William Shakespeare s Beowulf - 793 Words

Slaying dragons and beasts certainly makes one well known, but none of these make someone a hero, much less a noble one. There are many expectations of a modern, noble hero: selflessness, valor, fairness, and moxie. Beowulf embodies these attributes, and they can be seen through his actions and words. Beowulf shows more care for his companions and people than for himself throughout the story, from his dive into the mere to his final battle. Before diving into the mere to fight with Grendel’s mother, Beowulf requests of Hrothgar, that â€Å"If he came to harm, his gifts should remain with the Geats and his friends should be protected.† Beowulf has no self-interest in the wealth of others after his death, yet he thinks of the well-being of his people and his companion when his is threatened (44). As Beowulf grew older, so did his thoughts of others. Many years into Beowulf’s reign, his kingdom is being terrorized by a dragon. He opts not to send a militia to their doom, but instead chooses to fight the beast himself. More so than his previous battles, Beowulf is unsure of his ability to survive the skirmish: â€Å"await on the barrow the one of us two / who shall better able to bear his wounds / after his onslaught.† Once again, Beowulf thinks more of others than himself; he would rather that he die than his people (IV. 21-23). Selflessness is not the only aspect of a hero, as the ability to persevere after through selfless decisions is equally important. One of the most utilizedShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Beowulf Essay4217 Words   |  17 PagesTuttle 1 Beowulf- Unfit to be King of the Geats For 1000 years we have been reading of the adventures of Beowulf, and his story was told for hundreds of years before. The tale is full of trials, tribulations, adventure, great loss, great victory, and wonderful battles. But, what do we make of it? Is it a tale told to illustrate the virtues of the epic hero himself, or is it a cautionary tale, told to warn the readers of the dangers of allowing unqualified men (or women) to ascend to a position ofRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Beowulf And The Genesis Of The Beowulf1321 Words   |  6 Pageswhich is a recurring theme throughout in Beowulf. In the epic, not only did Beowulf seeks wergild for the death of his friend, but Grendel’s mother looks to avenge her son’s death. The need for wergild is a constant theme in the epic. In order to understand the poem Beowulf and the importance of wergild, one must understand the time period it was written and its purpose. Leonard Neidorf discusses in the article, â€Å"VII Ethelred and the Genesis of the Beowulf Manuscript† that the English leaders inRead MoreComparing Beowulf And William Shakespeare s Macbeth1554 Words   |  7 Pagescultures, and is also corroborated in famous literary works such as Seamus Heaney’s Beowulf and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Key characters in these epics often rose to the occasion and made a positive impact on the society with their exceptional bravery, selflessness, moral courage, and steadfastness of character. There were also instances where the same characters didn’t exercise the best judgement. Although Beowulf had many more heroic moments than Macbeth and Macduff, each of them had their virtuesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Beowulf - Noble Or Narcissistic1002 Words   |  5 Pagescourage, outst anding achievements, or noble qualities. Beowulf lacks noble qualities. Noble qualities show what he will fight for what they believe in no matter the cost or the benefits. A true hero fights for the good in the world and what they believe in their heart. In the epic poem Beowulf, fighting for glory and honor shows noble qualities, but for the wrong reasons. Beowulf has an idealistic background which provides glory for him. â€Å"Beowulf, strong and courageous, is the prince of Geats. OnceRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Beowulf And Grendel s Mother, And The Dragon 854 Words   |  4 Pagesopposing forces. These opposing forces allow for a need to choose between right or wrong. In the text presented in this course, there are villains presented in multiple text, but within one text there are three antagonists. Found in the text of Beowulf, there are three monsters Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon. Grendel and his mother both were driven by inward desire that was created by an exterior force, but this does not excuse the fact they also differed from one another. Though theyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Dream Of The Rood, Beowulf, And The Canterbury Tales Essay1414 Words   |  6 Pagesreflects such rich history and customs packed into its literature. The foundation of much British literature that integrated the convention of British civilization came during the Medieval Period. The Medieval stories of â€Å"The Dream of the Rood,† Beowulf, and The Canterbury Tales contained some of the British culture concerning gender, religion, and the view of heroes. One aspect of British culture of the Medieval times was the stereotypes of gender and certain expectations in gender roles. For exampleRead MoreWhat Central Theme Can Be Found Throughout All The Literature We Read This Semester?1088 Words   |  5 Pages1. What central theme(s) can be found in all the literature we read this semester? Throughout the stories from this semester one key interesting theme as an adult was sex. Almost all stories had some type of sexual intercourse. In the website Merriam-Webster sex is define as a physical activity in which people touch each other’s bodies, kiss each other, etc. : physical that is related to and often includes sexual intercourse. Sex its not a excellent essay to write about, but as an adult its beingRead MoreMacbeth vs Beowulf874 Words   |  4 PagesBeowulf and Macbeth Beowulf, identified as an epic hero and Macbeth, identified as a tragic hero both are very similar and different in their own ways. The epic poem, Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney and the tragic play, Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare both have heroes as the protagonist of the story. The stories written in two different time periods, still can be seen with many similarities and differences. A tragic hero is of high ranking and unfortunately has a flaw that they possessRead MoreLiterary Foils Of Beowulf, Julius Caesar, And Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde889 Words   |  4 Pagesin the stories of Beowulf, Julius Caesar, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Foils exist in the epic Beowulf. Beowulf is written by an unknown author and is translated by Burton Raffel in the Anglo-Saxon era. There is a force, vitality, clearness and distinctiveness in the characters, not only in Beowulf’s personality, but in all the other personalities (Brooke). Beowulf and Grendal are very contrasting characters because of their distinct personalities. Beowulf is a famous soldier s son â€Å"My father /Read MoreInfluence Of Medieval Literature On Modern Films1169 Words   |  5 Pagesin 1995’s film Judge Dredd (Simon, par. 5). Also, it shows how Macbeth was overly engaged in his desire to take over everyone, which ended with his death, as well as The Joker in the movie Dark Knight that ended with the joker being defeated (Shakespeare 379, 386, 387, â€Å"Dark Knight,† par. 8, 9). Another example of similarities influencing modern films would be in the story Beowulf when Beowulf â€Å"set sail to aid Danish King Hrothgar in his fight against the monster Grendel† (â€Å"About Beowulf†). This

The United States Of America - 1756 Words

Kevin Solomon The United States of America is objectively one of the greatest countries in the world. The unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are part of the first sentence in the preamble of one of the greatest documents contrived in the nation’s short history: the Declaration of Independence (1. archives.gov). Also in that sentence is the decree that it is self-evident all men are created equal (1). While it was scribed with good intentions, it has become self-evident that all people are not created equal in the minds of many. The topics of race, gender, religion, and ethnicity spark much conflict in the realm of social inequality, but one topic that is not talked about as often as the others is that of economic inequality. Due to millions of Americans starting their adult lives saddled with debt, the prominent wealth gap already established, and many institutions being set up to prey on the money of the masses, it is quite clear that econ omic inequality is not going to decline anytime soon. Many young adults graduate high school wanting to further their education in college, must most are not in a financial position to be able to pay for it by their selves. In order to go to a university, they must take out a student loan. Student loans are burdened on to these youths at such a high rate that the total about due in student debt is greater than one trillion dollars (2. pbs.org). The debt from these loans is now higher than the debtShow MoreRelatedThe United States Of America1536 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States of America is well known throughout the world for tis democracy ant the freedoms of its citizens. Since declaring its Independence from Great Britain rule in 1776, the United States of America has undergone a continuous effort to maintain law and order. In order to create a strong federal government with a system of check and balances the Constitution was proposed and ratified. The Constitution of t he United States became the Supreme law of the land. (The Constitution) We theRead MoreThe United States Of America1317 Words   |  6 PagesThe united states of america has been in many world affairs since its creation. One of the earliest international events that can be attributed to having direct links with the Great Depression was the Manchurian Crisis of 1931. War had broken out between China and Japan, who had both suffered due to the counter measures and high tariffs set by America and Europe to combat the Great Depression. Japanese army officers in Manchuria manufactured an incident, took over the province and on their own createdRead MoreThe United States Of America995 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States of America has always been known as the home of â€Å"The American Dream†. This consists of the nice house with the family, the dog and the white picket fence. Lately, however, the country has been losing this dream. Lately the corruption of the United States o f America has taken over this dream that led so many to want to make a home in the country. Politics has become a contest of money and power. Money has come to equal power, and it shown through all elections. The Federal ElectionRead MoreThe United States Of America1551 Words   |  7 Pages The United States of America: the place that praises the â€Å" American Dream† that countless people try following but never really succeed in accomplishing because of systemic racism. It’s easy to tell people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but what if they don’t even have bootstraps to begin with? The American Dream is a sugar coated lie. After hundreds of years of colonization, mass genocide, racism, white supremacy†¦ It is deceptive to tell minorities that they can be as successful asRead MoreThe United States Of America1244 Words   |  5 PagesFrom Northern Pakistan to The United States of America, The Exchange Student Probably to everybody’s shock, nobody could have imagined how poorly executed the 45th’s President Executive Order shortly after it was established. Any person, who is from one of the seven designated Muslim countries in the Middle East, are not allowed the right of entry into the United States of America. People like Syrian Refuges are ban indefinitely until the 46th POTUS reverses that order, who are seeking nothing butRead MoreThe United States Of America Essay1694 Words   |  7 PagesA crash in america may be coming a lot sooner than many people think. The United States of America is facing problems a lot of people are either unaware of or just dont think its a big deal. Most of america think that our economy and government is in alright financial shape, That may not be the case though. America is in bad shape and it seems to be going down hill. America is declining in world power as well and this is just another factor leading to a crash in the future. Other nati ons are growingRead MoreThe United States Of America1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe United States of America is the world largest single economy with a lot of trade activities with other nations. The country has traded with other nations for centuries hence it is an important economic partner (Jensen, Quinn Weymouth, 2015). The country normally has a lot of influence in the world trade since it serves almost all the nations worldwide. In fact, most of the trade policies that affect the whole world have been proposed by the United States of America. Moreover, the country isRead MoreThe United States Of America1354 Words   |  6 Pages The United States of America was sought out by immigrants as a place of freedom and refuge. Throughout America s short history, people from all over the world looked to America as a land of opportunity. Immigrants from Eastern European countries such as Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary poured into the United States in the mid 19th century. The large am ount of immigration from Eastern European countries to the United States between 1919 and 1924 was due not only to the opportunities of work and freedomRead MoreThe United States Of America938 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States of America is one of, if not the most developed nation in the world as of 2014. America is well-known for its freedom and opportunity it offers, which is why many individuals sought out for it. But I am not going to write about America’s many achievements and prestigious comforts. I would like to address the current situation that has been haunting America for quite some time now. In the last century, technology all around the world has undergone dramatic changes, whether it isRead MoreThe United States Of America1340 Words   |  6 PagesThe journey of how the United States of America became the United States of America is a very complex one. With America declaring separation from the Great English Empire, to the organization of becoming a free, sovereign nation and lastly, the migration and colonization of the now, western United States, including the great state of Nevada, has many components. The Declaration of Independence initiated the process of becoming a country of its own. This Document pushed the separation from England

