The Relationship Between Hrm Practices and Organisational Culture Within the Hospitality Industry Essay Example for Free

The Relationship Between Hrm Practices and Organisational Culture Within the Hospitality Industry Essay 1. Summary The culture in an organisation has a huge impact in the behaviour and development of the business and its employees. Organisation culture should concentrate on the actions, behaviour and effectiveness of employees. It is through effective Human Resources Management (HRM) practices that culture is really implemented by employees on the daily basics. Culture and HRM bonds are critically examined defining links, challenges and opportunities both could face. 2. What is Culture? Clarke Chen gives the following definition: â€Å"Culture is a set of accepted behaviour patterns, values, assumptions, and shared common experiences. Culture defines social structure, decision-making practices, and communication styles. Culture dictates behaviour, etiquette, and protocol. It impacts everyone, and influences how we act and respond. Culture is communication. It is a way people create, send, process and interpret information†. The purpose is to teach employees the values, beliefs, views, goals, and behaviours of the hotel brand and the corporation hotel belongs to. Culture can be used as a competitive advantage. Cole (2010, p.93) affirms that the ‘right’ culture is gradually essential to ensuring an organisation’s long-term viability. Managers have to find and select people who are more suitable for the job and who can make of theirs the organisation’s culture. That is where human resource management (HRM) comes in. 3.Human Resources Management Human Resources Management (HRM) is important for three reasons: first, it is seen as one element for organisations to be competitive. Secondly, HRM is an essential part of organisational strategies. Finally, the way organisations treat their people has been found to considerably affect organisational performance. According to Robbins Coulter (2012, p.313) the thread for HRM among those practices is an obligation to bond with employees; to improve their knowledge, skills, and abilities; also increasing their motivation and enhancing organisation culture. Managers should focus on integrating all  hotel functions with HRM, in order to emphasise its strategic role of setting and achieving the business goals. It is through staffs that a real hospitality atmosphere can be sensed by customer where customers are the centre of attention by employees. 4.Culture HRM Relationship Through culture, hotel aims to mould its employees so they can represent the brand, the organisation; and also that they can provide a magnificent customer service working as a unite work-team that communicates effectively and interacts remarkably. Achieving competitive success through people means managers must change how they think about their employees and how they view the work relationship. They must work with people and treat them as partners, not just as costs to be minimized or avoided. Culture is a priority when creating a high customer service becomes a management priority, and managers must therefore seek the correct practices and procedures which employees should follow in order to meet the requisite service culture. Human resource practices within the organization act to maintain culture by giving employees a set of similar experiences (Langton Robbins 2006, p.338). 4.1.Challenges Employees can be resilient to completely adopt hotel’s culture; also they cannot be comfortable with the management style. One challenge for HRM is to deal with employees talking and listening to them in order to understand them and to apply corrective strategies. Even though in most of cases culture is taught and explained at induction sessions, managers may face circumstances where employees would lose interest on culture. Therefore culture should be reinforced by the use of different resources like staff events, posters, and staff evaluations. But the real challenge is whether HRM practices would evolve and adapt and become more important in an organisation or would disappear and be replaced by outsourcing and technology (Davidson, McPhail Barry 2011); it is also suggested that the type of organisation and its culture will regulate which of these possibilities occur in each organisation. HRM practices in hotels should remain but instead of being purely an administrative tool to hire personnel, HRM should become a strategic department. 4.2.Opportunities Having employees from different cultures will definitely enriched hotels’ culture. A multicultural organisation will be able to understand better customers’ needs and expectations according to their background. Another opportunity is that culture gives members an organisational identity which can lead to better understanding of their place within the organisation, and from there HRM practices can support and develop members towards a better future for them. Dawson Abbott (2011) argue that having the adequate HRM practices include recruiting and retaining the right people; but finding highly committed employees who show a greater understanding about the customers’ needs and desires is the biggest duty. The possession of such knowledge is imperative for hotels which can lead to have a significant chance of creating a sustainable competitive advantage and a more profitable business. 5.Conclusion In order to be successful, a hospitality organisation must have a strong culture. That culture should be learnt by employees. They must show a real understanding of culture and put it in place on their daily duties. Culture gets reinforced by a multicultural staff. HRM practices should aim to create a hospitality atmosphere within the organisation. It is through effective management of people that a hotel can have remarkable competitive advantage and be profitable. The interrelationship Culture-HRM faces some challenges, and must take the most of the opportunities.

