Kudler’s Strategic Plan Essay Example for Free

Kudler’s Strategic Plan Essay The mission statement should be a clear and succinct representation of the enterprises purpose for existence (BRS Center for Business Planning, 2010). Kudler Fine Foods mission statement is to supply the finest assortment of their wines and foods with a knowledgeable support staff. Vision Kudler Fine Foods vision highlights their image for the future and their motivation. The gourmet grocery store’s vision is to sustain superior and quality foods, at competitive prices, with friendly service. Values Statements The values statement provides boundaries on how such success will be achieved and establishes a covenant you ask all stakeholders to accept by answering the question: â€Å"How will we behave as we pursue success?† (Magus Consulting, 2010). The value statement of Kudler Fine Foods focuses on employee’s dedication, high standards, and cleanliness. Their employees and customers are priority and Kudler provides the means to inspire employees, which in maintain long-term relationships with customers. Environmental scan Kudler Fine Foods performed an SWOT analysis scan to determine the company’s new strategies. To conduct the analysis, the company conducts SWOT analysis to establish its current conditions. Strengths Kudler Fine Foods is small, customer-oriented organization in which the owner, Kathy Kudler, interacts with staff members weekly. The company offerings include a wide variety of quality fruits, vegetables, wines, and cheeses. In addition, the stores are in excellent economic regions where customers can afford the prices. Furthermore, the firm has repeat customers, which demonstrates that the company has an impeccable reputation and high customer satisfaction (Apollo Group, Inc., 2007). Weaknesses Kudler Fine Foods sells mostly perishable foods, and about 12% of the stock is removed from the shelves to ensure freshness, which also results in waste and lost profits. In addition, the stores have high payrolls associated with specialty positions and small management that makes managing, ordering, and maintaining inventory difficult for the owner. Kathy is managing all the stores, ordering supplies, and maintaining inventory. A management model in which Kathy performs all major activities limits growth and represents a risk because if she became ill, she would not have a replacement, which would have a negative impact on store operations (Apollo Group, Inc., 2007). Kudler’s Fine Foods External Analysis Opportunities Kudler Fine Foods has the opportunity to fulfill other market needs by including additional gourmet products to their offer such as coffee and tea, a fish counter, a deli counter, among others. This horizontal expansion of the business will attract new customers and increase the share of wallet from current customers. Other expansion opportunities for Kudler Fine Foods include the consolidation and growth of the catering business and the entrance to the e-market by offering delivery of gourmet products and ordering of catering services. The Internet is usually a lower cost channel given that fewer employees are needed to maintain it and to drive an increase of the customer base. Finally, the most obvious growth opportunity for the company relies in geographic expansion. Opening more stores in the California area and in other states is a possibility for Kudler Fine Foods if they can increase their management capabilities. (Apollo Group, Inc., 2007). Threats Kudler Fine Foods, like other businesses, faces threats relative to the economic conditions of the region in which it operates. The market for gourmet products is very sensitive to economic downturn because consumption of such items usually responds to desire rather than necessity. Current unstable weather conditions and natural disasters (like earthquakes) due to global warming also pose a threat of increased costs of produce if it affects local producers that supply Kudler Fine Foods. Other threats come from direct and indirect competition. If competitors choose to expand geographically or to extend their product lines to include the products Kudler Fine Foods today provides, this expansion could have a negative impact on the company’s bottom line. Another threat could be that traditional supermarkets are expanding their offers to include organic products and some gourmet items. Traditional supermarkets usually have higher bargaining power, which allows them to offer lower prices, and they have the advantage of covering a wide rage of needs in a same location. (Apollo Group, Inc., 2007). Review of the individual strategies from Week Four and a recommendation for the best strategy for Kudler see strategies below (in pink) and choose best strategy Strategic Plan Kudler’s strategic plan involves increasing efficiency of their management and employees. Firms that implement the strategy of operational excellence typically restructure their delivery processes to focus on efficiency and reliability, and use state-of-the art information systems that emphasize integration and low-cost transactions (Pearce Robinson, 2009). Kudler Fine Foods requires exceptional customer service because the store is a customer-oriented. Companies excelling in customer intimacy combine detailed customer knowledge with operational flexibility. They respond quickly to almost any need, from customizing a product to fulfilling special requests to create customer loyalty (Pearce Robinson, 2009). Therefore, their strategic plan will include ways to retain their customers, as customers are the most important to their bottom-line. Concentrated Growth Strategy Kudler Fine Foods should consider the concentrated growth strategy. According to Pearce and Robinson (2009), the concentrated growth strategy is the least risky grand strategy. Successful implementation of a concentrated growth strategy would increase KFF’s market penetration. Smaller companies such as Kudler Fine Foods with limited resources can increase market position with a concentrated growth strategy. In addition, this strategy can help KFF to increase the number of repeat customers and their usage rates (Pearce Robinson, 2009). However, this strategy does entail some risks. These risks include changes in the economy, possible slow market growth, vulnerability to high opportunity cost related to alternative strategic approaches, and the probability of financial losses by KFF related to poor forecasts (Pearce Robinson, 2009). Product development focused on new products Kudler could develop Product development is the process of creating a new product to be sold by a business or enterprise to its customers. A product can be any item from a book, musical composition, or information service. The task of developing outstanding new products is difficult, time-consuming, and costly. However, quality products are not simply designed, but instead they evolve over time through hours of research, analysis, design studies, engineering and prototyping efforts, and finally, testing, modifying, and re-testing until the design has been perfected (Riley, 2009). Kudler Fine Foods is already a supplier of gourmet food and adding coffee products to the company’s selection would put them another step ahead of the competition. â€Å"Demand for both coffee and coffee â€Å"drinks† is so high that recent surveys estimate that coffeehouses alone sold $8.3 billion in coffees and coffee drinks and that amount is expected to reach almost $19 billion by 2011, according the Specialty Coffee Association of America. It reports that the United States coffee industry has grown almost 50% from $7.76 billion in 2000 to more than $11 billion in 2005 and the figures keep climbing† (Rosen, n.d., p.1). The type of coffee products that Kudler Fine Foods could market is gourmet coffee, flavored coffee, and decaf coffee. Differentiation and customer responsiveness Another alternative strategy that Kudler Fine Foods may consider to realize growth would be â€Å"differentiation.