Chevrolet Case Analysis Essay Example for Free

Chevrolet Case Analysis Essay Then: ​ In the beginning, Chevrolet positioned itself strongly as a theme of â€Å"quality vehicle with deep roots in America’s past. Priding themselves on the traditional representation of the sporty car brand, Chevrolet has made great strides over the years. Firmly entrenching the brand as a key part of the American culture, Chevrolet has made many attempts to associate with American sporting events. For example, Chevrolet sponsored the All ­American Soap Box Derby for a decade. In addition to sponsoring events, Chevrolet also sponsored drivers with their vehicles for racing circuits such as NASCAR. Another subcategory Chevrolet used along with the American theme was patriotism in its promotional aspects. Taglines with the phrases â€Å"America’s Best Seller,† â€Å"America’s Best Buy,† and â€Å"Like a Rock,† were all famous for reminding consumers about Chevy’s great history as an American leader for automaking. This was perhaps the biggest aspect of Chevrolet’s branding as a company in the United States. However, when it came to Chevrolet as a leading automaker overseas, four values represented the company to their foreign consumers: durability, value, practicability, and friendliness. Many of their various taglines surrounding these values create  strong brand cohesiveness. Although Chevrolet has adopted more of a global brand strategy, it still customizes its branding to appeal to certain markets. Now: ​ Currently, Chevrolet is making plans to launch new vehicles and continue advertising and promoting their brand to consumers. Despite the recall at the beginning of the 2014 year, according to Chevrolet’s marketing leaders,â€Å"the automaker is not spending more on advertising or incentives than previously   budgeted and isnt likely to change that strategy† (â€Å"GM Stick with Marketing Plan Despite Recall†Ã‚ ­ USA Today). The plan is to focus on the product and not the publicity of trying to defend themselves as a company. Therefore, there will not be a recall ad and instead there will be just ads showing new products introduced recently. As stated before, Chevrolet is looking to spend more marketing money and energy on its full ­size pickups and SUVs this year. On the other side, Chevrolet is using the NFL Superbowl in hopes to boost not only national but global awareness with its ads. Chevrolet continues to also sponsor sports with â€Å"​  Chevrolets jersey sponsorship with English soccer club Manchester Unitedwill put the Chevrolet bowtie logo in front of the clubs worldwide fan base of some 700 million people..† (â€Å"Audi, Chevy and Lincoln Plan to Boost Ad Spending in 2015†  ­ AdAge)​ . Chevrolet’s current marketing innovations regarding technology with 4G LTE in its vehicles also proves that Chevrolet plans to remain relevant with consumer wants and needs. The GMC Problem Chevrolet’s biggest problem is in fact it’s biggest company supporter, GMC. GM is the starting point for Chevrolet, yet it has been not once but twice in a position that jeopardizes the equity of the Chevrolet brand. GMC is the problem for Chevrolet because of their bad publicity regarding the 2008 bailout and 2014 recall crisis thus far. As mentioned before, Chevrolet’s association and alliance with GMC causes them to have a bad reputation at times, even with Chevrolet’s freedom to stand on   its own as a brand. In the case of GM, the company’s bankruptcy and subsequent bailout had the ability to contaminate its four brands of vehicles, in spite of their individual merits. Therefore, Chevrolet has to figure out how they are going to deal with the bad publicity domino effect that falls upon them every time GM fails. Recommendations Even with a company as successful as Chevrolet, there is always room for improvement. Tactical modifications that can be made to enhance the Chevrolet brand’s equity to remain substantial while in alliance with GM could be examples of: brand decisions to enhance self ­image and product loyalty, increasing brand value from recognition and preference to brand  insistence for their products, and focusing slightly on marketing strategies for ethical and social responsibility if they continue to be a part of GM. Chevrolet is a high quality brand nonetheless, however, they focus on American vehicle tradition where they could take a step back and focus on the consumer. If Chevrolet would reposition a few of their vehicles to show how it would enhance the self ­image of the consumer driving a sporty yet luxurious car, there is a possibility they will get great feedback in sales. Consumers currently are looking for mass customization products that can be used on every level of purchasing decisions. Therefore, it would a smart move for Chevrolet to focus on the consumer even more as the â€Å"person behind the car† (â€Å"man behind the mask†), while still including valuable information about the car itself.

