Sunday, April 26, 2020

Management in Coca Cola Company

Introduction Technology has turned the world into a global village. The world has been turned into a single large market that offers limitless opportunities to various multi-nationals. This limitless opportunity comes with limitless uncertainties in equal measure.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Management in Coca Cola Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The global market, large as it is, is as varied as its size. A customer in location A may require a product that is exactly opposite to the requirements of customer at location B. If this particular company operates in both locations, then it must respond to the varying needs in a manner that would leave both the customers satisfied. The current world market has customers who are well informed. They know exactly what to expect from the products they purchase. This has seen many firms give quality a priority. Firms are assuming market orientation to their production. The customers’ needs determine what the firm produces and how it produces it. This brings to focus, the issue of Total Quality Management. Kitazawa and Sarkis (2000) define Total Quality Management as an integrated organizational effort designed to improve quality at every level. This means that quality is not a preserve of any department, but a duty of all the departments in any organization. Coca Cola Company manufactures soft drinks that have many close substitutes in the market. The level of competition in this industry is so stiff that any slight customer dissatisfaction can have devastating effects to the company. This company experienced technological mismatch in its top management operating overseas. The company for a long time preferred to maintain the employees at the top brass. This has seen the company limited to individuals who are less technologically advanced. With the changes brought about by technology, this company had to restructure its ma nagement to reflect on these changes. It is in so doing that it could successfully achieve the specifications of Total Quality Management. Analysis of the Organization’s Concern and its Response Coca Cola Company was concerned with their declining sales volume in some of its overseas markets. Research revealed that the root cause of this was the failure of the management to integrate technology into their system.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The research further reported that the reason for this slow response to technology was caused by the fact that those who were to effect the technological changes had limited knowledge about the same. These individual could not withstand the pressures that was being exerted by these changes and therefore preferred to stick to the old ways of doing things. A case in point was that the aging staffs were not able to apprec iate the potentials of the social media. They regarded it as a forum where ‘lazy’ youths would go to burn their time as they discuss matters irrelevant to development. This view was highly misplaced. The highest percentage of consumers of this brand’s product is the youth. When on the playing ground, at school, at home or even on tour with friends, this group will always require a drink to ‘keep them away from thirst’. With emergence of social networks like Tweeter, Facebook, Flirk, You Tube and others, this attractive segment can easily be accessed online. Facebook has a staggering 500 million users across the world. You Tube has 400 million users. Tweeter and others make up to another 500 million users (Treadaway, 2010). It therefore becomes very disturbing if a management can fail to realize the potential that such networks offer. With the fact that other competitors like Pepsi are actively using this media, the management had all the reasons to w orry. Tom Peters in his Chaos theory argues that global events are chaotic and random and this is directly reflected in the organization systems. This theory suggests that the world is so full of paradox and some unpredictable changes that management must always be prepared to deal with them in a manner that the effect will be positive to the firm. Technology has brought with it many of such changes that management must restructure its systems to match the changes. Social media is one such change. Failure to act to its presence would translate to the loss of the opportunities that comes with it (Treadaway, 2010). The consequence that this failure to act may bring is so great that a company like Coca Cola may not afford. According to this theory, if such a situation is not arrested in time, it will lead to a complete breakdown of the system and that may be the end of that particular firm.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Management in Coca Cola Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is upon this backdrop that Coca Cola was forced to act on its management for it was clear that it was unable to arrest the situation and save the company from the looming danger. The company therefore had to restructure this staff. It recalled some staff members back to its headquarters in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia. In their places, young, innovative and creative individuals who were techno-servy took their places. In other regions, the young individuals were incorporated into the management systems alongside the older generation. The aim was very clear; change the perspective with which the company viewed technology. They had to restructure the company to reflect the new demands of the social media. They did this in line with Henri Fayol’s administrative theory. This theory put focus squarely on the management. He argued that management’s role revolved around planning, coordinating, co ntrolling, commanding and organizing. According to Fayol, organizations must follow the five principles in the normal running of it