Church & Dwight: Time to Rethink the Portfolio? A case report prepared for MG 495 Business Policy Essay

Church & Dwight is a major manufacturer of household and personal products, including the popular Arm & Hammer brand along with well-known labels like Aim, Brillo, Nair, Oxi-Clean, and much more. Their trusted A & H trademark appears on a broad range of consumer and specialty products sold around the world. In 2011, the Company achieved a total sales revenue of 35%. Over the past decade, the Company delivered an annual TSR of approximately 19% to its shareholders, significantly better than the 1% TSR of the S & P 500 stock index during the same period, (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-2). However with the entrance of other companies wanting the same market share, Church & Dwight is facing some market competition issues. The biggest challenge, which the company is facing is maintaining constant growth. The company expanded consumer products portfolio over 70 brands into the existing corporate structure while†¨continuing to scout for new avenues for growth. This is no easy task as it competes for market share with such formidable consumer products powerhouses as Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Procter & Gamble, commanding combined sales revenue of over $100 billion. As the world’s largest producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate-based products, Church & Dwight had, until recently, achieved consistent growth in sales and earnings. The core business of the company being the production of sodium bicarbonate. The company tried to expand its other products lines, which is not an easy task. Despite the challenging business environment, the company envisioned that in 2012 they will deliver 9-10% earnings per share growth through continued relentless focus on the 10 key areas that contributed to their outstanding TSR results over the past 10 years. In order to achieve their goal, they targeted, organic sales growth of 3-4%, 25-50 basis points of gross margin expansion, maintaining strong marketing spending at approximately 13% of net revenue, and continued tight management overhead costs. The company believes that organic sales growth will be driven by the outstanding pipeline of new products and continued strong market support of Power Brands. THE SITUATION John Dwight founded Church & Dwight Inc. Co. and now is one of the most successful companies that produces and manufactures personal care products. When the company was formed, it was not as big as it is now; however, the growth of the company has been slow and steady. The product line of Church & Dwight is diversified and consists of the personal care products. This has helped it to compete with companies like Unilever and P & G. Although the growth of the company has been slow and steady, the company has faced a few problems to succeed and this is the reason that the competition by the company has not been up to par (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-2). The competitors of Church & Dwight are Unilever and P&G. These two are the giants in the industry and in order to compete with them; Church & Dwight will have to gear up and ensure that the reputation and awareness of the company is created. The company can attribute much of its success to the fact that it had concentrated on the production and sales of sodium bicarbonate. Strong family control has shielded management from the problems of defending the company from takeover attempts. The company has successfully taken a commodity chemical, branded it, and marketed it to the point where it dominates the market. It has subsequently capitalized on consumer recognition and loyalty to the ARM & HAMMER brand by introducing multiple consumer products under this logo. As the dominant producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate products, Church & Dwight has faced limited competition in its primary markets and successfully entered the markets with other consumer products using a low price strategy with limited advertising expenditures. The company has gained a steady growth over the years and have to expand several consumer products. They have several company acquisitions due to its huge revenues over the years. But Church and Dwight just like other companies face several challenges along the way. A challenge against leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers is eminent. It is also experiencing head on collision with giant competitors such as Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive. In spite of all of these challenges it transformed into much larger competitor not only across a broader range of products but also in geographic territory. As a result, in order to maintain its continuous growth in both domestic and international arena the company needs to have the best strategy in place.†¨ Author: Cook, Roy A. pp, 35-1-12: II. ANALYSIS A. Analysis of the situation Management – Church & Dwight Company has continued a tradition of slow and steady leadership with a solid focus on long-term goals. The stability of the company’s leadership can be attributed to the fact that 25 percent of outstanding common stock is owned by descendants of the company’s original cofounders, a tradition that continues even today. In addition, the management of the company over the past 160 years has been handed down from generation-to-generation until recently when Dwight C. Minton passed on the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1995 to an outsider, Mr. Robert A. Davies, III (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-2). Being focused on their leadership style has enabled Church & Dwight to overcome potential leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers with a series of calculated actions and savvy business decisions. These actions allowed the board of directors and management to amend the company’s charter and allowed shareholders four votes per share. The board of directors was also re-structured into classes, in which each class serves staggered three-year terms (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-3). In addition to staggering the tenure of the directors, the company initiated employee severance agreements with key officials, providing a severance package agreement to provide some type of security in the event a board member position is terminated by a hostile takeover or leveraged buy-out by an unwanted owner. By providing these lucrative packages for senior management, many were able to stay with Church & Dwight. In applying the The Boston Consulting Group Growth Share Matrix, the company can be classified as a â€Å"Cash Cow† (wordpress.com) because according to the financial statements of Church & Dwight’s from 2007 to 2009, net sales and profits continued to grow relative to the many acquisitions made by of the company. In October 2004, Church & Dwight purchased four brands from Unilever, it completed the acquisition of Carter-Wallace’s consumer brands. While SPINBRUSH was purchased from Procter & Gamble in 2005. Furthermore, when compared to its major competitors, the company realized higher sales growth rates from 2003 to 2005. 2. Operations – Church & Dwight’s growth strategy relied on finding new uses for sodium bicarbonate. Prior to the acquisition spree, the company’s profits were derived from this product. The company soon began using an overall family branding strategy to penetrate the consumer markets place in the United States and Canada. Also, 85% of the baking soda market was controlled by the Arm and Hammer brand, â€Å"By capitalizing on its easily recognizable brand name, logo, and established marketing channels, Church & Dwight moved into such related products as laundry detergent, carpet cleaners and deodorizers, air deodorizers, toothpaste, and deodorant/antiperspirants.† (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-6). Rivalry among existing firms (competitors), is inevitable as competitors try to achieve greater market shares to grow potential profit shares. To reduce industry competition, Church & Dwight â€Å"also have a very solid core of specialty products† (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p 35-9). The Growth of an analyzer normally occurs through market penetration. Church & Dwight Inc. can be classified as an analyzer organization because according to Miles and Snow’s Cellular Organization model the company operates in two types of product-market domains, one relatively stable, the other changing, (referenceforbusiness.com).This strategy worked very well in allowing the company to promote a variety of products using only one brand name. 3. Marketing – With established US and western European markets reaching saturation, manufacturers are actively pursuing growth overseas. Church & Dwight Inc. sales are concentrated in United States and Canada where funnel it through mass merchandisers such as Walt-Mart, supermarkets, wholesale clubs and drugstores (Wheelen & Hunger, 2102, pp.35-7). Even-though the company’s marketing expenses for 2009 were $353.6 million, an increase of $59.5 million or 20% as compared to 2008, Church & Dwight are bent on reaching a wide range of people. This wide range of customers allows them to develop more and more organic products and services with large scale agreements to satisfy those demographics. As the company expands globally, markets for one region could also be satisfied by other regions as production opportunities allowed greater cost-effectiveness. Having new stable consumer products and expanded detergent offerings they found themselves in direct competition with the big players in the market. Church & Dwight wants to move into the international market but have been met with limited success. Two possible reasons for this are 1) lack of name recognition, and 2) recognition problem. The GE Business Screen – used to perform business portfolio analysis on the strategic business units can be of great use in order to boost the company’s market share, (marketingmixhub.com). Therefore, as the company expands and acquires more product lines bearing the Arm & Hammer brand, the potential for substandard quality or customer dissatisfaction could cause negative impact on sales. Therefore, product marketing is essential to reinforce brand name recognition so consumers never forget the value and quality of a company’s name and its product lines. Finance – The financial health of Church & Dwight can be characterized as being a mixed picture. Investors earnings in the report increased to 23%† and dividends on investments increased by 35%. It is highlighted by the strong upward trend in net profit margins and return on equity. However,when attention is turned to other key ratios, the picture becomes cloudy. Both the current and quick ratios have drifted downward. In addition, the inventory turnover ratio, after showing some improvement, has also drifted downward. Overall, a brief review of the financial ratios listed indicates that there continues to be room for improvement. However, the â€Å"five domestic and international consumer product brands acquired during the 2008 Del Laboratories transaction† (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-5) . According to the BCG Growth-Share Matrix, the characteristics of Stars are high-share, high-growth, but limited cash flow due to investment required to maintain growth, however, successful Stars go on to become Cash Cows – business/product that have a high share but slow growth. They tend to generate a very positive cash flow, most of which can be used to develop other businesses/products, (strategicmanagementinsight.com), which will be beneficial for a company like Church & Dwight. Being the world’s largest producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate-based products, Church & Dwight Co. Inc was able to maintain a steady growth in both sales and earnings. For the past 30 years, the average company sales have increased by 10-15% annually (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, pp.35-3 – 5). It is safe to conclude that since the CEO remains focused on â€Å"building a portfolio of strong brands with sustainable competitive advantages† and the â€Å"long-term objective is to maintain the company’s track record of delivering outstanding TSR (Total Shareholder Return) relative to that of the S&P 500† (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-2), the financial status of Church & Dwight continues to grow as it has historically achieved modest gains from year to year, with hopes of even greater revenue and sales. 