Consumer Behaviour- Soft Drink Industry Essay Example for Free

Consumer Behaviour- Soft Drink Industry Essay Introduction The soft drink industry in India is one of the most competitive with many international and domestic players operating in the market. Initially domestic players like Parle group dominated the Indian soft drink market with brands like Thums up, Limca, Goldspot etc. However with the re-entry of MNC players like Pepsi in 1991 and Coca-Cola in 1993, the market took a decisive shift in favour of these MNCs and over the years Coca-Cola and Pepsi have become the prominent players in the market. Soft drinks can be principally classified into carbonated and non-carbonated. Carbonated drinks include cola, lemon and orange flavors while non carbonated drinks principally comprise of mango flavor. The carbonated cola products constitute 60% of the soft drink market and three prominent brands in this category are Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Thums up. Thums up was a brand from Parle until Coca-Cola bought it in 1993 and tried to kill it to push its own brand. But the loyal customers of Thums up never let it die and the brand still is the leading brand in the Indian soft drink market. Company profile: The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company. The company’s best known product Coca-Cola was invented by John Stith Pemberton in 1886. The Coca-Cola formula and brand was bought in 1889 by Asa Candler who incorporated the Coca-Cola Company in 1892. Coca-Cola currently offers nearly 400 brands in over 200 countries or territories and serves 1. 5 billion servings each day. The Coca-Cola Company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Its current chairman and CEO is Muhtar Kent. Coca-Cola was the leading soft drink brand in India until 1977 when it left rather than reveal its formula to the government and reduce its equity stake as required under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) which governed the operations of foreign companies in India. After a 16-year absence, Coca-Cola returned to India in 1993, cementing its presence with a deal that gave Coca-Cola ownership of the nations top soft-drink brands and bottling network. Coke’s acquisition of local popular Indian brands including Thums. Up (the most trusted brand in India), Limca, Maaza, Citra and Gold Spot provided not only physical manufacturing, bottling, and distribution assets but also strong consumer preference. This combination of local and global brands enabled Coca-Cola to exploit the benefits of global branding and global trends in tastes while also tapping into traditional domestic markets. From 1993 to 2003, Coca-Cola invested more than US$1 billion in India, making it one of the country’s top international investors. By 2003, Coca-Cola India had won the prestigious Woodruf Cup from among 22 divisions of the Company based on three broad parameters of volume, profitability, and quality. Coca-Cola India achieved 39% volume growth in 2002 while the industry grew 23% nationally and the Company reached breakeven profitability in the region for the first time. Encouraged by its 2002 performance, Coca-Cola India announced plans to double its capacity at an investment of $125 million (Rs.750 crore) between September 2002 and March 2003. Coca-Cola India produced its beverages with 7,000 local employees at its twenty-seven wholly-owned bottling operations supplemented by seventeen franchisee-owned bottling operations and a network of twenty-nine contract-packers to manufacture a range of products for the company. The complete manufacturing process had a documented quality control and assurance program including over 400 tests performed throughout the process. The complexity of the consumer soft drink market demanded a distribution process to support 700,000 retail outlets serviced by a fleet that includes 10-ton trucks, open-bay three wheelers, and trademarked tricycles and pushcarts that were used to navigate the narrow alleyways of the cities. In addition to its own employees, Coke indirectly created employment for another 125,000 Indians through its procurement, supply, and distribution networks. Sanjiv Gupta, President and CEO of Coca-Cola India, joined Coke in 1997 as Vice President, Marketing and was instrumental to the company’s success in developing a brand relevant to the Indian consumer and in tapping India’s vast rural market potential. Following his marketing responsibilities, Gupta served as Head of Operations for Company-owned bottling operations and then as Deputy President. Product Range The product range of Coca-Cola includes beverages like: * Coca-Cola The parent brand of Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola has a truly remarkable heritage. The world’s favourite drink. * Thums Up Strong Cola taste. Thums Up is a leading sparkling soft drink and most trusted brand in Indian soft drink market. * Sprite A global leader in the lemon lime category, it is second largest sparkling beverage Brand in India. Sprite with it’s cut-thru perspective has managed to be a true teen icon. Sprite’s all about being true to yourself and living by the simple and honest code of your own instincts. No more†¦. no less. * Fanta Over the years Fanta has occupied a strong market place and is identified as â€Å"The Fun Catalyst†. Perceived as a fun youth brand, Fanta stands for its vibrant color, tempting taste and tingling bubbles. * Limca Lime ‘n’ lemoni Limca can cast a tangy refreshing spell on anyone, anywhere. Born in 1971, Limca has remained unchallenged as the No. 1 Sparkling drink in the Cloudy lemon segment. * Minute Maid Pulpy Orange One of world’s largest juice drink brands. Eliminated 80% of the water in orange juice, forming a frozen concentrate that when reconstituted created orange juice. * Maaza Imagine the delicious fruit, Mango bottled. This is what Maaza is all about. Universally loved for its taste, color, thickness, Maaza is the mango lover’s first choice. * Kinley Mineral water, a thirst quencher that refreshes, a life giving force that washes all the toxins away. * Georgia Introduced in 2004, the GEORGIA Gold range of Tea and Coffee beverages is the perfect solution for your office and restaurant needs. Product Information: Thums Up Background Thums Up is a carbonated soft drink (cola) popular and largest selling brand in India where its bold, red thumbs up logo is common. During the late 1970s, the American cola giant Coca-Cola abandoned operations in India rather than make a forced sale of 60% of their equity to an Indian company. Following this, the Parle brothers, Ramesh Chauhan and Prakash Chauhan, along with then CEO Bhanu Vakil, launched Thums Up as their flagship drink, adding to their portfolio of older brands Limca (lime flavor) and Gold Spot (orange flavor). Thums Up was basically a cola drink, but the company never claimed it as such. The formula was just as closely guarded as the famous Coke formula. Thums Up enjoyed a near monopoly with a much stronger market share often overshadowing its other rivals like Coca-Cola’s Campa cola, Double seven and Dukes, but there were many small regional players who had their own market. It even withstood liquor giant United