Human Resource Management: Dreamworks Animations Essay

With Jeffrey Katzenberg as their CEO, DreamWorks Animation’s business encompasses animated content creation for theatres and television as well as merchandising and licensing of their associated characters (Fixmer, 2013). DreamWorks Animation has been an exemplary example when it comes to keeping its employees happy at work, being voted 12th on Fortune’s 2013 top 100 best companies to work for (CNN, 2013). DreamWorks Animation goes through great measures in order to maximize the potential of their employees by ensuring that they are always motivated. By organizing regular special events such as movie screenings and family get-togethers, DreamWorks Animation acknowledges on ensuring work-life balance (Stanger and Groth, 2012). Jeffrey Katzenberg would also initiate communication with his employees daily through social media (Stanger and Groth, 2012). Apart from motivating the employees, this gesture removes the barrier between employer and employee, allowing effective communication. To encourage freedom and expression of creativity, the company allows employees to personalize workstations and create an environment which would maximize their potential (CNN, 2013). DreamWorks Animation depends heavily on their employees who will directly affect the  quality of products. To ensure that DreamWorks Animation is able to meet organizational goals and gain a competitive edge over competitors such as Disney Pixar and Sony Entertainment, it is important that the right human resource management practices are being utilized to maximize the potential of the company and to create a high-performance work system. Such a system is achieved through human resource management by reacting to trends such as increase in emphasis of knowledge workers, empowerment of employees, and improving of teamwork (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.35). . Analysing and design of jobs For DreamWorks Animation whose main business focus is on the development and creation of animation using state-of-the art technology, this process requires technical knowledge and creativity from their employees in many different specializations. Therefore, it is imperative that job analysis and design of jobs must be done to match the right person to the right job and maximize the potential of the company. The first step is using work flow analysis to gain a better idea on what the work needs to be done is. This is achieved by first determining the products of DreamWorks Animation, followed by the work processes including activities required to produce it, and finally the inputs such as raw materials, equipment, and human resource (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.100). In the case of DreamWorks Animation, an animation is produced using state-of-the art technology by teams of experts in niched specializations from content creation up to licensing. After determining the work processes and inputs, the next step is to zoom in to the specific job roles and functions. Through the use of job analysis, DreamWorks Animation will be able to get more detailed information and understanding of the jobs in order to match it with the people which best fulfils its requirements (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). The company can get more information about certain job roles and requirements using the Fleishman job analysis system by asking existing employees to fill up surveys based on 52 categories of abilities (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.108). Having been in the job for a certain period of time and accumulating experience in the certain specialization, a 3-D modeller, for example, could advise on what kind of software knowledge is required by a prospective employee. Once the information is gathered, the next step is to create the job description which would list out the task, duties and responsibilities of the specific job (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). This is important as it provides prospective employees with a clear indication of what is expected of them and the key roles which they will be playing in the job. For DreamWorks Animation, a company which requires knowledge workers who possess specific skillsets and talents in order to fulfil roles within the production process, the emphasis on job specifications is important. By evaluating the job function and understanding the inputs which they invest in such as the equipment and technology, DreamWorks Animation would have to indicate clearly the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required for the job (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.103). By indicating the need of certain software skills or technical certification important in content creation of an animation, DreamWorks Animation will be able to attract the right people for specific jobs. Using job design and redesign, DreamWorks Animation could enhance job performance by fully utilizing the strengths of their employees (Rehman, 2011). One of the ways is by designing efficient jobs, for DreamWorks Animation, could be the passing down of operating procedures from senior employees to speed up certain work processes. Being assigned to specific jobs for extended periods could demotivate employees due to the monotony of the job. By introducing self-managing work teams giving autonomy with regards to schedules and duties to achieve project based objectives, employees feel more empowered and the job becomes less rigid (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.116). Introducing flexi-time whereby employees are allowed to choose their working times as long as they meet targets set by the company, DreamWorks Animation can also benefit from having a more motivated workforce, in turn encourage generation of creative ideas and improve efficiency. DreamWorks Animation is a company whose product creation involves an intensive work process which requires the expertise and technical nous of knowledge workers. Through the use of job analysis and design, they could benefit from finding the right people for the right jobs by clearly defining the description and requirements (Rehman, 2011). DreamWorks Animation could also increase efficiency and motivation of their employees, benefitting from increased productivity and reducing the turnover rate. Recruitment As DreamWorks Animation depends on development and creation of creative content as their main business function, the quality of employees they have plays a large factor on the quality of product produced. Therefore, employees become the most important resource the company has, and being able to identify and attract potential employees through recruiting becomes a top priority. The decision made by the company in recruiting consists of three main aspects; personnel policies, recruiter traits and behaviours, and recruitment sources (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.143). In order to attract top talents in their relative specializations to choose DreamWorks animation over their competitors, the first step is using image advertising. Under personnel policies, image advertising is the focus on creating a good impression of the company by advertising the positive experiences of working for them (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.144). By advertising what DreamWorks Animation has done to provide opportunities for existing employees to showcase their talents and how they have provided a working environment which encourages creativity, the company would be able to appeal to potential employees who value such a working culture. In many cases, especially in a highly-competitive labour market where top talents in the animation industry are highly sought after, DreamWorks Animation should also adopt personnel policies such as lead-the-market pay in order to attract employees with top potential. This is achieved by paying the potential employee a higher salary compared to any others in the current market for the same position (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.144). For DreamWorks Animation where top talents are needed in niched positions for the creation of their product, they could also offer the potential employee benefits in the form of profit-based bonuses from the project they will be working on. This way, not only does DreamWorks Animation benefit from acquiring a top quality employee, the employee would also be highly motivated to excel due to added benefits. Once the personnel policies are in place, the company would have to make decisions based on recruitment sources. It is important to use the appropriate sources to attract the ideal employees out of a huge job market (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.145). One option is through internal sources whereby current employees are sourced to fill up newly opened positions. This can be done through job posting whereby information of the position is  communicated to the employees through employee publications or the intranet (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.145). By recruiting through internal sources, the company will benefit from having an employee who already has experience in the industry and would be able to adapt easily. It will also increase the morale of existing employees as they will see the opportunity for future advancements with the company choosing to recruit from within. DreamWorks Animation could also choose to recruit through external sources such as tertiary institutions. By tapping onto universities, especially those with good reputation and track record for producing the top students in certain specializations, DreamWorks Animation could benefit from attracting the best talents. This is done through enhancing of the company’s presence by attending job fairs and providing internships to students (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.151). In order to attract the best talents, top companies such as Google have not only provided interns with the opportunity to participate in real projects, they are also paid in the average of US$6000 per month (Buxton, 2013). Once the recruitment process has been completed, DreamWorks Animation should also evaluate which sources attract the best talent and this would help them with future recruitment decisions. Last but not least, DreamWorks Animation should ensure that they provide training to the recruiters who are an extension and representative of the company. By providing guidelines on what are the behaviours to display as well as information which should be provided, recruiters will be able to appeal more to the prospective recruits. With proper utilization of human resource practices in recruitment, DreamWorks Animation will benefit from recruiting the best employees in the industry. This is important as it ensures that not only will they be able to create and develop the best products, they will also gain a competitive edge over their competitors by staffing the company with employees possessing the right competencies and are able to fit in seamlessly to contribute towards achieving organizational goals (Chew and Horwitz, 2004). Performance Management Another important human resource practice DreamWorks Animations should look into is managing of their employee’s performance. There are three main purposes for performance management and the first one is to achieve  strategic purpose whereby the company will be looking to reach organizational goals and business objectives (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). It is also done for administrative purpose which helps the DreamWorks Animation make decisions on appropriate compensation as well as identifies employees who are not meeting required standards (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.237). Lastly, is to achieve development purpose whereby the strengths and weaknesses of employees are evaluated to provide them with feedback or suggestions to improve their knowledge and skill (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.238). The first step to effective performance management is to understand the desired outputs and goals set for the company (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). For DreamWorks Animation, the overall objective would be hitting certain profit margins from the successful launch of a new animation. Next, is to evaluate the goals and performance requirements set out for individual employees in order to achieve the organization’s goals, the consequences and performance outcomes should also be evaluated (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.236). Once the goals are set, it should also be followed by observing and providing of constructive feedback to employees to guide them in achieving the goals (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.235). With the process in place, DreamWorks Animation should decide on methods or combination of methods most suited for measuring performance. One of the methods could be attribute measurement through graphic rating scale. Through this scale, the employees are being rated based on a list of traits and to what extent do they display such traits (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.242). This is a highly customizable method which allows DreamWorks Animation to rate their employees according to certain traits which are important for the company such as knowledge and creativity. The company can also measure results through management by objectives by setting goals flowing from top to bottom which contributes to achieving the overall organizational goals, and using of these goals to evaluate performance of employees (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.248). The goals are often set by individual departments through discussion between managers and employees whereby the goals are specific and challenging (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.248). For DreamWorks Animation whose business objectives hinges on the success of their animated content, using its profitability as a measurement for evaluating performance is also valid. However, such a method might be unable to predict factors such as climate of the market and efforts put in by the employees (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.249). By comparing between employees using the simple ranking method, DreamWorks Animation would also be able to have an idea of how employees fare among their peers. This method is carried out by ranking the employees in the department from the best downwards (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.240). With the method of performance management formulated, the next step is on the delivery to the employees. DreamWorks animation should emphasize on scheduling regular appraisals to ensure that their employees have ample time to correct. Managers providing the feedback should also be trained on how to deliver and prepare for the appraisals (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.257). To minimize any errors in performance management which may result from difference in standards of judgment or bias which may occur in any of the above methods, DreamWorks Animation should utilize the 360-degree performance appraisal. This method gathers feedback not only from managers, but from the peers, customers, as well as the individual (Noe, R.A. et al., 2014, pg.253). Performance management should also be done in a legal and ethical way to ensure that employees are treated fairly. With proper performance management, DreamWorks Animation will be able to benefit from not only having employees who have a clear idea on what are their goals and ways they could improve, constructive guidance and feedback will also ensure that the company is focused on achieving a common objective. As a result, the productivity of DreamWorks Animation will be improved and employees will be more motivated to work towards their goals. Conclusion With the above human resource management practices in place, in the next five years, DreamWorks Animation will be able to benefit from understanding specific requirements of each job and improve productivity. Having the right people at the right job where their talents are fully utilized, they will create effective workgroups and ensure that their resources are well invested to improve performance. Through finding ways to improve on the current jobs would also be beneficial in their corporate branding as a top company to work for, attracting the best talents around the world. The improvements to existing jobs would also ensure that the employees are given more support and encouragement to realize their potential, therefore  empowering employees. With the right recruitment practices, it would also ensure that their resources would be maximized on sources which would generate quality hire. The emphasis on performance management also allows gives a clear direction on organizational goals and guides employees towards working more effectively. On the whole, DreamWorks Animation will be able to create a high performance work system, they will also see a huge increase in employee morale and reduce turnover rate. Reference List Buxton, R. 2013. Google Intern Salary Reached $6000 A Month, Plus Free Food And Gym. Huffington Post [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/google-intern-salary_n_3429746.html [Accessed 6 June 2013] Chew, I.K.H. & Horwtiz, F.M. (2004): ‘Human Resource Management Strategies in Practice: Case-study Findings in Multinational Firms’, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42, 1: 32-56. CNN Money (2013). Fortune: 100 Best Companies to Work For. [Online] Available at: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-companies/2013/snapshots/12.html?iid=bc_fl_list [Accessed 5 June 2013] Fixmer, A. 2013, DreamWorks Animation CEO Says TV Will Give Revenue Boost. Bloomberg [Online] Available at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-18/dreamworks-animation-ceo-says-tv-will-give-revenue-boost.html [Accessed 5 June 2013] Noe, R.A., Hollenback, J.R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P.M. (2014): Fundamentals of Human Resource Management, 5th Edition, Singapore: McGraw-Hill. Rehman, M.S. (2011): ‘Job design and job performance relationship: A study of Pakistan Public Sector employees’, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research In Business, 2.12: 562-76. Stanger, M. & Groth, A. 2012. 23 Companies With Employee Perks That Will Make You Jealous. Business Insider [Online] Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/companies-with-awesome-perks-2012-10?op=1 [Accessed 5 June 2013]

