Thursday, December 26, 2019

The Awakening Romanticism, Realism, and Local Color Essay

The Awakening: nbsp;Romanticism, Realism, and Local Colornbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp; Imagine being far out into the middle of the ocean and at that moment, having to make a choice between judgment and individuality, death and life? In 1899, Kate Chopin composed a captivating novel titled The Awakening. Throughout Chopins day, the work was regarded as nonsense and a waste of time on her part. Critics found the main characters rebellion to be foolish and unlawful. At that age, it was believed firmly that women should be nothing less than completely loyal to their husbands and should joyfully care for any children that they had while their spouse was away, hard at work. Edna, the central character, did not follow this standard. She says†¦show more content†¦Chopin tells of this younger woman with an older husband who runs with her intuition in search of her own mind. Another presentation of Romanticism in The Awakening is described during Ednas search for individualism when she says of her that ...no longer was she content to feed upon opinion when her own soul had invited her (124). Edna Pontellier has a desire to be her own person in her own world when she is placed in a setting that refuses to permit such an action. nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; This setting was Chopins way of blending in the perfect amount of Realism. Realism is also a literary and artistic movement. Unlike Romanticism, Realism shows real detail of actual life. It came about in the nineteenth century as a response to Romanticism. All bleak social realities and psychological states of mind are displayed in this type of writing. In her writing, Kate Chopins portrayal of bleak social realities comes in her setting, which is a reproduction of her day and time. It was thought of then that women were basically to be seen and not heard. The setting that Edna endures imitates this in so many ways. For example, Leonce does not respect Edna as a human being. He does not understand when she decides not to listen and does what she pleases. He saw her only as another treasure of his; she was something he likes to flaunt as part of his valuables. When she suggests the idea ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on Romanticism, Re alism and Local Color in The Awakening1018 Words   |  5 PagesRomanticism, Realism and Local Color in The Awakening nbsp; Kate Chopin is an author who was born in 1851 and died in 1904.nbsp; Her father died when she was young, and her husband died when she was thirty-one leaving her with six children.nbsp; Due to this, she had little male influence throughout her life.nbsp; This may possibly be why she had so little inhibition when writing her novels.nbsp; She seemed to concentrate on the oppression of women and presented socially unacceptable ideasRead MoreBrief Survey of American Literature3339 Words   |  14 Pages(1636-1711), A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson (1682) American Literature 1700-1820 From Colonies to Nation Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), whose passionate sermons helped revive religious fervor during the â€Å"Great Awakening†Ã¯ ¼Ë†Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¨ §â€°Ã©â€ â€™Ã¨ ¿ Ã¥Å  ¨, 1730s-1740s) Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Thomas Paine (1737-1809) Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Olaudah Equiano (1745?-1797) Philip Freneau (1752-1832) Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784) Hannah Webster Foster (1758-1840) EnlightenmentRead MoreFemale Empowerment in Kate Chopins The Awakening7915 Words   |  32 PagesHeinrich-Heine-Università ¤t Wintersemester 2010/11 Vertiefungsmodul Kurs: American Realism and Naturalism - Short Stories Seminarleiter: Georg Schiller Datum der Abgabe: 16.04.2011 Female Empowerment in Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Awakening† Anjana Dhir BA Englisch KF, Geschichte NF 3. Semester Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. The FrenchRead More The Awakening: America Was Not Ready For Edna Pontellier Essay1868 Words   |  8 Pagespointed to a strong likelihood of success for The Awakening. A preview of the novel by Lucy Monroe found in the March 1899 issue of Book News praised The Awakening as a â€Å"remarkable novel and a brilliant kind of art† (Toth 329). This radiant review raised the public’s expectations as they fervently waited for the novel’s release. Yet something had gone amiss, and instead of the expected warm praise from critics that Chopin was expecting, The Awakening was assailed with unflattering reviews. CriticsRead More Mark Twains Personality Revealed in His Writing Essay2171 Words   |  9 Pagessay. Although the theme of deception pervades Twains work, truth always emanates from both the plot and characters. While many Romantic authors elevate their childhoods to idealistic terms of good or bad, Twain walks the line between Romanticism and Realism. After romantically heralding the position of a steamboatman in Old Times on the Mississippi, a young Mark Twain realizes and expresses his new belief on the unfairness of life because of his recent knowledge about the rise of an ungodly boyRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pagespumpkin metamorphosed into a carriage, etc.) or the ordinary logic of everyday life (realistic tales of various kinds), it has, because it is perceived as narrated, already been unrealized. Realism is not reality. No one expects to meet in the street the hero of some scrupulously realistic contemporary novel. Realism affects the organization of the 22 PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO FILM contents, not narration as a status. On one level of perception, Emma Bovary is no less imaginary than Cinderella

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Sophocles Antigone The Third Of The Three Theban...

