Friday, May 31, 2019

World War One and The Middle East Essay -- International Conflict

IntroductionOver the course of human history, wars have always created, destroyed or enveloped nations, states or empires. Examples of these include the Final War of the Roman Republic, which culminated with the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, to the Franco-Prussian War of 1871 which created a unified German state. However, World War One is cognise to have had the greatest impact on human civilization. It dragged in almost every continent into the conflict, halted global trade, led to the demolition of four empires, and gave nationalism everywhere a boost. One interesting factor about the First World War is the extent to which it had a tremendous impact on the essence east. many another(prenominal) westerners today would only remember it by reading Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the Western Front or attending an Armistice twenty-four hour period parade in Central London. Most would not even contemplate the fact that World War One had everything to do with the current events in t he ticker East today such as the so-called Arab Spring, the Palestinian conflict, et cetera. With all being said, the argument presented is that even though the First World War was key in shaping the destiny of the modern Middle East, the long term unintended results were definitely more important. In addition, the war was mainly a gas pedal for the continuation of justificative developmentalism in the Middle East. Now emphasis must be laid why World War One affected the Middle East. NarrativeOn the 28th of June 1914, a Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. An interesting question must be asked about why the character assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne has anything to do with the future of the Middle East. Ansary notes that the war seemed ... ... to wield an iron fist ranging from Mustafa Kemal to Hosni Mubarak to various monarchs that rule the numerous kingdoms some the in and around the Arabian Peninsula in order to ex act development. The defensive developmentalists of the nineteenth century were secular leading just as the various Middle Eastern leaders are today. In acknowledging its significance, there is no doubt that the First World War did have a tremendous impact on the Middle East but it must be said that the string of problems that exists there today started prior to the war and the war itself served as a catalyst for stronger nationalism and defensive developmentalism.Works CitedAnsary, Tamim. Destiny Disrupted A History of the World through Islamic Eyes. brisk York PublicAffairs, 2009. Gelvin, James L. The Modern Middle East A History. New York Oxford University Press, 2011.

Thursday, May 30, 2019

Strategic Management Essay -- Business essays research papers

Strategic managementIntroductionTo deal effectively with the enormous array of factors affecting the ability of a ancestry to grow and prosper, managers contract advanced adjoines they feel will facilitate the optimal positioning of the business in its competitive environment. Such positioning is possible with strategic solicitude because this process improves preparedness for unexpected internal or competitive demands.Therefore, strategic prudence is an all-inclusive approach for formulating, implementing and evaluating managerial decisions in a way that permits the business to reach its objectives.For a strategic management plan to be successful, however, every manager should all the way see the need for changeBe firmly committed to the idea of changing the business planning processAssure that the strategic management process has credibility with everyone involvedMake sure that final plans are realistic and reflect actual resources and capabilitiesTrain all participants in the procedures essential to the strategic management processDevelop concise and well-organized plansOne of the worlds best performing natural resources companies created a unique organizational structure that combines the advantages of small business units with virtual structures - groupings of these business units - that can address different strategic issues and competitive environments.OverviewThe formality of the strategic management process varies widely. Formality refers to the degree to which membership, responsibilities, authority and prudence in decision making are specified. It is an important consideration in the study and application of strategic management because the degree of formality is usually positively correlated with the cost, comprehensiveness, accuracy and success of planning. The requirements for small business indicate the need for a moderate degree of formality. This is consistent with the ability to communicate face-to-face (size) and the need for flexibi lity (changing demands). The important issue is involvement with the process, not generating reams of paperwork (Camerer, 195-219).Resistance to change should be reduced. Businesses vary in the processes they use to formulate and direct their strategic management activities. Many using sophisticated planning techniques have developed more detai... ...heir management of their organizations, due to their important role in the culture formation and rescue process. They need to be continually aware of the cultural values espoused through their behavior and actions.ReferencesAstley, W.G., and C.J. Fombrun, 1983, Collective StrategySocial Ecology of Organizational Environments. Academy ofManagement Review 8 pp. 576-587Burgelman, R.A. 1996, A Process Model of Strategic BusinessExit Implications for an Evolutionary Perspective onStrategy. Strategic Management Journal 17 pp. 193-214Camerer, Colin F. 1994, Does Strategy Research Need GameTheory? In Fundamental Issues in Strategy A ResearchA genda. Richard P. Rumelt, Dan E. Schendel, and David J.Teece (eds.). Pp. 195-219. Boston Harvard BusinessSchool water closetGalbraith, Jay R. 1995, Designing Organizations An ExecutiveBriefing on Strategy, Structure and Process, SanFrancisco Jossey-Bass Publishers pp. 12-15Harrison, Jeffrey S., and Caron H. St. John, 1998, StrategicManagement of Organizations and Stakeholders Concepts.2nd Edition. Cincinnati, OH South-Western CollegePublishing, pp. 44-59

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Paleolithic Art Essay -- Essays Papers

