Thursday, September 5, 2019
A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche And Stella Analysis
A Streetcar Named Desire | Blanche And Stella Analysis Tennessee Williams was Americaà ´s most controversial playwright. He was marked by his troubled private life and was constantly struggling with his own self-doubts. Nevertheless he was the dramatist, who produced some of the most compelling works for the American theatre. In 1947 Tennessee Williams set new standards for American drama with his masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire. The play opened on December 3, 1947, and was received with great acclaim. Neither the theatre audience at the premiere evening, nor the audiences at the other 844 performances, which the play gave on Broadway, were disappointed and made A Streetcar Named Desire Williamsà ´ second success on Broadway after his triumph with The Glass Menagerie.à [1]à Down to the present day A Streetcar Named Desire has not lost its enormous fame and fascination. A reason for the perpetual popularity of the play is probably the fact that Williams is the only American playwright, who is able to analyze women with such subtlety and compassionà [2]à . Hence, critics such as Felicia Hardison Londrà © denote Tennessee Williamsà ´ A Streetcar Named Desire also as a lyrical drama about the decline and fall of Blanche DuBoisà [3]à . With this statement Londrà © emphasizes that both, the character as well as the inner development of Blanche Dubois, are the focus of attention in Williamsà ´ play. However, in my way of thinking, it is not only crucial to examine the Blancheà ´s character in detail, but also to study the character of the playà ´s second female protagonist Stella, Blancheà ´s sister, more closely. Hence, the aim of this seminar paper is to compare and contrast the characters of the two sisters. At the beginning of the paper the authorà ´s biographical context and the bibliographical history of A Streetcar Named Desire are discussed. In order to lay the foundations for a detailed characterization of the two female protagonists, chapter two contains a brief summary of the playà ´s plot, focussing on the internal developments of Blanche and Stella. Afterwards, a detailed analysis of Blancheà ´s and Stellaà ´s character follows. Finally, the most important findings are briefly summed up in the conclusion. 2. Tennessee Williams and his masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire In order to be able to fully grasp the meaning of Tennessee Williams celebrated play A Streetcar Named Desire, it is absolutely necessary to take the authorà ´s biographical context as well as the workà ´s bibliographical history into account. Biographical context Like in several of his other plays, also the plot of A Streetcar Named Desire was strongly influenced by Williamsà ´ own biographical background. Tennessee Williams himself stated once that A Streetcar Named Desire was his favourite play since it said everything I had to sayà [4]à . Williams never concealed that his works reflect his own history and even welcomed comparisons between his own life and the characters in A Streetcar Named Desire. In a controversial interview with Robert Jennings he explicitly compared himself with his character Blanche DuBois: I can completely identify with Blanche [à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦] we are both hysterics. Many critics, such as Nancy Tischler, Roger Asselineau, or Kenneth Holditch, asserted that there are several other links between Blanche and Williams. In a letter to his agent Audrey Wood he wrote the following sentence, which again stresses his strong identification with the dramatis personae of his play: I was and still am Blanche [à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦] [but] I have a Stanley in me, too.à [5]à Nevertheless, the connections between Blanche and Tennessee Williams are not always uncomplicated. In contrast to Tischler, Asselineau and Holditsch, other critics regard the relationship between Blanche and Stanley as a reflection of the contours of Williamà ´s life. They claim that Blanche and Stanley represent divisions of Williamsà ´ own complex life and personality. Yet studies conducted by John Clum, Mark Lilly and David Savran arrive at another conclusion. All three see Blanche and Stanley as a projection of Tennessee Williamsà ´ homoerotic desires. Clum, for instance, says that the actions of his heterosexual female character Blanche hide a homosexual subtext.à [6]à Bibliographical history Similar to other of Williamsà ´ plays the plot of A Streetcar Named Desire evolved over several years.à [7]à Tennessee Williams drew, for instance, much of his inspiration from his life in the French Quarter of New Orleans. During his time in New Orleans he lived on Royal Street. Two streetcars where running down the street. One of the two streetcars was named Desire.à [8]à Accordingly the title of Williamsà ´ play is among other things an illusion to this particular streetcar. In the early 1940s he outlined the story line as well as his idea for a film version in a letter to his agent Audrey Wood. In this first draft of A Streetcar Named Desire, the play was a one-act drama.à [9]à The story line was mainly based upon a scene which he had written earlier. The plot was murky, but I seem to see a woman sitting in a chair, waiting in vain for something. Maybe love. Moon rays were streaming through the window and that suggested lunacy. I wrote the scene and titled it Blacheà ´s Chair in the Moon.