When I First Saw The Movie Frankenstein, I Realized That Hollywood Was

When I first saw the movie Frankenstein, I realized that Hollywood was still changing the classic novels. In their usual fashion, they changed the names of the characters to be somewhat pleasing to the audience. I guess Henry Frankenstein was a better wholesome name than Victor Frankenstein. Instead they saved the name Victor for the supporting actor because no one would care what they named him. Next they changed Elizabeth to Margaret for some unknown reason. By movie standards today, the monster looked like a man in bad makeup and stiff acting. In Mary Shelley's original interpretation, I envision a monster with pale Caucasian skin color, misshapen limbs and with more vocabularies than Ugh or Ahh. I have come to the realization that the 1931 movie review of Frankenstein and I share the same opinions for the movie. Though I did find the acting and the makeup mediocre, in 1931 it was as the film critic said, "the most effective of its kind." The background and scenery impressed me. Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory was indeed impressive. The elaborate machinery and sound effects added to the sense that life was being created, though they really did go into great detail as to how life was brought back from the dead. The review says that the actor portraying Frankenstein's monster, Boris Karloff, did not portray a robot but a man sewn together with an abnormal brain. However I believed that the monster acted like a robot in the scene with the little girl. The girl presented a set of instructions (throwing flowers in the lake). The monster then copied the instructions like a program. Unfortunately, the "abnormal" brain caused a bug or glitch in his programming which caused the death of the girl. Humans are programmed, like a robot or computer, to follow instruction to perform actions such as walking, talking, driving, or doing simple math. In a sense we humans are highly advanced mechanisms given the ability to comprehend and interpret. After the monster was created, Frankenstein boasts about his achievements. Demonstrating a perfect example of the God complex, he exclaims; " Now I know how God feels." It is man's greatest task to equal or surpass its creator. At the beginning of the novel, its atmosphere is completely different than that of the 1931 movie. First, the novel begins after Victor created the monster that killed Elizabeth. You realize immediately in the novel that there was no happy ending as the movie portrayed. Elizabeth is dead by the monster's hands and Victor has now become obsessed with hunting down and destroying the creature. You also find out in the novel the background information of why Victor is so in love with Elizabeth. The movie also fails to give a very good reason as to how Victor goes on this journey to bring life back to the dead. They forget to mention his studies into Natural Philosophy or Galvanism. The novel also describes a more dark and sinister outlook. The time he brings life to his creation, readers feel a dark chill down their spines. When he describes how the monster haunts him in the shadows, the readers start to feels as if the monster is watching. When it starts to commit other atrocities, shoc k and horror invade the mind. I believe the film was an unjust representation of the novel. The 1931 film gave a lighter representation. It begins to be a little disappointing watching the film after reading halfway through the novel. During the 1920's and 30's, mankind was involved in the search to improve the human race called Eugenics. I believe the 1818 novel and the 1931 film were perfect examples of how the idea of eugenics was so widespread. At this time scientists were working on ways to create life that rivaled God, whether to create perfect children free of disease or to create the super soldier to fight their wars. It was even being suggested to create towns selected with the best of mankind. However, as in the movie and novel, the question of should we manipulate the forces of nature comes into the equation. The movie could be meant as a warning on the evils of eugenics. Though it seems

