Levis Strauss & Co. an Analysis

Levi Strauss & Co. An Analysis EEP 142 Group Project Young Lee James Moon Michael Lin Problem †¢The Levi Strauss company is experiencing losses and is continuing to under-perform in the denim jean market. †¢The firm faces the general problem of a dominant firm losing market share when more firms enter the market. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – History †¢The company was founded by Levi Strauss in 1853 primarily selling wholesale dry goods. The company was founded in San Francisco, California. A tailor named Jacob Davis thought of an idea to use copper rivets to reinforce the points of strain on pants. †¢Davis and Strauss purchased the patent of the idea of using copper rivets in clothing on May 20, 1873. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – Company Growth †¢The innovation of the rivets in the jeans differentiated Levi’s j eans from others because of its increased durability. †¢Over the years, Levi’s jeans have become more popular, initially due to its durability. Jean products expanded, targeting different consumers. Levi Strauss & Co. eventually captures most of the denim jean market, becomes the largest manufacturer of jeans, and profits reach $1 billion by 1974. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Background – Time Line †¢1853: Levi Strauss begins selling dry goods in San Francisco. †¢1873: Levi Strauss & Co. patent riveted jeans and begin selling them. †¢1912: Koveralls, denim playsuit for children, is first nationally sold product for the company. †¢1935: Company sells first blue jeans for women. †¢1940s: U. S. overnment issues denim work clothes for employees in the defense industry. †¢1974: Company sales reach $1 billion †¢1986: Company introduces Dockers as a new casual line of clothes Problem B ackground Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Monopoly †¢Since the patent of the rivets in jeans in 1873, the company achieved monopoly power. †¢Monopoly power was gained through entry barriers. –The patent granted the firm monopoly rights to sell riveted jeans. †¢Also by product differentiation –The rivets on the jeans allowed for longer durability, a form of vertical differentiation. Product differentiation and barriers to entry allowed the company to gain more popularity and market share. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Expansion †¢By 1977, Levi Strauss & Co. is the world’s largest jean manufacturer. †¢Department stores and boutiques sell Levi’s products and are additional channels of distribution for the company. †¢Levi’s provides a wide range of products that target different market segments, capturing demands. †¢After the release of the 501 product line, Levi’s enjoys worldwide market dominance in the denim jean market. Levi Strauss & Co. maintains it’s image as an American Icon and the originator of American jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Successes – Positioning †¢Other marketing strategies, like the position of the product, created increased differentiation, contributing to the companies market power. †¢In 1930s, the company survived the Great Depression due to increased interest in Western culture. –Jeans were positioned as being worn by â€Å"cowboys. † cowboys. † †¢Levi’s jeans were issued to employees in the defense industry (including veterans) during World War II. Post World War II, veterans that went to college wore Levi’s jeans on Levi’ campuses, increasing popularity. †¢WWII veterans were regarded as heroes. –Jeans were shown to be suitable for casual wear, rather than work. work. –During the Baby Boom era, Levi’s targets younger consumers and Levi’ positions product as â€Å"cool. † cool. † †¢Early movie stars wore Levi’s jeans. An example of celebrity endorsement Levi’ †¢Consumer demand shifts from durability of jeans to fashion of jeans. –Culturally, jeans became symbol of youth and rebellion In 1960s, student protesters wore jeans as a uniform †¢In 1970s, company sells bellbottom jeans †¢ The firm positioned its products with changing times and changing demands, keeping existing customers and capturing new markets. Increases in sales ultimately increased profits Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition – Effect †¢Levi Strauss & Co. was threatened by competition, because barriers of entry were relatively low in the jean market. (excluding the patent) †¢S ome of Levi’s competitors include: –Calvin Klein –Gap Jeans –VF Corp (Lee, Wrangler) –Tommy Hilfiger The entrance of new competitors had many effects on Levi’s. –Levi’s no longer has monopoly power more competitive prices Levi’ lower profits –Availability of substitutes firm faces increase in elasticity of demand –Consumers prefer other brands. Levi’s customers buy from competition Levi’ lowering Levi’s market share. Levi’ †¢These newer upstarts are able to â€Å"chip away† at Levi’s market dominance because they are able to capture segments. –VF Corp captures low-end jean consumers; Calvin Klein captures highlowhighend consumers. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition – Strategies †¢Competitors successfully were able to take from Levi’s market due to heavy advertising and branding. Branding was especially effective for companies like Calvin Klein that targeted high-end consumers. †¢Some of the marketing strategies that competitors like Calvin Klein used to differentiate their product and brand included: –Celebrity endorsements (Calvin Klein and Brooke Shields) –Up-to-date European product designs (low-rise, tighter) Up- to(low–Advertise jeans as â€Å"designer. designer. † †¢These advertisements were used as a barrier to entry, because of spurious product differentiation. Although Levi’s jeans may be physically the same as its competitor’s, consumer preferences are affected by brand name. †¢In addition to the idea of branding, Levi’s largest consumer market were Baby Boomers , and by the time competitors increased in the 1980s, the Levi’s brand was perceived to be â€Å"mommy jeans. † This reinforced the more youthful perception of other brands. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Competition Premium Jeans †¢Levi’s failed to recognize and enter a new and booming premium jeans market, originating in 2000 and led by brands such as Seven For All Mankind, True Religion, and Rock & Republic. †¢Levi executives themselves admitted failing to see the premium jeans trend, and the company was forced into radical cost-cutting, closing dozens of factories and laying off thousands of workers. †¢The premium jeans market has over the last five years largely driven the growth of an otherwise stable jeans market, as premium jeans sales grew at a 40-45% rate for multiple years. Levi’s failure to adequately respond to this trend was a large part of its posting declining sales in nine out of ten years prior to 2007. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Advertising †¢With the rise of competitors and decrease in brand image, Levi Strauss & Co. makes use of edgy advertisements. †¢Brand Loyalty –Many of Levi’s ads stress brand loyalty to maintain existing customers. Levi’ The word â€Å"original† is used many times. original† –Some tv ads are set in the late 1800s, stressing the historic value of the company. Brand Image –At the same time, Levi’s ads stress the â€Å"youthfulness† of their brand Levi’ youthfulness† jeans. –The 501 product line and the Red Tab collections offer jeans that appeal that to younger consumers competing with the high-end jean competitors. high–Television advertisements a re more innovative and target younger crowds. –http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CSG807d3P-U http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CSG807d3P–http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=skWFyop_pxU&feature=related –http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W-SZN1VRIl4&feature=related http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=W- These marketing strategies however did not help with the worldwide decrease demand for jeans. This implies that other clothing is becoming a substitutable good for jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative †¢Although Levi Strauss & Co. had worldwide market dominance in the 1980s after the release of 501 product line, profits continue to plummet due to: (1) decrease of demand for jean products and (2) more competition. †¢In 1996, revenues were reported at $7. 6 billion and a U. S. market share of 18. 7%. By 2001 revenues drop to $4. 5 billion and U. S. market share of 12. 1%. †¢I n order to maintain revenues, the company releases the Levi’s signature jeans. –This product line appeals to the low-end consumers. –Decrease in demand for jeans causes market price to drop, so consumers want cheaper jeans. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative (cont. ) †¢In 2002 Levi Strauss & Co. makes an agreement with largest retailer Wal-Mart as a supply-chain strategy to massmarket consumers. –Levi’s Signature brand to be sold in Wal-Mart stores exclusively This was an excellent strategic move because Wal-Mart was making large sales while Levi’s could not keep up in sales. This had potential to benefit both parties. –By 2002, Wal-Mart was #1 in the Fortune 500 rating. –Levi Strauss & Co. was ranked #383 in 2002. †¢Although this partnership was a success, Levi Strauss could not offset the slowdown in the aggregate denim jean market, continu ing to loss profits. –2008 Rating for Levi’s: 522 from previous 510 –Profits continue to fall. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Solutions – Alternative (cont. ) Forced to re-evaluate itself by years of declining sales, Levi’s has been able to find some degree of success with primarily the introduction of the Signature line and a largescale streamlining of costs and it’s business. Levi’s is also being helped by its international presence and is currently being benefited by impacts from the global currency exchange market, as the company benefited from the weak dollar. †¢The company is still trying to find a way into the lucrative premium jeans market, introducing a new premium line and hiring famous artists to liven up the brand. Competitor VF Corp. ecided to purchase Seven For All Mankind as their market entry. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclu sion Q&A Responsibility – Background †¢Levi Strauss & Co. is a family owned worldwide corporation with headquarters in North America, Europe, and Asia. –The company is vertically integrated, meaning it owns/has owned factories for every level of production for the jeans. –The company employs about 10,000 people worldwide. †¢Historically Levi Strauss & Co. is recognized as a caring and corporately responsible company. –After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, he company continued to pay workers as it was rebuilding factories and buildings. –During the Great Depression, the company kept workers busy installing new floors in factories rather than fire them. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Background (cont. ) †¢Levi Strauss & Co. has also taken the lead on social issues. –During the 1940s, the company desegregated its factories bringing white and black worker s together. –In 1980s, the company was very involved in educating people about AIDS providing $37 million to HIV/AIDS services. One of the first companies to extend healthcare to their workers’ spouses. †¢Levi Strauss & Company approach to business: â€Å"profits through principles. † –†As business leaders we have the obligation, both individually and collectively, to make our enterprise not only a source for economic wealth, but also a force for positive social change in the conduct of our business. This principle of responsible commercial success is embedded in our more than 150-year experience, and continues to anchor how we operate today. † Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Sweatshops †¢With increased competition from other jean producers in the 1980s and 90s, like any profit-maximizing corporation, Levi Strauss & Company closed many factories and subcontracted production. –Subcontracted production is cost-minimizing because labor is relatively abundant and wages cheaper. –In order to compete with prices, subcontracting work makes sense. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Sweatshops (cont. ) †¢The company had 6 subsidiary factories in Saipan, capital of the U. S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. –The U. S. Department of Labor cited that workers were paid sub-minimal wages, 7 day work weeks with 12-hour shifts in â€Å"slave-like† conditions. †¢The subcontractor, Tan Holdings Corporation, had to pay a fine of of $9 million as restitution to 1,200 employees. †¢Levi Strauss & Co. claimed no knowledge of the offense, cut-off cutties to Tan Holdings, and issued labor reforms. †¢1999, Sweatshop Watch, Global Exchange, Asian Law Caucus, Unite, and workers filed a class-action lawsuit 3 times to 27 U. S. retailers, including Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss was the only defendant to win the case. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Responsibility – Environmental †¢Continuing on the approach of â€Å"profits by principles,† in 2006 Levi Strauss & Co. launches the Eco clothing line. –Jeans are certified to be made from 100% organic cotton and fully sustainable production processes. This includes cotton untreated by chemicals, pesticides, and manufactured at sustainable carbon emissions. –The jeans are also packed in 100% recyclable and reusable materials. †¢Economic implications Organic jeans are more expensive, due to the added costs to certify these genes to organic standards. –However, discouraging the use of chemicals for cotton is a step toward the right direction. Pesticides have externality costs to the environment and workers, because they are mostly improperly used in poor countries. A reduction in externalities improves social welfare. –In the long-run, sustainable production has the possibility to being profitable. –Corporate responsibility also has long-run profits. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A Conclusion †¢Levi Strauss & Company had most of its early success because the firm was behaving monopolistically. The company patented the riveted jeans, increasing durability, and gaining popularity. †¢Over the years, the company maintained profits by providing a wide range of products, capturing new markets, and increasing its market shares. The company created barriers to entry by patents and trademarks, and by differentiating its product from generic jeans. †¢However as more firms entered the market, the company started losing customers and incurring losses. The upstart companies captured niche market shares from Levi’s immense market domination. †¢Despite these reduction of sales, Levi Strauss & Co. maintained its corporate responsible image and progressive stance on social, labor, and environmental issues, which may have long-run profit opportunities. Problem Background Successes Competition Solutions Responsibility Conclusion Q&A References Frith, Maxine. â€Å"The Ethical Revolution Sweeping Through the World’s Frith, World’ Sweatshops. † commondreams. org. 16 April 2005. 2 May 2008 Sweatshops. † commondreams. org. .

