Thursday, November 28, 2019

Titians Altarpieces In The Church Of The Frari, Venice Essays

Titian's Altarpieces In The Church Of The Frari, Venice Titian's Pesaro and Assunta. Altarpieces in the church of the Frari, Venice. What was the importance of these two altarpieces for the development of painting in Venice, both from a stylistic and iconographic point of view? It has been said that Titian's Assunta, which adorns the high altar, and Pesaro (on the left aisle of the chapel of the Immaculate Conception) stand mid-way between the past and the future of Venetian painting. This infers that Titian drew on established traditions learnt from his masters Bellini and Giorgione, and imbued his works with a freshness and inspiration not seen before. Furthermore, it becomes apparent that his sensitive construction of the works ? considering the authority of his patrons ? facilitate a depth of interpretation which highlight both the sacred and civic concerns of the time. To illustrate Titian's progressive role in Venetian art history, I will draw on Renaissance documentation, and contemporary research that notes the stylistic and iconographic elements of these altarpieces. In 1568 the Florentine chronicler Vasari wrote of Titian, ?Titian?who has adorned with great pictures the City of Venice?deserves the love and respect of all craftsmen, who ought to admire and imitate him in many things. For he is a painter who has produced?work which?will live as long as the memory of illustrious men endures? . This is a useful starting point for such an investigation: this representation is valid, since Vasari had met and spoken to him while writing the book, and being a Florentine he wasn't so susceptible to employing the Venetian rhetoric which could tend to be biased The contemporary chronicler Ludovico Dolce recorded the shock and criticism the Assunta attracted when it was first unveiled. Such controversy points to its radicalism and supports assertions that it was influential for developing artists: ?For all [the panel's grandeur and awesomeness], the oafish painters and the foolish masses, who until then had seen nothing but the dead and cold works of Giovanni Bellini, of Gentile, and of Vivarino?, which were without movement and modelling, grossly defamed the picture. Then, as envy cooled and the truth slowly dawned on them, people began to marvel at the new style established in Venice by Titian There is good reason to conclude that the Assunta and Pesaro altarpieces rank amongst the finest and most notary of Titian's works. In his book, The Altarpiece in Renaissance Venice, Peter Humfrey claims that the exceptionally large number of churches in Venice elevated the prevalence of this style, as they all needed to be decorated. The lack of fresco painting (due to the humid climate) meant more panel paintings were constructed, and so ?Venetian painters tended to concentrate their most ambitious efforts?on altar painting? Limitations of the investigation The lack of primary documentation from this era hinders our ability to place the artwork in its socio-cultural context. When relying on the rhetoric of the State-appointed historians, we must consider the bias that results from their upholding of the ?Myth of Venice'. Obviously, the value of these to the research question is limited; being contemporary, they are unable to describe Titian's long-term influence on Venetian painting. Definition of key terms When analysing artwork from a stylistic point of view, all visual (not metaphorical) factors are taken into account. Issues of composition, symmetry and asymmetry, colour palette, application of paint, and rendering of forms are all relevant. Iconography refers to any elements of the painting that can be left open for a religious or sacred interpretation. These two points of view are inextricably linked: for example, the placement (re: composition, thus stylistic element) of the Madonna and Child, elevated in the centre of a devotional painting also has iconographic references: this was their traditional position, and portrayed their roles as intercessors between the figures below, and God in Heaven above. In this context, the altarpiece refers to a painting set behind an above the altar in a Christian church. Painted altarpieces might be accompanied by sculpture, as in the case of Titian's Assunta, which features three free-standing marble figures on the frame. The term sacra conversazione refers to the type of composition made popular by Bellini, where a group of saints are gathered in