Breweries Group (makers of Kingfisher Beer) Mcdowells Crush, which was another Cola drink, and Double Cola. In 1990, when the Indian government opened the market to multinationals, Pepsi was the first to come in. Thums Up went up against the international giant for an intense onslaught with neither side giving any quarter. With Pepsi roping in major Indian movie stars like Juhi Chawla, to thwart the Indian brand, Thums Up increased its spending on Cricket sponsorship. Then the capacity went from 250ml to 300ml, aptly named MahaCola. This nickname gained popularity in smaller towns where people would ask for Maha Cola instead of Thums Up. The consumers were divided where some felt Pepsi’s mild taste was rather bland. In 1993 Coca-Cola re-entered India after a prolonged absence from 1977 to 1993. But Coca-Cola’s entry made things even more complicated and the fight became a three-way battle. That same year, in a move that baffled many, Parle sold out to Coke for a meager US$ 60 million (considering the market share it had). Now Coca-Cola’s, and Coke has a habit of killing brands in its portfolio that might overshadow it. Coca-Cola soon introduced its cola in cans which was all the rage in India, with Thums Up introduced alongside, albeit in minuscule numbers. Later Coca-Cola started pulling out the Thums Up brand which at that time still had more than 30% market share. Despite its strong overall equity, the brand Thums Up was losing its popularity among the core cola drinking age group of 12 to 25 year olds, partly due to nil advertising. Coca-Cola apparently did try to kill Thums Up, but soon realized that Pepsi would benefit more than Coke if Thums Up was withdrawn from the market. Instead, Coke decided to use Thums Up to attack Pepsi. The Coca-Cola Company by this time had about 60. 5% share of the Indian soft-drink market but much to its dismay found out that if it took out Thums Up, it would remain with only 28. 72% of the market (according to a report by NGO FinanceTrade in India), hence it once again dusted out the Thums Up brand and re-launched it targeting the 30 to 45 year olds. The brand was re-positioned as a â€Å"manly† drink, drawing on its strong taste qualities. Known to be a strong drink with more power packed into it than other colas, Thums Up kick-started an aggressive campaign directly attacking Pepsi’s TV ads, focusing on the strength of the drink hoping that the depiction of an â€Å"adult† drink would appeal to young consumers. â€Å"Grow up to Thums Up† was a successful campaign. The brand’s market share and equity soared. The brand was unshakeable and Coca-Cola’s declaration that Thums Up was India’s premier cola brand in terms of market share did not surprise many. Other campaigns from Thums Up build on its â€Å"strength† and its perception as a macho drink. Ads showing the Thums Up man, riding through the desert in search of a cantina that sells Thums Up rather than drink another cola, stuck in the minds of many Indians and caught the imagination of youngsters who want to be seen as men. 4 P’s of Marketing Mix for Thums Up. Product: Thums Up is known for its strong, fizzy taste and its confident, mature and uniquely masculine attitude. This brand clearly seeks to separate the men from the boys. Beverage offered by the company in the size of: * SSRB (Standard size returnable bottle) * PET (600 ml, 1. 5 liter plastic bottle) * CANS (tin pack 330 ml) Price: Thums Up has adopted competition based pricing and so the prices are similar to that of other cola drinks. 1. Glass Bottles – 200ml, 300ml – Rs 12. 00 onwards 2. PET Bottles – 600ml, 1500ml, 2 ltrs, 2. 25 ltrs. – Rs 25. 00 onwards 3. Can – 330ml – Rs 35. 00 45. 00 4. Fountain – Customized – Rs 15. 00-35. 00 can go upto Rs 60. 00 in movie halls Company offers discount on prices or extra quantity of cold drink during festive seasons and winter seasons. Place: Thums Up has a strong distribution channel to make the product available in the market any time, and maintain optimum level of stock in the market. It covers the rural part also to increase the customer reach. The soft drink is made available at all the possible convenient locations to the customers – local area grocery shops, hotels, restaurants, movie halls, multiplexes, shopping malls, supermarkets vending machines, fountain outlets. Promotion: Thums Up has consistently built its sales promotion through various techniques like, blind taste tests, sponsoring exciting events and sports, conducting various contests (win a motor bike contest), etc. Also its ads are designed to create excitement and to communicate the macho personality of the brand. An ad campaign of Thums Up where Akshay Kumar (its brand ambassador since 2003) performs the extreme sport of ‘parkour’ to grab his bottle of Thums Up from a suggestively attractive lady. â€Å"Taste the Thunder† has been the most breakthrough communication campaign for the brand. It stands for masculinity that has constantly been redefined over the years. Competition Thums Up went from being the only cola in the cantina to facing competition from both Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Twenty-six years later it’s still a top cola in India and is one of the strongest brands in the country across categories. The brand name’s positive associations of victory, achievement and celebration are apparently merited as it continues to do well despite a challenging landscape. | | | | | Thums Up’s first competition came in the form of Campa Cola. There were allegations of aggressive exchanges between the two brands at street level but Thums Up (owned by Parle at the time) apparently won the battle both on the ground and in the consumer’s mind. Campa Cola discontinued in 2000 (only to re-emerge as less of a challenger in 2002 from Pure Drinks New Delhi). For a short while Thums Up’s strong taste enjoyed success across the country with scarcely any competition; the brand reigned supreme in the cola market. Currently Thums Up is facing competition from lots of brands coming in the soft drink industry and still it has maintained its top position in the minds of Indian consumers. Today, an Indian consumer sees Thums Up as a unique brand personality which no other brand has acquired in the soft drink industry. | | Conclusion| Thums Up is amongst the oldest domestic brands in soft drinks industry in India and it is the most popular and trusted brands in India. Thums Up enjoyed a near monopoly in India with a much stronger market share till 1990s. But with the advent of Pepsi (1992) and Coca Cola (1993), Thums Up started facing stiff competition. In 1993, Parle sold out to Coke and Thums Up became the brand of Coca-Cola Company. Though Coca-Cola tried to kill Thums-Up to build its own brand, it sooner realized the importance of Thums Up to survive in the Indian market to beat its core competitor Pepsi. Today Thums Up has grown its image from just a soft drink to a lot more for Indian consumers. It has established itself as a distinguished brand with strong taste and which communicates maturity, daring and excitement to its consumers. Thums Up has consistently maintained honesty and trust with its consumers and that’s why it is still the number one cola brand in the country.

