Arthur Miller’s play ‘A View From The Bridge’ Essay

An appealing dimension of Arthur Miller’s play ‘A View From The Bridge’ is the author’s successful creation of a world within the play. Discuss how Miller brings to life the world of the late 1940’s Italian-American community in Red Hook New York. Quote liberally from the text to support your discussion. Arthur Miller was born on 17th October 1915 in New York. Both of his parents were Sicilian immigrants looking for work and a better life in North America. With parents successfully involved in clothing manufacture, the family was very comfortable. He was fortunate enough to be able to attend Michigan University in 1934, which enabled him to achieve his lifetime ambition of becoming a successful play-write. After graduation he worked throughout the Second World War in an all-Italian ship-fitting business. This was where he got his experience of the richness of Sicilian life, combined with the Italian-American community in New York. Miller’s first play The Man Who Had All The Luck was a failure, but All My Sons, written in 1947 was a great success as were his two following plays, Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Following on from these A View from the Bridge was written in 1956, and was first performed at the Comedy Theatre in London. The story of Rodolpho, Catherine, Eddie and Marco gets its roots from the late 1940’s, where the author’s interests lay in the lives and communities of the dockworkers and longshoremen of New York’s Brooklyn Harbour. Miller began talking to a lawyer about a particular case involving two illegal immigrants. His perception was that this was a life of danger and mystery. A few years later, Miller visited Sicily, and during his stay on this island he found his inspiration for the play, and for the world around which it evolves. Referring back to the title of the piece, Arthur Miller has created a real sense of a world within the play. He has done this in three key ways. Firstly the sense of family and community. The reader feels that the tightly packed community, like they are all brothers, but this can so easily be turned around and bonds broken. Following on from that, we read about an Italian-American community, where community laws and Government laws conflict. We perceive that this is a separate community, a divided world, with its own laws, its own beliefs and its own culture. Finally, between the various characters, the language used is diverse. The different accents strongly reflect the Sicilian background which brought back the Italian roots into the American community in New York during the late 1940’s.

Essay about Sayers The Mind of the Maker

As human beings, we are constantly surrounded by things whose origins we cannot fully comprehend, not   even explain. It is interesting that we at times take part in some of these things without a slight realization they are the very phenomena whose origins we are seeking to explore. With regard to all the mysteries in the universe, the mystery of creation has remained one of the most common one among people in the whole world. So many individuals, scientists, researchers and artists have come forward to give their impression of what they think or perhaps believe it is. Despite the many explanations, all that has become evident is the inconsistency in their thoughts and ideas. This only takes us back to one aspect, the aspect of creation as explained with God in mind.   The introduction above will therefore serve as a pace-setter even as I go ahead to make a few responses with regard   to the contents of the book; â€Å"The Mind of the Maker.† In this book, the author has presented a number of analogies in a bid to create a link between the mind of God the creator and that of   man, who also happens to be a ‘creator’ in his own capacity. To begin with, I will give a summary of the author’ claims with regard to the creative mind. As one goes through the contents and lines of this book, it becomes evident that the author has used a number of phrases, words and sentences in order to describe the creative mind. It is important to note at this point that while she talks about the ‘creative mind,’ the author enlists both God and human beings in the picture. The heavy aspect in this case is somewhat a comparison of God’s creativity as opposed to that of man. The author claims that as much as the creative mind of man is enhanced by experience, that one of God was and has always been as a result of imagination. For instance, right from the second paragraph, she has used to the story of creation in the book of Genesis to demonstrate the supreme nature of God’s creativity. At the same time, the author has managed to show us how much God used imagination to do his work in the beginning. That perhaps would be all in connection to the creative mind of God, what about that of man? According to the author, the mind of man depends on a number of things, these are some of the minute elements which has to be put together in order to see the fruitfulness of his creativity. This implies, the mind of man largely works from the pictures that are collected from the environment. This means, it is from experience that the mind becomes creative. This happens when the constituents of the experience are reformed in the mind leading to the production of a totally new idea, phenomena or object. Secondly, according to Sayers, the creative mind is always full of the ability as well as the desire to make things. This implies, the mind is always curious to explain the reason behind one more existence, in the process, a lot more is discovered hence making the chain more and more complex as days go by. The author also claims that the creative mind cannot work in any unique way apart from having to think in a series of metaphors. This implies, man with his mind cannot be able to create an explanation of something in the entirety of itself instead, the mind can only explain an entity in terms of other entities ( Paragraph 1,Page 23). In line with this, the author expresses how perilous it is to incorporate such a mind in trying to explain who God is but that is what men do, interpreting God by an analogy of ourselves. To add to that, in the second paragraph of page 24, the author exposes another claim with regard to the creative mind by saying that the mind, for the completion of its mandate, has to depend on observations and language as some of the key functions in this game of creativity. Finally, the author gets to make another distinct characteristic of the creative mind. This is again done in comparison with the mind and works of God. According to the word of God, He made the world out of nothing; on the contrary, man cannot do that, man cannot come up with anything out of nothing. This implies, it is only possible for the creative mind to re-put together the units that are not alterable and indestructible and hence develop them into new forms. The portion above therefore gives a summary of the author’s claims about the ‘creative mind’ Part II In this portion of the document, I will give an update of the author’s analogies for creation from an artist/writer to an information technologist. In other words, in this section, I will express the three step creative process in the framework of information technology. Perhaps one of the most dominant concepts that the author has borrowed   in a bid to explain well the three step creative process is the concept of the Trinity. She has explained well how each and every member of the Trinity has a space and a responsibility that probably makes the others inevitably