buy custom The Great Society essay

buy custom The Great Society essay Kennedys presidential campaign plan and a set of domestic programs offered by Johnson were undoubtedly the most comprehensive social initiatives since the enactment of the New Deal federal programs. Both Presidents sought to resolve significant challenges, which America faced at that time, including space race, discrimination, unemployment, and poverty. Despite the fact that the Presidents approaches to the issues and the amount of success and approval of reforms greatly varied when dealing with issues, their programs have played a crucial role in shaping Americas public policy. Today, the USA experiences consequences from the domestic promising programs offered by the authoritative leaders in the 60s. The democrats tenure in the White House lasted for eight years since 1961 till 1969. The Democratic domestic policy was based on important liberal reforms. Kennedy tried to deal with the opposition in Congress concerning his New Frontier plans until assassination, when Johnson took off ice and pushed the proposed reforms of his predecessor under the auspices of what he called the Great Society. John Kennedy used the term The New Frontier in his speech at the National Convention, where he was chosen as the Presidential nominee from the Democratic Party (Conley 147). The term referred to the policy conducted by the Kennedys administration overseas and at home. The most memorable achievement of the internal presidential initiatives was a human visit to the moon in the 60s. Although Kennedy did not live up to this event, the space program has long been considered as a national priority, implemented by his successors. The most significant economic accomplishment of the New Frontier initiatives was the enactment of amendments to the federal statute, Fair Labor Standards Act. In 1961, the passage of these amendments helped to raise the minimum wage from $1 per hour to $1.25 (Vogel 16) and provided more power to government in regulating salaries and labor standards for large business. Other economic achievements meant the reduction of trade tariffs with foreign nation-states and the ratification of legislation aimed at reducing unemployment and creating affordable housing. Other reform efforts were not as successful. Despite the fact that Kennedy proposed legislation that would have promoted the affordability of medical careand other laws that would have provided equal rights to minority groups, the U.S. legislation never ratified these initiatives during Kennedys tenure. Domestic programs proposed by the President Johnson in 1964 were more successful since the Congress passed legislation that could deal with these significant issues. According to DiBacco, Johnsons programs did not end poverty (510). However, the Presidents initiatives significantly reduced them. The Kennedys New Frontier tried to accomplish many of its initiatives. However, the Johnsons Great Society realized most of them passing important legislation freely and successfully. It helped to create social programs and numerous agencies to guide them. Under the Great Society, various environmental regulations were passed. Moreover, the passage of the Voting Rights Act as well as the Civil Rights Act guaranteed that minority groups received the same rights as other representatives of the U.S. society. Though the Great Society programs failed to eliminate poverty, it created a variety of programs and services that Americans use today and take for granted. Therefore, it was the most successful accomplishment. With no doubts, if John Kennedy had lived longer, he would have realized most of his promising programs. Therefore, many ideas left to Johnson, who was more concerned with implementing his own reforms. Lyndon Johnson quickly took the presidential office. Despite the Senates conservative voting, the President re-acquainted with the liberal roots and funded the large reform agenda since the domestic programs introduced by Roosevelt in 1933. After the Kennedys assassination, Lyndon Johnson was supposed to complete the unfinished New Frontier programs. Moreover, he had less than a year before the elections of 1964 to prove to the U.S. citizens his desire and right to become a new President of the U.S. The Congress passed the important legislation. The Civil Rights Bill that Kennedy promised to sign was passed into law after his death. It prohibited discrimination based on gender, race and ended segregation in public places. According to Blaustein, Johnson as the President signed the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964 (85). The law established the eponymous office aimed at eliminating poverty in the U.S. In addition, educational institutions in impoverished regions could get help from teachers and volunteers. Federal funds were sent to struggling and needy communities to fight illiteracy and unemployment. During his campaign in 1964, Lyndon Johnson started his war on poverty. He challenged millions of citizens to build a Great Society that could eliminate woes of poor people. Under the Johnson presidency, the U.S. liberalism was at high tide. In order to pass his agenda, the President as the experienced legislator used his strong personality and connections in Congress. According to Dallek, Johnson was pleased with accomplishments he had made by 1966 (327). However, in the course of time, events occurring in Southeast Asia overshadowed the Presidents achievements. Funds that he was supposed to spend on fighting with poverty were spent on the war in Vietnam. Conservatives slandered Johnson for his domestic policy. Liberals also blamed the President for the hawkish stance on the war in Vietnam. Johnsons hopes to leave a legacy of internal reforms had been in serious jeopardy by 1968. Structural issues in a free market system, mentality among poor Americans, and misconceptions of the middle-class citizens about the issues led to increase of poverty after the Second World War. Moreover, the Johnsons Great Society could not eliminate social problems. The free market system generated poverty as other individuals progressed towards wealth. Johnsons programs failed since they could not manage deficiencies in the system of free market. Postwar poverty led to the demoralized mentality of poor Americans. Ongoing plight was evident. Buy custom The Great Society essay