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Ludwig Van Beetoven

Beethoven was born in Bonn. His father’s harsh discipline and alcoholism made his childhood and adolescence difficult. At the age of 18, after his mother’s death, Beethoven placed himself at the head of the family, taking responsibility for his two younger brothers, both of whom followed him when he later moved to Vienna, Austria. Beethoven’s music is generally divided into three main creative periods. The first, or early, period extends to about 1802, when the composer made reference to a â€Å"new manner† or â€Å"new way† in connection with his art. The second, or middle, period extends to about 1812, after the completion of his Seventh and Eighth symphonies. The third, or late, period emerged gradually; Beethoven composed its pivotal work, the Hammerklavier Sonata, in 1818. Beethoven’s late style is especially innovative, and his last five quartets, written between 1824 and 1826, can be regarded as marking the onset of a fourth creative period. The celebrated Symphony No. 5 in C minor op. 67 from 1808 is the most thematically concentrated of Beethoven’s works. Variants of the four-note motif that begins this symphony drive all four movements. The dramatic turning point in the symphony-where a sense of foreboding, struggle, or mystery yields to a triumphant breakthrough-comes at the transition to the final movement, where the entrance of the trombones reinforces the music. Beethoven uses here a large-scale polarity between the darker sound of C minor and the brighter, more radiant effect of C major, which is held largely in reserve until the finale. The series of gigantic masterpieces of Beethoven’s third period include the technically demanding Hammerklavier Sonata, completed in 1818, about which he correctly predicted on account of its challenges that â€Å"it will be played fifty years hence,† and the Diabelli Variations. The latter work for piano transforms a trivial waltz by Viennese publ isher Anton Diabelli into an ... Free Essays on Ludwig Van Beetoven Free Essays on Ludwig Van Beetoven Beethoven was born in Bonn. His father’s harsh discipline and alcoholism made his childhood and adolescence difficult. At the age of 18, after his mother’s death, Beethoven placed himself at the head of the family, taking responsibility for his two younger brothers, both of whom followed him when he later moved to Vienna, Austria. Beethoven’s music is generally divided into three main creative periods. The first, or early, period extends to about 1802, when the composer made reference to a â€Å"new manner† or â€Å"new way† in connection with his art. The second, or middle, period extends to about 1812, after the completion of his Seventh and Eighth symphonies. The third, or late, period emerged gradually; Beethoven composed its pivotal work, the Hammerklavier Sonata, in 1818. Beethoven’s late style is especially innovative, and his last five quartets, written between 1824 and 1826, can be regarded as marking the onset of a fourth creative period. The celebrated Symphony No. 5 in C minor op. 67 from 1808 is the most thematically concentrated of Beethoven’s works. Variants of the four-note motif that begins this symphony drive all four movements. The dramatic turning point in the symphony-where a sense of foreboding, struggle, or mystery yields to a triumphant breakthrough-comes at the transition to the final movement, where the entrance of the trombones reinforces the music. Beethoven uses here a large-scale polarity between the darker sound of C minor and the brighter, more radiant effect of C major, which is held largely in reserve until the finale. The series of gigantic masterpieces of Beethoven’s third period include the technically demanding Hammerklavier Sonata, completed in 1818, about which he correctly predicted on account of its challenges that â€Å"it will be played fifty years hence,† and the Diabelli Variations. The latter work for piano transforms a trivial waltz by Viennese publ isher Anton Diabelli into an ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Death be not proud because I could not stop for death Essay

Death be not proud because I could not stop for death - Essay Example Donne treats death as a person in his poem and contradicts its power. He tells death not to be so proud as it is not as scary as it shows people it is. The writer tells death that it isn’t as powerful as it thinks it is and he contradicts its strength. The writer says that people don’t die when they meet death and neither will he himself. He compares death with ‘rest and sleep’ (Donne 11), the two things which are peaceful and not scary at all. He says that the good people know that death doesn’t bring pain rather pleasure. The poem further goes on to explain death as a slave and the writer accuses death of being associated with elements such as poison, sickness, and war. He says that he could just have some drugs and fall asleep which is just the same as death would be. Death is considered to be just a short sleep that humans take and then the good ones wake up again to eternity (Donne 11). Since this happens, death is not eternal and death dies whi ch means it has no power. The beginning of the poem focuses on the theme of death and the speaker addresses death as a proud person with an attitude problem who thinks himself as the most powerful. The speaker says that death considers himself as someone who can boss around and overpower the people. It is a powerful force that scares people and people wish to escape it. He is treated as the king as everyone thinks it is here to do something terrible (Donne 11). However, the speaker says that he isn’t afraid and he knows that death isn’t as scary as it shows everyone. The speaker confronts death and tells him that he isn’t scared as he knows that people think wrong. The poem then forms further elements that death is not actually death and it dies with reference to the Christian tradition that everyone will rise for eternity. This means that death is not real and it is not forever.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Teachers Collaborating to Help Students with Epilepsy Research Paper