need it. In the same way, the three step creative process appears in a nature so compact that each element or aspect of it obviously requires the other. According to the book, we realize that in writing, the elements of this creative process have to be expressed in a particular progression. This is because that is exactly how things are supposed to be. The three part creative process therefore has been expressed by the author using three interconnected elements. To begin with, there is the element of the creative idea. This has been described as a timeless and passionless idea which beholds the work complete immediately before   it really is. In other words, it is the creative element which almost gives the whole end when everything is just beginning. Analogically, the creative idea has been likened to the attributes of the Father as far as the holy Trinity is concerned. Secondly, there is the element in this process referred to as the creative energy. This that comes out of the idea can also be called the activity. In this case, the working involves a consideration of a number of other aspects, hence it has to be done with both passion and time. It therefore involves being embodied in the bonds that exist between matter. Analogically, this part of the process has been compared to the image of the word, the word which is that of God. Lastly, there is the element of the creative power which is actually the third process. This is the process that brings meaning to the work as well as the response that it   creates in the lively soul.   It therefore renders the work complete by creating a response to it, for instance people reading the book or running a created program. In line with the analogy with which it has been treated by the author, it has been likened to the image of the Spirit that deeply indwells the Father. In conclusion, Sayers gets to summarize this portion by saying that the three are one and cannot be separated from each other. This implies, each and every single component of this process is greatly dependent on the other. As a result, as much as it   may be possible to express them in the single entities, it is practically impossible to see the practicality in any of them without the input of the other. In a nut shell, Sayers in her book clearly brings out the fact that the creative process in the work of art and writing operates in a manner that greatly corresponds to the active relationship among the three persons of the trinity. In other words, the activity of one offers an illumination to that of the other. References Sayers, L (1941). The Mind of the Maker (1st Ed. Ed.). London: Methuen

The Underdogs By Mariano Azuela - 1302 Words

The classic Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings song â€Å"Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys† tells the sad, but familiar story of men growing up and leaving their families for reasons they do not fully comprehend. It is the women, however, in the novel The Underdogs, by Mariano Azuela, that understand this all too well. In The Underdogs, the author depicts Northern Mexican villages overrun by the Mexican Revolution sending impromptu soldiers to fight the war, leaving few citizens left behind with essentially nothing. Azuela paints a picture of the tremendous pressure put on the citizens of Northern Mexico during the Revolution and we see this through his descriptions of massive casualties and families feeling incredible pain due to the absence of their loved ones everyday. Azuela uses this wartime atmosphere to describe how important women in Mexico were at this time and their significance during the Mexican Revolution. Although degradation and manipula tion of women are quite obvious themes throughout the story, we see that the women of Mexico played a major role in the Mexican Revolution, whether they fought in the battles themselves, or were just a fading memory in a soldier’s mind. To fully understand the significance of women and their treatment in this time, one must first understand the tension going on in the region. Pancho Villa, the leader of the Mexican revolutionist, proclaimed himself as the military governor of the state of Chihuahua, a state inShow MoreRelatedThe Underdogs By Mariano Azuela1416 Words   |  6 PagesThe Underdogs by Mariano Azuela is arguably the most important novel of the Mexican Revolution because of how it profoundly captures the atmosphere and intricacies of the occasion. 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Intense fighting claimed the lives of many, leaving women and children behind to fend for themselvesRead MoreEssay about Analysis of The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela822 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela In The Underdogs written by Mariano Azuela, we are introduced to a character that strongly symbolizes the fuel of the Mexican Revolution. Heroes like Demetrio Macias brought the Serrano’s hope of giving them what they felt they truly deserved. Although Demetrio Macias, the general (colonel) of a rebel army is hunting down the army of Pancho Villa, he seems to have the same ideals as the enemy. In addition to Demetrio Macias, we meet women like CamillaRead MoreThe Underdogs by Mariano Azuela as a Reflection of the Mexican Revolution2158 Words   |  9 PagesThe Underdogs by Mariano Azuela as a Reflection of the Mexican Revolution In 1910, the first social upheaval of the 20th century was unleashed in Mexico. 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In this story, we as the reader are confronted with characters, such as Demetrio Macias, who is destined to lead his people int o the depths of retaining an incorrupt lifestyle and hopes to find peace from the effect of war. Although Demetrio is seen as one of the main characters in the novel, we are also briefly engaged in the otherRead MoreA Reflection Of The Mexican Revolution1713 Words   |  7 PagesA Reflection of the Mexican Revolution â€Å"’I love the revolution like a volcano in eruption; I love the volcano because it’s a volcano; the revolution because it’s the revolution!’† cries a revolutionary soldier in Azuela’s The Underdogs (159). The Mexican Revolution of 1910 was aimed to overthrow the dictatorship of the Mexican government, which was in constant turmoil as presidents were constantly toppled from power. Porfirio Diaz, the president at the time the uprising began, was removed fromRead MoreThe Underdogs Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesHIST 342 The Underdogs Second Examination (Part I) Mariano Azuelas The Underdogs tells the story of a dauntless Indian farmer who almost unintentionally rises to a generalship in Pancho Villas rebel army during the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Though the events that occur throughout the book are not actual events that took place during the revolution, Azuela is able to paint a very realistic picture of the revolution and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of the reader as one witnesses theRead MoreWomen of The Underdogs We were asked to write a 7-8 page paper on Mariano Azuelas The Underdogs, and how women were portrayed in it, as well as whether or not we felt the portrayal was accurate.2391 Words   |  10 PagesWomen of The Underdogs Mariano Azuelas novel, The Underdogs, is a male-dominated novel. The story of the exploits and wartime adventures of a rebel band during the Mexican Revolution is primarily driven by men; the majority of the characters are men who are separated from their families and lives and who are fighting for a cause in which they strongly believe (at least at the beginning of the novel). Despite the masculine story, however, there are two highly developed and significant female characters

