Case Study on Tupperware Essay

1.0 Introduction In this report I will be analyzing a case study on Tupperware. I will be identifying the main problems faced by Tupperware and recommending solutions that could be used to help Tupperware. Tupperware was developed in the 1940’s by Earl Tupper. They consisted of various types of plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep it airtight. As innovative as the product was it was not an instant hit. The target market was woman and they were not buying the product and this meant that a different approach had to be taken in order to induce sales and get the product known. This led to the beginning of the Tupperware party as a sales tool. The Tupperware party was a gathering of women mainly housewives who came together to socialize but with Tupperware available for sale. This proved to be a useful sales technique. In the 1950’s the product was a perfect fit for women most being full-time homemakers which allowed them to be able pack food and  leftovers for long periods of time. However since Tupperware was not sold in the stores in meant that women and housewives alike had to had to attend Tupperware parties in order to purchase them. In the 60’s and 70’s Tupperware sales increased dramatically. This was because the lifestyle of most women at the time suited a product like Tupperware, also coupled with the Tupperware parties which were a huge hit in the era. In the 80’s there was a there was a decline in sales, this according to the Tupperware ladies, may have been due to increase in divorces, childless, women being single and more independent. Tupperware maintains a reasonable market share internationally but has since seen a decline in both market share and sales domestically and struggles to find appropriate marketing strategies to implement. 2.0 S.W.O.T Analysis A SWOT analysis is an analytical method, which is used to identify and categorize significant internal factors (i.e. strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (i.e. opportunities and threats) an organization faces. I will be looking at the SWOT analysis for Tupperware and using it to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that Tupperware have. 2.1 Strengths – Tupperware had a new innovative product at the time. – Tupperware at the time had a specific target market i.e. Housewives. – Tupperware was a perfect fit for the 1950’s due to many women being homemakers – Tupperware parties were the only way to buy the products making them exclusive to other businesses. – Tupperware used their parties as a form of promotion by having games and giving out gifts. – Tupperware has high customer loyalty – Between the 1950’s and 1970’s Tupperware was highly profitable 2.2 Weaknesses – Tupperware has not been able to preserve a way of life. – Tupperware was a new and unknown product so when it came out there was no interest in it. – Tupperware could only be sold at Tupperware parties unlike other competitive products that were being sold in stores. 2.3 Opportunities – In the past Tupperware could have sold their products in stores rather than just Tupperware parties. – Increase profitability by increasing marketing and advertising. – Increase domestic sales of Tupperware 2.4 Threats – Competition from other companies like Rubbermaid. – Changing environment and lifestyle. 3.0 The 5 p’s of the Marketing Mix for Tupperware The 5 p’s of the Marketing mix that I will be looking at in relation to Tupperware include product, promotion, price, place, people. 3.1 Product Tupperware consists of various types of plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep it airtight. Tupperware products were innovative when they came out. The quality of the product is said to be high and very effective in its use. The availability of Tupperware products was limited as you could only buy them from the Tupperware parties. 3.2 Promotion Tupperware was promoted through the Tupperware parties that were held in different locations. This was their main form of promotion. In the Tupperware parties they also used social events, like games, were they gave gifts in order to increase awareness of the product. Tupperware also used Tupperware ladies to market their products directly to the customers. 3.3 Price Tupperware products according to loyal customers are â€Å"high in quality and a  price to match†. So Tupperware products are expensive. 3.4 Place Tupperware products can only be bought at Tupperware parties. Any returns would have to be done in person. 3.5 People The people who were involved in the marketing, sales and customer service of Tupperware were the Tupperware ladies and dealers. 4.0Marketing Solutions and Recommendations In terms of the actual product, customers felt that it was of high quality and had the features and usability expected, therefore it may not be necessary to change or improve these things. However brand image can be increased by advertising and marketing. Availability of the product and customer service can be improved by employing more Tupperware ladies and dealers. Tupperware already used Tupperware parties as a form of promoting both the products and party itself. I think Tupperware could improve their branding and public relations by increasing advertising and marketing campaigns that directly target the intended customers. Tupperware products even though of high quality are expensive. Tupperware could increase customer loyalty by reducing prices and introducing promotional campaigns that make the products more affordable. Tupperware can also help customers by introducing discounts, payment methods and free value added incentives. Tupperware can improve customer service and support by increasing the number of Tupperware ladies and dealers. Tupperware can also widen their scope by creating different channels or mediums that can help increase awareness, brand imaging, increase profits and customer loyalty. Finally I think Tupperware should increase the number of dedicated Tupperware ladies and dealers. This can be done by increasing the level of training which will increase the level of skill that the Tupperware ladies and dealers have. This will increase the number of Tupperware parties available which will increase sales and profits. Customer loyalty will also increase as direct customer service increases. 5.0 Conclusion As shown in the report I have analyzed and identified areas that have problems within Tupperware and I believe that I have shown that certain solution can be implemented in order to help increase sale, profits, customer loyalty and the overall service provided by Tupperware. 6.0 References Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C., Lucas, B. A., Schrembri, S., & Niinnen, O. (2012). Marketing Principles: Asia Pacific Edition. (1st ed.). South Melbourne: Cengage Learning Australia. Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O. C. (2013). Foundations of Marketing (5th ed.). Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Human being’s personality Essay

