French Revolution Essay Example for Free

French Revolution Essay Modernity by itself is a very abstract concept which can be associated with all new experiences in history. It is largely temporal because what is modern today is the old or obsolete tomorrow. Modernity is said to be a logic of negation because it tends to give importance to the present over the past, and at the same time also frowns over the present with respect to the future. From a purely historical perspective however, the society which evolved in Europe after the French Revolution of 1789 can be termed as modern in so much so that there is a marked difference or break in the way of thinking, living and enterprise between the societies after and before the French Revolution. The evolution of the modern society was not a process that happened overnight. The roots of the modern society and its gradual evolution can be traced back to the beginning of the eighteenth century. In fact the period from that point in history to the French Revolution is termed as the period of intellectual Enlightenment when there was a radical change in philosophy, science, politics, arts and culture. It was on these new forms of knowledge that the foundation of the modern society or modernity was based. Defining the Traditional Many scholars have tried to analyze the basic or instinctive nature of human beings in attempts to track back how modernity could have affected the core individual. In his book Leviathan, Hobbes deduced that in an environment uninfluenced by artificial systems or in a ‘state of nature’ human beings would be war like and violent, and their lives would consequently be solitary, poor, brutish and short. Rousseau however contradicts Hobbes. He claims that humans are essentially benevolent by nature. He believed in the ‘noble savage’ or the concept that devoid of civilization human beings are essentially peaceful and egalitarian and live in harmony with the environment – an idea associated with Romanticism. Human beings have however lived in communities and formed societies since the very early ages. In what is now known as the ancient world or the world of classical pagan antiquity typical of the societies of Greece and Rome, the concept of the ‘new’ or ‘change’ was absent. Time, like the seasons, was supposed to move in cyclical order, repeating itself with regularity cycle after cycle with nothing new or changed to break away from the established order. The people were steeped in more superstitious and religious beliefs which ruled almost every aspect of their lives. Christianity brought about changes in the belief systems of the ancient world. Christianity postulated that time was linear, that it began from the birth of Jesus Christ and would end with the apocalypse and the second coming of Jesus. This was a linear concept of time that moved in a straight line and not in a cycle that kept coming back to the same point. The Foundations of Modernity It was during the Enlightenment period that the Christian concepts of time and history were secularized to give way to the modern approach to change and progress. There were many other basic changes during the Enlightenment. The key ideas which formed the basis of the enlightenment period were autonomy and emancipation, progress and the improvement of history and universalism. The development of scientific knowledge gave rise to religious skepticism. People were no longer willing to submit blindly to the dictates of ordained religion. In other words they attained emancipation from the shackles of religion that had governed almost all aspects of their lives. This emancipation led to autonomy of the individual. Individuals began to decide for themselves instead submitting to an external authority such as religion. The people now decided by themselves what kind of authority, rules and regulation would be good for them, and such authority must be natural and not supernatural. Enlightenment encouraged criticism. Enlightenment thinkers did not hold anything sacred and freely criticized, questioned, examined and challenged all dogmas and institutions in their search for betterment or progress. Thinkers such as Voltaire defended reason and rationalism against institutionalized superstition and tyranny. The belief that there could and should be a change for the better came to be a prominent characteristic of modernity. The critical attitude of enlightenment thinker to contemporary social and political institutions paved the way for scientific studies of political and social studies and subsequent evolution of better forms of such institutions. The scientific revolution during the period, culminating in the work of Isaac Newton, presented a very practical and objective view of the natural world to people at large, and science came to be regarded very highly. Scientific inquiry was gradually extended to cover new social, political and cultural areas. Such studies were oriented around the cause-and-effect approach of naturalism. Control of prejudice was also deemed to be essential to make them value free. Enlightenment thinking emphasized the importance of reason and rationality in organization and development of knowledge. The gradual development of the scientific temperament with a paradigm change from the qualitative to the quantitative is also very evident in Europe of the time. People came to believe that they could better their own lot through a more scientific and rational approach to everything. The concept of universalism which advocated that reason and science were applicable to all fields of study and that science laws, in particular, were universal, also grew roots during the period. People began to believe in change, development and progress – all basic tenets of modernity as we know it today. Autonomy to decide for their own good, gave the people the right to choose the form of authority that could lead them as a society or community towards a better future and progress. This opened the doors to the emergence of states with separate and legally defined spheres of jurisdiction. Thus we find that modernity represents a transformation – philosophical, scientific, social, political and cultural – at a definite time in history at a definite spatial location. This transformation also represents a continuum up to the present in so much so that its basic principles are inherent in the societies and nations of today. The period of enlightenment can be seen as one of transition from the ‘traditional’ to the ‘modern’ forms of society, from an age of blind beliefs to a new age of reason and rational. Different Perspectives on development of Modernity Different political and philosophical thinkers have however developed different, and sometimes contradicting, theories of the development of modernity. Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx are two of the leading thinkers whose theories run counter to each other. For Hegel, the development of modernity was a dialectical process which was governed by the increasing self-consciousness of what he termed as the collective human ‘mind’ or ‘spirit’. According to Hegel, the dialectic process of development of the mind comprised three stages, with two initially contradicting positions synthesizing into a third reconciled position. Human beings live what Hegel called an ‘Ethical Life’ or in a social environment shaped by customs and traditions. This ethical life has three stages: the first is the family, which is dissolved in due course, the second is the ‘civil society’ that a person builds up as a result of his social interactions beyond the family and greater relations, and finally the third stage of the ‘state’ which Hegel defines as the highest form of social reason. For Hegel therefore, the formation of the modern state is the mark of modernity when human beings achieve the ultimate stage of social existence. Hegel believed as individuals or families, human beings are too selfish and self-centered co-exist in harmony and work for development. It is the state that is able to integrate the contradictions of different individuals, and not market forces. Since the state by itself is composed of political institutions, Hegel’s theory equates the development of the modern state or modern political institutions with modernity. Marx took a completely opposing view, when he asserted that material forces drive history. For him the state by itself is not an ideal entity for the integration of human beings into a cohesive whole for their development as a nation or a society. According to him it is the material forces comprising social and economic forces that drive history towards modernity. People engage in production for their means of subsistence, they bind together and form states for the sake of production. Different forms of productions create different class relations. It is to maximize production and gain the maximum benefits and advantages that people bond together in different classes in the form of the modern state. The different ways in which production is organized give rise to complex forms of social organization because a particular mode of production is an entire way of life for the people who are involved in it. For Marx social existence is not consciously determined by human beings, rather, it is the other way round: their social existence determines their consciousness. When there are contradictions between productive forces and the social relationships of production, class conflict arises. For Marx, therefore, modernity is defined by the state of social existence. Marx acknowledges that ‘capitalism has been the most productive mode of production, and it contains the most potential for the realization of human freedom’. This very dynamic characteristic of capitalism is born out of its destructiveness for all traditional social constraints such as religion, nation, family, sex, etc. But it is the same destructiveness and creativeness that creates the experience of modernity in Capitalism. This vital association between capitalism and modernity from none less that Marx himself establishes that the capitalism that evolved after the period of enlightenment in Europe has been acknowledged as the modern era of the period of modernity by Marx. Marx however states that capitalism is exploitative, and because it is exploitative, its full potential cannot be harnessed for the benefit of all. He therefore advocates communism which is a system of planned and conscious production by men and women of their won free will. This brings us to the question whether humanity has already passed through a stage of history that has been termed as modernity, and has moved on to the postmodern era (Mitchell, 2009). Another important point is regarding the placing of modernity. Modernity is understood to be a process that began and ended in Europe, and was later exported to other parts of the world. Thinkers like Marx tend to differ. He saw Capitalism emerge as a ‘rosy dawn’ not in England or the Netherlands but in the production trade and finance of the colonial system (Marx, 1967). Therefore, though the concept of modernity can be defined in various ways, it definitely refers to the process of evolution of the human mind and the society to a point where people were able to come together for their own advantage and benefit and work for unceasing development under a collectively formalized authority such as the nation state. It can also be state with a certain degree of assertiveness that the period from the beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the French Revolution in 1789 actually marked the period of active development of modernity in Europe. The concepts that were nurtured during the period bore fruit immediately afterwards in Europe and the West and later spread to the rest of the world. The world has continued since on very much the same basic principles but with far more advanced technologies and superior social, economic and political approaches. Influence of Modernity on Literature Modernity had a profound influence on literature. As people began to think differently, they also began to write differently. The modernist ideas of religious emancipation, autonomy, reliance on reason, rationality and science, and on development and progress began to find expression in the literature that developed even during the period of enlightenment and thereafter. This new form of literature came to be known as the Modernist Literature. Modernist literature tended to vent expression to the tendencies of modernity. Modernist literature, as also modernist art, took up cudgels against the old system of blind beliefs. Centering around the idea of individualism or the individual mind, modernist literature displayed mistrust of established institutions such as conventional forms of autocratic government and religion. It also tended not to believe in any absolute truths. Simmel (1903) gives an overview of the thematic concerns of Modernist Literature when he states that, â€Å"The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence in the face of overwhelming social forces, of historical heritage, of external culture, and of the technique of life. † Examples from two Greats A few examples of Modernist literature will serve to make its characteristics more clear. Rene Descartes (1596 – 1650) is considered to be one of the early enlightenment thinkers whose literary works opened the avenues to the modern era. Known as the founder of modern philosophy and the father of modern mathematics, Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician and scientist whose influence has served to shape the beginnings of Modernist literature. In his famous work, The Discourse on Method, he presents the equally famous quotation ‘cogito ergo sum’ or ‘I think, therefore I am’, which about sums up the very principle of the basis of the modern era. â€Å"I observed that, whilst I thus wished to think that all was false, it was absolutely necessary that I, who thus thought, should be somewhat; and as I observed that this truth, I think, therefore I am (COGITO ERGO SUM), was so certain and of such evidence that no ground of doubt, however extravagant, could be alleged by the sceptics capable of shaking it, I concluded that I might, without scruple, accept it as the first principle of the philosophy of which I was in search† (Descartes, 1637). In this work, Descartes drew on ancients such as Sextus Emiricus to revive the idea of skepticism, and reached a truth that he found to be undeniable. â€Å"Descartes