Comparing Masque of the Red Death and Hop Frog Essay -- comparison com

Masque of the Red Death and Hop Frog The manner in which Poe addresses the topic of class differences and the struggle for power with his fictional characters resounds of his own struggles in his personal life. However, unlike in Hop Frog and the Masque of the Red Death, he was never himself able to emerge wholly victorious over his adversaries, including the publishing industry. In addition, Poe’s characters appear to hint that while wealth may be the source of power for many, the correct use of information itself is the surest path to the acquisition of power. In the story by his name, Hop-Frog is not only physically dwarfed by the King but is dwarfed in terms of bodily capabilities, wealth, social standing, and even in numbers as he and Trippetta are but two against the King and his 7 ministers. However, Hop-Frog emerges victorious, as his mental capabilities are seemingly far greater than the Kings. The King is described as having â€Å"an especial admiration for breadth in a jest, and would often put up with length, for the sake of it† (Poe, 502). It becomes apparent that the King is not a smart man and his jester is indeed quite the opposite. The fact that Hop-Frog knows of the King’s weaknesses and tailors a perfect plan for vengeance to fit the occasion of the masque ball is a testament to his creativity and most useful utilization of information. In the Purloined Letter, the useful utilization of information, which is by keeping such information hostage, again allows for great power in government. In these two stories we are given the message that information is most valuable and leads to power. In reality, Poe also made good use of information in order to gain a wider subscriptio... ... to power may have been Poe’s ideals in Hop-Frog and The Purloined Letter, but the reality of the situation was that monetary wealth was the single most useful means of gaining power, at least in the publishing industry. The Masque of the Red Death was a poignant social commentary on this uneven field of play and Poe’s point of view concerning the wealthy capitalists. Nonetheless, the possibility of altering the rules on the field of play lay not in the hands of the mentally acute and those who possessed information, but completely with those who possessed capital. Works Cited    Kennedy, Gerald J. A Historical Guide to Edgar Allan Poe. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2001    Poe, Edgar Allan. The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. New York: The Modern Library 1992    Poe, Edgar Allan. The Unknown Poe. San Francisco: City Light Books 1980

Hamlet Essay

Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy shaped the work of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Both are revenge tragedies that include the mystery of death. Behind the mystery, there is a spirit of the dead who appears before the protagonists, Hieronimo and Hamlet, to cry out for revenge. In The Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet, soliloquy plays an important role. It is often used to express the true feelings of the main characters. In both tragedies, the protagonists use soliloquy to demonstrate a central dilemma that slows the main character’s process of vengeance. The dilemma is that it is sinful to commit a murder, but it is also unfair to keep the criminal alive. Their soliloquies show their desire to commit suicide to escape from the dilemma. Another obvious dilemma is that suicide is a sin as well. Thus, the question is whether to live to satisfy the ghost and be damned, or to kill oneself and be damned. Realizing revenge as the better choice of the two, both mad geniuses decide to seek revenge at last. Soliloquies also display the character’s madness. It is their uncertainty, their attempt to reveal the truth, and their mind persistently seeking for reason that drives the avengers to some extent of madness; however, they are not completely insane. Their madness only acts as a disguise so they seem harmless. Both Hieronimo and Hamlet are deceitful. They stay close to the murderers as a mad person grieving for the death of their loved ones, then they act to their plan when it is least expected. The two avengers succeed in the revenge. Of course, the heroes, along with many other characters in the play, die at the end.