5. Administration, especially Human Resources – The Company’s leadership at the top has remained a significant hallmark of the company. The Boards of directors are structured into three classes with four directors in each class serving staggered period of three year term (Wheelen & Hunger, pp.35-2). This strategy has given the board the needed control to maximize the its output to benefit the shareholders. Because of its continuous exposure to would-be suitors the company has entered into an employee severance agreement with key officials. It provides pay up to two times the individual’s highest salary and bonus plus benefits for two years. As the company widens its coverage into the consumer products in early 2000s, the changes in its key personnel was noticeable by injected a pool of executives with wide range of experience in marketing and international background from known organizations such as Spalding Sports World wide, Johnson & Johnson, FMC and Carter-Wallace (Wheelen Hunger, pp.35-3). The composition of its board of directors did not escape the changes that the company has implemented on its management. On the 10-member board, four have served for 10 years or more and six members served for five years or less. Two women served on the board with age ranging from 50 to 74 and the other six members are younger than 60 (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, pp.35-3). 6. SWOT a. Strengths – Church & Dwight Company has many strengths with brand recognition being the top of the list. It is also the only producer of ammonium bicarbonate and potassium carbonate in the US. Another strength is that it has an in-house marketing strategy which very effective in marketing majority of its consumer products. Almost 25 percent of the outstanding shares of common stock are owned by descendants of the company’s cofounders. The company controls approximately 75 percent of the sodium bicarbonate production in the US. They control 85% of the baking soda market. Extensive consumer brand name recognition and loyalty (in 95 percent of U.S. households) which allows the company to promote multiple products using a single brand name. C & D has an awesome anti-takeover defenses including board of directors with staggered terms of office and voting rights that are weighted in favor of long-term shareholders. The Controlling of the production of raw materials, the manufacturing and processing facilities, and the primary marketing functions allows the company to price its products below those of competitors – thus creating a barrier to entry. And last but not the least they have the ability to build value by effectively implementing cost savings strategies when acquiring other company’s consumer brands. b. Weaknesses – Church & Dwight’s major weakness is overextended in their branding of the Arm and Hammer products. Even-though the company enjoyed success domestically, â€Å"in the international arena where growth was more product driven and less marking sensitive, the company was less experienced,† (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, p. 35-7), showing a slight lack of financial strength in their balance sheet, hindered expansions internationally. The primary focus on the Arm & Hammer brand name has left the company with a void in product promotion experience that may be needed in a highly competitive consumer products field or international expansion. Also, their inability to determine the strategic fit for Specialty Products Division into overall company operations is hurting the company. Top management turnover was also a problem for the company. C. Opportunities – The potential expansion into international markets is of great importance. If stricter laws are enacted it will favor the company as expanded uses of company’s basic raw materials for pollution control and potable water applications will be closely monitored. In addition, there is the possibilities of using paint as a stripping compound and an industrial cleaner based on the low abrasion qualities and environmental safety of sodium bicarbonate. The diversification of product line to include other related consumer products using both the Arm & Hammer brand as well as other brand names similar to The Dial Corp. acquisitions can also be explored. The company should expand the use of sodium bicarbonate-based products to meet demands for environmental safety. The acquisitions of consumer product brands and/or companies. Expand use of sodium bicarbonate for automotive parts cleaning systems to repl ace current solvent based systems. d. Threats – Some threats includes competitors with greater marketing and financial strength entering the company’s traditional markets. Operating in many mature markets with limited growth potential. New or increased domestic production of the company’s basic raw materials by other potential producers. The issue of potential consumer confusion through overuse of the family branding line extension strategy which could eventually weaken the Arm & Hammer brand name. Also, retaliatory competitor reactions as the company enters into new consumer product markets that have been dominated by major players such as Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, etc. And the substitutes for current product constitutes threats for Church & Dwight company. e. Products or Services – Church & Dwight consists of several acquisitions that cater to almost 95% of all US Households. It has types of products the household and personal care products. The company has several Brand names, Arm & Hammer, Trojan, Oxiclean, SPINBRUSH, First Response, Nair, ORAJEL, XTRA, to name a few. These products range from dentifrice, chemical agent to absorb or neutralize odors and acidity, a kidney dialysis element, a blast media, an environmentally friendly cleaning agent, a swimming pool pH stabilizer, and pollution control agent (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012, pp.35-7/9). B. Problem Definition The problems presented in this case study is evident that Church & Dwight really needs to make changes especially in the area of its expanded consumer products. The acquisition of several companies may have brought huge revenues but having several line of product might have a huge negative impact. Potential marketing problem may arise when company own products will be placed along with its well-known brand name and confuse consumers. This situation can also lead to a loss of marketing pull. The company’s overall corporate objectives were: (1) to maintain a steady growth by staying focus on long term goals; (2) to provide best result to shareholders; (3) to continue seeking new uses of its core products (4) to maintain and keep cost under control; (5) to enter the international market and continually seeking for opportunity for growth. If the goals cannot be met then Church and Dwight Co. Inc. may be always vulnerable buyouts and takeovers. It can also lead to loss of market share both from domestic and international market.†¨2. If the problems are corrected and done properly then the leadership in the market will be maintained and possible loss of revenue will be prevented. The objective of entering the international market may offer a better opportunity for continuous growth.†¨3. There are several reasons that this problem is eminent. First is that every market has its saturation point where products matures after reaching its peak. The company must al ways be ready on adapting to this continuous cycle of change. The search for new uses of its products must never stops. It should always explore better ways of improving the life of the consumers while maintaining and protecting the environment. Second, new product and competitor will always emerge and will not be taken down easily without a good fight. The company should always maintain their effective marketing strategy to be able to survive the continued battle for market share. Third is that limitless opportunity for growth in international market will not come easy as battle there would be unpredictable. The focus for long-term goals should always be on the mind of its key executives for this will be the foundation of their success. III. SYNTHESIS A. ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS The alternative solutions are that the company should tow the family branding line extension strategy in order to introduce new products (especially sodium bicarbonate-based products) such as skin care, soaps, mouthwashes, lotions, and antacids in order to gain increased market exposure and economies of scale. Recent launches of products such as chewing gum with baking soda are testing this strategy. Expand the limited advertising program for current niche market products to retain and gain market share. Promote products carrying the Arm & Hammer logo as being environmentally safe. Resources should be directed to testing and developing new brands to lessen dependence on the Arm & Hammer brand due to the possibility of loss of its present customer appeal. Since the company’s consumer products are competing in mature markets with limited growth potential, the opportunities available although the environmental safety of its chemical products should be tapped. For example, pollution control, water purification, circuit board cleaning, and industrial paint stripping. Generate new chemical product applications requiring minimal promotional support while offering opportunities for rapid sales growth. Explore the opportunity of forming joint ventures with foreign companies to gain access to the necessary experience and capital to succeed in international markets. Select targeted international locations to successfully penetrate and use as a laboratory for refining international growth opportunities. Continue to lower costs of production and distribution to counter competitive threats from new entries in the low-cost end of product offerings such as detergents. Acquire company consumer products/brands in order to gain access to international markets and the marketing expertise. B. RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS The best solution for C & D company is to retain the best products within its umbrella while considering the best projection of revenue that it can generate. Time factor for the company should also be considered for them to know when to retain or let go of a non-core asset. Timely decision making of its top management will be a factor in maintaining its annual revenue at steady growth. The key decision makers would play a vital role in this area. The continuous seeking of new uses sodium bicarbonate will still be very effective for the company in years to come that is why the focus on this should never be lost. The present global market is offering a much bigger area to be explored especially in Asian countries. Therefore, further recommendations for Church & Dwight for would be to implement the first alternative, delving into new product lines both in domestic markets and even greater exploration of international markets.The injection of key decision makers with extensive marketing experience abroad would be important in penetrating the global market. This option would be advantageous because of the limited financial investment required to grow already established footholds in foreign countries to manufacture and transport new product lines. Church & Dwight will be continuously challenged due to new entrants. To minimize this they should always be ahead all the time. Environmental issues will also be a major factor for them. Therefore complying with existing environmental rules and regulations while promoting its products is a very good strategy. †¨In conclusion the ultimate goal of achieving huge revenue while maintaining cost of operation as low as possible has always foremost with Church and Dwight Co. Inc. This company, backed with 160 years of marketing and production experience will have a much clear brighter path of success as long as they continue to focus on their long term goals. Understanding various cultures and overcoming societal barriers will help satisfy any shortcomings in this solution, it is further recommended that Church & Dwight initiate an aggressive marketing strategy incorporating foreign experts in business and marketing development to identify focus groups to better understand cultural differences and expectations in product innovations. And finally, this recommendation provides a potential solution to increase sales while growing market share and staying ahead of the competition. Reference: GE-McKinsey Matrix. (2013). Retrieved from http://marketingmixhub.com/ge-mckinsey-http://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/tools/bcg-matrix-growth-share.htm Lindblad, M. (2013). What Is the Importance of the Strategic Audit? Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-strategic-audit-13057.html†http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-strategic-audit-13057.html Management Innovations. (2010). Strategic Formulation: BCG Growth-Share Matrix Model. Retrieved from â€Å"http://managementinnovations.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/strategy-formulation-bcg-â€Å"http://managementinnovations.wordpress.com/ 2010/06/10/strategy-formulation-bcg- â€Å"http://managementinnovations.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/strategy-formulation-bcg-growth-share-matrix-model/†growth-share-matrix-model/ Miles, R. E., & Snow, C. C. (1978). Organizational Strategy, Structure, and Process. New

