on the boat -Huck can fend for himself; he is street smart and handy just like Pap -Huck is very nervous No matter where Huck goes, there is always someone else there (can't find a place to be alone and hide out in) -Why was Miss Watso n's Jim out in the leaves? -Jim thinks that he is seeing a ghost when he sees Huck -Jim always tells tall tails and even if Jim told about seeing Huck, no one would believe him -Characterization: Jim is extremely superstitious -Tom Sawyer must be notorious for his schemes -Characterization: Jim is trusting, maybe even gullible -It seems like money is the most important thing to people in this time and place -Setting: Illinois In this setting, education is not needed as much as being street smart is -Jim and Huck have a lot in common, including that they are both fugitives -Jim thinks he will be rich one day -Jim and Huck both gave up on religion Chapter 9: -Setting: Missouri Shore -There is great imagery when talking about the storm -All of these stolen materials will come in handy in the future Chapter 10: -Now Huck has no doubt about the superstition (The snake's bad luck) -Huck does not like Pap's whiskey because it reminded him of when Pap was drunk and would beat him -Good luck brought Huck and Jim the fish Huck is going to see what is going on in his hometown by going undercover Chapter 11: -â€Å"I wouldn't forget I was a girl† -She is new to town and does not know anybody, but she knows a lot of rumors -Alcohol is more important to Pap than Huck is -All Pap wants is Huck's money for alcohol -The woman tells Huck that her husband was going to search the island for Jim. This was good because it warned them in advance -Huck begins to blow his cover. Then he does completely by forgetting his cover name -Even though the woman knew Huck was pretending, she continued to talk to him.Maybe it is because she is lonely and needed someone to talk to anyways -The woman is very sharp because she observes everything Huck does and then compares it to how a woman would do it and how he was doing it -Huck tells more lies to cover his identity, which does work -The woman quizzes him to see if he's lying again, which he was, but Huck new the answers to her question s nevertheless -Huck starts another fire on the island to trick the people looking for them into thinking that this place was their campsite; it was very clever -Huck seems to be very good at tricking people. Is this because he has tricked a lot of people in the past?Chapter 12: -The woman's information ended up being very helpful -All of Huck and Jim's actions show how careful they as being as to not get caught -Ironic: Pap talks about good deeds, while he's a violent drunk -Setting: They passed St. Louis on the fifth night -St. Louis was very different from Huck's hometown in that there were so many more people living in St. Louis -When Huck wanted to explore the wreck, Jim refused at first, but when Huck spoke about how much the items on the boat could be worth, he said okay -Both Jim and Huck use Tom as a role model and an example throughout the book -It was very unlikely that they were to find eople on the ship already, but they did -Jack Packard does not want to kill the man, he just wants to teach him a lesson, but the other man wants to kill him -Ironic: A murderer is talking about good morals -The men on the boat are robbers and murderers -Huck wants to catch the murderers -Huck and Jim end up being stuck on the boat with the murderers, and the boat could sink at any moment Chapter 13: -Huck and Jim are lucky to have gotten off of the boat. â€Å"Curiosity killed the cat† -This situations shows that money brings out the worst in people -Huck has sympathy on the murderers They took the valuables that the robbers were going to take from the boat -This shows the importance of money in this time period; they were willing to risk their lives for some more money -Huck lies to the watchman of the boat so that he will go to the wreck and save the robbers -Does Huck look up these thieves as role models? -There is a lot of repetition when it comes to the subject of death. It has shown up several times already. Is someone going to die? Chapter 14: -Jim br ings up the subject of money again -Characterization: Jim is very dubious Huck talks of Solomon as if it was a rumor spread around a small town. He has the story wrong anyways -Jim is very stubborn and maybe even sensitive -Once again, Jim is being arrogant and ignorant to different types of people Chapter 15: -Huck has one of the â€Å"meow† calls like he had with Tom -The fog acts as a means of isolation, separating everyone -Huck lies to Jim and tricks him -Jim thought that Huck had died, again. So when Huck woke Jim up it was as if he had come back to life for the second time -Why is Huck trying to fool Jim? Jim was smart enough to realize that Huck tricked him. Huck was smart enough to trick him, but not smart enough to see the damage that tricking people causes Chapter 16: -Huck thinks that they are going in circles, so he doesn't know what to do (conflict) -Jim brought up smoking. It has been a while since this has been mentioned -When Jim brought up how close his free dom is, Huck questioned himself. Why did he help Jim? -â€Å"But you knowed he was running for his freedom, and you could'a'paddled ashore and told someone†: Man versus Society -Jim has plans that mostly have to do with money Huck should be happy that Jim says that his freedom is all because of Huck, but he is guilty instead -Huck is trying to turn himself around. He wants to be happy that he helped Jim, but he's also guilty for going against what society wants -Huck talks about how his dad raised him -Jim forgives Huck and gives him kindness and sympathy -The bad luck seems to be getting even worse -Great imagery (top of pg 94) -Huck comes back to find no canoe, no raft, and no Jim Chapter 17: -Huck lies about his name again -These people are paranoid and skeptical, but they have reason to be.Huck is lying to them after all -Who are the Shepherdsons? -Characterization: Buck is talkative and annoying. He asks and answers before Huck can answer -Maybe Huck should know the corr ect spelling of his fake names -Are they so paranoid because they want to protect the house? -The family is educated and rich -This girl is not scared of death -I agree with Huck. Too bad no one makes her â€Å"a tribute† -Juxtaposition of death and the pretty house with good food Chapter 18: -Characterization: Grangerford= rich and proper -Descriptions of civilized life and people The family has faced tremendous loss -Why do the two families fight? -Buck doesn't mind shooting the other person, he just doesn't like hiding while doing it -The fighting between the two families seems very foolish -No cowards? That is hard to believe. I am sure there is at least one -Who is she meeting at 2:30? -Jim has been living off of Grangerford hospitality as well -Huck is smart for not revealing Jim right away and directly -Characterization: Buck is more violent than the rest of his family -Huck is once again involved in death: Angel of Death? Huck always blames himself for the