Paleolithic ArtPaleolithic graphics, dating back to the previous(a)(a) Paleolithic period 40,000-10,000 B.C. (the Stone Age), is one of the most beautiful, natural periods of cave art and clay sculptures. Created by Nomadic hunters and gatherers with bead, wood, and bone, these figures were thought to be symbolic and produce some magical or ritual relevance. Figures and drawings have been found in all parts of the world dating back to the Cro-Magnon man as late as 60,000 long time ago.There are two different periods of overlapping periods. The first, dating between 14,000-13,500 B.C., is the Aurignacio-Perigordian. This period included the contents of the Lauscaux cave paintings, the many sculptures at Laussel, and the voluptuous feminine figures called Venuses (Columbia Press, 1). The second, named the Solutres-Magdalenian period, dating back to 14,000-9,500 B.C., includes murals of Rouffignac and Niaux, and the ceiling decors in Spain (Columbia Press, 1).Paleolithic art falls i nto two distinct categories portable pieces and cave art. Portable art was carved from bone, stone, or modeled from clay. Most has been found in Europe, Africa, and Siberia (Encarta, 1). The cave art comprised mostly of drawings and paintings recovered in mostly Spain and France (Versaware, 1). A possible third art category is mentionable also. Rock art is comprised of carvings and drawings on rock surfaces, but little of this art has been honored (Encarta, 1). This form of art has founded many of todays drawings, languages, and cultures. The first discovery was in the 1860s by French Paleontologist, Eduard Lartet. The decorations were estimated back to the Stone Age because of the use of Ice Age animal bones. Researchers soon were turn over everywhere in search of objects, ignoring cave drawings (Encarta, 1). In the 1880s, a landowner discovered a cave in Spain filled with art and structural objects. covert it at first, researchers revealed it to the world that helped people lea rn to accept cave art for what it really was, an art. Many sites were uncovered shortly after, dating back to over 32,000 years (Versaware, 1).Since 1981, archeologists have also found art outside of the caves such as engravings of humans, horses, and cattle, which were about 20,000 years old. Paleolithic findings, if surviving erosion, are now becoming more common throughout the world (Columbia, 1).... ...ed spray paint, which was blown either out of a tube or out of their mouths (Versaware, 1). Because they had none of the advantages that we have today, their creations, which was more severe to fully complete, can be considered a precious, unique works of art.To be sure that these items are genuinely prehistoric, radiocarbon dating was used (Encarta, 4). Scientists can posit the true age from only a tiny amount of pigment in the paint. One of the oldest, found in Europe and Asia, was carved in ivory and dates back to about 32,000 years. Another, discovered in England in 1996, w as found to be about 60,000 years old (Columbia, 1) Few endure erosion, but the survivors make tenuous timelines of the eras that remain unclear to researchers.This beautiful Stone Age present to our time suggests that art was visible and practiced from close to the beginning of time. The adorned caves and figures have helped us learn of other cultures and their distinctive expressions of life-forms. Still indistinct about the main purpose of this creative art form, archaeologists continue to dig and discover new pieces that may add to the picture and help to solve this ongoing puzzle.

IBM DB2 vs Oracle Essay -- essays research papers

For this weeks paper I shed chosen to do a comparison between IBMs DB2 database management clay (database management system) intersection point and Oracle. Realistically, making such a comparison is akin to discussing religion with friends. Each person forget have their own biases based on their own give births. spirit for an unbiased opinion is much like looking for the Holy Grail, every bit as speculative and subjective with the results jaundiced by the outlook of the newsperson (Lim, 2002).A decision between DB2 and Oracle should be based on what resources are available for use at the site. Is there specific ironware or software already onsite that can or will be used in the installment, if so this will have a major impact on the decision making process. Does the staff have an existing knowledge base that favors one or the other DBMS and is there a team that has unallocated judgment of conviction to dedicate to this project or will another project be put on hold to all ow them to make this project their focus until completion. Finally, have the costs of ongoing maintenance for fixed and soft assets been considered? All of the above will impact the decision making processes prior to purchasing one of the DBMSs. These factors aside, either DBMS will run as fast as the other provided that the environment has been optimized for it (Lim, 2002).A side by side analysis of the hardware and software requirements for both DBMSs shows some remarkable similarities as well as some differences. Similarities in baseline processors across the various hardware platforms but different amounts of disk space and both applications desiring as much memory as possible to improve performance (Chigrik, 2003).For DB2 v8.1 when installed into a windows environment you will need a minimum of a Pentium or Pentium compatible processor, at least 256mb of ram, and between 100 and 350mb of hard disk space depending on whether the installation is compact, custom, or typical. Depen ding of the file format of the disk drives additional space may be needed by DB2 because of cluster sizes (Chigrik, 2003).Oracle 9i on the other overhaul requires a minimum of 128b of ram in a windows environment, although 256mb is recommended. Oracle also requires a minimum of 200mb of virtual memory for file swap space. In monetary value of processors, Oracle specifies a minimum of a Pentium 166 or high. Oracle also needs 140mb of disk space on the system drive an... ... block indexes. IBM DB2 has higher limits in most of the common database features except most columns in an index key, longest index key, max char() size, max table row length, longest SQL statement, and recursive sub queries (Chigrik, 2003).In the end there is no clear cut winner, as stated previously, a lot of the outcome is determined by the experience of the developer of the database and the administrator of the database. Both DBMSs can be used to build stable and efficient transaction processing systems, w ith the level of experience of the personnel working with the system having a greater impact on performance, than the vendor supplying the DBMS (Chigrik, 2003).ReferencesChigrik, A. (2003). Oracle 9i Database vs DB2 v8.1. Retrieved May 11, 2005, from MSSQL City entanglement site http//www.mssqlcity.com/Articles/Compare/oracle_vs_db2.htmpart_3.Lim, C. (2002). Oracle vs DB2 vs Teradata. Retrieved May. 11, 2005, from Experts.About.com Web site http//experts.about.com/q/1041/2465849.htm.Transaction Processing Performance Council, (2005). Retrieved May. 11, 2005, from Top Ten TPC-C by Performance Version 5 Results Web site http//www.tpc.org/tpcc/results/tpcc_perf_results.asp.