Ability To Efficiently Process Local Stimuli Psychology Essay

Ability To Efficiently Process Local Stimuli Psychology Essay This study is a replication of Navons third experiment in his 1977 paper Forest Before Trees. Participants are shown a large letter the global stimulus made up of smaller letters the local stimuli. The small and large letters are either consistent or contradictory. Participants were asked to identify the local stimuli. The aim was to determine whether global stimuli affected the reaction time of identifying local stimuli when the two are incongruent. 51 undergraduate students took part in the study which was an opportunity sample. This was a laboratory experiment of a repeated measures design. It was found that a contradicting global stimulus significantly affects the reaction time of identifying the local stimulus. From the results collected it can be concluded that global processing does affect local processing when the two figures are inconsistent and that incongruent stimuli cause a significantly delayed response to identifying the local stimuli. Is our ability to perceive and r ecognise local stimuli affected when local and global stimuli are incongruent? According to the theory of bottom-up processing, the whole is built up from its individual components. This would suggest that we first identify the local stimulus before perceiving the global one, implying that our ability to recognise the local stimulus should not be affected by the global one. However the Gestaltist law of common fate contradicts this in suggesting that we perceive the global stimulus as all of the local stimuli are positioned together to form it. Navon (1977) suggested in his paper ‘Forest Before Trees: The Precedence of Global Features in Visual Perception’ that we initially perceive the global structure and proceed to break it down to identify its components. He tested this by showing participants a large letter composed of smaller letters arranged to form the shape of the large letter. The small and large letters were either congruent or incongruent, and participants h ad to identify the small letter as quickly as possible. In this study, Navon’s original experiment was replicated to test whether the global letter affects the time taken to identify the local letter, comparing between when these letters are congruent or incongruent. The purpose of this study was to compare our findings to those already existing from Navon’s experiment to either corroborate or contradict his findings, and then discuss the possible explanations for the manner of global and local processing and how this can be applied to the real world and implicate possible future research. This study looks at whether global or local stimuli are perceived first and whether incongruence between them affects the speed at which they are recognised. Based on Navon’s findings, we expect that there will be an effect on reaction time when the local and global letters are incongruent, with it taking a significantly longer time to identify the local stimuli compared to wh en all stimuli are congruent. Method Design: This experiment was a laboratory experiment with a repeated measures design, in that the same group of participants performed the task a number of times in a row. The independent variable was the congruence of the stimuli, and the dependent variable being measured was the participant’s reaction time in seconds. The independent variable is nominal and the dependent variable is linear. All participants were tested at the same time under the same conditions, in the same setting; however this cannot account for personal factors such as attention or fatigue.

Ethnic American- History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethnic American- History - Essay Example But the debate on Immigration today involves more complex issues as varied as the issues of human rights to cultural apprehensions to corporate economics. Thus for the second or third generation immigrant the issue is much more complex than the first generation immigrant. The big corporate companies approach the issue of immigration as a source of cheap labor availability. There are ethnic lobbies who want to strengthen their bases of political power, using the immigrants. Even the opponents of immigration don’t have a common platform. Protecting the American culture from getting polluted by immigrants is the concern of the extreme rightists. Depressing wages and disappearing jobs are what are worrying the labor advocates. Thus the immigration debate today is beyond the perception of any single immigrant group like the Mexicans and is much more complex than what the first generation immigrants faced. The most important aspect of the debate about immigration today is the economic aspect of it. The corporate lobby in the United States wants not to stop immigration at all, because these immigrants constitute a source of cheap labor. One can employ an immigrant for meager wages with no other benefits of labor. This helps them to increase their profits enormously. More over these immigrants are ready to work in areas where American workers are reluctant to work. Thus these illegal migrants fill up the jobs which the Americans refuse to take up, because they are unpleasant and physically demanding with bad working conditions, especially in agriculture, construction and service industries. The Pew Hispanic Centre estimates that in 2001 workers with out legal documents comprised 58% of work force in agriculture, 23.8 % in private house hold services 16.6% in business services 9.1% in restaurants and 6.4 % in construction. Almost 90% of the immigrant workers are not educationally qualifi ed enough to be conscious of the price of the work they are