PMS Goals

Question: What is theneed for an appropriate PMS and the goals of a PMS? Answer: Star Industries require an appropriate performance management system for measuring and improving employee capabilities that cannot be understated. It shall be beneficial for the following purposes:Goal setting- PMS shall help the employees in clearly understanding the expectations of the organization. It shall help in aligning workforce, setting priorities and attaining objectives .Management and coaching- PMS shall help in minimizing performance gaps with continuous feedback and coaching.Development Planning- PMS shall help in improving the employees and developing them with regular feedback . Rewards and Recognition- Recognition shall help in satisfying the fundamental needs of the employees. It shall also improve retention and engagement . The following goals can be set for the organization: To enable the employees to achieve superior work standards. To boost the employees performance by encouraging, motivating and rewarding for the performance. To promote personal growth in emplo yees career. To identify barriers to affective performance and resolve them through monitoring and coaching . The legal requirements to take into account In Australia, Fair Work Commission plays a legislative role in managing performance. It states that the performance management systems must be fair, accurate and supported by evidence. According to Fair Work Act 2009, workplace relations must be fair and productive that would help in managing employee performance. Every employee at Star Industries must be given opportunities to improve and manage their performance. The necessary measures must be taken to manage underperformance by the employees. The possible causes and issue of performance must be accounted for and actions shall be taken accordingly . C) The processes and documentation of a PMS and how these will support the goals of the organization The performance management follows the below process: Planning- Planning means working in advance so that the expectations and goals can be set. The supervisor must first create performance plans for the employees by aligning with the operational and strategic goals .Monitoring- Monitoring shall help in assessing the progress of performance. The employee progress shall be monitored on a continuous basis. The process shall make corrective actions for the employees and produce desired outcome. Developing- The employees ability must be developed to perform through work assignments. The supervisor shall also develop employees through formal and informal training, coaching and additional responsibilities. Rating- It shall provide as a summary of performance. The supervisor shall assign a rating of record based on the employees performance. The supervisor shall make adequate discussion about the ratings .Rewarding- Good performance must be rewarded. The supervisor must reward employees that would clearly distinguish as successful and standar d performance.The documents required for performance management are Performance Assessment Form, 360-Degree feedback form, Action Plan, and Training and Development Assessment Form . D) How the PMS will support the development of a learning organization A learning organization is a system that facilitates continuous learning with an objective of transforming itself. The performance management system shall support the development of a learning statement as it shall prescribe methods to develop critical talent. The performance management must be tied to the learning process and integrate into the development plan. The leadership development programmes shall also help in developing organizational talent at Star Industries. The learning opportunities shall be made more visible and engaging employees. The training in the learning organization shall be aligned to organizational goals. With integrated performance management, talent development professionals can see precisely which development is needed most. When learning and performance functions converge to create a true talent development framework, both functions benefit by becoming more relevant to supporting the organizations critical strategy . E) The process of implementation including consultation and communication mechanisms The performance management system implementation aims at continuous development of employees and recognizing their contributions. The implementation shall pass through a series of stages and process. Before implementation, the stakeholders must be consulted. Firstly, the representative from the Board of Directors must be consulted and they can provide necessary inputs through face-to-face meeting. Further, the CEO must be consulted for any further changes required through an email. A formal approval has to be generated from the top management in the form of written evidence. After this, the plan is ready to be implemented.After the plan has been implemented, every stakeholder group needs to be informed. The revised PMS must be sent to the manager through an email which would be verified by him. After verification, email shall be sent to all the employees with a copy to the directors regarding PMS. Annual or half-yearly review of performance shall be made at the departmental level at Star Industries. F) Role of coaches and mentors and skills required Every mentor and coach requires a few skills that are necessary to manage employees. A coach is a person who develops specific skills, challenges and performance expectations at work. The skill set possessed by them are active listening, understanding and empathy, reflecting with accuracy, smart questioning and providing feedback for development. Coaching help the employees gain valuable skills and knowledge. They help the employees overcome the hurdles and help them succeed. Coaching helps in identifying the competencies of teams in the organization. However, a mentor is personally involved and has a deep personal interest in long term development of employees. They possess certain skills such as emotional intelligence, provide guidance, value the opinions and initiative and motivate by setting good examples . G) Training required for: (i) Managers Great managers are not born, they are made. The managers require good time management, communication, problem-solving, delegation, forwards planning and strategic skills. The managers must be taught how to set a two-way dialogue with the employees about performance, expectations and priorities. The managers can ensure success and maximize their contribution in the organization. The managers at Star Industries need to communicate effectively as they take the leadership role. The managers must also observe the employees and document their behaviors and attitude relating to performance. The manager must also be trained to create an energetic department and team by positively influencing outcomes. The managers must be trained to polish skills for organizing, making effective decisions and becoming more strategic . (ii) Staff on the use of the PMS The employees or staffs must be trained for performance management system as it indicates that performance needs to be improved. I t also serves a benchmark for status of improvement in the process of making efforts. It shall also form the part of succession planning for helping the employees be eligible for a planned change at Star Industries. The employees must possess skills for self-management, teamwork, initiative, learning, communication and problem-solving skills. The employees must be trained for communicating as it would increase diversity and efficiency. Quality concepts and guidelines can also be provided to the employees. The human relations can be improved that would help in reducing stress and conflict. The training shall help the employees in effective risk management, increasing their capacity to employ new methods, reduce turnover and enhance motivation . H) Monitoring mechanisms A performance management system must be monitored for being effective. The employees progress and performance must be continuously monitored. Monitoring the performance does not involve measuring day to day about how t he employees carry out assigned activities and tasks. The employees at Star Industries must assess progress towards meeting performance objectives. The managers must also identify the barriers that act as hindrance for the employees in accomplishing performance objectives. Multiple solutions must be framed on how to overcome them. Feedback must be shared on relative to the goals. Continuous coaching shall be provided for addressing concerns and issues relating to performance. The strategic power of coaching shall help in recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the employees. Monitoring also involves providing feedback in which the employees shall be told about their performance. The feedback shall be provided on a timely, specific and frequent basis . I) Evaluation mechanisms The results at Star Industries must be evaluated by reviewing the performance. Self-assessment also plays a critical part in managing performance. A few tools such as Performance Appraisal, benchmarking, KP Is and balanced Scorecard can be used to assess PMS. The performance plan and assessment form can be assessed in the appraisal meeting. The evaluation can be made by identifying performance measures, setting guidelines, creating disciplinary actions and setting an evaluation schedule. The evaluation form shall focus on the job performance areas. The job performance areas must be included such as knowledge and skills, quantity and quality of work, work habits and attitude. Although it may be time-consuming to identify performance measures, but it is also strong to evaluate performance. Feedback is the real essence of evaluation, so it is necessary for the managers to give a balanced feedback, outline expectations for improvement and create disciplinary or termination procedures . Policy Draft 1. General Policy on Performance Management and DevelopmentA) Policy statement Star Industries strives to prove an environment where all the employees understand the consequences of their contribution towards achievement of organizational goals. The organization further provides adequate opportunities for accomplishing goals through a strong performance based management that culminates in an annual performance review . B) General procedures including time frames and use of action plans Star Industries performance management and development process consists of a four phase cycle: Plan, Manage, Review and Reward . The following procedures can be followed: Half-yearly interim performance reviews can be conducted for discussing job performance and goals. Performance reviews can be annually scheduled coinciding with the employers promotion date. Employee Development Plans shall be compiled at the end of the performance review and progress monitored regularly . 2. Performance Counselling A ) Policy statement When the employees exhibit poor performance, counseling sessions shall take place to discuss the problem areas and methodologies to overcome it. The counseling session shall take place when the employee fails to improve performance despite receiving advice or informal notification for the same. Performance counseling shall occur before termination of employment is considered. However, employee dismissal may be considered in case the employees performance shall be understood unreasonable during counseling . B) Procedures for counselling and discipline including escalation of issues Star Industries needs employees who are passionate about the vision, values and purpose. The following three procedures shall be undertaken for counseling:1. Standard Counselling2. First and Final Warning3. Dismissal1. Standard Counselling ProceduresStep 1: Verbal Warning- This is an informal part where an employee shall receive a verbal warning for the first transgression . Step 2: Firs t Counselling Interview- This is the beginning of a formal part where the employee shall be advised of what the problem is and he shall be invited to respond or explain his actions.Step 3: Final Warning Interview- When the required improvement is not happening; the warning letter shall be drafted indicating any further bad performance could lead to dismissal.Step 4: Consideration of Dismissal- If the performance is continually unsatisfactory, the employee shall be asked for explanation that would serve as grounds for making decision to the continuation of employment . 2. First and Final WarningWhen the employee performs unsatisfactorily and the standard counselling procedure is not followed, a counselling interview shall be received. If the employees explanation is not acceptable, a first and final warning shall be issued.3. DismissalIf the unsatisfactory performance of the employee continues during the notice period, the employee shall be terminated and compensation shall be made i n lieu of notice . C) Procedures for dealing with grievances including mediation Mediation- At any stage, the employees involved in the grievance may request the matter be referred for mediation. It shall take place only if all parties involved agree and is voluntary. It shall be used after informal discussion does not solve the issue . The following procedure shall be followed for dealing with grievances:Step 1: Informal Action- The manager shall try to make a settlement in the course of regular work. However, a formal grievance letter may be submitted if the matter is not resolved.Step 2: Conduct Meeting- A meeting shall be held in a private and confidential room where the grievances of the employees shall be heard. The witnesses shall be called, if any.Step 3: Investigate- The meeting may be adjourned depending upon its complexity so that investigation can be made before decision making. Step 4: Analysis and Decision Making- After analyzing records, the employer shall decide whether to uphold or dismiss the grievance and provide the statement in writing without unreasonable delay.Step 5: Appeal- If the grievance is partially or completely rejected, the employee has the right to appeal against the decision within ten working days. The appeal shall then be considered by a more senior manager after which the decision shall be final . References Ates A and others, 'The Development Of SME Managerial Practice For Effective Performance Management' (2013) 20 Jrnl of Small Bus Ente DevBond T, Standards And Ethics For Counselling In Action (Sage Publications 2015)Cardon P, Business Communication (McGraw-Hill Irwin 2014)Connor M and Pokora J, Coaching And Mentoring At Work (Open University Press 2012)Fairwork.gov.au, 'Welcome To The Fair Work Ombudsman Website' (Fair Work Ombudsman, 2016) https://www.fairwork.gov.au/how-we-will-help/templates-and-guides/best-practice-guides/managing-underperformance accessed 20 July 2016Geetika and others, 'Measuring Workers' Satisfaction With Grievance-Handling Procedure: Study Of A Power Distribution Major In India' (2014) 11 Asian Journal of Management CasesGhosh P and others, 'Who Stays With You? Factors Predicting Employees' Intention To Stay' (2013) 21 Int J of Org AnalysisGrote R, The Performance Appraisal (American Management Association 2012)Mone E and London M, Employee Engagement Through Effective Performance Management(Routledge/Taylor Francis Group 2012)Moore C, The Mediation Process (Jossey-Bass 2014)Noe R, Human Resource Management (McGraw-Hill/Irwin 2013)Phillips J, Return On Investment In Training And Performance Improvement Programs (Gulf Pub Co 2012)Ram J, Corkindale D and Wu M, 'Implementation Critical Success Factors (Csfs) For ERP: Do They Contribute To Implementation Success And Post-Implementation Performance?' (2013) 144 International Journal of Production EconomicsRolstadaÃÅ'Ã…  s A, Performance Management (Chapman Hall 2012)Rummler G and Brache A, Improving Performance: How To Manage The White Space On The Organization Chart (Jossey-Bass Publishers 2012)Shields J, Managing Employee Performance And Reward (Cambridge University Press 2014)Simons R, Levers Of Organization Design : How Managers Use Accountability Systems For Greater Performance And Commitment (Harvard Business School 2013)Singh K, Counselling Skills For Managers (PHI Learning 2015)St ack L, Managing Employee Performance (Productivity Pro 2013)Waal A, Strategic Performance Management (Palgrave Macmillan 2013)