It is said that every human being’s personality is molded by the sum of his or her experiences. Personally, I believe that perhaps, a more accurate statement would be that human beings are molded by what they derive from each of their life’s experiences. Hardships in my Childhood I grew up in circumstances that provide a classical example of disparity between appearance and reality. To the outside world my parent’s marriage appeared to be picture perfect. However, in reality, alcohol abuse by my father and domestic violence between my parents had created an environment within our house that, for me, was both difficult and frightening. My father had a drinking problem, and the encounters between my father and mother often escalated into violence. I spent a great deal of time trying to be a peacemaker and caretaker of my parents. Despite my unfortunate situation, I was always determined to be successful. I knew in my mind that the path to success would prove to be a great challenge for a young black female, who was not mature enough or, had emotionally stable guardians to guide her path. Nonetheless I was determined to achieve the goal, I had in my mind. Early in my childhood, sports became more than just a past time; it became a way of dealing with the hardships of a dysfunctional household. As a student, Physical Education became one of my favorite courses; since it was the only time during the day when I was able to enjoy my childhood without thinking about what was going on in my home life. By the time I was eight, my parents separated. My mother and myself relocated from Connecticut to New York City. This transition was extremely difficult for me. Although my parent’s marriage was any thing but stable, my father had always meant the world to me. Over the next few years my mother was required to make a transition from being a â€Å"stay at home mom†, to being the â€Å"sole provider† of our household. Due to dire finances and the inability to afford childcare, I always had a greater than usual amount of household responsibilities over my shoulders. My social interactions at this time were limited primarily to organized school activities. I developed strong work ethics at an early age by spending my weekends bagging roceries at the neighborhood supermarket. My mother did not want me to work but I loved the feeling of earning my own money, since it gave me a great feeling of independence. Worked as a Camp Counselor When I reached the age of fifteen, I started spending my summers working as a camp Counselor, where I was responsible for the organization and development of activities such as, arts and crafts, swimming, and delivering sports related instructions. This was the point when I first became interested in becoming a physical education teacher. I loved the feeling of being in charge and having the younger kids look up to me. Worked as a Sports/Youth Counselor By the time I began college, I was more eager than most freshmen to begin a whole new life, because so much had happened in my past life, which I wanted to put behind. Outside of athletics, I never really had an active social life, so this made my transition to university life very difficult. My undergraduate life had been quite short lived. I had to leave school after only the first semester due to limited finances. Discouraged by the inability to further continue my education, I returned home to work full time as a Sports/Youth Counselor for youths with learning disabilities, emotional disorders, and mental retardation. This proved to be one of the most extraordinary experiences in my life, as it provided me with a chance to interact closely, on a day-to-day basis, with youngsters, whose courage and massive temperament for joy and happiness, impressed me immensely. Their smiles and laughter were pure, even while they battled against significant personal difficulties for which they were not themselves responsible. Ironically, as I worked with these small children I was simultaneously fighting a small battle of my own, resisting my initial resistance and fear of dealing with these children. Before I got to know these youngsters, I was worried that they would detect my discomfort, catch me staring at them, misinterpret something I might have said, or be hurt somehow by my actions or words. In the beginning all of these things appeared to be threatening possibilities. However in reality, once I immersed myself into work, my fear of any incidents happening, disappeared. I began relating to these children in the same as other normal kids. The youngsters soon sensed this and responded well to me. Working with these youngsters made me realize that despite my childhood I was still very fortunate to have health and the ability to be as physically independent. Secondly it made realize that I had been bestowed with the gift of having the ability and passion to help others. Graduation A year and a half later, I returned to Virginia State University as an independent student, more determined and passionate than ever to finally have the opportunity to finish what I had previously started. In between my busy work schedule, I completed a work-study as a student athletic trainer. Although, very time consuming, it was a very exciting job. I loved the rush and excitement of preparing for the day of final game, and the ability of being a part of the treatment protocols, utilized on a daily basis in athletic preparation. This job provided fascinating, educational, and an exciting experience that exposed me to the field of sports and medicine all in one. This was also the major, which I pursued later at the United States Sports Academy as a graduate student. Working as a Physical Education Teacher Upon graduation I decided to take a year off from school, while I focused on settling into the teaching profession. My first teaching position was at the middle school level, in New York City. This experience proved to be the most challenging one. During the tenure of this job, I come in contact with students who displayed behaviors and emotions that were the direct results of some of the same childhood and family scars that I had once faced as a child. It was extremely difficult trying to educate these students without becoming emotionally attached. At the same time it was very stressful, trying to relate to them, and getting them to understand that their current situation would not determine their future status. I quickly came to realize that summer camp and teaching were two totally different professions in their own ways. I am currently a Physical Education teacher and Department chair at high school level. Post-graduation in Sports Medicine I enrolled at the United States Sports Academy to pursue my master’s degree in Sports Medicine, during my second year of teaching. Although I had started to get adjusted to teaching, I missed the rush of being an athletic trainer. At the end of the school year, my college sweetheart and fiance was hired at our Alma mater as an offensive line coach. This position gave me the opportunity to complete my post-graduate intern hours in an environment that was very familiar to me. I was required to make one last employment transition that would have allowed me to utilize my intern skills as a trainer. Development of my Passion for Weight Training During the course of my internship, I was diagnosed with Graves’s disease. This disease directly affected my Thyroid gland and its ability to produce hormones properly. This posed as a major setback not only in my everyday life but also in completing my master’s degree. Shortly thereafter, I suffered from major depression, which caused me to gain over forty pounds of weight and lose the motivation that had once driven me towards success. After a year of feeling sorry for myself and taking prescription medications, which generally left me feeling isolated, or sleeping during the major part of the day, I came to realize that medication was not the long-term answer. I was once again faced with a life challenge that soon exposed me to another aspect of the sport sciences. More determined than ever to get my life back on track, I invested in my first gym (gymnasium) membership. Committing myself to a strenuous weekly regimen, I soon began to experience many physiological and psychological benefits of my investment. My accomplishments in the gym helped me overcome, what a year of medication could not do. It also helped to develop a passion that led me towards the pursuit of my master’s degree. More importantly, it gave me the opportunity to help change the lives of others. My continuous efforts and positive results in the gym deepened my passion for weight training and assisted me in restoring the drive and motivation that had been lost due to depression. Within the following year, I had lost 48 lbs and completed my masters . Working as a Personal Trainer Having lost 48 lbs of weight after joining the gym, I competed in my first amateur body-building competition. Winning this competition gave me a sense of empowerment, that I had the ability to achieve anything in life that I desire. Since then I have won two heavy weight class titles and am currently classified as a pro qualifier in the NPA. In the past year I have received my personal training and nutritional consultants, and group exercise certifications. Fitness and nutrition has been a major part of my healing process along my life journey. I currently work part time as personal trainer in a local fitness center and have started my own mobile fitness business, titled â€Å"Elite Physique Fitness†. I conduct this business along with two fellow personal trainers. We offer services like personal training, group exercises, massage therapy, nutrition workshops, and first aid and CPR classes. My career plans and goals Plans for achieving the Doctoral Degree I plan to attend the academy during the school years as a correspondence student and as a – resident student during the summer sessions. I am currently a Physical Education teacher and Department chair. Besides this, I also work part time as personal trainer in a local fitness center and have started my own mobile fitness business. Although I already have an extensive educational and hands on background in the field of sports and fitness, I feel the need to develop myself in the field of management in order to successfully run my business. My desired area of study is Sports Management with an emphasis on finance and entrepreneurship. My Career Plans After Receiving the Doctoral Degree I plan to teach as a Physical Education teacher for approximately one more year, and then I plan for a transition from being a High school teacher to a University professor in the field of fitness, sport management, athletic training, or sports medicine. Upon completion of my doctoral degree, I plan to expand my current personal training business and increase its reputation within the community in the long-term. My short-term goals are to refine my management skills and develop an organization of knowledgeable professional trainers to accommodate the below mentioned programs. I am really eager to develop an educational program within the school system to deal with childhood obesity. As a physical educator and fitness business owner, I would like to incorporate a â€Å"childhood obesity and wellness program† within the school system. In preparation for this, I plan to utilize information obtained from the research courses to further study and conduct research on childhood obesity and poor nutrition in relation to the issues of academic performance and self-esteem. I also would like to offer â€Å"holistic wellness programs† to corporate businesses. I am strongly interested in developing partnerships within the community to help develop programs, which would address many health related issues in our society. Specific courses that would assist me in completing these goals are personnel management and sports entrepreneurship My Plans For A Mentorship I plan to complete my mentorship training in the field of fitness management. I also intend to apply for membership at American Family Fitness, Golds Gym, and the YMCA. I feel these particular facilities will provide the hands on training needed to accommodate and complete information learned through my coursework at the United States Sports Academy. Reasons For Pursuing The Doctor of Sports Management Degree at the Academy Reasons for choosing the Academy’s program over other doctoral programs I attended the Sports Academy as a graduate student and was really impressed with the rofessionalism of the program and I loved the fact that the program was geared primarily towards sports specific majors. I feel that the Academy will not only provide me with sound and stable training, but will also enhance my skills, which would help me in my future endeavors. It will also give me a great opportunity to network amongst professionals who have already completed the journey of success on which I am still traveling. My desire to pursue a degree in sport management is driven by my already diverse and accomplished background in the field of sport sciences. My Concerns, Choices and Goals regarding the doctoral program Since I feel the need to develop myself in the field of management in order to have a successful business, my desired area of study is Sports Management with an emphasis on finance and entrepreneurship. My aspirations for the future are to help others change their lives and teach them how to begin the healing process through health, fitness and nutrition. The doctoral program would greatly contribute towards my intellectual and personal growth and help me in achieving both my previously mentioned short-term and long-term goals.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 28

Marketing - Essay Example Electronics industry is ripe to welcome the new product that would be launched very shortly, which is customised cell phone. A marketing opportunity study was made on developing a new product for the existing market of cell phones. Cell phones of popular brands have limited features. Customers are fed up of the popular brands tactics of providing new technology features in latest range where something is always left to be desired and not fulfilled by the mobile phone companies. Only customised cell phones can be the solution to satisfy the customer needs with an innovative product with dependable services can be the best available means to capture the market well in time when the idea is still new to capture the cell phone users’ attention. What is a customisable mobile phone? A customisable mobile phone is a built-to-order phone that comes with the feature of snapping the unwanted functionality or adding the functionality as per the customer demand. It could be a GSM phone to be customised or the other. The customer will decide whether the phone should be touch screen, bar, flip or smart phone; whether it has a keyboard or the customer prefers a mobile phone without a keyboard. The customised mobile phone will offer the customers the choice to select the operating system of their choice from Google Android, apple, OS X or Microsoft and others. As per the marketing research plan, customised mobile is such an opportunity that can be instrumental in offering a cost-effective mobile phone of high quality. Customers would have the freedom to choose their preferred service provider; no need to subscribe to a particular service provider. The custom-ordered mobile would be available with warranties, after-sale service and rep air (Elgan, 2008). Under the concept of integrated marketing communication (IMC), which is a holistic approach to

Organizational Structure and Culture Term Paper

Organizational Structure and Culture - Term Paper Example In the context of the topic under consideration, the chosen health care organization is the Good Samaritan Hospital. The organizational structure at the Good Samaritan Hospital is flat. In the organization there is no provision of intervening management between the managers and the staff. The central idea governing the organization is that the experienced and well trained staff members are better equipped to take on the spot decisions if they are extended a greater autonomy and are involved in the overall decision making (Cunneen, 2008). In this organization the staff is seldom supervised by any intervening layers of management. Though this hospital is a large organization, it is possible to accommodate a flat organizational structure owing to the existence of varied independent units. The decision making process here is decentralized and encourages ample involvement of the employees. The flat structure of this hospital is the key to its supporting environment that fosters a client c entered care. Greater autonomy extended to the employees necessitates ample emphasis on learning and training (Cunneen, 2008). The employees here feel that they are amply empowered to innovate and resort to out of the box thinking that directly bolsters the quality of patient care (Cunneen, 20080. The staff has a direct access to the requisite resources required to extend an improved patient care with ample opportunities to develop as a professional. The staff is positively encouraged to look for the viable improvements and opportunities and resorting to new procedures and innovations aimed at improving patient care receive minimal resistance. The staff members are always encouraged to understand the patient needs and requirements are expected to take ownership of the issues and problems mentioned by the patients. The Management Information System resorted to at the Good Samaritan Hospital has well defined goals that are to enhance and streamline communication amongst employees, to bolster the organizational goals and objectives, to facilitate the exchange of complex information across the organization, reduce expenses by curtailing manual activities and to develop an objective system for saving and organizing information (Stanford, 2007). As, at this hospital, there are minimal intervening levels of management, the staff deployed at the specific units is required to report directly to the specific unit in charge. This speeds up the decision making processes and facilitates autonomy and a relaxed work environment (Stanford, 20070. However, the problem with this information structure is that as the entire unit members are required to report to the unit in charge, the bosses and managers here are required to take care of too many things. Going by the fact that the Good Samaritan Hospital has a flat organizational structure, it automatically facilitates a more open communication as compared to many other health care organizations. However, with so many staff memb ers reporting to so few managers, many a times this communication approach give way to much chaos (Stanford, 2007). The Hospital Director has an open door policy and any employee can approach the top management with ease and convenience. However, as this hospital is expanding with time, the Director has empowered his PA to manage communication and to filter and classify the communications reaching his office. It could be assumed that many a time the

People Resourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

People Resourcing - Essay Example With the stated objective of ‘protecting the rights of workers’, unions negotiate with the management of the company and other regulating bodies to extract the best possible solution for the problems arising from time to time. But the union will be able to negotiate the solution only if it is recognized the management and the regulatory bodies for the purpose. The first step towards recognition is to be acceptable amongst the workers. To seek recognition, the union has to be acceptable amongst the employees as well. This implies that the union will have to enrol good number of employees as its members. In general, the minimum number of employees to be enrolled by any union for recognition, is defined in the rulebook. It also needs to be emphasised that enrolment or affiliation of a member with union has to be purely voluntary and without any coercion. The recognition itself is a multistage process comprising of the following steps (OPSI, 2004);  Step-1: After ensuring support of the requisite minimum number of workers, the union writes to the employer/ management requesting recognition. For the request to be valid there must be at least 21 employees under the banner of the union. The management can grant the recognition on the basis of the request or it may wish to verify the claim or further negotiate it with the employees and the union. At times, the help of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is also sought in case of some disagreements.  Step-2: In case of persistence of some difference, the matter can be referred to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) by the union (s). The CAC is supposed to decide on the matter within a fixed time period by taking into account the merits of the case and the percentage of employees being represented by the union. Representation of at least 10 percent of the total workforce is once such criterion which helps in deciding in favour of the union. Step-4: Once the bargaining unit is formed the union is granted recognition either directly or by carrying out a referendum amongst the workers to ascertain the validity of the claims being made by the union.

Fate or destiny is it possible to control that which we have no Essay

Fate or destiny is it possible to control that which we have no control of - Essay Example For instance, death and birth are unavoidable. Similarly, there are several other occurrences in life that seem inevitable. Destiny plays an important role in our daily lives. Each and every event in our lives is governed by our destiny. With regards to destiny, we are truly in control of ourselves and we are responsible for our decisions. However, there are some things that are beyond our control, this is what can be regarded as fate. In the larger scheme of things, we feel free as we are human being are able do what they want. If we make the correct decisions in life and act accordingly, no one will prevent us from achieving what we really want. The cultural, divine and psychological forces that can be a hindrance to a person’s destiny but if he or she remains focused he will be able to control his fate. Men struggle and work to attain specific ends, but later realize that there is a power that is beyond their control, which frustrates their efforts. As men age, they accept the power of destiny and its effect on the world around them. Great men such as philosophers and poets also submitted to this power and witnessed as it seemed to favor the favorites and strike its victims. This essay will explore the story by William Faulkner â€Å"Barn Burning† and â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† by Samuel Coleridge to show that a person is able to control his destiny but has no control over his fate. This power of destiny is represented by the greatest poets including William Faulkner in his work, â€Å"Barn Burning†. Most dramatists often depict heroes as knowledgeable of their destiny and attempting to escape from it. However, by trying to escape from their destiny, a series of consequences result. The consequences bring about their some challenges. Therefore, poets assert that a man cannot avert his or her destiny, whether he knows the destiny or not. Every unconscious or conscious act of the man is one step towards his or her destin y. In the â€Å"Barn Burning†, Abner, is said to â€Å"have an old habit which he had not been permitted to choose for himself† (Faulkner 56). Therefore, this argument can show that a person is not able to change his destiny regardless of the challenges he faces. This clearly shows that the boy has control over his destiny but does not have any control over his fate. It seems there was a supernatural power that dictated his behavior or habit. It is thus impossible for Abner or any other person to control his fate but he has control over his destiny. The forces of fate are also presented in â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† by Samuel Coleridge show that there are things beyond our control. For example, the poem talks of death as an incident that is beyond man’s control. It is impossible for an individual to have knowledge of when or how they are going to die. Also, once death is to occur, no one can stop it. The reverse is also true in that, if one is not destined to die, then no one can cause the ultimate death of that person. In part IV of the poem, the persona says â€Å"alone, alone, all, all alone†¦the many men, so beautiful, and they all dead did lie† (Coleridge 89). This point clearly shows that death is fate and no human individual is able to control it. However, if one is able to avoid death through living a good free from any dangers you will live much longer. The author was destined

Critique of a given research article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critique of a given research article - Essay Example He evaluated the motivation of first year junior high learners in Indonesia in learning English. The researcher intended to conduct a longitudinal evaluation extending for two years. He attempted to identify changes in motivation and what learners do in and out of class (Lamb 2003, p. 5-6). To do this the researcher combined survey questionnaire with semi-structured interviews. The focal group comprised of 12 individuals. The researcher, additionally, interacted with the learners to obtain qualitative data (Lamb 2003, p. 6-7). Lamb finally concluded that as English becomes adopted by many people, its learning becomes allied to conformity to globalization. Hence the motivation to learn it is dependent on identification. The extensive consultation of up to date literature enables him to evaluate relevant facets of the question. The use of focus group was prudent in finding a solution to conduction research in a multicultural context. Focus groups are an efficient qualitative method providing access to information unavailable without interactions. It provided an avenue to discover indigenous language in order to decipher the learners understanding of phrases used in the questionnaire. However, he fails to identify the variation of focus group employed. Additionally, the researcher did not highlight the guidelines utilized in the selection of members, raising the issue of external validity. Without a representative selection, the results may be invalid. The researcher identified the problems resulting from culture when administering a questionnaire in that they may not interpret the questions as intended by the researcher, he therefore responded to this by gathering qualitative data (Lamb 2003, p. 7). The interaction with the students helped increase the validity of the quantitative data collected through augmenting with qualitative data. From the responses on the liking of the learning of English, the

Talis Spa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Talis Spa - Essay Example Such circumstances has actually worked as a motivation for the study and the tourist destination in focus happens to be the Talise Spa situated in the city of Al Ain; which happens to be the fourth largest city in UAE. It is also known as the garden city because of the greenery; making it a unique location of for tourists. The study has been done in lieu to analyze the location in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Also a stake holder analysis has been conducted to identify the key stake holders and their impact on the business. Based on the analysis a strategic plan for the facility has been prepared which includes the preparation of a vision and mission statement, environmental impact analysis, developing a product development strategy and promotion or communication strategy (Kolb, 2008). Location Audit Location Description While describing the location in details it needs to mention that both Talise Spa as well as the city of Al Ain would be considered, simply because both the unique geographical elements and the infrastructure of the Talise Spa would play a major role in the overall strategic marketing and communications. The city of Al Ain is the fourth largest city in UAE and it is well known as the garden city due to the unique greenery. ... Due to such reasons Al Ain is one of the most popular tourist destinations for the people of UAE; especially during the summers. As a tourist location Al Ain is still a developing one. The city gets a lot of traffic in the summers; most of that are locals who have holiday houses in the city. However, as compared to its counterparts like Dubai, Al Ain gets very little foreign tourists. Talise Spa provides personalized treatments in all the thirteen private rooms of it. There are a range of experiences provided by the Talise Spa such as facials, body treatments and massages. To be a bit more detailed it provides body scrubs, aromatherapy, body wraps, full day packages, waxing, skin care treatments, etc. There is also availability of Food centres, play yards, food corner. The facilities provided by the authorities are excellent to say the least. However, there is still room for improvement as the authorities are looking to position the spa as a place to have fun; which also reflects the cultural heritage of the country. Reason for choice Again in this section, both Talise Spa and Al Ain have to be focused. The major reason for choice of Al Ain is the unique geographical conditions and rich cultural heritage. Also as compared to its counterparts like Dubai there is a lot of opportunity for development. Based on the initiatives of the government to develop Al Ain as a premier tourist location, it would most likely that slowly but surely the place would start to get traffics in the forms of foreign tourists and hence it would be impotent to have a facility like Talise Spa that provides an array of services under one roof reflecting the cultural heritage of UAE. Location SWOT Analysis Strengths Excellent location, infrastructure

Terrorism is a form of risk that is impossible to manage Essay

Terrorism is a form of risk that is impossible to manage - Essay Example Terrorism always stems up in the weakest of classes within a society. (THACKRAH, 2004) Its infancy is thus bred and nourished in the lowest of classes within the culture. This weak class in a third world nation is in reality the masses. What people think about the form of government is really given an air of indifferent experiences when terrorism starts to crop up all of a sudden. This creates a feeling of hatred for the governmental institutions as well as the people at the helm of affairs, i.e., the ones who are generating the policies and are running the government. (OOTS, 1986) Terrorism demands of people to change their way of looking and expecting something, if they do for that matter, from the government. It has been the case for many years that whenever government within a certain country is in a position of economic and defense power, terrorism creeps up out of the blue and mesmerizes its democratic institutions beyond repair and restoration. The need of the hour on these countries’ part is to fight against the terrorist activities with a stern hand but in a more disciplined and ethical fashion. If the same is not done, hatred is the most common of reactions that have been seen for time immemorial for these countries. Terrorism has changed the face of the world. The people of this world have started to feel unsafe whenever they are within a horde and thus different assumptions have started to come about as concerns to the basis of different congregations, events, concerts and so on and so forth. This has really presented a very grim picture of the peace aspect related with this world. It has to be changed and there needs to be thinking mindset shift within the global populace to start with. People need to understand their respective responsibilities and then echo the same in the light of the different policies and strategies

