High availability Essay Example for Free

High availability Essay In the advent of the computer age, the growth of the internet has also necessitated the development of technologies that are not only able to cope with the demands of users but also within the limitations of current hardware. With multitasking having evolved into the norm, the availability of media and applications online has made it increasingly important to provide  high availability (Marcus 2003). The mission-critical applications that have surfaced on the internet have placed added pressure to make sure that highly available services are always ready. As such, this brief discourse will attempt to discuss the current state of high availability technology as well as any recent trends or variations that have surfaced. High Availability, as the term suggests, refers to systems or instruments in information technology that are not only continuously available but also continuously operational for long periods of time (Marcus 2003). The term availability is used to refer to the access that the users or members of user community have to the system. This type of access or ability can include anything from uploading files, to changing entries, updating works or even just scanning previous works (Marcus 2003). The failure to access the system results in downtime or unavailability. An example of this would be the manner by which community users like to be able to use Facebook to chat, watch videos, update links and upload pictures all at the same time. With a network that has Low Availability, the users will occasionally experience failures with regard to logging in or accessing different functions of the website because of the necessary downtime for system updating and maintenance (Ulrick 2010). This downtime can be prejudicial for a website or an internet application because it reduces the desirability of the technology. With the pressure on to provide complete and persistent accessibility, companies have tried to achieve the optimum â€Å"100% operational† or â€Å"never failing† Availability Status . One way of providing almost constant availability (High Availability) is by creating clusters. These computer systems or networks consist of several pieces that act as back-ups or failover processing mechanism that store data and allow for access. This includes the Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) or the Storage Area Network (SAN), which are used as back up storage devices to ensure constant availability (Marcus 2003). These systems, however, are constantly evolving and changing depending on the technology that is available and developed such as systems that have solid membership administration, consistent group communication sub-systems, quoram sub-systems, and even concurrent control sub-systems, among others. By creating a clustered computer system or network, backups are created in the form of redundancies for both hardware and software. This is achieved by forming or grouping several independent nodes with each of them simultaneously running a copy of the operating system (OS) and the application software (Marcus 2003). Whenever there is a failure in any of the nodes or when daemon failures occur, the system can quickly be reconfigured and the existing workload is then passed on to the other available or functional nodes within the cluster. Thus, there is always, theoretically, one system that is available and running to handle the services and access for the user community. It was reported in 1996 that the lost revenue and productivity due to downtime amounted to over US$ 4. 54 billion for American businesses alone (IBM 1998). As such, High availability has been consistently upgrading and evolving to be able to address this issue. The recent development include the creation of High Availability Clusters (HA Clusters or Failover Clusters). The concept of this is that it provides greater High Availability by operating several computer clusters at the same time. While this applies the same concept as High Availability, it attempts to create several failover systems and clusters that cater to this. It does, however, retain the same concept of constant monitoring to make sure that the systems are running as programmed and as planned. Recent research in this field has shown that there is also a diminishing return principle that can be applied. Up until recently, it was thought that by creating an expansive network and creating several clusters, the availability could be increased proportionally. However, there are findings that show that High Availability decreases when there are more components that are added to the system. This means that instead of improving the process it is instead undermined by the installation of additional components. The reason for this, according to Chee-Wei Ang, is that the more complex a system the more potential failures arise (Ang 2007). Since there are more systems to monitor, it becomes more difficult to point out exactly where the problem is. This can be compared to a complicated plumbing system wherein it becomes difficult to find the source of the leak. Though it has been argued by experts that a number of highly available systems utilize a simple design architecture which features high quality multipurpose systems. Yet even with this, it cannot ignore the basic fact that theses systems still require constant upgrading, patching and maintenance. The recent developments in this field include the creation of more advanced systems designs that streamline and facilitate the maintenance of systems without the need for compromising the availability. This has been achieved by doing load balancing and more advanced failover techniques. It is admitted, however, that while there are several developments, like all hardware devices these systems are also prone to human error and typical wear and tear which cannot be avoided though their effects can be mitigated by the introduction of more effective and efficient means.

Consumer Behaviour of Brazilians to detergents

Consumer Behaviour of Brazilians to detergents Consumer behaviour is a process where individuals or groups go through to select, purchase, use and dispose of goods, services, ideas or experiences to satisfy their needs and desires (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009). The major question for any company: How do consumers respond to various marketing efforts the company might use? The following diagram shows that the marketing and stimuli enter the consumers Black Box (consumers mind) and produce certain responses. Fig 1: Stimulus response model of buyer behaviour Consumer behaviours are influenced strongly by cultural, social, personal and psychological characteristics as shown below: Fig 2: Factors influencing consumer behaviour (Source: Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong John Saunders, Principles of Marketing, 1999) Culture: Culture is the most basic value of a persons wants and behaviour. In Unilever case at Brazil, the clothes are washed more frequently in NE than SE approx. 5 times a week against 3.9 times. Most of the women at NE are housewives and they took this activity of washing clothes as pleasurable activities. There is one more reason that the women at NE mostly do their washing in a public laundry, river or pond because it gives them an opportunity to become social, meet their friends where at SE mostly women do their washing at home alone. The people at NE also attach the cleanliness as a symbolic value to their status. Due to the cultural differences and washing methods, the laundry soap consumption at NE per buyer is 20.4 kg against only 6.8 kg of SE. On the contrast, there was very less difference between the consumption of detergent powders between NE and SE, only 1.5 kg per buyer. (refer to exhibit 3) Social Class: Social classes are societys relatively permanent and ordered divisions whose member share similar values, interests and behaviours. In Brazil there are 5 social classes based on the income as: A, B, C, D and E (E+ E-). As per exhibit 2, only 21% population of SE is E class compared to 53% of NE. So the most of the population at NE are low income consumers. Generally the lower social class people are more culture-bound which shows their behaviour of buying detergents. Family: Family members can strongly influence buyer behaviour. The buyers spouse and children has a direct influence on everyday