deaths that he is connected to, since he could have prevented it, but it's not entirely his fault -Huck is back from the dead to Jim for the third time -Huck and Jim are happy to be reunited away from the feuding families Chapter 19: -Top of page 117: Great imagery -Huck and Jim being naked around each other shows that they are comfortable with each other -Jim has a lot of crazy thoughts -Huck is getting into the bad habit of helping fugitives -At first it sounds like he won't help, but he's just being smart -Both men have money trouble One is old and bald and the other is young -It's strange- The men are trying to get to know each other, but they never exchange names -I don't believe Bridgewater when he says he is a Duke. It is very unlikely -I think that the old man is trying to trick everyone into thinking that Bridgewater died. He is jealous -The Duke is jealous because the King beats him. Jim and Huck are very gullible -Huck knows that the two men are lying, but he just plays along to kee p the peace Chapter 20: -Huck is a very good storyteller -Why don't Huck and Jim get beds? Huck always uses great imagery when describing nature, but when he describes people he lacks details, which gives poor imagery -The King and the Duke and very selfish, which angers me. Huck deserves better friends -Obviously Huck never knew about plays; he was poor -This raft is full of liars -He's trying to trick and embarrass the king -This is not church like Huck is used to -The King and Duke should also be up there -He is such a liar, even if it is true. I think if he gets back to the Indian Ocean he'll be tempted into pirating again -This is not a smart idea at all.For 200 dollars people will steal Jim or make sure he is brought back -I think Jim is skeptical of them being kings and dukes as well Chapter 21: -I have a bad feeling about the swordfight -Characterization: The Duke is very bossy and a â€Å"know-it-all† -How does the Duke know so much Shakespeare? -A few of these lines in the speech are correct, but misplaced. Most of it is just made up -The sign for the Shakespeare play was a form of propaganda -The tickets were overpriced and it was false advertising -This is not the right town to show cultured â€Å"Shakespeare† -People in this town have a sick and violent sense of humor The daughter is just in time to see her dad get killed -Again, Huck witnesses a murder: Angel of Death? -More like a mob than a town. Are there any rules or laws? Chapter 22: -Of course everyone is afraid of the guy with the double barrel shot gun; he always wins -The man is a coward. If he didn't have his gun to protect him, he would be scared -Huck never purposely causes trouble -I wonder if Huck has ever seen a circus before -I, like Huck, also see the damage of this man's actions -The town is not cultured -You can tell that the show will be inappropriate because children are not allowed Chapter 23: One's pride is always one's downfall -The show was funny, but too sh ort and not what it was supposed to be -The town's people had a plan, but so did Huck and his group -Jim is realizing that the royalty is like the regular cheaters in life -Jim thinks that they are fake, but Huck lies as to prevent Jim getting kicked out of the raft -Jim has feelings and problems, just life a white man does -This chapter brings a whole new insight into Jim's life Chapter 24: -It does not sound like the plan worked well -I do not think that they should do another show -(Page 158) No one has used Huck's full name in a while A lot of information is exchanged, which will be important in the future -All 0f the names that the boy said will probably show up again -A lot of repetition of the word yawl -Huck was ashamed that the two men would take advantage of the death for money Chapter 25: -No one knew that they were frauds because no one had seen them in such a long time -All of the names he heard on the boat show up again -This scheme is low, but it fits the characters d oing it -All the men can think of is money -Will this frame the daughters? -Is he the true uncle? -No, he's the physician -The whole family believes the king, which is bad Because the king is confident, he is able to joke about the situation Chapter 26: -Huck might end up blowing their cover -Never mind, Huck is a quick thinker with convincing arguments -She's like the other woman. She sees right through him, yet she continues to play along -Huck is beginning to get second thought about the robbery -Huck sees how innocent the daughters are -The Duke and Huck care about the orphans. The King does not -Characterization: The King is very selfish -The king cares about materials rather than other people -Huck is making the right decision by stealing the gold from the frauds, but who will be blamed for it?Chapter 27: -If he hides the money, will anyone get it back? -Huck is involved in another death: A. O. D (Angel of Death) -Huck is right. Someone will probably find the money -What is wr ong with the dog? Where is Jim right now? -Surprisingly, the girls were close with their slaves -They considered the slaves to be family -The frauds notice the money is missing -Why won't the king and duke tell Huck the problem? -Huck is smart, so no one gets hurt Chapter 28: -Huck might crack and tell that they are frauds -I don't know how Mary Jane will take the news -I hope she keeps his secret Huck was smart to bring up the nonesuch. The mob would have been there in minutes -Mary Jane is trustworthy -Huck has done all he can do -Does Huck like Mary Jane? -Leave it to Huck to tell a tall tale -Huck is very cunning in the way that he influences people's thinking patterns -I wish I knew more about Tom Sawyer Chapter 29: -The frauds have two days to leave -Now Huck, even though he was good, is accused with the other men -I don't know how they are going to get out of this one -Irony: Huck is used to lying, so the truth is awkward -Do these names have to do with each other? -I believe the new gentleman.It is too bad that he cannot prove it -Will they find the bag of money? -It is lucky that Huck put the money there -Of course the gold worked as a great distraction -The men were so happy to be free -Will he let the men back into the raft? Or will he turn them away? Chapter 30: -He sort of reminds me of Pap in a way -Now the king and the duke are against each other because they wanted the money -The king said that he did it to save his life -I really hope that Jim and Huck leave the duke Chapter 31: -The king and duke are up to no good -I knew something bad would happen! -Did the duke and the king sell Jim themselves? Conflict: Man versus Man, Man versus Society, and Man versus Self -Huck is getting his beliefs again -Underwater is the best place to hide a canoe -Huck is now conforming to pap's beliefs -Huck is, once again, a fast thinker -Obviously this was the plan that the two men had on the boat that they kept quiet -He won't trust Huck because he's not trustw orthy himself -So he shouldn't trust Huck, he is going to leave Chapter 32: -(Page 218) Very descriptive -Is there a connection between Huck and Tom Sawyer here? -A â€Å"nigger† is