Strategic Management for Gaining and Sustaining Competitive

Question: Discuss about theStrategic Management for Gaining and Sustaining Competitive. Answer: The advent of globalization and also the recent advancements in the technological fields have made the business world much more competitive than it was a few decades ago (West, Ford and Ibrahim 2015). Therefore, the various business organizations often take the help of various strategic and competitive market analysis frameworks to analyze the level of competition faced by them in the business market (West, Ford and Ibrahim 2015). The Porters five forces framework is one such framework which helps the various business organizations to analyze the level of competition faced by them in the current business market (Porter 1996). Spotify is a Sweden based company which was founded in the year 2008 and is generally considered to be one of the best music, podcast, and video streaming service providers in the industry presently (Spotify.com. 2018). The company was initially started in the nation of Sweden however presently the company caters to the needs and the requirements of the customer s from the various diverse parts of the globe (Spotify.com. 2018). A Porters five forces analysis of the company would reveal the following facts- Threat of new entrants The company Spotify is one of the leading ones in the world and caters to the needs and the requirements of the customers from the various parts of the world (Spotify.com. 2018). In addition to that, the company provides free as well as premium services to the customers (Spotify.com. 2018). Therefore, it would be apt to say that the company faces a very low level of threat from the various new entrants in the market in which the company Spotify conducts its business. Threat of substitutes The company in addition to the premium services also provides free services to the customers (Spotify.com. 2018). Furthermore, it is seen that many customers opt for the premium services provided by this particular company. However, it is seen that many companies provides the same kind of services to the customers at a much lower rate. Therefore, the company faces a significant amount of threat from the various substitutes which are operational in the same sector as the company Spotify. The following figure provides a list of the various competitors of the company Spotify in terms of the revenue earned by them since the year 2013- Figure 1: Monthly royalties for the top companies in the music sector Source: Spotify official website Bargaining power of the buyers It is significant to note that if the bargaining power of the customers is high then that is likely to affect the prospects or the interests of the company concerned (Porter 2008). The company Spotify has numerous competitors in the market which provide almost the same kind of services to the customers and that too at a much lower rate. Moreover, the switching cost is very low and this acts as an added advantage to the customers. Thus, it would be apt to say that the company Spotify faces a considerable amount of threat as the bargaining power of the customers who take the services offered by them is very high. Bargaining power of the suppliers In the opinion of Porter, if the bargaining power of the various suppliers whose services a particular company takes the help of is high then that is likely to impact the business of the concerned organization in a significant manner (Porter 2008). It is significant to note that the suppliers of the company Spotify are the various engineers as well as the developers who constantly upgrade the software as well as the website of the company Spotify (Spotify.com. 2018). Furthermore, the various users of the services provided by the company listen to the music over their mobile phones or computer systems. Moreover, it is to be noted that these suppliers exert a considerable influence on the business of the company Spotify. Thus, it can be said that the company faces a considerable amount of threat on this particular score. Thus, it can be said that the level of competition faced by the various companies or the business organizations in the present times has increased significantly. Therefore, it becomes essential for the various business organizations to conduct a thorough market analysis to develop new strategies so that they can overcome the market competition faced by them in the most effective manner. Thus, the various business organizations also conduct regular market as well as competitive analysis to find out the needs and the requirements of the customers and design their products or services as per the requirements of the customers. Competitive advantage can be defined as the process by means of which puts a business organization or a particular company in a superior advantage over the other companies or the business organizations (Amini, et al. 2012). In other words, the concept of competitive advantage can be defined as the process, which allows a particular company or country to produce a good or service at equal value but at a lower price or in a more desirable fashion (McGrath 2013). It is significant to note that the various companies or the business organizations often take the help of various innovative strategies to gain a competitive advantage over their rival business organizations. This strategies or policies might include price competition, quality service or goods and others. The concept of sustainable competitive advantage, on the other hand, can be defined as the process by means of which the various business organizations gain a sustainable advantage over their rivals (McGrath 2013). In other words, these advantages are the ones which are company assets, attributes, or abilities that are difficult to duplicate or exceed; and provide a superior or favorable long term position over competitors (McGrath 2013). Thus, it can be said that the concepts of competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage form an important part of the overall business strategy of the various business organizations (McGrath 2013). In the opinion of Barney articulated in his 1991 article "Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage", resource-based view can be seen as a reaction against the positioning school and its somewhat prescriptive approach which focused managerial attention on external considerations, notably industry structure (Barney 2014). Furthermore, his article states that the emergent resource-based view argued that the source of sustainable advantage derives from doing things in a superior manner; by developing superior capabilities and resources (Barney 2014). Thus, the primary focus of this particular theory articulated by Barney is on the way the various business organizations do the basic things of their business in a much superior manner in a bid to develop sustainable advantage over their rivals (Barney 2014). The business operations of the company Spotify when viewed in the light of the theories of competitive advantage of Barney and Porter will reveal the fact that although the company started less than a decade ago yet the company has been able to gain to gain to a sufficient amount of competitive advantage over its rivals (Barney 2014). This becomes very apparent from the above given analysis of the company in terms of the Porters five forces. Furthermore, the theory of Barney focuses on the need of the various business organizations to do things in a superior manner to gain a kind of competitive advantage over their rivals. The business operation of the company Spotify when viewed in this particular light will seem very superior in comparison to the same kind of services provided by the company Spotify. The company Spotify, for example, provides not only premium services to its customers from various parts of the world but also provides free services to the customers as well. The cust omers who take the help of the premium services offered by the company get some additional benefits as well. For example, the customers belonging to the premium section not only get access to unlimited number of songs belonging to various languages as well as genres but also get the option to download these songs and music albums. In addition to these, the premium clients of the company do not have to listen to the various kinds of advertisements which the normal customers who take the help of the free services had to. It is significant to note that these are very unique features which very few companies or business organizations in the present times offer to the customers or in the manner which the company Spotify provides to its customers. Therefore, it can be said that the company Spotify possesses a certain level of advantage over its competitors. To conclude, it becomes clear that competitive advantage forms an important part of the overall business strategy of the various business organizations. Thus, the various business organizations often take the help of various innovative business strategies to gain a considerable amount of competitive advantage over their competitors. Therefore, it is often seen that the various business organizations undertake a thorough market analysis to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. References Amini, A., Darani, M., Afshani, M. and Amini, Z., 2012. Effectiveness of marketing strategies and corporate image on brand equity as a sustainable competitive advantage.Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business,4(2), pp.192-205. Barney, J. 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99-120. Barney, J.B., 2014.Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. Pearson higher ed. McGrath, R.G., 2013.The end of competitive advantage: How to keep your strategy moving as fast as your business. Harvard Business Review Press. Porter, M. E. 1996. What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61-78 Porter, M. E. 2008. The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 78-93. Spotify.com. 2018.Music for everyone.. [online] Available at: https://www.spotify.com/int/why-not-available/ [Accessed 11 Apr. 2018]. West, D.C., Ford, J. and Ibrahim, E., 2015.Strategic marketing: creating competitive advantage. Oxford University Press, USA.

Industrial Revolution 3 Essay Example For Students

Industrial Revolution 3 Essay INDUSTRIAL STUDIES ASSIGNMENT NO 1Development of Engineering since the Industrial RevolutionThe Main Outcomes of the Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution had a huge impact on society. The major effects were socially and economically. It is rather difficult to date the start of the industrial revolution but history books of today suggest the onset during the 18th century. The change from agriculture to industry was vast and it must be remembered that England was the first country to undergo this profound change. The initial effect on engineering industries arising at the start of the Industrial Revolution were due partly to the geographical location of the resources i.e. coal iron and water. The inventiveness of our ancestors in these as well as other industries such as textiles chemical electrical and transportation contributed greatly to the Industrial Revolution. The first two of these coal and iron provided the capital