buying behaviour. In case of Brazil, majority of NE women see the cleanliness of clothes as an indication of the dedication of the mother to her family in spite of washing through laundry soap requires an intensive labour. This fact influences the consumer to buy the different detergents mostly laundry soaps at Brazil. Most of the families with washing machine prefer to buy detergent powder (there only 28% household own the washing machine at NE) instead of laundry soap. Economic Situation: A persons economic situation will affect product choice which is clearly visible at Brazil. The low income consumers of NE would like to buy Omo, the best brand of the market but their tight budget leads them to buy cheaper local brands from the nearby small shops. Perception and Beliefs: In Brazil, the consumers (primarily low income) evaluate the detergent against the six key attributes as shown in exhibit 6 along with price. Since Campeiro scored very low on all the attributes and resulted with only 6% of market share. The consumers of NE are very particular about the various attributes of detergents like power of the detergent (its ability to clean and whiten clothes with a small quantity of product) judged by the quantity of foam it produced. The low income consumers are also very much attached with boxes and regarded anything else as good for only second-rate products. The major factors which influence the consumer behaviour are discussed above. Most large companies also research consumer buying decisions which are closely related with the factors of consumer behaviour. A typical buyer decision process can be shown as below: Fig:3 Buyer Decision Process Model (Source: Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong John Saunders, Principles of Marketing, 1999) In the given case, the purchase of detergent is a regular purchase for any family. Since the most of the families owned a washing machine at SE, so they are much focussed to buy the detergent powder. At NE only 28% households own the washing machine. The important fact here is that both the consumers of NE and SE are well aware about the brand and recognises Omo as the best detergent powder in the market. But at NE, approx 53% consumers cant afford to buy the Omo due to their low-income. The Northeasterns are also not fond of shopping at big retails like Wal-Mart, instead of they prefer to buy the detergent from the near buy shops. As per the details provided in the case, it seems that the Unilever brand is not available in 75000 small store of NE where the products of their competitors are available. In this situation, the consumers have limited option to buy. Answer 1 (ii) The market in terms of the main brands/players and their strategies At present in the NE detergent market, there are only two major players- Unilever and Procter Gamble. There are a few local players are also available in the market but mostly they are in the laundry soap market. Unilever is a US$56 billion company, headquartered in London (UK) with 300,000 employees in more than 150 countries. Unilever started its operation in 1929 and now become a pioneer of the consumer goods industry in Brazil. Unilever launched the first detergent powder as Omo in the Brazilian market. As mentioned in the case, Unilever is a market leader in the detergent powder category, having 81% of market share with three brands: Omo (one of the Brazils favourite brand) Minerva (Only brand sold as both detergent powder and laundry soap) Campeiro (Unilevers cheapest brand) Omo is a premium product with 52% of market share at a price of $3/kg. The main USP of Omo is the high ability to remove stains. Minerva is relatively cheaper brand as compare to Omo with 17% share in the detergent powder at a price of $2.4/kg. Minerva is the only Unilever brand which is competing with local brands in laundry soap market and is the market leader. In the laundry soap market Minerva have 19% share at a price of $1.7/kg. On the other hand, Procter Gamble is a US$40 billion company, headquartered in Cincinnati (US) with 98,000 employees in 80 countries. PG entered in the Brazilian market in 1988 and acquired the detergent business of a Brazilian company named as Bombril and its three brands: Quonto (migrated as Ace) Odd Fases (migrated as Bold) Pop (low-price brand) PG is the second player with 15% share of the Brazilian detergent market. Ace is the main brand of PG and competitor to Unilever products (Omo and Minerva) with 11% share in the detergent powder market at a price of $2.4/kg. The other products of PG have only 6% share of the market at a price of $2.3/kg. PG did not manufacture laundry soap. At present the NE detergent powder market worth of US$106 million is growing with a remarkable annual rate of 17%. Since the manufacturing process is very capital intensive, so the entry barrier is very high in this market. On the contrary, the laundry soap market worth of US$102 millions is growing at a slower annual rate of 6%. Since the production of soap is very cheap, thus there are low barriers to entry. Currently PG are targeting towards the low-income consumers of the NE market. PG drawing on worldwide RD and marketing expertise is closing up and will attack to this segment. There were also threats of small local brands targeted at low-income consumers. Unilever is also looking to explore the growth opportunities in the detergent market to low-income consumers of NE. But Unilever is facing some internal resistance from Mr. Fernanda Machado (Category Manager for detergents). Answer 1(iii) Present situation of Unilever and its Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats With the data available in the case study, the Unilever SWOT analysis is as below: Table :1 SWOT Analysis Answer 2 Strategy for Unilever in Brazil Unilever would follow the Target Marketing Strategy (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) strategy for the low-income consumers in Brazil. The following diagram explains the various steps involved Target- marketing process: Source: Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell Marketing: Real People, Real Decisions 1st European Editions Fig: 4 Steps in the Targeting Marketing Strategy Segmentation: The detergent market at Brazil is already segmented into two parts: High Income consumers living at Southeast Low income consumers living at Northeast The Northeast market could be classified under Geodemography segment due to most of the consumers have low income and share similar characteristics. Targeting: Detergent Market segment is registering a 17% annual growth in Brazil and there is a big potential market in NE with 48 M of Low Income consumers. The Purchasing power of the low income consumers has increased by 27%. Positioning: Here Unilever had to develop a strategy for the target segment with a product that meets the consumers requirement and expectations. Based on the current situation as mentioned in the case, I feel that the Unilever has the following options to penetrate the low income consumers at Brazil: Option 1- Unilever could reposition the Minerva further down market in relation to Omo Brand Option 2- Unilever could re-launch of the Campeiro as a low-cost brand Option 3- Unilever could develop a cheaper version of the Omo brand Option 4- Unilever can create a new Brand or launch a new brand from its portfolio in Brazil. Option 1 will be less costly option to implement by Unilever since Minerva brand is already present in the mind of Brazilian consumers. But I feel that it was not well positioned in the market. Minerva is a product target to the middle income consumers and there was no details mentioned in the case about them. Thus repositioning Minerva to further down for low income consumers will reduce its market share from 17% (refer Exhibit 7) to even lower therefore it will create a new opportunity for other competitors in the market. Option 2 will become costly and ineffective for Unilever because already Campeiro is recognized as a low cost and low quality product (with ref. to exhibit 8). Hence changing the image of Campeiro in consumers (low income) mind will take a very long time to achieve. Option 3 could not be implemented by Unilever because Omo is a high quality and high price product (ref. to exhibit 5, 7, 8 9). It would also create confusion between the two version of Omo (High quality and the cheaper version) in the detergent powder market. There is also