started his line of reasoning by doubting everything, so as to assess the world from a fresh perspective, clear of any preconceived notions. In other words, he rejected man’s reliance on God’s revealed word, placing his own intellect on a higher plain† (McCarter, 2006). David Hume (1711 – 1776) was a philosopher, economist and historian from Scotland, and was considered a notable personality both in western philosophy and of the Scottish Enlightenment movement. In his works, he had a way of projecting the errors of scepticism and naturalism, thus carving out a way for secular humanism. In his most famous work, ‘An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding’, Hume asserts that all human knowledge is imbibed through our senses. He argues that unless the source from which the impression of a certain entity is conveyed to our senses is identified, that entity cannot exist. The logic would nullify the existence of God, a soul or a self. â€Å"By the term impression, then, I mean all our more lively perceptions, when we hear, or see, or feel, or love, or hate, or desire, or will. And impressions are distinguished from ideas, which are the less lively perceptions, of which we are conscious, when we reflect on any of those sensations or movements above mentioned †¦It seems a proposition, which will not admit of much dispute, that all our ideas are nothing but copies of our impressions, or, in other words, that it is impossible for us to think of anything, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004) In the same work Hume also postulates two kinds of human reasoning – Relation of Ideas and Matters of Fact. The former involves abstract concepts such as of mathematics where deductive faculty is required, and the later is about empirical experiences which are inductive in nature. This postulate has come to be known as Hume’s Fork. Hume, along with his contemporaries of the Scottish Enlightenment, also proposed that the basis for principles of morals is to be sought in the utility that they tend to serve. This shows the questioning nature of modernist literature not only of religious but also of moral and social norms and values. A very visible influence of modernity is therefore seen in the works of Hume. Present-day Modernist Literature If modernity influenced literature, it also used literature to shift from a philosophical and theoretical domain into the practical lives of people. Modernity could infiltrate into the lives of people through literary works that defined and reiterated the legitimate new modes of classification. Old literary forms with traditional meanings attached to them were reworked, allowing readers to modify or contravene the older meanings. â€Å"This opening-up process allowed readers to glean new meanings that modified or contravened the older ones. In the course of these changes, words, forms, and institutions altered their meaning in British life: they, and the practices they comprised, referred differently†¦. modifying ‘reference potential’ in literature fed back into how readers responded to changes in life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Rothstein, 2007) In art and literature, many critics view ‘modernism’ as a new trend in the field of art and literature, defined basically by stylistic and structural variations. They would not accept the fact that ‘modernism’, it is basic approach, was the principles of modernity rendered plausible in literature and art. Modernity has always tried to hold up the world in new perspectives. Similarly, modernist literature opens up the world in all its forms – theoretical, philosophical, aesthetical and political – for fresh scrutiny. Even in its present form, modernist literature attempts to break the objective world of the realist. â€Å"Modernist writing †¦ takes the reader into a world of unfamiliarity, a deep introspection, a cognitive thought-provoking experience, skepticism of religion, and openness to culture, technology, and innovation† (Melton, 2010). Modernist literature exhibits a fascination with the workings of the mind, and how reality is reflected by the mind. The questioning of life, with or without the presence of God, is another trademark of the philosophical and theoretical moorings of modernist literature. Charles Darwin’s work challenges God as the Creator and presents the process of natural selection in the survival of life. This led to modernist literature of time travel, of questioning the existence of individuals and the purpose of the universe. Modernism brought about a new openness in the areas of feminism, bisexuality, the family, and the mind. In the world of today, modernist literature still display much of the characteristics of the times in which it first took shape. A very important theme of modernist literature today is a feeling of being alone in the world – a feeling stemming from estrangement or alienation. Characters are often presented as being depressed or angry. A second common trait is that of being in doubt. â€Å"It may be disbelief in religion, in happiness, or simply a lack of purpose and doubt in the value of human life. Finally, a third theme that is prevalent is a search for the truth† (Foster, 2010). Then there is a third theme in which the alienated character is always in the search for truth and seeks answers to a plethora of questions relating to human subjectivity. In all these characteristics are to be found the same questioning nature, the same denouncement of blind beliefs and the same dependence on reason and rationality that the Eighteenth Century enlightenment thinkers had pursued. The character is alienated and estranged because he or she questions all that is deemed not right by his or her own mind; the character questions the beliefs of religion and other institutions which are not based on reasoning; and finally the character seeks answers and the truth. â€Å"Modernist literature encompasses the thematic fingerprints of a rebellious, questioning, disbelieving, meditative, and confident type of form, which was conceived out of a change in the belief of humanity, the mind, a God, and the self brought on by the shift from capitalism to an ever-increasing society of revolutionary changes† (Melton, 2010). References Descartes, R. , 1637, The Discourse on Methods. Dover Philosophical Classics, 2004, David Hume, An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Dover Publications Inc. Foster, J. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/743749-modernism-in-literature-and-history Karl Marx, 1967, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, 3 vols. , New York: International Publishers, 1:703. McCarter, J. , P. , 2006, Literature of the Modern Era, The Puritans’ Home School Curriculum. Melton, L. , 2010, Modernism in Literature and History, Available: http://www. helium. com/items/809291-modernism-in-literature-and-history Mitchell, T. , 2000, The Stage of Modernity, Available: http://www. ram-wan. net/restrepo/modernidad/the%20stage%20of%20modernity-mitchell. pdf Rothstein, E. , 2007, Gleaning Modernity, Earlier Eighteenth Century Literature and the Modernizing Process, Rosemont Publishing and Printing Corp. , Associated University Presses. Simmel, G. , 1093, The Metropolis and Mental Life.

