Lululemon's exploration of England Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lululemon's exploration of England - Case Study Example Lululemon is a premium brand offered at premium prices which make it near to impossible for the competitors to imitate. Lululemon believes on community involvement in its business and thus allows others to imitate its products or technology used to manufacture products. This business practice is in alignment with Lululemon’s â€Å"doing-the-right-thing† initiative. The aim was to support community members to take an active part in achieving excellence in healthy habits. But the competitors find it difficult to imitate Lululemon’s products or strategies because it is very costly and requires a great set of skills to produce a Lululemon’s product. The way Lululemon has structured its organizational hierarchy facilitates smooth functioning of the business. The headquarter is stationed in Canada where the product designing and concept manipulation is carried out. Moreover, the headquarters also handles the financial controlling function of the business. Whereas the business in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States is handled by the respective authorities in these countries so as to provide these subsidiaries autonomy over their business practices. This is beneficial in a manner, that it provides a room for the business to adopt the local taste and social structure to market products in an efficient manner. Although, the control of business related matter is in the hand of management of these local subsidiaries, the product manufacturing and financial controlling is still taken care by the head office.

Electromagnetic Waves Principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electromagnetic Waves Principles - Assignment Example The waves are usually emitted and absorbed by charged particles. This is exactly how the radio waves are usually transmitted in wireless communication. The waves have got both the magnetic as well as the electric field oscillating perpendicularly to each other and also perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Radio waves are usually in the range of 10 kHz to 100 GHz. The smaller ranges of the radio waves are usually used in the deep space telecommunication. However, the frequency as well as the wavelength of a propagated electromagnetic wave depends on its source. The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all the types of the electromagnetic radiation. Radiation is the type of energy that travels while spreading out as it goes. Some electromagnetic spectrum is invisible to the naked eye. However, they all have the properties of frequency and wavelength. The frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum is defined as the number of cycles of a wave that passes a particular point in one second. It is measured in Hertz. On the other hand, the wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum is defined as the distance from the peak of a particular wave to the next one. It is measured in meters. The two attributes are however inversely proportional to each other. The longer the wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum is, the smaller the frequency of the spectrum and vice versa. However, the shorter the wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum, the more energetic is the light. The frequency and wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum are related in a precise mathematical formula. The wavelength is normally expressed by the Greek letter lambda (ÃŽ »). On the other hand, the frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum is usually expressed as nu (ÃŽ ½). Their relationship is therefore expressed as: a.) Radio frequency is the rate of oscillation of waves between the ranges of 3 kHz to 300Â  GHz. Very low

Human freedom and the ten commandments Essay Example for Free

Human freedom and the ten commandments Essay When Jesus was asked, What must I do to inherit eternal life? , he replied: You know the Commandments, keep these and you will live. It has been said, that the Ten Commandments are not simple rules mandated by God, but rather, this set of rules is considered as a gift given to men in order for them to live the life that God has promised. Although the word â€Å"commandment†, by itself, imports something mandatory and obligatory, it must be understood that God has granted each one of his people freedom and independence to choose how he or she will act, and hence, human freedom is an important topic to be discussed alongside the Ten Commandments. It will be seen, that the kind of life that men live is simply a reflection of how he uses the freedom that he has been gifted with. A person can either live a life full of one spent as a good follower of God. Although some would say that it is a question of fate, destiny, or maybe even luck, the truth is that, a person lives a life based on his own choices and decisions. As have been stated, men have been gifted with freedom, and it is up to him how he will utilize this gift. Every person has different forms of needs and wants that have to be dealt with in everyday life. This is where freedom sets in. In allowing absence of restriction, God permits every individual the opportunity to shape his life. It has been stated that this is one risk that God chose to take. â€Å"God risked much in creating us humans with the freedom, now, to unleash horrendous nuclear disaster or to love our fellows across all boundaries. † (Grider, 1994). It is the freedom that each one has been blessed with that enables him to understand and appreciate the life that he has and all the beauty that comes with it. On the other hand, if this freedom is abused, then the consequences that go with it, would also have to be dealt with by the individual