Critique of Movie The Insider Essay - 1016 Words

Critique of Movie The Insider A dramatization of 1995 events in which the tobacco industry allegedly covered up proof that nicotine is addictive and harmful. When Brown and Williamson executive Jeffrey Wigand (Crowe) tries to expose the industrys cover-up, he is threatened into silence. He eventually gets his story to 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (AL Pacino), but CBS decides against airing it due to political and economic pressures, and the threat of lawsuit from Brown and Williamson. Before we start, I think its important that you know a little thing about me, and where Im coming from. I do smoke. But I believe that most of the lawsuits filed against the tobacco industry are unfounded, desperate attempts for people to put†¦show more content†¦After all, the guy has a family to look out for. But then Wigand is tortured over his passiveness, wondering if he should take a more aggressive stance with his potentially damaging knowledge. 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman, sensing a big story in the works, tries to coax Wigand into talking. An energetic Al Pacino, who fights to get the story on the air, only to have it snuffed by CBS, plays Bergman here. Allegedly, the television network was possibly up for sale around the time of this story, and airing it might have damaged their image with controversy, making it less appealing to potential suitors. This, coupled with the threat of lawsuit from Brown and Williamson, made CBS refuse to air the story. The Insider portrays these events as a crusade on the part of Bergman and Wigand to get the truth out there, against the will of Big Business and Bigger Tobacco. And while Bergman is never portrayed as much more than a journalist with an uncharacteristic amount of integrity, Wigand is a great character to follow as he tries to balance out everything around him. Tortured and sleepless, his reactions are what you would expect from someone forced to choose between the safety of his family with the gravity of what he knows. Most of it makes for edge of your suit viewing. Suspense abounds, and AL Pacinos confrontations with the evil corporate executives, censors, and whatnot are the centerpiece of the movie. He gets to climb up on the soapbox and beltShow MoreRelated Critique on Open City Essays1116 Words   |  5 PagesCritique on Open City â€Å"Open City† is a neo-realist film that followed the movement in Italy during World War 2. The film is neo-realistic because it has that ‘reality’ like feeling to it by following specific characters through their daily stressful lives that are screwed up from poverty and war. 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Essay about Zara Case Analysis - 1522 Words

Zara is a retailing chain of Inditexthat specializes in high-fashion at reasonable prices. In the last 12 months, Inditex’s stock price has increased by 50% despite bearish market conditions. The 50% increase is due to the investor expectations of Inditex’s growth. Inditex’s growth can be contributed to the decisions it has made in creating a vertically integrated centralized process. The centralization of its vertically integrated operations in Europe provided it with its competitive advantage; however, I believe it will also make it fail if it decides to grow substantially into other markets. Financial Analysis compare to competitors In comparing Inditex financial performance against its competitors, it is apparent that Inditex is†¦show more content†¦Zarawas able to catch a trend while it was hot thus customers were willing to pay a higher premium for the product increasing their gross margin. In addition, Zara did not have to commit to its supplier s several months in advance of a season on the style and amount needed unlike its competitors. Zara was able to create in smaller batches, thus decreasing risk by limiting the amount of inventory on hand. The downside of owning and controlling production is that it often leads to higher costs of labor compared to labor in developing countries (south-east Asia). To lessen the costs, Zaradecided to outsource the main commodities of apparel such as the undyed fabric, buttons and zippers. Because these were basic ingredients to any apparel it did not affect the final product and cut down cost. Also, 85%-90% of their styles were standard across stores and countries which benefited from economies of scale. Lastly by playing both role of manufacturer and retailer Zara is able to get profits on both sides. The short-lead times provide flexibility to Zara; however, Zara needs to provide the consumer with the latest trends in order to increase profitability. Therefore, Zara invests heavily in their product development teams compared to their competitors. Extensive continual market research was performed on current trends from fashion shows, universities and key trendShow MoreRelatedZara Case Analysis1872 Words   |  8 PagesAlbert Sedaghatpour Individual Case Analysis-Zara 7/24/09 Introduction Zara is the flagship chain store of Inditex Group owned by Spanish tycoon Amancio Ortega. The group is located in Spain, where the first Zara store was opened. Zara has opposed the industry-wide trend towards turning