Friday, January 31, 2020
The Impact of Sunk Opportunity and Accounting Costs Assignment
The Impact of Sunk Opportunity and Accounting Costs - Assignment Example This means that for there to be an opportunity cost, there ought to be more than one form of option of financial based decision that needs to be made. Again, for there to be opportunity cost, there ought to be the weighing of the number of options available before selecting the best fitting or most profitable of the choices (Adams, 1997). Based on the outline given about opportunity cost above, there is a scenario that was experienced within my department that can be given to fit the meaning and implication of opportunity cost. There was a time that the company acquired new equipment and machinery to be used for heavy duty logistics purposes. The machinery was considered advanced and exotic to what had already been used within the company over the years. It was therefore important that the human resource department in which I belonged to at the time take steps towards getting people to operate and run the new machinery. At the time, there were known experts in a neighboring country who had adequate knowledge and experience in the use of the machinery. The first option for the company was therefore to import these skilled workers and employ them to be regular staff of the company. Among other things, the cost for doing this was to include the travel expense on these people, an international salary quotation that was to be given to them, expatriate benefits, and residential allowances. The other alternative was to train some of the existing employees to take up this role. The training was to last for 6 month s. The cost involved here however included time spent on not using the machinery immediately while these people were receiving training, the fee for the training program, and extra allowance for increased responsibility. Because there were costs involved in each of these cases, it was classified as an opportunity cost. Upon careful consideration, the company settled to go for option one, which was to
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Suppression and Silence in The Reeveââ¬â¢s Tale :: Reeves Tale Essays
Suppression and Silence in The Reeveââ¬â¢s Taleà à Such comments as, ââ¬Å"I pray to God his nekke mote to-brekeâ⬠quickly reveal that the ver-bal game of ââ¬Å"quiteâ⬠involves much more than a free meal to the Reeve in ââ¬Å"The Canterbury Talesâ⬠(I 3918). This overreaction, which grabs the attention of the audience and gives it pause, is characteristic of the Reeveââ¬â¢s ostensibly odd behavior, being given to morose speeches followed by violent outbursts, all the while harboring spiteful desires. Anger typifies the Reeveââ¬â¢s dialogue and his tale, which begs the question why. It appears to be a reaction to the Millerââ¬â¢s insults, but they are not extreme enough to provoke such resentment. He seem-ingly has no hesitation in articulating his bitterness, yet he and his story are as much marked by suppression as expression. Silence resounds as loudly as any noise in the Reeveââ¬â¢s Prologue and Tale. The reader is as puzzled by his utterances as the lack of them: his sudden sermon on death is matche d by the quietness of two couples copulating in a small room of five, none of which are able to hear what the others are doing. The reality is that the behavior of the Reeve and the characters in his tale are not random or unaccountable. The Reeve is continually si-lenced by other pilgrims and himself, which is paralleled in his tale, and in turn suppresses his emotions, which leads to even more explosive conduct.à I. Characterization à à à à à à à à à In order to appreciate the melancholic and serious temperament of the Reeve, it is nec-essary to view him in comparison to other characters, as Chaucer intended. The identities of the pilgrims are relative. They are characterized by their description in the General Prologue, but not fully developed until they are seen in contrast to the pilgrim they are ââ¬Å"quiting.â⬠As the Millerââ¬â¢s personality is developed by his dissimilarity to the Knight, so is the Reeve by the Miller. Therefore Robinââ¬â¢s enjoyment of life shows just how little Oswald receives from the same. For instance, the Millerââ¬â¢s large frame and excessive drinking show his delight in small pleasures. The Reeve, however, is ââ¬Å"a sclendre colerik manâ⬠who controls his beard and hair (in opposition to the unruly strands that grow on a wart on the millerââ¬â¢s nose) as manipula-tively as the accounts of the farm on which he works (I 587). The Miller ma stered the bag-pipes for entertainment in his spare time while the Reeve trained with more practical tools: ââ¬Å"In youthe he had lerned a good myster: He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenterâ⬠(I 614).
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Linguistics and Language Essay
What will be covered in this class? â⬠¢ How do we produce and recognize speech? â⬠¢ How do we perceive words, letters, and sentences? â⬠¢ How do we learn and recall information from texts? â⬠¢ How can we improve texts to make them easier to understand? â⬠¢ How does the brain function to process language? â⬠¢ What are the causes and effects of reading disabilities? â⬠¢ Is there language in other species? Central themes in psycholinguistics 1) What knowledge of language is needed for us to use language? Tacit (implicit) knowledge vs. Explicit knowledgeà â⬠¢ tacit: knowledge of how to perform something, but not aware of full rules â⬠¢ explicit: knowledge of the processes of mechanisms in performing that thing 2) What cognitive processes are involved in the ordinary use of language? How do we understand a lecture, read a book, hold a conversation? Cognitive processes: perception, memory, thinking, learning Some definitions of basic components of language: Semantics: The meaning of words and sentences Syntax: The grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence or phrase Phonology: The sound pattern of language Pragmatics: How language is used in a social contextà Examples from psycholinguistics Parsing garden path sentences The novice accepted the deal before he had a chance to check his finances, which put him in a state of conflict when he realized he had a straight flush. 1) The defendant examined by the lawyer turned out to be unreliable 2). The evidence examined by the lawyer turned out to be unreliable The process of parsing is the process of making decisions The effect of prior knowledge on comprehension The procedure is actually quite simple. First you arrange things into different groups. Of course, one pile may be sufficient depending on how much there is to do. If you have to go somewhere else due to lack of facilities, that is the next step; otherwise you are pretty well set. It is important not to overdo things. That is, it is better to do too few things at once than too many. In the short run this may not seem important, but complications can easily arise. A mistake can be expensive as well. At first the whole procedure will seem complicated. Soon, however, it will become just another facet of life. It is difficult to foresee any end to the necessity for this task in the immediate future, but then one never can tell. After the procedure is completed, one arranges the materials into different groups again. Then they can be put into their appropriate places. Eventually they will be used once more, and the whole cycle will then have to be repeated. However, that is part of life. Bransford & Johnson, 1973 Recall: No context: 2. 8 idea units out of a maximum of 18 Context afterwards: 2. 7 idea units Context before: 5. 8 idea units Child language development How many words do you know? Hint: Dictionary has about: 450,000 entries Test high school graduates: How many words do they know? About 45,000 english words About 60,000 including names and foreign words. The average six year old knows about 13,000 words. Learning about 10 words per day since age 1. (One every 90 minutes) How much do we have to teach children to learn language? Do you have to teach a child to walk? Is it the same way of learning a language? My teacher holded the baby rabbits and we patted them I eated my dinner A brief history of psycholinguistics Wilhem Wundt (early 1900s) Interest in mental processes of language production â⬠¢ Sentence as the primary unit of language â⬠¢ Speech production is the transformation of complete thought processes into sequentially organized speech segments. Behaviorism (1920s-1950s) â⬠¢ Rejected the focus on mental processes â⬠¢ Measurement based on objective behavior (primarily in lab animals) â⬠¢ How does experience (reward and punishment) shape behavior? B. F. Skinner: Children learn language through shaping (correction of speech errors) Associative chain theory: A sentence consists of a chain of associations between individual words in the sentence Whatââ¬â¢s wrong with the behaviorist approach? Noam Chomsky (1950s ââ¬â present) 1) Colorless green ideas sleep furiously 2) Furiously sleep ideas green colorless. 3) George picked up the baby. 4) George picked the baby up. Almost every sentence uttered is a new combination of words The Poverty of stimulus argument: There is not enough information in the language samples given to children to account for the richnes and complexity of childrenââ¬â¢s language The pattern of development is not based on parental speech but on innate language knowledge Linguistic Diversity vs. Linguistic Universals Linguistic diversity There appears to be a lot of diversity among languages Even within languages there is diversity When are two languages different? We speak the same language if we can understand each otherà Exceptions: Norwegian and Swedish Cantonese and Mandarin Dialects within languages: The myth of pure language How/why do languages change? Why does there seem to be a ââ¬Å"correctâ⬠English? Members of the dominant (most powerful) sub-culture tend to speak one dialect and may punish those who do not Linguistic Chauvinism Belief that oneââ¬â¢s own language/dialect is the best of all possible languages Black English Vernacular (BEV) Study by William Labov Interviewed African-American street youth You know, like some people say if youââ¬â¢re good anââ¬â¢ sh*t, your spirit goinââ¬â¢ tââ¬â¢heaven . . . ââ¬Ën if you bad, your spirit goinââ¬â¢ to hell. Well, bullsh*t! Your spirit goinââ¬â¢ to hell anyway, good or bad. [Why? ] Why? Iââ¬â¢ll tell you why. ââ¬ËCause, you see, doesnââ¬â¢ nobody really know that itââ¬â¢s a God, yââ¬â¢know, ââ¬Ëcause I mean I have seen black gods, white gods, all color gods, and donââ¬â¢t nobody know itââ¬â¢s really a God. Anââ¬â¢ when they be sayinââ¬â¢ if you good, you goinââ¬â¢ tââ¬â¢heaven, thaââ¬â¢s bullsh*t, ââ¬Ëcause you ainââ¬â¢t goinââ¬â¢ to no heaven, ââ¬Ëcause it ainââ¬â¢t no heaven for you to go to. â⬠¢ Place holders: ââ¬Å"Thereâ⬠vs. ââ¬Å"Itâ⬠in the copula â⬠¢ Copula: ââ¬Å"Isâ⬠, ââ¬Å"Wasâ⬠optional â⬠¢ Negatives: ââ¬Å"You ainââ¬â¢t goinââ¬â¢ to no heavenâ⬠. BEV just as linguistically complex as Standard American English We donââ¬â¢t see/understand the complexity in other languages Moral: All languages seem to permit as wide range of expressions as others Linguistic Universals What is in common with all languages? Sentences are built from words based on the same physiological processes â⬠¢ All languages have words â⬠¢ All humans have ways of making sounds. â⬠¢ Languages tend to use a small set of phonemic sounds â⬠¢ Phoneme: The minimal unit of sound that contributes to meaning How many phonemes in a language? â⬠¢ English: 40 phonemes â⬠¢ Range: Polynesian 11 to Khoisan 141. Discreteness Messages in human language (e. g. speech sounds) are made up of units of which there is a discrete (limited) number Arbitrariness The relationship between meaningful elements in language and their denotation is independent of any physical resemblance between the two. Words do not have to look or sound like what they describe Openness â⬠¢ New linguistic messages are created freely and easily â⬠¢ Languages are not constrained in a way so that there are a limited number of messages that can be created. â⬠¢ Linguistic Productivity: The ability to understand and create an unlimited number of sentences. The question studied by psycholinguists is ââ¬Å"how to characterize and account for the creativity to construct and create an infinite number of sentences given the limited capabilities of the human brainâ⬠Duality of Patterning Language involves relating two different kinds of patterns or forms of representation â⬠¢ A phonological system â⬠¢ A semantic system These two systems use very different types of codes, although there is a phonological representation for each item in the semantic system Phrase structure Information on how a sentence is grouped into phrases. The quiet boy ate the red apple A set of Phrase Structure rules: PS 1 S (sentence) ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> NP + VP PS 2 NP (noun phrase)ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> det + (adj) + N PS 3 VP (verb phrase) ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> V +NP PS 4 N (noun) ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> boy, dog, man, book PS 5 V (verb) ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> ate, broke, kissed PS 6 adj (adjective ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> quiet, red, happy, wormy PS 7 det (determiner) ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-> a, the We use ââ¬Å"lexical-insertion rulesâ⬠to put words into the structure. Phrase-structure rules provide a good account of phrase-structure ambiguity. They are broiling hens Morphology Morphology is the component of grammar that builds words out of units of meaning (morphemes) A morpheme is the smallest meaningful unit of language How many morphemes? bird firetruck undereducated unmicrowaveability Insights from American Sign Language (ASL) Unlike speech, signs are expressed in visual or spatial form Do a lot of the same grammatical concepts hold? Arbitrariness ASL possesses iconicity signs can represent objects or actions to which they refer. However, the degree of iconicity has declined over the years Duality of Patterning signs are composed of smaller elements that are meaningless Example: 3 parameters â⬠¢ 19 values of hand configuration. â⬠¢ 12 values of place of articulation â⬠¢ 24 values of movements Meaningless patterns can be combined in various ways to from ASL signs. What about ââ¬Å"opennessâ⬠and ââ¬Å"discretenessâ⬠within ASL? Transformational Grammar (Chomsky 1950s) Language: an infinite set of well-formed sentences Grammar: A finite set of rules that generates sentences in the language How do we know that a grammar is a good theory of language? Three criteria: Observational Adequacy: A grammar is observationally adequate if it generates all acceptable sequences and no unacceptable sequences. Descriptive adequacy: A grammar must also explain how a sentence relates to other sentences that are similar & opposite in meaning. The ball was caught by John John caught the ball The ball was not caught by John Explanatory adequacy It is possible for multiple grammars to attain observational and descriptive adequacy. Which is the correct/best one? Children learning language are presented with many samples of language and must determine the grammar from these samples. There must be some innate language constraints that help children determine the correct grammar. There exist Linguistic Universals that are common to all languages. The fact that there are similarities in languages is based on the fact that languages are determined by the nature of the mental structures and processes which characterize human beings A Grammar must explain the role of linguistic universals in language acquisition Deep and Surface structure Deep structure: The structure of the sentence that conveys the meaning of the sentence. Surface Structure: The superficial arrangement of constituents Deep structure ambiguity: A single surface structure that is based on two different deep structures Flying planes can be dangerous. Phrase structure rules would not be able to account for the differences in meaning Sentences can have similar phrase structure, although their underlying structure is different: John is easy to please John is eager to please Sentences can different surface structure, but similar deep structure Arlene played the tuba The tuba was played by Arlene Transformational Grammar A two part process to derive a sentence 1) Use Phrase-structure rules to generate the underlying tree structure (deep structure) 2) Apply a sequence of transformational rules to the deepà structure to generate the surface structure of the sentence Transformations occur by adding, deleting or moving constituents John phoned up the woman John phoned the woman up Phrase structure approach: Two different rules VP ââ¬â> V + (particle) + NP VP ââ¬â> V + NP + (particle) Each sentence is derived separately, using different phrase structure rules. Transformational grammar approach: One rule V + particle + NP ââ¬â> V + NP + particle John phoned up the interesting woman John phoned the interesting woman up John phoned up the woman with the curly hair John phoned the woman with the curly hair up. Restrictions on transformations The particle-movement transformation can not be applied to pronouns John called them up *John called up them Example 2: Passive transformation NP1 + V + NP2 ââ¬â> NP2 + be + V + en + by + NP1 Arlene played the tuba The tuba was played by Arlene Psychological Reality of Transformational Grammar If using language is a process of converting the deep structure to the surface structure, then the number of transformation rules applied should affect how long it takes to process a sentence. However, experiments do not consistently show that this holds true Current theories of grammar Lexical-Function Grammarà Made up of three components: a constituent structure, a functional structure, and lexical entries Constituent Structure: Similar to phrase structure Functional Structure: All the information needed for semantic interpretation John told Mary to leave Bill Predicate tell (subj, obj, V-comp) Tense Past Subj John Obj Mary V-comp predicate leave subj Mary obj Bill Lexical Entries Lexical entries contain information about: â⬠¢ the forms of the word â⬠¢ the kinds of sentences into which they fit, â⬠¢ arguments and semantic roles Mary kissed John John was kissed by Mary Entry for ââ¬Å"kissâ⬠includes underlying semantic structureà kiss: (agent, patient). Forms of the word kiss: agent = subject: patient = object (be) kiss: agent=object: patient = subject Major significance of LFG Most of the explanation of how we process language is based on the lexicon (where we store information about words) . Government-Binding Theory or Universal Grammar Chomskyââ¬â¢s view of innate grammatical mechanisms. In GB theory, grammar is modular. Grammar due to interaction of several independent subsystems, or modules. Each module is fairly simple and performs part of the task But all modules interact in order to constrain the rules made by the other modules in the grammar. Implications We all inherit a universal grammar that can be set to different parameter values. These parameter values correspond to different languages. As we get experience with a language, we acquire these parameter values, and thus the language upon which it is based. Research methods in Psycholinguistics How do we observe, collect information on phenomena related to psycholinguistics? Naturalistic Observation Observing information in a non-experimental setting Slips of the tongue Phonological switching: Crushing blow ââ¬â> Blushing crow semantic replacements: blond eyes for blond hair. Language Acquisition The use of language over time Data from naturalistic observation Rich, but hard to analyze Controlled experiments Goal: test an empirical hypothesis Hypothesis: A chapter will be easier to understand if each section starts with a summary of what will be said. Independent Variable: Variable that is manipulated to test the hypothesis. Dependent Variable: Variable representing the behavior we want to measure Control Variables: Other variables we need to control in order to see the effect of the independent variable Subjects: Who is going to participate in the experiment? Analysis: How do we know if there are differences bewteen the two chapters? The Human Information Processing System What psychological mechanisms are involved in using language? The Sensory store Processes incoming information from the environment â⬠¢ Individual sensory stores for each sense â⬠¢ Information retained for a short duration The visual sensory store Experiments by Sperling (1960) X M R K C N J P V F L B The partial report technique Auditory sensory store Experiment by Darwin, Turvey & Crowder (1972) 3 digits or letters auditorally presented to each ear and center at the same time. What is the use of the sensory store? It maintains information long enough so that we can do additional processing to it. Working memory or short term memory (STM) STM used to describe the fact that it holds information for a short time, while working memory refers to the processing capacity. STM works as a temporary holding place for intermediate decisions. Limited in size. Chunking Working memory: there is a limited amount of processing capacity that you can use as you perform a problem Long term memory Knowledge of how to do things, things we have learned, grammar rules, personal memories. All knowledge that is not active. Information that becomes active is retrieved from LTM and put in STM. Anything we learn is first processed in STM and some of it is put into LTM Episodic vs. Semantic Memory distinction Semantic memory â⬠¢ Organized knowledge of words, concepts, symbols and objects. motor skills, general knowledge, spatial knowledge , social skills. â⬠¢ All information is organized semantically, but not tagged based on when it was learned. Episodic memory â⬠¢ Holds traces of events specific time and place. â⬠¢ Memory of personal experiences. Interaction between semantic and episodic memory. What does the organization of the information processing system have to do with language processing? Pattern Recognition Parsing/understanding sentences in working memory This is a long sentence and yet somehow you can keep it all in working memory The organization of Long Term Memory That cat plays really cool jazz Serial vs. Parallel Processing Serial processing: One process working at a time Parallel Processing: Multiple processes working at a time In a serial model of language processing, individual modules would work one at a time to process the information. A parallel model would say that the processes happen at the same time. Parallel models as neurally inspired models of cognitive processes Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up processing Cognitive processing occurs at levels Bottom-up processing is done in such a way that all processing occurs starting from the lowest level processes and proceeds onto the higher level processes Higher level processes do not influence any of the processing done at the lower levels Top down processing: Information at the higher levels influences processing at the lower levels. Advantages and disadvantages of Top-Down processing Automatic vs. Controlled processes We have a limited amount of processes that we can do at a time. Controlled processing: Processes that require a substantial amount of cognitive processing. Automatic processing: Processes that do not require a substantial amount of cognitive processing. The role of practice in automatic processing The Stroop effect Putting it all together: Cognitive processes in action The novice accepted the deal before he had a chance to check his finances, which put him in a state of conflict when he realized he had a straight flush. The Internal Lexicon How are words stored? What are they made up of? How are word related to each other? How do we use them? Internal lexicon The representation of words in long term memory Lexical Access: How do we activate the meanings of words? Aspects of Meaning Reference: The relationship between words and things in the world Things in the world are referents of a word My dog has fleas My dog is from Mars But not all reference can be mapped to concrete things Abstract words: Love, Justice, Equality Non existent objects: Unicorn, Martians Meaning is not restricted to the real world, but also imaginary worlds Sense: The relationship of a word with other words in the language Student at NMSU vs. Undergraduate at NMSU Synonymy (same meaning) Car Automobile Antonymy (opposite meaning) Happy Sad Incompatibility (do the words contradict each other? ) John is happy vs. John is sad Hyponymy (are they part of the same class? ) A dog is an animal, Bowser is a dog, Denotation vs. Connotation Denotation: The objective meaning of the word Connotation: The aspect of the meaning beyond its explicit meaning Bachelor Spinster Hungry Starving The Mental Representation of Meaning The representation of the meaning of a word is based on the semantic features of that word. We acquire the meaning of a word by learning its semantic features Children make semantic mistakes Verbs of possession. We understand more than the meaning, we have knowledge of the relations between these words sold vs. paid give vs. receive lose vs. find Prototypes: Some members of a category are better instances of the category than others Apple vs. pomegranate What makes a prototype? More central semantic features What type of dog is a prototypical dog What are the features of it? We are faster at retrieving prototypes of a category than other members of the category Semantic Networks. Words can be represented as an interconnected network of sense relations â⬠¢ Each word is a particular node â⬠¢ Connections among nodes represent semantic relationships Mental models: A model/understanding of how the world works and how pieces of textual information fits in with it. John is sitting in a chair. That chair is on a table. The table is blue and round. John has red hair. The structure of the Internal Lexicon How do these pieces of semantic information relate to each other? Semantic verification task An A is a B An apple is a fruit A robin is a bird A robin is an animal A dog has teethà A fish has gills A fish has feathers An apple has teeth NMSU is in New Mexico Harvard is in California Use time on verification tasks to map out the structure of the lexicon. Models of the Lexicon Collins and Quillian Hierarchical Network model Lexical entries stored in a hierarchy, with features attached to the lexical entries Representation permits cognitive economy Testing the model Sentence Verification time Robins eat worms 1310 msecs Robins have feathers 1380 msecs Robins have skin 1470 msecs A category size effect: Subjects do an intersection search Problems with Collins and Quillian model . 