a possibility that the consumers of Southeast also start consuming the cheaper version on Omo and it will lead towards the reduced sale of High quality Omo. So Unilever should not attempt to develop a cheaper version of Omo. Option 4 based on the SWOT analysis (refer table 1, Page no. 7); Unilever could plan to develop a new product for the low income consumers. Since Unilever is having a very vast range of detergent brands. So instead of investing to develop a new product, Unilever might also choose a product from its Latin America portfolio, a brand which satisfies the needs of low income consumers with in Brazil. Unilever can use either of PULL or PUSH strategy in order to penetrate the Low income consumer market of Northeast Brazil. The Push strategy: There was no doubt that the best detergent available on the Brazilian market is Omo. With ref to the exhibit 7, Unilever dont have any competitor for their Omo brand being the costliest product in the detergent powder market. As per option4, Unilever should introduce the extension of Minerva Brand instead of developing a new brand. The extension of Minerva brand as Minerva Blue 10/10; with more cleaning power while retaining the fragrance and less emphasis on softness; packaged in the cardboard boxes. Now the following Marketing Mix should be implemented to penetrate the Northeast market: Minerva Blues target groups are the low income consumers who buy local brands and detergents from the small stores located in Northeast. The Marketing Mix for PUSH strategy is as below: Product: The Minerva Blue would be packaged in two sizes 1 Kg and 500 g. The Minerva Blue would be designed attractively so that the even illiterate consumers can recognize it very easily. The packaging should be designed in such a way that it would be easy to open and also protect the powder from humidity. Price: The price of Minerva Blue should be cheaper than Campeiro. Unilever have to identify a cheaper packaging formula so that it can reduce the whole sale price of Minerva Blue below than Campeiro. Unilever could use the following approach to price the Minerva Blue: Formulation cost: $ 1.00 Packaging cost: $ 0.30 Promotional cost: $ 0.30 Distribution cost: $ 0.05 Total cost: $ 1.65 Place: As per the details mentioned in the given case, Northeasterns are not in favor to shop from big outlets, they prefer to shop from small stores. The big issue is that Unilever detergents are absent from 75,000 stores in Northeast where the products of other competitors like PG and as well as local brands are available. Distribution of the products in Northeast is the major weakness of Unilever. In order to cover all the 75,000 small stores of Northeast, Unilever should have to introduce its own units of vans, visiting every single store trying to list all Unilever detergent brands. Unilever could also distribute its Minerva Blue brand in SE, as per exhibit 2, approx 21% of the population of Southeast is in class E. Promotion: Since the consumers of Northeast are buying from the nearby small stores. Thus Unilever should focus to have promotions and visibility of their products in those stores. The promotion should be in such a way that when a consumer entered into a small store must realize that the Unilever had created a brand Minerva Blue only for him, his own version of Omo. Unilever could follow the conventional methods of advertising ATL (Above the Line) campaign to deliver the right message to the low income consumers through media such as television, radio, print and banners to promote its brand. As per the given details, the Brazilians are avid television watchers irrespective of their income. Unilever could also promote their product in popular parties of Northeast like Carnival, Forro Festivals and Maracatu. The low income consumers might be reluctant to buy a product advertised as FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE, because it gives a message of inferior quality product. So Unilever should never use in an ATL communication the term of FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE . Pull strategy: With ref. to the case, there are total 7 products in the detergent powder market where 75% of market share captured by Unilever through its 3 products all combined: Omo, Minerva and Campeiro (ref. to exhibit 7). Thus introduction of a new product from its portfolio will create cannibalization for Unilever. The same concern is also raised by Mr. Fernanda. So instead of introducing a new brand in the market, Unilever should focus to expand its detergent powder market share by adding new consumers. This can be achieved only by pushing the low income consumers to buy Unilever products. In other words, upgrade the laundry soap consumers to detergent powder consumers. The marketing MIX for PULL strategy is as below: Product: Unilever had to promote their all 3 brands: Omo, Minerva and Campeiro in the small stores of Northeast. Promotion: The promotion strategy would remain same as PUSH strategy. On top of that in store promotions are very important. Unilever could offer a very attractive offer to the low income consumer which insist the NE population to buy the Unilever products like Buy 1 Campeiro and get one free or can earn some points which could lead them to get a free Omo etc. The above strategy will attract new consumers for detergent powders. Simultaneously Unilever could also signup business contracts to promote the Unilever products with the Washing machine dealers. So whenever any consumer buys a new washing machine the dealer would suggest them to use only the Unilever Brand detergent powders. Place: The distribution strategy could be the same as mentioned in the PULL Strategy. In addition to that, Unilever should ensure that in any small store their all 3 brands must be available at any moment with different SKU which gives an opportunity to the capable consumers to upgrade themselves for high price detergents. Unilever should also ensure that if the small store owners/managers can offer an exclusive section of Unilever products where only Unilever products are available. So in such case consumer dont have any options to buy any other detergent. Price: Currently Campeiro is the only brand focused to low income consumers which is available for $ 1.70 to retailers compare to its actual cost $ 1.45. Thus at wholesale price Unilever is able to have the margin of approximately 17%. Hence Unilever could reduce its margin by redefining the formula of Campeiro which could add some more attribute as per the need of NE consumers like clean and whiten clothes with a small quantity with good quantity of foam, add some perfume etc. Conclusion: Being the low income consumers doesnt affect their brand conscious. These consumers are always looking for good and reliable quality product at a fair price. These consumers might not be able to afford the best brand of the market, but they do see the high price of such products as an indication of value. More than three-quarters of the global population is low income, and many of them have been historically beyond the reach of organized retailers. In the given case study of Brazilian Fabric Wash Market, the population of Northeast is well aware about the Unilever Brand: Omo but due to high price they cant afford it. To serve low-income consumers successfully, Unilever must first account for their lower purchasing power. To penetrate the Low income market, Unilever might use the concept of 4 As as below: Promote offering through mix of outlets Reduce Cost to serve Shorten Supply Chain Select and support retailers Localize sourcing Reduce packaging size for low price per unit Focus development on customers Employ innovative thinking to meet Fig: 4As Diagram Sources: Jame Andereson, Net Blog Serving the worlds Poor, Innovation at the base of Economic Pyramid Based on the above discussion of PUSH and PULL strategies, PULL strategy would give the result in a longer term but the PUSH strategy would give the result immediately. So I would recommend PUSH strategy as the Best Strategy for Unilever in Brazil. In the short term, Money need to be invested and therefore diverted from premium brands to low price brand. It gives Unilever a momentum and advantage in a fast growing market. With the right strategy, low income consumers will be ready to pay for a new brand and Omo buyers will not move which will make Unilever a leader in low-income consumer marketing.