Donny Is My Leader

Donny Is My Leader The Path-Goal Theory states that, â€Å"leaders motivate subordinates to achieve high performance by showing them the path to reach valued goals or results. † In the case study Donny Is My Leader it shows what Donny perceived as motivation was, in fact, demotivating to some of the members of the group thus affecting the productivity as a whole. His autocratic, coercive and often inconsistent leadership style was the deterring factor that influenced the lack of production from the team.His â€Å"break ‘em down to build ‘em up† philosophy minimized some of the effectiveness and productivity of the team thus damaging the entire team structure. An autocratic leader is defined as one who has unlimited authority, power, or influence in any group. Donny’s power was in an unofficial capacity although the group accepted him as their leader. His constant pushing, pulling and prodding was beneficial to some but not all of the team. One day heà ¢â‚¬â„¢s encouraging and comforting and the next day he’s belligerent, inconsiderate, spiteful and coercive.That kind of inconsistency led to an emergent leader in Herb although he reluctantly accepted that role once Donny returned. Out of all the different powers to have, coercive is the only one with obvious negative connotations. Donny lashed out in several situations both on the track and in the locker room. In one particular incident the narrator characterized his outbursts as â€Å"Donny’s wrath†. Every leader has his or her strengths and weaknesses. Donny’s strength as a leader, in large part, comes from his ability to outperform the team, plan a regimen and assume the leadership role although it was not officially his title.He often slowed down to encourage those who were having trouble completing the two mile run. His actions are in line with the consideration leadership style. Consideration leadership style includes showing concern for subordina tes and acting in a friendly supportive manner. Donny routinely left his place at the front to help the slower and more challenged runners. He often encouraged those who fell behind but he wasn’t shy about lashing out if he felt like they were â€Å"loafing†. Leadership has its weaknesses too. Donny’s weaknesses were of the coercive nature.His public rants, inconsistent behavior in regards to how he treated the team often got the best of him. His tirades went on for hours and frequently spilling over into the following day. Aggressiveness is a like a double edged sword. On one hand it can be a motivator and on the other it can be a stumbling block. Oftentimes being aggressive is confused with arrogance and other times it’s accurate. When Donny sensed a challenge to his leadership style he became emotionally unavailable and uncooperative evidenced by his reluctance to call out the particular number of laps as he customarily did.In my opinion, I think Donny was more of a manager than a leader. Managers are â€Å"process oriented and believe that good systems and processes produce good results. † Donny’s management style was task oriented. He believed in taking certain calculated steps to achieve their goals. In particular, he took that approach with Troy. He instructed Troy to â€Å"walk five laps after you’ve run, and then you’ll run with us for four more. † It’s debatable if you have to be a leader to be a manager or vice versa but Donny was both to a much lesser extent. Although I think he was too emotional and defensive whenever his â€Å"authority† was challenged.The consequences of Donny’s leadership style became evident during his absence. While he was out Herb led the group. Herb assured the group that he would run slow enough for everyone to finish. The difference between Donny and Herb became apparent. Donny was task and time oriented whereas Herb was task oriented and much more pleasant. Herb’s approach immediately made him an emerging leader because each time he led the group the entire group finished the two mile run. When Donny reappeared the group dynamic went back to its original state where some would finish and the others wouldn’t.Donny did his usual chastising but to no avail. Harry mentioned that he preferred to running under Harry and that’s when Donny’s emotional and defensive side surfaced. Donny thought that the way in which he led the group motivated them to achieve high performance by showing them the path to reach the team’s desired goals. The emergent leadership qualities in Herb immediately challenged Donny’s power and influence although Herb was reluctant to accept his new role. Despite the path-goal theory building upon a motivational theory, path-goal theory does not fully explain how leadership styles affect follower motivation.Zach Bunn stated that, â€Å"The path-goal theory is a contingency theory, in that it predicts how a leader’s style will interact with follower needs and the nature of the task. It argues directive leadership for ambiguous tasks, supportive leadership for repetitive tasks, participative leadership for unclear, autonomous task and achievement-oriented leadership for challenging tasks. † (Bunn, 2012) My leadership style is one in which I believe everyone is capable of attaining their goals and it’s my job, as their leader, to help them get there.I would consult with each member as to what their personal goals are and incorporate their goals within the team goals. We would map out the proper steps and begin the regimen. I would pay close attention to the temperament, ability and attitude of each team member by exercising my emotional intelligence while constantly publicly and privately encouraging everyone. I believe in learning how to push everyone in the same direction while keeping them engaged. My negative feedback would not be public. I’ve been taught that in order to get respect, you must give it and constructive criticism goes much further than browbeating and embarrassment.