infrastructure and options for future development, whilst textiles supported and encouraged developments. Coal was originally mined by small groups even families, using the long wall system. * SEE DIA 1. This technique was changed dramatically with the invention of the Commen engine. * SEE DIA 2. (named after its inventor THOMAS NEWCOMMEN) This was a pump that pumped the water out of coalmines allowing deeper more productive mines to be worked by more people. This in turn had effects on the production of ironIn the early 1700s iron was produced by burning vast quantities of wood. The production techniques were crude. Technology had already provided machines like the newcommen engine; this pumping device allowed ABRAHAM DARBY II to fill a millpond to power a water wheel for a blast furnace. This enabled the production of better quality pig iron. This technique provided the iron for the manufacture of one of the major symbols of the industrial revolution the Ironbridge over the river seven. * SEE DIA 3. A water wheel also played a major part in one of the first inventions within the textile industry. RICHARD ARKWRIGHT invented the water frame for spinning (1769) this device was used by local man JEDEDIAH STRUTT in a mill at Cromford. The changes within the textile industry from wool to cotton called for more and more mechanisation. The mechanisation of the industry also led the setting up of the first factories; some of the first major mechanical devices were to be used in these factories. Such as JOHN KAYS Flying Shuttle (1733), JAMES HARGEAVES Spinning Jenny (1764), SAMUEL CROMPTONS Spinning Mule (1779), and EDMUND CARTWRIGHTS Power Loom (1785). To name a few. Cotton was being imported from the Americas in the early 1700s. This material made the cities of Manchester and Nottingham increase in size over cities like Exeter and Norwich as they relied on wool. These increases in sizes in our industrial towns coincided with an explosion in population, which has not been fully understood or explained since. All of these factors paved the way forward for a rapid rate of economic and social growth. Which spurred on the industrialisation of our country. Development of New Energy Conversion MachinesThe very first machines to be produced at the start of the industrial revolution were used in the textile industry. These machines utilised the waterpower from rivers and millponds to drive the various mechanisms employed. The first powered invention was the steam engine, originally the invention of THOMAS NEWCOMMEN (1705) but later developed by JAMES WATT (1769) Watt eventually went into partnership with MATHEW BOULTON to produce a rotary engine. This very important invention was used by mill owners to drive SAMUEL Comptons mule. They were also used in waterworks and breweries. After this came the non-condensing steam engine by RICHARD TREVITHICK who m in 1801 was the first to put into operation an engine carrying passengers. And then in 1804 he made the first application to the hauling of heavy loads along a railway. His locomotive carried 10 tons about 91/2 miles. He is considered by many to be the real inventor of the steam locomotive whereas GEORGE STEVENSONS first locomotive The BULCHER was first demonstrated in July 1814. His ROCKET of 1829 achieved 29 miles per hour. This is another great symbol of the Industrial Revolution and was the starting point of the modern railways. Later developments were the use of diesel and electricity. The first machine for producing electricity was invented in 1672 by OTTO VON GUERICKE. A French scientist CHARLES FRANCIOS DU CISTERNAY DU FAY discovered the two types of electrical charges around 1745. In 1879 JOSEPH SWAN developed the electric light bulb. He together with THOMAS EDDISON began light bulb manufacture in Gateshead. In 1884 CHARLES PARSONS steam turbines (another Gateshead invention) were being utilised all over the country to produce electricity to provide light in factories and to power electric trams. These powerhouses as they were called were in the private sector of the industry and remained highly competitive. The major power producing company of that time was the Newcastle upon Tyne Power Company. The use of electricity led to the development of electrical motors to power early machines like trams, hoovers, sewing machines and countless other inventions. In 1926 the central electricity board established the national grid, this standardised electrical outputs and voltages across the country whereas before there had been chaotic variations in voltages and frequencies of supply and use. The use of electricity in factories after this standardisation led to the increased production of the new transport industries. The manufacture of bicycles, aircraft, and most predominantly the motor car increased with the utilisation of all forms of electrically powered machines. There were also increases in all forms of electrical engineering from light bulbs and radios to generating plant and machinery. Natural Resources e.g. Coal PetrochemicalsThe British coal industry was the major contributor to the Industrial Revolution. The industry utilised the first steam powered engines of Newcommen and many more that followed. As production grew from these applications the new railways were used to transport the vast amounts of coal being produced. In 1830 steam power could wind men and coal up and down a few hundred feet. By the 1860s there were pithead engines of 1500 hp. For 100 years from 1850 coal made up more than half of the railways freight. In 1913 one out of every 14 British workers was employed at a coalmine. In the same year there were 3,289 pits. Coal