Contemporary Marketing Assignment On Ferrari

Contemporary Marketing Assignment On Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947. Throughout its history, the company has been noted for its continued participation in racing, especially in Formula One, where it has had great success. Ferrari has produced a number of concept cars, such as the Ferrari Mythos. While some of these were quite radical (such as the Ferrari Modulo) and never intended for production, others such as the Ferrari Mythos have shown styling elements which were later incorporated into production models. The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves was the 2010 Ferrari Millechili. A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, some of which have been commissioned by wealthy owners. One of the examples is the Ferrari P4/5. The Special Projects program is collaboration by Ferrari with Italian automobile coachbuilders such as Fioravanti, Pininfarina, and Zagato to build custom cars using selected Ferrari models as a structural base. The first car under this program is the SP1, commissioned by a Japanese business executive. The second is the P540 Superfast Aperta, commissioned by an American enthusiast. Ferrari has considered making hybrids. A F430 Spider that runs on ethanol was displayed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Ferrari has announced that a hybrid will be in production by 2015. At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari unveiled a hybrid version of their flagship 599. Called the HY-KERS Concept, Ferraris hybrid system adds more than 100 horsepower on top of the 599 Fioranos 612 HP. Ferrari is a myth and a legend in the automotive industry. The Ferrari tale is one of an astounding and unique worldwide success. An unparalleled one. Ferrari success cannot be measured in terms of revenues and sales, or in terms of market capitalization. Ferrari never made an IPO and is not even quoted in any stock exchange market. Ferrari success has to be measured only in terms of Brand Value and Product Value. Probably the Ferrari brand is worth more than the Google brand, the Apple brand, Nike, GE, IBM, BMW, Mercedes, Exxon, Shell, or any other brand. No other brand has the allure of the Ferrari Brand. Ferrari is known and is highly valued everywhere in the world. Yet, Ferrari never spent a penny in advertisement. HISTORY: Enzo Ferrari was born in Modena Italy on February 18 1898. He came from a well to do family that owned a metal foundry making railroad parts, they were the first in his town to own a car. When WWI came Enzos father and brother (Dino) were drafted into the Italian army, whom both died from influenza in 1916. Enzo was forced to leave school to run the foundry, when the business collapsed he started work as a metalworker at the Modena Fire Brigade workshop in order to support his widowed mother. Enzo himself was later drafted into the Italian army where he worked shoeing mules for the mountain artillery, after a few months he becomming seriously ill and was released from the military. Not interested in going back to shcool and against his mothers will, he found work as a test driver in Turin in late 1918. Enzo then moved to Milan to work at CMN (Costruzioni Maccaniche Nazionali) as a racing car driver. His first real race came in the 1919, the Parma-Berceto, he then entered the Targa Fl orio that same year. Enzo then founded Scuderia Ferrari, (literally means Ferrari Stable) who were mainly sponsers and trainers for Alfa Romeo. He was officially hired by Alfa Romeo as head of their racing department in 1938, then in 1940, upon learning of the companys plan to take control of his beloved Scuderia, he quit Alfa. Since he was prohibited by contract from racing for several years, the Scuderia briefly became Auto Avio Costruzioni Ferrari, which ostensibly produced machine tools and aircraft accessories for Piaggio and RIV as Italy was gearing up for WWII. Ferrari did in fact produce one race car, the Tipo 815, in the non-competition period; it was thus the first actual Ferrari car, but due to the war it saw little competition. In 1943 the Ferrari factory moved to Maranello, where it has remained ever since. The factory was bombed in 1944 due to making machines for ball bearing production, it was rebuilt in 1946 to include a works for road car production. The first Ferrari road car was the 1947 125 S, powered by a 1.5-litre V12 engine; Enzo reluctantly built and sold his automobiles to fund the Scuderia. Since then, company cars, driven by the best drivers, have racked up over 5,000 successes on race tracks and roads all over the world, creating a legend. The most important achievements have been 9 Formula 1 Drivers World titles, 14 Manufacturers World titles, 8 Formula 1 Constructors World Championships, 9 wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours race, 8 at the Mille Miglia, 7 at the Targa Florio, and, up to the end of 1997, 113 wins in Formula 1 Grands Prix. While  Enzos beautiful and blazingly fast cars quickly gained a reputation for excellence, Enzo maintained a famous distaste for his customers, most of whom he felt were buying his cars for the prestige and not for racing. Ferrari has long been one of the ultimate toys for the rich and young (or young-at-heart). Ferrari cars feature highly-tuned small V8 and V12 engines, often in a mid-engined configuration. But until the introduction of fuel injection in the 1980s, they were quite temperamental and were dificult to maintain. Before the mid 1980s they carried a reputation for unreliability and bad engineering, though these were written off by enthusiasts as character. Ferrari owners have famously and religiously defended the merits of their cars while virulently criticizing other brands. PESTEL ANALYSIS: ACADAMIC REVIEW Through the appliance of PEST analysis a manager can examine their disclosure towards the set of possible surrounding problem (McGee et al.2005,p.13). Thomas, H (2007) (jain, 1981) defined PEST an early warning system for the environmental force which may impact a companys products and markets in the future. Moutinho, L and Evans,M (1992, pp.247) POLITICAL: ECONOMICAL: SOCIAL: TECHNOLOGICAL: ENVIOURAMNETAL: LEGAL: SWOT ANALYSIS: ACADAMIC REVIEW Barney gave SWOT a new meaning as a basic step for a firm to connect its resources to achieve advantages competitively. Barney (1991) Conventionally SWOT has been seen as a structure formed by properly combining various factors that are well thought-out significant in order to assess a firms planned position at a reasonable souk. Porter (1981). Synthesizing process creates value not only in aligning components, but also in creatively re-arranging them. Liedtke (2000, p. 22) STREANGHT OF FERRARI Extremely strong brand image Innovation technology Well motivated work-force Attitude towards new challenges WEEKNESS OF FERRARI Ferraris business model fuel efficiency emissions Due to huge waiting list Ferrari looses many customers. OPPERTUNITES FOR FERRARI Growth in the global market Expansion of the brand in new Market Enlargement of customer base Development of technology concept car THREATS FOR FERRARI Automotive policies from varies countries Tough competition Slow rate of expanding STREANGHT OF FERRARI: Extremely strong brand image. Products that are a fine combination of beauty aesthetics combined with unforgettable performance. The brand has connected to itself an aura of mystique. It is looked upon as a status symbol for general people. Ferrari takes on new challenges on a constant basis with a head on attitude. Innovation technology are key drivers behind every product. A very inspired, well taken care of satisfied work-force who are proud to be attached with the brand. This was further expressed publicly when Ferrari was voted the Best Place to Work in Europe 2007à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³. WEEKNESS OF FERRARI: Ferraris business model, based around low volumes, removes the possibility of employing certain technological solutions. That same business model also limits their sales volumes even though a lot more demand is present in the market. Due to their waiting list model, they lose out on customers to the competition. A big challenge lying in wait is fuel efficiency emissions which are growing in importance every day, thanks to spreading concerns over the environment. OPPERTUNITES FOR FERRARI: Growth in the global market for high-performance super-cars due to growing economies developing nations. Expansion of the brand through entering into new important automotive markets like India wherein competitors like Porsche have already set up base. Enlargement of customer base (increase appeal of their products to a more variety of buyers) through adding