Death In Shakespeares Hamlet

Death In Shakespeares Hamlet The Issue Of Death In Shakespeares Hamlet And Its Relation To The Renaissance Thinking The issue of death is inseparably linked with a traditional idea of tragedy. Such ancient dramatists as Aeschylus, Euripides, Seneca and Sophocles implemented the theme of death into their dramatic works to reflect the essence of their own times and the attitude of ancient people towards death. Their treatment of death was presented through serious and tragic elements that intensified a portrayal of certain events and characters, but the concept of death was restricted by the ancient religious dogmas. The Renaissance gave birth to new visions and interpretations of various issues of existence, especially concerning life and death. According to William Engel (2002), The decline and decay of every individual is an old theme with many ways of being expressed during the Renaissance (p.14). Although William Shakespeare, a famous English dramatist of the Renaissance period, constantly applies to various aspects of death in his tragedies, he goes beyond the ancient and Renaissance conceptio n on death. Shakespeare interprets the issue of death through both tragic and comic elements, making an attempt to solve one of the most crucial issues of that era. The dramatist revives some medieval customs associated with death and interprets them through the Renaissance vision. His idea of death is connected with both religious dogmas and atheistic values; for him, death simultaneously embodies everything and nothing. The aim of this essay is two-fold: 1) to analyse the empowerment of death in Shakespeares play Hamlet and 2) to evaluate the concepts relation with the Renaissance thinking of Michel de Montaigne, Thomas More, Sir Walter Raleigh and Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. In Renaissance England death was perceived as a mysterious phenomenon that aroused debates among Elizabethan philosophers, priests and writers (Cressy, 1997, pp.465-468). The lack of knowledge in regard to various diseases resulted in constant increase of mortality rates. Thus, death was regarded as a leveller that eliminated social inequality, that is, both the poor and rich could die of an incurable illness or be murdered (Duddley, 1999, pp.277-281). Executions and mutilations were usually conducted in public and were rather popular among certain groups of British population. As Michael Neill (1997) puts it, death and other funerary issues constitute a crucial part of any Elizabethan drama that is aimed at transforming individual death into a common recollection (pp.12-17). During Elizabethan ruling various funeral images and buildings were created in Britain, so that people could constantly think of their mortality (Gittins, 1984, pp.140). Death became an integral part of British existence; as Nigel Llewellyn (1991) claims, Images reminding people about their own mortality were to be found in all kinds of public and private situations In early Modern England, Death always accompanied the individual on the streets or at home among the family (p.25). Thus, Renaissance literature reflects this aesthetics of death, as Neill claims (p.356). In this regard, William Shakespeares Hamlet is also overwhelmed with characters deaths that usually come out from revenge or deception. This is just the case with almost all principal characters of the play. For instance, Laertes, Ophelias brother, is masterfully deceived by Claudius and dies. Claudius makes Laertes avenge Hamlet who is accused of the murder of Laertes father. As Claudius claims, Laertes, was your father dear to you? / Or are you like the painting of a sorrow, / As face without heart? (Shakespeare, 1985 4.7.107-109). Although Hamlet makes an attempt to apologise for Polonius death, Laertes refuses to forgive him, because he feels fury and anger, as his sister Ophelia and his father Polonius are dead. Laertes utilises the poison sword during the dual, but Hamlet accidentally changes the sword and kills Laertes. Ophelias death does not fall under the category of revenge; instead her suicide is closely connected with her sexual desires towards Hamlet. As Jonathan Dollimore (1998) puts it, Death inhabits sexuality: perversely, lethally, ecstatically (p.xi). As Ophelia experiences strong desires for the P rince, she implicitly wishes death. Dollimore (1998) demonstrates that there is a close connection between sexual desires and death; the Renaissance ideas on love reveal that love is a changing phenomenon, and if it is so, sexual desires are also exposed to changes. With the loss of love and desires a person starts to feel a desire for death. According to Dollimore (1998), For the Jacobeans, as for us, what connects death with desire is mutability the sense that all being is governed by a ceaseless process of change inseparable from an inconsolable sense of loss (p.xii). Such a thought is consistent with a Christian dogma that human desires bring destruction and death, as is just the case with Eves desire for an apple. Claudius death also conforms to the Christian principles; he is punished for his cruel actions and is killed by Hamlet. Claudius obsession with wealth and power results in many deaths and troubles; thus Shakespeare reveals that Claudius deserves death. But despite so many deaths, Shakespeares treatment of the issue of death is especially obvious through his portrayal of Hamlet who is presented as a person preoccupied with the idea of death and the Ghost of King Hamlet. It is through these characters that the dramatist reveals his ambiguous representation of the principal theme. From the very beginning Hamlet reflects a youthful idolization of death, living life as a journey toward death (Engel, 2002, p.10); although he is afraid of the Ghost, he tries to get in touch with him. Initially Hamlet is anxious about death, because he does not know what awaits him after death. Hamlet reflects his anxiety in his famous soliloquy To be or not to be, where he demonstrates the controversy of the issue of death. As he claims, But that the dread of something after death, / The undiscovered country from whose bourne / No traveler returns, puzzles the will / And makes us rather bear those ills we have / Than to fly to others we know not of (Shake speare, 1985 3.1.86-90). However, as Hamlet collides with cruelty, murders, injustice and deaths, he seems to form a certain unconcern towards death. In his search of revenge, Hamlet thinks much about death and afterlife. But these attempts to revenge for his father are only a prerequisite to Hamlets thoughts of committing suicide. This obsession with death gradually drives him mad; William Shakespeare demonstrates this obsession with implicit mockery. For instance, when Hamlet kills Ophelias father, he is not able to remember, where he hides his body; instead he starts to madly speak about the worms that eat a dead body. Shakespeare demonstrates that even Hamlets appearance shows his obsession with death; he wears black clothes and looks depressed. In the graveyard scene Shakespeare intensifies Hamlets preoccupation with death, revealing Hamlets gloomy thoughts. As he claims, No, faith, not a jot; but to follow him thither with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it; as thus: Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returned into dust; the dust is earth (Shakespeare, 1985 5.1.201-206). In fact, the image of the grave is shown several times throughout the play to reveal the characters attitud e towards death. With the exception of Hamlet, all characters demonstrate fear and pity at the sight of the grave that they associate with death. As Hamlet constantly thinks of