Teachers Collaborating to Help Students with Epilepsy - Research Paper Example While this collaboration holds weight on all instances, its significance increases substantially in instances of extreme difficulty, such as presence of illnesses in students. Epilepsy: Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by repeated seizures over time. Seizures are sporadic episodes of perturbing brain activity that causes changes in attention and behavior. Defining Seizures: Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The symptoms and affects of the seizure will depend on the area of the brain affected. The organ which is affected depends upon what part of the brain is affected. Seizures are classified into two types: Focal seizures and generalized seizures. Focal seizures start in any one area of the brain and may or may not spread across other areas of the body. Generalized seizures result from abnormal neuronal activities on both parts of the brain. Simple Focal seizures are guilty of causing unusual sensations, movements and feelings; however, they are not the cause of loss of consciousness. Complex focal seizures can be the cause of loss of consciousness and can produce dreamlike experiences or repetitive behavior. The area at which these focal seizures begin is what defines these seizures. E.g. Epilepsy of the temporal lobe originates on the temporal lobes of the brain (National Institute of Health, 2007). Generalized seizures are known to cause massive muscle spasms, loss of consciousness and falls. Generalized seizures have several subtypes. Some of the key types of generalized seizures are: Absence Seizures: Absence Seizures are characterized by symptoms that cause victims to stare into space or jerking and twitching of muscles. They are known to start during childhood or adolescence. Tonic Seizures: They cause stiffening of muscles. Clonic Seizures: This form of generalized seizures causes repeated jerking of movement on both sides of the body. Myoclonic Seizures: Myoclonic seizures cause twitches, jerks, and sporadic mu scle movements in the upper body, arms and legs. Atonic seizures: Loss of normal muscle tone which can lead to sudden drops of the head is caused by atonic seizures. Epilepsy, which is characterized by Seizures, is also divided into different types. Several syndromes of epilepsy are identified by researches; while some of them are recognized as hereditary, the causes of other syndromes are not known (Wyllie, 2007). Epileptic syndrome classification uses the terms symptomatic, idiopathic and cryptogenic. Seizures that have a known underlying cause are characterized as symptomatic. Idiopathic seizures are seizures which do not have a known cause. Cryptogenic seizures are seizures which have a suspected cause but the cause is not known for certainty (National Institute of Health, 2007). Location Related Epilepsy: This form of epilepsy consists of focal seizures. This form of epilepsy constitutes an EEG pattern, characteristic of focal electrical abnormality. The prognosis of location r elated epilepsy is very difficult and depends upon location of the brain abnormality (Engel, Pedley, & Aicardi, 2008). West’s Syndrome/ Infantile Spasms Infantile spasms fall under the symptomatic generalized epilepsy. They are found mostly in children of the age from 3 months to 3 years, associated with sudden epileptic flexor spasms and extreme risk for cognitive impairment. During the episode, the affected child may suddenly flex his limbs, flex forward at the trunk and cry. This episode is transient,

Monday, November 18, 2019

Analysis on the Metamorphosis by applying physical or mental illness Essay

Analysis on the Metamorphosis by applying physical or mental illness to Gregor - Essay Example Gregor was initially concerned about the nature of his job, observing that it was always demanding, due to the requirements to travel every day, face irregular train connections and eat bad food. However, of great concern is the fact that Gregor had â€Å"worries about†¦temporary and constantly changing human relationships which never come from the heart† (Kafka, 4). This is a simple indication that Gregor was not actually fascinated by the nature of the interactions that he had in the course of his job. It is this lack of appreciation of the social interactions that is characteristic of the attempts to avoid social interactions, which is a symptom of Avoidant Personality Disorder. The other aspect of Gregor that is characteristic of the disorder is the fact that he did not want to be associated with the others unless he was certain that he would be accepted. This nature of caution is attributable to the Avoidant Personality Disorder, which is symptomatic of a person avoiding any form of communication and interaction with the rest of the people, unless he/she is assured that the other people will like him or her (Johansen, et al., 518). In this respect, when Gregor’s family and the office manager came to check on Gregor after he had delayed to come out of his bedroom, he did not instantly wish to communicate to any of them, unless he was sure they would not reject him because of his new monstrous insect status. Thus, when his sister Grete whispered at his door that the office manager was there, the response was; â€Å"‘I know,’ said Gregor to himself. But he did not dare make his voice loud enough so that his sister could hear† (Kafk a, 14). This behavior is characteristic of avoiding interaction with others until at least some assurance would be given that he would be accepted in his new status. Showing restraint to intimately close relationship is yet another symptom of the Avoidant Personality Disorder