activities. For this reason therefore, the management must be in a position to forecast in order to plan for what is to be done. The planning stage is the most important of all the stages. The other stages will only be successful if the management was able to focus and come up with appropriate plan to counter some of the changes that come in the external environment. The older generation failed to forecast the potential of the social media and for this reason, failed to plan for it. The top management therefore brought in young individuals who were able to understand the social media as they were part of it. This lot was able to successfully understand the social media and planning was therefore much easier. With proper planning, implementing other aspects of management becomes much easier. This group has done a wonderful job on this front. The company entered Facebook in 2008. It created its wall and invited as many friends as possible. From this wall, the company can share with their customers information that is relevant to its operation. Customers are able to comment directly to the firm on their feeling about the brands offering in the market. They are able to inform the management of their expectations, and some of the changes they feel should be done on the products. On the other hand, the company can now reach its clients at a considerably faster rate through Facebook. It can now afford to introduce some of its new products through it and be sure that the message will be received by the target market.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More So interactive is this social media that it allows for a direct communication between the firm and the users. Unlike the mass media, which is a one way fixed mode of message delivering, this media allows the customer to respond to the company’s message, whether to appreciate or to criticize the company’s offering. With this, the company is able to know exactly what a customer in Russian market expects, and how this expectation is different from that of a customer in a sub Saharan market in Africa because the two regions have opposing temperature rates. This has been so successful that the firm was rated the best brand on Facebook, beating other giant brands like Disney. The brand is estimated to reach out to about 30 million customers across the world by using Facebook alone (Treadaway 2010). This network has seen it identify so well with the youth that this group feels part of the brand. The management has successfully introduced itself to this community as a member. With this, its product is seen by this community as their (community’s) product that should be promoted through a continued purchase. This has seen the firm cut on the cost conducting research. The company’s researchers can sit on their computers at company’s headquarters and gather the information they need from the customers on Facebook. They can pose questions to them in structured manner on their Facebook wall. The respondent will post their response on this wall where the researcher can easily access them. This increases the ability of the firm to make a thorough screening of the data and respond to the views posted. In his motion study theory, Gilbreth suggests that a firm is able to increase its efficiency by reducing the rate of motion of its staff. The company applied this theory with the help of Facebook. Its research team did not require moving in the 209 countries across the world where the firm operates. It only needs this staff seated behind a Face book enabled computer to gather and analyze data from various regions in the world. Having experienced success with the Facebook, this group of managers went further to incorporate You Tube into their system. Unlike Facebook, You Tube enabled the firm to use graphics. The company prepared commercials akin to the television commercials and delivered them to customers through You Tube. Its most recent commercial dubbed ‘open happiness’ on You Tube has received a lot of praise from many quarters. The company went a great length to prepare the advert and its features and mode of presentation is a clear indication that the new management clearly understands the requirements of the new social order brought about by changes in technology. The brand has its presence on Tweeter, Flirk and other social Medias. This strategy has seen the firm double its sales. The new management is so sensitive about Total Quality Management that it leaves nothing to chance. They believe in the fa ct that quality starts in the mind. First, the production system must appreciate and maintain quality in all their operations. The final product will automatically bear this and the next move will be to instill this quality in the minds of the consumers (Andrzej, 2007). To achieve TQM in its operations, the firm’s management has realized that every department in the company counts. All the department are related in a way that the firm is turned into a system with a number of co-related wheels. The new management has given a new face to the way the firm view the social media. It is no longer stereotyped as before. The management sees it as an opportunity to expand its borders and reach out to those markets it had not. The system approach theory postulates that a system is a collection of parts unified to accomplish an overall goal. The theory goes ahead to state that if one part of the system is removed, the nature of the system is changed as well. This is the case in Coca Col a. When it restructured its management and incorporated a group of young individuals who were flexible to the changes brought about by technology, it gave a redefinition to the company’s overall method of operation. The brand Coca Cola was recently ranked one of the best brands, valued at 68.3 billion U.S. dollars. Its closest competitor, Pepsi Cola is no longer as serious a threat as it was in early nineties. Literature Review