death, he does not value his own life, as well as other peoples lives. As a result, Hamlet appears to be also responsible for the death of Ophelia, Claudius, Polonius, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. Thus, Hamlets obsession transforms him from a miserable youth into a cruel murderer. However, contrary to other characters deaths that are portrayed with a certain degree of irony, Hamlets death is depicted in more serious terms. From the very beginning of Shakespeares play each death seems to be blackened and is soon forgotten by other characters. For instance, Hamlet demonstrates that his fathers death is already neglected by people, although King Hamlet died only a couple of months ago. When Horatio claims, My lord, I came to see your fathers funeral, Hamlet responds: I prithee, do not mock me, fellow student. I think it was to see my mothers wedding (Shakespeare, 1985 1.2.183-185). Such an ironic viewpoint reveals that even the most generous people are forgotten. The death of Polonius is also ignored by the principal characters; Ophelia and Laertes are too preoccupied with their emotions and feelings to remember their father, and Hamlet who accidentally kills Polonius expresses o nly some sympathetic words: Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell (Shakespeare, 1985 3.4.38). Ophelias death is described in even more ironical portrayal, as the dramatist presupposes that her death is a result of suicide and asks: Is she to be buried in Christian burial, when she wilfully seeks her own salvation? (Shakespeare, 1985 3.4.38). Similar to Ophelias death, the deaths of Gertrude, Claudius, Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are able to arouse only sympathy in readers. In this regard, Hamlets death stands out against a background of other deaths; it evokes respect and powerful emotions towards the character. Although Hamlet expresses irony to death throughout the play, his death is a tragedy for those who knew him. As Horatio claims, Now cracks a noble heart. / Goodnight sweet prince. And a flight of angels sing thee to thy rest (Shakespeare, 1985 5.2.397-398). Hamlets death is the tragedy for the whole country, because it has lost its noble king and can hardly find another great person. Fortinbras considers that For he was likely, had he been put upon, to have proved most royal Speak loudly for him (Shakespeare, 1985 5.2.443-446). Hamlets noble death corresponds with the ideas of death maintained by such a Renaissance philosopher as Michel de Montaigne (1910) who claims that death uncovers the true essence of a person. According to him, a person can be really judged at his/her last moments. The similar attitude towards death is revealed by Sir Walter Raleigh who claimed that only death could provide people with real understanding of life. During his imprisonment Raleigh demonstrated real courage and was not afraid of death. As he wrote in the latter to his wife, I perceive that my death was de termined from the first day (Raleigh, 1940, p.82). In this regard, Hamlets real self is obvious only after his death. At the end of the play Hamlet accepts his death with courage and inevitability. However, Shakespeare demonstrates that, despite Hamlets indifference to life, he needs much time and courage to prepare himself for killing and death. As Hamlet observes numerous deaths, he becomes immune to his own fortune. He starts to perceive death with irony, realising that life has no value for him. To a certain extent, it is Hamlets insanity that helps him to adjust to the idea of death and succeed in his revenge. As Hamlet collides with cruel reality, he seems to be mentally destroyed by it: Who does it, then? His madness. Ift be so, / Hamlet is of the faction that is wrongd; His madness is poor Hamlets enemy (Shakespeare, 1985 2.233-235). Simultaneously, the principal character manages to create an ironical attitude towards death that is intensified by the utilisation of Biblical and classical allusions. For instance, Hamlets revenge resembles the classical story of Priam and Pyrrhus; when Priam kills the father of Pyrrhus, the latter decides to kill Priam in revenge. In Hamlets case the irony is explained by the repetition of the situation, but Hamlet finds it difficult to succeed in his revenge; he avoids some fortunate situations and kills Claudius only at the end of the play. Another allusion is taken from the Bible: when Shakespeare (1985) mentions the primal eldest curse A brothers murder (3.3.40-41), he draws a parallel between the story of Cain and Abel with the murder of King Hamlet by Claudius. Although Claudius seems to ask for forgiveness in the church, he does not really repent of his action. When Hamlet recognises the truth about his fathers death, he decides to make a play The Murder of Gonzago, where h e implicitly depicts the murder of his father by King Claudius. Ironically, the play has a great impact on Hamlet who has to suppress his desire to kill Claudius and his mother Gertrude. As he states, Let not ever the soul of Nero enter this firm bosom. / Let me be firm, not unnatural. / I will speak daggers to her, but use none (Shakespeare, 1985 3.2.426-429). As Agrippina, the character of the play The Murder of Gonzago, is killed by her son Nero, Hamlet is afraid of his desire to also kill his mother. Another element of death that Shakespeare strengthens in his play is the Dance of Death that is crucial for understanding the dramatists interpretation of the issue. In the Renaissance this dance was performed in the form of a carnival, during which some people disguised themselves into skeletons and guided other people into afterlife. As a humorous festivity, the Dance of Death was popular among different groups of people and was depicted in many dramatic works (Freedberg, 1989). The image of the Dance of Death occupies the principal place in Hamlets graveyard scene. In Hamlets conversation with the gravedigger, Shakespeare uncovers many important issues of existence. For instance, Hamlet asks Did these bones cost no more the breeding but to play at loggets with them? Mine ache to think ont (Shakespeare, 1985 5.1.91). The Dance of Death ha s a great impact on Hamlet, especially when he sees the skull of his friend Yorick who occupied a position of fool in the court during his life (Triggs, 1990, pp.73-76). Hamlet realises that death is inevitable for all people, as he puts it, We fat all creatures else to fat us and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service two dishes but to one table (Shakespeare, 1985 4.2.21-24). But this scene also reveals that the gravedigger and Hamlet are blasphemous in their treatment of death, although to a different extent (Frye, 1979, pp.17-22). As the gravedigger prepares the grave for Ophelia, he sings songs; Hamlet regards this action as awful, although his further action is more cruel. When he finds Yoricks skull, he begins to mock at him, simultaneously laughing at death: Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment that wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now to mock your own grinning? Quite chapfallen? (Shakespeare, 1985 5.1.196-199). Such an ironic vision of the principal character reveals Hamlets inner degradation; Ewan Fernie (2002) considers that Hamlet involves into the depth of mortality and destruction, because he feels shame that makes him regard death in an easy and obscure manner. Hamlet thinks that the inner destruction is a necessary prerequisite of revenge, and the failure of this tragic hero works against the i llusion and the tyranny of the self (Fernie, 2002, p.225). Although death is a natural phenomenon, Shakespeare demonstrates that people imagine and endure