Non word Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Non word - Assignment Example She spent $5,000 to purchase her steno machine, $2,000 on a new computer, and $500 on miscellaneous office supplies. She financed these purchases by withdrawing $7,500 from her personal savings account. When she closed the account, the bank representative mentioned that she would have earned 4% interest next year. If Bev hadn’t opened her own business, she would have earned a salary of $25,000. In her first year, Bev’s revenues were $30,000. Which of the following statements is correct? _B___ 22. Studies indicate that the price elasticity of demand for cigarettes is about 0.4. A government policy aimed at reducing smoking changed the price of a pack of cigarettes from $2 to $6. According to the midpoint method, the government policy should have reduced smoking by 2. A firm hires two workers and rents 15 acres of land for a season. It produces 150,000 bushels of crop. If it had doubled its land and labor, production would have been 325000 bushels. Does it have constant, decreasing, or increasing returns to scale? It has an increasing returns to scale. This is because the marginal returns were 175000 bushels produced when the labor and land were increased. The double production inputs should have at least resulted to a double output which was the case. In fact, the number was more than 300,000 bushels which would have been the expected

Modernization theory Essay Example for Free

Modernization theory Essay Modernization theory focuses on the main idea that the processes which the currently developed countries went through are vital to achieving development in the underdeveloped and developing countries. Modernization is thought to take place in five stages according to the Rostow’s stage theory (Rostow 1960), namely; †¢ The traditional society †¢ Take-off preconditions †¢ Take-off †¢ Drive to maturity †¢ High mass consumption age The modernization theory is based on the idea of human progress according to Carneiro (2003) although according to Jones (1985) and McNeill (1990), the idea of human progress seemed unrealistic so long as man did not significantly influence the natural environment and as long as there was no perceptible change in the agrarian economies from one generation to the next. The developed countries are to serve an important role in helping the developing countries to achieve their level of development and serve as examples. Modernization traces its origin in the enlightenment era with the focus that progress in technology would help man overcome the challenges that the nature posed and man would have control over nature. Condorcet (1979) argued that moral values of people would change through economic development and technological progress, and therefore linked cultural change to economic development. Rostow (1961) argued that the economic effectiveness in the countries of low incomes is hampered by their social institutions and traditional cultural values. In these countries large population do not allow the individuals to save, as does the lack of strong work ethic (Giddens, Griffiths2006). According to the Marxist version of the modernization theory, early industrial society was characterized by exploitation. Growth of the developing countries would result from the use of education and technology. Allocation of resources in the developing countries in an irrational way was linked to the drawback in the industrialization of these countries. In order for a country to develop, it was necessary to remove the cultural, institutional and organizational roadblocks on its way to modernization and allocate resources rationally. Modernization is, according to Inglehart Welzel (2005), a process of the development of human where development of the economy triggers cultural changes which make democracy, gender equality, and individual autonomy increasingly possible. In addition to bringing out the root causes of the problems existing in the underdeveloped or developing countries, the theory also can help countries focus on means and ways of alleviating poverty by emulating the already developed countries. The theory puts strength to the fact that development is reachable, even by the underdeveloped and the developing nations and therefore can help the latter to put efforts to reach the developed world. The theory explains an important point why the developing countries cannot wake up one day and expect to see themselves developed, but that to achieve development, a particular process is followed-building the sub-processes in this process is of paramount importance to the countries of low economy. Dependency theory can be defined as an explanation of the development of the economy of a country’s or state’s development policy as influenced by the outside forces of cultural, economical, and political aspects (Sunkel, 1969). It is a system through which the developmental possibilities of the subordinate countries are disadvantaged and conditioned by the economic expansion and development of another country (Dos Santos, 1971). Dependency theory emanated in the 1950s with Raul Prebisch who was the director of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and together with his colleagues was not comfortable with the way the developed economy in the developed nations failed to lead to growth in the poorer countries. According to him, the poorer countries exported the raw materials to the developed countries and yet received the same goods as processed goods and the earnings from the exports was not enough to fund the imports. Prebisch offered a solution for the poor countries to substitute imports and avoid use of their foreign reserves to purchase for imports of manufactured goods. Import substitution was hard to follow because of obstacles that were facing the poorer countries. These included: the possibility or ability of controlling their exports of primary products; political will as concerning desire or possibility to shifting from producing primary goods; and the inability of the small internal markets of the poorer countries which made them unable to support the economies of scale used by the richer countries to keep their prices low. International capitalism has been mentioned as the force causing dependency relationship According to Gunder (1972), contemporary underdevelopment is as a result of continued relationships-economic or others-between the developed and the poorer countries. Unlike imperialism which explains dominant state expansion, dependency explains underdevelopment-the result of imperialism. Dependency theory was developed as a result of combination of economic doctrine called structuralism, and Marxist sociology. It blamed the US intervention and the role of the Latin America in the world economy as failing to achieve development and its political authoritarianism as a result of its role in exporting raw materials in the world economy. America was said to suffer deterioration in the terms of trade by experiencing cheaper exports due to low wage resulting from surplus labor, and more expensive imports because, instead of the productivity gains being passed on as lower prices, they were going to the increasingly monopolistic industrial firms. Latin America would therefore, because of this free trade, not be able to accumulate surplus capital required to industrialize. The difference between developed and underdeveloped economies was said not only to be on state of the system of production, or simple difference of stage, but also to be of position or function within a single international economic structure of production and distribution. Poverty of the countries was blamed for the richness of some others, not because of any failure (Reid, 2007). Social exclusion of masses as a result of domination of the economy through industrial monopolies yielded to urbanization void of industrialization (Reid, 2007). As a payment to investments, the foreign investors required that the state discipline those demanding high wages leading to military dictatorship. Although their diverging points on the theory, there is an agreement in issues like the influence of external forces that developed world use to extend their interests abroad which includes foreign aids, communications, multinational corporations and other tools. In all the definitions there is an agreement that there exist two sets of states; the dominant and the dependent, centre and the periphery, the metropolitan and the satellite. All of the definitions point to dynamism of the relationship between the dominant and the dynamic country since the interactions between them tend to reinforce and intensify the unfair patterns (Ferraro, 1996). Like the Modernization theory which can be considered to be developed by different people, the dependency theory also is said to have arisen in three principle formulations. According to Reid (2007) the first principal formulation of the dependency theory focused on formal and institutional relationships such as trade relations and foreign trade, as factors which were sources to dependency. The second formulation treated the theory as a subfield of the refined imperialism theory of the Leninist and the analysis of capitalism by Marxist. The third formulation dealt with the two previous definitions. The theory has assisted in shedding light as concerns the exploitation existing in the monopolistic world market where countries with strong economies try to dominate over those with weak economies and create a monopolistic effect of trade. Continued use of foreign aid to the poor nations, which has seen countries being over-reliance to donors, has left poor countries with no solid alternatives than to pledge loyalty to the developing nations. The theory has helped in enumerating the disadvantages that can be acquired from capitalism especially where the capitalism is the influence to the establishment of relations between countries. The theory was criticized as eroding Latin American’s belief in selves, according to Lawrence Harrison, in addition to patronizing and paralyzing Latin America. The formulations were attacked as ignoring or undermining the other causes of underdevelopment such as internal social and cultural factors and were neglect of culture, race, gender and ethnicity. Besides, there were some countries like Asian countries which developed purely on a capitalistic system, and countries like Taiwan and South Korea developed through the ideas that have been propelled in the development theory (‘Dependency verses Dependency theory’). The theory has been blamed as indicating that for a country to succeed, it should join others who have succeeded in the exploitation of some, even if it does this on a regional level. It has been termed to be a strategy left only for the smaller third world countries with no real alternative market, and is no strategy at all. The dependency theory work has been blamed also for criticizing development in the third world, indicating that such development builds a society different from that at the core (developed world) and that there is no way the resulting society can be as that at the core. Development in the third world can be best described, as the dependency theory points out, development of underdeveloped and not as the advertised development. The similarities between the two theories can summarized as follows: †¢ Both theories concern themselves with the relationship between the underdeveloped and the developing with the developed countries. While the modernization theory is concerned with the view that the developed countries should serve as an example to the developing or underdeveloped countries for development purposes, the dependency theory explains the development of the country in relation to the outside forces or influences which may be as a result of the activities of the developed countries. Both therefore deal with and recognize that there exist the relationship between thee two types of countries. †¢ Both theories are consent to the idea that the developed countries have a superior hand in terms of the economy, over the developing or the underdeveloped world. The difference in this area is that the dependency theory seems to indicate an unfair dominance of the developed economies over the developing or underdeveloped ones, whereas the modernization theory views the relationship as health-that the developed economies can assist the underdeveloped or the developing ones †¢ Both theories do not give a one-sided explanation as concerns the causes of the low economic status in the developing or underdeveloped countries. While the modernization theory gives a critical look at the reason for the poor economic status of the developing or underdeveloped nations as being a result of the problems already existing such as overpopulation and lack of work ethics, it may be seen as neglecting the role of the developed economies in the resulting economic problems of the third word countries. In its explanation to the resulting economic difficulties in the third world, dependency theory has leaned unfairly away from the role played by the third world countries in resulting to their own economic problems. It has been blamed, as seen earlier, as neglecting the social economic factors that contribute to economic problems in third world countries. It can be seen to be unfairly explaining the problem as a result to exploitation and external forces. †¢ There are a range of modifications or disagreements arising among scholars in the development of the two theories Other differences †¢ While the modernization theory seems to explain the causes of poor economy in the third world as the result of the activities of the countries themselves for example through poor allocation of resources, and with a view to solving it, the dependency theory can largely be described as a criticism to the developed countries as being the cause to the problems of the economy in the third world. The modernization theory focuses on the internal causes of the poor economy in the third world, but the dependency theory focuses on the external influences †¢ The dependency theory is devoid of a clean sheet and proper strategy of solving the economic problem of the third world in a non fair market, to the event that it has been described as a ‘no strategy at all’. The modernization theory presents a way of solving the problems of economy affecting the third world such as substitution of imports, advance in use of technology and further education to improve economy. References Andre Gunder Frank, The Development of Underdevelopment, in James D. Cockcroft, Andre Gunder Frank, and Dale Johnson, eds., Dependence and Underdevelopment. Garden City, New York: Anchor Books, 1972, p. 3. ‘Development verses Dependency theory’ Retrieved November 13, 2008 from http://www. revision-notes. co. uk/revision/619. html Dos Santos Theotonio. The Structure of Dependence, in K. T. Fann and Donald C. Hodges, eds. , Readings in U. S. Imperialism. Boston: Porter Sargent, 1971, p. 226 Ferraro Vincent. Dependency Theory: An Introduction. July 1996. Retrieved November 13, 2008 from http://www. mtholyoke. edu/acad/intrel/depend. htm Giddens Anthony Simon Griffiths. (2006). Sociology. Polity Hogan Michael, Thomas Paterson. (2004). Explaining the History of American Foreign Relations. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press Inglehart Ronald Christian Welzel. (2005). Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy: The Human Development Sequence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Reid Michael. Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America’s Soul. Yale: Yale University Press Sunkel Svaldo. National Development Policy and External Dependence in Latin America, The Journal of Development Studies, Vol. 6, no. 1, October 1969, p. 23