† Differentiation is â€Å"designed to appeal to customers with a special sensitivity for a particular product attribute† (Pearce Robinson, 2009, p. 204). † Differentiation assists in building loyalty with customers as well as it enables an organization to charge a â€Å"premium† for its products and services (Pearce Robinson, 2009). Differentiation helps separate a brand from others and build a reputation for â€Å"excellence† (Pearce Robinson, 2009). Kudler may use differentiation to separate itself from competitors and help build its reputation, which would result in increased customer loyalty and would appeal to those customers seeking for specific attributes. Kudler may couple this strategy with â€Å"customer intimacy,† which tailoring products and services that fit customers (Pearce Robinson, 2009). â€Å"Customer intimacy† assumes certain degree of knowledge about customers and the flexibility to make necessary adjustments. This long-term approach is designed to satisfy customers. Because Kudler is a relatively small operation with centralized management, it has the flexibility and the resources to grow to know its customers and build the kind of relationships that will result in lifetime customers. Market development by adding a sales channel Kudler Fine Foods has been successful in marketing its products through several stores where customers can choose and buy gourmet products. As revealed in the company’s SWOT analysis, the superior selection of a variety of products has been a critical strength to support such growth. According to Pearce and Robinson (2009), â€Å"market development allows firms to leverage some of their traditional strengths.† In this proposed strategic alternative Kudler Fine Foods can use its excellent selection of products to appeal to an even larger base of customers by selling its products through the Internet. Online sales have presented two digit growth rates in the past four years (Greene, 2009). Internet can be considered a cheaper channel to drive growth given that it requires less capital investment than opening a new location and it reaches a larger base of customers. Advertising in other media Other strategic option includes advertising with newspapers, a local radio station or television advertisement. Placing a weekly ad in a local newspaper, KFF will become a known brand for fine gourmet in the Del Mar area. Because the advertisement will be in a local paper, it pinpoints the target market and reduces costs. Kathy should advertise on the radio during peak hours her free cheese samples and wine meetings. If the cheese, dairy, and wine areas are in the front of the store, Kathy should consider placing it near the back. The goal is to compel consumers to walk around the KFF store to see their products before arriving at the cheese and wine area. Another way to market Kudler is through television. Because Kudler is selling locally, expensive commercials will work against them. By using a local advertiser, the intended message will be seen by consumers in that particular demographic area. Costs will be minimal because advertising in local newspapers, radio, and television will be done locally. Implementation Plan: Create a WBS and Gantt chart for the new strategy. Include objectives, functional tactics, action items, milestones, tasks, resource allocation, and a deadline. In addition, analyze the key success factors for plan implementation. Include cash budget for the implementation plan and forecasted financials for Kudler. I did this last week, but I was not sure if I did this correctly. See excel spreadsheet Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Incorporating a work breakdown structure will assist KFF in their efforts to assign responsibilities and manage time. Currently Kathy is responsible for each department and which takes away her time from other managerial duties. The WBS has four sections, planning and supervision, inventory management, staff management, and marketing. Planning and supervision refers to how Kathy will operate Kudler Fine Foods. Kathy will make plans, verify the budgets, and meet with shift-supervisors for each department. Inventory management is crucial for a gourmet grocery store. Forecasting sales will help reduce chances of ordering too much food. A customer count can be incorporated by issuing savings cards so customers can attach to his or her key ring. This device not only tracks what customers are purchasing but also their geographic location. Food count will let shift-supervisors know how much food should be ordered every two days. Food management must be accurate because KFF offers the freshest foods and ordering too much food will cost the company. Kathy has to manage her staff so that she is not over or understaffed. Because there are six sections to KFF, there should be at least three employees in each department. Employees should strategically be placed in their area of strength. For example, an employee with excellent math skills, they should be placed on the register. In addition, the employees should be cross-trained in the event of someone taking leave. Shift-supervisors are also responsible for coordinating employee’s schedules. Marketing for a gourmet store is chief to earning sales. Kathy has to study the local businesses, schools, stores, and understand who the competitors are. This understanding will assist in becoming more profitable and peaking customer’s interests. Once Kathy is aware of the other factors, it is easier to strategize. In addition, considering holidays and vacations will alert Kathy of when to expect crowds and order more inventory. To continue to attract customers, Kathy should continue to offer free samples on Saturdays. Once a potential customer is interested, he or she has a higher chance of coming into the store and spending. A guest check average will assist with ordering inventory because the average calculates the number of customers divided by the money spent in the store.