comfort, roominess, luggage space, engines that are more user friendly, and so on, while at the same time maintaining traditional Ferrari characteristics-performance, style, exclusivity. Ferrari has been exploiting this aspect for a while it has been a key contributor to their success in the past 15 years. Development of technology (for example interfacing electronics with mechanical systems) has opened up new avenues to explore for their products. Packaging i.e. the concept of the car is another area which still has years to explore. THREATS FOR FERRARI: Automotive policies being pushed by countries continents all over the world which are being strictly enforced like the emission norms of 130g/km of CO2 are very difficult to keep up with due to the performance oriented nature of the engines built by Ferrari. Tough competition from other iconic super car brands like Lamborghini Porsche A competing brand like Porsche does not follow the same low volumes, high on exclusivity model which is followed by Ferrari hence sells a lot more of its products captures a large chunk of the market share. Once again, competitors like Lamborghini Porsche are expanding their product range to high performance SUVs wherein Porsche has already been very successful with its Cayenne model, all over the world in particular, in India, which has lead to its success in the Indian market. Ferrari has not announced any plans for such a product (high-performance SUV) as of yet i.e.-2009. MARKETING MIX: Product High Performance super cars. Though the company is also heavily into 3rd party merchandising. Pricing Priced at a premium, they start at prices upwardly of 175,000 $US. Vintage Ferrari cars are also a great investment as Vintage Ferraris appreciate in value are known to cost millions of US Dollars Promotions The strongest promotion for Ferrari is in its merchandising. It already enjoys immense awareness throughout the world; even in places it doesnt do any promotion. To the extent that in India, wherein the brand is not even present as of yet, it is very well known. Furthermore, the merchandising is done on a royalty license basis to other brands (E.g. Puma selling Ferrari-Puma branded shoes). Place It has its exclusive Ferrari dealerships spread over 52 countries as of yet with plans to expand its dealerships to other countries markets. People A very inspired, well taken care of satisfied work-force who are proud to be attached with the brand is what Ferrari offers its people. With factories, production units workplaces built around the safety health of its workers, Ferrari was voted the Best Place to Work in Europe 2007à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ³. Process They are reliant heavily into RD, innovation staying at the cutting edge of technology. Therefore, their process is in a constant state of flux which is forever changing adapting with what the environment around them demands. Physical Evidence Dealerships across the globe showcasing their cars along with merchandise offering the customer a lounge sort of experience rather than that of a showroom. This is done keeping in mind the lifestyle of their potential custom As from the above table BCG MATRIX: ACADAMIC REVIEW The BCG growth-share mould was extremely significant. It made noticeable the concern of allotment across companies, that some businesses should fabricate ready money that supports others. Aaker, A.D. (1988,pp.133) The fundamental compositions of the BCG mould have stayed admired and are still integrated in almost every MBA syllabus. Calandro Jr, j and lane, S (2007) Star Ferrari 275 Ferrari 360 Ferrari 420 Ferrari F512 Ferrari F60 Ferrari F70 ? Ferrari Spider 458 Ferrari hybrid F151 Ferrari F70 Cash Cow Enzo Ferrari Ferrari Mondial Ferrari Testarossa Ferrari California Dog None According to the BCG matrix, Cars like Enzo Ferrari, Mondial, Testarossa, California are the most cash generating cars of the company. This cars generates the maximum amount of the revenue for the company. Other than these Cars like Ferrari 275, 360, 420, 512, F60 and F70 are the most selling cars as it is liked by consumers. Cars like Spider, Hybrid S70 are some new project of the company which are under development. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE: As from the above figure tells us, the Enzo Ferrari car is in its Maturity period. This car has been a big success for the company since the day of its launch. Though Enzo Ferrari is an old car but cause of its revived versions taken out by the company, the car never loses its grip in the Market. PORTERS FIVE: ACADAMIC REVIEW Porters work in 1980, Competitive Strategy (book), and his set-up of the porters five force presented a structure to study the peripheral surrounding orderly as a technique of budding and ready for action tactics Michael E. Porter (1998[1980]). Calandro Jr, J and Lane, S (2007) Michael E. Porters five force model has been developed by Succeeding practitioners. Though testing such kind of examination may be extremely difficult as it do not sums up simply Robert Simpson and Antonio Davila (1998). Calandro Jr, J and Lane, S (2007) Michael E. Porter claimed if an association has to develop an aggressive tactic it should initially calculate its situation inside the business alongside the five aspects; supplier consumer bargain power, Threats to new entrants substitute, Cut- throat rivalry. Tay, L (2006) SHELL MATRIX: ACADAMIC REVIEW Business position of shell matrix appears much appropriate for a merchandise range investigation motive is a variety of aspects depicting market pleasant appearance along with industry status establishes the progression of a manufactures good beside its life tenure, Chee, H Harris, R. (1998,pp.61) Rich Elite Class Targeted Audience Luxury Hotels Airlines Europe India Strong Brand name image Loyal Customers MARKET ATTRACTIVENESSHigh Low Medium High Medium Low COMPANYS STRENGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANSOFF MATRIX: ACADAMIC REVIEW Several writers have remarked on the boundaries of strategic alternative presented towards the small firm, by good value of such features as small market share and precincts of resources and talent (e.g. Carson, 198). Watts, G et al. (1998) Ansoff (1965) some time ago assumed that strategy and objectives are interchangeable both at different points in time and different levels within the organisation. Thus elements of strategy at a high level become objectives at lower level. Adcock, D (2000,pp.21) The Ansoff growth matrix guides an organisation in relation to ocus their labours and consideration. Lake, N (2002,pp.145) New Product Existing Product MARKET PENITRATION Different Schemes. Warranty on its products. Free servicing for a specific period. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Investing in Research Development. Add new products to product range. Feedback/customer survey. MARKET DEVELOPMENT Super Bikes. Cloths/ Accessories. Airlines. Luxury Hotels. DIVERSIFICATION Airlines Existing market New Market (Model adapted from Mindtools, 2010 own research) As from the above Marketing tool we can conclude that Enzo Ferrari car the Ferrari Company has a very diverse market for Development penetration. MARKET PENITRATION: The Company has a wide scope of penetrating the market by giving its customers varies attractive schemes. These schemes can be seasonal in nature also. At present the company doesnt have any schemes like its competitors. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: The Company can widen their product range by entering into new market. Ferrari can also invest in research development to enhance its existing product range to innovate new cars. Company can also take feedbacks on its products as this can also help enhancing the product. MARKET DEVELOPMENT: The Company has a big opportunity in the new market. Ferrari can make sports Bike as it is connected to the field in which the company is from last 100 years. This new shift can add a boost to the company brand name sales. The company equally has a scope in the Domestic Airline sector. It can start a new airline as it already provides some spare parts of airplane to the company like Boeing Airbus. Luxury Hotels can also be a possible profitable business for a brand like Ferrari. DIVERSIFICATION: The Company can diversify and explore new possible field like in airline business. This field isnt new for Ferrari as it produces many spare parts and engines for small airplanes. This business is highly profitable and can increase the brand value of the Ferrari. RECOMENDATIONS The following recommendations are taken from the critical study of all the above Matrixes Analysis. Expanding the existing Market: The Ferrari needs to expand needs existing market as its fan following is the worldwide and the consumer doesnt find it easy to export the car from other country as it cost highly. The company can wider its network in countries like China, India, Brazil where their isnt a single outlet of the company but has a wide scope for Ferrari cars as this countrys economy is booming. Services: No doubt that Ferrari has an excellent quality of services for its customers. But due to its in box policy (Services are available in very limited countries) the customer think twice before buying a Ferrari Car. 3rd Party Merchandizing: Ferrari is already in the 3rd party merchandizing but in a very limited area, e.g. Caps, T-shirts, etc. The company should expand its area and try to explore new areas. This new field of merchandizing has a great opportunity as revenue can also be generated which is helpful for companys growth. Sponsorship: The company heavily invest in sponsorship especially in formula 1. Due to this mostly racing community is acquainted with the name of Ferrari. Sponsoring various even like Olympics, Football can be a great deal. This could also add some reputation to the companys image. Sponsoring a global event always attract more peoples attention than the methods of sponsoring like T.V, Radio, etc. Charity: Charity is almost done by every big firm or name as its attracts the people in an emotional way. Donating in charity always attracts media attention due to which free publicity is also created the brand name gets a moral touch in the general consumers eye. Eco-Friendly: The company should start concentrating on the eco friendly issues as the general public is getting more aware of it. Unlike other Ferrari cars has a less mileage with emission of more gasses [About 3 Lit. for a Km]. The Ferrari should make some changes in its V12 engine as it has some world best engineers with them from the eco friendly point of view. The Ferrari should also come up with a car which doesnt work on fossil fuel., e.g. Hydrogen, Water, Electricity just like its counterpart are doing to gain special attention. Due to this the image of the company can also change for good. Entering into new Financial fields: The Ferrari S.P.A is a company which is almost 100 years old but still its name isnt on any stock exchange in the world. Enlisting its name in a stock exchange can add some serious revenue inflow in the company. They should also disclose its financial Audit e.g. Profit Loss statement, Balance sheet, etc to the general public officially. Cause of this the company- customer relation can strengthen up. New methods of Brand Promotion: Ferrari should indulge into some new ways of promoting itself e.g. Internet, media, etc. Ferrari doesnt follow any promoting schemes for its Brand in anyway. Due to this the consumer arent aware of Ferrari and its new launches. The Ferrari website is so far the best website in the internet but it still needs some improvement e.g. If the visitor could make its own Ferrari car in a innovated way. This technique can be used not only form the gaming points of view but also economically. If the customers are allowed to choose how their car will be it could be a great deal. Even from the hits on the site which are made by the visitors, the revenue can be generated. Ferrari should advertise in social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc where they can grab the attention of the general public directly with a more effective way. Exploring new possibilities: The Company should explore new possibilities in terms of its Car range. Although the Brand name Ferrari is known for its Super Sports Car but to grab new market in this competitive world the company should launch some variants of cars in new segments like SUV, Luxury, Small, etc. This possible increase the sales of the company with the brand name more familiar and household. There is also a lot of opportunities for Ferrari in this new segments of cars. The company can also explore its possibilities in sports bikes segment as it only manufactures sports cars. This new tag can go with the Ferrari. Cost cautious Policy: The company can be a bit cost cautious as the cheapest Ferrari is about $300,000, which is a large amount. By reducing the cost of the car the sales of the company can increase, as there are many people who are willing to buy this car. The company can also use its hand in the car reselling market. This could also generate a fair amount of money. By increasing the sales, employment in the company will also increase as there is just hand full of labours in Ferrari due to its modernised and mechanised techniques of making cars. BIBLOGRAPY Aaker, A.D. (1988) Strategic Marketing Management.5th ed. United States of America, Courier/Westford. Adcock, D. (2000) Marketing Strategies for Competitive Advantage. Midsomer Norton, Bookcraft (Bath) Ltd. Calandro Jr, J and Lane, S. (2007) Conceptual paper. A New Competitive Analysis Tool: the relative profitability and growth matrix [Internet], 35(2), pp.30-38. Available from: [Accessed 6 December 2010]. Chee, H and Harris, R. (1998) Global Marketing Strategy. GREAT BRITAIN, FINANCIAL TIMES PITMAN PUBLISHING. Lake, N. (2002) The Strategic Planning Workbook. Great Britain, Clays Ltd. Mindtools.(2010) Ansoff Matrix [Internet]. Available from: [Accessed 7 December 2010]. Moutinho, L and Evans, M. (1992) Applied Marketing Research. Harlow, England, Addison Wesley. Tay, L. (2006) Case study. Strategic facilities management of Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre: A case study [Internet], 24(3/4), pp.120-131. Available from: [Accessed 7 December 2010]. Thomas, H. (2007) Viewpoint. An analysis of the environment and competitive dynamics of management education [Internet], 26(1), pp.9-21. Available from: [Accessed 5 December 2010]. Watts, G et al. (1998) Research paper. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour Research [Internet], 4(2), pp. 101-111. Available from: [Accessed 5 December 2010]. Ferrari FAQ. (2006). Ferrari History.[Internet]. Available from :. [Last accessed 13th November 2010].

Edgar Allen Poes The Tell-Tale Heart and the Symbolism of the Eye Essa

Edgar Allen Poe is the genius responsible for dark, twisting, and often uncomfortably wondrous gothic tales, and one of the best is 'The Tell-Tale Heart.' This is a classic tale of a confused man who is so incredibly bothered by his housemate's eye, that he (I am assuming this sexless character is male) thinks the only solution is to resort to cold-blooded murder. Poe incorporates the symbol of the old man's eye in 'The Tell-Tale Heart,' which has both physical and psychological meaning, it also helps to develop the plot and central conflicts in the story. The eye allows a better understanding of the narrator's mental state, represents an omniscient/fatherly figure, and helps illustrate the theme of good verses evil. The story?s conflict revolves around the narrator plotting, planning, and executing a man?s death, yet it is the eye that causes this man?s obsession with murder. Another important conflict in the story is that of the narrators struggle to prove he is sane, he does this by trying to make the eye seem evil, more evil than his own deeds. The only reason the narrator gives for his decision of murder is the man?s eye, and it is the eye the narrator must see before he can actually kill the man. In the end of the story, the disposing of the eye actually leads to the narrator?s downfall. As you can see, the eye is the story?s main conflict, which helps to develop the plot, and really allows for a deeper understanding of the story. The author uses the eye to provide clues as to why the narrator is so unreliable. ?I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this!? (Poe 721), the narrator uses the statement ?I think?, implying that he is obviously not very sure, and definitely unstable, since something he ?thinks? is a problem... ..., which is one reason why he?s trying to prove himself as sane. This theme can be tied into the fatherly figure, by showing his struggle to stay ?good? in the eyes of his father, yet we have already established that he really does understand that he is going insane, and since he comprehends this transition, he must kill the judging fatherly figure so he doesn?t see his turn to ?evil.? The eye helps to show the narrators spiral into insanity, the father/son relationship occurring between the narrator and old man, and the ever transient theme of good verses evil. ?The Tale-Tell Heart? uses such blatant symbolism that it?s almost easy to skip right over and not notice, but the understanding of the ?eye? is the key to this famous tale. Edgar Allan Poe is absolutely ingenious, and for obvious reasons his work will always be considered as distinguished ?classics?.

