Miele Organisational Resources Base

Introduction: general overview of the company Miele is the company which produces high-end home appliances and professional catering tools including kitchen equipment for industrial use. All tools and appliances produced under the Miele brand are associated with quality and reliability because the company’s intangible capital or, to be more exact, its reputation has been formed for decades with the help of approach that did not change for years.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Miele: Organisational Resources Base specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this respect, it is necessary to outline the key resources that made this company successful by now and offer certain strategies to sustain it in the current condition further. Besides, competitive advantage and its value for Miele’s success should be enlarged on as it brings the company along compared to its competitors’ position in the global mar ket taking into account Miele’s success within domestic market of home appliances and other goods produced under this brand. Key resources of the company’s success The key resources of any company include assets and capabilities. In this respect, Miele can be analysed as a brand whose customer based assets include strong company name and reputation based on high-quality products resulting in customer loyalty. In other words, the fact that the company spends more on innovation, research, development, and customer relationship management benefits its susses in the market. Internal support and supply chain assets include machines and mechanisms, buildings, and research centres whereas alliance-based assets establish company’s relations with all branches that take part in the manufacturing process making all plants that are situated outside the main area of Miele’s activity produce goods under the same brand. Strategic capabilities of Miele are based on the c ompany’s traditions and implementation of new technologies in operation. Functional capabilities include Miele’s manufacturing of high-quality goods though they do not try to compete at a price level selling their goods at appropriate cost. Operational capabilities include high-end goods and plans of the company for the future. Competition in a changing market Competition that takes place in the changing market has little relation to what Miele is going to achieve because the company is aimed at production of high-end goods that serve for long periods of time compared to those produced by competitors.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this respect, trying to compete for a price will make Miele’s products of lower quality discouraging loyal customers and people that wanted to buy products under this brand for their high quality from doing so. In other wo rds, Miele can compete for a price but it also can sustain its position in the market which is unique and remain a manufacturer of high-end products, home appliances, and other equipment. Successful resources for Miele in future Miele is a successful brand due to the unique niche it occupies in the global market contrasted to is competitors. Though some customers are ready to buy rather expensive products as investment in the future operation period, it is necessary to introduce changes concerning the resources spent on production of expensive goods. In other words, Miele’s target audience includes people that realise the benefits of such appliances or those who seek for prestigious tools (tools that are claimed to be prestigious to have produced under a definite brand). So, it is possible to reduce costs on production of ‘luxurious’ tools and make the products manufactured for ordinary people, that want to invest in appliances as a good method of economizing, mo re available in terms of costs. Reference List Hooley, Graham, Piercy, Graham Nicoulaud, Brigitte, 2008. Marketing strategy and competitive positioning. 4th ed. London: Pearson Education. This essay on Miele: Organisational Resources Base was written and submitted by user Kaylynn C. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The balance between freedom and order Essays

The balance between freedom and order Essays The balance between freedom and order Paper The balance between freedom and order Paper Freedom And Order Freedom without order leads to chaos. Order without freedom leads to tyranny. Only in Christ can these two warring combatants become creative comrades in the dance of grace. Freedom is a wonderful and terrible paradox. In its purest sense, freedom means having no boundaries, borders, rules or restrictions. It Is the uninhibited will to do or refrain as one desires. Freedom defines, in part, deity. After all, who tells God what to do? Made in his image and likeness, we also were designed for freedom, but our broken and dos-ordered hearts bring only chaos. Whether were talking about reckless drivers who feel no need to obey the speed limits or the killing fields of Cambodia, human beings strive constantly to break through