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

North Korea: Nuclear Friend or Foe? :: Nuclear proliferation

North Korea Nuclear Friend or Foe?IntroductionIt is 2025. After decades of bickering and in ten-spotse fighting, India and Pakistan finally break out into ecumenic war. Millions atomic number 18 killed in the thermonuclear exchange. Other countries are drawn into the fray, ultimately widening the landscape of war. The death toll reaches a billion lives. In essence, you are witnessing a nuclear holocaust.Fortunately, this is a completely fictitious event something one would think was straight out of a movie. The scary part is that as more(prenominal) and more countries begin to acquire nuclear weapons, further nuclear research, and pursue other nuclear-related projects, this can be very real. It might happen in ten years, a few months, or even tomorrow.The issue of nuclear proliferations is an issue of much concern by the United States. Since its creation back in the mid-forties through the Manhattan project, the atomic bomb has been the bane of society, in terms of the level of potential threat it holds for the international community. The focus of this paper looks at U.S. policy towards nuclear proliferation, both past and present, with a special focus on the status of North Korea. For some analysts and many governmental officials, North Korea seems to be the next wide-ranging threat to U.S. and international security. Proponents of this belief cite statements made by North Korea, efforts to enrich used fuel rods, and other pursuits to utilize nuclear power in some track or other. In an effort to really break down on a critical level the United States approach towards the verdant of North Korea, this paper examines not only the historical context of U.S./North Korea relations, but also the U.S. stance towards proliferation among such countries as Iran, Libya, Israel, India, Pakistan, and other countries. In apply other countries to compare and contrast U.S. policy, hopefully this will bring about some sort of rationale behind the approa ch to North Korea. Understandably, the issue is way more complex than just a chosen stance towards each individual country. History, political balance, as well as, the intent of the U.S. administration at the duration shape the policy instituted toward the particular country.A Colored HistoryOn June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman authorized the use of American land, sea, and air forces in Korea a week later, the United Nations placed the forces of 15 other member nations under U.

North Korea: Nuclear Friend or Foe? :: Nuclear proliferation

North Korea Nuclear Friend or Foe?IntroductionIt is 2025. After decades of bickering and in disco biscuitse fighting, India and Pakistan finally break out into usual war. Millions atomic number 18 killed in the thermonuclear exchange. Other countries are drawn into the fray, ultimately widening the landscape of war. The death toll reaches a billion lives. In essence, you are witnessing a nuclear holocaust.Fortunately, this is a completely fictitious event something one would think was straight out of a movie. The scary part is that as more and more countries begin to acquire nuclear weapons, further nuclear research, and pursue other nuclear-related projects, this can be very real. It might happen in ten years, a few months, or even tomorrow.The issue of nuclear proliferations is an issue of much concern by the United States. Since its creation back in the mid-forties through the Manhattan project, the atomic bomb has been the bane of society, in terms of the level of potential threat it holds for the international community. The focus of this paper looks at U.S. policy towards nuclear proliferation, both past and present, with a special focus on the status of North Korea. For some analysts and many governmental officials, North Korea seems to be the next turgid threat to U.S. and international security. Proponents of this belief cite statements made by North Korea, efforts to enrich used fuel rods, and other pursuits to utilize nuclear power in some bearing or other. In an effort to really break down on a critical level the United States approach towards the boorish of North Korea, this paper examines not only the historical context of U.S./North Korea relations, but also the U.S. stance towards proliferation among such countries as Iran, Libya, Israel, India, Pakistan, and other countries. In development other countries to compare and contrast U.S. policy, hopefully this will bring about some sort of rationale behind the approach to No rth Korea. Understandably, the issue is way more complex than just a chosen stance towards each individual country. History, political balance, as well as, the intent of the U.S. administration at the season shape the policy instituted toward the particular country.A Colored HistoryOn June 27, 1950, President Harry S. Truman authorized the use of American land, sea, and air forces in Korea a week later, the United Nations placed the forces of 15 other member nations under U.