Google and Search Essay Example for Free

Google and Search Essay Mission Statement â€Å"Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.† While other companies were busy cramming the most ads possible on their homepages or squeezing every last hour of productivity out of employees, Google created an enjoyable experience for every party involved in the company including users, employees, and investors. Google’s success has come as a direct result of keeping people happy. History of Google Google was founded by two Stanford University computer science graduate students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. When the two met in 1995, they argued about every topic they discussed except for the best approach to solving one of computing’s biggest challenges: retrieving relevant information from a massive set of data. By January of 1996 the two had begun collaborating on their first search engine. It was named BackRub for its unique ability to analyze â€Å"back links† pointing to a given website, and quickly earned a growing reputation among those who had seen it. By 1998, the two had bought a terabyte of disks to create their first data center and renamed their search engine â€Å"Google†; which was a play on the word â€Å"googol†, referring to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeros, a reference to their goal of organizing the immense amount of information available on the web. Initially, Page and Brin had unsuccessfully tried to find companies to license their technology, but ended up raising an initial investment of almost $1 million when they decided to build a business on their own. And, by the end of that year, Google was answering 10,000 search queries per day and began to receive public recognition. They appeared on USA Today and were named one of the Top 100 Web Sites and Search Engines by PC Magazine. By early 1999 Google was answering over 500,000 searches per day, and their meteoric rise began. By the end of 1999, Google had raised another $25 million from venture capitalists, moved to their current headquarters in Mountain View, California, grew to answering over 3 million searches per day, and received a slew of recognition, including being named on Time magazine’s Top Ten Best Cybertech list of 1999. They also went global with the introduction of versions in ten other languages for users to search in their native tongue, and still they were just getting started. Google continued to grow, developing strategic partnerships, developing new features, developing new services, and fulfilling over 34,000 search requests per second. Ultimately, Google became the technology powerhouse that we know today. They achieved the status of having over 72% of the search engine requests in the United States. They also added a multitude of other services, including video, email, mapping, images, an operating system, an internet browser, internet protocol phone service, and many, many others. Executive Summary Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people find and use information. We maintain the world’s largest online index of websites and other content and, via our automated search technology, make this information freely available, nearly instantly, to anyone with the Internet connection. Google primarily generates revenue by delivering relevant, cost-effective online advertising. Businesses use our AdWords program to promote their products and services with targeted advertising. In addition, the thousands of third-party websites that comprise our Google network use our Google AdSense program to deliver relevant AdWords ads that generate revenue and enhance the user experience. Situation Google, currently headquartered in Mountain View California, is now a strong leader in the technology sector, specifically in the â€Å"Internet Information Provider† industry. With a market capitalization of $199.88 billion, Google is almost five times larger than its nearest competitor, Baidu Inc. They produce $10.29 billion in operating cash flow each year and have $33.38 billion in cash reserves. Clearly, they are a financially strong company with extensive resources. Their business, as originally founded, remains focused on search technology with the Google search engine available on more than 150 Google domains, presented in many different languages. They have also created a tool to enable users to translate search results between languages. Other search tools included the ability to search for stock quotes, sports scores, news headlines, local addresses, images, videos, patents, maps, and much more. And, for information that is not already available online, Google is working to digitize it with projects like Google Books and the Google News Archive. Google’s dominance in the search engine field allows the company to generate the majority of its revenue through advertising. Hundreds of thousands of advertisers use Google AdWords to target potential customers as they search for terms relevant to the products and services they offer. Advertisers do this by bidding to have ads appear with search results on a â€Å"pay-per-click† basis. They can even target a specific geographic area. Another product offered by Google in the advertising genre is GoogleAdSense, which allows blog and website owners to generate additional revenue by allowing Google to place relevant ads on their sites. In order to help advertisers, Google provides tools such as Google Analytics, Website Optimizer, Insights for Search, and Ad Planner which are tools to help advertisers measure results and be more efficient. Google also offers a variety of apps that are intended to make it simpler for people to share information and get things done together. Apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs, among others, allow users to have access to free programs and tools that are not accessed through individual computers, but are stored on internet servers. This is called â€Å"cloud computing† and it makes information portable, so that it is accessible anywhere and through any device that the user has internet access. Perhaps the most recent front of development, Google also has entered the mobile market. Through a variety of tools and partnerships, Google tries to make their products available on mobile devices so that users can access Google Maps, Youtube, and other services through any mobile phone. Taking this concept to the next level, Google has created and released the Android operating system. This is a free operating system that any developer can use and any hardware manufacturer can install on any device. This OS puts a comprehensive line up of Google products at the smart phone user’s fingertips, instantly. SWOT Analysis of Google: Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Analysis Strengths: * Already number one search engine has established name, in which its users trust * Dependable, reliable, and fast * Needs very little end user marketing * Has a simple interface and it gives comprehensive results without confusing users * Many products and services (desktop, Mobile, web), allowing users to meet many of their technology needs through Google * Interface with 88 different languages Weaknesses: * Dependent on search based advertising for nearly all revenue * Weak in social networking presence * Search queries only answered with 50-60% accuracy * Rising cost for data center Opportunities: * Allow vendors to pay for advertising on localized search results * Develop social networking site or integrate products with existing sites * Develop feature to enable chat between Google users, especially those using Google products to collaborate on documents * Find entry into huge gaming market Threats: * Privacy issues regarding content ownership * Competition from Yahoo, MSN, Bing, Baidu, etc. * Imposed Censorship Porter’s Five Forces Model Rivalry Among Competing Firms: Low. There are certainly other search engines, but Google is clearly the dominant player in the field. Also, while other companies offer competing options for many of Google’s products, nobody offers nearly as complete a mix of products and services. This allows Google to keep consumers engaged across a wide range of products and inspires brand loyalty. For example, someone likes the Google search engine, so they decide to try Google Docs. After coming to see Google Docs in a positive light, they decide to use Google Group to collaborate on documents. Seeing the benefit of Google Groups, they decide to use Google Calendar for their scheduling, etc. Over time, Google comes to be associated with good quality and helpful tools, so when a new product offering comes out, consumers instantly assume it is a good product and want to use it. Also, in Google’s primary revenue stream, pay-per-click search based advertising, Google has no real competition, and as long as Google dominates the search engine field they have little chance of losing advertisers to a competitor. Potential Entry of New Competitors: Low. There are few technology companies that have the knowledge and resources to mount a serious challenge of Google’s dominance. Google has developed proprietary technology that is hugely successful. It would be extremely difficult for a competitor to enter the field and duplicate Google’s technology, so unless Google loses its position on the cutting edge and is surpassed by the next technological improvement, they are a difficult target for new competitors. Potential Development of Substitute Products: Low. Some of Google’s products face possible substitutes in the market. For example, consumers could use a GPS instead of Google Maps, but Google’s primary business is based around their powerhouse search engine which is difficult to substitute. It would be nearly impossible to effectively search the vast amount of information available through the internet and retrieve relevant information without the help of a search engine. As for Google’s primary revenue source, search based advertising; it is difficult to imagine a substitute product that would allow advertisers to pinpoint their marketing to potential customers who are actively demonstrating an interest in a related topic. Targeted advertising that the advertiser pays for only when it shows a measureable result will always be attractive to businesses as long as the pricing structure remains reasonable, and with Google’s auction style approach, it is virtually ensured that the price will not exceed what the market will bear. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low. Since Google’s products and services are primarily technology and information based, it has very limited exposure to suppliers. Google is not buying raw materials to produce or manufacture tangible goods. Unless a massive societal shift occurs that limits Google’s access to information, Google will not be at the mercy of suppliers for their primary resource. The only aspect of Google’s business in which suppliers might exercise bargaining power would be servers. However, several manufacturers produce hard disks for storage of information and Google’s size and massive use of storage servers gives them the bargaining power. Bargaining Power of Consumers: Low. Most of Google’s products and services are offered at no cost. Google’s paying customers, namely advertisers, have no equivalent service to divert their spending to. Other search engines simply don’t have the volume of use or the supporting tracking and planning tools that Google has. Problem definition Summary statement of the problem: The primary problem that Google faces can be summed up in one word, â€Å"SIZE†. The size of Google makes it extremely difficult to maintain its past innovation and growth performance. Due to the success that Google has enjoyed in its relatively short history, it will be increasingly difficult to identify and capitalize on opportunities that are sufficient to continue to grow and develop at such an astronomical pace. At the same time, Google’s position as a dominant industry player puts it in a position to be an attractive target for competitors to emulate and challenge for market share. Summary statement of the recommended solution: In order to best address this challenge, Google must do several things simultaneously. Google must recognize and remember that its success stems from being on the cutting edge. Google cannot afford to sit on the sidelines when new technologies come to market. They must always look for opportunities to capitalize early. Similarly, Google should not only continue to seek attractive acquisition targets, but also invest in RD in order to keep the technology pipeline active. Structurally, Google must avoid a centralized control structure that views new growth opportunities from the perspective of their current size and performance, because truly great growth opportunities are not always easily recognizable in the early stages. What better example of that than Google itself?