Volkswagens International Marketing Strategy

Volkswagens International Marketing Strategy Companys snapshot: Volkswagen is a German automobile company. It operates as a manufacturer and distributor of automobile parts in the Global automotive industry. One of its subsidiaries is the Volkswagen of America that is based in United States. The Groups principal activities are to design, manufacture and distribution of cars and other vehicles worldwide. These activities are carried out through two divisions: Namely Automobile and Financial services. The Automobile division involves development of vehicles and engines, as well as the production and sale of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses. The Financial division involves dealer and customer financing, leasing, Banking and insurance services, rentals and fleet management. Overview of Volkswagen Group of Companies: It leads the continent as the Europes number one car maker. The Companys major production line include Volkswagen Passenger car, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Bentley ranges of vehicles. The Companys major emphasis is on increasing its focus on core business, profitability and reducing the production cost. In order to achieve this it is considering divesture of non core business segments and adapting many Modular strategies in the process of production and introduction of new models. Company at a Glance: Major Industry: Automotive Industry. Sub Industry: Diversified Automotive Mfrs. 2008 Sales: 113,808,000,000 (Year Ending Jan 2009). Employees: 357,207. Market Cap: 30,656,317,749. Share Type: Stammaktie. Stock Data: Current Price (12/30/2009): 76.58 In Euro. Revenue generated in the year 2008: 113.808 BLN EUR. History: It was setup in 1930 by Ferdinand Porshe in Germany and was known as Porshe Buro. In early 1930s German Automotive industry was mainly involved in making Luxury cars. And so an average German could only afford nothing more than a motorcycle. In 1934 Ferdinand Porshe was commissioned by Adolph Hitler to build a small inexpensive car. He required a basic vehicle that could transport two adults and three children. And this vehicle would be available to all at the price of a motorcycle. On 22 June 1934 Ferdinand Porshe agreed to create a Peoples Car for Hitler. There were many changes including better fuel efficiency, reliability, ease of use, and economically efficient repairs and parts. The prototypes of the car in the form of KDF-Wagen started appearing from 1936. this car had its peculiar round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. Only a handful of cars were made before the second world war started, that is in 1936. The post war existence of the Company owed to a British major Ivan Hirst. He indented to dismantle the Company and ship it to Britain as no car manufacturer was interested in the Company as it lacked the fundamental requirements. The Company survived by producing the cars for British Army. Volkswagens were first sold in America in 1949. And even though these models were universally known as Beetle, the Company never officially named it, instead it was referred as Type 1. During 1960s and 1970s the car was becoming outdated the Company introduced several Type 3 and Type 4 models. It differed from the previous models notably with the introduction of monocoque/unibody construction, the option of a fully automatic transmission, electronic fuel injection, and a sturdier power plant. In 1964, Volkswagen succeeded in purchasing Auto Union, and in 1969, Motorenwerke AG (NSU). VW ultimately merged Auto Union and NSU to create the modern day Audi company. Companys mission statement: Provide a quality product. Create a safe environment. Enhance productivity. Eco Friendliness. Volkswagen projects: The engineers at Volkswagen are constantly trying to develop new fuel efficient Models which have very less fuel emission and offer great performance. It is involved in developing many fuel efficient vehicles such as BlueMotion Models, alternate powertrain technology and supporting many other projects for environmentally sound driving. Golf BlueMotion is the example of the most fuel efficient vehicle created by them with CO2 emissions less than 107g/kg. Volkswagen is one of the company to become the member of Business and Biodiversity Initiative. Where ever possible they use recycled and recyclable materials and most eco friendly methods of construction. They are constantly working on developing vehicles which are fuel efficient and which have minimum impact on the environment. The company is engaged in many research projects relating to biotopes, the environment and protection of the species and supports research programs. Marketing Strategy: Volkswagen mainly uses Double Marketing in order to position its brand. Double marketing mainly means running multiple campaigns at different places carrying different messages simultaneously. Initially coke was the only company that tried this because of their huge Budget by engaging different ad agencies and pitting them against each other.At times there were different campaigns that were put up at the same time. But they didnt really work together. In the time period of last few months they have launched campaigns such as Unpimp my ride to prevent the modifications done by people and for design control, theobeying your fast for the GTI as well as the safe happens jarring TV ad spots for the Jetta. The Companys major emphasis is on easier availability of its products. And to make that possible it has around 44 sites all over the world. That gives them the Geographical advantage. As they can reach the demands of their customers and even provide a good after sales service through their service centres. Its major marketing strategy is branding its products into different segments of production lines. Its brands go from Skoda (economically priced family vehicles) to Rolls Royce. Use of Latest Technology: Blueprinting is the latest technology used by them. Blueprinting is the science of engine rebuilding. At times the engine becomes rigid and there is often disturbance during the start of the engine. This is due to incorrect shimming, vibration from poorly balanced cranks, rough low speed running from valve clearances being too large, so generally speaking there is a lot of room for improvement. Careful measuring, fitting and balancing are the main steps involved in Blueprinting. This enhances the performance of the engine providing fuel economy and dependability. In simple words the engine becomes brand new. After Blueprinting the Gear shifting feels very positive and the vibrations will be nullified aiding