still a person -All of the sudden, Huck isn't comfortable lying. Why? -(Page 222) This is suspenseful That's a ridiculous coincidence that Huck met Tom's family -This was a lucky coincidence Chapter 33: -Of course Tom thinks Huck is dead -Now Tom and Huck can brainstorm together to devise a plan on how to save Jim -Tom always comes up with something stylish. I cannot wait to see -He has something planned -â€Å"Humans can be awful cruel to one another† -The royalty is ended! -Huck always feels like he is to blame Chapter 34: -They are feeding Jim -Meanwhile, Huck is just as clever at Tom -Tom is a true friend to Huck -Style is good, but Huck's plan will take less time and be easier -Jim is good at playing along with plans Jim's life is at stake. I wonder if Jim is fooling the other servants and blaming witches Chapter 35: -Tom's style is kind of tedious and overly complex -I think that Tom thinks of this as a game. He is not taking it seriously -Tom is completely irrational and overly imaginative -Tom should let Huck handle the plan -Huck is much more realistic -Tom bases too much of his actions on fictions -Huck is in his right mind, but Tom is not -They don't have all the time in the world to save Jim, but Tom thinks they do -Huck sees no point in arguing Chapter 36: Slowly but surely, this will go the was Huck said it would go in the first place -Huck's easier ideas are beginning to look good to Tom -Jim is always happy to see Huck -Jim, like Huck, did not argue to keep the peace -Tom's lie may help Nat's sanity -Characterization: Nat is very superstitious Chapter 37: -People are beginning to notice missing household items -It is kind of obvious that Tom should have listened to Huck -Huck's lies affect a lot of people's sanity -Why do they have to confuse Aunt Sall y? -It is a good plan, but I feel terrible for the Aunt and Uncle -Although it was unnecessary, Jim did everything that Tom told him to doChapter 38: -They could have run away by now -What is a coat of arms? -Does Tom know that they don't have much time left? -Jim begins to dislike Tom's â€Å"style† -Jim is getting annoyed with the escape plan -We have already had bad experience with rattlesnakes -Tom's â€Å"doing it right† is just going to make Jim miserable -Of course Jim gives in as to not cause any trouble -Tom is giving Jim so much to work on Chapter 39: -But the Uncle already closed all of the rat holes (Page 264, first sentence) -Now Jim is having a miserable time as a prisoner Huck certainly looks up to Tom, but I think Huck should stand up for himself for once -This process does not really have to be this scary -Is there a good reason to scare everyone? -Tom's imagination is just as big, if not bigger than Huck's. Is Huck this way because of Tom? Chapter 40: -Something bad is going to come out of this -They could get killed or hurt from this! -It is lucky that the butter melted. It got him out of trouble -Tom likes this mind of danger. Does he still see this as a game? -Of course Tom would be happy with a bullet in his leg. It's like a trophy for his hard work -I agree, Jim does need a doctorChapter 41: -The doctor might tell the Phelpses -Huck is using good excuses to encourage the doctor to come -All of Tom's crazy, stupid evidence really came in handy -At least Tom and Huck are not blamed -It's funny: They did not get away safe and sound -They won't find Tom because he is on the raft. Where is Jim? -This is just how it was with Mary Jane (Page 282) -Huck will go if she's asleep Chapter 42: -I knew the doctor wasn't trustworthy -Of course they would not hang Jim because of how much he is worth -I guess the doctor did do the right thing in the end So Jim is good and Tom is good -Hopefully Aunt Sally will assume that Tom is insane, rat her than believe him. Otherwise, they might get into a lot of trouble -Tom sincerely wanted Jim free -Jim was already free after all of this? Excellent twist -After all of the trouble they went through, Jim was already free, and Tom already knew that! Tom just wanted the adventure -Everyone seems to have a happy ending Chapter The Last -Tom just wanted an adventure. He did not know that Jim and Huck had already had their fair share of adventures -I knew Jim had him for a reason!

Villa San Girolamo Essays

Villa San Girolamo Essays Villa San Girolamo Paper Villa San Girolamo Paper The Role of the Villa San Giordano Symbolism adds layers of meaning to novels. It can either have a significant, insignificant or negative Impact on the progression of the novel. In Michael Nonnatives The English Patient, the lives of four Individuals are scarred due to the destructiveness of the war. Four Individuals gather at one common area in Tuscany, Italy known as Villa San Giordano (hereafter cited as the Villa). Annotated represents the Villa in many ways. As a representation of a Sanctuary, the Villa protects the lives f the characters, act as a holy place and as a place of refuge. As well, the Villa represents a place where the theme of death and rebirth is present and helps them move past their war wounds. Lastly, the Villa provides a sense of belonging among the characters since they have all been affected by the war In a similar fashion. In the English Patient, Annotated uses the Villa to symbolize a healing aid to the following characters: Kip, Hanna, Aggravating and the English Patient (hereafter cited as Almasys) as it proves to be of greater use than Just a place of rest. The Villa is a representation off Sanctuary that portrays itself as a safe haven, a holy place and a place for refuge. Kip, Hanna, Alms and Aggravating meet in the Walla. Hanna and Almasys room In what used to be a small nunnery before being invaded by German soldiers. As Hanna and Almasys begin their lives together In the Villa, the war Maniacs 2 has yet to conclude. Although not being its primary function, the Villa is providing protection for Hanna and Almasys from the outside world of war and violence. Annotated provides the readers a sense of the conditions in which they were living, From outside, the place seemed devastated. An outdoor staircase disappeared In midair, Its rallying hanging off. [Hanna and Almasys] life was a foraging and tentative safety [Hanna and Almasys] were protected by the simple fact that the villa seemed a ruin. But [Hanna] felt safe here (Annotated,The English Patient, 14). Deeper into the novel the description continues: The Villa San Giordano Had the look of a besieged fortress, the limbs of most of the statues blown off during the first days of shelling. There seemed little demarcation between house and landscape, between damaged building and the burned and the shelled remnants of the earth In spite of the burned earth, In pity of the lack of water. Someday there would be a bower of limes, rooms of green light. (Annotated 43) With Nonnatives descriptions, the environment in which they are living appears harsh, unstable and uninhabitable. This provides protection as it would be unworthy for invasion. This allows Hanna to fully concentrate on Alms healing of the burns on his body rather than protecting themselves from war enemies. This