Friday, November 15, 2019

Sociological perspectives on deviance

Sociological perspectives on deviance The term deviance is used by sociologists to refer to behaviour which changes, in some way, from a social norm. In this respect, it is clear that the idea of deviance refers to a violation of social norms and refers to rule breaking behaviour. Deviance refers to those actions which go against the norms, values and beliefs of ordinary culture. For example, drinking alcohol at the age of 16. In relation to deviance, the idea relates to all kinds of rule-breaking which involves such things as murder, theft, rape or wearing unsuitable clothing for a given social situation. Many sociologists have given their own definition of deviance. Some sociologist conceive of deviance as a collection of conditions, persons or acts that society disvalue (Sagarin, 1975, 9) There are various perspectives in Sociology such as the functionalist theories and Karl Marxist theories which asks different questions and focuses on different issues regarding deviance. In order to answer the question above it is n ecessary to outline and discuss the sociological perspectives on deviance. I will be discussing the main perspectives of deviance throughout sociology. Functionalism is defined as a Framework that conceptualises society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability (Macionis and Plummer, 1997. p. 19-20).Functionalism has grown through the work of many sociologists including Durkheim and later on by Brown and Merton, The works of these sociologists was based on a biological scientific model called organic system-comparison of social operations to that of a living organism (Giddens, 2001.16) Functionalist theorists, including Durkheim, state crime as having a social role. Others, including Merton, state the strain between socialized aims and reality as the true cause of crime. Functionalist Emile Durkheim believed that societies are held together by shared values and economic dependence. He thinks that society would crumple if principles are not passed from one generation to another. A vital function of society is the preservation of its values, which is done through education and religion. The concept of anomie was introduced by Emile Durkheim which suggested that In modern societies, traditional norms and standards become undermined without being replaced by new ones. (Giddens, 2009, 941). This is the breakdown of society, and will lead to social disorder, deviance and violence. Durkheim also argues that deviance is useful and necessary in society. It helps to strengthen the consensus of values, norms and behaviour of the majority non-deviant population, through the idea of anger at crime which reinforces social solidarity. Other theorists, including Erikson who argues that influential groups within any society are able to impose their views upon the maj ority by a process of ideological manipulation. The excitement generated by the crime quickens the tempo of interaction in a group and creates a climate in which the private sentiments of many people are fused into a common sense of morality.(Bean, 2003, 24). However, Robert Merton criticised Durkheims idea of anomie as being unclear. Merton argued that anomie is a state where the socially approved goals of society are not available to a significant amount of the population if they followed socially approved means of obtaining these goals. According to Merton, people turned to deviance in this state because there is anxiety between what people have socialised to want and what they are able to achieve through legitimate means. Robert Merton, who also accepted the view of functionalists who believed that society, must have certain features to survive. He argues that both goals and constraints on behaviour are socially based, and that desires are socially copied, from socialisation, into cultural goals such as work-related status or financial achievement. Mertons theory on deviance, which is known as the Strain Theory, is a development of Durkheims ideas of anomie and culture. Anomie, in Mertons perspective, can occur when people are not capable to follow the main norms within a society.Some individuals adapt by becoming ritualises, conforming to society norms without any expectations of achieving them. (Clinard, 2001, 5) Merton argues that individuals are socialized into wanting success, wealth, status and power. When they are unable to achieve this, it results in a strain between what we want, and what we can get. One possible response to the strain theory is deviance through innovation (deviant and crimin al behaviour resulting to crime), retreatism (backing out of socially desirable behaviour, for example, alcoholics, drug addicts), Ritualism (ignoring goals of society) and rebellion (rejection of goals and means, but an attempt to replace them with alternative values). Mertons analysis on deviance suggests that deviant behaviour is efficient. First, for the people involved, it allows them to adjust to the situation in which they find themselves in. Merton sees these responses as useful to the society as they help to release the anxiety, therefore maintain the social system stability. However, Merton was criticised by Valier, amongst others, for his importance on the continuation of a common goal in society. Valier argues that there are a range of goals that people struggle to attain at any one time Feminist approach have also criticised functionalism for not explain on conflict, also not considering it to be an integral part of the social world (Dominelli, 1997. p.17). Feminist also argues that this supports and explains structures which have a tendency to be male dominated and in so ignoring the past and women contributions to the society. In conclusion, it can be argued that Functionalist theories do certainly go a long distance in justifying the reasons for Deviance. However, it is overly deterministic in the view of society and the way in which it shapes and forms human behaviour. However, it should argued that Functionalist theories are useful in explaining and deviance, In terms of civil theories or triangulation and procedural pluralism to stable out the problems and challenges linked with Functionalist theory. Sub cultural theories on deviance were developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s from the Albert Cohen and Richard Cloward. They stressed that people respond to forces which are outside to them. This therefore leads them to behave in different ways. Their behaviour is explained by social causes. Sub cultural theorists have tried to seek the causes of these differences. Subculture theories claim to have recognized break downs in the social order. These break downs are seen to be rectifiable by dissimilar types of social engineering e.g. Social reform, social welfare and education. According to interactionist theories of deviance, they make fundamental ideas of deviance in terms of there being no such as deviant act. They place firm importance on reaction. Interactionist put forward useful idea such as labelling, self-fulfilling prophecy, and mortification and primary and secondary deviance. They are significant of the functionalist and subculture theories of deviance. Interactionists argue that human action is original. Humans create roles in relation to and adjustment to others. American Sociologist Edwin Lemert, argues that public reaction is a cause of deviance. Lemert starts by explaining between primary and secondary deviance. Primary deviance is deviance before it is openly labelled; it has a number of likely causes and is not worth looking at given that the samples are unfair and it has no impact on the individual, therefore it does not strain status or activities. The general factor among deviants, argues Lemert, is the process of labelling. The public response to the deviant leads to secondary deviance, the response of the deviant to public labelling. Lemert claims that secondary deviance should be the focal point of study because of its result on the individual. The vital idea is that societal reaction can in fact cause deviant behaviour. The Labelling theorists are another approach in sociology which views the point of seeing deviance from the view of the deviant individual. They claim that when a person becomes known as a deviant, and is expected to have deviant behaviour, it is to do with the way they have been labelled, as the deviant act they are said to have committed. The labelling theory realises that certain acts labelled as deviant are more than likely to be carried out by certain types of people. If society labels a person as a criminal or as deviant there is much evidence that this label sticks with the person to the extent that he believes that they are deviant. So to satisfy society they carry out the role of a deviant to the degree that they are fitting in with what they observe is their role in life or in the society. This makes a great impact on their life, as they need someone to help them to see that they are not deviant or a criminal. If a person becomes a criminal then society need to recognise this and help the person to overcome this, by offering support or counselling to make it aware to the person that this behaviour is not acceptable and if they continue it will lead to them not achieving. However the main criticism of labelling theory is that it is deterministic, and that it makes the person as if they were not human, which then leads to certain behaviour by the act of labels being given to it, and following behaviour patterns as a result of behaviour patterns that go with it.. The Marxist approach has been one of the most vital approaches in explaining deviant behaviour. They mostly base their ideas and theories on how the powerful people control the society which influences how the society works today. The definition of deviance from a Marxist perspective is a conflict between powerful and less powerful groups. Definitions of deviance then emerge from class conflicts between powerful groups and less powerful groups. (Clinard, 2002, 118) Marxists believes that working class males of a younger age commit most crime mainly due to the media which emphasize ideas of greed into people. Therefore, results in a materialistic capitalist system that may force working people of a lower class to commit crime as they have a lower income and may not be able to afford certain equipment such as clothes like the rest of the society. Marxism criticizes a capitalist society where by the productions are owned by the ruling class and the lower class. The bourgeoisie are the ruling class, whilst the proletariats are seen as the lower class. The bourgeoisie act as a societies ruling class. The proletariats, on the other hand, fill the ranks of the ruled end of society. (Clinard and Meier, 2008, 77) The idea of deviance came when Marx attempted to look for something in the world that caused conflicts. He found it in the idea of class struggle. Throughout the past, we have fought against each other for the control of food, shelter, money. Marxists mainly focus on the class distribution and empathises that the ruling class control the norms and values of the society. Therefore, it will not be classed as deviant unless the bourgeoisie say so. The bourgeoisie will only class deviant unless it is committed by a working class person. However, the Marxist approach in terms of explaining deviant behaviour is only consistent to some degree. Along with the challenges from other perspectives, it shows that improvements can be added to their ideas. Marxists mostly focuses on the class distribution and argue that they the ruling class manage the norms and values of the society. It will not be classed as deviant if the bourgeoisie say so and they will not say so if a working class person commits it. Finally In conclusion to sociological perspectives of deviance, they all give an account of some explanation to deviance and give their point of view. However, it varies depending on the various approaches. For an act to be thought to as deviance it varies from place to place and from time to time