concerned. Being free entails a lot of responsibility. It is believed that God granted every individual the gift of freedom, not for the sole reason that he be boundless or limitless. Man is given freedom for him to be responsible for all the things that he says, does or even thinks of. True enough, some philosophers believe that the things that happen to each individual can be traced to the actions and decisions that he chooses to take. Most of the times, it is not up to the heavens if a good or bad thing happens to one person. More of than not, everything that happens to a person can be traced to the course of action that he chose to take. The scriptures that God instructed to be drafted, in essence, are mere forms of guidance for men; but in the end, it is human freedom which will eventually dictate whether or not an individual will live his life by these guidelines. The concept of human freedom is more often discussed by mentioning the story of what happened to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. As has been aptly stated, â€Å"these questions as to the nature of human freedom arise especially when we turn our attention to the question of the origin of sin. Only consider how many times the origin of sin has been ascribed to this human freedom of choice, implying this twofold power of man’s nature and of his creaturely existence: to sin or not to sin; a good part and an evil part of his nature. † (Berkouwer, 1962). True enough, God could have stopped the serpent from interacting with Adam and Eve, but due to the freedom that he bestowed the two, they had the choice as to whether or not to take the apple that the serpent offered them. Ultimately then, it is this choice that they made which is the root cause of why they were banished from the garden of Eden. It would appear then that despite the Ten Commandments being set down by God to be sent to his people, the same is not precisely a set of obligatory rules imposed upon men. Rather, the Ten Commandments are considered as a guide as to how each person should live if he wants to experience the kind of life that God promised. This is a kind of life full of happiness, peace, beauty and love. A person’s freedom can lead to this if a person, in choosing paths to take, keeps in mind what the Ten Commandments speak of. Ultimately, it would depend upon the person if he will live the kind of life promised by God ever since the olden times, or if he will use his freedom to lead him to a kind of unspeakable and despicable kind of living. REFERENCE â€Å"The Ten Commandments†, http://www. whitestonejournal. com/tencommandments J. Kenneth Grider , â€Å"Human Freedom†, 1994, http://www. bibleviews. com/humanfreedom. html G. C. Berkouwer, â€Å"Human Freedom†, 1962, http://www. the-highway. com/freedom2_Berkouwer. html

Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management

Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management The aim of this essay is to critically analyse and evaluate the application, validity, limitations and uncertainties of the conventional approaches of strategic management in this rapidly changing business context. It briefly outlines strategic management as it is traditionally taught, studied and practised and how organisations determine what strategies are apt within various business environments. In keeping with the goal, the essay disputes the validity and applicability of the traditional approach in todays deconstructing situation where the opportunities and challenges make any kind of logical strategic planning fail. Through the arguments stated in this paper, a combination and a right mix of prescriptive and emergent approaches is essential and needs to be incorporated in the strategic management process for continuity. Thus conventional approaches with its pros and cons, still prevail in todays economic business context. In any business venture, strategy is a vital factor for the efficient functioning, growth, development, continuity and success of a firm. It aims to achieve a set goal and embarks a direction for the future. Organisations require collaboration, cautious planning and the mindful implementation of planning. To maximise the effectiveness of strategies and to ensure the smooth functioning and success of the business, they have to be managed skilfully. So what is strategy? What role does strategic management play in this global economic world? The word strategy has been implicitly used in various ways even if it has been conventionally defined in only one. It is widely accepted that there is no single or universal definition of strategy, however the various descriptions of strategy allows people to manoeuvre and manipulate through this difficult pitch. Mintzberg(1994) defines strategy in 5 different ways. Plan A consciously intended course of action to ensure objectives are achieved. Ploy Basically a subset of plan and is a trick intended to outsmart or overcome an opponent or a competitor. Pattern Series of action which involves consistent behaviour over time which may or may not be intended. Position Locating the organisation within a environment. Perspective It is conceptual as well as cultural and is concerned with how an organisation itself sees and perceives the business environment. The above 5 Ps may be applicable in vastly different areas and can also be interrelated. Johnson Scholes (2008) defines strategy as the direction and scope of an enterprise over the long term; which achieves advantage for the firm through arrangement of resources within a demanding environment, to meet the needs of the markets and accomplish the expectations of the stakeholders. The process of strategic management includes analysis of the internal and external environment, formation of strategy, implementation of strategy, and evaluation of strategy. The theory of