Longitivity. Volkswagens Closest Competitors: Ford, Toyota, Mercedes and General Motors are the major competitors. Out of which Volkswagen claims that Toyota is its major competitors. Company Sales Revenue (Year 2008) Loss (%) General Motors $148,979Billion 8% Ford $146277Billion  Ã‚  Ã‚   11% Mercedes $23.8Billion 7% Toyota $204352Billion 8% Volkswagen made a profit of about 1.2 Billion in the year 2008. Their sales revenue was 113.808 BLN SWOT Analysis: Volkswagen AG Strengths Strong Market Share: As it leads the continent as the number one car maker, it holds a strong reputation in the market. Due to this its stock value cannot be brought down easily. Strong RD Activities: This is a major advantage over its competitors. They are always inquisitive of finding some alternate technology which make vehicles more fuel efficient and decrease the emissions ensuring a better environment. Strong Brand Equity: It holds a strong brand value as people are aware of each and every Brand owned by them. And those stand among the top brands amongst others in the industry. Geographic Diversification: As it has 44 sites all over the world, it can meet up the demand of the consumers over every product. Strong Growth Prospects: They should continue to live up to the reputation created by them in the Automotive industry. Volkswagen AG Weakness Limited Liquidity Position: As they have a huge capital invested in Research and development and promoting other projects they have limited liquidity position. Declining Market Share in Sector Volkswagen AG Opportunities Strategic Alliances: Volkswagen from the very beginning started forming alliances with other companies. The Brand such as Audi was formed by merging of Volkswagen with Auto Union and Nsu. Demand for Fuel Efficient and Hybrid Vehicles: There has always been an increase in demand of better fuel efficient vehicles with very low emissions. So if they continue to meet the demands through their Research and development they can survive in the emerging market. Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets: Using their knowledge and efficiency in finding new technology which can be used in the engines, for example Blueprinting technology, they can always have a strong position in the market. Volkswagen AG Threats Intense Competition: There are many companies which are providing a good competition in terms of market share. Last year Volkswagen claimed that Toyota is its biggest competitor. Global Economic Slow Down: Due to recession there has been a very stiff competition among the companies as there has been very limited demand in the automobile sector. Stricter Emission Standards: Due to the advancement of technology there has been a demand of very low emissions and to some extent the companies have been able to meet up the demand, so the emission standards get stricter and stricter each time a new technology comes up. Conclusion: Volkswagen is successful mainly because of manufacturing automobile parts, rather than waiting for the manufacture of a new car and launching it. Most of the major brands that they own were purchased by them. People were to some extent aware of those brands. But they did not hold much bigger market value. References: Volkswagen Chronicle Volkswagen Beetle History 1938 to 2003 Jpost.com www.rememusem.com Volkswagens American assembly plant Rumors.automobilemag.com Companiesandmarkets.com Corporate information snapshots IBISWorld Institute for Sustainability and Technology Polic Articlesbase/Volkswagen Gti, Automobile Magazines Car of the Year CJS Racing South West http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1161/volkswagen-steals-toyotas-crown-as-worlds-largest-automaker/ Was Hitlers Beetle designed by a Jew? | Jewish Features | Jerusalem Post. Jpost.com. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251804553863pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull. Retrieved 2009-10-07. Volkswagen to Shut U.S. Plant. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE7D6113DF932A15752C1A961948260. Retrieved 2008-05-17. VW picks Tenn. for its 1st US car plant since 88. Bloomberg News Volkswagen to take a 42.0 percent stake in Porsche AG. Taume News. 2009-08-14. http://news.taume.com/World-Business/Business-Finance/Volkswagen-to-take-a-42-0-percent-stake-in-Porsche-AG-11861. Retrieved 2009-01-22. Todd Kaho (2007-10-01). Volkswagen Pushes for Development of Clean Diesels. Green Car Journal. http://www.greencar.com/articles/volkswagen-pushes-development-clean-diesels.php. Retrieved 2009-04-19. VW revs up its clean-diesel technologies. Oct.11, 2007, mlive.com May 3, 2008

The Italian Renaissance Art Period Film Studies Essay

The Italian Renaissance Art Period Film Studies Essay   The Renaissance was a cultural movement that started in Italy at the beginning of the 1400s and lasted approximately 200 years. The Renaissance period was considered a transition period from the medieval age into Early Modern Europe. The Italian Renaissance was characterized by a shift in several cultural areas, from literature to politics to religion. During the Renaissance, Italian art underwent major artistic changes from the medieval period. The Italian Renaissance became one of the most productive and innovative time periods in the industry of art in painting, sculpture and architecture. Raphael, Michelangelo and Da Vinci were the key figures that were responsible for bringing about the significant changes in themes, styles and perspective of Italian art from the medieval period. Although the cultural changes in areas such as religion, literature, and sciences were considered significant contributions to the Renaissance period, the most innovative and notable changes were ma de in the Italian art, which had taken a back seat in the middle ages because of the political unrest that was going on in Europe. Given the overwhelming changes and revival of the arts, Italian art had the most significant impact in the Renaissance that ultimately resulted in the re-birth of Europe. The late Middle Ages period which has been defined as the time period between the 1300s and early 1400s was a difficult and trying time for Europe. During this time period, Europe went through a great famine caused by severe weather conditions as well as the bubonic plague (Black Death) in the late 1340s. (C pg 534). Both of these tragedies took a huge toll in human life. In addition to these two tragedies, Europe was also dealing with social unrest, warfare and the challenges facing the Catholic Church. The arts were not deemed significantly important during these challenging times and not much advances were made in this field. However, as the end