I.C.T In Our Society Essay

This report is about how ICT has affected us as a society. For example, for entertainment purposes like games consoles, communication purposes such as mobile phones, storage purposes such as storing music on a CD or for social purposes such as email. E-mail The first thing I will look at will be email. With email you can quickly talk to friends, work colleagues, basically anyone who has an email address. I have two email accounts, one at home provided by hotmail, which is useful because I can log-on to it anywhere via the Internet. I also have one at school provided by Solihull L.E.A, which I can only access at school; both have a unique log-on I.D and password. With my personal account (hotmail) I can choose a unique login I.D and password when I register, providing it ends with @hotmail.com. With my school account I can only choose the password. As a student my school account is free and I get absolutely no junk mail thanks to the junk-mail filter and I can receive emails from anyone. The L.E.A also scans every email for anything suspicious such as files containing viruses; if one of these are found then the L.E.A will not let the email through. Email is useful and easy and is an efficient way to contact my friends and relatives. If I want to get in touch with several people in one email I simply put a semi-colon in between each persons email address. If I want to get in touch with several people, email is one of the easiest ways to do so. I can set up an address book which means I could email everyone in that address book at once, also by setting up an address book I don’t have to remember everyone’s email address and it helps me stop making mistakes. Workers in offices usually have email accounts open all day, which means if they receive an email the response time is very quick. The problem with email is that if the inbox becomes full I couldn’t receive any more emails until I had deleted some of my old ones. Pictures take up a lot of space and some pictures can be too big to send in the first place. Say for instance I had done a word document in history on Hitler and the Nazis, I may want to carry on with it at home but when I come to send it, I can’t because I have too many pictures on there that take up space. Also if someone doesn’t have broadband than it could take a long time to attach a document or presentation to an email and even with broadband it could take a long time depending on the size of the file. A good thing about most email accounts is that they are free but then I get a lot of adverts and pop-ups. If email companies are going to give people free email then they need to get the money from somewhere to make sure they can afford the payment of the site, this is where the adverts and pop-ups come in, other companies pay companies such as ‘hotmail’ to put their adverts and pop-ups on their websites hence ‘hotmail’ can pay for the upkeep of the site. I can set up a filter on my email account so that I only receive emails from people in my address book. The problem is though that before I can receive emails from someone I need to add them to my address book and if someone changes their email I need to edit my address book. The alternatives to email are fax, which can be quick but can cost a lot of money, or text that is quick so long as the other person has their phone on; you also need signal and credit, which can be a problem. Both can be useful if email is not available, but when compared to the quickness and the fact that email is basically free, email is the best thing to use. To conclude, email is useful to communicate with people no matter where they are in the world mostly free of cost, which means it can be better than a mobile phone or fax but due to the time difference between countries, there is no guarantee that they will receive the email in the time you need them to see it. Entertainment The next thing I will look at will be the entertainment side of ICT and for this I will look at games consoles. There is a lot of competition at the moment between the PS2 made by Sony, the Gamecube made by Nintendo and the Xbox made by Microsoft. People use games consoles for 3 main purposes; the first is single player use where the player simply plays the game on their own trying to complete the game. The second is multiplayer use where two or more people can play on one console and either try to complete the game cooperatively or go against each other in different game types. The third is online play, which has only recently taken off since broadband became so popular. At the moment there is no prospect for online play on the Gamecube but Xbox and PS2 have successful online play. Players who want to play online need broadband to play because dial-up can’t handle the speed that is required. The Xbox online play is called Xbox Live and players make an account for à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40 a year and can make a list of friends and whenever their friends are online they can join them and play with them. The problem is that if two friends want to play together they both need the same game and both need to be online. Also, if broadba nd is not available then people can’t play online. I use an Xbox and play Xbox Live quite often. I have experienced problems though, for example my broadband router had broken and I couldn’t go on Xbox Live until I got it fixed, also the Xbox Live service had not responded which again meant that I couldn’t use the service. The other problem is that paedophiles are able to use the service so you never know if the person you are talking to is being genuine or not. People also use games consoles for watching DVD’s but this has only become available in the newer consoles. With the Xbox you can also put a CD into the Xbox and save it to the integrated hard disk and can then play the CD’s while your playing a game. Again this is technology that has only recently been introduced. Another type of entertainment is digital TV. Originally TV and radio used analogue signals but over the past few years more and more digital radios and digital TV’s have become available. A digital signal is basically a TV or radio signal that is computerised and has to be decoded at the receiving end in order to watch digital TV or listen to virtually crystal clear music on a radio. Digital television (DTV) allows you to receive digital transmissions from different TV stations that have installed digital transmitters and record their programmes using equipment that can handle digital signals. With DTV you can enjoy excellent quality pictures and clear sound. But all good things come at a price and in order to watch Digital TV you must buy either a digital TV adaptor for an existing TV, which will cost about à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100, or you can buy a new integrated DTV television set known as a iDTV for about à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500. I use Digital TV because I have Sky Digital. It is a good quality picture and good sound and also doesn’t cost too much at approx à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20 a month. I have a digibox, which is basically a small box on top of or underneath the TV and the signal comes through a Sky dish on the side of my house. The signal is then transferred to the digibox and I can watch the channel I want on my TV. There are a lot of channels on Sky and I only have a few of them. There are also movie channels which show movies 24/7 on about 12 different channels, and sport channel which shows sport 24/7 on about 15 different channels, but to have all these channels can cost over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½50 a month. The disadvantage comes when there is bad weather. In heavy rain the signal often gets interrupted which means that either no signal is received or a very poor signal is received. As in a thunderstorm, the signal gets interrupted and no signal can be received. Other problems can be if the station I am receiving the picture from is experiencing technical problems no signal can be received. Most of the time though the quality is good and there is no problem. A revolutionary new technology that Sky has introduced is called Sky plus. With this you get a new digibox and Sky plus allows you to pause live TV, record shows and watch them later without the use of a VCR. You can even rewind live TV if you want to watch something again, such as a good goal in a football match. If you do stop or rewind then a little counter comes up on screen that tells you how far behind the live TV you are, then by simply pressing play on the remote control you can carry on watching from where you paused it or you can just go back to the live TV by pressing the sky button. This is technology that has only recently been introduced and costs an extra à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 on top of whatever sky package you already have. Storage Media There are a lot of different types of Storage Media. Originally data was stored on floppy disks but space was limited and the disks were quite large. Consequently there soon became a need for more and more space to store things on. Floppy disks could only hold 1.4mb of data but then zip drives became available which could hold different amounts of data, the maximum of which was 250mb. The disadvantage of this was that you couldn’t put the disk straight into your computer. You had to buy a zip drive which either connected to the computer through USB or you could plug it straight into the computer. This was only a short- term solution and demand came for more and more space. The answer was compact disks, known as CD’s for short. Originally designed to hold music, CD’s could hold up to 700mb of data, an ideal source for storing data. Nowadays computers are fitted with CD-Rewriters (CD-RW), which can store music on a CD, make a copy of a CD, or just store es.here are currently two types of disks available they are: CD-Record (CD-R) – this can only have files or music stored on it once and then you can’t add or take anything off the CD. CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) – this can have music or files stored on it as many times as you want. If you add something and feel you want to add more, you can easily do this. You can now get a DVD type disk. These can hold much more data than normal CD’s but they do cost more and will not work on some older computers. I usually use CD-R to store music because CD-RW does not work on some CD players, which can be a problem. If I want to store data on a CD however I usually use a CD-RW as most computers can read these and I can always add more data at a later stage. Businesses use CD-RW on their computers because if they have data that they want everyone in the office to have, then they can simply put the data on a CD and make numerous copies of it. They can then give everyone in the office a copy of the CD. At school we use CD-RW. For example, in the ICT course, the school wanted us each to have two CD’s. They had the two CD’s they wanted and then copied them and gave everyone doing the ICT course a copy to take home. The CD’s had useful software and information on that I will use while doing the ICT course. The obvious disadvantage to storing data or music on CD’s is that if the CD becomes full then no more data can be put onto the CD. If you want to put a PowerPoint presentation and a word document on a CD then the presentation may take up a lot, maybe even all, the space. This will depend on the content and how many pictures it has on it. If the presentation does take up all the space then there won’t be enough room for the word document and that would mean you would have to use another CD. That would be an inconvenient because you would have to carry two CD’s around. The alternative to CD’s is email but the amount of data that can be sent by email can be limited. Also the person who needs the information may not have access to a computer. Another alternative is to print all the information on paper and post it to the person who needs it. Communication Mobile phones are everywhere these days and virtually everyone has got one. Mobile phones used to be much larger than they are now and were a big inconvenience to carry around, as they couldn’t just fit into your pocket like the mobile phones of today. Only wealthy businessmen owned them, as they were expensive to both use and buy. As with all things, over time they got smaller and smaller and now they can be very small and more and more people have them. They are even regarded as a necessity to young people. People don’t just use mobile phones for calling other people though. Texting has become a very popular way to communicate, especially amongst the younger generation. There are two main types of message; Short Message Service (SMS) – this is the most common use of texting and one of the most useful. A message, just like an email, of up to 150 characters can be sent to one or more people at once for an average of 10p per message. Due to the small amount of characters a texting ‘language’ has developed to reduce space and therefore enable you to say more in a message. An example of this language would be ‘you’ has been shortened to just ‘u’. They both sound the same but one takes up fewer characters than the other. Hundreds of thousands of these messages are sent every day from mobile to mobile and providing signal is good and both people have there mobile phones on, a text message can be sent from here to Australia in an amazing 6 seconds. New services have become available using text messages. For example phone companies such as Vodafone allow mobile phone users to subscribe to a service where football or cricket scores can be sent to the subscribers phone as soon as they happen. Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) – Another recent development, MMS is an advanced form of SMS. Instead of just sending a message, new mobile phones will allow you to send photos, or you could send ringtones, or a pre-recorded voice message. These new phones are a little heavier then old mobile phones, but they are more sophisticated. For instance, if you go on holiday, instead of sending a postcard to your friends and family you could just take a picture using the inbuilt camera and send it using an MMS message. You can even add some writing to it. I have a new mobile phone with a digital camera; I can take good quality pictures and then send them to my friends. I also use a mobile phone to text my friends but to do this I need a good signal and sufficient credit. Businesses use mobile phones, especially people that travel around a lot and are not based in one location all the time. Salesmen would find it hard to manage without mobile phones, as they need to be able to keep in touch with their customers, and with one another, at all times. One major disadvantage of mobile phones is that they are thought to emit radioactivity. Although this has not been proven there are many people that believe that radio masts and mobile phones are a health problem to them and there are strict planning laws regarding the positioning of radio masts.