Comparison of Two Poems the Tyger and the Lamb

I chose to do the comparison between ‘The Tyger’ and ‘The Lamb’ because they both have similar themes but are concerned with very different aspects of life. ‘The Tyger’ concentrates on the dangers to be faced in life and nature while ‘The Lamb’ celebrates nature as seen through the innocent eyes of a child. Blake examines different, almost opposite or contradictory ideas about the natural world, its creatures and their Creator. William Blake is the narrator of both poems which emphasizes his questioning of creation and religion as themes in the two poems. The simplicity of Blake’s use of rhyming couplets in both poems makes them easy to read and remember. The poems have a rhythm similar to a nursery rhyme which makes them†¦show more content†¦The mighty beast is a whole world of experience outside ourselves, destructive but also terrifyingly beautiful. Blake realizes, of course, that God made all the creatures on earth. However, to express his bewilderment that the God who created the gentle lamb also created the terrifying tiger, he includes Satan as a possible creator while raising his rhetorical questions for example ‘In what distant deeps or skies, Burnt the fire of thy eyes?’ In the 2nd stanza of ‘The Lamb’, the line ‘I a child thou a lamb.’ could mean that the poet William Blake is restored to the state of Innocence by Jesus Himself. The power of the poem, ‘The Lamb’ lies in the question repeated four times: ‘Who made thee?’ and Blake invites us to ask this profound and fundamental question of ourselves. The repetition of this question could also imply that Blake doubts that he who created innocence symbolized by the lamb would also create an evil portrayed by the tiger. ‘The Tyger’ is ruled by symmetry: symmetry between stanzas, between lines and within lines. For this reason, one of the details that leaps out at us immediately is the lack of symmetry between the first and last stanzas, where a single word ‘could’ in stanza 1 is changed to ‘dare’ in stanza 6. Compare ‘What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry?’ with ‘What immortal hand or eye dare frame thy fearful symmetry?’ The first question asks if there is any power thatShow MoreRelated Comparison of the Poems The Tyger and The Lamb Essay1217 Words   |  5 PagesComparison of the Poems The Tyger and The Lamb In William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience we are confronted with a powerful juxtaposition of nature. The innocuous ‘lamb’ and the ferocious ‘Tyger’ are designed to be interpreted in comparison with each other. Both creatures innovatively define childhood, they provide a contrast between youthful innocence and the experience of age contaminating it. ‘The Lamb’ is simplistic in vocabulary and style, Blake uses childish repetitionsRead MoreThe Contrasting World Views in William Blake’s â€Å"the Lamb† and â€Å"the Tyger†941 Words   |  4 PagesThe Contrasting World Views in William Blake’s â€Å"The Lamb† and â€Å"The Tyger† A person’s view of the world is very situational, depending on their life experiences and their religious beliefs. William Blake examines two different world views in the poems â€Å"The Lamb,† and â€Å"The Tyger.† These poems were written as a pairing which were shown in Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience respectively. While the first poem deals with a view of the world as innocent and beautiful, the other suggestsRead MoreThe Lamb and the Tyger Essay1437 Words   |  6 PagesThe Tyger and The Lamb by William Blake, written in 1794 included both of these poems in his collection Songs of Innocence and Song of Experience, takes readers on a journey of faith. Through a cycle of unanswered questions, William Blake motivates the readers to question God. These two poems are meant to be interpreted in a comparison and contrast. They share two different perspectives, those being innocence and experience. To Blake, innocence is not better than experience. Both states haveRead More, Allusion, And Symbolism In The Tyger By William Blake771 Words   |  4 PagesIn the poem â€Å"The Tyger† by William Blake, the use of rhyme, repetition, allusion, and symbolism all help the reader understand the theme and what was going through the authors thoughts while writing. William Blake was a mystic poet who channeled his thoughts and questions to write poems. He questioned the creator of both the Tyger and lamb, how could the same God create a destructive creature like the Tyger and on the other hand create a gentle animal, the lamb. This ties into the theme of theRead MoreWilliam Blake s The Lamb And The Tyger1493 Words   |  6 PagesInnocence and of Experience: Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul (1794). Two standout poems, â€Å"The Lamb† and â€Å"The Tyger,† respectively taken from Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, demonstrate Blake’s meditation on how innocence and experi ence in life create a binary and complementary relationship that is observable in our outer world as well as in our inner being. As one of the titles in his Songs of Innocence, William Blake chooses the lamb, naturally gentle and docile, as a representativeRead MoreWilliam Blake in Contrast of Songs of Innocence and of Experience1452 Words   |  6 PagesEN 222-Intro to British Lit. II April 21, 2012 William Blake in contrast of Songs of Innocence and of Experience William Blake, an engraver, exemplified his passion for children through his many poems. Blake lived in London most of his life and many fellow literati viewed him as eccentric. He claimed to have interactions with angels and prophets, which had a great influence on his outlook of life. Blake believed all prominent entities, those being church, state, and government had become sick withRead MoreEssay on The Symmetry: A World with Both Lamb and Tiger1063 Words   |  5 Pagespain and terror? The Tyger by William Blake, written in 1794 and included in his collection Songs of Innocence and Experience, takes readers on a journey of faith. Through a cycle of unanswered questions, William Blake motivates the readers to question God. Blake sees a necessity for balance in the world, and suggests to the readers that God created a world with a balance of good and evil so that humanity can see goodness more clearly through contrast and comparison. This theme is achievedRead MoreComparison between the Tyger and the Lamb518 Words   |  2 PagesComparison between the Tyger and the Lamb The Tyger and the Lamb were printed five years apart within two separate collections of poems. The Lamb was within Songs of Innocence (1789), and the Tyger was within Songs of Experience (1794). The two collections came together to be Songs of Innocence and of Experience Showing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul. This should be viewed as significant because the revised name itself shows the two poems contradictions. The two poems display contrastingRead More Creating Blakes Tyger Essay3597 Words   |  15 PagesCreating Blake’s â€Å"Tyger† The Eighteenth-century British Romantic, William Blake, was an accomplished painter, engraver, and illustrator during his lifetime, but is best remembered for his poetry. Though Blake’s genius was generally dismissed by the public of his own era and he died with little acclaim, he has since been regarded as one of the greatest figures of the Romantic Movement. Whether with paint or pen, Blake is renowned for his ability to create works of art which, overRead More Comparison of The Lamb and The Tyger by William Blake Essay2199 Words   |  9 PagesBlake’s ‘Songs of Innocence and Experience examine these different states. Blake wanted to show the two contrary states in the human mind. The Lamb and the Tyger are just vehicles for Blake to express what he feels happens to people as they grow, develop and eventually become perverted by the world around them. Blake’s background and occupation greatly influenced the style and content of his poems. He lived during the 18th Century when the church was beginning to lose its grip on British society;