In what Ways Can Political Risk Impact on the Operations of an Essay

In what Ways Can Political Risk Impact on the Operations of an International Company - Essay Example As in its context, political risk is described as ‘the risk of loss of assets, earning power or managerial control due to politically based events or actions by host governments’ (Daft 116). From a similar view, Sharan (2011) notes that political risk is a term used in order to show the response of international companies to ‘political scenarios developed in host countries’ (Sharan 229). The aspects of political risk that international companies are likely to face are presented and analyzed in this paper. Reference is made to a specific company, Shell, which is well established in the global market. The political risk that Shell faces in Nigeria is used as an example in order to show that the specific type of risk is inevitable for firms operating around the world. Moreover, under certain terms this risk can severely threaten organizational activities in the host country, unless appropriate measures are developed in advance. 2. Political risk as a factor inf luencing the operations of international companies The political environment of a particular country can highly affect business operations in all its industries. Foreign firms operating in this country are also likely to be influenced by changes or turbulences in the local political environment. ... Moreover, there are countries, which are most likely to face such problems, compared to others where political instability is rather low. For example, in ‘Indonesia and Sri Lanka’ (Daft and Marcic 88) social conflicts are quite common, increasing the political risk for foreign firms operating in these countries. Moreover, Aswathappa (2010) notes that political risk can affect business activities ‘in different ways’ (Aswathappa 131). For example, in the context of political risk, an international firm may have to face the following problems: ‘a) expropriation of its assets, b) barriers to repatriation of profits, c) loss of technology, d) campaigns against foreign goods’ (Aswathappa 131). The above risks are described as macro – risks, being differentiated from micro – political risks, such as: a) ‘the kidnappings of employees, the increase of taxation or terrorism’ (Aswathappa 131). Moreover, Aswathappa (2010) notes th at political risk can affect business activities ‘in different ways’ (Aswathappa 131). For example, in the context of political risk, an international firm may have to face the following problems: ‘a) expropriation of its assets, b) barriers to repatriation of profits, c) loss of technology, d) campaigns against foreign goods’ (Aswathappa 131). The above risks are described as macro – risks, being differentiated from micro – political risks, such as: a) ‘the kidnappings of employees, the increase of taxation or terrorism’ (Aswathappa 131). On the other hand, Mckellar (2010) notes that important information on the political environment of a particular country can be retrieved through the international organizations, usually non-for-profit organizations, operating within this country. In any case, political risk

Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Example for Free

Art and Function in a T-Shirt Essay Defining and evaluating artistic and aesthetic value has often been a problematic task. This is because aesthetic judgements are subjective and are influenced by prevailing cultural, economic, political, and social norms. Hence, the definition of art remains a contested domain between those who believe in â€Å"high art† and the advocates of artistic and cultural relativism. (Danto 35) The difficulty in ascribing aesthetic value to objects is evident in the fact that relativism, with its focus on the individual subjective experience, would render anything and everything as artforms since humans ultimately attach meanings to objects they possess. Changes in culture and socio-economic conditions also alter and influence the very standards by which the aesthetic value of art forms and other objects are judged. For instance, in judging a t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it on the front through the use of the silkscreen method, one easily dismisses it as a non-art when judged according to the traditional notions of fine art. This is because the t-shirt and the print on it do not express artistic creativity, which is a prerequisite for objects to be considered art forms. The t-shirt and the print, which can be replicated many times over by any one with knowledge on silk screen printing, do not possess relevant canonic properties of art such as unity, complexity, and intensity which could evoke intense human experiences and therefore, aesthetic appreciation (Goldman 185). The sight of the t-shirt does not stir up feelings of beauty nor does its fabric hold anything extraordinary for the senses. The print on the t-shirt does not convey a particular style to capture attention or cause pain or pleasure, at least not in the way that beholding Picasso’s paintings evoke wonder, mystery, and other psychological sentiments arising purely from the painter’s use of style, colors, and the imagination. Likewise, the t-shirt with the print on it was created not for the purpose of being admired as an art. As such, the t-shirt is not valuable in itself but gains value for its function to humans, contrary to traditional visual and other forms of art. Art forms are valued for their artistic worth or for their ability to command a definite blending of particular perceptual and sensory elements from the audience (Goldman 188). On the other hand, subjecting the t-shirt to evaluation based on the principles of aesthetic value leads to interesting results. The t-shirt with Bob Marley’s face printed on it clearly fulfills two aesthetic principles. First, the t-shirt becomes a medium for the image of Bob Marley, a cultural icon in reggae music and in the historical struggle of Jamaicans. In this case, the t-shirt with Bob Marley’s image transcends its status as an object worn by humans to cover themselves and becomes an expression of the values of reggae and Jamaican culture in a manner similar to cultural artifacts. Second, the t-shirt itself may be valued by an individual for the sentiments attached to the shirt. It could have been given as a gift for an occasion or has been worn to events associated with feelings of happiness which make the t-shirt valuable to the individual because of the memories of joyous times spent while wearing it. Thus, other people might consider the same t-shirt aesthetically valuable. Fenner observes that objects do not have intrinsic aesthetic value; rather it is the subjective experience of humans that create aesthetic value for objects, particularly the expectation of pleasure from an object (122). Those who appreciate and know Bob Marley may value his image on the t-shirt and subsequently feel pleasure or the elevation of other feelings associated with Bob Marley’s musical contribution and historical roots. As such, the t-shirt may be appreciated by people who share a cultural affinity with Jamaica or of the counterculture that Bob Marley represents. The value of Bob Marley’s silkscreened image extends to the t-shirt which carries it and reinforces the value of the shirt for its owner. The t-shirt, donned by the owner, can therefore be considered the medium for the expression of individuality and creativity of the wearer. Wearing Bob Marley may be a political or cultural statement for a particular culture, particularly as a representation of the struggle against apartheid or against conventional popular music and the culture it represents. Hence, the appreciation of Jamaican culture or reggae music becomes another definitive aspect of the aesthetic experience that may be separate from the experiences attached to the t-shirt as an object. Likewise, neither the fact that the t-shirt was not created for the sake of art nor its low economic worth prevents it from being categorized as an art form. Fenner notes that the presence of traditional aesthetic properties do not necessarily lead to an aesthetic experience or to the creation of an aesthetic value (121). Hence, the audience can view a pricey painting without feeling any connection with it which would make the painting worthless in terms of evoking a subjective experience of appreciation for creativity or imagination. On the other hand, the same audience may behold the image on a shirt and feel an instant connection, a feeling of intense emotions from memories or meanings attached to the object of attention. It is clear that the traditional definitions of art and the accompanying distinction and stratification between â€Å"high art† and â€Å"lowbrow art† has slowly been eroded with the rise of cultural relativism and postmodern theory. Doubtless, the rigid formality of art has come under attack even within various artists’ circles itself that ascribe to the fluidity and less structured styles of postmodern culture. Thus, even an ordinary t-shirt can now be considered an art form when, after critical analysis, it is able to fulfill the principles of aesthetic value. Works Cited: Fenner, David E.W. The Aesthetic Attitude. Atlantic Highlands, N.J.: Humanities Press, 1996. Goldman, Alan. â€Å"Beardsley’s Legacy: The Theory of Aesthetic Value.† The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 63.2 (2005): 185-190.

The Dark Side Of A Wonder Drug-a Selected Collection Of Testimony On T :: essays research papers

The Dark side of a Wonder Drug-A Selected Collection of Testimony on the Safety of Ritalin "We give our children every day, yet we punish adults for taking speed," stated a concerned parent(Ritalin Zone). A trip to the principal's office used to mean big trouble. These days, more kids are showing up in the school office just to get their midday dose of Ritalin. Ritalin, the drug used to treat hyperactivity in children, is being seized on by a generation worried about controlling inappropriate behavior. But some doctors think Ritalin is being prescribed to children who are simply having trouble in school. The numbers suggest they have good reason to worry. The number of prescriptions for Ritalin increased four-fold from 1990 to 1995, making the stimulant one of the most prescribed drugs in the country. No one knows exactly what's behind the surge in Ritalin use, but experts speculate it's due to everything from increased awareness of attention disorders in schools to teachers and parents becoming less tolerant of unruly behavior. Some local school offices have become virtual noon-time pharmacies. At one Ottawa-area board of education, the number of medications dispensed to students by office administrators has increased 20 per cent over the past 18 months. A good chunk of those pills are Ritalin. "We always worry that we're a half-step away from giving someone the wrong dosage," says John Beatty, the board's superintendent of school operations(Ritalin Boy). "In certain school systems there's been a teacher who has seen it work and they'll start suggesting it as an option for all children who are acting out," said Linda Budd, a St. Paul, Minn., psychologist who has written the book Living With the Active/Alert Child. "We've got some teachers we call "Ritalin bullies' - he's not paying attention to me so he needs Ritalin"(Ritalin Zone). Marcia Ruberg, a school psychologist in Cherry Hill (N.J.) School District, said the number of children taking Ritalin varies greatly from class to class, depending on "the teacher's belief system"(Ritalin). At some schools, children as young as seven are asked to take their Ritalin themselves. The little blue pills have become so common in school yards that some kids are reportedly selling their spare Ritalin to friends, who take it in the hope of getting a buzz. "Every parent wants their child to be at the top of the class," says Dr. Andre Cote, clinical director of the Children's Mental Health Treatment Center at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. "What we might be seeing is that people are trying to improve their kids' performance by giving them medication"(Health: Ritalin). Others worry that Ritalin has become an easy answer for busy families