Guess, Inc.

Guess? , Inc. What started as a small family owned jeans boutique has flourished into a global lifestyle brand. Guess? , Inc. currently designs, markets, distributes, and licenses a leading lifestyle collection of contemporary apparel and accessories for men, women, and children that mirror the American lifestyle, while grasping European fashion sensibilities. While the foundation of Guess, Inc. ’s history and massive success can be attributed to their roots in the sale of jeans, Guess, Inc. has now expanded globally, granting licenses for the manufacture and distribution of a full line of product categories. Guess, Inc. perates in 87 countries, with the majority of the stores in the U. S. and Canada. As of 2010, Guess has 1292 stores, 504 in North America, 441 in Europe, and 347 in South East Asia (Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers). The company has agreements with 17 licensees. Throughout the past 30 years, Guess, Inc. has made every effort to maintain t heir status as a global phenomenon. History CEO and Chairman, Maurice Marciano, and Co-Chairman,  Paul Marciano The epitome of a successful family business, Guess, Inc was founded in 1981 by the four Marciano brothers, Georges, Armand, Paul, and Maurice (Guess? Inc. ). They came equipped with experience in the fashion industry, having previously owned and operated a chain of twelve retail stores in France (Guess, Inc. ). The brothers moved to California from Marseilles, France in 1977, where Guess was born, starting as a small jeans company. Georges Marciano was the designer of the jeans, and the brothers gave them the name â€Å"Guess† as they believed that word to be easy to pronounce due to their limited English (Guess, Inc. ). The company’s original jeans were innovative for its time, stone-washed, made to fit tightly, and featured zippers at the ankles. They called this the â€Å"Marilyn Jean† (Guess, Inc. ), and the style lived up to its name, with a sexy, unique style and attitude. They had a softer feel and lighter colors than typical denim jeans. They also featured the classic Guess triangle on the back pocket, which would soon become the distinctive Guess trademark. Believing strongly in his family’s jean business, Georges flew to New York, and convinced Bloomingdale’s to display 30 pairs of his European-style jeans on consignment in the Bloomingdale’s flagship New York store (Guess, Inc. ). Within three hours, Bloomingdale’s sold out every pair. Demand for the jeans soon skyrocketed, and the brothers would find themselves overwhelmed. Though he possessed no previous advertising experience, the brothers appointed Paul Marciano as their advertising director, in hope of expanding their capital. This proved to be wildly successful, as Paul would design an ad campaign that would revolutionize the way jeans and other clothing were sold. Seeking to take a different direction from the typical studio design, Paul brought the models and the jeans outdoors, using grainy black-and-white photography. He had the models show off the jeans using provocative poses, which would later be described by Forbes Magazine as â€Å"catering to teenage cravings for sex, power, attention, and self-love†¦electric not only with sexuality, but with an implicit brutality and exhibitionism as well. † (GUESS INC (NYSE: GES) | Balance Sheet). These controversial ads would quickly create a household name for Guess. By the end of 1982, their jeans produced about $12 million in revenue (Guess, Inc. ). Over the next 15 years, Guess would grow from a company of 30 pairs of jeans, to a globally diversified billion-dollar empire. Legal Battles Overwhelmed by their increasing costs to produce, the Marciano brothers sought a solution to expand their capital and access cheaper foreign labor. In July 1983, they signed an agreement with the Nakash brothers of the company Jordache which would entitle the Nakash brothers to 50% ownership of Guess, Inc. in exchange for $4. 8 million, as well as the use of Jordache’s Hong Kong manufacturing plants (Guess, Inc. ). This deal also licensed Jordache to produce a new line of jeans, entitled Gasoline, using parts of Guess designs in a lower-priced line. However, Guess made a mistake in putting their trust in the Nakash brothers, and neglecting to provide written assurances in the agreement to protect each company against creating knock-off’s of each other’s designs. This mistake would soon come back to haunt them, in their biggest legal battle to date. The Marcianos sued the Nakash brothers on charges of unfair competition, accusing them of using their position on the Guess board of directors and their access to Guess designs in the Hong King plant to produce clothing in their Jordache line that were clear knockoffs of Guess designs. In the suit, the Marcianos sought to null the 1983 agreement that had given Nakashes ownership of half of Guess (Guess, Inc. ). This battle would continue for the next five years, eventually ending with the two sets of brothers settling out of court, and the Marcianos regaining full control of the business. Estimated attorney fees were as high as $10 million per year for each side (Guess, Inc. ). This was an ugly legal battle that cost Guess Inc. an unnecessary amount of funds. 1982 also bought a smaller legal battle with Jeff Hamilton, Inc. Guess sought to enter the menswear market by obtaining a licensing agreement with this company. Under this agreement, Jeff Hamilton, Inc would market a line of clothing under the Guess name in exchange for a 7% royalty fee (Guess, Inc. ). However, Guess soon decided that Hamilton was targeting the young men’s market too strongly, and did not approve of Hamilton’s â€Å"dumping† of Guess merchandise in large discount stores, which was hurting the label’s high-end image. Guess sought to terminate the license agreement, which they eventually succeeded in doing in 1986. This extensive legal battle resulted in a slow growth for Guess menswear. Marketing & Promotional Strategies Guess is backed by their corporate mission statement; â€Å"At Guess, we are committed to being a worldwide leader in the fashion industry. We will deliver products and services of uncompromising quality and integrity consistent with our brand and our image. We are committed to listening and responding to the needs of our customers, associates and business partners, and honor their individual value. We are dedicated to personal and professional enrichment through an environment of open communication, creativity, teamwork, trust, and respect. We continue to give back to the community, support humanity, and protect the environment as part of our responsibility. We remain committed to an entrepreneurial spirit that fuels the growth of our Company and increased shareholder value. Through principled leadership we will embrace diversity, cultivate strength, pride and passion to align our personal life and our professional life. (The Guess Mission Statement). The target customer for Guess is a young, affluent adult, between the ages of 18 and 32. Guess makes every effort to live by this mission statement every day, and uses a variety of creative marketing and promotional strategies to further entice the target customer to purchase Guess products. The mission statement is executed everyday in Guess, Inc’s corporate strategy, which focuses on the long term. Guess is a global compa ny known for their quality, trend-setting styles, and marketing creativity. In realizing the importance of diversity, and consumers’ needs to constantly have something new, Guess never fails to bring forward new products and images to keep their name alive. While originally gaining momentum with their jeans, Guess now manufacturers and distributes a wide range of product lines. Once realizing their success, in the 80’s, the Marciano brothers decided to increase their potential, and expand beyond men’s and women’s jeans. Baby GUESS? , GUESS? watches, GUESS? footwear, GUESS? eyewear, and GUESS? fragrances were introduced. Wishing to continue their expansion, Guess introduced even more products in the late 90’s, including an entire collection of GUESS handbags, active wear, jewelry, swimwear, innerwear, leather, belts, neckwear, and men’s classics (CITE- annual report). Around the millennium, Guess introduced their website, opening the company to a whole other world of potential. Guess operates in 6 different store concepts in an attempt to appeal to a variety of different markets. The original GUESS? retail stores carry a full assortment of full-priced Guess products, including men’s and women’s merchandise, and licensed products. GUESS? factory outlet stores are primarily located in outlet malls, and sell a select assortment of men’s and women’s apparel and licensed products at lower price points. GUESS by MARCIANO stores were introduced in the summer of 2004 (GUESS INC (NYSE: GES) | Balance Sheet), in an attempt to recapture the company’s glamorous image. The Marciano chain offers apparel and accessories that are sexy, yet sophisticated. The target market for these stores is slightly older customers interested in higher-end clothing and accessories such as ritzy evening dresses and fancy jeans. G by GUESS stores offers Guess products at a lower price point than Guess retail stores, in order to target a wider demographic. These stores carry apparel for men and women, as well as a full line of accessories and footwear. Products in this line provide a more fun, youthful image; fashion-forward, yet not cutting edge fashion. GUESS? accessories stores sell GUESS? and GUESS by Marciano labeled accessory products. Finally, GUESS also operates in an e-commerce segment, with websites in 6 different languages (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). Guess is known for their iconic black-and-white print advertisements and logos that have maintained a level of consistency throughout the company’s history. The aim of Guess advertisements is to place more of an emphasis on the brand image than on the actual products (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). All Guess advertisements use similar themes and images, primarily using outdoor images. Guess images have been showcased in international print campaigns in virtually all major magazines, on television, billboards, bus shelters, and advertisements throughout the world. The image of the Guess model has become a pop culture icon in the history of fashion advertising. Guess model, Anna Nicole Smith, in the early 1990’s Drew Barrymore Adriana Lima Paris HIlton Guess brought forth the faces of many future supermodels in their sexy promotional campaigns, including names such as Anna Nicole Smith, Claudia, Schiffer, , Drew Barrymore, Jessica Miller, Cindy Taylor, Minki Van Der Westhuizen, and Shana Zadrick (Guess? Inc. News- Company Information). Iconic models, actresses and all-round sex-bombs have all pouted and posed for these successful Guess ad campaigns. It goes without saying that Guess has been such an influential brand in the fashion world. Sales Trends & Financial Data For the first quarter of 2012, Guess, Inc reported net earnings of $42. 7 million. This was a 15. 2% decrease from the first quarter of the fiscal year 2011, in which Guess, Inc. reported net earnings of $50. 3 million (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). Balance Sheet from www. FORBES. com For the entire year, ending January 29 ,2011, net earnings for Guess, Inc were reported at $289. 5 million, an increase of 19. %, with gross profit increasing to $1090. 2 million, an increase of 15. 8%. Total net revenue increased to $2,487. 3 million, and gross margin decreased from the previous year to 43. 8% of total revenues (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). The decrease in gross margin was attributed to the negative impact of the stronger U. S. dollar on product purchases, increased occupancy costs due to retail expansion in Europe, lower initial mark-ups in Europe , and higher markdowns in the North American retail segment (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). Earnings from operations were reported at $404. million, a 12. 8% increase from the prior year, and other income, including interest income and expense, totaled $16. 7 million (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). As of January 29, 2011, Guess, Inc. had $442. 1 million in cash and cash equivalents, down $60. 0 million from 2010. In breaking down all of their marketing segments, Guess, Inc found that once again, the largest increase in gross profit came from their European segment. In Europe, revenues increased 23. 2% to $920. 3 million. Revenues produced by other segments were reported as follows: North American Retail- Net Revenue: $1069. 9 million * Earnings from Operations: $122. 6 million * Operation Margin: 11. 5% Asia- * Net Revenue: $53. 6 million * Earnings from Operation: $28. 6million * Operating Margin: 14. 3% North American Wholesale- * Net Revenue: $181. 