Sunday, May 17, 2020

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) by Victor Hugo

Count Frollo, Quasimodo, and Esmeralda are quite possibly the most twisted, most bizarre, and most unexpected love-triangle in literary history.  And if their problematic involvement with one another is not enough, throw-in Esmeralda’s philosopher husband, Pierre, and her unrequited love-interest, Phoebus, not to mention the self-isolated mother-in-mourning with a sad history of her own, and Frollo’s younger, trouble-making brother Jehan, and finally the various kings, burgesses, students, and thieves, and suddenly we have an epic history in the making. The Leading Role The main character, as it turns out, is not Quasimodo or Esmeralda, but Notre-Dame itself.  Almost all of the major scenes in the novel, with a few exceptions (such as Pierre’s presence at the Bastille) take place at or in view of/reference to the great cathedral. Victor Hugo’s primary purpose is not to present the reader with a heart-rending love story, nor is it necessarily to comment on social and political systems of the time; the main purpose is a nostalgic view of a diminishing Paris, one which puts its architecture and architectural history in the forefront and which laments the loss of that high art.   Hugo is clearly concerned with the public’s lack of commitment toward preserving the rich architectural and artistic history of Paris, and this purpose comes across directly, in chapters about the architecture specifically, and indirectly, through the narrative itself. Hugo is concerned with one character above all in this story, and that is the cathedral.  While other characters have interesting backgrounds and do develop slightly over the course of the story, none seem truly round.  This is a minor point of contention because though the story may have a loftier sociological and artistic purpose, it loses something by not also working completely as a stand-alone narrative.   One can certainly empathize with Quasimodo’s dilemma, for instance, when he finds himself caught between the two loves of his life, Count Frollo  and Esmeralda.  The sub-story relating to the mourning  woman who has locked herself in a cell, weeping over a child’s shoe is also moving, but ultimately unsurprising.  Count Frollo’s descent from learned man and upstanding caregiver is not entirely unbelievable, but it still seems sudden and quite dramatic.   These subplots suit the Gothic element of the story nicely and also parallel Hugo’s analysis of science versus religion physical art versus linguistics, yet the characters seem flat in relation to the overall attempt by Hugo to re-instill, through means of Romanticism, a renewed passion for the Gothic era. In the end, the characters and their interactions are interesting and, at times, moving and hilarious.  The reader can engage with and, to a certain extent, believe them, but they are not perfect characters. What moves this story along so well, even through chapters such as â€Å"A Bird’s Eye View of Paris† which is, literally, a textual description of the city of Paris as if looking at it from on high and in all directions, is Hugo’s great ability at crafting words, phrases and sentences.   Although inferior to Hugo’s masterpiece, Les Misà ©rables (1862), one thing the two have in common is richly beautiful and workable prose.  Hugo’s sense of humor (especially sarcasm and irony) is well developed and leaps across the page. His Gothic elements are appropriately dark, even surprisingly so at times. Adapting a Classic What is most interesting about Hugo’s Notre-Dame de Paris is that everyone knows the story, but few really know the story.  There have been numerous adaptations of this work, for film, theater, television, etc.  Most people are probably familiar with the story through various retellings in children’s books or movies (i.e. Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame).  Those of us who are only familiar with this story as told through the grapevine are led to believe that it is a tragic Beauty and the Beast type love-story, where true love rules in the end.  This explanation of the tale could not be further from the truth. Notre-Dame de Paris  is first and foremost a story about art, mainly, architecture. It is a romanticizing  of the Gothic period and a study of the movements which brought together traditional art forms and oratory with the novel idea of a printing press. Yes, Quasimodo and Esmeralda are there and their story is a sad one and yes, Count Frollo turns out to be a downright despicable antagonist; but, ultimately, this, like Les Misà ©rables  is more than a story about its characters; it is a story about the whole history of Paris and about the absurdities of the caste system.   This may be the first novel where beggars and thieves are cast as the protagonists and also the first novel in which the entire societal structure of a nation, from King to peasant, is present. It is also one of the first and most prominent works to feature a structure (the Cathedral of Notre-Dame) as the main character. Hugo’s approach would influence Charles Dickens, Honorà ©Ã‚  de Balzac, Gustave Flaubert, and other sociological â€Å"writers of the people.† When one thinks of writers who are geniuses at fictionalizing the history of a people, the first who comes to mind might be Leo Tolstoy, but Victor Hugo certainly belongs in the conversation.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Rational Decision Making Model Of An Intuitive Model