A number of scholars have done research and reported the increasing inability of some companies to adapt to the changes brought about by the dynamics in technology. Garvin (1988) argued that quality should be given an outward in approach. When implementing environmental changes, a firm should first determine the requirements of the environment before it considers making outputs. He says that market is always characterized by unpredictability. The suddenness with which these changes come, calls for the management to be very flexible. If this flexibility lacks in the management, then the firm can easily be edged out of the market. Such was the challenge Coca Cola Company faced. It had to navigate through the new and very sensitive ‘waters’ brought by technology. The world was turned into a single market place. This market is so small that a shopper can easily access it from the comfort of his house. The social media is a change that must be managed if a firm is to realize the benefits that come with it. Zimmerman and Schueler (1996) suggest that customers always rate their levels of satisfaction. When his or her expectations are met and exceeded, such a customer will be thrilled. They will be good ambassadors to the firm. However, for this to be possible, the firm must understand the changes that the market experiences. They propose that customer survey should be conducted among customers in order to know what such customers value. It is only through this that a firm may proclaim to be implementing Total Quality Manage ment standards in its operations (Del et al., 2005) The older generation at Coca Cola failed to understand that the most important market segment had moved to the social media and that they valued this form of communication. Looking down upon the social media would be like failing to realize what they valued. This limits the ability of the firm to succeed in the market. Wayne and Hoyer (2008) appreciate the benefits that the social media has brought to the contemporary world of business. They say that since its inception on fourth of February 2004, Facebook has completely changed the communication sector. With cell phones becoming a necessity among individuals, business units keen on reaching the market cannot neglect this form of communication. The two says that many organizations at first did not think that such social networks had potential to redefine communication in a completely new form. For this reason, they did not incorporate it into their strategic plans. However, such fi rms soon realized that this form of communication brought with it limitless opportunities that could not be ignored. Coca Cola realized this and had to take appropriate and timely actions that could see it tap from this new technology. Kimmel (2007) asserts that fashion changes at an unpredictable rates. According to him, management in any field that is related to fashions and lifestyle must always be ready to manage such changes. It should be on high alert to detect any slight change in the market. This may require it to have in place; structures that will enable it detect such changes so that its actions will be timely. He supports Wayne and Hoyer on the fact that social media has brought with it opportunities that firms should consider tapping from. He articulates that social media is at the heart of lifestyle. With inception of such social networks like You Tube, marketing must be restructured in a way that it responds to this technology. This company realized this and acted app ropriately and this has enabled it remain relevant in the market. Considerations Coca Cola Company considered a number of facts before deciding on how to restructure its operations. The main issue was that the then management could not implement technological demands at the rate that was desirable. The top management was specifically worried of the fact that this group of managers had failed to tap from the opportunity that Facebook and other similar social networks brought with it. This was making this opportunity turn into a threat as other competitors were readjusting their marketing systems to reflect on this. It therefore considered replacing most of its top managements with individuals who were able to act appropriately to the demands of technology. The firm appreciated the importance of experience. Because of this, it retained some top management officials abroad. This was done to ensure that the transition was implemented in a smooth manner, taking into account some of the d esirable traditions of the company. The actions of the company were timely and the result was good. However, the company should have taken into consideration the fact that their brand is consumed across the ages. Most of the commercial that this firm currently produces are directed to the youth. Inasmuch as they are wonderfully put, with captions that would attract everyone’s attention, they are not all inclusive. The aging group cannot identify with these commercials. This market segment makes a substantial percentage of the brand’s total sales. Moreover, this is the segment with money, and therefore are the decision makers on what to purchase. Giving them a blackout in the commercials could have negative impacts to the firm’s total sales. Another segment of the market left out by most of these commercial are the minors. They may not be able to identify with most of the commercials. For instance, the wonderfully structured commercial dubbed ‘open happines s’ pays no attention to the fact that a child may also need to be happy. Carson (2008) says that children below the age of 14 are the major initiators of a family’s purchase. For this reason, these commercials should be designed to capture their attention as well. Conclusion Management has experienced structural changes over the years, from a time when it was viewed as a simple role of directing other factors of production, to the