Phenomenology in Peter Zumthor’s architecture

Phenomenology is not a new invention, although it became synonymous with modernistic art in the early 1900’s. In fact the idea of phenomenology and the meaning of life and its numerous connections became not only an existential question, but also a study of reactivity between human beings in the hope that we might understand why things happen and why we behave in the way we do. In the social sciences, sociologists such as Max Weber wanted to understand this relationship between humans and in art this relationship culminated in the relationship between the artists and the subject and the inherent ties that are visible between the two. Peter Zumthor has become a paragon of his art and his architecture is something of a phenomenological artefact and in this case we examine his architectural pieces at Vals in Switzerland and Cologne in Germany. We look specifically at his spa complex (Therme Vals Spa) and his art museum (Kolumba). We also look at the meaning and the theory of phenomenology as a discipline in the attempt to understand the connection between Zumthor’s personal standpoint and the ideology as a whole. We look first at phenomenology as a discipline and its forefathers while also looking at the very first revelations of phenomenology in the arts. What is phenomenology? How did it come into being and why is it such a powerful tool for the arts? Phenomenology is described as the â€Å"study of structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. †(Smith, 2008). What is central to the idea is the intention of the subject, for instance, what does the individual intend to do with the experience? The direction of an experience is geared towards the object with pertinence to the meaning of the relationship (Smith, 2008). It was used in the social sciences by masters such as Heidegger, Husserl and Sartre and encompasses four major aspects of the philosophy of social science: epistemology, ontology, ethics and logic (Smith, 2008). Naturally, these aspects of humanity cannot be explained by scientific inquiry alone, as the human brain consists of unseen reactions as well as the physiological and observable. This posed a problem for social sciences in the sense that something could not be proven unless it could be observed. What we are able to observe, clearly, is interaction, action and reaction. What we are not able to observe is the ‘why’. Smith (2008) explains that where conscious experience is concerned the major affect is that we are able to live through them and perform them. We are able to relate a past experience only from our own standpoint, based on how we felt at the time and therefore we interpret it as it affects us personally (Smith, 2008). Hermeneutic phenomenology is a branch of the discipline that stems from the interpretive which means that we are only ever able to interpret experiences and relationships thereupon and never able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it is true or not (Marcelle, 2005). At present, the nature of phenomenology is changing with the advent of new communication methods such as the internet (Marcelle, 2005). Indeed, artistically speaking, architecture also remains a means of communicating via its ability to relate a feeling or atmosphere that is pertinent to the emotion it wishes to convey. For example, an art museum wants to convey a different experience to that of a spa. After we have interpreted experiences, we then have to analyze them and remove notable aspects for further observation. Thereafter, phenomenology tries to expand upon different ways of thinking and understand what type of thinking allows that particular experience to be interpreted in that way. Empirical experiments attempt to determine the commonality of that experience and whether it can be proved (Smith, 2008). Some forms of phenomenology try to explain these experiences with the added benefit of neurological knowledge which is of course, empirically and scientifically proven (Smith, 2008). ` Now we know what phenomenology is but what we need to do it examine where is it began in terms of representational art and architecture. Upon viewing something it immediately invokes some sort of emotional connection: whether you like it very much or hate it, there is a reason for this connection. When we view a flower in the open air, some of us may feel euphoric and happy amongst the beauty while others may not be greatly affected by it. The same is true when viewing a rubbish heap, but with the opposite emotion. How we view this experience depends very much on the frame of mind we are in at the time and the overall mental state or personality. This was used in early Surrealist art where those such as Salvador Dali attempted to relate the internal subconscious of the self to the viewer. Dali himself used architectural type hypercube structures to convey a certain transcendence of Christ in his famous Corpus Hypercubus (1954) (Fudjack & Dinkelaker, 1999). The purpose of using this 3 dimensional construction was to invoke the sense not only of transcendence but also omnipotence with the past, present and the future all being present in one picture (Barrette, 2007). Prior to Zumthor’s work and wedged in between Dali’s was Antonin Gaudi whose post-modernist art nouveau architecture can be seen as both garish and outrageous. Gaudi’s work was not only intended for a purpose, but was also employed to have specific affect on the viewer. Sagrada Familia was not completed before Gaudi’s death in 1926 (Schumacher, 1991). Gaudi used angularity, columns and vaults in true architectural classicism and combined it with modern eclecticism to produce a gorgeously outrageous modern gothic temple. In other works, he used mosaics and facades to produce candy-like buildings that both pleased the eye and served a purpose. So phenomenology is not a new idea in the arts and was used with great effect also by artists such as Rene Magritte and in writing by Roland Barthes. Marcel Duchamps created yet another dimension to modernistic phenomenology which included a form of cerebral art that made it necessary not simply to view the piece, but to think about it and to react to it. For him, it was not so important that you liked the work, but rather that you thought about it. Duchamps constructed the Three Standard Stoppages (1914-1915) which used found articles such as string and mirror in a wooden box. This piece therefore made use of mathematical questions that were of course, not answerable. The purpose of the work was in fact to create for Duchamps his own physical ‘oeuvre’ (Betancourt, 2003). Roland Barthes created the idea that what we see is not reality if it is reproduced. Barthes viewed a picture of his mother with the knowledge that although it was his mother in the picture, it was also not his mother. It was really only a representation of her (Barthes, 1980). The question is really, what is the individual experience of the photograph? The experience of the individual is very different depending on whether or not of course, you know the object depicted. We see that phenomenology has been used for many years in the arts and in writing, and now we look specifically at the work of Peter Zumthor. Peter Zumthor was born in Switzerland on the 26 April 1943. Zumthor was the son of a cabinet maker and learnt carpentry early in life. He studied at the Pratt Institute in New York and was awarded the Carlsberg Architecture Prize in 1998 (Spiritus Temporis, 2005). Peter Zumthor also wrote extensively about his philosophy for architecture saying that: â€Å"In order to design buildings with a sensuous connection to life, one must think in a way that goes far beyond form and construction. † (Zumthor in Arcspace, 2009). The phenomenological approach of Zumthor’s work is clear in this statement as it employs the purpose and necessity of thinking about the work more than merely accepting it as a piece in which we either reside or gather. For Zumthor, the building not only has to be facilitative, but also be emotionally or sensually charged. It is only in this manner that we are able to connect with it on a personal level. The building is itself, and does not have to be representational of anything. In other words, as the Chartres Cathedral is representational of a religious artefact, Zumthor’s work has an existence beyond its representation (Zumthor in Arcspace, 2009). The Kolumba Art Museum of the Archdiocese of Cologne is a culmination of old and new religious art which was meant initially to make one think about how the two worlds intercept (Carrington, 2008). It is described as a museum of reflection (Carrington, 2008). First founded in 1853 by the Society for Christian Art and is home to 2 000 years of religious art. The most important aspect of this art however, is that it has two parallel histories. The original building was almost completely destroyed during World War II and during the year of 1973, excavations revealed medieval, Roman and Gothic remains. All the ruins were used by Zumthor to collaborate the history into one astounding piece of work (Carrington, 2008). Zumthor essentially raised the walls on cement covered steel columns and embedded both sets of historical ruins into the new walls (Carrington, 2008). The result is an amalgamation of old and new that somehow allows the viewer to notice the old rather than the new while also providing us with the same vision Zumthor himself had. Upon viewing the structure it appears to be a patchwork that is carefully constructed to produce a time-frame continuum. Yet while the building is a thoughtful invocation of old and new, it is also environmentally considered. It is constructed with ‘filter walls’ that have a air and light permeable membrane which is separated between the chapel and the exhibition rooms (Architectural News, 2007). Zumthor collaborated the use of the old world material with brick, mortar, plaster and terrazzo as a backdrop for the artworks exhibited (Architectural News, 2007). Clearly, if Zumthor wanted to he could have created a modernistic and highly technological piece of architecture like the Sydney Opera House, but his sensitivity as an artist allowed him to produce a dignified and respectful piece of architectural history that is not seen before. Windows placed across the entire space of the wall allows light to enter at all directions and also provides changing lights spaces at different times of the day (Architectural News, 2007). There is not a great difference in colour between the old and the new parts of the building considering the different materials used at any time. The gothic vaults that appear along the side of the building are embedded onto plastered and textured walls. The texture however, does not appear directly behind the gothic facade, but rather some meters above it. This means that there is no detraction from the original facade (Figure 1). Kolumba Art Museum Figure 1 Markus Bachmann (Architectural News) 2007. The Therme Vals, Switzerland has a completely different countenance altogether. Zumthor appears to be a master at replacing older structures with refreshing new ones. The spa reopened in 1996 after it was reconstructed by Zumthor from the original 1960’s building (McLaughlin, 2006). Zumthor created a modern bathing complex out of 60 000 local quartzite slabs. The buildings itself appears to be truly new age and almost alien-like, with granite dotted around geometric and glass sliding doors. In a sense, Zumthor has attempted to internalise the mountain backdrop of the exterior of the building, by incorporating the natural light available through frosted and clarified glass (Baus, 2007: 9). Holes in the sky-lights of the slabs allow natural light into the rooms where the baths are situated. The floor plan reveals lights situated under the water in the baths that glow a magical blue in the evening and is a perfect place to reflect upon ones self (Baus, 2007: 14). This is of course, the point of a spa, that one is assisted in self exploration. The domes appear to resemble eyes placed upon a shield from which the light is radiated. The purpose of this architecture is therefore not only to accommodate and enhance well being, but also to accommodate the natural environment (Baus, 2007: 5). The building itself resembles the gentle ebb and flow of the stream that feeds the spa as well as the Alpine mountains that surround it. The interior glass is frosted with yin/yang shaped apertures that allow the light into the building as seen in figure two. One is quickly able to see how the light is utilised to produce an ethereal and magical area of meditation which is particularly important to the person who is attempting to find emotional help. It is not a palatial and sentimental piece as is seen in the art museum, but then the personality of the people visiting it is not likely to be the same either. Figure 2 Interior Vals Spa – www. flickr. com/photos/amirkorour/269995495/ Remove frame The loss of senses is a contributing factor to emotional disruption and the allowance of this building to connect with the beautiful environment facilitates the reconnection of the person with the senses whether they be beauty, love, peace or euphoria. Sensory deprivation is something we have come to tolerate as humans due in part to our fast paced lifestyles and our intense need for social airs and graces. In a space such as the Vals Spa, we are able to shed these nuances of life and expect to be move back towards what Zumthor had previously explained was a sensual connection with the environment. In an interview with Zumthor available online the Termae of Stone is explained by the man himself. Zumthor states that he wanted the visitors to be able to connect with the environment and to be able to find themselves within the architecture (Zumthor, 2007). Zumthor also wanted the architecture to be a part of the healing process rather than an abstract work of art on its own. For this reason it must facilitate the human experience rather than detract