Negative brand 4Ps analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Negative brand 4Ps analysis - Assignment Example The company’s strategy for succeeding in the market has been selling its products at a lower cost and for years, its culture has been operating on the assumption that keeping costs under control will sustain the company in the competitive global PC marketplace. Things have however changed in recent years and Acer has been constantly failing in the market. In 2012, the company was a position down in terms of worldwide PC sales, since it occupied a fourth place (Barker, businessinsider.com). In an effort to satisfy its users and customers and maintain a competitive position in the PC market, Acer has been changing its look. Acer group named this as its multi-brand strategy (Acer Group, acer-group.com). The implementation of the multi-brand strategy has been done by making Acer’s range of products different aesthetically, as well as fully featured and innovative. For desktops, their conventional design had been changed, while notebooks have been made slimmer and longer lasting. For desktops, Acer has come up with stylish LCD’s and for notebooks, their weight has been significantly reduced making them lighter and their battery life lengthened for more convenience and freedom (Acer Group, acer-group.com). People like having their needs and desires met without too many complications and Acer’s goal has been to satisfy its customers. Product: In terms of reliability, Acer laptop brands occupy 9% among all laptop brands worldwide (Egan, pcadvisor.co.uk). After being used for a while, it has been noted that the speed of Acer laptops reduces, while booting seems to take longer and webcams have problems. These negative factors make Acer fail as a product in the market place. Price: The cost of Acer PC products in comparison to other PC products is relatively low. This has been the case for years. The company has maintained the

Leading and managing change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leading and managing change - Essay Example here for which trade-offs are necessary they are inconsistencies in reputation or image, different configurations are essential for different positions, etc. A strategy which is framed by an organization enables a firm to achieve the best fit amongst all its activities. In this study a critical analysis will be performed on different theories which describe the major aspects of strategic planning. The entire study would even highlight the difference between operational effectiveness and strategic planning. On the other hand the study would even outline the importance of leadership to manage such strategic planning. These strategy formulations often lead to widespread changes throughout the system. In context of change management it is essential that appropriate leadership approach is adopted so that change can be communicated effectively throughout an organization. It is even important that there is a common goal set for the change so that all team members can efficiently accomplish the set goals or objectives. The company to be focused on is Toyota Motor Corporation. Over the years this multinational corporation has been able to set high quality standards and believes in constantly upgrading its business operations so that best service and products can be delivered to the customers. In this particular study strategic planning objectives and change management initiatives associated with Toyota Company would be thoroughly analyzed and will be related to theoretical frameworks. Strategy is a mechanism which brings forth stability in an organization and there are various factors which actually defines well the concept of strategy. A strategy which is adopted by an organization sets forth a new direction for the organization; it defines an organization, focuses on overall effort of an organization and even provides required consistency so that an organization can achieve its desired goals and objectives (Whittington, 2001). In the present scenario there is an

Complete draft dissertation

Complete draft dissertation Chapter One Introduction Music can provoke different responses because of the way its message communicates and gives meaning to peoples lives. Ned Rorem stated, ‘music is the sole art which evokes nostalgia for the future (Shuman 1997: 140). The music scene is testimony to the way in which old musical genres have either provoked a sentimental nostalgic response in wanting to maintain and preserve a traditional sound, or a pragmatic artistic response which chooses to use the memory of an old musical message and sound to inspire new, creative innovations. Flamenco is no exception. Throughout its history there are those who have sought to encase it, referring to it with notions of romanticism and sentimentality, and those who have embraced its evolving nature. The first is true of intellectualists Falla and Lorca, who sought to preserve cante jondo -the ‘deep song of the outcasts by hosting festivals strictly for traditional artists to display its ‘purity. It is also evident in the attraction of the rising middle classes in Andalusian cities toward the tragic song of flamenco. Flamenco provided a romantic perspective of the past, a ‘folklore-like history to provide a distinctive identity for Andalusians, also allowing them to express their sympathy for the downtrodden. The poor, for their part, embraced the ‘romantic song style of flamenco because it expressed their anguish, and also allowed them in hindsight to have a rosier slant on their miserable pasts ‘holding out a hope, however faint, that the since rity of their song would qualify them as bonifide cultural heroes in the future (Washabaugh 1996: 55). Since flamenco evokes ancestral history, the art form can encase and preserve these memories, only to re-live them through melancholic sentimentality. Conversely, Và ©lez suggests that ‘the pleasures of the past are not lost to the present, but are transformed into radically different aesthetics by the manifold forces that operate through time (Và ©lez 1976: 25). This approach recognises the contributions of the past that keep giving to the present, allowing the process of musical evolution to keep an art form alive and developing. In this way, ‘each generation builds new pleasures on top of old, and adds fresh memories to existing recollections (Featherstone 1991: 32). This is true of modern flamenco artists, who seek to recognise their ‘roots, while introducing their own interpretations and often experiment with other musical sounds. Globalisation has meant th at the product of this approach is seen in a fusion of elements with very diverse musical styles. Modern flamenco fusion band Ojos de Brujo share this approach: Flamenco is in many places and it can evolve in many ways†¦ we draw from the same source and we have the same love and the same respect for this music (Flamenco World 2002). This dissertation will examine the main perceptions of flamenco; an older, traditional perspective that views flamenco as  ´dead ´ and another younger perspective that argues flamenco is still a vibrant and living art form. It will account for aspects within the raging debate over flamencos historical purity, studying how it has remained