Form and Structure of Abigails Party Emily Huntley Essay Example for Free

Form and Structure of Abigails Party Emily Huntley Essay Mike Leighs Abigails Party was primarily shown on television and wasnt initially meant for the stage, until it was realised how successful it was. The plot is based around a mirror of two partys, one involving 5 adults all living in the same estate but of very contrasting backgrounds and classes which Mike Leigh also depicts, and the other of the sixteen year old daughter of Sue, whos organised a typical teenage rave. The essence of the play is that generally speaking the younger generations should be observed at parties but in Mike Leighs example the irony is that the adults seem just as drunk and obscene as what is imagined next door. This is where the comedy arises and is developed throughout the play as the adults keep a close eye on the teenagers but there is no one to observe the adults. Mike Leigh has also drawn the attention of the audience by focusing on class by contrasting the classes of the characters, Beverly and Lawrence who are aspiring for true middle class, a poor newly married couple and a middle class divorcee. This situation in itself is controversial due to Sue not being nearly as wealthy as Beverly and Lawrence but being by far the most cultured of the group. Another example of this would be shown in Ang, her occupation as a nurse can actually be called a well known and accepted profession, although she has little money and isnt well cultured or travelled, as an outsider you can see the intelligence that Mike Leigh has tried to depict over the other characters. The play is composed of two acts, both of which surprisingly end with the focus on Sue, the most timid character. I think this was purposeful on Leighs behalf as although she seems to be a pretty insignificant character she holds a lot of unknown power over the people in her company. Especially Lawrence who realises her class is above his and he aspires to be like her by seeking her approval. As the play develops so does the amount of alcohol consumed and the tension between the two married couples. Especially from Beverly and Lawrences points of view as they start verbally abusing each other in the presence of their guests, which I believe would not occur otherwise as Ang, Tony and Sue would realise their true characters. Therefore I could also state that the play is structured around class, parties and also alcohol. Everything in the play including props, lighting and sound effects is ultra realistic. The set includes real food and drink with a working record player and lamps, which provide the naturalistic lighting throughout the whole play, and the constant thumping from next door really makes the situation believable. To enhance the realism, Mike Leigh also wrote the play in real time, this means that the duration of the play is natural over the period of an evening, with no days or hours skipped. Another tool used by Mike Leigh to develop true realism is the use of colloquial dialect. There is no stylised or poetic language and also no imagery used. It is written so the audience can easily place themselves in the characters positions. Discussing the structure of the play is hard considering the definitions of A Well Made Play 1.) Exposition (introduction of characters and situations) 2.) Conflict (a huge problem is bought to the surface) 3.) Complications (the problem develops) 4.) Climax (the most dramatic, and tension filled part of the play) 5.) Dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nouement (the resolution) The exposition occurs between pages 1 and 13 when the characters are introduced to each other and also the audience. This is the period when the audience makes their own assumptions of the characters, and they can recognise different relationships and tensions. This is when we also realise about Lawrences hectic lifestyle and frequent suffering of heartburn so that his heart attack doesnt come as a complete shock and the audience understand and sympathise more. The conflict is primarily to do with Beverly and Lawrences relationship and the strain that it is clearly under. But we also see the stress between Angela and Tony periodically. The complication is when the tension builds as more and more alcohol is consumed predominantly between Lawrence and Beverly. The climax is clearly Lawrences heart attack, which is the outcome, of a stressful job, a nagging wife, being polite to unwelcome guests the consumption of alcohol and the constant thumping of the party next door. This is when the focus and drive of the play changes completely from the future life these characters have built themselves to the present situation. Lastly the dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nouement. In Abigails Party there doesnt seem to be a definite resolution, the play is left on a cliff hanger as the audience is left in the dark as to whether the conflicts have been resolved and if not the final outcome of the situation. Abigails Party is referred to as a comedy, but of various types, it contains a slight element of black comedy in the fact that Lawrence has a heart attack. But throughout the play, Leigh develops another form of comedy, not through one-liners, but due to the characters dialogue and movement etc. For example, Tonys monosyllabic answers, Angelas lack of social etiquette, Sues shyness and total dislike of the situation, Lawrences frequent cultural references even though everyone can see he is uneducated in Shakespeare and Beethoven and is simply attempting and failing to reach a higher social class (nouveaux riches). And Beverlys clear lack of self-control concerning Tony and insulting Angelas lipstick. Abigails Party is essentially written as a comedy, until the end, which presents more opportunities, and shows a more tragic and retrospective feel. This play is unique in that it is completely down to the director as to how they depict it as it can be of two extremes tragic or comic, excluding Lawrences death, which is clearly comic with the reference to Angs cramp etc. In the production I saw, it was comic and I thought this worked well but having considered it to be a tragic play I think this could be just as effective.