Understand the Role of the Nurse Free Essays

Introduction The purpose of this assignment is to explore the professional responsibilities of the nurse and their role in safeguarding vulnerable patients, all of which are based around a fictitious scenario. The scenario is centred on a patient named Margaret and is going to be used to identify any vulnerability issues Margaret may have. Margaret could be identified as been vulnerable, as she is an 89 year old lady who is suffering from a heart condition. We will write a custom essay sample on Understand the Role of the Nurse or any similar topic only for you Order Now Margaret is currently living with her daughter and has said that her mother’s health has begun to deteriorate. Margaret is becoming very confused and forgetting to take her medication which has resulted in numerous admissions to hospital. No consent was needed on this occasion as it is a fictitious patient. Based around this fictitious scenario, the aim is to discuss and identify vulnerability and any issues arising from it. Exploring all aspects of vulnerability involving all models and discussing confidentiality, looking at the importance of it and why it should be maintained. This assignment will also look at the mental capacity act and how the nurse and other healthcare professionals assess the patient for capacity and use the models of assessment. All these are in place to protect the patient’s health and well-being and patient rights. Communication is another important skill for any nurse to have. Good communication skills are essential in providing a high standard of care, which will be explored and discussed in detail. It will also explore what accountability and responsibility is within the nurse’s role. The nurse being accountable for their actions and adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Councils (NMC), Code. â€Å"The core function of the Nursing and Midwifery Council is to establish standards of education, training, conduct and performance for nurses and midwives to ensure those standards are maintained, thereby safeguarding the health and well-being of the public† (NMC, code, 2009). It will then identify and explain how the patient’s autonomy might be promoted by the nurse, highlighting the support available and with the nurse building a therapeutic relationship with the patient, relating to scenario whilst maintaining appropriate professional behaviour and interventions. Overall this assignment will explore and discuss many of the NMC guidelines about the above topics. It will give you an understanding of the nurse’s role involved in delivering the best possible care to the public. Firstly to explore accountability within the nurse’s role The Nursing and Midwifery Council states, â€Å"Accountability is often defined as responsibility, but there is a difference between the two. Responsibility is concerned with answering for what you do, whereas accountability is being answerable for the ‘consequences’ of what you do† (NMC, 2009). How to cite Understand the Role of the Nurse, Essay examples

Economic & Financial Analysis For Engineering & Project Management

Question: Describe about the Economic Financial Analysis For Engineering Project Management? Answer: Introduction Barclays Plc is a multinational banking and financial service organization with its headquarter in London. The financial performance of the company has been analyzed. The performance has been compared with Lloyds Plc. The impact of tax policies and the external environmental factors on Barclays has been assessed in the paper (barclays.com, 2014). Impact of external environmental factors on Barclays Plc The financial performance of Barclays Plc will be affected by the external environmental factors. The future performance of the company will be affected by the external environmental factors (Ardalan, 2000). Political factors The recent political news does not have much impact on the bank performance. The growth of Barclays Plc will depend on the political stability of UK and entire Europe. The political instability in UK followed by tensions and turmoil will affect the performance of the banking sector. The major policies implemented by the Government are either in favor or against the financial sector. The monetary and the financial policies affect the performance of the bank significantly. The business model of the organization and the integrated investment banking will find its strength in the existing conditions in the market. The BASEL rules on the capital of the bank which has stated that the Banks need to hold 10% of the total assets as capital, adjusted with risk has to be maintained by Barclays. The financial performance of the company for the year 2014 was poor than the previous year due to conditions prevailing in the market and the low level of activity (Barr, 2002). This tends to impede the growth of Barclay. Legal factors The legislations introduced in UK between 2012 to 2014 do not have much impact on the economy. The legal regulations will have significant impact on Barclays Plc. The Single Banking License was implemented by the countries in Europe in the year 1990. This has allowed the banks to branch in a free way in the other countries of Europe. There have been numerous regulatory mechanisms introduced by the European countries that govern the banking sector. This is done for the harmonization of the banking system across the nation. This has resulted in the formation of a single competitive market. However the negative effect of such competition has been faced by the European banks. In order to revive the economy, the government in UK has put pressure on the Barclays Bank to join the British Treasury. Barclays has been charged with lump sum compensation several times. They were caught of allegedly benefitting the companies in UK from continuing business in South Africa. This forced Barclays to pull out of South Africa. The banking regulations were tightened as a result of such scams. Economic factors The past demeanors of the traders have forced to charge around 750 million pounds on the bank. The cost cutting for the bank has improved the capital strength and the unwanted assets have been shed. The lack of returns on a timely basis has affected the financial performance of the bank. This has impact on the profitability with rise in nonperforming assets. The economic condition of the country in which the bank is operating plays a major role in determining the financial performance of the bank. The monetary and the fiscal policies determine the income of the bank for a particular fiscal year. There is existence of large number of private banks in UK. This has increased the competition on Barclays Bank. This has affected the income of Barclays bank. The bank is losing its market share to Bank of Scotland. The competition is regarding better service and rate of interest and other additional facilities. The share price of the company is determined from its performance and service to the customers. The downturn in