a constant, changing and evolving art form. Chapter Two will examine the  ´purity ´ of the history of flamenco, considering the four main perspectives through which it has been viewed. Chapter Three studies the significance of the message and emotion characterising flamenco, and the way in which the song forms serve as a window into the lives of the flamenco community. It also accounts for the fact that though traditionalists contend for one ‘pure song form, there are in fact many branches within the genre. Chapter Four describes the journey in the modernisation of flamenco, considering how traditionalists blame this era for the ‘degeneration of flamenco, whilst modernists praise it for its progress. Chapter Five analyses the two groups that have emerged in the flamenco scene, the purists who insist that ‘true flamenco resides in the past, and the modernistswho look embrace the evolution of the art form. Chapter Two The History of Flamenco Flamenco holds many threads of history. Depending on who is narrating its past, the  ´proper ´ and  ´true ´ history of flamenco can be found in various long-lived and widespread claims. Washabaugh identifies four main ideologies held by flamencologists; ‘Andalusian, ‘Gitano, ‘Populist and ‘Sociological (Washabaugh 2006: 32). This chapter will consider the debate over the purity of the history of flamenco and examine the four main varying perspectives through which its origin has been viewed. The line of ideology emphasisng the Andalusian character of flamenco music conveys its deeply-rooted and cultural musical characteristics only formed by Andalusia ´s unique history and demographic make-up that created the conditions which birthed a very distinct art form. Unlike the constructions of Spanish nationalism, especially in the Basque and Catalan regions, Andalusian identity was not predicated on the notions of racial purity, Andalusia ´s unique identity was often defined by the very multiplicity of cultural and racial layers from which it had evolved (Brown 2007: 230). Contributing to this melting pot, the 800 year reign of the Moors tolerantly allowed other diverse culture groups to cohabit within their society; Arabs, Jews and Catholics all contributing to the rich mix found in multicultural southern Spain. However, the Christian Reconquista in 1492 brought a new era of hostility to the region, driving out all Jews and Muslims who refused to convert to Christianity, alongside gitanos who refused to conform to sedentary occupations. This expulsion united the persecuted cultures against the Inquisition who now shared a muliticultural common life. An intense blend of Muslim, Jewish, Indian and Christian cultures characterised these underground communities, producing a fusion of distinct musical sounds which formed what we now call flamenco, here, in the midst of the minorities. ‘And there it stayed, performed in the privacy of their houses or caves unknown to the world until the end of the eighteenth century when it began to be heard in the ta verns and other public places (Totton 2003: 15). There is a vivid debate between the gitanos and payos over the origin of flamenco, both people groups insisting on their contribution due to their cultural bonds.  ´The majority of non-gitanos do not deny the role of the gitanos in the enriching and developing process of the flamenco art, but they are very absolute when it comes to the origin, Andalusia (Papapavlou 2003). Many composers and philosophers such as Manuel de Falla were keen to preserve a musicological perspective that contributed to a Spanish identity based on the romanticism of Andalusias origins as a primitive artefact. Writers and philosophers ´ diverse assertions of a distinct Andalusian identity give varying emphasis to oriental music through Indian (the gitanos place of origin) and Arab roots, Sephardic Jewish music, as well as influences as far back as the early Greek, Roman, Visigoth and Byzantine rulers. These concepts are all based on the diverse musical influences that can be traced in the flamenco cante, baile and toque; its very un-Western chant like melodies and long melismatic wails, its strong twelve-count compà ¡s which provides a driving underlying rhythmical structure with syncopated accented golpes, as well as the exaggerated upper body movements and stamping zapateado created by the bailaor. Altogether these speculative transferring influences are said to play a pa rt in the evolution of flamenco. These claims also contain cultural connotations that provoke issues of race and identity, which seek to shape Spanish cultural consciousness and identity. In this way,  ´the anthropomorphised Andalusia passionate, musical, changing, and anarchical- had become the true source of flamenco ´ (Deutsch 2004: 220). ‘Though Lorca contends that flamenco has to do with a purely Andalusian canto which existed in embryonic form before the gypsies arrived, others think that flamenco is the ethnic music of the gitanos (Steingress 2003: 154 quoting Lorca 1984). The active participation of the gitano community created a phenomenon by virtue of their extraordinary facility for adaptation which brought the diverse cultures of Andalusia finally into harmony (Leblon 1994: 72). Cante gitano refers to the songs that expressed the pain of the gitanos under persecution. They were kept alive ‘underground and performed in the gitanos notorious family gatherings and fiestas where the atmosphere was conducive to spontaneous song and dance. These performances were so intimate that the distinguishing lines between audience and performer were blurred. Their strong oral traditions and  ´gritty ´ songs of old provided a strong identity amongst the Andalusian gitanos, the reason why writers such as à lv arez Caballero believe they were nothing short of the prime movers of flamenco (Caballero 1988: 70 Washabaugh p.34). To many, therefore, the word flamenco has become a synonym for the gitano. This is helped by the fact that thiscommunity is still a very visible sector of society. Although historically by the nineteenth century the gitanos were now an integrated part of Spain, they represent a people group with a uniquely separate racial status, while still forming an integral part of Andalusian culture (Brown 2007:230). The gitano perspective is not without criticism, however, and there are debates about attributing the entire creation of flamenco to the gitanos, some flamencologists even questioning the very nature and instinct of the gitano to be able to create an art form. Ruiz, amongst others, believes that the gitano by nature does not create, but assimilates and integrates, contributing, rather, his influence in this way (Ruiz 2007). Similarly, Totton believes that the gitanos did not bring their music to any country they settled in. Instead, they adopted the music of that country, adapting it to their own particular style of musicality, their strong rhythmic sense, and their tendency to dramatise. In this way he believes that  ´the gitanos have been the catalysts, but flamenco developed in the melting pot of Andalusia ´ (Totton 2003: 14). Others believe that the origins of flamenco matter not, and that flamenco is not just the music of southern Spain but forms a way of life that influences the daily activities of many southern Spaniards. Moreover, one does not have to be a performer of flamenco to be a flamenco.  ´A flamenco is anyone who is emotionally and actively involved in this unique philosophy†¦an outward expression of the flamenco way of life ´ (Pohren 2005: 9). This ideology is also held by the populist point of view which sees flamenco as a voice of resistance. Instead of emphasising its ethnic origins, flamenco primarily is seen to have been used as a means by which to express an outcry from the conditions of oppression in which marginalised people found themselves. This account merits these oppressed artists as the creators of flamenco, their cante jondo marked by a deep and moving performance brought to life by duende. ‘For Lorca, the supernatural force of the duende enters human beings and possesses them as they create inspired, deeply moving work (Hayes 2009: 40). A performance which lacks the essence of duende would be considered as shallow and ‘unpure; a common accusation of the flamenco purists of modern, more commercial, performances. This populist account suggests that the flamenco style persisted in Andalucà ­a for nearly 500 years. However, ‘during the nineteenth century that resistant song of the lower classes began to lose its bite with the commercial developments of the art form (Washabaugh 1996: 36). Still others argue that the spirit of duende continues. The sense of Andalusian oppression has been a central theme in flamenco, and the present political freedom and crisis of mass emigration have, if anything, intensified the use of flamenco as a vehicle of social commentary both through text content and, less overtly, through stylistic innovations (Tong 1998: 176). The sociological perspective is that flamenco is a phenomenon that brings classes together, and disagrees with many populists assessment of the  ´degrading ´ transition flamenco went through in its commercialism. Flamenco remained a voice of the lower classes though it became popular and began to be heard by the upper classes in the  ´golden age ´ of the cafes cantantes. It was on this stage that performers were able to vent their tragic past to their audience of wealthy oppressors. Washabaugh explains that  ´the song, on this account, performs a double catharsis, exposing and relieving both the pain of the poor and the guilt of the wealthy ´ (Washabaugh 1996: 36). In this way, flamenco is a means of connecting both sectors of society as both poor and wealthy can walk away from the performance psychologically unburdened by the awareness of their different social standings. Focussing on the sociological history of flamenco, this perspective coincides with what is described as the ‘second wave of the genre, a time when flamenco embarked on a process of what Biddle and Knights term as  ´re-Andalusianisation ´, finding its identity in both a local and global dynamic (Biddle and Knights 2007: 14). Though this point in flamencos development is seriously criticised by flamenco purists, for sociologists it was here that flamenco truly came into being, reaching the popular scene, and finding its  ´Golden Era ´. In this way, some authors believe ‘there is no point in searching in the distant past for origins or a genre that really did not come into being until the middle of the last century (Leblon 1994:77). Upon reflection, the tradition of flamenco has not enjoyed the same faithful written record as other classical forms (Hayes 2009: 53). The origins of flamenco seem likely to remain shrouded in mystery for some time to come, due to the circumstances surrounding its birth and musicologists ´ unwillingness to tackle the question. As long as the only efforts made in this field have as their sole aim the ruthless elimination of a given community from the competition, there is no chance of our knowledge progressing (Leblon 1994:73). To conclude, this chapter has exposed the variation in the historic accounts of flamenco, and the ideologies that have emerged from four different perspectives. It is therefore evident that flamenco has not followed a  ´pure ´ linear history, but has encountered many different components equally indispensable to the process of its creation. Chapter Three The Voice of Flamenco in Society Flamenco has been described as ‘a way of life, a way of perceiving and interpreting daily existence (Martinez 2003: 5). Its central position in its communities distinguishes the art form from many other musical genres, and only in understanding its voice in society can one appreciate the passion that flamencos feel for their music. This chapter therefore sets out to discover the significance of flamenco and its legacy by studying the messages that its song forms carry, which serve as a window into the lives of the flamenco community. It will also examine the importance of personal expression channelled through the three musical elements of flamenco: cante, baile and toque. Furthermore the chapter accounts for the different subdivisions of the genre, also suggestive of the fact that there is not one ‘pure form of flamenco but many branches that serve as a reflection of different flamenco communities. Though there is much discussion concerning the exact origins of flamenco, it is evident that, at first, it was an art form in the hands of the minorities. There are many song forms within flamenco that serve as a window into the lives of these communities. Flamenco was a reflection of social life, engaging not only with universal themes such as love or death, but also referring to religious and political issues affecting personal life. Many have examined the way in which the community expressed their ways of life through flamenco; lifes pressures, work conditions and the inequality of hierarchy in labour, social structure, and social divisions. En este aspecto, la desigualdad es el eje vertebrador del cante a travà ©s de diversas temà ¡ticas que, aun referidas a lo universal, al amor, a lo panhumano de la muerte o el dolor, està ¡n siempre socializadas traspasadas por una experiencia cultural no abstracta ni confundible con otras: la andaluza (Roldà ¡n : 112). Flamenco palos, or song forms, convey these themes, many categorically giving emphasis to one theme in particular. For example, amongst many, Carceleras are prison songs, alboreà ¡s are gypsy wedding songs, and mineras are miners songs. Other song forms emphasising a more general theme accentuate a specific musical element of flamenco: the cante, toque or baile. Flamenco in its original form was only cante, a primitive cry or chant accompanied only by the rhythm which would be beaten out on the floor by a wooden staff or cane. These styles are known as Palos Secos and they are the oldest forms of cante known today. These including the tonà ¡s, and the saetas, religious songs thought to be of Jewish decent used during processions, improvised without any accompaniment. Other palos are above all rhythmic which have also given rise to leading dance forms, such as the soleà ¡, and bulerà ­a. In the revelation of these mostly tragic song themes, it is important to convey the difference between flamenco and western music, primarily in the way in which, in the west, one hears the tune first, and then only then, perhaps, the harmony, rhythm and words. To the flamenco, the