The 20s And Sinclair Lewis Essay Example For Students

The 20s And Sinclair Lewis Essay The theme in books by Sinclair Lewis1 relates to the time in which they were written. In both Babbit (1922) and Main Street (1920) Lewis shows us the American culture of the 1920s. He writes about the growing cities, the small towns, the common American man, the strong American need to conform, cultural integration, morals (or lack of in some cases), and he touches upon the women lib movement. All of these and more successfully describe the 1920s. The parties were bigger the pace was faster, the shows were bigger, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser2 F. Scott FitzgeraldLewis attacks the American middle class business man in Babbit. As Sheldon Grebstein once put it:They ( Lewiss characters ) become puppets rather than performers. ( S. Lewis, Amer. Author Series 68 )He uses the ideas and attitudes already in existence and gives them a plot. He uses sarcasm to show the readers the error of their ways and then makes the main character suffer some how to show the consequences of being the way George F. Babbit is. Americans felt a need to rise in social status in the 1920s. Things like art and religion did not even make it in the maybe pile. Money and social acceptance was number one in every household. We will write a custom essay on The 20s And Sinclair Lewis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now His ( Americans ) only way to assume protective coloration, to loose himself in the crowd, and then to be approved by one of its members. ( S. Lewis, Amer. Author Series 78 )George F. Babbit. A forty-six, middle class, overweight, suburban real estate dealer. To add to the mix he is a father and a husband. Babbit is Lewiss picture of the middle class businessman. H.L. Menekan states: The fellow simply drips with human juices Every American city swarms with his brothers ( 20th Cent. Views 20-21 )Babbit , along with several others of his social status, belong to a club entitled the Athletes Club in which they prominently display their uniform narrow minded views with meaningless chatter. Like his business associates and colleagues, he values painstaking work in an effort to succeed. The thing which sets off the American from all other men and gives a peculiar colour not only to the pattern oh his daily life but also to the play of his inner ideas, is what, for want of a more exact ter m, maybe called social aspiration. That is to say, his dominant passion is apart- a passion to improve his position, to break down some shady barrier of caste, to achieve the countenance of what, for all his talk of equality, he recognizes and accepts as his betters. ( The American Credo 59 )3Babbits hometown of Zenith provides an example of the ideal 1920s community. The very first paragraph in the book states:The towers of Zenith aspired above and cement and limestone, sturdy as cliffs and delicate as silver rods. They were neither citadels nor churches but frankly and beautifully office buildings. (Babbit )Lewis describes these towers in the first sentence by appearance and then uses sarcasm to cut into his dissatisfaction that these buildings are used for business rather than gathering people to prayer. This clearly shows the transition of priorities from church to work. During this time thing for the middle class to do was to take the grand tour of Europe. Also World War I was over and the boys just came back from Europe where they were for over a year. With the combination of these two, America was seeing a lot of European culture be incorporation into their own. When describing the Athletes Club he used the following:The entrance lobby was Gothic, the washroom Roman Imperial, the lounge Spanish Mission, and the reading room in Chinese Chippendale, but the gem of the club was the dinning-room, the masterpiece of Ferdinand Reitman, Zeniths busiest architect. It was lofty and half-timbered, with Tudor leaded casements, an oriole, a somewhat musician less musicians- gallery, and tapestries believed to illustrate the granting of the Magna Charta( Babbit 59)4This section shows all the different cultures under one roof. .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .postImageUrl , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:visited , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:active { border:0!important; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:active , .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8 .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud99119adc5df6a6c9fb514eaa18840f8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Randj EssayBabbits goals are dominated by hopes of fortune and luxury and he will do what ever is deemed necessary to be successful. Babbits job as a Realtor enables him to profit from selling cheaply made houses at an inflated price. He repeatedly bribes inspectors he sells. Babbit even offers farmer Mr. Prudy a price for his land with the knowledge that the beloved property is worth several times the businessmans offer. Conscience plays no role in the mind of the white collar businessman. Babbits business ethics are elastic. They can be stretched to condone bribery, lying, bullying, and conspiracy ( S. Lewis Amer. Author Series 79 )In the 1920s womens liberation movements stepped up a notch. Women were working, smoking, drinking, and speaking freely about any subject they choose including sex. Their dress hem lines rose from the ankles to the knees, these dresses were incredibly skimpy and so were the bathing suits. They wore unheard of amounts of makeup, all of these were only found in house of prostitution. One of these women was Babbits oldest child, Verona. The younger generation also had different ideas of work. Their ethics and priorities were not the same as in Babbits generation. Verona seeks a worthwhile experience as well as a job and her father looks no further than the zeros on his paycheck. Verona cares very little about how well shes paid or how the public perceives her. Babbits strong appreciation for work becomes more and more evident in the arguments with his son, Ted, involving his future. These conflicts feature Teds hunt for a quick path to success and his opposition to Babbits deep respect for arduous but steady way to reach the peak of success. Babbit disapproves of Ted lack of education and laziness. Main Street, another novel written by Sinclair Lewis, is also responsible for a similar pattern of 1920s culture. Its set just before the opening of the 1920s where conservative minds flourished and individuality was openly discouraged. The town is, in our tale, called Golfer Prairie, Minnesota. But its Main Street is the continuation of Main Streets everywhere. The story would be the same in Ohio or Montana, in Kansas or Kentucky or Illinois, and not very different would the story be told Up New York State or in the California Hills. ( Every Week, VI 9-10 )5 Carol Kennitcott, the main character, is a rare independent thinker in the 1920s. She was greatly interested in culture, particularly sociology. Her attendance at a college in Chicago prompted this fascination as well as introduced her to such liberties as feminism, syndicalism, and Chinese lyrics. After Carol got married, she moved to Golpher Prairie, Her new husbands small town. Upon their arrival, Carol took a thirty-two minute walk that struck new determination to change her surroundings for the better. She was startled at the sight of dilapidated buildings, lack of architectural planning and a common disconcern that was shared by the townspeople. Her disap pointment inspired the start of what would be several attempts at reformation. The first of those trials was an unusual party hosted by Carol. She manages to impress her guests with an old fashioned square dance and a game involving wolves and shepherds with the guests shoes being sheep. The highlight of the evening was the costumes worn during the Chinese concert. Unfortunately, at Chet Dashaways party a week later, the same groups of people resumed their old dull antics and pointless prattle. This situation foreshadows the outcome of other attempts made by Carol in that none of her ideas are successful. Another of Carols experiments is done after she joined the Thanatopsis Club, a womens literary organization. She tried to expand the collection of books by adding texts that were previously banned solely because of the authors controversial lives. Inevitably, her open minded ideas are not shared by the naive town librarian. .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .postImageUrl , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:visited , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:active { border:0!important; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:active , .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf488c5215477c96c5e08d864e076ac7f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bauhaus; architecture and functionalismCarol was not ready to give up yet. Various miscellaneous endeavors were made and were turned down by the townspeople. Such efforts were the modernizing of farmers wives rest rooms, a new city hall, plans for a farm bureau, lecture halls, and domestic science demonstrations. She also offered an idea to rebuild the town using the millions donated by Mr. Dawson but was, yet again, overruled. Her suggestion of helping the poor without merely donating funding was considered far too impractical and unrealistic. People were stubborn and thus held back by a need to conform. Evidence of the results of the nonconformist society is revealed when a schoolteacher is involved in a controversial situation. When Mrs. Fern Mullins allows her pupil Cy Bogart to escort her to a dance, accusations run wild about Cys intoxication as discovered by his mother that night. The irate townspeople lead to a forced teachers resignation and eventually to Ferns departure. Later Fern writes to Carol and informs her of even Ferns own families shame upon her and also of the refusal of another job by other teaching agencies. At last, Carol became utterly discouraged with her dozens of failed endeavors and left town. Even the most ambitious and educated are helpless in a town where tradition reigns over common sense. Through out the story of Carol Kennicott and her painstaking efforts, Main Street demonstrates conformity in small towns as well as the significance of conformity historically. It didnt matter wheather or not the people liked her ideas or if they were good for the comunity, her plans to change Golpher Prarie were denined and she was shunned for even thinking them. Change was not welcome in a small town. In Babbit and Main Street Sinclair Lewis repeataly shows his reactions to the new feeling of the 1920s. These times fueled him into writing his two most well known books in which he shows his fustration of selfish, Capitalistic, mid-western America.