from it (Zumthor, 2007). The meaning behind the architecture is that is becomes almost a mythical and ritualistic appearance of cleansing in a very spiritual manner. The spiritual is inherent in the building by virtue of it meaningful change and by symbolism. Zumthor uses the ritual of removing ones clothing as a part of this stripping of extraneous material to reveal the purity of self and of the environment, essentially becoming one with it (Zumthor, 2007). Stone and skin are two of these important factors as well as the senses being able to experience different temperatures of the water and textural changes in the light and building material. Coupled with this is an acoustic effect that tantalises all the senses: touch, sound, sight and taste. There is a clear parallel between the building and its meaning which is the essence of phenomenology. This was also attempted by Frank Lloyd Wright many years before at Falling Waters. Zumthor states too that on a formal level everything is simple and un-intrusive, an important aspect of the purpose of a healing spa. Part water and part stone, the functionality of the material is elemental to the human body which is mainly water itself (Zumthor, 2007). There is a juxtaposition between the mobility of water and the solidity of stone similar to the opposites visible in the art museum which old and new are encapsulated together. Zumthor clearly also enjoys the opposing of various opposite sets as well as the sensuality that theses opposites grant the viewer. For most people healing entails the need for the senses to be reawakened and for experience to be reinvented. In a sense, we stop experiencing the world around us when we run out of time or are clinging to the need to survive rather than seeking time for the self and its needs. The idea of a spa is not only the range of treatments that it gives the person, but also a healing form within where the person is able to completely relax. The reflection of light against the monochromatic pool floors is the same example used in the Art Museum at Kolumba where the light allowed into the building illuminates the various pieces differently all the time. Only natural light can do this, not artificial. For Zumthor, thinking is also important to the individual, because thinking is what makes us different from one another. In the same way as we do not all think in the same way, light reflections are never the same at any given time. The result is purely interpretive and hermeneutic. The effect is as much psychological as it is physiological and the spa is as much naturalistic as it is modern which is largely thanks to the quartzite slabs Zumthor has used. Zumthor is quick to explain it is his own idea of the architecture that he wishes to convey and that he takes the liberty of interpreting the piece the way he sees it (Zumthor, 2007). The idea of the piece is always accompanied by a powerful image and the visualisation of the experience (Zumthor, 2007). For Zumthor it is never an abstract idea, it is very clear. The first images that Zumthor has upon undertaking an architectural piece are naive and child-like and gradually mature into something realistic (Zumthor, 2007). The process of building never loses the initial image even though it is built upon and matured. For him it is a self defining form of architecture and not an abstract, detached one (Zumthor, 2007). Interestingly this is opposite to the previously mentioned modernist architect Antonin Gaudi whose architecture was outrageously abstract and indulgent. Zumthor has clearly focussed on communication, opening the ‘mouth’ of the architecture to allow his image to proceed. Communication is key to the hermeneutic experience, predominantly because communication is the way we define ourselves and others. It is the way we are able to relate to one another and it the only observable practice there is to humanity. Zumthor is therefore also humanistic in his approach to art and architecture. Jacky Bowring describes how as Westerners we have become detached from our senses and uses the example of Anthony Giddens that globalisation, westernisation and modernisation are intertwined. This means that the global village is slowly but surely become a Western one where sensory deprivation causes the volcanic outburst of deviant behaviour (Bowring, 2005: 81). But Western culture is also dominated by the visual meaning that what is pleasing to the eye is considered pleasing to the soul. However, other cultures such as the Indian and the Oriental employ the use of all the senses and produce an holistic effect (Bowring, 2005: 81). For this purpose, Zumthor cleverly escapes the Westernized jail in which Western society had holed itself and employs the use of other sense that essentially make us humans rather than just non-rational animals (Bowring, 2005: 81). Bowring believes that our optical and visual culture has made us deprived of other senses, which is partially true. She states: â€Å"A counter to the one-eyed focus of ocularcentrism is the recognition of senses of place that is found in the philosophy of phenomenology. †(Bowring, 2005: 82). As a result of this deprivation we have become dislocated and not a whole and functional body, hence the need for multi-sensory architecture and connectivity with our environment (Bowring, 2005: 82). For Bowring the problem is that the Western obsession with appearance has caused landscape artists to produce masses of gardens and landscapes that are ‘pretty’ or ‘stunning’ but have no other sensory satisfactions (Bowring, 2005: 83). Sturich looks at the image as a poetic one, as a hermeneutic experience by which we create images that invoke certain feelings and for Zumthor the poetry is an ‘unexpected truth’ (Sturich, 2003: 4). The poetic strengthens our relationship between the world or ourselves, making us more able to experience that world for what it really is – a culmination of all senses and not merely a material setting (Sturich, 2003: 4). Memory is another aspect of the poetic that Zumthor uses as the senses are memory precursors. The senses and the poetic becomes narratives by which we build our current worlds, beliefs and experiences (Sturich, 2003: 6). For this reason, we associate things we do not like with things that have bad memories or experiences. We may not like thatched houses because one caught fire once as a child or we may enjoy the Palace of Versailles because of a sweet cake we indulged in when visiting it. The association of what we enjoy and do not enjoy is based on our experience of it. Zumthor’s idea of what a kitchen should be is based on his memory of his aunt’s house when he was a child, as evidently he has good memories of it (Sturich, 2003: 7). Poetry relates these memories through words, architects relate these memories through their works. Sturich explains that we use buildings as repositories for poetic images that increase our awareness of the world around us (Sturich, 2003: 10). So we have the memory and the poetic image as two aspects of the hermeneutic or phenomenological that facilitate creative and healing properties of the human being and the human mind. Davidovici explains yet another interesting aspect to the phenomenology of Zumthor and that is in the culture of modern Europe. Critically speaking, Zumthor did away with the cultural need for ‘art for art’s sake’ and replaced it with a moral concern for the environment (Davodovici, date unknown: 1). Herzog and de Meuron were two of Zumthor’s counterparts, but there idea of architecture was as an artistic vehicle with a motion towards emotive charging of all materials used in a single building (Davidovici, date unknown: 1). The morphology of the building therefore entertained the idea that humanistic approaches were too formal and there was thus a need for impersonal and neutral surroundings to be banished. Zumthor, in his Kolumba Art Museum gave way to the fact that our memories are embedded in our pasts and that patriotism is a necessary part of national spirit. We see that the use of two to three worlds entwined with the modern gives exactly the right amount of emotive past and sensory present. Zumthor was concerned with creating something that we could â€Å"know, understand and feel. †(Davidovici, date unknown: 4). Again, for Zumthor the idea of building and of dwelling is the same as Heidegger’s that dwelling is the personal and identifiable space where people reside as human beings (Sturich, 2003: 1). The importance of this is that our personal space is a reflection of the self in the same way that it is also impersonal in its creation. It is the way in which we adorn our personal space that allows the true self to become self-evident. The building itself is built by someone else and very rarely is indicative of the self, but in these cases, sometimes this works as a slate upon which one can paint their own image. We see without doubt that Zumthor has created in the Vals Thermal Spa, a place where the individual is able to connect with the self because the surroundings are impersonal. However, it is very clearly natural and down to earth. Compare this for instance to the Hilton Hotel’s dotted around the Unites States that are lavish but also impersonal but offer no real opportunity to connect with the personal. The same sort of comparison can be made between the Chartres Cathedral and the Kolumba Art Museum where both themes are the religious. In the Chartres Cathedral the purest place of the architecture as a product is itself. The Kolumba, by contrast is that it should show the character of the works contained within it rather than the building itself. Zumthor also shows a very important character reference too in that the main source of his inspiration was not to show himself as being a great architect, but to preserve the past. The gothic and Romanesque arches that Zumthor preserves are beautifully melded into the modern cement walls of Zumthor’s own interpretation. The interior is also clearly geared towards preserving the art within it rather than being a work of art in itself. The need to preserve the past is also related to the importance of memory and the personal relationship both a nation and an individual has. The Vals Thermal Spa on the other hand is created in an impersonal and natural way so as not to detract from the experience that one is supposed to have. Here begins the phenomenological application: the experience, the interpretation and the analysis. The first thing one is goaded into at the spa is to experience the multi-sensory application. You are required to feel the water, see the reflection, hear the sounds of the water and also taste it. This is important to the personal experience, as every one has different ones. Also important is the fact that within the water the quartzite is locally mined and is not an anachronism for the person viewing it. The purpose is to reawaken emotion and experience of the world around and you as well as be able to reconnect with the self. We see that phenomenology is concerned with action, reaction and interaction, which is also personally experienced rather than imposed upon the individual. The theory of Roland Barthes was also pertinent to the understanding that what we see visually is not always the realistic, it is often merely a representation. What the other senses do is to make that sight into a tangible reality. One can see a picture of a something and it excites the visual sense but when we are able to feel it, smell and taste it, it becomes a tangible reality. The baths of Thermal Spa able to be felt, seen, and heard and are therefore real things. Salvador Dali also attempted to make the representational into a reality, he tried to convert the two dimensional into the three dimensional causing the person to optically believe they are able to touch and fell the article or the object. One is able to analyse the feelings one has only from the personal standpoint and never from the third person, hence the personal nature of narratives and novels where the writer places themselves in the position of the character in order to create the person they wish to describe. This means that the poetic narrative is also an inversion in a sense, of the phenomenological even though it is not truly the personal experience: the personal experience being of the first person rather than an interpretation of the first person by the third person. The importance of the relationship between the personal and the interpersonal is evident again in the fact that although we cannot prove how we feel or how others feel, we are at least able to empathise with what we see and feel around us. Zumthor is clearly wanting us to reconnect with the surroundings, our sense and our selves. In conclusion Peter Zumthor has succeeded in creating an architectural world where there is a good relationship between the past and the present; the natural and the man-made; and the self and the world. It is not merely based on the visual but also on all the senses. He relates to the human need to embrace the sensual rather than living the life of prescribed society. While science offers us a very distinct set of truths about the world around us, such as that the earth is round and that the body needs water, what it does not do is tell us how we think or why we do what we do. In architecture such as Zumthor’s, the architect recognises that in human nature very little is formulaic and we are seldom able to predict human behaviour. Certainly this cerebral art is a departure from classical, also formulaic artistic pieces. The thinking architecture is one that is able to produce the self in the its architecture and is able to allow the person to reflect on the environment as well as themselves. The Art Museum is a place where the individual is able to reflect on the person’s national past while also allowing us to be able to see the changes over time in the art in question. The Thermal Spa allows the person to reflect on themselves as well as their surroundings, hereby facilitating healing.