0 million * Earnings from Ope rations: $46. 2 million * Operating Margin: 25. 5% (Maurice Marciano and Marciano) Despite setbacks from their legal battles (The Marciano brothers believed they would have exceeded $1 billion in sales by their 10th anniversary, had it not been for the court cases) (Guess? Inc. ), Guess sales flourished from the very beginning. 1984 brought sales of $150 million, and in 1987, the company reached profits of $100 million, with sales reaching $350 million (Guess, Inc. ). At that time, Guess retail stores grew to 19 locations, and sales reached $575 million in 1990 (Guess, Inc. ). In 1991, Guess strategically increased their advertising budget to $22 million. This worked in their favor, as the company earned enough profits to add 33 more stores by the end of the year, including the European flagship store in Florence, Italy. Sales slowed during the recession in the early 1990’s (Guess, Inc. ). However, the men’s collection took an opposite approach, and sales skyrocketed, with a 41% sales growth in 1991 alone (Guess, Inc. ). By the end of the year, menswear sales would account for 40 of total company sales. During this time, Guess also began to see the extensive opportunities available with international sales, as licensing arrangements introduced Guess to over a dozen countries, causing a significant increase in revenues. By 1993, Guess had reached an estimated $700 million in sales (Guess, Inc. . During this time, Georges Marciano decided to step down from his position as CEO, and sell his 40% of the company to his brothers for around $200 million. Maurice was then named CEO, and took over direction of design. Guess then stepped up their promotional campaign, looking to fuel its future growth. Licensing became a vital part of total revenues, with products now including home furnishings, i nfant wear, and junior knit wear (Guess, Inc. ). Meanwhile, sales continued to grow, now focusing on more accessories as well. In 1994, sales of Guess watches exceeded $100 million and footwear more than $60 million. Guess became a publicly traded company in 1996 (Guess, Inc. ). Hoping to continue their uninterrupted success, Guess was disappointed when 1997 sales began to drop. To compensate, Guess created a new line of high-end jeans called Premium Denim for men and women. However, this proved to be another disappointment, and the market share was lost due to competitive pressures and a terrible retail environment. In 1999, Guess decided to start their first e-commerce store (www. guess. om), which gave their sales a much-needed boost. Even in critical times, Guess was able to open 56 new stores in 2000. Annual sales would increase by 32% with the introduction of G Brand, a new complete line of high quality unisexual jeans wear that used Italian denim and European designs. At the end of 2000, Guess had 212 stores in the U. S. and Canada. In 2001, Guess implemented a new marketing strategy in order to keep their profits rising. With these new strong marketing methods, Guess was able to increase their sales, and open 24 new stores in the U. S. and Canada, a total of 249 stores. Guess continues their success over the next several years. As of 2010, Guess has 1292 stores, 504 in North America, 441 in Europe, and 347 in South East Asia (Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers). Looking towards the year ending January 28, 2012, Guess, Inc. expects new revenues to range from $2. 74 billion to $2. 80 billion (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). Operating margins are expected to be between $16. 5%, while diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $3. 30 to $3. 50 (Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results). SWOT Analysis Like any business, Guess must analyze each of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and implement a strategy of using each of these aspects to their advantage. Strengths A quick overview of the strengths of Guess, Inc. include maintaining a strong and diversified brand portfolio, a global full lifestyle brand, an effective management team, and solid capital structure. Guess produces a brand that portrays a fun, fashionable, and sexy image, which is developed and maintained worldwide. Guess maintain a massive level of global success, with stores in 85 countries besides the U. S. and Canada. Because of this global diversification, the company is still able to grow, even in tough economic times. International growth remains one of Guess, Inc’s top strengths. Another major advantage Guess has is their use of multiple distribution channels. Not a company to focus solely on one channel, Guess Inc uses retail, wholesale, e-commerce, as well as licensing distribution to sell their products. This proves as a preventative benefit, as their operating results are not relying solely on the performance on one single channel. This also allows Guess, Inc to quickly adapt to ay changes in the distribution or retail environment of any one particular region. Adding to their diversity, Guess also relies on multiple store concepts, including flagship GUESS? full-priced retail stores, GUESS? factory outlet stores, GUESS by MARCIANO stores, G by GUESS stores, GUESS? Accessories stores, and GUESS? kids stores (Maurice Marciano and Marciano). This allows Guess to target multiple demographics in different regions. Weaknesses Like any company, Guess, Inc must also identify their weaknesses. A quick overview of the weaknesses of Guess, Inc. include maintaining a business in a highly promotional environment, the highly competitive nature of the apparel industry, discretionary spending being dictated by the situation in the global economy, and the narrow focus on women’s apparel. While Guess has very diversified products, and targets women, men, as well as children, their heavy focus on women’s apparel could be seen as a big weakness. Only 10% of Guess consumers are men, boys, or babies (Maurice Marciano and Marciano), which may indicate a lack of balance of promotional activities. Guess should assign more of their promotional budget to focusing on these areas, rather than attempting to portray an image of solely a women’s retailer. This also creates an opportunity for competitors to gain control over these sectors. While Guess stores may be growing rapidly in other countries, they must continue to be careful not to saturate the market. Opportunities A quick overview of the opportunities for Guess, Inc. include growing demand in foreign countries, such as China, under-penetrated markets in Europe, growth in the U. S. , and alliances by leasing. The Guess e-commerce environment improves customer relations, and creates an alternative shopping environment. In realizing this, Guess has the opportunity to increase their profits significantly by continuing to offer a wide range of products and keep up with an ever-changing economy. Technology proves to be a great opportunity for Guess, as they can benefit from consumer’s need for convenience. Guess men’s clothing category also has the biggest potential and room for growth. If Guess takes advantage of that, they will allow themselves the potential for a tremendous increase in profits. Guess should also take advantage of the new business casual trend, whereas smart casual clothing is becoming more and more acceptable in professional offices, and more people are looking for an acceptable replacement for their suits, ties, and other â€Å"formal† business attire. Threats A quick overview of the threats against Guess, Inc. include continued weakness in global consumer spending, low entry cost for competitors in the apparel market, changes to import tariffs, quotas, and taxes, and increases in energy and raw materials prices. Competitors are always considered one of a business’s greatest threats. The apparel industry is highly competitive, which may cause difficulties for Guess in the future. During a recession or uncertain economic conditions, consumers may be faced with reduced confidence and spending habits, resulting in a slow-down in sales and profits. While relationships with international markets and suppliers prove to be a steady strength for Guess, there are also threats involved. Since Guess does not own or operate any production facilities of their own (CITE- annual report), they depend heavily on foreign suppliers and manufacturers to produce products of top quality, and exactly to their specifications. Since Guess is a global business, there revenues could inadvertently be affected by factors beyond their control, such as recessions in foreign countries, political instability which may interrupt trade with foreign vendors, reduced global demand, significant fluxations in the value of the dollar against foreign currencies, or local business practices that do not conform to legal or ethical guidelines. Furthermore, Maurice and Paul Marciano currently hold 33% ownership of Guess shares, which is a very significant percentage. Their interests may differ from those of other stockholders, which could present a potential threat to the nature of the business. Competition One of Guess, Inc’s top competitors is Abercrombie and Fitch. Similar to Guess, Abercrombie's positioning strategy involves the use of sexually overt advertising positioned to appeal to young adult markets. Unlike Guess, Abercrombie and Fitch advertisements often depict nudity, alcohol consumption and assorted sexual behaviors. Guess chooses to take a less scandalous approach, and maintain a softer, more classical image. Abercrombie ; Fitch does not have a mass market approach to its advertising. It places print ads in 4 magazines: Vanity Fair, Interview, Out, and Rolling Stone. Abercrombie ; Fitch is well positioned for the future, however it is necessary for them to continue to move forward in their efforts to maintain a new, trendy image. In the face of a falling economy, Abercrombie's advertising stands out to an audience that has been exposed to a lot of noisy ads. In comparison to Guess, Abercrombie has the advantage of selling products under four different concepts, Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie, Hollister, and RUEHL. This provides the added benefit of appealing to different markets and demographics under completely different names, whereas Guess will only sell products with the Guess name , allowing Guess limited access to the market. GUESS? In the Future Immediate strategies to make Guess bigger and better would be to focus more of their advertising and promotional capabilities to their menswear collection. In the near future, I would recommend opening individual Guess for Men stores, which would open the door to an entire new demographic, increasing the potential for an immeasurable amount of profits. Focusing on new markets in Europe should also prove to be beneficial for the company. Currently, this market is under-penetrated, but has great potential for expansion in the future. As for a long term growth strategy, Guess needs to continue increasing their retail presence and expanding internationally. Guess has an excellent retail strategy which needs to be executed in each region of the world. Looking towards the long term, Guess should consider forming an alliance with a major competitor in the market, such as BEBE or Levi’s. Both of these companies have showed evidence of trying to come up with new styles in an attempt to keep up with Guess (Guess? , Inc. ), and are equally dominating the market for jeans and/or casual wear. Merging with either of these companies would prove to be tremendously profitable for Guess, as it would eliminate much of the competition, as well as allow them to dominate more of the market. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, Guess, Inc. is now bigger and better than ever, and growth shows no signs of slowing down. As long as they continue to leverage their presence globally and execute their mission statement and creative promotional strategies, Guess will continue to stay on top of the fashion world. Works Cited â€Å"Breif History of the Company and the Marciano Brothers. 25 June 2009. Guess, Inc. 1 May 2011 . â€Å"Guess, Inc. † Funding Universe. 27 May 2011 . â€Å"Guess? Inc. News- Company Information. † New York Times 2011. â€Å"Guess? , Inc. † 2011. Hoover's Company Information. May 2011 ;http://proquest. umi. com. ezproxy. library. berkeley. org/pqdweb? index=4;did=168188551;SrchMode=1;sid=1;Fmt=3;VInst=PROD;VType=PQD;RQT=309;VName=PQD;TS= 1307571605;clientId=11195;. Guess? , Inc. Reports First Quarter Results. Fiscal Results for the First Quarter Ended April 30, 2011. Los Angeles, CA: PR Newswire, 2011. â€Å"Marcianos Go Full Time Now at Guess. † Women's Wear Daily 16 6 1990: 1. Maurice Marciano, Chairman of the Board, Guess, Inc. and Paul, CEO & Vice Chairman of the Board, Guess, Inc Marciano. â€Å"Guess? , Inc Annual Report 2010. † Annual Report. 2010. â€Å"The Guess Mission Statement. † Guess, Inc. 2011 . ——————————————–