was used to power the giant iron works and the textile industry. The gasworks of the early 1800s were burning thousands of tons per year. The coal used in these gasworks was roasted and this resulted in coke as a waste product. This coke was then sold on to the ironworks. In the 1860s British engineers were still improving the steam engine. But there French and German counterparts were short of steam coal so they turned there attention to gas. A Frenchman ETIENE LENOIR made the first internal combustion engine. ContdAfter the first oil wells were sunk in America it was possible to use petrol vapour instead of gas. In about 1885 two Germans KARL BENZ and GOTTLEIB DAIMLER fitted such an engine to a horseless carriage. That was the start of the motor car industry. Petrol was bought from the USA but this was expensive. Oil refineries were built around the coast to make petrol from the oil we bought from the Arab countries. Oil refining gave us the raw materials for man- made fibres such as rayon, nylon, and terelene. The Arabs raised the price of their crude oil when Britain gave its support to Israel. Britain had fortunately found oil recently of the coast in the North Sea. This oil and later gas was pumped ashore by private companies. The Change from Agriculture To Industry Britains change from an agricultural society to the industrial nation it became was an extremely necessary development. In the 1700s there were only 5 million people in the whole country. The vast majority of these people using their local environment to support themselves. Britain was a nation of villages relying on home-grown produce and livestock. As the population expanded at a remarkable rate our productivity had to improve. Our ability to manufacture goods from the raw materials we were importing from our colonisation of the world prepared our nation for the tremendous changes. The merchants that prospered in these times spent their money on the luxuries of large houses and carriages, although some of their wealth was lent to manufactures to start up new industries. They also set up or started their own banks. With the help of these banks the various industries expanded. The need for workers to build equip and run the new factories in the ever growing industrialised towns and cities changed the nation as a whole. These new industries in Britain gave the people better standards of living and some if only a little disposable income to spend on consumer goods. All of these factors paved the way forward for a rapid rate of growth, which spurred on the industrialisation of our nation. Emergence of New Crafts, Skills, And Professions in Engineering. With the onset of the Industrial Revolution new industries created the needs for new skills, workers of the day had to adapt and train to the new methods and working patterns. One of the greatest engineers of the Industrial Revolution was ISAMBARD KINGDOM BRUNEL (1803-1859). He designed and oversaw the building of the Great Western Railway and the first transatlantic steamship The Greatwestern. (sadly the last ship built on the Thames). Brunel as engineer had to take on many duties covering many aspects of his projects. At one time he took overall charge of 4,000 men and 300 h orses working around the clock on a tunnel building project. Engineers were very skilled and highly competent men able to take on the roles of: landsurveyer, carpenter, mason, brickmaker, boatmaker, paymaster and supervisor. One industry that had a major influence over the working patterns at the start of the Industrial Revolution was the pottery industry, a man called JOSHUA WEDGEWOOD built a factory in Staffordshire and trained his workers in separate skills or tasks. There were different jobs created such as throwers, turners, pressers, dippers, brushers, placers, colour grinders, and modellers. No longer did a single person make a single product from beginning to end. In the early 1790s weekly wages in his factories ranged from 1s for a boy who helped handle horses to 42s (2.10) for a skilled hand painter. The skills required in precision engineering were to brought to the industry by two great engineers BOULTON and WATT, they combined the precision skills of the watch and cloc kmakers (These highly skilled craftsmen worked with brass in almost microscopic detail.) with the skills of millwrights. Salinger, J.D. The Catcher In The Rye EssayThe Main Branches of IndustryEngineering industryLight engineering heavy engineeringMechanical electrical/electronic mechanical electricalTooling The Broad Divisions of Heavy and Light IndustryHeavy industry can be divided into different sectors of production the mains ones being machinery, chemical, steel, vehicle, and shipping. The companies involved in this type of industry are usually very large, with a large amount of labour, plant and equipment and a very large annual turnover. The companies within heavy industry can produce products that are so large and time consuming that they often have a stronghold over their chosen market. Light industry on the other hand is diverse in its extremely varied products and applications, these can be an object so small that the human eye cannot see to large scale manufacture of extremely accurate components. The companies in this sector of engineering can vary from large multinationals producing thousands of different items to one man operated businesses producing one off products to the specific requirements of their customers. The Structure of Industry ?Nationalised Industries, Monopolies, Co-operatives and Small Firms. Britains first industries were nationalised by the conservatives before the war. These were