also helps KIP to focus on disarming the bombs around the Villa. Secondly, ten Via Is valley as a only place Decease It NAS a strong resume the garden of Eden. In the biblical garden, Adam and Eve were given Maniacs 3 lance to much more than they needed. They had plentiful food and all the necessities for survival. In the villa, the inhabitants Had enough vegetation planted in the bombed out orchard above the house for them to survive Some beans, some meats (Annotated 7). Hanna spends most of her day in the garden gathering anything she c an from the plants and tries to maintain whatever life the plants have. When the Germans retreated, the Villa was used as a war hospital treating patients of their injuries and later became vacant. The Villa has plenty of first aid material making it easy for Hanna to tend to Alms injuries. Throughout the course of the novel, the characters in the Villa are not faced with destruction despite the many hidden, UN- detonated bombs. This can be Gods watchful eye over the recovering characters. With the given necessities, the characters in Villa have all the essentials needed to aid in their healing. Lastly, the Villa is also seen as a place of refuge where the characters are safe and in a place of shelter from danger. The obvious danger in the novel is the passing war but a second danger in this novel is the former life of these characters. Hanna is desperately trying to remove the memory of the loss of her husband and unborn hill. Kip is trying to remove himself from his Indian heritage and become Westernizes. Aggravating is trying to remove the memory of captivity by the Germans as he was attempting to steal information. As well, Alms is trying to carry on his life with severe burns to his body. None of these fragile characters is whole in either body or soul; each is a casualty of this desperate age (Williams, Canadian Literature. N. Page), Williams describes how the lives of these characters are at a breaking point. The fragility of these characters explains why they need a new beginning; a way to start anew. The Maniacs 4 sat life of these characters has been devastating an d very tragic making them difficult to heal. They come together at the Villa, depicted as a vacation place from their past lives. The Villa helps begin a new chapter in their lives. As a safe haven, the Villa provides protection and shelter from the passing war. As a representation of the garden of Eden, the Villa is viewed as a holy place. Lastly as a place of refuge, the characters are able to come together and help rid themselves of terrible memories. The Villa, presents these three qualities of a sanctuary that allows the characters to progressively heal over the course of the novel. The theme of death and rebirth is apparent in The English Patient. Rebirth is a term commonly used to describe a new beginning and is present in various ways in the novel. The characters in the novel experience a death and rebirth scenario that forces them to take on a new life. Prior to his accident, Alms was a highly trained general in the army. As he is in flight with an old war plane, the plane is leaking oil and later ignites. The flames engulf Alms and he Jumpers out of the plane to try and save himself: [Alms] dug down towards the tarpaulin, and Madams old plane gradually emerged The plane came out of the sand He looks down and sees oil pouring onto Nils Knees en plots up an a ten 011 sees all over ten seat .. I nerve was a spark from a short, and the twigs at her knee catches fire Pivots upside down breaking free of glass, wind flinging his body back And he is in air, bright not knowing why he is bright until he realizes hes on fire. (Annotated 174-175) Maniacs 5 Although not physically experiencing death, this crash and burn is a figurative death of an old life, the life off soldier of war. Having sever burns, he is saved by a tribe named the Bedouin and is taken under the care of Hanna who believes he is too fragile to move. Instead of leaving the Villa with the army, she decides not to move Alms, She would remain with the one burned man the call The English patient, who, it is now clear to her, should never be moved because of the fragility of his limbs (Annotated 51). Alms begins his new life in the Villa under Hennas care. Alms plane crash figuratively signifies his death and his rebirth brings him to the Villa. With the injuries sustained, he is no longer able to fight in the war. The rest allows his body to heal from his severe physical injuries. Learning of her fathers passing from the war, Hanna experiences pain not many an relate to, The way Hanna broke in Santa Chair Hospital when an official walked down the space between a hundred beds and gave her a letter that told her of the death of her father (Annotated 41). When the opportunity arises to care for this fragile patient, she Jumps at the chance. She views Alms as a way to fill a void in her life by personally assigning the role to herself. With the role off full time nurse, she recognizes that she must to do everything in her power to care for the dying patient. She has nursed him for months and she knows the body well (Annotated 1). At this point, Hanna experiences a death and rebirth. Hennas father passes away and she is given no choice but to abort her baby. As she takes on the role of being the nurse of Alms, this is the start of her new life that begins at the Villa. Helping Alms with his Maniacs 6 injuries allows her to forget the loss of her father and child by taking her mind off of them, allowing her to heal mentally. Aggravating, a friend of Hennas father, is on a mission to steal some information from the German army that later captures him. Before escaping, they sever his thumbs as a way of punishment. After being in the hospital in bandages for four months, he goes in search of Hanna when he learns from the doctors that she is living in the Villa. Hanna is delighted to see Aggravating once again but fears there will not be enough food available for the three of them: We need some chickens. [Hanna] is looking at Aggravating, knowing his skills from the past, not quite saying it. l lost my nerve, [Aggravating] says. Ill come with you, then, Hanna offers. Well do it together. You can teach me how to steal, show me what to do. You dont understand. I lost my nerve. l was caught. They nearly chopped off my bucking hands. (Annotated 33-34) Without the use of his thumbs, Aggravating believes he is useless and inadequate. Tater Telling Hanna, en access to remain In ten Via. In tens case, ten Tie AT a war soldier dies after the severing of his thumbs, since he would be of no use to the army. The life without the use of his th umbs begins at the Villa. Beginning his new life here helps him forget his injury and progressively heal mentally by not feeling useless anymore. Finally, Kip, a British sapper who does not fear death at all, makes his way to Maniacs 7 the Villa. A sapper is a name given to those skilled in diffusing bombs. One night, during a party in Alms room, there is an explosion outside. Kip does not think much of it until he examines the damage. He finds his friend Hardy, another sapper dead, He had found the location of the death and what was left there and they had buried his second in-command, Hardy (Annotated. 