Raymond Carver Cathedral Response

The story â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver is about one man's understanding and acceptance of a blind man. The narrator represents the story's dominant theme of overcoming prejudice of the blind through personal experience as well as mutual respect. The narrator, who remains nameless, holds deeply unfounded beliefs and stereotypes of what a blind person should be, yet over a relatively short period of time he develops a bond with the blind man, whom at first he privately mocked. The narrator's preconceived notions about blind people are proved false when he meets the blind man (Robert) for the first time.The narrator is not looking forward to having a blind man stay at his home. â€Å"Now this same blind man was coming to sleep in my house† (230). Yet once Robert arrives at his home he is shocked that he does not conform to his idea of the blind. â€Å"But he didn't use a cane and he didn't wear dark glasses. I'd always thought dark glasses were a must for the blindà ¢â‚¬  (232). At supper the narrator begins to see Robert as a capable human being rather than a burden and he remarks that he watched with admiration as Robert used his knife and fork on the meat. He'd cut two pieces of meat, fork the meat into his mouth, and then go all out for the scalloped potatoes, the beans next, and then he'd tear off a hunk of buttered bread and eat that† (233). Suddenly the narrator no longer has much to base his prejudices on. The narrator's understanding of Robert is enhanced when Robert agrees to smoke dope with the narrator despite never trying it before. This brings the narrator and Robert closer together as they share a moment like old friends. Now the narrator is beginning to

