...Questioning a Ghost Questioning a Ghost Questioning a Ghost An attractive Spanish woman stares at me, her eyes never moving. The pose is frozen endlessly in time. She’s wearing a flowing silk gown and an expensive looking shall which one could imagine is made from gold flake. The bed she lies on has oversized pillows with frilly trim. Her shoes are gold and she appears to have some make-up on. The woman’s hair is dark as night, her eyebrows are long and pronounced and she has rosy cheeks. There seems to be an essence of wealth or, at the very least, the artist was trying to portray her as sophisticated and high class. Around her waist I see a red sash presumably also made of silk. One can imagine it is a ribbon around the gift that is the woman. Maja has a very seductive figure. The hourglass contours of her body, slender waist, and ample breasts rising as if she was inhaling deeply at the moment Goya started the outline. You can see there is strength in her legs and I would describe her as having “child-bearing hips”. Maja surely is a beautiful woman. But, is she a real woman? Was Francisco Goya painting the love of his life? The detail in the face suggests to me that Goya knew Maja well. Maja may be the mother of his children, yet she is still looks youthful and beautiful. If she isn’t his significant other than who is she? Perhaps she is just another paying customer. Francisco, the starving artist, could have been painting her at the commission of her wealthy family...
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...Words cannot fully explain our experience of this world, yet we try to do this expressly or inadvertently in our private reverie or shared moments with others. When presented with a work dealing with text, we become in varying degrees aware of our cognitive faculties. A work which is presented to us in a direct form where its meaning and interpretation are intentionally straightforward and meant to be immediately grasped, perhaps demands less cognitive skills from us to experience a satisfactory closure. However, and because words are “free-floating signifiers” (Simon Morley, 2001, p.33), with meanings which are malleable, a piece of work dealing with text that considers this as a fundamental element, evokes a larger inventory of our cognitive powers. From here, we traverse and delve into our reservoir of fictive ingenuity when we try to make even greater sense of this work. Thus, rendering us susceptible to suggestion, and the infinite possibilities of imagining the world and ourselves in different time and space. This concept of “open work” (1980, p.45) as observed by Umberto Eco is central in my proposal of study and it aims to investigate the state of immersion in fictive discourse with others, the world and ourselves. The proposal examines how an installation piece dealing with text, time and space when presented as an “open work”, is able to engage the audience’s fictive discourse, and intensify, in particularly this notion of immersion and presence. One of the key...
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...Ways of Seeing by John Berger On Tuesday, June 5th 2012, I went to the Museum of Fine Arts. The atmosphere was peaceful and quiet even though there were a lot of students from a high school. If you decide to go to a museum you have a special attitude. First of all it is your choice to go there. The museum will not come to you. I spent quite some time walking around to find a picture that was “speaking” to me. Then I came across the “Behind the Scenes: Caring for working of art” room. It is an electrical room with a touch screen under the picture. The screen explains a lot of the different things about the history and background of the painting (picture 1). The painting was of Mrs. Timothy Rogers (Lucy Boylston). I was intrigued by the historical background of the Boylston Family and the timeline (1766 – 1767) during which John Singleton Copley painted six portraits of the Boylston family. It reminded me of a line in John Berger’s essay: “They are declared art when their line of descent can be certified” (150). I wonder how many wonderful and beautiful paintings were just thrown away because they were not of someone important, rich, or famous. There was also information about the cleaning of the painting. I was able to see the difference in the 1921 unclean portrait and the 1950 clean portrait. First, I just saw a nice painting of a woman, but now I can see and appreciate the portrait of Mrs. Timothy Rogers. “The meaning of an image is changed according to what one sees...
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...Almost half a century ago, John Berger expounded how authority has became the barrier of vision through analyzing the impact of ways of seeing on art. Nowadays, people seem to have no need to worry about this problem because of the development of technology. We have the most advanced and sophisticated machines which can help us to “see” the nature of object. For example, a microscope can amplify the object thousands of times and a telescope can look across the milky way through the distant galaxy. The advanced technology allows people to enjoy famous paintings in the world even if they never leave home, and people no longer need to care some disease because we have such developed medical system. Therefore, a large number of people believe that science is omnipotent. But is that the real truth? From my point of view, contemporary science has became a kind of superstition since it plays such a important role in our daily life, and it has became the barrier of vision which blinds people’s eyes as people rely on technology for everything they do. An important part of science is creativity, Edward de Bono once said, “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same pattern.” It is those invention which led us farewell to poverty and backwardness. Among those great inventions, I believe camera is the most charming one. Berger mentioned the impact of camera...