113). At this point, Kip comes to the realization of how dangerous his Job really is. This realization brings forward a new side of Kip, from being fearless of death to being fearful. This realization heals him mentally by making him see the danger in his Job placement which helps inhibit IM from taking risks. The characters in the novel all experience diverse deaths and rebirth as they congregate at the Villa to help represent the healing that occurs at the Villa. Furthermore, the Villa itself experiences a death and rebirth scenario. Ata point in time during the war, the Villa was the home of German soldiers. As the Germans were forced to retreat, the Villa became a war hospital and later became vacant. After the destruction of the war subsides, nature fills this area with new life. The characters presently living in the Villa are forced to learn how to live again after the extraction of the war. In Learn Gileitiss paper she writes the inhabitants of the villa are all displaced because they are exiles who have found new identities in a place other than their homeland (Glittle Identity Crisis in Michael Nonnatives The English Patient. N. Page). In other words, the characters in the Villa begin a new life and find new identities for themselves allowing them to live a new life. A town that is scarred by war debris is now a new home. Its a formation off new community. With the four characters involved, they too must learn how to adapt to the changes to their odd. The Maniacs 8 Villa, therefore, proves to be the starting point of new life by allowing the theme of death and rebirth to appear in The English Patient and for the characters to heal individually. Whether it is physical or mental damage, the characters are living through some kind of pain. The fact that the characters are living together under one roof provides a sense of belonging amongst them as a community. With the traumatic injuries they experience, an individual may feel despair, but they are able to feel a part of a group. They each find their new life despite the wounds they carry. All four characters are able to relate to one another since they have all suffered from the war: For the four inhabitants of the Villa San Giordano the only way out of their own suffering is through each other (Historian In Near Ruins n. Page). Isolated from the war ravished world, the characters in the Villa can connect and support each other to be able to live their transforming lives. The Villa allows the inhabitants to recognize that they are not alone in their suffering and many others share their wounds. It is through these wounds that new friendships and relationships are created, The residents of en Via as Allspice Monolinguals Tar away Trot tenet melanoma nave unreal physical and psychological wounds They try to heal themselves through their friendship while their old identities have dissolved (Guillotine n. Page). Hanna loves Alms and Alms grows fond of Kip and Aggravating since all three played a part in the war. Also, a sexual partnership between Hanna and Kip is formed. These relationships creates a more comfortable setting in the Villa aiding in recovery time for the characters. Maniacs 9 Annotated is able to portray the Villa as a community of diverse individuals that encourages their sense of nationality. After the news of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Kip realizes who he truly is, an Indian. Kip, who does not believe in Western aggression, discovers that it is still present through the bombings, Never trust the Europeans, [Kips brother] said When you start bombing the brown races of the world, youre an Englishman They would never have dropped such a bomb on a white nation A new war. The death of a civilization (Annotated 284-286). Kips brother is very anti-European, he is a man who always stuck to his roots, unlike Kip. This shows that no matter how hard you try to remove yourself from your roots, they will always be apparent. Furthermore, Annotated reveals Alms identity as Hungarian spy and desert explorer who helps the Germans navigate through the deserts. By trying to not remember who he is, his identity was not known until the latter stages of the novel. The last person I expected to find here in the shelled nunnery was [Alms] (Annotated 252) said by Aggravating. Annotated also uses the villa to reveal more information about the characters living in it. Hanna is constantly trying to erase the memory of war and hide from her adulthood. To erase the memory of the war, Hanna lives in the Villa and takes Alms under her care, viewing him as a defenseless child. She re-lives her childhood by p laying hopscotch on her free time in the dark hall: She drops the chalk into the pocket of her dress. She stands and pulls up the looseness of her skirt and ties it around her waist. She pulls from another pocket a piece of metal and flings it out in front of her so it falls Just beyond the farthest square. (Annotated 15) Maniacs 10 Hanna is constantly re-living her childhood by doing activities typically done by children because of the shell shock she experienced during the war. Lastly, Aggravating is trying to forget the memories of the torture he endures as a captive. The community-like atmosphere around the Villa provides a sense of belonging amongst them. Along with this, the Villa allows the characters to become more comfortable with their fellow Villa- mates. It also provides a representation of a house of nations. The Villa is able to connect four individuals that share a common thread by their involvement in the war. These characters come together despite having different nationalities but the Villa is able to prove that no matter the race or nationality, people get along, as a family unit. The villa is a place, once again, A symbol of their friendship as they seem to disregard their national and racial origins Here nations, races anything artificial that divides human beings is meaningless (Guillotine n. Page). An example is the celebration of Hennas 21st birthday In Alms room. Nonnatives Is addle to relate ten lives AT Tour snatchers tongue a small Villa that aided in their healing process. Victoria Acidosis explains in her critical summary that, In the Villa San Giordano in Italy, four shattered survivors cope with the physica l and emotional suffering the war has brought about. They come from different parts of Europe UT they share similar kinds of pain (Acidosis The English Patient n. Page). The Villa proves to be a major symbol in The English Patient. The story line of the novel is set in the Villa. In many ways, Annotated is able to use the Villa as a way of healing the injured. The Villa is able to heal the characters as a representation of a sanctuary by providing all the necessary items such as first aid materials as well as protecting them from any danger. The Villa Maniacs 11 also allows the theme of death and rebirth to occur by being the starting point of heir new life.