Sophocles’s play, Antigone is the third of the three Theban tragic plays and was written around 440 B.C. and is still well known today. Sophocles s play Antigone tells a tragic story about family honor and a sister’s love for her brothers. After Antigone’s two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles died in battle, Creon became the new leader of Thebes. Creon orders that Eteocles have a proper burial while Polynices’s body remain unburied, simply left to rot. Antigone refuses to let her brother’s body be disrespected and decides to go against Creon’s orders and bury her brother herself. After being caught, Haemon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s love, fails to persuade his father to spare Antigone’s life. In the end of the play Antigone, Haemon, and†¦show more content†¦Antigone was born into royalty and her life was forever changed once her two brothers were killed. Antigone must prove herself and prove her reason for buryi ng Polynices to Creon. Instead of her father, Antigone attempts to fix her uncle Creon’s evil mistake of deciding to only bury Etonicles. All in all the character Antigone, although female, fits the multiple characteristics that are commonly known to coincide with the hero archetype. In the culture present within this play, it is a common belief that a deceased citizen’s burial will affect their afterlife. Once Antigone heard that Polynices would not be buried she began to worry. She believed that if he wasn t buried properly, with the proper ceremony and rituals that she would not be honoring the law of the gods and that he would not receive the proper afterlife. Antigone’s motivation to provide her brother with the best afterlife possible was the incentive to go on the quest to bury Polynices. The main themes that are present within the play Antigone are femininity, determination, and rule and order. Antigone is affected by all of these themes as she battles with Creon. First, the theme of femininity affects Antigone when she is not only looked down upon for being female by Creon but also her sister, Ismene. â€Å"Ismene: Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men. Then too, we’re underlinings, ruled by much stronger hands, so we mustShow MoreRelatedThe True Tragic Hero of Antigone879 Words   |  4 Pagesevery Greek tragedy, there is the tragic hero, defined by Aristotle as a character who is an extraordinary person, with both good and bad qualities. Although the character reaches a level of insight, a tragic flaw, such as hamartia, leads to their failure in the end. A perfect example of this can be found in Sophocles’ trilogy, The Theban Plays which follows the struggling city of Thebes and the efforts of its rulers to escape their misfortune. Antigone, the third play is an excellent example of thisRead MoreSophocles As A Master Of Character Development1497 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles is one of the three great Athens tragic playwrights in Greek history. He has written over 120 plays in which they were performed into three tragedies known as the â€Å"Oedipus the King†. Although he has written 123 plays there are only seven of his tragedies remaining and with only a few titles and fragments remaining. The seven tragedies include Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus, and Trackers. Sophocles was considered to be a masterRead MoreEssay about A Freudian Reading of Oedipus Rex and Antigone1413 Words   |  6 PagesA Freudian Reading of Oedipus Rex and Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚   In Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud postulates that the chief source of conflict within the human psyche is between the id, ego, and superego. The id contains all of the primal urges of a person, such as rage, sex, or violence, and these drives are projected onto the ego, which is the source of rational thought. Hence, many of our conscious thoughts are affected by these urges. Since in a civilized society, many of these compulsionsRead MoreAntigone : A Complex, Yet Debatable Play1343 Words   |  6 PagesAntigone is a complex, yet debatable play, written by Sophocles somewhere around 442 BC (Johnston). Chronologically, it is the third of the three Theban plays, but was the first and also one of the most famous tragedies ever to be written (Sophocles). The setting of the play is set in front of the Palace, Thebes, and Ancient Greece, though most Greek playwrights were from Athens, their plays are hardly ever set there. (Sophocles). It begins with the death of two brothers, Polyneices and EteoclesRead MoreAn Interpretive Analysis On Conflicting Self Reassurance1337 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone: An Interpretive Analysis on Conflicting Self-Reassurance Antigone is a complex, yet debatable play, written by Sophocles somewhere around 442 BC. Chronologically, it is the third of the three Theban plays, but was the first to be written. In addition, Antigone was also one of the most famous tragedies ever to be written. The setting of the play is set in front of the Palace, Thebes, and Ancient Greece. Though most Greek playwrights were from Athens, their plays are hardlyRead MoreNoting Details1540 Words   |  7 Pagesarrival. elements Sophocles included many literary devices that helped tell the story. The most used literary device in the play is dramatic irony. Another literary device used by Sopocles is characterization. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles used characterization to portray Oedipus as the tragic hero. A third literary device used in the play is flashback, which is where the story switches from the present to an event that occurred in the past. The most important literary device in the play is dramatic ironyRead More Structure in Sophocles Antigone Essays1944 Words   |  8 PagesStructure in Sophocles Antigone  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Aristotle in his Poetics (chap. 7) says: ?[L]et us now discuss the proper structure of the plot, since this is the first and most important thing in tragedy? (1033). M. H. Abrams says that ?almost all literary theorists since Aristotle have emphasized the importance of structure, conceived in diverse ways, in analyzing a work of literature? (300). The matter of the structure of Sophocles? Antigone is a subject of varying interpretation among literaryRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of Read MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles819 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles’ plays are among some of the best-written performances of the 5th century, and they have evolved into several modern theatrical productions and movies. Although not written as part of a trilogy, Sophocles’ three interconnected plays focus on the same dysfunctional family: Antigone, Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) and Oedipus at Colonus. His second play Oedipus the King continues to awe the audiences today as much as it entertained Sophocles’ audience. There existed then and now a fascinationRead MoreOedipus Tyrannus, A Tragic Hero. Summary: . Context. Oedipus1391 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus Tyrannus, a Tragic Hero Summary: Context Oedipus Tyrannus is a Greek tragedy that was first performed as a play in 429 BCE. The setting of the play is in Thebes, one of Greece’s city states that is suffering from a tragic plague. King Oedipus’s brother in-law; Creon, reports back from the oracle of Apollo that the plague would only be lifted if the murderer of his predecessor; King Laius, is found and brought to justice. Before the whole city of Thebes, Oedipus vows to apprehend and punish

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Employees Resistance To Change Open Plan Office

Question: Discuss about the Employees Resistance To Change for Open-Plan Office. Answer: Reasonsforemployeesresistingthechangetoanopen-planofficeapproach According to Alvesson, M. and Sveningsson, (2015) changes in an organization are not always the problem, but resistance to change is. Since the two new partners came to the company, they have introduced a raft of changes which employees have not embraced fully because of a number of reasons. One is the idea of an open plan office which surprisingly, even the senior partners do not embrace. Majority of the employees feel that with the open office plan, their privacy will be infringed. The senior partners particularly, feel that they shouldnt be mixing with other junior staff. Their resentment to the open office plan is evident when their appearance becomes less frequent. Jack and Owen see themselves as senior staff members, and should have their own private office. Jack underscores this point telling Owen that, Of course we arent equal. Other senior associates share these sentiments noting that they have lost their seniority statuses in the absence of their own offices. Junior staffs like the secretaries feel their privacy has been infringed by working in the open office. They complain that they cannot talk to their boyfriends on phone without others eavesdropping. Paralegal and administrative staffs also share their frustrations with the open office plan. While they appreciate the modern feel of the dcor and harbor view, they have reservation of having to talk on phone without anyone listening. They also dislike the new office because it is far from the shops they used to frequent and worse still --cafes in the new office are expensive for them. While they appreciate the new office, employees feel that it has made it difficult for them to chat with fellow colleagues, or even have a private discussion with clients. The new partners seemed to have come up with the idea of an open office without consultation and the idea was imposed on them without asking them what they feel about it. Explainwhatthepartnersmighthavedonebettertohaveminimisedtheresistance Change is like rest and thus inevitable in any organization. However, for change to be successful, Hon, Bloom and Crant, (2014) recommend adopting a strategy that make employees feel they are part and parcel of the change process by communicating change effectively, and explicitly telling them what the change is about and why it is necessary. This can be done using a blend of both formal and informal communication channels. Using different communication ways according to Battilana, and