The Battle Of Algiers Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay

The Battle Of Algiers Movie Analysis Film Studies Essay The movie is set as a reflection of the struggle in the North African country to gain independence. The film is set in Algiers, the capital of Algeria, a French colony. The year is 1957, and the Algerian war is at its peak as the insurgents, the FLN fight against the French paratroopers, an elite team of ruthless soldiers. The film is a depiction of the Battle for Algiers, a segment of the Algerian war that charted the course for freedom. The movie starts with a scene where French paratroopers have just used torture to extract information from an old man. They now know where the last of the leaders of the freedom fighters, Ali Pointe is hiding and the French commander gives him thirty seconds to surrender. A large portion of the movie is shot as the flashbacks of Ali Pointe, a cornered leader of the insurgency. The flashbacks show him, three years before, as a hoodlum with a tainted past of theft and drug-dealing. He joins the militants to help rid Algeria of vice and problems associated with the French. Through the flashbacks, the movie follows the insurgents struggles and the French government s determination to end the war It then traces the metamorphosis of the insurgency into a national revolution. For the larger part of the 117 minutes the movie runs, it sees the war through Ali Pointe s eyes as it traces his struggles as a leader of the insurgency. The flashbacks end and the timeline returns to the present. Ali Pointe and all other captured FLN leaders are guillotined. The FLN retaliate and it becomes a national revolution as the insurgency grows in numbers and support. The movie then adapts a general focus and ends as Algeria attains independence in 1962. The theme The issues addressed by this movie are varied and universal. The violence evident in the movie is sickening, but it must be taken for its thematic content. It centers on terrorism as a method of war employed where conventional means are not applicable. It also tries to depict the issues brought about by imperialism and colonization and the endless struggle of people to achieve their independence at whatever cost. It also shows that terrorism is not a method merely used by insurgents but also by conventional militaries when it suits them. The French military is depicted as using unconventional methods such as torture and manipulation. While the ruthlessness of the insurgents is expected, the counter insurgency is a shocker. It is not expected that any trained military would use such methods, but this movies main theme centre on unmasking them. Exposition The movie adapts a quasi-documentary approach during the flashback scenes. Te viewer learns of how the war turned viral as it spread. It uses Ali Pointe s view as a starting point for the story, the flow of information is detailed and impossible for a 30 second flashback, but it is informative. The visual style used in this film was convincing with the initial recording being done in black and white due to the infant nature of color technology at the time. The last segment of the movie that has general focus on the story of the Algerian war adapts the omnipresent invisible narrator method. The transition is flawless and remarkable, and it enhances the overall effect of the story. Rising action The flashbacks in the story mean that the movie has rising action for only the first segment. The flow from the torture scene, to Ali Pointe s flashbacks marks the foundation of the action. It is centered on Ali s memories, the calmness and lack of any violence as he reminisces of his former life and the woes of his urgent life. The bloody, grizzly movie scenes also add to the action of the movie. The flashback approach, however, give the story very little raise in action because it is a war movie. Climax It is impossible to centre on any part of the Battle of Algiers as the only climax in the movie. It is riddled with multiple tense and explosive scenes, all centered on the flashbacks. This film provides a deeper insight and understanding of the dynamics of conflicts; this is done in the way it provides a detailed arm race between the warring factions that normally accompany conflicts. In short the idea of reciprocity in conflict which describes how each side attempts to outflank and outmaneuver the other help us tremendously understand the dynamics of the real world conflicts (Rainer, 10). A memorable scene is where several female NLF remove their veils and dress like Europeans in order to penetrate the enemy territory to plant bombs. Another scene shows businessmen relaxing in a bar, people waiting for a bus, teenagers having fun and a child who enjoying her ice cream and suddenly, a bomb explodes. Another bombing occurs in a coffee house at around the Casbah area. The scenes of the French Legion s torture cells, the deliberations of the Algerian resistance organization (National Liberation Front) top brass in the Casbah meeting room, their battle hardened and fearless soldiers on the rooftops, cafes, checkpoints as they detonate bombs, are all a product of a breathtaking casting Falling Action The second part of the movie signifies the start of falling action. The escalation of the insurgency into a full scale revolution indicates that while the French might have won the battle for the city of Algiers they lost the Algerian war. In a way, this compensates for the bloody action scenes as one is compelled to ponder on whether such bloodshed and death was necessary to gain independence. Although circumstances forced the locals were to start the war, the script is quick to show that they did not support terrorism as those who engage in it in the film have their reckoning moments (Ebert 123).They did not sanction the methods employed by the militants, but they were part and parcel of the gains. This is a true