Understanding and analysing how Next Retail Ltd (Next) delivers its logistics

Understanding and analysing how Next Retail Ltd (Next) delivers its logistics 1.1 Introduction This report is based on understanding and analysing how Next Retail Ltd (Next) conceives, supports and delivers its logistics and the supply of its products. Next is an international company based in the UK that offers quality fashion clothes and accessories for men, women and children and home ware. It is a subsidiary of Next Plc which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Next Plcs total revenue was  £3.4b in 2010 and profit before tax was  £505 million (Appendix 1). While Next Retail is present in over 500 stores in the UK and Eire, it manufactures its products outside Europe. For international companies like this, logistics and supply chain management is an important factor in the success of their businesses. This report will describe and analyse Nexts logistics and supply chain strategies. It will also attempt to understand the rationale behind these strategies and whether they have been successful. Based on the report findings, recommendations will be made. The sources of information for this report will be mostly secondary; they will include the company website, company reports, economic reports, journals and textbooks. It is expected that a thorough analysis of this information will be sufficient to produce a high quality report. 1.2 The nature of logistics. There are several definitions of logistics depending on the nature of the organisation (Rushton et al 2006). For some, it is the management of all activities which facilitates movement and the co-ordination of supply and demand in the creation of time and place utility (Hesket et al 1973 cited in Rushton et al). Rushton himself defined it as the efficient transfer of goods from the source of supply through the place of manufacture to the point of consumption in a cost effective way whilst providing an acceptable service to the customer (Rushton et al 2006). It can be broken down into two major components materials management and physical distribution (figure 1.1). The two components can be further broken down into transport, warehousing, inventory, packaging and information of goods and services. The way that each company makes its decisions on the various aspects of logistics management is a function of many things such as the nature of products or services it offers, the countries in which it sources its materials and sells its products, the international and local laws and regulations, the type of customers it targets, resources available etc. Figure 1.1. A comprehensive diagram of logistics (Rushton et al 2006). 2.1 Supply chain strategies Supply chain strategies are different from supply management. They define how the supply chain should operate in order to be competitive. It is a process that has to be repeated in order to measure the cost benefits of the operational components (UPS 2005). Supply chain management, on the other hand, is the management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers to deliver superior customer value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole (Christopher 2004). Supply chain strategies depend on the companys corporate strategies which are the blue print for what the company wants to achieve (Mangan et al 2008). The figure below shows how the logistic and supply management strategies depend indirectly on the corporate strategy and directly on the business unit strategy. Figure 2.1 The link between SCM Strategy and Corporate Strategy (Mangan et al 2008). According to Mangan et al (2008), there are two major types of supply chain strategies; the lean and the agile strategies. With lean strategies, the emphasis is on reducing and if possible eliminating waste the in the production of the goods and services e.g. there is no time lag in the factory and the products are ready just in time for use. This strategy depends on having all the resources and information necessary for production and distribution; it also depends on being able to predict customer demands so that there is no waste of products. The agile strategy pioneered by Christopher (2003) is borne of the fact that when there is high volatility in the demand and production process, it is not always possible to have accurate resources and predict customer demands. The agile strategy helps the business to be able to cope with any demands made on it by embarking on mass production and differentiation. Both lean and agile strategies are not mutually exclusive and businesses can choose to use both of them for products with different lead times, product cycles and customer demands. Nexts supply chain strategies Nexts primary objective is to deliver sustainable long term growth in earnings per share and its business strategies to achieve these include: Improve its product ranges Increase the number of its customers and their average spend. Improve product sourcing, reduce cost and manage stock levels efficiently (Next 2011). The dominant buying behaviour of Nexts customers is not always predictable because the fashion market is characterised by high volatility, low predictability and high impulse purchasing (Christopher et al 2004). Fashion stores used to change their stock only twice a year, with up to eight fashion seasons in a year, the stores have to constantly change their stock. In fact, fashion trends have been observed to last for only six to eight weeks (Collins 2003). This leads to complications in the supply chain for most fashion companies. The consequent volatility requires an agile supply strategy. Mass customisation is one key technique in the agile strategy. This involves mass production of the business products but configuring them slightly so that there are some variations in the products. The customers then have different products to choose from even though the products are essentially the same. Next adopts this strategy by offering mass produced clothes in variety of colours, sizes and styles to accommodate the differences in its customers tastes (Next 2011). On the other hand, as seen from its business strategies, there is a strong desire to reduce cost and manage stock levels efficiently. This corresponds to the lean supply strategy which eliminates wastes and increases efficiency. Next handles its inventory management accurately with the use of sound IT systems (NEXT Annual Report 2010). This ensures that there is a good balance between having additional products at hand and the risk of not having them when the customers need them (Gourdin 2000). Its warehousing and distribution operations are constantly reviewed to maintain efficiency and reduce risks such as physical property damage, reduce fabric waste, warehouse breakdowns, capacity shortages etc. Care is also taken to make sure that the products are transported to the retail stores on time (Next 2010 Annual Report). As a result of this, in 2010, the company was able to increase gross profit margin by 0.5% through reduction in warehousing and distribution costs (Figure 2.2). Figure 2.2. Next Plcs profit margins in 2010. Logistic Service providers (LSPs) LSPs are companies who handle other companies