Formation of a Company Essay

Refers to the entire process by which a company is brought into existence. It starts with the conceptualisation of the birth a a company and determination of the purpose for which it is to be formed. The persons who conceive the company and invest the initial funds are known as the promoters of the company. The promoters enter into preliminary contracts with vendors and make arrangements for the preparation, advertisement and the circulation of prospectus and placement of capital. However, a person who merely acts in his professional capacity on behalf of the promoter (eg lawyer, CA, etc) for drawing up the agreement or other documents or prepares the figures on behalf of the promoter and who is paid by the promoter is not a promoter. The promoters have certain basic duties towards the company formed :- In case of default on the part of the promoter in fulfilling the above duties, the company may :- A promoter may be rewarded by the company for efforts undertaken by him in forming the company in several ways. The more common ones are :- If the promoter fails to disclose the profit made by him in course of promotion or knowingly makes a false statement in the prospectus whereby the person relying on that statement makes a loss, he will be liable to make good the loss suffered by that other person. The promoter is liable for untrue statements made in the prospectus. A person who subscribes for any shares or debenture in the company on the faith of the untrue statement contained in the prospectus can sue the promoter for the loss or damages sustained by him as the result of such untrue statement. II. Incorporation by Registration : The promoters must make a decision regarding the type of company i. e a pulic company or a private company or an unlimited company, etc and accordingly prepare the documents for incorporation of the company. In this connection the Memorandum and Articles of Association (MA & AA) are crucial documents to be prepared. Memorandum of Association of a company : Is the constitution or charter of the company and contains the powers of the company. No company can be registered under the Companies Act, 1956 without the memorandum of association. Under Section 2(28) of the Companies Act, 1956 the memorandum means the memorandum of association of the company as originally framed or as altered from time to time in pursuance with any of the previous companies law or the Companies Act, 1956. The memorandum of association should be in any of the one form specified in the tables B,C,D and E of Schedule 1 to the Companies Act, 1956. Form in Table B is applicable in case of companies limited by the shares , form in Table C is applicable to the companies limited by guarantee and not having share capital, form in Table D is applicable to company limited by guarantee and having a share capital whereas form in table E is applicable to unlimited companies. Contents of Memorandum : The memorandum of association of every company must contain the following clauses :- Name clause The name of the company is mentioned in the name clause. A public limited company must end with the word ‘Limited’ and a private limited company must end with the words ‘Private Limited’. The company cannot have a name which in the opinion of the Central Government is undesirable. A name which is identical with or the nearly resembles the name of another company in existence will not be allowed. A company cannot use a name which is prohibited under the Names and Emblems (Prevntion of Misuse Act, 1950 or use a name suggestive of connection to government or State patronage. Domicile clause The state in which the registered office of company is to be situated is mentioned in this clause. If it is not possible to state the exact location of the registered office, the company must state it provide the exact address either on the day on which commences to carry on its business or within 30 days from the date of incorporation of the company, whichever is earlier. Notice in form no 18 must be given to the Registrar of Comapnies within 30 days of the date of incorporation of the company. Similarly, any change in the registered office must also be intimated in form no 18 to the Registrar of Companies within 30 days. The registered office of the company is the official address of the company where the statutory books and records must be normally be kept. Every company must affix or paint its name and address of its registered office on the outside of the every office or place at which its activities are carried on in. The name must be written in one of the local languages and in English. Objects clause This clause is the most important clause of the company. It specifies the activities which a company can carry on and which activities it cannot carry on. The company cannot carry on any activity which is not authorised by its MA. This clause must specify :- In case of the companies other than trading corporations whose objects are not confined to one state, the states to whose territories the objects of the company extend must be specified. Consequences of an ultravires transaction :- However, the doctrine of ultra-vires does not apply in the following cases :- The following are exceptions to the rule of limited liability of members :- Capital clause The amount of share capital with which the company is to be registered divided into shares must be specified giving details of the number of shares and types of shares. A company cannot issue share capital greater than the maximum amount of share capital mentioned in this clause without altering the memorandum. Association clause A declaration by the persons for subscribing to the Memorandum that they desire to form into a company and agree to take the shares place against their respective name must be given by the promoters. Articles of Association The Articles of Association (AA) contain the rules and regulations of the internal management of the company. The AA is nothing but a contract between the company and its members and also between the members themselves that they shall abide by the rules and regulations of internal management of the company specified in the AA. It specifies the rights and duties of the members and directors. The provisions of the AA must not be in conflict with the provisions of the MA. In case such a conflict arises, the MA will prevail. Normally, every company has its own AA. However, if a company does not have its own AA, the model AA specified in Schedule I – Table A will apply. A company may adopt any of the model forms of AA, with or without modifications. The articles of association should be in any of the one form specified in the tables B,C,D and E of Schedule 1 to the Companies Act, 1956. Form in Table B is applicable in case of companies limited by the shares , form in Table C is applicable to the companies limited by guarantee and not having share capital, form in Table D is applicable to company limited by guarantee and having a share capital whereas form in table E is applicable to unlimited companies. However, a private company must have its own AA. The important items covered by the AA include :- Alteration of articles of association : A company can alter any of the provisions of its AA, subject to provisions of the Companies Act and subject to the conditions contained in the Memorandum of association of the company. A company, by special resolution at a general meeting of members, alter its articles provided that such alteration does not have the effect of converting a public limited company into a private company unless it has been approved by the Central Government. The articles must be printed, divided into paragraphs and numbered consequently and must be signed by each subscriber to the Memorandum of Association who shall add his address, description and occupation in presence of at least one witness who must attest the signature and likewise add his address, description and occupation. The articles of association of the company when registered bind the company and the members thereof to the same extent as if it was signed by the company and by each member. III. Registration of the Company Once the documents have been prepared, vetted, stamped and signed, they must be filed with the Registrar of Companies for incorporating the Company. The following documents must be filed in this connection :- {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Certificate of Incorporation Once all the above documents have been filed and they are found to be in order, the Registrar of Companies will issue Certificate of Incorporation of the Company. This document is the birth certificate of the company and is proof of the existence of the company. Once, this certificate is issued, the company cannot cease its existence unless it is dissolved by order of the Court. IV. Commencement of Business A private company or a company having no share capital can commence its business immediately after it has been incorporated. However, other companies can commence their activities only after they have obtained Certificate of Commencement of Business. For this purpose, the following additional formalities have to be complied with :- If a company has share capital and has issued a prospectus, then :- {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Once the above provisions have been complied with, the Registrar of Companies grants â€Å"Certificate of Commencement of Business† after which the company can commence its activities