Conceptualizing a Business

Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Atonio Latu BUS / 475 February 10th, 2013 Sarita Wesley, Ph. D. Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Starting a company such as TL Concrete Service requires strategic plans and the factors that will support the business development start-up stages. TL Concrete is a small company with five employees planning and implementing services. The company provides services on concrete drive ways, patio, and side-walks. The company offers free estimate, low cost, and 5 years guarantee on every job.It is vital for the company to seek and develop the right mission, vision, and values. These important factors will act as a road map to guide and maintain the company’s goals; customers’ satisfaction and profitability. TL Concrete mission statement will define the company’s goals. A good vision statement provides direction and purpose for the company to follow through. Core value identifies the importance of the emp loyees and their behavior toward the company’s goals. Concrete service is a good business because people always need hard driveway surface, smooth walk way outside the house, and a patio for the outdoor activities.The company will estimate, form the foundation or the platform, pour the concrete, and remove dirt and trash afterward. It will cost more to install new surface than to replace the existing one. One of the advantages of this type of service is that concrete is pre-mix or ready mix by another service provider. The same service provider that ‘ready mix’ the cements also deliver and pour the concrete at the requested site. The cost of the cement is including in the estimate. TL Concrete future endeavor is to provide services for commercial buildings and commercial complexes.Another future plan for this company is to obtain public contract on major projects. The company’s strength relies on the experience of the employees to provide services, but als o the experience of the company to conduct business. Strong relations between the company and its customers will guarantee to maintain loyal customers. The company will adjust and adapt to any future internal and external factors that will affect the company. For example, most customers are using regular cement on their driveways and walkways. Now, people are starting to use the stamping driveway which cost twice as much as the standard type.TL Concrete will provide data to those who needs surfaces because everyone else is switching to the new format. It is the company obligation to explain and provide data and explain the benefit and the disadvantage of the new products. We consider our mission statement a promise to our customers, and deliver on that promise (Bill Gates, 2013). A powerful mission statement will keep the company focus on its goal regardless of any changes occur within the business. TL Concrete Service mission statement should read,† We provide customers with the best quality concrete service at low prices since 1990†.The company ensures that these words are not created to decorate the wall plaque; these words are to get across the purpose and the objective of the company. The mission statement identify the most important idea behind the company; best quality service. The year 1990 indicated that customers trusted this company and keep it operational for these years despite the economy downturn. There were many successful concrete company operated prior to 2008, the downfall of our economy. Customers were looking for the companies that provide the best concrete service, money was no object.Customers were paying more that the regular rate to attract better services. The post 2008 changed how companies approached their customers, and how loyal customers approached these companies. Companies filed for bankruptcy and the cements manufactures raised the price of the pure cement which in turn increases the price of the concrete. A missio n statement will keep TL Concrete Service to focus on generating profits and customers’ satisfaction. The vision statement is also vital to the strategy plan of the company. It reveled to the loyal customers and the potential customers the purpose and the tools used to accomplish the company tasks.I enjoy reading the Allstate Insurance because it is short and brings out the purpose of this company. Allstate vision statement reads: â€Å"to reinvent protection and retirement for the consumer† (Bright Hub, 2010). TL concrete should provide a vision statement that indicates the same purpose as the Allstate Insurance, to guarantee how the employees understand the individual tasks as well as the team work. TL Concrete vision statement should read: â€Å"To serve our loyal customers and potential customers’ thorough honesty and respect for anyone we provide service to†.The vision statement indicates the importance of the customers and strive the company to stay focus and the purpose; customers’ satisfaction. The company’s vision also generates the company values because customers deserve respect and honesty for the company. The company should have the value of doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. This attitude generates moral value, ethical standard, and integrity. These are the basic foundation of the code of values created by TL Concrete. Moral values consist of trustworthy, loyal, and courteous.Ethical standard is doing the right thing to provide the best service available to the company and the customers. Honesty is the best policy, and integrity keeps the employees focus on the values indicated by the company. These values will earn the company’s reputation and in turn, attract more customers. The company should value the customers’ feedback and their suggestions of not only what needs to be done, but how to proceed with the work. Mission statement, vision statement and values are thr ee important models that most successful companies accepted.These models create concepts of prospect, directions, values, and opportunities for the company and its customers. These models of strategic plan co-exists, one item cannot exist without the others. I believe there are companies that do not have vision statement. Kevin Clancy, a marketing researcher wrote, â€Å"A few people around the table began to describe the brand’s global positioning strategy, but it had nothing to do with what we would call a vision. It was not even much of a positioning. Eventually a manager from England asked, â€Å"What do you mean by ‘vision’? †(Clancy, 2012).A vision statement brings hope, dreams, and the reason to stay operational. Mission, Vision, and value each presented different meaning to the company’s goals. Mission is the goal, vision is the purpose, and value is what takes to accomplish the goals. References Bright Hub. (12/2010). The hub for the brigh t minds. Retrieved from http://www. brighthub. com Kevin J. Clancy. (2012). Shocking Truth of the Month. Retrieved from http://www. thekevinclancy. com Microsoft Accessibility. (2013). Mission. Retrieved from http://www. microsoft. com/enable/microsoft/mission. aspx Conceptualizing a Business Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Atonio Latu BUS / 475 February 10th, 2013 Sarita Wesley, Ph. D. Strategic Plan, Part 1: Conceptualizing a Business Starting a company such as TL Concrete Service requires strategic plans and the factors that will support the business development start-up stages. TL Concrete is a small company with five employees planning and implementing services. The company provides services on concrete drive ways, patio, and side-walks. The company offers free estimate, low cost, and 5 years guarantee on every job.It is vital for the company to seek and develop the right mission, vision, and values. These important factors will act as a road map to guide and maintain the company’s goals; customers’ satisfaction and profitability. TL Concrete mission statement will define the company’s goals. A good vision statement provides direction and purpose for the company to follow through. Core value identifies the importance of the emp loyees and their behavior toward the company’s goals. Concrete service is a good business because people always need hard driveway surface, smooth walk way outside the house, and a patio for the outdoor activities.The company will estimate, form the foundation or the platform, pour the concrete, and remove dirt and trash afterward. It will cost more to install new surface than to replace the existing one. One of the advantages of this type of service is that concrete is pre-mix or ready mix by another service provider. The same service provider that ‘ready mix’ the cements also deliver and pour the concrete at the requested site. The cost of the cement is including in the estimate. TL Concrete future endeavor is to provide services for commercial buildings and commercial complexes.Another future plan for this company is to obtain public contract on major projects. The company’s strength relies on the experience of the employees to provide services, but als o the experience of the company to conduct business. Strong relations between the company and its customers will guarantee to maintain loyal customers. The company will adjust and adapt to any future internal and external factors that will affect the company. For example, most customers are using regular cement on their driveways and walkways. Now, people are starting to use the stamping driveway which cost twice as much as the standard type.TL Concrete will provide data to those who needs surfaces because everyone else is switching to the new format. It is the company obligation to explain and provide data and explain the benefit and the disadvantage of the new products. We consider our mission statement a promise to our customers, and deliver on that promise (Bill Gates, 2013). A powerful mission statement will keep the company focus on its goal regardless of any changes occur within the business. TL Concrete Service mission statement should read,† We provide customers with the best quality concrete service at low prices since 1990†.The company ensures that these words are not created to decorate the wall plaque; these words are to get across the purpose and the objective of the company. The mission statement identify the most important idea behind the company; best quality service. The year 1990 indicated that customers trusted this company and keep it operational for these years despite the economy downturn. There were many successful concrete company operated prior to 2008, the downfall of our economy. Customers were looking for the companies that provide the best concrete service, money was no object.Customers were paying more that the regular rate to attract better services. The post 2008 changed how companies approached their customers, and how loyal customers approached these companies. Companies filed for bankruptcy and the cements manufactures raised the price of the pure cement which in turn increases the price of the concrete. A missio n statement will keep TL Concrete Service to focus on generating profits and customers’ satisfaction. The vision statement is also vital to the strategy plan of the company. It reveled to the loyal customers and the potential customers the purpose and the tools used to accomplish the company tasks.I enjoy reading the Allstate Insurance because it is short and brings out the purpose of this company. Allstate vision statement reads: â€Å"to reinvent protection and retirement for the consumer† (Bright Hub, 2010). TL concrete should provide a vision statement that indicates the same purpose as the Allstate Insurance, to guarantee how the employees understand the individual tasks as well as the team work. TL Concrete vision statement should read: â€Å"To serve our loyal customers and potential customers’ thorough honesty and respect for anyone we provide service to†.The vision statement indicates the importance of the customers and strive the company to stay focus and the purpose; customers’ satisfaction. The company’s vision also generates the company values because customers deserve respect and honesty for the company. The company should have the value of doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do. This attitude generates moral value, ethical standard, and integrity. These are the basic foundation of the code of values created by TL Concrete. Moral values consist of trustworthy, loyal, and courteous.Ethical standard is doing the right thing to provide the best service available to the company and the customers. Honesty is the best policy, and integrity keeps the employees focus on the values indicated by the company. These values will earn the company’s reputation and in turn, attract more customers. The company should value the customers’ feedback and their suggestions of not only what needs to be done, but how to proceed with the work. Mission statement, vision statement and values are thr ee important models that most successful companies accepted.These models create concepts of prospect, directions, values, and opportunities for the company and its customers. These models of strategic plan co-exists, one item cannot exist without the others. I believe there are companies that do not have vision statement. Kevin Clancy, a marketing researcher wrote, â€Å"A few people around the table began to describe the brand’s global positioning strategy, but it had nothing to do with what we would call a vision. It was not even much of a positioning. Eventually a manager from England asked, â€Å"What do you mean by ‘vision’? †(Clancy, 2012).A vision statement brings hope, dreams, and the reason to stay operational. Mission, Vision, and value each presented different meaning to the company’s goals. Mission is the goal, vision is the purpose, and value is what takes to accomplish the goals. References Bright Hub. (12/2010). The hub for the brigh t minds. Retrieved from http://www. brighthub. com Kevin J. Clancy. (2012). Shocking Truth of the Month. Retrieved from http://www. thekevinclancy. com Microsoft Accessibility. (2013). Mission. Retrieved from http://www. microsoft. com/enable/microsoft/mission. aspx