of the 14th century approached, a movement was beginning to emerge in the arts and sciences in Italy. The most obvious changes during the Renaissance period were seen in painting and sculptures. Prior to the Renaissance, most of the Italian art revolved around religious subjects and themes. However, during the Renaissance, artists started to experiment with creating non-religious subjects such as creating portraits of living persons instead of just saints. Artists became more comfortable with developing their own individual styles and challenged themselves to be innovative and try new techniques. Painters began to place more focus on the humanistic aspects of life and implemented various new techniques, including humanism and perspective, sfumato, chiaroscuro, fresco and foreshortening in order to achieve their objective of realism. Realism became a popular characteristic of Italian Renaissance. Anatomy also became of particular interest to many of the Italian Renaissance artists. The artists were also interested in depicting the human form that mirrored real life. For the first time , Renaissance artists were producing art in Italy that reflected the real world. Painters used form, color, proportion, light, shade composition and anatomy to depict human nature and reality into their artistic work creating images of real people with expressions and emotions. The Italian Renaissance was highlighted by three separate periods, each of which contained distinct aspects that contributed to the cultural re-birth of Europe. The three periods of the Renaissance were the Early Renaissance (beginning of the 1400 to late 1400s), High Renaissance (Late 1400s to early 1500s) and Late Renaissance (early 1500s to 1600). The period of the Renaissance was led by a number of artists who were intelligent, innovative and ready to delve into a new art form. The first period, known as the Early Renaissance, took place during the early 15th century. Early Renaissance art was heavily influenced by Donatello, an Italian artist and sculptor and Masaccio, an Italian painter who scholars often refer to as the leading innovator in early fifteenth century painting. (C pg 601) Donatellos artistic style and works represent the significant facets of Early Renaissance time period. Donatellos bronze statue of David, considered to be his most famous work of art, depicts a common theme of the era. David is representative of a hero, which became a staple of early renaissance art. Heroes, which were a popular aspect of the humanist movement, were commonly portrayed in works of art during this the Early Renaissance. Donatellos earlier work also depicted the idea of youthfulness which was also another popular aspect of the humanist movement. Donatello utilized the technique of bronzing, and was notorious for his bronze pieces of art, such as his life size statue of David. David also displayed a new Renaissance style that is evident in both the classical nudity and the use of the classical contrapposto (twist of the hips), as well as the boldness of interpretation. Many of Donatellos sculptures are considered breakthroughs. For example, the statue of David was the first nude statute of the Renaissance (C pg 612). Another statue of Donatello, Gattamelata (the equestrian statute of Erasmo de Narni), is considered to be one of the best proportioned sculptures ever created. (C pg 618). Donatello, who was considered to be a very keen observer of human life and behavior, was able to portray different types of figures in his work and make it them look very realistic. One of Donatellos remarkable achievements was his ability to move forward the naturalistic illusion and classical idealism in sculpture. (C pg 593). Donatello also created science of perspective through the use of bas-relief or low relief in his work where the image is projected with a shallow overall depth which allows for exploitation of perspective and obtain a dramatic effect. The earliest example of the use of relief is the base of the statute of Saint George, which is decorated with a relief of Saint George and the Dragon. In the bronze relief panel of Feast of Herod, Donatello uses central perspective space for the first time which allows for intensifying the actions and characterizations of the subjects and makes them look real. (B pg 36-37).Donatellos incorporation of Greek classical principles was evident in the marble statute of Saint Mark. In this sculpture, Donatello took a fundamental step toward displaying motion in the human figure by recognizing the principle of weight shift and stresses the movement of the arms, legs, shoulders and hips. (C pg 599) Masaccio, one of Donatellos counterparts, was considered the best painter of the Early Renaissance. He showed a great skill at recreating life-like figures and movements. Scholars often identify Masaccio as the leading innovator in early 15th century painting. Most art historians acknowledge that no other painter in history has contributed so much to the development of a new style in such a short a time as Masaccio. Masaccio was also a master of fresco technique. The frescoes Masaccio painted in Florence provide excellent examples of his innovations. One of his greatest contributions to art of fresco painting was the use of light and dark instead of lines to represent figures in his paintings which was depicted in the . (A pg 157 )He was also one of the first to use something called linear perspective in his painting using the vanishing point technique. In the painting Tribute Money, Masaccio uses chiaroscuro, an art form that uses strong contrast between light and dark to give the i llusion of deep structural relief. (C pg 603) During his career, Masaccio transformed the direction of Italian painting, by moving it away from the idealizations of Gothic art, and, for the first time, presenting it as part of a more profound, natural, and humanist world 605) The next period of the Renaissance that influenced the cultural re-birth is known as the High Renaissance. The High Renaissance lasted from the late 15th century to about 1520. The most influential artists of this time of the High Renaissance period were Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably the most renowned artist in all of art history, made great, if not the greatest, contributions to the re-birth. Da Vinci often used religious themes in his paintings, which was reflective of the time and the impact religion had during this time period. During the High Renaissance time period, the Church was going through major changes as a result of the Protestant Reformation that was underway. The Protestant Reformation, which established the