Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Butler s Kindred Essay - 1043 Words

First published in 1979, Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred is a unique novel, which can be categorized both as a modern-day slave narrative, and as a science fiction time-travel tale. In the novel, Butler uses time-travel as a way to convey W.E.B. Du Bois’ theory of double-consciousness. Dubois’ theory is based on the idea that people of color have two identities, both struggling to reconcile in one being. His theory about the complex nature of the African-American experience directly relates to Butler’s use of Kindred’s protagonist, Dana, and her experience time travelling as a modern-day African-American woman, and her experience of a pre-abolition, nineteenth-century slave. Dana finds herself travelling between her present day life in 1976 and her ancestral plantation of 1815 – two time periods that represent two opposite concepts of her identity as an African-American woman. In the beginning of the novel, Dana’s identity is constructed strictly through the lens of her experiences as a modern African-American woman, and she defines herself solely through these contemporary constructs and experiences. Her experiences of time travel cause her to alter her self-identity from that of the modern woman to one based on her life as a slave in antebellum Maryland, experiencing and overcoming racial and gendered oppression. Essentially, we follow Dana as she attempts to reconcile her historical, fragmented reality. This fragmented sense of self creates a double-consciousness for Dana,Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Octavia Butler s Kindred912 Words   |  4 PagesOften when critics read Octavia Butler’s Kindred, the focus of the novel is often o n the bodies of the black people who lived during this era. However, the narrative itself is fascinating in the way it confronts history in order to deconstruct it and rebuild it. Dana’s journey to antebellum Maryland enables the reader to take a new look at characters they though they knew, like Sarah’s role as the â€Å"mammy.† Butler’s blending of the Neo-slave narrative genre and Fantasy allows her protagonist to getRead MoreOverview. Octavia Butler’S Kindred Focuses On The Perspective1731 Words   |  7 PagesOverview Octavia Butler’s Kindred focuses on the perspective of a black female within two drastically different societies ranging from the ideals of colonialism to a society of change and acceptance. Butler utilizes Dana’s position in society to portray the cruelty of slavery and the power that society can have on the ideals and morals of individuals, such as the developing character of Rufus. Throughout the book, the issue of slavery is addressed through a multitude of different themes that spanRead MoreKindred : A Narrative Of African American Slaves And White Slave Owners Essay933 Words   |  4 PagesOctavia Butler’s novel Kindred is a narrative regarding African American slaves and White slave owners in the 1816. Butler accounts regarding slavery are depicted through time travel from 1976 to 1816 by a character named Dana. The novel explores many different themes and providing many different messages. The theme of time travel is used as an outlet to connect the rea der to the fact that slavery has had a lasting impact on past and present day societies. One message that Butler provides to the readerRead Moreviolence in kindred1237 Words   |  5 PagesLevytan ENG4U Mr. Patrick August 7th, 2015 Is the Violence in Kindred Necessary? In modern society, violence is unquestionably looked down upon. With any type of inhumane abuse, there is a strict set of laws in place to protect victims. However, this was not always the case. In Octavia Butler’s book Kindred, she does not hesitate in intensely describing the unjust and violent exploitation of power by white people against blacks within the 1800’s. Even more so, she uses violence as a dominant theme throughoutRead MoreAnalysis Of The Writing Style Of Octavia Butler1432 Words   |  6 PagesSeminar 25 September 2017 First Essay Assignment Kindred By Octavia Butler The writing style of Octavia Butler is heavily influenced by her historical period and her life experiences. This is evident through investigation of her historical period, life experiences, her novel; Kindred. Butler’s writing is a unique mixture of neo- slave narratives, exaggerated tales, cultural rituals, fantasy, folklore, science fiction, and spirituality. Butler uses science fiction and fantasy as a means of exploitingRead MoreCapitalism and Oppression in The Hunger Games and Kindred1535 Words   |  7 Pages The novels The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Kindred by Octavia Butler both contain examples of oppression created and/or worsened by the capitalist society in which they are set. In The Hunger Games, Collins creates a futuristic society of severe class inequality in which the children of the poor are killed for the political benefit and entertainment of the rich. Kindred is primarily set on a 19th century American slave plantation and examines the institution slavery in a fictional contextRead MoreKindred, By Octavia Butler1061 Words   |  5 Pagesnarrative, Kindred, gives a glimpse into how life was for African Americans during slavery in the Antebellum South. Kindred serves as a time portal between the 1800s and the year 1976. As the main character Dana goes from an 1800’s plantation to her home in 1976 it is obvious that time period changed, however being that Dana is constantly back and forth between the two times, she is able to see exactly how drastic the chang e was and what liberties she took for granted by living in 1976. Kindred is toldRead More Octavia Butlers Kindred vs. Harriet Jacobs Incidents In The Life of a Slave Girl1021 Words   |  5 PagesOctavia Butlers Kindred vs. Harriet Jacobs Incidents In The Life of a Slave Girl According to the conventions for slave narratives, it is possible to categorize Kindred by Octavia Butler as a slave narrative. However, the circumstances that take Dana back in time are imaginative and fantastical compared to slave narratives such as Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. While reading Kindred, one doesnt really get the experience of the slaves, but how Dana feels as sheRead More Octavia Butlers Kindred Essay514 Words   |  3 PagesOctavia Butlers Kindred Throughout the novel Kindred, Butler compared and contrasted modern African Americans with African Americans that were slaves in the novel. Some of the many ways she compares them are through education, work ethic, and their personal feelings about and/or how they handle their own slavery. Education is very important to the blacks that were enslaved in the novel. The slaves valued education even more than the modern African Americans like Dana who hadRead MoreThe s Kindred Are No Different Essay1379 Words   |  6 Pagesmaternal figure or other members of the family. The families depicted in Butler’s Kindred are no different. As I will demonstrate, Dana represents this maternal figure in the slave family at the Weylin house and in the Weylin family. Furthermore, I will also explain how Dana keeps both familial groups functional by making the most constructive decisions for each family as a whole. In other words, In Kindred, Octavia Butler uses the motif of motherhood to illustrate that familial bonds require a leading

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Ford Motor Case Study - 5714 Words

BLB 20058 – M – MSTRA- L MANAGING STRATEGY ASSIGNMENT FARUK SULEIMAN TP025329 WORD COUNT: 3694 WORDS UCMF1103MBAIT SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE TECHNOLOGY PARK MALAYSIA ASIA PACIFIC INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF STAFFORDSHIRE SHARMILA A/P K. N. SETHUMADHAVAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Strategy is well explained as the effective use of well laid out plans to achieve success. It is no less of spectacle to attribute strategy to individual achievement, achievement from a company, a country or at the very least a non – financial institute to achieve strategic success. Ford Motor Company has in recent times lost its market share to emerging Asian companies such as Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Nissan. As a new†¦show more content†¦Given that most companies at a maturity level face corporate level strategy issues, the author thinks Ford’s CEO Allan Mulally has proven to be a competent leader given the circumstances. The uniqueness of the strategic issues at Ford are based on the market conditions. 1. Financial 2. Sales 3. Product line 4. Competition Given how inter-related these issues are, the author decides to focus on the main underlying issues as highlighted in the case study; that is financial and competition issues. Sales and narrow product line are more on a business level as opposed to financial and competition which are more corporate in this context. Figure 1: Illustration of Ford strategic issues (sourced from Suleiman) 1. Financial Weak balanced sheet poses a huge financial problem to Ford as it brushes with near insolvency in 2008 which could have seen the company file for bankruptcy. Drop in revenue means the company has a small profitability and has to collateralize its asset to stay liquidated. This is an issue for Ford because of the size of the company and the nature of its operations depends largely to close-fit financing. As it deals with thousands of suppliers with massive overhead expenditure, Ford relies heavily on efficiencies to maintain a sustainable margin to keep its investors as wellShow MoreRelatedFord Motor Case Study1291 Words   |  6 PagesExecutive Summary: Ford wanted to adapt the idea of virtual integration to improve its supply chain. By the use of technology; it wanted to reduce its working capital and increase profits. Moreover, the company was emphasizing more and more on shareholder value and customer responsiveness so they were looking into reengineering some of their processes which can help improve their current forecasting model and reduce OTD cycle times substantially. With new business models prevailing, Ford did not want toRead MoreCase Study : Ford Motor Company Essay2498 Words   |  10 Pagesthe profit maximization. I remember a very famous case study of Ford Motor Company that says the importance of teamwork. In 2006 when Alan Mulally became the CEO of the Ford Motor Company, many senior executives thought that a big change in inevitable as mullally was the outsider. Speculation of changes in team at higher level was at high as Mulally was hired from Boeing because of his expertise in running big organization and employees of Ford Motor were suspicious about his working method. Read MoreCase Study: Ford Motor Company2447 Words   |  10 PagesCASE STUDY: FORD MOTOR COMPANY Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness of Ford Motor Company â€Å"This is everything. It’s heritage. It’s children’s future. It’s everything tied up into one. Failure is not an option.