Asda Marketing Plan

To combat this, the report suggests that ASDA looks to change its strategy to focus more on a sustainable supply-chain, potentially one which is focused on UK food and products. While this may lead to higher prices from the retailer, it could improve its image when it comes to sustainable food retailing, and so warrant higher prices to consumers, especially if the introduction of local products develops an emotional attachment for customers. Introduction The following assignment will consider ASDA, considering the external environment in which the business operates as well as its ethical consideration, determining whether the current strategy should be maintained or whether a change is needed, with the assignment then making recommendations. Company Overview ASDA is a UK-based grocery retailers owned by U.S. listed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ASDA has been part of the UK’s ‘Big 4’ retailers in the UK grocery sector, also compromising of Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s, however it recently moved from 3rd from 2nd place on the list, being overtaken by Sainsbury’s after disappointing sales. The latest report from Kantar Worldpanel (2016) put’s ASDA’s market share at 15.3%, behind that of Sainsbury’s after suffering a 4.7% fall in sales, compared with a 0.7% fall in Sainsbury’s, and a 1.6% rise in sales at Tesco. To many UK consumers, ASDA has developed on the back of price competition, with the retailer being heavily focused on being the UK’s best value supermarket. Due of its focus on price, ASDA in the past could have been seen to ignore ethical consideration, with some of the top places seen with premium retailers such as Marks Spencer, who use their premium pricing to better consider the quality/ ethics behind their supply chain. Market Environment However, it is this strategy which has been a downfall for the retailer, especially when put against competition from the expanding ‘discounter’s’, namely Lidl and Aldi (Ruddick, 2014). These retailers have aggressively expanded into the UK market on the back of offering low prices to consumers, with their focus on ‘prime-match’, similar of marketing conducted by ASDA against the other ‘Big 4’[1]. Given this, Aldi managed to record sales growth of 10% over the same period, beating all competition and increasing its market share to 6.2%. At the same time, Aldi also announced that it looks to take its store tally from 450 to 1,000 by 2022; Lidl also announced plans to open 40-50 new stores in the UK each year, noted by Gale (2016). This move in the market has been supported from a new business model and changing consumer habits. Discounters have benefitted from economies of scale, reducing the scale of choice to offer just one option; in tu rn allowing them to increase sales of that product and reduce the production costs. At the same time, these discounters have also expanded on a no-frills approach to stores, moving away from the ‘Superstore’ concept which became popular with Tesco and ASDA. This comes at a time when consumers have also looked to move away from superstores, preferring little-and-often shops to better budget. There also seems to a reduction in customer loyalty as consumers look for the best value. Marketing Situational Analysis Building on the above, a SWOT analysis is shown below; Strengths  ·UK wide presence with 525 stores.  ·Still the UK’s 3rd largest grocery retailer – potential to increase share.Weaknesses  ·Recent marketing seems to have placed it in the ‘discount’ category when it comes to grocery stores – potentially restricting sales of some of its higher-value items. Opportunities  ·Recent improvement in UK economic fundamentals – coupled with rising wages may increase consumer disposable income.  ·Fall in ?GBP has put some spotlight on UK food/ products to escape price rises.Threats  ·Competition remains the biggest threat to ASDA, especially with discounters such as Lidl/ Aldi quickly expanding their store network, as well as expanding their marketing activities, with a focus on value. Ultimately, the analysis is suggesting that the main weakness in marketing lies within this continued focus solely on the price. This has come under pressure given new entrants into the market, with the discounters of Lidl/ Aldi coming into the market with business models which mean they can potentially undercut ASDA on prices. This is the main threat to the business, with ASDA still seeing a fall in sales, even with the recent buoyancy in UK retail sales. However, there are potential opportunities for ASDA to diversify, expanding its marketing to cover issues within sustainability and UK produce; improving the ethics when it comes to food sourcing, and issues such as food security and locality[2]. Objectives In the past, ASDA’S objectives have been focused on customer value, however given an expanding ‘discount’ sector, the retailer is now under more pricing pressure to maintain customers. With this, there is the expectation that the retailer may need to diversify, essentially look to attract more customers back to its stores. The objective for ASDA is to tempt customer’s back into its store; or tempt new customers back. Given continued expansion of Lidl/ Aldi, it could be expected that the new strategy will need to focus more on attracting new customers, be it from retailers such as Sainsbury’s. Strategy Segmentation To support its strategy, ASDA will look to segment the market into different consumers, based on demographics, location, income etc. Given marketing campaigns undertaken by the business, it would appear that ASDA has segmented the market; looking to appeal to those families of lower incomes. Its focus on being the cheapest is indicative of its primary target market. Because of this, the business has become somewhat specialised on this business model, a focus on low-cost, which in turn could impede quality. It has positioned itself in the low-cost end of the market, however given new entrants and intensified competition, is now finding it hard to compete and develop with new competition (Peter, 2011)[3]. The business model helped ASDA over the years of recession given constrained consumer income, however as economic conditions have improved, consumers have essentially traded-up. This has provided support to other retailers such as Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose which position themse lves at the higher end of the market. With this, ASDA may feel that its business is currently positioned to narrow, targeting a consumer base which is shrinking which competition is increasing. There are two ways in which the retailer can broaden its consumer base, either through changes to marketing which will target a new market, or by differentiating the product to appeal to a broader base of consumers, noted in Armstrong et al (2012)[4]. Tactics Action Given the above, the main tactic for ASDA s to re-position itself in the market, remove this constant focus on price and look to focus more on ethical issues such as sustainability, which in turn may suggest quality. To do this, the retailer has a number of actions: ASDA will move to focus on local; putting its focus on supplying more UK produce in-stores, having dedicated aisles in superstores to local producers. The benefit here will not only be from higher sales of these goods, put also of the positive PR which could arise through supporting local farmers, and local communities. This is essentially classed as differentiation; the retailer will be introducing new products to do so. ASDA will also look to introduce convenience aisles into superstores. This will be seen as segmentation,[5] looking to attract a new set of customers to its stores who may have previously left as they prefer to do ‘little-and-often’ shops. This can be marketed by ASDA to target these specific customers. Budget This section will now discuss the budget for such a change in strategy. The main costs to the business will be seen as the marketing. For instance, when it comes to the ‘convenience aisle’, it could be noted that the infrastructure is already there; the stores will simply have to shuffle around stock to create the new aisle. When it comes to introducing the new products, the costs may be more down to developing the local links, with the suppliers themselves bearing the costs associated with producing the goods. Rather than a major financial cost, the introduction of more local products may be more time consuming for ASDA, given that they will need to ensure that the new products are in-keeping with the goals of the business, both in terms of pricing and quality (Ferrell, 2012)[6]. Marketing will be done through all ’traditional’ channels given the mass-market appeal of ASDA and the