à [10]à In the end, Tennessee Williams had written twelve different drafts for A Streetcar Named Desire. Each of his drafts had a different title, such as The Poker Night or The Moth, and was first set in Chicago, then in Atlanta and finally in New Orleans. Due to the influence of Elia Kazan, an influential Greek-American director, who staged the play and directed the film version of A Streetcar named Desire, Williams revised his work several times through and after its production, which had a considerable effect on the script of A Streetcar Named Desire. By changing the charactersà ´ nationality as well as their conception and motivation he transformed the play from a romance to a tragedy. While writing, Williams had to grapple two major problems: firstly, the relationship between Blanche and Stanley, and secondly, the varying degrees and onset of Blacheà ´s madness.à [11]à Furthermore, four early one-act plays, which were written around 1945, had an impact on A Streetcar named Desire. The first one of these plays is This Property is Condemned, a play focusing on a young girlà ´s desires to be like her dead sister, who was a prostitute. The second play, entitled Portrait of a Madonna, chronicles the story of an old maid sent to an asylum after hallucinating. In contrast to the first two plays, The Lady of Larkspur Lotion focuses on a faded southern belle, who had become a prostitute. Moreover, parallels can also be found in Hello from Bertha, a play dealing with a dying prostitute begging her ex-lover to rescue her. In addition to the numerous different drafts of A Streetcar Named Desire, several different editions of the play have been printed up to the present day. For instance, there are substantial differences between the reading and the acting editions. Some differences can also be identified between the American and the English version. In the American version, for instance, the homosexuality of Blancheà ´s husband was censored. Another difference is the structure of the play. In the British edition the play is divided into three acts, whereas the play consists of eleven successive scenes in other editions.à [12]à The roles of Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski in the plot of A Streetcar Named Desire In order to lay the foundations for the characterization of Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski, I would like to give a brief summary of the contents of Tennessee Williamsà ´ play. Since the aim of this paper is to compare and contrast the characters of the two female protagonists, special attention has hereby been paid to the internal development of Blanche and Stella. In scene one Blanche, a faded southern belle, arrives at the home of her younger sister Stella in a fairly run-down district of New Orleans. She is shocked about the circumstances in which Stella and her husband live and makes no secret of her disapproval. After a warm reunion of the two sisters, Blanche explains that she has taken time out from school, where she is teaching English, because of her upset mental state. Later she further admits that she has lost Belle Reve, their family estate in Mississippi. Although Belle Reve slipped through Blancheà ´s fingers, she reproaches Stella for not returning to her home to help her with the troubles. When Stanley returns with his friends from the bowling alley, he accepts Blancheà ´s presence; however, the atmosphere between Blanche and Stanley is tense from the beginning. While Blanche is bathing the next day, Stella tells Stanley about the loss of Belle Reve. He immediately suspects Blanche of having swindled them about the reasons for the loss of the family estate. As a result of Stanleyà ´s mistrust the relationship between Stanley and Blanche becomes more problematic. The situation even becomes worse when Stanley starts inquiring Blanche about the circumstances for the loss of Belle Reve and by it he discovers a bundle of old love letters, which reveal Blancheà ´s marriage to a young man, who finally died. Also Stanley discloses a secret and tells Blanche about Stellaà ´s pregnancy. In the next scene Stanley and his friends are playing poker, when Blanche and Stella return from an evening out together. One of them, Mitch, is very politely to Blanche and pays her compliments. Also Blanche notices that he is superior to the othersà [13]à . In contrast to Mitch, Stanley, who has had already one too many, is not delighted about the appearance of the two women. The situation gets out of hand and Stanley beats pregnant wife. Blanche protectively rushes Stella upstairs, but Stanley begs his wife to return to him. In the end Stella, who is somehow attracted by his animal behaviour, forgives her husband and spends the night with him. As scene four opens, it is the following morning and Stella and Blanche are having a private discussion about Stanley. Blanche can obviously not understand why Stella was insane enough to come back in here after what [had] happenedà [14]à and tries to persuade her sister to leave him. She tells her of a millionaire, a former admirer of hers, who surely would give them money to start a new life. Yet Stella makes clear that she is not willing to leave her husband and embraces Stanley passionately in front of Blanche, when he sees him come in, to demonstrate her loyalty to him. However, both women do not know that Stanley overheard a good deal of what they said before. Over the course of the summer (scene five and six) it becomes clear that Blanche and Mitch have a deep affection for each other. Blanche event entrusts him with details about her brief marriage, which was overshadowed by her husbandà ´s homosexuality and his suicide after she had discovered him in bed with another man. Meanwhile, Stanley makes inquiries about Blancheà ´s past and unmasks her distinguished behaviour as hypocrisy. He learns about her numerous one night stands and her affair with a seventeen-year-old boy, which led to her dismissal. Scene