the economy such as recession results in decline in the performance of the organization (Bayraktar, 2008). This affects the profitability of the organization. The various macro economic factors such as inflation, rate of employment, GDP play a major role in determining the economic policies which determines the performance of th e bank. The interest and loan rates are determined according to the fiscal condition of the country (Bankofengland.co.uk, 2015). Financial factors The rise in the non performing assets has been a major concern for Barclays. This has resulted in increase in cost cutting of the bank. The profitability of the bank has been affected. The share price of the bank has fallen by almost 3 percent. The share price of Barclays has fallen the most proving it to be one of the weakest banks. The financial factors such as current account status, fiscal status of the country are a major factor in determining the performance of the company. The global and the local regulatory standards of the market affect the performance of Barclays Plc. The measures introduced by the Central bank are important for determining the performance of Barclays Plc. The unprecedented policies introduced by the Central Bank of UK includes the quantitative easing policy and the near zero interest rate (Bankofengland.co.uk, 2015). The policies were introduced to stimulate growth in the country. There have been further regulatory changes in the form of structural reforms in US and UK that will segregate the activities of the banks. This will result in the creation of a safe working environment. The focus will be on the activities such as funding, liquidity and capital (Broll, Welzel and Wong, 2014). The conduct issues have affected Barclays and the banking sector was adversely affected. This will red uce the trust among the share holders. This will affect the share price of the bank. The trust of the customers can be gained via the introduction of the innovative policies, automotive policies and the minimizing the risk of the banks. Specific risk management strategies and framework plays a major role in dealing with the potential risks affecting the banking sector. The framework will assist the bank in its decision making. Impact of currency risk The fluctuations of the exchange rate have significant impact on the growth of Barclays Plc. The profit of the company can be adversely affected by the fluctuation in the currency. It affects the cash flow and the earnings of the bank. The major movement of the exchange rate leaves the bank in a vulnerable situation resulting in the reduction of profitability and reduced value of assets. The economic trends determine the movement of currency. The strengthening of the British economy and weakening of the Euro zone will result in investors selling Euros and buying pounds. This will tend to push up pound further. The interest rate will be taken into consideration by Barclays Plc. The major activity in the foreign exchange market occurs with the borrowing of currency where the rate of interest is low and the investing in the currency where the rate of interest is high. The Central bank and the government play a major role in the determination of the currency value (Barclays.co.uk, 2015). Strategies to mitigate currency risk The foreign exchange risk is mitigated by Barclays Bank by the introduction of the following measures. Barclays Plc has range of products that mitigates and reduces the risk as a result of major movement of the currency. In order to reduce the risk, Barclays has introduced several products which will reduce the risk as a result of volatility of exchange rate. It has introduced option, forward and spot market contracts to reduce the risk of currency fluctuation and the capture the margin opportunities. The FX needs of the business have been addressed by Barclays Plc by the introduction of the range of solutions. The solutions proactively address to the needs of the business. The real time trading exchange rate information can be obtained by customers using the online self service platform of Barclays Plc. This provides flexibility to the various transactions in the FX market over the wide range of currencies. Barclays Plc provides online integrated solutions for online business activity that help to manage the FX risk (Barclayscorporate.com, 2015). Analysis of financial performance of Barclays Plc 2014 2013 Profitability ratios million pound million pound Gross profit margin 9% 10% Return on capital employed 3% 4% Net profit margin 3% 5% Earnings before tax 2256 2868 Liquidity ratios Current ratio 69% 82% Acid test ratio 69% 82% Trade receivables ratio 454% 468% Trade payable ratio 178% 188% Efficiency ratio Working capital ratio -136% -284% Asset turnover ratio 2% 2% Accounts receivables turnover ratio 22% 21% Profitability ratios i. Gross profit margin The gross profit margin for Barclays Plc for the year 2014 was 9% while it was 10% in the year 2013. The decline in the gross profit margin is a result of difficult market conditions in UK. This has resulted in the low levels of activity (Brigham and Houston, 2004). ii. Return on capital employed The ROCE for the year 2014 was 3% while it was 4% for the year 2013. The return on capital employed is a decline in the profit before tax in the year 2014 than 2013. The low levels of activity are the major reason affecting the profitability of the firm. iii. Net profit margin The net profit margin for Barclays Plc in the year 2014 is 3% while it is 5% for the year 2013. The decline in the net profit margin is a result of the decline in the income of the bank in the year 2014 due to conditions persisting in the market and the low levels of activity (Brigham and Houston, 2004). iv. Earnings before tax The EBIT of Barclays Bank for the year 2014 is 2256 million pound while it is 2868 million pound for the year 2013. The decline is a result of decrease in the net income of the bank as a result of low level of activity. Liquidity ratios i. Current ratio The current ratio for Barclays Plc for the year 2014 and 2013 does not meet the ideal range of the ratio of 2:1. This shows that the company is not being able to utilize its current assets in an efficient manner to repay the current liabilities (Decker, 2005). ii. Acid test ratio The acid test ratio indicates the ability of the organization to pay off its current liabilities without using the inventory. In the financial statement of Barclays Plc, no information regarding inventory is provided. Thus it would be same as current ratio (Fridson and Alvarez, 2002). iii. Trade receivables ratio The trade receivables ratio for Barclays Plc is much high for 2014 and 2013. This indicates that the company has large number of debtors in the market. iv. Trade payable ratio The trade payable ratio for Barclays Plc is high for the year 2014 and 2013. This is an indication that the company making its payment regularly (Guo, n.d.). Efficiency ratio i. Working capital ratio The working capital ratio for Barclays Plc for the year 2014 and 2013 is negative. This is due the increase in current liabilities of the company than the current assets. Thus the company requires managing the working capital in an efficient manner (Helfert and Helfert, 2001). ii. Asset turnover ratio The asset turnover ratio for Barclays Plc is 2% for the year 2014 and 2013 respectively. It is seen that the assets for Barclays Plc has increased in the year 2014 due to increase in the derivatives. This is a result of forward rate of interest and the US dollar has strengthened than the other currencies (Hunter, 2001). iv. Accounts receivables