Royal Ahold’s Case Write Up

Executive Summary The case discusses the Royal Ahold’s the major events that led to the demise of a great European company. The case presents some of the key issues in the areas of leadership, strategy, audit and accounting fraud that resulted in their disaster. The case identifies the problems made by the management in selecting the improper growth strategy and incentive plan that encouraged unethical behaviour from the senior management. The events presented touch and highlight management and governance issues, which are so important in managing global companies.After analysis of the cases and financial statements, I have come with questions and concerns on the management and financial statements that could have caught this earlier on. Questions to be asked and process of approving budgets, corporate strategy, risk controls would have raised concerns on the management style. Some of the other recommended actions for board and its various committees would have discouraged the improper management practices. Some of these questions might have surfaced real issues and / or encouraged the right practice.I found various accounting standards, challenges of global audit process; in this case it was led by Deliotte. The CEO’s and leadership growth strategy was the reward and recognition was improper. The number of acquisitions made during the 90s and continuous pressure was put on all subsidiaries to grow the sales by 15% were bad decisions. This alone led to many other problems within the company. The CEO’s growth strategy and desire to quickly grow the company put immense pressure on all other companies and senior management to somehow meet the CEO’s expectation.It all resulted into fraudulent activities and ultimately disaster of great company. I recommend adopting changes to incentive plans, non-financial factors be part of success criteria. In measuring financial success, working capital ratio, inventory days, receivable and payable ta rgets should be part of incentives. Above all, I recommend changes to the board committees and ensuring their work is independent was also important, i. e. audit committee, establishment of HR committee to raise issues and improve the overall organization culture. The case also highlights the issue of multiple accounting standards being practiced in very country.A standard corporate wide accounting standard in Royal Ahold must have been used. Both external and internal auditors must have report ed numbers in a consistent approach. I recommend that auditors had direct reporting to board and should have empowered and trained to look for documentation and management structures in their audit process. Had they dig deep on all areas of concerns of material significance they might have found side letters. I have also highlighted other recommendations including the controls in the accounting standards and in preparing financial papers.Incentive plans and corporate strategy be realistic to avoid unwanted behaviors. Tone of the top management including the board’s, assignment of responsibilities be clearly stated and periodically measured. Student id: 250712690 1 Management Accounting Exam Problem Identification: The case depicts another case of fail of governance and business ethics. This appears to be a fraud and not just accounting mistakes. By 2003, the time of the case, Enron, WorldCom and few others had already identified the need of business ethics and corporate governance.Royal Ahold series of events happened mainly due to greed and unethical behaviour but what really underlies is the objective setting, growth strategy and, rewards recognition criteria set by management. The case also presents issues of cost accounting, in terms of, when to apply the manufacturing rebates. Consolidation of subsidiaries and joint ventures also played a role in this fraud. It also shows bad governance, flaws in external audit, failure of internal audit functions and to som e degree their competency. Leadership strategy: Royal Ahold’s CEO’s strategy of 15% growth year-over-year was very aggressive.The reward and recognition structure around the sales number was improper as it led management of all subsidiaries and other business units to increase the revenue and meet the targets. CEO kept communicating to board and shareholders the expectation around the sales strategy and likelihood of meeting these targets. Consequently, it created a culture whereby senior management were under pressure to meet the sales objective. The senior management and head of subsidiaries must have felt that missing the sales targets is not even an option. Accounting Fraud: The case presents few big issues of accounting.Firstly, the issue is of the incorrect accounting treatment of manufacturing rebates and promotional allowances. My opinion is that rebates cannot decrease the cost of goods unless there is a certainty of getting the rebates. If the rebates are unc ertain they cannot decrease the cost of goods incorrectly. From the case, it appears that management ordered more quantity of goods then they could have sold. They booked the rebates at time of goods received and decrease the cost of goods prematurely. (Assumption: It is not very clear from the case, if these rebates were booked as income or adjusted against the cost of goods i. . decrease in cost of item. I have assumed that Royal Ahold accountants decreased the costs (prematurely as per above paragraph). If these were booked as income, then it is even a bigger fraud and not an accounting error) Second accounting fraud problem is the accountants preparation of Royal Ahold’s parent company financial statements. They consolidated the financial statements including some of the joint ventures when Royal didn’t even had control over them. Royal Ahold did not own more than 50% of these Joint Ventures and did not have the control of the decision making.They created fraudulen t paper work to show they had control on these join venture companies. This is a pure fraud as they created agreements to satisfy auditors and try to hide the real facts. Audit: Both external auditors and internal auditors (and audit committee) failed to detect any of the accounting issues. It could have been missed as accounting standards in many countries is different. External auditors, even though they may all be of Deloite, of one country only audits that country statements, so they may not be familiar what might be happening in other parts of the company.However, the Royal Ahold parent company auditors are responsible to have an oversight of companywide audit and should be held responsible for over -looking these fraudulent transactions. Internal audit and board’s audit committee failed to detect any of the misrepresentation either. On top of that in Netherlands there were two boards (Governing Board and Supervisory Board) and both boards weren’t able to detect o r raise red flag on any of these problems and misrepresentations. Management having two sets of paper work with JV (Joint Ventures) without coming under the investigation shows incompetency of audit functions.Governance / Audit Structure The way the governance and audit structure was laid out at Royal Ahold, there were five different committees and entities were responsible to review accounting and financial controls and practices that could have asked questions and raise concerns (red flags). They were: The governance board, supervisory board, the audit committee, internal audit department and the external auditors. Each should have independently reviewed management controls and financial statements and raise concerns and issues. Raising Red FlagsIn my opinion, the governance structure and audit committees and external auditors were sufficient enough to handle or uncover such fraudulent activities had they been critical, created the right controls, empowered the internal auditors a nd obviously asked the right questions while reviewing the financial statements and other management documentation. As part of board, I would have asked questions following questions, or have acted when seen abnormalities. This would have helped me in identifying issues, concerns and in raising red flags on the Royal Ahold 1999-2001 financial statements.Also some of them are related to mid 90’s management attitude and strategy. Strategy and Growth Approach: The target of meeting 15% year-over-year in sales, especially in US in 2000-01 when economy was in recession should have alarmed the board and internal auditors. They should have investigated how the sales targets are being achieved. It is not easy to meet 15% sales in US food industries under this economic climate. This may have led the management behaviour in meeting the targets.As board member, I would have asked CEO to explain the strategy of rewards and recognition, mainly on top line bonus as it is a wrong choice. (I have personally worked at Compaq during 1999-2000 and have seen the issue of top line bonus and commission on sales. This led to Compaq’s continued crises and eventually it was bought by HP in 2003). I would tried to influence the board and hence the CEO to consider a more comprehensive rewards strategy. From my experience bonus strategy plays a big role in company culture. The other important factor that develops the management attitude is what CEO likes to hear.It seems Royal Ahold’s CEO, Cees van der Hooven, wanted to hear from all his subsidiaries and Joint Ventures that sales targets are being met every quarter. I would have influence the management style and company culture to be protected by changing (or diluting) this approach. CEO’s attitude and leadership style was one of the leading cause of Royal Ahold demise. His aggressive acquisition approach would have resulted in integration issues within the company. As board member, I would have asked the man agement plans on integration and how culture of the organization would not be negatively impacted.I would have created the board HR committee to influence management not to allow the negative impacts on the organization culture, integration within the organization, rewards and recognition be such that it would not have allowed the culture to deteriorate. The cultural issues, integration issues and above all greed among the management team members was uncontrolled in Royal Ahold’s accounting scandal. The growing number of acquisitions was extremely risky initiative; the corporate strategy was carrying high risks at all operational levels including controls, integration that may have led to frauds.Also, this had potential to be a reputation risk as well. In my opinion, board should not have approved such an aggressive corporate growth strategy. Consolidated Statements Although Royal Ahold ownership is less than 50% in some Join venture companies, they showed controlling interes ts in some companies. To me an agreement paper presented by the management is not sufficient. I would have asked the significance of Royal Ahold’s control and ask management which areas of Joint Venture management we have been making decisions on.If we are making decisions, even though we don’t own more than 50%, what are the risks associated with these decisions. As a board member, I would have understood how Royal Ahold has influenced the Joint Venture management. I would have also asked audit committee to understand the management structure of Joint Ventures. Taking a step further, assuming that 20% share would have given Royal Ahold right to appoint a board member on Joint Venture’s Board, I would have understood from the Joint Venture board member (through Royal Ahold appointed director) how the joint ventures decision making process really works.By asking such questions and efforts in trying to understand from the board and management of Joint ventures how the organization is actually structured and working. If Royal Ahold does not have a controlling authority on the acquired company, the company financial statements cannot be consolidated. Royal’s accounting practice o f consolidation will first bump up the revenue numbers. This was purposely done to beef up the revenue figures. This may have resulted bigger bonus for the senior management. Also, the balance sheet would be more attractive to the shareholders (and potential shareholders). To explain this here is simple illustration:Parent Current Assets Assets Total Assets Current Liabilities Liabilit ies Total Liabilities Shareholder's Equity Debt to Equity Ratio Subsidiary Consolidated 3 7 10 1 3 4 4 10 14 4 1 5 3 7 0. 5 1. 5 3. 5 8. 5 3 2. 5 5. 5 2. 3 0. 6 1. 5 As illustrated in the hypothetical example above example, by consolidat ion the debt looks more attractive then it would have looked otherwise in the parent company. The debt to equity shows debt-to-equity of ($1. 5: $1) when consolidated, and ($2. 3:$1) when not consolidated. Similarly, other financial ratios would have looked good with consolidation of financial statements.The consolidation resulted in better financial statements; hence Royal Ahold used this approach. In actual, this should not have used consolidated method. As per the accounting text, Parent when owns an investee company’s 20%-50% should use the equity method of accounting. The equity method would have mainly impacted the earnings on the Income statements. The net income, however, would result the same earnings without changing the revenue numbers. On the balance sheet side, the equity method would only show true â€Å"Assets† number, as per the investments made in the JV by Royal Ahold. The financial ratios (e. . debt to equity or quick ratio etc. ) will not be as appealing as it started to sound with consolidated statement. Risk Controls: As board member, I would have influenced the entire board not to approve the corporate strategy as a budget was too aggressive and unrealistic. As pointed out above, realistic targets are extremely important. If strategy is too aggressive and corporate culture is to share good news with the CEO the unrealistic budgets targets may lead to malpractice and improper (fraudulent) activities. In my opinion it is supervisory board obligation to approve only realistic targets.The corporate strategy in the growth years of mid ‘90s was too aggressive. This has done part of the damage in the culture and mind-set of the senior management that 15% growth is not unrealistic and has created an attitude to meet these targets in any way possible. This encouraged the wrong doings and possible frauds that started to take place in 1999-2001. Although it is not very clear from the case, were there any wrong doing (or activities) in 199798, but in the hind-sight, it appears that some of the issues must have started or existed in that time as well.The board and senior m anagement should actively work on identifying risks to the organization and work on strategies that mitigates the risks. A key here is to have a formal risk assessment process on an annual basis. The assessment is under supervision of the board and results are reviewed by the board. Inventory 2001 balance sheet shows 20% rise in inventory, I would have raises some concerns that might have uncovered the management improper decision to order such high quantity of stocks to get the manufacturing rebates. Accounts ReceivableIn 2001, accounts receivable increased by Euros 605M i. e. 21. 2%. I would have asked questions around the assumptions and likelihood receiving the Account Receivable. More importantly, who owes this receivable to Royal Ahold. This may have been due to the manufacturing rebates included in the accounts receivable. If so, it would have led to the whole issue of management aggressive behaviour on ordering stocks to get rebates. It might have opened up the entire incorr ect accounting treatment of manufacturing allowances and rebates. General ReserveRoyal Ahold is showing consistently on their balance sheet a general reserve item that is over 5 to 6 Billion euros (approx). This appears to be high, I would have asked on what assumptions these provisions are made. It might have uncovered some of the assumptions that are being made by management. This general reserve is in addition to the 1. 5B euros in other provisions. This is should have been a red flag. Other Recommended Preventive Measures Besides the concerns and red flags mentioned above, I would have raised based on what I would have seen.I would have also taken following measures to prevent this from happening. Incentive (Bonus) Structure: The bonus structure cannot solely be based on financial goals. The bonus structure has to base on non-financial goals as well. Within financial goals all aspects to kept in mind when designing the appropriate incentive program. The increase in working capit al (inventory, receivables, payables etc. ) is kept at minimum or in line with the net income. The increase or decrease in working capital beyond the realistic proportion to earnings should be discouraged through the incentive program as well.Audit Committee Structure: The case presents the audit committee and internal audit department weaknesses and signs of some of their inefficient processes and competency issues. Besides reviewing the audit committee performance, monitoring and control issues were also been found. I would have influence the audit committee to have a metrics of internal audit department. This may have encouraged more objectivity of audit functions and may have aligned management controls to the overall governance issues. It is the responsibility of audit committee that internal and external auditors have an open communication.Besides audit of the current financial statements, and review of controls and structures, the auditors must identify areas of improvement i n controls and work on action plan in improving the organization controls and monitoring process. HR Committee As mentioned above, I would have asked board to create HR committee that takes an active role in setting the controls in the organization. The committee should take an active role in reviewing the annual compensation and objective setting. Committee should have taken an independent review of key hiring decisions and management capability on integration and organization culture.Some key decisions in this area should only made by committee after consulting with the management, audit and board’s general direction. IT System: I would have asked internal audit committee to ensure all IT systems are audited to ensure proper controls are in place. Usually, in fraud IT systems controls could have loop holes or management may have the ability to bypass some of the checks and balances and/ or segregation of duties. Consistency in financial Statements Royal Ahold had companies in four different continents and in many countries.Financial statements presentation and laws across the globe are not consistent. US GAPP, Netherlands GAAP, IFSA and others are not standard across all countries where the Royal Aholds companies are in operation. While the fact makes a challenge for the board, it doesn’t give them an excuse of letting things slip. The board should have worked out with internal and external auditors in creating a minimum corporate standard across the group of companies. It is the flaw in governance and leadership to over-look this fundamental point.