Biography of Pol Pot, Cambodian Dictator

Biography of Pol Pot, Cambodian Dictator Pol Pot (born Saloth Sar; May 19, 1925–April 15, 1998) was a Cambodian dictator. As the head of the Khmer Rouge, he oversaw an unprecedented and extremely brutal attempt to remove Cambodia from the modern world and establish an agrarian utopia. While attempting to create this utopia, Pol Pot initiated the Cambodian genocide, which lasted from 1975 to 1979 and caused the deaths of at least 1.5 million Cambodians. Fast Facts: Pol Pot Known For: As the leader of the revolutionary Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot oversaw the Cambodian genocide.Also Known As: Saloth SarBorn: May 19, 1925 in Prek Sbauv, CambodiaParents: Loth Sar and Sok NemDied: April 15, 1998 in Anlong Veng, CambodiaSpouse(s): Khieu Ponnary (m. 1956–1979), Mea Son (m. 1986–1998)Children: Sar Patchata Early Life Pol Pot was born Saloth Sar on May 19, 1928, in the fishing village of Prek Sbauk, Kampong Thom province, in what was then French Indochina (now Cambodia). His family, of Chinese-Khmer descent, was moderately well-to-do. They had connections to the royal family: a sister was a concubine of the king, Sisovath Monivong, and a brother was a court official. In 1934, Pol Pot went to live with the brother in Phnom Penh, where he spent a year in a royal Buddhist monastery and then attended a Catholic school. At age 14, he began high school in Kompong Cham. Pol Pot was, however, not a very successful student, and he eventually switched to a technical school to study carpentry. In 1949, Pol Pot obtained a scholarship to study radio electronics in Paris. He enjoyed himself in Paris, gaining a reputation as something of a bon vivant, fond of dancing and drinking red wine. However, by his second year in Paris, Pol Pot had become friends with other students who were impassioned by politics. From these friends, Pol Pot encountered Marxism, joining the Cercle Marxiste (Marxist Circle of Khmer Students in Paris) and the French Communist Party. (Many of the other students whom he befriended during this period later became central figures in the Khmer Rouge.) After Pol Pot failed his examinations for the third year in a row, however, he had to return in January 1953 to what would shortly become Cambodia. Joining the Viet Minh As the first of the Cercle Marxiste to return to Cambodia, Pol Pot helped assess the different groups rebelling against the Cambodian government and recommended that returning members of the Cercle join the Khmer Viet Minh (or Moutakeaha). Although Pol Pot and other members of the Cercle disliked that the Khmer Viet Minh had heavy ties with Vietnam, the group felt this Communist revolutionary organization was the one most likely to take action. In August 1953, Pol Pot left his home secretly and, without even telling his friends, headed to the Viet Minh’s Eastern Zone Headquarters, located near the village of Krabao. The camp was located in the forest and consisted of canvas tents that could be easily moved in case of an attack. Pol Pot (and eventually more of his Cercle friends) were dismayed to find the camp completely segregated, with Vietnamese as the high-ranking members and Cambodians (Khmers) given only menial tasks. Pol Pot himself was assigned tasks such as farming and working in the mess hall. Still, he watched and learned how the Viet Minh used propaganda and force to take control of peasant villages in the region. The Khmer Viet Minh was forced to disband after the 1954 Geneva Accords; Pol Pot and several of his friends headed back to Phnom Penh. 1955 Election The 1954 Geneva Accords had temporarily quashed much of the revolutionary fervor within Cambodia and proclaimed a mandatory election in 1955. Pol Pot, who was now back in Phnom Penh, was determined to do what he could to influence the election. He infiltrated the Democratic Party with the hope of being able to reshape its policies. When it turned out that Prince Norodom Sihanouk had rigged the election, Pol Pot and others became convinced that the only way to change Cambodia was through revolution. Khmer Rouge In the years following the 1955 elections, Pol Pot led a dual life. By day, Pol Pot worked as a teacher and surprisingly was well-liked by his students. By night, Pol Pot was heavily involved in a Communist revolutionary organization, the Kampuchean Peoples Revolutionary Party (KPRP). (â€Å"Kampuchean† is another term for â€Å"Cambodian.