Opinion of Christopher Columbus

Opinions of Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus has always been revered as the man who discovered America, but as people look back over time, other ideas of Columbus have formed. Did he actually discover America? Or did he just encounter it? As other Native Americans had already been living in America, who were soon colonized/conquered, it is hard to say whether or not Columbus was a legendary man. Christopher Columbus, in all respect, did change the course of history greatly, the only question is whether or not he should honored or scorned for it.In 1492, Columbus happened upon the Americas. Columbus believed these people, the Native Americans, easily conquerable, and showed that. He did a number of injustices to the Native American people, women and children included. He also believed them to have no religion of their own, and tried to force christianity upon the Native Americans. Although Columbus was the first major sailor to reach the Americas, his actions did not represen t an honorable man.Although, at this time, Columbus had made a great change affecting the course of history. The Americas had been largely cut off from the rest of the world, and Columbus' interactions with the Native Americans had opened the Americas to trade thereout. It is arguable that the Americas would have been exposed to the rest of the world at some time, but Columbus had been the first. He, essentially, was the man who had the idea to sail west and created that to be a reality.Yet his actions were not the best, he did have the first major encounter in the Americas. I believe Columbus should be respected as the man who did have the first effective encounter in the Americas, though not honored. He had committed great sins against the Native Americans, and should not be considered a hero. Heroes have ethic morals they follow before and after they had made their accomplishments. Columbus did not show this. Columbus was a navigator who had happened to, instead of Asia, come acr oss a continent unknown to the world.

Invasion of Privacy by Employee Monitoring Essay

Employee monitoring has been a serious controversial issue in the modern workplaces besides its necessity. There are many technological surveillance methods are being used today, and it does not only monitor the quantity of work but the quality. Many employers believe that the monitoring helps to increase productivity and customer service activity and control and keep the business in an ideal, stable shape. They sometimes use it to determine one’s promotions and pay decisions as well as to reinforce disciplinary actions. However, what about employee’s privacy? Do employers think that the current monitoring situation is really fair to their employees? Lots of employers use different types of monitoring methods including computer monitoring, video surveillance, investigators, undercover operatives, spying, eavesdropping, wiretapping, and electronic mail and voice mail. All these methods are derived from high technology have made it so easy for those who are monitoring to overstep the boundaries from business information to private information. Many computer programs allow employers to access and monitor employee’s activities such as e-mail communication, keyboard activity, and website visiting history. A frequently debated issue is whether an employer has the right to read and check employee e-mail and voice messages. One recent survey shows that more than 73% of companies search or read employee files, e-mail messages, web connections, and other networking communication technology (Shelly & Vermaat, 2011, p. 590). Another data shows 25% of them have fired employees for misusing communication technology. The problem is that currently, there is no privacy laws exist relating to employee e-mail even though several lawsuits have been filed for many years against employers because many people believe that such internal employee communications should be private. (Slobovnik and Stuart 144-160) Another method of surveillance that is commonly used in a workplace is video recording. This is the most effective form of monitoring yet. However, there are restrictions regarding the legality of using this form. It is defined as illegal if there is audible recording along with the images in the tape. Employees must know that they are being recorded, and most of all, images should not be taken in any undesignated area such as restrooms. In fact, there are some benefits from video surveillance, including increased safety on the job, deter employees from stealing, promote good behavior, and can be used as evidence of a crime. However, video surveillance also can create a false sense of security and a decrease in morale. Imagine if someone is watching where you go and what you do. You might think as if this is not a human workplace but more like a prison. It is absolutely a privacy invasion for employees. The most recent invention of technological surveillance is a Smartcard. One statistic says that 53% of U. S. companies are using Smartcard, and the numbers are increasing rapidly. It simply controls employees’ physical activities within the company; it allows company to track every personal activity from using cell phones to visiting information. Invasion of privacy is a growing concern among employees. â€Å"Electronic monitoring without informing employees that it is taking place is no different than spying. Monitoring is a supervisory tool, not a tool for employee surveillance (CSE, 2006). Monitoring is a simple way of invading employee’s privacy. For example, computer data banks, telephone and video monitoring, active badges, and other monitoring techniques make the private lives of workers easier to delve into without detection (Mishra, J. M; Crampton, S. M 1998). Employers can maintain the productivity and accuracy of their employees without invading their personal lives by using motivation methods. Punishments should be followed for those who break the company’s policy. However, employers also have to protect their employees’ right as a human being.