Week 5 paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Week 5 paper - Essay Example The main question during the trial of an offenders of antisocial offences is the presence of inclusive laws that can recognize and properly attribute commitment of anti-social acts with the mental status during the act. Availability of such a law would ensure that offenders are fairly convicted in relation to their psychosocial status, and others referred to appropriate mental facilities. Application of investigatory laws in an appropriate manner coupled with adequate referral mechanism will be a pivotal point in ensuring that both the offenders and the offended are served with the right form of justice (Robertson & Law, 2007). Andrea Yates, who formerly resided in Houston, Texas, made a confession to having killed her five children after drowning them in the bathtub. She confessed to the authorities as well as to her husband whom she called informing that she had committed the act. All the children of Andrea and Rusty were named from the figures of the bible: Noah, john, Paul, Luke, and Mary. The naming structure of these children was influenced by devotion to Christianity. Andrea developed the devotion after listening to the extremist sermons of Michal Peter, a minister that captivated the spiritual life of Andrea with his preaching of good and evil spirits (West, 2006). Andrea was determined to have committed the crime following a mental instability. Following the birth of the fourth child, she was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis as well as postpartum depression. Her psychiatrist then advised her against giving birth to another child as that would worsen the condition. In June 1999, rusty came home and found Andrea quivering and chewing her figures, a trait that he compared to degeneration of mental condition to the childhood level. She equally attempted to commit suicide by overdosing on pills but was saved and admitted in

Wireless security beyond 802.1x Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wireless security beyond 802.1x - Essay Example However, many consider the IPsec an improvement on the 802.1x. However, to ascertain the truth, we need to carry out an analysis of the protection provided by the different technologies. The 802.1x assists in controlling access to a computer network. The technology is a port-based access control method that is defined by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering which can be configured to require mandatory authentication between the network and the client. Communications become impossible without the authentication. Many people consider the 802.1x technology as the foundation of wireless security. However, deploying the 802.1x technology has its challenges. The technology requires devices that are compatible with 802.1x . The technology has weakness in its protocol, as it only authenticates at the establishment of a connection. Further connection does not require authentication, resulting in security risks (Al-Shaer, 2014). Additionally, the technology does not have centralized management capability. As such, the IPsec VPN became introduced. The Virtual Private Networks based on IPsec allow a layer of security to become a part of the wireless network, allowing for the protection of all traffic that flows in and out of the network. The method has several advantages over 802.1x including; Invisibility - Since the technology is based at the network level, it remains invisible in its operations (Snader, 2014). The end users do not have to learn its existence, nor do they have to interact directly with it, which is different from the 802.1x technology that requires authentication from clients. Lack of dependence on applications - The IPsec technology does not depend on applications to become effective, as the s=entire system is operated at the network level. As such, it avoids compatibility issues, which are common in 802.1x systems. Broken algorithms - A number of key algorithms used by the IPsec have been cracked,

Mass media in Saudi Arabia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Mass media in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example Saudi Arabia achieves control of the media mainly through the Ministry of Information, which administers the national news agency and the broadcasting services, and is responsible for applying censorship regulations (Rampal, 1994). Simons (2006) states that the three main roles played by mass media are as mirror, witness, and transmitter. This refers to the necessity for media to reflect the news, events, and situations, to observe occurrences of social, political and other interest, and to convey the information, observations and analysis to the general public. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the various aspects of mass media in Saudi Arabia, including its functioning and conditions affecting Arab mass media. 2. An Authoritarian Mass Media System The standard systems of classifying mass media are as authoritarian, libertarian, social responsibility and totalitarian (Siebert, Peterson & Schramm, 1963). The Arab media do not fall specifically into any one of the above categories, but some elements of all four systems are found in the mass media system of Saudi Arabia. In most of the Arab countries the media function under different variations of the authoritarian theory; thus, of the four theories this is the one that most closely explains the Saudi Arabian mass media operations. The authoritarian governments in these Arab countries play a part in the use of authoritarian media functions. In the authoritarian system, the media â€Å"support and advance the policies of the government, which controls the media either directly or indirectly through licensing, legal action, or perhaps financial means† (Rugh, 2004, p.23). Rampal (1994) reiterates that despite political reform initiatives, Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy. The authoritarian political system has resulted in a controlled press, particularly since 1958 when the government’s Publications Department was goven to censor publications. The authoritarian reg ime permits the media to discuss society and the machinery of government, but not of the people who hold the political power. This system is built on the theory that truth does not emerge from a great mass of people, but of a few wise men capable of directing and guiding their fellow human beings (Siebert et al, 1963). In the authoritarian system comment and criticism are carefully guided, and lucid goals for the community align with the objectives of the regime

In patients with obesity can diet and excercise control weight gain Research Paper

In patients with obesity can diet and excercise control weight gain better than weight loss pills lipofuz or Alli - Research Paper Example late obesity with the abnormal food intake or poor diet (Styne, 2005), genetic factor such as a metabolic defect (Roth et al., 2004; Rosmond, 2002), leptin deficiency and/or the use of steroids (Link et al., 2004). Children and adults who are obese are facing problems not only related to social adjustment disorders or social discrimination (Pearce et al., 2002) but also a long list of serious health concerns such as heart diseases, diabetes and the different types of cancer (WHO, 2005). Aside from providing the definition of health and chronic illnesses as stated by the World Health Organization among others, how these definitions are in consistent with my own thoughts will be thoroughly discussed. After determining the impact of food manufacturers’ television advertisement on the increasing rate of obesity in the United States, the proposed research study will focus on determining whether or not preventive measures is a better method of weight control for obese patients than those who prefer to undergo gastric banding. In the process of going through the main discussion, the significance of diet, exercise, and gastric banding procedure on minimizing the cases of obesity will be compared and contrast. Based on the gathered information, a list of recommendations will be provided prior to conclusion. The World Health Organization (2003) defined health as â€Å"the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. On the other hand, chronic illness is defined as â€Å"the irreversible presence, accumulation, or latency of disease states or impairments that involve the total human environment for supportive and self-care, maintenance of function, and prevention of further disability† (Curtin & Lubkin, 1995, pp. 6 – 7). In my own thoughts, the health and wellness of each person is not all about being physically free from being ill but living a lifestyle that would prevent these people from having the need

Women of TV Broadcast Journalism in the UK versus the US Dissertation

Women of TV Broadcast Journalism in the UK versus the US - Dissertation Example From the study it is clear that since the two countries under scrutiny in this study are UK and the US, we might as well keep these figures in mind right from the start. For the purpose of conducting this study on the portrayal of women broadcasters in US and UK, the help of various sources and surveys on a worldwide basis as well as secondary data collection have been taken. For starters, there is a brief look at the broadcasting industry, its history and emerging trends, as a whole, before moving onto the aspects that define the world of women broadcasters, specifically. These aspects include statistics as well as case studies for comparing trends and probabilities in both countries. This paper highlights that for every ABC, CBS and NBC affiliate that does local news – which is quite a sizable figure, there is a great majority of independent stations that do not follow suit. Only 2% of the Big- Three affiliates but 64% of other stations said they had no news staff. All these findings fuelled the transition to a period of postmodernism for mass media – an era ushered in equal parts by the beginning of globalisation as well as sensationalism. Part of the transition to postmodernism was the emerging trend of using women broadcasters, as we will study below. Apart from bringing glamour and a certain amount of light heartedness to the whole routine of broadcasting, women have a powerful role to play when it comes to dominating an audience’s attention in terms of mass media.