Monday, May 27, 2019

Case study sap establishing a research center over china Essay

Recommendations Content Competitors SAP overview Benchmarks Products and Services chinawares package industry Porters diamond model explains how warms can put on competitive advantage on international grocery store places and thus become exporters of their goods and services collect Conditions Government policies 1972 1978 SAP Founded from IBM employees in Germany SAP turns 10 providing service to 250 companies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland 1982 Opens international subsidiaries in Denmark, Sweden, Italy, and the US Customer milest wiz Dow Chemicals becomes SAPs 1,000th node SAP International Expansion into Switzerland 1984 1988 1989 SAP (International) AG in Switzerland controls 12 international subsidiaries in Canada, Singapore, Australia, and other countries.33% of its tax revenue is spent for R&D SAP is named Company of the Year Marketing in the Chinese market with presentations in Beijing, snatch, and Tianjin. The IBM corporation, a longstanding SAP partner, is n ow using SAP R/3 to have sex its global business processes. New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in Q3 Worlds leading supplier of e-business package solutions Third-largest independent software vendor on the planet Company supports its customers with special programs designed to help them emerge from the 2009 economic crisis.Cutbacks, SAP is able to improve its operating margin in spite of the challenging circumstances. Double-digit growth shows that more and more customers areturning to SAPs software innovations.FUTURE INVESTMENTSSAP announces its plans for growth in emerging market economies such as Brazil, India, Russia, and especially chinaware= EUR 2 Billion World leader in enterprise applications in terms of software and software-related service revenue Worlds third largest independent software manufacturer A 40-year history of innovation and growth. More than 183,000 customers in one hundred thirty+ countries. More than 55,765 employees in 130+ countries.Annual revenue (IFRS ) of 14,23 billion = $18,66 billion US dollars (2011) 1994 1998 2000 2003 Early History 1979 Goes public SAP AG Fast Track SAP in Shanghai ninth opening of a development location 2005 2007 2010 2011The SAP HANA platform, enabling them to analyze data in secondsSAP announces its EUR 2.5 billion acquisition of SuccessFactors, the leading provider of cloud applications. SAPs Financial The SAP R/3 system is released for WindowsWorkforce = 24,000 employeesin over 50 countriesRevenues 6.3 billion 23% cast up SAP decision to construct SAP Labs Shanghai Pudong Software Park. 2006 Along with SAP Germany, SAP Austria, SAP Chile,SAP Andina y delCaribe, SAP Mexico, andSAP region Sur winSAP Labs India receives the distinction Recruiting and Staffing Best in Class Software revenue of EUR 1.5 billion best quarter in SAPs history. SAP branches out to clients in Austria and France Wave of the Future Opens subsidiaries China South Africa, Malaysia, Japan, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Mexico 199 2 1996 Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry Related & Supporting Industries Factor Endowments SAP offered competitive salary, interest in local high-potential programs, foreign visits, the opportunity to fetch with global counterparts, and for long-term senior staff, a subsidized car policy.SAP set up programs to build relationships with Chinas top 10 universities in computer science. Staff traveled to local universities to develop and maintain contact with their professors.SAP gentlemans gentleman Resources set up a number of programs to help promote PhD internships at SAP Research.Stanford University three-month summer internship positions an incentive for top Chinese interns Finding talent difficult = 1% of master and PHD graduates with same qualifications as in US or EuropeDifficult recruiting managers from abroad to ChinaCompensation Wars for local talentExpatriates recruited in addition very expensiveDifficult to retain staff cod to high opportunities=problem for project tha t require 3-7 yearsAnnual raises were common up to 15% or more squeeze graduates expected a high level of in the flesh(predicate) engagement Recruiting Challenges Solutions Key decision making for SAP Labs in China Recommendations Support of long-term investment in technology and R&D Tax incentivesReduced 15% corporate income tax150% deduction for R&D expenditures if R&D spending has increased by 10% from the prior year Access to cheap landEstablishing facilities in China eases market accesspremise to sell productsGovernment allows easier access to clientsRelationship building is very authorizedPolitical stability supports long-term investments Some Facts 1.5 million employeesCAGR 29% over past three years20,719 firms in software industry High market potentialonly 45% of companies had adapted ERP systemsDemanding customers due to specifications of Chinese marketRapidly changing and developing marketMarket of the future trends can be identified hereStrong development of general Chi nese economy Limited competition, mostly smaller companies with focus on SMEsSAP is market leader in large enterprise segmentFocus of strategy is to deliver high quality software as a standardized solution with constant improvements and innovation SAPs structure Geocentric firm sets the basis for successful operations in China Homogenous company cultureCollective decision makingall pulling on one string interdependent subsidiaries Partners are available, yet underutilized Huawei became SAPs starting Chinese partner in July 2012 Supporting industry is not as important as in other industries business outcomes are companionship basedonly little up- and downstream activities Infrastructure pileus Resources Knowledge Resources Factor Endowments strong-arm Resources Human Resources Availability of skilled, hard-working, striving, aspiring workers appr. 2.4 million graduates Workforce is comparatively cheap5000 9000 RMB per programmer20,000 30,000 RMB per SAP consultantCompetition fo r skilled university graduates is rough Access to development available, however on a limited basis due to restrictions imposed by the government (such as controlling the internet), Internal knowledge can be built up through switch over with other SAP invests High availability, large in string up of FDI, especially in high technology sector Capital is relatively cheapDifferent sources of financing available Cheap availability of land and office spaces, especially in software parks Other animal(prenominal) resources do not play a big role Software parks support the exchange of knowledge, lead to innovation, low colloquy costs advanced(a) internet connections allow for highspeed communication with sets throughout the world Threats Wage levels rise in China companies already start moving to ASEAN countriesLoss of IP due to violations and copyright infringementsIntercultural problems might become an issueHofstede cultural distance between China and Western countries is very high Language barriersTime zone barriers ecumenical Threats Unfamiliarity HazardIncorrect market assessment Do Chinese firms really want to have standardized software Inadequate knowledge of artlesss norms, values, culture, business conduct Lack of embeddedness in local networks (suppliers, customers, governments) Relational HazardsCosts within the organization caused by geographic distance and limited flow of information Discrimination HazardsDifferential treatment of SAP by government, customers, employees Liability of Foreignness Transnationality Index Why Shanghai? Why SAP Labs in China? Why locate in a Software Park? Recruiting Decisions SAP Labs China SAP chose the Integrated R&D Network Approach to manage its worldwide R&D sites successfully R&D networks should follow two principlesSubsidiarity whatever can be managed by a alter unit should not be taken care of in the centerMoving centers of gravity decentralized units take over projects if they are better in doing them than ot hers Create a good working atmosphere Care for employees familiesAssign interesting & challenging projectsGive responsibilities to inquiryersConduct intercultural trainingsOffer attractive compensation packages part with researchers to focus on research administrative work should be minimized Offer trainings and exchange with other R&D institutions Attract top quick-witted and highly skilled graduates and experienced researchers Maintain tight contacts to local universitiesProvide support for workers who move to R&D site Choose renowned local researcher with international experiences as a lab leader technological gatekeeper Include local managers with multicultural experiences to act as cultural mediators assuage integration through mentors One of the key success factors is managing humans hiring and retaining talents accounts largely for the successExperienced managers and experts have to be transferred to new R&D site to share process knowledge, routines and culture which wi ll improve the quality of the work and will make the R&D site an attractive place to work at. Attracting talented employees sets the cornerstone for successful R&D outcomes contacts to universities are extremely valuable Recruitment Retention By holding turnover rates low, knowledge will be kept in the company and has the potential to multiply Each R&D site is on the same level R&D sites are closely interconnected by means of flexible and varied coordination mechanisms Each R&D site specializes in a occurrence field of research development of competence centers Multi-dimensional coordination & information is necessary+ Coupling of specialization and synergy effects+ Global before local efficiency+ organizational learning across many locations+ Exploitation and refining of local strengths High coordination costs Complex institutional rules & decision processes Key Characteristics 1 Long-term strategical vision for R&D site should be set Clear assignment of tasks and responsibili ties for siteOutlook for development growth planQuick first successes to strengthen respect and reputation for research work Determine appropriate size of R&D site for each development stage thrift to business units Cooperation with universities and local research institutes to get fast access to new knowledge and developments Attracting new employees by close ties with universitiesGetting access to informal networks to gain insight information and knowledge Searching contact to companies to be close to the market/customers Regular visits by top managers should underline importance of new R&D site Promote research outcomesNew site should be considered to be equal among other R&D locations Positioning as high-end research organization, which increases motivation and attractiveness for new employees Top management support is crucial to success of R&D site Appropriate resource allocation in terms of money, time, and people needs to be guaranteed Senior management has to be an advocat e of new R&D siteIncentives for managers should include components based on success of R&D site Besides managing employees, several other key areas including attention for R&D site and sponsorship have to be tackled Top management team commitment, support and involvement Steering committee representation of relevant partiesLed by managers with technical expertise and in-depth organizational knowledge direction and monitoring of R&D sites Virtual teams are the key success factor for successful team work Establish processes & infrastructure for efficient communication Allow for visits by granting travel budgets Create a strong corporate cultureEncourage taking responsibility, initiative and self-leadership 360-degree feedback Transfer of experts & managers who spread routines, culture and processes Cooperation & exchange between competence centersKnow-how and technologies need to be transferred and easily accessible throughout the organization Cross-functional and cross-dimensional co mmunication has to be ensured over different channels, such as Visits, personal meetings, conferences, employee exchanges & trainings set budget for traveling & exchangeIntranet To prevent the not-invented-here syndromeCentral staff department should support decentralized units Alignment of corporate strategy and R&D strategy Clear allocation of research focus to prevent duplication competence centers should have a clear focus, should set research agendas Processes & Organization leadership & Collaboration Strategy To successfully manage the integrated R&D network, SAP has to set the right course Attention for R&D site Strategy Cooperation Sponsorship The measures serve to increase identification, internal transfer and absorptive potentials Location matters Firms need to seek resources (esp. advanced)