current view of managing systems. These systems are both internally based within the firm, or are found in the external environment. Ability to manage the internal factors is currently not enough for a firm to succeed in the market. Consumers are getting increasingly knowledgeable, and with this knowledge come increased demands. This has seen many management units apply Total Quality Management as a way through which it can manage customers’ demands. There has been an increasing need for this management to incorporate the changes that come with technology. This has seen Coca Cola Company restructure its management in line with the technological demands. This company has successfully entered the social media with the help of its new management unit. Currently, it is ranked one of the highest users of it. The result of this entry is positive. The company can now reach the targeted population much easily. The management is very flexible to technological changes and this has seen it maintain its market lead over competitors like Pepsi Cola. Recommendations Coca Cola Company was able to navigate through the turbulent waters that were brought about by technological changes. Faced with a similar situation, the firm should consider the following options. A firm should always consider having a staff that is well blended in aspects such as age, experience, knowledge and even culture. Despite the importance of experience, management should not sacrifice the other factors in its favor. With the current changes in technology, it is advisable that firms maintain a management staff that is able to respond it (technology). In so doing, it will be in a position to act on the market demands that keep changing. A firm should avoid assumption of new inventions, however weird they may seem to be. The management should have a unit to keenly monitor such technological changes and advice the top management as appropriately as possible. If it is worth involvement, this unit should be in a position to advice the management on how best it should approach it. The action that Coca Cola took was good enough and the researcher would recommend most of it if a firm were faced with a similar situation. Their beautiful summer commercials on You Tube, the conspicuous presence on Facebook and Tweeter are all wonderful. However, one aspect that the researcher feels should be changed is the overemphasis on youths. Inasmuch as they form the most attractive market segment, other segments should not be disregarded. They should ther efore consider producing television commercials, which are all inclusive. References Andrzej, A Buchaman, A. (2007). Organizational behavior. London: Prentice Hall International. Carson, A. (2008). Organizational theory: A libertarian perspective. Washington, DC: BookSurge. Del, I., Best, J. Coney, K. (2005). Consumer behavior. New York, NY: Tata McGraw Hill. Garvin, D. (1988). Managing quality. New York, NY: Free Press. Kimmel, R. (2007). Evian’s caswell brand week: Fill with care’ promotes lifestyle. Well Being, 48(30), 48. Treadaway, C. (2010). Facebook marketing: An hour a day. Indianapolis, Indiana: Wiley Publishers Inc. Wayne, D. Hoyer, M. (2008). Consumer behavior. South Western: Cangage Learning. Zimmerman, R. Schueler. (1996). Designing customer surveys that work. Retrieved from https://www.qualitydigest.com/oct96/surveys.html This research paper on Management in Coca Cola Company was written and submitted by user Tamia K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Free Essays on The Color Puple

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple presents the life-long struggle of Celie, a black Georgia woman, who yearns to obtain confidence and self-esteem. During the early stages of the novel, references to wagons are made, signifying the â€Å"old days,† whereas towards the end of the work automobiles surface. Though Walker never discusses any specific time or place where the story actually occurs, the change in transportation suggests about a forty-year span of Celie’s life, from the beginning of the novel until the end. Written in first person, Celie writes a series of letters to God, explaining the torture that she faces, and begging him for some form of mercy. After years of abuse, both physically and emotionally, Celie discovers herself searching for some self-respect. Fonso, Celie’s abusive father, forces her to marry Albert, also abusive by nature. Celie finds a degree of hope through the depiction of Albert’s mistress, Shug. Shug serves as a tremendous force in Celie’s attainment of confidence, as the two eventually form a strong bond. Celie’s sister, Nettie, intelligent and caring who â€Å"mean[s] everything in the world† to Celie, also faces many of the same obstacles that Celie does, but Nettie first helps Celie overcome hers. As time passes, Celie gains more and more self-respect as well as some respect from others. The central theme flowing throughout the work remains that man often defeats his problems through the nurturing of close intimate relationships. The bond between Shug and Celie allows Celie to conquer her passive behavior. Likewise, her relationship with Nettie also instills a strong sense of courage and self-esteem within Celie. Celie refuses to allow the horrible deeds of the men in her life to control her towards the latter stages of the novel. The intimate relationships that Celie shares with both the energetic Shug and the loving Nettie provides Celie with hope that she will one day come out of her pa... Free Essays on The Color Puple Free Essays on The Color Puple Alice Walker’s The Color Purple presents the life-long struggle of Celie, a black Georgia woman, who yearns to obtain confidence and self-esteem. During the early stages of the novel, references to wagons are made, signifying the â€Å"old days,† whereas towards the end of the work automobiles surface. Though Walker never discusses any specific