death before they really die, as the ancient culture forms an attitude of people towards death based on suffering and purgatory. As Stephen Greenblatt (2001) puts it, by the late Middle Ages in Western Europe, Purgatory had achieved both a doctrinal and a social success (p.14). In other words, it not only concerned the religious side and the idea of existence, but was also associated with society and its attitude towards reality. In the sixteenth century there were two religious groups in Britain Catholics and Protestants; the first group maintained the idea of Purgatory, while the second group opposed it. Although during the Renaissance period Protestants made everything to eliminate the principles of Purgatory, Shakespeare demonstrates that Purgatory was also closely connected with cultural beliefs of British people. In this regard, the Ghost of King Hamlet confirms to the dogma of Purgatory, as he appears as a creature that suffers much because of his murder and that demands revenge. In fact, the very image of the Ghost brings up the question of death and supernatural elements, simultaneously demonstrating an ambiguous attitude of Renaissance literature towards the issue of death. On the one hand, on the example of his principal character Shakespeare reveals peoples wish to communicate with dead people, but, on the other hand, he shows the wish of the dead to communicate with human beings. Thus, the Ghost in the play seems to ask not only for revenge, but also for recollection. Despite the fact that Shakespeare does not utilise the word purgatory in regard to the Ghost, the dramatis t implicitly mentions that the Ghost comes back from this particular place. As Shakespeare (1985) states, Doomed for a certain term to walk the night / And for the day confined to fast in fires, / Till the foul crimes done in days of nature / Are burnt and purged away (1.5.11-14). Purgatory, mystery plays and various medieval rituals were prohibited by the Church of England in the era of Reformation, destroying many important aspects of English culture. Purgatory was closely connected with the beliefs in phantoms, that is why the Church made everything to suppress the spread of these beliefs. However, Renaissance tragedy seems to revive some earlier traditions and customs associated with the dead, and Shakespeare is considered to be one of the principal Renaissance dramatists who combine medieval and Renaissance cultural traditions. Making the Ghost come back from Purgatory, Shakespeare simultaneously signifies the revival of the very concept of Purgatory, although in a changed form. In this regard, William Shakespeare resembles a famous Renaissance philosopher Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (1994) who also rejected many religious dogmas of Protestants and tried to revive some traditions, such as Purgatory. In his work Praise of Folly (1509) Erasmus reveals an ironical vision towards the issue of death, although he believed in God. According to Greenblatt (2001), Shakespeares play takes part in a cult of the dead (p.203), investigating in depth various aspects of death. Shakespeare demonstrates that Purgatory is an important tool for preserving a connection between society and continuity, between life and death; thus the rejection of the principles of Purgatory is considered by the dramatist as the destruction of the Renaissance cultural traditions. In this context, Shakespeares interpretation of the issue of death corresponds with the thinking of such conservative philosophers as More, Erasmus, Montaigne and Raleigh. In particular, Sir Thomas More in his works The Supplication of Souls (1529) and The Last Things demonstrates the importance of Purgatory for saving the ghosts and establishing relations between the quick and the dead. Thomas More also discusses the issue of death through the Seven Deadly Sins that are closely connected with Purgatory (More, 1997, pp.142-160). On the other hand, Shakespeare does not explicitly reveal his support for the issue of Purgatory. Although he challenges the Reformists rejection of Purgatory, he avoids taking one or another side. Shakespeare shows that the image of the Ghost is crucial for the Renaissance public, as Ghost stories were an integral part of British cultural traditions. Despite the fact that other Renaissance tragedies also portray the images of Ghosts, Shakespeares interpretation of the issue greatly differs from other interpretations. As Greenblatt (2001) puts it, Shakespeares ghost is presented in three different images: the Ghost as a figure of false surmise, the Ghost as a figure of historys nightmare, and the Ghost as a figure of deep psychic disturbances (p.157). All these images demonstrate that Shakespeare treats the Ghost in a rather serious way, cons idering that it can give answers to some issues of existence, albeit the dramatist does not reveal these answers; he simply points at the possibility to get these answers. The fact is that Shakespeare intentionally makes the Ghost a controversial creature, so that readers can interpret this image in their own ways. The controversy of the Ghost reflects the controversial attitude of Elizabethan society to the issue of death and afterlife. If the Ghost is thought to come back from Purgatory, then Hamlet may believe that it is the Ghost of his father who suffers much and is in search of revenge (Low, 1999, pp.463-472). However, the Ghost may also appear to come back from Hell; in this regard, his aim is to turn Hamlet into insanity. William Shakespeare reveals this controversy, but he does not solve it. The issue remains open throughout the play and is aggravated with the disappearance of the Ghost. Greenblatt (2001) even claims that purgatory exists in the imaginary universe of Hamlet and [it provides] many of the deep imaginative experiences, the tangled longing, guilt, pity and rage evoked by More (p.252). However, the deaths of Hamlet and other principal characters of the play uncover the truth about these people. In particular, throughout the narration Hamlet pretends to have a secret, althou gh he does not reveal it, but at the end he seems to expose his heart and all his secrets: Thou wouldst not think how ill alls here about my heart; but it is no matter It is but foolery (Shakespeare, 1985 5.2.208-211). Hamlet tries to fool other characters, but instead he fools himself, as he is not able to admit that he is also afraid of death. Analysing the treatment of death in William Shakespeares play Hamlet, the essay suggests that the play contributes much to the Renaissance debate on the issue of death. In particular, the dramatist goes beyond the ancient and Renaissance understanding of death, reviving some medieval death customs in Hamlet and challenging the traditional religious dogmas in regard to death. Introducing the image of the Ghost of King Hamlet, Shakespeare brings up the crucial issues of life and death and eliminates the suppression of the Purgatory concepts. According to the dramatist, the suppression of some earlier beliefs, such as the belief in Purgatory, destroys Renaissance culture. Shakespeares thinking cooperates with the thoughts of such philosophers as Erasmus, Raleigh, More and Montaigne who also demonstrate the necessity to preserve the medieval beliefs and traditions and who believe that a person reveals his true self only at death, while life is a preparation for death. However, Shakespeare avoids supporting either side of the Renaissance death debate; although he revives some concepts, he does not provide an explicit answer to the controversial issue of death. In this regard, the reasons for his characters death are also different; such characters as Hamlet and Laertes die because of their anger and revenge, Claudius dies because of his murderous actions, Ophelia dies as a result of her madness and sexual desires towards Hamlet, while her father Polonius and Hamlets mother die from an unintentional murder, similar to Guilde nstern and Rosencrantz. Applying to these characters deaths, Shakespeare reveals both serious and ironical attitude to death that, on the one hand, reflects Renaissance preoccupation with death, while, on the other hand, demonstrates his own philosophical treatment of this crucial issue. References Cressy, D. (1997). Burial, Marriage and Death. New York: Oxford University Press. Dollimore, J. (1998). Death, Desire, and Loss in Western Culture. New York: Routledge. Dudley, S. (1999). Conferring with the Dead: Necrophilia and Nostalgia in the Seventeenth Century. ELH 66.2, 277-294. Engel, W. E. (2002). Death and Drama in Renaissance England: Shades of Memory. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. Erasmus, D. (1994). The Praise of Folly. Prometheus Books. Fernie, E. (2002). Shame in Shakespeare. London and New York: Routledge. Freedberg, D. (1989). The Power of Images. Chicago: Chicago University Press. Frye, R. M. (1979). Ladies, Gentlemen and Skulls: Hamlet and the Iconographic Traditions. Shakespeare Quarterly 30.1, 15-28. Gittings, C. (1984). Death, Burial, and the Individual in Early Modern England. London: Croom Helm. Greenblatt, S. (2001). Hamlet in Purgatory. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Llewellyn, N. (1991). The Art of Death: Visual Culture in the English Death Ritual 1500-1800. London: Reaktion Books, 1991. Low, A. (1999). Hamlet and the Ghost of Purgatory: Intimations of Killing the Father. ELR 29.3, Autumn, 447-463. Montaigne, M. de. (1910). The Works of Montaigne. New York: Edwin C. Hill. More, T. (1997). The Yale Edition of The Complete Works of St. Thomas More. Vol.1. English Poems, Life of Pico, The Last Things. A. S. G. Edwards, C. H. Miller K. G. Rodgers (Ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. Neill, M. (1997). Issues of Death: Mortality and Identity in English Renaissance Tragedy. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997. Raleigh, S. W. (1940). Sir Walter Raleigh to his Wife. In M. L. Schuster (Ed), A Treasury of the Worlds Great Letters (pp.81-85). New York: Simon and Schuster. Shakespeare, W. (1985). Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In P. Edwards (Ed.), The New Cambridge Shakespeare. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Triggs, J. A. (1990). A Mirror for Mankind: The Pose of Hamlet with the Skull of Yorick. The New Orleans Review 17:3, Fall, 71-79.

An Analysis Of The Asian Financial Crisis

An Analysis Of The Asian Financial Crisis The miracle that was East Asia came to a sudden halt in 1997.  After growing by an annual average of more than 8%, Asian economies not only shifted to lower gear, they even reversed course.  The collapse of the Thai baht in July 1997 sparked off a massive financial and economic maelstrom in the region.  As exchange rates and stock markets plunged, foreign debt denominated in foreign currencies soared.  Many domestic firms became insolvent, interest rates skyrocketed and credits dried up as panic by domestic and international investors ensued.  Meanwhile ethnic tensions, erstwhile contained by strong economic growth, flared up again, particularly in Indonesia.  This, in a nutshell, was the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Despite prompt and concerted attempts by developing countries, industrial countries and international organization to contain it, the Asian Crisis of 1997 spread to other Asian, Latin and Eastern European economies to varying degrees. In fact, this crisis put one third of the globe into recession in 1998. The crisis raised various questions regarding, not only the future of the regions economy but also about the impact of the crisis on various multinational companies and the world. Reasons Although explanations differ, most accounts now agree that the weakness of Asian financial systems was pivotal. One scenario was that, the liberalization of capital accounts and financial systems in Asia interacted with poor and inadequate regulatory structures.  This led to rapid domestic expansion, as reflected in asset price bubbles, which in turn fuelled more borrowing.  As a result, the economy was held hostage to shocks like changing investor expectations.  When external events pricked the bubble, the spiraling increase in asset inflation became a downward spiral of asset collapses. Another scenario highlights the role of short-term maturity debt and the term structure mismatch between assets and liabilities that made these economies extremely sensitive to investor expectations.  The short-term liabilities of Asian ec`onomies were very high, with someparticularly Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia far exceeding their liquid reserves prior to the crisis.  This made them extremely vulnerable to sudden calls for repayments. Yet another scenario emphasizes the policies of fixed exchange rates followed by Asian governments, which encouraged over borrowing and contributed to the fragility of the financial sector.  When the US dollar appreciated against major industrial currencies, the Asian economies whose currencies were pegged to the dollar also appreciated, thus worsening their export competitiveness.  Poor export performance due to lower competitiveness was compounded by weak domestic demand from Japan, and low cyclical demand for semiconductors worldwide.  This, combined with the vulnerability of Asian financial systems, changed the overly optimistic outlook on Asia.  The stage was thus set for the currency attack and financial crisis. The question still being debated, however, is what made these economies pursue policies that rendered them vulnerable to external shocks, and what economic incentives or disincentives led to the weakening of the Asian financial structure, apparently to its very core? Although much has been written about the Asian financial crisis, two competing explanations dominate the debate over the root cause of the crisis.  One story is that the Asian financial crisis was caused by a panic-induced illiquidity of capital markets, the panic hypothesis or illiquidity hypothesis.  The other story maintains that the Asian financial crisis stemmed from latent structural defects, induced by adverse incentives, which then encouraged excessive risk taking, the so-called moral hazard hypothesis. Panic Illiquidity The panic view, simply told, is that the frenzied haste to divest out of the region resulted in costly asset liquidations, asset price collapses, domestic bank runs and the drying up of credit.  According to those in this camp, economic fundamentals, including government policies in crisis countries may have been unsatisfactory, but did not warrant a crisis.  Real exchange rates, for instance, were only slightly overvalued.  Instead, the crisis occurred because of adverse shifts in market expectations.  These shifts can generally be precipitated by almost anything like the collapse of a big bank, political turmoil or lackluster export performance.  Once panic prevails, however, sound fundamentals become irrelevant.  Market expectations are therefore the key to understanding crises. What the panic hypothesis highlights is the inherent instability of international financial markets.   Structural Defects Moral Hazards The moral hazard view attempts to explain why economies like Thailand, Korea, and Indonesia reached such a level of vulnerability that they were like disasters waiting to happen.  