1) Effect may be due to frequency of association 2) Assumption that all lexical entries at the same level are equal The Typicality Effect Which is a more typical bird? Ostrich or Robin. A whale is a fish vs. A horse is a fish Major conclusions of the model: 1) If a fact about a concept is frequently encountered, it will be stored with that concept even if it could be inferred from a more distant concept. 2) The more frequently encountered a fact about a concept is, the more strongly that fact will be associated with the concept. And the more strongly associated with a concept facts are, the more rapidly they are verified. 3) Verifying facts that are not directly stored with a concept but that must be inferred takes a relatively long time. Spreading Activation Models (Collins & Loftus) â⬠¢ Words represented in lexicon as a network of relationships â⬠¢ Organization is a web of interconnected nodes in which connections can represent: categorical relations degree of association typicality Retrieval of information â⬠¢ Spreading activation â⬠¢ Limited amount of activation to spread â⬠¢ Verification times depend on closeness of two concepts in a network Context effect in spreading activation models Present either: Murder is a crime or Libel is a crime Then get verification time for Robbery is a crime Subjects faster when they see Murder than Libel. Why? Advantages of Collins and Loftus model â⬠¢ Recognizes diversity of information in a semantic network â⬠¢ Captures complexity of our semantic representation â⬠¢ Consistent with results from priming studies Lexical Access What factors are involved in retrieving information from the lexicon? Semantic Priming Meyer & Schvaneveldt (1971) Lexical Decision Task Prime Target Time Nurse Butter 940 msecs Bread Butter 855 msecs Evidence for associative spreading activation. Ratcliff and McKoon (1981) Subjects study and memorize The doctor hated the book Task: ââ¬Å"Was this word from the sentence you memorized? â⬠Prime Target Time None Book 667 msecs Doctor Book 624 msecs Word Frequency Does word frequency play a role in lexical access? Lexical Decision Task: gambastya, revery, voitle, chard, wefe, cratily, decoy, puldow, raflot, oriole, vuluble, booble, chalt, awry, signet, trave, crock, cryptic, ewe, himpola mulvow, governor, bless, tuglety, gare, relief, ruftily, history, pindle, develop, gardot, norve, busy, effort, garvola, match,sard, pleasant, coin, maisle. Lexical Decision is dependent on word frequency Eyemovement studies: Subjects spend about 80 msecs longer fixating on low-frequency words than high-frequency words Morphological Structure So we strip off the prefixes and suffixes of a word for lexical access? Decision = Decide + ion Lexical Decision Tasks: Prime Target Time Nurse Butter 940 msecs Bread Butter 855 msecs Evidence for associative spreading activation Ratcliff and McKoon (1981) Subjects study and memorize The doctor hated the book Task: ââ¬Å"Was this word from the sentence you memorized? â⬠Prime Target Time None Book 667 msecs Doctor Book 624 msecs Word Frequency Does word frequency play a role in lexical access? Lexical Decision Task: gambastya, revery, voitle, chard, wefe, cratily, decoy, puldow, raflot, oriole, vuluble, booble, chalt, awry, signet, trave, crock, cryptic, ewe, himpola mulvow, governor, bless, tuglety, gare, relief, ruftily, history, pindle, develop, gardot, norve, busy, effort, garvola, match,sard, pleasant, coin, maisle. Lexical Decision is dependent on word frequency Eyemovement studies: Subjects spend about 80 msecs longer fixating on low-frequency words than high-frequency words Morphological Structure So we strip off the prefixes and suffixes of a word for lexical access? Decision = Decide + ion Lexical Decision Tasks: Presented subjects with a sequence of words to study Examined the probability of recognizing words over 14 days Performance systematically decays over time Negatively accelerated decay. Bahrick (1984) Studentââ¬â¢s retention of spanish-english vocabulary items from 0 to 50 years Power law of decay Review on the internal lexicon Aspects of meaning: Reference and Sense Denotation and Connotation What is the mental representation of meaning? Models of the Lexicon Hierarchical Network Model Spreading Activation Model What factors are involved in retrieving information from the lexicon? Semantic Priming Word Frequency Morphological Structure Lexical Ambiguity Retention of lexical items.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Utopia Vs Dystopian Society - 1473 Words
As time goes on, attempts at a utopian society have failed and that means that not only have utopias been created but that dystopias have arrised. Each one is set and planned to be a utopia that only ends up taking another course and turning into a dystopian society. Utopia simply means ââ¬Å"an ideal place or stateâ⬠, where as a dystopia is the opposite (ââ¬Å"utopiaâ⬠). Dystopias is ââ¬Å"a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowdingâ⬠(ââ¬Å"dystopiaâ⬠). Utopias usually end up becoming dystopias because everyone has their own vision of what they want their ââ¬Å"perfectâ⬠place to be. Somebodyââ¬â¢s perfect form of life is different than another personââ¬â¢s form or vision. A utopia is supposed to accommodate to everyone in theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦They believe that their life is fine and there is nothing that they should worry about in Oceania. A little farther into the book Orwell mentions , ââ¬Å"If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourselfâ⬠(Orwell). This tells us that even if the citizens of Oceania even tried to think of a way to rebel against Big Brother it would not work. By the time they finished their plan they would execute in order to take back control of their society the Thought Police would have already caught them and they would be in prison or a camp for thought crime. The people are under so much control that they think it would be better off if they donââ¬â¢t rebel. They care content and perfectly fine with the way they live because they know if they do rebel then it wonââ¬â¢t turn out very well. We see that the government controls them with slogans and doublespeak. The proles are content with life and thatââ¬â¢s how Big Brother wants it to be. If they stay content and ignorant then the government already has full control over them and they are certain that everything is amazing. Oceania depicts traits of a dystopia by keeping constant surveillance on their citizens and destroying free thought. Winston informs us, ââ¬Å"It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look ofShow MoreRelatedFahrenheit 451 Vs. 1984970 Words à |à 4 PagesFahrenheit 451 vs. 1984 Ray Bradbury and George Orwell share a very similar theme in their two novels, Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. Winston Smith and Guy Montag work within an authoritarian organization, in which, they have opposing views of the authority. The novels are placed in a dystopian setting that the authority believes is a utopia. The dystopian fictions both have very similar predictions of the future. The predictions from these novels have not happened. However, it could be a short matterRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem Darkness At Noon 1429 Words à |à 6 PagesSince the beginning of human history, many humans have aspired to create the perfect society, a utopian society. Sir Thomas More coined the word utopia while he was describing the theoretical characteristics of Atlantis. However, many dystopias have emerged from utopias. Oppression is another predicament which exists in the world. Humans have oppressed each other for centuries and it continues to happen to this day. Xenophobia is another problem which exists in the world. Xenophobia is the hate towardsRead MoreA Comparison of Utopian Societies885 Words à |à 4 PagesEver since the worlds first nation state was created, the number one goal of its citizens has been to create the ââ¬Å"perfectâ⬠society. To a majority of people in the novels Brave New World (c.1932) by Aldous Huxley and The Giver (c.1993) by Lois Lowry, a utopia and ââ¬Å"perfectâ⬠society has been accomplished. But at a second glance, the world that Huxley creates and Lowryââ¬â¢s community are actually totalitarian dystopias with many secrets. The similarities of both novels are evident and some readers may makeRead MoreEssay On George Orwells 19841385 Words à |à 6 Pages2017 Orwellââ¬â¢s 1984 In the midst of a world completely blind to the truth, there was a man whoââ¬â¢s seditious thoughts opened our eyes to a destructive future. Eric Blair, most commonly known as George Orwell, was born in Bengal and brought up in a society divided by social classes. Orwell graduated from Eton and decided to drop out of college to join the Indian Imperial police in Burma, where he experienced the cruelty of the world. He had an epiphany after returning back to England and was suddenlyRead MoreThe Ones Who Walk Away From 1861-1865930 Words à |à 4 Pagesfi story titled ââ¬Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelasâ⬠. Her outlook on science fiction describes a story in which society resides in a dystopian utopia. The story takes place in a perfect world where joy is amongst most of its people. One person, well child, is treated poorly in order to maintain their idea of a perfect place. ââ¬Å"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelasâ⬠, according to to our society may not serve as the best example of a science fiction literary work. Leguin writes a story about socialism, butRead MoreHarrison Bergeron Literary Analysis1309 Words à |à 6 PagesPicture a society, far in the future, where everyone, by government control, must be on the same level. Would this be Hell or a utopia? This is the subject of Kurt Vonnegutââ¬â¢s short story, ââ¬Å"Harrison Bergeronâ⬠. In this society, the gifted, strong, and beautiful are required to wear multiple handicaps of earphones, heavy weights, and hideous masks. In turn, these constraints leave the world equal, or arguably devoid of, from brains to brawn to beauty. With the constant push for equality among all peopleRead MoreIndividuality Vs Society1706 Words à |à 7 PagesAldous Huxley s novel, Brave New World, tells the story of a dystopian world that contends with some of our modern world s most debated topics; individuality vs. society and the price one is willing to pay for security. Far from a idyllic utopia, Hu xley portrays an advanced, highly ordered, and technology-driven society in which security and stability are purchased at the price of individuality. While the citizens of World State seem to be content with a world in which all individuality must beRead MoreEthical And Logical Stand Point On Future Humanity1528 Words à |à 7 Pagesgrowing ââ¬Å"perfectâ⬠humans that are genetically modified to serve society in a certain way, in a certain class system. Once children are born they go through a conditioning process that gives them psychological ideas in what to do and what not to do within their society. They are shocked and listen to recordings in their sub-conscious state of mind. Once they grow up they know why they were born and what they are set out to do in the society. In The Island of Dr. Moreau, Wells also expands on the ideasRead MoreLe Corbusier ( The Contemporary City / Radiant City2294 Words à |à 10 Pagesvertical cities that were dependent on public infrastruc ture (subways under large roads); and buildings that utilized function over design, and placed extremely close together would create the modern urban utopia. The Radiant City is Le Corbusierââ¬â¢s second attempt at creating an urban utopia, but rather than emphasizing only the built environment, he tries to inject what he believed to be the five elements of the urban space; the sun, sky, trees, steel, and cement (Wesley, 1982, p 104). His idealRead MoreThe Literary Devices Used By Aldous Huxley1534 Words à |à 7 Pagescontraceptive precautions prescribed by the regulations.â⬠(Huxley 77) Huxely is comparing Leninaââ¬â¢s and Henryââ¬â¢s date to bottles, as they were created in them and how they still are continually living in one. The comparison of the pair indicate how society encloses and controls them. This next quotation is based on symbolism and how a tablet is the governments ultimate tool to disguise the real reality. ââ¬Å"And if ever, by some unlucky chance, anything unpleasant should somehow happen,
Monday, December 30, 2019
Causes And Effects Of Alcoholism - 1194 Words