Developing of Online Enrolment System

Developing of Online Enrolment System Preface This software project management plan is intended to act as an outline of the development of a new honours system for Buena Vista College Administration. This plan will provide the structure and basis of the development of the new system. This includes outlining the deliverables, providing a schedule and organisational structure, and producing the associated plans needed for development of this project. This plan is intended to be used by the project team, as a development guide, throughout the life of the project, and by management as a reference to the details of the design as well as the progress of the project. 1.0 Project Overview The overview of the project provides a brief outline of the major details of the project, including identifying the project, stating what is expected form the project, and a summary of both schedule and budget. 1.1 Purpose, Scope Objectives The purpose of this project is to upgrade the existing enrolment system for Buena Vista College. The upgrade will consist of an added function, allowing administration staff to automatically compute students eligibility for entrance into honours programs. This new system will be integrated into the existing enrolment system. The project team will be restricted to adding the honours function only; fixing defects or adding other functionality is out of the scope of this project. The scope of the project does however include the implementation of any additional packaged software. The objective of this project is to meet the universitys business need of improving efficiencies, in order to lower operating costs and remain competitive. These needs are further defined below: v Overall quicker processing of applications to honour programs. Current methods are manual, making them both time consuming and prone to error. v A more effective handling of honors applications v Develop a readily accessible assessment report of current applicants v Develop a readily accessible honors entrance summary report 1.2 Assumption and Constraints There are several assumptions and constraints relating to the project team developing an honours system for Buena Vista College. They can be found in table 1.1 (below). Table 1.1: Assumptions, constraints and impacts Assumptions Impact on plan if false The group size will remain at five members through-out the life of the project The plan will need to be rescheduled to accommodate the change. Tasks will also have to be reallocated. The client has not specified a due date. The project will require heavy rescheduling, and possibly an outsourcing arrangement. The university will approve financing the system. The project will not go ahead. Client will be able to be contacted at all times May delay production, therefore extending the schedule. Constraints Impact on plan if false Project team is constrained by design of current administration system Project would be developed in a manner best suited to the project team. The plan would need to be recompiled, to conform to the new design. 1.3 Project Deliverables The following list specifies the elements of the project to be formally completed as a deliverable. A full list of both deliverable and non-deliverable work products is included in section 7.3. Table 1.2: Project Deliverables Statement of User Requirements and Acceptance Criteria Formally identifies the requirements of the system, specified by the client. This document needs to be reviewed and accepted cby the client. Software Project Management Plan Details the processes, tools and techniques that are to be used in the development of the project. User Documentation A manual for users clearly explaining system. System (Software) Formal hand over of new system to the client. 1.4 Schedule and Budget Summary The schedule and budget for this project is based upon the waterfall Software Design Life Cycle (SDLC) being adopted for this project. Table 1.3: Schedule and Budget Summary Phase Begun Finished Cost Requirements 04/11/2002 08/11/2002 $1,642.67 Analysis 11/11/2002 25/11/2002 $5,923.44 Design 26/11/2002 13/12/2002 $6,608.00 Coding 16/12/2002 03/03/2003 $36,216.00 Testing and Implementation 04/04/2003 25/04/2003 $6,308.31 TOTALS Project life is approx 125 days $56,968.42 The worst-case and best-case scenarios deviate less than 10% from the above summary. The full schedule and budget can be found in section 5.2.2 and 5.2.4 respectively, and in APPENDIX. 1.5 Evolution of the Project Plan This plan will be completed when it passes two criteria: v All elements of the Software Project Management Plan Template (Walden), are included in this document, and v The document passes a quality review, outlined in the Quality Assurance Plan (Section 7.4). At the completion of this document it will be labelled version 1.0 and shall be put under change control, whereby it may only be changed through the processes outlined in the Configuration Management Plan (Section 7.1). This process shall be made available to all members of the project team, as well as any member of management who requests it. Scheduled updates will be conducted at reviews undertaken at each milestone specified in the Project Reviews (Section 7.5). Unscheduled updates may be conducted at any stage during the development of the project, as long as the project manager approves changes. Regardless of whether the updates are scheduled or not, any change to this plan must comply with the change control plan outlined in the Configuration Management Plan (Section 7.1). 2.0 References Buena Vista College (1997) Configuration Management Plan v2.0, Buena Vista College Press, LOCATION Buena Vista College (2001) Quality Management Plan v3.1, Buena Vista College Press, LOCATION Buena Vista College (1999) Verification and Validation Plan v1.2 Buena Vista College Press, LOCATION Buena Vista College (2002) Work Product Plan v4.0 Buena Vista College Press, LOCATION IEEE Computer Society (1999) Volume Two: Process Standards, IEEE Inc.: New York, U.S.A. Walden, J. (1999) Software Project Management Plan Template v3.0, Department of Information Resources. PMBOK Rout Hodgen (2002) lec notes ROUT CASE STUDY SCHWALBE ALAVI M 1999 RUDOPLH EBERHADT LEC NOTES ON ESTIMATING ADD STANDARDS REFERED TO IN THE SUPPORTING PROCESS PLANS ALPHABETISE REFERENCES. 3.0 Acronyms and Definitions The table below shows all acronyms used and their definitions, in alphabetical order. Table 3.1:Acronyms Definitions (Alphabetical) Acronyms Definitions BVC CMP Buena Vista College Configuration Management Plan BVC QMP Buena Vista College Quality Management Plan BVC VVP Buena Vista College Verification and Validation Plan BVC WPP Buena Vista College Work Product Plan Client Buena Vista College Administration COCOMO Constructive Cost Model COSMOS Software Cost Modelling System FPA Function Point Analysis IT Group Buena Vista College Information Technology Group PM Project Manager PPR Post-project Review Project Team Members of the IT Group working on the system QE Quality Engineer SDD Software Design Description SDLC Software Design Life Cycle SPMP Software Project Management Plan SRS Software Requirements Specification SURAC Statement of User Requirements and Acceptance Criteria System Buena Vista College Administration honours system being developed by the project team TD Test Documentation TP Test Plan UD User Documentation 4.0 Project Organisation Project organisation involves identifying the external and internal interfaces as well as the roles and responsibilities of each member of the project team. 4.1 External Interfaces External interfaces summarise the relationship between the project team, the client, and any other entities associated with the project. This project does not have a true external interface existing between two parties, as both the acquirer and developer are part of the same larger organisation. The project shall exist in an environment separated from non-university bodies. The following table highlights the project teams organisational interactions and the interface/ liaison to each organisation. Table 3: External interfaces Organisation Role/s Interfaces with Project Team Develop of system Client IT Department IT Department Oversee project at highest level Client Project Team Buena Vista College Client; Managerial superior of IT dept and project team Project Liaison interfaces with Project Team IT Dept The Project Manager will be responsible for interfacing with anything outside of the project team. This includes the client liaison, the IT Director, and any other external body. It is important to mention that the IT Director has strong personal interest in this project, as he wishes to prove to the university that the IT department is a capable body. We expect that he will impact heavily upon the interface between the client and the project. Buena Vista College are both the client, and organisational superiors to all involved in the project. 4.2 Internal Structure The internal structure of Buena Vista College outlines the managerial hierarchy of the project team, identifying whom each member is reportable to. The structure also distinguishes the other known elements of the organisation, and their relation to each other. 4.5 Roles and Responsibilities The following table identifies the roles of each person in the team, and the subsequent responsibilities related to that role. Table 4: Roles and responsibilities Role Responsibilities Project Manager * conflict resolution * task allocation * project monitoring and improvement * project team leadership * liaise with both client and superiors Quality Engineer * review all deliverables for quality * produce quality plan * system testing System Analyst/ Designer * analysis * design * testing Programmers * coding * source code documentation * testing 5.0 Managerial Process Plans This section contains the managerial plans that shall be employed during this project. These plans are all subject to change and improvement. The plans have been created using both external knowledge, and personal judgement. External knowledge used includes IEEE standards and the PMBOK guide. 5.1 Start-Up Plan The projects cost and schedule shall be determined by how much effort will be required for this project. In order to determine the effort, the system size must be estimated. This shall be done using function-point analysis (FPA), and Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO) analysis. 5.1.1 Measuring System Size The FPA will yield an approximation to the systems size, which includes an estimate to the number of lines of code required. The FPA will be based upon the statement of user requirements; all data requirements, functions, and reports shall be approximated based upon the users specifications. Please be aware that the FPA is executed after the user the requirements have been gathered, and that the project has already begun. 5.1.2 Measuring Effort Required and Determining Schedules Measuring the amount of effort needed for this system can be measured in terms time required. Because the FPA provides an approximation to the size of the system, it can be used as the basis for measuring time required. Accordingly, the FPA results will be fed into a COCOMO analysis. Again, please be aware that this analysis is done once the project has begun, and does not include the effort required to gain, study, and synthesise the user requirements. The COCOMO analysis shall provide an estimate on the amount of time required to complete the project. The time required shall be displayed in a three phase breakdown; design, programming, and integration and testing. These phases shall then be broken down into activities, which shall be further broken down into tasks. Effort/time required for activities will be guided by the estimate provided in the COCOMO analysis. These estimations will be based upon the outlines given in section 7.2 of the PMBOK (Cost Estimating). In turn, the effort/time required for tasks shall be based upon the estimate for the activity that the task is part of. The COCOMO analysis has only been used to determine the effort required from schedule task 2.2 (Process Implementation), to schedule task 5.3 (Configuration Evaluation). To be more specific, the COCOMO product design phase includes section 2.2 to 3.2; the COCOMO programming phase includes all of section 4; and COCOMO integration and testing phase includes all of section 5. The schedule may be found in Appendix. A diagrammatic mapping the breakdown of work, or Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), is included in APPENDIX. The WBS shall then be used to calculate the project schedule, shown in APPENDIX. 5.1.3 Measuring Project Cost Cost is associated with three key indicators, size, quality, and productivity (Rudolph, 2002, p9). Unfortunately quality and productivity are too difficult to measure. Because system size can be measured in terms of effort, which is measured in terms of time, the hours required to complete the effort tasks can be translated to money (As staff pay can be calculated hourly.). By looking at the schedule, a monetary value shall be assigned to each resource used, eg. staff, hardware, training, etc. 5.1.4 Tools Employed in Calculating Size, Effort Cost The tool (application) that shall be used to conduct this analysis is known as COSMOS, created by East Tennessee Universitys Computer Science Department. The output of this application, the FPA, COCOMO, and Rayleigh Information, is shown in APPENDIX. The Rayleigh Information outputted by COSMOS shows how much time needs to be committed to the main building phase. 