Mary Wollstoncrafts, The Vindication of the Rights of Women Essays

Mary Wollstoncraft's, The Vindication of the Rights of Women Mary Wollstoncraft's book, "The Vindication of the Rights of Women," is an incredibly insightful look into the life of women in the early portion of this century. It is a philosophical examination of the condition of women, in relationship to some very basic rights, and is also a very enlightening look at how short a distance we really have come, as a society, in relationship to our perceptions of women. Wollstoncraft presents herself as an incredibly enlightened individual who looks at her gender as a subject which should be seen as reasonable creatures, rather than brutes or heroines. She begins her book with words which clearly illustrate her concerns: "After considering the historic page, and viewing the living world with anxious solicitude, the most melancholy emotions of sorrowful indignation have depressed my spirits, and I have sighed when obliged to confess that either Nature has made a great difference between man and man, or that the civilization which has hitherto taken place in the world has been very partial. I have turned over various books written on the subject of education, and patiently observed the conduct of parents and the management of schools; but what has been the result?--a profound conviction that the neglected education of my fellow-creatures is the grand source of the misery I deplore, and that women, in particular, are rendered weak and wretched by a variety of concurring causes, originating from one hasty conclusion." From this excerpt we can clearly understand that Wollstoncraft is not merely venting anger and describing realities that are false. She is not necessarily angry or bitter about the realities she sees before her, but rather, is puzzled and seems determined to somehow understand what it is that causes the realities she sees. While there is the use of some negative words such as "weak" and "wretched," these are essentially words of the time and they only further the truth of what the author is witness to. Here is a woman who is of obvious intelligence who is witness to the misunderstanding that appears to follow all women around. She illustrates that women are denied the ability to openly obtain a useful education, but rather kept ignorant and put upon this undeniable pedestal that insists women do not need to possess such knowledge, for it would lik... ...ook and her attempt to get women to understand, is that women still do not understand the essential root of the problem. While women may be in a position today, where they obtain an education and maintain a very intellectual position, and perhaps even go so far as to find a mate that treats them equally, there are still millions of women who strive to be nothing more than a pretty picture for the men. How many women spend thousands of dollars to enlarge their breasts? Do they do that so they look better in general or do they do this to gain the attention of men, in a sexual and reproductive manner? In many ways, Wollstoncraft's is a story of yesterday and today. It is a philosophical approach to the inequality or the disrespect of men in relationship to women, as well as a look into how women see each other and their own gender. It is a very intelligent address on the subject of such realities. One wonders if Wollstoncraft was aware of how relevant her philosophical approach would be 70 years later. Upon reading her book, one would have to say that Wollstoncraft was intelligent enough to recognize that such realities would never change in such a relatively short period of time.

Graduation Speech: Do or Do Not, There is No Try :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The year 2012 marks an era of new beginnings and bold adventures. Years from now, when we look back on our senior year, we’ll remember a year of good friends, hard work and planning for the future. As graduating seniors we will create different paths to our own success. Some will choose the superhighway and some will choose the winding road — each person deciding their own level of happiness. It has been said, "To know where you are going, one must remember where you have been." Tonight, the Class of 2012 will start a new chapter, moving toward new endeavors and taking on greater challenges, making this evening the perfect time to reflect on our past here at County High School. As we look back on our senior year, we will remember it as the year the voters of Stoll passed a new school bond creating the promise of a new high school. The year our girls’ basketball team went to state, and our football team went undefeated in league. We will remember the cold, wet nights in the stands watching football; the cold, wet nights in the stands watching soccer and well, ... you get the idea. We will remember working endless nights creating our homecoming floats. Maybe not Rose Bowl Parade material, but they did manage to roll, and we had fun! Laughing at each other and laughing with each other, we have had a great time together. Let us not forget the Lawn Chair Drill Team practices at O Dark Hundred — the Tolo dance and the Senior Prom. And on a personal note, a great 18th birthday — Thanks, guys! Tonight as we go our separate ways, let’s not forget that we have the ability to be whatever we want to be. To climb mountains, to reach the stars, to stretch as far as we can imagine.