The Perpetuation of Subordination - Challenges to Aboriginal Employmen

The discussion of a hidden curriculum (Eisner, 1985; Jackson 1968) wherein students learn more in the public school system than what the direct or written curriculum intends - or intentionally leaves out - is oddly appropriate in the context of looking at the experience of the Aboriginal working-age populations in Canada. Bowles and Gintis (1976) suggest that schools maintain the dominant capitalist system of mainstream society due to particular social relations taking place in school communities. If public education in Canada is not correcting historical and social biases, it perpetuates prejudice and the placing of Aboriginal peoples at a lower social standing in Canada. How then are they expected to be successful in avenues like the employment market? Jean B. Miller’s discussion of the dominant/subordinate issue between men and women (1995) is an excellent template to analyze the plight of Aboriginals and employment obstacles in Canada. Aboriginals have been subordinat e to the colonizing powers for centuries. Morrison (1995) outlines many barriers to diversity in the workplace, but â€Å"the single most frequently mentioned barrier is prejudice† (235). It is no surprise then that despite recent gains in education-level completion, Canada’s Aboriginal populations are not seeing corresponding gains in employment. The last four centuries of Canadian history have seen many dark periods for the experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Mà ©tis. Topics such as treaty disputes, the residential school system, armed stand-offs over territories, or disease, substance abuse, and the situation on reserves dominate provincially recommended textbooks. These discussions of their past, however, contain little to no Aboriginal perspective. ... ...tagne, F. (2004) The Aboriginal Workforce: What Lies Ahead - CLBC Commentary. Ottawa, Canada Labour and Business Centre. Mendelson, M. (2004) Aboriginal People in Canada’s Labour Market: Work and Unemployment, Today and Tomorrow. Ottawa, Caledon Institute of Social Policy Miller, Jean B. (1995). Domination/Subordination. In Wren, J. Thomas (Ed) The Leaders Companion: Insights on Leadership Through the Ages. (pp. 222-230) The Free Press: USA. Morrison, Ann M. (1995). Challenging the Barriers to Opportunity. In Wren, J. Thomas (Ed) The Leaders Companion: Insights on Leadership Through the Ages. (pp. 231-242) The Free Press: USA. Saul, J. R. (2008). A Fair Country: Telling truths about Canada. Toronto: Penguin. Thomas, R. R. (1990) From Affirmative Action to Affirming Diversity. Harvard Business Review. March-April, pp. 107-117.

Gender and sexuality Essay

Gender and sexuality has permeated the character of Latin American nations throughout history. Latin America has demonstrated examples of the manipulation of gender as a means of a nation’s government asserting its political and social control, and the history of the Cuban Revolution shows that Cuba is among such nations. Since its infancy in 1959 and through the 1990s, the Cuban revolutionary government has managed to achieve a well-documented history of oppressive practices that has made the Cuban government the subject of much worldwide criticism and scrutiny over the years. Among the root of this oppression is a commitment to political and social control along gender lines for a greater nationalistic cause. Not unlike other Latin American nations, gender roles as they are recognized in Cuba have been constructed and forcefully prescribed by the government. The citizens of the nation have been socialized to discern between masculine and feminine traits, as well understand why certain traits are desirable while others are not. These determinations have had far-reaching consequences in the cultural realm of Cuban society. Social circles are designed partly upon a person’s recognition of and adherence to specific gender roles. A part of the Cuban revolutionary government’s use of gender for political and social control is its attitude toward and relationship with male homosexuality. The systematic persecution of homosexuals in Cuba has been used by the state in an insular fashion against its citizens for the purpose of controlling them, but also as an outward political maneuver of serves to uphold national dignity and honor as part of a Cuban national identity that is to be recognized and respected throughout the rest of the world. In addition to this paper’s thesis being based on the Cuban revolutionary government’s use of gender and sexuality as a tool of political and social control, the notion of patriarchy is a theory that is central to this thesis. Part of Cuba’s national identity is the patriarchal nature of its government, which not only applies to the relationship between the state and its citizens, but also applies to the relationship between Cuba and other nations. Dominance and strength, two factors upon which patriarchy is based, are what Cuba stands to project to larger, more powerful nations as a symbol of an exalted position in the world. As discussed in the paper, Cuba’s patriarchal government uses its rejection of homosexuality outwardly as a tactic of resisting and rejecting the systems and ideals of nations that the Cuban Revolution finds itself to be fundamentally at odds with. Evidence of this can be found in works such as Ian Lumsden’s Machos, Maricones, and Gays: Cuba and Homosexuality. The arguments made in this paper are written around various primary documents that not only support the central thesis, but also serve as a base for extended discussion of certain elements that have contributed to a greater part of a nation’s history. One such element is the notion of gender roles and norms being defined and prescribed by the state, which in turn affects its society’s views. This includes the legal and penal mechanisms through which the prescriptions are upheld. Legal enforcement leads to a second element, which is nationalism as the motive for the state’s manipulation of gender and sexuality. This control of the Cuban people is part of a greater political agenda: ensuring the success of the Cuban Revolution. A part of this political maneuver is maintaining the honor of the nation and defending its worldwide image. A third and final element is the concept of cultures and governments undergoing change over a period of time. Such changes include the state’s gender-based ideas and prescriptions, as well as the catalysts for such change. These changes are ultimtately reflected in the attitudes of a nation’s people. The film â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† is one of the primary sources that this paper is written around. Set in Cuba circa 1979, â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† reflects the attitudes toward homosexuality that were the norm in Cuba during the first couple of decades of the Cuban revolution, and also depicts the government’s use of gender and sexuality to advance its own political agenda. What qualities make or do not make the revolutionary? What place does a homosexual have in the Cuban revolution? What is homosexuality supposed to mean to the communist youth? These are questions that â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate† raises and helps answer. The other primary documents that this paper is written around are the writings of controversial gay Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas. This paper discusses some examples of the persecution that Arenas endured as a homosexual coming up during the Cuban Revolution. From physical attacks and censorship to arrests and imprisonment, Arenas symbolized to the Cuban revolutionary government the classic threat to the patriarchal state that the government feared and aimed to neutralize. Although writings from a persecuted homosexual in Cuba stand to possibly reflect certain biases, it is important to look at alternate points of view with the purpose of still supporting the basic arguments conveyed herein. For that reason, this paper will also discuss the works of writers such as Rafael L. Ramirez and Rafael Ocasio, who did not emerge from a situation similar to that of Arenas’s. Ocasio explains that Reinaldo Arenas initially expressed interest in the Cuban Revolution, having left home at the age of fifteen to become a guerilla fighter for Fidel Castro. (14) Arenas was rejected due to his young age and the fact that he had no firearms. His enthusiasm for supporting Castro eventually waned, however, and it was the sexual repression that Arenas encountered at his boarding school that began his discontent with the Castro regime. (17) Ocasio cites the reprisal that students faced if caught committing homosexual acts. In addition to expulsion, school officials also