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine :: European Europe History

Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine In the year 1122, soon to be Duke William X of Aquitaine was informed that his bride of one year, Aenor, daughter of the Viscount Aimery, had bore him a daughter. She was christened Alia-Aenor, or Eleanor. Since Aquitaine consisted of more than a third of the entire land of France, she was a heiress of some esteem. Soon after, Aenor gave birth to another daughter, Aelith (Petronella) and then to the heir that William so desired, William Aigret. Unfortunately, when Eleanor was eight, both her mother and brother died, leaving her heiress to the whole of Aquitaine. Eleanor's close childhood friends were her uncle Raymond, who was only eight years older than herself, and her sister. She was influenced by the great heroines in her family, like her grandmother, who sacrificed her place as a Viscountess, for love. When Eleanor was fifteen, her father went on a pilgrimage. On the way, he encountered food poisoning. He left Eleanor in the charge of King Louis the Fat, to marry her off. King L ouis married her to his own son, and made her Queen of France upon his death, some days after the wedding. Louis Capet, Eleanor's new husband, was only sixteen when they wed. The second son, he had grown up in a monastery, preparing for a life in the service of the Lord. However, when his older brother fell off his horse and broke his neck, Louis became heir to the throne of France. Louis was a quiet, deeply religious man, eager to show off for his new, rich and beautiful wife. Eleanor dreamed of a warrior for a husband, and Louis, despite his shyness, desperately wished to fill that part. Quickly he went to war, against his vassals and anyone else that would oppose him. When Petronella was married to Count Ralph of Vermandois, his first wife's family-who he had divorced to marry Petronella-quickly took up arms against him. Louis jumped in to protect his sister-in-law's interests. Even so, Louis's war was badly planned and his army ended up burning an entire village who had taken refuge in a church. The experience left him virtually destroyed, he who had been so in God's favour. The King and Queen went to a respected and feared Abbot, Abbot Bernard. Louis wished to repent for his sins and Eleanor wished to bear Louis a child. By the time they left, Louis was committed to going on a crusade, and Eleanor was pregnant.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Janmar Coatings Case Analysis