Three Things I Can`t Live without Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Three Things I Can`t Live without - Essay Example Although they do not cost much, they are the invaluable resources in my life that fuel my passion to go on and help me to live my life so that I can bless others the way loved ones have blessed me. Walking out through the front door of my house every morning, I notice there’s one thing that I never have to check my pockets for to make sure I did not leave it behind – the love of my closest family and friends. No matter where I go, it is with me and can never be taken away. The indispensable love of my mother, Rebecca, is foremost in my heart. She has taught me how to love, how to endure, and how to selflessly care for others. Having born me when she was 15 and raising me without a husband, my mom never had it easy. She could have given up many times and let the gravity of her situation make her bitter and resentful, but she made the choice to love and persevere through the hard times. I often marveled at how she kept things together and loved me unconditionally despite all the heartache and trauma I dragged her through at times. The love of my grandparents is another treasure in my heart that strengthens me each day. My grandfather was a great man and like a dad t o me, as I hardly even know my real father. And it was my grandmother who taught me how to be strong. She was very firm and laid down the strict rules, as opposed to my grandfather, who was really a pushover. If I was not home by the time the streetlights turned on, I knew my grandmother was going to give me a very hard time. Also, a few of my friends who stuck with me through thick and thin showed me that love is not about what you can get out of someone but about what you can give. This tough but unconditional love that friends and family showed me through the years is by far my most cherished asset – one which I could never do without. The second thing I could never live without is my dignity.  

A Briefer on The Right to Protest and Police Powers Assignment

A Briefer on The Right to Protest and Police Powers - Assignment Example The paper tells that pertinent legal provision that applies to the right to public protest is in Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which states as follows: â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.† The second paragraph qualifies the scope of the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of association, by laying down the limitations to this right and reiterating the power of agents of the state, such as the police and armed forces, to impose lawful restrictions. The restrictions to this right are as follows: (1) interests of national security or public safety, (2) for the prevention of disorder or crime, (3) for the protection of health or morals or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 11 should be seen alongside the right guaranteed in Article 10 of the ECHR, on which is enshrined the right of â€Å"freedom of opinion† which â€Å"shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.† It is important to note that these provisions carry both a negative and positive obligation for the state: the negative obligation is the obligation not to interfere in the exercise of the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of opinion, and the positive obligation is to take positive measures towards the free and meaningful exercise of these rights. 3. The operative word in the provision would be the word â€Å"peaceful† and there has been some debate over whether or not a particular form of protest may

Capital Market Efficiency Hypotheses Observations in Croatia Essay

Capital Market Efficiency Hypotheses Observations in Croatia - Essay Example Jordon (1983. pp1325-1327) proved that efficient market hypotheses cannot be viewed from the ideal perspective whereby the signals (of internal information) and the corresponding return on assets need not be normal if the dimension of signal space is larger for a smaller number of assets. In such cases, the researcher argued that the market equilibrium is generally inconsistent with the efficient market hypotheses. If investors are risk neutral, the equilibrium price of each asset can be equal to its expected returns. However, investors do have risk aversion – in the form of relative risk aversion and constant risk aversion. Each signal, when known to the investors adds to the risk perception thus affecting the return from the asset – positively or negatively – depending upon how the signal has been perceived. Beaver (1981. pp23-26) described the phenomenon of â€Å"incomplete markets† whereby the expectations are formed on future prices based on informal signals and the equilibrium is characterized as dependent upon these expectations that have formed from the informal signals. In growth times (bull markets) or during uncertainty (bear markets) the polarity of the signals automatically changes as a result of relative risk aversion of the investors. Hence, during bull markets, even the companies not rated high may still enjoy a rally and during bear markets, even the best-performing companies may suffer crash of security prices.  

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

History - Essay Example This is one of those moments that redefined the status of the country as one of the biggest economic powerhouses of the world. It also brought into existence, a large number of fiscal and monetary policies that have been a guiding light for the other economies. During the period of 1920’s, there was a period of great turbulence as the growth among the various sectors was uneven. The period was marked by fall of the farm prices, whereas the industrial profits grew. There was an inflated stock market, which led to the Great depression of 1929. The unemployment increased from three percent in the year of 1929, to almost twenty five percent by 1925. The production fell by one third. These led to large scale reforms in the American economy in the form of a lot of new path breaking laws (the social security Act, Works progress Administration Act, The emergency Banking Act and the Economy Act) (Bordo et al, 1998). World War II The World War II was one of the most defining moments in the history of the United States. Categorically, America had always tried to stay away from the war and had tendered its ideological support to the allies. The main contribution of the US to the war was resources, men, money, and ammunition. That actually triggered to the rise in the GDP.

SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH and ILLNESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SOCIOLOGY OF MENTAL HEALTH and ILLNESS - Essay Example While such labels are applicable to a small fraction of patients, a majority of them are â€Å"normal† individuals by common standards. Their disorders and disturbances only affect their concentration, cognition and efficiency. Yet, they get ostracized for their condition. The mainstream media plays a significant role in spreading such misconceptions among the citizenry. As a matter of statistic, crime rates among the mentally disturbed are quite similar to that of the control group (Angermeyer, 2004). Yet, the media portrays them as people prone to violent and antisocial behavior. For example, â€Å"Mental illness also has not received the sensitive media coverage that other illnesses have been given. We are surrounded by stereotypes, popular movies talk about killers who are "psychos" and news coverage of mental illness only when it related to violence. We also often hear the causal use of terms like "lunatic" or "crazy," along with jokes about the mentally ill. These representations and the use of discriminatory language distort the public’s view and reinforce inaccuracies about mental illness.† (Schulze, 2003) It is not an even keel with all types of afflictions. Some of them like schizophrenia are subject to more ridicule and stigma than say depression. People affected with this condition are portrayed as â€Å"psychos†, â€Å"whackos†, â€Å"nut balls†, etc. While disorders like depression don’t attract such treatment as a result of widespread awareness about anti-depressants within the mainstream media (Kelly, 2007). There are other negative consequences to such stigma. For one thing, many people shy away from getting proper treatment for their conditions on fear of being ridiculed and disparaged. They also develop unreasonable fears of abandonment by their family and friends once the illness comes to light

Women are generally more suited than men to manage modern corporations Essay

Women are generally more suited than men to manage modern corporations - Essay Example Additionally, women headed at least 12 companies classified as Fortune 500 and 25 companies classified as Fortune 1000 by the year 2009. This accounts for an increase of approximately 4% in the number of women heading these classes of companies from the statistics of 1998, when the figure stood at 11.2%. While this growth rate seems sluggish at face value, it implicitly reveals the gradual acceptance of women into the realms of top management of large corporations in America. While this is noteworthy, the question of whether the workforce is really ready to be managed by women begs. If so, are women fit for the job? This paper proposes that women are better managers than men, hence their suitability to head modern corporations in America and the world over. Keywords: Top management, Women, Corporations, Workforce, Managers Introduction The boardrooms of many of the countries’ multi-faceted corporations dealing with information technology, publishing, and advertising among othe r industries have long been dominated majorly by males (Gettings, Johnson, Brunner & Frantz, n.d.). However, in the contemporary American society, there has been a paradigm shift that has seen the absorption of women into the management of large corporations cutting across different industries. ... There are qualities of women that influence their management styles. For instance, women are viewed as being more encouraging and people-oriented (Billing & Alvesson, 1993). Due to the nature of women being more nurturing than men, it follows that when they are in positions of management, they relate better to their colleagues and subordinates. Women will often react by urging on employees as opposed to retribution, and this will often encourage employees to perform better, as well as being more motivated. By being more people-oriented, women managers are more in touch with the needs and personal well-being of their subordinates, rather than just their performance at work. They capitalize on their relations with other people at the work place and therefore often lead by setting examples, understand, and encourage employees to be more efficient by being more in touch with their needs. Women managers in this respect are also better listeners and build better relationships with people a round them in the workforce. They are more concerned with the human aspects of different situations in the work environment (Rutherford, 2011). According to News Agencies, women are also better at decision making than men (2013). In many corporations that are headed by women, the decision making process has been found to be more efficient and organized. In situations where there is a conflict involved that needs to be resolved, women managers are found to make decisions that are more reasonable and fairer than their male counterparts. In the process of making decisions, women managers are more likely than men managers to take into account the implications of the decisions that they make on other parties. Such parties include those in both direct

ONTOLOGICAL PARADOX Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ONTOLOGICAL PARADOX - Research Paper Example ne has the ability to choose from the multiple patterns of lives with the chance of being embedded in one of the possible past-future pairs (Santas 39). The possibility of breaking out of limitations of only being able to exist in the present has led to many depictions of possible situations where human beings are able to freely move through the past present and future. Obsession with changing the past has not been limited to popular culture but has also featured in academic field such as physics and philosophy. This essay argues against the notion presented by some physicists and philosophers that one can travel back into the past to change based on the inconsistencies of time travelling. In this kind of fantasies, many tend to perceive an instrument such as special machine that will facilitate the backward time travel, think of a special machine which will enable man disappear from one place and time and reappear at a past time in a different or same place. There is a philosophical line of thought based on the existence of what is called a closed timelike curves (CTCs) discovered by philosophers and physicists working on time travel. CTCs are â€Å"curves in space and time† which provide â€Å"possible paths of bodies† to move through various universes. The model containing CTCs was discovered by Kurt GGdel in the 1940s and was believed to be models of the Einstein field equations (Seaman and Ssler 141). Based on model, Godel makes a theoretical assumption that it is possible for one to travel and come back at the exact time and place by making a round trip on a rocket ship in a suitably wide curve. This means that the object will get back to its past to the exact moment when it commenced the journey. The argument presented by Godel is based on the belief by some philosophers and physicists that the past, present and future equally real. These views on past, present and future represent the ideas of externalists group of theorists who argue that there was no