tune is little or nothing, and the harmony less, being aware, above all, of the words and their rhythmic and forceful expression (Totton 2003: 84). Fà ©lix Grande has defined flamenco as ‘a tragedy in the first person and ‘a protest without hope or destination (Grande 2007). The siguiriya is an example of this concept, the heart of cante jondo. ‘It expresses anguish, lament, and despair, and has been described as an outcry against fate and quintessence of tragic song (Totton 1995: 90). It is an example of how the transmission of song serves as a window into the lives of the flamencos. The following copla from a traditional siguiriya is an example of how the history of these Andalusian communities is communicated through the art form: Seà ±or Alcalde mayor Lord high mayor Y demà ¡s seà ±ores And other fine lords Estas penitas a este cuerpo mà ­oThe pain in this body of mine No le corresponden Is not deserved (Kirkland 2001 :9) Felix Grande would respond to such an example by saying : Listen closely to a tonà ¡, truly hear a seguiriya; let some tientos slide through the hairs of your arm. Perhaps you will sense something resembling the hand of Philip V signing a paper in 1745- surely without trembling- to authorize those pursuing a Gypsy to enter a church and take him from its protection (Kirkland 2001: 9). The striking imagery and emotional purity of cante lyrics is also evident in the following coplas: El tiempo y la marea todo me viene en contra; los golpecitos de este mar furioso salen por la popa ( : 94). Hasta las piedras saben la desgracia mà ­a que yo las vendo -mis desgracias- de noche y de dà ­a (: 95) On one level, the coplas serve as a descriptive reflection of the lives of the flamencos, and on another, serve as a representation of complaints, hopes and vindication. El flamenco sirve para descubrir la realidad, para exponer las formas de vida y hasta cuadras de costumbres, pero tambià ©n para reflexionar sobre ellas y denunciar las desigualdades. Pasa de lo descriptivo a lo analà ­tico sin saberlo, y a veces a lo crà ­tico (Roldà ¡n : 112). It is therefore evident that the role of flamenco in society is not merely aesthetic, or for ephemeral enjoyment, but that it has become a living testimony of the flamencos themselves, and an outlet for emotional unburdenment. No canten, pues, con el à ºnico objetivo de hacerlo mejor que la vez anterior o mejor que otros cantaores: cantan porque es sus propias carnes o en las carnes de su propio grupo social o clase han padecido marginaciones y atropellos que a su vez se convierten en exponentes y portavoces de sus propios grupos, familias o entornos. (Gelardo y Belade :21) This is also suggestive of the reason why purists seek to protect the purity of this expression. Clemente believes that dealing with cantes, palos, compà ¡s, and melody is like dealing with living beings, ‘they deserve the respect involved in keeping them alive (Clemente n.d). This reveals an intrinsic link between the lyrics and expressive aspects of the music. Early developments of flamenco show that the socio-political dimension of the art form is manifested in both these facets. Pohen (1995) believes that it can not be overemphasised that flamenco, above all the jondo flamenco, is in essence an emotional art. Moreover, the artist needs only enough technique to enable him to convey his emotions to himself and to his public: The improving of technique to the point of virtuosity is not usually synonymous with the improvement of the artist ´s ability to communicate. Conversely, the opposite is more often true. The virtuoso often becomes a cold machine, too concerned with his technique, too complicated, too entangled in his own virtuosity, too conscious of the fact that the majority of the public is awaiting this virtuosity more than any duende he may impart (Pohen 1995: 58). This emotion is woven through the cante, baile, and toque, each embodying the rhythm and expressive force necessary to bring the words of the coplas to life.The cante is said to have been developed in isolation by Andalusians, and especially gitano Andalusians, ‘and which redeems humans from the prison of language and the darkening isolation of social life (Washabaugh 1996: 90). The flamenco cantaor recreates and embroiders the song form in a personal way, expressing to the audience what the words mean to him (Totton 2003: 84). The quejà ­o, melisma,the manipulation of the compà ¡s, and the quality of voice itself are ways to enforce the power of the cante. The cantaor also adds emotion by spontaneously weaving his voice around the words, envoking duende. The intensity of the cante means that many cantaores prefer to sing al golpe,accompanied only by knuckles on the table and the cries of encouragement from the jaleo. The baile also takes on the character of the coplas by concentrating on forceful rhythms. This contrasts from the graceful movements given importance by modern music academies, a feature of modern flamenco also criticised by purists. Prejudices run deep on the subject, and the Spanish language marks the difference: the classically trained dancer (whether or not also dancing flamenco) is a bailarà ­n; the flamenco dancer is a bailaor or bailaora (Totton 2003: 51). ‘Pure flamenco baile is expected to be individual, forceful, downward, and introvert. A similar prejudice has been established between classical guitarists and a true, flamenco tocaor. The difference can be seen in the very way the guitar is held to the emotional way the tocaor marks out the rhythm and compà ¡s through plucking, strumming, tremolo and banging the wood, and also the ability to improvise, adding his own falsetas. Toca de oà ­do, por intuicià ³n, improvisando continuamente, y aporta, como productos de cosecha propia, las falsetas (Ruiz 2007: 90). Though the toque element was introduced later on in the evolution of flamenco song forms, it is still seen to be an important element. La gran originalidad de la mà ºsica flamenco de guitarra se resume en el hecho que los elementos melà ³dicos, armà ³nicos y rà ­tmicos que la componen tienden a inferirse en provecho de un elemento expresivo superior que engloba y enriquece a los demà ¡s y que podrà ­a calificarse de dinamismo (Hilaire Ruiz 2007: 91) Uniting all elements of flamenco, lyrical, musical and emotional, is the strong sense of tradition and heritage manifested in the art form itself. In this manner, flamenco receives and keeps giving back its communities, allowing the flamenco legacy to live on. It is important to note that until recently, music and lyrics were never written down but transmitted orally. Compositions from the past have been handed down through the generations, and the extensive categorisation of palos reveal that there are many branches of flamenco, originating from numerous communities from different parts of Andalusia and further afield, all adding their musical flavour and history. These branches can be as contrasting as the discussed traditional tragic siguiriya and cante jondo to the cantes de ida y vuelta which were exported from Spain to the New World where they acquired new influences, later to be re-imported again to Andalusia by returning emigrants. These contribute to the rich diversity of so ng forms which have evolved from the original