Cause and effects of Alcoholism Alcoholism has become prevalent throughout time in History. This affliction has brought about several negative effects to the users as well as Americaââ¬â¢s society in general. Such effects include brain damage or organ failure, separation from family and eventually death. It is not easy to tell if a person abuses alcohol until much later. Alcohol abuse calls for total attention because of the violence-related risks it symbolizes in society. Despite alcoholââ¬â¢s acute harmful consequences, people have continued to abuse alcohol and become addicts. Alcohol-related problems are associated with several factors in establishing the effect that alcoholism has on individuals, family relations, and the public. Alcohol abuse imposes profound suffering to individuals and family members, which may contribute to conflicts, domestic violence, child neglect, irresponsibility, and immaturity, as well as many other overall health problems. Many people venture towards alcohol which in turn leads up to alcoholism. This occurs due to their influence from others, whether it be from, their peers, friends, or family members. According to Tom Price recognizes in his article, Alcohol Abuse., children who live in a family with people who abuse alcohol have a natural inclination to abuse alcohol themselves, and begin drinking thus predisposing them to abuse alcohol. Alcohol abuse is thought to be useful in relieving stress. When people are mentally depressed, they tryShow MoreRelatedAlcoholism: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects Essay981 Words à |à 4 PagesAlcoholism: Symptoms, Causes, and Effects Composition I April 1, 1997 Alcoholism is a disease that affects many people in the United States today. It not only affects the alcoholic, but also their family, friends, co- workers, and eventually total strangers. The symptoms are many, as are the causes and the effects. Alcoholism is defined as a pattern of drinking in which harmful consequences result for the drinker, yet, they continue to drink. There are two types of drinkers. The first typeRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcoholism On Family, Children, And The Individuals Suffering From Alcoholism988 Words à |à 4 Pagestoday, alcoholism. I am sure that even if your life is not directly affected by the disease, you are at least a little familiar with the basics. In this paper I plan to give you a brief understanding of the three basic issues you should be informed upon so you can make better decisions involving alcohol in the future. First, I will discuss who is at the most risk of falling victim to alcoholism, second, I will discuss the symptoms of alcoholism, and finally I will discuss the impact alcoholism has onRead MoreAlcoholism : A Growing Problem1468 Words à |à 6 PagesAlcoholism Alcoholism is a growing problem in today s society. What is alcoholism? Is it a disease? What are the causes of it? What toll does alcohol abuse have on individuals? American society? American economy? What kind of treatments are available to reduce/cure alcoholism? What is alcoholism? Alcoholism is a physical or psychological need for an alcoholic beverage, which is taken for non-medical reasons and produces a noticeable effect on the body (Sheen 93). People develop the need for alcoholRead MoreWhat are the Causes of Alcholism and How Can We Prevent It? Essay1083 Words à |à 5 Pagesfrom a disease known as alcoholism, it is not only the addiction to, but the inability to function without alcohol. Just like many other substances, in excess alcohol can create many issues within the body both mentally and physically, this is the issue behind alcoholism. Alcoholism, The Cause and Effects Alcohol has been around since ancient times, the original purpose was to treat water for bacteria. However as time went on people began to find other uses and side effects of alcohol. Human natureRead MoreAlcoholism Essay910 Words à |à 4 PagesAlcholism There are several different ways to describe substance abuse. So many people think that substance abuse only pertains to alcoholism. There is several other substances that may cause someone to be diagnosed with substance abuse disorder. Some of those things include: marijuana, alcohol, stimulants(cocaine and amphetamines), Hallucinogens, Inhalants, sedatives, and even nicotine. Even though some people may not see some of these things as things that may become addicting they are. MoreRead MoreEffects of Alcoholism on the Human Health and Social Life837 Words à |à 3 PagesTitle Effects of alcoholism on the human health and social life General purpose/objective The speech is aimed at highlighting the negative effects that excessive intake of alcohol and habitual alcoholism can have on the social aspects of a person and the health repercussions of the aforementioned behavior. The content of the speech is largely informative and in very small part persuasive for people to reconsider their drinking habits. Specific purpose The specific objective of the speech isRead MoreAlcoholism : Alcoholism And Drug Dependence1054 Words à |à 5 PagesAlcoholism is a problem affecting millions of families around the world. Based on the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc., Alcoholism is considered a family disease due to the amount of stress that family members go through (NCADD, 2016). Alcoholism is an addiction that requires treatment and support from family members and friends. It is important, to understand the effects that alcoholism can bring to the alcoholic and to the family members. Some of these effects cause healthRead MoreCauses and Effects of Alcohol Abuse955 Words à |à 4 PagesApril 22, 2013 English 101 Alcoholism is the excessive and usually uncontrollable use of alcoholic drinks. There are many symptoms, complications, treatments and ways of prevention for alcoholism. Certain groups of people may be at a greater risk than others for several different reasons. There are numerous factors in why people may become addicted. Usually, a variety of factors contribute to the development of alcoholism. Social factors such as the influence of peers, familyRead More Alcohol Essay1434 Words à |à 6 PagesWhat is alcoholism? 2. How do people become alcoholics? 3. What are the effects of alcoholism, on both the alcoholic and their family? 4. How do you diagnose alcoholism? 5. Is there a cure for alcoholics? 6. What is the treatment? What is Alcoholism? Alcoholism can be defined as the dependency on alcohol; addiction to alcohol. It is a chronic disease, this disease called alcoholism is progressive and potentially fatal. ââ¬Å" In 1966 the American Medical Association (AMA) declared A lcoholism a diseaseRead MoreWhat Factors Contribute to Alcoholism?663 Words à |à 3 PagesA variety of alcoholism cases develop from factors that cause an individual to develop alcoholism. These two factors are genetic factors as well as environmental and risk factors. About 50 percent cases of alcoholism are related to genetic factors and the remaining 40 percent is related to risk and environmental factors. In the article Mary - Anne Enoch acknowledges that ââ¬Å"there are gene to gene as well as gene and environmental interactions underlying a disorder such as alcoholism.â⬠(Enoch, 2006)
Saturday, December 21, 2019
Sigmund Freud s Frankenstein - 1361 Words
Sigmund Freud layed out an understanding instances of the definition of the uncanny. It was based on his psychoanalytic work to treat behavioral disorders. He contended that the humanââ¬â¢s behavior is affected by their unconscious that was driven by desires, fears, needs and conflict that they are unware of. He explained the definition of the uncanny which ââ¬Å"the uncanny is that class of the frightening which lead back to what is known of old and long familiar.â⬠One can see the relation of the uncanny to May Shelleyââ¬â¢s Frankenstein, the monster that was created by the character named Victor Frankenstein who was greeted with fear by the people he meets. The monsterââ¬â¢s treatment of fear put him under the category of Sigmund Freudââ¬â¢s The Uncanny. We see a point of commonality where the relation of the Freudian theory and Mary Shellyââ¬â¢s Frankenstein is implying towards to each other. This implication reveals The Uncanny and Mary Shelleyââ¬â¢s Fran kenstein how fear itself show the theory of the uncanny and using the counterevidence from the text to reflect critically back to the theory itself. Freud explained the subject of the uncanny in terms of what is freighting and what caused frightening in the quote, ââ¬Å"the subject of the uncanny is a province of this kind. It is undoubtedly related to what is frightening- to what arouses dread and horror, equally certainly, too, the word is not used in a clearly definable sense, so that it tends to coincide with what excites fear in generalâ⬠(Freud,Show MoreRelatedSigmund Freud s Frankenstein 1299 Words à |à 6 PagesSigmund Freud lays out an understanding instances of the definition of the uncanny. It was based on his psychoanalytic work to treat behavioral disorders and he contend that the humanââ¬â¢s behavior is affected by their unconscious that was driven by desires, fears, needs and conflict that they are unware of; he explained the definition of the uncanny which is ââ¬Å"the uncanny is that class of the frightening which lead back to what is known of old and long familiar.â⬠One can see the relation of the uncannyRead MoreAnalysis Of Mary Shelley s Frankenstein1411 Words à |à 6 Pageswriting structures of the celebrated authors around her time period. She did this by empowering her main character, Victor Frankenstein, with the enlightenment values of individualism and self exploration; only in a very pessimistic and gloomy way. Through careful analysis of quotes from Mary Shelley s frankenstein from a psychoanalytic view we can reveal some of mary Shelley s true motives in how she designed her characters. Psychology is all about finding motives. Itââ¬â¢s all about finding out whyRead MoreThe Concept Of Self Identity1360 Words à |à 6 PagesThe concept of Self-Identity, and the theories that relate to it, are ever-present in Mary Shelleyââ¬â¢s Frankenstein. The concept of Self-Identity is a Psychological concept that many famous Psychologists have spent years studying. The main theories of self-identity that relate to the story of Frankenstein are those by Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The ideas of Sigmund Freudââ¬â¢s concept of Superego, Id, and Ego are represented by Victorââ¬â¢s father, the creation, and Victor withRead MoreVision And The Act Of Looking1527 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Ocular Spectatorship Vision and the act of looking is an important and recurring theme in many horror films. In early gothic literature, such as in Guy de Maupassant s Le Horla, the author presents vision as definitive and universal proof and stresses the importance of seeing as well as the act of showing gore. As a society, we are routinely told ââ¬Ëseeing is believing in the wake of any paranormal or supernatural phenomena, placing weight on the tangible. However, as science and technologyRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1822 Words à |à 8 Pagesnovella also strongly suggests that there more that just a moral divide between the two personas, there is an evolutionary divide as well. In the language that Stevenson uses to describe Hyde, shows how deeply he had been influenced by Charles Darwin s theory on the origins of species. Hyde is often described using such words as ââ¬Å"troglodyticâ⬠ââ¬Å"dwarfishâ⬠and ââ¬Å"hardly humanâ⬠. Enfieldââ¬â¢s when recoun ting his first strange encounter with Mr Hyde attempts describe him to Utterson: He is not easy to describeRead MoreComparison of the Tempest and Forbidden Planet Essay1836 Words à |à 8 Pagesdraws on two outside influences, or parentages, to help adapt The Tempest into FP. Both Freudian psychology and the science fiction genre were used to help shape FP. The film draws on Freudian psychology when referring to the Id-monster. It was ââ¬Å"Sigmund Freudââ¬â¢s concept of multipartite mentality of primal id, conscious ego, and moral superegoâ⬠(Knighten, Para 4) that gave light to the idea of the Id-monster. Freudââ¬â¢s psychology then was an inspiration for the monster in FP because without his influenceRead MoreJudith Butlers Perception of the Female in the Modern Era: Gender Identity and the Act of Becoming in Cindy Shermans History Portraits6698 Words à |à 27 Pagesdebatable but the work stands on its own and its meaning is open to interpretation. The portrayal of the self especially of the female self had been under a Freudian assault since Edward Bernays began using sex in advertising (Jones, 2000). Nephew of Sigmund Freud, Bernays realized the untapped potential that sexual innuendo could hold over American audiences everywhere: it could leave on spellbound, virtually obedient to every suggestion that the purveyor of goods wished to proffer. By divorcing the sexRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words à |à 760 Pagesraining there, itââ¬â¢s not snowing. Here is an analysis of it in sentential logic: R is the sentence It will rain there. S is the sentence It will snow there. Then the pattern of the above argument is R or S, but not both R and S. R that science is a systematic way of explaining and predicting events. Science is not merely a systematic collection of facts. 135 So, Not-S and that is the form of a valid argument in sentential logic. In this analysis of the argument, the definitions are