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Discobolus by Myron (Ancient Greek Art)

In either history, and above all told in the history of art, in that respect argon two main aspects, from which the subject may be considered. The subject may be either studied from the point of view of general tendencies, the developing of types and ideas, their national character, and the circumstances that surrounded and fostered their growth or attention may be given to the achievements of individuals, their personality, and the contri yetions that they respectively made to the general progress.It is true that in any comprehensive study the two must be blended, must supplement and confirm each other. Whichever principle is marryed to guide the selection and arrangement of the facts, the study cannot follow it to the entire exclusion of the other. Yet the artist is no less dependent upon external circumstances for the occasion and the material of his works.Had not the predecessors worked through generations of experiment and ceremonial occasion to improve the familiar types, to attain maitre dy over the stubborn substance of marble and bronzy, and to acquire and perfect a aptitudeed technique in the disksion of the nude and of drapery, no sculptor of the fifth century could deplete conceived or executed the bold yet symmetrical contortions of the Discobolus. Had Myron been born a century earlier, he could no more have produced these works than if he had lived at the present day.Before the study approaches the work of this individual master, it may be advisable to take a more general survey of the character of classical work, as contrasted with earlier and later styles. No art, and especially that of sculpture, can hold in true progress unless it is unceasingly kept in touch with nature by observation. Here again the social surroundings of the Greek artist gave him an immense advantage over all others. The daily exercises in the palaestra or gymnasium and the frequently recurring athletic festivals gave him constant opportunities for observin g the human form both in confront and in action.This perfection of condition and of all-round muscular development with the help of a well-trained memory is one of the chief attainments of Myron. For the observation of drapery, too, he had constant opportunities in the underframes that surrounded him in daily life. There he could see a variety and grace of texture and of folds much(prenominal) as no draping of a mannikin in unfamiliar garments and materials could ever have suggested. It is true that the same opportunities for varied observation did not exist in the case of the nude female figure.It is possibly for this genuinely reason that Greek statues of this type, however beautiful in form, rarely if ever impress us with the same breadth and nobility of conception as the corresponding male figures, whether of gods or men. The feeling of the Greeks themselves about the matter is well illustrated by the story of Zeuxis at Croton , how the people of that t bear, when they com missioned him to paint a picture of Helen, and wished to give him every opport superstar for excelling himself in such a subject, allowed him to see a selection of the most beautiful of their maidens just as freely as he could see their brothers exercising in the palaestra.This is evidently the meaning of the story, though it is misinterpreted by some later authorities in accordance with the eclecticist spirit of their own age. Myron was a Greek sculptor. He is supposed to have been a pupil of Ageladas of Argos, but he worked largely in Athens. Sculpting in bronze, he was noted for his animals (of which no examples have survived) and for his athletes in action. His works are known through descriptions by ancient writers, such as Pliny and Pausanias, and two of them by copies, the Discobolus (Gr. discus thrower), the best copy of which is the Lancelotti Discobolus in Rome (Terme Museum), and genus Athene and Marsyas, of which there are also roman print copies . We know but little a bout Myrons life. He was a native of Eleutherae, a town on the frontier of Attica and Boeotia. To judge from the list of his works and the places where they were set up, he must have enjoyed a composition throughout Hellenic lands. The statues of athletic victors from his hand could be seen at Olympia and at Delphi. However, several of his most famous works were in Athens, and it is probable that his esthetic career was mainly associated with that city.He is recorded, however, to have been a pupil of the Argive sculptor Ageladas, who was for a long time the acknowledged leader of the Peloponnesian School of athletic sculpture and it is said that his fellow-pupils were Phidias and Polyclitus. The dates of Myrons artistic career can be fixed with certainty by the Olympiads of the victors whose statues he made Lycinus won in 448 B. C. , and Timanthes in 456 Ladas probably in 476 but so famous an athlete may have had a statue set up in his honor some eld after the event.The traditiona l date given by Pliny, which makes Myron a contemporary of Polyclitus, is evidently wrong. His son Lycius was employed on an important public commission, the statues set up by the knights of Athens at the entrance to the Acropolis, about 446 B. C. We must, therefore, assign the artistic activity of Myron himself to the commencement half of the fifth century. His early manhood must have coincided with the stop consonant of the Persian wars. Of the great men of this period, our knowledge, after all, is most unsatisfactory.Only one of the transitional sculptors who are mentioned by ancient writers, Myron, has a definite personality. He was distinctly an artist of decidedly individual tendencies, who can hardly be called typical of any school. Though all of Myrons works have perished, we have copies of at least two of them, from which we can gain a fairly clear idea of this ancient master. This is the first time that we have had to deal with copies, and it may be worthwhile, therefor e, to digress for a moment and consider the nature of the copies on which much of our knowledge of ancient sculpture depends.In the later days of antiquity, especially after the Roman conquest of Greece, there was evidently an enormous demand for reproductions of the famous works of Greek sculpture, and numerous artists devoted themselves to supplying this demand. Some seem to reproduce their receiveds with healthy exactness others are obviously further inferior to them. Often one copy was made from another, and sometimes the copyists did not hesitate to alter the lords in details, so that many of their productions are reflections rather than copies, in any exact sand.One very common alteration was the addition of a support in the form of a tree-stump or some other object. This was almost incessantly employed when the copyist, as frequently happened, was working out a marble copy of a bronze original. Moreover, mutilated ancient statues, when they were dug out of the ground, w ere commonly handed over to a marble-worker for restoration, that is, for the addition of legs or heads or noses, whatever, in fact, was necessary to make the statue complete.Thus, we have constantly to keep in mind that in dealing with copies, the problem often is to determine, from several widely divergent and differently restored copies, the general display and the details of an ancient statue. This method of procedure is excellently illustrated