palo seco to varying rhythmic song forms which incorporate baile and toque, two main elements of flamenco that were integrated later on in the evolution of flamenco. Throughout the evolution of flamenco song forms, purists insist that the ablility to evoke duende distinguishes the ‘true flamencos from modern, experimental musicians, due to their ability to identify with the anguished themes of the cantes, re-living these emotional experiences. This chapter has discussed the role of flamenco in society through analysing the dual function of the art form. Firstly, it is evident that the genre transmits the history of a marginalised people through the coplas. Secondly, and entwined with the first, is the expressive, mainly painful, release of emotion associated with life experiences through the three channels of flamenco; cante, baile and toque. In this process, the evoking of duende is what sets flamenco apart from other musical forms, and is suggestive of the purists insistence of protecting a ‘traditional and ‘pure music. However, the many branches of musical style within flamenco also alerts one again to the fact that, though flamenco demands a purity of emotion, there is not one ‘pure song form and single history within the genre, but many stories with diverse themes and musical influences, inevitable in an art form of oral tradition. Chapter Four A New Era of Flamenco When evaluating the different phases of flamenco, flamencologists have tried to define the time line into conveniently identifiable eras. ‘The stages flamenco has passed through until the present day are identified by the venues where it was staged, as well as the artists who were most popular at any given moment (Martà ­nez 2003 :66). Biddle and Knights (2007) refer to these historical stages as ‘waves, while Steingress (2003) refers to them as  ´steps of hybridisation ´, both studies highlighting exhaustive influential causes of change undergone by flamenco. The phases which have contributed to the modern evolution of flamenco are important to highlight because of the way they have changed the face of flamenco, both musically and culturally, not only adapting its sound but its audience also, taking it from the primitive privacy of the juerga to the very public showcasing platform. This chapter will examine the stages marked by three main venues that changed the ima ge of flamenco: the cafà ©s cantantes (1860-1920), the theatre which hosted à ³pera flamenca (1920-1950), and the tablaos and peà ±as (1950-1975). Through describing their effect on flamenco, the chapter will also study the way in which these periods have provoked a debate which accuses this period of evolution of either the ‘degeneration or ‘making of the art form. The study will account for the perspective that, whilst many look to the past to define flamenco, the genre has encountered many different components equally indispensable to the process of its creation. The cafà ©s cantantes laid the groundwork for what has been termed the ‘Golden Age of flamenco. ‘Having only existed as a way of life, little by little flamenco gained popularity, and by the middle of the last century, sharp businessmen realised that flamenco could be exploited profitably in commercial exercises (Pohren 1995: 146). Flamenco was introduced as a public attraction and customers flocked to witness the novel presentations of the flamencos who complied to life as a paid artist and higher standard of living. One of the things that the cafà © cantantes achieved for flamenco was to broaden the range of non-gitano performers who were willing to make crowd-pleasing innovations and modulations, as neither the payos nor their audiences had quite the same distaste for broad popular appeal (Drummond 2006: 168). Those who performed in the cafà ©s naturally followed the tastes and whims of the customers and it is argued that thistrivialised flamenco, ‘since patrons requests favoured ‘festive rather than ‘deep flamenco performances (Hernà ¡ndez 2008: 15). Furthermore it is contested that this enforced a staged professionalisation inspiring competition amongst performers, not a feature of flamencos emotive purity and unconcern for virtuosity. ‘The guitar, in particular gained eminence in cafà © performances and, from being an instrument to accompany song and dance, it became a show in itself, and solo guitar performances soon became popular favourites (Hernà ¡ndez 2008: 15). In addition, ‘artists from the different provinces of Andalusia contributed to an enhancement of flamenco by elaborating their regionally distinctive substyles (Washabaugh 1996: 33). An important artist to emerge from this era was Silverio Franconetti, a non-gitano who opened his own succes sful cafà © cantante, and is amongst a group of flamenco  ´legends ´ to emerge from this era. His legendary fame for contribution to the flamenco scene, even recognised amongst gitanos themselves, however, is ironically criticised. This accounts for the parody of the  ´Golden Age ´. On one hand, condescension for the beginnings of crass commercialism, and on the other, an excitement for the new wave of creative and technical competence. Nevertheless, in the light of the modernisation that was to come, many  ´pure ´ artists were still able to enjoy the profit of this time, being able to make a decent living from what they loved most. Desperate to preserve tradition in the threat of modern change, Spanish Intellectuals Manuel de Falla and Federico Garcà ­a Lorca attempted to revitalise the  ´true ´ and  ´pure ´ spirit of Andalusian flamenco by promoting the Concurso de Cante Jondo in 1922. They rejected the name  ´flamenco ´, embracing the term  ´cante jond o ´ in order to stimulate interest in uncommercial styles of flamenco which were in decline. However, the initiative could not prevent the second wave of modernisation which replaced the cafà ©s cantantes with

Madness and Insanity in A Rose For Emily And The Yellow Wallpaper

Insanity in A Rose For Emily And The Yellow Wallpaper  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the upper class women in the Victorian era were assumed to be weaker than men, prone to frailties and ‘female problems’ and unable to think for themselves, valuable only as marriage bait. The two women in Faulkner’s and Gilman’s stories are victims of such assumptions. Emily in â€Å"A Rose For Emily† and the narrator of â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† are driven insane because they feel trapped by the men in their lives, and they retreat into their own worlds as an escape from reality, and finally rebel in the only ways they each can find. Emily and ‘John’s wife,’ the woman in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† who is never named, both feel stifled and suppressed by the men in authority over them. Emily, as a â€Å"slender figure in white... ...he trap that society has placed them in. Works Cited Faulkner, William. â€Å"A Rose For Emily.† The Norton Introduction To Literature. Eds. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 7th Ed. New York, Norton, 1998. 1: 502-509. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper.† The Norton Introduction To Literature. Eds. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 7th Ed. New York, Norton, 1998. 2: 630-642.