I would use rational decision-making model to assist Catherine in her decision-making. First of all, because a rational decision model provides structure and discipline to the decision making process. In contrast an intuitive model is basically making decisions based on feelings. Catherine cannot afford to make a decision just based on feeling because at this stage in her life, she wants to make a decision that is going to be logical and based on facts. Therefore, Catherine will have full and perfect information on which to base a choice. Additionally, it helps ensure that we consider the full range of factors relating to a decision, in a logical and comprehensive manner. Furthermore, I decided on the rational decision model because it provides steps to follow to effectively help the client make a logical decision, I would first identify her problem or problems. Which in her case it would be deciding whether to pursue a master’s degree or switch occupations. Secondly, I would gather useful and relevant information to make her decision making process easier. After, I would analyze her current situation. For example, Catherine is a mother who is married and family is something she values greatly. As a result, of these three steps I would then develop options, in terms of Catherine it would be career options that she might find interesting and that suit her values and interests. Equally important, Catherine and I would sit down and evaluate what career options she wouldShow MoreRelatedMaps Of Bounded Rationality : Psychology For Behavioural Economics960 Words   |  4 Pagesan analysis of intuitive thinking and how it guides our decision-making. Although primarily aimed at the field of psychology, it is an interdisciplinary article with applications in economic theorising. 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Additionally Demographics Another Factor-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Additionally Demographics Another Factor? Answer: Introducation UNIQLO is a Japanese fashion giant and has been operating in Australia for over three years since it opened up its first store in 2014, which is located in Melbourne. It is one of the world`s leading dealers in taxation fashion wear for women, men, kids and babies (David Toshiro, 2012). Its sales rose 47% to $174.5 million in 2016. It is projected that the net sales of the fashion store will reach $1 billion by 2020. The key goal of the company is to be the globe`s fashion dealer of choice and continually expand its market share in Australia and globally. A SWOT analysis given in Appendix 1 shows the likely weaknesses of UNIQLO`s fashion products within the highly competitive fashion industry with further adverse impacts by the macro-environmental factors. Following a vivid assessment of the market, I inference that social trends are the chief such factor impacting UNIQLO products (Douglas, John, Essam, 2015). There has been a rise in the spending among the Australians particularly in Melbourne and this is highly attributed to its touristic nature, an increase in status and non-status seeking teenagers, and a rise in informal and casual fashion preferences. These emerging social trends are the ones fashion giants are articulately tapping into, Uniqlo inclusive. Additionally, demographics are another factor. The primary target marketing for the company is generation X and Y and the baby boomer generation. It comprises of people of ages 18-25 and 25-40. These are particularly professionals. Also, babies and international students form a key niche of the market (Helen Richard, 2012). Marketing goal Open a store in Gold Coast (in November 2017); attain $310 million in revenue and increase our sales by 69% by December 2018. Marketing strategy Target customers Appendix 3 provides a vivid profile of the target market. Geographically, the segmentation of our products will be mainly focused in urban area markets, particularly those of Sydney, Gold Coast, and Melbourne. Sydney and Melbourne are tourist centers and hence this provides a perfect central market for our affordable and trendy fashion textile wear (Junghyun, Eunju, Eunha, Euntaik, 2012). The CBDs of the three cities are also instrumental in providing alluring central locations to showcase and sell our products. Here, our consumers will include: tourists, city residents and commuters from other places. However, Melbourne and Sydney require quite prudent product offering since the two cities experience periodic changes in seasons/climate compared to Gold Coast. Regarding the assessment of the demographics, the targeted consumers will range from those of low income, middle income and high income (Ramesh, 2015). This is because our aim is to give our customers the value for their money by offering affordable fashions. 