Waitrose Company Essays

Waitrose Company Essays Waitrose Company Essay Waitrose Company Essay Waitrose was founded in 1904 and is the supermarket division of the John Lewis Partnership, with 187 branches. Like the Partnerships Department Stores, Waitrose is targeted at the middle class market, emphasising quality food and customer service rather than low prices. Their slogan reflects this Quality food, honestly priced. Waitroses main competitors in this market are Marks and Spencer and Sainsburys. The typical Waitrose customer has been described as affluent, interested in culture, travel, fine foods and wine and a likely Classic FM listener and BBC 1 viewer. Waitrose.com Waitrose included its three existing Internet sites which were Waitrose Deliver, [emailprotected], and Waitrose direct into an upgraded Waitrose.com website in August 2001. The online grocer Ocado has also taken over the distribution of Waitrose products, but has its own site (Ocado.com). Waitrose.com also functions as a shop finder that quickly shows users the shop closest to them, including map, travel instructions and opening times. Locations Waitrose is currently bound to its southeast location because there are only two major regional distribution centers in place (Bracknell Northampton). Although further expansion in the North and West is planned, Waitrose has no plans to expand overseas, unlike its bigger competitors. Segmentation Waitrose is able to identify different groups of buyers who share similar definable needs and behaviors by segmenting the market. Waitrose segments its market on simple variables such as incomes. This is shown by the number of stores that are based in the south of England showing that Waitrose is aiming at the higher income earners at the upper end of the market, and segmenting itself towards the social groups of A, B and C1. Waitrose has not based any stores in areas such as Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Bradford as these are Britains poorest regions, which Waitrose would not benefit from financially. The UK Online Market Research shows that more British food shoppers have been converted to online grocery shopping than in any other country. However, Internet sales still represent a tiny, although growing, percentage of the overall UK grocery market. Most people use the Internet as a way of gathering information on products and making price comparisons before visiting their local store. Tesco was the first grocery retailer to introduce online shopping and is now the worlds biggest Internet grocer. Question 1 Means of capturing information for use in e-business processes Organisations are increasingly using databases to manage customer relationships to increase both sales and customer satisfaction. A database can help you identify key trends and important information such as your most and least profitable customers. Waitrose E-CRM programme (E-Customer Resource Management) The E-CRM programme aims to build awareness and generate customer interaction with the Waitrose brand both in-branch and on Waitrose.com. Waitrose provides customers with monthly email communications, which will provide a platform to keep Waitrose front of mind, whilst reminding customers of their full range of services. The emails include information specifically tailored to the customer on seasonal foods arriving in branch, targeted special offers, new recipes and information on food suppliers. The emails are refreshed each month to give customers new ideas from Waitrose by analysing their shopping data. Waitrose.com has become recognised as one of the leading UK portals for food lovers, and the emails enable customers to click to the site to learn more about Waitrose food, offers or search for recipes and shopping lists. Visitors to the site can also find a selection of menu ideas and tips on preparing food, plus nutrition and wine experts can be emailed for individual advice. Ocado Waitrose uses an e-GRM programme to boost loyalty among early adopters of its online home delivery store Ocado. Waitrose Partnership Account Card The Partnership Card from John Lewis and a Waitrose credit card that earns customers vouchers when they spend. The Partnership Card allows customers to earn points towards vouchers. Waitrose sends vouchers directly to their customers three times a year. They can be spent on products in John Lewis, Waitrose and at Ocado.com. The Partnership Card entitles customers to receive exclusive theatre ticket promotions and invitations to special events such as summer concerts and country shows. Waitrose Quick Check Waitrose provides their customers with the option of using the Quick Check service, which allows customers to scan goods while they shop using a handheld scanner and then the ability to pay quickly at a special desk. When customers sign up to this service their details will automatically be transferred onto a database, where Waitrose can keep a track on their buying habbits, how much they are spending per week and their favorite products. Internal Databases Within Waitrose Waitrose has many Internal databases used by different business functions that they use to hold information. Human Resources The human resource department will have information on a database of their employees. The information that is kept on employees will help Waitrose