strategic management is analysed within an integrated model of context, content and process. There are two approaches for organisational change: The Prescriptive Approach which works best in a stable environment and Emergent Approaches which is used in an unpredictable fashion. These approaches are the widely known strategic models and must be examined thoroughly within the context of the fast paced, highly competitive and increasingly dynamic business environment. The prescriptive approach, also known as deliberate strategy is a traditional approach to strategic management. It is a deterministic and systematic plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal for the long term. It is usually the responsibility of the top management to establish lucid strategic directions through analysis and evaluation and then implement them through the successive layers of the organisation. Porter(1996) states that competitive strategies are about an intended course of action of being different from the rivals and differentiating yourself in the eyes of customer by doing various unique activities which add value and by positioning yourself competitively in the environment. Porter maintains that deliberate strategies are intentional and planning ahead is important and should be formulated and articulated by leaders in a predictable and controlled environment to achieve the goals and objectives. Porter also states that trade-offs and operational effectiveness are an integral part for sustainability. Conversely, Mintzberg (1994), one of the biggest critics of prescriptive approach developed the emergent approach to strategic management. He states that in emergent strategies the final objective is unclear and it a process of evolution, adaption, alternation and continuity. Emergent strategies are more successful in this chaotic world as they are unintentional and are the result of impromptu response to unforeseen situations which emerge over time. For example, Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, decision to open his second store in a rural area rather than a big city, for convenience of logistics and management efficiency was a fantastic winning emergent strategy. Also as there was less competition and people would travel to buy products which offered value at the lowest prices, made the business successful. An emergent strategy increases flexibility in times of turbulence and allows the firm to respond to opportunities and make the most of the threats. Mintzberg argues that the emergent strategies are the result of constant learning, adjusting and experimentation of different variables. Many of the world discoveries have happened accidently and would not have taken place if it was dictated by formal planning of strategy. On a negative note, as the emergent strategy is not a systematic and linear process, formulation and implementation occur simultaneously which would lead to slow, messy and jumbled development. Brews and Hunt points out that overdependence on emergent strategy can lead to underperformance of the organisation. On the other hand, deliberate strategies are planned and put into action, however due to the unrealised and unpredictable changes in the business environment; most of the planned strategies are not implemented. SWOT gives an insight on the internal and external factors which are helpful and harmful for achievement of a specific objective of an organisation. PESTLE is an analysis of the macro environment in which the firm operates. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS points out the primary activities which are directly related to production of products (eg logistics, sales) and the secondary activities (eg Human Resource, technology) which are not directly involved in production, but are essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. It defines the core competencies of the firm and its helps to figure out the competitive advantage over cost and its competitors by adding value to the various activities. PORTERS 5 FORCE framework is an simple but powerful tool to understand the context in which the firm operates and analyse the attractiveness and economic performance of an industry which would lead to more sustainable financial returns to the stakeholders. According to Porters bestselling book Competitive Advantage, the forces that influence the profitability of an industry in a business environment are the entry of new competitors, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers and the rivalry amongst existing competitors. The above four are important tools in the strategic management process. Porter states that strategic management is all about plotting a way through the mesh of threats and opportunities mounted by external competitive forces. The uncertainty, chaos and instability that characterise global market contest any kind of predictibilty, which is a requisite base of many a traditional process of strategic management (Pitts, 2000). Brown Eisenhardt (1998) states that traditional approaches to strategy often collapse in the face of rapidly and unpredictability changing industries. The technological advances have accelerated the process of communication and globalisation has expanded significantly. The shift and restructuring in government policies and the recent terrorist attacks have impacted companies. The challenges of formulation and implementation of strategies within a framework where global catastrophic events have an undulating effect on local market conditions, has been underestimated by management, according to researchers. Trends in the biophysical ecosystem has changed and threatened humans and other species in various geographic areas. Events such as the terrorist attack on the twin tower building in New York on September 11, 2001, or the Tsunami in Japan has an undermining