Analysis Of The Three Financial Models

IntroductionBankruptcy refers to the state of an individual who is unable to pay his or her debts and against whom a bankruptcy order has been made by a court. Such orders deprive bankrupts of their property, which is then used to pay their debts. Bankruptcy proceedings are started by a petition, which may be presented to the court by (1) a creditor or creditors; (2) a person affected by a voluntary arrangement to pay debts set up by the debtor under the Insolvency Act 1986; (3) the Director of Public Prosecutions; or (4) the debtor. (Smullen and Hand, 2003).If we assume that a corporation is a separate legal entity thus qualifying as a legal person, we can adopt the above definition to define bankruptcy in the context of the corporation or corporate bankruptcy as the state of a corporation that is unable to pay its debts and against which bankruptcy order has been made by a court. (Smullen and Hand, 2003).Analysis of the models for predicting bankruptcy.There are three main approach es to predicting bankruptcy which include: accounting analytical approach, option theoretical approach and the statistical approach. Becchetti and Sierra (2002: p. 2100).   Under the statistical approach corporate failure risk is analyzed through four widely known methods which make use of balance sheet ratios: linear or quadratic discriminate analysis, logistic regression analysis, probit regression analysis and neural network analysis.For the purposes of this paper we will limit our analysis to three basic financial models, which include the Z-Score model, the discriminant model and the Black-Scholes-Merton Probability. We also describe the application of these models in corporations.1. The Z-Score Bankruptcy Prediction ModelThe Z-score prediction model was developed by Altman in 1968. (Grice and Ingram, 2001: p. 53). The Z-score model applies multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) and employs financial ratios as input variables to predict financial distress. (Tzeng et al, 200 7: p. 297). According to Grice and Ingram (2001: p. 53), Altman (1968) used a sample of 33 non-bankrupt manufacturing firms from 1946-1965. Grice and Ingram (2001) assert that despite the fact that the z-score model exhibit high accuracy rates using both estimation and hold-out samples, (95% and 84%), its generalizability to industries and periods outside of those in the original sample has received little attention.This model has be widely used in a variety of industries to evaluate financial conditions of firms and it is continuously being used in many business situations including bankruptcy prediction and other financial stress conditions. Grice and Ingram (2001) carried out a test on the z-score model based three basic tests which include the model’s ability to predict bankruptcy today as opposed to periods in which it was developed, the usefulness of the model in predicting bankruptcy in non-manufacturing as well as manufacturing firms and its ability to predict bankrup tcy in financial stress conditions other than bankruptcy.Their findings show that although the model is useful in predicting bankruptcy as well as other financial conditions, the models accuracy is significantly lower in recent periods than that reported in the original work by Altman (1968).Grice and Ingram (2001) also find significant differences in the model’s coefficients from those reported by Altman. Based on these findings, Grice and Ingram (2001) suggest that better accuracy can be achieved by re-estimating the model coefficients using estimation from periods close to test periods. In addition Grice and Altman (2001) find that the including non-manufacturing firms in the sample, further weakens the accuracy of the model.1.1 Application of the Z-Score modelCommercial banks use the model as part of the periodic loan review process; investment bankers use the model in security and portfolio analysis. It has been employed as a management decision tool and as an analysis t ool by auditors to assess their clients’ abilities to continue as going concerns (Grice and Ingram, 2001: p. 53).2. The Black-Scholes-Merton Model.According to Reisz and Perlich (2007) following from Black and Scholes (1973) and Merton (1974), the common stock of a firm can be seen as a standard call option on the underlying assets of the firm. It is assumed that shareholders have sold the corporation to creditors, and hold the option of buying it back by paying face value (plus interest) of their debt obligations. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 2). On the other hand, using put/call parity, we can see shareholders as holding the firm’s assets (bought after borrowing money from creditors) as well as a put option with exercise price equal to the face value equal to value of debt.(Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 2). In the event where the where the firm value is below the exercise price, that is, where the price of the firm is below the face value of the debt at maturity, share holders can freely work walk away without repaying their debt obligations. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 2). This is similar to selling the firm to the bondholers at the face value of the debt. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 2). Reisz and Perlich, (2007: p. 2) asserts that such an equity-based valuation model can lead to better bankruptcy predictions.In a study by Hillegeist et al. (2004), it was found that the probabilities of bankruptcy backed out from the a Black-Scholes-Merton structural model are up to 14 times more informative that ones inferred from accounting-based statistics such as the Altman (1968) Z-score. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 2). However despite the merits of this Black-Scholes-Merton model, it does not provide any rationale for observed managerial (bounded) risk choices. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 3). In addition, probabilities of default (PDs) coming from this framework are miscalibrated. (Reisz and Perlich, 2007: p. 3).3. The Mutiple Discriminant ModelMultiple discriminant analysis (MDA) is a statistical technique employed in the classification of an observation into one of several a priori groupings, dependent upon the observation’s individual characteristics. It is primarily useful in the classification and/or prediction in problems where the dependent variable appears in qualitative form for example, male or female, bankrupt or non-bankrupt. Therefore the first step is to establish explicit group classifications. The number of original groupings may be two or more.The MDA model is advantageous in that it considers the entire profile of characteristics common to the relevant firms, as well as the interaction of these properties. Conversely, a univariate study can only consider the measurement used for grouping assignments one at a time. Another important advantage of the MDA model is the reduction of the analyst’s space dimensionality.   When analysing a comprehensive list of financial ratios in assessing a firm’ s bankruptcy potential, there is reason to believe that some of the measurements will have a high degree of collinearity or correlation with each other. (Altman, 1968).3.1 Application of Multiple Discriminant ModelFollowing its first application in the 1930s, the MDA model has been used in many studies and disciplines. In its earlier days it was used only in Biology and behavioural sciences. Today, the model has been applied successfully in financial problems such as credit evaluation and investment classification. For example, Walter made use of the model to classify high and low price earnings ratio firms, and Smith applied the model in the classification of firms into standard investment categories.BIBLIOGRAPHYA market-based framework for bankruptcy prediction. Alexander S. Reisz and Claudia Perlich. Journal of Financial Stability, 2007, Pages 1-47.  A real-valued genetic algorithm to optimize the parameters of support vector machine for predicting bankruptcy. Chih-Hung Wu Gwo- Hshiung Tzeng Yeong-Jia Goo   Wen-Chang Fang. Expert Systems with Applications Volume 32, 2007 Pages 397–408  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Bankruptcy†Ã‚  Ã‚  A Dictionary of Finance and Banking. John Smullen and Nicholas Hand. Oxford University Press 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press.   Ã‚  http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t20.e278Bankruptcy risk and productive efficiency in manufacturing firms. Leonardo Becchetti and Jaime Sierra Journal of Banking & Finance,  Volume 27, Issue 11,  November 2003,  Pages 2099-2120Tests of the generalizability of Altman’s bankruptcy prediction model. John Stephen Grice and Robert W. Ingram. Journal of Business Research Volume 54, 2001 Pages 53-61.Financial Ratios, Discriminant Analysis and the Prediction of Corporate Bankruptcy. Edward I Altman. Journal of Finance, Volume 27, Issue 4, September 1968, Pages 589-689.