fast fashion production to low-cost countries. Possibly its most atypical strategy is its policy of zero advertising; the firm opted to invest a portion of revenues in opening new stores instead. At the end of 2001Read MoreZara Case Study Analysis1858 Words   |  8 PagesCASE STUDY ANALYSIS: ZARA Name Institution Professor Course Date Table of Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Strategic Issues Underpinning the Buying Decisions at Zara 3 3. Zara’s Product Mix Strategy: Advantages and Disadvantages 6 4. Conclusion 8 REFERENCES 10 1. Introduction Zara is a successful retail clothing company that expanded over the years due to its elaborate supply chain and excellent product mix strategy. The company established in 1963 opened its first store in 1975Read MoreZara Case Analysis1564 Words   |  7 PagesZara is a retailing chain of Inditexthat specializes in high-fashion at reasonable prices. In the last 12 months, Inditex’s stock price has increased by 50% despite bearish market conditions. The 50% increase is due to the investor expectations of Inditex’s growth. Inditex’s growth can be contributed to the decisions it has made in creating a vertically integrated centralized process. The centralization of its vertically integrated operations in Europe provided it with its competitive advantage;Read MoreZara: a Marketing Analysis Case Study5929 Words   |  24 Pages my organization is ZARA. Based in La Coruna, Spain, Zara is Inditex’s main brand, (Fashion Forward -The Economist, 2012). Founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega Zara now has stores in 73 countries. With estimated annual revenue in excess of 7 billion Euro, Zara has over 1700 stores worldwide, (Wikipedia, 2013). Zara has been described by Louis Vuitton fashion director as â€Å"possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world†, (Wikipedia, 2013). WHY ZARA? 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In 1975, founder Amancio Ortega opened the first store in La Coruna, Spain. Zara is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group (Industria de Diseno Textil), encompassing many self-designed differentRead MoreInnovation in the Supply Chain: Analysis of the Zara Case3796 Words   |  15 PagesInnovation in the Supply Chain: Analysis of the Zara Case Case Synopsis Zaras mercurial growth as the flagship enterprise of the Inditex Corporation is attributable to the companys expertise in logistics, supply chain management and its highly effective use of tacit, implicit and process-based knowledge. From both an epistemology of possession and practice, Zara has been able to attain formidable competitive differentiation at the process level of their business. This is exemplified in theirRead MoreZara Business Model (Case Analysis)2398 Words   |  10 PagesZara Case Quest 4/5/2011 Done By: Faisal Alsawaihan Zara case Quest What Business is Zara In? (Business model) Zara is one of the Inditex group, which they mainly in the apparel industry. It considers the most successful brand in this group and most of profit margin is coming from Zara stores that are widespread around the world (76countries) and their main products of apparel are for men, women, and kids. As we can see from the article (It for fast fashion) and Zara’s annual report in 2009, theRead MoreZara Case Analysis April 27 2014 Done By: Shamsa Salem 201030589 To: Laura Matherly College of2300 Words   |  10 Pages Zara Case Analysis April 27 2014 Done By: Shamsa Salem 201030589 To: Laura Matherly College of Businesses I. Company Situation Company’s situation can be determined by its external and internal indicators. The external data has been analyzed in the previous section, therefore it’s also necessary to cover the internal data to get financial status of the company. Financial analysis can accurately determine company’s performance in the market and its position among its rivals. In additionRead MoreBusiness Analysis Of Zara, The Leading And The Profitable Brand Of Inditex1592 Words   |  7 PagesExecutive Summary This case paper presents the business analysis of Zara, the leading and the profitable brand of Inditex. The case paper’s objective is to discuss whether to update the current DOS/IT infrastructure and evaluate the effects of the upgrade. It presents the IS implementation opportunities and evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation. It concludes by providing recommendations for updating the current OS along with its advantages. The approach to analysis includes looking into

Market Models Free Essays