This view maintains that the root cause of the crisis lays in the wrong economic incentivesinduced by implicit or explicit government guarantees, connections with the powers-that-be or interlocking ownership structures-which then led to over borrowing, over lending, and over-investment. In other words, the moral hazard view places bad government policies at the heart of the crisis, even though these very policies were once lauded for achieving fast growth and material improvement for so many people.  The point, however, that the moral hazard camp tries to drive home is that the vulnerability of the Asian economies resulted from the accumulation of many years of bad habits, glossed over while the going was good.  Some of these bad habits were actually residues of the industrial policies and winner-pick ing that, ironically, was thought to have propelled these economies to tiger hood. Policy Implications from the Lessons Learnt The divide between the two views extends to policy implications for a post-crisis, global financial environment.  On the one hand, the panic camps main policy focus was on reform of the international financial system, the inherent instability of which was spotlighted in the Asian crisis.  Grand proposals like the need for an international lender-of-last-resort, an international bankruptcy court, burden sharing between private creditor and borrower alike in the event of a systemic crisis, and better provision of information to minimize uncertainty, were the major policy prescriptions of panic view adherents. The moral hazard camp, on the other hand, was more concerned with removing the incentives that gave rise to economic vulnerability.  It proposed an arms length relationship between banks, instead of the old cozy relationships.  It also advocated increased transparency and improved corporate governance, as well as the strengthening of banking supervision and regulation. Most of the policy recommendations for strengthening the international financial system focused on the following: Improving Corporate Governance Improving corporate governance means addressing the bad incentives or moral hazards stemming from certain ownership structures.  In Asia, these structures include interlocking directorships between banks and firms; family-dominated, corporate ownership; ineffective legal and regulatory frameworks; and a lack of transparency and adequate disclosure rules.  These all contributed to the overleveraged characteristics of Asian corporations.  For this reason, an effective legal and regulatory framework, coupled with strict rules of transparency and disclosure, is fundamental for sound corporate governance and efforts are going on in this direction. Financial Restructuring Closely connected to corporate governance reforms is the supervision of banks and the financial sector.  In contrast to governance issues, however, this is more straightforward.  Bank restructuring, for instance, has had a slow start but has nevertheless advanced.  Solvent firms have been closed, some banks have been recapitalized, mergers are taking place, and Asian governments have established appropriate agencies to take care of foreclosed assets.  Rules on the foreign ownership of banks and financial institutions have also become more liberal, non-performing loans are finally being tackled, and securitization attempted. Financial restructuring must go hand in hand with better corporate governance and an improved regulatory and supervisory structure.  Supervision needs to be tight and strong, professional and arms length.   Regional Cooperation The imperative for maintaining the momentum of systemic and institutional restructuring lies with national governments, but there is some scope for support at the regional and international levels.  Opportunities exist, at a regional level, for East Asian governments to engage in policy consultation and to share their experiences in reforming the corporate and banking sectors.  The formation of the ASEAN Surveillance process is a significant development along these lines.  Its main purpose is to set up a monitoring and early warning system for the region, but it also provides the institutional setting where a frank exchange of views on policy directions in ASEAN can take place and where joint action, if appropriate, can be forged.   Performance of East Asian Economies and Financial Markets since the Crisis After the outburst of the crisis, East Asia recovered at an impressive pace. For those countries most affected by this financial crunch (e.g., Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea), their real GDP growth rates turned from negative in 1998 to positive in 1999 and 2000, and their currency and stock markets also largely recovered. Moreover, interest rates remained below pre-crisis levels, and inflation was well controlled for some time. In addition to the favorable domestic environment for these countries, the international economy also showed an unusually strong performance, giving East Asias economy a lift. The world GDP growth rate surpassed 4.1% in 2000, more than twice the rate of 1998; and the international trade growth rate reached 11% in 2000, more than twice the rate of 1999. Two major factors appeared to explain this fast recovery: Strong U.S. economic growth and currency value. Net cash inflows in foreign direct investment and current account surplus of crisis-hit countries. Factors Contributing to Recovery Following factors appeared to contribute towards the recovery from the crisis: Strong economic growth and solid currency value of the U.S.: The economic growth and the rising import demand of the U.S. generated a positive shock and exerted a strong influence on East Asian emerging economies. We note that the U.S. recorded a strong GDP expansion after the crisis, with growth rates of 4.5% in 1997, 4.3% in 1998, and 3.8% in 1999, and the value of U.S. dollar exhibited an upward trend in those three years. Stimulated by an expanding economy and currency appreciation, the domestic demand for import went up strongly in the U.S. throughout the post-crisis period, creating tremendous export opportunities for East Asian economies. Net cash inflows in FDI and current account: In 1996, the net direct investment and other capital accounts were in surplus, while the current account was in deficit. After the crisis, massive foreign capital fled East Asia. The deficit of capital account was large, which further contributed to the instability in this region. How-ever, the net direct investment remained in surplus and the outflow in capital account slowed down considerably in 1999. In addition, the current account reversed from deficit to surplus after the crisis largely due to increasing ex-ports to the U.S. The overall cash flow balance turned from negative to positive in 1998 because of the sizable surplus in current account and the net inflows in capital account. Hence, the net cash inflows in 1998, 1999, and 2000 have helped the crisis-hit countries build up substantial foreign reserves. Conclusion The Asian crisis was an eye-opener.  The Achilles heel of the Asian economies, their financial systems finally gave in after years of excess.  What caused the financial systems to give way is still a matter of academic debate. A pragmatic reading of the crisis suggests that the bulk of the policy responses had to be carried out on the home front.  It is imperative that domestic reforms focus on both systemic and institutional restructuring.  Asia clearly needed and needs to change continuously.  It needs to be open to the West and the Western style of business, from the provision of information to business relationships.  Domestic efforts should also be supported by regional and international mechanisms.