Gender roles in language acquisition Essay

We reprimand our daughters for being â€Å"bossy† and praise our son’s for showing such assertiveness. These were the sentiments expressed during Sheryl Sandburg book promotion tour in early 2013. Mrs Sandberg is largely accepted as one of the most successful female businessperson in modern society. During her many lectures and academic interviews she essentially cited her success as the result of ‘going against the gender norm’ for women. Although specifically referring to the business world, does Sheryl have a point? Are we reinforcing gender roles in the words we promote and discourage our children to use? It is largely accepted across both linguistic and psychology fields that girls develop their language skill in: understands, quantity, quality and range of vocabulary acquired at an earlier age and faster rate than their male counterparts. A very recent study by Rikard Bauman in 2010 (Stockholm University Press) explored vocabulary growth and language production in pre-school children. It is suggested that at 22 months girls have a more extensive vocabulary than boys due to capacity differences; however, at 34 months such a pattern cannot be found. Furthermore it is suggested that gender affects language production in the sense that male and female speakers will prefer to produce words that are associated with their culture’s definition of masculinity and femininity. The study on vocabulary growth is based on the assumption that TTR (type/token ratio) reflects vocabulary size and it proves that, at 22 months, girls have a more extensive vocabulary than boys; however, at 34 months such a pattern is less obvious, if any conclusion can be drawn it is that boys have a slightly larger vocabulary than girls. The study on language production is focused on verb production and it shows that boys and girls prefer verbs that are associated with common stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. It seems that these gender distinctions are not unique to the English language or the Western world as †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Found when examining the Japanese language. according to Eleanor Harz Jorden, when learning language in Japan children learn that there are some words and some grammatical constructions that are associated explicitly with men or boys, while others are associated with women or girls. Such differences are sometimes called â€Å"gendered language.† In Japanese, speech patterns associated with women are referred to as onna kotoba (â€Å"women’s words†) or joseigo , â€Å"women’s language†). In general, the words and speech patterns associated with men are seen as rough, vulgar, or abrupt, while those associated with women are considered more polite, more deferential, or â€Å"softer†. Some linguists consider the rough/soft continuum more accurate than the male/female continuum. For example, Eleanor Harz Jorden in Japanese: The Spoken Language refers to the styles as blunt/gentle, rather than male/female. There are no gender differences in written Japanese (except in quoted speech), and almost no differences in polite speech (teineigo), since males take on â€Å"softer† speech, except for the fact that women may be more likely to use polite speech in the first place. The word onnarashii , which is usually translated as â€Å"ladylike† or â€Å"feminine,† refers to the behaviour expected of a typical Japanese woman. As well as behaving in particular ways, being onnarashii means conforming to particular styles of speech. Some of the features of women’s speech include speaking in a higher register, using more polite forms and using polite speech or honorifics in more situations, and referring to themselves and those they address more formally. Some linguistic features commonly associated with women include omission of the copula da, the use of personal pronouns such as watashi or atashi among others, use of feminine sentence-final particles such as wa, na no, kashira, and mashoo, and the more frequent use of the honorific prefixes o and go. According to Katsue Akiba Reynolds, ladylike speech is instrumental in keeping Japanese women in traditional roles and reflects Japanese society’s concept of the difference between women and men.[4] For example, there is the potential for conflict for women in the workplace in that, to be onnarashii, a woman must speak politely, submissively and humbly, yet to command respect as a superior, she must be assertive, self-assured, and direct, even when dealing with male subordinates. Actual language used by Japanese-speaking women differs from these ideals. Such onnarashii speech is a norm that institutions such as education and media encourage women to adopt. Similarly, these forms may be prescribed for women learners by Japanese textbooks and other materials. There are, however various deviations from these norms in conversation. Although Japanese women may not follow the gender norm in speech, some linguistic studies indicate that Japanese women tend to use more honorific language than men do, which reinforces the idea of onnarashii and traditional gender roles.[5] Traditional characteristics of Japanese men’s speech [edit] Just as there are modes of speaking and behaviour that are considered intrinsically feminine, there are also those that are considered intrinsically masculine. In speech, being otokorashii (â€Å"manly† or â€Å"masculine†) means speaking in a lower register, using fewer polite forms and using them in fewer situations, and using intrinsically masculine words. Research on Japanese men’s speech shows greater use of â€Å"neutral† forms, forms not strongly associated with masculine or feminine speech, than is seen in Japanese women’s speech. Scholars argue that men use typically masculine forms to â€Å"assert their own authority and knowledge of themselves†. Some studies of conversation between Japanese men and women show neither gender taking a more dominant position in interaction. Men, however, tend to show a â€Å"self-oriented conversation style†, telling stories and expressing their expertise on topics being discussed, than is typical of women in these studies. Gender differences in modern society :- As women gain an increasing leadership role in Japanese society, notions of onnarashisa and otokorashisa, that is, what is deemed appropriate behaviour for men and women, have evolved over time. Although comparatively more extreme movements call for the elimination of gender differences in the Japanese language (gender-neutral language), convergence in usage is considered unlikely and may not even be desirable. Instead, trends in actual usage indicate that women are feeling more comfortable using traditional characteristics of female speech (such as wa) while still maintaining an assertive attitude on par with men. In other words, there is a gradual decoupling of language forms and traditional cultural expectations. Although the characteristics of Japanese male speech have been largely unaffected, there has been an increasing sensitivity regarding certain usages (such as changing the terms used to refer to mature women -chan) that may be considered offensive. Regional dialect may often play a role in the expression and perception masculinity or femininity of speech in Japanese. Another recent phenomenon influencing established femininity in speech is the popularity of Okama, very feminine men as popular Geinoujin (television personalities). While homosexuality and transgenderism is still a fairly taboo subject in Japan, lesbians with male traits, or cross-dressers, are referred to as onabe or tachi. Problems for Japanese learners [edit] Without the proper instruction by fluent Japanese speakers and/or teachers, non-native persons risk learning and expressing themselves inappropriately to native Japanese. Compounding the difficulty of language acquisition, formal instruction may