DETAILED COMPARISON BETWEEN ACT AND RULE UTILITARIANISM Essay

DETAILED COMPARISON BETWEEN ACT AND RULE UTILITARIANISM - Essay Example A good consequence is determined in terms of pleasure or happiness (both intrinsic and instrumental), according to Bentham. So, his concept can also be termed as â€Å"hedonic utilitarianism† since he experimented logically that we look for pleasure (hedonism) and avert pain, assuming that both pleasure and pain hold an impact on our decisions, although we are conscious of right or wrong and cause or effect. Two forms of utilitarianism, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism are in conflict with each other. Act utilitarianism, being a results-oriented theory, supports consequentialism, assuming right or wrong on the basis of outcomes. Instead, rule utilitarianism, being an idealistic and inflexible theory, is based on rules involving conduct and related principles. Believers of rule utilitarianism don’t violate the rules, approved by mainstream. Act Utilitarian upholds that the principle of utility must be employed in all individual situations, whenever possible. Bentham indicates that most vital attributes to determine what is moral are pleasure and pain. The practicality of an action decides its rightness or wrongness, bringing about the utmost good from countless evolving outcomes. For instance, if you are in a state where you consider lying to be a supreme good, at that point, you should lie. If infringement of law leads towards ultimate good of a particular act, then that act would be correct to adhere to. Likewise, Act Utilitarianism allows for flexibility, considering individual situations and identifying the right action strategy to produce extreme happiness. Conversely, Rule Utilitarianism, associated with John Stuart Mill, concentrates on common rules that each person must obey to lead towards the greatest community benefit. Unlike Act Utilitarianism, Rule Utilitarianism institutes the best rules, followed by the whole community, though it doesn’t head

Training Manual Focusing On Financial Valuation Essay Example for Free

Training Manual Focusing On Financial Valuation Essay Any company, especially one that has recently gone public, needs a manual on financial systems that will work hand in hand with its overall business strategy and its structural organizational strategy. In the case of Strident Marks, which is now a public company, valuation in terms of business and actual return on investment increased as the responsibility of profitability intensifies with the presence of stockholders. It is important that the rules and the standards of valuation are set out clearly, as well as the process needed to achieve these rules. Valuation in investment can be divided into actual return on investment in profit, and perceived return on investment in time, efficiency, and output. The training manual should have separate areas that address these two, as well as a consolidating guide that will allow these factors to work together for the good of the company and the shareholders. The profit valuation is the simplest tool as it entails only a cost-benefit analysis and a projected profit versus expense report. Since it is quantifiable, the gains and losses are easily seen and departments can easily account for any changes in policy, as well as in meeting and exceeding targets. Quality returns on investment, on the other hand, are difficult to value and justify. For example, the implementation of an information system cannot be quantified into concrete results in terms of profit, but only to the benefits to the employee, the shareholder, and of course, the client. A method that can be used is to assign actual, numerical values on a grading scale that will allow these factors to be valued. The financial department is crucial in this asect as this division can quantify the value of a perceived benefit versus the actual value of the company as a whole. The financial department can provide a more accurate numerical assessment as opposed to a haphazard assignment. This branch can also ascertain the feasibility of an investment versus the benefits to be gained from it. References Financial Regulation — Good Rules and Bad. (1993). World Bank Development Brief, 12. Retrieved January 17, 2007 from http://www.worldbank.org/html/dec/ Publications/Briefs/DB12.html

Toni Morrisons Beloved: Past and the Present

Toni Morrisons Beloved: Past and the Present Past and Present in Beloved The principal message of Toni Morrison, in her novel Beloved, is that the past should not be an impediment to the present. Slavery is an institution that dominates the past of America, and represents the horror from which the modern nation wishes to rise above. But this cannot be achieved through the willful ignorance of the past. The horrors of the past must be acknowledged before we are able to lay them to rest. However, it is a mistake too to dwell on the injustices committed by our forebears, for by doing so we only enslave ourselves to the past once more. In the novel Beloved is an allegorical character who represents the past of slavery, in the specific context of the black community. She enters the lives of Sethe, Denver and Paul D, and helps them to deal conclusively with the past, and therefore to leave it behind and face the future. Paul D insinuates that Sethe has â€Å"too thick love† for her children, and that this is the root cause of her plight. However, it is b ecause of Sethe’s overwhelming love that Beloved appears in her life. So, even though her overbearing love causes her to murder her own daughter, it also leads to the ultimate resolution. On the other hand, Paul D’s variety of love only causes him to retreat into a shell, and from which there is no progress. Morrison presents slavery as an extremely cruel institution, but this is not her primary intention. The more immediate message of the novel is that the past must be dealt with finally, and must then be laid to rest. A former slave, Sethe is now a free woman, living with her teenage daughter Denver. Early in the novel she admits another former slave Paul D as her partner. When he first arrives, it brings back to her the horrific past, which she is struggling to eradicate. But Paul D is just as eager to leave his slave days behind, and this leads to a rapport between the two. Sethe’s horror stems from the fact that she had murdered her two-year-old daughter, because she did not want her to be captured and put into slavery. She was fleeing from her sadistic owner, and had been raped before she took her drastic move. However, they cannot hold back the past, because soon there appears the embodied spirit of her murdered daughter, whom they do not recognize as such, but whom Sethe c alls Beloved. Her appearance infuses tension into the lives of all she touches, and in this way she effects a vital transformation. Before the advent of Beloved the story concentrates of the magnitude of Sethe’s crime. We tend to agree with Paul D’s comment that she has â€Å"too thick love†, and we believe that nothing can excuse the murder of one’s own child. Sethe’s reply is â€Å"Love is or love aint. Thin love aint no love at all† (Morrison 173). At the time we dismiss this reply as fatuous, but its significance is magnified by the end of the story. Even though Sethe has escaped slavery, and lives as a free woman with her daughter, and in the company of Paul D, we soon sense that the past remains as an overbearing presence in their lives. The author wishes to make it clear that the spirit of the dead baby is haunting house number 124, and indeed this part of the story contains the heading â€Å"124 was spiteful. Full of a babys venom† (Ibid 3). We soon come to realize that the effect on the inhabitants is not a positive one. Sethe shuts her past away, and it w ould have remained thus if Paul D had not appeared and brought it all back to her. Even then she is struggling to keep it away from her, and the effort leaves her morose and downbeat all the time. Paul D does nothing to help in this direction, because he too keeps his past bottled up. Indeed, he has perfected it into an art, telling Sethe how he keeps all the undesirable memories in the â€Å"rusted tobacco tin† of his heart (Ibid 77). At first it seems that Denver is not too uncomfortable with the spirit of the baby occupying the home. She has learnt to communicate with this spirit, and has developed a sort of rapport with it. However, it has rendered her shy and withdrawn, and unable to cope with the world. The overall atmosphere in the house is one of stagnation, and very much full of the â€Å"babys venom† mentioned in the title. The arrival of Beloved effects a dramatic change in the household. The author leaves the identity of this character a mystery, but then again provides enough clues that point towards an allegorical interpretation. This part of the story is titled â€Å"124 was loud† (Ibid 177), and if we interpret this as a progression from the title of the first part, we easily deduce that the spirit of the baby has grown and has found embodiment in Beloved. When she is discovered by Sethe, she is homeless, without a memory of her past, and is wet and shivering from being left out in the rain. All the clues pertain to a birth, because a baby comes into the world without a memory, and is wet too. She will soon accommodate herself into the household of 124 in the most natural way, which points to the natural tie she possesses with the inhabitants. She is of the exact age that Sethe’s murdered child would have been, and indeed she reminds Sethe only of her. From all these clues it is clea r that Beloved is the embodied spirit of Sethe’s dead daughter, and is the same spirit that had haunted the house in the first part. There she was merely a spiteful presence. Here, however, she is â€Å"loud†, as proclaimed in the title. Beloved soon becomes a demanding presence in the household, and Sethe finds herself at her beck and call. The relationship between the two becomes an obsessive one. The principle dynamic between them is the fact that Sethe does not want to face the past, whereas Beloved’s every act and indication has a bearing on Sethe’s own past. To recognize Beloved as the