went as far as detailing the nature of student’s transgression in school records, thereby barring these homosexual students from other state-run schools. According to Ocasio, Arenas stated that arrest and incarceration could also result from certain instances of such activity. (17) This made Arenas aware of politically-related persecution of homosexuals as an adolescent. Systematic, state-sanctioned persecution of homosexuals is further exemplified by the nighttime roundups of homosexuals organized by Cuban police, a practice that traces back to 1961. The earliest documented case of this is known as the Night of the Three Ps (prostitutes, pimps, y pederasts). Gay playwright Virgilio Pinera was among those who were arrested. (Ocasio 24) These raids were purely politically-motivated, for as Salas explains, police targeted anything they found in these raids that appeared to be antisocial or non-conformist, including clothing or hairstyles deemed inappropriate. In support of this, Salas cites an instance in which a Young Communist League leader was arrested in one of the raids despite not being involved in any homosexual activity. Police targeted him because of his long hair, which was cut by authorities. The man was released once he confirmed his identity. (155) Homosexuals targeted in these raids were considered part of a greater antisocial element that the government sought to eliminate. Ocasio explains that while officials assigned prostitutes to schools where they could supposedly be rehabilitated, Castro stated that homosexuals would be barred from the possibility of having any influence in cultural life, schools, or the arts. (24) The aforementioned roundups of homosexuals organized by Cuban police had an affect on Cuba’s intellectual community, and was only one example of the Castro regime’s politically-inspired oppression. Various official statements were made by the Cuban government against homosexuals as part of a nationwide campaign promoting proper ethical policies that fostered acceptable revolutionary behavior. It was clear that writers such as Arenas and artists such as Pinera were not seen by the new regime as conducive to the political achievement to which the Cuban revolutionary government aspired. This is supported by Castro’s famous â€Å"Words to Intellectuals† speech, which Ocasio cites as the first official statement made by the Cuban revolutionary government that determined the boundaries within which revolutionary writers and artists were to operate: â€Å"What are the rights of writers and artists, revolutionary or not? In support of the Revolution, every right; against the Revolution, no rights. † Homosexual persecution rooted in the Cuban revolutionary cause is indicative of the revolutionary government’s concept of what it referred to as the New Man. In Social Control and Deviance in Cuba, author Luis Salas discusses the state’s concept of the New Man as Cuba’s ideal revolutionary, which allows no place for a homosexual in the revolution. (166) According to Salas, such a question was clearly answered by Fidel Castro with the following statement: â€Å"Nothing prevents a homosexual from professing revolutionary ideology and consequently, exhibiting a correct political position. In this case he should not be considered politically negative. And yet we would never come to believe that a homosexual could embody the conditions and requirements of conduct that would enable us to consider him a true revolutionary, a true Communist militant. A deviation of that nature clashes with the concept we have of what a militant Communist must be. † Salas contends that to the Cuban revolutionary, the New Man represents strength, honor, and â€Å"connotes maleness and virility. †(166) Conversely, homosexuality is considered to represent weakness, a classically feminine trait. The strength needed to be a true revolutionary is something that the Cuban revolutionary government saw in the uncorrupted youth of Cuba. The youth of the nation was regarded by the state as â€Å"one of the most treasured possessions of the nation† that was expected contribute to the success of the revolution, and as such, was to be protected from â€Å"a group viewed as seducers of small children. †(167) This aforementioned political attitude with regards to homosexuals in relation to the communist youth of Cuba was reflected in the film â€Å"Fresa y Chocolate. † In the film, David is a young communist university student who initially views an older homosexual artist named Diego as someone who is to be avoided and not to be trusted. David’s roommate Miguel is even more militant in his revolutionary, homophobic stance, and resorts to using David to spy on Diego due to his belief that Diego is a danger to the revolutionary cause and thus cannot be trusted. Although Diego eventually befriends David, there is a mutual understanding between both characters of the dangers that such a friendship can pose to a young communist like David, and David makes it clear to Diego that they are not to be seen together in public. This depiction is indicative of the state’s effort to socialize its youth towards anti-homosexual sentiment by portraying homosexuals as political obstacles and enemies of the state in order to influence public opinion and sway political action in the government’s favor. As Leiner explains, homosexuality played a role in Cuba’s prerevolutionary tourism economy, for the widespread solicitation of male prostitutes by gay tourists contributed to the economy. Furthermore, the stratification of prerevolutionary Cuba also lured many heterosexual working-class men into the underworld of homosexual prostitution in order to earn a living. According to Leiner, the homosexual bourgeoisie largely controlled this underworld as did American organized crime, which managed the lucrative, but seedy occupational sector based on prostitution, drugs, and gambling. Such an aspect of prerevolutionary Cuban history is indicative of fears present among state officials in revolutionary Cuba, who perceived homosexuality as fertile ground for the re-emergence of American imperialism, the bourgeoisie, and classism in Cuban society. This is consistent with Lumsden’s contention of revolutionary Cuba’s regulation of gender and sexuality in Cuba being a part of the state’s willingness to overcome underdevelopment and resist American efforts to prevent the revolution from succeeding. (xxi) According to Salas, gays were a remnant of capitalism in the eyes of the militant Cuban revolutionary. According to the Cuban government, the New Man was not motivated by the decadence and wanton lusts that characterize homosexuality, which the government believe was associated with the selfishness that marked capitalist societies. In a speech given on July 26, 1968, Fidel Castro characterized the revolution’s ideal New Man as possessing an altruistic and humanistic nature: â€Å"In a communist society, man will have succeeded in achieving just as much understanding, closeness, and brotherhood as he has on occasion achieved within the narrow circle of his own family. To live in a communist society is to live without selfishness, to live among the people, as if every one of our fellow citizens were really our dearest brother. † In addition to the idealism of Castro’s statement, there is also the character of the language behind his statement that is undoubtedly male as well as overwhelmingly exclusionary. The ideals promoted by Castro in the above excerpt can just as easily be prescribed to women for them to live by such ideals, but the â€Å"macho/socialist amalgam questioned whether male homosexuals could. †(Leiner 27) Leiner explains a study conducted by esteemed commentator Lourdes Casal, who analyzed the influence that the Cuban revolution had on Cuban literature. According to Leiner, Casal discovered a general disdain for homosexuals reflected in over 100 novels. Casal contended that the rejection of homosexuality was the rejection of femininity. Accusing a man of being a homosexual was to be considered an assault on that man’s masculinity, and was considered synonymous with deeming that man a female who is devoid of strength â€Å"and unworthy of holding power. â€Å"(23) Such a meaning prescribed to the title â€Å"homosexual† underscores the nature of the Cuban government’s patriarchal structure, in which power is directly associated with being a man both physically and sexually. Leiner also explains that in revolutionary Cuban society, the perception of homosexuality – and therefore, femininity – went beyond mere sexual preference. Physical weakness and lack of muscularity, a lack of interest in physical competition, the display of a quiet demeanor, or a gentle, nurturing or sensitive nature were enough to raise suspicion of homosexuality. According