the National Grid, London Transport and two airline companies. After the war the Labour party added to these with B.E.A. and the Bank of England, these were small steps in comparison to the eventual nationalisation of the coal, steel, electricity, gas, and transport industries. In nationalising these various important industries the government didnt expect the boards who oversaw these giants to make big profits. The main reason for nationalisation was to see that these industries were modernised. Before the nationalisation of the National Grid there were 500 separately owned power stations providing electricity to the National Grid. Nationalisation of the coal industry gave the chance to end the long running disputes between miners and their owners, and also made it possible to mechanise the smaller pits. The companies nationalised were by coincidence the major suppliers of their products, whe n this occurs within industry the companies concerned are said to be monopolies. Monopolies are formed when a manufacturing or supplying company has is the sole supplier of the product or service. These monopolies have the power to dictate to customers rather than the other way around. British gas had the monopoly on the gas supplies, British Telecom the monopoly on the supply and use of the telephone and ancillary equipment, as did the very large companies within the electricity distribution sector. Co-operatives. In 1844 a small group of Rochdale weavers found 28 people to pay 1 each to start the Rochdale equitable pioneers, they used the money to decorate an old warehouse in Toad Lane and to buy goods and open a shop. Customers were given a dividend on each article they bought. The idea quickly spread through the north of England, in just seven years there were 130 shops owned by the co-operative societies, in 1863 there were enough societies to start there own suppliers, the co-operative wholesale society (C.W.S.). In 1872 the CWS began to make its own biscuits, boots and soap and a wide range of own brand goods, the CWS improved living standards of millions who went there for their shopping, insurance and the first dignified funerals working class people could afford. small firms within the engineering industry are usually supported by the needs of the larger engineering companies, small specialist firms can produce items or components that might be one offs or long runs of intricate design, these items can be bought by the larger companies cheaper than it would cost them to set up their own production. The Role of Trade Unions and Employer OrganisationsThe role of the trade unions in the early stages of the coal mining industry was to try to promote safety and get better deals for its members. The early trade unions were known as trade societies, these societies helped members who were out of work by using letters or tickets to help them obtain work from other societies outside their own towns. Sometimes society men would combine against an employer or master. They would use this and another method called tuning out or striking to try to pursuade their masters to agree to a rise in wages or stop new machinery entering their workshops. When the masters found these combinations were siding together on them they went to the parliament for help, in 1797 parliament passed a law prohibiting these combinations in 40 trades. These laws didnt work and the societies grew and multiplied in number. Other groups often organised themselves to attempt to stop the use of machines, the often used f orce and smashed up the machinery that they thought threatened their livelihoods, they were known as the LUDDITES. Parliament passed a bill to make this smashing of machines punishable by hanging and in many counties in the north of England Luddites were hanged for their offences,The first national trade union was the A.S.E. the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Their membership was made up of skilled people and journeymen who paid a weekly subscription of 1/-, the A.S.E. offered pensions and benefits for sickness and death, and it also built up a sizeable strike fund. It could afford a headquarters in London and a full time official to put members views across to M.Ps newspaper editors and anyone else who might support their cause. Employer organisationsAs the power of the trade unions grew a counterforce was required by the employers. In 1870 the national federation of employers associated was founded. By 1936 there were a total of1820 employers organisations registered, they mainly dealt with wage bargaining and labour questioning in general. A forum was created for the exchange of technical ideas and development. Pressure groups encouraged favourable legislation. In todays industry, employers organisations fall into two categories:1. Those concerned with the common interest of a particular trade or technology. The engineering employers federation in London co-ordinates the engineering employers association, this operates at local level and is largely concerned with wage bargaining and representing engineering employers interests locally and nationally. 2. General groups of employers, for example, the confederation of British industry, this balances the role of the TUC this also acts as a pressure group encouraging favourable government response to the requirements of British industry at home and abroad. There are also technical development associations, providing a forum for technical exchange, carrying out fundamental research on behalf of their member companies, one of these being the copper development association (C.D.A.). and the motor industry research association (M.I.R.A.).