The Film Camila Essay -- Maria Luisa Bemberg Movies essays papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The film â€Å"Camila† was produced in 1984 and directed by Maria Luisa Bemberg (1922-1955). Based on the true story of Camila O’Gorman, an Argentine woman who falls in love with a priest in 1840’s Buenos Aires, this story dealt with the terrifying reign of Juan Manuel de Rosas. Camila is from an influential family and is betrothed to a Rosas loyalist. She is passionate and daring, just like her grandmother, and reads books that have been censored by the ruthless Rosas. When she falls in love with Father Ladislao, the two flee Buenos Aires and assume new identities as school teachers in a small village. During a party, a priest from Ladislao’s old church recognizes Ladislao and turns them both in. They are both executed by firing squad even though Camila is pregnant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The director, Maria Luisa Bemberg was a famous director known for attracting actors like Imanol Arias who were already established in their careers. Her most famous films are â€Å"Camila† (1984), â€Å"I, Worst of All† (1990), and â€Å"I Don’t Want to Talk About It† (1990) (McClennon). Many of her films, including â€Å"Camila† had similar themes. She often criticized patriarchies and authoritarianism by telling stories of courageous women who dealt with historical events that had direct effects on women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Camila’s father, Aldolfo O’Gorman, represents a more intimate version of Rosas. He brings the terror of the government into her home, reminding her daily that she should do only as a respectful and loyal socialite woman is expected. He is obsessed with moral obligations as outlined by the Catholic Church, and also loyalty to family, church, and state. However, the family’s loyalty is meant for the male head of the house. The first scenes of the film show Camila playing with kittens, then cuts to the servant who is carrying out her orders to drown the kittens. This scene immediately develops the cruelty the film will display within the O’Gorman family and the terror of the Rosas regime. Later, he scolds her at the dinner table, in front of guests, for questioning Rosas’s laws and ideals. Taken to extremes, he even turns her unto Rosas when she elopes. d also represents the order of repression in the movie. Rosas oppresses the men unfairly, and then they go home and do the same to their wives and daughters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Camila is also inspired by her grandmother, Ana Perichon. La Perichona was known to be... ...t loved ones decapitated heads on spikes in the square. Red was indeed the color of the ruling party, and obsessive adherence to the mandate to always wear read was not optional, but mandatory for life (Wilson). Other details like the lace scarves worn to mass, the banned books, the frequency of mass, and the clothes were customary for the time period.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Because â€Å"Camila† was released shortly after the end of the Argentine Proceso, it was clearly a timely criticism of dictatorship in Argentina. The real story of Camila occurred in a time following a brief bout with democracy. This film could be seen as a cautionary tale in terms of warning against ever returning to that form of government. If this, indeed, was Bemberg’s intentions, she was a brave, courageous woman that would have made a great character in one of her own films. Works Cited Barrera, Adriana, et al. Cinergia Movie File: Camila. 10 Apr. 2001. 15 Feb. 2005 . Cagliani, Martin. Argentine Women. University of Buenos Aires. 15 Feb. 2005 . McClennen, Sophia. Bemberg, Maria Luisa. 15 Feb. 2005 . Wilson, Bobbie. Camila O'Gorman. 2003. 15 Feb. 2005 . Wilson, Bobbie. Styles of Camila. 2002. 15 Feb. 2005 .

Discuss the use of the historical notes in the Handmaid’s Tale

The historical notes are part of the novel but not part of Offred's narrative. They are there to provide an explanation of what happened to Offred and put her story into historical perspective. The historical notes are set 200 years after the Gilead regime. They are a parody of an academic discussion about Offred's tale. The main speaker whilst being a woman is also a Native American. This can be seen in her name Professor Marian Crescent Moon. As the conference graduates it becomes evident that most of the scholars are Native American e. g. Professor Pieixoto. This is unusual as traditionally whites on Natives usually study anthropology. However Atwood chooses to turn this around to make the reader puzzled and makes a racial statement. The conference is held at the university of Denay in Nunavit. Denay is in northwest Canada which suggests that they control the Northwest of Canada as they appear to have a high social status. This reflects the time in which Atwood was writing as in the 1980 there was a fiery debate concerning this issue, in this and in her version the minority won and dominated. Atwood firstly uses the historical notes to make fun of academic conferences. This is obvious as the scholarly jargon is self-conscious and the humour extremely unfunny and complex. Therefore whilst amusing to the academics it is an instant off-putting for the reader which in turn outs him/her of the academics. Essentially all the reader wants to know is what happened to Offred and not if they are going on a fishing trip or not. These nature walks and fishing expeditions are mentioned briefly but purposefully at the beginning of the notes ‘The fishing expedition will go forward. The conditions in which these people live are clearly naturally better and healthier than in Gilead. Atwood makes a point this to show a contrast but also explain why they are so ignorant in understanding Offred's life, as they could never contemplate what it was like and hence could not sympathise with her suffering. The historical notes are a device used by Atwood to show the reader that everything she has written had actually happened before in one form or the other. The reference to Iran is probably most significant ‘Iran and Gilead: Two-late-twentieth-century Monotheocraties. They were so similar as in Iran the nations conservative Islamic revolution happened. It involved major de-modernizing and drastic restrictions of freedom of women. From this it is clear that Atwood got most of her inspiration from when creating the Handmaids. The Islamic ‘authorities' insisted that they were just protecting women and giving them a better quality of life. This is reflective of the commander in Offred's narrative when he says ‘We've given them more than we've taken away'. The professor says the ‘Romania had anticipated Gilead, in the 1980's banning all forms of birth control. This of course is what happened but it had divesting effects ion the spreading of aids and orphaned babies. Pieixoto also adds ‘ the collective rope ceremony' was an ‘English village custom in the 17th century' and is similar to Gilead's ‘Salvaging'. Moreover, the red colour of the handmaids was ‘borrowed from the uniforms of German prisoners of war I Canada' in the second word war. Finally Margaret Atwood uses the professor to state her point by making him say ‘that there was little that was truly original or truly indigenous to Gilead; its genius was synthesised. Consequently saying that there is nothing in the novel that hasn't already happened in the world we live in today. The professor at the same time as not picking up on Offred's personal account does realise the clever workings of the regime. For example the aunts had names derived from common commercial product'†¦ ‘ to familiarise and reassure' the handmaids. As mentioned Pieixoto is not interested in Offred's personal story but rather how it can tell him more about the Giliadian regime turning Offred's story into his own history. He is completely oblivious to Offred's feminist themes. He says that ‘our job is to censure and understand'. Clearly he doesn't and completely sidesteps the critical moral issues raised by her account. He seems more interested in establishing the identity of her commander than herself ‘the elusive commander', ‘the gentlemen in question'. Additionally he spends about two pages talking about him. The authenticity of the tapes seems to override the importance of their content. The covers of the tape are also significant as they reflect Offred's subject matter. ‘ Elvis Presley The Golden Years', he was one of the first male singers in the 60's to be associated with dirty sexual attraction i. e. the thrusting of the hips. Also there were tapes entitled ‘Boy George Takes Off', he was an homosexual musical icon and ‘Twisted Sister' they represented ‘loose' independent women. Most of all of these names and the suggestions behind the names Gilead would have severally disapproved of. This is just another way of Offred's small but yet significant rebellion against the regime. Professor Piexioto is an intriguing invention. Amongst the unusual social order in the historical notes and women appearing to be respected once again, Atwood throws in this completely contradictory character. He seems to by a complete sexist chauvinist pig. This is similar to the commander with whom he even shares a line' my little chat' and ‘little excitement'. This suggests that both the professor and the commander think of themselves very highly. It is obvious that Professor Piexioto does not think its a little chat but rather an important speech/lecture. Atwood intentionally merges these two characters together to show that male attitudes and opinions, even though 200 years have passed, have not altered. The professor proves this in his speech when he talks about ‘tails' and ‘frailrioads' rather than female roads as called by Offred. He also whilst making a dig at the North American peoples intelligence also insults both women's and Offred's intellect by saying ‘she was an educated woman, insofar as a graduate of any North American college of the time may have said to be educated'. Consequently, the historians discredit her story; she already told us that the commander was ‘in marker research'. Nevertheless he goes along a separate line of investigation and coming to the same conclusion. Furthermore he seems annoyed with her for not providing him with more information about the Giliadian regime. This can be seen when he exclaims ‘many gaps remain, some of which could have been filled in by our anonymous narrator, had she been in a different turn of mind'. Then he adds ‘ It has a whiff of emotion' this absolutely should outrage the reader as her whole story is based upon intense emotion and suffering, which he has no regard for. Ironically, the professor does exactly what Offred anticipated ‘from the point of view of history. We'll be invisible. ‘ So although Offred does get her story out she is treated the same as she was in the regime. Atwood does this to create a different kind of distopian in the readers mind and as in the narrative unsettle and make the reader outraged through confusion. The historical notes are supposedly here to answer unanswered questions but all it is extremely long explanations of a research with no concrete answers, which frustrate as new and yet again, unanswered questions start to format. This is a device used by Margaret Atwood to further stimulate the reader into discussion not only abut what happened to Offred but also question the society we live in today.