Ingredients for Success of Five Guys Burgers and Fries Essay

Determine how Five Guys’ philosophy sets it apart from other fast-food chains. In my opinion what makes Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries different from other fast food chains are the following characteristics: a) Quality: Ingredients such as meat which cannot be frozen, bread which has to be made at least the night before and potatoes produced in locations that allow them to keep their richest nutrients, do not come cheap. But, the fact that Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries decided to make their food only out of fresh products, regardless of the cost, indicates that their target market is people who care about taste, which is why Jerry Murrell focus on â€Å"NO cut corners, but the best is priceless†. (Welch. 2010) b) Options: The customers have the opportunity to customize their burgers to their preferences, choosing from seventeen toppings without extra charge. This is also an example of a new strategy used to capture higher market share in the industry, in which companies are force to come up with, constantly, due to the intensive competitive characteristic of the fast food industry. (Hussein, Et all. 2011) c) Dedication: At Five Guys they take their time to prepare everyone’s meals according to their particular preferences even though it demands extra time and dedication. It is this dedication and time what separates them from common fast food chains where time is measured and food is already prepared or frozen, thereby losing its original flavor. (Burke, Monte. 2012) d) Their type of Marketing: Based on what Jerry Murrell said about treating the customer right and he will sell for you. (Campbell. 2011), I believe that the Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries focus their marketing on customer service and the word of mouth. While others expend a lot of money in marketing, they take certain amount of money and encourage their employee s to earn it by successfully complying with the company’s standards of customer’s satisfaction. (Welch. 2010) Analyze the Original Values for the Start-up company and how it remains strong today. The Values of Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries for start-up were: a) Make good food with good Ingredients: Michael Murray (Manager of Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries at Mabry Village location) said â€Å"We are not a fast food restaurant we are a casual dining place where we offer 100% fresh food, we have no freezers†. (Odish. 2012). They consider their food good because by working with fresh ingredients they can keep the original flavor and its value. (Heffern. 2002). Things like frying their potatoes with peanut oil as a way to reduce cholesterol and control the consumption of fat, is a considerable way to differentiate them from the fast food industry. As it is described in the vol. 8 of SJ Magazine, the fries are hand-cut; the potatoes sticks keep their skin and are soaked in water then partially cooked and sunk into hot peanut oil in order to get the golden brown color. They then come up crispy, creamy, sweet and are seasoned with salt or Cajun spice mix and shaken in a cup that is placed in a paper bag. (Palermo.2007) About the meat, this magazine also mentions that it is different because it is crunchy at the edges and tender inside (SJ Magazine, 2008, Vol. 8) which happens because the meat is prepared from fresh ground beef, not frozen. Also, the bread is made every day from the same bakery and distributed to the closest stores. The owner of one of these bakeries was once an employee of the Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries until the Murrell family made him part of their business. Taking this into account, the bread will have the same quality for every store. (Sailors. 2011) a) Family oriented business type: The Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries treat their employees with respect and also encourage them to keep the values of the business by expending 1.5% of their revenues in bonuses for their best employees instead of expending 3% on marketi ng. Michael Murray also said: â€Å"They come and visit us, they know who we are†. (Odish. 2012). Furthermore, in my opinion, the fact that the Murrell family keeps the control of the franchises by making the rules the same for everyone has busted their success. Wherever you go, you will find the same quality of food and the same flavor. The aim to make franchising work on their terms. (Rosenwald. 2006). Janie Muller explains the way her family sees and manages their business when she said: â€Å"We are a family and we have gone in this journey together†. (Rosenwald. 2006). Jerry Murrell also explains that it is important to have the employees feel a sense of ownership and accountability (Wiley Plus, 2012). This behavior toward the employees is also a good strategy because when the employees feel that they are treated like partners, they act with consideration and respect for the business and the one those who have given them the opportunity. a) Quality and Care: Overall, these qualities have made of The Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries special and different from others in the fast food chain. â€Å"Whoever cares for its customers received appreciation in return† Murrell said (Welch.2010). Encouraging their employees to keep their stations clean, auditing them twice a week from two different third parties, guarantees that the employees will comply with their duties not only for responsibility but also for bonuses. Enumerate three factors that contributed to Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries success in such a short time and what effect, if any, external markets had on these factors. Rogers (1995) refers to innovation as a new idea by someone and diffusion as a process through which an innovated idea is delivered, however Schumpeter, (1939); Tidd, Besant, and Pavitt, (1997) explain that Innovation is a process that includes the creation of a new idea into a product or process that is marketable. (Hussein, et all. 2011). The three factors that have contributed to their success in a short time would be: a) No extra charge for the toppings, 3 refills for their 24 oz. drinks, Customers get to eat peanuts while they wait for their meal to be done. (No cut corners). (Sailors .2011) b) High performance in customer service which produces good word of mouth and eliminates the need for marketing. (All of the money goes into the food). (Wiley Plus) c) Fresh food for the consumer and incentive for their employees to maintain a good customer service standard. (Quality). Five Guys has perfected the art of the burger, by keeping its beef fresh [never frozen] and cooking your meal while you wait. (Palermo.2008).This is the way many people picture the Five Guys and their business. How external market has influence on the Five Guys success would be the differentiation between the types of products the rest of the market provide (fast food chains), and the way Five Guys does it. â€Å"We carry the burger alternative to fast food† said Todd Stalling. (Michael Rosenwald. 2006). Assess how ethical and social practices are part of the Five Guys’ culture and provide examples to support your choices. The fast food industry is everyday more competitive due to a large number of fast food chains joining the market and expanding with new ideas. That is why information, ethic, and quality, are important issues. However, some studies have demonstrated that in certain regions some of these issues are more important than others. For example, in Malaysia the information of the product can influence on the consumer’s preferences and therefore, on their shopping behavior, so packaging, for Malaysians, is very important rather than innovation or advertisement. (Hossein; et all. 2011). This competition in the fast food industry has forced companies to develop marketing strategies to approach and capture higher market share. (Hossein, Et All.2011). But, innovated ideas and products are still failing because they haven’t reach the right target or found the right channels of communication to get to the right customer. That is where certain companies like the Five Guys’ have successfully broken the schema of modern marketing buy focusing on the conventional word of mouth. To be able to choose the word of mouth as a marketing strategy, the company must be sure that its products and services have no equal comparisons with other companies, Five Guys’ show this confidence when they put out a board indicating that there is good fast food around the corner if you are in a hurry. (Liz Welch. 2012). The Five Guys’ Team basically believes that once you treat a person right, that person will do the marketing for you and that is why they also focus on putting all of the money in the food instead of dà ©cor or marketing. For example, they only use potatoes from Idaho, where they grow slowly and therefore, more solid. They also based their prices on the margins, the price is raised or lowered to reflect their costs. For instance if the tomatoes are scarce and the price is high they will raise the price of the burger instead of eliminating the tomatoes or minimizing the amount of it. (Welch.2010) As explained above, their ethic in keeping quality of their product is so strong that they even made sure that all of the franchises are regulated by the same policy of quality, before they sign a contract with any franchise buyer. The Business Plan is sell a really good, juicy burger on a fresh bun, make perfect French fries, and do not cut corners. (Sailors Jimmy. 2011) REFERENCES Burke, Monte. (2012). Five Guys Burgers: America’s Fasted Growing Restaurant Chain. Forbes Magazine. August 6, 2012. Retrieved on October 18th from http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2012/0806/restaurant-chefs-12-five-guys-jerry-murrell-all-in-the-family.html Campbell, Twyla. (2011). Five Guys’ Burgers and Fries: The American Invasion. It’s a Weird, wild, and wonderful Life. Retrieved October 20, 2012 from http://weirdwildandwonderful.blogspot.com/2011/02/five-guys-burgers-and-fries-american.html Five Guys Burgers and Fries: A recipe for Success. Economic Challenges Facing Contemporary Business. WileyPlus. Retrieved on October 15, 2012 from https://blackboard.strayer.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_168_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_77589_1%26url%3D Heffern, Rich.(2002). Dinners and Dining; Ethics; Food; Aesthetics.The Ethics of Eating. Vol. 38 p 13. Hossein, Nezaki; Noor, Ali; Shaheen, Mansori; & Amirhossein, Noghondari. (2011). Adoption and Diffusion of Innovations in Fast Food Industries. Australian Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 833, INSInet Publications. Hossein, Nezaki; Noor, Ali; Shaheen, Mansori; & Amirhossein, Noghondari. (2011). Market Value; Convenience Foods;Food Industry; Australian Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences. P 1271-1276. INSInet Publications. Palermo, Jennifer. (2007-2008). For a Great Hamburger: â€Å"Five Guys† In Somers Point. SJ Magazine. 8th Annual Best Of SJ. July, 2008. Vol.8. Issue 7. Retrieved on October 16th, 2012 from http://www.jerseyshorejournal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=7&Itemid=53&limit=9&limitstart=45 Rosenwald, Michael. (2006). Five Guys, Taking a Bigger Bite.Washington Post. Staff Writer. Retrieved on October 15, 2012 From

Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Human Resources Management - Essay Example Although there has been quite a lot of negative feedbacks with regards to PETernity leave in other countries, it remains a fact that the benefits of implementing five days unpaid leave to VMA employees who wishes to adopt a new dog or cat less than 10 months old. There are many people who would give extra time and care for their pets. In line with this, VMA HR manager should take advantage of this sentiment in order to keep more employees feel more accepted and motivated to work better and stay longer with the company. Likewise, HR manager can make use of this option as a way of attracting new employees other than the typical HR strategies like offering of flexible working approach like part-time job, flexy time at work, job sharing, unpaid leaves, and industry pay standards. Since VMA’s PETernity leave does not apply to employees with pets more than 10 months old, the HR manager is adviced to improve this HR policy by extending the PETernity leave benefits to its employees who have pets like dogs and cats regardless of the pets’ age, breed, and gender. Established back in October 2000, Virgin Mobile Australia (VMA) is a telecommunications company that offers a wide-range of mobile communication products and services including the access to mobile broadband through its 3,500 retail store outlets nationwide (Virgin Mobile, 2009a; van der Walt, Morris, & Simsek, 2007). As of 2008, VMA was considered the 4th telecommunication company in Australia that was given the authority to sell Apple iPhone 3G (MacBlogz, 2008). Serving more than 400,000 customers in Australia (van der Walt, Morris, & Simsek, 2007), the company is challenged to improve and maintain the quality service that is given to its customers. Because of the continuous business expansion and tight market competition within the telecommunication industry, the HR manager of VMA should continuously improve the employment benefit packages not only to attract competitive

Definition assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Definition - Assignment Example This is an essential ingredient of life that people should have as they pursue their dreams and aspirations so that even in each busy life, people would be able to go about their businesses respecting the lives of other people around them and in the process, creating peace in the community. According to Webster’s dictionary, peace is â€Å"A state of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation, calm, repose, absence or cessation of war, general order and tranquility or freedom from riot or violence† (927). A peaceful heart and mind is often symbolized by a river that runs deep. It is believed that a body of water where the water seems not to move is deep. Therefore, such a state is often described as calm waters as opposed to turbulent waters which create a disturbing noise and an image of the strong current it possesses. Similarly, a person who has peace in his heart will be calm and quiet even during difficult times. In contrast, a person who is not peaceful will flee all at once to all directions, not knowing what to do in times of troubles. A peaceful person shows a confident character that even during times of chaos, such does not affect the freedom of disturbance in his mind and heart. This is characteristic of what is called inner p eace. When people are fighting against each other, there is violence. This is evident of the war waging inside the mind and heart of people. when there is hatred, retaliation is a great possibility which often leads to fights either verbally or physically. Whatever way it is shown, violence is not representative of peace rather is the extreme opposite of it. As Webster describes it, peace is the absence of violence, riot and war. For instance, in Israel today, it cannot be said that there is peace in the country because it is being attacked by its enemies and the nation is retaliating. There is chaos and war in the nation. However, the absence of violence does not always mean there is real peace. Going

Comparison between training day and adjustment buerau Essay

Comparison between training day and adjustment buerau - Essay Example Crime refers to an unlawful activity that is done in law violation, where moral inclusiveness is used in ensuring criminal justice. Criminal justice system is a composition of a group of professionals, who exercise power and authority bestowed to them over other parties, to use force and physical coercion against them. Application of ethical values in rational decisions made in the criminal justice is also critical so that right decisions are made after serious critical thinking is employed to address the important issues of ethics, and the code of conduct within the law (Ethics in Criminal Justice Administration, 2012). When ethical values are effectively applied or incorporated when making serious and critical decisions, the decisions made are bound to be correct and very appropriate to the situation under consideration. Ethics are very critical when making critical decisions, because they help in guiding the decision which in most cases, if not well guided, may be wrong or inappro priate. Each field has its own ethics to be followed, though there are various ethical standards which are common in almost all the disciplines or which are universal. These universal standards of ethics or ethical standards guide a lot in decision making. In criminal justice just like any other field, proper decisions are critical because they aid in facilitating success. Adjustment bureau and the training day film critically analyzing the various issues of the ethics, crime and criminal justice where various decisions are made by significant actors in the movie. Here, the adjustment bureau does everything to stop David and Elise from being together using their considerable power. David in the destiny of all manners of fate is presented with a scenario where he has to do all that he can to ensure that he fulfills his desires regardless of the adjustment bureau (School of Criminal Justice, 2008). David as depicted in this scenarios is a go getter, who won’t let anything stop him from achieving what he wants or intents to achieve in life. His determination to achieve is clearly demonstatated in this scenario where he works so hard to ensure that none of his desires go unsatisfied in the end. The kind of determination exhibited here by this character is overwhelming, and is of great encouragement to those people who easily give up before achieving their targets or before satisfying their desires. In the idea of criminal justice, The Adjustment Bureau and The Training Day present the process of claims that dramatizations in media are so often misrepresent, and distort concepts of criminal justice. They also present the various legal systems leveled in various fictional bureau, such as the police officers implementing criminal justice in the movies, Adjusting Bureau and Training Day. In understanding all the connections in terms of decision making and critical and rational decision making, it’s very critical for one to be very considerate. According to the film and the instruments of criminal justice in line with ethical codes of conduct, the following discussion exemplifies the issues ironed out (United NationsOffice on Drugs and Crime, 2009). Justifying beliefs and decisions In validating the ways of life and decisions made in the criminal justice system, explaining what such decisions and who

Case study on intercultural factors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Case study on intercultural factors - Essay Example Identify the type of problems that might be due to intercultural differences. How will you pre-empt the discussions and what solutions can you prepare to overcome their concerns and maintain the client relationship.   The term â€Å"International business† revolves around all the business activities which are carried out between two or more countries. This involves a cross-border transaction of goods and services between different countries, regions or nations (Daniels, Radebaugh and Sullivan, 2007). There are different factors that play an important role in determining the success of an international venture in the other country. However, different multinational corporations consider different factors before entering into the global market. These factors include political, cultural, environmental, technological and economical aspects. It has been observed that cultural factors play an important role in determining the success of a business and its acceptability in the society of a particular country (Harrison, and Huntington, 2000). Awareness with the intercultural factors is necessary for two main reasons. Firstly, it reduces the chances of misunderstandings as well as it also minimizes the possibilities of any intercultural mishaps. Secondly, the effective use of intercultural factors helps in maximizing the potential of a business and cultivating everlasting relations with the business partners across borders. Using intercultural differences productively also helps in maximizing business opportunities in other countries (Wiseman, 2003). Skills, knowledge and experience play an important role in determining the success of a business in a global market. However, it has been observed that those companies who fail to understand the cultural awareness in a certain global market end up in absolute failure. Their lack of understanding the cultural differences and similarities of another

Leadership Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Leadership Theory - Essay Example As Blanchard describes, situational leadership is not something that is done to people, but it is something done with people (p.60). Literature on Biblical context of leadership provides various views on leadership; it also recognizes that no specific leadership trait or style can be termed as best and should vary with the situation and according to the followers. This is explained through various laws of leadership in the Bible and with references to distinct spiritual personalities in Christianity. Upon extensive exploration of biblical context of leadership and after studying different leadership models and theories, it was found that situational leadership is most congruent with biblical context of leadership. The aspect of biblical leadership concept considered in the present discussion includes spiritual gifts possessed by leaders, as outlined by Borek, Lovett & Towns (p.174). This discussion evaluates how leaders tend to use or apply spiritual gifts in various situations. Further, effect of situational leadership has been illustrated through examples explained on the basis of impact of following situationa l leadership and the possible effects of not following this leadership. Contingency approach to leadership provides the best picture of leadership concept and is also the best way marker to anyone entering the leadership role. Immense debate on leadership traits and behaviors can be, to a large extent, answered by the contingency approaches modeled by various theorists. Daft (p.64) underpins the significance of contingency models by stating, ‘the effectiveness of leader behavior is contingent upon organizational situations.’ These approaches provide different methods of dealing with different situations. They incorporate different leadership styles in different situations. Daft explains,

Case Study 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case Study 2 - Essay Example rs, since the Casino is located on Indian land that falls outside the jurisdiction of the New Mexican Courts and it is the location where the under cooked food was served. She can file on the same grounds of negligence and breach of warranty by a restaurant which sells food to its customers and it can be sued as a third party which caused the sale of contaminated food through its apathy. Robin may have a cause of action against Beauty for trespass and damage to his property in the local District Court at Texas, to claim damages and reimbursement of the cost of the sign which was damaged, since the amount in question is 100000$ and will not fall within the purview of a small claims Court. However, since Beauty was ill when it occurred, the Court may mitigate the damages. However Beauty can also file a counter suit against Robin for bodily assault, and the issue of provocation may also be taken into account by the Court in determining damages, however it will nevertheless mitigate the extent to which beauty may have to reimburse Robin . Beauty can file a suit against Elmer Fudd in the small claims Court in Florida and make a claim on damages caused to the body of her car, in the event that Elmer Fudd is not covered by insurance. The costs of bodywork must be less than 5000$. However, it may also be possible for Elmer Fudd to file a counter claim alleging that he is not responsible for the entire $12,000, since only part of the damage was caused due to his negligence and that he is not responsible for the engine damage. The case against Beasty Boys for recovery of monies Beauty has paid for repair of the car engine could be filed in a small claims court in Delaware where the Company is incorporated, since Delaware state allows for claims up to 15,000$. Beauty could file the suit including the head office in Delaware as well as the local branch of Beasty in Nevada that was responsible for the default. The cause of action would be on the basis of the tort of