time or place where the story actually occurs, the change in transportation suggests about a forty-year span of Celie’s life, from the beginning of the novel until the end. Written in first person, Celie writes a series of letters to God, explaining the torture that she faces, and begging him for some form of mercy. After years of abuse, both physically and emotionally, Celie discovers herself searching for some self-respect. Fonso, Celie’s abusive father, forces her to marry Albert, also abusive by nature. Celie finds a degree of hope through the depiction of Albert’s mistress, Shug. Shug serves as a tremendous force in Celie’s attainment of confidence, as the two eventually form a strong bond. Celie’s sister, Nettie, intelligent and caring who â€Å"mean[s] everything in the world† to Celie, also faces many of the same obstacles that Celie does, but Nettie first helps Celie overcome hers. As time passes, Celie gains more and more self-respect as well as some respect from others. The central theme flowing throughout the work remains that man often defeats his problems through the nurturing of close intimate relationships. The bond between Shug and Celie allows Celie to conquer her passive behavior. Likewise, her relationship with Nettie also instills a strong sense of courage and self-esteem within Celie. Celie refuses to allow the horrible deeds of the men in her life to control her towards the latter stages of the novel. The intimate relationships that Celie shares with both the energetic Shug and the loving Nettie provides Celie with hope that she will one day come out of her pa...

Monday, March 2, 2020

Are Abortions Legal

Are Abortions Legal Are Abortions Legal? At some point in time or another, almost everyone has heard about the case of Roe v. Wade. This high-profile case was one of the main subjects in the media for quite some time. In fact, it is still widely talked about today. Women have been getting abortions for quite some time, yet that doesnt stop others from saying their piece about an abortion and arguing that abortions arent legal. Even though everyone has a right to their own opinion, abortion is very much legal in the United States. To help you better understand more about legalized abortion and what the laws are today, check out the information below. Legalized Abortion vs. Criminal Punishment While abortion might be legal, individual states have the option of creating and using what are referred to as trigger laws. These laws would make abortion illegal within the first or second trimesters. There are six states that have trigger laws in place and three others that have laws that intend to criminalize abortion. The landmark case of Roe v. Wade back in 1973 made abortion legal, but the states have the right to restrict the process to varying degrees. Many of the states have passed laws that restrict an individual from having a late-term abortion, while others require that the parents be notified in the event of a minor requesting to have the procedure done. Depending on the state, minors might also need to have either one or both parents consent before having an abortion. Patients also have to be informed of the risks to them for having an abortion before the procedure takes place. Because of this, you need to make sure you know what the laws are in your specific state before attempting to go out and have this procedure done and landing yourself in a lot of trouble. Smoking in Public Places Should Be Banned Causes of Human Error in Aircraft Accidents Cloning Should Be Banned Complete Cure for Cancer Deadly Cartoons Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act While the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act went into effect in 2003, there were still complications with getting it all the way through and putting it into place. This act stated that any doctor who performed an abortion could spend two years in prison and be the subject of a number of civil lawsuits. However, the woman having the procedure done wouldnt be prosecuted. The only exception to the rule was if the womans life was in danger and there was no other option than to have an abortion. Even though President George W. Bush signed the bill, a federal judge blocked it within hours. State Initiatives in Relation to Abortion Different states have different laws, so abortion proceedings are going to vary widely from one state to the next. People in Kansas believe that life begins from the very moment the egg was fertilized. They dont allow people to come in and have an abortion simply because the baby is a different sex than what they wanted. All life is to be treated the same and should be valued and cared for. In fact, they dont even allow Planned Parenthood to come in and teach sex education in their school system. Pregnancy and childbirth are highly regarded in this state. Louisiana has a law in place banning the majority of abortions. The only exception to the rule is if the life of the mother is in danger or there is a chance that she is going to end up with long-term health repercussions because of going through the pregnancy and giving birth. In the event this bill was to go into effect, the state would be able to prosecute anyone who had any part in providing the abortion for the woman. The penalties include as much as 10 years in prison or a fine of as much as $100,000. Anyone performing an abortion in Oklahoma could end up spending three years in prison for taking part in the act. This caused many providers to refrain from wanting to be a part of the procedure for fear of ending up spending time in prison. While abortion might be legal in some regard, there are still laws that have to be followed to make sure you are within the scope of the law. Depending on where you live, the laws might be a little stricter than others. Make sure you know what you are doing before landing yourself in more trouble than you can handle.