Art Show On the UWG Campus essays

Art Show On the UWG Campus essays The faculty art exhibition at the University of West Georgia campus was diverse and fascinating. The different pieces in this show were done in a variety of styles, such as photography, watercolor, metalwork, and sculpture. There were also many different themes being portrayed. The most common theme was landscape. Though every piece of artwork was creative and interesting in its own respect, a painting by Clint Samples is what I will be discussing. The painting Gallatin River II by Clint Samples was beautifully done in watercolor. The colors used were soft and the dark and light colors blended well together. The paint-brush strokes in smooth, horizontal lines gave the impression of movement. The artist leads the observer through the painting from the upper right-hand corner to the lower left corresponding to the visual movement. The shading on the rocks, the plants, and on the water itself gave the image depth. The theme of nature in this piece as well as the style in which it was done, and the colors and technique used, give this painting a soft and tranquil feel. The most dominant element is line, though the shapes were amorphous. The reason I chose this piece of work was because I was immediately drawn to it. It caught my attention because of how smooth the texture was and how soft and harmonious the colors were. The painting was realistic and captivating. I really enjoyed examining it because, although most of the shapes were large and the colors were layered to give it more dimension, I was still surprised to find smaller, more deliberate details that added an introspective quality to it. It was just as beautiful as if it were a photograph. ...

Homemeade Kinetic Sand Recipe

Homemeade Kinetic Sand Recipe Kinetic sand is sand that sticks to itself, so you can form clumps and mold it with your hands. Its also easy to clean up because it sticks to itself. Kinetic sand is an example of a dilatant or non-Newtonian fluid that increases its viscosity under stress. You may be familiar with another non-Newtonian fluid, oobleck. Oobleck resembles a liquid until you squeeze or punch it, and then it feels solid. When you release the stress, oobleck flows like a liquid. Kinetic sand is similar to oobleck, but it is stiffer. You can mold the sand into shapes, but after a few minutes to hours, they will flow into a lump. You can buy kinetic sand in stores or online, but its a simple and fun science project to make this educational toy yourself. Heres what you do: Kinetic Sand Materials Fine play sandDimethicone [polydimethylsiloxane, CH3[Si(CH3)2O]nSi(CH3)3] Use the finest sand that you can find. Fine craft sand works better than playground sand. You can experiment with colored sand, but be aware the dyes may not work for the project. Kinetic sand that you buy in the store consists of 98% sand and 2% polydimethylsiloxane (a polymer). Polydimethylsiloxane is known more commonly as dimethicone, and it is found in hair anti-frizz gel, diaper rash cream, a variety of cosmetics, and in pure form from a cosmetics supply store. Dimethicone is sold in different viscosities. A good viscosity for this project is dimethicone 500, but you can experiment with other products. How to Make Kinetic Sand Spread dry sand out in a pan and allow it to dry overnight, or place it in a 250 F oven for a couple of hours to drive off any water. If you heat the sand, let it cool before proceeding.Mix 2 grams of dimethicone with 100 grams of sand. If you want to make a bigger batch, use the same ratio. For example, you would use 20 grams of dimethicone with 1000 grams (1 kilogram) of sand.If the sand wont stick together, you can add more dimethicone, a gram at a time, until you get the consistency you want. Homemade kinetic sand is similar to what you would buy, but the commercial product uses super-fine sand, so it may behave a bit differently.Use cookie cutters, a bread knife, or sandbox toys to shape the kinetic sand.  Store your sand in a sealed bag or container when you arent using it. Recipe for Homemade Kinetic Sand Using Cornstarch Cornstarch is the material mixed with water to make oobleck and ooze. If you cant find dimethicone or are looking for a cheaper alternative, you can make homemade kinetic sand that is essentially oobleck with sand. It will not be as easy to mold as dimethicone sand, but its still fun for younger explorers. The advantage over regular play sand is that this recipe will stick together, so you can have an indoor sandbox without tracking as much sand all over your home. Materials Large plastic tub or a small pool6 cups cornstarch6 cups water50-lb bag of play sand ​​Instructions First, make the oobleck by mixing the corn starch and water.Stir in the sand until you get the consistency you want. Its okay to add a bit more of any ingredient to get the perfect sand.If you like, you can also add a squirt of dishwashing detergent or a couple of spoonfuls of tea tree oil to help prevent bacteria or mold from growing on the sand.The sand will dry out over time. When this happens, you can add more water.

An investigation into the current success factors for small and medium Essay

An investigation into the current success factors for small and medium enterprises in Thailand - Essay Example That is, identifying those characteristics of the enterprise relating to its management, relationships with other entities, contextual variables, etc. that either lead to or contribute in some way to the enterprise being successful. This research thus makes use of the construct of ‘success factor’, which is also mentioned in the hypothesis. The success factors themselves are qualitative because they are not quantifiable. These are possible underlying factors, which could indirectly contribute to the success of the SME based on the information gathered during the literature review. Examples are as a highly knowledgeable manager or a strong link to a supportive larger enterprise so they are not apparent as such. The success however, is measurable, for example, in terms of total sales growth, number of customers, and amount of profits as done by Vichitdhanabadee et al. (2009) or volume of exports. The major research question, which derives directly from the stated purpose o f the study, has been framed as follows: What are the underlying success factors for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand?The major hypothesis that will be tested in the quantitative phase of the study will be: There is a significant degree of positive underlying success factors that are contributing to the success of the SME. We assume that it is the preponderance of underlying success factors, such as those identified in Chapter One that lead to the success of a SME. A number of null hypotheses can be constructed, as in the two examples below, for testing the validity of the major hypothesis based on measurable quantities. There is no causal relationship between the value of capital and business performance. There is no causal relationship between the size of the enterprise in terms of the number of employees and total sales. 3.3 Research design and method This study will combine both quantitative and qualitative methods for the data collection and data analysis. It will thus take a mixed method approach, as il lustrated in Figure 1. These will then be compared and combined to construct a composite model of the study findings. This research design is shown in the figure below. It is to be noted that the quantitative phase will commence first followed by the qualitative phase. This will therefore be an explanatory sequential model. Figure 1: Mixed method (explanatory sequential) research design to be employed During the quantitative phase, data will be collected from the return of questionnaires from a mail-administered survey. During the qualitative phase, data will be collected by conducting a few case studies, which will involve carrying out interviews of Thai SME managers. In addition, some document analyses will also be conducted for gathering relevant information, such as from company profiles, reports and websites. The analysis of the quantitative data will be in the form of descriptive statistics of the data gathered from the survey. Descriptive statist