by the most famous of Myrons works, the Discobolus, or Discus-thrower. The copies of this, which have been found, vary greatly in details. tout ensemble are marred by the supporting tree-stump, though this was differently treated by different copyists.Only one has a head, which has never been broken off and which shows the original position, as it is described by Lucian. One fragmentary copy was completely misunderstood by the sculptor to whom it was handed over and restored as a fleeing Niobid The Discobolus is right on famous for its splendid suggestion of vigorous manhood, its bold pose, and its perfect balance. If it were not for the formal locks of hair, the rather expressionless face, and some ancient evidence, which fixes the career of Myron in the first half of the fifth century, the statue top executive well be regarded as a work of the great age of Greek sculpture.As it is, we must probably assign the original to the years just before 450, and regard the unusual freedom with which it is conceived as proof of the originality of Myron rather than as evidence of a general adoption of such active poses by the men of the transitional time. Such an inference is borne out by some other works of the master, such as his group of Athena and Marsyas, and especially his Ladas, a statue of a runner poised on tiptoe just as he reached the goal, a work of which only literary accounts are preserved.Moreover, down to the time of Alexander the Great such violent action as is suggested by these works was rarely represent ed by the Greek sculptors. These picky innovations, therefore, were little imitated by Myrons immediate successors, but there can be little doubt that much of the progress made during the transitional period was due to his initiative. In compensation for this cooling of ancient en thereofiasm, we may perhaps extenuate the one weakness noted by the ancients. He was accounted a master of anatomy and action, but weak in the rendering of the face.Conceding that the faces are not very expressive, it may be doubted whether this is altogether a weakness. It is questionable whether the athletes whom he represents were very expressive of countenance, and it is altogether certain that their faces were not the subject of chief attention. In still further subordinating facial expression, Myron is but following the great law of concentration, which is recognized in all great art. Probably he could not in any case have been a master of psychic analysis, but it is more than doubtful if his theme s would have gained by such mastery.Other masters of the same theme long betray the same tendency. Myron was the earliest of the great masters of Greek sculpture. That is to say, he was the earliest sculptor whose works appeared, even to critics who were familiar with the whole range of later art, to be admirable alike for the boldness and originality of their design and the skill of their execution, and who was spoken of in the same breath with Polyclitus and Lysippus, with Phidias and Praxiteles. Quintilian himself declares that to find fault with the Discobolus argues a lack of appreciation of art.The Dorian sculptor Myron specialized in athletes. A marble copy found in Rome demonstrates the way a sculptor may at the same time hold to conferences and reach out toward late forms. The Discus Thrower is really designed to be seen only from the front. Anyone who moves around to the side of this piece can see that it is all on a categorical plane. The general line of the figure, wh ich starts with the left foot and runs up through the arms, ending in the discus, suggests somewhat the tension of an opened spring, which will snap shut and affect the wheel into space.The muscles appear about as natural as those in the contemporary Olympian pediment sculpture, and yet this is a single figure. Up to that time, single figures had always some religious significance and therefore remained columnar or geometric. This one is frankly realistic and may have been made pretty much for its own sake. It was no new departure in art for Myron to represent an athlete practicing the exercise in which he excelled. His great attainment, as exemplified by the Discobolus, was the choice of a subject and a moment that was suitable to representation in sculpture.He appears to have been the first to realize the principle, never afterwards violated in Greek sculpture of the best period, that a statue or a sculptural group must be complete in itself, must possess a certain unity and conc entration, so as to attract and contain the interest of the spectator within the work itself, and not to direct it to other extraneous objects, nor even to allow it to vomit up away. In the Discobolus, the self-contained completeness in the action finds its expression and counterpart in the lines of the composition itself.It may be, as Quintilian says, labored and contorted, but the result is not, as might have been expected, restless in event or tiring to the affectionateness, because every part is in harmony with the whole, and the eye is carried on by an easy and gentle succession of outlines round the whole contour of the figure . Beside this excellence of artistic composition, the clever choice of the right moment for representation and of an athletic exercise in which such a moment occurs must also be allowed their merit.The disc or quoit was not aimed at any mark, but merely hurled as far as possible in a given direction, as in the modern competitions of putting the weigh t or throwing the hammer. Therefore, there was no need for the eye of the competitor to be turned towards a distant goal, but the head could follow the motion of the arm that swung the quoit, the position of the feet sufficing to define the direction of the throw.A false restoration, which makes the thrower turn his head toward this direction, not only produces a painful and even impossible attitude, but also destroys the harmony of the composition, by breaking in upon the arranging of concentric curves in which every member of the body follows the swing of the extended arm. Athleticism, however, gave one important thing to the Greeks. It was from the models in the palaestra and the stadium that the sculptors of Greece drew their inspiration.It was of transmission line an immense benefit to that art to be able to see the stripped body at exercise in the sunlight, and that, coupled with the natural Greek sense of form, is the secret of the unchallenged supremacy of Greek sculpture. Perfect anatomy of the body was achieved even before the face could be properly rendered. The nude male figure was the favorite theme of fifth-century art, and extraordinary perfection was reached by Myron. Myrons Discobolus is, of course, one of the best known of ancient statues. There are few statues of the fifth century, which thus select an instant out of a series of movements.In the Discobolus, the clear lines of demarcation are not inconsistent with a correct and skilful modeling of the surface. The effect is perhaps somewhat dry, and suggests the appearance of a man in hard training, and even the tension of muscles that would not be exerted at the moment of action is portrayed. However, what convention is left is so thoroughly harmonized with the results of fresh observation as to give the impression of a living body, and to justify the criticism applied to Myron by ancient critics, that he almost captured the souls of men and animals in his bronzes .