Casciaro, (2013) help the managers explain the objective of the change, besides preparing them on the expectations from this change. The partners therefore should have used other communication channels like holding meetings with all employees. In so doing, they could have gotten to know the feel of the employees have about the open office approach. Effectively engaging employees is another approach which the partners could have used to minimize resistance. From the case we see employees lamenting that noonegot asked what they wanted in the new offices. Employees are a critical part of an organization since they are the ones ensuring that the clients are happy, and any meaningful change must involve them. The new partners should have frequently engaged with the employees either in a groups or individually in order to collect feedback that would have assisted in knowing the source of resistance. According to Stanleigh, (2013) engagement has to be done in a manner that employees feel their concerns and ideas will be heard. In trying to understand employees concerns, Battilana, and Casciaro, (2013) argue that understanding that employees differ is essential in realizing that there is going to be different and diverse reasons for resistance. While there are many strategies that can be used to implement change, Stanleigh, (2013) proposes implementing changes in a gradual process as one of the strategy. Noting that change is a process that doesnt happen overnight, Hon, Bloom and Crant ,(2014) opine that companies should make the preparation for change, implement, make plans for managing change, and support the changes while assuring employees of the expected benefits. The partners undoing from this strategy advanced by Stanleigh, (2013), was failing to implement the change gradually and the employees were seemingly overwhelmed with many the many unexpected changes at once. The company should also have developed a clear plan for managing change in case of resistance. Analysis of thebarrierstocommunication existinginthelawfirm The case illustrates various barriers to effective communication that are typical in many organizations. Communication has been considered by many to be the key driver of organizational success. According to Mandal, (2011) communication is critical in promoting motivation by informing employee about the task to be implemented, manner to be done, and in engaging them on how to improve their individual and overall performances. In the CheethamandWynne law firm case; there exist glaring communication breakdown between the partners and the employees. Un-clarified assumptions exist on some matters between employees and the partners. Gupta, (2007, pp 490) describes un-clarified assumptions as the existence of unclear messages by the sender which may confuse the recipient. For instance, Anna is dissatisfied that she had been promised a salary increase if she had a good performance. Anna believes the word good performance is vague and that she should have had a bonus for her exemplary work. John Carlton, an accountant is also another victim of un-clarified assumptions. He believes he had been hired temporarily as an accountant who later takes up a supervisory role over other employees. He had also casually discussed with Jack about the possibility of sponsoring his MBA studies which Jack later back out because the cost exceeded what he had imagined. There also exists mistrust and emotional communication barriers. In the case, we see that mistrust has developed between the partners and the employees. Mai complains that they are not even aware what to expect from a performance review. This is worsened by the fact that the partners cannot politely correct her. Mai has been made to feel unwanted and that she doesnt have enough experience. This breakdown in communication has left her confused on whether to believe Mr. Wynne or not. How to overcome communication barriers Considering the importance of communication to effective organization management, it is important to remove these barriers. While complete removal of these barriers may not be possible, Austin, E.W. and Pinkleton, (2015) assert that managers should put serious efforts to remove majority of these barriers so that effective communication can be established. Mandal, (2011) advises using formally written documents to eliminate un-clarified assumptions. Using this strategy enables the recipient to read and clearly understand the contents of the document and seek clarifications where necessary. Gregory and Levy, (2015) advance facilitating feedback as a way to minimize barriers associated with trust and emotions. With this strategy, managers should give employees the opportunity to give feedback regarding the content of the message. For instance, the partners should seek to find from the employees, their thoughts about performance review. Through this engagement, the employees can better understand the review process, and their expectations on bonuses and salary increase arising from improved performance. Sourcesofpower andits impact on employees Power within an organization refers to the capacity to influence the action or behavior of others. Power is dynamic and changes with changes