Colonial Corporations Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Colonial Corporations - Term Paper Example Their main intension was to strengthen their own economy at the expense of their colonies. Here in this case study the American Revolution is mentioned in a detailed way. Many American countries were under the rule of British. Their sufferings and problems which were aroused for the British rule are highlighted in this case. Colonialism is defined as the establishment of political power by a country in another territory. The powerful country maintains their authority over the occupied country and expands their territory over there. It explodes the acquired colonies. Colonialism develops unequal relationship between the colony and the colony power. The British colonial period started from 16th century and continued till 20th century. During this period many European powers acquired many colonies in Africa, Asia and America. By following colonialism the British Empire became the most extensive empire of the world. The country became the strongest global power. By 1921 this empire ruled around 570 million people. Their colonialism started by the territorial expansion through maritime policies. The British established commercial links with different colonies and ended in acquiring those colonies. They build up a Chartered company for the purpose of trade, colonisation and exploration. It was an association which was composed of shareholders or investors. This company permitted the British merchants to undertake different ventures. Gradually the companies started earning profit from the exploited colonies. Some of the British companies developed extensive administration on the colonies for their business ventures. England expanded its colonies in America by war. It gained control of New Amsterdam by negotiation. At the time of the Seven Years War the greater part of North America was controlled by British. Exploitation of the American colonies resulted in The American Revolution where thirteen colonies rejected the authority of British rule. The

My Tok Moment Essay Example for Free

My Tok Moment Essay My TOK moment was tonight 02/02/12 when the year one students had a batch meeting at the mosque having some games to create a stronger bond between us. As usual this kind of thing made my instinct to escape getting bigger and stronger. So, I decide to sneak out from the program pretending that I had to make some important call. So I ask the permission of our class rep to go out for a while with my best friend. Then we straight forward go to the dewan selera to have an early supper and fortunately the menu for that night is laksa penang. At that time was about 10.45 pm and of course there was no one else except both of us having the supper together. Then came this year one student who was at that time duty at the koop asking and making a generalisation that we are year two students by offering nasi lemak free from koop and fortunately she doesn’t know who we are. I think this was my TOK moment because this particular student has made a generalisation by inductive logic ,since all year one students were having the meeting at the mosque it was impossible that both of us are year one student so she called me â€Å"abang†. So to avoid our identity from being revealed we just pretend that we are full but actually I really want that nasi lemak free.

Shakespeares tragedy Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares tragedy Essay Two texts that portray food to lack comfort and nourishment are Text 21 – The extract â€Å"Act V Scene II and Act V Scene III†, from one of William Shakespeare’s earliest tragedy’s from 1590 â€Å"Titus Andronicus†, and text 22 – An extract from the beginning of â€Å"The Modest Proposal† by Jonathan Swift published in 1729. The purpose of Text 21 is to entertain the reader. It is mainly aimed at adults and fans William Shakespeare. Similarly, text 22 is also meant to entertain the reader. However, even though text 22 could be considered to have an entertainment factor, text 22 is a satirical essay which is argumentative and a rhetorical social commentary, on a solution to the problem of hunger in Ireland in the 18th century. It is mainly aimed at Government and politicians as well as both the rich public of the 18th century. Text 21 is structured in chronological order. It starts with the scene, where Titus reveals the characters Murder and Rape to be Chiron and Demetrius respectively. Then Titus re-enters with Lavinia and reveals all the wrong that these two people have done to him and his family. This is to remind the audience what has happened in the play and, to evoke sympathy for Lavinia and Titus, and to feel hatred toward Chiron and Demetrius. Titus uses monosyllabic lexis which is short and direct such as â€Å"Come, come†. This hints that the speech he is about to give is spontaneous, and it also shows that he doesn’t think he needs to be formal and speak with any respect to the villains. This is different to text 22 as text 22 has long complex sentences with lots of polysyllabic words and punctuation. This makes the text sound formal and educated, because the intended audience was the higher class people of society. The speech has complex sentences mixed with simple ones. For example, â€Å"villains for shame you could not beg for grace†. This is to help the audience feel the pace, and to allow the actor to slow down slightly to catch his breath. Titus then addresses the villains directly, divulging how he is going to kill them, and bake them into a pastry, and serve it to their mother to eat. The manner in which he reveals his plans is almost like a recipe. He goes through each step methodically. He talks about how he will prepare the ‘dish’—â€Å"I will grind your bones to dust†, â€Å"with your blood and it I’ll make a paste†. These phrases create disturbing vivid images in the readers and audiences minds. This shows that food and what they are made of aren’t always nourishing. This is very similar to text 22. In text 22 the author, Jonathan Swift, suggests that to stop the children being a burden to their families and their country, people should eat children and use the hides of children to craft gloves and boots. Again the detailed methodical step by step guide on how to achieve this is akin to how Titus in text 21 tells the villains how he is going to kill them. Again this vivid description is to help the audience and readers imagine he gruesome acts that are about to be performed. This only enhances the fact that the food might not be a source of comfort or nourishment. In text 21, during Act V Scene III when Titus is encouraging them to eat â€Å"Will’t please you eat? † is creating dramatic irony, as the audience knows what the pasties are made of but, the characters don’t. The audience will feel nauseated watching the actors eat pies which have human flesh and bones. This only enhances the fact that food is not always a source of nourishment. Text 21 uses archaic language. This is associated with the date of its productions and reception. Also his intended audience was of the 16th century. Text 22 also uses archaic language but is a bit more modern than text 21. Text 1 has words such as â€Å"coffin†, which meant pastry in the old days but now it is like a foreshadowing of their deaths. Also phrases such as, â€Å"Like to the earth swallow her own increase† is again painting vivid images in the audiences and readers heads. It is referring to the fact that she will bury her children in her stomach. This again shows that food is not always a source of nourishment because she is eating the carcass of her own children. This is similar to text 22, where it is suggested that a â€Å"young healthy child well nursed† is a â€Å"most delicious nourishing and wholesome food. This makes the readers feel repulsed at the concept of the flesh of humans, let alone children. This only further supports that fact that food is not always a source of nourishment. Also, the author suggests that the parents themselves could eat their own children if the need arose and, the carcass of the child could make â€Å"admiral gloves† and â€Å"summer boots†. This shows that food is not always a source of comfort, as people eat so that they may have a comfortable life with plenty of food and clothes, however, butchering your kids to give you that lifestyle is atrocious and the parents. Or any person would gain any comfort from the meal or clothes. The first paragraph of text 21 is similar to stock taking of the goods or cattle. The word â€Å"breeders† is used to suggest that we should treat children as animals. The paragraph is all calculations, about how many children are born annually and, how much each would be worth at each age. The use of mathematical lexis such as â€Å"subtract† and â€Å"calculate† shows how ridiculous this solution is and only adds to the satirical aspect of the essay. Also, phrases like â€Å"I am assured by our merchants† and â€Å"assured by a very knowing American† suggests that he has done his research. All of this adds to the very sarcastic tone of the whole text. Even though, the readers will be able to recognise that the whole text is meant as a satirical essay, the idea will still repulse people and show them that food can not always be nourishing. However, the mention of actually baking people and serving them to guests is genuine. This shows that the ingredients in foods do not always provide nourishment or comfort. In conclusion, text 21 shows food is not always a source of comfort or nourishment as pasties with human flesh is served to guest at a dinner party. Similarly, in text 22 children is compared to cattle, as in using the children as a source of food. Even though this is similar to the concept in text 21, the author in text 22 is being sarcastic and mocking the government about the poverty in Ireland, unlike in text 21, where human meat was served at a meal. So, text 22 shows that some foods are not always a source of comfort or nourishing.