seven takes place at Blancheà ´s Birthday. Stanley, who is craving to get rid of his sister-in-law, passes the gathered information on to Mitch, who does not longer wish to marry her since she is not clean enough to bring in the house with [his] motherà [15]à . Unlike Mitch, Stella is not impressed by her husbandà ´s story. At the beginning she is denying his reproaches but, as the list lengthens, she defends her sister by referring to her tragic marriage. The mood at Blancheà ´s birthday dinner (scene eight) is tense and miserable, because Mitch does not show up. The situation reaches its climax when Stanley presents Blanche with a bus ticket back to Laurel. Blanche is insulted and rushes out. At this moment Stella feels her first labour pains and requests to be taken to hospital. Later the same evening (scene nine), Mitch drops by to confront Blanche with the rumours of her past. Finally, she admits her failures but immediately justifies her behaviour by explaining that her loneliness after her husbandà ´s death forced her to seek physical affection. After her confession Mitch, who is drunk, tries to rape her, but Blanche manages to kick him out of the apartment. In the subsequent scene Stanley returns fairly cheerful, but drunk, from hospital where Stella is still in labour. At home, he meets Blanche, who is drunk too. Her claim, that she has received a telegram from an oil magnate inviting her on a cruise, is her last attempt to escape into her world of illusions. First Stanley takes the situation with humour until she lies to him about what has happened between her and Mitch. Stanley becomes aggressive and rapes her. This act of violence results in Blancheà ´s absolute nervous breakdown. Although Blanche informs Stella that her husband has committed a crime, she decides not to leave him since she couldnà ´t believe her story and go on living with Stanleyà [16]à . At Stanleyà ´s request Blanche is admitted to a mental hospital some weeks later (scene eleven). The fact that she believes until the end that she is going on holiday with an admirer (who is actually the doctor) again emphasizes her bad mental condition. Even though Stella is not completely convinced that it was the right decision to admit her sister to a mental home, she makes no attempt to prevent it.
Income Distribution And Poverty In Malaysia Economics Essay
Income Distribution And Poverty In Malaysia Economics Essay 1.0 CHAPTER 1 Health and education is the two important components of human capital. This becomes the most important needs to Malaysian people because health and education have a strong relationship between the income distribution and the level of poverty in Malaysia. Besides that, the health status and educational level are use in measured the level of income and the level of poverty in a country. Problem Statement The specific problem statement of this study is shown below: There is a strong relationship between health status and education level on the income distribution and poverty in Malaysia. There is a gap of the income distribution between the educated and healthy people with the low-income and unhealthy people in Malaysia. Income inequality and poverty is not satisfactory in Malaysia. Research Objective To identify the relationship of health and education on income level and poverty in Malaysia. To determine whether education level gives impact on income level and poverty in Malaysia. To identify the factors of poverty in Malaysia. Scope and limitation of the study This study was focus on identifying and investigates whether health and education affect the income level and poverty in Malaysia. To examine and determine this relationship, it is important to measure the significant of each of the variables related to this study. Other than that, this study will cover and use the data from 2005 until 2009 in Malaysian country. The data areas are the real per capita gross domestic product (GDP), public spending on expenditure (percent of GDP), total enrolment in primary school and life expectancy of birth. The data are obtained from Department of statistics Malaysia and World Development Indicators (World Bank). significance of the problem This paper is important to the economic development in Malaysia as this study will help the government to identify and determine the important area that need to be improved in order to reduce income inequality and solve poverty. Other than that, this paper also can help the Malaysian communities to improve themselves by showing them the important of higher education level which is the important factors contribute to higher income level. Chapter outline In chapter 1, we will discuss about the introduction of this study. We will know a little bit about the important of health and education. After conducting this study, we will determine the problem and after that we can develop the objectives of this study. Lastly, we can determine the scope and limitation while conducting this study. Chapter 2 discuss about the relevant literature review. We explained the variable in this chapter which are the health, educational level, income inequalities and poverty. The conceptual framework also included to explain the relationship between the independent variables and dependent variables. Chapter 3 explain about the data and methodology. This refers to the data used, the population and sampling methods that was very important to this study. From the data that we find, we can analyze the data and make a hypothesis. After that we can test the data. 2.0 CHAPTER 2 2.1 Introduction As we looking at the present condition in our country, we can see that there is a strong relationship between the health and education level with Malaysian communities income distribution and