in situations and individuals. Griffin, and Moorhead, (2011) categorizes power into five sources namely; legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent. In the law firm, the partners have legitimate power which according to Bertocci, (2009) refers to the managers influence over others based on the formal managerial position they hold in a company. Mark and Cathy are partners by virtue of their fathers position as senior partners. As such, the two derived legitimate power which has seen them take a lead role in the management of the organization. They have gone ahead to introducing sweeping changes which the employees have been resistant to. Griffin, and Moorhead, (2011) warn against abusive use of legitimate power noting that it can cause frustrations, dissatisfaction and resistance among employees. This is evident in the case, from the way the new partners have used their power to the resistance of the employees. They add that while employees may follow the instructions of the manager, they may no longer be loyal. In the law firm, there is also some element of expert power. According to Daft, (2014), expert power is demonstrated in a persons ability to have influence over others because of recognized talents, competencies, or specialized knowledge. Daft, (2014) is quick to point out that the scope of expert power can be relatively narrow since an individual may chose to recognize expertise incident while resisting in another. Jack, a senior partner recognizes their expert power when he notes that their partners had employed lawyers who were not like us. Jacks assertion is that they are experts in commercial law. Griffin, and Moorhead, (2011), argue that while expert power can be useful in earning respect and trust from peers, it can lead to decrease in respect for seniority. Influence partners and employees have Power and influence go hand in hand according to Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy, (2102), and achieving good leadership requires the understanding organizational power, influence, and influence tactics. Influence refers to the process of changing a persons behavior, influence tactics are techniques used to achieve that process. Rational persuasion is the commonly used tactic and has been used by the partners while persuading the employees on the new open floor office approach. This tactic uses data, facts, and logical arguments in convincing others (Long, 2010). In an email to all employees, the partners had indicated the benefits of the new office, which among others were flexibility and more opportunities for teamwork. This influence tactic was not very successful since the partners failed to incorporate other aspects of leadership like effective communication and engagement. The employees on the other hand used coalition tactic in a bid to have their say heard. Locke, (2009) describes coalition tactic as the type of influence where a group of individuals work together towards a certain goal to exert influence on others. This is evident from the case, where we see employees canvassing in groups about the challenges they are facing in the new open floor plan . Reference List Alvesson, M. and Sveningsson, S., 2015.Changing organizational culture: Cultural change work in progress. London: Routledge. Austin, E.W. and Pinkleton, B.E., 2015.Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning and Managing Effective Communication Campaigns(Vol. 10).London: Routledge. Battilana, J. and Casciaro, T., 2013. Overcoming resistance to organizational change: Strong ties and affective cooptation.Management Science,59(4), pp.819-836. Bertocci, D.I. (2009)Leadership in organizations: There is a difference between leaders and managers. Lanham, Md: University Press of America. Daft, R.L.,2014.The leadership experience. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Gregory, J.B. and Levy, P.E.,2015.Using feedback in organizational consulting. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Griffin, R.W. and Moorhead, G. (2011)Organizational behavior. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Gupta, 2007.Business Organisation management. New Delhi: S. Chand Publishing. Hon, A.H., Bloom, M. and Crant, J.M., 2014. Overcoming resistance to change and enhancing creative performance.Journal of Management,40(3), pp.919-941. Hughes, R., Ginnett, R., Curphy, G.,2012. Leadership: Enhancing the lessons of experience. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Locke, E., 2009. Handbook of principles of organizational behavior: Indispensable knowledge for evidence-based management. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Long,,2010.Communication, relationships and practices in virtual work. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Inc (IGI). Mandal, S.K., 2011.Management: Principles and practice. Bombay: Jaico Publishing House. Stanleigh, M., 2013. Leading change.The Journal for Quality and Participation,36(2), p.39.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Research Proposal on Recidivism Essay Example