Friday, February 14, 2020

Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis Paper - Essay Example is their belief about the universe having to go through three eras, namely, creation, the present world where good and evil are mixed and the last era is the final state where the good and evil will be separated (Robinson , par 7). In the last era, it is believed that everything will be purified and those in hell will be released. This component relates to the universal needs and concerns in that the second era which is a world where the good and bad mix is very real to our existence today. This is the era where the world is now. Most people today believe that there is still another world, which Zoroastrians identify as the third era, where the good and the evil will be separated. The concept of hell as being a place where the evil men will ultimately go is one factor why people do good. Another religion which has captured my interest is Confucianism. I am impressed with the teachings of Confucius about morality and ethics. Although it can be considered more of a philosophy, Confucianism has a huge impact on the culture, politics, education and social structure in East Asia (Tucker , par 1). The Confucian values include promoting harmony amidst change. Unlike Zoroastrianism, Confucianism does not give emphasis in the afterlife. In Zoroastrianism, the afterlife is seen in their concept about a third era where everything will be purified and the good and evil will be separated. According to Confucius, afterlife is beyond human comprehension; thus, men should live in ways which are ideal to social relations instead of living based on rewards and punishment. Unlike Zoroastrianism, Confucianism gives emphasis on the life here on earth (FindYourFate , par 5). They believe though that the spirits are immortal and that they do not die with their bodies. Confucianism’s idea of creation is that it was brought about by the interaction of the Yin and the Yang which is generated by the Tao, the Great Ultimate. This is the counterpart of the first era of

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Personal History and Home Background Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal History and Home Background - Essay Example I have a number of friends that I have made in the course of time. Most of them are back in UAE while I have some that I have been able to meet in my short course of study and living in America. I enjoy playing and watching football. My enthusiasm in business has emanated from my early days as a child where I made a great fortune from selling simple products in the neighbourhood. My aspiration is to build business empires that will provide employment and help me reach out my goals. I love engaging in charity; therefore, I will use the resources from my businesses to touch lives of other people. I am (Name), the name I acquired from my parents who thought that was the best name for me. I was born on 11th April 1996 in our rural home in Al Arrad. I grew up as an energetic person and very playful. My parents tell me that I was the comedian of the family. I come from a polygamous family and I am the sixth born in the entire family. My mother is the first wife and together with me, she has six children, two boys, and four girls. On the other hand, my father’s second wife has four children. I am the third born among from my mother. We have all lived in the same homestead since my father married his two wives. I have made several friends from different places, some of whom I have remained distant with while others remain very close despite geographical differences. My first genuine friend that I made was Noor, my stepmother’s child who is slightly younger than me. Before I joined a school, we could go out and play with Noor the whole day. Sometimes we went out even when we were told not to, this made us receive some punishment. However, we never relented in our engagements. In school, I meet several other pupils that I made friends with. In primary school, I had friends such as Shariff, Mustafa, and Khalif. I managed to make more friends from my neighbourhood, high school and now in a distant land of America.   I profess Muslim religion that emanates from the teachings that I received while still a very young person.     