Protestant church in reaction to the corruption of the Catholic Church, also helped bring about the counter-reformation which established the Inquisition. The Inquisition established rules of visual imagery in the arts and tried to enforce these rules. This common theme of religion was represented throughout a majority of Leonardos paintings including two of his most famous ones, The Last Supper and Saint Jerome. The Last Supper depicted the image of Jesus and his 12 apostles seated at the altar, with Jesus in the ce nter, breaking bread. This scene is representative of when Jesus informs the apostles he has been betrayed by one of them. In this painting, Da Vinci portrayed a common theme of Italian Renaissance art, humanism. Humanism placed more emphasis on Man and less stress on God. In The Last Supper painting, Da Vinci placed more of an emphasis on Jesus Christ by placing him in the center of the painting, focusing the attention on him. Humanism attempted to attach faces or visual beings to religion, which is why there was such a rise in paintings of religious figures such as evangelists and saints. In Saint Jerome, once again the theme of religion can be seen along with the humanistic view of the time period. Saint Jerome is as close as Da Vinci came in a painting to his numerous anatomical drawings. These were a logical development of the Classical revival and the humanist view of mens centrality, beauty of form and superior intellect. In the painting, Saint Jerome is shown holding a rock with which he appears prepared to strike the lion with, showing mans dominance over animals. Saint Jerome is also very detailed which furthers the emphasis placed on man. The detail and realistic view that Da Vinci places in his art is another popular characteristic of Italian Renaissance art known as realism. Italian Renaissance artists, not just Da Vinci, all strived to attain greater realism in their works of art. Unlike the art of the 13th and early 14th centuries, the art of the Italian Renaissance appeared far more realistic. Art strayed away from the flat, stiff images of the previous ages, to more life-like figures that displayed real emotions. In order to produce this greater realism in art, artists such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael all used a technique known as sfumato, which literally means lost in smoke. Sfumato was an artistic technique that uses light and shade to place emphasis and some areas and defer it from other areas of lesser importance. Humanistic artists used this technique to aid in the emphasis of man in their paintings. Da Vinci combined the sfumato technique with his skill with chiaroscuro and perspective to create the mysterious smile in his most famous portrait, Mona Lisa. Michelangelo is another Italian Renaissance artist whose artistic themes and style contributed to the Renaissance being known as a period of re-birth. Michelangelo, like Da Vinci and many other artists of this time period, took a humanistic approach to his art work. Michelangelo was interested in definite form, and the human body alone seemed worthy of representation. Michelangelo aimed primarily for concentration and precise details, similar to Da Vinci, and attempted to capture emotion with every stroke of the brush. For example, in Michelangelos sculpture of David, David is depicted not with an emotionless expression on his face. Instead, David is shown with a very detailed anger, as he prepares to face Goliath, in their infamous showdown. Michelangelo is also notable for his use of the contrapposto pose, which was also reflected in the sculptures of Donatello in the Early Renaissance. One of Michelangelos famous works in which he uses the contrapposto pose, which once again is th e twisting of the hips, is his Bacchus. Bacchus is sculpted nude with a glass of wine in hand, which is representative of the fact that Bacchus is the Greek god of wine and intoxication. (Need Notation from your book) Michelangelo was not only a brilliant sculpture but also a great painter whose work was a major contributor to the Renaissance. The paints on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel are one of the most famous artwork that was created during the Renaissance. Although Michelangelo has studied painting, sculpture was where his interest was. At the request of Julius II, he agreed to paint the Sistine Chapel even though painting was not his profession. His inexperience along with the magnitude of the project were going to be a challenge, but a challenge that he quickly overcame because of his innate talents and desire to produce exceptional work. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an enormous fresco depicting various passages from the Book of Genesis including the Creation of Adam in the ceiling and the Last Judgment at the alter. Similar to his sculptures, his paintings also focus on the human figure and its natural beauty. (C pg 648-651) Raphael, the youngest of the three great contributors to High Renaissance at, was an Italian painter and architect. Raphaels work took the artistic innovations that had been developed by Da Vinci and Michelangelo and created his own style in depicting the ideals of the Renaissance.(C pg 654) The School of Athens, one of Raphaels most famous paintings, displays the classical spirit of the High Renaissance. This painting along with three others completed along the walls of the Stanza della Segnatura room, which was the library in the papal apartment at the Vatican, show great philosophers and scientists of the ancient word coming together to discuss their theories and ideas.. Aristotle and Plato, the two great philosophers of ancient Greece, are portrayed as the key figures in these paintings. (C pg 653) In line with the realism theme of this time period, the figures in Raphaels paintings are known for their display of realistic emotions. Another characteristic of Raphaels work was the perfection and grace that he portrayed in his paintings and drawings. A theme throughout Raphaels work is the Christian devotion and pagan beauty. This theme is brought out in his series of Madonna paintings where Christian devotion and pagan beauty are brought together. In one of Raphaels best frescoes, Galatea, which Raphael based on ancient Roman poet Orvids Metamorphoses, the pagan joy and excitement is displayed praising human beauty and passionate love. (C pg 656) Raphael also excelled at portraiture. The subjects of his portraits were primarily scholars and courtiers surrounding the Pope. His portraits tended to exhibit the increasing attention that High Renaissance artists paid to the subjects personality and psyche. In