Research Proposal on Recidivism Essay Recidivism is the act which is mostly associated with crime and law system and means that the former prisoner committed the crime again and will be punished for it much stricter. Recidivism is quite a widespread phenomenon among the former prisoners, because it is obvious that if one has the inclination to crime, he will commit it even after the punishment. According to the statistics more than 70% of the former imprisoned people commit crimes once again. The frequency of the recidivism depends on the individual and the environment. For example, the core factors which make people commit crimes again are the psychological ones, genetic factors, unfavorable financial background, protest, problems with family and the wrong influence of friends. The laws which touch upon recidivism in different countries are different and depend of the level of democracy and political situation. In the majority of the developed countries which respect the law recidivism is strictly punished. For example, if the person is caught on the illegal action once again, she will be surely punished. If one commits a serious crime, he can be even imprisoned for his actions. There are two main types of recidivism: general (the person commits various sorts of crimes) and special (the person commits the same type of crimes). An interesting and sad tendency is observed nowadays, because the rates of recidivism all over the world increase. The possible factors which cause it are the global financial crisis and problems related with it. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Proposal on Recidivism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Proposal on Recidivism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Proposal on Recidivism specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Recidivism is a serious problem, because the existence of crime causes harm to the human society. When the student is interested in the research of this topic, he will need to prepare a good research proposal which can convince the professor in the success of this topic. In order to cope with the recidivism research proposal one should read about the topic a lot and improve his knowledge in its types and methods of its solutions. One is expected to explain the purpose of the research, share the methods and sources used for the research and provide the professor with the expected results of the research to assure him that the investigation will be valuable for the discipline. Nearly every student has problems with research proposal writing, because the writing process is full of special requirements and standards of writing, which can be revealed only with the help of an expert. A free example research proposal on recidivism found in the Internet can teach students to organize their papers well. With the help of a free sample research proposal on recidivism a student can learn to format the paper correctly and make the appropriate structure himself and succeed in writing. NOTE!!! All free sample research proposals and examples on Recidivism are 100% plagiarized, we are here to help you! EssayLib.com is a leading research proposal writing service, which can offer you the solution you have been looking for. With thousands of written research papers and proposals for Master’s and PhD degrees, we can give you exactly what you need at very affordable prices. Our experienced writers will prove you that high quality and exclusivity is a trademark of our products. We can guarantee your confidentiality and promise you strict on time delivery. There are many reasons for EssayLib.com to become your favorite research proposal writing service, but all we are asking you – just give us a try!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Skype the Perfect Freemium Model Essay Example

Skype the Perfect Freemium Model Essay Example Skype the Perfect Freemium Model Paper Skype the Perfect Freemium Model Paper The perfect FREEMIUM model 11/24/2010 Petra Sanyova BCi08: 5th semester: e-Marketing The Freemium Model The term freemium is a coined term, derived from words ‘free’ and ‘premium’. This term stands for an expanding business model where companies are making profits from selling premium products to a small percentage of their total users. Although the majority of the users is not paying anything for the product, companies still has possibility to be highly profitable, and they usually are. The business where only 5-10% of customers generate revenue could not run profitably under traditional conditions. The change was caused by numerous innovations in the field of digital production, as well as internet distribution. Due to these technological progresses, companies are able to copy and distribute free products to many customers at very low costs. Skype â€Å"Skype is software that enables the world’s conversations. † Millions of people make video or voice calls, send instant messages and share files through this program. The majority of them do so with no charge at all. The only prerequisite, to be able to use this software, is that both parties who would like to communicate need to have the program installed and running. Skype was established in 2003, with its headquarters being in Luxemburg. Its founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis are still partial owners together