FINAL REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

FINAL REPORT - Essay Example The researcher was appointed as an accounting clerk and placed at Almajal security firm where the individual’s fundamental responsibility was to support accounting operations which mainly involved filling up of documents. In addition to that the researcher was also responsible for settlement of financial statements as well as run a simulation package. This reflective report has primarily been segmented into two sections. The first segment involves an exploration of different learning curves attained during the placement program. Alongside that, a thorough analysis of learning outcomes will be done via a self reflective report with the help of theoretical models that emulate the overall mechanism of learning. Thereafter is the second segment where the research topic will be addressed. In this segment the researcher will basically conduct an in-depth research by means of an investigative study over the implications of automating the process of accounting followed within an organization. This analysis will be presented in context of the organization where the researcher was placed. One of the major issues witnessed in contemporary accounting organizations is accounting error, manipulation or fraud. On one hand where accounting regulators such as the Internal Accounting Standards Board is trying their level best to unify accounting principles in order to enhance the transparency and understandability of financial statements, accounting officials are either committing huge errors or indulging in fraudulent activities which in turn is increasing the cost borne by the company. This is where the relevance of an automated accounting process lies, that strives to minimize the probability of error and in turn enhance efficiency of the organization under concern. This in turn would enable the company to increase its profit margin while bringing down the cost. As conclusion, it was stated that incorporating technologically enabled

Dansk Minox Case Study Essay Example for Free

Dansk Minox Case Study Essay Problem: A/S Dansk Minox is a company based in Copenhagen, which specializes in branded vacuum-packed meat and other food products. Through consumer survey, the company found that there was a large untapped market for a ‘Complete meal’ product which included sliced pork along with a vacuum-sealed bag of red cabbage salad. After long discussions among the marketing and finance departments, the complete meal pack was introduced at a price of $ 8.20 per pack of 1 kg. It sold only 30 tons as against the budgeted sales of 85 tons. The problem facing the company is that whether it has to stop further production of the ‘complete meal’ product or establish a new consumer price of $ 6.85 per pack, in order to boost sales. Considerations and Analysis: In order to decide the course of action we may look at the following facts and considerations. Consumer Price 8.20 6.85 Retailer Price 5.72 4.78 Variable Cost 3.49 3.41 Volume Sales (in kgs) 30000 85000 Advertising Costs 0.3 0.3 Impact on Profit 41,400 90,950 As we can see, impact on profit is higher when 85000 kgs of complete meal is sold at $6.85/kg, rather than selling 30000 kgs at $ 8.20/kg. Now, another point to note is if production expenses are to be revised to $ 1.20/kg, then on a full cost basis, the complete meal would cost. Total unit cost (new) = Total unit cost (old) Production expenses (old) + Production expenses (revised) Total unit cost (new) = 4.64 0.54 + 1.20 = $ 5.30 And Profit per unit would be = Retailer price Total unit cost (new) = 4.78 5.30 = (-0.52) (i.e) there would be a loss of $ 0.52/kg, on a full cost basis, when the ‘complete meal is sold at $ 6.85. Conclusion and Recommendations: The point to be focused here is that though the new product might sell 85Â  tons at a revised price of $ 6.85 per pack, it will incur losses on a full cost basis. Also it is not feasible to lower the production costs anymore because, the resources of A/S Dansk Minox which were specialized for meat processing were now processing Vegetables. This is not their core competency and hence they would incur more costs in performing activities that they do not specialize in. Furthermore, the need for a single package containing sliced pork and red cabbage salad is itself questionable because the same packs are also individually available and these individual packs are of better quality because slice pork is Dansk Minox’s speciality and red cabbage salad is its competitior’s specialty. Hence, it is recommended that Dansk Minox stop further production of ‘complete meal (because red salad is not its core competency) and concentrate on selling its ‘standard packs, which are in fact having a significant boost in their sales or the management can look to collaborate with the best ‘red cabbage salad making company and together give the customers the best quality of ‘complete meal at the best price. The final decision would however be dependent upon managerial discretion and organizational guidelines/objectives.

Changing The American Language :: essays research papers

My brother and i are alike in that we both often have very strange dreams. A couple of months back, he dreamed that he was driving in Mexico with his best friend Jacob, when he got pulled over by the Mexican police. When asked if he was drunk, he replied with, "Of course not, sir. I dislike drunk drivers. I disapprove of drunk drivers. I discringe drunk drivers." Hearing this, the police simply let him go. As he was driving away, however, Jacob turned to him and said, "Dude...discringe?" After reciting this story to me the next morning, he asked, "Amber...is discringe a word?" When i told him that it wasn't, he decided that from then on it would be, and ever since has been using it as part of his everyday vocabulary. After hearing him use this made-up word as if it were real for awhile, I realized that he was right. Discringe, although not a real part of the English vocabulary, ought to be a real word, as should many other expressions used in everyday vernacular. There simply aren't enough words to express the many varying and complex emotions we have. Because of the fact that it would add to the creativity of our language, help students differentiate between proper and improper grammar styles, and let us express ourselves in ways that before were very difficult to achieve, the English language ought to be revised to accommodate the changing needs of our society.From "spanglish" to ebonics, the English language is constantly being manipulated into all sorts of different forms to best suit its purpose. This is part of what makes the American culture so unique. Our language comes from three basic sources: what was brought over from the mother country, England, during settlement a mix of different languages and cultures all brought together into what is called the "melting pot" of American society and lastly, experiences and social reforms brought about by the ever-changing needs of a growing country. The third reason, however, has largely been neglected by professors and bureaucrats alike as a viable source of new vocabulary. Although many terms that are commonly used in everyday speech are perfectly functional as well as able to express their intended purpose, they simply are not acknowledged as part of what is considered to be "proper" grammar. For instance, the term "How are you doing?" has evolved into "How are you," then to "What's up," and finally the phrase commonly being used on the streets today, " Å’Sup?

IKEA’s Global Strategy Essay

Swedish company IKEA was the world’s largest furniture retailer since the early 1990s. It sold inexpensive furniture of Scandinavian design. The company operated in 55 countries with a workforce of 76,000 (the company referred to its workforce as its ‘co-workers’). IKEA offered nearly 12,000 items to the home furnishings market worldwide. It sold a wide range of products including furniture, accessories, bathrooms and kitchens at 186 retail stores in 30 countries across Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, Middle East and Australia. IKEA enjoyed high brand equity. | | In 2003, Manhattan US-based Interbrand, a marketing research and consultancy firm, valued the ‘IKEA’ brand at $6.92 billion and ranked IKEA 43rd on its list of the top 100 most valuable global brands, ahead of Nestle, Harley-Davidson, and Apple.3 | Analysts attributed IKEA’s success to its skill in combining good product design and superior quality with an affordable price. IKEA’s low-pricing strategy was aimed at young people. For several decades, IKEA had looked for international markets, which were culturally as close as possible to the Scandinavian market. The basic assumption behind IKEA’s global strategy was ‘one-design-suits-all.’ Anders Dahlvig, the CEO of IKEA, had once said, â€Å"Whether we are in China, Russia, Manhattan, or London, people buy the same things. We don’t adapt to local markets.†| IKEA had, in fact, been quite successful with its ‘one-design-suits-all’ global expansion strategy in many markets. However, industry experts were doubtful as to whether this strategy would translate well into new, culturally diverse and riskier markets. They felt that a higher degree of localization was essential for companies like IKEA to be successful in diverse markets. The Asian markets, together with the Middle East and Australia, accounted for only 4% of IKEA’s total revenues in 2004. The company was keen to increase this share in the future. Upon entry into the far eastern markets, IKEA faced a number of challenges in terms of varied cultural, demographic and market specific needs.| | IKEA opened its first store in China in 1998.  Although the company’s global strategy had worked well in the past in most of the markets it had entered, it quickly learnt that success in the Chinese market required a different strategy in the areas of Marketing and HR. | IKEA also had to alter two of the most important aspects of its time-tested and proven global strategy when it came to China; while elsewhere in the world, IKEA had always located its stores in less expensive areas and sold its furniture on the do-it-yourself (DIY) principle, these elements had to be changed in China. IKEA claimed that it had decentralized most of its functions incl uding HR and stores management in China, but despite this, there was criticism that IKEA was far too bureaucratic with many of its operations being globally controlled and systematized. Commenting on this, Ian Duffy, IKEA’s China retail manager commented, â€Å"We need time to learn and change in the (Chinese) market to become a success.†| IKEA should have many innovations to adapt to the China market. â€Å"At IKEA our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.†(Our vision and business idea, http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/the_ikea_way/our_business_idea/index.html) It seems not achieved in China market yet. Firstly, IKEA should have greater cooperation with local suppliers to get more competitive advantage of cost leadership. Secondly, according to the specialty of China market, IKEA should have some more adjustment to satisfy so many China picky customers. Thirdly, IKEA should intensify propaganda work to let more customers understand and accommodate the IKEA model. As an outcomer, there is a long way to be the winner in this huge and potential market.After a long time to research the China market, IKEA already understand the China market more than before. With accelerating the speed of expand, the success of IKEA in China market is only the problem of time.

Should Girls and Boys Be Given Exactly the Same Type of Education?