addition, Raphael also revived the gods and heroes of classical times and the world they lived in, not to honor them but to transform them into art. (C pg 656) The Late Renaissance period experienced a slow down in the arts. A number of factors including political instability, the preachings of Martin Luther leading many to question the authority of the Church, and especially the Churchs response to the Luthers Protestant Reformation put a freeze on any type of Renaissance innovation. In order to protect itself against further criticism, the Church started to censor literary or artistic ambitions. The Late Renaissance movement which became known as Mannerism, represents the winding down of the Renaissance period and a departure from the ideals of the High Renaissance. The mannerist paintings, sculptures and architecture decided to challenge rules of the Renaissance and change them to a certain extent. The rules of perspective, nudity, and lighting that were developed during the High Renaissance were pushed to the side. Instead the artists of Mannerism opted to create art that showed elegance and beauty but not really realistic. (C pg 673-675) The three pioneers of Mannerism were Pontormo, Fiorentino and Bronzino. During this period, artists shifted from the realistic forms of the art completed in the High Renaissance to a more artificial form with distortions and exaggerations. In contrast to the natural, calm, and proportional art of the High Renaissance, Mannerism art was full of bizarre colors and images where figures are shown with abnormally elongated limbs and strange poses. (C pg 673-674). For example, in one of his paintings, Lamentation, Pontormo distorts the figures bodies by stretching them, exaggerating their postures and applying unreal colors. Mannerist painters also used portraiture to create sophisticated elegance.(C pg 676) Mannerism was not limited to painting. It also included sculpture and architecture. Benvenuto Cellini, a mannerist sculptor, tended to exaggerate the characteristics of his work in accordance with the rules of mannerism. This was evident in his sculpture of Genius of Fontainebleau. Similar to the Mannerism paintings, the characteristics of the sculptures also exaggerated and out of proportion.(C pg 678) The Renaissance was a period of incredible achievements and innovations in the arts. A few artists with exceptional talent, an amazing level of imagination and an ability to express themselves through their work, changed the world of art forever in a relatively short period of time. They took advantage of the opportunity that history had given them to put man and the human figure at the center of their work. The Renaissance was a time of great artistic development where painters and sculptors were discovering individualism, harmony, perspective and realism in their portrayal of human being. The Renaissance began relatively slow during the Early Renaissance but sprang into full gear during the High Renaissance waned during the Late Renaissance. Although the Renaissance was a period of major achievements in literature, philosophy and the sciences, the most dramatic accomplishments were achieved in the Arts. This period of rebirth is most and foremost associated with the artistic accomplishments of Masaccio, Donatello, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. The High Renaissance represented an outstanding pool of talent that surfaced in the same area around the same time. These artists were individual geniuses who combined classical work and realism to transform the art. They took the flat and stiff images from the previous periods and converted them into more life-like figures that displayed emotion and reality. Italian artists and sculptors were innovative, creative, ambitious, and bold. They dared to go above and beyond to achieve their goals and were determined to achieve greatness in their field. As a result of the extraordinary artistic accomplishments, Italian art had the most significant impact in the Renaissance that brought about the re-birth of Europe.

Prescience, Genetic Memory, and Personal Identity in Frank Herberts Dune Trilogy :: Frank Herbert Dune

Prescience, Genetic Memory, and Personal Identity in Frank Herbert's Dune Trilogy "Any road followed precisely to its end leads precisely nowhere.   Climb the mountain just a little bit to test that it's a mountain.   From the top of the mountain, you cannot see the mountain"(Herbert, Dune 68). –Bene Gesserit Proverb Ben Bova begins his liner notes on Frank Herbert Reads his God Emperor of Dune (Excerpts) by stating that "All truly great art shares this characteristic: the more you study it, the more it reveals" (Herbert).   Although it refers specifically to the fourth book in the Dune Chronicles, his statement also applies to the trilogy that precedes it–Dune, Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune.   Herbert's "polyphonic" work contains themes on so many levels (ecology, politics, war, philosophy, religion, and technology, just to name a few), that it soon becomes difficult to separate one from the other.   The topic of human awareness, however, takes on a specific tone and special level of importance above all the others.   Whether looking at the Bene Gesserit sisterhood and their political intrigues and planning, or the Mentat's historical role as the human computer 1 , filing away and analyzing countless bits of data, human awareness somehow always becomes a focus.   Even in th e economics of the work, where the "coin of the realm," the spice melange, is able not only to extend human life, but also to open up both past and future to the properly prepared mind, does this theme become evident. With all of his attention on the awareness of humanity, however, Herbert had more common and more difficult questions on his mind.   By creating a character, Paul Atreides, who is able to see not only into the future, but also into the past lives that made up his long list of ancestors, the questions of personal and societal identity are brought forward.   These powers, which Herbert refers to as "prescience" and "genetic memory," respectively, give Paul so much knowledge that he is no longer able to function as an individual.   He finds himself limited to certain actions because he knows the outcomes.   Once on top of the mountain, so to speak, he can no longer see where he stands.   In turn, Paul's son Leto II and daughter Ghanima, as well as his sister Alia, are also forced to deal with the issues of such knowledge in the entirely different light of "Abomination," a condition that befalls those whose inherited memories are unearthed before they are born.