Limitations
 of the BCG model Essay

The BCG model is criticised for having a number of limitations (Kotler 2003; McDonald 2003): âž ¢There are other reasons other than relative market share and market growth that could influence the allocation of resources to a product or SBU: reasons such as the need for strong brand name and product positioning could compel resource allocation to an SBU or product (Drummond & Ensor 2004). âž ¢What is more, the model rests on net cash consumption or generation as the fundamental portfolio balancing criterion. That is appropriate only in a capital constrained environment. In modern economies, with relatively frictionless capital flows, this is not the appropriate metric to apply – rather, risk-adjusted discounted cash flows should be used (ManyWorlds 2005). âž ¢Also, the matrix assumes products/business units are independent of each other, and independent of assets outside of the business. In other words, there is no provision for synergy among products/business units. This is rarely realistic. âž ¢The relationship between cash flow and market share may be weak due to a number of factors including (Cipher 2006): competitors may have access to lower cost materials unrelated to their relative share position; low market share producers may be on steeper experience curves due to superior production technology; and strategic factors other than relative market share may affect profit margins. âž ¢In addition, the growth-share matrix is based on the assumption that high rates of growth use large cash resources and that maturity of the life cycle brings about the expected profit returns. This may be incorrect due to various reasons (Cipher 2006): capital intensity may be low and the business/product could be grown without major cash outlay; high entry barriers may exist so margins may be sustainable and big enough to produce a positive cash flow and a growth at the same time; and industry overcapacity and price competition may depress prices in maturity. âž ¢Furthermore, market growth is not the only factor or necessarily the most important factor when assessing the attractiveness of a market. A fast growing market is not necessarily an attractive one. Growth markets attract new entrants and if capacity exceeds demand then the market may become a low margin one and therefore unattractive. A high growth market may lack size and stability. Given the aforementioned weaknesses, the BCG Growth-Share matrix must be used with care; nonetheless, it is a best-known business portfolio evaluation model (Kotler 2003).

Difference Between Religion and Spirituality

This paper draws from six published works that deal with psychological and scholarly research on religion and spirituality. The works vary in their definitions and use of the concepts and terminology of religion and spirituality. Hood et al. (2009) suggest that that social scientists have traditionally been able to make a distinction between religion and spirituality in their research. However, other psychologists contend that the definitions overlap. Therefore, the conceptual and operational definitions have been inconsistently used. This paper examines Hood et al. 2009) research in relationship to other works to suggest that a definitive definition of religion and spirituality should be developed and agreed upon to advance the science of religion. Keywords: religion, spirituality In order to explore the differences between religion and spirituality one must attempt to define these terms. However, religion and spirituality are complex concepts not easily or definitively definable; a t least not universally. Their meanings have changed over the course of time. At times they have been used synonymously. Yet, at other times religion and spirituality are considered distinct concepts having no overlap.A Study on Religion and the Role of It on People and Media†¦. Furthermore, religion and spirituality are sometimes viewed as if one encompasses the other. It seems to simply be a matter of opinion; who is defining religion, when and for what purpose. To compound this quandary, social Science research suggests that lay people, religious and psychological educators and researchers define religion and spirituality inconsistently. This makes it particularly difficult for the scientific world to even compare research findings on religion and or spirituality. Religion and spirituality are complex and diverse cultural phenomenon. Hood, Hill, and Spilka (2009), stated â€Å"†¦what one person is sure to call religious may be far removed from another person’s understanding, especially when we begin to analyze religion across traditions and cultures† (p. 7). Western societies (especially in the United States) in the not too distant past, typically define religion as an institutionalized set of beliefs and rituals about God that is experienced and or practiced collectively. Conversely, other regions of the world (including eastern Asia) may define religion as encompassing multiple Gods or even no Gods (e. . ungodly supernatural entities) (Hood, et al. , 2009). Hood et al. , (2009) contend that