Saturday, May 25, 2019

Business Manager

Develop in your own words the definition of Operations Management Strategy. Why is it pivotal to have an effective Operations and Supply Chain Management.? A The concepts in Operation Management MM are today more important and crucial than ever before, especially with the Intense global competition among companies. It Is critical to understand how to boost the bottom line while keeping costs from ruling and malignantly or even Improving quality.In our book we have for key points that are integral part of MOMS those are Supply and Chain Management Strategy and Sustainability fortune telling Capacity Management/ with a learning curve. In explaining the concepts above one can conclude that in the process of making good business decisions the sum of money and amount of products as well as the appropriate mix of products to be produces is a critical part of Aggregate Planning in which determining the demands of the products is so very important, as well as the smoothing in production, avoid or forecast bottlenecks, patternning horizon and the linear programming.All of the above mentioned is intrinsically connected and antiphonal to the appropriate levels of staffing, capacities and resources all of these re business decisions within the aggregate planning stages. Inventory Management Production management Operations Scheduling Facilities/layout and location forest and Reliability. Are all parts of the decision making in MM.We can then conclude that Operations Strategy is the development of a long-term plan for using all major available resources available to the firm placing it in a better path to better succeed and abbey with its long term goals. MOMS, leave alone address all of these concerns and In a step by step mode how to go about making It possible. Below a chart on a sample of operations strategy Process Problem 2. 1 As an operations manager, you are concerned about being able to pick up sales production report Find the average monthly productivity (units per machine hour).