Friday, January 24, 2020

Essay --

Retributive justice is a type of justice, which believes a punishment should be both rightful and proportionate to the immoral act. This type of retribution is similar to that of the concept â€Å"what goes around, comes around† and is prominent is various unethical acts such as an individual committing the act murder and then going to prison. Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and William Shakespeare’s King Lear are perfect examples of literature that integrate retributive justice into the plot. Both literary works have characters that make similar decisions and therefore go through similar experiences: they make poor decisions, ignore their conscience, and seek personal justice. The role of retributive justice is evident within both The Kite Runner and King Lear and becomes clear through the outcomes of Baba and Lear’s poor decision-making. At the beginning of the novel, Amir characterizes his father as an honest, wealthy man with strong moral values; in fact, Baba spends a lot of time trying to impose his goodness onto Amir. An important turning point of the story for Amir is when Rahim Khan shares a horrifying truth; Baba is a sinner and goes against his beliefs by lying about Hassan’s birth. At first, the reader assumes that Baba keeps Hassan’s birth a secret so he is not frowned upon for having an affair with Ali’s wife. Although Baba tries to make up for his poor decision, he still experiences retributive justice by losing Hassan and Ali: â€Å"Then I saw Baba do something I had never seen him do before: He cried†¦ I’ll never forget the way Baba said that, the pain in his plea, the fear.† (Hosseini 107). B aba never lets go of the fact that he loses his son: â€Å"I wish Hassan had been with us today† (Hosseini 133). Baba does not say anyt... ...eventually decides to try to become the preferred child by plotting his brother and father against one another. As the play progresses, Edmund eventually desires kingship and is willing to do anything to gain power, which includes using both sisters: â€Å"To both these sisters have I sworn my love;/ each as jealous of the other, as the stung/ Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? / Both? One? Or neither? / Neither can be enjoyed/ If both remain alive.† (V. i. 56-59) Immediately the audience can sense that Edmund is slowly being consumed by his ambition and the chain of events that he causes through the play is to blame for his eventual death. Once again, it is unusual for death to be a form of retributive justice; however, Edmund brings death upon himself. His traitorous acts towards several of the characters- specifically Edgar- backfires, and for that he dies.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

To What Extent Does the Impact of World War I Explain the Outbreak of the Two Revolutions in 1917 ?

To what extent does the impact of World War I explain the outbreak of the two revolutions in 1917 ? To a certain extent, the First World War was a major contributing factor to the two revolutions that took place in 1917, the February and October Revolution. The war worsened the issues that already existed in Russia and also highlighted the lack of leadership shown by the Tsar and the Provisional Government set up after the February Revolution and also the Tsars military command over the army during the war. However, World War One was not the only reason for the revolutions taking place and acted as a tipping factor from the already undergoing social, political and economical problems plaguing Russia which led to the fall of the Tsar and the Provisional Government. The war was a massive mistake for Russia, it gained success support at first from the Russian public until they started to lose battles. After defeats in 1915 the poor attempt at retreating and the number of those wounded the high command and the Tsar were blamed which led to Nicholas II making one of his biggest mistakes ever whilst in his reign, Tsar Nicholas II took the advice of Grigori Rasputin, a peasant who was friends with the royal family from trying to heal their son of haemophilia, and went and led the Russian war effort. The tsar had a slender knowledge about war which led to him putting himself in a vulnerable position as he would now have to make all correct decisions or would be blamed by the people back home for any wrong decisions. Joe Gaucci, a historian, backs up this claim and states that the Tsars decision â€Å"proved disastrous as the government became increasingly chaotic†. Over 200,000 men were lost in the war and with 15 million peasants pulled from the farms the food shortage became a larger problem. The army started to lose faith in the Tsar, this was a vital for the revolution as they stopped shooting on the rioters and leading to the revolution continuing. The war also led to the downfall of the provisional government. After the Tsar leaving his role, the public called for peace and for Russia to leave the war. The provisional government tried to regain the support of the army and the Russian public by making the army launch the June offensive, with the July offensive in the first two weeks being able to exploit the poor morale of the Austrian Army were then pushed back because of soldiers refusing to obey order thus overriding the early success. After the Germans counter-attacked leaving