transport and distribution networks. Recognising the cost-effective prospects in international transport and logistics entails dedication and resources (Rushton et al 2008). Thus, many businesses outsource the transportation of raw materials and finished products to LSPs and focus on their own core competences to save resources and increase profits (Mangan et al 2008). Some companies, on the other hand, provide its own transportation and distribution services. While some others come together as agencies to organise their logistics needs, thereby getting the services at cheaper rates (Mangan et al 2008). Some LSPs also provide integrated logistics services and act as a one stop shop for companies. They are called third-party logistics companies (3PLs) or even fourth-party logistics companies (4PLs). They provide transportation, warehousing and packaging and distribution for other businesses. Examples of such companies are DHL, Kuehne and Nagel Logistics. Choosing the right LSP depends on several factors including the services provided, the geographical location, costs, speed, services needed, LSPs history etc (Mangan et al 2008). Next Plc falls under the categories of company who provides its own logistics services. It boasts of over 20 years of transporting, warehousing and distribution and has invested over  £66 million on its network over the past few years (Stanton 2007). Next Plc considers itself so experienced in these functions that it is now offers 3PL services to other retail businesses with 100 to 150 stores under the umbrella of Ventura Network Distribution (Stanton 2007). The company has two major networks; primary retail and two man network (Ventura 2009). Primary Retail: which comprises of 8 sites, 800 staff, depot space of about 1 million feet, warehousing space of about 5 million feet and over 200 vehicles. Two Man Network: this comprises of 11 sites, 220 staff and about 150 vehicles. In addition, it also offers the mail order fulfilment services (Ventura 2009). Ventura is doing well with a profit of  £6m in 2010; an increase of  £1m from the previous year (Next 2010 Annual Report). More growth is expected in the coming year. 3. Procurement and Outsourcing Procurement is the process of buying and acquiring the materials and services needed for a business. The materials and services procured by businesses will vary according to each business needs. A business like Next that sells clothing and accessories will need to buy fabric, sewing equipment, labour skilled in sewing and manufacturing clothes while a business who sells processed foods will need the food ingredients, the cooking equipment and skilled cooks. The art of procurement is increasingly more complex because of the differences in the cost and quality of materials and services across the world. In order to remain competitive, companies have to buy their materials from areas with greatest value for money and so save on costs of production. International regulations on buying and selling across the world also mean that businesses need to factor in laws, custom and excise duties when choosing where to buy their materials. The identification of right source of supply, purchasing right quantity, right quality, at the right time and at the right prices are important elements of procurement functions (Saxena 2009). Procurement can be direct and indirect. Direct procurement is applicable to manufacturing companies since they need to buy raw materials and equipment for their goods. Indirect procurement is applicable to all companies since it focus on the purchases of company facilities that are necessary to run the company such as labour, marketing, buildings/offices, office supplies etc. As with many other non-core business functions, some companies decide to outsource the procurement function to specialised companies that deal with this. For instance, they might engage recruitment agencies to fill a vacant position within their companies instead of spending time sifting through many CV and conducting interviews. Next Plc has several subsidiaries, one of which is called Next Sourcing Limited (NSL). NSL handles its procurement and sourcing operations. It is present in China, India, Hong Kong, Romania, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the UK. Its function is to design its fashion clothes, source the necessary materials, buy these materials and maintain the quality of the companys products (Next 2011). This subsidiary is doing well and last year recorded a profit of  £35.7m. However, with increasing competition from external suppliers, it is expected that profits will drop to about  £30m in the present year (Next 2010 Annual Report). For its indirect procurement, Next uses its subsidiary Ventura to handle all its customer service requirements and it offers this service to business who engage its service. This service is very important because increasing customer satisfaction is the output of good logistics (Gourdin 2000). At the moment, Next has 6 call centres in the UK, another one in India and employs over 7,000 employees (Next 2011). In addition, the company also recruits its own staff through its websites and advertisements on job sites like Indeed.co.uk which lead the applicants back to the Next website. 4.1 Conclusion Logistics is especially important to international companies. It involves how the company sources its products, manufactures, transports and stores them. The strategies embarked on by the company are a function of its business objectives and strategies. Next is determined to be profitable by increasing the demand of its products and reducing costs. Therefore, it uses a combination of both the lean and agile supply strategies to manage its logistics and supply chain. Next has created subsidiary companies to manage the different components of its logistics and supply chain. It is evident that the company wants to have total control over its business. In addition, it has commercialised these subsidiary companies and offers their services to other businesses, thereby increasing its revenue. Next has been quite profitable including the subsidiary companies that manage its logistics and supply chain. However, according to its 2010 annual report, the profits from Next Sourcing Ltd is likely to see a decline in the following year as a result of competition from external suppliers. 4.2 Recommendations Based on the findings of this report, the following recommendations have been made: It might be necessary for Next to outsource some of its logistics functions to independent companies so that it can focus on its core competencies which are to provide quality fashion clothing and software. At the moment, in trying to do so many things, the company might be losing the expertise and focus they need to build their brand and make even more profit. For instance, because of the large number of employees needed for the company and its subsidiaries, Next can outsource its recruitment functions to recruitment agencies. If the profits from NSL start to fall as predicted, it can also consider outsourcing this function. It is necessary for the company to realise that outsourcing procurement does not necessarily mean that it loses total control of its sourcing and buying processes. It could still have a department in charge of this function but work with third parties to ensure that it uses the expertise necessary for competitive advantage. The department can monitor the procurement process so that Next can be assured of its quality. 