†) During this time, Pol Pot also married Khieu Ponnary, the sister of one of his Paris student friends. The couple never had children together. By 1959, Prince Sihanouk had begun to seriously repress leftist political movements, especially by targeting the older generation of experienced dissidents. With many of the older leaders in exile or on the run, Pol Pot and other young members of the KPRP emerged as leaders in party affairs. After a power struggle within the KPRP in the early 1960s, Pol Pot took control of the party. This party, which was officially renamed the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) in 1966, became more commonly known as the Khmer Rouge (meaning â€Å"Red Khmer† in French). The term â€Å"Khmer Rouge† was used by Prince Sihanouk to describe the CPK, since many in the CPK were both Communists (often called â€Å"reds†) and of Khmer descent. The Battle to Topple Prince Sihanouk In March 1962 when his name appeared on a list of people wanted for questioning, Pol Pot went into hiding. He took to the jungle and began preparing a guerrilla-based revolutionary movement that intended to topple Prince Sihanouk’s government. In 1964 with help from North Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge established a base camp in the border region and issued a declaration calling for armed struggle against the Cambodian monarchy, which they viewed as corrupt and repressive. The ideology of the Khmer Rouge gradually developed in this period. It featured a Maoist orientation with an emphasis on the peasant farmer as the foundation for a revolution. This contrasted with the orthodox Marxist idea that the proletariat (working class) was the basis for revolution. Courting Vietnam and China In 1965, Pol Pot was hoping to get support from either Vietnam or China for his revolution. Since the Communist North Vietnamese regime was the most likely source of support for the Khmer Rouge at the time, Pol Pot went to Hanoi to ask for aid. In response to his request, the North Vietnamese criticized Pol Pot for having a nationalist agenda. Since, at this time, Prince Sihanouk was letting the North Vietnamese use Cambodian territory in their struggle against South Vietnam and the United States, the Vietnamese believed the time was not right for an armed struggle in Cambodia. It did not matter to the Vietnamese that the time might have felt right for the Cambodian people. Pol Pot next visited the Communist People’s Republic of China (PRC) and fell under the influence of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, which emphasized revolutionary enthusiasm and sacrifice. It accomplished this in part by encouraging people to destroy any vestiges of traditional Chinese civilization. China would not openly support the Khmer Rouge, but it gave Pol Pot some ideas for his own revolution. In 1967, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, though isolated and lacking widespread support, made the decision to start a revolt against the Cambodian government. The initial action began on January 18, 1968. By that summer, Pol Pot had moved away from collective leadership to become the sole decision maker. He even set up a separate compound and lived apart from the other leaders. Cambodia and the Vietnam War The Khmer Rouge’s revolution progressed very slowly until two major events occurred in 1970. The first was a successful coup led by General Lon Nol, which deposed the increasingly unpopular Prince Sihanouk and aligned Cambodia with the United States. The second involved a massive bombardment campaign and invasion of Cambodia by the United States. During the Vietnam War, Cambodia had officially remained neutral; however, the Viet Cong (Vietnamese communist guerrilla fighters) used that position to their advantage by creating bases within Cambodian territory in order to regroup and store supplies. American strategists believed that a massive bombing campaign within Cambodia would deprive the Viet Cong of this sanctuary and thus bring the Vietnam War to a quicker end. The result for Cambodia was political destabilization. These political changes set the stage for the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. With an incursion by Americans within Cambodia, Pol Pot was able to claim that the Khmer Rouge was fighting for Cambodian independence and against imperialism. Although he might have been refused aid from North Vietnam and China before, Cambodian involvement in the Vietnam War led to their support of the Khmer Rouge. With this new backing, Pol Pot was able to concentrate on recruiting and training while the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong did most of the initial fighting. Disturbing trends emerged early. Students and so-called â€Å"middle† or better-off peasants were no longer allowed to join the Khmer Rouge. Former government workers and officials, teachers, and people with an education were also purged from the party. Chams- an important ethnic group in Cambodia- and other minorities were forced to adopt Cambodian styles of dress and appearance. Decrees were issued establishing cooperative agricultural enterprises. The practice of emptying urban areas began. By 1973, the Khmer Rouge controlled two-thirds of the country and half the population. Genocide in Democratic Kampuchea After five years of civil war, the Khmer Rouge was finally able to capture Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975. This ended Lon Nol’s rule and began the five-year reign of the Khmer Rouge. It was at this time that Saloth Sar began calling himself â€Å"brother number one† and took Pol Pot as his nom de guerre. (According to one source, â€Å"Pol Pot† comes from the French words â€Å"politique potentielle.