any barriers that prevent them from doing as they see fit. The pursuit of freedom without order invariably brings chaos and ultimately results in death. The opposite is also true. Order without freedom leads to another kind of death- tyranny. We are not designed for slavery, and each of us Is born with the God-given and God-like capacity to will and to choose. Anything that robs us of that capacity ninnies us what may be the defining characteristic of our humanity. When humanity experienced the Fall, however, the brokenness of sin infected our conscience. Humans now abuse order In the same way they abuse freedom. Order becomes a weapon of control, a device to simply impose my will upon yours. A war now rages in every human heart. Reckless freedom claws at the eyes of violent order in a deadly pas De dues. Only in Christ can these two warring factions become creative comrades In the dance of grace. How? Christ promises life-real life-and that more abundantly than the chaos and tyranny hat characterizes human experience. The life he promises is born from the union of both the freedom and order he brings. Consider biological life for a moment. Science still wrestles with the definition of life Itself, but at a minimum, all seem to agree that life is composed of Increasingly complex structures of inorganic matter that result in behaviors that characterize living things. In other words, if we structure protons, neutrons and electrons in a certain way, we have a soda can-but rearrange the ordering of those same particles, and now we have a cell. Life flows out of the order of structure. In the same way, true life-giving freedom flows out of the well-ordered heart and does not depend upon external structures to either maintain or exercise it. And it is precisely because we are designed to be free that no one-including God-can force us to be free. God is not a tyrant, nor has he designed us for tyranny. We must freely choose to bring order to our broken hearts if we want true freedom, and we must choose to not allow any one or anything to rob us of that God-given freedom. Only Christ, who freely chose the obedience of the cross, can set us free to be free. The freedom that Christ brings has two components: freedom from sin, and the freedom to do good works. External forms of order in social relationships-traffic laws, or the Ten Commandments, for example-are necessary because human beings are 1 OFF not Intrinsically Tree to condos good Demeanor. In toner words, external Torts AT control are necessary to regulate the effects of sin. Without external structures like criminal codes and police agencies to enforce them, the world would be plunged into hellish chaos. The evening news suggests, even with those external structures, the world appears to be growing more chaotic. ) Yet while external order can regulate the effects of sin, it cannot remove the root causes of it. Only Chrisms work on the Cross can destroy the effects of sin in our lives Christ wants something better for us than the Ten Commandments. He does not want us to refrain from killing others because we will be punished if we do. Rather, he wants us to love those that hate u s-Just as He does. To move from a place of abstaining from, under threat from means moving away from external structures and toward internal ones, from tyranny to freedom. It means becoming more like Him. For me to able to do this, my heart needs to be re-ordered by the work of the Spirit and his Word. What is the gospel? It is the good news that what was in the beginning shall be so again in the end. It is the restoration of the image of God in me. We know that freedom and order can become creative comrades in the dance of grace because we see it displayed in Jesus, who died for us, and in whose image we are being made.

10 teléfonos para resolver dudas migratorias en EE.UU.

10 telà ©fonos para resolver dudas migratorias en EE.UU. En Estados Unidos es una necesidad saber dà ³nde buscar informacià ³n migratoria, verificar el estatus de un caso o encontrar asesorà ­a legal reputada y a un costo asequible. Para ello en  este artà ­culo se indican los telà ©fonos y las pginas web especà ­ficas en las que encontrar la respuesta a las dudas migratorias que puedan plantearse. Telà ©fonos clave para informacià ³n migratoria USCIS: 1-800-375-5283EOIR: para detenidos o asuntos en Corte: 1-800-898-7180Denunciar fraudes migratorios: 1-866-347-2423Buscar abogados: base de datos de AILAReferencias de abogados: Hispanic Federation: 1-866-432-9832 Dà ³nde rastrear informacià ³n con el USCIS El Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a de los Estados Unidos (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) brinda varias posibilidades para obtener informacià ³n sobre asuntos que est tramitando o sobre cuestiones que son de su competencia. Entre ellos destacan: Telà ©fono gratuito para solicitar informacià ³n sobre un caso:  1-800-375-5283Servicio INFOPASS online para cerrar una cita para solicitar informacià ³n Adems, antes de acudir a una cita a una oficina