5. References and Bibliography Christopher M., (2003). Creating Agile Supply Chains. In: J. Gattorna, ed. 2003. Gower Handbook of Supply Chain Management. 5th edition; Gower Publishing Ltd. 283 291. Christopher M. (2004) Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Creating Value Adding Networks. 3rd ed; Financial Times/ Prentice Hall. Christopher M, Lowson R. Peck H. (2004). Creating agile supply chains in the fashion industry. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol 32(8) 367 376 Collins J.L. (2003). Threads: Gender, Labor and Power in the Global Apparel Industry. 2nd ed; University of Chicago Press. Frazelle E. (2001). Supply Chain Strategy: The Logistics of Supply Chain Management. McGraw-Hill Professional. Gourdin K. (2000). Global Logistics Management: A Competitive Advantage for the New Millennium. Wiley-Blackwell. Mahadevan B. (2009). Operation Management: Theory and Practice. Prentice Hall College Div Mangan J, Lalwani C Butcher T. (2008). Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management. John Wiley Sons Next (2010). Annual Report. [Online]. Available at: http://www.nextplc.co.uk/nextplc/financialinfo/reportsresults/2009/jan10/jan10-c.pdf Accessed 02 March 2011. Next (2011). Next About us. [Online]. Available at: http://www.nextplc.co.uk/nextplc/aboutnext Accessed 02 March 2011. Saxena J. (2009). Production and Operations Management. McGraw Hill Education Stanton J. (2007) Next Goes into Third Party Logistics. [Online]. Available at: http://www.roadtransport.com/Articles/2007/10/31/128885/Next-goes-into-third-party-logistics.htm . Accessed 12 March 2011. Ventura (2009). Ventura Distribution Network [Online]. Available at: http://www.venturadistribution.co.uk/default.asp. Accessed 10 March 2011.

The Presence of Darkness in James Baldwins Sonnys Blues Essay

The Presence of Darkness in James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues In the story Sonny's Blues the author, James Baldwin, uses the image of darkness quite frequently. He uses it first when the older brother (main character) talks about his younger brother Sonny. He says that when Sonny was younger his face was bright and open. He said that he didn't want to believe that he would ever see his "brother going down, coming to nothing, all that light in his face gone out." Meaning he had gone from good (clean and innocent) to bad ( giving into drugs like so many of the other young people). The older brother then goes on to talk about his students and how they had limited possibilities stating that "all they really knew were two darknesses, the darkness of their lives, which was know closing in on them, and the darkness of the movies, which had blinded them to that other darkness, and in which they now vindictively dreamed, at once more together than they were at any time and more alone." He believes that there is little opportunity for these kids to get out of the pretty much doomed future they have with drug addiction and crime being what it is in the city. There was one boy whistling through the "harsh, bright air," while the other boys were laughing in their unforgiving way. The brightness of this boys whistling could symbolise that some of them do get out and make something of themselves ( bright futures). The author then uses darkness to describe the faces of the adults on Sunday evenings after dinner when everyone is relaxing with their own thought's. "For a moment nobody's talking but every face looks darkening, like the sky outside...The silence, the darkness coming and the darkness in the faces frighten the child obscurel... ... way they are moving from the bad things all around them into the good, that is, the music. In this way they are in a way escaping from the darkness that is around them every day even if only for a short time. It's the only light they have. This is when the author uses the image of darkness for the last time. " For, while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn't any other tale to tell, it's the only light we've got in all this darkness." This supports that their music is the only thing that is totally good in their lives. With all the violence and despair that is around them all of the time, music is the only way they can free themselves. Work Cited Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." The Norton introduction to Fiction. 6th ed. Ed. Jerome Beaty. New York: Norton, 1996. 47-70.

President Woodrow Wilsons Fourteen Points :: american presidents, 14 points

President Woodrow Wilson was elected in the year 1912. He was over all a good president, however was not very familiar with foreign policy. His thought was that America should stay neutral and not get involved. This was true, America had enough problems of its own to worry about. Wilson was an honest man and wanted to keep the promises he made during his campaign. He began passing new laws including the Clayton Antitrust Act which made labor unions legal (Joseph, 19). World War I started in Europe in July of 1914. President Woodrow Wilson successfully handled his challenge of war because he declared war, made 14 points, and achieved peace between the countries. Wilson did not want to go to war, it was his belief that America should stay neutral. The war hadn’t begun in England but was going to very soon due to the tension between the countries. Wilsons â€Å"first order of business was to propose a pact of friendship among England, Germany, and the United States† (Osinski 60). However no agreements came from this peace operation. June 28, 1914 war was declared, at this time America didn’t have any reason to join in the war, or to take sides. Since the war had begun American business’s and financial companies wanted to know if they could loan money to foreign countries. American farmers and manufacturers wanted to not limit the restrictions of trade with them and Wilson had to allow Americans to sell goods and loan money to the any foreign country (Osinski 61). America had a part in the war, not directly, but unclearly America was part of the war. On April 6th, 1917 the U.S. declared war with Germany. This was wh at Wilson did not want to do, but good would eventually come of it. President Wilson was ready to present his plan for peace. He made his â€Å"Fourteen Points†, these were his 14 areas for correction and agreement. Some of these fourteen points include freedom of navigation, arms reduction, and forming an association of nations (Collins 96). During these fourteen points Germany was even noted, stating: â€Å"We wish her only to accept a place of equality among the peoples of the world instead of a place of mastery† (Collins 96). The words Wilson used were carefully picked and simply stated. Wilson was applauded for his idea and newspapers wrote about him (Collins 96). In October German leaders told the United States that they wanted to sit down and discuss an end to the war based on Wilson’s fourteen points (Collins 97).