†) After taking control of Cambodia, Pol Pot declared the Year Zero. This meant much more than restarting the calendar; it was a means of emphasizing that all that was familiar in the lives of Cambodians were to be destroyed. This was a far more comprehensive cultural revolution than the one Pol Pot had observed in Communist China. Religion was abolished, ethnic groups were  forbidden to speak their language or follow their customs, and political dissent was ruthlessly suppressed. As dictator of Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed Democratic Kampuchea, Pol Pot began a ruthless, bloody campaign against a variety of groups: members of the former government, Buddhist monks, Muslims, Western-educated intellectuals, university students and teachers, people in contact with Westerners or Vietnamese, people who were crippled or lame, and ethnic Chinese, Laotians, and Vietnamese. These massive changes within Cambodia and the specific targeting of large sections of the population led to the Cambodian genocide. By its end in 1979, at least 1.5 million people had been murdered in the â€Å"Killing Fields.† Many were beaten to death with iron bars or hoes after digging their own graves. Some were buried alive. One directive read: â€Å"Bullets not to be wasted.† Most died from starvation and disease, but probably 200,000 were executed, often after interrogation and brutal torture. The most infamous interrogation center was Tuol Sleng, S-21 (Security Prison 21), a former high school. It was there that prisoners were photographed, interrogated, and tortured. It was known as â€Å"the place where people go in but never come out.† Vietnam Defeats the Khmer Rouge As the years passed, Pol Pot became increasingly paranoid about the possibility of an invasion by Vietnam. To preempt an attack, Pol Pot’s regime began carrying out raids and massacres in Vietnamese territory. Rather than dissuade the Vietnamese from attacking, these raids ultimately provided Vietnam with an excuse to invade Cambodia in 1978. By the following year, the Vietnamese had routed the Khmer Rouge, ending both the Khmer Rouge’s rule in Cambodia and the genocidal policies of Pol Pot. Ousted from power, Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge retreated to a remote area of Cambodia along the border with Thailand. For several years, the North Vietnamese tolerated the existence of the Khmer Rouge in this border area. However, in 1984, the North Vietnamese made a concerted effort to deal with them. After that, the Khmer Rouge survived only with the support of Communist China and the toleration of the Thai government. In 1985, Pol Pot resigned as head of the Khmer Rouge and handed over day-to-day administrative tasks to his longtime associate, Son Sen. Pol Pot nonetheless continued as the de facto leader of the party. Aftermath In 1995, Pol Pot, still living in isolation on the Thai border, suffered a stroke that left the left side of his body paralyzed. Two years later, he had Son Sen and members of Sen’s family executed because he believed that Sen had attempted to negotiate with the Cambodian government. The deaths of Son Sen and his family shocked many of the remaining Khmer leadership. Feeling that Pol Pot’s paranoia was out of control and worried about their own lives, Khmer Rouge leaders arrested Pol Pot and put him on trial for the murder of Sen and other Khmer Rouge members. Pol Pot was sentenced to house arrest for the remainder of his life. He was not punished more severely because he had been so prominent in Khmer Rouge affairs. Some of the remaining members of the party, however, questioned this lenient treatment. Death On April 15, 1998, Pol Pot heard a broadcast on Voice of America (of which he was a faithful listener) announce that the Khmer Rouge had agreed to turn him over to an international tribunal. He died that same night. Rumors persist that he either committed suicide or was murdered. His body was cremated without an autopsy to establish the cause of death. Legacy Pol Pot is remembered for his long, oppressive reign and for his attempt to exterminate all religious and ethnic minorities in Cambodia. The Cambodian genocide- responsible for the deaths of at least 1.5 million people- resulted in several Khmer Rouge leaders being convicted of crimes against humanity. Sources Bergin, Sean.  The Khmer Rouge and the Cambodian Genocide. Rosen Pub. Group, 2009.Short, Philip.  Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare. Henry Holt, 2005.