to carry out appraisals, when reviewing pay and paying wages and giving references to other employees. Sales Waitrose will keep information on the sales of products in their store. The information will be able to tell Waitrose what their best selling lines are, what products sells best, what products arent selling that well and may need to be discontinued. From the information Waitrose will be able to position certain products as required such as best selling products getting the best positions. Stock Waitrose will keep information on the stock they keep and how much of each product they have. The information will help Waitrose when bringing in new lines and discontinuing products. Store Layout Waitrose will have information on the layout of the store and where certain products are kept this may be important if they are moving products around or when bringing in new product lines and deciding on where to put them. Marketing The marketing department will have information on prices of products this made help them decide whether prices need to change for example to compete with competitors. They will also keep information on promotions online and in store this will help Waitrose to see when promotions need to be updated and what other products may need to be promoted. Buying Waitrose will keep information on what they buy and where they buy from, they will communicate with suppliers to tell them what stock they need and when they are going to need it. Example of how the information gets onto the database using sales. The barcode is scanned through the till which goes to the EPOS. The information may be replayed to the partnership card/ marketing via the LAN. The role of digital information in informing business decision-making This diagram is showing how the role of digital information is helping Waitrose business decision-making. The Diagram below has been spilt up into five different areas showing the different stages in communication and business decision-making. 1. In Store Communication The EPOS (electronic point of sale) systems will be able to tell Waitrose what products are top sellers and which ones arent selling as well, this will help them make decisions on where to put certain items. They could put top selling products in a better shelf space and maybe promote the items that arent selling or discontinue them. 2. Databases When the data has been collected in store or online the information is sent to the centre and then stored in the databases. Head office will use this information for making decisions on things like store replenishment, store layout, staffing and promotions. 3. Buy-Side collaboration buying from suppliers, suppliers will communicate with head office. Waitrose will need to tell suppliers what they want them to supply and when they want them to supply it. Waitrose will decide what products they are going to store and where they are going to be positioned in store. Decisions on pricing may also change due to promotions or other forms of marketing. Waitrose needs to insure that they have the right amount of stock on their shelves to meet consumer demands. Waitrose uses hand held guns which allow labels on the shelves to be scanned which allows the employee to see how much stock they have. The stock is electronically stored and connected to a server, which will tell the employees how much of certain products they have allowing them to decide when to place an order. 4. The communication between banks and stores for purchases made buy customers, the banks will need to authorise the credit or debit card when customers uses the chip and pin systems. The card will be checked to make sure that it isnt stolen and then the card will be authorised if no problems occur. 5. Sell-Side E-Commerce Waitrose website, when customers access Waitrose online and purchases goods through the internet information is collected on those customers, Waitrose will be able to see the location of the customer, what they are buying and how much they spend. They can use this information to their advantage buy sending the customer offers or vouchers on their favourite products so that they shop again with Waitrose or purchase more than they would normally. Waitrose could also suggest a store close to them, as looking around a supermarket will attract customers to impulse buy which will boost Waitrose products. Waitrose Telecommunications In branch view of telecommunications In store communications, employees will communicate in store via the LAN (Local Area Network) an internal link. Waitrose has mobile telephones to communicate around store using extension numbers to contact different sections. A tannoy is also used in store which allows the company to talk to the whole store at one time, for example when making announcements to customers such as the store is closing or to ask an employee to go to a certain section. Externally a switchboard is used so if a call is coming in from out side the company they will then be transferred to the person or section they want to speak to. If a number of calls are incoming at the same time they will be put on hold and then transferred once the line is free. Waitrose will also communicate to head office via the WAN (World-Wide Area Network) voice and data can be communicated.

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