to Leiner, such qualities were perceived as weak and inferior, and therefore effeminate. The strong, abrasive, and competitive male was above suspicion of homosexuality. (22) The question of why homosexuals were perceived by the state as counter to the revolution remains partly unanswered. In addition to the Cuban government’s belief that homosexuals possessed undesirable qualities such as weakness, cowardice, and perversion, the state’s view of homosexuals as a danger to the institution that is the traditional family further compelled the state and the society it influenced to write homosexuals off as â€Å"antithetical to a socialist society. †(Leiner 25) Lesbian playwright Ana Maria Simo was jailed for four-and-a-half months in 1965 and also suffered shock treatment to â€Å"correct† her simply due to her associating with people who were suspected of being homosexual. She was not a lesbian at the time. She states that she and her friends were political individualists and anarchistic, and that is what bothered the government, not their being gay. (Ocasio 30) According to Leiner, lesbians were no cause of concern for the revolutionary government. Leiner states that Lourdes Casal found no mention, or even the vaguest hint of evidence of concern over lesbianism in either the pre- or post-revolutionary literary works that she analyzed. This is a manifestation of the Cuban government’s patriarchal structure in that the government’s complete absence of concern over the lesbianism in Cuba is indicative of the government’s â€Å"relegation of women as secondary, lesser ‘others. ‘†(Leiner 23) Unlike homosexuals, lesbians posed no threat to the Cuban revolutionary cause, for the revolution never looked to women for signs of strength or power upon which the government could rely in order to ensure the success of the revolution. However, lesbians, even those who displayed overly masculine qualities, were still considered women just as homosexual males were, and both were deemed unqualified for revolutionary status by the state. Standards of gender and sexuality were prescribed and legitimized by the revolutionary state, thus criminalizing homosexuality. The government’s enforcement of its prescriptions has been carried out via formal as well as informal means. A prime example of a formal method of this enforcement is penal legislation. Such legislation involving homosexuality can be found in two sections of the Cuban statutes. In one section of the statutes, legislation involves the relation between homosexuality and the state’s concept of social dangerousness. Article 73 of the Cuban Penal Code regulates social dangerousness, and cites behavior deemed antisocial as its target. In Cuba, homosexuality has been legally deemed antisocial. (Salas 151) Lumsden cites the use of the word antisocial as a code to describe displays of homosexuality deemed ostentatious. (83) According to Salas, anti-homosexual legislation was considered a preventive measure, for the display of so much as even an attitude that authorities perceived as antisocial justified police intervention. (Salas 153) These laws stem from government fears, such as the fear of the threat that homosexuality poses to the traditional family structure. There is also the government’s fear of homosexuality hindering the success of the revolution, of which the fear of homosexuals corrupting the nation’s youth is a part. (Salas 154) The latter fear can explain homosexual males receiving much harsher punishments for having sex with underage boys compared to the punishments that males faced for having sex with underage females. (Lumsden 82) The fact that laws pertaining to homosexuality are in a section of the Penal Code that pertains to violations against sexual development and sexual relations that are considered normal is indicative of the state’s perception of homosexuality as a condition that is contagious and leads to pedophilia. For this reason, Article 317 also includes the act of propositioning an adult for homosexual sex in its permanent barring of convicted sex offenders from the teaching profession and any other field in which such an adult stands to have authority or potential influence over children. (Lumsden 84) Aside from the Cuban revolutionary government’s fears related to the issue of homosexuality, the eagerness of some government officials to enforce anti-homosexual law is also indicative of their determination to remain above suspicion of being homosexual for their own fear of legal and social reprisal at the hands of the government. Examples of this are provided by Reinaldo Arenas in his highly acclaimed autobiography Before Night Falls, in which he discusses various sexual encounters he had with homosexual government officials in Cuba. Arenas cited an incident in which a police officer with whom he had just had sexual intercourse actually arrested Arenas â€Å"for being queer. † â€Å"Perhaps he thought that by being the active partner he had not done anything wrong,† Arenas stated. This statement by Arenas is a clear reference to the commonly held perception of the active, penetrating partner in a sexual act between two men not being a homosexual because his dominant position is considered a product of masculinity and power. This perception is diametrically opposed to the perception of the penetrated partner, for this partner assumes a role that is subordinate to the dominant penetrator, thus representing the role of a woman. In Arenas’s aforementioned discussion of his arrest, he stated that at the police station, the arresting officer attempted to explain his arresting Arenas by falsely accusing Arenas of groping him. However, Arenas managed to prove the officer’s involvement in the homosexual act by quickly admitting to the other officers that he still had the officer’s semen on his body, thus making the officer the subject of much surprise and scorn from his colleagues and work superiors. As part of his account of this incident, Arenas alluded to the revolutionary government’s belief that it is not possible for a homosexual male to possess the qualities that makes a true revolutionary. At the same time, Arenas also made a reference to the belief of a homosexual male being equivalent to a woman: â€Å"They ended up saying it was a shame that a member of the police force would engage in such acts, because I, after all, had my weakness, but for him, being a man, there was no excuse for getting involved with a queer. † Because he managed to achieve a position as a police officer in the Cuban revolutionary government, which included a convincing display of the masculine traits that the Cuban government believed were instrumental to the composition of a true revolutionary, the police officer was undoubtedly a â€Å"man† in the eyes of the state, whereas Arenas was not. The engendering of the passive and active partner in homosexual intercourse is not exclusive to Cuban revolutionary society, however. In What It Means to Be a Man, Casper and Ramirez cite the bugarron, a term used in Puerto Rican society to describe a male who is always the one to penetrate the male partner, yet always considers himself heterosexual. The bugarron blatantly dismisses the notion of his partner’s masculinity, and confirms his partner as the â€Å"woman† of the situation by calling his partner names such as mujer, mami, mamita, or loca. (96) Furthermore, the bugarron’s â€Å"usage of sexuality is highly ritualized to conserve his manhood and avoid being questioned about it. †(Casper, Ramirez 97) The desire to only be a penetrator and never a recipient of penetration serves as a political metaphor. The perception of a penetrator as heterosexual and undeniably male is underscored by masculine traits such as strength and dominance. Pingueros, a name given to male prostitutes in Cuba who only penetrate and refuse to be penetrated, represent the conquering of foreign bodies when solicited by gay tourists. (Chant, Kraske 139) This representation mirrors the notion of Cuba not just fending off but successfully invading and â€Å"screwing back† the imperialist, capitalist nation that has – or might wish to – exploit Cuba for its own self-interests. Just like the concept of prescribing gender to an active and passive partner in sexual intercourse between two men was reached over time by way of changing attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions, attitudes and behaviors toward homosexuality in general changing over time is also to be considered. Cultures are not static; they change over time, as do the notions of gender and sexuality in a culture. (Casper, Ramirez 27) Over the past decades, Cuba has witnessed a certain degree of change in attitudes and actions toward homosexuality on behalf of Cuban society at large as well as on behalf of the state.