21% of Australia`s households earned an income of $2,500 or more weekly in 2016 (Tsan, 2014). This partly informs our decision to target this particular socioeconomic class. However, we still highly target the rest of the socioeconomic classes. For instance, one can get a basic item like a plain white men`s T-shirt for $7.90. As such, our products are affordable across all the socioeconomic classes in the country. Value proposition UNIQLO products are highly creative, trendy, affordable, high quality and stylish. We differentiate ourselves from the rest of the competitors by providing a broad range of colors for our items (Hubbard, Anne, Philip, Antony, 2014). A majority of the items are made of special fibers, particularly the HEATTECH which creates warmth regardless of the fact that it is light and thin. Furthermore, we are able to provide a huge selection of clothing products throughout the year despite the changing seasons, different styles that include casual, professional and fashionable, they come in highly distinctive colors and most importantly they are all of the high quality. The value proposition of UNIQLO is by providing high-quality stylish clothing at prices which are affordable to all. The prices of the attires are set in such a way that every person can afford them regardless of the socio economic class that they come from and hence they are assured of getting value for their money (Susaina, Julie, Joseph, 2015). UNIQLO products need to be continually positioned within the affordable or pocket-friendly yet high-quality range. This is because universal affordability is a key factor in determining whether your products can move out of the shelf at a high rate or not. It is also a determinant of whether your items can be accessible to every of your target customers or not. It gives you a competitive edge in that your customers can buy as much as their purchasing power can allow them anytime. High-quality items also aid in popularising and cementing our reputational brand among our loyal and potential customers. Marketing tactics UNIQLO products are presently distinctive in the market compared to the products of the competitors in the industry. Our items are made of high-tech fabric materials yet they are availed at affordable prices to the customers. Furthermore, currently, our products come in the latest styles or trends to meet the increasing and diverse styles and preferences of women, men, kids and those of babies (based on the styles and preferences of their parents since the babies certainly cannot choose for themselves). Studies indicate that consumers` purchase instincts are largely guided by affordability and variety in terms of colors and the number of product selection available to them (Tim, 2011). As such, Uniqlo has extensively capitalized on this since its present products come in a wide variety and are affordable to both the loyal and potential customers. UNIQLO needs to further develop and polish itself as a stylish, classier, attractive and a fast fashion retailer providing creative and customer-centered products while continually redefining the association between affordability/price and quality. Customer preferences nowadays are highly bent towards more trendy, alluring and innovative clothing products which are tailor made or rather custom made to meet their diverse needs (Verchi, 2016). As such, UNIQLO has been able to remarkably capitalize on this although more needs to be done in order to give it a more competitive edge in the market over its competitors. This will also enable the brand to appeal and attract a wide range of consumers from all walks of life. It can do this by using celebrities from all walks of life as models. The 5Cs on which pricing strategies are based are evaluated as illustrated below. Company objectives The pricing set by the brand should back its efforts to attain its targeted goal. UNIQLO should set its prices slightly lower than those of its key competitors such as Topshop and Zara. This will enable the brand to increase its market penetration and consequently its market share in the country. Customers The pricing strategy is immensely impacted by the change in both the social trends and demographics of the targeted customers. The two factors are central in influencing the manner in which UNIQLO`s pricing strategy is designed. Costs Should be informed by the prices of the main market competitors Competition There are several key competitors in the fashion market and hence the prices for UNIQLO are quite influenced by this. As such, the market or retail prices are