spirit of her murdered daughter would imply a confrontation with the past, and it seems as if the spirit is egging Sethe on to make this recognition. But Sethe is stubborn, and yet she is strangely drawn to the newcomer in the house, whom she likes to see as an adopted daughter, but nothing more. It is as if the â€Å"thick love† that she bears towards her daughter makes her compulsively drawn towards Beloved, but her inhibitions stop her from making the proper recognition. It is probably in response to this inhibition that Beloved turns more and more demanding and malevolent, which has a severe effect on the other members of the household, Denver and Paul D. Denver cannot cope with the demands of Beloved, and she is forced to move out of the household, and takes up residence in community. Paul D is also uncomfortable in her presence, and he has removed his lodgings into the barn. Despite all these drastic changes Sethe remains stubborn in her refusal to recognize the true identity of Beloved, and as a result is more and more obsessively drawn towards her. Beloved is â€Å"loud†, and all the rest are forced to listen to her. She is an allegorical character representative of the past, and the author is suggesting that the past is asking to be heard and dealt with. We do not fail to notice that Beloved has a striking effect on all whom she comes in contact with. In the first part of the book Denver was comfortable with the spiritual presence of the baby, and she grew despondent after Paul D exorcises the spirit away from the house. But the spirit has returned in a more mature body, and this time it jolts her out of her shy and retiring shell. She moves out of the house in exasperation, but this is a positive influence on her, for now she is able to cope with the world. Paul D hates Beloved, but he can’t help being seduced by her, and in the end makes her pregnant. Through his mesmerizing sexual encounters with Beloved he learns to express himself once more. He had become so withdrawn from the world that he was beginning do doubt himself as a man, and Beloved sparks a regeneration in him. As in the case of Denver, Beloved is drawing the person out of a shell of the past and into the immediate present. Sethe, of course, is the most difficult case, but she too is transformed in the end. When Denver returns to 124 with the abolitionist Mr. Bodwin, Sethe mistakes him for â€Å"schoolteacher†, the sadistic slave owner under whom she had suffered when she was a slave in the Sweet Home plantation. It was schoolteacher’s nephew who had raped her, and who had forced her to take the life of her own daughter. When she mistakes Denver’s companion for schoolteacher, she is overcome by rage, and attacks him with an ice pick. She is quickly brought to her senses, but this is the moment when she finally confronts her past, and therefore has dealt with it. Accordingly, Beloved is seen no more after this point, which further underlies the allegorical interpretation of her presence. The past has served its function, and now vanishes so that it is possible for all to live in the immediate present. The third and final part of the story, in which Beloved is absent, it titled  "124 was quiet†, indicating a more peaceful existence in the present moment. The peace is only possible because Sethe had loved her children wholeheartedly, and enough to kill one of them. It was a crime committed under extreme circumstances, and motivated by love towards the victim. It is again the same overwhelming force of love that ushered in the presence of Beloved, so at to effect a final resolution. In conclusion, Sethe is right in defending the â€Å"thick love† that she bears towards her children. She is right in contending that love is love, and that to compromise it in any way is to turn it into something else. We would not expect a mother to kill her child, no matter what the circumstances. But the author is making a comment on the hopelessness that faced the slaves, and the extent to which they were liable to react. The incident of Sethe killing her daughter is put forward as emblematic of the cruelty of slavery. But whatever the reality of it, it is in the past. The message of the novel is that the past must be confronted and laid to rest. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Beloved: A Novel. New York: Plume, 1988. Computer Engineering: Career Computer Engineering: Career Computer Engineering/Engineer Throughout the years we have spent on this planet, a lot of us are apparent to the rapid changes of technology. The moving of computer technology from China to America; none of us can say that those technological advancements made in the past few decades are given by the development of new computer science and engineering. These days, those assets we obtained are camouflaging every field of what we, now live by, and it is continuing to spread double time to every rim of this world. Computer engineering/engineer work together to create and maintain a computers performance and manufactures. The type of training for this career requires one to have patiences and the ability to learn about computer science and the training programs that follow. However, one will find that the advantages of this career require one to use his or her creativity, while the disadvantages to this training may require one to work longer hours on certain given assignments. Throughout my life, I have been enticed with the functions of computers. When I was younger, I use to love solving problems on the computer. Nevertheless, I always had my goals set for computer engineering. If I have a major in computer engineering, it offers me several advantages over a major in computer science. I have been able to obtain an interest in creative solving variety problems, by analyzing and estimating my optional solutions. Computer engineers follow the bases of computer engineering curriculum, which better prepares them for problem-oriented approaches. Furthermore, an average engineer curriculum concentrates more on the hardware factor of computers. When I was searching for a college with this major, I noticed that nearly every school I visited offered a degree in computer science. However, very few of them offered one in computer engineering. Carnegie Mellon has exposed a compelling financial liability to excellent students and some cutting-edge technology (SCS,n.d. ). Computer Engineers contain the swiftest developing branch of engineers. Computer engineering is considerably one of todays most technologically based jobs. The field of computer engineering blends with the knowledge of electronic engineering and computer science to beget advancement in computer systems. Electronic and Computer engineering, or what engineers would call the E.C.E. (Electrical and Computer, n.d.), is an organization that works with the use of certain energy to develop structures, materials, and machines that are valuable for us (Electrical and Computer, n.d.). The computer engineers supply the techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical resolution to create, test, and assess software and computer systems. Computer engineers use what todays best technology provides to create tomorrows. I recently spoke with my father who has been a computer engineer for nearly 8 years and asked him what type of training and education he had to have in order to obtain his degree in Computer Software Engineering. He told me that computer engineers require a high level of training and intelligence to be masters at their job. A type of bachelors degree is what he accomplished, however, to receive such a degree; one must go to a college or university with a good computer-engineering program and or computer science program. He then told me once employed at a particular engineering company, there is usually an on the job training program that we must learn and the certain types of systems that will be created and manufactured. So basically, computer engineering majors must study conventional electronic engineering, computer scienceagainand math in the college or university. The electrical engineering attainments that a computer engineer acquires allow them to understand the appliances tha t go into the computers so that they are created and built in the create format. My father says that the computer science part gives the engineer more wisdom and knowledge on how the software makes the computer system run right and perform tasks in excellent quality. More and more computer engineers are being laid-off, while some are wanted. Everyday there is a demand for computer engineers, and the list will just keep growing. However, there are some advantages and disadvantages for this particular career. Many people find that computer engineering is working on a computer for 8 hours and then going home. However, there is more to that theory than meets the eye. The advantage of being a computer engineer is to be able to use ones creativity, and when working on a detailed project, one can express his or her ideas through the computer. Another great advantage is the increasing pay. This career is one that increases ones bonuses on top of that bonus. There are some disadvantages to this also. Working at a computer desk all day long and being inside all the time is one. Of course, there are breaksmy father saysbut how long does that last before your back at the desk again. This type of career requires patiences and one must be very patient in order to accomplish this. The computer is a very interesting machine, and I believe that the technology that we have now will continue to increase with our future comput er engineer and science wisdom and knowledge. Many things are successful by having computer engineers in todays economy. To train in this field requires good patience and experience in computer science and technology. To work on such machinery, one must be skilled and knowledgeable of his or her equipment. This career is worthwhile and growing every year. References About SCS. (n.d.). Carneige Mellon School of Computer Science. Retrieved December 4, 2009, from http://www.cs.cmu.edu/about/index.html Electrical and Computer Engineering. (n.d.). Welcome to ECE. Retrieved December 5, 2009, from http://www.ece.cmu.edu/