Janmar Coatings, Inc. | To:| Ronald Burns| Subject:| Janmar Coatings, Inc. Suggestions| Comments:| The problem facing Janmar Coatings, Inc. is deciding where and how to execute corporate marketing efforts in the southwestern United States. Janmar Coatings is currently marketing to 50 counties, their main focus area so far has been the 11 counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The main issue Ronald Burns, the president of Janmar Coatings, is having is trying to come up with a solution to market his company in the most cost effective way during 2005.After 2 long meetings with his executive team he still has no clear direction. He has gathered an approach from each of his team members, including: VP of Advertising, VP of Sales, VP of Operations, and VP of Finance, and now has four solutions to consider. The VP of Advertising has proposed to increase corporate advertising with an large emphasis on television. The VP of Sales proposed hiring a new field representative to help generate ne w accounts. The VP of Operations has proposed a 20% price cut on all Janmar product sales.The VP of Finance proposed that nothing be done; that the company continue with their current efforts and keep a 35% contribution margin. After looking at the company’s overall goals and finances, I would agree with the VP of Sales. Based on his suggestion, I believe it would be a smart time to hire a new sales representative for Janmar. The cost attributed to company for hiring a new sales representative would be $60,000 per year. And the amount of sales revenue needed to cover this expense is $170,000.However, if this sales representative position is correctly used, they will be able to make this margin back rapidly. Because by concentrating on only developing new retail accounts in the non-DFW area, the company could generate lots of sales to a brand new buyer market. Janmar has realized that they need to focus more energy on the ‘Do-it-yourselfers’ as they say, or DIY po pulation, and the non-DFW area seems to be where most of these consumers are located. It was mentioned that product prices would need to be lowered 40% in order to attract contractors, but that is not an immediate worry.Janmar needs to focus all their current energies on the DIY consumers and professional painters. Hiring a new sales representative would be the smartest decision right now because they will know every detail of the products and have the ability to market that properly to each of those consumer segments. However, I have also considered the Vice President of Advertising’s suggestion that they should increase advertising expense by $350,000. While initially, increasing advertising expenses sounds like a good thing to do, this decision would almost double the current advertising expenditure.Janmar is spending around 3% of revene on advertising and sales promotions efforts; which comes out to nearly $360,000. And while it may By increasing advertising expenses by $ 350,000, an additional $1,000,000 in sales will need to be recovered to make up for this expenditure. Mr. Burns makes a valid point by saying that 75% of the audience advertised too is not buying paint. With 25% of your audience only looking to buy paint, it would not be worth the risk of not increasing sales by $1,000,000, to implement the extra advertising expense.Also, I considered the Vice President of Operations proposal for a 20% price cut on all Janmar Coatings, Inc products. Price cuts are always something that needs to be entered into with extreme caution. Even the slightest 1-2% drop in price can lead to a huge drop in margin. In Janmar’s situation, if they choose to implement a 20% price cut, they decrease their overall sales dollars by $2. 4 mm. And their variable cost will not be effected by this price cut to their cost of goods sold will be held constant.In the end reducing their gross profit by 50%, which is extremely high. By implementing this price cut too, t hey would be lowering their contribution margin by almost 60%. While initially, a price cut may seem very appealing to the consumers, the overall toll it will take on the contribution margin and sales dollars generated by Janmar, it would not be a smart decision to move forward in making that a reality. Now, the Vice President of Finance suggested pursuing the current approach. His idea is that Janmar Coatings has always, and will continue, to be successful.The contribution is high, just because an increase in costs doesn’t mean there will be an increase in sales, so why do anything different? Although the VP of Finance has valid points, there is obviously something that needs to be done, or else 22 meetings would not have been necessary. Yes there is a great contribution now, but if things stayed the same, other companies may become more popular and generate more sales than we do and push us out. Based on information from 2004, Janmar currently has a 15% market share in the 50-county service area. If Janmar just stays where they are, they could ose market share as well. It is true that with any expenditure, sales have to increase to compensate for those expenditures, but a company cannot merely stay â€Å"neutral† when something absolutely has to be done. There is a way to introduce a plan that will generate sales to compensate for the expenditure. In this case, simply adding a new sales representative seems to be the best, lowest risk, most probable solution in this case. Lastly, to do a more in depth review the Vice President of Sales suggestion to bring on a new field representative to the sales force.The focus for this new representative would be to focus on developing retail account leads and calling on professional painters to gain new business through dealers. In the overall non-Dallas Fort Worth area, the penetration of Janmar is only 16%, so this representative would only concentrate in this area. Over the last 5 years, Janmar has focus ed most all of the actions toward the DFW area, while the non-DFW area has started to grow. The non-DFW area sales have grown 23% over those 5 years. DIY customers represent a higher percentage of sales than professionals in both areas.However, DIY customers represent 90% of sales in non-DFW areas. Because our contribution margin is 35%, with the addition of a new representative costing $60,000, about $171,429 additional in sales would be needed to recover the expense. With the addition of a sales representative, though, this sales rep could be focused on the non-DFW area and create account leads with more professional painters. The company would need a price cut of about 40% to attract contractors, but if the company could also just create awareness among more professionals in the non-DFW area, more sales could be generated there.Let’s not focus on contractors right now, and get the professional sales in the non-DFW area up, and create more accounts with them. Sales in the D FW area and non-DFW area in the last 5 years:Increase Advertising Spending (emphasis on television): Current advertising spending| 3% of sales=. 03*12mm=$360,000| Sales needed to recover advertising expenditure| $350,000/. 35(CM)=$1,000,000| 20% Price Cut on all Janmar products: Current: Sales Gross Profit CM| Sales: $12mmGross Profit: $4. mmCM: 40%| Sales, Gross Profit, and CM changes after 20% price cut| Sales: $9. 6mm ($2. 4mm change)Gross Profit: $2. 4 mm ($2. 4mm/50% change)CM: 25% (60% decrease)| | | | Adding another Sales Representative to the work force: Current Sales Reps| 8 field reps that cast about $480,000 +commission (assuming they receive the $60,000 salary the new rep would receive)| Sales needed to recover new rep expenditure| $60,000/. 35 (CM) = $171,428. 57| Janmar Market Share of architectural paint and allied products| 15% |