effect on the global financial markets. The rational approach to strategic management which is a top down approach helps to resolve the complexities of a firm in its stable environment. It is considered as a logical and continuous process which involves defining the mission and setting long term objectives, systematic and exhaustive analysis of the competitive environment, creating and evaluating alternative strategies, implementing the various strategies and finally monitoring the performance. Ansoff(1965) states that it helps to organise complex activities and employ a greater control over various business units which leads to domination of marketplace. This approach is founded on the idea that firms are adapted to cope with changes in their environment by taking rational and comprehensive decisions (Chaffee, 1985). Due to incapacity of predicting the future, this approach is very linear and unrealistic and is based on the thinking and assumptions of the upper level management. In a complex and unstable environment the values and the role of mainstream strategies are still unclear and may lead to more complications rather than solutions. It may weaken the flexibility of the firm to cope with prospective changes taking place in its environment (Wally Baum, 1994). In Mintzberg(1994) opinion, rational methods of strategic management leads to inflexibility, encourages excess bureaucracy and confines creativity and spontaneity. On the contrary, Ansoff(1991)argues the fact that conventional strategies are much more effective than a trial and error process when it comes to collecting and analysing relevant data and aligning the firm with its internal and external environments. Porter(1996)maintains that mainstream strategies can cleverly play a vital role in determining a suitable strategic direction for the firm. It can significantly help companies to avoid expensive errors and survive and sustain in a highly competitive environment (Aram Cowan, 1990). Adopting the conventional strategic approach, would help in ensuring a systematic assessment of numerous plausible options, encouraging creative thinking and ideas, enhancing internal interactions and communications, increasing motivation and commitment of staff, identifying pertinent opportunities, ensuring coordination of organisational activities and anticipating potential change. The size of a firm is a factor of high importance when it comes to adopting strategies. Often, strategic planning and management is considered a major tool for large enterprises. Due to its complexity, a comprehensive strategy is needed, as compared to, small and medium sized firms. In (Mintzberg, 1994)opinion, smaller firms operates in less complex environments and their internal operations and procedures are manageable by a smaller hierarchy, hence they abandon the formal strategy process. Smaller businesses would do well if they adopt emergent strategies especially in turbulent periods. The conventional strategies are based on a sole quantitative purpose and are very cold and give little or practically no consideration to human factor (Muchinsky, 2000). It fails to utilise people as the competitive advantage of the firm. Due to the traditional approaches to strategy, many organisations fail to realise the potential of their people, inspite of the rhetoric claim that people are the firms real strategic asset (Gratton,2000). Truss(1999) argues that a healthy organisation can be formed by incorporating humanistic principles and by aligning strategic human resource management with the rational conceptualisation of strategies, thereby evoking behaviours necessary to individual growth and effectiveness of the organisation. Along with the Human Resource of a firm, leaders too play a central role in achieving people based competitive advantage in modern organisations. The conventional approaches to leadership either is transactional reward the employee in exchange of desir able results or contingent identify leaders based on the circumstances of the firm and execution of specific strategies(Landrum, Howell Paris, 2000). Eisenbach, Watson Pillai(2000) states that these approaches are insufficient and advocates transformational leadership as the apt approach. Guest Schepers,( 1997, p 37) considers a transformational leader as a person who brings about change by formulation of a vision for the future and means of realising this mission by communication and necessary action. A leaders vision should also consider the essential interests of the key stakeholders of the organisation along with the employees needs such as growth and motivation (Ford Ford,1994). Beugre(2006) states that a transformational leader should exhibit individualised attention, positivity, encourage logical thinking and inspire the followers for team unity. Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft are classic examples of transformational leaders who have achieved momentous s uccess with a articulate vision which have persuaded their followers (Giladi, 2000). Participation of share holders in formulation of strategies is crucial. Freeman (1984) defines stakeholders as any individual or group who can affect or is affected by the achievement of an organisations objective. It is intended to explain and guide the structure and operation of the established organisation. Many traditional strategy tools have ignored some shareholders, sidelined others and constantly traded off the interests of others against preferred shareholder group. This approach may be suitable in stable environments. However, in a dynamic, volatile and fast changing business world, the limitation of this approach becomes increasingly evident. Integration of shareholder interests into the very rationale of the firm and exploring, managing and balancing relationship with shareholders must be