Friday, May 24, 2019

Marketing Case – Buick Motors

As mentioned above, the average age of a Buick buyer in the earlyish to mid sasss was in their early seventies. This was comp atomic number 18d to the average age of 52 for a new railroad car buyer in general. In 2008, Buick sold fitting over 137,000 new cars for only a 4. 6% share of overall GM sales and only a 1. 04% market share In the united States. Advertising was almost non-existent. Bucks idea of stigmatization through corporate sponsorship of sporting events was to sponsor the Buick Open Golf Tournament. Golf Is not exactly geared towards a recenter earreach. Doesnt mean that the tenderer audience will buy into the message and be converted.There has to be a legitimate reason for a young audience to be attracted to the product and not Just because advertisers and marketers say you should. The main issue facing Buick was that they had a fleet of old looking cars that were not nearly as stylish as other sumptuousness cars in similar segments. Management made a clear deci sion to market its class of automobiles to a young urban crowd in major(ip) cities with the hopes that if these urban trendsetters homogeneousd what they saw and began to purchase Buick, this would have a ripple effect into the mainstream market and would increase demand for Buick products across the board.This strategy was pursued by customizing and detailing Buick Lucents with larger wheels, upgraded sound systems and detailing packages that catered to this younger urban buyer. The main problems with this strategy were threefold. The depression problem highlighted in the case which I agree with is that anxiety came across as insincere and out of touch. The media panel brought in by Buick commented that management showed a disconnect between the brand and its target audience and that Buick idea of urban seems a bit old fashioned.Take for example Buick using Tiger Woods to remote Buick cars. As a part of Tigers sponsorship deal with Buick, I would swear that he may own a Buick o r two but I also believe that Tigers car of choice is not a Buick The second problem with this strategy was that by attempting to target a young urban audience, Buick chanceed alienating its core consumer which was an elderly suburbanite who didnt have the first clue what urban was. If Buick customer base was alienated, that could mean the end of the brand.The third issue that I see with the strategy is a touchy one because its a touchy substance and that is he issue of racism. When a predominantly Caucasian management team and brand attempt to target a Hispanic and Afri depose American audience, if they are perceived as not being genuine or sincere, management could face whispers of racism and an anti-Buick backlash could easily taint and destroy the brand. Solutions In hallow to support managements desire to attract a younger buyer, there has to be substance behind the marketing and advertising blitz.Management has to seriously review the existing cars in the Buick brand and de termine what young buyers are looking for in a luxury sedan. Once these consumer wants are identified, management must(prenominal) cater to them and design a younger looking class of cars with a level of luxury, quality, options, performance and price point that rivals or beats its competition within the class. Strong marketing campaigns can trigger consumer demand for only so long with smoke and mirrors. At the end of the day, the product has to meet customer and price determine success.My personal observations of young car buyers are that certain aspects of a car are important to them. A sleek and sporty design is usually first and foremost. A car with regressive features like GAPS, MPH and Pod compatibility along with a high performance sound system resonate with young buyers as well. Of course young buyers dont usually have as much money as older buyers so price and affordability are important to a young buyer. In todays preservation and society, young buyers are more consciou s of going green and gas consumption so the cars should be fuel efficient and exceed emissions standards.I also believe that Buick isnt ready to Jump into the urban market. While I do believe in marketing towards a younger audience, Im not sure I would risk the brand on ailing to the urban market in the hopes that this will crossover to mainstream America. There are plenty of marketing opportunities that can target a younger audience in mainstream America. Today, movie theaters show ads prior to movies and as we all know, young people make up the largest share of movie goers.I like Buick strategy of displaying Buick outside of clubs, bars, trendy shops and restaurants. At this stage of their brand repositioning, any buzz about a Buick is great for the brand and to have it on the tips of peoples tongues is the first step in hanging consumer perception that a Buick can be an option for a young buyer. I would also look to supplement handed-down marketing strategies like print, TV, bil lboards and national campaigns with an internet and social media marketing strategy and campaign on Twitter and Backbone.Young consumers have a vast and important bearing on these social media outlets. I would look to sever ties with the Golf sponsorship and Tiger Woods and either eliminate the use of celebrity endorsements altogether or revisit the celebrity spokesperson to be a more realistic Buick user. Any strategy to increase market share in the luxury segment must involve dealing with the strong presence that imports have. The main way that domestic cars can compete with imports is on price.Young buyers are also very focused on price especially if they are a first time car buyer or even a baby boomer looking to accomplish money in a tight economy. Based on my problem cited above with young buyer perceptions of what a Buick is, it would seem that Buick would struggle to get authority young buyers into their showrooms to even trial run drive a Buick. As such I would consider providing incentives o prospective buyers to come to a dealer and test drive a Buick. These could include cash payments or a reduction in price if they purchase a Buick.