The main objective of a private firm is to maximize profits and without the control over costs, they try to sell at higher prices. This is true if the operating industry has an inelastic demand schedule as a price rise brings in higher revenue. The Marginal revenue concept states that in order to increase revenues, firms need to lower prices if they are operating in a price-elastic industry but a fall in price in a relatively in-elastic demand adds a deficit to the revenue that so firms increase their prices in order to attain a higher profit. We will write a custom essay sample on Market Models or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2) The US airline industry operates in the oligopolistic structure. That is the big four firms namely American, Southwest, United and Delta have a combined share of more than 40% of the market which supports the fact that these firms can be classified as oligopolies. Further the firms do not react to price increases that sharply as it is a characteristic of an oligopoly to react more towards a price fall rather than an increase except for the case of a market leader. 3) No, the result will not differ whether we consider the entire domestic market or just the market for San Francisco and Seattle. The firms operating are same and customers are quite rational that is the service being offered is homogenous so it would not matter if we look at it as a whole or individually. Here a price rise in the case of a single market would mean that the competitor may gain an advantage and attain higher revenue. 4) There are many advantages of collusion or price fixing related to competitors. One of them being an equal share for all, this means that they can share areas among themselves and reduce competition. This helps reduce uncertainty as the market saturation is done and firms are bound by agreement to receive equal share. This would further give rise to profits and most of all this behavior is a very strong entry barrier as firms can unite in order to drive away an entrant. Collusive pricing also means a restricted supply therefore firms can ask higher prices as there is a quota in place thus creating an in-elastic demand. 5) No, an oligopoly operates in between both extremes of its demand schedule that is the elastic region and the in-elastic region. The reason that the firm rescinds from increasing prices is due to the fear of losing its market share as the products in this industry are homogenous and so the customers would shift easily to other airlines. The oligopolists must consider how their rivals will react to any change in the price, output, characteristics, or advertising. Oligopoly is thus characterized by strategic behaviour and mutual interdependence. By strategic behaviour we simply mean self interested behaviour that takes into account the reaction of others. So we can not associate that such advertisements or statements are for a fixture in price. Bibliography 1)Parkin, Michael. (2004) Economics. Addison Wesley Publishing Company How to cite Market Models, Essay examples

Reflect Critically on How Your Worldview Has Been Shaped free essay sample

Using the concept of a world view, identify some of the beliefs and attitudes, particularly to education and learning that you bring to your learning now. Reflect critically on how your worldview has been shaped by factors such as your gender, age or community. In your answer refer to Hobson (1996) and Samovar and Porter (2004) from the SSK12 Reader, and Chapter 1 in A Guide to Learning Independently (Marshall and Rowland, 2006, 1-18). Everyone comes from a different culture and has their own world view, based upon their upbringing and community values. Remnants of that world view will always remain throughout their lives and I am no exception. Throughout my own journey, I have formed outlooks and beliefs in respect to education, which I consequently bring to today’s learning. In this essay I will reveal those factors which shaped my current beliefs and attitudes towards education and learning, highlighted through the prism of my own experience and environment. I will start with my ever-changing world view. Then I will explain how my gender, age and the communities I lived in played a significant role in my decision making regarding education. What is a World view? In their book Samovar and Porter maintain that the word world view â€Å"†¦ is the common English translation of the German word Weltanschauung, meaning overarching philosophy †¦Ã¢â‚¬  With that the authors summarise all other explanations that may fit the description of a world view. They also state other factors which describe a world view, factors with which we are surrounded in everyday life. Those are our communities’ beliefs in God, questions about nature and the human race, the universe and everything about life, death and in general the perception of one’s world. 2004, 85) What the authors are pointing out here is that our world view is the basic foundation that is built and formed around our cultures and communities. Not only are we taught these world views but also they are shaped within us as a result of our experiences during our lives. Hobson also gives a good example with her own interpretation â€Å"By world view I mean a set of beliefs that we hold and through which we organise our understanding of ourselves and our understanding of others. † (1996, 30) She argues the importance of understanding the world views in order to gain nowledge about others and ourselves. Based on the understanding of my own world view, I am aware that the beliefs and attitudes I hold today about learning and education are influenced directly by my gender, age, background and my community. My values and perceptions about learning contain a large portion of that original world view. However, it has gradually changed during the course of time. My new country encouraged me to embrace new cultures, to meet people from different