indication of a group that is formed with genuine reasons of freeing their society from some of the things that kept them exploited for centuries. Just when one would have thought that the war is over, bombs leaving hundreds of people dead and others injured. Resolution The producer, Pontecorvo used special filming techniques that gave the movie somewhat of a documentary-like grainy look. The movies plot also follows the documentary approach .In the scenes after Ali Pointe and other leaders are killed, it is clear that the French have shot themselves in the leg. Their actions against the insurgents have solidified the people s resolve and they have no choice but to grant them freedom The end The year is 1962 and Algeria is in a euphoric state. The scenes shift from happiness to the defeat of the French. The movie ends on a positive high, as the deaths of all those killed in the course of the war seem worthwhile. The dying scenes of the movie show the victory on the faces of the Algerian people. The characters The cast included only one professional actor, Jean Martin. The movie engages composite characters. The character Colonel Mathieu is a composite character meant to show the top leadership of the actual French regiments in Algeria at the time. It also seems likely that the producer and the actor attempted to show the colonel as an honest man merely doing his job, as opposed to a villain and emotionless leader of a ruthless military. Jean Martin plays the character well, but it still ends up depicting him as a villain. Other characters are real but have their names changed to fit in the story. The largely unprofessional cast was picked because of their appearance and expression. They therefore fit in with their role in the film, giving it the feel of a real time recording. ANALYSIS Battle of Algiers was released in 1966, 4 years after the end of the Algerian war. It is a movie that rebuilds the events that were witnessed in Algeria in 1954-1962. Its content clearly brings out the unbiased story in the war. It is not propaganda as it shows the detailed happenings of the war without showing an apparent bias. It is a political movie that concentrates on the war aspects of the Algerian War for independence and has indiscriminate depiction of the occurrences. One of the most notable things from the beginning is the lack of bias; the movie shows the atrocities committed by both sides despite the fact that its budget was partly footed by the Algerian government. The events in the movie are a true reflection of the War of independence in Algeria. It also shows how the insurgency crept into the Algerian society. The people rose in defiance of colonialism and eventually defeated the French. It represents a time when a wave of nationalism was spreading through Africa (Augends, 121). One can not help having to remind himself or herself that each and every frame of this frame has been staged (Solinas, et al, 124). The scenes of a bombing of civilian not only in cafes but also in the dance halls and hit and run assassinations of police officers from the French side, provides the few who witnessed the gruesome experience or those who have read the descriptive narrative of the resistance movement with a feeling of sorrow at the experiences. It creates a sort of nostalgic disgust, but it is unbiased because both sides are depicted for having committed atrocities. The superior script is further demonstrated by the fact that the several military organizations that are involved in one way or the other with terrorist organizations operating like National Liberation Front (NLF) have found this film a starting point in their military strategy. It has been used as they plan how to confront and defeat such organizations while keeping the casualties at a minimum. For instance, Pentagon has been screening it to its staff headed for terrorist hot spots like Iraq and Afghanistan. The aim is to show them the two sides of the war and what will happen if they do not take care of the natives. (Solinas, et al, 154). The flow of events in the film also adds to its finesse, which improves the degree of reality in it tremendously. One important thing about this is that it lays the background of why the (National Resistance Front) NLF had to take up arms against the French forces. This is normally the important part of any work of art, to achieve its primary aim. If this movie had no achieved this, there would be no convincing reason why they are fighting in the first place and it would make the movie pathetically hollow and amateurish. This further reinforces the fact that the film is devoid of any propagandist stuff despite the fact that it was subsidized by the Algerian government. It was tailored to guard and respect the real happenings of the Battle of Algiers and to tell the real story of the war. The choice of the characters in the film is another feature that further set it apart from a majority of the films in the same genre. The role of Ali la Pointe, played by Brahim Haggiag, is one such choice that fits into the part he is supposed to play. His prole-hero features are so riveting that no one can dispute that he was the real FNL actual leader. By portraying Ali as a down trodden Muslim in dire need of liberation from the French occupation, the directors of the film again match the cast with situations (Gilbert, 10). Ali is not only the perfect embodiment of the downtrodden Muslim clamoring for emancipation but also a representation of the ordinary Algerian. His eyes are the fervid center of this movie as the vivid flashbacks explain his story. Just like the majority of movies of this genre, there are a number of lessons that one can learn from film. The first such lesson is the amount to reciprocity in this conflict (Zuhur, 231). Reciprocity means both sides to the conflict are responsible to the conflict. That each side attacks or defends in retaliation to the other side