The Information Systems In Manufacturing Industry Information Technology Essay

The Information Systems In Manufacturing Industry Information Technology Essay In our time like many organizations manufacturing industry is basically depended of their information systems. Industries which engage in producing and processing items using machines, tools and labors are referred as manufacturing industries. The overall procedure of industry can be divided into three phases namely design, procurement and produce. Information systems plays a major role to coordinate activities within manufacturing industry, between manufacturing industry along the production chain and between manufacturing industry and outside organizations such as financial organizations. Hence information systems can connect manufacturing industry, their customers, suppliers and service providers. In order to operate better in rapidly changing and competitive market information systems should be integrated. When considering the procedures of manufacturing industry they should be coordinated at many levels. Engineers should design products according to a standard in which the industry can sell and manufacture the product at competitive price. Marketing department should sell the products that are manufactured in the firm. The production staff builds reliable products using tools and skills. Material staff should make sure that the enough materials are on hand to ensure smooth production. Information systems coordinate these groups increase competitive advantages and workflow. The framework for information systems in manufacturing industry is shown below. This framework is applied to many levels of the manufacturing industry. The environment refers external factors such as the level of competition, technical innovation, labor market tightness and continuity of investment which can be affected on managers and technical staff in the selection of the technology. The organization is the manufacturing industry, including the variables of organization size, inter-unit conflict, scope and diversity etc. The technology includes the people, equipment, techniques and management practices that consists variables between organization and its environment. The outcomes are consequences from use of technology, including product delivery times, production delays, innovation frequency, the degree of managerial control over product design and production etc. Information systems in manufacturing industry Transactional Processing System (TPS) These systems are used to collect, store, modifies and retrieves data transactions of manufacturing industry. The success of industry depends on the reliable processing of transactions to ensure that customer orders are met on time, and that partners and suppliers are paid and can make payment. Executive Support System These systems help senior managers to make strategic decision by providing analyzed and summarized internal and external information of the industry. ESS typically involves lots of data analysis and modeling tools such as what-if analysis to help strategic decision-making. Material Resource Planning (MRP) This is an integrated information system used by businesses. Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) evolved from early Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) systems by including the integration of additional data, such as employee and financial needs. The system is designed to centralize, integrate and process information for effective decision making in scheduling, design engineering, inventory management and cost control in manufacturing. Enterprise Resource Planning System ERP system refers a particular set of technologies which seep into the whole industry and outline the way business works at many levels. ERP are setting up majority of manufacturing operations. These systems consist of functions such as accounting, customer order fulfillment, manufacturing, materials management, human resources and financial systems and offer close integration among these functions. By using ERP systems industry can increase quality and efficiency, decrease costs, get decision support and get enterprise agility. Manufacturing Strategy The successfulness of manufacturing industry is depended on produce quality products than competitors by combining organizational skills and technological ability. Manufacturing strategy should be implemented to achieve competitive advantages. Manufacturing strategy consists of a pattern of decision relating to the structure and the infrastructure of the industry. Product scope, process technology, manufacturing alliance and production competence are related with the decision of structure. Product scope refers to the types and range of products such as end product complexity, variety of end products and individual products volume. Process technology consists of equipments and methods which are used for manufacturing. Manufacturing alliances refers to kind of services, materials and systems provide through internal operations. Production competence refers to the strength of the manufacturer which is based on the product scope, process technology and manufacturing alliance. Management polices and systems which determine how the structure is managed are referred by infrastructure. Manufacturing administration, process and skills specify infrastructure. Manufacturing administration including organizations roles, structure and reporting relationships including human resource polices, quality management system, production planning and inventory control systems, new product development process, organization structure and design etc. process refers to the articulation of workflows and related information flows to carry out the manufacturing activities. Information flows coordinate conversion steps, material flows and provide feedback to improve industry procedures, process technology and operating characteristics. Skills refer to the industrys and individuals capability to execute the key operations to support a manufacturing strategy. Industrys operation can be improved by coordinating manufacturing administration, process and skills. Information System Strategy Equivalent to manufacturing strategy, information system strategy can also be conceptualized in terms of structure and infrastructure. Structural decision consist of three dimensions namely system competencies, technology scope and information system alliance. System competencies are often emphasized by an industry in designing and operating its information technology by adding values to products and services. The main components are costs of information processing, flexibility to provide different kind of information and capability to provide specified information. The types and range of information systems and capabilities available in the industry such as expert systems, robots, and local area networks are known as technology scope. The choices of structural mechanisms available to industry to gain the required information technology capabilities are referred as information technology alliance. On the other hand similar to infrastructure of manufacturing strategy, information systems strategy includes information technology architecture which includes computing, communication, data and applications. Process includes system development process, maintenance process, and system monitoring and control process. Skills deal with knowledge and capabilities which require to effectively managing the information systems strategic infrastructure of the industry. Strategic alignment To achieve maximum benefits from information systems, manufacturing strategy should be aligned with Information system strategy. The strategic alignment model can be used to align these strategies. This model is based on strategic integration and functional integration. There are four domains including business strategy, organization infrastructure and process, information technology strategy and information system infrastructure and process. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/fig/0460020403006.png Manufacturing Information systems strategic role When considering manufacturing strategy alone, it can play at least four major roles in the industry competitive strategy including minimize manufacturing negative strategy, achieve parity with competitors, provide credible support to the business strategy and follow a manufacturing-based business strategy. Corresponded with these roles, there are also four roles to influence information technology for better manufacturing performance namely technology defense, technology implementation, strategy implementation and strategy sustenance. Technology defense involves information technology application to the manufacturing industry infrastructure. The purpose of implementing information technology is to reduce or avoid negative elements in industry process and managerial procedures. Information technology is relied upon to provide detailed measurements and ensure that manufacturing is does not get too off track. Technology implementation reflects the usage of information technology strategy structure to influence key dimensions of manufacturing strategy structure.

Intellectual Property Rights and the Piracy War in China Essay

Introduction With a population of 1.357 billion (2013)3, China is the most populated country in the world. Along with the huge population comes a market that is unmatched by any other country of the world. Both domestic companies and foreign companies want to tap into this large market that just recently embraced capitalism and entered into the World Trade Organization. China also provided a labor force that is able to tackle both white-collar and blue-collar job positions. This made foreign companies rush both monetary and technological resources into China to utilize the manufacturing and development power. Both Microsoft and Sun have created research and development centers to implement and design software applications in China. Domestic companies are not far behind either, for example, China's own Evermore Software is on the rise to challenge Microsoft's office suite with its own.4 With the boom of technology in China and the new capitalism ideas, China also has a huge piracy problem. According to the International Intellectual Property Alliance's 2003 report on China, the piracy problem in China creates $1.85 billion in 2002 alone with 90% piracy rates for all copyrighted materials.5 This piracy problem affects negatively on China's global relations and economic improvements. China's current copyright laws are still in its teenage years, and the fast pace of technological advancement isn't helping either. In this paper, I will attempt to describe the piracy problem in China, discuss how the Chinese government is dealing with it, present the global effect, and finally arrive at what would be an ethical solution to piracy fitting for China's situation. The Piracy Problem Asia... .../ch.html#top 4. Joris Evers, IDG News Service, Chinese company to challenge Microsoft's Office, http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/01/26/HNdemochina_1.html 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17. International Intellectual Protection Association Country Paper on China http://www.iipa.com/countryreports.html 13. Fan Zhang and Dennis Xie, Chinese Copyright Protection Has Storied History, Strong Future, http://www.sourcetrix.com/docs/Whitepaper-China_Intellectual_Property.pdf 14. Cheng-China Huang, A Brief Chronology of China's Intellectual Property Protection, http://www.american.edu/ted/hpages/ipr/cheng.htm 15. The Copyright Law of China, http://www.ncac.gov.cn/ 16. Copyright Protection Center of China, http://www.ccopyright.com.cn/ 18. June 11, 2002, People's Daily, http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200206/11/eng20020611_97613.shtml

Global Sourcing :: essays research papers

Why would a company go international? There are many reasons why companies would go international, but generally a company goes international so they can seek opportunities in domestic markets, or they seek solutions to problems that cannot be solved through domestic operations. There are many profitable possibilities by going internationally and these include greater profit potential, offers new locations to sell products, it may provide better access to needed raw materials, it may access to financial resources from many nations, and lastly it may allow labour-intensive activities to locate in countries with lower labour costs. For a small business to become an international business they must use five guidelines the first is global sourcing, exporting and importing, licensing and franchising, joint ventures, and wholly owned subsidiaries. The first two are market entry strategies and the remaining are direct investment strategies. GLOBAL SOURCING The first step in doing international business, this involves manufacturing and/or purchasing of components in different regions of the world and then putting them together to make the final product. The benefit of producing a product in a different part of the world is it can be done at a lower cost. For example Indonesia boasts among the lowest costs in the world, a big domestic market, and proximity to the rest of Asia. As a result, some companies are not merely sticking around they are expanding. Coca-Cola plans to open a new bottling plant next year. All told, over the past three years, the government has approved $26.2 billion in new foreign investment. Officials say foreign investors, apart from petroleum and financial-services companies, employ 3.5 million Indonesians, or 3.5% of the workforce. EXPORTING AND IMPORTING Exporting is the commercial activity of selling and shipping a good or goods to a foreign country. Importing is the commercial activity of buying and bringing in goods from a foreign country. The benefits of exporting and importing are good to a countries economy as it creates local jobs. The Honda plant in Alliston exports the Honda Civic (a three door hatchback and four-door sedan) as well it is the only facility in the world that builds the full-size Odyssey minivan and the Acura MDX sport utility vehicle. LICENSING AND FRANCHISING Licensing occurs when a firm pays a fee and enters into a licensing agreement giving it the rights to another company's product, resulting in the rights to make or sell that company's product.