Americans now use the term spirituality in place of religion. Nelson (2009), agrees with Hood et al. , that spirituality has become a synonym for religion. According to Nelson (2009), religion traditionally referred to all aspects of a human’s search for and relationship to a divine or transcendent (something greater than ourselves). Using the terminology of religion and spirituality interchangeably may be common practice but it doesn’t mean that they mean the same things. Like religion, spirituality has been defined in a myriad of ways. In ancient times spirituality was associated with the Hebrew Christian traditions (Ottaway, 2003). Through the 19th century spirituality was often considered to be synonymous with spiritualism. Spiritualism referred to contact with spirits, the supernatural, and psychic phenomena (Nelson, 2009). Hence, spirituality was considered negatively up until the 21st century. According to Nelson (2009), presently â€Å"the term is often used to denote the experiential and personal side of our relationship to the transcendent or sacred† (p. ). Nelson suggests that the people who use this definition tend to view religion as a distinct narrow concept. They typically define religion as â€Å"the organizational structures, practices, and beliefs of a religious group†, (Nelson, 2009, p. 8). The rise in popularity of spirituality in the last two decades has exaggerated the distinction and or lack of distinction between r eligion and spirituality. Whereas, some modern Americans use the terms interchangeably, others (especially those who abhor mainstream religions and all they are associated with) do not. The latter group might prefer to say that they are â€Å"spiritual but not religious†, (Zinnbauer, et al. , 1997). Conversely, people who unknowingly embrace Epstein’s (1993, 1994) Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory (CEST) may view spirituality and religion as distinct concepts that are nonetheless related (Hill, 1999). I believe that religion and spirituality can be two distinct concepts but that currently the line between the two is too blurry to be able to distinguish one from the other. One could experience religion without experiencing spirituality (e. g. teenager forced to attend church but merely going through the motions). On the other hand, one could also experience spirituality (e. g. a sense of â€Å"awe† in the presence of nature or enlightenment during meditation) in the absence of religion. Additionally, one could experience both spirituality and religion in the context of the other. For example, one could meditate communally with others in an insti tutional setting (typical of a religious experience) and experience spirituality. Another example is that one could attend church (typical of a religious experience) and meditate individually during the church service. At this point in time, religion and spirituality overlap in a plethora of ways. Each can have a reverence to a God, Gods, or a higher supernatural power or powers. Likewise, religion and spirituality can each have private, public, personal, communal, conscious, unconscious, tangible, intangible, subjective and objective components to them. One difference between spirituality and religion is that â€Å"spirituality does not require an institutional framework†, (Hood, et al, 2009, p. 11). Another difference is that religion does not require communal practices (e. g. an elderly invalid can religiously pray at home). My views on religion and spirituality are that of a layperson and an aspiring psychologist and are indubitably confusing. However, my view doesn’t seem to differ substantially from others (laypersons, religious professionals and scholars, and social science professionals and researchers), as a finite definition for religion or spirituality is nonexistent (Zinnbauer et al. , 2010; Hood et al. , 2009, Nelson, 2009). According to Hood et al. (2009), a traditional distinction exists between religion and spirituality in the research literature, therefore the two terms are not used synonymously. Hood et al. (2009) explains that spirituality is viewed as personal and psychological, while religion is viewed as institutional and sociological. Basically, Hood et al. (2009), contends that religion is steeped in tradition and institution, whereas, spirituality has to do with a person’s personal beliefs, values and behaviors. This definition seems to be consistent with how religion and spirituality were defined between the 19th and 21st centuries. However, it should be noted, that Hood et al. 2009) also, later state that â€Å"in fact it is safe to say that even we three authors of this text do not fully agree with each other about the meaning of these terms† (p. 11). To compound matters, other psychologists suggest that religion and spirituality are used inconsistently in the research literature. Zinnbauer et al, (1997) argue that although social scientists have attempted to define, study, and theorize about religion and spirituality, they have done so inconsistently . â€Å"Still, the ways in which the words are conceptualized an used are often