poverty. This can be simplified as, there is a gap between the income distribution of the educated and healthy people with the poor and unhealthy people in Malaysia. This problem caused by some factors or variables that contribute to the income inequalities and poverty. Because of that, the government and the communities itself should identify and determine any areas that should be improved and find some suggestion to solve or reduce this problem. So that, we clearly see that the best way to reduce and improve this situation is to improve the health and education status in Malaysia as this is the common factors in determining the income level and poverty level in one place. After do some reading and find some literature review related to this situation, this study presents the investigation of t he effect of the two important components in human needs which are the health and education on the income distribution and poverty in Malaysia. 2.0 Theoretical Framework Health Status Education level DEPENDENT VARIABLE -Income inequality -Poverty Level of Savings 2.3 Literature Review There is an effect of health and education on income distributions and poverty in many areas in this world. This can be explained through some relevant literature review. Other than health and education level, the level of savings also categorized as the main factors affecting the income distribution and poverty. The problem of the income inequality and poverty is affected by health and education has investigated. According to Bakhtiari and Meisami (2009), the level of education, level of income, savings and health status can affect the income inequality and poverty. The higher educated people have more opportunities to earn more money or income. Other than that, the more literate people tend to have high awareness with their health and seeking medical when they ill. The finding of this paper is boosting the health and education status in Islamic countries will reduce the income inequality and poverty in Islamic countries. This paper also stated that Practical implications show that this empirical examination can help the Islamic countries government to identify any areas that should be improved in order to reduce the income inequality and alleviate poverty. Furthermore, this strategies help government to identify areas that should be improved upon in order to reduce income inequality and red uce poverty line. To explain the facts that there are some important determinants of poverty and income distribution in developing countries, Dao M.Q (2007), use a sample of 40 developing countries in the world, it was found that some of the population below the poverty line is linearly depends on the human capital such as health, nutrition, and formal education. All of this is the components of improvements in the development of one country. This means that this human capital reduce income inequalities and poverty. After that, they also use 35 developing countries to measure and it was found that income inequality linearly affected by the same explanatory variables but other than that, the infant mortality rate and the primary school completion rate also affect poverty and income level. Bastos et.al (2010), Research has been done to the children in Portugal to investigate the profile of income-poor children and the results obtained states that 25 percent of them are at risk of poverty. They are from the low income families and this will influence the culture on their eating habits. This contributes to the facts that the people from the lower socio-economic groups do not eat healthily. Mackereth C.J et.al also do some research on the culture of eating for the low income families and it also found the same results as Bastos et.al where they are not eat healthily and eating whatever available in front rather than cooking the healthy food. It is because they dont have enough resources and lack of time. The relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and health status also has been identified by Drakopoulos S.A et.al (2010). The result shows that the socioeconomic deprivation of child has negative effects on our health especially on our working stage. Our psychological health will decrease slowly because of this deprivation. Another results found from Habibov N.N (2010) regarding the low-income transitional countries and this also prove that health status and education level can influence the self-perceived social stratification in the multi-country like Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. It is stated that the most affordable variables in increasing the income level of the low-income transitional countries are health status and education because this is the factors of growing the effectiveness of one country and improve the level of low-income people. In his research, Adjaye, J.A (2004), examine whether the income inequality affect health. The relationship between these two variables has become the major problem in our daily life nowadays. The result shows that the people that have low-income profiles are more likely to fall sick because they dont have enough resources to pay for the treatment and medicine. Other than that, it also found that the people from rich family can live longer than the poor family people. This can be simply stated that the higher income level we have the higher level of health we are. To prove that educational can improve the peoples income inequality, Ning, G (2010) do some investigation in China. It was found that, expand more in educational will help us to reduce the phenomena of income inequality. Other than that, one of the ways to solve the problem of poverty is to do more investment in education because this will gives high return in future. Lanaskoronskis, M. et.al (2009) found in their investigation that Reflection of higher education will contribute to the high competitiveness of a country. Competitiveness refers to the skill people, goods and services we have, or ideas can be accepted locally and international. On the other words, higher education becomes the most important areas that contribute to increase competitiveness. The common factors that contribute to the poverty can be explained through the paper of Wang, X. et al (2009) where they found that the poverty line in China are due to the lack of education that automatically causing the unemployment that will make them cannot gain enough resources to buy food. Thats why China government conduct some surveys to investigate this problem and they also found that the profile of the low-income people is unhealthy because of the lack of consumption of nutritional food in their country. Education is the humans resource to apply job and opportunities in one country. This is because education is the main source of a company, manager and employers to measure their level of income. Education is a human capital investment that gives a long-term sustainable development for them. In Benjamin, S.J et.al (2011), it was found that household income is use to measure the Malaysian people ability to enter at any higher education institution. Lack of the resources will contribute to the lack of knowledgement. Besides that the parents will face the possibility to pay the high fees for their children. This is because before this they dont take more attention on their level of education. They cannot apply a good job and after that their income is not enough to support the needs of education for their children. 3.0 CHAPTER 3 3.1 The data and methodology that we used in this study is unit root test and the Ordinary least squares (OLS) to represent the effects of health and education on income distribution and poverty. Besides that this will shows whether there is a relationship between the dependent variables and independent variables. 3.2 Data, population and sampling methods. In this paper, the data was covering the time series data from year 2005 to 2009 that is 5 years. For the population, this paper focuses on the people of 14 states in Malaysia.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Exposing Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Violence Against Children
In 2012 it was reported that over five million children were abused and neglected in the United States. More than five children die each day as a result of abuse and neglect. (Prevent Child Abuse America). There are many factors that cause child abuse and neglect. The parent factor states that parents who have been abused physically, sexually, or emotionally or were neglected, as children will do the same to their children. Stress plays a major role in the parent factor. Overly stressed parents often take their frustrations out on their children. Alcohol and drug abuse also play a major role in the parent factor. Another factor is the child factor. It states that some children are more vulnerable to abuse or neglect than others from parents or guardians due to their age, size, emotional stability, as well as their social development. A third factor is the family factor states that the situations that occur in the family can increase the likelihood of child abuse and neglect. That was the case with young Dave from the above passage. Because his mother no longer got the attention she needed from his father she began to take out her anger and frustrations on him. Finally, the environmental factor states abuse and neglect is often caused by a combination of the previous three factors (U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources). When dealing with the issue of child abuse and neglect several questions are often raised: when does disciplining a child turn into child abuse, what happens to these children that survive the abuse and neglect, and is there a solution to stopping child abuse? à à à à à Whenever the issue of child abuse and neglect is raised, the statement is often made that I have the right to discipline my child however I see fit. Parents often feel that disciplining their children is a right that they have. My mother would often tell me, ââ¬Å"I brought you into this world and I sure will take you out.â⬠Now days the government tells the children that if their parent or guardian put their hands on them the children have the right to call the police on the parents. This leads to the question when is it okay and how do I discipline my child? Children should only be disciplined to let them know that their actions or behavior in a certain situation was not acceptable. There are many ways to discipline a child. One way is to put the child in time out wh... ... of abuse has made you pay. I never knew how you felt; Your self-esteem so low. I only knew you crept away, And never let your feelings show. I never knew what I could do; That I could help somehow. That all you needed was a friend; Just someone to be your pal. But now I know that I can help; I can make a difference, too. Iââ¬â¢ll shout with you, and All the rest canââ¬â¢t say, ââ¬Å"I never knew.â⬠(Pelzer 175). Child abuse and neglect is greatly affecting the lives of young children. It is a dangerous epidemic that seems to be growing by the day. Work Cited Landau, Elaine. Child Abuse: An American Epidemic. New Jersey: Silver Burdett Press, Inc. 1984 Prevent Child Abuse America. Child Abuse and Neglect Statistics. 2014. http://www.menweb.org/throop/abuse/studies/child-ma.html Pelzer, Dave. A Child Called ââ¬Å"Itâ⬠. California: Health Communications, Inc. 1995. U.S. Department of Heath and Human Resources. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2014 http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/focus-areas/child-abuse-neglect Walker, C. Eugene, Bonner, Barbara L., and Kaufman, Keith L. The Physically and Sexually Abused Child Evaluation and Treatment. New York: Pergamon Books, Inc. 1988.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Atwater V. The City of Lago Vista :: essays research papers