The Basics Of The UIC Sample Honors College Essay

The Basics Of The UIC Sample Honors College EssayIf you are one of the many students planning to go for a UIC sample honors college essay, then read this review so that you can apply to a college without wasting your time. This review will give you some great tips about the sample honors college essay and how you can use it to your advantage.The basics of the UIC sample honors college essay are simple. In your college essay, write as much information about yourself as possible. This is what people love about your essay and this is why you must not forget to put some parts about yourself in it.In your sample honors college essay, tell them about yourself, which is usually included in the introduction. When talking about yourself, do not forget to put your hobbies and interests.Writing about yourself is not that hard if you know how to start. People do not always understand you when you talk about yourself, so just make it plain and simple. Do not be shy about talking about your likes and dislikes. Talking about your likes and dislikes is actually more important than how good of a writer you are because your objective is to impress the readers, so you should have your likes and dislikes spelled out as much as possible.The example uses humor throughout the essay, so make sure you are not too serious when you are talking about yourself. A lot of times, people think that they cannot tell a joke when they read an essay. However, with the proper words used and a bit of humor, you can always make a good impression on the reader and end up winning the readers over.Keep the topic of the essay and the format of the essay simple and easy to understand. It is not always a good idea to write everything down because of the ease of referencing it. Remember, this is a college paper. A college paper usually has some topics will not necessarily be included in the sample honors college essay, so be careful with the topics and make sure that you know exactly what to write about.The last thing you need to do in order to improve the style of your sample honors college essay is to learn from others. There are a lot of writers out there who are very experienced at writing, but you have to remember that they are not all of them. You can use their information to help you get started with your essay. Try to use as much of their advice as possible.The point of this article is not to tell you to skip all the research and try to write the sample honors college essay with nothing but your own ideas. Remember, the information you put in the essay is what will make it successful. So be careful with the information that you put in the essay and do not write the whole essay in one day!

5 Well-Known Essay Writers That Will Inspire You

5 Well-Known Essay Writers That Will Inspire You Writing an essay is challenging tasks. Even if you know the rules of essay outline, essay writing, essay editing and writing styles, you still need to tackle the biggest question What are you going to write about?. If you are having a bit of a writers block, then getting writing inspiration from the great essayists is a good idea. We have listed the top 5 best essayists of all times to serve as a writing guide for you. Michel de Montaigne When it comes to the title of the best essayist, a lot of experts would point to Michel de Montaigne. The man was an interesting fellow who lived in 1533 1592. In those times, if you were smart enough, you could work as a writer or philosopher. However, its not the kind of writer that most people know of today. In those times, writers are on the tasks of writing treatise and other legal matters. Michel de Montaigne was employed to this tasks for a very long time, until he quit and went on a self-exile. In his exile, he has left with nothing but his books, pen and ink. He started writing on anything that comes to mind. He called his work as Essais, which literally translates to Trial or Attempt. This was the first time something like was done on a grand scale. And yes, you can say that Michel de Montaigne invented the essay genre, and he is considered a master of the personal essay.  His essays are considered to be a merger of autobiography and casual anecdotes, with a large dose of serious intellectual insights. George Orwell George Orwell is more known for his work the Animal Farm, but he is also a great essayist. His real name is Eric Allan Blair and he got into writing because of his profession as a journalist. In fact, George Orwell was working as a journalist for a long time before he started writing his great works of art. His profession as a journalist had a big impact on his essay writing. If you want to write a non-fiction essay, then George Orwell is the man to get inspired from. His style is very direct, but he is very fond of using extended metaphors and allusions. Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson is a celebrated American poet, lecturer and essayists. He was credited to have started the transcendentalist movement.  Ralph Waldo Emerson was also a great orator. In fact, most of his best-known essays were oration, which he then refined for the print medium. If there is one thing that you can learn from Ralph Waldo Emersons essay style is the importance of flow. This came naturally for him as orators need to have a good flow to keep the attention of the audience. Also, he stresses the importance of writing whats on your mind without fear of social backlash. Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson is commonly referred by his peers as Dr. Johnson. He is credited for compiling of the earliest English dictionary. Samuel Johnson is known as an editor, biographer, literary critic, moralist, essayists and poet. When it comes to essays, one thing that you can learn a lot from Samuel Johnson is the use of criticism. His style is still often employed by many critics even to this day. Samuel Johnson firmly believed that a constructive criticism paves the way for better future versions. Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens, popularly known by his pen name Mark Twain, is renowned American writer, lecturer, publisher, entrepreneur. However, most people know him for his novels The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He was also a great essayist to learn from. When it comes to essay style, Mark Twain was very fond of using dialects or specific local lingo. He is also known for integrating a satirical sense of humor into most of his writings, including essays. So thats it. These are 5 of the best essayist in the known history. Of course, the list is subjective. Nevertheless, its a good starting point.