set based on the level of competition for market share. Channel Member The dealers at the retail stores form a fundamental influence since they have a direct personal interaction with the customers. UNIQLO uses a marketing channel system which is one-level. That is, its products move directly from the manufacturers to the retail stores. The pricing strategy based on other major market competitors should be executed by setting slightly lower prices for UNIQLO as a brand. Although UNIQLO is one of the brands with a broad array of products that are of high quality and pocket-friendly, it needs to be diligent when making decisions about their prices. This is because lower prices can increase the overall sales of the brand but do not necessarily translate into actual profits (Ken, 2012). As such, the price setting strategy should be done based on a comprehensive consideration of the goals of the brand in the market and be flexible to changes in the highly competitive fashion industry. Distribution UNIQLO`s distribution channel is a direct marketing channel that involves a one-level channel system. The products of the brand move directly from the different manufacturers to retail stores globally. This implies that there are no middlemen involved in the distribution of the items. This gives the brand an upper hand regarding the challenge of dealing with conspiracies and disadvantages associated with middlemen. Consequently, it is able to closely monitor the movement of its products as well as the prices at which the products are being retailed at in the various retail stores (Kahn, 2015). This distribution channel involves a network of other manufacturing partners located in Southeast Asia and China. This has enabled the brand to foster the manufacturing of creative, affordable and reliable products for its customers. auditing, this serves to strengthen the mutual ties between UNIQLO and its producers and consequently ensure that its stringent quality standards are always adhered to. As such, this type of distribution channel system will continually enable the brand to attract more customers and hence translate into increased sales and market share. This distribution channel is the most suitable for the brand since it aids it in ensuring that it continuously appeals to more customers and hence higher chances of successful new market penetration and expansions. Promotion The optimum budget of AUD $50,000 was expended on promoting UNIQLO as a brand to open up a store in Gold Coast and attain a $360 million revenue. Objectives Task IMC Tools Used Budget/Cost (AUD) Increase awareness of the new store by 90% among our loyal and prospective customers Designing TV Ads Procuring 5m by 3m billboards advertisement Advertising $15,450 (for billboards) $10,100(for TV Ads) Raise the awareness on the wide selection of fashion clothing available in the new store Giving gifts for each double purchase, for example, give out a free plain T-shirt Direct marketing $7.92000 plain T-shirts=15,800 Monitor the brand`s online positioning Establish a vibrant customer interaction via digital platforms Internet marketing (YouTube, UNIQLO App, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) A 10secs YouTube video+ Facebook post+ Instagram post= a range of UNIQLO`s items[(320 different items$25)]=$8,000 Total= $49,350 Promotion is meant to consolidate the loyal customer base alongside attracting prospective customers and hence increase the market share. The above table shows that a huge part of the budget will go to billboards and TV Ads. A majority of Australians commute daily using the roads and watch TV as well. As such, this will heighten the exposure of the new outlet. References David, F., Toshiro, M. (2012). UNIQLO Marketing Plan. Media.dropr.com. Douglas, W., John, F., Essam, I. (2015). Strategic marketing: creating competitive advantage. Oxford University Press. Helen, M., Richard, M. (2012). CIM Coursebook 03/04 strategic marketing management. Routledge. Hubbard, R., Anne, G., Philip, L., Antony, O. (2014). Macroeconomics. Pearson Australia. Junghyun, J., Eunju, K., Eunha, C., Euntaik, L. (2012). A study of a social content model for sustainable development in the fast fashion industry. Journal of global fashion marketing, 61-70. Kahn. (2015). Product planning essentials. M.E Sharpe. Ken, K. (2012). Advertising and sales promotion. Cengage Learning. Ramesh, M. (2015). Trends, challenges, and innovations in management. Zenon Academic Publishing. Susaina, C., Julie, I., Joseph, R. (2015). Happily Ever After: The Effect of identity consistency on product satiation. Journal of consumer Research, 564-577. Tim, S. (2011). Pricing strategy: setting price levels, managing price discounts and establishing price structures. Cengage Learning. Tsan, C. (2014). Fashion Branding and Consumer Behaviour. Springer Science and Business Media. Verchi, A. (2016). Handbook of research on global fashion management and merchandising. IGI Global.