Friday, December 13, 2019
Walt Disney Free Essays
string(87) " Children were proud to wear them and say that they were official members of the club\." The Magic of Walt Disney Jenna Weinstein February 18, 2011 US History 10H Mr. Diamond Period 3 Jenna Weinstein 2/18/11 U. S. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt Disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now History 10H Mr. Diamond Period 3 The Magic of Walt Disney Walt Disney is considered an icon of American pop culture and has made many contributions to the American entertainment industry. A self-made-man from the Midwest, he became an inspiration to all American children and adults. Hailing from the heart of America, he was very patriotic and contributed a great deal to our country in times of need. What was most likeable about Walt Disney was that he was relatable; he came to embody the American values of courage, determination, wholesomeness, innocence, imagination, and self-confidence. Although Walt Disney was influenced by the setting in which he grew up, he shaped the American pop culture and everyday life of virtually the entire twentieth century, and he supported our country in times of need; his legacy continues today. Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, but his family moved soon after his birth. Although Walt Disney shaped most of twentieth century pop culture, he himself was influenced by his small midwestern hometown: Marceline, Missouri. Walt Disney only lived there for a few years as a child, but it still had a major impact on his life and career. It was a traditional, Midwestern town which made Disney just an average guy, relatable to any other typical American. This ordinary town lacked magical and fantastical features, which could have contributed to his craving for magic and fantasy later in life. He grew up around animals on a farm; so many of his early animations consisted of animals and rural themes. He used a lot of ââ¬Å"outhouseâ⬠and farm humor in his cartoons such as outhouse gags, goosing gags, bedpans, Johnny-pots, thinly disguised farts, and cow udders. Even though Disney grew up in a traditional American small-town, his childhood occurred during the onset of the decline of small-town America. Disney loved small-town America so much that he wanted to preserve and live by its values, such as self-determination and hard work, because they were fleeting so fast. Disney brought these values to everything he did in life and tried to encourage them in others. Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s first claim to fame was the animated character, Mickey Mouse. Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928, and from the very moment Mickey hit the public eye he appealed to all Americans. Mickeyââ¬â¢s story of ââ¬Å"rags to richesâ⬠touched the hearts of many Americans and gave them inspiration to follow their dreams. He was memorable and loveable in that he was the stereotypical hero, coming out victorious in many difficult situations. His courage, strength, will, ingenuity, and faith in himself allowed ordinary Americans to relate to him, and brought hope to them in troubling times. Mickey played many different roles, so many different people could relate to him. Mickey was know all over the world, ââ¬â Michael Maus in Germany, Michel Souris in France, Miki Kuchi in Japan, Mikkel Mus in Denmark, and Miguel Ratunocito in Spain- and eventually became one of the most well known symbols in the entire world. Mickey Mouse helped bring the world a little closer together, and brought joy and courage to people in times of need. The Great Depression was one of the bleakest periods in American history, but it became a bit more enjoyable with a little help from Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s Mickey Mouse Club. The original purpose of this childrenââ¬â¢s club was to attract more young moviegoers with discounted ticket prices, and its first theater-based club meeting was on January 11, 1930 at the Fox Dome Theater in Ocean Park, California. It gave kids something fun to do during the depression. ââ¬Å"By 1932, there were already over a million boys and girls belonging to the Mickey Mouse clubs all over America. â⬠Local businesses benefitted from the club too: bakeries, ice cream shops, drug stores, and banks all donated prizes for the kids. The free goodies won the kidsââ¬â¢ hearts, and the local businesses gained a loyal customer base. The Mickey Mouse Club made kids feel like they were a part of something; at the start of every meeting the club members would recite an oath, and each club member received an ID card with the oath printed on it upon joining the club. Like the Boy Scouts, the Mickey Mouse Club taught kids how to be good and useful citizens, truthful, honorable, to follow their dreams, respect their elders, and take care of the aged, helpless, and smaller children. The Mickey Mouse club instilled values in the children of the depression, which were then carried through the rest of the century and helped make good citizens out of generations of children. Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s empire grew from a small ââ¬Å"studioâ⬠over a garage to a world famous corporation. Walt Disney Studios was built in 1939 in Burbank California, specifically for the animation process. As Disney Studios became more popular, they began selling products featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other familiar Disney cartoon characters. All of America was covered with Mickey Mouse wallpaper, dishware, cookie jars, ashtrays, salt and peppershakers, watches, clothes, wallets, pocketbooks, lunchboxes, and other household items. Mickey Mouse infiltrated every home and became a part of everyday life. Disney merchandise helped stimulate Americaââ¬â¢s economy during the Great Depression; people may have been short on cash, but they always had enough for Disney merchandise. Disney sold approximately twenty million dollars worth of merchandise from mid-1933 to mid-1934. Disney even saved several companies from going bankrupt during the depression. Ingerscroll-Waterbury got the license to sell Mickey Mouse watches, and Lionel Corporation got the license to sell Mickey and Minnie themed electric train toys. These companies were saved from bankruptcy because people could not resist buying anything Mickey Mouse-themed. In the 1950ââ¬â¢s the Mousecap was the primary symbol of Mickey Mouse pop culture. Children were proud to wear them and say that they were official members of the club. You read "Walt Disney" in category "Essay examples" That decade Mickey ââ¬Å"appeared on five thousand different items, which had contributed a quarter of a billion dollars to the gross national product. Mickey Mouse became an authoritative figure in the merchandise world. Whatever companies Mickey Mouse endorsed, such as General Food, Standard Oil, National Biscuit Company, and National Dairy Products, consumers would always buy their products. Numerous of companies fought to get Mickey Mouse as their spokesperson. Liquor, cigarette, and pharmaceutical companies vied for Mickeyââ¬â¢s support, but Disney would not sponsor anything that went against Mickeyââ¬â¢s wholesome image. Mickey Mouse had a huge influence on the merchandise industry of the twentieth century, and in doing so Disney Studios extended its power to the economic and everyday part of American life. During World War II Walt Disney expanded his studios to play a role in American politics. After the attack on Pearl Harbor the U. S. government commissioned Disney Studios to create military training videos and propaganda films. Since Mickey Mouse was so popular the government thought they could make military training a little more enjoyable by employing Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters for the movies. Disney Studios became the first and only Hollywood studio the army took over, when 500 US army troops were stationed there. They stored repaired equipment in the soundstage and held ammunition in the sheds. President Franklin Roosevelt used Mickey Mouse as an international symbol of peace to improve the U. S. ââ¬â¢s Good Neighbor Policy; Walt Disney led a Goodwill Tour in South America in 1941 where a vast amount of kids who did not even speak English were eager to meet the creator of Mickey Mouse. Disney was also commissioned by the United States Treasury Department to create a film that would encourage people to pay their taxes. Mickey Mouse appeared as an Uncle Sam type figure and was the symbol of American patriotism during World War II. Mickey was the star of many U. S. nd Allied war posters and propaganda. He appeared on at least 35 home-front insignia designs created by Disney Studios, and he was the mascot for the Red Cross during the war. Disney and Mickey Mouse were such a big part of American culture and the war effort that ââ¬Å"the password for the Allies who stormed the beach at Normandy to crush the German army was ââ¬ËMickey Mouse. ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ Even people on t he Axis Powers looked to Mickey for inspiration during the war. Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s help in the war effort further incorporated Disney into the pop culture and everyday life of Americans. One of Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s greatest contributions to American pop culture was the amusement park, Disneyland, in Anaheim, California. With Disneyland Walt Disney changed the whole idea of an amusement park. It was not simply a park; it was a whole world; a full imaginative experience. Building Disneyland allowed Walt Disney to live out his imagination, and visiting Disneyland allowed every person to live out his or her wildest dreams. Disneyland appealed to everybody. The parkââ¬â¢s traditional turn-of-the-century American main street- Mainstreet USA- made everyone feel at home. Disney filled the park with iconic American images along with images that he had created such as Cinderella, Snow White, the Three Little Pigs, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Disneyland exemplified how much Walt Disney had influenced the imaginations of Americans by creating a certain psychological experience in the park; it was not too loud, crowded, or chaotic like other parks, and everything was soft, harmonious, and unthreatening. The park was also appealing in its cleanliness, the efficiency of the lines, the weather, and even the sound of the park. Disneyland manipulated people into being happy by bringing out the child in everyone, but people were fine with the fact that they were being manipulated because it was executed so well. Disneyland also provided a lesson in American heritage; it taught Americans to remember their roots and traditional post-war values before they go on to fulfill their dreams. Disneyland was also a reflection of Walt Disney himself. Walt Disney put every single one of his living fibers into his park. He micromanaged everything and obsessed over every little detail until it was perfect. His commitment to the quality of the park was one thing that made it so successful; he continuously improved the park, came up with new ideas, new angles, and new additions to make Disneyland more attractive. He felt like this park was another chance to create his fantasy world and make everything exactly how he wanted it. Disneyland portrayed Disneyââ¬â¢s sense of wish fulfillment, and life experiences and journey with the use of the different worlds of Disneyland. The images and different lands created in Disneyland could also be applied to the history and growth of America. Frontierland displayed traditional turn-of-the-century images and transported the guests back in time. Fantasyland allowed Americans to live out their wildest dreams and imagination. Adventureland depicted Americaââ¬â¢s desire for excitement and new experiences. Tomorrowland illustrated the promise of coming technological advances and Americaââ¬â¢s desire for progress. Disneyland was more than just an amusement park: it affected the lives of generations of people. Walt Disney had such a great effect on people because he embodied the idea of a true American. He represented the typical self-made, family man that people could look to and think if he can make it big, then so can I. Disney was simple, clean, moral, and innocent, and these qualities were infused into his animations and transmitted to people. His old-fashion values such as hard work, perseverance, generosity, and integrity emanated from everything he did and people were just drawn to him. These qualities and values gave people what they needed in troubling times: hope and the ability to believe in themselves. Disneyââ¬â¢s personality made him a beloved figure in millions of middle-class households, and he affected the lives of many Americans. Walt Disney died on December 16, 1966, but his legacy continued long after he was gone. In Disneyââ¬â¢s mind his greatest legacy would be his work with the Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Nelbert Chouinard created the Chouinard Art Institute in 1921 with the belief that an art school was needed on the west coast of the United States. Disney had been interested in the Chouinard Institute since the 1930ââ¬â¢s and when Mrs. Chouinard fell ill could not take care of it anymore he took over the institute. Disney knew how difficult it was to get admitted to art school and become successful, so he wanted to help out aspiring artists as much as he could. He financed the school, expanded it, and eventually combined it with the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and renamed it the California Institute of the Arts. Walt even said that CalArts would be what he is remembered for. Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s legacies continue to have an ongoing impact. Disneyââ¬â¢s brother, Roy, once said about Walt Disney, ââ¬Å"There is no way to replace Walt Disney. He was an extraordinary man. Perhaps there will never be another like him. â⬠He distracted people from the strife of the Great Depression, helped our country during World War II, and provided support afterwards. He taught children how to be responsible citizens, while still allowing them to have fun and follow their dreams. He reinforced traditional American values into the minds of Americans. He helped connect the cultures of the world through the use of an iconic cartoon image, while making American culture the most dominant. He recreated the idea of an amusement park and encouraged wish fulfillment. Most importantly he demonstrated how one could turn dreams into reality. Walt Disney inspired the live of millions of children and adults all over the world, and he is considered one of the most influential people of the twentieth century. Works Cited ââ¬Å"Art: Profound Mouse. â⬠Time, 15 May 1933 http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745525-2,00. html (2 November 2010). Gabler, Neal. Walt Disney The Triumph of the American Imagination. New York: Random House, Inc. , 2006. Heide, Robert, and John Gilman. Mickey Mouse The Evolution, The Legend, The Phenomenon!. New York: Disney Enterprises, Inc. 2001. Press, Petra. A Cultural History of the United States Through the Decades The 1930s. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc. , 1999. Schickel, Richard. The Disney Version The Life, Times, Art, and Commerce of Walt Disney. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968. Watts, Steven. The Magic Kingdom Walt Disney and the American Way of Life. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997. ââ¬â ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â [ 1 ]. Ibid. , 6. [ 2 ]. Robert Heide and John Gilman. Mickey Mouse The Evolution, The Legend, The Phenomenon. (New York: Disney Enterprises Inc. , 2001). 6. [ 3 ]. Ibid. , 9. [ 4 ]. Art: Profound Mouse,â⬠Time (1933). http://www. time/magazine/article/0,9171,745525-2,000. html (accessed November 2, 2010). [ 5 ]. Heide. 22. [ 6 ]. Petra Press. A Cultural History of the United States Through the Decades The 1930ââ¬â¢s. (San Diego: Lucent Books, 1999). 94. [ 7 ]. Heide. 22. [ 8 ]. ââ¬Å"Art: Profound Mouseâ⬠[ 9 ]. Heide. 86. [ 10 ]. Watts. 148. [ 11 ]. Ibid. , 148. [ 12 ]. Heide. 101. [ 13 ]. Ibid. , 103. [ 14 ]. Heide. 101. [ 15 ]. Ibid. , 103. [ 16 ]. Ibid. , 71. [ 17 ]. Watts. 228. [ 18 ]. Heide. 72. [ 19 ]. Watts. 231. [ 20 ]. Heide. 73. [ 21 ]. Ibid. , 77. [ 22 ]. Ibid. , 81. [ 23 ]. Ibid. , 76. [ 24 ]. Neal Gabler. Walt Disney The Triumph of the American Imagination. (New York: Random House Inc. , 2006). 632. [ 25 ]. Ibid. , 496. [ 26 ]. Ibid. , 497. [ 27 ]. Gabler. 498. [ 28 ]. Ibid. , 535. [ 29 ]. Ibid. , 499. [ 30 ]. Ibid. , 496. [ 31 ]. Watts. 390. [ 32 ]. Gabler. 492. [ 33 ]. Ibid. , 499. [ 34 ]. Watts. 393. [ 35 ]. Ibid. , 146. [ 36 ]. Richard Shickel. The Disney Version The Life, Times, Art, and Commerce of alt Disney. (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968). 72. [ 37 ]. Watts. 146. [ 38 ]. Ibid. , 358. [ 39 ]. Gabler. 591-592. [ 40 ]. Ibid. , 631. [ 41 ]. Ibid. , 632. How to cite Walt Disney, Essay examples Walt Disney Free Essays string(65) " due to the high volume of games that are sold across the globe\." It is a vital business formula, which does not lend itself o a generic approach that can be copied or tailored to fit. Unlike any other company, Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s corporate strategy is one of the key components to its magical success. The five main ingredients to Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s corporate strategy are leadership excellence, cast excellence, guest satisfaction, financial results, and repeat business. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt Disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now The company has thrived off of this formula for decades and still remains one of the top family friendly places to visit. According to the Disney Institute, the foundation to successful leaders is through communication. In order to engage and foster within he collaborative company culture, its leaders must encourage the creativity of his or her employees. The goal here is to create a safe and comfortable environment for one another to share ideas. Leadership excellence is of main importance in Disneyââ¬â¢s chain of excellence, due to the fact that leaders are responsible for the work environment. Overall success will lead to employee retention, employee satisfaction, and more importantly a positive experience for its customers. One of the companyââ¬â¢s main priorities is employee satisfaction not customer satisfaction. Disney has itââ¬â¢s win unique business language. Top management strongly believes that it sets the right tone amongst those within the company. Instead of using the word employees they are known as cast members and customers are referred to as guests. The Jobs that employees hold are called roles. These are intentional elements of the company culture. They are meant to be well defined, clear to all, and ultimately goal oriented. Leaders are required to hire employees through a process known as selecting the culture. Attitude versus aptitude is what leaders are looking for when seeking out future employees. Disney is highly known for their strategic hiring methods. Understanding their customerââ¬â¢s wants, needs, and emotions is a process that Disney uses is known as astrology. Top management believes that having a deep understanding of these elements can better the companyââ¬â¢s unique quality standards. These elements have been very helpful in measuring their customers overall level of satisfaction. Disney believes that placing high importance on its customers wants is where they are able to differentiate themselves from the competition. Financial results and repeat business have not been a problem for Disney. The companyââ¬â¢s internal service quality is responsible for customer value, revenue, growth, profitability, and shareholder value. Top management has strongly voiced that the company is able to see financial results along with being able to foster repeat business when the chain of excellence is in proper working order. 9-cell industry attractiveness/business strength matrix Disney Industry attractiveness High Medium Low Strong Average Weak Competitive Strength/Market Position II=lamentation Weight SIR=Strength Rating WAS=Weighted Score Media Parks and Studio Interactive Products Consumer Entertainment Networks SIR was Resorts Operating Income 2. 5 Market Share Brand Image 10 . 75 . 10 . 20 . 05 1. 00 8. 45 1. 8 1 . 05 8. 2 . 35 6. 25 Customer Loyalty Product Quality . 15 Range Geographical Expansion Sum of Importance Weights Weighted Overall Competitive Strength scores 1 . 35 5. 35 The Walt Disney Companyââ¬â¢s business units were organized into five divisions in 2012: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive media. Media networks are a huge source of income for the company and should continue to grow. The company has been able to be profitable by using the studio ND the network to support the creation of high quality film entertainment. Disney has taken advantage of what has been a real growth in the consumption of American based film entertainment. Most of their stations, which include ESP., Disney, and BBC, have been rated number one in the market. The companyââ¬â¢s parks and resorts are globally advanced and popular. Disney World Parks have become so popular that they have been attempting to open up Disneyland theme parks across the globe. They have been doing this in order to better accommodate their customers so they do not have to feel cramped. The studio entertainment has grown drastically over the years. With the recent purchase of Paxar and Marvel, the company plans on doing two films a year. This may seem small, but the movies they put out usually top the box office. Due to merchandise licensing of Disneyââ¬â¢s characters along with the childrenââ¬â¢s books, consumer products have had enormous sales. Disney has also come out with kid friendly APS to support their interactive media division. This division also includes games and a number of different websites. The interactive media division is small in comparison to some of the other divisions they have. The company has invested large amounts of money into this division; unfortunately they have seen low profits and even losses. Overall, the company has great strategic fits for four out of its five categories. The only category that seems to need improvement is its interactive media category. The opportunities to share value-chain matches are numerous. In the supply chain they have a matches of media networks and studio entertainment. For their manufacturing and operations, they have a matches of media networks as well as studio entertainment. As for the companyââ¬â¢s distribution, parks and resorts matches tit consumer products. Along with sales and marketing include media networks, parks, resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products. Skies are the limit as far as opportunities go for Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s future. The company is still exploring new ways on how to improve the performance within the gaming industry. Although they have been lacking in the interactive media division, the company is back on track to continue sales and earn a profit. However, if they decided to bring the same awareness as they have for film making to the gaming industry, they should see improvements. With the addition of Paxar and Marvel, Disney needs to utilize these two companies so that they can develop games for different consoles. This would tremendously boost their sales, due to the high volume of games that are sold across the globe. You read "Walt Disney" in category "Papers" The companyââ¬â¢s performance has been commendable in almost every year since Walt Disney created Mackey Mouse in 1928â⬠³ (p. C-273). The financial and operating performance in fiscal years 2010-2011 was not any different, once again proving excellent results. With growth being a key financial performance indicator for The Walt Disney Company. The fiscal year of 010-2011 was a success with revenues increasing by $2,830 million, and net income increasing by $844 million. There should be a continued rise into the future, with an additional $3,559 million invested in parks, resorts and other property. As well as a $184 million dollar capital investment into acquisitions, ending the fiscal year of 2011. This should not only increase the market share in the companyââ¬â¢s current areas. Walt Disney does business globally, yet they have also help expand into other developed countries. Overall The Walt Disney Company has had strong financial and operating reference in fiscal years 2010-2011, however, some strategic business units performed a lot better than others. Walt Disney is split up into five divisions, which include: Media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive media. The following table provides the amount of operating income/ loss each of the five units reported from fiscal years 2010-2011. Business unit Operating income/loss for fiscal year ending 2011 Operating income/loss for fiscal year ending 2010 Change from fiscal 2010-2011 Media networks $6,146 $5,132 $1,014 Parks and resorts $1 ,553 $1318 235 Studio entertainment $618 $693 ($75) Consumer products $816 $677 $139 Interactive media ($308) ($234) ($74) Totals $8,825 $7,586 $1,239 Media networks: The strongest of the business units by a long shot in terms of operating income. It accounts for almost 70% of the total operating income Disney generated during the fiscal year ending 2011. Disney is going to continue to invest in this business unit heavily, seeing that it has produced the greatest immediate effects, while the other units continue to grow. Parks and resorts: Unit accounted for almost 18% of the income in the fiscal year ending 2011. Investments are being heavily made into this business unit as well. This includes global expansion, upgrades to resorts, as well as adding additional cruise ships to the fleet. Studio entertainment: This business unit experienced a decline in net income from fiscal year 2010-2011. The entire industry suffered; due to some of the changes the industry was experiencing. However, the media network business had increased results from the studio entertainment unit staying close to stagnant in the income generated. Studio entertainment accounted for 7% of operational income in the fiscal year ending 2011. Consumer products: Accounting for 9. 