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...Alexander Irinarchos ENGL 1102 – College Writing Professor Amy Carleton Reflections about John Berger’s Essay Ways of Seeing I found “ways of seeing” by John Berger, very interesting although only when its applications were focused on general seeing and perception of seeing. The mere part of the essay which focuses on art through history and perception, was of less interest to me, perhaps because it reminded me of a philosophical IB class I had of which similar aspects were analyzed, or simply because I had a hard time grasping all language in the later part of “ways of seeing”. However I due believe John Berger’s main subject that of how we perceive and how we see, is a very intriguing one. The idea of “selective perception” though not mentioned, yet a key underlying theme of the essay, is something I see implication of in my daily life. I recall telling my girlfriend two days ago, about how fascinating it is that often when you learn something new one day, it does always go more than half a day before you strike that exact new knowledge again, though having never seen it before or perhaps more correctly having never perceived and recorded it before! My example the other day was how a realtor who had a Greek last name, told me in a text message that he doesn’t speak Greek but might take Rosetta Stone. I was extremely confused yet did not bother to look the word up, which would have been unnecessary because during my Business Textbook reading later that night...
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...trends and myths of the moment to earn her a place not only in the history of cinema but also of feminine elegance (Benzinga, 2009). “We like strong, confident women, we like sexuality in a very sensual way—not at all vulgar. We hate vulgar.” Marcus Alas said in a 2004 interview (adweek.com, 2004). Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott are partners in the professional world of fashion photography and have made their significant mark through highly retouched, luminous and strong composition photography styles. “Publicity starts by working on the natural appetite for pleasure, something that is real. It does not, however, offer the pleasure as it is. Rather it promises happiness, happiness gained by being envied by others, and this is glamour” (Berger,...
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...SUMMARY OF PETER BERGER, THE SACRED CANOPY CHAPTER 1: RELIGION AND WORLD-CONSTRUCTION CHAPTER 2: RELIGION AND WORLD-MAINTENANCE CHAPTER 3: THE PROBLEM OF THEODICY CHAPTER 5: THE PROCESS OF SECULARIZATION CHAPTER 1: RELIGION AND WORLD-CONSTRUCTION Berger begins his interpretation of religion by observing that very little in human life is determined by instinct. Because we humans have a relatively short gestation period in the womb (compared to other species), we don't have time to develop very elaborate instinctual equipment. We have very few instincts, and the ones we have are quite weak. So we have few specific responses to specific stimuli "patterned" into us. This means that in every situation we have a very large range of options for responding. We are constantly forced to choose how to interact with the world. In Berger's terminology, we must choose how to "externalize" ourselves, which means how to relate to and shape the environment around us. (Berger claims that in this respect we are different from all other animal species. He may well be wrong about other animal species; other animals may be a lot like us. But that doesn't mean he is wrong about human life.) Every time we externalize ourselves we change the environment, which creates a new set of choices to be faced. since the relationship between self and world is always changing, we are always "off balance." What we want more than anything else, according to this sociological view, is to be in balance--to...
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...and innovative products. But, very big companies can apply a hybrid approach and use both, cost leadership and differentiation strategies (Lay & Wallmeier, 1999). Roland Berger and Lazard point out that automotive companies exercise a lot of price pressure on suppliers which forces them to engage in aggressive pricing strategies in order to survive (Roland Berger/Lazard, 2010). Due to the previously discussed details about Bosch's size we can infer that the company belongs to the differentiation strategy group. According to a study conducted by Roland Berger the size of the global automotive supply market is expected to increase from €406 billion in 2010 to €684 billion in 2025. This results in a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.3%. Both, powertrain parts and exterior supply components continue to account for the largest share in sales (Bernhart, Hoffmann, Kalmbach, & Kleimann, 2011, p. 36f). Hence, it could be argued that Bosch should invest more in its research activities related to these two areas. After a sharp decline in revenue during the crisis which results in around 350 bankruptcies, sales in the automotive supplier industry now reach the pre-crisis level. In general, the market is highly fragmented and the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margin is around 6% (Roland Berger/Lazard, 2010). The competitive situation for process-focused segments is nicely illustrated by the following figure. Figure : Market share distribution per segment (top...