A taste of honey †From dependence to independence Essay

Jo, a trapped schoolgirl seeking sanctuary away from her unreliable mother Helen, yet finding herself dependent upon her. The frequent movement from place to place and no steady source of income meant that Jo had no real social life at school or at home and few luxuries. Jo relies on a carefree black sailor for comfort, however, a facsimile of her own life, he is torn away and she is forced to move on. Helen leaves Jo and marries the untrustworthy Peter. A Gay colleague known as Geoff now comes into her life, and Jo soon realises he is a reliable person, and begins to depend upon him when she is pregnant. Towards the end, Geoff leaves upon the return of Helen, and Jo becomes the independent woman that she so longed for, perhaps a result of her quick taste of honey. In Act 1, Scene 1, we find out about Jo’s schooling abilities. When she arrives, she wants to find somewhere to plant her bulbs. As she says, â€Å"It’s nice to see a few flowers.† Helen finds some drawings that Jo had done and compliments her by saying, â€Å"I didn’t realise I had such a talented daughter.† Jo reveals her childish side by replying with â€Å"I’m not just talented, I’m geniused.† Jo’s intentions of leaving school and Helen at Christmas, becomes apparent, as she seems to think that she is mature and independent enough to do so. Another sign her naivety. Her view of the new flat also comes into light when Helen says, â€Å"This is the place,† and Jo replies with, â€Å"And I don’t like it.† Her attitude to life is arguably summarised with those few words. She is forever criticising Helen and rarely calls her mother or ‘mum’. The pair are constantly bickering and Jo even sa ys, â€Å"I’m sick of you. You’ve made my life a misery.† Her dislike and contempt for life, instantly recognisable, is possibly due to her loneliness. Her mother gives her very little support so she must seek affection from other sources. Although she seems to hate Helen, Jo is very dependent on her and – to a certain extent – Helen is dependent on Jo. She is always making Jo do things for her (getting drinks, cooking, etc). There is little doubt that her misery is also due to her unsatisfactory mother. Their relationship is hardly your stereotypical mother-daughter one, which contributes greatly to Jo leaving school and her mother as soon as she has the chance. Helen is not oblivious to her incompetence as a mother who says, â€Å"I know, I’m a cruel, wicked woman,† and not using the word ‘mother’. Peter is a dodgy car salesman with an eye patch, and one of the reasons that Helen moved. He wants her to marry him but Helen declines. However with persuasion and persistence his charm soon takes affect and she finally agrees. Jo immediately holds Peter with just as much contempt as her mother. Her spiteful attitude towards him is likely because Peter has her mothers love and she does not, though of course Jo would never admit this. Jo soon changes however and asks Peter coyly, â€Å"Do you fancy me?† and he responds, â€Å"Not yet. † Jo clearly seeks attention from Peter. He also has photographs of all his ex-girlfriends. Jo makes fun of his eye patch, again expressing her childish ways. We also find out about Jo’s phobias, â€Å"I’m not frightened of the darkness outside. It’s the darkness inside I don’t like.† This tells the reader that she feels dark and lonely inside, which sheds light onto why she has a depressing attitude to life. Helen neglects her needs, for example, leaving her alone for a weekend while she runs off with Peter. Helen also makes no attempt to help Jo when she’s pregnant, if anything Helen is angry, perhaps because Jo has made the same mistakes she once made. Being the age of 16 some may say she is quite independent, leaving school and home, however she is still a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve child inside with a thirst for attention and affection Jo is not perturbed by her mother’s actions, and is still determined to become independent. Her plans to move out are executed, and she decides she would like to marry a black sailor. Jo knows Helen will disapprove, which seems to make it the whole affair better. Jo’s relationship with the sailor seems short and casual. They both say that they love each other but are very relaxed. For example, when he leaves and does not come back she is not worried, probably because she is used to moving on and leaving many things behind. Later on though when talking to Geoff, she says â€Å"Last Christmas I had him,† she obviously misses him, and talks fondly about him especially when the baby is due. Helens departure has little effect on Jo, which is slightly unexpected, as she now has the independence away from her mother that she always wanted. This is likely because she really needs someone to depend on especially with a baby on the way. Geoff, a gay student is her saviour. He becomes Jo’s shoulder to cry on, and is keen on becoming a father figure for the baby. Jo seems to take advantage of Geoff’s kindness and often makes him do stuff for her. Geoff does not seem to mind, even when she makes fun of his sexuality, which many people did at the time. Geoff was her pillar of strength when she had her childish tantrums, such as wanting to ‘cut off the babies head’ or disown it. Geoff, probably more than she was on her mother. Jo even says, supposedly to the baby, â€Å"Let’s see what big sisters making us.† Geoff is a friendly carer and is totally different from the sailor. Whereas the sailor wants a sexual relationship, Geoff is content with caring for Jo and making cakes. Geoff even asks Jo if they should get married and also asks her what she’d do if he started something. Jo replies, â€Å"In my condition, I’d probably faint.† He adores babies but Jo is less keen on them. Geoff seems to want, more than anything, to be the father of Jo’s child. To begin with, Jo treats Geoff with little respect, joking around and saying things that could hurt him. As their relationship progresses and they get to know each other better, Jo respects Geoff more and more. Jo eventually realises that the baby will need a father figure and decides to let Geoff stay, but they wouldn’t get married. Jo has mixed feelings about becoming a mother. She is intent on keeping the baby at first because she thinks it is cruel to have them aborted. She does, though, have some doubts. For example, she doesn’t want to breast feed her baby. Geoff brings her a doll to practice holds on. She says the colour’s wrong – the father being black – and explodes. She screams, â€Å"I’ll bash its brains out! I’ll kill it! I don’t want to be a mother,† which makes us think that she may have an abortion after all. Previously though, the baby kicked her and she was overwhelmed. All of these details then leave us wondering if she is ready for motherhood. It is more likely that she is ready to become a mother because she has matured a lot since the beginning of the play when she was dependent on Helen. As the play progresses, we see Jo turn from a naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve young girl to a mature woman. She is no longer dependant on anyone and, although she is probably destined to a life living in small flats and houses, the prospects are bright and, as she sings at the very end, a glimmer of hope shines through and we think she may have a happy life.