Analysis of Hipster Subcultures

Analysis of Hipster Subcultures Nowadays we often come across the terms hipster or hipsterism in different newspapers and magazines as well as watching TV programs. Some people in our society even cannot imagine the meaning of this word. However, the term hipster is a well-known term for any sociologist, especially if he or she is interested in different contemporary subcultures of our society. A great deal of articles concerning the hipsters lifestyle and culture have already been written. Among them are the articles which were written by the specialists in the field of sociology. For example, Mark Griefs article The Hipster in the Mirror which was published in New York Times on December, 11 in 2010 touches upon some important issues concerning this interesting theme from the experienced sociologists point of view. My goal in this paper is not only to develop the theme of this contemporary subculture but also to make head or tale of how it is that the term hipster can simultaneously be so ambiguous and yet so meaningful to certain people in our society. Ill try to analyze Griefs discussion in his article The Hipsters in the Mirror, and Ill give my own thoughts regarding this theme. To achieve this goal, I have organized my paper into three main sections, one of which has some sub-sections. In the first section, Ill give the main characteristics of hipsters. Moreover, Ill match each of three hipster sub groups which were identified by Mark Grief in his article. In the second section of my essay, Ill touch upon the Marxist idea concerning the culture as a form of power, and Durkheims ideas concerning the reflection of our mental representations in particular social groups, and find out Bourdieus conception on these issues. In the third section of my paper, Ill discuss Griefs argument that terms like hipster do not make very good sociological concepts and Ill give my own point of view concerning this issue. In conclusion, Ill summarize the main points of my essay and express my opinion. Now I am going to turn to the first section of my paper. HIPSTERS IN OUR SOCIETY. THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS SOCIAL GROUP The term hipster is a slang term which stands for a young man or a girl who adhere to non-mainstream fashion and created their own culture. It is not difficult to recognize a hipster in the crowd of people because the representatives of this group are usually dressed according to their certain rules and aesthetic norms. Hipsters usually wear skinny jeans and big eyeglasses. (Greif) It is known that this term hipster appeared in 1940th and initially stood for a representative of a special subculture and the admires of jazz music. Nowadays this word has a little bit another meaning. It describes the young well-to-do people who usually live in big cities and who are interested in fashion, culture, modern music, indie rock, popular magazines such as Vice and Clash, arthouse films and modern literature and so on. (Haddow) Mark Griefs Ideas Concerning Hipsters and the Role of Taste. Mark Grief, a writer, professor at New School University in New York and editor/co-creator of literary magazine n+1, a person of wide interests, a Harvard graduate, who got PhD from Yale, studied literature at Oxford gives some interesting ideas about hipster. (Rawlings Sundin) Mark Grief insists on the fact that nobody thinks of himself as a hipster in our society, nevertheless, most of the present day young people belong to this social group. Not only the clothes they wear give them out to be hipsters. Although this fact is also very important in this issue. Their way of life, their world concept, their special interests unite them together. In his article The Hipster in the Mirror, Mark Grief turns to the work of a famous French sociologist Pierre Bourdie Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste which is considered to be one of the most important sociological books of the 20th century. The author of this book makes investigations and gives the ideas how different social groups define aesthetic concepts such as taste. (Bourdie) His investigation gives such results that the tastes which are considered to be personal, unique, justified only by sensibility depend on the social class including your profession, your highest degree and your fath ers profession. (Grief) Moreover, he identifies three main groups hipster sub-groups which have absolutely different tastes, interests and philosophy. Mark Griefs Division of Hipsters into three Main Groups and Difference between them. In order to explain the above mentioned statement, I should use Mark Griefs words: Taste is not stable and peaceful but a means of strategy and competition. What does it mean? It means that all the representatives of hipterism can be divided into several classes according to their financial standing. Those superior in wealth young people who are at the top of this diagram use taste to show that they are superior in spirit. The other sub-group of hipsters includes the young people of upper-middle class who move to cities after college in order to find work in the creative professions. (Grief) Of course, they are ignored by the urban hierarchy but have some skills to make a superior body of cultural cool. The third sub-group of hipsters is represented by couch-surfing, old-clothes-wearing young people who belong to the lower-middle class fraction. Mark Grief calls them the most authentic and the most s ocially precarious. However, they have no any financial support from their parents. They work as servitorial staff in bars, shops and so on. Their cool clothes can easily make them superiors among all the hipsters in spite of the fact that they practically have no extra money. The struggle among these three groups is based on superiority. To be the best, to know more about lifestyle and culture, to wear the most cool clothes are the main aspects of this struggle. The representatives of each group of hipsters consider themselves to be the best possessors of taste. The main purpose of representing hipsterism is to prove that the tastes of this or that social group depend on the economic, social and cultural aspects. BOURDIEUS IDEAS REGARDING TWO PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURE BY MARX AND DURKHEIM, THE EARLY THEORISTS OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE It is known that such researchers as Marx and Durkheim made a great contribution to the development of cultural sociology. According to Marxs ideas concerning culture, the most powerful members of our society are those who belong to the upper class. They set up culture of the society in their own way, according to their rules and concepts. Moreover, he states that the economic status plays an important role in the formation of values and ideologies of society. The other perspective on culture which was used by Bourdieu in his work relates to another famous sociologist Emile Durkheim who has his own opinion on culture. According to his opinion, culture has many relationships to society including logical, functional and historical ones. The first ones state that power depends on some cultural categories and beliefs, e.g. God. The second ones state that certain ceremonies and myths build social order. The historical relationships to society state that the origins of culture lie in socie ty. Lets relate the ideas of Bourdieu described by Mark Grief in his article The Hipsters in the Mirror to these perspectives on culture. Speaking about Bourdieus ideas regarding the freedom of our mental representations, Id say that he appropriates some claims of the famous French sociologist Emile Durkheim who is known also for the establishment of the academic discipline and social science. As a matter of fact, Emile Durkheim asserts that our mental representations are not freely and randomly chosen but really represent our membership in particular social group. It means that the representatives of this or that sub-group of hipsters cannot change themselves due to their mental representations. For example, Bourdieu and his researchers held an opinion poll of 1200 people among which were the representatives of all the social classes. The questions which were included into his public opinion poll touched upon the aspects of French domestic life. Among them was such a question: Which of the given subjects could be the most appropriate to make a good photo? There were three variants given by the researchers to choose: a beautiful sunset, a pretty girl with a cat and a terrible car crash. It is interesting to know that the representatives of such professions as college teachers and artists began to look conditioned to the variant of a car crash. Of course, much depends on the social status of a person.(Grief) If we are going to speak about the representatives of the upper class who are well-to-do people and who feel a great power over the other social groups, their culture will really represent a form of power. Everything they do will be considered the best, everything they say will be highly appreciated. They are those who always take center stage. Of course, as a result of it, they ignore other young people and even make fun of them. Mark Grief touches upon the Bourdieus discussions based on the Marxist idea that culture can operate as a form of power. He says that the philistine wealthy, who have money but have no idea of what culture is, convert real capital into cultural capital. They create their own subculture as if it were ready to wear. (Grief) At the same time Bourdieus approach criticizes the Marxist perspective in a way and Mark Grief states this fact in his article. He says that the habits of hatred and accusation are rather typical for hipsters of all the sub-groups. The main reason of this fact is that they feel the weakness of everyones position including their own. (Grief) They feel their own weakness. So, as a result of this emotional state, young people who not long ago had a great power over the other representatives of hipsters and considered themselves to be the best in lifestyle, culture and fashion, feel low and insignificant in the presents of the other hipsters. In this situation we canno t say that culture can operate as a form of power. SOCIOLOGICAL CONCEPTS OF THE TERM HIPSTER IN OUR SOCIETY It is very important to notice the fact that Griefs argument that terms like hipster do not make very good sociological concepts cannot be used for describing the social world in scientific terms. If we try to analyze the meaning of this word having read a great deal of articles regarding the lifestyle, behavior, fashion and culture of hipsters, well be able to give a certain characteristics to the term hipster. May be, it will be something with negative meaning but, nevertheless, it will represent the main true features of this word. So, hipsters are young people, the representatives of a certain social group or class and subculture which do not aim for anything, which do not dream of anything, which do not exclaim against anything or rebel, which do not invent or change anything. The response to the term hipster is striking. People do not hate hipsters. It is an obvious exaggeration. Anyway, people refer to this phenomenon as if it is the main source of culture fall because hipster s can easily change one thing into another. Id like to represent the results of a survey which will help us to see if this term can be used to describe the social world in scientific terms. People of different professions and social status took part in this survey on the question of hipsters. Among them were students, designers, journalists, workers, businessmen. Here are some examples of their answers. Question: Does the word hipster have a positive or a negative meaning? Student: Hipsters represent our modern youth and its quite normal. Journalist: If a hipster is a one person in the crowd, its positive, but if there are hundreds of them gathered in one place, it irritates a lot. Designer: I think if a person wants to distinguish himself from the crowd, its a good idea! I cannot say anything negative about hipsters. Worker: I dont know what are you talking about. Businessman: Its not interesting for me. Photographer: I am sure that hipsters make our life bright and merry. Their clothes, their glasses, everything is Okay. These are only several answers. However, we can easily prove the fact that the public opinion concerning hipsters is positive in most answers. So, I think that the term hipster can be used to describe the social group in scientific terms. Although there are many articles which prove the contrary. For example, Douglas Haddows article Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization considers hipsters to be the representatives of narcissism and spiritual shallowness which may lead to the end of civilization. He says that we came to the point in our civilization where counterculture has mutated into a self-obsessed aesthetic vacuum. (Haddow) At the same time another article Are Hipsters Really the End of Western Civilization written by Joseph Mohan calls down this opinion. The author of this article is sure that hipsters are simply kids in a phase theyll eventually grow out of it, just like the Gen-Hers, punks, hippies, beatniks, and flappers before them. (Mohan) CONCLUSION In conclusion, I should say that the issue discussed in my paper is a topical one. It is clear that different people have different opinions concerning hipsters in our society. The proverb says: So many heads, so many opinions. That is true. Mark Grief used the work of Pierre Bourdieu to discuss this issue. Having analyzed some aspects in his article and some other articles which also touch upon the question of hipsters, I can agree that the term hipster can at the same time be so ambiguous and so meaningful to certain people of our society. Of course, this phenomenon is not dangerous for our civilization. Not all the people of our society can be hipsters. Nevertheless, we can easily use this term to denote a certain social group in our society. I think that its a very interesting question for any sociologist to carry out researches and have public surveys, to learn new things and study social science. Such people as hipsters help us to explore our society and draw corresponding conc lusions.

An Investigation into the Enthalpies of the Combustion of Alcohols Essa

An Investigation into the Enthalpies of the Combustion of Alcohols ================================================================== Planning My aim for this experiment is to see the energy produced from different alcohols. This investigation involves burning alcohol in the air. ‘GCSE Chemistry’ by B.Earl and L.D.R Wilford says that "alcohols form, another homologous series, with the general formula Cn H2n+1OH ". The alcohol reacts with the oxygen in the air to form the products water and carbon dioxide. This reaction is exothermic, as heat is given out. This is because the amount reactant energy is more than the product energy the difference between this is ΆH, therefore some energy has been given out in the form of heat. The energy is given out when forming the bonds between the new water and carbon dioxide molecules. This can be shown in an energy level diagram: Reaction co-ordinate ΆH is the heat content, which is the enthalpy, which is negative in exothermic reactions as the diagram shows that energy is 'lost' as heat. Enthalpy is defined as the energy of reaction, or the heat energy associated with a chemical change. For any reaction carried out directly at a constant pressure, the heat flow is exactly equal to the difference between enthalpy of products and that of the reactants. To measure the heat energy given off, we must use this energy to heat something, this will be water. This is assuming that all the heat produced by combustion of the alcohol will equal the amount of heat absorbed by the water (q). So I will measure the amount of energy required to do so. This can be worked out by using the formula: q = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature rise or q = MCΆH. Where q is the quantity of heat. The specific heat capacity is the amount of energy required to heat the substance, and is calculated using the formula: q =energy supplied/ Mass x Temperature, where q is the enthalpy, c is the specific heat capacity and ΆH is the temperature rise. I chose to use water as it is safe, easily obtainable, and has a constant, reliable specific heat capacity of 4.2J/ °C. The bonds which are made in a exothermic reaction are forces of attraction between the atoms or ions in a substance. These can be of two types: covalent, in which the atoms share electrons. Examples of this are water and carbon dioxide, whi... ...low temperature reading to heat the 100cm3 of water. The procedure of the experiment was good enough of finding out the energy gained from the individual alcohols, but changes could have been made to make the reliability of the results more accurate. This could have been done by using a better and more accurate thermometer, such as an electric thermometer, which have gave me a much more pin point set of results. If I were to do this experiment again I would make a number of improvements or changes, I could use a Bomb Calorimeter which submerges the reaction inside an insulated container of water. An electrical heating device starts the reaction inside a sealed reaction vessel and the temperature rise of the water which surrounds it is measured. Bomb calorimeters are often used to find the calorific value of foods. Looking at the experiment I did I thought we could have extended the results we achieved by using different flame lengths, this would have told us how much the alcohol uses its energy when the flame is increased. I could have also changed the amount of water in the copper calorimeter, or even change the concentration of alcohol to see the effect.