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...oldest civilization expatriates in China need to be aware of the uniqueness of the culture by treating their counterparts with respect and adding value to their lives rather than just value enhancements on the firm level on way up the “value chain” ladder. This can be done by building up relationships to strengthen the “guanxi”. It is evident that difficulties occur in a communist country where there is government interference, misallocation of resources and low freedom of doing business resulting in a high rate of corruption of 3.5 points in 2010 (Worldbank). There is not much to do about it but to be aware of it. It might seem like a paradox but Chinese consumers show increasing quality awareness. According to a report from Roland Berger Strategy Consultant (2010), the price of goods is no longer a “determining factor in a purchasing decision, [but it] is now just one of several factors alongside brand, quality and personal style.” Through offering an acceptable level of quality with perceived value a firm come overcome the challenges existent in the market. With respect to quality of labour force there is much more to take into account. As already mentioned, there is a small proportion of dedicated employees. Nevertheless, this number is decreasing from 17% to 10% as employee’s age increases. It is about to motivate the young generation by offering them some form of continuing education, training and sufficient salary to get them more engaged in the company. ...
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...Invitation to Sociology Peter Ludwig Berger was born March 17, 1929 in Vienna. Shortly after WW2 he emigrated to the United Sates. He first got a degree in Arts at Wagner College in 1949 before he continued his studies at the New School for Social Research in New York. In 1950 he got his masters and in 1952 he received his Ph.D. After finishing his education he went back to school, but to work and teach other students. First he started at Evangelische Academic in Bad Boll, Germany. Then from 1956 to 1958 Berger became the assistant professor at the University of North Carolina. He has also taught at Rutgers, The New School, and Boston College. In the end he settled down at Boston University and has been working there since 1985 (Biographybase). In 1963 he published a book called Invitation to Sociology. He starts the book by giving an introduction to what he is going to talk about and that is sociology. Berger gives a great example about of people traveling may experience culture shock minus the geographical displacement (Wadsworth 7). This statements refers that people that study sociology don’t need to travel to far distant lands to experience a whole new society. By digging deeper into their own society and studying people and the cultures they will be surprised over everything they discover. I really enjoyed his example about love and who marry who on page 9. Berger uses the example of the institution of marriage. Instead of just looking at the surface, he digs deeper revealing...
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...The Brazilian automotive industry is at a crossroads. If the industry and the government take the right steps, there are great prospects on the domestic market and increasing export opportunities. That is the conclusion of a study conducted by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants entitled "The Brazilian automotive industry at crossroads". "Brazil is an up-and-coming market with great potential – also for the automotive industry," says Stephan Keese, Principal in the Automotive Competence Center at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. But with increasing global competition, Brazil needs to define a clear agenda to ensure future production growth. This plan should include encouraging domestic sales to ensure enough satisfactory growth for all market participants. It is also important to increase exports to compete on a global level. In addition, it is necessary to improve domestic competitiveness to translate sales growth into production growth for established players. Joint industry-government action recommended If the necessary steps are taken, Brazilian automotive sales have tremendous potential to grow in the future, fueled by the positive development of the economy. Analysis shows that sales of 6 million vehicles by 2020 are likely. But this sales forecast may require additional efforts and action by the industry and the Brazilian government. For example, joint industry-government action could be undertaken to drive domestic sales growth in Brazil, such as reducing the...
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...Stephan Danner, Aleksandar Ruzicic, Patrick Biecheler Study Commercial excellence in the pharmaceutical industry Delivering superior value to your customers in challenging times Stephan Danner, Aleksandar Ruzicic, Patrick Biecheler Study Commercial excellence in the pharmaceutical industry Delivering superior value to your customers in challenging times 2 | Study Contents Letter from the authors Executive summary 1. At a glance: Turbulent times, here to stay? 2. Taking the first steps towards commercial excellence 3. Sales excellence: Still a worthwhile investment 4. The nuts and bolts of customer excellence a) The importance of customer relationship management (CRM) b) Towards a customer-centric approach c) The promotional mix as a stepping-stone to customer excellence 5. New business models: Making the necessary changes 6. Mapping out the road to commercial excellence 7. Sources 8. Who to contact about commercial excellence 3 4 6 10 14 18 19 22 26 30 38 41 42 3 | Commercial excellence in the pharmaceutical industry Letter from the authors For a while now, pharmaceutical companies have been faced with a multitude of difficult challenges. Financial pressures, regulatory changes and increasingly active stakeholders have put the industry’s sales growth and profitability to an ongoing and demanding test. In the past, many companies reacted to these obstacles by simply restructuring and downsizing their sales forces. Yet many onlookers now...