with investor group led by Silver Lake (that also owns eBay), the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Andreessen Horowitz. Since the establishment – the first version of the program, Skype never stopped to grow and is still introducing new updates, features etc. When it comes to its community, the Skype changed from a small unknown program into a program used daily by millions of people with many features. Lately everybody is impressed with the number of Facebook users; nevertheless in the end of year 2009, Skype had 160 million more registered users than Facebook, which in numbers is 560 million. According to the quarterly updates the company issues, it added 39 million registered users in the last quarter of 2009 only. This stands for 6% growth rate in the maturity phase of the product! 36. billion minutes of Skype-to-Skype calls were recorded in these last three months of 2009, adding to get 250 billion minutes of these calls recorded overall. Still in 2009 only, this number accounted for 12% of the world’s international calls. About 23 million users are logged into Skype at its peak times. (I am logged in just as a write this paper. ) Skype is international software, offered in 29 languages and used almost in every single country of the world. Skype offers a variety of features to all its users, with the main feature being Skype-to-Skype calls free of charge. To improve the customers’ experience while calling, it introduced many additional features as: conference calling, video calling and group video calling. Moreover Skype is effectively used for instant messaging and sharing various files; screen sharing included. One of the latest introduced features is called ‘Facebook News Feed and Phonebook’ which enables users to call friends directly from a Facebook News Feed and Phonebook in Skype. Although this all is offered by Skype to its users for free, it does not indicate company’s irrationality. Just because products are free, does not mean companies are not profitable. Google is a great example of this; and however slightly different, Skype is as well. The point is to broaden the classic view of a market from only two parties (buyer and seller) to more parties, from which only few exchange money. The most common model is the three-party system. The third party pays to participate in the system, the first two created by a free exchange between each other. The success of charging nothing for something lies in understanding of the psychological gap between ‘almost zero’ and ‘zero’. As all the other members are needed to create the environment, for others to pay for, it is essential to attract as many people as possible. While the costs are insignificant and free is a word appealing to almost everybody, giving away the product to 90% of customers is reasonable. The rest 10% then consist of the customers who opted for a premium account and they generate revenues. Pareto principle applies This is the case of Skype too. The third party consists of the premium users, who are actually paying for additional features available in premium accounts. This group of users accounts to 6% of its all active users generating over 777 million dollars a year. The additional features, they are then enabled to use are: Skype-to-landlines/mobiles, voicemail, call forwarding, call transfer and text messaging. The user also gets his/her own online number so the landlines/mobiles-to-Skype calls are then also possible. Skype specific success can be accredited not only to the great idea that is making people’s lives easier, but to the way its entire business model is set up: [ 1 ]. SKYPE business model Partners:- Phone manufacturers- Online Platforms| Key activities:-Software development- Integration with new platforms- Marketing| Value proposition:- Free VoIP and video calling- Internet based communication| Relationships:- Appreciative user base- Thanks to free download- Automated with online profiles| Customers:-Not fragmented| | Key resources:- Software- Brand| | Distribution and acquisition channels: Online| | Cost structure:- Very low maintenance cost- Software development| Revenue streams / pricing:- Sale of complimentary items- 7-8% conversion rate from free| And no argument there, that it is set up brilliantly. Conclusion Skype, together with Flickr and LinkedIn, is one of the most successful companies, operating under the freemium model. As was already mentioned, Skype uses three-party model, in which the Pareto principle applies – small percentage of a customers pay to get a premium, covering the cost of the majority of users not charged and still generating the revenues. The reason for this is the almost zero maintenance cost, thanks to technological advancements. For people to purchase the premium accounts is important that the system created is stable and large enough, and so Skype is doing great job in attracting these basic users. By giving the program for free and updating it regularly it does not create only large user base, but an appreciative one. As Skype is a program, which with its features, benefits the ordinary users and possibly save them money – this group is thankful. Being thankful for Skype means being loyal and having overall positive attitudes towards the brand; which is another big asset of Skype. Nowadays it stands for a international brand, which is widely recognized. If company can keep up the conversion ratio, remain popular and hand off the possible threads from new competitors or telecommunication companies; its sustainability of the freemium model can be proved.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Understanding Essay Titles