Chinese Traditions Essay

Values for one society may seem strange to another society, but nonetheless, they are important to that society. For instance, the painful and debilitating Chinese tradition of foot binding, as bizarre as it may seem to our culture, to the Chinese people, it was the esoteric essence of pure beauty and signified status within the family structure, allowing young women with lotus feet better opportunities for marriage with well-to-do families. Traditional Chinese courtyard life – in existence until the early 1900’s, was a unique lifestyle where Chinese families and neighbours lived in very close quarters – sharing a common courtyard and everyone knowing everyone else’s business. Special rules applied for who occupied which space in certain directions Chinese Courtyards Chinese courtyards are the traditional folk house of China. Courtyards reportedly date back to the Han Dynasty, however none remain from that time period. The oldest among the surviving courtyards are from the Ming Dynasty, while the majority still found today are from the Qing Dynasty. Chinese Chopsticks – born of necessity in the earliest times, highly influenced the eating and cooking traditions still followed today in China. Chinese Knots – One of the most popular knots is double happiness, which in Chinese tradition is given to newlyweds, signifying a wish for their luck and happiness to double. Chinese family names – Xing, Shi and Ming are the most common. There are only 22 ancient Chinese surnames still in use today. The family name indicated a blood tie within the Chinese social structure and was a symbol of class. In ancient China, 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, women were the clan leaders and marriages were only allowed among certain classes. Chinese Festivals Chinese New Year/Spring Festival Gong Xi Fa Cai! Is the greeting that wishes you great prosperity. You’ll hear it constantly during Spring Festival, better known as the Lunar New Year. This is a time when everyone tries to get back to their ancestral home to celebrate with their families, perhaps visit the local temple, pay off debts, buy new clothes, drive off evil spirits with firecrackers and start off the new year with a great feast. Qing Ming Festival Qing Ming is the time when the Chinese honour their ancestors. They visit the family graves to clean them and share a picnic with the spirits of the dead. (12th day of the 3rd moon) Dragon Boat Festival Over 2000 years ago, Qu Yuan, a righteous mandarin, threw himself into a river to protest against the corruption and mismanagement of the government. His friends took to the water in boats, thrashing at the fish that would devour his body. Today he is remembered with the Dragon Boat Festival, which features races by long skiffs bearing dragon heads and tails. (5th day of the fifth moon) Qi Xi Festival. A special Chinese Valentine’s Day. Qixi is the Chinese version of Valentine’s Day. It’s celebrated on the seventh night of the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar. Usually that happens sometime in August on our calendar. And that’s why it’s also called the Double Seven festival. Mid-Autumn Moon Festival The Mid-Autumn moon is the biggest and best of the year, so the Chinese try to watch it from the vantage point of hills or open fields. At the same time they eat moon cakes in memory of an uprising against the Mongols, which was secretly coordinated by messages hidden in the cakes. (15th day of the eighth moon) October 1st – Founding of the People’s Republic October 1st is the day when China celebrates the founding of the People’s Republic. It has been a week of holiday time when many travel as tourists to other parts of China or Asia – or make their way back to their hometowns for a family holiday. Other Ethnic Minority Chinese Festivals Throughout China, minority peoples have their own ancestral festivals when they dress in traditional costumes and celebrate. In Xishuangbanna in southern Yunnan, the Dai minority (cousins to the Thai) welcome the Lunar New Year with the Water Splashing Festival. For 3 days in mid-April, everyone can expect to have water thrown over them. There are also parades, fireworks and dragon boat races. The Tibetan New Year is celebrated with a week of horse races, archery contests, carnivals and temple rituals, in all the major towns. In the wild west of Xinjiang, the Kazhakh communities have their own Chinese festivals that celebrate the life of the grasslands. There are breathtaking displays of horsemanship, including shooting contests on horseback and buzgashi, a form of polo, plus huge feats that include whole roast sheep and fermented mare’s milk. Beijing Opera. Beijing Opera is the most widely known Chinese theatrical style with over 200 years of history. Although the art form started in China’s Yangtze River Yan’an region, it only became fully developed in Beijing, and that is how it’s name came to be. The form employs song and dance with exaggerated movements that leave a strong impression on viewers. While this Chinese style opera is a comprehensive art form utilizing diverse elements such as drama, acting, music, song, props, make-up and costume, it is distinguished from western performance art by its use of such elements for symbolic and suggestive purposes, rather than realism. Performers must adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions and rules. They must master songs, acting and their lines, in addition to dance. The art form uniquely combines traditional song, music, narration, dance, circus and martial arts, contrary to the western tradition that separates song, dance and theatre. Chinese Shadow Puppetry Is an ancient form of storytelling which was popular during the Song Dynasty during the holiday season. The stories of the shadow puppets told of events that had happened elsewhere in the country and stories with a Buddhist background. Chinese Culture Chinese Culture – Special 10th Birthday On the day a child turns 10, most families will hold a party for the child. It is common to have this party in a hotel and invite everyone you know – which could be more than 100 people. There is a western style birthday cake served – and all the guests are invited to a meal. Each guest is subtly expected to make a donation of about $20 and before leaving, each guest receives a small gift. The one birthday party I attended in 2000, I received a box of facial tissue. Others in attendance received rolls of toilet paper – and the gifts were happily received and highly appreciated. Chinese Culture – Common Greetings Ni hao – is the common greeting for â€Å"hello† (sounds like KNEE-HOW) There are some terms for good morning(zao- sounds like ZOW), good afternoon (xia wu hao), good evening (wan shang hao), but most often you will hear just ni hao. Good–bye is zaijian. Mintian jia – is also very common – â€Å"see you tomorrow†. Chinese Culture – Children are Pension Plan With the one child policy enforced in China, most families will rely on that one child to support them in their old age. All the money the family can afford is spent on the best education that they can buy for their child – in hopes that their child will make it into a good university and have a good paying job in the future – thereby, being able to support his own family and his parents. This puts an extreme amount of pressure on the child to perform well amidst tremendous competition for a place in a prestigious university. If a child does not do well in school, he is scorned by his parents and family and loses face. Those parents lucky enough to have a government party job will enjoy a small pension when they retire. But most Chinese have no social support to look forward to as they age – so they must rely on their family. It is common for families to live together. The older parents will take care of the house, the cooking and any grandchildren, while their child and his spouse go out to work each day. Chinese Culture – Chinese Men Carrying Handbags You will see Chinese men carrying two different types of handbags. They might carry a small personal bag – like the French men do – or you may see them carrying their girlfriends handbag – as they walk or shop together. I found this quite amusing – and even more so after I married my Chinese husband . . . as before we would go out – he would choose for me which handbag I should carry –so that his things could fit inside too – and of course, he would carry it for me! It is almost like a sign of affection – like a boy carrying a girls schoolbooks for her. Chinese Culture – Best Chinese Hangover Cure If you’ve had too much to drink with your friends – don’t be surprised if you end up in a restaurant and are served pig intestine soup – sworn to be the best cure for a hangover. Chinese Culture – One Child Policy Most families in China have adhered to the one child policy. In the autonomous provinces, where Beijing does not have absolute control over the ethnic groups, they don’t have to adhere to the one child policy. However, if you have the money, or if your family is connected to the right people – for a price – you can pay a fee to have a second child. The one child policy has caused a lot of female babies to be abandoned – so that the mother could have another chance to try to have a boy baby. A large part of the Chinese population still believe it is better to have a boy than a girl – because a boy is more likely able to support his family in later life, than a girl. There are a lot of Chinese baby girls up for adoption – and North American families are scooping them up. This one child policy, however, is creating a new problem. There is becoming a shortage of Chinese females in the population. Already, there have been kidnappings of women – to make them into wives in mountain villages. The situation is predicted to grow worse in the future – with many young men unable to find a woman to marry. Chinese Dress: Qipao * The one-piece dress featured a high neck and straight skirt. It covered all of a woman’s body except for her head, hands, and toes. The qipao was traditionally made of silk and featured intricate embroidery. * The qipao worn today are modeled after ones made in Shanghai in the 1920s. The modern qipao is a one-piece, formfitting, floor length dress that has a high slit on one or both sides. Modern variations may have bell sleeves or be sleeveless and are made out of a variety of fabrics. Sports Martial arts. * China is one of the main birth places of Eastern martial arts. Chinese martial arts are collectively given the name Kung Fu ((gong) â€Å"achievement† or â€Å"merit†, and (fu) â€Å"man†, thus â€Å"human achievement†) or (previously and in some modern contexts) Wushu (â€Å"martial arts† or â€Å"military arts†). China also includes the home to the well-respected Shaolin Monastery and Wudang Mountains. The first generation of art started more for the purpose of survival and warfare than art. Over time, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has produced some of the most renowned martial artists including Wong Fei Hung and many others. The arts have also co-existed with a variety of weapons including the more standard 18 arms. Legendary and controversial moves like Dim Mak are also praised and talked about within the culture. Tai Ji Quan Tai Ji Quan, which is also known as Chinese shadow boxing, is a major division of Chinese martial art. Tai Ji Quan means â€Å"supreme ultimate fist†, and is a kind of Chinese boxing, combining control of breath, mind and body. It emphasizes body movement, following mind movements, tempering toughness with gentleness and graceful carriage. The traditional legend goes that the wise man, Zhang Sanfeng of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), created Tai Ji Quan after he witnessed a fight between a sparrow and a snake. Most people agreed that the modern Tai Ji Quan originated from Chen style Tai Ji Quan, which first appeared during the 19th century in the Daoguang Reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Chinese Wedding Traditions Welcoming the Bride: * The Chinese wedding ritual begins with the groom going to the bride’s home. Younger brides often have a few girlfriends at the home who will tease the groom before handing over the bride. The girls will barter with the groom who must beg and bribe the girls with small gifts or red envelopes stuffed with money are handed over in exchange for the bride. * Before leaving her home, the bride and groom bow before the bride’s parents. Then, they head to the groom’s home. In the past, the bride was picked up from her home and taken to the groom’s home in a sedan chair with trumpets blaring to announce her arrival. Today, most brides arrive in a car. Bowing to Heaven and Earth: * Once at the groom’s home, the bride and groom bow to heaven and earth in front of the groom’s family’s home altar or at a local temple. Then, the couple bows before the groom’s parents before bowing to each other. Traditional Tea Ceremony: * At the groom’s home, the couple offers tea to their elders including the groom’s parents. Acceptance of the tea is confirmation that the family has welcomed the bride into the groom’s family. Auspicious Days The Chinese still rely on fortune tellers to predict the most auspicious days (and years) to marry. Many couples will postpone their wedding plans until the right day or right year that promises success. In some provinces, you will find very large groups of couples getting married the same day – because they believe in the luck of that day – for most success in their marriage. In China, it is common for many young couples live together the year before they are actually married and start on the paperwork process. The most common time to celebrate a marriage is at Chinese New Year or on auspicious days. Chinese Cuisine. The history of Chinese cuisine can be traced back to primitive societies and their use of fire. Cuisine was invented some 400,000 years ago. Some other accounts of the history of Chinese cuisine takes the beginning to the Chinese stone age, when the cultivation of rice and the production of noodles, both typical representations of Chinese cuisine as we have known today, are understood from archaeological findings. Over the centuries, as new food sources and techniques were invented, the Chinese cuisine as we know it gradually evolved. Chopsticks, which are made from all sorts of materials and which are one of the hallmarks of Chinese cuisine, have been used as eating utensils at least as far back as the Zhou Dynasty. Stir-fried dishes became popular during the Tang Dynasty. The stir-fry method of cooking was invented out of necessity, in order to conserve expensive and scarce fuel. As early as the 7th century B. C. Chinese cuisine began to be separated as Southern and Northern cuisines. In general, the southern dishes emphasize freshness and tenderness. Northern dishes, due to its colder climate, have more fat and garlic which is offset with vinegar. During the period of the Tang (618-907 A. D. ) and the Song (960-1279 A. D. ) dynasties, people went in a great deal for nutritional medical value of different plants: fungus (mushrooms), herbs, vegetables. At this time â€Å"medicinal food† for prevention and cure of diseases, for overall health became important. Cantonese/Guangdong Cuisine Guangdong cuisine is characterized by their cooking methods of mostly steaming, boiling, saute and stir-frying with thick gravy. Dishes are lightly cooked and not as spicy and hot as the other 3 groups. Due to the long duration of summer, they prefer light and refreshing foods and seafood. Only in the winter do they eat fatty foods and strongly flavoured foods. Shandong Cuisine The third major Chinese cuisine is Shandong cuisine – also known as Lu cuisine. It has a long history and wide popularity and was developed from the Qi and Lu culture of ancient China. It is said to have traces of palatial cuisine. Dishes are strongly flavoured and made of costly ingredients such as shark fin, abalone, sea cucumber, deer meat, white fungus and others. Due to the long duration of the cold winter in north China and a shortage of vegetables, Shandong cooks are skilled at making high-calorie and high-protein dishes. Sichuan Cuisine The second major Chinese cuisine is Sichuan. World famous Chan cuisine traces back to the ancient Ba Kingdom (modern day Chongqing) and Shu Kingdom (modern day Chengdu) and is known for it’s oily, hot and spicy taste. The uniquely hot, pungent flavour is created with a mixture of red pepper, garlic and ginger. Su Cuisine. The forth major Chinese cuisine originated from Shuzhou, Yangzhou and Hangzhou area and is known as Su cuisine. It is an exchange of northern and southern cuisines, dating back to the time the region was the home of Emperors during the Six Dynasties and the Southern Song Dynasty. It is a combination of high-heat and high-protein dishes, plenty of lake fish and seafood, and exquisite refreshments and snacks such as pine nut crystalline meat sweet cake, crab yellow soup bun, crab yellow steamed dumpling and Ningbo dumpling, all of which are famous throughout China.