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...Intellectual Property Theft in the Automotive Industry Scope, Trends, and Mitigating Strategies Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..3 Scope of Intellectual Property Theft………………………………………………………3 Intellectual Property Theft and China……………………………………………………..4 Intellectual Property Theft in the Automotive Industry…………………………………...5 The Subtle Pick-Off……………………………………………………………….5 Piracy and China’s Global Emergence…………..………………………………………..6 Consequences of IP Theft…………………………………………………………………7 Mitigating Strategies………………………………………………………………………7 The Autoweb Intellectual Property Exchange…………………………………………….8 Fusion-DX………………………...………………………………………………9 GlobalSource………………………………………………………………….…..9 Data Integration Services……………………………………………………….…9 GlobalSource...………………………………………………………………….…9 Integrated Translations…………………………………………………………….9 Autoweb Company Overview……………………………………………………10 Bibliography………………………………………………………..……………………11 www.autoweb.net 2 Introduction I ntellectual Property protection in the manufactured goods sector is not a new idea. Laws prohibiting manufactured goods counterfeiting and piracy activities existed as far back as the Middle Ages when bakers, artisans, and craftsmen used distinctive marks to distinguish their products and work from would-be counterfeiters. The general problems associated with modern day counterfeiting and intellectual property piracy have long been recognized, yet today’s high-tech economy has magnified the problem of...
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...FACTS Contacts: Mark K. Pogharian Vice President, Investor Relations Tele: (717) 534-7556 Fax: (717) 534-6550 E-mail: mpogharian@hersheys.com Matthew F. Miller Investor Relations Manager Tele: (717) 534-7554 Fax: (717) 534-6550 E-mail: mfmiller@hersheys.com Prepared by: The Hershey Company Investor Relations Department 100 Crystal A Drive, P.O. Box 810 Hershey, PA 17033-0810 Internet: www.hersheys.com The Hershey Company Fact Book Table of Contents Page(s) 3 4 5-24 Mission Statement Acquisition/Divestiture Summary Key Corporate Events Financial Data Summary of Statements of Income - GAAP: 2011 & 2010 Summary of Statements of Income - Pro Forma: 2011 & 2010 Six-Year Consolidated Financial Summary Quarterly Performance (2010, 2009 & 2008) 2002 – 2010 GAAP & Non-GAAP Annual EPS Capitalization Financing Arrangements Long Term Financial Objectives Capital Expenditures Depreciation Cash Flow Analysis Share Repurchases Economic-ROIC HSY Stock Statistics Key Management Hershey Executive Team Operations U.S. Confectionery Industry U.S. Market Share U.S. Classes of Trade U.S. Snack Market Hershey Products Hershey Canada Hershey International Commodities Cocoa Sugar Hershey Manufacturing and Distribution 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 33 34 35-36 37 38-39 40 41-42 43-44 45 45 46-47 48-50 51-52 53-54 55 56 The Hershey Company What it means to stakeholders Consumers Delivering quality consumer-driven confectionery experiences for all occasions Employees ...
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...FACTS Contacts: Mark K. Pogharian Vice President, Investor Relations Tele: (717) 534-7556 Fax: (717) 534-6550 E-mail: mpogharian@hersheys.com Matthew F. Miller Investor Relations Manager Tele: (717) 534-7554 Fax: (717) 534-6550 E-mail: mfmiller@hersheys.com Prepared by: The Hershey Company Investor Relations Department 100 Crystal A Drive, P.O. Box 810 Hershey, PA 17033-0810 Internet: www.hersheys.com The Hershey Company Fact Book Table of Contents Page(S) 3 4 5-24 Mission Statement Acquisition/Divestiture Summary Key Corporate Events Financial Data Summary of Statements of Income - GAAP: 2010 & 2009 Summary of Statements of Income - Pro Forma: 2010 & 2009 Six-Year Consolidated Financial Summary Quarterly Performance (2010, 2009 & 2008) 2002 – 2010 GAAP & Non-GAAP Annual EPS Capitalization Financing Arrangements Long Term Financial Objectives Capital Expenditures Depreciation Cash Flow Analysis Share Repurchases Economic-ROIC HSY Stock Statistics Key Management Hershey Executive Team Operations U.S. Confectionery Industry U.S. Market Share U.S. Classes of Trade U.S. Snack Market Hershey Products Hershey Canada Hershey Mexico Hershey International Commodities Cocoa Sugar Hershey Manufacturing and Distribution 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 33 34 35-36 37 38-39 40 41-42 43-44 45 45 46-47 48-50 51 52-53 54-55 56 57 The Hershey Company What it means to stakeholders Consumers Delivering quality consumer-driven confectionery experiences for all occasions ...
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