emphasise learning the polite forms of expression (that favour female students) while glossing over informal expression (that favour male students) and honorifics (distinguishes natives from foreigners). It is important for non-natives to be instructed by members of the same sex or be aware that mere mimicry may not have the expected results. In addition to the use of pronouns to refer to oneself and others, the use of titles also is strongly influenced by gender-based overtones and is another source of potential problems for the non-native speaker. The situation is further complicated by regional variation. For example, in many regions of Japan it is common for older men to refer to themselves as boku or older women to refer to themselves as ore. How does this relate to language spoken in the Western world? Opinion is, as is often the case, divided. AGAINST 1) other major influences Mahsa Saligheh ‘Revisiting Age and GenderInfluence in Second Language Acquisition’ 2012 states, † There is no doubt that language acquisition process is a complex process which involves several factors, and that this process is highly influenced due to plasticity of the brain. Furthermore, the types of memory systems involved in females and males are also have a pivotal role that makes the genders distinct. The researchers claim, age and gender, are among the factors that run in parallel with other factors that deeply influence language acquisition process such as motivation, personality, styles, strategies, gender and age. The present study attempts to investigate the last two factors: age and gender. Given the importance placed on the role on age and gender, the researchers hold they are not the necessary conditions for second language acquisition. However, the writers claim that genetically there are some benefits that can be reaped for those who begin L2 acquisition early. Furthermore, both males and females are equipped with some predetermined tendencies that would be helpful for them to acquire some aspects of language much faster and easier. 2) biological basis Mar. 5, 2008 — Although researchers have long agreed that girls have superior language abilities than boys, until now no one has clearly provided a biological basis that may account for their differences. For the first time — and in unambiguous findings — researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Haifa show both that, areas of the brain associated with language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks, and that boys and girls rely on different parts of the brain when performing these tasks. â€Å"Our findings which suggest that language processing is more sensory in boys and more abstract in girls could have major implications for teaching children and even provide support for advocates of single sex classrooms,† said Douglas D. Burman, research associate in Northwestern’s Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences The researchers measured brain activity (using functional magnetic resonance imaging) in 31 boys and in 31 girls aged 9 to 15 as they performed spelling and writing language tasks. The tasks were delivered in two sensory modalities – visual and auditory. When visually presented, the children read certain words without hearing them. Presented in an auditory mode, they heard words aloud but did not see them. Using a complex statistical model, Burman and Pepper accounted for differences associated with age, gender, type of linguistic judgment, performance accuracy and the method (written or spoken) in which words were presented. The researchers found that girls still showed significantly greater activation in language areas of the brain than boys. The information in the tasks got through to girls’ language areas of the brain (areas associated with abstract thinking through language). And their performance accuracy correlated with the degree of activation in some of these language areas. To their astonishment, however, this was not the case for boys. Boys’ accurate performance when reading words depended on how hard visual areas of the brain worked. In hearing words, boys’ performance depended on how hard auditory areas of the brain worked. If that pattern extends to language processing that occurs in the classroom, it could inform teaching and testing methods. Given boys’ sensory approach, boys might be more effectively evaluated on knowledge gained from lectures via oral tests and on knowledge gained by reading via written tests. For girls, whose language processing appears more abstract in approach, these different testing methods would appear unnecessary. â€Å"One possibility is that boys have some kind of bottleneck in their sensory processes that can hold up visual or auditory information and keep it from being fed into the language areas of the brain,† Burman said. This could result simply from girls developing faster than boys, in which case the differences between the sexes might disappear by adulthood. Or, an alternative explanation is that boys create visual and auditory associations such that meanings associated with a word are brought to mind simply from seeing or hearing the word. While the second explanation puts males at a disadvantage in more abstract language function, those kinds of sensory associations may have provided an evolutionary advantage for primitive men whose survival required them to quickly recognise danger-associated sights and sounds. If the pattern of females relying on an abstract language network and of males relying on sensory areas of the brain extends into adulthood (a still unresolved question) it could explain why women often provide more context and abstract representation than men. Ask a woman for directions and you may hear something like: â€Å"Turn left on Main Street, go one block past the drug store, and then turn right, where there’s a flower shop on one corner and a cafe across the street.† Such information-laden directions may be helpful for women because all information is relevant to the abstract concept of where to turn; however, men may require only one cue and be distracted by additional information. Conclusion Alongside most if not all empirical and theoretical evidence involving human beings it is impossible to make concrete and definite conclusions. Having extrapolated the information the most obvious conclusion can only deduce Is this only evident in childhood, does the distinction disappear by adulthood or was Sandberg right in stating that the division in language between the sexes continues through life. References Burman is primary author of â€Å"Sex Differences in Neural Processing of Language Among Children.† Co-authored by James R. Booth (Northwestern University) and Tali Bitan (University of Haifa). Jorden, Eleanor Harz; Noda, Mari (1987). Japanese: The Spoken Language. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-03834-7. Siegal, Meryl; Okamoto, Shigeko (2003). â€Å"Toward reconceptualizing the teaching and learning of gendered speech styles in Japanese as a Foreign Language†. Japanese Language and Literature 37 (1): 49–66. Retrieved 2013-4-26. Kazuko, Ashizawa (1998). Mangajin’s Basic Japanese Through Comics. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0452-2. Reynolds, Katsue Akiba (1990). â€Å"Female Speakers of Japanese in Transition†. Aspects of Japanese Women’s Language (Tokyo: Kurosio). Tanaka, Lidia (2004). Gender, Language and Culture: A Study of Japanese Television Interview Discourse. John Benjamins Publishing. ISBN 978-90-272-3079-9. Sreetharan, Cindi Sturtz (2004). â€Å"Students, sarariiman (pl.), and seniors: Japanese men’s use of †²manly†² speech register†. Language in Society 33 (01). doi:10.1017/S0047404504031045. ISSN 0047-4045. ^ Itakura, Hiroko; Tsui, Amy B. M. (2004). â€Å"Gender and conversational dominance in Japanese conversation†. Language in Society 33 (02). doi:10.1017/S0047404504332033. ISSN 0047-4045.