International Business Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

International Business Marketing - Essay Example (Tai, et al 2005). Population growth rate and FDI are considered the main factors for country selection. Examining the statistical results, it is evident that China is on the top of the list having the highest population in the world (Table 1). The average rate of population growth is a lower than in India and Indonesia, nevertheless, it is expected that in 2025 the population in China will be about 1,476.0 ml, in contrast to India which will has only 1,363.0 ml (2004 World Population Data Sheet, 2005). According to the survey, "China was the largest FDI destination in the world in 2003, overtaking the US" (FDI Confidence Index, 2004). It has stable political situation, and high rates of economic growth. In case of China, FDI is a very important feature of the economies of the developing countries. For many big Western companies, expansion of their sphere of operations through the establishment of branches in other countries is regarded as a key aspect of strategy, often more important than immediate returns on capital. Many firms are seeing their investments as lower than they would have to be in the future and as providing them with a first-mover advantage as those economies begin to grow significantly. In 2003, FDI inflows were $53.5 billion. The economic health of countries is also assessed to determine whether the macroeconomic conditions are conducive to stable economic conditions. The economic prognosis says that 40% of world's investors "expected a more positive outlook on China's economy" (FDI Confidences Index, 2004). China expects liberalization of market, and that is why all those risks will be minimized. Demographic factors, taken into account together with measures such as disposable income per head, shows that China and India are two potential markets for this product. For instance, GDP per capita growth rate is the highest in China (8.8%) in contrast to other countries included in the list (GDP per capita, 2001). The penetration strategy will be based on specific product line which has not been developed yet. The strategy will be aimed to promote luxury skin care line for pregnancy and early motherhood. Estee Lauder has not promoted this product line, but its skincare product meet high quality standards making them safe for pregnant women. Cosmetics for pregnancy is based on all natural cosmetic line (Begoun, 2006) as those proposed by Estee Lauder. This strategy is important because there are limited number of companies promote this line in China (Dowling, 2006). International expansion strategy will consist of several steps. 1.The first step (during the first year) - co-operation strategy and selection of sales agents in big cities. (This step is aimed to evaluate market potential and growth rate, as well as competition tension. Estee Lauder will sale its products through drug stores and specialized stores for pregnant women in big cities around the country). 6 month - identification of potential agencies and sellers; contracting and licensing 6 month - advertising and promotion campaign, opening a Web page After the first year of performance - evaluation and analysis of the market potential 2.The second step (during the second year) - employing sales representatives and agents in order to promote products around the country (the aim is to sell products in middle-size cities through agents, drug stores and specialized stores for women; competitive rivalry on both a price and a non-price basis. 3.The third year - to

Marketing Cases Problem Solving Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Cases Problem Solving - Case Study Example A.1. can also try to develop its own tie-ups with the distributors of its product, like the grocery stores and restaurants. For instance, A.1. could concentrate on building up a superior communication network between itself and its distributors and suppliers so that they can understand each others' needs. It is very crucial for A.1. to retain the major percentage of shelf space within grocery stores since this has an express correlation with the sales level of an item. The company can carry out a small research to find out the exact optimal position for its products within the shelf layout. It can then quest for that position to be granted by its distributors. A.1. should guarantee that the situation of its product's kiosks is in elevated traffic areas and that they are easily reached. When the firm is trying to obtain partnerships with restaurants, it should emphasize the fact that "9 out of 10 steakhouses serve A.1." (Kerin and Peterson 631). Also, the display of A.1. Steak Sauce on a table motivates 70% of consumers to think about steak (A.1. Sauce Derives Its Name From Utterance of a King, 15). The firm can also go in for promotion of its product by offering a free product such as a spatula with a bottle of A1. But the firm has to be careful in dealing with such giveaways by announcing that the consumer's who submit their information to the company will only be given the additional product free. A.1 could simultaneously promote its product at the venue and date which Lawry's has chosen for its launch. The company can also try its hands at sponsoring barbeques outside the games venue throughout March Madness. A.1. could also organize barbeques at the exterior of large grocery store chains, such as Publix, predominantly on the Memorial Day weekend. The company normally makes use of around 15% of its operating revenue on advertising (Kerin and Peterson 633). This is a sturdy budget to promote its steak sauce. The firm's should also plan for its advertising goals and it should see to it that the frequency of such ads increases and it get more penetration power. Giving a free spatula would also incite psychological reactions from consumers. Asking the customers to propose their personal information before receiving the free giveaway would help the firm in expanding its customer relationship management database. Carrying on barbeques outside college basketball games throughout March Madness would comprise sufficient exposure for the firm. Finally, the firm could work to package A.1. or use the sauce as an ingredient in other Kraft products in order to enlarge their customer base. For instance, the firm can combine A.1. Steak Sauce with Oscar Meyer meat or Lunchable products. Reference: 1. Kerin, Roger, and Robert Peterson. Strategic Marketing Problems: Cases and Comments. 11th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. 2. "A.1. Sauce Derives Its Name From Utterance of a King." Metropolitan News-Enterprise 18 Nov 2004 15. 13 Apr 2007 . 3. "Vision and Values." Kraft Foods. 10 Apr 2007. Kraft Foods International. 10 Apr 2007 . Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Case Analysis The research on Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company gives us a clean picture as to why sometimes one has to keep on constantly

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

History - Essay Example are summoned to value initiative and responsibility by acknowledging the significance of courage in order to be willing to acquire understanding as a means to it. Otherwise, Kant stressed as well that, people who think themselves capable find it rather an advantage to their ends to obtain guardianship for those who become weakened either by cowardice or indolence. Further implications for the westerners include improved state of civilized affairs via public education, abolition of social classes that originally discriminated the educated from the uneducated, and cultural gain. Moreover, by virtue of enlightenment, people of the West would be taught an approach to communication that quite reduces involvement to prejudice while they could be disposed, however, to greater degree of individualism as a consequence. To achieve enlightenment according to Kant, nevertheless, they must learn to be ‘free’, for freedom apparently coincides with the power of