inconsistent in the research literature† (p. 549). According to Bender (2007) religion has been associated with a formal or institutional system and expression of belief and practices that is corporate, public, and conscious in scholarly studies. Conversely, spirituality has been defined as individual, private and unconscious, (Bender, 2007). Due to the inconsistencies in the definitions and use of religion and spirituality a pilot study was conducted to ascertain how religious professionals defined and evaluated religion and spirituality. The 2006 study conducted by Corine Hyman and Paul Handal at Saint Louis University in Missouri included Imans, Ministers, Priests, and Rabbis. These religious experts were asked to conceptually define religion and spirituality and to identify if there were any overlaps between the two. The study findings indicate that there were overlaps between the two concepts. However, religion was defined in a traditional sense of objective, institutional and ritualistic and spirituality was defined as subjective, internal and divine or transcendent (Hyman & Handal , 2006). Another study, this time conducted at the Maryland University, attempted to discern how lay people define religion and spirituality and how they make distinctions between the two. The participants in this study consisted of sixty-seven adults aged 61 to 93 who lived in three different retirement communities (Schlehofer, Omoto, A. M. , Adelman, 2008). The research findings indicate that the participants were better able to define religion concretely, than they were able to define spirituality. â€Å"In fact, some participants were not able to define spirituality at all†, (Schlehofer et al. , 2008). The afore mentioned studies illustrate that defining religion and spirituality is an ongoing task and not easily surmountable. This of course, makes the task of operationally defining religion and spirituality even harder. According to Bender (2007), spirituality is typically measured by asking questions about psychological well-being, experience, and self-identification; while religion is measured by questions about activities and doctrine. Although, many operational definitions have been developed and used to measure religion and spirituality, how does one actually know what one is measuring if the thing(s) that one is measuring is not clearly defined? CONCLUSIONS and Future Study: Ergo, in order to try to understand how religion and or spirituality affect all aspects of a person’s life, it is prudent for the scientific community to agree on what it is that they are actually researching. Once, the terms are defined and agreed upon, then they can operationally define each term. Only then, can psychologists more confidently conduct research and analysis to understand the true effects of religion and spirituality and make comparisons about those findings.ReferencesBender, C. (2007). Religion and Spirituality: History, Discourse, Measurement. Retrieved from http://religion.ssrc.org/reforum/Bender.pdf   Hill, P. C. (1999). Giving religion away: What the study of religion offers psychology. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 94(4), 229-249. Hood, R. W., Hill, P. C., Spilka, B. (2009). The Psychology of Religion, 2, 7-11. Hyman, C., & Handal, P. J. (2006). Definitions and evaluation of religion and spiritua lity items by religious professionals: A pilot study. Journal of Religion and Health, 45(2), 264-282. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10943-006-9015-zNelson, J. M. (2009). Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. Introduction to Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. Retrieved from http://ucelinks.cdlib.org:8888/sfx_local/img/sfxmenu/dl_logo_1024.png Schlehofer, M. M., Omoto, A. M. and Adelman, J. R. (2008). How do â€Å"religion† and â€Å"spirituality† differ? Lay Defintions among Older Adults. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 47: 411-425. Zinnbauer, B. J., Pargament, K. I., Cole, B., Rye, M.S., Butter, E. M., Belavich, T.G., Hipp, K. M., Scott, A. B., Kadar, J. L. (1997). Religion and Spirituality: Unfuzzing the Fuzzy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 36 (4). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1387689  

A Doll’s House Analysis of Nora

A Dolls House Analysis of Nora â€Å"I must stand on my own two feet if I am to find out the truth about myself and about life,† To what extent is Nora a tragic heroine? -1497 words (excluding title) A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen is a modern tragedy that is centred around the life of a typical Norwegian household in the Victorian era, focusing on the trials and tribulations that face Nora Helmer in this patriarchal society. A Doll’s House explores not only the status of women, but how they are victims of social forces to the extent that they are left with the role of a â€Å"dollwife†. During the course of this essay, I intend to study the character of Nora and to what extent she qualifies as a tragic heroine. As the curtain opens to the first act, we are introduced to Nora as an â€Å"extravagant