Should girls and boys be given exactly the same type of education? In Singapore, girls and boys are entitling the same type of education. Gender equality is ensure by our government. This was done so to make sure there wasn't any discrimination among each gender, and there was equal opportunities given to the citizens, to voice out their discontented. However, this was not implemented throughout the world. To begin with, girls should be entitled the equal right as boys to receive education. It is not a major problem in developed countries, but in less developed country like Saudi Arab, they do not pay much attention to girl’s education.In their views, girls are born to tend the house, and do the laborious chores. Therefore, religious views are the root towards the type of education given to both genders. In addition, whether to apply the same education for both genders also have a further impact on the development of the country. The development of country would determine whet her the same type of education should be given to both genders. For example, in Singapore, being a fast-tempo country and with small population, we need both genders to help to boost the economy.Whereas, slow-tempo country like Vietnam but with large population, there are limited job opportunities. Males are needed to work in the rice field, while the females stay home to do house chores. Therefore, girls and boys should be given the same education depends on the country’s quality of life. Lastly, school fees are not a small sum. Not all family are able to afford to send their children to school. And in the traditional views, females are married off to the males; they do not need much education.Whereas the males have to raise the family, thus education opportunities are given to them. Therefore, expenses are one of the factors that contribute to the entitlement of same type of education. However, when both genders are given exactly the same type of education, they are given t he same opportunities in the social world. Research also has proven that girls are more competence than the boys. Girls also tend to be perfectionist in their field of work and so, whatever work is given to them, and they will end up doing their best to complete it.With more girls in the working society, this will eventually help to boost the competency between companies and also the company profits as well. To sum up, girls and boys educations are given according to the circumstances such as area of development, religion beliefs and expenses. Gender discrimination will not be demolished within a short period of time. Therefore, policy against gender discrimination should be implemented to protect the rights of the ladies even though they do not have education.

Socrates, Plato & Aristotle essays

Socrates, Plato & Aristotle essays Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were famous Greek philosophers who questioned the most basic and widely accepted ideas. Their philosophy was also based on virtue, or moral excellence. Socrates based philosophy on the idea that virtue is knowledge, Plato believed that virtue is a form of understanding and Aristotle believed that virtue is the basis of truths. Socrates believed that to do wrong is to damage one's soul, and that this is the worst thing one can do. Also it is always worse to do wrong than to be wronged, and that one must never return wrong for wrong. Socrates also maintained that virtue is knowledge, called the Socratic paradox, and therefore no one can do wrong in full knowledge. Socrates also insisted on being given a definition that universally covers its subject. This was of the greatest importance for the subsequent development of philosophy because it led to the concept of a universal or a general quality that may be present in many individually existing things. Also important is Socrates' implicit assumption that any person to whom he talks has within him or her, the resources to answer questions correctly. Socrates therefore believes that he can teach merely by asking the right questions. Plato teaches about the power of reason to reveal the intelligibility and order governing the changing world of appearance and to create a harmonious and happy life. He believed that virtue is a form of understanding and that the good life must consequently be grounded in knowledge. The philosopher is pictured as in love with the world as it truly is. His wish to see through the world of flux to the true principles of its being is thus basically an act of love. This love is not simply an attraction to the good but a creative force for the procreation of the good. Plato was impressed by the fact that language has the capacity both to articulate the intelligibility of the world and to belie the world's true being. He constantly a...