Beowolf - The Epic Poem Essays - Beowulf, Geats, Free Essays

Beowolf - The Epic Poem Essays - Beowulf, Geats, Free Essays Beowolf - The Epic Poem The epic poem Beowulf describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible person with all the extraordinary traits required of a hero. He is able to use his super-human physical strength and courage to put his people before himself. He encounters hideous monsters and the most ferocious of beasts but he never fears the threat of death. His leadership skills are superb and he is even able to boast about all his achievements. Beowulf is the ultimate epic hero who risks his life countless times for immortal glory and for the good of others. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength. He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious from all but his last. In his argument with Unferth, Beowulf explains the reason he "lost" a simple swimming match with his youthful opponent Brecca. Not only had Beowulf been swimming for seven nights, he had also stopped to kill nine sea creatures in the depths of the ocean. Beowulf is also strong enough to kill the monster Grendel, who has been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands by ripping off his arm. When Beowulf is fighting Grendel's mother, who is seeking revenge on her son's death, he is able to slay her by slashing the monster's neck with a Giant's sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chops off her head, he carries it from the ocean with ease, but it takes four men to lift and carry it back to Herot mead-hall. This strength is a key trait of Beowulf's heroism. Another heroic trait of Beowulf is his ability to put his peoples welfare before his own. Beowulf's uncle is king of the Geats so he is sent as an emissary to help rid the Danes of the evil Grendel. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one. He realizes the dangers but fears nothing for his own life. After Beowulf had served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to battle one last time to fight a horrible dragon who is frightening all of his people. Beowulf is old and tired but he defeats the dragon in order to protect his people. Even in death he wished so secure safety for the Geats so a tall lighthouse is built in order to help the people find there way back from sea. The most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he is not afraid to die. He always explains his death wishes before going into battle and requests to have any assets delivered to his people. "And if death does take me, send the hammered mail of my armor to Higlac, return the inheritance I had from Hrehtel, and from Wayland. Fate will unwind as it must! (18)" He is aware of the heroic paradox; he will be glorified in life or death for his actions. He knows that when he fights an enemy like Grendel or Grendel's mother he will achieve immortality as the victor or the loser. "When we crossed the sea, my comrades and I, I already knew that all my purpose was this: to win the good will of your people or die in battle, pressed in Grendel's fierce grip. Let me live in greatness and courage, or here in this hall welcome my death! (22)" Even with the enormous amount of confidence Beowulf possesses, he underezds that Fate or Wyrd will work its magic no matter what and he could be killed at any point in his life. He faces that reality by showing no fear and preparing for a positive or a fatal outcome. Beowulf is the prime example of an epic hero. His bravery and strength surpass all mortal men; loyalty and the ability to think of himself last makes him reveared by all. Beowulf came openly and wholeheartedly to help the Danes which was an unusual occurrence in a time of war and wide-spread fear. He set a noble example for all human beings relaying the necessity of brotherhood and

Reflective diary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Reflective diary - Essay Example He does not really overtly manifest his beliefs, expectations, perceptions, assumptions, values, thoughts, deep-seated feelings and impactful experiences in his life. Take that iceberg and multiply it a hundredfold and you have a multi-faceted population who may only be bound a number of commonalities. Culture may be one of them, or gender, or age, but still, deep inside, they are unique individuals. Let’s say a person from a certain cultural background is plucked out of that environment and brought to a totally different one. Orberg (1960) theorized that his initial reaction would be culture shock because he is not accustomed to what he sees and experiences in that new place. He may be excited to be there and feel that it suits him really well because it addresses his own personal preferences for a living environment. Take someone else from the same culture he belongs to and bring him to the same new environment. He may likewise experience culture shock but not be excited lik e the first individual. On the contrary, he may be terribly upset for leaving his home culture because he was out of his comfort zone and needed to go back to it. Both people from the same culture may have different views and perceptions of the new culture and their reaction to it will depend on what they have â€Å"beneath the tips of their icebergs†. ... ), but after some time, he might