Children as Eyewitnesses Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7250 words

Children as Eyewitnesses - Research Paper Example According to the research findings the courtroom is the modern day battlefield. As lay persons, much of our experience with court trials is acquired from television shows and movies. While the actual study of law covers so many topics that may come across as routine and ordinary, such as the law on property and on personal relations, the law that is depicted in primetime media is always dramatic and suspenseful, and always in the field of criminal law. The climactic scenes would always have to do with the cross-examination of the crucial witness whom the clever lawyer would always get to reveal the truth with some masterful techniques in questioning. Courtroom procedure has strict rules which lawyers must follow in questioning witnesses. The obvious purpose is so that witnesses will not be tricked or intimidated into providing a misleading answer, and therefore to ensure that the testimony will lead to the truth. A clean line of questioning is also important in bringing out the whole truth, and not only a portion of it; a good lawyer will apply skill and strategy in tactfully getting the most hostile witness to testify to the truth despite the witness’s efforts to conceal it. Such techniques and procedures are designed for adults, however, and they may not be applicable when the witness to be interrogated is a child. Common knowledge tells us that children are prone to tell the truth as they perceive it, and do not resort to deceptive manoeuvres that adults are used to employing. On the other hand, common observation also tells us that children themselves are easily deceived, that sometimes suggestions by adults or people whom they trust colours their perception of what is true. Under certain circumstances, therefore, it is possible that truthful children may become unreliable eyewitnesses because of circumstances in and out of the courtroom. This study will determine to what extent children’s testimony as eyewitnesses can be re lied upon, and the precautions taken in legal procedure to ensure the integrity of their testimony. The paper will discuss about important elements in child development and psychology in order to understand better the way children think and act in various stages of their development. After that, the general law on the treatment and questioning of eyewitnesses shall be discussed, to establish the common practice in this legal procedure. After discussing the general approach, the special approach of interrogating a child as an eyewitness will be described and analysed. This will entail a comparison with the general approach and a discussion on the points where they differ. The conclusion shall follow thereafter. 2. Child development and psychology 2.1. Stages of child development Children’s minds function differently during different stages of the child’s development. This may well have a bearing on the manner by which children of various ages would be expected to act as witnesses. 2.1.1 Cognitive Development Theories Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development teaches that children think differently than adults, in that children play an active role in acquiring knowledge by actively seeking out and constructing their understanding of the world. Children are like scientists who build their theory about how things around them work, and try to interpret things in accordance with their theory, and revising their theory when the new experience does not fit.1 Table 1: Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development2 Stage Approximate Age Characteristics Sensorimotor Birth to 2 years Infant’s knowledge of the world is based on senses and motor skills; by the end of the period, uses mental representation. Preoperational thought 2 to 6 years Child learns how to use symbols such as words and numbers to represent aspects of the world but relates to the world only through his or her perspective. Concrete operational thought 7 years to early adolescence Chi ld understands and applies logical operators to experiences provided they are focused on the

British Petroleum Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Petroleum - Case Study Example Colonialism, however, eventually collapsed but BP did not (Heiss, 1997). Indeed, not only did BP survive the collapse of colonialism but it expanded its global operations, effectively maintained its status as one of the world's top oil and gas multinationals. In recent years, however, BP's status was threatened by industrial accidents which, consequent to their detrimental environmental effects, turned public opinion against the company. Survival, evidenced in the fact that it did re-bounce, was predicated on the successful revamping of BP's image. With the dawn of the new millennium, British Petroleum's problems reached the point of crisis. Its environmental and human rights records were placed in the spotlight and subjected to public scrutiny, with the outcome being that in both 2001 and 2006, BP was named as one of the world's worst corporations (Cameron, 2006). Allegations, the majority of which were substantiated and incontrovertibly factual, encompassed of BP's poor environmental record, its abuse of its own employees, its support of totalitarian governments for