This Is The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process

This Is The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Consistently coming up with strong content marketing ideas  is  challenging. You  have deadlines to hit. There are performance goals to meet.  The drive to be creative on-the-spot adds more pressure that you dont need. What you do need, however, is a reliable process for generating genius ideas fast. What if we told you it was possible to come up with 30 content ideas  in just 30 minutes? Not just any 30 topics, either. We mean topics your audience  will actually want to read about. Most things that sound too good to be true are usually garbage. However, this is the actual (garbage-free) process we use here at . We can confirm from first-hand experience that this process works, and the results speak for themselves.Table Of Contents Why It Is Important To Have A Content Brainstorming Process Write Down As Many Potential Content Ideas  As You Can (10 Minutes) How To Rank Your Content Ideas  On A Three-Point Scale (10 Minutes) Narrow Down Your Best Content  Topics (10 Minutes) How To Apply This Brainstorming Process If You’re Working Solo 4 Important Tips For Making This Content Brainstorming Process Work How To Validate Content Ideas  With Keyword Research What If I Can’t Find Keywords With High Search Volume For My TopicThis Is The Best Way To Generate 30 Incredible Content Ideas  In JUST 30 Minutes In this post, we'll teach you how to: Use a free-writing exercise to generate tons of topics fast. Use a 3-point scoring system to  sort out your top blog topics. Identify only the very best topics you'll actually write about. There isn't a secret involved. There is, however, a smart methodology behind our brainstorming process. It just involves a little bit of quick thinking and intuitive judgement to make the best use  of your limited time. Pro Tip: While these techniques work best with a team, you can use the same process if you're working alone too. Why It Is Important To Have A Brainstorming Process Creative ideas don't always appear out of thin air. Sometimes you'll have the most awesome inspiration when you least expect it. Some of us do our best thinking in the shower, or right before we head to bed at night. However,  bloggers and marketers don't always have the luxury of waiting for inspiration to strike. Your boss likely expects brilliance from you all the time (doubly so when deadlines are approaching). You have no excuse not to deliver, either. Consistent creativity keeps you paid and keeps your content  efforts  moving forward. Recommended  Reading:  20 Ways To Be Creative When You Don't Feel Inspired Establishing a formal brainstorming process is the best way (or at least the most reliable way) to never run out of ideas. It achieves the following three things: It forces you to consciously  consider what your audience wants from you. It helps get the creative gears turning in your head, producing ideas you might not otherwise have thought of. It leverages the power of your team to generate more ideas than one person could alone (although it's still a useful process for those going solo too). Back To Top #Creative ideas don't always appear out of thin air. #inspirationWrite Down As Many Potential Ideas As You Can (10 Minutes) The first step is to write down as many ideas as you can think of. This works best with a whiteboard and markers, Post-It Notes, or anything else you can pin up on a wall later. Give all your team members something to write with. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Instruct everyone to free write as many ideas as they can think of before the timer runs out. It's important that no one looks at each other's writing or talks to anyone (yet). Don't worry whether your ideas are any good right away. The goal is to simply get your thoughts out of your head and out into the world. If in doubt, write it down anyway. You'll have time to sort out what's good and what's not later. Pro Tip: Aim for  quantity over quality at first. Overthinking cramps the creative process. Back To Top How To Rank Your Ideas  On A Three-Point Scale (10 Minutes) Now it's time for some constructive criticism. If you wrote your ideas down on note cards or sticky notes, now is the time to paste them up on a wall. They can be posted anywhere as long as everyone can easily read them. Here's what our board looked like after using this process: Position all your ideas on the left side of the wall or white board. Then, to the right, make three columns labeled 1, 2, and 3. How To Score Each Topic There are two ways you can approach this. Let's walk through each one. Method One: Read Your Ideas Out Loud Have one person on your team read each idea (or read them aloud to yourself). Then, have each team member rank each idea a 1 (weak), 2 (average), or 3 (exceptional). Say each response out loud. Place each idea into its respective column on the board. This approach lends itself well to collaboration. It gives the team an opportunity to discuss why they think an idea is good or bad. However, it also has a tendency to encourage group-think. Members might hear another person say "3" and be compelled to follow suit. This makes it important to stress honesty with each answer. Method Two: Score Ideas Silently Have one person read off each topic. Then, each team member submits their score to the reader via chat message.  You can use essentially any messaging system you'd like. We use Hipchat at , but Slack is another popular option to consider. You could even simply use Facebook Messenger or Google Hangouts. The reader then looks at each score, and places them into a document (you can use Word, Google Docs, Google Keep, Evernote, or anything else similar). Keep track of every idea that scores a unanimous 3. You can keep track of other ideas too if you'd like, but the unquestionable 3's are what you want to remember. Finally, the reader presents the team with a list of 3s. Your team can then discuss  which of those ideas are worth writing about. The advantage to this technique is that it provides more honest feedback. When people can't hear what other people are saying, they tend to respond the way they truly think, without outside influence. However, it also cuts down on collaboration and discussion. This makes this approach faster, but sometimes, added communication can be beneficial for sorting out the best ideas. Pro Tip: You have to be fast when scoring each topic. Use your gut. Give yourself just a few moments and don't dwell on one idea for too long. Which Content  Brainstorming Method Does Use? We've used both Method One and Method Two. Generally, our content marketing team prefers Method Two. It produces slightly fewer ideas overall, because less ideas get scored highly. However, these ideas tend to be stronger. Both approaches  are effective, however, and Method One might be a better choice if  having a higher quantity of ideas is important. Back To Top Narrow Down Your Best Content Ideas  (10 Minutes) You've now generated a ton of ideas in 30 minutes. Now, the final phase of this process is to sharpen  your best concepts. For our team here at , we usually leave a brainstorming session with around 30 to 50 ideas. From there, you'll narrow down the best ones that you'll actually write about. Review your final list of 3's and identify the following for each idea: What problem would this post solve, or what question would it answer? What angle would this post take? What are some quick, hypothetical headlines that might work with this post? The goal is to make sure you have a clear picture of what each post will look like. 4 Key Indicators For Strong  Content Ideas We need to further clarify what  makes a topic a 3 (versus a 1 or a 2). A 1 does not satisfy the following requirements while a 2 might satisfy one or two (but not all four). Strong ideas that should qualify as a 3, however, meet the following standards: Strong ideas are unique.  In this context, we'll define "unique" as something you haven't already written about. If a given topic is something you've covered previously, you'll need to ensure you're taking a different angle, or are exploring a different facet of that topic. Strong ideas  match your audience's interests. If you're just starting out, you might not know what your audience is interested in. However, if you're getting a lot of questions about something, that's probably a good topic to write about. Strong ideas fit within your expertise.  Your ideas should fit within the topical scope of what your brand or company  is about. For example, a great post about how to change your own motor oil  wouldn't be a good fit for a food blog. Strong topics are well aligned with your expertise and with what readers expect from you. Don't let this deter you from thinking outside the box. Just be sure that the topics you choose are: Relevant to your audience. Things you're an expert on (or something you can make yourself an expert on through research and testing). The strongest  ideas are those you can do better than anyone else.  This ties into the previous point about staying within your topical area of expertise. In order to write a blog post that's going to drive organic search traffic and kick up a storm on social media, it needs to be good. The strongest content  ideas  are those you can do better than anyone else.In fact, it needs to be better than good.  It needs to address its given topic with more and better information than at least 90% of what else is out there. If you're in a competitive niche, this might mean using the skyscraper technique to build off what larger competitors have already done. The main takeaway  is to ask whether you can write a better post on a topic than any other post that already exists. If that answer is no, the next question to ask is "Can you can write a post that's different from any other post out there?" That could mean your post introduces a new perspective on a topic. It could also mean your post adds information or provides findings from your own original research. Pro Tip: Make it a point to monitor social media chatter about your industry or  the areas your content covers. Then, when it comes time to plan content, you'll have more ideas in your head to pull from. Back To Top How To Apply  This Content Marketing  Brainstorming  Process  If You're Working Solo Let's say you're working alone. If you're a one-person blogger or marketing department, then how do you make this process work? The short answer is much the same as you would with a team. The only difference is you write and rate your ideas yourself. However, there are a few tips to keep in mind: You'll need to be your own worst critic. Without outside perspective, it might be tempting to say, "All of my ideas are genius!" However, you only want to publish your very best ideas. Make sure you filter accordingly. Read your ideas out loud, even if only to yourself. Like we said earlier, posts that sound good on paper occasionally sound weak out loud. You will need to be your own worst critic. #writing #bloggingBack To Top 4 Important Tips For Making This Brainstorming Process Work The more you run through this process, the more efficient you'll get. You'll also likely find yourself coming up with better ideas over time, too. In  order to get the most from this approach to brainstorming, there are some things you'll need to keep in mind. Don't think, just act. Go with your gut when judging ideas. The ones that get you the most excited right away are usually the ones you know you should write. Focus on quantity first, then edit for quality. Letting yourself free write ideas loosens up your creative muscles. This can help surface ideas you might not have otherwise. Monitor your success. Once you have written a few posts using this process, pay close attention to which posts do best. If a post underperforms, then ask yourself why it didn't do well. Conversely, note what goes right with posts that really take off. This will help you better identify what a "3" looks like for your blog. Don't take it personally if your ideas get shot down. If an idea gets shot down, try not to take it as a commentary on yourself. The idea behind this process is to generate lots of ideas quickly. A lot of those ideas naturally won't make it. Back To Top How To Validate Blog Post Topics With Keyword Research Once you've invested your half-hour into your blog topic brainstorming  process, the next step is to do some keyword research. If you have a team member who is particularly interested in SEO, this is a good additional task for them to take on. The goal here is to find keywords related to your topics that you can use in your blog posts. This may take a little bit of additional time. However, it's worth it to ensure your blog topics drive traffic. Use these three quick keyword research tactics to gauge which of your proposed topics are best: 1. Use the SERPs.com Keywordini tool: 2. Then, copy the keywords from the CSV export: 3. Next, paste those keywords into the Google Adwords Keyword Planner: Need help with the keyword planner? Watch this video: 4. Try using those keywords in searches on Facebook or Twitter. Then, see what discussions are happening around those keywords. This will give you an idea of what kinds of words and language people use when discussing your topic. 5. Manually search those  keywords in Google as well. Review the top 10 results. Next, ask if the posts that currently exist for that keyword accurately match the same idea behind your topic. Pro Tip: It's important to understand the search intent behind keywords. For example, let's say you want to write about carpet cleaning. That could mean home carpet cleaning or commercial carpet cleaning. If it turns out that most people who are looking for that keyword want their home carpets cleaned, but your business only works with commercial clients, then you might need to find a better keyword. Back To Top What If I Can't Find Keywords With High Search Volume For My Topic? You might have an idea that you know your audience would love, but isn't relevant to any keywords with strong search volume. Does this mean you should abandon that idea? Not necessarily. Writing a blog post without backing it up with strong keyword data is a risk. #Writing a blog post without backing it up with strong keyword data is a risk. #blogYou could spend a lot of time creating something that gets a strong initial push on social media and email  but then fails to drive sustained traffic from search engines. However, it's possible that your idea doesn't get searched a lot because it answers a question people don't know they should be asking. In these cases, it's helpful to find a way to align your idea with something people are searching for. Struggling To Find Good Keywords? Here are three tips you can follow when you're struggling to find good keywords (when you know you've got a strong  topic): Ask your social media audience  for their thoughts on a given topic. If you get a lot of responses or stir up some discussion, that's a good indicator there's interest out there. Try searching for keywords around topics related to your suggested topic. This might help you come up with more ideas that are better matched to your audience's interests. Keyword Studio is an excellent paid tool well suited to this purpose. Use Hubspot's Blog Topic  Generator. Just enter three nouns related to your topic: You'll now have five fresh blog topics related to your main idea.  These hypothetical ideas may include keyword variations or other verbs or adjectives, too. Those additional words, combined with nouns related to your topic, may create keyword phrases you  might not have thought of. Try taking some of the variations this tool produces, and look them up using  Google's Keyword Planner (or another keyword tool). It's possible you could come up with some strong keywords after all. Here's how to never run out of #blog #topics againBack To Top Now Try Brainstorming Some Blog Topics! This process provides us with roughly a month's worth of ideas each time we run through it. Depending on how often you publish, you may need to try going through these steps more often. However, one thing that's for certain is you'll never run out of blog topics. Try putting this process to use with your own team. Then, come back and let us know how it went. If you have additional tips or difficulties, we want to know! This Is The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Consistently coming up with strong content marketing ideas  is  challenging. You  have deadlines to hit. There are performance goals to meet.  