Cat in the Rain Interpretation Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Interpretation Essay Topic: The symbol â€Å"cat† in â€Å"Cat in the rain† (Ernest Hemingway) In many of his stories, Ernest Hemingway used symbols to express the profound meaning of those stories. In â€Å"Cat in the rain†, the poor kitty is the main symbol since it expresses much about the theme of the story. In my opinion, the cat symbolizes three things such as a baby, the couple’s relationship and the wife herself. Initially, the cat is symbolic of a baby. The first reason is the cats here stands for something little and vulnerable which is like a baby. Moreover, when it â€Å"was crouched under one of the dripping green tables†, it appears to be so pitiful, which evokes the wife’ caring and protective instinct of a mother. She feels sorry for it because â€Å"It isn’t any fun to be a poor kitty out in the rain†. She calls it â€Å"she† like it is a human. In addition, although the cat is gone, she still wants to have the cat â€Å"sit on my lap and purr when I stroke her†. In short, the wife sympathizes with the cat and wants to treat it lovingly, which is very mother like. Therefore, a baby is the first thing the cat symbolizes. Next, the cat is also a symbol of the couple’s marriage. The little cat silvering in the rain stands for the unstable marriage of the couple. When the wife sees that poor kitty, she immediately goes to save it. She is willing to go through the rain, which signifies the struggles obstructing her. At the end, she cannot have the cat, in other words, cannot save her deteriorating marriage. In contrasts to the wife’s eagerness, her husband seems to be so indifferent since he is reading all the time:†the husband went on reading†, â€Å"George was on the bed, reading†, â€Å"he was reading again†, â€Å"he was reading again†. Although he does propose to go get the cat, it is just a half-hearted offer. It is only the wife who wants to save the relationship, and without the help of her husband, it cannot be saved. In brief, the marriage of the couple is the next thing that the cat is symbolic of. Last but not least, it is the wife herself that is the most important meaning of the cat. When the cat is first described, it is called â€Å"she†, which is intentionally link the cat and the American girl. She is also nameless like a little poor cat lacking attention from other people. The husband says that he will get the cat but later he does nothing, which is like the way he tries to care about his wife but does not satisfy her needs. Therefore, when the wife sees the cat in the rain, she sympathizes with it, she wants it to sit on her lap and stroke it. It is also her inner desire to have someone treat her lovingly like that. In a nutshell, the wife is the last and clearest meaning of the cat in the rain. The story â€Å"Cat in the rain† may seem to be uncomplicated; however, it has much deeper meanings which are partly expressed through the symbol â€Å"cat†. This symbol, which is interpreted to symbolize three things, plays an important role in helping the readers to better understand the theme of the story.

Characteristics of Romanticism Essay Example for Free

Characteristics of Romanticism Essay 1. Medievalism looking on the past to a simpler lifestyle (the good ole days). Written in the Close of Spring by Charlotte Smith 2. Orientalism (exotic locales) places that everyday people would not venture. Mystery emotional stimulus. 3. Primitivism belief that man was born inherently good. (Noble Savage writing by people of primitive cultures Africa, Native American) Society makes them bad. 4. Progress Romantics were not against progress but feared the effects on society. Man could create a better world without materialism. 5. Anti-intellectualism belief that everything is just not rational. The Tables Turned by William Wordsworth 6. Sentimentalism (emotions) very affected by what they see. Raw formality. 7. Humanitarism believed that all men were created equal and that you should help others. 8. Democracy supporters of the French revolution until it became violent. Agreed with the civil American revolution, used portage to fight for reform. 9. Originality New poetic formats and genres. 10. Diversity Authors wrote books and music, but did not write in one style. Mastered the art of writing. 11. Confessionalism art is a confession of the inner soul. Characters confess and express how they feel. 12. Purgative Purpose of Art authors believed their writings were cleansing their souls. Lines Composed a Few Miles away from Tintern Abbey by William Wordsworth 13. Protest and Dissent Original Protesters ills of society and the church. Not all authors of this era believed in this. Lines Written in Early Spring by William Wordsworth 14. A love of the wild and picturesque Nature is almost a character in novels. Nature inspires creativity. Pastoral Poesy by John Clare

Nike and Brand Loyalty

Nike and Brand Loyalty Nike is a great company which does worldwide marketing of high quality footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products. It is the largest seller of athletic footwear and athletic apparel in the world. Nike has been successful in building a brand image with its performance. From the early days, Nike has learnt the consumers need by listening to the need of athletes, sharing their true passion for running. When it comes to the brand loyalty, which is the consumer preference to buy a certain brand. According to (Tuominen, 1992) brand loyalty is nothing but the regular purchase of the same brand over time. According to the research 55% of the respondents stated that they were purchasing the same brand for the past 15 years. Consumers trust the brand and become loyal to the particular brand. This shows the brand loyalty of the consumers towards Nike. The survey results exemplify the loyalty of the brand. Most of the respondents are loyal with the specific branded products. Since years of time they have been buying the same brand because that specific brand has satisfied the consumers needs and has gained the credence in the brand name. The study also annotates the consumer preferences to buy the particular branded products over years. Some of the respondents stated that they have been purchasing Nike because the standards of quality are very high and comfort levels are very high. The elementary reason which the respondents say for buying the same brands for a long time is the perceived quality (Kalra Murthi, 2008). Perceived product quality is perhaps one of the most important constructs in marketing (Cronin Taylor, 1992). Undoubtedly, the belief that if the perceived quality is high it leads to frequent purchases which is the substratum of any business. It can be analysed from the research that when the respondents were asked to rank the characteristics from 1 to 8 as 1 being the lowest and 8 being the highest, which led them to choose Nike instead of any other brand, 25% of the respondents have ranked 8 for the characteristic quality. And the some of the comments made by the respondents are like Even though Nike is very expensive it has good quality and variety, the best quality I have ever seen is Nike. Nike has a very good quality in every of its products which cannot be seen in other brands which makes me to buy them. I buy the Nike products because of the quality. Quality is very good when compared with other brands. 38% of the respondents stated that Nike delivers the best quality when compared to other brands. This shows how consumers are associated with Nike in terms of quality. The brand association creates a positive attitude and feeling that makes a connection of the customer with the brand, especially when it comes to decision making. Marketers try to position their brands so that they are perceived by consumer to fit a distinctive niche in the marketplace a niche occupied by no other  product (Schiffman and Kanuk, 1994). Brand association is anything which is deep seated in customers mind about the brand. Brand associations are the attributes of brand which come into consumers mind when the brand is talked about. One of the respondent said that Nike has some uniqueness in it which makes me to purchase the products. Many of the consumers are associated with the Nike brand because of its variety, quality and its success. Even though brand association is formed on basis of the price at which the products (Aaker, 1991) are sold 3 to 4 respondents stated that even though Nike products are very expensive we purchase them for the quality and variety it has. Brand name plays an important role in the product sales and affects the consumers choice in selecting the products. The consumer is ready to pay excessive price if the brand name is paramount because they believe in the brand name (Marjit et al, 2007). During the survey 58% of the respondents replied that they consider the brand name when they go for shopping or when purchasing a product. The main reason for considering the brand name is that it provides the confidence and consumers feel more comfortable when they purchase the branded products in which they trust. Some brands are created in order to give consumers more experience than other brands. The most effective brand steals the consumers attention (Daryi, 2000). The results from the research illustrate the experience of the customer in buying the Nike brand. Generally consumers think of their past experience before purchasing the products. If they are satisfied with the product they will prefer to continue the purchase of same branded products. 55% of the respondents stated that they are purchasing the Nike brand for the past 15 years which shows their experience in purchasing the brand and 58% of the people are extremely satisfied with the quality of the Nike brand. If a consumers has a positive experience with the brand, it will help in developing the consumers trust in the company brand and will also have them as a loyal consumers. The results describe that the Nike brand have a strong space in consumers mind in terms of quality and uniqueness. It also shows that the consumers experie nce shows high consequence in their choice and buying decision. Brand awareness plays a vital role in consumers decision making process. Hoyer Brown (1990) say that people normally think to buy the brands they are familiar with and the brands on which they have confidence. 58% of the respondents stated that they choose the branded products because they are well associated with it and have good opinion on the particular branded products they buy. A brand to become successful, pricing strategy plays a vital role. Generally consumers compare one brand with the other with respect to price and quality. Daryi, 2000 says that if the price of product of their choice is more than the other branded product, consumers normally prefer the product which has lower price in the market. 6% of the respondents said that price is the factor which led them to choose Nike instead of any other brands. Due to the cost factor sometimes consumers may switch to other brands which replace the product which they need. Two of the respondents stated that even though the prices of Nike are very high when compared to other brands we purchase products of Nike because of the quality and varieties they offer. Further the results from the research shows that if the prices of the Nike products are little reduced there will be an increase in sales. This shows that the pricing strategy is very important for a company to survive in the market. By studying the customer behaviour, firms and organizations can be benefited by understanding some points like how consumers think, feel and decide to purchase which product to buy between lots of alternatives like brand and products available in the market, the factors which influence their buying decision. Consumer behaviour involves how the customers use the product as well as how they purchase the product. The overall study tells that the consumer behaviour is based on many factors like their buying behaviour, knowledge about the brand and some environmental factors like family, culture etc. During the research many things were observed regarding the consumer behaviour like frequency of purchase, their favourite brand, whether they consider brand into consideration when they purchase any product and how satisfied they are with the Nike product. It was observed that 29% of the respondents go for shopping once in a month and 28% of the respondents go twice in a month for shopping which depends upon their needs and their individual lifestyle. There was none of the respondents who said we never go for shopping and 10% of the consumers shop once in a year. Different consumers have different kinds of buying behaviour according to their needs and lifestyles. Only 13% of the respondents said that they dont buy the Nike products at all and 83% of the respondents stated that they purchase the Nike branded products. And the people who own the Nike items dont buy them frequently. Some of them buy once in a year and some of them once in a month. Some of them consider the quality, some of them design and some of them consider price which depends upon the mind-set of the individual. If marketers analyse the factors like price, quality, variety and brand name; they can influence purchase behaviour of a consumer.