thousands of soldiers deserted the army suffered a collapse. Not only did this show how poorly the Russian army was organised, equipped and mentally able to win the war but it also showed the Provisional Governments disregard of listening to the publics cries to stop the war. During the first revolution the political issues were a large factor for it to happen. With the Tsar leaving the country to command the army, the Tsarina was left in charge. This was a poor decision at first because the Tsarina was German and many people saw her as either a spy for Germany or having split allegiances so would make poor decisions and not consider what was best for Russia. The government became very unstable with the Tsarina in charge as she continually kept changing the ministers especially if they did not want to make decisions directed by the ‘Man of God’. On top of this the Tsarina took advice from a peasant called Rasputin, who was first Tsars Nicholas II’s sons doctor to try and cure his haemophilia. Rasputin was a advisor to the Tsarina and many speculated having an affair with her, while Tsarina was firing ministers he persuaded her to induct ministers, who were corrupt, into the high court. For the second revolution and the Provisional Government it was Lenin and the Bolsheviks who were the main political issue. Lenin knew the government was weak and published his ‘April theses’ which highlighted two areas ‘All power to the Soviets’ and ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ which also follows the saying ‘Bread and Circuses’ which is the common metaphor to explain the needs to keep the public of a country happy. After this in July the Bolsheviks supposedly were the brains behind the ‘July Days’ which almost lead to a revolution, instead it lead to the Provisional Government arresting main leaders of the Bolsheviks such as Trotsky, however the bolsheivik party was still allowed to run. The biggest provisional government mistake was during the Kornilov affair in which the bolsheivks were released from prison, given guns and told to fight, in the end they were not needed but were seen as the heroes of the day. The provisional Governments poor handling of the Bolsheiviks could also lead to someone believing that politics was the reason for the Revolutions. Both of the political factors for the revolutions breaking out could be attributed to World War I Economic Problems During both revolutions Russia was struggling with economic problems. The three main factors which affected the economy of Russia was the Inflation, Food shortages and the affect of industrialization in the cities. Inflation occurred mainly because of the Governments spending which increased by 400% between August 1914 and March 1917, this would have occurred because of the war but affected the people of Russia as inflation increased as they kept printing more money, taxes then slumped as sale of alcohol was banned which contributed a large sum of taxes as the government possessed a monopoly on the sale of vodka. When the war started in 1914 15 million peasants were called up to aid the war effort, this resulted in the agriculture sector becoming affected and eventually food shortages started in 1916, this affected the cities a considerable amount as transport was mainly used for supplying the army and everything they needed. With industrialization happening at the same time as the war, Petrograd and Moscow’s populations increased and resulted in overcrowding. Factories were hiring more people than they were before the war and many people were affected by the food shortages, the first signs of a revolution started in 1916 when one million workers went on strike. These economic problems can all be attributed to World War I breaking out. Why the war wasn’t a factor Some could argue that the World War was not the cause of the two revolutions. The Tsar had gained alot of support from the war at first and many believe they should work together to win the war but all of this came undone when he removed himself from Russia to join the army in the front line. It could also be argued that even though the war contributed to the Revolution the problems for the revolutions was there before the war and anything could have triggered the revolution. But its just so happened that poor decisions during the war lead to the revolution occurring. The first revolution could be the result of the poor political set up in Russia. With a Duma being granted by the Tsar after the 1905 Revolution. With the Duma being set up after the October manifesto it was useless as it had no power with the Tsar still being the main controller of the Duma. It could not do anything against the Tsar otherwise risking being shut down and even though it supposedly gave more power to the people in matter of fact the Tsar had the majority of control. conclusion In conclusion, even though there were factors such as social, economic and political within the country which varied between short and long term as well as foolish decisions made by Tsar Nicholas II and Kerensky leader of the provisional government. The world war was the cause of most of the problems and also was the cataylyst of tese problems making them worse. Because of this reasoning the World War should be considered as a large cause and factor for both October and February revolution of Russia in 1917.