implying in the absence of either of the two there would be no conflict. The same applies to the likes of trade and so many other endeavors in life that requires two to tango (Burr, 10). This reciprocity is normally what identifies one party to the dispute as a villain or aggressor and the other a victim. For instance, it is tempting to view the Algerians as victims while the French forces as the aggressors. This is a fallacious conclusion; if anything the French who annexed Algeria in 1800 and it is only a century and a half later that the revolutionary war begins. Nonetheless, as is made clear by the film, the French also have their fair share of victimization and revenge, primarily brought about by the need for resources that would enable them to dispel insurgencies of that nature not only in Algeria but in all colonies that were in the French sphere of influence. It is obvious that the Algerian would not have taken up arms had the French agreed to meet their legitimate demands. Given that the French policy of assimilation had made the Algerians second class French citizens. As observed, conflicts are reciprocal in that any of the competing side has an option of discontinuing the conflict by restraining itself from any retaliation. This means that surrender is hardly ever considered an option. However, in most of the cases there would never be a side that would be wiling to do such a thing, until of course, the situation demands it or they are defeated in war. That is the reason why both sides are to blame itself for any undesirable consequen ces of the conflict that they were part of. The second lesson which this film teaches us and which is also related to reciprocity in conflict that we have talked of is the significance of normative analysis (Burr, 10). The film sequentially illustrates the successful decisive events of this conflict between the Algerian insurgency and the French forces in the 1950s, without appearing to side with any of the protagonists. This neutral and detached approach is precisely the reason that explains why the film is so powerful, thought provoking and authentic. This makes anybody alluding that the film is a propaganda tool appear utterly ignorant of the glaring description to the contrary. The same can be viewed as the reason why the film is so enriching and compelling. The visual presentation of important events in the struggle for independence and especially the entire colonial rule is so neutral that it can easily pass for a documentary. The hardened French soldiers in the first scene ruthlessly torturing an Algerian insurgent toge ther with the Algerian children and women who we are shown planting bombs in military checkpoint shows that both sides engaged in inhumane, immoral, and illegal behaviors (Rainer, 10). They are both ready to engage whatever means necessary to meet their respective ends, which is the reason there are no heroes in this film (Pujol, 3). In short, what the author wishes to communicate is laying the exposure of all the human tragedies that happen amongst us but people do not seem to pay a lot of attention on them (Ebert, 67). The movie reveals the realities of the atrocities of the war between the army of the French and the soldiers of the National Liberation Front. However, it may superficially seem justified for the FLN insurgents to use such methods to fight against the French rule; their struggles and methods are crude and inhumane. They have caused suffering by killing and maiming people in cold blood as a result of the bombs they plant targeting the Europeans. The attacks by the FL N were reciprocated by the French military in a much more treacherous way due to superior training and weaponry (Evans Morgan, 234). This brutality has affected all those involved. These people live in fear of being ganged down and this explains why they were never at peace (Ebert 87). The development of this movie was superb and indeed it led to the realization of the goal that the producers intended. The movie was developed so many years ago but till today it remains relevant. This is because it shows the effects of any war on the natives and what both sides lose when they go to war. The film is indicative of a thorough choreography and splendid script. These are sure indications that there was thorough input by the assisting crew to live up to the original script. Summary In summary, at every stage of this conflict we get a clear illustration of how the two sides of the conflict change their tactics in a bid to get an upper hand in the conflict; we also see a slow but unstoppable escalation of fighting into war. The Battle of Algeria is a good and unbiased description of the revolutionary battle pitting the insurgents against the French forces; a war that escalates until one party emerges the victor. It tries to bring out the suffering of the people, the wanton destruction of property and life. This is important and can be applied to almost all competitive situations that can be modeled in a war with an enemy with better weaponry and training. The makers of the story created a fictional script that captures the real story. The unbiased approach might have been refuted later by some parties to the war but the real story is there for all to see. It is also up to the viewer to decide whether such bloodshed was really necessary in the struggle for independence. It is a remarkable lesson in history and the injustices in war. At the end of the movie, it is left to the conscience of the viewer to decide which side he or she feels was justified to fight with such unconventional methods. This question is left unanswered because the movie shows such a remarkable balance in the depiction that it is almost impossible to pick sides with justified reasons. It also shows how the French lost the battle of Algiers but ultimately lost the Algerian War. Algeria gained independence in 1962, the same year the Algerian war ended.