2% of operational income in the fiscal year ending in 2011. With the expansion Disney is making globally, the consumer products business unit will continue to increase its sales as it did from 2010-2011. Interactive media: Continuing to see operating losses in this area, due to high competition. There are many opportunities to become profitable in the future, as game sales increased from $563 million in 2010 to $768 million in 2011. Interactive media accounted for -3. 9% of the operational income. There is a great degree of synergies existing between these units, as they continue o make one another better. As the studio entertainment industry struggles, the media network is right there to pick it up the slack. The company is continuing to grow each of these units globally. This will increase revenues as well as the bottom line to achieve higher operational incomes. With high profits being generated in four of the five business units, the company is able to continue investing as well as making improvements in the interactive media unit. Disney plans to continue expanding its divisions in the years to come. Over the years Disney has established throng brand recognition, yet it was a smart move to add Paxar and Marvel into the company mix. This has allowed them to stay on top of the competitive film market. They have done this by taking on some of the high quality computer animated films. Disney must sustain its edge when it comes to each of these brands in order to remain on top. Disney brands have made their global mark, yet the company is still mainly U. S. Based. The majority of their bottom line profits are coming from the U. S. Most of the companyââ¬â¢s capital is being invested in brand recognition. Staying brand soused is Disneyââ¬â¢s largest competitive advantage over its competitors within the market. Seven years ago Disney took on a technology friendly approach. This has allowed the company to thrive during different areas of technological development. This has increased the efficiency in connecting with their customers in a whole new way. Disneyââ¬â¢s focus on innovation has allowed them to stay on top during the reinvention of new technologies over the past years. Embracing new technologies has led them to the opportunity for growth and expansion. During the fourth courted of 2012 Disney had faced substantial investment issues. Some of these investments included investing in capital, construction of new cruise lines, and funded an aggressive buyback plan that placed demands on cash reserves. The problem here was not all of these business units were providing the returns that the company had expected. This outcome had caused Disney much distress, which led them to reevaluate their corporate strategy. Their strategy was centered on creating high quality family content, exploiting technological innovations, and international expansion. Disney had originally broken the company down into five different divisions. This included media networks, parks, resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products, and interactive media. This type of break down allowed them to envision all of the different avenues that they have available to them. This large range of services offered by Disney has led them to become a global leader in the family entertainment business. Walt Disney Companyââ¬â¢s management must stay brand focused in order to sustain a competitive advantage within the industries market. Remaining one step ahead with technological advancements is another way the company can improve along with increasing shareholder value. Unlike any other company, Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s corporate strategy is one of the key components to its magical success. The five main ingredients to Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s corporate strategy are leadership excellence, cast excellence, guest satisfaction, financial results, and repeat business. The company has thrived off of this formula for decades and still remains one of the top family friendly places in the world to visit. With strong emphasis on brand recognition along with innovation in different divisions, this companyââ¬â¢s future outlook on success will continue in a positive direction. How to cite Walt Disney, Papers Walt Disney Free Essays Walt Disney: One of the Worldââ¬â¢s Most Influential People Walt Disney once said ââ¬Å"All our dreams can come true ââ¬â if we have the courage to pursue themâ⬠. He shows us this is true through his own story. Walt Disney did not have the fairy tale childhood one would expect. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt Disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now He grew up in a very poor family with an abusive father who did not support his creativity. Walt Disney dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to study art. At 19 he began making cartoon ads, it was not the best job but he worked hard and never gave up. By the age of 27 he had created the one and only Mickey Mouse! Walt Disney has obtained the title of one of the worldââ¬â¢s most influential people by showing us to never give up on our dreams, to not let others negativity impact our choices, and by showing us to go through life with a ââ¬Å"childlikeâ⬠wonder. Imagine a world without Disney Land, without Mickey Mouse, or without the classic Disney films society has come to know and love. None of this would exist if Walt Disney had simply given up when his dreams seemed impossible. ââ¬Å"Walt Disney new that through desire and hard work a person can accomplish a great dealâ⬠(Nardo 75). He took many risks to get where he was when he died, whether his company was trying something new or they were waiting to see if the new production would make or break them. Walt Disney did not give up just because his father did not support his creativity, or because he was trying something new that others thought was ridiculous. He worked for what he wanted no matter what. This is a great example for people to follow because it seems that today; society gives up on their dreams if they are not easily attainable and if they follow what Walt Disney did they can accomplish much more. Walt Disney not only set a good example by showing us to never give up on our dreams, but he also shows us that we should never let peopleââ¬â¢s negativity impact our choices. Hollywood ââ¬Å"had wondered whether a fairy tale story could have enough suspense to hold an audience through seven reels, and whether, even if the plot held up, an audience would care about the fate of characters who were just drawingsâ⬠(Cinema: Mouse Man). Walt did not listen to them though and because of that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was born! This was the first full-length animated film and it was a huge success (Amie Warfield)! People today like to voice their opinions and sometimes they are not so supportive of others and their decisions. If people learn to take negativity, but to not let it impact their choices then they may be more likely to try new things and pursue their dreams! This is just one of the many ways Walt Disney influenced society. When going through life, not only should we not let others negativity impact our choices but we should live life with a ââ¬Å"childlikeâ⬠wonder. Walt Disney was famous for being ââ¬Å"young at heartâ⬠(Don Nardo 41). He had a ââ¬Å"childlikeâ⬠personality. He was a creator, he was imaginative, and he was very optimistic. He had the ability to see the entire picture (Brad Aldridge). People can sometimes get so caught up in things that they do not see the entire picture. When this happens, they can lose sight of what really matters. Having a childlike wonder allows one to better appreciate the world, be less narrow minded, and have less of a concern for dogmatic rules. Walt Disneyââ¬â¢s childlike personality also showed in how much he loved his family. He would spend all of his free time with them and he enjoyed being around them. He achieved so much by living life with a ââ¬Å"childlikeâ⬠wonder and this influences people to do the same. Walt Disney can be described in many ways; some say he is artistic, imaginative, creative, childish, and fun. The list goes on and on. Walt Disney begins being an influence on children through his movies which usually have important morals or stories. As one gets older they can look at Walt Disney as a role model. When looking at his life and what he accomplished one might ask themselves, how did he do it? He was an innovator, he was constantly trying new ideas and methods (Don Nardo 36). Walt Disney also had the drive to get what he wanted (Brad Aldridge). He never gave up on his dreams, would not let others negativity impact his choices, and he lived life with a childlike wonder. When people look at his life and his accomplishments they can appreciate him and what he did. Walt Disney shows us to never give up on our dreams, to not let others negativity impact our choices, and to live life with a ââ¬Å"childlikeâ⬠wonder. By doing this, he has become one of the worldââ¬â¢s most influential people. He shows us this through his movies and his life story. If people will follow the way he lived life they may accomplish more, and live happier lives better appreciating the world. How to cite Walt Disney, Papers Walt disney Free Essays Disney is one of the most recognized names in the world, but few know as much about the man behind the Magic Kingdom, not to mention the hundreds of animated cartoons countless feature films and endless toys that bear his name As the man of his time Walt Disney was an innovative animator and created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse that inspired children around the world. Coming up as a kid, Disney had four brothers and one sister. He lived most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri were he began to start drawing as a kid Disney unlike most was an entrepreneur , as fast as he could draw he would sell his paintings and his pictures o the neighbors and family friends. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now When Disney was 16 he dropped out of high school to Join the army, but was rejected for being underage. Instead, he Joined the red-cross and was sent to France for a year. Soon after returning from France his brother Roy got him a Job at the Pesman-Rubin art studio where he made commercials based on cutout animation. In the late 1930s and early 1940s were tough times for American businesses. Disney made it through the Great Depression and World War II by dedicating much of his new studio to producing health, education and propaganda films for the U. S. government. It also produced short comedies aimed at boosting national morale. To raise additional money Disney took his operation public in 1940. He would win 26 Oscars over the course of his career, the most awards given to any individual. During the next few years, Goofy- Donald Duck and several other memorable characters Joined Mickey. But Disney believed the future of company was in feature-length films, and released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. It was the first feature-length animated movie to be produced in Technicolor, and cost nearly $1. 5 million to make an unheard of amount in Depression-era America. How to cite Walt disney, Papers Walt Disney Free Essays Opportunities â⬠¢Ã à à Move into different segments â⬠¢Ã à à Proper inventory management â⬠¢Ã à à Market development in untapped countries. â⬠¢Ã à à Reduction in operating costs. â⬠¢Ã à à Disney music channel â⬠¢Ã à à Benchmarking to improve management practices. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt Disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now â⬠¢Ã à à Disney school of management and training â⬠¢Ã à à Online Websites â⬠¢Ã à à Develop more attractions for theme park. Threats â⬠¢Ã à à Security Threats due to terrorism â⬠¢Ã à à Employee retention â⬠¢Ã à à High competition in Media Industry. â⬠¢Ã à à Facing fierce competition from Paramount Parks, Universal Studios and Six Flags Theme Parks. à à à Social and ethnic groups. â⬠¢Ã à à Government policies â⬠¢Ã à à High demanding market in terms of innovation. â⬠¢Ã à à Increasing salaries and labor cost. â⬠¢Ã à à Recession â⬠¢Ã à à Maintain product differentiation. â⬠¢Ã à à Tight competition in national and international markets. â⬠¢Ã à à Searching, paying and retaining innovative people. â⬠¢Ã à à Piracy Summary and Review of Walt Disney Company 10-K 2008 The Walt Disney Company, a $53. 