Senior Citizens Should Give Retirement to Family to End Recession :: Economics Economy

Retirees over the age of sixty two in the United States are estimated by an independent financial survey to be sitting on over one trillion dollars in total assets. That money mostly lies in financial institutions gathering interest while needy family members suffer impatiently waiting for the day when it will be their inheritance. But not all seniors are that callous, they give away their money to loved ones before they die. There is no better way for the elderly to show that they care. Those that do can enjoy the pleasure of watching their money being spent. It is a joy that they would never experience if they waited until their death. The country is in a recession that could be ended by an influx of spending money. The economic stimulus money that will be received by tax payers during the summer months will help but it is not enough. More money is needed. The economy would improve and the recession ended if the trillion dollars held by seniors was spent. It is up to them to end the recession in a loving way. Immediate handing over of their unneeded assets to loved ones would cause a spending spree the nation has never witnessed before. It would put the unemployed back to work and end home foreclosures. I am sure if our elderly realized their power to help they would quickly respond. I had a close friend who suffered with a nervous disorder all of his life. He lived with the help of a government welfare program which just gave him enough to survive. His parents were millionaires in the real estate business and owned at least twenty apartment houses. They let their son live rent free in one of them. But they gave him nothing more. I spoke with him many times over the years and listened to his complaints. He had little to eat and was lonely. The only hope he had was that one day his parents would die and leave him with their millions. They both were dead when he reached the age of seventy two but the money was left to his two sisters and their children. All he inherited was the right to continue living rent free. I never witnessed such cruelty. Many seniors are sitting on more money than they need while family members no longer living with them are destitute or have financial problems.

Edna and Conformity in Chopin’s The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakenin

Edna and Conformity in Chopin’s The Awakening The passage of The Awakening which truly marks Edna Pontellier’s new manner of thought regarding her life revolves around her remembrance of a day of her childhood in Kentucky. She describes the scene to Madame Ratigonelle as the two women sit on the beach one summer day. The passage opens with a description of the sea and the sky on that particular day. This day and its components are expressed in lethargic terms such as â€Å"idly† and â€Å"motionless† and suggested a scene of calm sleep. Such a depiction establishes an image of serenity and tranquility, in other words the calm before the storm which derives from Edna’s â€Å"awakening.† As the passage continues Madame Ratigonelle asks Edna â€Å"of whom- of what are you thinking?† It is of interest to point out that she initially inquires â€Å"of whom† as if to impose her knowledge on Edna that she believes Edna may be thinking of a particular person such as Robert. Edna answers â€Å"Nothing,† but then catches herself in an answer that comes from simple habit and decides to retrace her thoughts. She rememb...

Carpool: Automobile and Transportation Options Essay

For many Frederick County residents, commuting 1-2 hours a day to get to and from their DC area jobs is the norm. According to one Washington Post poll, â€Å"Washington-area residents spend nearly twice as long getting to work as people in the rest of the nation. They also get stuck in traffic jams three times more often than commuters in the rest of the country† (Ginsburg). Yet, most commuters in our area still prefer to drive themselves to work. When weighing the option to either drive yourself to work or carpool, it would be smart to consider the benefits and drawbacks of both, as well as to take an inventory of how each option fits your priorities, goals, and preferences. A carpool is made up of two or more people who share a ride. The obvious benefits of carpooling include reduced traffic congestion and improved air quality; while some of the more personal benefits of carpooling are: being able to relax or read while someone else drives, saving on the cost of gas, reducing wear and tear on your vehicle, and obtaining possible discounts on auto insurance (â€Å"Transportation Options†). It is also most likely to be faster, cheaper, cleaner, and less crowded than public transportation (Zimmerman). Recently, the Internet has made it easier to connect with locals that want to share a ride. Disadvantages of carpooling may include: having to ride with strangers (or putting yourself out there and making the effort to meet new people), not having the freedom to run errands on the way home if needed, and having to remember carpool etiquette (Zimmerman). People sharing rides typically live and/or work near each other and have a similar work schedule – which could be difficult to arrange (Yeager). One disadvantage of being a carpool driver is the potential legal action from passengers in the case of an accident. Although most metropolitan area carpool organizations these days offer a â€Å"guaranteed ride home† service of some sort (â€Å"Transportation Options†), you would need to find alternate transportation on a day when your carpool driver is sick or on vacation. Driving one’s own vehicle, the preferred method of getting where you need to go for decades now, has plenty of its own advantages and disadvantages of course. Advantages of driving yourself include: being in control of where you go and at what speed, the ability to have a conversation on speaker phone (hands-free, mind you) without having to worry about annoying or offending other passengers, and the ability to listen to your own music at whichever volume you desire. An article on Associated Content, a news Website for Yahoo, suggests that drivers may also choose their car over ride sharing because of conflicting schedules, unpredictable overtime, long hours, sudden demands and unexpected deadlines (Nyholm). One of the biggest disadvantages of commuting in your own car is the cost. The average cost of owning and operating a vehicle in 2009 was 54 cents per mile, or over $14,000 per year, according to AAA’s 2009 Edition of Driving Costs as listed on the Commuter Connections Website (â€Å"Transportation Options†). Even so, owning and driving a vehicle is somewhat of an American standard and a right of passage. Driving is a responsibility people take on with a sense of pride. Edward McDonagh, a Sociology professor who served as dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Ohio State University, was once quoted as saying â€Å"The car has become a secular sanctuary for the individual, his shrine to the self, his mobile Walden Pond† (â€Å"Driving Quotes†). People love their cars so much that they are willing to keep on driving despite the expense, the high volume of traffic, and the adverse effects it may have on the planet. Carpooling is definitely more earth-friendly, while driving is obviously more self-satisfying for a multitude of reasons. It is important to think about where your priorities lie – whether or not you want to make more of an effort to go green, help reduce rush hour congestion, or save a little money and wear and tear on your car; or whether your life dictates that you have the freedom to come and go as you please. When deciding whether or not carpooling is right for you, it makes sense to explore each option, to compare all of the advantages and disadvantages of both driving yourself and carpooling, and to think about which best fits your lifestyle.