its own financial gain and the exploitation of the public's dependency on oil and gas for the expansion of its profit margins. Accusations pertaining to abuse of its labour force focus on the Tex... gh price in 2005 when a large column overfilled with gas, leading to the formation of a vapour cloud and, eventually, an explosion which killed 15 employees, injured several others and destroyed a significant percentage of the plant itself. More independent and internal investigations placed the blame squarely on BP, focusing on mismanagement and lack of regard for worker and environmental safety as evidence in its failure to maintain the plant and implement the minimum required safety standards (Cameron, 2006). Prior to recovering from the Texas City Refinery Disaster, BP confronted an environmental disaster in Prudhoe bay, Alaska, fording the closure of its pipelines there. In 2006, corrosion in its pipeline led to the spilling of 5,000 barrels of oil into the environment (Cameron, 2006). At this point, part of, but not all of the pipeline was closed. In 2007, a second disaster forced the closure of much of the remaining operational sections of the pipeline. Again, the cause was cited as BP's failure to adequately invest in safety and maintenance. It is interesting to note that in 2006 BP admitted to the fact that it had contributed to the degradation of the Alaskan natural environment through seepages which totaled approximately 27,000 barrels of oil (BP,' n.d.). The fallout of BP's seemingly callous attitude towards worker safety and the environment, were only exacerbated by its support of totalitarian and abusive governments for the purpose of maintaining corporate profits. In 2006, BP lost a lawsuit launched against it by Columbian farmers who accused the company of supporting an openly abusive regime for the purpose of maintaining its pipeline operations in the country. A similar accusation was made by the West Papua population which accused BP of

Individual Report (IMC) tools on (Brecon Jazz Festival) Essay

Individual Report (IMC) tools on (Brecon Jazz Festival) - Essay Example The festival was held in 1984 for the first time. Usually the event is held in the first week of August. This year the event would be held on 11th of August. The main objective is the festival is to bring Jazz lovers from various parts of the world. But the significance of the program is actually more than just music, as such events help the nation of Wales to improve tourism and boost economy. It is believed that the difference between a successful event and a not so successful one lies in the essence of good marketing and communication plan. Experts believe that one of the best ways to market an event is through suing all the elements of the communication mix i.e. through integrated marketing communications or IMC. The study looks to focus on the analysis of various elements of the communications mix and the implications of various elements of the communication mix in order to market the event effectively to the target audience (Henry, 2008, p. 89). Literature Review Marketing mix is a set of elements that a company or as a matter of fact any organization can use to its advantage for the marketing purpose. Neil Borden first termed these elements as marketing mix. Later E. Jerome McCarthy reduced the twelve elements to for elements and termed those four elements as the four P’s of marketing. The four P’s of marketing would be product, price, place, promotion. The integrated marketing communication belongs to the 4th P- Promotion. Promotion means to convey the main attributes of the product to the customers. Promotion is mainly used by the marketers to generate demand among the audience. Mainly marketers use the promotional mix or the communication mix to promote a product. The various elements of the promotional mix are Advertisement, Sales Promotion, Public Relation, Personal Selling and Direct Marketing (Kotler, 2001, p. 25). As the business environment became competitive, the marketers felt a need for a more integrated approach towards the mar keting and communication process giving birth to integrated marketing and communications approach. IMC can be defined as an integrative approach to achieve efficiency through synergy. IMC approach involves the application of all communication elements that allows an organization to express itself with one voice and one look (Proctor, 2002, p.121). IMC is a customer centric marketing and communications approach which helps an organization to integrate all the elements of the promotional mix to position and promote a product or business in the market. The American Marketing Association has defined IMC as a concept that identifies the value of a detailed and comprehensive plan that evaluates the key strategic roles of various mediums and techniques of communication to maximize the impact of communication . (Czinzota, Ronkainen, Moffett, Marinova & Marinov, 2009, pp. 423-429). Across the globe there happens to be continuity in the de-regulation in market and emergence of customized segm entation customer tastes and preferences. Therefore IMC has not been an easy process as it had to deal with various internal and external changes such as the rise of the digital medium, consumer empowerment, fragmentation of media, increase in advertisement clutter, etc. Among this the rise of the