7 billion corporation as of the closing price of its last day of business in the fiscal year of 2008, is a ââ¬Å"diversified worldwide entertainment companyâ⬠(Disney). The company is involved in four different entertainment sectors, Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, and Consumer Products. The Media Networks segment includes its domestic broadcast television network, ABC Television Network, which has over 233 local affiliate agreements and reaches 99% of all U. S. television owning households. Almost all of its revenues come from advertising time sold during network programs. The company also owns television production and distribution operations including ABC Studios, Buena Vista Productions, and ABC Family Production. These companies create and provide programming for ABC, as well as Disneyââ¬â¢s other cable networks. They also sell content for syndication purposes. The productions are distributed domestically through Disney-ABC Domestic Television and internationally through Disney-ABC ESPN Television International. The content is also sold and distributed in DVD form as well as online. Disney also owns and operates nine very high frequency stations, and one ultra-high frequency television station. These are located in primary U. S. markets, transmit both analog and digital signals, and reach 23% of U. S. television owning households. The company also owns carious cable networks in domestic and international markets. The cable networks garner most of their revenues from monthly subscription fees paid through contracts with cable providers, and the remaining revenue comes from advertising sold on some of the networks. Numerous cable networks make up part of the media networkââ¬â¢s segment of the company. One of which is ESPN, a ââ¬Å"multimedia, multinational sports entertainment companyâ⬠(Disney). The company operates ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNNEWS, ESPN Deportes, and ESPNU, as well as four high definition sports channels. ESPN has distribution rights or interests with 45 international sports networks in more than 195 countries. ESPN also has numerous radio stations also owned by the company. Disney Channel is another cable network service owned by the company. It targets families, and specifically children. Other family oriented cable networks owned by the company include Playhouse Disney, targeted towards preschoolers, and Toon Disney, featuring animated Disney programming, which will soon be reformatted as Disney XD, and will provide more live-action and animated programming for children 6-14. The company also has full or partial ownership of Jetix (a publicly traded European childrenââ¬â¢s entertainment company), Jetix Latin America, Hungama (an Indian childrenââ¬â¢s entertainment company) ABC Family, SOAPnet, AE, The History Channel, The Biography Channel, and History International. It also owns the Lifetime Entertainment Services, which include Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie network, and Lifetime Real Women. The company also owns Radio Disney, a radio format carried on 52 stations that reach over 60% of the U. S. market. It is also available on RadioDisney. om, Sirius XM Radio, iTunes Radio, XM/DirecTV and mobile phones via subscription. In addition to its radio and television assets, The Walt Disney Company also owns various Internet and mobile operations. These include the websites ABC. com, ABCNews. com, Disney. com, ABCFamily. com, SOAPnet. com, ESPN. com, ESPN360. com, and Disneyââ¬â¢s Club Penguin. The media networks segment of the Walt Disney Compan y faces competition from various other media entities for the share of viewers, including other broadcast and cable networks, Internet sites, radio stations, as well as other forms of media such as DVDs and video games. They compete for advertisers with other television networks, radio stations, websites, as well as other media including newspapers, magazines, and billboards. The company also faces strict regulation in this sector by the Federal Communications Commission, as it heavily regulates broadcast media. The second division of the Walt Disney Company is the parks and resorts sector. These entities include the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the Disneyland resort in California, the Disney Vacation Club, the Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and ESPN Zone. It also includes 51% ownership of Disneyland Resort Paris, and 43% of Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan. These assets generate revenues through admission and ticket sales, hotel fees, merchandise, food and beverage sales, sales and rentals of vacation club properties and cruise vacation packages. The profitability of these properties is dependent on economic and seasonal conditions. They are most profitable during summers and during winter and spring school vacation seasons. Perhaps the most well known division of the Walt Disney Company is its Studio Entertainment sector. This includes all motion pictures distributed and created under the Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, or Miramax production banners. They also include numerous films created under the Pixar banner, as well as films created under what was formerly the Dimension banner. Together this includes assets of over 928 full-length live-action features, 80 full-length animated featured, approximately 546 cartoon shorts, and 53 live action shorts. The films are distributed through Disney owned distribution and marketing companies in the US and through joint ventures and independent companies in international markets. These films are also distributed through home video sales as well as pay-per-view and video-on-demand services. The Studio Entertainment sector also includes the Disney Music Group, which includes Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records, Lyric Street Records, Buena Vista Concerts and Disney Music Publishing. It also includes the Disney Theatrical Group, which develops, produces, and licenses live entertainment events, which include Broadway musicals, touring stage groups, and controls the licensing of musicals for local and school theatrical productions. It also includes Disney Live Family entertainment, which brings tours like Disney on Ice and Disney Live to entertainment venues across the country. The sectorââ¬â¢s success is dependent almost completely upon public taste and preferences, but is also affected by overall macro-economic factors. The final sector of the Walt Disney Company is its Consumer Products sector. This sector handles the licensing, manufacturing, publishing, and retailing of Disney related products, and the handing of Disneyââ¬â¢s intellectual property. This also includes Disney Publishing Worldwide, which publishes books and magazines in multiple countries and languages. It includes Disney Interactive Studios which create and distribute Disney related multi-platform games. The company also owns 229 domestic and 105 European stores operating as The Disney Store. Stores are also operated under Oriental Land Co. , Ltd. , in Japan. Disneyshopping. com acts as an online version of these stores. The largest aspect of this sector is the protection of the companyââ¬â¢s intellectual property, as the profitability of the entire company is impacted by the companyââ¬â¢s ability to protect these properties. Technological developments and inadequate intellectual property laws and enforcement mechanisms in various countries have been significantly impacting the companyââ¬â¢s ability to protect its intellectual property. This is a substantial risk factor to the overall company. Other important risk factors affecting the Walt Disney Company include the recent changes in the global economic environment. The downturn in the economy has affected demand for entertainment products. This will impact the profitability and performance of all sectors of the company. Changes in consumer preferences and tastes are also important risk factors for the company. If the public develops a distaste for Disney products, or an affection for a competitorââ¬â¢s products, it would certainly affect the performance of the company assets. Changes in technology and consumer consumption habits will not only effect the ability of the company to protect its intellectual property, but also the ways new content is produced, as well as the cost incurred in doing so. Uncontrollable factors like adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, health concerns, international, political, or military developments, and terrorist attacks may all have a substantial impact on the ability of the companyââ¬â¢s assets to operate profitably. Also, because the company employs over 150,000 people, any changes in the cost of employee health, pension or welfare benefits will strongly impact the cost of company labor and therefore the profitability of the company. Walt Disney Company. (Septmeber 2008). 10-K. How to cite Walt Disney, Papers Walt disney Free Essays Time Series Forecasting Introduction: The Walt Disney Company is known to be the worlds most admired entertainment company. It has recently decided to open up a new Paxar themed park in California. In order to do so, the company will need to assure their bank that It Is capable of paying back loans In the future as well as reassuring owners and Investors that they will not lose any money In the future. We will write a custom essay sample on Walt disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now In order for Walt Disney to carry on with their plan, they need to be able to show their banks, owners and investors a model to predict future values based on historical values. How lucky for them that a group of highly trained time series forecasters are available for a top-dollar price! The group of analysts will decide on a few methods to enter in their data and then determine which technique works best with the corresponding data. They will base their decision by determining which method has the least amount of error as well as the most dependability. With a company this large and a lot at stake, it is crucial for the results to be as efficient as possible so that the proper decisions can be made to follow. The ingenious analysts will use historical data from the past eight years (31 raters) to determine the revenue of the thirty-second quarter. The forecasting will help banks determine whether It is a good Idea to support Walt Disney with a loan. In Dalton, forecasting for the thirty-second quarter will give Important Information can prepare and make plans. Data: The companyââ¬â¢s historical data involving revenue was collected from the past eight years, a total of thirty-one quarters, from the years 2005 to 2012. Our dependent variable (the variable being predicted) is revenue and our independent variable (used to assess the value of the dependent variable) is time. Revenue was measured in millions and time was measured in quarter periods. Thirty-one observations were included in the dataset in order to receive effective forecasting results. Our source of data was collected from the Walt Disney quarterly earnings report, which is accessible through the following link: http://telecommunications. Com/investors/ financial-information/earnings. Preliminary Analysis When observing the scatter plot above, we look for whether our data is stationary, meaning that it has no trend or seasonality, whether the data shows a consistent rend, or whether the data shows both a trend and seasonality. Using Disneyââ¬â¢s historical data from the past eight years we determined that there is a slight upward trend from looking at the scatter plots. When forecasting for a positive or negative trend with no seasonal patterns, the Regression method is the technique that works best. In our data set, the variable being predicted is revenue (dependent variable) and time (independent variable) is used to estimate the value of revenue. Plotting these variables allows for us to find the slope of the regression line to determine whether there is a trend. If the slope is zero then there is no trend. If the slope is positive or negative then a trend exists. A line drawn through our data permits us to calculate the slope and create an equation for the line. The slope of our regression line is 79. 218; meaning $79 million in revenue will change for each one quarter time period. Basically, revenue will increase with each quarter time period. Our data will continue to follow the same trend. Essentially we used actual values of revenue from the past eight years to come up with a regression line to predict future values of quarter time periods. Forecasting: Forecasting using Naive Forecasting using Exponential Smoothing Forecasting using Classical Decomposition Evaluation: We can evaluate the different errors of each method by using Bias (mean of errors), MAD (mean absolute deviation), MAPLE (mean absolute percentage error), MUSE (mean square error) and SE (standard error) to determine which forecasting method is the best one. Bias can determine whether we have over or under forecasted the outcomes of our Y variables for each method. If there is a positive bias then are under forecasting (meaning we predicted too low of a future revenue). If there is a negative bias then we are over forecasting (meaning we predicted too high of a future revenue). Bias in a regression method is always zero because half of the errors are positive and the other half are negative logically equaling them out to zero. In the Naive method, our bias is 80. 73 meaning we forecasted too low of a future revenue. In the Exponential Smoothing method, our bias is 473 meaning we forecasted too low of a future revenue. Naturally our bias for regression came out to be zero. MAD gives us the true degree of error in within each method. How to cite Walt disney, Papers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)