Friday, November 8, 2019

The effect of the American culture on my use of language

The effect of the American culture on my use of language Cultures are different in certain aspects. Language is one of the cultural aspects that differ across cultures. Although I am a Chinese, I am able to speak three languages, Mandarin, Cantonese and English. The notion that I am an international student, having come from a very different culture implies that I have been exposed to different cultures where the use of the English language varies. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The effect of the American culture on my use of language specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This follows from the fact that I have resided in the United States for more than one year after completing my high school studies in the United Kingdom. It is important to note that earlier on, I schooled in China where I began perfecting my knowledge in English. Based on this illustration, it is clear that I have encountered different cultural backgrounds that influence my use of language. The fact that t he UK and the US use different languages from the one I was used to presented a big challenge since I had to learn the language again. Although, both the UK and the US use the English language, it is evident that there are slight differences that become clear in the usage. When an individual joins a different place where the language used is not the same, it is sensible to learn the language used in the new location. It is thus necessary to learn the American English language in order to fit into the American culture. Learning the American English has taken control of the way I relate to my colleagues. This has become clear since, even amongst Chinese colleagues, the use of the American English is dominant. Further, the American culture has influenced the way we conduct ourselves. As an illustration, the Chinese people do not take direct commands, instead, they humbly submit. However, the American culture has forced those Chinese living in America to face off with people issuing co mmands. It is also worth to note that after coming to the US, one changes speech rules. By way of example, even though it may not be necessary to say a response, I find myself responding, an aspect that is ingrained in the US culture. As I indicated earlier, English differs across regions. As an example, the language version that is used in the UK is not the same as the one used in the US. As an English learner, I still experience problems despite the fact that I have learned the language for some time. I believe that some of the problems that I face are down to knowledge issues although others revolve around cultural aspects. The major problem lies on the idea that I began learning English in China. During the English lessons, the teachers did not take time to highlight any aspects of the American culture. As a result, I was not in a position to figure out how English is used within the American culture. Advertising Looking for essay on languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As an illustration, when one poses, â€Å"how are you?† a Chinese is tempted to think about himself whereas, the expression is used as a greeting. Additionally, in the Chinese culture, there are limited responses to greeting expressions. It is thus little surprising that after coming to the US I have learned more response expressions. It is evident that culture is influential in many respects. As the paper establishes, since coming to California, I have been heavily influenced by the American culture. Specifically, I have changed my use of language. I have also been able to enlarge my knowledge of English since the version of the language used in the US is slightly different from the ones used in China and the UK.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on Alfred Hitchcock