Whirligigs by Paul Fleischman :: essays research papers

Whirligigs by Paul Fleischman After getting humiliated at a party, Brent drives away drunk and decides to kill himself. Letting go of the wheel on the highway, he ends up killing someone else. He killed a girl named Lea. Her mom asks Brent to put up 4 whirligigs, one in each corner of the US. Since they were Lea’s favorite toys, they’re meant to be monuments representing Lea’s ability to make people happy. With wood, sum tools, a book on whirligigs, and a bus pass, Brent leaves on his trip to build the whirligigs. In each of the 4 states, someone sees’ one of the whirligigs and learns a lesson. After seeing the whirligig in Florida, a young Puerto Rican dad learns an important lesson. It’s that people in a group can make good music or bad music. A young girl and her dying grandmother get a lot closer after seeing the whirligig in San Diego, California. In Washington, an adopted kid finds out that his life isn’t that bad after all. And lastly, a girl and her best friend are reunited in Maine. The biggest lessons learned are the ones that Brent learns on his trip to the four spots. All kinds of people contribute to Brent’s change of attitude; one comment or story or facial expression at a time. Not only does he help himself, but also several people that he meets. Some of the conflicts were the times when the kid was throwing rocks at his first whirligig, and when he left his whirligig book on the bus. Each conflict leads to a good ending though. The kid that was throwing rocks at it somehow gained a respect for the whirligig, after his mom told him off. Brent figured that the whirligig had helped him this far and now it was time for the book to help inspire someone else. So the whirligigs turned into a far bigger influence than anyone else could imagine. The rising action of the story was when he would find friends and they would help him to realize certain things about himself. The biker that he met helped him get started on stars. One of the maids that he met on his trip had shown him kindness and through this, she taught him that u can always have a fresh start or second chance at life as long as you try hard enough. And the artist that he met at the ocean helped him learn that u shouldn’t always judge a book by its cover, there might be more to someone than you think.

On-the-Job Training Essay

Nothing beats experience as the perfect learning tool. This On-the-Job Training served as my stepping stone to purse my dream to be a professional someday. This training gave me an inspiration to be more serious focused in studying. I was encouraged to do more efforts in my studies. Since I was given some ideas about work of an F&B in the company where I conducted my training, I am inspired to be like them someday. Despite the short period of my training, it was still a very meaningful one. The training enriched my confidence created a foundation of being a good employee someday. It caused a very huge effect to me as Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Student. I was really renewed. I learned to be diplomatic in both action and words. This training made me realize that it is really good to know what you’re doing and love it. As a student, what I can do for now is to learn whatever I can in school, be inspired, love the path I am taking, and do my best in everything I do, with a positive outlook in mind. I realized that I should be more focused in school and do everything heartily and with all that I can. It is also very warm to the heart to know that you have accomplished something and even warmer when there are people who are so proud of what you have done and I felt this feeling during my On-the-Job Training. Read more:  Essay About OJT Experience It inspired me to be more determined and competitive in everything that I do in my daily life as a student today and as a professional someday. My On-the-Job Training is very helpful and will be very helpful to me as I continue to take my journey as a fourth year student in the field of Hotel and Restaurant Management. It really gave me a taste of the real world – a glimpse of what lies ahead after I graduate. RECOMMENDATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT With deepest gratitude and appreciation, I humbly give thanks to the people who, with all they can, helped me in making my On-the-Job Training a  possible one. To my mother, for her unending love and support, for providing all my needs financially and morally, for her patience and understanding during my tiring day that I can’t help her in the chores, for her never fading advices and for being there for me no matter what. To my brother and sister and my best friend who serve as an inspiration to me, who keep on encouraging me to always make the out of everything and for their being proud and ever supporting siblings to me. To the institution where I am studying, Far Eastern University (Manila), where I am continuously growing as a Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Student and to —– and family for giving us, students, the opportunity to be educated without spending too much. To all my professors who shared and continuously sharing their knowledge with students like me and keep on molding me into a better person. I am extending my warmest thanks especially to Prof. Elacion who, with all that she can, share with us everything she knows and keep on inspiring me to pursue my goals in life, most of all, my goal to be a professional someday. I thank her for her patience during the times that we commit failures and a big thanks for touching my life and motivating me to study harder for me to have a better future. To the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila – F&B Department (Spiral), for their warm welcome to me. To my training Manager, Sir Henry, to my training supervisor, Ms/Mr – And to the rest of the F&B Department, I am very grateful for having them as part of my On-the-Job Training. For all their advices and for everything that they taught me during my stay with them and most of all, for the memories we’ve shared – the happy moments, the sorrowful ones, the rush hours, the brainstorming and during the times that we commit failures and a nerve-wracking days and for everything that they did that contributed to my growth as a human being. I thanks them so much. To my friends and co-trainees, for the happiness and for being there to support me and to comfort me whenever I have difficulties during my training. I thank them for the friendship and teamwork and for being my companions whom I can share my laughter and sorrows with. Above all, to our Almighty God, for his unconditional love and for all the blessing He is showering upon me each day of my life. With love and gratitude, I thank Him for guiding me during my training and for making this On-the-Job Training as possible one. For the provision and wisdom He has bestowed upon me, for keeping me and my love ones always safe, for giving me enough knowledge and ability to perform each task that was assigned to me for the challenges He has given me that made me stronger than ever. I thanks Him for His comfort during the times that I am about to give up. By His grace, I was able to finish this training without any conflict. Most of all, I thank Him for His Word that keeps on reminding me that â€Å"I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.† (KJV) (Phil. 4:13)