Analysis of The Technology Voice Over IP

Though communication have been existing for a long time, changes in method have been taking place all the time, so that costs are reduced and one of the latest methods is to communicate through IP or Voice over IP – VoIP. The technology of sending voice is already over a hundred years old, but earlier there had been less important developments in technology over the earlier systems of PBX and key system technologies which had been developed for many years. The new technology that has now been developed is of sending voice over IP which is replacing the earlier TDM products and now with the development of technology the changes in technology of voice can have an important role to play in organizations. The change is more important than just converting the earlier used system of time division multiplexing or TDM to Internet Protocol or IP. This is the first step of companies to solve difficulties regarding costs and achieving business goals of the organization. Apart from voice the architecture that is used with IP communications include â€Å"video, messaging, contact centers and business process enablement†. (Voice over IP is the first step to an enabled, converged environment) What is being stated is very simple and that is voice will not be sent as a separate type of communication, but will be sent in the form of an Internet Protocol based communication. This is being transmitted for quite some time now and dependable channels have already been developed. The costs of this method are also viewed to be quite low, and that will naturally reduce costs of transmitting voice. At this stage it is important to understand what Internet is. This is a method of communication which can be carried over many media like cable, radio, wireless, etc. The difference that it has with other media is that this causes a series of fluctuations for the message to be carried, somewhat like a pulsating signal. At the same time, the pulses provide a certain code for passing on messages and this is like digital communication which transfers information regarding scripts and also on the computers. This had originally started of with 8 bits which now form a byte and even the storage capacity of computer items like hard disks are stated in billions of bytes. (IP Communications: A Wealth of Innovations Begins to Deliver New Value to Business) Apparently the numbers required are high as even this article will contain some 30 thousand bytes, but the method of transmission is simple as the information just consists of yes or no and the method used is of binary logic. The logic of Internet protocol is over 32 pieces and this has now spread over all networks – wired or wireless, public Internet or service provider networks and corporate LANs. For communication to be enabled, what was required was the enabling to IP of all communications and computing equipment. (IP Communications: A Wealth of Innovations Begins to Deliver New Value to Business) The advantage of using these methods is it permits an organization to reach the next level of communication services and not confine itself to have special systems designed for its own use. This will naturally save it sizeable amounts of capital expenditure as also the regular costs of maintenance and operations. According to a recent Forrester study, IP videoconferencing and unified messaging are becoming very popular in North American and European enterprises, though the majority of enterprises in this are not purchasing these applications during the current year. In the course of the study, it was found that 29% among North American and 17% among the European enterprises which have at least a 1,000 employees are already using or presently upgrading IP videoconferencing. The full methods of unified messaging is being fully used or being upgraded in only 15% of North American enterprises and in 14% of European enterprises. (Unified Messaging and IP Videoconferencing: Adoption Slower Than Expected) This shows clearly that there is a rapid change going on in this area. Considering that both applications are now reasonable mature, it was surprising to find that full-scale deployments are still found in less than 30% of companies that were surveyed. At the same time, there is a reasonable potential for growth of both unified messaging and IP videoconferencing, since the enterprises will now upgrade to Session Initiation Protocol based platforms. Most enterprises that were surveyed plan to use these applications in-house, yet, several companies, mainly in Europe, stated that they would consider unified messaging applications and IP videoconferencing to be provided as a managed service. After the standalone applications become integrated, the market for these applications is expected to grow at a faster rate. (Unified Messaging and IP Videoconferencing: Adoption Slower Than Expected) 3. What industry can do to insure that service? Before we talk about the insurance of service for IP based phones let us look at the benefits as if there are no benefits, there are no advantages in switching to the new technology. There can be substantial savings and those can vary from $9,600 per site to $28,000 per site over a full year for large organizations and from $4,800 to $9,600 for medium sized organizations and these results are taken from a study that was carried out last year. The second advantage is that it enables organizations to increase their total telephone systems along with the growth of the organization. Even the growth when it takes place can be flexible and without gaps or stoppages. There are programs like Microsoft Outlook which enables the user to know immediately who is calling along with the ring of the telephone. Even for the management there is a benefit and they do not have to depend on the supplier of the system for any changes that they want to make (Is Your Network Ready for IP Telephony?) In terms of insurance, the service is now available from a number of manufacturers and thus in the case of dissatisfaction, one can always change suppliers and that is probably the best sort of insurance that one can get. 4. How can IP makes the vision of any device to any device over any network possible? Before VoIP started all organizations had two separate infrastructures and one was used for transmitting voice and the other was for transmitting data. When VoIP is used, there is only one integrated infrastructure. At the outset, it will seem that without the PSTN infrastructure the cost infrastructures can be justified easily for the system. At the same time, this cannot be removed totally since it has to handle the call overflows and any calls which are not targeted for the remote site. There are models available which will enable the calculation and justification for these network integration projects. (VoIP: How to plan for the bandwidth and calculate cost savings) This has made it clear that many new devices will be made to work over the Internet for human benefit. To conclude, it could be said that at certain levels of technology, it is difficult to understand the technical points and one should look at the entire question from a requirement point of view.

Principal Agent Conflict

2. Explain several dimensions of the shareholder-principal conflict with manager-agents known as the principal-agent problem. To mitigate agency problems between senior executives and shareholders, should the compensation committee of the board devote more to executive salary and bonus (cash compensation) or more to long-term incentives? Why? What role does each type of pay play in motivating managers? There are several dimensions to the principal-agent conflict.Principal-Agent Relationships exist whenever one person or party works in the interests of another party. The owner (the principal) hires and often delegates decision-making authority to professional managers (the agent) to perform tasks on his behalf. The challenge for the principal is to create an environment in which the agent has incentives to align their interests with those of the principal. The principal typically creates incentives for agents to act as the principal wants.The principal-agent conflict acerbates when th e incentive system creates a conflict of interest, the principal cannot ensure the agent is performing exactly the way the principal would like and due to the intrinsic unobserved managerial effort and the presence of random disturbances in team production. The lack of information shared between the two makes it impossible and expensive for the principal to monitor the decisions and performance of the agent.The agent usually has less to lose than the principal; therefore they often seek acceptable levels of profit and shareholder wealth while pursuing their own self interests. The uncertainty and risk includes the principal not knowing the extent to which the contract has been satisfied and they end up paying agency costs. To mitigate agency problems between senior executives and shareholders, the compensation committee should devote more to executive salary and bonuses (cash compensation); dependant on the level of cooperation between the executives and the board.If the board is ab le to secure the cooperation of the executives through higher salary and bonus, such action is acceptable. In addition, if the board can set up a system of monitoring the executives so that the executives make the effort required to further shareholder interests. Monitoring improves executive performance and can be combined with cooperation. If long term incentive schemes are used then there is isk that the organization may not make profits or the financial outcomes on which the incentives are based may not take place. When negotiating with managerial talent, the high risk of incentives keeps reputed managers away from the company. Top managers want to be certain of the compensation they will receive. Incentives are supposed to motivate managers to make more efforts, take responsibility, and achieve more. However, the insecurity of incentives reduces the motivation of managers.They feel insecure when the bulk of their compensation is incentive based. The role of higher executive sal ary and bonuses are to provide security to the top managers and motivate them. Overall, executive salary and bonuses based on negotiation with board members should reduce shareholder-manager conflict. There should be cooperation between the board members and the executives. A mechanism for monitoring executive performance will go a long way in improving the alignment of executive action with shareholder interest.