Organisational System Security Internet Security Issues Essay

Adware – Is a software which you get when you have downloaded a different program or software for free or at a reduced price. Its main purpose is to download adverts to your computer screen when you visit websites. Adware is seen by a developer as away to recover costs of making software. But to the general user adverts on there monitor are annoying because it puts them off of what there doing and they have to close every advert down manually. Blackhat – Is a name given to a hacker whose purpose is to access data with out permission and to damage it or change it. Blackhat hackers can do this for arrange of reasons to make profit or as a hobby. They may also send other users viruses, internet worms or spam them. This type of hacker is known as the bad guy in the computer world. Botnet – Is a software robot, when a spammer sends out viruses to general users a Bot is attached to it. Once the spammer has control of the infected computers then they will have to purchase a Botnet which then lets them operate the controlled computers, then the spammer will send out a message to the computers cause them to send spam to mail servers, resulting in users opening up there mail will have tons of junk. Denial of service – Is an attack which leaves users with out use of the services of a website which they would normally use. The DoS attack does not normally mean the controller of it has stolen information, but has cost the company which it has targeted money and time. This can cause users that use that company’s website to purchase what they want from another website meaning that company’s business rivals are making money from the DoS attack on them. Exploit – Is a software which contains commands that take advantage of a computer system with weak security, the purpose of an exploit is to give a user more privileges on a computer system allowing them to access more data which was previously restricted from them. A weakness in the exploit is that it stops running when a newer version of the software is installed. Keylogger – Is a device which you can get as software or hardware it is connected or installed inside your keyboard. Its function is to log in keystrokes. There are many different reasons why we may use this such as helping fix computer system errors or seeing how an employee users there keyboard to see if there good at there job. You can purchase Keylogger’s off the internet. Malware – Is a software, its task is to damage a computer system such as to give a computer system a virus. Malware gets its name from the beginning of the word malicious and the ending of the word software. Malware’s include arrange of harmful programs such as computer viruses, worms, Trojans, rootkits and sometimes adware. Packet sniffing – Is a software or hardware which is used to analyze traffic that is passing through over a network. The packet sniffer checks each packet then decodes them so that they can be analyzed, to check there content. The analyzing is useful for finding out network problems, monitor network usage from users and debug client and network protocols. This will help maintain a network. Phishing – Is a term given that is a breech of security by a hacker. Such as attempting to acquire sensitive information on other computer users like there usernames, passwords and credit card information. The hackers target popular websites such as eBay, MySpace and PayPal. They get hold of user’s personnel information by sending fake emails pretending to by your bank. Piggybacking – Is a computer word which refers to a user connecting there laptop or computer to another persons internet connection. Then using the internet without the permission of the owner of the internet connection. But if you own a cafà © and have a hotspot this is not considered piggybacking because you have given permission to people to use your hotspot to connect to the internet. Spyware – Is a computer software that is secretly installed on to your computer and can take control over something’s that you do on it. It can install software which you did not want on your computer also it can make you go on websites that you did not click to go on and it could led you to harmful viruses that could affect your computer. When turning off your computer spyware can even change your computer settings. Trojan – A Trojan is a computer virus that appears on your computer designed to cause your computer harm. It has been know to be similar to a worm. Some Trojans may not cause harm to your computer but the six main types of Trojans are ones that cause remote access, data destruction, download, get on to a server, anti – viruses software disabler and denial of service attack. Whitehat – Is the name given to a hacker, who’s purpose is to prevent a breech of security within a company or organization. They are normally employed by a company to protect against there counterparts blackhat hackers who want to hack and steal information and data that does not belong to them. In the computing world the Whitehat hacker is know as the good guy. Worm – Is a computer program which sends copies of its self to networks, designed to cause harm to the network that they have targeted. It likes to eat up the bandwidth used on the network. Worms can also cause serious harm and damage to a computer operating system by attacking the weak parts of the computer. Zero-day Attack – Is a threat to computers, by trying to take control of computer applications that are unknown or patchfree. The attacker that controls the zero-day attack normally sets it up on a public forum because of the number of users that it could affect. Zombie – Is a computer that has been attached to the internet by a computer hacker. The owners of zombie computers do not know that there computers have be compromised. They are normally used as part of a botnet, but while they have been put in zombie mode the hacker can use other user’s computers to send Trojans or other harmful viruses. Resources Adware http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adware Blackhat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_hat Botnet http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet http://www.ibiblio.org/botnet/flora/indexstart.html Denial of service http://searchsoftwarequality.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid92_gci213591,00.html Exploit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploit_(computer_security) Keylogger http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystroke_logging http://www.actualspy.com/ Malware http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/alerts/info/malware.mspx Packet sniffing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_sniffer http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/hackertools/a/aa121403.htm Phishing http://www.antiphishing.org/ http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/p/phishing.html Piggybacking http://www.thefreedictionary.com/piggybacking Spyware http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware Trojan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_horse_(computing) Whitehat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_hat Worm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm#Protecting_against_dangerous_computer_worms Zero-day Attack http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-Day_Attack http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-zero-day-attack.htm Zombie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie_computer