Campus Couture

Essentially, this will work by Campus COUtUre purchasing pieces from designers and other local and international retailers, and offering it as a rental service to our clientele. Campus Couture allows its members to search dresses by new arrivals, size, color, style, or price. We aim to offer rental services for women to attend date nights, cocktail parties, and formal events idyllically for the Western Community. Campus Couture, Inc. Was incorporated in 201 2 and is based in London, Ontario (Exhibit 1). 1. Goals and Objectives: The initial goal of Campus Couture is to present our aggregate research and analysis to generate confidence in our business model and its feasibility. Establish a Presence Within the Campus Community: Establish a consistent base of users that rely on Campus Couture's site for their semi-formal and formal wear Establish ourselves are the forerunners in designer wear for the targeted consumers Minimize Start-Up Costs: From an operations standpoint, we strive to minimize start-up costs and maximize our customer-base in the first fiscal year, while generating a constant stream of profit in later periods.Promote Website Traffic: By increasing awareness about Campus Couture, we aim to capture 15% of Westerns female population to become active members of Campus Couture, Inc. By the end of our first year of operations (Exhibit 2) Financial: Usually negative cash from operations is risky, however sometimes is necessary to get the business afloat. Breakable by the end of 2nd fiscal year. Personal Goals: $1 5,000 in drawings by the Second Fiscal Year End (2013-2014) Drawings for Campus COUtUre Board of Directors at 70% Of net income by 3rd fiscal year-end Work part-time; between 5-8 hours per week 1. Key Success Factors: Successful Market Penetration: Initial market penetration is vital for our business to prosper. As a consequence of our generally unfamiliar business concept, our marketing practices must be well-planned and innovative in order to win over our customer base. Due to the influence of word-of-mouth and social media activity amongst our target demographic, we believe that once this initial base is established, we can expect a steady increase in customer base moving forward.Trendiest and Affordability: Trendiest and affordability are key determinants of Campus Couture's success, as today's youth wants to maintain a fashionable image without the substantial expenditures associated with purchasing an outfit. Campus Couture aims to keep its product offerings current and updated adhering to the latest fashion trends. Furthermore, each rental will be a fraction of the retail cost of the dress, meaning that Campus Couture will be a practical alternative. Affordability is the keystone to our business model, and it is imperative that it is maintained.Our price model is based off of the number of times we expect each dress to be rented, thus increasing the customer base and the number of rentals. We can expect to increase inventory, while driving down rental rates in the future. 1. 4 Corporate Capabilities: Strengths: Campus Couture adheres to a unique business model and can take definitive strides to provide our members a vast selection of dresses that cater to our students and young professionals. Campus Couture has skilled personnel that are capable of handling the daily operations and logistics involved with running a rental service.They have unrivaled insight into our target market as we are Western students representing other Western students. The use of social media technology has provided Campus Couture direct access to the target market, making us trendsetters for the rising trend in economical pending habits in this post-recession era. Weaknesses: Campus Couture has limited funds, inventory and connections to the fashion industry. This makes our company more vulnerable to our competitors who possess extensive fashion expertise and large capital allowances for advertising.Our business also h as the unique task of having to overcome the negative stigma attached to renting apparel. As well, the business's success is heavily reliant on keeping up with the latest trends and appealing to the young female's fashion needs/style. A strong marketing campaign and commitment to Campus Couture's business objectives will hopefully overcome these weaknesses, as well as increase traffic to our website. Seasonality will also impact our feasibility since a large portion of our target market attends Western University but leave for the summer months. . External Analysis: 2. 1 political: As of January 201 2, students across Ontario have begun receiving $1 ,600 annually from the provincial government, as part of an initiative to lower to tuition rates. This helps alleviate the financial stresses for students and also puts more disposable income back into their pockets, thus proving that female students will have increased means to rent dresses and purchase other novelties. Transmutes' are popularizing among environmental groups. These are individuals who value non-ownership for environmental and ethical reasons.The rhetoric behind this lies in the fact that â€Å"the more people share, the fewer goods need to be produced -? and fewer resources will be used up. † Therefore, dress rentals definitely cater to those consumers who will only use something when they truly need it. 2. 2 Economic: Due to rising university tuition rates, Western students on average have less disposable income and therefore increased pressure to spend their money wisely. Statistics Canada reported in 2008 that Canadian females between 16 ND 1 9 had an average income of $7,100 whereas females between 20 and 24 earned $15,100.If a student in either age cohort had to cover living and post- secondary expenses, they would have little or no money left for other expenditures. According to Western Statistics, approximately 681 9 bursaries, accounting for roughly $1 5 million were given to studen ts requiring financial assistance. These statistics imply that many Western students are looking to economize and curb their spending habits in order to offset their debt from student loans. The population of females at Western is currently 13,990 females that have gig demand for fashionable dresses due to the ongoing social scene in London.The price of clothing has escalated in as many years due partially to increased commodity, labor, and shipping costs, as well as markups associated with name brands. Consequently, consumers are finding it increasingly difficult to appear fashion forward at a reasonable price. On average, Western undergraduate students attend 6 to 8 major events per semester. 1 Provided that we can offer our clientele high quality dresses at a reasonable price, we aspire to take advantage of this opportunity and create successful business model that aligns with the needs of price sensitive Western University female students. . 3 social: Online shopping has also re volutionized over the past decade. According to Statistics Canada, in 2007 about 8. 4 million Canadian individuals aged 16 years and older used the Internet to make almost $12. 8 billion in purchases. By 2010, 113. 8 million orders were made by 1 1 2 million Canadians with a value of $15. 