backgrounds and to respect their beliefs. Traveling, studying and constantly observing new behaviours around me have also played a role in reshaping my world view. Although I completed several certificates at TAFE as a contribution to my learning, I saw my gender as an obstacle to continue my education in university. As a woman and primarily a wife and mother, with my cultural world view philosophy in mind, I made a choice to exclusively devote my time to our children’s wellbeing and development. I believed that my education can take place later in life. This was not met with recognition and approval from the community though. If one understands a culture’s world view and cosmology, reasonable accuracy can be attained in predicting behaviours and motivations in other dimensions. † (Samovar and Porter 2004, 85) The authors point at the importance of being able to recognise and understand different culture’s world views. Communication in multicultural communities could be much more efficient if more people were open to learning how to read the signs of different world views. Nevertheless, I knew that my time to study would come and I dedicated myself to the task at hand. Attempting an education at university expects dedication and commitment. It also has to be the right time in one’s life. As Marshall and Rowland state â€Å"If you are studying because it is a cultural or social expectation and not because you want to, think about your alternatives. † (2006, 10) With that in mind I am confident in saying that I am studying now because I know that this is the right time for me and I know which career I am going to pursue in the future. Some of the world views, which I have adopted during my life, have a great impact on my understanding as a female. I am aware of the great change in world views through time in regard to a woman’s role in her community. Samovar and Porter’s statement illustrates how the Islamic world view sees the community’s perception of women. The role of the women is subordinate to the men’s role in their society. (2004, 85) Hobson also mentions the implications of the hotly debated topic in Medieval times whether women shared rationality or not. (1996, 31) A lot has changed since then. Had I lived in those times my world view would have been very different than the one I hold today. Thus, I feel fortunate to be born in a time where women are equal to men and given opportunities to excel. As a mature aged student, my ever-changing worldview has influenced the understandings and opinions I hold about education and learning in general. My immigration to Australia took place in my early twenties during the year of 1995. It took some time for me to realize that further education is an essential and valued goal in my new country. Having a world view, which was shaped while I was raised during a communistic regime in Bulgaria, influenced my thinking and held me back. I did not believe that I was capable of furthering my education at a university level. Having a flair for Art, I was not confident that a career in this field was achievable. The world views during my parents time assumed that only a small number of students were able to complete a university degree. Their formal education was limited to completing grade 7 and 8 respectively. Despite the changes in my time, I still lacked the courage to begin such an endeavour. It would be best if we made our choices according to our own values but very often those values are unclear to us. Sidney B. Simon cited in Marshal and Rowland 2006, 11) That fits well with my mindset at the time. I wanted an education but did not believe in myself. The decision to study or not to study after high school depended on the world view of the community in which I was living. The fact that not many of my relatives and friends went to university at that time played a significant role in forming my own decisions. Livi ng in Australia has opened my eyes to different truths and achievable goals. Gradually I have come to understand that learning is available to everyone. I realised that my background culture and my community are no longer an obstacle when it comes to furthering my education. In my view, engaging in study later in life is even more beneficial. My situation closely reflects Marshall and Rowland’s statement that the way we learn is affected directly by what we believe and value. (2006, 10). The authors here argue how our beliefs play an important role in the way we perceive learning and education. With my current world view in mind, I could not agree more. In this essay I revealed my beliefs and attitudes towards education based on my world views. Those views have continuously changed throughout my whole life. The key to my changing attitudes and beliefs towards education so far, is based on travel, embracing a new culture, engaging with people from varied backgrounds, observing new behaviours and belief systems and learning new ways of understanding the world. With my new realisation that education is available to everyone regardless of his or her age, gender and beliefs, comes the freedom to embark on my own pursuit of a fulfilling career path. That can be achieved only through learning, which can be facilitated through university.