Jazz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Jazz - Essay Example The slaves bought with themselves their music traditions (Cooke, 7-9).  There were grand dinners and festivals arranged which featured the African dances in the city of New Orleans. Similar gatherings occurred in  New England  and  New York. The African music lacked the harmony present in the European music but the rhythms reflected the similarity of the two music genres (Cooke, 11-14). An increasing number of black musicians eventually learnt how to play various European instruments in the early 19th century, especially the  violin. The black slaves who had come as a result of the slave trade had by now learned the harmonic style of  European music  and incorporated it into their own music styles (Cooke, 14-28). Many historians agree to it that jazz began just prior to the 20th century and its birthplace is the city of New Orleans. Prior to the World War I, the Creole band which was a band of New Orlean black musicians toured many parts of the country and therefore, jazz music was introduced to many cities like this. The Dixieland band group created the very first example of Ned Orleans style jazz by recording the music. The very first Blues number was the â€Å"Dallas Blues† recorded in the year 1912. There were many hit songs from different musicians in the 1900’s including Saint Louis Blues by W.C Handy and Indiana by Ballard MacDonald. The latter was the first recording by the Dixieland jazz band. Until the 1950’s, jazz was considered as music intended mostly for dancing (Tyle). Jazz is more than hundred years old but the actual circumstances of the birth of this music are rarely known because the recordings of the first jazz band were lost and therefore it is difficult to assume as to how it sounded, but it is possible to create an account of its emergence by gathering scraps of tit bits and information pieces. Jazz music was different. In the beginning, many musicians had worried about the impact of Jazz on the young generation, as such

DB 5 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DB 5 - Research Paper Example 1. Stakeholders of a corporation Stakeholders to a corporation are people, groups of people, and entities with interest in the corporation’s achievements. They can be classified into two groups, internal stakeholders, and external stakeholders. Shareholders are the first group of stakeholders, their interest is in their investments, and potential rewards from the investments. A corporation’s employees are another set of stakeholders with stake in job security and the corporation’s ability to pay remunerations in time. Management, a part of employees, also has interest in their obligations as the corporation’s custodians (Hill and Jones, 2012). External stakeholders include bond holders and other types of creditors whose interests is in the corporation’s ability to repay its liabilities, consumers because of their dependence on the corporation’s products and the government whose interest include tax from the corporation and regulatory measures over the corporation. Other stakeholders are the society within which the corporation operates, and immediate and extended economies (Hill and Jones, 2011). 2. ... Consequently, entities with the highest number of stakeholders are more important than those with few stakeholders are. Entities whose actions poses macroeconomic consequences are also more important than those whose impacts are limited in scope (Brooks and Dunn, 2009). Relative significance of entities also depends on the possible impacts on market sustainability and those that can lead to market collapse are more important than others whose impacts on market sustainability are mild. Quality of jobs in an entity and the value that the entity adds to the economy also justifies the position that some entities are more important than others are. The government, as the custodial of national economy, should therefore help the important businesses to sustainability during financial crisis in order to ensure economic stability. The government should however restrain from help to less important businesses because of possible involved strain on federal expenditure and because of the need to promote prudence and self-reliance among businesses (Gilpin, 2011). 3. Determinants of deficiency and the need for downsizing, and benefits of downsizing solving deficiency Many measures exist by which a company may be considered deficient. A high debt ratio such as debt to equity ratio that shows the percentage debts relative to an entity’s internal equity indicates deficiency. A company’s inability to honor debts as they become due, increased number of court cases over defaulted payments and human resource problems regarding employees’ remunerations are other measures for determining a company’s deficiency. Extreme level of these measures identifies the need for downsizing as a strategy to improving a company’s liquidity towards meeting its obligations. Downsizing can

Case Study - Rumpole Ltd Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Case Study - Rumpole Ltd - Essay Example The positive NPV indicates that the company will generate sufficient cash inflows, which will cover the initial investment and generate profits for the company. The payback period is also estimated at 2 23/69 years. The project has a positive NPV and the payback period appears to be reasonable (Kinney & Raiborn, 2008). On the basis of the project evaluation with positive NPV and reasonable payback period, it could be recommended to the company that it should go with the project. Since, the company is currently considering only one project therefore, it will be appropriate for the company to go ahead with the project. Otherwise, the company should consider other projects, which have higher positive NPV and short payback period (Maher et al., 2012). The financing required for the project requires assessment of different types of funding sources available to the company. Since, Rumpole Ltd. is a private company, therefore it will not be possible for the company to acquire its funding from issuance of share capital or debt instrument in the secondary market. The company has two options from which it could raise capital for the net project. These include raising funds from internal equity and / or external debt financing. Internal equity comprises of retained earnings of the company. These earnings are accumulated over the year and disclosed on the face of the company’s balance sheet. These earnings are available to the company for investing into the company’s existing operations or investing in the new project, which the company is considering at the moment (Brigham, 2013). Managing retained earnings require time. In short run, the company will have to manage its working capital. Active recoveries will work a lot. Aging of the receivables should be monitored actively. Buffer levels of inventory should be lowered so that lesser amount is bound in stock. On the other hand, the company can also raise from external sources. The company can

Organic chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organic chemistry - Essay Example A careful look at the peaks results displayed by the NMR of the substance is also required. A singlet peak at a chemical shift value of 11.1ppm confirms the presence of the COOH group. Peak at 2.4ppm is due to the presence of the group R-C=O attached to CH. Applying the n+1 rule we know that the methylene or the CH2 group will be able to interact with the three hydrogen of the methyl or the CH3 group, hence (3+1)=4 peaks or a quadruplet is obtained. Similarly the three hydrogen atoms of methyl are ale to interact with the 2 hydrogen of methylene, hence (2+1) =3 or a triplet peak is displayed. The ratio obtained is determined by the relative heights of the respective peaks. Peak at 3330 per cm at the infra red spectrum is due to the high absorption range of the O-H group in the compound, whereas peaks centered at 2900 per cm is due to the presence of C-H bonds in the compound. M-1 peak of 60 is the RMM of the compound (12*3) + (1*8) + 16= 60 atomic mass unit, peak at 31 confirms the presence of CH2OH: 12+2+16+1=31, C2H3 gives peak at 27: (12*2) + (1*3), C3H7O :( 12*3) + (1*7) + 16=59. 3.6ppm value at the NMR suggests the presence of R-OH functional group. The single hydrogen is able to interact with the neighboring hydrogen of the CH2 group hence a triplet is obtained. A singlet peak at a chemical shift of 2.2ppm shows the presence of the R-C-O fragment. 6 peaks at 1.6ppm are obtained due to the presence of R3CH where single hydrogen is able to interact with 5 neighboring hydrogen giving 6 peaks. Triplet of 0.9ppm is present due to R-CH3 as three hydrogen interact with the neighboring 2 of the CH2 giving a triplet peak (2+1). The ratio of 2:1:2:3 provides us the different environments of the protons. Percentages of carbon, hydrogen and an unknown element are 45.9%, 8.9% and 45.2% respectively. Dividing them by their respective relative molecular masses 45.9/12, 8.9/1 and 45.2/35.5, it is found out that the other element is chlorine as the percentage

African-American history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

African-American history - Essay Example In Chesapeake, the slave trade took place to flourish the growth of rice and tobacco. The growing appetite for tobacco in Europe encouraged plantation farmers to purchase more slaves who would work on their farms. The slaves at first were white. However, white indentured servants were difficult to tame. This was because they spoke the same language as their masters. The indentured servants were weaker and would die in a year’s time. The thirst of making more money triggered the rich in the society to look for black people to work in their farms. The blacks were more productive and easier to tame. This is because they did not speak the same language. The blacks would share the same land with native Indians where they experienced hostile treatment. Due to price instability, the economy would suffer long depressions. Again the wealthy needed to maintain their lifestyle they then started planning on how to evict the Indians and black from the segregated land they occupied. Black p eople however began to intermarry with white women leading to their freedom from oppression. Thus, leading to a slave population which outnumbered the inhabitants In Georgia, the slave trade was a booming business. The slave would either work as slaves in plantations while women slave worked in their master’s houses as servants. It is in Georgia where slave trade was abolished. The reason for the petition is to encourage humane living conditions. Later the elite in the society appealed to the courts and convinced them the need for the slave trade. Owing to the heavy reliance on agriculture minus the slave labor, the economy of the province would collapse. Slave trade later became legal. Slave trade flourished again because of Eli White cotton gin invention. The southern county heavily relied on gin sales o the north. In both cases, slaves were held against their wish. They would be forced to work on large farmsteads for little or