3 billion. From 2007 to 2010, the percentage of online shoppers that used the Internet to purchase clothing, jewelry, and accessories rose from 29% to 36%.This positive correlation demonstrates an increasing trend of online consumers and an opportunity for Campus Couture to capture this market because a large age of these shoppers were females under the age of 30. Currently, 60% of Western students are female; this rising trend along with plans to for the University to admit larger first-year classes secures Campus Couture?s growing target audience. Overall, these conditions are very favorable for our company as there is clear evidence that our target market is steadily expanding, implying that Cam pus Couture will likely gain customers and increase profits over time. 2.Technological: Modern technological developments, like the Internet have increased the consumers access to information thus reducing time spent shopping and has made retail prices more competitive by shifting the power from suppliers to consumers. This transformation is forcing current businesses to review their current operations and marketing strategies to better accommodate consumer demands. Campus Couture believes that implementing modern information technology to target the budget-conscientious young female consumer and to fulfill their need for fashionable apparel can offer a competitive edge over our competitors. 3.Consumer Analysis: 3. 1 Market Research: In our survey (Exhibit 3, Exhibit), 63% of respondents were inclined to rent a dress while 32% indicated that the idea was not appealing to them. Many hesitated as they worried about cleanliness and unfamiliarity to the concept of dress rentals. Our res ults show that approximately 73% of respondents are either impartial, agree, or strongly agree to this concept. This indicates that if Campus Couture can successfully promote dress rentals as fashionable, economical, and sanitary to the masses, we will unleash potential for large sales volumes and high returns from this untapped market.In terms of pricing, 76% of females surveyed indicated that they would spend less than $1 00 and 55% would spend less than $70 on a dress for a special occasion, therefore implying that price is a determining factor for the typical consumer. Therefore, Campus Couture must rent out its dresses at competitive rates to appeal to a vast market In which some would prefer to purchase rather than rent. 3. 2 Target Market: Campus Couture targets young female students and professionals from the Western and London community, ages 1 8 to 25 years old, who are searching for fashionable higher-end formulae at affordable prices.Students are very social individuals, but they are also on a limited budget With pressure to dress well, they want to look great by wearing new dresses. Buying new dresses is extremely costly, which is why this demographic would be more inclined to rent. 4. Competitive Analysis: Although, there are no specific businesses that provide a similar service to either community, there are many direct and indirect competitors impeding on Campus Couture's growth potential. 4. 1 Direct: Forever XIX: With 480 locations and revenue grossing over $2. Billion, Forever XIX is extremely popular among teen and young adult females and caters to an array of different styles at great value. In terms of marketing and promotion, Forever XIX has truly capitalized with its e-commerce venture. With Forever XIX opening up at Nashville Place in March 2012, Campus Couture could foresee immense competition from this clothing retailer. Forever XIX has far greater financial means to purchase inventory and to market their product. They have the poten tial to capture a larger audience due to their variety of inventory and reasonable pricing.These factors could pose as a real threat to the success of Campus Couture. A drawback to their business model is that with lower pricing comes poorer quality. This brings out the traditional quantity versus quality debate, and Campus Couture would have to evaluate which is more important to the desired target market. Forever Xi's dresses lie in the same price range as renting from Campus COUtUre's designer ones, however online purchases incur corresponding shipping charges. SASS: SASS is a global fashion e-commerce website, located in the UK, which sells fashionable clothing and accessories internationally.With 7. 0 million registered users and 35,000 new products each season, SASS attracts a wide range of demographics, allowing the business to penetrate the global market. By offering free shipping worldwide, consumers are more likely to purchase, however there are a number of downfalls, Cana dian customers are required to pay both HAST and duties, increasing the overall cost to the consumer. This also makes international returns more difficult, as the consumer will have to pay freight for the item(s) to be returned, which could be costly.In addition, this may even hinder the company's potential for making sales, as skeptic consumers would be hesitant to order without previously seeing the quality of the clothing. The efficiency of the delivery service is essential to ensure that customers receive their products on time in order to maintain customer satisfaction. Campus Couture differs as we offer rentals for similar items, but with a limited inventory. Our inventory will focus on the needs of the London community, instead of the world market.With that said, we provide our Members the opportunity to have a personal fitting. In addition, Campus Couture will not have to bother with online payment security and delivery timings, as both will be handled in-store. And Ezra: Ou r market research relayed that H and Ezra were highly popular within our target market. Whereas, H has a flagship in London, Ezra, is only coated in Toronto. Many Western students are from the Toronto area and travel home frequently, thereby making Ezra a direct competitor. Both retailers have strong brand recognition and customer loyalty across Canada.H's business concept is to give the customer unbeatable value by offering style and quality at a reasonable price. Ezra in comparison, concentrates on quality, design, and rapid turnaround. H&M's dresses retail between $20 and $60 whereas Ezra retails its dresses for $80 based on current website pricing. One weakness both of these companies share is their lack of an online store, while Campus Couture provides its consumers with the ability to reserve dresses online and on your phone. Oftentimes, customers find an item online and by the time they get to the store, the size or color of dress may be sold out.Overall, retailers who transi tion their marketing strategy to reflect technological trends will be better equipped to handle the the needs Of the modern consumer. Boutiques along Richmond Row: Richmond Row is home to various local apparel retailers in downtown London. Regardless of our partnership with Elliot, a local boutique (Exhibit 5), they would still remain indirect competitors as similar items would be arrested to the same audience. Price is a huge factor as Elliot has sizeable profit margins for it sales, however with increased competition and lower prices for the similar goods may result in a price war. Ultimately, Campus Couture will be able to overcome this form of competition due to its offering of a fundamentally different service. 4. 