The drive to be creative on-the-spot adds more pressure that you dont need. What you do need, however, is a reliable process for generating genius ideas fast. What if we told you it was possible to come up with 30 content ideas  in just 30 minutes? Not just any 30 topics, either. We mean topics your audience  will actually want to read about. Most things that sound too good to be true are usually garbage. However, this is the actual (garbage-free) process we use here at . We can confirm from first-hand experience that this process works, and the results speak for themselves.Table Of Contents Why It Is Important To Have A Content Brainstorming Process Write Down As Many Potential Content Ideas  As You Can (10 Minutes) How To Rank Your Content Ideas  On A Three-Point Scale (10 Minutes) Narrow Down Your Best Content  Topics (10 Minutes) How To Apply This Brainstorming Process If You’re Working Solo 4 Important Tips For Making This Content Brainstorming Process Work How To Validate Content Ideas  With Keyword Research What If I Can’t Find Keywords With High Search Volume For My TopicThis Is The Best Way To Generate 30 Incredible Content Ideas  In JUST 30 Minutes In this post, we'll teach you how to: Use a free-writing exercise to generate tons of topics fast. Use a 3-point scoring system to  sort out your top blog topics. Identify only the very best topics you'll actually write about. There isn't a secret involved. There is, however, a smart methodology behind our brainstorming process. It just involves a little bit of quick thinking and intuitive judgement to make the best use  of your limited time. Pro Tip: While these techniques work best with a team, you can use the same process if you're working alone too. Why It Is Important To Have A Brainstorming Process Creative ideas don't always appear out of thin air. Sometimes you'll have the most awesome inspiration when you least expect it. Some of us do our best thinking in the shower, or right before we head to bed at night. However,  bloggers and marketers don't always have the luxury of waiting for inspiration to strike. Your boss likely expects brilliance from you all the time (doubly so when deadlines are approaching). You have no excuse not to deliver, either. Consistent creativity keeps you paid and keeps your content  efforts  moving forward. Recommended  Reading:  20 Ways To Be Creative When You Don't Feel Inspired Establishing a formal brainstorming process is the best way (or at least the most reliable way) to never run out of ideas. It achieves the following three things: It forces you to consciously  consider what your audience wants from you. It helps get the creative gears turning in your head, producing ideas you might not otherwise have thought of. It leverages the power of your team to generate more ideas than one person could alone (although it's still a useful process for those going solo too). Back To Top #Creative ideas don't always appear out of thin air. #inspirationWrite Down As Many Potential Ideas As You Can (10 Minutes) The first step is to write down as many ideas as you can think of. This works best with a whiteboard and markers, Post-It Notes, or anything else you can pin up on a wall later. Give all your team members something to write with. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Instruct everyone to free write as many ideas as they can think of before the timer runs out. It's important that no one looks at each other's writing or talks to anyone (yet). Don't worry whether your ideas are any good right away. The goal is to simply get your thoughts out of your head and out into the world. If in doubt, write it down anyway. You'll have time to sort out what's good and what's not later. Pro Tip: Aim for  quantity over quality at first. Overthinking cramps the creative process. Back To Top How To Rank Your Ideas  On A Three-Point Scale (10 Minutes) Now it's time for some constructive criticism. If you wrote your ideas down on note cards or sticky notes, now is the time to paste them up on a wall. They can be posted anywhere as long as everyone can easily read them. Here's what our board looked like after using this process: Position all your ideas on the left side of the wall or white board. Then, to the right, make three columns labeled 1, 2, and 3. How To Score Each Topic There are two ways you can approach this. Let's walk through each one. Method One: Read Your Ideas Out Loud Have one person on your team read each idea (or read them aloud to yourself). Then, have each team member rank each idea a 1 (weak), 2 (average), or 3 (exceptional). Say each response out loud. Place each idea into its respective column on the board. This approach lends itself well to collaboration. It gives the team an opportunity to discuss why they think an idea is good or bad. However, it also has a tendency to encourage group-think. Members might hear another person say "3" and be compelled to follow suit. This makes it important to stress honesty with each answer. Method Two: Score Ideas Silently Have one person read off each topic. Then, each team member submits their score to the reader via chat message.  You can use essentially any messaging system you'd like. We use Hipchat at , but Slack is another popular option to consider. You could even simply use Facebook Messenger or Google Hangouts. The reader then looks at each score, and places them into a document (you can use Word, Google Docs, Google Keep, Evernote, or anything else similar). Keep track of every idea that scores a unanimous 3. You can keep track of other ideas too if you'd like, but the unquestionable 3's are what you want to remember. Finally, the reader presents the team with a list of 3s. Your team can then discuss  which of those ideas are worth writing about. The advantage to this technique is that it provides more honest feedback. When people can't hear what other people are saying, they tend to respond the way they truly think, without outside influence. However, it also cuts down on collaboration and discussion. This makes this approach faster, but sometimes, added communication can be beneficial for sorting out the best ideas. Pro Tip: You have to be fast when scoring each topic. Use your gut. Give yourself just a few moments and don't dwell on one idea for too long. Which Content  Brainstorming Method Does Use? We've used both Method One and Method Two. Generally, our content marketing team prefers Method Two. It produces slightly fewer ideas overall, because less ideas get scored highly. However, these ideas tend to be stronger. Both approaches  are effective, however, and Method One might be a better choice if  having a higher quantity of ideas is important. Back To Top Narrow Down Your Best Content Ideas  (10 Minutes) You've now generated a ton of ideas in 30 minutes. Now, the final phase of this process is to sharpen  your best concepts. For our team here at , we usually leave a brainstorming session with around 30 to 50 ideas. From there, you'll narrow down the best ones that you'll actually write about. Review your final list of 3's and identify the following for each idea: What problem would this post solve, or what question would it answer? What angle would this post take? What are some quick, hypothetical headlines that might work with this post? The goal is to make sure you have a clear picture of what each post will look like. 4 Key Indicators For Strong  Content Ideas We need to further clarify what  makes a topic a 3 (versus a 1 or a 2). A 1 does not satisfy the following requirements while a 2 might satisfy one or two (but not all four). Strong ideas that should qualify as a 3, however, meet the following standards: Strong ideas are unique.  In this context, we'll define "unique" as something you haven't already written about. If a given topic is something you've covered previously, you'll need to ensure you're taking a different angle, or are exploring a different facet of that topic. Strong ideas  match your audience's interests. If you're just starting out, you might not know what your audience is interested in. However, if you're getting a lot of questions about something, that's probably a good topic to write about. Strong ideas fit within your expertise.  Your ideas should fit within the topical scope of what your brand or company  is about. For example, a great post about how to change your own motor oil  wouldn't be a good fit for a food blog. Strong topics are well aligned with your expertise and with what readers expect from you. Don't let this deter you from thinking outside the box. Just be sure that the topics you choose are: Relevant to your audience. Things you're an expert on (or something you can make yourself an expert on through research and testing). The strongest  ideas are those you can do better than anyone else.  This ties into the previous point about staying within your topical area of expertise. In order to write a blog post that's going to drive organic search traffic and kick up a storm on social media, it needs to be good. The strongest content  ideas  are those you can do better than anyone else.In fact, it needs to be better than good.  It needs to address its given topic with more and better information than at least 90% of what else is out there. If you're in a competitive niche, this might mean using the skyscraper technique to build off what larger competitors have already done. The main takeaway  is to ask whether you can write a better post on a topic than any other post that already exists. If that answer is no, the next question to ask is "Can you can write a post that's different from any other post out there?" That could mean your post introduces a new perspective on a topic. It could also mean your post adds information or provides findings from your own original research. Pro Tip: Make it a point to monitor social media chatter about your industry or  the areas your content covers. Then, when it comes time to plan content, you'll have more ideas in your head to pull from. Back To Top How To Apply  This Content Marketing  Brainstorming  Process  If You're Working Solo Let's say you're working alone. If you're a one-person blogger or marketing department, then how do you make this process work? The short answer is much the same as you would with a team. The only difference is you write and rate your ideas yourself. However, there are a few tips to keep in mind: You'll need to be your own worst critic. Without outside perspective, it might be tempting to say, "All of my ideas are genius!" However, you only want to publish your very best ideas. Make sure you filter accordingly. Read your ideas out loud, even if only to yourself. Like we said earlier, posts that sound good on paper occasionally sound weak out loud. You will need to be your own worst critic. #writing #bloggingBack To Top 4 Important Tips For Making This Brainstorming Process Work The more you run through this process, the more efficient you'll get. You'll also likely find yourself coming up with better ideas over time, too. In  order to get the most from this approach to brainstorming, there are some things you'll need to keep in mind. Don't think, just act. Go with your gut when judging ideas. The ones that get you the most excited right away are usually the ones you know you should write. Focus on quantity first, then edit for quality. Letting yourself free write ideas loosens up your creative muscles. This can help surface ideas you might not have otherwise. Monitor your success. Once you have written a few posts using this process, pay close attention to which posts do best. If a post underperforms, then ask yourself why it didn't do well. Conversely, note what goes right with posts that really take off. This will help you better identify what a "3" looks like for your blog. Don't take it personally if your ideas get shot down. If an idea gets shot down, try not to take it as a commentary on yourself. The idea behind this process is to generate lots of ideas quickly. A lot of those ideas naturally won't make it. Back To Top How To Validate Blog Post Topics With Keyword Research Once you've invested your half-hour into your blog topic brainstorming  process, the next step is to do some keyword research. If you have a team member who is particularly interested in SEO, this is a good additional task for them to take on. The goal here is to find keywords related to your topics that you can use in your blog posts. This may take a little bit of additional time. However, it's worth it to ensure your blog topics drive traffic. Use these three quick keyword research tactics to gauge which of your proposed topics are best: 1. Use the SERPs.com Keywordini tool: 2. Then, copy the keywords from the CSV export: 3. Next, paste those keywords into the Google Adwords Keyword Planner: Need help with the keyword planner? Watch this video: 4. Try using those keywords in searches on Facebook or Twitter. Then, see what discussions are happening around those keywords. This will give you an idea of what kinds of words and language people use when discussing your topic. 5. Manually search those  keywords in Google as well. Review the top 10 results. Next, ask if the posts that currently exist for that keyword accurately match the same idea behind your topic. Pro Tip: It's important to understand the search intent behind keywords. For example, let's say you want to write about carpet cleaning. That could mean home carpet cleaning or commercial carpet cleaning. If it turns out that most people who are looking for that keyword want their home carpets cleaned, but your business only works with commercial clients, then you might need to find a better keyword. Back To Top What If I Can't Find Keywords With High Search Volume For My Topic? You might have an idea that you know your audience would love, but isn't relevant to any keywords with strong search volume. Does this mean you should abandon that idea? Not necessarily. Writing a blog post without backing it up with strong keyword data is a risk. #Writing a blog post without backing it up with strong keyword data is a risk. #blogYou could spend a lot of time creating something that gets a strong initial push on social media and email  but then fails to drive sustained traffic from search engines. However, it's possible that your idea doesn't get searched a lot because it answers a question people don't know they should be asking. In these cases, it's helpful to find a way to align your idea with something people are searching for. Struggling To Find Good Keywords? Here are three tips you can follow when you're struggling to find good keywords (when you know you've got a strong  topic): Ask your social media audience  for their thoughts on a given topic. If you get a lot of responses or stir up some discussion, that's a good indicator there's interest out there. Try searching for keywords around topics related to your suggested topic. This might help you come up with more ideas that are better matched to your audience's interests. Keyword Studio is an excellent paid tool well suited to this purpose. Use Hubspot's Blog Topic  Generator. Just enter three nouns related to your topic: You'll now have five fresh blog topics related to your main idea.  These hypothetical ideas may include keyword variations or other verbs or adjectives, too. Those additional words, combined with nouns related to your topic, may create keyword phrases you  might not have thought of. Try taking some of the variations this tool produces, and look them up using  Google's Keyword Planner (or another keyword tool). It's possible you could come up with some strong keywords after all. Here's how to never run out of #blog #topics againBack To Top Now Try Brainstorming Some Blog Topics! This process provides us with roughly a month's worth of ideas each time we run through it. Depending on how often you publish, you may need to try going through these steps more often. However, one thing that's for certain is you'll never run out of blog topics. Try putting this process to use with your own team. Then, come back and let us know how it went. If you have additional tips or difficulties, we want to know!