LASIK Vision Correction Essay -- Lasik Seeing Eye blind Essays

LASIK Vision Correction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Are you ready to give up your glasses or contacts? LASIK vision correction is an up-and-coming procedure designed to reduce your dependence on glasses and contacts. My objective is to show both sides of the procedure, the risks involved and the wonderful possibility of not having to wear glasses or corrective lenses. Of patients with moderate vision impairments who have had the LASIK surgery performed, eighty-two percent achieve 20/20 vision or better and ninety-nine percent achieve 20/40 or better (May 60). However, LASIK vision correction is not for everyone. There are definite risks as well as possible side effects involved. Some of the side effects are hazing, night glare and halos, loss of vision, dry eye, infections and corneal abrasions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering on the front of the eye, using an Excimer laser (â€Å"LASIK†). A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of the flap. The flap is then folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is then replaced (â€Å"LASIK†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Initial clinical trials of LASIK in the United States began in 1996 with Marc Michelson, M.D. being one of the first LASIK surgeons involved. These clinical investigations culminated in the approval by the FDA of the LASIK procedure in 1999 (May 20). â€Å"LASIK is the most popular refractive [or vision correction] procedure worldwide right now,† Marc Michelson tells WebMD (Braslavsky). Michelson says that because the LASIK procedure has become very popular lately, patients need to be careful when choosing a surgeon. He emphasizes the need for patients to seek out someone with experience and a long history of good outcomes (Braslavsky).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many factors taken into account before becoming a candidate for LASIK surgery. Candidates for LASIK surgery should be at least 18 years old and not be pregnant or nursing. Candidates should also have no active eye disease, a stable prescription for one year and have no restrictions mandated by their employer. Having realistic goals is also an important factor. Some common goals are: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be less dependent on gl... ...ford LASIK vision correction. This just is not the case. This surgery is quite expensive and results are not guaranteed. Surgical complications are estimated to occur in between 1.2 and 2.2 percent of patients. The CRS-USA LASIK Study noted that, overall, 5.8 percent of LASIK patients experienced side effects at the three-month follow up period (â€Å"Risks†). My attempt here was to show that there are risks involved with this procedure and to encourage research to be done before a decision is made. Corneal abrasions, infections, hazing, dry eye, loss of vision, and night glare and halos are among the many possible side effects. Are you willing to take the risk?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WORKS CITED Braslavsky, Andrea M, MS. â€Å"Keeping an Eye on Side Effects of Laser Eye Surgery.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2001 Healtheon/WebMD. 13 Oct. 2001.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . â€Å"Lasik Eye Surgery: Learning About LASIK.† U.S Food and Drug Administration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 Oct. 2001. . May, Carl J., M.D. LASIK Vision Correction. Utah: MedWorld Publishing, 2000. â€Å"Risks and Complications.† The LASIK Institute. Oct. 2001. 21 Oct. 2001   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The May Eye Care Center and Associates. Bringing Your World Into Focus: Laser   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vision Correction.

Chinese Culture Exposed in the Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee :: Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee

Chinese Culture Exposed in the Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee In by reading the Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, I gained a perspective of the people and culture of China. This book showed the analysis of Chinese saw and the background of Chinese history. Judge Dee, during the Tang Dynasty, was a well-known statesman and a magistrate to a town called Chang-Ping. He was known to be a famous detective, in which he could solve all crimes. In the Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, he is faced with three murders, which develop throughout the book. First of the three murders was the murder of the two silk merchants. Second was the sudden death of a young husband, and thirdly was the poisoning of a bride in her nuptial chamber. As Judge Dee begins solving the crimes, the story unfolds slowly and shows the reader the history of China. In the Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee, Judge Dee lived in the Tang dynasty. During this period, one can see how the Chinese authoritative views were strict, the laws and punishment which were enforced, and what the outlook on the Chinese society was. Authority had a strong hold on their community and the people in the town also confined in them to help them and solve crimes. The community also knew what the consequences of causing a crime was and that indeed it was wrong to omit a crime. Judge Dee and with the help of his associates, begins solving the crime through much observation and Judge Dee was very clever. He used methods and tools such as, going undercover, using underground sources, interrogation, and forensic science to solve his problems. It isn’t much different today on how we solve crime in the western world. We can see the Asian influence in solving crime matters when Judge Dee uses religion, ghosts, and dreams to solve his crimes. Bad luck and superstition such as were also believed. If the dead weren’t buried properly the Chinese felt that the dead wouldn’t let the family rest or sleep in peace. In the end of the book you could see that the use of torture and the methods of execution are more extreme than the western culture. Judge Dee went to an ancient graveyard to consults the spirit of the dead.

Food as Sign and Code :: Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz Semiotics Essays

Food as Sign and Code What do you think of when you see or smell your favorite food? On one hand the sight or smell of that food might trigger hunger, or even a memory of the last time you shared that meal with a loved one. The point is, the smell or sight of our favorite food would trigger a different thought or feeling in each of us. This is an example of Semiotics. Semiotics is defined as "anything that can stand for something else." Roland Barthes was one of Europe's most renowned theorists of semiology. Barthes believed that in order to generate a complete sign, there were two parts that have to work together. These two parts are known as the signifier and the signified. A good example of this is your favorite food you thought of earlier, it would act as a signifier, and the thought that came to your head when thinking of this food would act as the signified. Together they create a sign. This is just a simple example of a complete sign. In her book Semiotics and Communication: Signs, Codes, Cultures, Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz describes the wide use of food as signs, and also as social codes. The reason foods are so useful as signs and social codes is because they are separable, easily adaptive to new environments, and it is not difficult to cook, or eat for that matter. Food is a major part of our daily lives, Not only for survival, but it plays a substantial social role in our lives. We will look deeper into the semiotics of food, how food is used as identity markers, and also the role that foods play in social change in our lives. First let us start with the semiotics of food. Food as Semiotics Food is very accessible. Therefore, it has been one of the top choices used in explaining semiotic theory. An important contributor to the semiotics of food is Mary Douglas. She applied her assumptions of semiotics of food as a social code. Douglas and her assistant generated a hierarchical description of the events when people take food. This description is listed below. 1. Food Event-- it is the most general; it refers to an occasion when food is taken, without prejudice as to whether it constitutes a meal or not. 2. Structured Events-- this refers to social occasions that have been thoroughly organized.