Understanding Essay Titles Understanding Essay Titles Today, it is rare that you would be given ready made essay titles. Usually what you get is an essay question or a prompt. The main ingredient in a successful essay is understanding what you need to write about. Most essay questions contain four components: aspect, focus, instruction and subject. This formula works both ways, either you get a question which already contains these elements, or you get a paragraph of instructions and you have to come up with an essay title, based on them. Besides your topic, the title should convey the angle of your argument, context and what you need to do. In this post, you will find out about the types of essay titles and what you should do with them. Based on the instructional verb, we can identify 9 types of titles. Analyze You have to process related materials to find key evidence and important factors which influence the outcome. This means that you have to examine each piece of information you find and give the audience facts, instead of assumptions. Example: The Importance of Higher Education Compare and Contrast These two often come in couple, because it is obvious that you will compare two points or elements to find both their similarities and differences. You can also explain the significance of the matching or opposing features you have found. Example: Batman VS Superman: Do Only Gods Have Superpowers? Describe This one is probably the easiest to understand, as you only need to point out the state of things. No opinions or explanations are required. Your essay will be based on one of the five senses: what I see, what I smell, what I hear, what I taste, what I feel Example: A Day In the Life of a Blind Person Discuss If you get a discussion type of essay title, be prepared to choose a side. Identify the points of view on the subject, take one and argue for or against it using facts, examples and opposing views. Example: Photo Realism: Is It Necessary? Evaluate Put on the teachers’ shoes for a day. If you are asked to evaluate something, you will have to analyze the subject matter and identify its usefulness or insignificance. Example: The Issue of Using Electronic Device on the Road Examine Here, you will have to take the subject under a microscope and look into the smallest details. It may be applied to people, events, different phenomena, and other elements. Example: Examine the Methods of Preventing Water Pollution Explain This type of essay title usually begins with a how or a why. It means that the essay will either give instructions or expose an issue and make it clear why something is happening the way it does. Example: Obesity in the USA Justify These topics are usually controversial in the course of a global discussion. You will have to find clear evidence to support the argument, explain why the phenomenon that you are defending has a place to be. Example: Legalizing Abortions for Rape Victims All in all, our service is always available online to provide students with custom essay writing help at a reasonable cost.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Assumptions on the Migrants Homesickness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Assumptions on the Migrants Homesickness - Essay Example The essay "Assumptions on the Migrant’s Homesickness" discusses the migrant’s homesickness since the migrants are largely assumed to be "oriented towards their original community" and they remain faithful to their own motherland, even when the drawing economic benefits from their host community.Denied to harbor any patriotic rights, they are seldom seen as settlers or first-class citizens. The limitation of such essentialist view is that it seeks to reduce the plural nature of the migrant’s community and flatten out the heterogeneity into a single horizontal gaze. This assumption does not consider the alienation felt by the migrants with respect to their original homelands since the sheer change in experience has unalterably changed them and located them in nowhere in particular. The migrants have a more complex response to their new homelands. Migration largely takes place within the labor class in search of a better cultural, economic and political condition. T he host is hence unable to imagine the migrant as a part of the community and is threatened by their cultural differences. The migrants are generalized as a collective anonymous cultural force who are â€Å"rootless, unattached, and temporary residents†. This view over-simplifies the homeless condition of the migrant communities and their homesickness for their original homeland. The â€Å"imagined† rights of the migrants are left unattended. They stick to their own cultural boundaries to erase the mental agony of the diaspora.