fierce competition within the UK grocery sector. While this would involve a higher cost than say digital marketing opportunities, it would be hoped that print advertisements and TV commercial will draw more attention, and so inform more customers. However, digital marketing could also be used, especially when it comes to advertisements through social media, and targeted banner ads which can be used online. Control Control remains an important consideration, both in terms of ensuring a level of consistency in the marketing message as well as also monitoring the return on investment (hereafter ROI). When it comes to consistency, while marketing could change to reflect changes in the marketplace, the business must look to maintain its ‘core’ message. For instance, while the focus on new marketing campaigns may be on local produce, the core message remains with the slogan ‘Save Money, Live Better’. Too much of change may lead to current customers becoming detached with the business and its values. Control will also come with ROI. Essentially, all businesses need to ensure that their marketing spend is generating business. New, digital marketing allows businesses to track this, with businesses able to use tools such as Google Analytics to view web traffic etc. (Chaffey, 2012)[7]. Traditional marketing may be harder to manage in terms of ROI, given that it is harder to distinguish how a certain poster/ TV commercial may have driven demand. However, if ASDA move forward with a unified campaign, so changing all marketing to reflect a single message, then the business can understand the potential ROI of the campaign. Recommendation/ Conclusion To conclude, ASDA has in the past focused its marketing plan on price, looking to drive consumption through low prices. This is itself would not be considered ‘ethical consumerism’, given that some of the lower prices products could be viewed as a damage to the environment. However, this strategy has now placed ASDA into a market segment which is seeing more competition, at a time when the size of the market may be slowing, given improving economics in the UK[8]. To combat this, ASDA has an opportunity to diversify its product range into a more ‘premium’ space; be it the expansion of their ‘Extra Special’ range, or through the introduction of more local products and brands (Perreault, 2010)[9]. The focus on UK produce could provide ASDA with a ‘Unique Selling Point’; which could allow the business to justify higher pricing, noted in Fifield (2012)[10]. This may also improve the organisations ethical position as it suggests that ASDA is considering sustainability in its wider supply-chain; given that more food is local, opposed to international, reducing the ‘distance’ of the supply chain, potentially being seen as more environmentally friendly. However, at the same time, the retailer must be wary that any change to its pricing may impact on its core customers. In the end, this may further impact on market share, however this is seen as a potential risk of an opportunity. The recommendation for ASDA is that is moves forward with a change in marketing, highlighting developments in both local sourcing as well as convenience. However, ASDA must look to control this movement, and potentially monitor the opportunity. This could be done through monitoring sales of, as well as monitoring footfall into stores. References Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., Brennan, R. (2012). Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Prentice-Hall, London. Chaffey, D., Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2012). Digital marketing, London, Pearson Higher Ed. Ferrell, O. C., Hartline, M. (2012). Marketing strategy, text and cases, London, Nelson Education. Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J. (2015). Business ethics: Ethical decision making cases, London, Nelson Education. Fifield, P. (2012). Marketing strategy, London, Routledge. Gale. (2016) [Online]. How long will Aldi and Lidl’s onslaught last?, Available at http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/long-will-aldi-lidls-onslaught-last/future-business/article/1386497, Accessed 17.12.2016. Kantar Worldpanel. (2016) [Online]. UK Grocery Market Share, Available at http://www.kantarworldpanel.com/global/grocery-market-share/great-britain, Accessed 17.12.2016. Perreault, W. D. (2010). Essentials of marketing: A marketing strategy planning approach, London, Pearson. Perreault Jr, W., Cannon, J., McCarthy, E. J. (2013). Basic marketing, London, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Peter, J. P., Donnelly, J. H. (2011). Marketing management: knowledge and skills: text, analysis, cases, plans, London, Pearson. Ruddick, G. (2014) [Online]. It may already be too late for Tesco and Sainsbury’s, the rise of Aldi and Lidl looks unstoppable, Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/10974773/It-may-already-be-too-late-for-Tesco-and-Sainsburys-the-rise-of-Aldi-and-Lidl-looks-unstoppable.html, Accessed 19.12.2016. Wood, S., McCarthy, D. (2014). The UK food retail ‘race for space’and market saturation: A contemporary review. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 24(2), 121-144. Asda Marketing Plan To combat this, the report suggests that ASDA looks to change its strategy to focus more on a sustainable supply-chain, potentially one which is focused on UK food and products. While this may lead to higher prices from the retailer, it could improve its image when it comes to sustainable food retailing, and so warrant higher prices to consumers, especially if the introduction of local products develops an emotional attachment for customers. Introduction The following assignment will consider ASDA, considering the external environment in which the business operates as well as its ethical consideration, determining whether the current strategy should be maintained or whether a change is needed, with the assignment then making recommendations. Company Overview ASDA is a UK-based grocery retailers owned by U.S. listed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. ASDA has been part of the UK’s ‘Big 4’ retailers in the UK grocery sector, also compromising of Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s, however it recently moved from 3rd from 2nd place on the list, being overtaken by Sainsbury’s after disappointing sales. The latest report from Kantar Worldpanel (2016) put’s ASDA’s market share at 15.3%, behind that of Sainsbury’s after suffering a 4.7% fall in sales, compared with a 0.7% fall in Sainsbury’s, and a 1.6% rise in sales at Tesco. To many UK consumers, ASDA has developed on the back of price competition, with the retailer being heavily focused on being the UK’s best value supermarket. Due of its focus on price, ASDA in the past could have been seen to ignore ethical consideration, with some of the top places seen with premium retailers such as Marks Spencer, who use their premium pricing to better consider the quality/ ethics behind their supply chain. Market Environment However, it is this strategy which has been a downfall for the retailer, especially when put against competition from the expanding ‘discounter’s’, namely Lidl and Aldi (Ruddick, 2014). These retailers have aggressively expanded into the UK market on the back of offering low prices to consumers, with their focus on ‘prime-match’, similar of marketing conducted by ASDA against the other ‘Big 4’[1]. Given this, Aldi managed to record sales growth of 10% over the same period, beating all competition and increasing its market share to 6.2%. At the same time, Aldi also announced that it looks to take its store tally from 450 to 1,000 by 2022; Lidl also announced plans to open 40-50 new stores in the UK each year, noted by Gale (2016). This move in the market has been supported from a new business model and changing consumer habits. Discounters have benefitted from economies of scale, reducing the scale of choice to offer just one option; in tu rn allowing them to increase sales of that product and reduce the production costs. At the same time, these discounters have also expanded on a no-frills approach to stores, moving away from the ‘Superstore’ concept which became popular with Tesco and ASDA. This comes at a time when consumers have also looked to move away from superstores, preferring little-and-often shops to better budget. There also seems to a reduction in customer loyalty as consumers look for the best value. Marketing Situational Analysis Building on the above, a SWOT analysis is shown below; Strengths  ·UK wide presence with 525 stores.  ·Still the UK’s 3rd largest grocery retailer – potential to increase share.Weaknesses  ·Recent marketing seems to have placed it in the ‘discount’ category when it comes to grocery stores – potentially restricting sales of some of its higher-value items. Opportunities  ·Recent improvement in UK economic fundamentals – coupled with rising wages may increase consumer disposable income.  ·Fall in ?GBP has put some spotlight on UK food/ products to escape price rises.Threats  ·Competition remains the biggest threat to ASDA, especially with discounters such as Lidl/ Aldi quickly expanding their store network, as well as expanding their marketing activities, with a focus on value. Ultimately, the analysis is suggesting that the main weakness in marketing lies within this continued focus solely on the price. This has come under pressure given new entrants into the market, with the discounters of Lidl/ Aldi coming into the market with business models which mean they can potentially undercut ASDA on prices. This is the main threat to the business, with ASDA still seeing a fall in sales, even with the recent buoyancy in UK retail sales. However, there are potential opportunities for ASDA to diversify, expanding its marketing to cover issues within sustainability and UK produce; improving the ethics when it comes to food sourcing, and issues such as food security and locality[2]. Objectives In the past, ASDA’S objectives have been focused on customer value, however given an expanding ‘discount’ sector, the retailer is now under more pricing pressure to maintain customers. With this, there is the expectation that the retailer may need to diversify, essentially look to attract more customers back to its stores. The objective for ASDA is to tempt customer’s back into its store; or tempt new customers back. Given continued expansion of Lidl/ Aldi, it could be expected that the new strategy will need to focus more on attracting new customers, be it from retailers such as Sainsbury’s. Strategy Segmentation To support its strategy, ASDA will look to segment the market into different consumers, based on demographics, location, income etc. Given marketing campaigns undertaken by the business, it would appear that ASDA has segmented the market; looking to appeal to those families of lower incomes. Its focus on being the cheapest is indicative of its primary target market. Because of this, the business has become somewhat specialised on this business model, a focus on low-cost, which in turn could impede quality. It has positioned itself in the low-cost end of the market, however given new entrants and intensified competition, is now finding it hard to compete and develop with new competition (Peter, 2011)[3]. The business model helped ASDA over the years of recession given constrained consumer income, however as economic conditions have improved, consumers have essentially traded-up. This has provided support to other retailers such as Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose which position themse lves at the higher end of the market. With this, ASDA may feel that its business is currently positioned to narrow, targeting a consumer base which is shrinking which competition is increasing. There are two ways in which the retailer can broaden its consumer base, either through changes to marketing which will target a new market, or by differentiating the product to appeal to a broader base of consumers, noted in Armstrong et al (2012)[4]. Tactics Action Given the above, the main tactic for ASDA s to re-position itself in the market, remove this constant focus on price and look to focus more on ethical issues such as sustainability, which in turn may suggest quality. To do this, the retailer has a number of actions: ASDA will move to focus on local; putting its focus on supplying more UK produce in-stores, having dedicated aisles in superstores to local producers. The benefit here will not only be from higher sales of these goods, put also of the positive PR which could arise through supporting local farmers, and local communities. This is essentially classed as differentiation; the retailer will be introducing new products to do so. ASDA will also look to introduce convenience aisles into superstores. This will be seen as segmentation,[5] looking to attract a new set of customers to its stores who may have previously left as they prefer to do ‘little-and-often’ shops. This can be marketed by ASDA to target these specific customers. Budget This section will now discuss the budget for such a change in strategy. The main costs to the business will be seen as the marketing. For instance, when it comes to the ‘convenience aisle’, it could be noted that the infrastructure is already there; the stores will simply have to shuffle around stock to create the new aisle. When it comes to introducing the new products, the costs may be more down to developing the local links, with the suppliers themselves bearing the costs associated with producing the goods. Rather than a major financial cost, the introduction of more local products may be more time consuming for ASDA, given that they will need to ensure that the new products are in-keeping with the goals of the business, both in terms of pricing and quality (Ferrell, 2012)[6]. Marketing will be done through all ’traditional’ channels given the mass-market appeal of ASDA and the fierce competition within the UK grocery sector. While this would involve a higher cost than say digital marketing opportunities, it would be hoped that print advertisements and TV commercial will draw more attention, and so inform more customers. However, digital marketing could also be used, especially when it comes to advertisements through social media, and targeted banner ads which can be used online. Control Control remains an important consideration, both in terms of ensuring a level of consistency in the marketing message as well as also monitoring the return on investment (hereafter ROI). When it comes to consistency, while marketing could change to reflect changes in the marketplace, the business must look to maintain its ‘core’ message. For instance, while the focus on new marketing campaigns may be on local produce, the core message remains with the slogan ‘Save Money, Live Better’. Too much of change may lead to current customers becoming detached with the business and its values. Control will also come with ROI. Essentially, all businesses need to ensure that their marketing spend is generating business. New, digital marketing allows businesses to track this, with businesses able to use tools such as Google Analytics to view web traffic etc. (Chaffey, 2012)[7]. Traditional marketing may be harder to manage in terms of ROI, given that it is harder to distinguish how a certain poster/ TV commercial may have driven demand. However, if ASDA move forward with a unified campaign, so changing all marketing to reflect a single message, then the business can understand the potential ROI of the campaign. Recommendation/ Conclusion To conclude, ASDA has in the past focused its marketing plan on price, looking to drive consumption through low prices. This is itself would not be considered ‘ethical consumerism’, given that some of the lower prices products could be viewed as a damage to the environment. However, this strategy has now placed ASDA into a market segment which is seeing more competition, at a time when the size of the market may be slowing, given improving economics in the UK[8]. To combat this, ASDA has an opportunity to diversify its product range into a more ‘premium’ space; be it the expansion of their ‘Extra Special’ range, or through the introduction of more local products and brands (Perreault, 2010)[9]. The focus on UK produce could provide ASDA with a ‘Unique Selling Point’; which could allow the business to justify higher pricing, noted in Fifield (2012)[10]. This may also improve the organisations ethical position as it suggests that ASDA is considering sustainability in its wider supply-chain; given that more food is local, opposed to international, reducing the ‘distance’ of the supply chain, potentially being seen as more environmentally friendly. However, at the same time, the retailer must be wary that any change to its pricing may impact on its core customers. In the end, this may further impact on market share, however this is seen as a potential risk of an opportunity. The recommendation for ASDA is that is moves forward with a change in marketing, highlighting developments in both local sourcing as well as convenience. However, ASDA must look to control this movement, and potentially monitor the opportunity. This could be done through monitoring sales of, as well as monitoring footfall into stores. References Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M., Brennan, R. (2012). Marketing: an introduction. Pearson Prentice-Hall, London. 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