managed in a lucid and strategic fashion to ensure long term success of the firm. Incorporating value based management system, understanding morality and ethics play a significant role i n the enhanced performance and profitability of the firm in the long run. Ansoff(1965) contrasts that stakeholders might be a barrier on the objective and actions of the enterprise and might constraint the development of the firm. With the advent of the 21st century and the emergence of digitisation, globalisation and new technology traditional strategic tools like value chain analysis, Porters 5 forces, have become less useful. In todays varied business world, there is a need for strategists to develop more comprehensive and reasonable measures for better performance and must consider a wider array of industry organisations, bases of competitive advantage and higher level of complexity and uncertainty. As the industry conditions progresses or changes, strategies should also evolve. Scenario Analysis differs from the traditional approach and is a contemporary approach to strategic management which analyses the possible future events by taking into consideration alternative plausible outcomes that the future may unfold. It is not about predicting or projecting the future but a means of learning and improving our understanding of the long term global effects of the current trends and their interrelation considering the uncertainties and volatilities in the business context; which helps a company to make flexible long term plans. The traditional approaches rely on the notion that the future will be very similar to the past and present and works in a relatively stable environment, however scenarios help managers to prepare for the future and improve their decision making ability by stimulating out of the box thinking. The well known example of this methodology would be of Royal Dutch Shell, who by implementation of scenario planning was the only energy company to su rvive and sustain the oil price crisis in the 1970s. Scenario techniques if combined with other approaches can In summary, the traditional approaches to strategic management provide a structured and orderly approach to decision making in the strategic making process. These approaches still constitute a basic indispensable and feasible framework; however it is not sufficient alone for the profitability of a firm. Contemporary strategic approaches should be incorporated in the base model to make it more entrepreneurial and adaptable. Though the dynamic approaches can prevent control over action and may jeopardise a lack of direction, it considers the uncertainty of the future and emphasises on the flexibility of reaction to enhance the functionality of the organisation in this fast growing, turbulent and uncertain world. In essence there is no one size fits all or best approach to strategy. The organisations should adapt and align the conventional strategies such as internal and external analysis with the real time techniques to ensure continuity and facilitate organisational and individual lea rning. The management should seek the best way of combination, customisation and balance of elements from both the approaches for survival and sustainability in this tumultuous world. Rather than using the approaches individually and in isolation, they should complement each other in order to handle the intricacies of the business and still succeed over the changing conditions.

bless me, ultima :: essays research papers

Chapter 3 Summary When Antonio awakes, he ponders the fate of Lupito's soul and those of the men who killed him. His parents quarrel as they always do on Sunday mornings, as Gabriel's vaquero mindset is not favorable to priests. When Marà ­a scolds Antonio for not being properly formal when greeting Ultima, Ultima requests that she back off because the night was hard on all men. Marà ­a protests that he is still a baby. She thinks it is a sin for boys to become men. Many women in town are dressed in mourning because of sons and husbands lost in the war, which has indirectly claimed two more victims. Antonio and Ultima discuss the events of the previous night. She states that she doesn't think Gabriel fired at Lupito, but she warns that no one should presume to decide whom God forgives or not. Before mass, Antonio mingles with the other boys. They horse around and discuss the night's events. Antonio contributes nothing to the subject of Lupito's death. Commentary Having been introduced to an adult moral dilemma, Antonio is obsessed with sin and punishment. Ultima explains that men of the llano, referring to Gabriel and Narciso, will not kill without reason. However, she also tells Antonio that people have to make independent moral decisions based on what they know. However, matters of salvation and damnation are not for human beings to determine. In her own way, Ultima is talking about fate and destiny within the language of Catholicism because those are the terms with which Antonio is trying to make sense of Lupito's death. Moreover, Ultima tries to subtly let Antonio know that the adults he loves and trusts are not infallible. Narciso and Gabriel both tried to save Lupito, but the blind anger and fear of Chà ¡vez and the others prevented them from doing so. Furthermore, Ultima does not tell Antonio what to think but how people like his father and Narciso make moral decisions. Antonio can then apply this understanding to his own decisions. The opinions that Marà ­a and Gabriel have of growing up highlight the major issues of sin and punishment that preoccupy Antonio. His mother associates growing up with learning how to sin, while Gabriel and Ultima view growing up as an inevitable process that is not good or bad in itself. As a boy becomes a man, he uses his life experience and his knowledge to make decisions.