Nature versus nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature versus nurture Essay â€Å"While each child is born with his or her own distinct genetic potential for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development, the possibilities for reaching that potential remain tied to early life experiences and the parent-child relationship within the family† (Weissbourd, 1996). When a baby is born, that child already posses something in common with every other person in the world, a genetic gene pool. Just like anything else in life, when something is given to a person, the way that person displays what they are given depends on a variety of things. One aspect of human development that has been long debated in the history of psychology is the concept of â€Å"nature vs. nurture. † This phrase, first initiated by Sir Francis Galton in 1874 (S. Wood, 2011; E. Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 223), refers to the elements of heredity (nature), and the effects of the environment (nurture). I will briefly discus the various arguments for the primacy of nature or nurture in personality development, intelligence, and creativity. Personality is, â€Å"a persons characteristic patterns of behaving, thinking and feeling† (psych book, 352). Heredity may in fact play an important role in the development of an individual’s personality. On the other hand, most psychological theories, including analytical theory, give more emphasis to interpersonal influences. In kindergarten, learning to share is just as important as learning to write. Learning core values at a young age may have more impact on a child’s individuality than any specific genetic code. When growing up, children always look up to someone older than themselves. A child’s mind is like a sponge, gathering up other people’s actions and words. That is how children learn to share, talk and work well with others. Depending on the stimulation a child gets from others will alter the way that child’s personality is in the future. If a child grows up with parents giving them a positive message (lots of attention, giving positive feedback, showing love and affection on a regular basis) they have a more likely chance of being friendly, outgoing, empathetic and curious. When a child grows up with parents, who do not demonstrate a positive message, the child is more likely to have limited social skills, poor self-esteem, and less curiosity. Along with parental influence, there is also the influence of one’s surroundings that can alter ones personality. A child, who is brought up in a desolate area, with little or no violence, is going to have a vastly different demeanor then a child who is brought up in a densely populated city, with a high crime rate. The probability that a male who is raised on a farm in Lancaster County will become a farmer is a lot more likely then a male raised in north Philadelphia. Children raised on farms learn the importance of a good work ethic and determination, because the child understands that if they don’t work hard in the fields, their family won’t survive. Children raised in north Philadelphia (also known as the bad lands) learn the importance of hard work, family, street smarts and grit. These children understand that because of where they live, they will need to learn these life lessons in order to only way of survive or and better themselves. Nurture isn’t the only thing that influences a person’s personality. Everyone has heard the sayings, He acts exactly like his father! or He behaves like that because this is how he was brought up! (Lupu, 2006, sec 1. 3). This is where the controversy comes into play. Psychologists have been debating the theory that heredity influences personality development. Psychologists at the University of Edinburgh carried out a study of more than 800 sets of twins found that genetics were more influential in shaping key traits than a persons home environment and surroundings (Archontaki, 2012; Lewis, 2012; Bates, 2012; sec 1. 2). The traits most commonly found between the twins were self-control, decision-making and sociability, but heredity only develops a person’s personality to a point. According to psychologists, the most reasonable answer of all is neither one, nor the other, but the interaction of the two the genetic and the environmental/educational/experience factor (Lupu, 2006, sect 1. 4). Therefore, heredity establishes the limits of ones personality traits that can be developed, while the environment represented by the cultural, social and situational factors influence the actual development within the limits (Lupu, 2006, sect 1.5). Another area of study that many psychologists have been debating on weather or not is the result of heredity or ones environment is intelligence. Psychologists like Sir Francis Galton and Thomas Bouchard have done studies to figure out weather or not intelligence is genetic or developmental. In 1874, Englishman Sir Francis Galton, studied a number of prominent females in England. Galton attempted to apply Darwins evolutionary theory to the study of human abilities. Galton concluded that intelligence was inherited from genetics. Another psychologist who studied this field was Roger J. Sternberg. In 1988, Sternberg argued that there are a number of ways to demonstrate intelligence or adaptive functioning (â€Å"Psychology 101, sect 4. 5). He suggested a model of intelligence referred to as the triarchic theory. According to this model there are three types of intelligence. The first type was analytical, or the ability to solve a problem by looking at its components. The second was creative, which is the ability to use new ways to solve problems. The third was practical, referring to common sense. While most IQ tests measure only analytical intelligence, they fail to include practical intelligence which is the most understandable to most of us (â€Å"Psychology 101†, sect 4. 5). This test did. Another study conducted was by the Minnesota Center for Twin and Adoption Research. Sense the 1980’s, this research center has been recruiting fraternal and identical twins to participate in research projects examining genetic and environmental influences on a variety of psychological variebles, including intellagents (S. Wood, 2011; E.Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 224). In 1997, the center’s director, Thomas Bouchard, summarized all of the studies of intelligence that had been done at the center up that point (S. Wood, 2011; E. Wood, 2011; Boyd 2011, p. 224). What the data showed was amazing. Bouchard reported that the identical twins that had been reared apart at birth were closer than identical twins reared together, and brother and sister reared together. Their research using the adoption study method helps to support the conclusion that genes strongly influence IQ scores.