Films were a great form of entertainment from their debut in the early 1900’s and continued to grow more popular over the years. The film making business hit a growth period in the 1920’s. In Hollywood, the assembly line â€Å"studio† system of producing a movie was changed and refined, and the famous studious that dominate Hollywood production today, such as Universal Studious, were being put together. Censorship regulations were being formulated for the first time, and Wall Street began to take a more prominent, powerful role in film making. It was the era of short silent films that were backed by organists who could play a variety of famous composers such as Beethoven, and Sousa, and who mastered other sound affects for further enhancement of the movie. It was a time when movies came and went quickly and films that had no pretense of being art were made in mass. Nobody ever expected a movie to have an afterlife. They were made only for entertainment and to mak e money, and were considered disposable back then. It took decades to develop movies as a concept of art. During this time of rapid change in the film making business, a certain aspiring director began his dream of working with cinema. Eventually, the talented and mysterious director, Alfred Hitchcock, played a huge part in establishing his and others’ masterpieces as an art. Born on August 13th, 1899, in London, England, Hitchcock’s childhood was that of a lower class Roman Catholic child who attended church regularly. His parents were greengrocers, William and Emma Hitchcock. A strict man, William once told a five year old Albert to go to the police station with a note from his father after some mischief making. Upon reading the note, a sergeant put young Alfred in a cell and left him there for ten minutes. The policeman returned only to tell him, â€Å"This is what happens to naughty boys.† This story and Hitchcock’s Roman Catholic background encompassed all the the... Free Essays on Alfred Hitchcock Free Essays on Alfred Hitchcock Films were a great form of entertainment from their debut in the early 1900’s and continued to grow more popular over the years. The film making business hit a growth period in the 1920’s. In Hollywood, the assembly line â€Å"studio† system of producing a movie was changed and refined, and the famous studious that dominate Hollywood production today, such as Universal Studious, were being put together. Censorship regulations were being formulated for the first time, and Wall Street began to take a more prominent, powerful role in film making. It was the era of short silent films that were backed by organists who could play a variety of famous composers such as Beethoven, and Sousa, and who mastered other sound affects for further enhancement of the movie. It was a time when movies came and went quickly and films that had no pretense of being art were made in mass. Nobody ever expected a movie to have an afterlife. They were made only for entertainment and to mak e money, and were considered disposable back then. It took decades to develop movies as a concept of art. During this time of rapid change in the film making business, a certain aspiring director began his dream of working with cinema. Eventually, the talented and mysterious director, Alfred Hitchcock, played a huge part in establishing his and others’ masterpieces as an art. Born on August 13th, 1899, in London, England, Hitchcock’s childhood was that of a lower class Roman Catholic child who attended church regularly. His parents were greengrocers, William and Emma Hitchcock. A strict man, William once told a five year old Albert to go to the police station with a note from his father after some mischief making. Upon reading the note, a sergeant put young Alfred in a cell and left him there for ten minutes. The policeman returned only to tell him, â€Å"This is what happens to naughty boys.† This story and Hitchcock’s Roman Catholic background encompassed all the the...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Persuasive writing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Persuasive writing - Assignment Example Frank Daley, who is one of Ruth’s immediate superiors, Ruth’s workload has significantly increased. In addition to the fact, that Ruth only has a part time worker to support her. This situation has negatively affected Ruth’s efficiency and productivity as well as her overtime schedule causing the company additional expenses for her overtime pay. Jack on the other hand, has significantly reduced work due to the absence of Ms. Jessica Hilo. Jack having his full time assistant has had less workload resulting in his current lax attitude about his tasks. Given the circumstance, the imbalanced distribution of work should be addressed. The best solution would be to delegate the same workload and workers to the two offices. This can be done by switching the assistants to each office. Since Jack has lessened workload, the need for a full time assistant is unnecessary. Conversely, Ruth who has taken more responsibilities needs more help and a full time assistant shall bene fit her efficiency and work quality without causing additional expenses for the company. I also believe that this shall make the two employees and their supervisors contented because there would be minimal adjustment in terms of organization. The company even saves money and ensures the productivity of all their employees.

Friday, November 1, 2019

International economic relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International economic relations - Essay Example This supports its impressive economic achievements of 198.5% and -176.7% in exports and imports respectively. Previous recession, technology sector slump and disease outbreak lessons enabled it attain low rates of interests, growth in exports to achieve a great real GDP of 3.5% in 2013. Additionally, the government aims to establish a less prone to global cycles in IT products to avoid dangers of global recession. Hong Kong is a free market economy that depends on international transactions. It boosts of a big GDP per capita of 52700 and strong external trading comprising 222.6% in export and 220.9% import GDP in 2013. These are possible through its continuous integration by china mainland that offers the main trading partner. South Korea has managed a credible economic growth integrated with global economies. Its GDP real growth of 2.8%, 54.6% and -50.8% exports and imports stem from close governance, import quotas and industrious labor force. These measures promoted raw material and technology imports, investments and savings (World Fact book of CIA,