turnover ratio The accounts receivable turnover ratio of Barclays Plc for the year 2014 and 2013 is 22% and 21% respectively. The ratio shows the ability of the company to collect its receivables in an efficient manner. A higher ratio is always preferable which shows that the company is able to collect its receivables frequently. The ratio for Barclays Plc has been consistent for the two years. Comparison of earnings per share and gearing ratio of Barclays Plc with Lloyds plc 2014 Barclay's Plc Lloyd PLc Earnings per share (0.7)p 1.7 p Gearing ratio 19.58743443 16.13115 Earnings per share and Gearing ratio for the year 2014 The earnings per share for the year 2014 of Barclays Plc are negative while it is positive for the year 2014. The earnings per share for Barclays Plc is (0.7)p while for Lloyd Plc it is 1.7 p. The decline in earnings per share for Barclays Plc is due to the decline in the profit after tax for Barclays Plc in the year 2014. The profit after tax for Barclays Plc for the year 2013 was 1297 million pound while it is 845 million pound for the year 2014. There has been 36 % decline in the profit after tax. This is due to the unstable conditions of the UK market followed by low level of activity of the bank for the financial year 2014. The total income of the company has declined in the year 2014 from 28444 million dollars in 2013 to 25768 million dollars. The decline is a result of low level of banking activity in 2014. On the other hand it is seen that the earning per share for Lloyds Plc has been positive. The company has shown a strong financial performance in the year 2014 as a result of its three years strategic decisions that was focused towards delivering the benefits to the customers and the share holders. The company has risen from its loss in 2010 of 0.9 billion pounds to 7.8 billion pounds in the year 2014. The company has reduced its expenses to a considerable extent with lower impairment charges (Paramasivan and Subramanian, 2009). The gearing ratio for Barclays Plc for the year 2014 is 19.58 while the gearing ratio for Lloyd Plc for the year 2014 is 16.13. The gearing ratio is a measure of the proportion of the borrowed funds to the equity (Phylaktis, n.d.). The high ratio indicates that the company is subjected to excessive debt. A lower gearing ratio is preferable. The gearing ratio for Barclays Plc is high than that of Lloyd Plc. This shows that the debt composition of Barclays Plc is much higher than that of Lloyd Plc (lloyds.com, 2014). This could be a potential risk for Barclays during unfavorable economic and financial condition of the country (Phylaktis and Ravazzolo, n.d.). Impact of development of national and international tax policies on Barclays Plc. The development of the national and the international tax policies will have significant impact on the financial performance of Barclays Bank. The tax rate cut will increase the after tax profit of Barclays Plc. However a tax cut will result in the increase in the federal budget deficit. This will reduce the national savings of the country along with rise in the interest rates. The net impact on the growth will be uncertain. It will have a potential impact on the growth with the reduction in labor supply, saving and investment. However all tax changes will not have same impact on the growth of the economy. The diverse tax policies across the countries will provide the multinational organization incentives to alter the transfer prices. The company has to implement strategies to reduce the impact of the high tax (Chan, Leng and Liang, 2014). Conclusion The financial performance of Barclays Plc has been analyzed in the paper. The impact of the external environmental factors on the economy has been assessed. It is seen that the financial performance of Barclays Plc is affected by low level of activity and the prevailing condition of the market of UK. The global financial services of Barclays are governed by the local and the global regulatory standards persisting in the country. The monetary policies by Central Bank will stimulate the growth of Barclays Plc. The future growth of the company will depend on the innovative policies introduced by the bank. References Ardalan, A. (2000).Economic Financial Analysis For Engineering Project Management. Lancaster, Penn.: Technomic Pub. Co. Bankofengland.co.uk, (2015).Bank of England - Home | Bank of England. [online] Available at: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/Pages/home.aspx [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. Barclays.co.uk, (2015).How to deal with exchange rate risk - Barclays. [online] Available at: https://www.barclays.co.uk/InternationalBanking/Howtodealwithexchangeraterisk/P1242617413898 [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. barclays.com, (2014).The Barclays Way - Annual report 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.barclays.com/content/dam/barclayspublic/docs/AboutUs/Purpose-Values/the-barclays-way.pdf [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. Barclayscorporate.com, (2015).Currency risk and multinational trading | Barclays. [online] Available at: https://www.barclayscorporate.com/insight-and-research/insight/currency-risk-and-multinational-trading.html [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. Barr, M. (2002).Jossey-Bass academic administrator's guide to budgets and financial management. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass. Bartram, S. and Karolyi, G. (n.d.). The Impact of the Introdution of the Euro on Foreign Exchange Rate Risk Exposures.SSRN Electronic Journal. Bayraktar, S. (2008). The impact of exchange rate risk on international asset pricing under various market structures.Rev Quant Finan Acc, 32(2), pp.169-195. Blundell, R. (2006). Earned income tax credit policies: Impact and optimality.Labour Economics, 13(4), pp.423-443. Brigham, E. and Houston, J. (2004).Fundamentals of financial management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Broll, U., Welzel, P. and Wong, K. (2014). Exchange Rate Risk and the Impact of Regret on Trade.Open Econ Rev, 26(1), pp.109-119. Chan, K., Leng, M. and Liang, L. (2014). Impact of tax reduction policies on consumer purchase of new automobiles: An analytical investigation with real data-based experiments.Naval Research Logistics (NRL), 61(8), pp.577-598. Decker, S. (2005). Decolonising Barclays Bank DCO? corporate Africanisation in Nigeria, 194569.The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 33(3), pp.419-440. Fridson, M. and Alvarez, F. (2002).Financial statement analysis. New York: John Wiley Sons. Guo, D. (n.d.). The Risk Premium of Volatility Implicit in Currency Options.SSRN Electronic Journal. Helfert, E. and Helfert, E. (2001).Financial analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hunter, P. (2001). Barclays Bank Prosecutes Rather Than Covering Up.Network Security, 2001(11), pp.10-11. lloyds.com, (2014).Lloyds annual report 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.lloyds.com/annualreport2014/ [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015]. Paramasivan, C. and Subramanian, T. (2009).Financial management. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers. Phylaktis, K. and Ravazzolo, F. (n.d.). Currency Risk in Emerging Equity Markets.SSRN Electronic Journal. Phylaktis, K. (n.d.). Currency Risk in Emerging Equity Markets.SSRN Electronic Journal. Wealth.barclays.com, (2014).What is exchange rate risk? | Barclays. [online] Available at: https://wealth.barclays.com/en_gb/smartinvestor/better-investor/what-is-exchange-rate-risk.html [Accessed 14 Aug. 2015].