Identity In Post Colonial Australian Essay

Identity In Post Colonial Australian Essay In the second half of the 20th century, after two centuries of colonial oppression and assimilation policies in Australian history, political and social break thoughts of aboriginal people in to the dominant European culture was bought to an end, thus enabling Aboriginal Artists to have the freedom to express their traditions, culture and identity. According to Oxford Art Online, the Simultaneous explosions of the Australian art market in the 1990s, gained international recognition for Aboriginal Art that emerged into the contemporary Aboriginal art that appealed to White Australias conflicting a desire for cultural reconciliation. The recognition of artistic production in Aboriginal communities across Australia enabled artists to explore themes of cultural alienation. The first wave of contemporary Aboriginal painters including Clifford Possum, Rover Thomas, Paddy Bedford and Emily Kame Kngwarreye, utilized repertoires of dots, blocks of color, with stimulating negative spaces or gestural brushstrokes to evoke the sense of a sacred, collective knowledge. Collectors and museums began to actively collect contemporary Aboriginal works, whose conceptual paintings reinterpreted Australian colonial history. Today Aboriginal Australians are producing art in the remote regions where artists continue to explore their connections with their ancestral land and traditions of ground designs, body art, painted canvases, and bark paintings using contemporary materials. The practice of art is seen differently by indigenous art-makers than their contemporary artist counterparts; the works themselves often have a lot in common with much contemporary artwork, particularly with conceptual, installation and issues-based art. However, in early times, art had a different function than the modern ideas of self-expression or decoration; created with spiritual and hunting/survival purposes in mind. The identity of the individual artist/maker of cave paintings, masks and other traditional art forms was not as significant as it is today. Still, the traditional art objects perceived today also as a work of art, and valued for its aesthetic qualities. In addition, they are exploring contemporary art forms such as photography, film, multimedia, theatre, sculpture, printmaking, and installation. Artists such as Tracey Moffat, (b.1960), Fiona Foley, (b.1964), and Gordon Bennett (b.1955), whom consider indigenous art as a way to express political and social issues in new forms of contemporary media, reflects unique perspectives of a distinctive experiences. Whilst their art proclaims aboriginal identity, it often acts as a medium for cultural renewal, operating beyond the classical idioms, conforming to the inspiration from aboriginal practices and European, and other visual language and techniques. As, written in Wally Caruanas book, Aboriginal Art, chapter 6, Artists in the Town and City: In the second half of the twentieth century, as the movements for the recognition of aboriginal rights gained momentum, urban and rural artists found compelling reasons to produce art. Aboriginal people required imagery and symbols with which to express their ideals and inspirations. These issues of dispossession, broken families, racism-the secret history of Australia- and an intensifying of the sense of cultural identity provided strong motivation, and these themes are all apart of the repertoire of artists. For instance, works by aboriginal instillation and mixed media artist Fiona Foley, from Harvey Bay, Frazer Island, engages with the history, ideas, family tradition from her cultural heritage from the Wondunna clan of Badtjala tribe from her mothers side, and her work reflects the remembrance of colonial oppression, the colonized vision of Australia and her ancestors. Foleys work deals with the issues of displacement and dispossession of land, the people and some of her work is highly political, committing herself to the history of Aboriginal people and represents racism and violence and identity, and raises issues from a historic and contemporary cultural view. (http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2644/6/part5, (Morphy, Illus 260, 273). Annihilation of the blacks (1986), is a frightening sculptural installation which is a part of the permanent collection of the Australian National Gallery (Caruana, 1993).The work represents the massacre of the disturbing treatment of Aboriginal people by the colonizers; the work consists of a white figure standing in front of 9 hanging black figures. The upright forked posts and cross poles are a powerful symbolic medium in traditionally-oriented Aboriginal communities for shelters and homes (Reser, 1977b). It is also a sacred complex and symbol for the first residence of the Wagilak in Arnhem Land, which represents the Kunapipi ceremony (Berndt, 1951). Also within the young Aboriginal boys waiting to be born again, as young men, are viewed metaphorically as flying foxes, hanging from the beam, it is said that the flying fox ancestral spirits brought circumcision to the central Arnhem Land clans and because the flying fox is a central totemic species to clans in this region. Fiona Foley often draws inspiration from traditional Aboriginal culture and life, while making powerful and contemporary political statements. All of this gives the sculpture a very strong traditional as well as contemporary symbolic quality, with multiple and intertwined meanings and messages. Annihilation of the Blacks 1986 wood, synthetic polymer paint, feathers, string 278 x 300 x 60 cm Collection National Museum of Australia, Canberra Image courtesy National Museum of Australia, Canberra  © the artist Photograph: George Serras, National Museum of Australia http://www.mca.com.au/general/FFoley_resource.pdf In her large sculptural installation work such as Land Deal, 1995, is about the response to the words of the nineteenth colonial official John Batman, when he described how he purchased 600, 000 acres from local aborigines in Port Phillip, in exchange for beads, blankets and knives, scissors. (http://eprints.utas.edu.au/2644/6/part5.pdf). This work consists of a spiral of flour on the floor; representing the loss of lifestyle and health that consequently came about during white settlement, and also by invoking the genocidal colonial practice of poisoning the flour given to aboriginal people, (Evans, Raymond, Fighting Words: Writing about Race, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, 1999. The work also incorporates the objects, which hang from the walls. The real projection is that her expression to suggest the indigenous loss the land, as a dialogue of transaction, reminding the public of the cold absence of indigenous voice, and the lack of understanding that for the ongoing cam paigns for land return in which Foley and her own family have embarked in. Land Deal 1995 installation view, Savode Gallery, Brisbane, 1995 mixed media, flour, found objects, text dimensions variable Collection National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Image courtesy the artist and National Gallery of Australia, Canberra  © the artist http://www.mca.com.au/general/FFoley_resource.pdf Foleys personal searches to discover Badtjala material culture by referring to these objects, examining the history of their collection and interpretation. Foley reclaims their true significance to Aboriginal people. The ambiguous relationship between the descendants of the white settlers and Australias original inhabitants in Fraser Islands recent history as the struggle for recognition of native title for the Badtjala people continues. Avril Quaill Gordon Bennett, also from an aboriginal heritage from his mothers side; he was an orphan from Cherbourg reserve 240km northwest of Brisbane. Known for his paintings, installation and multimedia art forms focuses on a more personal viewpoint of past and present struggle for identity as an Australian of Aboriginal and Anglo-Celtic descent. His works present and examine a broad range of philosophical questions related to the construction of identity, perception, and knowledge. (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/intro.html) within cultural and historical inequities created by European settlement in Australia, (http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html) For example, he uses his self-portraits as a concept of self-identity and questioning stereotypes and labeling on a larger national scale, immersed within a White European culture. Bennett was unaware of his Aboriginality until his early teens as he described this knowledge as a psychic rupturing, (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99). (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McHis art attempts to depict the complexity of both cultural perspectives. Self portrait (Ancestor figures), 1992 deals with broader issues of cultural identity as well as personal identity. The installation consists of images of his family and drawing. The self- portrait of the artist seems to be present everywhere within the installation but is in fact nowhere. The dresser draw labelled self is closed while the drawers for history and culture that is partly open and partly closed. Bennett in dicates the need to be reconciled within the context of culture and history to develop a full sense of identity. An understanding of self in the context of family does not seem enough as the mirror, acts as a chronic symbol within his work, is not a two- dimensional illusion but an honest construct. The viewer does not confront the artist, but self. Bennett uses this symbol because: In the mirror, everything is possible because nothing is there (Ian McLean, Towards an Australian Postcolonial Art in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p.105) Gordon Bennett born Australia 1955 Self portrait (Ancestor figures) 1992 chest of drawers, watercolour, photocopies, lead, rocks, masking tape (variable) (installation) Collection of the artist, Brisbane  © Courtesy of the artist Photography: Phillip Andrews http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html What emerges for all who take part in this piece is in fact an examination of the self. The I am from Self portrait (But I always wanted to be one of the good guys) is replaced with We all are. In addition, the grid and perspective lines on the floor represent another symbol acting as the groundwork of the installation that appears to confirm this sense. In European tradition, the means to map a particular space, land, etc alludes to ownership and territory. It recalls the way stereotypes, labels, identities, and systems of thought are fixed. On each corner of the grid are the letters A B C D . While these may indicate the way maps are constructed to find different locations, they also represent the first letter of racial slurs. Identity is fixed and self is understood in the context of words such as Abo, Boong, Coon and Darkie . The Other is clearly marked out as not only different but by necessity inferior. These contrasting and complex meanings and ideas are not accidental. Bennett purposefully constructs these layers to blur fixed ideas and raise questions about the way identity is constructed. He uses his self as the vehicle to do so. Lean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99) You have to understand my position of having no designs or images or stories on which to draw to assert my Aboriginality. In just three generations, that heritage has been lost to me. Gordon Bennett 9 Blood is a potent symbol and has historically been a measure of Aboriginality. In the past Quadroon, was a socially acceptable term used to label Indigenous people as a way of establishing genetic heredity. The purer the bloodlines, the more Aboriginal you were. Mixing of pure blood with European blood was feared by Europeans, authenticity was at risk and identity diluted. As an Australian of both Aboriginal and Anglo Celtic descent, Bennett felt he had no access to his indigenous heritage. He states: The traditionalist studies of Anthropology and Ethnography have thus tended to reinforce popular romantic beliefs of an authentic Aboriginality associated with the Dreaming and images of primitive desert people, thereby supporting the popular judgment that only remote full-bloods are real Aborigines. Gordon Bennett 10 Gordon Bennett explores these ideas in Self portrait: Interior/ Exterior , 1992. Once again, the arena of self- portraiture becomes a vehicle to take over and challenge stereotypes. Here he exposes the truth of colonial occupation it was a bloody conquest. Bennett depicts self as a black empty vessel, coffin- like with lash markings almost disguised by a thick layer of black paint. Literally opening up this black skin of paint are the words cut me. They act as deep welts created when tissue scars. Gouged into the skin like a tattoo, these markings will never heal or fade away. They powerfully describe pain and violence. Bennett only uses two colours, symbolically, red and black. Gordon Bennett born Australia 1955 Self portrait: Interior/Exterior 1992 synthetic polymer paint on canvas on pine frames, leather stock whip, paper tags (1-2) 187.0 x 60.0 x 25.0 cm (each) (1-3) (variable) (installation) Collection of the artist, Brisbane  © Courtesy of the artist Photography: Phillip Andrews http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/gordonbennett/education/02.html There is no physical body. The coffin- like box acts as the body, both inside and outside are scarred with Pollock inspired lashes of paint. These scars are not just physical they are also emotional. This imagery is reinforced by the whip neatly hanging on the wall beside the body. Ultimately, this piece, one of a series of welt paintings, explores identity through pain, exploitation and suffering. Bennett does not wish to romanticise or sanitise this bloody history. The viewer is challenged to face it. The blood splashed and flowing under the layer of black skin does not discern the colour of the skin it contains, only the potency of life. Bennett challenges the viewer with contrasting identities. The oppressors, those who use the whip, and the oppressed, those enslaved by the whip. These opposites are not absolute. Bennett is more interested in exploring what lies between. My work is often seen as about exploring my identity in order to secure it, like Im searching for it, like Ive lost it somewhere, which is the total opposite to what Im doing. Sure, Im exploring identity, but Im trying to make it obvious about how open it is; how its a process of the negotiation of these different sites of memory, human relations. It is all those other things, and it shouldnt be closed off. It shouldnt be a thing that constricts nor should it be an imposed thing, from outside oneself, like a prison. Gordon Bennett 11 Bennetts art practice attempts to remove the obstacles that interfere with a positive development of self. Tracey Moffatt, born into a fostered white family in Brisbane, close to were her Aboriginal ancestors grew up, on a mission outside of Brisbane called Cherbourg, (Moffatt qtd. in Rutherford 52, plays a huge part in representing a multicultural role in society as she examines the ways Australias colonial past enlightens the present. The photographs, mostly still from her film-making, places a narrative images into many of the stories being told, representations past and present times in Aboriginal History, her perspective seems to identify to her Aboriginality and feminist view point. However, she cautiously uses her style of narratives with multiple and specific politics concern of Australian identity, with an inspiration of the lives of her Aboriginal heritage and culture. Her unique visual style of cinematic images challenges the stereotypes of race and gender, with issues symbolic of political references, (http://admin5.lisjc.lism.catholic.edu.au/~mark/Visual%20Arts%20documents/Id entity%20unit/Tracey%20Moffatt%20from%20Australian%20Artists.pdf) Her compelling and very powerful photographic works such as Up in the Sky 1998, is a sequence of twenty five monochromatic narrative photographs set in the vast desert concerning the Australian Stolen Generation. Indigenous Australian children were taken from their families and forcibly relocated under Government policy was enacted and performed on location in Queenslands outback, (http://www.answers.com/topic/tracey-moffatt). In these images Moffatt refers to both the collective memory of her own personal experiences as well as the constructing reality of the influence of culture, alienation, desolation, and the wider concerns of remote living. Tracey Moffatt Up In The Sky # 1, 1997 series of 25 images off set print 61 ÃÆ'- 76cm 72 x 102 paper size Edition of 60 http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/26/Tracey_Moffatt/73/32634/ In her films still Night Cries: A rural Tragedy 1989, she represents the truth and memory about a mother and daughter relationship with a focus on events that took place focusing on Death, childhood, loneliness and memory. The film brings forth the powerful issues related to the black and white relations of Australian history during the attempts to assimilate Australian Indigenous people into the white society, (http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/27504/qld_edu_kit_web.pdf) Tracey Moffatt: Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy, Still, 1989 http://www.qag.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/27504/qld_edu_kit_web.pdf Tracey Moffatt . The interest in Aboriginal art which has flourished since the 1970s has created new opportunities for indigenous artists, as their work leaves the communities to be shown in museums and galleries around the world. Meanwhile, the imperatives to produce art for traditional purposes continue, and the expanded environment in which indigenous art now operates has created further compelling reasons for artists to continue expressing the values of their culture to the wider world. In the public domain, Aboriginal art can be appreciated for its spirituality and aesthetic qualities, and as a reflection of the social and political achievements and aspirations of the peoples who create it. . Avril Quaill: World of Dreamings, Traditional and modern art of Australia, An exhibition held at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg | 2 February 9 April 2000 H , Robinson: Feminism-art-theory: an anthology, 1968-2000, Wiley-Blackwell, 2001 Bonwick, J., John Batman, the Founder of Victoria, Melbourne: Samuel Mullens, 1867. Caruana, W., et al, The Eye of the Storm: Eight contemporary indigenous Australian artists, Canberra: National Gallery of Australia, 1996. Cooper, C., Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections in Overseas Museums, Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press, 1989. Elder, B., Blood on the Wattle: Massacres and maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788,second edition, Sydney: New Holland Publishers, 1998. Moon, D. & Krause, J., Deutsche Auswanderer Hope and Reality, History of the nineteenth century German settlement of Mount Cotton in south east Queensland, Cleveland, Queensland:Redland Museum Inc., 1999 Gordon bennetts ref: Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 33 Ian McLean, Towards an Australian postcolonial art in Ian McLean & Gordon Bennett, The Art of Gordon Bennett, Craftsman House, 1996, p. 99 Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p. 22 Rebecca Lancashire, Blurring the lines of history, The Age, Monday 5 May , 1997 Kelly Gellatly, Citizen in the Making: The art of Gordon Bennett in Gordon Bennett (exh. cat.), National Gallery of Victoria, 2007 p. 16 Gordon Bennett, The manifest toe in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p. 34 Gabriella Coslovich, Bennett puts on a brave face, The Age, 28 April, 2004 Ian McLean, Towards an Australian Postcolonial Art in The Art of Gordon Bennett, p.105 Gordon Bennett & Chris McAuliffe, Interview with Gordon Bennett in Rex Butler (e d.) What is Appropriation? An Anthology of Writings on Australian Art in the 1980s and 1990s. IMA Publishing, Brisbane, 2004, p. 27 http://leonildeviljoen.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/fiona-foley/ http://www.quitnow.info.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/C143D432E3817918CA2571F10000CC3A/$File/indall.pdf http://www.newrepublics.com/GordonBennettHomeDecor.pdf http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/33990/cda_5.pdf http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1931/is_1_27/ai_n29415749/ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1931/is_1_27/ai_n29415749/pg_2/?tag=content;col1 http://www.artaustralia.com/images/currentbookpdf/Tracey%20MoffattVol41No2.pdf http://www.artlink.com.au/articles.cfm?id=2596 http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/00/10/night.html