5.1.5 Staffing Currently, five staff are available for this project; one Project Manager, one Systems Analyst/Designer, one Quality Engineer, and two programmers. Not all staff will be required to work on the project at once. In the initial phase, the Project Manager and System Analyst are expected to do most work. As the project progresses more staffing shall be required. Programmers shall be employed during the intermediate phases, as well as a quality engineer. During this phase the project manager shall continue to manage and control the project, and the Analyst shall provide support, possibly in supporting areas such as process improvement. The Quality Engineer is likely to oversee the programmers, as well any processes that are subject to quality reviews. As the final phase is entered, the programmers shall be laid off, and also other staff, once their roles are no longer required. The project manager shall then hand over the completed product to the client. An approximation of the staff required through each phase is shown below. Detailed staffing schedules can be found in appendix. Table 5.1: Staff number and details by phase Phase Staff required Details Initial phase: Maximum 2 staff Project Manager Analyst Intermediate phase: Minimum 5 staff All staff Final phase: 1 or 2 staff Project Manager (Minimum) 5.1.5.1 Staff Sources The staff for this project will almost certainly come solely from the IT department. We doubt that contract personnel will be required for this project, as the IT group have more staff, which we expect to be free. If no additional internal staff available when the project requires extra staff, then contract personnel shall be considered. As all staff are familiar are with the development environment, we also doubt special expertise will be required. In the unexpected case that contract personnel are required, we shall approach an appropriate agency and seek the right person immediately. Little technical or managerial training will be required, as any contract staff must be experienced in the technical fields needed. Should the position be a managerial position, then managerial experience will be a prerequisite for such a job. 5.1.5.2 Staff Training All staff are currently familiar with the development environment so we do not expect that any technical training will be necessary. We do not know whether managerial training will be of benefit to the staff in this project, as such, no training will be provided. However, managerial process reviews shall be used in this project. These may uncover managerial weaknesses. Should this be the case, action shall be taken during the project, if feasible, otherwise, it shall be provided upon conclusion of the project. 5.1.6 Required Skills The client has specified a fairly basic system that is to operate in a Windows environment. Furthermore, the client stated that the system is a stand-alone system to run on one PC. Therefore, basic technical skills will be required. Our technical staff are certainly competent in such environments. Project management skills will also be required for this project, as well as knowledge in quality, and systems analysis and design. 5.1.7 Other Resources Required We do not expect any resources not already discussed in this document to be used. No additional hardware, facilities, contracts, or software is expected to acquired, both on the clients side and on the develop teams side. 5.2 Work Plan This section explains about work activities, schedule, resources, and budget details for the project. Some parts of the sub-section will refer to appendix or other sections. 5.2.3 Work Activities Waterfall model has been used to satisfy the requirement of BVC. Work activities involved in the work breakdown structure are: v Requirements v Analysis v Design v Coding v Testing v Project Management For a full description of their relationships and details, refer to section 6(technical plan) and appendix WBS. The acceptance criteria for the project lists the necessary task that are to be completed for the client to accept the product. A copy of the Acceptance Criteria is attached in section 6. Risk management processes relevant to these activities, including risk tracking, is included in section section 5.4 The relationship between a task and its predecessors and successors is illustrated in appendix msProject. 5.2.2 Schedule Allocation After establishing WBS, the tasks were entered into Microsoft Projectà ¢ 97, and the estimated schedule was created. This was completed by assigning a time period to each task. The schedule has been provided in the appendix msProject. 5.2.3 Resource Allocation Resource allocation assigns resources, as in staff and tools provided, to control activities within the WBS. These resources for each task are listed in section 6. 5.2.4 Budget Allocation Budget Allocation place a key role in any project. It estimates cost of resources and tools needed to conclude project activities. The budget for this project was calculated using Microsoft Projectà ¢ 97, using resource allocation, and expected pay-rates. A copy of the budget is provided in msProject. 5.3 Control Plan This section describes how the project will be monitored and controlled using the following plans. 5.3.1 Requirements Control Plan Any changes to the product requirements will be managed through the configuration management change control process, summarised in section 7.1. A requirements tracability matrix will be provided in all documents referencing the requirements, this will provide a direct link back to each requirement of the system. Impact analysis and change approval processes are described in Configuration Management, section 7.1. 5.3.2 Schedule Control Schedule control for this project will require inputs to control, control techniques, and outputs such as updates and corrections. The schedule will be monitored using the following inputs. v Project schedule: See Appendix for the project schedule. This will provide the basis for measuring and reporting schedule performance. v Performance reports: These reports provide information on schedule performance, such as whether deadline dates are being met or not. They shall also help the team stick to schedules, and alert us issues that may cause future problems. v Change requests: Schedule changes may be required to extend or shorten the project. Change requests for this project must exist formally as a document, and may originate internally or externally. A schedule control system shall use the above the inputs to manage changes to schedule. When changes to occur, additional planning must be done for compensation. A MS Project file will be updated to accommodate these changes. 5.3.3 Budget Control Budget control will be undertaken by the project manager, and include affecting any changes to the cost schedule, monitoring the cost baseline and determining any changes to the schedule and managing those changes. Changes to the budget schedule shall be influenced as much as possible by the project manager, to create the least effect on the plan. To monitor the budget, the project manager will receive periodic reports on the status budget, detailing what is under, over and on budget. Based on this information, Based on this information, the project manager will be able to assess any difference from the planned budget and determine if the variance is significant enough to require further investigation. If further action is required, then the type and extent is left to the project managers discretion, based on the particular case. Earned Value Management (EVM) will be used to monitor the budget compared to the amount of work completed. Through these techniques, the project manager will be able to determine if there are any changes to the schedule. If the schedule has changed, the project manager will need to reassess the schedule, taking into account these new developments. The project manager will also have to ensure that the changes to the budget will not affect the scope of the project by having to leave out some tasks due to budget constraints. Cost reporting of each task will be determined based on its size and budget. Large and expensive tasks will be reporting more frequently than small and cheap tasks. The period between reports is chosen by the project manager on a case-by-case basis. 5.3.4 Quality Control Plan The details of the Quality Control Plan are outlined in the Quality Assurance Plan, (section 7.4). The Quality Assurance Plan describes the measuring and controlling mechanisms used to assure the quality of the work processes and products. These mechanisms include audits, joint reviews, process assessments, and quality assurance of the processes. 5.3.5 Reporting Plan This plan highlights the reporting mechanisms, formats and frequencies of the reporting structure of the project. These relationships are displayed in table 5.2, below. Table 5.2: Reporting and Communication plan Communication From To Time Period Action plans Audits Minutes of meetings Risk Assessment Schedule checks Progress of assigned tasks All group members Project Manager Weekly 5.3.6 Measurement Plan All project measures, where not predetermined by either Buena Vista College, or any other external requirements, will be agreed upon by the project team based on the projects main issues. These details will be formally recorded in the Measurements Recording Form (Appendix #). The metrics used in the measurement plan will be collected at two processes in the development lifecycle, at the verification and validation processes, and at the end of the project. These measures will be collected mainly through interviews and reports at each of these times. The collected data will then be validated and stored by the project manager. 5.4 Risk Management Plan The risk management plan is designed for the development team to recognize any risk that may have a clashing affect to the projects schedule, budget and quality. The risk management covers the identification of risk factors, the assessment of the possible severity and likelihood of the risks, definition of management strategies for avoiding and containing risk, and the means for ongoing monitoring of the risk factors. 5.4.1 Risk Factors Identified Risk factors that were identified early in the project are listed below. During the life of the project the PM may find more risk factors that may affect the schedule and budget of the project. The PM will record each new risk factor in a Risk Identification Form (Appendix #). The risks presently identified are: v Conflict with team members v Staff skills and competence v Functional Rise v Conflicts with client/Customer v Low quality v Low productivity v Consistent to standards v Business Risks (absence caused by illness of accident of involved stakeholder.) v Loss of client. v New/Old technology conflicts. v Client Acceptance v Availability and use of Resources. 5.4.2 Risk Assessment Each risk factor identified was assessed on the likelihood and severity of it becoming an issue. Each assessment gave a value of 1 to 10, where 1 was low and 10 was high, indicating its importance. The assessment for each risk factor gave the reasons for the risk, impact of the risk, monitoring of the risk, and the resolution of the risk. With this detailed assessment of the risk factors a top ten risks identification and report was created. Also a risk matrix was created of each risks likelihood and severity. The project risks can be founding APPENDIX. 5.4.3 Risk Management Strategy Impacts of the risks on the project will be the cost, schedule and quality of the product. The PM must understand that risks are part of the day-to-day operations of the project. As part of the risk management strategy, the PM must conduct weekly reviews on the status of the current top-ten risks, and continually be aware of the development of any new risks. Any new risks identified must be formally recorded in a Risk Identification Form (Appendix #). Once identified, if in the top-ten, a risk has a contingency plan developed in case it becomes an issue, and is continually monitored. If a risk eventuates and becomes an issue, it will be recorded, its contingency plan will be started, and a group member will be assigned to handle the issue. These procedures are outlined in Issue Management, section 7.6. The PM must also be able to produce a report on the current status of the risks to any stakeholder if required. 5.4.4 Top Ten Risks Identification The top-ten risks identification highlights each risk and its details. It identifies each risks probability of occurring, 1 10(high), its severity and exposure (probability of occurrence * severity), the problem resolution technique, who is responsible for monitoring the risk, and the time period of the risk. Table 5.3: Top Ten Risks ID Item Prob Loss Exp Resolution Who Date 1 Conflicts with team members 6 8 48 Group Meeting PM Cont 2 Resource Availability 4 9 36 Reschedule PM Cont 3 Low Productivity 4 8 32 Inspection PM Cont 4 Consistent standards 5 6 30 Inspection PM Cont 5 Low Quality 4 7 28 Inspection PM Cont 6 Client Acceptance 4 7 28 Client meeting PM Hand -Over Phase 7 Conflict with Client 4 7 28 Client meeting PM Cont 8 Staff skill and competence 3 9 27 Training PM Cont 9 Functional Rise 2 9 18 Reschedule PM Cont 10 Absence of a stakeholder 2 9 18 Reschedule PM N/A Cont = Continuous (on -going) Below is example report kept by the PM to monitor risks in the project. The PM must have a current copy of the report. He must be able to show the report when requested by a stakeholder. Table 5.4: Risk Report Item Rank Now Last Time Time List Resolution Conflicts with team members 1 New 0 Have a group meeting. Resolve differences among the team members Resource Availability 2 New 0 Get more resources Low Productivity 3 New 0 Use Software process improvement methods. Consistent standards 4 New 0 Check QA plan. Low Quality 5 New 0 Design a Quality Model to achieve software quality standards Client Acceptance 6 New 0 Rework project until the client is satisfied. Conflict with Client 7 New 0 Talk with client and resolve issue Staff skill and competence 8 New 0 Train Staff Functional Rise 9 New 0 Redo Schedule for project. Absence of stakeholder 10 New 0 Redo Schedule for project. 5.4.5 Risk Matrix The risk matrix identifies the top-ten risks in terms of their likelihood of occurrence and severity. Items towards the top-left of the matrix are both probable and severe, and should be monitored carefully. Items towards the bottom-right are improbable and have a negligible impact on the project. Table 5.