2 Indirect: High-End Departmental Stores High-end department stores including Holt Renew, Anemia Marcus, and Nordstrom provide designer apparel at high costs. These department stores target an older and wealthier demographic than students, who can afford to ay high pr emiums for higher quality. While many of these high-end stores ship to Canada, the costs associated with shipping makes these pieces virtually impossible for the average student to afford.Online Flash Sales: Online Luxury Flash Sales websites such as Beyond the Rack, Net-a-Porter, and The Peacock Parade are an up-and-coming trend in today's technology- dependent world. Here, designers and retailers have their merchandise discounted between 50-70% of the original retail value. Sales are typically short (under 72 hours) and start at inconvenient times during the day. This sakes purchasing from these websites difficult and inconvenient for students with busy schedules. Flash sales have limited selection, so specific styles may not be available.Most of these websites have headquarters in the States, adding shipping costs to the original purchase price. 5. Four Up's 5. 1 Product: We offer a dress rental service in London Ontario, where consumers can browse our inventory online and reserv e dresses, then allowing them to come in before their event to try on the dress and pay for the rental. 5. 2 Placement: We chose to place our business in the North London borough because Of its rigidity to Western University and college population, who are looking for the latest trends and outfits to present themselves in.The area is known for student housing, and therefore is more convenient for them to walk to in comparison to either mall or the downtown core. We believe that being located in close proximity to campus is advantageous as there are no other clothing retailers in the area, unlike the competition we would have faced from retailers along Richmond Row or in Nashville. 5. 3 price: While finalizing our inventory, the costs associated were taken into account in order to set the rental fees.The rental price represents 30 to 35% of the original retail price, therefore we will be able to generate a return on our investment after three rentals. This value is reasonable enough that consumers would still be inclined to rent rather than purchase a dress from elsewhere. As a start-up, we did not want to take too big of a risk. Since the business concept is unfamiliar to a large portion of our demographic, high initial promotional costs are necessary to inform and penetrate the market. Afterwards, Campus Couture can rely on the social behavior of the demographic to steadily build our customer base in years to mom. . 4 Promotion: In order to reach out to our clientele, we aim to incorporate a pull strategy, using a variety of social media outlets, promotional events and incentives, and personal selling strategies in an attempt to build up consumer demand for high-end designer dress rentals. Promotional Campaign: Social Media (Exhibit 6) The 18 to 25 cohort represents the highest consumers of social networking and the Internet. Social media outlets including, Faceable has made girls more vigilant to keep up with fashion trends and to have an extensive wardrobe for every occasion.Nowadays, girls are self-conscious about rearing the same outfit repeatedly, fearful that someone might remember. Due to these societal pressures, females have resorted to online retail browsing and shopping for clothing and accessories. With Campus Couture on all major networking sites: Faceable, Twitter, and Pinsetters, we can inform our customers about the latest trends and what is new at Campus Couture, enabling our clientele to interact with us, and even see how other clients are wearing Campus Couture. This will positively influence our company's image, as one that cares about its clientà ¨le's needs before their special event.Mobile Application (Exhibit 7) Imagine Campus Couture, at your fingertips. Our mobile application can be downloaded onto your Blackberry, phone, or Android to see the latest in trends and new in-stock items, and book fittings. This will allow girls who wait until the eleventh hour to reserve a dress at any time. With that said, the mo bile application is expected to be of greatest utility to customers for those always on-the-go. It will also enhance accessibility to our catalogue and overall business, further inclining potential customers to use our service.Undoubtedly, the greatest asset we can gain by using the mobile application s ensuring Campus Couture's constant presence in customers' lives. Viral Youth Campaign With today's youth constantly viewing, posting, and sharing Youth videos all over the social media circuit, Campus Couture has the opportunity to be recognized quickly, without incurring the cost of airing pricey television commercials. By filming a video that highlights Campus Couture's brand power and competitive advantage, we can influence students to share the video.In turn, they will be personally selling Campus Couture to their social circles without even realizing that they are doing it. This will elevate inquiries, ND with proper sales training within the Campus Couture team, this will resul t in increased volumes of rentals, equating to higher gross revenue as well as a higher return on our initial investment. Print Advertising and Word of Mouth (Exhibit 8) Print advertising is a promising technique as it catches the attention of many students while walking around campus.With posters up in areas of high traffic, students will be able to familiarize themselves with Campus Couture. These advertisements will be concentrated in locations with the highest prevalence Of our target market in order to garner their attention. Launch Party: The executive of Campus Couture, Inc. Will be working closely with the George Boatswains, Resident DC of Cobra London to organize a launch party and Fashion Show on Friday September 14th, 2012. With upwards of 500 attendees, we hope to make our mark on the Western and London community by selling advance tickets to the event for $10.Advance ticket sales will be a key marketing strategy to spread word out about Campus Couture to all social circ les across the campus community. All revenues generated would be paid to Cobra London. The launch party will promote our business, while the Fashion Show will best exhibit Campus Couture's collection to the female demographic. This will be coordinated in part with Blackbirds Salon and Spas, who have donated their time and expertise into making this event a great success. Our team will be able to personally sell Campus Couture to our target market, while promoting to the masses. . Internal Analysis 6. 1 Operations: Operations will commence on September 1st, 2012 with promotions, leading up to our launch party on September 14th, inaugurating the business. In order to use the site, a customer must make an account (Exhibit 9). Members can search through different dresses by style, color, size, or price. In addition, the calendar widget displays the availability of each dress. This calendar will mark off the dates that the dress has been booked for, the size, and the event she will be we aring it to, allowing other customers to skim through dresses efficiently.This also ensures that no two people will be renting out the same dress for the same event. Once the customer has decided on a dress, they will book a fitting appointment, where Campus Couture will hold onto two sizes of any one dress for the customer, ensuring a proper fit. Once they have been fitted, the client will choose whether to proceed with the rental. Our storefront provides them access to browse through other dresses. If they choose another dress, we would ensure that it was not previously on hold for another customer and that it was clean and undamaged.