Genetic Engineering :: Genetic Engineering Essays

At the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dr. Keith Campbell, director of embryology at PPL therapeutics in Roslin, and his colleague Dr. Ian Wilmut worked together on a project to clone a sheep, Dolly, from adult cells. On February 22, 1997, they finally succeeded. Dolly was the only lamb born from 277 fusions of oocytes with udder cells. Wilmut says there were so many failures because it is difficult to ensure that the empty oocytes and the donor cell are at the same stage of the cell division cycle.To clone Dolly, basically scientists took an unfertilized egg cell, removed the nucleus, replaced it with cells taken from the organism to be cloned, put it into an empty egg cell which begins to develop as an embryo, and implanted this embryo into a mother, from which the clone was born.The fact that only 1 out of 277 attempts succeeded is a little scary when applied to human beings. If an attempt to clone a human led to that high of a death toll, then there would not be many supporters. According to Rifkin, in an extensive survey of all 106 clinical trials of experimental gene therapies conducted over the past five years involving more than 597 patients, a panel of experts convened by the NIG reported that "Clinical efficacy has not been definitively demonstrated at this time in any gene therapy protocol, despite anecdotal claims of successful therapy." (545). These results are also happening with people who are trying to get gene therapy. With these facts on the table, it would not be ideal to try to clone humans if cloning an animal took several hundred attempts and human gene therapy has had hundreds of failures as well.Humans are going way beyond their limits in the field of biotechnology in the world today. Until recently, these ideas were unheard of. Now with new technology, scientists are capable of changing an organism's genetic make-up. We are very eager to learn new things, however, this eagerness gets in the way of common sense all too often. As stated in Starr and Taggart's article, "we do not have the wisdom to bring about beneficial changes without causing great harm to ourselves or to the environment." (514). However, the naà ¯ve public may want to jump right into things, and scientists will not disagree.Scientists are messing with things that they should not be messing with.

History of New York Skyscrapers :: essays research papers fc

History of New York Skyscrapers The World Building – 1890 The World Building (also know as the Pulitzer Building) was originally owned by Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World. Its architect was George B. Post and construction began October 10th, 1889. It was opened on December 10th, 1890, and was the first building in New York to surpass the 284 feet. The New York World Building was the tallest of several high-rise structures built for major newspapers in the late 19th century. The number of stories is disputed; estimates range from the 26 stories claimed by the World to the 16 or 18 suggested by recent scholars. The World Building was 309 feet tall and was demolished in 1955 for the expanded automobile entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. Manhattan Life Insurance Co. Building 1894 The Manhattan Life Insurance Company Building was constructed in 1893 and was opened in 1894. In 1892 the Manhattan Life Insurance Company held a competition for its headquarters, selecting architects Kimball and Thompson as the winners. The structure was intended to be the tallest in New York. The building featured a few engineering firsts designed by engineer Charles Sooysmith. The interior was heated and cooled through one of the first uses of electric ventilation. Manhattan Life was demolished in 1930 to make way for the Irving Trust Bank’s headquarters, the masterpiece One Wall Street. St. Paul Building – 1898 This building was named after the historic St. Paul's Chapel located across the street. The St. Paul Building was constructed in 1895 and was 315 feet (96 meters) tall. The building was opened in1898 and its General contractor was Robinson & Wallace. The St Paul Building was called by one critic of the time "perhaps the least attractive design of all New York's skyscrapers." The Park Row – 1899 Building originally owned by William Mills Ivins, the head of investment syndicate. The building was constructed in 1896 and took three years to complete. The building is 386 feet (118 meters) tall and its architect is R.H. Robertson. The building is 30 stories tall, the interior could accommodate up to 1,000 offices, and its engineer was Nathaniel Roberts. The Park Row Building still stands today facing City Hall Park in lower Manhattan. Singer Building – 1908 The Singer building was construced in 1906 and opened in 1908. The first design by architect Ernest Flagg was a thirty-five story tower, but the company soon decided to nearly double that height with a tower of almost 600 feet.

Al capone Essay -- essays papers

Al capone There have been a lot of things written and said about Al Capone in newspapers and magazine articles, books, and movies that is completely untrue. One of the most common fictions is that like many gangsters of that era, he was born in Italy. Absolutely not true. This amazing criminal was strictly domestic, taking the Italian criminal society and fashioning it into a modern American criminal enterprise. Certainly many Italian immigrants, like immigrants of all nationalities, frequently came to the New World with very few assets. Many of these immigrants were peasants trying to escape the lack of opportunity in Italy. When they came to the American port cities they often ended up as laborers because of the inability to speak and write English and their lack of professional skills. This was not the case with the family of Al Capone. Gabriele Capone was one of 43,000 Italians who arrived in the U.S. in 1893, from Naples, Italy. He was a barber by trade and could read and write his native language. Gabriele, who was thirty years old, brought with him his pregnant twenty-seven-year-old wife Teresina, his two-year-old son Vincenzo and his infant son Raffaele. Unlike many Italian immigrants he did not owe anyone for his passage over. His plan was to do whatever work was necessary until he could open his own barbershop. Along with thousands of other Italians, the Capone family moved to Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Gabriele's ability to read and write allowed him to get a job in a grocery store until he was able to open his barbershop. Her fourth son and the first to be born and conceived in the New World was born January 17, 1899. His name was Alphonse, also known as Al. Al came from a large family and was the fourth oldest of nine children. As a child, Capone was very wise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He had a clever mind when it came to street smarts. As far as school goes, Al was near illiterate. Education was not a top priority for immigrants. At the age of five in 1904, he went to Public School 7 on Adams Street. The school system was deeply prejudiced against them and did little to encourage any interest in higher education, while the immigrant parents expected their children to leave school as soon as they were old enough to work. At about the age of ele ven Capone became a member of a juveni... ... was released to the care of his family. For his remaining years, Al slowly deteriorated in the quiet splendor of his Palm Island palace. Mae stuck by him until January 25, 1947 when he had a massive brain hemorrhage and died. His body was removed from his estate in Florida and transferred back to the seen of his underworld triumph, Chicago. The family held a private ceremony at the cemetery, but were afraid of grave robbers taking the body so they reburied Capone in a secret place in Mt. Carmel Cemetery. In his forty-eight years, Capone had left his mark on the rackets and on Chicago, and more than anyone else he had demonstrated the stupidity of Prohibition; in the process he also made a fortune. Beyond that, he captured and held the imagination of the American public as few public figures ever do. Capone's fame should have been a passing sensation, but instead it stuck permanently in the consciousness of Americans. He redefined the concept of crime into an organized vent ure modeled on corporate business. As he was at pains to point out, many of his crimes were relative; bootlegging was only criminal because a certain set of laws decreed it, and then the laws were changed.