The American Airline Industry Essay -- Business Management Studies Air

The American Airline Industry The Airline Industry is a highly competitive industry with companies operating in domestic and/or international markets. Many airlines are stilled owned by their respective countries and have treaties between countries to allow airlines to land there. The industry has been taking a relatively shaky course as costs are rising and profits have been decreasing. This was further intensified with the recent terrorist attacks on US soil, which lead to higher costs as the need for more security arose. Recent financial statements of major airlines showing major losses reflect the problems that the industry is having. Yet amidst the storm, some regional airlines such as Jet Blue Airlines have managed to focus on specific markets and maintained or increased their profits. It is no doubt that Porter’s 5 forces of competition are at play in this industry. These forces are the Threat of Substitutes, Threat of New Entrants, Competitive Rivalry, Bargaining Power of Buyers and Bargaining Power of Suppliers. Threat of Substitutes The airline industry has been plagued by rising costs resulting in poor profits. The recession adversely affected the industry during the first half of 2001. This was intensified by the September 11th attacks, when two airlines were crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City by terrorists killing everyone on board and demolishing the buildings. This lead to an immediate reduction in air travel as customers did not feel safe about flying and an increase in the use of other forms of transportation. Amtrak, a railway company, reported an increase in passenger volume in the days following the attacks. Though this has leveled off as things returned to normal, rail travel is a substitute for air travel that will be utilized by customers if they are looking for cheaper travel and if they are looking for a leisure trip that would not be too time consuming. Automobiles are also a form of travel that is a substitute for air travel. This is especially the case when a family is traveling as the costs are minimized and schedules coordinated on the travelers’ timetable. Threat of New Entrants Historically, entry into the market has been relatively easy for airline companies. When the economy was booming, people traveled more for leisure and companies used this opportunity to enter th... ...aken from Hoovers Online) Revenues (in Millions) Sept 2002 Sept 2001 US Airways 1903.0 2493.0 American 4494.0 4816.0 Southwest 1391.2 1335.1 Net Income (in Millions) Sept 2002 Sept 2001 US Airways (248.0) (24.0) American (924.0) (414.0) Southwest 74.9 151.0 Total Assets (in Millions) Sept 2002 Sept 2001 US Airways 7705.0 9564.0 American 31502.0 31840.0 Southwest 8954.3 7994.9 Total Debt (in Millions) Sept 2002 Sept 2001 US Airways 10808.0 10106.0 American 28991.0 25609.0 Southwest 4631.6 4045.3 EPS (in dollars) Sept 2002 Sept 2001 US Airways (3.64) (.36) American (5.93) (2.68) Southwest .09 .19 Revenue Passenger Miles Oct 2002 Oct 2001 US Airways 2,965,753 2,802,967 American 3,048,000 2,851,000 Southwest 3,258,017 2,590,610 Load Factor (%) Oct 2002 Oct 2001 US Airways 66.9 61.7 American 63.2 57.8 Southwest 56.8 53.4

Humility in Lifeand Business

Humility is the one characteristic human trait that is the most elusive, as it cannot be obtained through effort, work, or education. The reason it is so difficult to obtain is because the more you aspire for it, the more it will go away from you. Have you ever heard a person state, â€Å"I have finally become a humble person! † The statement alone is a signal that humility has not been gained. It is something which has to be inculcated from the very beginning in one’s life. For this to happen, it follows that the right family values play a very important role. Humility is a trait that lets a person be grounded, no matter what the situation is. It’s considered a virtue in many religious and philosophical traditions. Humility is multi-dimensional and includes self-understanding and awareness and openness. Humility stops the ego or arrogance from creeping in to our minds and it is a great team building asset and vital in a business. In business there are people who work for you, you pay them wages for them to deliver the amount of work entrusted to them, to achieve their KRA’s so as to say. But by no means does that give the employer the right to treat them in a non-humane manner. Respecting the human resource today, the people who work for you whether it be a manufacturing facility or a services concern, is imperative. The respect will come as an offshoot of humility, in the belief that not only ones leadership but also the people who work for you are the two wheels which draw your chariot of success. Leaders, who want to inspire followership, need to demonstrate not simply their accomplishments but their character. Take pride in what you have done, but use it as a platform to bring people together to do greater things, e. g. increase sales and improve quality. Use your leadership for something other than self-aggrandizement. We must understand that as humans, it is natural for us to have our faults and to realise the things which we do well and ones which we do not. This is the first step to self realisation and the stepping stone to humility. In a way it helps you to think beyond yourselves and see the larger picture. Hence, it is considered an important characteristic, one to be believed and practised. C. K. Prahalad, the renowned management guru said â€Å"Leadership is about self-awareness, recognizing your failings, and developing modesty, humility, and humanity. † It is essential to acknowledge what others do. Few have said it better than legendary Alabama coach, Paul â€Å"Bear† Bryant. â€Å"If anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That's all it takes to get people to win football games for you. Practice that attitude always, especially when things are not going well, and your team will rally together because they want you to succeed. In short, humility breeds humility. It is the same in business and in life. Success plays a critical role when it comes to humility in Life. In the journey of life, achievement of success- expected or unexpected can boost anybody's ego and put them in a spot of complace ncy. Furthermore milestones of success are keenly anticipated. Subsequent successes are hugely welcomed but at that point of time, the occurrence of any possible failure can really demoralize the person. In the case of the humble ones, the wings of airs are rarely obtained. Even in times of adversity the humble ones stay put. Humility can bring more success in the long run. The lesson remains that it always pays to be more grateful than to be more proud. It is human to want more in life, to be ambitious and to go to lengths to achieve your goals. But in this process we often choose the path of ruthlessness and become shrewd. This path has provided success more often than not to most people who have resorted to using it, which in turn gives us the return present of PRIDE. We loose the art of humility that was one of the first lessons taught to us as children, and as the saying goes ‘Pride comes before a fall. ’ Each one of us is a blend of our personal and professional lives and as I see myself part woman and part businesswoman, I have realized the importance of humility in everyday life. Sometimes I learnt it the hard way, but it was a lesson well learnt. I have realized that in family situations and at my work place whenever I was faced with a difficult situation and I choose to be angry or arrogant, I was not able to achieve the desired results. People respond better to love and compassion as compared to criticism. I learnt that when I changed my attitude in situations in which I otherwise used to be angry or proud to one where I was humble, I got better results! We have to try not to let our achievements in life get to our heads. I met with a time in my life when everything was falling apart my work, my health and my personal life and I had nothing but my attitude to blame for it. I considered my small achievements as big, people were doing much more work than I was and keeping silent about it. Their humility was giving them the necessary cover and capacity to do better while I was collapsing under the weight of my attitude. But only when you reach your lowest point can you rise back up. I hit an all time low, met with an accident, and was laid up in bed for 9 months. This forced rest gave me the opportunity to ponder over my life. Life taught me the best lesson I have learnt the hardest way. I was left at the mercy of others, I could not walk or move without help. This helplessness broke my pride to bits. In these 9 months in bed, I realized that my attitude of pride has given me nothing but anger and failure. When I got back onto my feet, I slowly started to change my ways. As they say ‘charity begins at home’ I started by changing my attitude towards my family and friends. I became more forgiving and adopted an Attitude of Gratitude towards daily things. Seeing my changed attitude my family changed their attitude towards me. Difficult situations became easier and life started to seem easy. As I saw a change in family situations I realized how this could change troubled situations at work as well. I started by being more soft spoken and humble towards people at work – my employees and my clients of course. Even when I saw a difficult situation I did not act on impulse and on success I was not proud. I tried to look at every achievement as a stepping stone towards more and kept my calm. The frequency of my achievements grew considerably and I was able to think better with a sound mind. This new found clarity gave me immense satisfaction and peace of mind. I was happier, more loved and respected among family and co-workers and since then I have tried to make it my way of life.

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay

The moral sacred Philippines started from a dream, and now that it continues to progress it can be one good evidence that as long as someone believes in an idea, it can be possible. As long as its aim is for the goodness of the citizens, it can be a reality. This concept does not want to create a world of perfection but rather a world of morality and spirituality. That world is where we can clearly distinguish the right ones from the bad. It is where we can not only think about ourselves but also the community, the government, and the nation. This dream can all be possible if we just go and believe that the land where we stand can be a better habitat of mankind. From Genesis 1:27, God created mankind in His own image. This verse proves that each of us is spiritual at heart. We just have to go and find the path through our hearts. We are created in His likeness which gives us the realization that all living things have something good in the inside. If we believe, make something to make this work, the moral sacred Philippines will make sense. A. WRITING AS A SOCIAL ACT The event connects with how writing can be a social act. In the said event, one does not only think about himself but also for the people around him. As for writing, a writer does not only write for him or for him to understand but also for his readers and audience. You write alone, but you always write for others. Readers matter. Once a writer sets his or her thoughts to any medium, whether paper, blog, status update, there is the potential for audience interaction. Ideas and creativity are created outside ourselves. Writers can never be more creative without the experiences and thoughts the people have. They continue to interact with people. Writing is a social act. Writers choose to see the beauty and brilliance of the world around them. Writing is nothing without the world and mind that surrounds them. B. WRITING AS A MORAL ACT Morality and spirituality is what the event focuses on. As for writing, writers do not only write everything that flows from their thinking, he must be careful. Something that anyone who writes words of any kind would do well to remember. Words have their moral consequences. The responsibility is particularly great for writers who deal with spiritual issues. Every word they write leaves its mark upon their soul and upon the souls of those who read their work. Their words may become sacraments, visible signs of an invisible grace, or they may turn to poison and ashes. It may signify the abyss or nothing at all. Writers must strive against mediocrity in one’s work, aiming always higher for lucidity of thought and beauty of expression with still being careful with the words they use. Every piece they make has an effect in this world. They are part of our moral conversation as a society. They weigh in. The creation of literature worthy not only its high artistic calling but of his stature as a creature created in the image and likeness of God.