Atwater V. The City of Lago Vista à à à à à In Texas itââ¬â¢s illegal to drive or have any other passengers in the car seatbelt less, mainly children riding in the front seat. Mrs. Atwater was driving in Lago Vista, Texas with her children in the front seat and nobody wearing a seatbelt. A Lago Vista police officer observed the seatbelt violations and pulled her over. After that he verbally berated her, handcuffed her, put her in the squad car, and drove her to the police station, where she was searched extensively. Officers then rook her mug shot and put her in a jail cell for an hour before she was taken to a magistrate and released on bond. She was charged with the seatbelt violations with some other charges as well. She pleaded no contest to the seatbelt misdemeanors and paid a $50 fine. Atwater and her husband filed suit under 42 U.S.C SS 1983 alleging, inter alia, that the actions of respondents had violated her Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable seizure. à à à à à They should have never arrested her to begin with, although the whole seatbelt violation law is good it shouldnââ¬â¢t be used with excessive force as it was in this case. A fine is very suitable because itââ¬â¢s a reminder if you ever get one because youââ¬â¢ll surely wear one after the fine. The main reason it happened to begin with is because it was in a small town and the police officer was either bored or wanted the general public to know that heââ¬â¢s cracking down on the seatbelt violation law. à à à à à Thereââ¬â¢s not much relation to class with this case unfortunately.
Monday, September 2, 2019
Odyssey and Odysseus Dead Crew
Glory! In Homerââ¬â¢s 8th century BC epic poem The Odyssey and Sophoclesââ¬â¢ 3rd century play Antigone, the leaders Odysseus and Creon display both similar and different leadership qualities. Odysseus is a leader of a crew heââ¬â¢s taking back home from a journey, but has many unexpected encounters on the way back. Creon is the heir to Oedpiusââ¬â¢ thrown, and is King of Thebes. Both are important, however Creon proves to be the better King, seeing as Odysseusââ¬â¢ crew dies. The qualities of both leaders are what in turn lead to their results. Odysseus must lead his men back to Ithaca. Along the way they stop at an island where all his men are enchanted by fruits. He must do all he can to get them to return to the ship. In another encounter Odysseusââ¬â¢ dead crew memberââ¬â¢s soul comes back and talks to Odysseus. He asks him to give his body a proper burial. Odysseus does this proving that he is not only loyal to his crew, but to his word as well. Odysseus however learns of a prophecy, one, which tells that if, his men eat the cattle on the island of Helios they will die. He cannot prevent his men from eating these cattle and they all suffer for their actions. They all die, and Odysseus fails as a leader. Creonââ¬â¢s takes an interesting approach to his leadership. He is stubborn and compassionate, hot and cold. Creon vows to do everything for the people, and anybody who breaks the law breaks his heart. Creon also makes numerous threats to the criminal who would dare to burry the betraying brother. But when he discovers that his own niece Antigone, his own flesh and blood, is the one defiling the law, he cannot stand it. His whole world starts to deteriorate and he cannot stop it before its too late.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Alternative Energy and Canadian Solar
The company we are focusing on is Canadian Solar. They are a multinational firm that operates in several countries such as ââ¬Å"Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Australia and the United Statesâ⬠. They are a leader in the solar energy industry. A detailed PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) analysis will be provided on how these elements affect the company. There are various political regulations and by-laws passed by the Canadian government to help regulate proper practices of using and installing solar energy. These regulations affect Canadian Solar and their practices.For instance, in the 1970s and 1980s there were a large number of solar panels installed that were not installed properly because they were added by unqualified people. Today there are strict regulations on getting the permission to install solar energy panels which protect land owners from liabilities. Permits must be attained from the government. This regulation protects Canadian Solar from any lawsuits from poor quality installation of solar panels or any damage to their customersââ¬â¢ property. This also helps them meet a certain standard of excellence to help their image and their customers.From 2007 to 2012 the world suffered a global recession. Canada was affected by it but not as severely as other countries worldwide. Economists say we are not in a recession but many Canadians believe otherwise. Although real GDP is adjusted for inflation, it is not for the growing population. This means ââ¬Å"a countryââ¬â¢s economy can be growing simply because the population is rising, and Canadaââ¬â¢s population increases one percent a yearâ⬠, which is misleading and does not tell the actual condition of the country.. This has affected Canadian Solar as well. Although they made a net profit in 2011, they made a net loss in its first quarter of 2012.Canadian Solar operates in other countries as well