Western Perspective on Western Biases in Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Relig

In many ways Rita Gross’ stance on Western bias on Hinduism, which creates an andocentric stance on three primary deities of Vishnu, Siva, and Devi, worshipped in Hindu tradition, is valid. As argued by Gross, within texts of Hinduism there appears an inclination towards an andocentric classification of the primary deities. This classification which is continually purported, truly does, resembles a group created with a patriarchy in mind. The list consistently is, as provided, Vishnu, Siva, and Devi. According to Gross’ theory, the male oriented Hindu representation of the primary three deities was not questioned by Western scholarship. As well as the fact, that Western traditions primary â€Å"favour of texts† would have hindered any further advancement of Hindu religion (Gross, p. 320). By excluding the rituals and symbols of the deities there would only be a partial understanding of Hinduism. In my opinion, I agree with Gross on the aspect of Western tradition biasing the actual representation of goddesses. But I believe it may be important to illustrate the fact that other factors could have enabled an increase of Western biases. Among the unquantifiable number of civilizations which have come and dissipated into time, religion has been variably andocentric. Take the Greek and Roman religious tradition, both held above all the patriarchic tradition of rule under a man: Zeus and Jupiter. Further on in monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are also aspects which can be determined to be andocentric. All three religions validated, over time, through dogma and tradition of a male god. Even though Judaism contains a matriarchic tradition of governance, there remains an ideology, which the old and new testa... ...n are subordinate to the male deity, in example Mary the mother of Christ became one of her son’s chief followers. Mary is still held in high regard but not in the same esteem as her son, Christ. In this suggests an andocentric tendency by Westerns who place more importance on men than women. When faced by a polytheistic system of deities which includes goddesses as not subordinate to the gods but sometimes more powerful and fearful characters could also increase the bias held by Westerns. Works Cited Fuller, C. J. The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2004. Print. Gross, Rita M. "Toward a New Model of the Hindu Pantheon: A Report on Twenty-some Years of Feminist Reflection." Academic Press 28 (1998): 319-27. Klostermaier, Klaus K. Hinduism: Beginners Guides. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2007. Print. Western Perspective on Western Biases in Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Relig In many ways Rita Gross’ stance on Western bias on Hinduism, which creates an andocentric stance on three primary deities of Vishnu, Siva, and Devi, worshipped in Hindu tradition, is valid. As argued by Gross, within texts of Hinduism there appears an inclination towards an andocentric classification of the primary deities. This classification which is continually purported, truly does, resembles a group created with a patriarchy in mind. The list consistently is, as provided, Vishnu, Siva, and Devi. According to Gross’ theory, the male oriented Hindu representation of the primary three deities was not questioned by Western scholarship. As well as the fact, that Western traditions primary â€Å"favour of texts† would have hindered any further advancement of Hindu religion (Gross, p. 320). By excluding the rituals and symbols of the deities there would only be a partial understanding of Hinduism. In my opinion, I agree with Gross on the aspect of Western tradition biasing the actual representation of goddesses. But I believe it may be important to illustrate the fact that other factors could have enabled an increase of Western biases. Among the unquantifiable number of civilizations which have come and dissipated into time, religion has been variably andocentric. Take the Greek and Roman religious tradition, both held above all the patriarchic tradition of rule under a man: Zeus and Jupiter. Further on in monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are also aspects which can be determined to be andocentric. All three religions validated, over time, through dogma and tradition of a male god. Even though Judaism contains a matriarchic tradition of governance, there remains an ideology, which the old and new testa... ...n are subordinate to the male deity, in example Mary the mother of Christ became one of her son’s chief followers. Mary is still held in high regard but not in the same esteem as her son, Christ. In this suggests an andocentric tendency by Westerns who place more importance on men than women. When faced by a polytheistic system of deities which includes goddesses as not subordinate to the gods but sometimes more powerful and fearful characters could also increase the bias held by Westerns. Works Cited Fuller, C. J. The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2004. Print. Gross, Rita M. "Toward a New Model of the Hindu Pantheon: A Report on Twenty-some Years of Feminist Reflection." Academic Press 28 (1998): 319-27. Klostermaier, Klaus K. Hinduism: Beginners Guides. Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2007. Print.