Coping Mechanisms in Tim OBriens The Things They Carried Essay

During the Vietnam war, soldiers were not exposed to the traditional coping mechanisms of our American society, as illustrated in Tim Obrien's The Things They Carried. These men were forced to discover and invent new ways to deal with the pressures of war, using only their resources while in the Vietnamese jungle. It was not possible for any soldier to carry many items or burdens with them, but if something was a necessity, a way was found to carry it, and coping mechanisms were a necessity to survive the war. Anti-depressants, psychiatrists, massages...there are many different things offered in American society today to help individuals fight the stress of life. People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for medicine and treatments that promise to give them a better life. They will spend hours of their time at a masseuse or a psychiatrist in constant search for relief from the lives they live. During the Vietnam War, however, soldiers were not exposed to any of these traditional "coping mechanisms". Instead, these men were forced to discover and invent new ways to deal with the pressures of war, using only their resources while in the Vietnamese jungle. It was not possible for any soldier to carry many items or burdens with them, but if something was a necessity, a way was found to carry it, and coping mechanisms were a necessity to survive the war. Each soldier had a personal effect, story, or process that helped him wake up each morning and go to battle once again, and it was these personal necessities that enabled men to return home after the war. Stress was caused by the war itself and the continual conditions of battle, as well as the knowledge and guilt of killing another ... ... could not help themselves, they were not going to be helped. If struggle were encountered, men had personalized ways to reconnect with the real world, and if a tragedy were encountered which affected the entire company, they also found a combined way to cope with this pressure. The priorities of men during the war shifted greatly toward emotional connections to people and events other than the war, and it was these connections that helped them survive and return home. Coping with the stress and burden of war is not an easy task for anyone, yet in The Things they Carried, O'Brien depicts men dealing and coping as much as they can, using only their primeval resources. They learn how to cope with the barest necessities in life, and they learn how to make use of the smallest opportunities to obtain the most relief and joy from every moment in life.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I was younger, I would often return home to a familiar question: So, what did you learn today? My answer would always be "nothing" or "stuff." As I look back, I never lied, yet, I never told the whole truth. Many people think that you don't know anything with only 18 years of experience; I think they're wrong. I've learned a lot about myself and others from the relationships I have built throughout the years. I believe my most important lessons were "people" lessons. Those are the ones which could never be taught out of a book or in a lecture; you have to go out and experience them for yourself. I have learned that you'll never know the answer if you don't ask the question. People like you for who your are, even if you wear watermelons on your head at homecoming, tight black leather pants for a fashion show, or get decked out in your parent's old polyester clothes for Disco Day. Everything is a give and take situation and we can never give enough. If you want to be heard, first you must listen. We are all different, yet very much the same. Everything I have just said can be ...

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest :: essays research papers

"Ting. Tingle, tingle, tremble toes, she’s a good fisherman, catches hens, puts ‘em inna pens†¦wire blier, limber lock, three geese inna flock†¦one flew east, one flew west, on flew over the cuckoo’s nest†¦O-U-T spells out†¦goose swoops down and plucks you out."The book "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" is about a man, Randle Patrick Mc Murphy who is a rough-and-tumble, fun-loving guy who comes into the mental ward in Oregon and challenges the authoritarian nurse, Ms. Ratched. As the struggle between them goes on, Mc Murphy starts to show the other men of the ward how to loosen up and that they do not have to always listen to the nurse. Eventually, Mc Murphy is defeated when Ms. Ratched makes him get a lobotomy. When you first pick up the book, you will first notice that the story is told by one of the men who live in the ward. This is Chief Bromden; a half-Indian who is one of the long time committed men. In my eyes, the Bromden is a key character in the whole book. The Chief, in reality, is 6 foot 7 inches tall, but in his mind he sees himself as a man only two or three feet tall. This is because he has received over 200 electro-shock treatments and has been physiologically beaten to think that he is an inferior being to all others but he is not alone. All of the patients in the ward have had this done to them, some more than others. Another thing that sets the Chief apart is the fact that he has led everyone to think he is deaf and mute. This has enabled him to hear some of the secrets of the ward because everyone thought it was safe to talk around him. The Chief has also been in the army and in WWII. He claims to hear and see machinery in the walls of the ward that track and monitor all action that goes on in and around the hospital. With his experiences in war and with what he has gone through in the ward, he often loses himself in a "fog". He creates this "fog" in his mind so that he can numb the reality of where he is. Because of how he acts when in this fog, he has remained distant from all other patients in the ward. At least he was until he met McMurphy.

Foolishness in Shakepeare’s king lear

King Lear is considered to be Shakespeare’s best artistic work. Early on, the readers glean the foolishness of the king as he bequeaths his riches and his kingdom to his deceitful daughters. This is his desperate attempt to know who loves him. Thus, we see his foolishness as he draws out testimonies of his daughters’ love for him. For all his wealth and riches, he is bereft of the love of his daughters. His glaring foolishness is seen as he bequeaths his kingdom to the one who would speak of her undying love for him. Thus, we see that only a foolish man would do such actions for naturally, his daughters, who want the material things will give him the accolades he so desperately wants to hear.King Lear is foolish not to know the depth of Cordelia’s love for him because he measures it only with the words that will come from her mouth. He asks them to match each other’s pronouncements of their love for him, â€Å"Tell me, my daughters,- / Since now we will d ivest us both of rule, / Interest of territory, cares of state,- / Which of you shall we say doth [does] love us [King Lear] most? That we our largest bounty may extend / Where nature doth with merit challenge† (Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53).King Lear should have observed more the actions of her daughters instead of their spoken adulations. He is taken aback by Cordelia’s response: â€Å"†Nothing, my lord† (Line 89). He then prods her to continue yet, she does not succumb to the pretenses that the situation requires of her and declares no high praises and love, which prods the king to conclude, â€Å"Nothing will come of nothing:† and in a pitiable state urges her to â€Å"speak again† (Line 92). For his Cordelia lacks â€Å"that glib and oily art / To speak and purpose not; since what I well intend, / I'll do't before I speak-† (Line 227).This foolishness is again gleaned as the King thinks that when he gives out his kingdom, he â€Å"shakes all cares and business from our age, conferring them on younger strengths while we unburdened crawl to death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Act I, Sc i, Ln 38-41). Nothing could be farther from the truth, for this just makes him worry no end that Cordelia does not love him at all.The story of King Lear illustrates clearly what happens when children are consumed by greed and when they lose their love for their parents.   The play focuses on deception, greed, cruelty, and misjudgment. King Lear would have stood bravely had he not been blinded by his own folly. Often the disguise or deception is not physical but emotional.   The few characters that must physically disguise themselves in the play are the few characters that are not motivated by darker emotions.Kent and Edgar disguise themselves: one to help the king, the other to escape punishment. In the end, Shakespeare shows them to have pure and decent motives. The dukes and two eldest daughters however, who at no time in the play hide their f aces nor their actions, do hide their true nature. The daughters trick their father into believing that they love him above all else.   Edmund, too, tricks his father into thinking he is a loving devoted son, and this is to hide their true greediness.  (Novel Analysis).Greed and craving are distortions of desire. In greed and craving, one relinquishes most of the consideration for anybody else in one’s existence. King Lear is part of that existence and falls victim to this greed. He is foolish not to see behind the actions of the very people he is surrounded with. This is an insatiable, self-designed torture trap that his children are engulfed with.King Lear knew the conditions of his life as he experiences it. Only he can choose how to meet them. To the degree that his daughters are into hustling and conning, then they do not really communicate with him. He exists for them only as an object that they hope to use for their own benefit. Lear finds himself surrounded by peo ple who only wish to deceive and abuse him and leave him abandoned.This causes him to loose his sanity. King Lear’s decisions change his life and send him to his own demise. His actions lead him to his own sufferings, â€Å"Howl, howl, howl! O, you are men of stones. Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so that heaven's vault should crack. She's gone for ever! I know when one is dead, and when one lives.†(Act V, Sc iii, Ln 306-312).King Lear avoided the issue of his daughters’ manipulations. He allowed himself to be sidetracked by his world of distracting events. His ways of resisting or avoiding dealing with areas of his life that he did not feel ready to cope, kept him from being logical. He resisted seeing clearly and that put something else between him and the issue. He blocked it out of his awareness and convinced himself that it does not exists. He looks at the event and sees only the distracter that he puts between him and the issue, or he does not s ee anything there at all. When he got totally caught in his situation, he lost all sense of perspective on what others were plotting against him.In conclusion, the king’s foolishness manifested in his own compulsive control that clamped him down and channeled his energies in narrow ways. This pushed all his power into places where he was blinded to see the entire picture sending him naked and where nature symbolized the chaos he found himself in.WORKS CITEDAct I, Sc i, Ln 38-41, Act I, Sc i, Ln 47-53 Reports & Essays: Literature – Shakespeare,Study world Retrieved Jan. 8, 2007 at:Novel Analysis. King Lear. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2007 at:http://www.novelguide.com/kinglear/themeanalysis.html