Elements of the Gothic Genre

The gothic novel was invented almost single-handedly by Horace Walpole, whose The Castle of Otranto (1764) contains essentially all the elements that constitute the genre. Walpole's novel was imitated not only in the eighteenth century and not only in the novel form, but it has influenced writing, poetry, and even film making up to the present day. It introduced the term â€Å"gothic romance† to the literary world. Due to its inherently supernatural, surreal and sublime elements, it has maintained a dark and mysterious appeal. However, the roots of the Gothic? precede the Gothic? works of Horace Walpole.The focus on the grotesque in the medieval period (visible especially in the paintings and architecture of the period) provides a key backdrop against which Gothic must be read, as do the violent and often grotesque tragedies written for the Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre, with their detailed, almost surgical exploration of the supernatural, vice, corruption, imprisonment, br utality and sexuality, all of which were to provide the very substance of the Gothic authors. (Note particularly ‘Macbeth? and ‘Dr Faustus?) Gothic literature is devoted primarily to stories of horror, the fantastic, and the â€Å"darker† supernatural forces.These forces often represent the â€Å"dark side† of human nature— irrational or destructive desires. Gothic literature derives its name from its similarities to the Gothic medieval cathedrals, which feature a majestic, unrestrained architectural style with often savage or grotesque ornamentation (the word â€Å"Gothic† derives from â€Å"Goth,† the name of one of the barbaric Germanic tribes that invaded the Roman Empire). The Gothic genre (in both literature and architecture) is therefore associated with savagery and barbarism.Generally speaking, gothic literature delves into the macabre nature of humanity in its quest to satisfy mankind's intrinsic desire to plumb the depths of t error. The key features of gothic texts are: 1) the appearance of the supernatural, 2) the psychology of horror and/or terror, 3) the poetics of the sublime, 4) a sense of mystery and dread 5) the appealing hero/villain, 6) the distressed heroine, and 7) strong moral closure (usually at least). ELEMENTS OF THE GOTHIC IN TEXTS 1. Setting in a castle or haunted house. The action takes place in and around an old castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned, sometimes occupied.The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly ruined sections. The castle may be near or connected to caves, which lend their own haunting flavour with their branchings, claustrophobia, and mystery. (Translated into modern filmmaking, the setting might be in an old house or mansion–or even a new house–where unusual camera angles, sustained close ups during movement, and darkness or shadows create the same sense of claustrophobia and entrapment. ) It is usually a dwelling that is inhabited by or visited regularly by a ghost or other supposedly supernatural being.Example: Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto. Walpole's novel first introduced to gothic literature its single most influential convention, the haunted castle. The castle is the main setting of the story and the centre of activity. Cemetery /Graveyard. A cemetery defines a place which is used for the burial of the dead. Cemeteries are widely used in Gothic Literature as oftentimes frightening places where revenance can occur. Catacombs are especially evocative Gothic spaces because they enable the living to enter below ground a dark labyrinth resonating with the presences and mysteries of the dead. . The Weather is used in a number of ways and forms, some of these being: Mist – This convention in Gothic Literature is often used to obscure objects (this can be related to the sublime) by reducing visibility or to prelude the insertion of a terrifying person or thing; Storms – These frequently accompany important events. Flashes of lightning accompany revelation; thunder and downpours prefigure the appearance of a character or the beginning of a significant event (eg thunder precedes the entrance of the witches in ‘Macbeth?;Sunlight – represents goodness and pleasure; it also has the power to bestow these upon characters. 3. An atmosphere of mystery and suspense. (or a sense of dread) The work is pervaded by a threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown. Often the plot itself is built around a mystery, such as unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event eg. Ghosts walking or a painting coming to life. There may be an ancient prophecy connected with the castle or its inhabitants. It is usually obscure, partial or confusing.This serves to captivate the reader and encourage further reading. The atmosphere may also be seen acting upon the protagonists in texts, influencing them by excitin g their curiosity or fear. 4. Claustrophobia / Entrapment & Imprisonment: A favourite horror device of the Gothic finds a person confined or trapped, such as being shackled to a floor or hidden away in some dark cell or cloister. This sense of there being no way out contributes to the claustrophobic psychology of Gothic space. It consists of an abnormal dread of being confined in a close or narrow space.Often ttributed to actual physical imprisonment or entrapment, claustrophobia can also figure more generally as an indicator of the victim's sense of helplessness or horrified mental awareness of being enmeshed in some dark, inscrutable destiny 5. The supernatural may be intrinsic to the plot. This is generally in the form of some kind of supernatural being or object, such as a vampire, witch, devil or ghost, which is frightening due to its refusal to adhere to the laws of nature, God or man. In ‘Macbeth? there are three witches. Dr Faustus communicates with a demon and indirec tly with Lucifer.All of ‘Paradise Lost? involves the supernatural. 6. Dreams, omens, portents, visions. Dreaming is characterised as a form of mental activity that takes place during the act of sleep. Dreams invoke strong emotions within the dreamer, such as ecstasy, joy and terror. Dreams dredge up these deep emotions and premonitions that reflect tellingly upon the dreamer, what one might conceal during waking hours but what emerges in sleep to haunt and arouse the dreamer. It is most likely due to this heightened emotional state that dreams are used so often within Gothic Literature.By invoking dream states within their characters, authors are able to illustrate emotions on a more unmediated and, oftentimes, terrifying level. Dreams reveal to the reader what the character is often too afraid to realise about himself or herself. Dreaming also has an ancient relation with the act of foretelling wherein the future is glimpsed in the dream state. Perhaps the most famous Gothic example of significant dreams occurs in Shelley's ‘Frankenstein? after Frankenstein ‘awakes' his creature: he falls into a dream state that begins with his kissing of Elizabeth, his love.However, this kiss changes her in the most drastic way as she transforms into the rotting corpse of Caroline, Victor's dead mother. Upon awakening from this horrifying dream, Victor finds himself staring into the face of the monster he has created. Interpretations of this dream lead to explorations of Frankenstein's psyche, relational ability and sexuality. A character may have a disturbing dream vision, or some phenomenon may be seen as a portent of coming events. For example, if the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it may portend his death.In modern fiction, a character might see something (a shadowy figure stabbing another shadowy figure) and think that it was a dream. This might be thought of as an â€Å"imitation vision. † Banquo in ‘Macbeth? dreams of the â €˜weird sisters?. Lady Macbeth?s suppressed guilt emerges when she is seen sleepwalking. 7. The stock characters of Gothic fiction include tyrants, villains, bandits, maniacs, Byronic heroes, persecuted maidens, femmes fatales, madwomen, magicians, vampires, werewolves, monsters, demons, angel, fallen angel, the beauty and the beast, revenants, ghosts, perambulating skeletons, the Wandering Jew, and the Devil himself. .Villain-Hero (Satanic, Promethean, Byronic Hero) The villain of a story who either 1) poses as a hero at the beginning of the story or 2) simply possesses enough heroic characteristics (charisma, sympathetic past, etc) so that either the reader or the other characters see the villain-hero as more than a simple charlatan or bad guy. Three closely related types exist: Satanic Hero: a Villain-Hero whose nefarious deeds and justifications of them make him a more interesting character than the rather bland good hero.Example: The origin of this prototype comes from Roman tic misreading of Milton's Paradise Lost, whose Satan poets like Blake and Shelley regarded as a far more compelling figure than the moralistic God of Book III of the epic. Gothic examples: Beckford's Vathek, Radcliffe's Montoni, and just about any vampire. Promethean: a Villain-Hero who has done good but only by performing an over-reaching or rebellious act. Prometheus from ancient Greek mythology saved mankind but only after stealing fire and ignoring Zeus' order that mankind should be kept in a state of subjugation.Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is tellingly subtitled the â€Å"Modern Prometheus. † Consider whether Dr Faustus is a Promethean hero. (The vaulting arches and spires of Gothic cathedrals reach wildly to the sky as if the builders were trying to grasp the heavens , an ambition for the eternal that is likewise expressed in many works of Gothic literature (consider Manfred's quest for supernatural power in Byron's poem, or Frankenstein's quest to become godlike by cr eating life or Dr. Faustus pact – offering his soul for 24 years of power).Byronic Hero: a later variation of the â€Å"antithetically mixed† Villain-Hero. Aristocratic, suave, moody, handsome, solitary, secretive, brilliant, cynical, sexually intriguing, and nursing a secret wound, he is renowned because of his fatal attraction for female characters and readers and continues to occasion debate about gender issues. Example: Byron's Childe Harold and, more gothically, Manfred are the best examples, but this darkly attractive and very conflicted male figure surfaces everywhere in the 19th and 20th century gothic eg Heathcliff or Wilde?s Dorian Gray.Byron himself was described as â€Å"mad, bad and dangerous to know. † The Byronic hero in literature and life: A. Robin Hood B. Richard III C. Iago D. Faust/ Dr. Faustus E. Milton's Satan F. Victor Frankenstein G. Frankenstein's Creature H. Dracula I. Byron?s Manfred J. Cain K. Lara L. Conrad M. Childe Harold N. Byron, Shelley O. Ambrosio P. Peter Quint Q. Miss Jessel R. Stalin S. Hitler T. The Unabomber U. Prometheus 9. The Pursued Protagonist This refers to the idea of a pursuing force that relentlessly acts in a severely negative manner on a character.This persecution often implies the notion of some sort of a curse or other form of terminal and utterly unavoidable damnation, a notion that usually suggests a return or â€Å"hangover† of traditional religious ideology to chastise the character for some real or imagined wrong against the moral order. The Wandering Jew is perhaps the archetypically pursued/pursuing protagonist. –Drew McCray 10. Pursuit of the Heroine This is the pursuit of a virtuous and idealistic (and usually poetically inclined) young woman by a villain, normally portrayed as a wicked, older but still potent aristocrat.While in many early Gothic novels such a chase occurs across a Mediterranean forest and/or through a subterranean labyrinth, the pursuit of the he roine is by no means limited to these settings. This pursuit represents a threat to the young lady's ideals and morals (usually meaning her virginity), to which the heroine responds in the early works with a passive courage in the face of danger; later gothic heroines progressively become more active and occasionally effective in their attempts to escape this pursuit and indict patriarchy. eg. Angela Carter?s ‘The Bloody Chamber. ?Women in distress. As an appeal to the pathos and sympathy of the reader, the female characters often face events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbing. A lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine is often the central figure of the novel, so her sufferings are even more pronounced and the focus of attention. The women suffer all the more because they are often abandoned, left alone (either on purpose or by accident), and have no protector at times.Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male. One or more male chara cters has the power, as king, lord of the manor, father, or guardian, to demand that one or more of the female characters do something intolerable. The woman may be commanded to marry someone she does not love (it may even be the powerful male himself), or commit a crime. 11. The Outsider: The one theme that cuts through virtually all Gothic is that of the â€Å"outsider,† embodied in wanderers like Frankenstein's creature.Gothic fiction is concerned with the outsider, whether the stationary figure who represses his difference, or the wandering figure who seeks for some kind of salvation, or else the individual who for whatever reason- moves entirely outside the norm. In any event, he is beyond the moderating impulses in society, and he must be punished for his transgression. He is gloomy and melancholy, full of self-pity and self-hatred. Like Cain, he is the perpetual outsider, marked by his appearance, doomed to wander the four corners of the earth, alone and reviled.It may be argued that Frankenstein himself becomes an outsider as he grows more and more like his creation. . While the society at large always appears bourgeois in its culture and morality, the Gothic outsider is a counterforce driven by strange longings and destructive needs. While everyone else appears sane, he is insane; while everyone else appears bound by legalities, he is trying to snap the pitiless constrictions of the law; while everyone else seems to lack any peculiarities of taste or behaviour, he feels only estrangement, sick longings, terrible surges of power and devastation.Take for example, Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights?. 12. Possession The popularity of belief in demonic possession seems to have originated within Christian Theology during the Middle Ages. During this time, Christians lived in fear concerning the war being waged between God and the Devil over every mortal soul. Hence, this fear of possession seemed to culminate into an act that could be viewed by t he mortal eye. This act is defined as the forced possession of a mortal body by the Devil or one of his demons.There are two types of possession and either can be voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary possession seems to involve a willing exchange in the form of some compact between evil spirit and mortal, often involving wealth, power or goods (eg. The pact Faustus makes); involuntary possession occurs when the devil randomly selects an unwitting host. The two types of possession consist of the transference of the Devil or demon directly into the mortal body or the sending of the Devil or demon into the body by a third party, usually a mortal dabbler in the dark arts.Following the act, the possessed is said to show many symptoms including abnormal strength, personality changes, fits, convulsions, bodily odours resembling sulphur, lewd and lascivious actions, the ability to levitate, the ability to speak in tongues or the ability to foretell future events. Many religions acknowledge t he act of possession still today, most notably the Catholic Church. There seem to be three ways in which to end a possession. 13. Revenance This is the return of the dead to terrorise or to settle some score with the living.4. Revenge Revenge is characterized as the act of repaying someone for a harm that the person has caused; the idea also points back generically to one of the key influences upon Gothic literature: the revenge tragedies of Elizabethan and Jacobean drama. Revenge may be enacted upon a loved one, a family member, a friend, an object or even an area. Within Gothic Literature, revenge is notably prominent and can be enacted by or upon mortals as well as spirits.Revenge can take many forms, such as harm to body, harm to loved ones, and harm to family. The most Gothic version of revenge in Gothic Literature is the idea that it can be a guiding force in the revenance of the dead. 15. Unreliable Narrator A narrator tells a story and determines the story?s point of view. A n unreliable narrator, however, does not understand the importance of a particular situation or makes an incorrect conclusion or assumption about an event that he/she witnesses.An important issue in determining the The Turn of the Screw. 16. Multiple Narrative/Spiral Narrative Method The story is frequently told through a series of secret manuscripts or multiple tales, each revealing a deeper secret, so the narrative gradually spirals inward toward the hidden truth. The narrator is often a firstperson narrator compelled to tell the story to a fascinated or captive listener (representing the captivating power of forbidden knowledge). (Note ‘Wuthering Heights?) 17. High, even overwrought emotion.The narration may be highly sentimental, and the characters are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, terror. Characters suffer from raw nerves and a feeling of impending doom. Crying and emotional speeches are frequent. Breathlessness and panic are common. In the fi lmed gothic, screaming is common. 18. The Sublime: The definition of this key term has long been a contested term, but the idea of the sublime is essential to an understanding of Gothic poetics and, especially, the attempt to defend or justify the literature of terror.Put basically (and this really is basic – a fuller understanding of the Sublime would be useful to students of Wordsworth or any Gothic Literature), the Sublime is an overpowering sense of the greatness and power of nature, which can be uplifting, aweinspiring and terrifying, caused by experience of beauty, vastness or grandeur. Sublime moments lead us to consider the place of humanity in the universe, and the power exhibited in the world. 19. Darkness as intrinsic to humanity:Generally speaking, gothic literature delves into the macabre nature of humanity in its quest to satiate mankind's intrinsic desire to plumb the depths of terror. 0. Necromancy This is the black art of communicating with the dead. This is usually done to obtain information about the future, but can also be used for other purposes, such as getting the dead to perform deeds of which humans are not capable. The conjurer often stood in a circle, such as a pentagram, in order to protect himself from the dead spirit, yet he was often overpowered by the spirit. Examples: The most famous examples of necromancy can be found in literary renditions of the Faust legend, from Marlowe to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to Byron with his Manfred.In these works, Faust not only speaks with the devil in order to strike a deal but necromantically invokes various dead, famous figures from the past for his amusement and edification. 21. Blood -This is a prominent symbol in Gothic works often intimating the paradox of the human condition; blood can represent both life and death, or both guilt (e. g. , murder) and innocence (e. g. , redemptive blood). Consider references to blood in ‘Macbeth?, Byron's Manfred and Mary Shelley's Frankenste in. 22.Marriage as Resolution: The importance of marriage in this scheme cannot be overstated. Not only does movement toward matrimony in the Gothic's present trigger the appearance of the buried past, but that buried past itself always contains information tied to the institutions of matrimony or family interest. 23. Sadism : The word â€Å"sadism† was coined to describe the writings of Donatien-AlphonseFrancois, the Marquis de Sade. Sadism is a sexual perversion where one person gains gratification by inflicting physical or mental pain on others.It can also mean a delight in torment or excessive cruelty. (Heathcliff in ‘Wuthering Heights? / or the husband in ‘The Bloody Chamber?. 24. Strong Moral Closure: If de Sade is to be believed, the Gothic genre arose as a response to the brutality and bloodiness of Romantic society, and it as part of this response that Gothic fiction usually contains a strong moral. 25. The metonymy of gloom and horror. Metonymy is a subt ype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow).For example, the film industry likes to use metonymy as a quick shorthand, so we often notice that it is raining in funeral scenes. Note that the following metonymies for â€Å"doom and gloom† all suggest some element of mystery, danger, or the supernatural. wind, especially howling doors grating on rusty hinges footsteps approaching lights in abandoned rooms characters trapped in a room ruins of buildings thunder and lightning rain, especially blowing sighs, moans, howls, eerie sounds clanking chains gusts of wind blowing out lights doors suddenly slamming shut aying of distant dogs (or wolves? ) crazed laughter 26. The vocabulary of the gothic. The constant use of the appropriate vocabulary set creates the atmosphere of the gothic.Here as an example are some of the words (in several categories) that help make up the vocabulary of the gothic in The Castle of Otranto: Mystery dia bolical, enchantment, ghost, goblins, haunted, infernal, magic, magician, miracle, necromancer, omens, ominous, portent, preternatural, prodigy, prophecy, secret, sorcerer, spectre, spirits, strangeness, talisman, vision Fear, Terror, or Sorrow fflicted, affliction, agony, anguish, apprehensions, apprehensive, commiseration, concern, despair, dismal, dismay, dread, dreaded, dreading, fearing, frantic, fright, frightened, grief, hopeless, horrid, horror, lamentable, melancholy, miserable, mournfully, panic, sadly, scared, shrieks, sorrow, sympathy, tears, terrible, terrified, terror, unhappy, wretched Surprise alarm, amazement, astonished, astonishment, shocking, staring, surprise, surprised, thunderstruck, wonder Haste anxious, breathless, flight, frantic, hastened, hastily, impatience, impatient, impatiently, impetuosity, precipitately, running, sudden, suddenlyAnger anger, angrily, choler, enraged, furious, fury, incense, incensed, provoked, rage, raving, resentment, temper, wrath , wrathful, wrathfully Largeness enormous, gigantic, giant, large, tremendous, vast 27. Elements of Romance In addition to the standard gothic aspects, many gothic novels contain elements of romance as well. Elements of romance include these: Powerful love. Heart stirring, often sudden, emotions create a life or death commitment. Many times this love is the first the character has felt with this overwhelming power. Uncertainty of reciprocation. What is the beloved thinking?Is the lover's love returned or not? Unreturned love. Someone loves in vain (at least temporarily). Later, the love may be returned. Tension between true love and father's control, disapproval, or choice. Most often, the father of the woman disapproves of the man she loves. Lovers parted. Some obstacle arises and separates the lovers, geographically or in some other way. One of the lovers is banished, arrested, forced to flee, locked in a dungeon, or sometimes, disappears without explanation. Or, an explanation ma y be given (by the person opposing the lovers' being together) that later turns out to be false.Gothicism: In literary criticism, this refers to works characterised by a taste for the medieval or morbidly attractive. A gothic novel prominently features elements of horror, the supernatural, gloom, and violence: clanking chains, terror, charnel houses, ghosts, medieval castles, and mysteriously slamming doors. The term â€Å"gothic novel† is also applied to novels that lack elements of the traditional Gothic setting but that create a similar atmosphere of terror or dread. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is perhaps the best-known English work of this kind. Grotesque 1) This term originated from oddly shaped ornaments found within Roman dwellings, or grottoes, during the first century. From a literary standpoint, this term implies a mutation of the characters, plants and/or animals. This mutation transforms the normal features and/or behaviours into veritable extremes that are meant to be frightening and/or disturbingly comic (Cornwell 273. (2) The term grotesque also defines a work in which two separate modes, comedy and tragedy, are mixed. The result is a disturbing fiction wherein comic circumstances prelude horrific tragedy and vice versa.