American Flag Desecration is Treasonous! Essay -- Argumentative Persua

American Flag Desecration is Treasonous! The flag it is the symbol of our nation, the symbol of our freedom, the symbol of those that have gone before us to defend our liberties, and most importantly the symbol which at one point or another each person has pledged their allegiance to. Desecrating this symbol which all should hold dear is to desecrate America’s values and betray the devotion which all have pledged to our nation. Knowing the importance of our high flying flag makes it treasonous to burn or desecrate it, thereby making it obvious that this act should be forbidden by the constitution of the United States of America. Firstly, nothing in the constitution protects the act of desecrating a flag. Many argue that our first amendment allows us the right to this expressive behavior, however when I read our first amendment which states: â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech†¦.† Nothing in our first amendment protects nor allows any type of action. Our amendment protec...

The Son of God in Milton’s Paradise Lost: Taking One for the Team Essay

The Son of God in Milton’s Paradise Lost: Taking One for the Team Among those familiar with the Judeo-Christian belief system, Jesus is normally accepted as a selfless figure, one who became human, suffered, and was put to death out of divine love for humanity. In his portrayal of the Son of God in Paradise Lost, John Milton does not necessarily disagree with the devotion or love present in the Son. His characterization of the Son does not oppose this tradition; rather, it is simply different. By Milton’s portrayal, the Son has an acute craving for attention, a desire for gory revenge over Death, and an appetite for glory. Furthermore, while the Son, after accepting the task of becoming mortal and dying to save Adam’s descendants, receives plenty of specific praise from his father (â€Å" ‘thou... hast been found by merit more than birthright Son of God’†(3.308-9)) and from the narrator (â€Å"[he] breathed immortal love to mortal men† (3.267-8)), he builds up the ramifications of his sacrifice even more in his own language. Such language from the Son comes across as not only grandiose, but even narcissistic at times. The Son of God’s speech betrays narcissism not only in its visual language (that is, the images depicted in the speech), but also in its emphasis on drawing the attention of the angels and future humans to himself. The Father precipitates his Son’s not-quite-selfless speech by musing before all the angels who might actually undertake the doubtlessly miserable task of becoming human, suffering, and dying for the sake of Adam and his descendants. â€Å" ‘Where shall we find such love,’† he wonders,â€Å" ‘[where] in all heaven charity so dear?’† (3.213-6) The implication of such language is that becoming mortal is such a chore, ... ...th the redeemed would complete the Father’s vision. Perhaps this is true in the context of Paradise Lost, but for the Son himself to say so (rather than, say, the narrator) serves no purpose but to boast of his own importance and high place in his Father’s heart. Lastly, we can look at the angels’ reaction to the Son’s acceptance speech. The narrator tells us that â€Å"admiration seized all heaven†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (3.271-2). The Son has, in that case, prompted the reaction for which he had aimed. He wanted the admiration and the attention. It is important to notice that, at this point, such admiration is not for the Father’s grace or mercy but rather for the Son, the bringer of said grace and mercy. The Son has succeeded, then, in diverting the attention from the message to the messenger. In true narcissistic fashion, he has made it perfectly clear who the star of this production is.

Understanding Parkinsons Disease Essay -- Health Medicine

Understanding Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease To date, there are no specific diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's Disease. Diagnosis can only be made by an expert examination after the person has already developed symptoms. Biochemical measures can be used such as a screening strategy monitoring the dopamine levels in the cerebrospinal fluid. Otherwise, specifically 6(18F)dopa positron emission tomography can be used for a direct measurement of dopamine activity. Using a computer to assess movement time is another test for Parkinson's disease. To examine the electrophysiological characteristics of tremor and preclinical nigral dysfunction characteristic of Parkinson's EMG (electromyographic recordings) can be used. Finally, a symptomatic screening is often utilized and consists of nine symptom related questions, as well as disease specific and drug specific questions. This provides an indirect functional measure of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Facts about Parkinson's Disease Increasing age strongly increases the risk of Parkinson's disease. Male gender and possibly Caucasian ancestry are associated with more modest increases in risk. The reported prevalence of Parkinson's disease varies widely in international community-based studies; ranging from 31 to 328 per 100,000 people. Whether these differences represent actual differences in the occurrence of disease cannot be easily determined. This is due to the limited number of studies conducted and restricted population samples used. The risk factors of Parkinson's disease are primarily environmental and are not genetically based. Clinical Features The main clinical features in Parkinson's Disease include rigidity, bradyki... ...an de Silva, H.A.; Khan, N.L.; & Wood, N.W. (2000). The genetics of Parkinson's disease. Current Opinion in Genetics & Development 10:3 (June); 292-298. Tanner, C. M. (1996). Early Intervention in Parkinson's Disease: Epidemiologic Considerations. Ann Epidemiol. 6: 5; 438-441. Tasker, R.R.; Lang, A.E.; & Lozano, A..M.. (2000). Pallidal and Thalamic Surgery for Parkinson's Disease. Experimental Neurology. 144:1; 35 - 40. Veldman, B.A.J.; Wijn, A.M.; Knoers, N.; Praamstra, P.; & Horstink, M.W.I.M. (1998 ). Genetic and environmental risk factors in Parkinson's disease. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery 100:1;15-26. Volkmann, J.; & Sturm, V. (1998). Indication and results of stereotactic surgery for advanced Parkinson's disease. Critical Reviews in Neurosurgery. 8:4; 209-216. For information regarding Parkinson's Disease: http://www.parkinsonsweb.com/

Reparations: African Americans Justice Essay