little person†, a â€Å"sweet little spendthrift†; giving the audience the impression that she will be yet another undeveloped female character as seen in previous tradition al tragedies. Ibsen uses patronizing language to portray Torvald’s view of his wife, how to him she was just a â€Å"sweet little skylark†, the word â€Å"little† emphasizing Torvald’s misogynistic ego, and how he uses typically ‘loving’ terms but makes them seem condescending and demeaning. Aristotle’s description of a tragic hero as outlined in his book Poetics , is where he discusses the aspects of one’s character which qualify one to be a tragic hero, ideas which have been accepted and expanded for several centuries, and often used as a ‘mould’ for tragic heroes. In order to reach my conclusion and decide to what degree Nora is a tragic heroine, I will compare Nora’s character to some of the ideas Aristotle discussed in his book. According to Aristotle, ‘the tragic hero is a man who is a mixture of good characteristics and bad characteristics’. Regardless of the ‘requirement’ of being male, Nora fits this aspect of his definition perfectly as she can be seen as both the epitome of good and evil within the play, depending on one’s perspective. Ibsen establishes Nora’s character as not purely vapid (as we perhaps thought based on our first impression of her) but a woman who gave up the â€Å"necess[ities] of life† and went to extreme lengths to â€Å"save [her] husband’s life†, even though it was considered â€Å"imprudent† in Victorian society, where a woman was â€Å"transferred† from being, firstly a good daughter, secondly a good wife and finally a good mother. Consequently, Nora’s character can also be seen as having ‘bad characteristics’ (one of Aristotle’s prerequisites of being a tragic hero) as she undoubtedly â€Å"commit[ted] a fraud† and as Krogstad says, â€Å"the law cares nothing about motives†, even if Nora â€Å"did it for love’s sake†. Ib sen stated that ‘a woman cannot be herself in modern society. It is an exclusively male society, with laws made by men’ with no regard to female emotions. Torvald â€Å" shakes his finger† at Nora and says that â€Å"a songbird must have a clean beak to chirp with†. Ibsen’s use of stage direction clearly shows Torvald’s condescending behaviour towards his wife. It also shows that even after eight years of marriage, Torvald Helmer underestimates his wife’s character or capabilities to the extent that it is questionable whether he knows her at all. Ibsen suggests that even though the plot unfolds in a male dominated society, those same men could be easily deceived by their wives, as shown by Torvald and Nora’s relationship. Even though Ibsen has followed Aristotle’s idea, he has left it open to interpretation as Nora’s actions can be interpreted as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Is the Queensland Australian prison system in need of reform Research Paper

Is the Queensland Australian prison system in need of reform - Research Paper Example Prison deaths often fall into two categories. There is the natural and unnatural death. An unnatural death may be defined as suicide, drug overdose or murder. However, it can be noted that all deaths by drug overdose and suicide remain questionable. This stem from the reason that prison murders can be staged to look like suicides or drug overdoses. Hence, the term â€Å"unnatural death†. For instance, Sir David Longland Correctional Centre (SDLCC), in Queensland, has been reported to have the highest prisoner mortality rate for unnatural deaths than any other Australian maximum-security prison. Over the last decade, an estimated twenty-eight prisoners have died unnatural deaths. The criminal justice system in Queensland, Australia is designed to deal accordingly with people who do not obey the law. At first glance, Queensland’s criminal justice system appears to be fair and just. However, beneath the surface for those that are going through the system, there appears to be injustices, particularly for marginalized citizens, those without power, contacts, or knowledge (Egel, 2007). Circumstances surrounding the unnatural deaths of these prisoners are symptomatic of the observed secrecy that cloaks the Queensland prison system. There seems to be a self-serving secrecy the Queensland Department of Corrective Services has steadily fostered by applying censorship tourniquets that may suppress politically sensitive information ever reaching the media. The Queensland Corrective Services Act 2000, for instance, has been specifically implemented to reinforce that method by regulating the media’s access to Queensland prisoners. It is those restrictive pr actices that may have allowed the killing incidents of Queensland prison facilities to flourish. There are four main goals of prison confinement. These include Incapacitation, Retribution, Rehabilitation and Deterrence. Incapacitation focuses on