† - Jr. CEO, Ford Motor Company The global marketplace is faced with different challenges that affect its overall management and operations. Various pressures on the internal and external conditions such as the unstable world and local economies, the workforce, the customersRead MoreCase Study Ford Motor Company1461 Words   |  6 PagesCASE STUDY Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, has worked with Penske on several Six Sigma initiatives. As its lead logistics provider (LLP), Penske’s quality team of associates are trained in Six Sigma practices and work closely with Ford to streamline operations and create and maintain a more centralized logistics network. Together, they uncovered several areas for real cost savings as a result of reducing inbound carrier discrepancies, eliminatingRead MoreCase Study of the Ford Motor Company1346 Words   |  5 PagesFinancial analysis of Ford Motor Company 1. Introduction The Ford Motor Company is one of the largest automakers in the world and it is notable due to its powerful position within the global market place. Still, aside from this, Ford is also notable from a business analysis standpoint, representing a firm that has lost its competitive position to the Japanese automakers, due to the inability to recognize changing market trends. Also, the company is notable as it was severely hit by the economicRead MoreCase Study : Ford Motor Company813 Words   |  4 Pageswas Ford Motor Company. They are based out of Michigan with 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide. They currently sell on six continents and sold 2,493,918 vehicles in 2013. The Ford Motor Company Brand also includes Lincoln but it is only sold in North America. There are many risk factors currently for the company, but a main one is the high fixed structural cost they have in place that are easily susceptible to losses in a turn down of the economy. Another risk factor facing Ford MotorRead MoreCase Study : Ford Motor Company1340 Words   |  6 PagesHenry Ford opened his first factory, Ford Motor Company has been changing the automotive industry all across the world. What started out, as a small company with big ideas has become one of the largest and profitable companies in the world. Ford Motor Company, communally known as Ford stared out as a family own company and today is still run by the Ford family. Today, where companies are having to sell or partner with other companies, it is amazing to see a family company grow in the way Ford has sinceRead MoreCase Study of Ford Motor Company1147 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Tim Randall Ford Motor Company has been recognized as one of the worlds most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a leading business ethics think tank (Ford Motor Company.com. Home Page. 2012. PP. 1). This 2010 award of excellence highlights a fundamental transformation for a company that in the mid-1970s was immersed in a scandal regarding the safety of its Ford Pinto sub-compact. The issue which led to major lawsuits, inconclusive criminal charges, and a costly recall ofRead MoreCase Study : Ford Motor Company1611 Words   |  7 PagesFord Motor Co. Casey T, Blackburn Business 104 Business Organization Management Dr. Earl Murray Jr. 1 November 2015 Abstract I hope that this meets the intent of this paper and that you learn something new about the management of an organization that I have the most interest in. I wanted to discuss how the lessons that we have covered during this class are used and demonstrated in a large worldwide company such as Ford Motor Co. Ford Motor Co. Ford’s Motor Company History Ford Motor CompanyRead MoreCase Study : Ford Motor Company1220 Words   |  5 PagesThe Ford Motor Company fell into a trap of greed that resulted in the loss of many human lives. Before the disaster of the Pinto fires, Ford had a reputation as being the safety pioneer in the automobile industry with additions such as the seat belts even raising awareness of their safety. However, as the invention of small cars began to take emerge Ford began to lose market shares to the foreign market causing Ford to construct a small compact to satisfy this emerging market. Ford’s stance on â€Å"safety

Organizational Behavior & People Managementâ€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About the Organizational Behavior People Management? Answer: Introducation The experience cultivated the need for teamwork and the aspect of accountability for each member of the team. Factors like transparency and mutual trust in all the operational areas a team was to engage in, were major lessons to improve in for a successive project completion. There was also the need to recognize and learn each other, which would provide a platform of understandability in group works, this proved to be one of the driving factors of effective and efficient team goal attainment. The S.M.A.R.T criteria were another lesson that one would relate to the team building aspect. The smart principles quoted factor like time, achievements, measurable, resources and specification of the objectives. They all count as a reflective platform as without this principles it the team, the teamwork is bound to fail with a high probability (Noe, et al. (2006). Stakeholder management and how it relate to the professional experience. The lesson opened up the need for teams to understand the stakeholder need, how to communicate, and what influences their decision-making. This acts as a guideline for the group's objectives and helps to strategies the best priorities so as to get positive feedback from the scrutinizing of their activities by the stakeholder. As well as to achieve the defined objectives, the lesson emphasized mostly on the importance of proper and efficient communication (Tarhini, et al. (2015). With a lot of emphasis on the feedback, as it would create a platform for the next strategy to take for the tabled objectives. With a clear point of the better the feedback, the greater the career growth that one has. Reference Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P. M. (2006). Human Resource Management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Tarhini, A., Ammar, H., Tarhini, T. (2015). Analysis of the critical success factors for enterprise resource planning implementation from stakeholders perspective: A systematic review. International Business Research, 8(4), 25.