which were affected by the recession. For example, i n late 2007 China was affected by the recession, where their economy ââ¬Å"plummeted by [forty] percentâ⬠. However, in 2012 Canadian Solar and Ningxia State Power, a Chinese based solar energy company, had completed a major project. This would help China ââ¬Å"reduce CO2 emissions by 18, 900 tons annually ââ¬â the equivalent of saving 5,200 tons of standard coal. â⬠So although China was affected, companies are still progressing towards a healthier alternative of energy resource. Many Canadians believe solar energy is an excellent resource of energy.An advantage of using solar energy is there is no green house emissions and is friendly to the environment. However, onlyfifteen percent of sunlight is converted into energy which is not efficient for the amount it costs to install them. Although society agrees that solar energy is a healthy alternative to current resource of energy, it is very costly and inefficient. This affects Canadian Solar because depending on how s ociety feels. If the environment deteriorates much quicker than it is already, people will invest more in solar panels as a way to help the environment.If they do not care or feel the investment is not worth it, they will not buy. This affects the overall growth and stability of Canadian Solar. There has been much technological advancement in solar panels. The first solar panel was created by Charles Fritts in 1883 but could only convert less than one percent of sunlight into energy. . By 1954 a solar panel that could convert six percent of sunlight was created.. In the modern day Canadian Solar has made panels which can convert up to eighteen percent of sunlight into energy.The technological advancements have steadily improved in the solar energy industry and Canadian Solar is continuing to research and develop new ways to convert energy more efficiently. Encompassing Stakeholder map Government ââ¬â Legislation is a key stakeholder interest for the company. Certain legislation can hurt or promote an industry which affects the companies within it. For example, in Ontario the provincial government passed the ââ¬Å"Green Energy and Green Economy Actâ⬠which promotes the use of clean energy and promotes jobs. However, there is a lack of the right to light within Canada which affects those who want to use solar panels.This will be explained later. Employees ââ¬â Employees want job security when working within an organization. Employees are an important stakeholder because they can affect the production and image of an organization, and at the same time are affected by the progress or deterioration of a company. If the organization is doing poorly that can affect the employees job security. Owners ââ¬â Owners have an interest in the success of the company. These owners could be shareholders who have invested their money into the company in hopes of a positive return. Without their investments, these public companies have a lack of capital funding. Without proper decision making by management, these shareholders could lose everything they invested. Consumers ââ¬â Customers are the foundation of businesses. Without them, a business cannot exist. Customers care about various things like customer service quality and the quality of the companyââ¬â¢s product. If the product does not meet the standard of customers, they will not buy the product. Community ââ¬â The community cares about environment and how solar energy will affect them. They want to make sure the product they are buying does not harm the environment and can be used to effectively harness sunlight as a form of energy.Specific Stakeholder Position Analysis The CEO of Canadian Solar is Dr. Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu. As CEO he holds several responsibilities and duties. He is considered the image of the company to both shareholders and the general public. If there are any disasters or public relation issues the media, stakeholders and general public will look to him f or answers. Although there are high ranking officials within the company to handle any public relation issues, it is up to him regarding where the company is heading towards.The decisions he makes can affect the company and other stakeholders who have stakes in the company. If Canadian Solar announces a major project which is long term and fails, the pressure is on the CEO. If the financial status of the company is poor, it concerns shareholders and they want to know why the company is failing. These responsibilities fall upon the CEO and it is up to him to determine whether certain projects are viable in the long term and how his decisions affect everyone around him.The federal and provincial governments are also stakeholders in the solar energy industry. The legislation they pass can hurt or harm the solar energy industry like Canadian Solar. There are various legal issues that come with harnessing sunlight as a form of energy. For example, in Canada there is no right to light. Al though you may have a solar panel installed around your home, you legally do not have the right to light. For example, a man in Ottawa installed a solar panel but ââ¬Å"is now under threat from a near-by five-storey condo developmentâ⬠.This means that he cannot do anything to stop the construction of the condominium regarding his solar panel because there is no law for it in Canada. The lack of a right to light in Canada can affect many people who want to use solar energy as a source of energy but cannot because of obstacles like this. However the provincial government is making an effort to help encourage the use of alternative energy resources. On May 14, 2009 the Ontario government passed the ââ¬Å"Green Energy and Green Economy Actâ⬠which encourages