Strategy for Entering and Developing International Markets Mokate Poland free essay sample

She changed both the company name to MOKATE (from the first letters- MOkrysz KAzimierz, TEresa) and the main activity of her company which from that moment was manufacturing of powder coffee creamers. The mile stone for the company turned out in 1992 when Mokate launched on a market innovative at that time product: Mokate Cappuccino Coffee. Two years later Mokate Cappuccino became a leader on the market of cappuccino instant coffees and nowadays has 80% market share on this market in Poland. 1. Mokate Cappuccino Source: http://rynekfmcg. om. pl/nowa-linia-mokate-cappuccino/ In 1994 Mokate begun exporting of its products to neighbor countries. The growing demand on local and foreign markets forced company to build new headquarter with bigger plant, more warehouses and offices. After opening new manufacture the production increased twice and in Mokate product portfolio there were already more than 10 items. In the course of time there appeared again a need to extend product line. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategy for Entering and Developing International Markets Mokate Poland or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page New one, more modern and technical advanced manufacture enabled Mokate to produce more and faster. Mokate product range had 200 items which were selling in 30 countries. The next very important moment for Mokate was in 2000 when it decided to build a 12-floor â€Å"tower† to product powdered cream by oneself. MOKATE didn’t have to buy imported whiteners and frothers anymore. What’s more Mokate begun to be supplier of these products both in Poland and abroad. The company was still fast-growing and gaining more market share. In 2002 Mokate acquired one of the biggest tee producers in Poland: Consumer. After this transaction Mokate was controlling 18% of the polish tee market. The total sales increased to 80 Million Euro and the number of employees to more than 1000. In 2005 Mokate made another one acquisition. This time it bought Czech well-known producer of tee DUKATA from Zilin which was also the owner of very strong brand Dukata. Later in 2006 Mokate took over TIMEX, the leader on Czech instant products market what consequently gave Mokate a position of a leader in Czech Republic as well. In 2009 Mokate became the owner of one additional Czech company: MERILLA- producer of ground coffee, beans coffee and sweets. In 2007 export has reached a 40% of total sales which was 100 Million Euros in the end of a year. Mokate was selling its whiteners and frothers in 60 countries all over the world, and the amount of employees raised to 1200 people. Nowadays Mokate Group is created by 9 companies within 6 are located abroad. Mokate is still a leader on an instant cappuccino market in Poland and the second player on the tee domestic market. 7% of total sales comes from export and the turnover of the group has crossed half one billion zlotys. In 9 out of 10 shops in Poland there is sold at least one product of Mokate. Since 2011 Mokate is also exclusive distributor of Lavazza coffee on domestic market. 2. Mokate Group structure [pic] Product portfolio Mokate has a wide product range. Within we can find: †¢ coffees †¢ tees †¢ creamers †¢ cocoa †¢ drinking c hocolate †¢ intermediates (for B2B clients) 3. Mokate coffees | | |Mokate cappuccino |Coffee mixes | | | | |[pic] |[pic] | | | | |Natural coffees |Instant coffee | | | | |[pic] |[pic] | | | | |Chicory coffee | | | | | |[pic] | | 4. Mokate tees | | | |Minutka |Loyd Tea | | | |[pic] |[pic] | | | | |Grandma Jagoda |Loyd Tea Mulled | |[pic] | | | |[pic] | | | | |Dieta Fit |Other | |[pic] |[pic] | 5. Mokate creamers | | |Carmen Classic |Carmen Fit with Fibre | |[pic] |[pic] | | | | |Carmen Light | | |[pic] | | 6. Mokate cocoa | | | |Dutch cocoa |Tigo cocoa | |[pic] |[pic] | 7. Mokate drinking chocolate | | |Mokate Delicious Dark |Mokate Delicious Milk | | | | |[pic] |[pic] | Most of the products is sold below manufacturer’s Brand (e. g. Mokate, Tigo, Minutka) but the company sells also its product using private branding (e. g. Herbal Time for Biedronka markets in Poland). 8. Herbal Time as an example of Mokate private branding [pic] In the company responsibility for export has Mokate Export Department and Food Ingriedients Business Unit is in charge of exporting rough products. All products are manufactured using new technologies and saving high standards. Because of this fact Mokate received following certificates: †¢ HACCP- Hazard analysis and critical control points †¢ IQNet Certificate †¢ Quality Certificate ISO 9001 †¢ Products safety Certificate ISO 22000 3 Internationalization of internal value chain Activities of Mokate Company on a domestic and foreign markets: †¢ Acquiring of raw materials †¢ Product design †¢ Manufacturing †¢ B2B sales (raw materials) Marketing activities aimed at corporate clients (trade fairs, product catalogues, promotion on website) †¢ Marketing activities aimed to consumers (advertisement in mass media, direct marketing) †¢ Transportation †¢ Storing †¢ Marketing research †¢ After sale service Activities which Mokate outsources on a domestic and foreign markets: †¢ Design and production of packages (only on domestic market) †¢ Acquiring of raw materials †¢ Sales to end users †¢ Transport and storing †¢ Advertising campaigns 4 Internationalization According Mokate Company there were a number of favorable factors of internationalization. Internal factors: †¢ Growth and profit goals †¢ Economies of scale †¢ Willingness to use experience of managers gained on foreign markets External factors: Limited possibility of development on a domestic market †¢ Access to resources which are unavailable on a domestic market In Mokate the internationalization occurred in 1994 when the company started to export its products first to neighbor countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia) and later to another 10 countries. In 1998 Mokate products were available in more than 30 foreign markets and from 2001 the producer was exporting its items to all continents all over the world . The next step in the Mokate internationalization process has started in 2001 with opening sales subsidiaries Mokate International in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In 2006 Mokate decided to make brownfield acquisition of Timex company located in Czech Republic and after 3 years bought another one Czech company- Merilla which is sole production subsidiary cooperating abroad. There are also two subsidiaries cooperating in Ukraine and in Hungary. Meanwhile Mokate sold the license to manufacture its products to the company Alba from Zagreb in Croatia. Thanks this business agreement Mokate products became available on Balkan market and also in Arabic countries. Currently Mokate is selling its products in 55 countries i. e. in Germany, Russia, Sweden, Great Britain, Italy, China and countries of the Near East. Mokate is also a big importer of raw materials especially because of the fact that has extended its products lines. Now Mokate imports tea (from Ceylon, Kenya, Argentina), beans coffee (purchased on commodity exchange), coconut oil and glucose syrup (selection of distributors depends on actual prices). Imported products are 80% of total purchases of Mokate which means that the company buys only 20% on domestic market. 9. Forms of internationalization in Mokate [pic] 10. Structure of sales of Mokate products (in value) [pic] 5 Ataptation Mokate adopts its products and marketing activities to local markets, needs and tastes of consumer. These are the most important factors influencing adaptation decisions. Others are local regulations and different requirements regarding use of language and obligatory information which have to be written on package. Mokate adopt all marketing mix activities to particular markets: †¢ Product features e. g. Czech consumer prefer more sweet coffee taste so Mokate changed the recipe of coffee mixes †¢ Assortment e. g. In Czech Republic there are more varies of fruit tees. In Poland consumer drink mostly black tee †¢ Distribution system e. g. In Czech Republic Mokate uses more modern and advanced canals of distribution then in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary †¢ Package †¢ Price diversification †¢ Advertisement campaigns 11. Product adaptation in Poland and Czech Republic |COUNTRY |PRODUCT |PRICE | |POLAND |Babcia Jagoda | | | | |2,9 PLN | | | |(0,7 â‚ ¬) | |CZECH |Babicka Ruzenka | | |REPUBLIC | |10 Kc | | | |(0,4 â‚ ¬) | 6 Summary Mokate is an example of a company which successfully entered foreign markets and consistently realizes its strategy of development and building strong market position. Mokate begun from simple forms of internationalization (import, export) and in the course of time, gaining more experience and needed resources was utilizing more advanced forms of expansion. Adam Mokrysz, the member of executive board says that the company is still focused on international cooperation. Currently Mokate ries to gain new distributors and partners on African and Asian markets because in general countries in these regions grow very fast (as well as demand) and create big opportunities to export and reach high profits. Also the situation on a domestic market is very prospective. According Exp ort Credit Insurance Corporation Joint Stock Company the value of polish export in 2011 generated 137,8 billiard Euro and was 10,2% higher than last year. An average polish consumer buys approximately 3 kilos of coffee per year and this number is still growing (in 1996 average Pole drunk 280 cups per year. In 2006 drunk 580). Every year people in Poland consume also more fruit, green and herbal tee what creates additional possibility of development for Mokate in this sector. Sources: Marzanna Witek-Hajduk, Strategie internacjonalizacji polskich przedsiebiorstw w warunkach akcesji polski do Unii Europejskiej, SGH, Warszawa 2010 †¢ Jan Rymarczyk, Internacjonalizacja i globalizacja przedsiebiorstwa, PWE, Warszawa 2004 †¢ Nelly Daszkiewicz, Internacjonalizacja malych i srednich przedsiebiorstw we wspolczesnej gospodarce, Scientific Publishing Group, Gdansk 2004 †¢ www. mokate. com. pl †¢ http://www. egospodarka. pl/40931,Rosnie-rynek-kawy-w-Polsce,1,39,1. html †¢ http://www. fcmarket. pl/sezam/172021. pdf †¢ http://przegladhandlowy. pl/933/mokate-wiceliderem-w-kategorii-miksy-kawowe/ MOKATE GROUP POLAND FOREIGN MARKETS Mokate Sp. z. o. o. in Zory Mokate S. A. in Ustron [pic]DHSUcdvâ‚ ¬? †°S ®? eOA ¬e ¤Ã¢â‚¬ ? ncXcMgt;/h[5=h