The United States authorities should pay reparations to African Americans as a agency of acknowledging their wrong-doing and doing damagess. The amendss African Americans have sustained from White America’s policy of bondage have been agonising and inhumane. Therefore. I am in favour of reparations for African Americans. The consequence of bondage has been an digesting issue within the African American community. Many of us are aware of the injury racism brought to the African American race. conveyed through bondage. racial segregation and favoritism. African Americans suffered many atrociousnesss. but the greatest harm done to them was the devastation of they’re original individuality. African Americans no longer hold a native linguistic communication or any African imposts to link them to Africa. Today. African Americans are connected together because they all portion a common foundation-the awful experience of slavery-and the great attempt to suppress its lingering consequence. ( World Wide Web. AcedemicLibrary. com ) Americans should recognize the magnitude of slavery’s effects on African Americans as a whole. Blacks were brainwashed and stripped of self-esteem and taught to be ashamed of dark colour of their tegument. Many African Americans have effortlessly tried to recommend â€Å"Black Pride† . seeking to re-instill self-worth and being proud of our distinguishable facial and organic structure characteristics. and darker skin colors. African Americans had zilch to get down with after the abolition of bondage in 1865. Slaves were promised a â€Å"mule/ and 40 acres† and they didn’t unrecorded to have it nor did coevalss to follow ; because the American authorities has yet to populate up to its word. The fruit of the slaves’ labour was stolen from the â€Å"land of the free† . The victims of the White people’s African slave trade ne'er experienced such freedom. This race deserves compensation for the mistreatment Pongee Bryant it has suffered and continues to digest. Paying reparations to the posterities of African American slaves would convey about a enormous betterment for the promotion of Black America. ( Douglass. Fredrick. 1845. Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass ) . White Americans have profited from instruction. life experiences. wealths that were handed down by their ascendants. As good. African Americans have been handed down the adversity of race-related issues. poorness. and the unknown history of their yesteryear. African Americans have invariably been inflicted with the societal position of their low-income degree in contrast with that of White Americans. America should be ashamed for their mistreatment of a race that did non inquire or even want to shack in this state. Yet. they still wear their ugly face of racism. and favoritism. and merely seek to segregate African Americans. as if they were at mistake. Americans may reason Blacks shouldn’t be kicking. whining. and to draw themselves up by their boot straps. Well. Martin Luther King one time said â€Å"White America wants us to draw ourselves up from our boot straps. but we don’t have any boots† . ( Shuttlesworth. Fred. 1999. A Fire You Can’t Put Out ) . The U. S. authorities has a moral duty to this race of people to counterbalance. African American’s because they were denied their heritage. faith. household. and civilization. America alleges it is a religious-based state and their religion resides in God. The bible says: â€Å"If a adult male bargain an ox. or a sheep. and kill it. or sell it ; he shall reconstruct five cattle for an ox. and four sheep for a sheep. † This state systematically contradicts itself in the manner it wants to be perceived. If America has any belief in God. they should experience an duty to counterbalance the African American posterities of slave ascendants. ( Exodus 22. Bible ) . Pongee Bryant White Americans may reason that the state did plenty when it passed the Civil Rights Act in 1960. They may besides province America has adequate resources and equal chance for each person of every race to win. However. there is a immense wealth spread in societal position among inkinesss and Whites largely because of subjugation. favoritism and racism toward the modern twenty-four hours modern-day black. Whether anybody wants to acknowledge it. there is still a glass ceiling ( i. e. . a position barrier ) against African Americans. Reparations would convey African Americans justness and economic power in this state. There are legion black reparation organisations which could have the money and administer it equally among African Americans. to integrate black-owned concerns. place ownership. and better instruction selective for immature and old inkinesss. These reparation organisations could besides put money into smaller black-owned concerns. and other industries that would foster the African American race. and guarantee a rapid growing of African American middle-class and beyond. ( Robert J. Brym/ John Lie. Sociology ) The development of African Americans in this state took on many signifiers through decennaries. The centuries of bondage in this state laid the foundation of our current relationship to America. From cotton Fieldss to constructing America’s most important edifices African Americans have helped construct the wealth in this state. Yet. the African American race has endured the most terrorist act from the Ku Klux Klan. lynchings. plantation gaols. constabulary anguish and slaying. and poorness. Slavery was a offense against humanity ; and it still is in being in many other ways and signifiers. America has created a system with. elector favoritism. drugs. and drug sentences to maintain the African Pongee Bryant American adult male enslaved. The authorities should counterbalance the African American race and put an terminal to a ceaseless subjugation rhythm. The authorities of the United States of America was instrumental in holding pressured the German and Nipponese authoritiess into the payments of reparations to the people who suffered and survived the offenses and bequest of bondage endured during World War II. The authorities of the United States has besides already paid reparations to the Japanese-Americans who were detained in concentration cantonments during World War II. America calls herself a just state: a civilised state which respects civil and human rights. encourages chance for and wellbeing of all her people. and can be trusted by other states as a county whom honors her word. Well. America promised African Americans 40 estates and a mule and didn’t live up to her promise. America’s attitude and silence on reparations malodors of lip service. ( X. Malcolm. Biography of Malcolm X ) . America should besides pay reparations to African Americans because they systematically want us to labour for their work and take all the recognition. For case America is at mistake for African American dead and injured work forces who served and were drafted in the Vietnam War. America put immature black work forces on the front-line of a war they had nil to make with nor helped lend to. America wanted a race that was non yet â€Å"capable† of voting but was competent plenty to contend in a war. A race that did non hold the option of imbibing from any fountain. sitting anyplace on a coach. utilizing any bathroom. nevertheless we were fit for contending. The point is America invariably benefits from African Americans. but refuses to counterbalance African Americans for their parts to this state. ( World Wide Web. AcedemicLibrary. com ) .