the use of ââ¬Å"clean and renewable energy resources such as solar energyâ⬠and to create more jobs.The provincial government of Ontario has been trying to encourage the use of solar energy by passing legislation that helps promote the use of renewable, clean energy and promoting jobs at the same time. Customers are essential to the overall growth and long term development of companies. They are important stakeholders because companies depend on them in order to operate. In the solar industry, customers need to know that the product they buy is ethical, efficient and has quality.Customers are the foundation of companies and they make an overall impact on the organization. If boycotting occurs that would be a public relations disaster for them and can affect multiple things such as market share value and profits of an organization. They demand high quality, ethical and efficient goods. Customers believe solar energy is an excellent source of energy however because of the costs related to it and the lack of energy conversion. The industry needs to continuously try to improve their product in order to attract a larger market.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak
Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak is a festival celebrated in Sarawak on 1 June every year. It is both a religious and social occasion. The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the native ethnic groups of Sarawak (and neighboring Indonesian Kalimantan): the Iban, also known as Sea Dayak and the Bidayuh people, also known as Land Dayak. Thus, Gawai Dayak literally means ââ¬Å"Dayak Festivalâ⬠. Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more commonly known as ââ¬Å"ngabangâ⬠in the Iban language. Those too far away to visit would receive greeting cards. It started back in 1957 in a radio forum held by Mr Ian Kingsley, a radio programme organiser. This generated a lot of interest among the Dayak community. The mode of celebration varies from place to place. Preparation starts early. Tuak (rice wine) is brewed (at least one month before the celebration) and traditional delicacies like penganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) are prepared. As the big day approaches, everyone will be busy with general cleaning and preparing food and cakes. On Gawai Eve, glutinous rice is steamed in bamboo (ngelulun pulut). In the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (an open gallery which runs through the entire length of the longhouse). The walls of most bilik (rooms) and the ruai are decorated with Pua Kumbu (traditional blankets). A visit to clean the graveyard is also conducted and offerings offered to the dead. After the visit it is important to bathe before entering the longhouse to ward off bad luck. The celebration starts on the evening of 31 May. In most Iban longhouses, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greed), signifying the non-interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration. Two children or men each dragging a chapan (winnowing basket) will pass each family's room. Every family will throw some unwanted article into the basket. The unwanted articles will be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse for the spirit of bad luck. Around 6 pm or as the sun sets, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed. The Feast Chief thanks the gods for the good harvest, and asks for guidance, blessings and long life as he waves a cockerel over the offerings. He then sacrifices the cockerel and a little blood is used together with the offerings. Once the offering ceremony is done, dinner is then served at the ruai. Just before midnight, a procession up and down the ruai seven times called Ngalu Petara (welcoming the spirit gods) is performed. During this procession, a beauty pageant to choose the festival's queen and king (Kumang & Keling Gawai) is sometimes conducted. Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served. At midnight, the gong is beaten to call the celebrants to attention. The longhouse Chief (tuai rumah) or Festival Chief will lead everyone to drink the Ai Pengayu (normally tuak for long life) and at the same time wish each other ââ¬Å"gayu-guru, gerai-nyamaiâ⬠(long life, health and prosperity). The celebration now turns merrier and less formal. Some will dance to the traditional music played, others will sing the pantun (poems). In urban areas, Dayaks will organise gatherings at community centres or restaurants to celebrate the evening. Other activities that may follow the next few days include: cock-fighting matches, and blowpipe and ngajat competitions. On this day, 1 June, homes of the Dayaks are opened to visitors and guests. Traditionally, when guests arrive at a longhouse, they are given the ai tiki as a welcome. From time to time, guests are served tuak. This would be called nyibur temuai which literally means ââ¬Å"watering of guestsâ⬠. Christian Dayaks normally attend a church mass service to thank God for the good harvest. Gawai Dayak celebrations may last for several days. It is also during this time of year that many Dayak weddings take place, as it is one of the rare occasions when all the members of the community return home to their ancestral longhouse. Up till 1962, the British colonial government refused to recognise Dayak Day. Gawai Dayak was formally gazetted on 25 September 1964 as a public holiday in place of Sarawak Day. It was first celebrated on 1 June 1965 and became a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayak community. Today, it is an integral part of Dayak social life. It is a thanksgiving day marking good harvest and a time to plan for the new farming season or activities ahead.
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