Case Study: Company Law Essay

Question 1 The shares of ABC Limited, a private company are held by Ann and Andy Anderson and Bev and Bob Brown. The Andersons who together hold 90% of the company shares are concerned that the company is in need of further capital but because of family difference, the Andersons are not willing to inject additional funds so long as the Browns are shareholders in the company. They have therefore decided to pass a resolution which will enable the majority acquire compulsorily at full value shares of the minority. Advise Bev and Bob Brown. Bev and Bob Brown my advise to you is that the Anderson being the majority shareholder of ABC Ltd. can remove you Bev and Bob Brown by ordinary resolution of the company in general meeting, and if you Bev and Bob was appointed by the articles you can be removed by a special resolution passed to alter the articles. The Anderson’s decisions being majority shareholder is binding on you the minority shareholder whether you like it or not it is they who control the company ultimately. However Bev and Bob you can take representative action against the Anderson’s for fraud committed against you Bev and Bob as in the case Eastmanco.  Ltd. V Greater London where they stultify the purpose for which the company was formed and deprive you the minority shareholder of your existing prospects of obtaining votes. Being a member of ABC Ltd. you can bring representative action against the Company to protect your personal rights which you Bob and Bev enjoys. There have been a breach of duty owed to you Bob and Bev the minority shareholder cannot be ratified by a majority of shareholders. Question 2 Discuss the rule in Foss V Harbottle The rule in Foss V Harbottle illustrates the principle of majority control and minority protection.  If a wrong is done to the company then the only proper plaintiff to bring an action to redress the wrong is the company itself and not a shareholder or anyone else. Where the minority’s complaint is that some act has been done wrongly, which would nevertheless be lawful if there were an ordinary resolution in general meeting to authorize it, then the court will not interfere at the instance of the minority. The rule places the majority member in a very strong position over the minority as in the case Bamford V Bamford. The rule prevents the company from spending money on litigation to no ultimate purpose if an independent majority does not wish to pursue a claim. The rule may be used by majority shareholders to perpetrate fraud on the minority members especially if the majorities are also directors of the company. The rule is an inevitable consequence of a corporation is a separate legal entity. Therefore, if harm is caused to a company then only the company itself can take legal action. No one else, irrespective of their losses, will have the necessary power to take legal proceedings. Question 3  Dave is minority shareholder in ABC Company Ltd. Andy, Bev and Carol are also major controlling shareholders and in addition, they hold the position of chairman, managing director respectively. Dave is aggrieved that: i. The company has just sold 5 acres of land to Bev’s cousin at half the price the company paid for it ii. The company has recently engaged Andy’s uncle as its marketing director at an annual salary of $5 million. His service contract includes a provision that in the event of his death, his widow shall continue to receive his annual salary by way of pension payment for the rest of her life. Andy’s uncle was in very poor health at the time of his appointment. Andy, Bev and Carol do not admit that anything improper has taken place. Advise Dave on the legality of Andy, Bev and Carol’s action and whether he can bring an action against them. Dave base on the actions of Andy, Bev and Carol you can bring an action against them as in the case Daniels V Daniels. The major shareholders Andy, Bev and Carol owed fiduciary duty to the company and most act in good faith and in the best interest of the company and not in their own interest. The directors have been exercised in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the company and also breach of their fiduciary duties as in the case Kelmer V Baxter. Andy, Bev and Carol action are base on personal interest. The court can make an order to rectify the matters as in section 213A of the 2004 Company Act. The court can order for the company to regulate the company affairs by amending its articles against Andy’s uncle who was appointed as marketing director at an annual alary of $5 million and he was in very poor health at the time of his appointment. The court can regulate the company affairs by amending ABC Ltd. articles so that Andy’s uncle widow does not receive his annual salary by way of pension payment for the rest of her life after he dies. The court can also order for compensation to the company for the 5 acres of land that Bev’s cousin buy at half price the company paid for it. Dave you can bring action against them in the court. Question 4 The articles of association of ABC Ltd. public company provides inter alia ‘At a general meeting of the company, subject to any right or resolutions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares, on a show of hand, every member in person shall have one vote’ Marvin, a shareholder who was present at a meeting of the company voted but the directors refused to register his vote in connection with passing of a special resolution. Advise Marvin who wants to compel the directors to register his vote. Marvin base on information given above you take Representative action against the company to protect your personal rights as in the case Pender V Lushington. Being a member allows you to bring representative action against the company. The directors of ABC Ltd. owe fiduciary duty to you personally. Suing under representative action to prevent the company from acting contrary to its articles which states that: ‘At a general meeting of the company, subject to any right or resolutions for the time being attached to any class or classes of shares, on a show of hand, every member in person shall have one vote’. You were present at the meeting and voted but they the directors refused to register your vote so you can bring them to court.