Changing Self Essay Essay

How do composers use texts to explore concepts of Changing Self? Discuss ideas and techniques. In Gwen Harwood’s poems Prize-Giving and The Glass Jar, the prescribed text Sky-High, and the novel White Teeth by Zadie Smith, the composer have used many varying ideas and techniques to investigate and illustrate concepts of Changing Self effectively. The ideas looked at in Gwen Harwood’s poetry include imagery, retrospect, metaphor, and inversion of the connotation of adjectives. Ideas conveyed in Sky-High include imagery, retrospect, and comparison. The techniques and ideas in White Teeth, to name the most important, are long and erratic chronology, removing characters for a period and the exposing of the least important change are evident in the texts that are compared. In Gwen Harwood’s poem Prize-Giving, the composer has adeptly used imagery to examine and represent the Changing Self evident in this poem. This striking imagery at first portrays an egotistical middle aged man, such as his inurbane behaviour when he â€Å"scowled with violent distaste†. This works in revealing the major change of Eisenbart, in comparing the self-righteous man at the start of the poem, to the awkward and confused man at the end. The imagery used to describe the titian haired girl is also evocative, especially when comparing her supposed insignificance in contrast to Eisenbart, and the affect she has on him. She seems to be nothing but a cheeky, though attractive, schoolgirl: â€Å"one girl sat grinning.† This thought of her insignificance is reinforced when she â€Å"winked at nearby friends†, possibly reinforcing to Eisenbart her immaturity that was earlier established through her audacious behaviour during the opening prayer. However, Eisenbart was flung from his â€Å"calm age and power† merely by a touch of this ‘immature schoolgirl’, indicating a change. This change in the girl’s attitude is reinforced when she changed â€Å"her casual schoolgirl’s for a master’s air†, indicating the power that she has that Eisenbart has not detected thus far. In the text Sky-High by Hannah Robert, the concept of Changing Self is analysed and emphasized through retrospect, apt imagery, and change of language. â€Å"The best climbing tree† indicates the experiences of a child and their joy in everything no matter how small. However, the responsibility in the statement â€Å"it is unlikely the washing line could support me† divulges that the persona is now more responsible, and, it is discovered, also older, revealing a physical change of self. The comparisons in the final stanza show the insight that the persona now has; as seen in â€Å"I was once the curious onlooker, I now write my own semaphore secrets in colourful t-shirts†. It also shows, however, that no matter how much a person changes, that he or she is still the same person, and that they still retain what they were before. The metaphors used in The Glass Jar, and the way in which they are developed and often exaggerated, shows and typifies the change of self that is experienced by the persona, so that greater audiences may understand the experiences of a small child. Only a small child could imagine an ordinary glass jar as a â€Å"monstrance† in which the sun could be caught for the night. This vision of the â€Å"holy commonplace of field and flower† coming to save the boy is lost when he awakes from his nightmares. The religious metaphor is now lost except for the mocking image of the â€Å"resurrected sun† in the final stanza. The inversion of the usual use of adjectives shows the confusion associated with the change of self for the persona, such as the â€Å"malignant ballet†. The novel White Teeth, by Zadie Smith, develops the concept of Changing Self with a long and somewhat inconsistent chronology. All the characters in this novel, which reaches from World War Two to the end of the century, obviously change physically due to this long chronology. However, the retrospect as to how much the characters have changed in other ways is far more potent because of the extensive chronology. The comparison, for example, Josh Chalfen turning away from his family and becoming less of a nerd: he was the kind of guy â€Å"who could measure an eighth with his eyes closed (so fuck you, Millat)†. The original focus of the book on Archie Jones beguiles the reader into thinking that he is the main focus for the book. However, Archie serves  merely as a connection between all the original characters. From these characters the Jones, Iqbal, Chalfen and Bowden families and their stories emerge, and all the adults, in the end, only accentuate the changes that the children (Irie, Millat, Magid, and Josh) undergo, that is, comparing where the children have ended up to what their parents expected of them. The later and extended focus of the novel on Millat Iqbal, who changes in the most radical way out of all the characters, hides the slow and, in the sense that Millat changes, insignificant changes of Irie Jones, but her changes are more symbolic and emotional. The removal of Magid from the story means that his change of self seems sudden, because the persona is taken away at the age of nine years and only returned at the age of seventeen. In the texts Prize-Giving and The Glass Jar by Gwen Harwood, Sky-High by Hannah Robert, and White Teeth by Zadie Smith, ideas and techniques are flaunted in terms of how they are used to display the change of self in the personas. The numerous ideas used in each of the texts, often overlapping to be used in more than one text show the skill of the composers and their flexibility in applying various techniques.