realize that it is something very different from what he was accustomed to, so he becomes frustrated and confused (morning after stage). This is the time when homesickness sets in, and is described as the dip in the U-curve. Eventually, as he learns to adjust to his new environment, he slowly regains his positive disposition. This pattern is not limited to adjustment to living in a new country. It may also be adjustment to a new job, new school, phase of life, etc. where the individual experiences a different culture. Adjusting to the people in the new culture may be challenging especially if there is a language barrier. If so, the individual will rely on non-verbal communication to understand the natives. He also needs to know the new culture and be aware the people’s beliefs, value system, food, traditions, etc. David Kolb (1984) explains four stages of learning experiences. These are having concrete experiences, reflective observations of wh at was just experienced, abstract conceptualisation or extracting learning from the experience and finally the active experimentation leading to new experiences thereby completing the full learning cycle. For an individual immersed in a new culture, he needs to establish rapport with others and establish smooth interpersonal relationships. Especially in settings where people from various cultures come to live and work together, each person adopts certain roles to play to contribute to the team. Belbin (1981) has come up with team roles. Team roles improve self-knowledge and understanding among individuals and teams. They also depict a current behavioral pattern at a certain point in a person’s life. Preferences aren't fixed, since many factors can influence behaviour, whether a new job,

HU300 Unit 7 A Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HU300 Unit 7 A - Research Paper Example It is to be understood as having a â€Å"life† that moves within it (Scruton, 2009, p. 7). Therefore, music is about life and is understood as the universal language. As a universal language of life, music portrays our moods in all aspects of our lives. People listen to music for a lot of reasons: to ease melancholy, to celebrate victory, to complement the feeling of romance and passion, to grieve and to listen to the new single of one’s’ favorite artist. Therefore, music is a way of life, and it forms part of our journey as humans. Music: Representation of Moods and Stages of Life Childhood Years During my childhood years, there was something about male and female groups that I really liked the most. I grew up listening to Spice Girls, Aqua, Boyz II Men, Westlife, and Blue, but most of all, I was notably addicted to Spice Girls. Perhaps, it was all about their stature and fame that I was hooked with their popular hits like 2 Become 1, Wannabe, Viva Forever, and Stop. These songs enlivened my childhood especially that this group also complemented their music with colorful outfits, those that would really dazzle the audience especially the young ones. Moreover, their songs were groovy and had the element of recall which made them easier to memorize. As a child, I would love to hear songs that make me happy, groove, and smile. These songs influenced my childhood in such a way that they became part of my everyday routine. During weekends, I played their CD all throughout the day that no wonder, the CD had tantrums once in a while. Adolescence Stage When I entered high school, the music industry was even livelier. Rock bands, talent search singers, and veteran hit makers continue to make songs for mass consumption, most especially that the Internet was on its hype, and almost all music released or are presently hitting the waves are very much available online. I still adore U2, The Fray, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Calling. Notice the shift from being so obsessed with an all-female group to alternative rock bands. Nevertheless, I started to appreciate the music of The Calling. My adolescent music life was filled with vigor with this band on my A-list. My preference to their music was not in any way a matter of ‘going with the flow’ as most teenagers were head-over-heels with rock bands. It was because I recognized this band’s passion to write songs that reflect strong emotions, most notably songs that contain sincere messages about being in-love and standing strong against the odds of being in a relationship. I was magically transported to another dimension of the world when I heard the song ‘Stigmatized’ by The Calling. When one is in the adolescent stage, all you think of is making the most out of life. Surely, one manifestation of living life as if it is the world’s end is by being in love. ‘Stigmatized’ reflects teenagers drive to make a relationship work, despit e all the circumstances stopping the possible romance to bloom. The melody brought by the acoustic guitar and the intense vocal prowess of the lead singer make the song more of a personal conversation rather than a compilation of words and melody. Certainly, this song has been part of my youthful years. Comforting Music There is this beauty not found in every note and lyric of the song but on the general properties of music (Cook & Everist, 1999). Music comforts us through the whole impact of the song and not in every syllable or