Pay Equity Solutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pay Equity Solutions - Essay Example In 1967 the wage gap between men and women was 58.4% which increased to 72.5% by the end of 1997 (Drolet, 2001). The wage gap is even wider when it comes to nationality, looks, skills and learning ability, color, religion, caste, social and marital status of women. Pay equity revolves around the concept of equal payments to equivalent job tasks irrespective of the worker’s gender. Women have a right to be paid equally as men on the basis of the skills and knowledge. It in one of the basic women rights which is protected by the constitution. Equality Provision is mentioned in the 15th section of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom (Harewood, 2004). Additionally the Canadian Human Rights Act strictly forbids the discrimination in wages on the basis of gender. The law is applicable to all the employees working under the public or private businesses sector. Some Canadian provinces such as Manitoba and Ontario have their specific laws regarding pay equity which is applied wi thin the provincial jurisdiction to all the private and public sector employees. However, despite of all the laws, rules and regulations pay equity is a major problem for Canadian women since it is hardly accessible and very few women are able to avail its advantages (Harewood, 2004). Employees of some of the most reputable organizations such as Bell Canada, Canada Post, Telus and Air Canada have been striving hard to gain pay equity since years yet they haven’t met success (Cote, 2006). This calls for an immediate action in order to extend protection to the female employees and also to restore their fundamental human rights. In this regard we have some successful applications of pay equity legislation such as the one applied in Ontario... Once the law is established for the enforcement of pay equity then it is the obligation of employers to abide by its rules and regulations in order to maintain its essence and also to protect themselves from possible penalties which might fall on them due to law violation. There should be a pay equity commission which would be responsible for the perfect implementation of laws. The commission would also extend educational awareness and techniques of skill development to the employees so as to ensure pay equity in addition to increasing their productivity level. Employees would also be able to register their complaints against pay discrimination and they would be allowed to formulate their specific pay equity strategies. Here the government would have to play its role by extending sufficient funds to the commission so that it can perform its tasks effectively and efficiently. Women maintain a significant proportion of today’s work force which requires them to be more efficient so as to meet the modern age needs and demands. When women face issues related to pay equity then they fail to contribute in the best way towards the organizational goals and objectives. In this paper, some of the most significant solutions to resolve the issue of pay equity are explained including job evaluation, job category, employee evaluation, etc with the help of analyzing Ontario example and other successfully implemented pay equity laws. It is very important to implement effective legislative laws in Canada so as to get rid of the wage gap.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 13

Case Study Example However a host EJ had a negative incident with a guest and she lost a lot of her belongings and suffered losses. She posted the incident in different networking sites and it soon became viral. The site was late to respond to the problems of EJ and did little to address the issues. Airbnb as a responsible firm should have made sure that the guests that it is referring to the hosts. Moreover even after the complaint was lodged by the host, it did not take initiative to look into the matter. In EJ’s case the site should have contacted the guest and asked for proper explanations. Proper probes that would have provided detailed insights into the matter should have been conducted such that the positions of both the parties can be properly reviewed. The results of the probe would have declared the guilty party and if proved guilty the guest should have been asked to pay for the damage done to the host. In case the host was found guilty defamation charges should have been filed agains t the host. But the site had taken no such initiative till the matter started getting widely publicised. There were repeated complaints regarding the site’s credibility and the firm should have taken initiative to resolve the issues such that it could ensure maximum customer satisfaction. Moreover customer review system is faulty in the case of the site and needs reviewing. The guests who decline requests due to inappropriate customer profiles are penalised by way of low rankings on the site. It also has a very dysfunctional customer service that failed to address the customer issues. On the site’s portal there are various complaints from the customers who have faced difficulty regarding registering their house and also from guests who had repeatedly found their bookings cancelled without any proper justification. The guests have tried to contact the customer care service