de USCIS es posible utilizar su localizador de ubicaciones de oficinas o de sus Centros de Apoyo a Aplicaciones, donde se toman huellas digitales y otros datos biomà ©tricos a los solicitantes de beneficios migratorios. Adems, si ya se ha presentado la documentacià ³n para una peticià ³n o solicitud, es posible verificar online el estatus de un caso, aunque para ello es requisito indispensable conocer el nà ºmero de recibo del mismo. Asimismo, tambià ©n es posible informarse online de cunto se estn demorando en la tramitacià ³n casos similares. Por ejemplo, si se ha presentado una peticià ³n de familiar, es posible rastrear cunto tarda de media esa gestià ³n en todas las oficinas de USCIS. Informacià ³n sobre requisitos para presentar una solicitud ante USCIS En la pgina oficial de USCIS se puede encontrar informacià ³n sobre trmites como por ejemplo solicitar residencia permanente, naturalizacià ³n, permiso de trabajo, ajuste de estatus, perdones, tambià ©n conocidos como waivers o permisos, etc. Asimismo, esa pgina es el lugar en el que se puede acceder a todos los formularios oficiales para presentar solicitudes al USCIS y descargarlos gratuitamente.  Es conveniente utilizar la versià ³n ms reciente del documento que se necesite ya que USCIS los modifica y actualiza perià ³dicamente y no admite las versiones viejas. Centro Nacional de Visas (NVC, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) En el NVC se tramitan gestiones relacionadas con las peticiones de la tarjeta de residencia permanente cuando à ©stas siguen lo que se conoce como un procedimiento consular. En otras palabras, cuando la fase final se realiza fuera de Estados Unidos y es necesario acudir a una embajada o consulado para ser entrevistado y recibir la visa de inmigrante. Como regla general, el NVC es quien contacta. Pero si surge la necesidad de comunicarse con ellos, tambià ©n es posible. Si bien antes de hacerlo es recomendable verificar el boletà ­n de visas para fechas de procesamiento de green card con cupos mximos anuales, como son las peticiones de ciudadanos para hijos casados o mayores de 21 aà ±os de edad o para hermanos o las peticiones de residentes para cà ³nyuges e hijos solteros. Si se ha pedido una visa de inmigrante en casos en los que hay dichos cupos mximos anuales es imprescindible esperar a que la fecha de prioridad del caso sea ms antigua que la fecha de corte publicada en el boletà ­n de visas. Si no ha llegado la fecha de prioridad para la tramitacià ³n de la visa de inmigrante no se avanza absolutamente nada contactando con el NVC. Informacià ³n relacionada con aduanas Para los extranjeros autorizados a permanecer sà ³lo temporalmente en los Estados Unidos es importante para verificar el I-94, registro de entrada y salida, ya que ese documento muestra fecha mxima de estancia con visa de turista. Tambià ©n sirve esa pgina para obtener el rà ©cord de ingresos y salidas del paà ­s. En la actualidad, el I-94 est digitalizado y en la pgina de oficial de ICE para este registro es posible no solo verificar los datos sino tambià ©n imprimir el rà ©cord. Por otro lado, las personas que siempre tienen problemas cuando llegan a un punto migratorio de los Estados Unidos y son enviados a una segunda inspeccià ³n siempre o frecuentemente puede ser conveniente dirigirse al programa que se conoce en inglà ©s como Traveler Redress Inquire Program, para intentar encontrar una solucià ³n. Ciudadanà ­a de los Estados Unidos Para los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos es importante conocer las opciones de cà ³mo y dà ³nde pueden solicitar el pasaporte. Para este trmite u otros puede necesitarse copia del certificado de nacimiento, cambio de nombre, matrimonio, pedir una nueva copia de la tarjeta del Nà ºmero del Seguro Social, etc. Para ello hay que dirigirse a la oficina de rà ©cords vitales del lugar donde se ha producido el hecho. Arrestos y detenciones Si se sospecha que un familiar o un amigo puede estar detenido, existe una base de datos para saber si est detenido por la Migra. Si no aparece en una centro de detencià ³n migratorio, hay varias formas de enterarse si se encuentra en una  en prisià ³n federal no migratoria o en una estatal. Informacià ³n sobre un caso en Corte migratoria Se puede marcar al EOIR, es decir, la Oficina de revisià ³n migratoria. Los telà ©fonos son  240-314-1500  o  1-800-898-7180, este à ºltimo es gratuito. Si se desea se puede elegir la opcià ³n de espaà ±ol. Por otro lado, para los migrantes es importante enterarse anà ³nimamente si existe una orden de deportacià ³n  y es posible hacerlo. Este punto conviene destacarlo ya que es totalmente posible que un juez haya declarado la deportacià ³n en ausencia y que el migrante no recibiera la notificacià ³n. En estos casos si por cualquier razà ³n se es detenido, la deportacià ³n proceder automticamente, sin pasar por corte. Dà ³nde reportar fraudes migratorios o felonà ­as Al igual que sucede en muchos otros paà ­ses, en Estados Unidos se puede marcar al 911 para reportar cualquier tipo de delitos o solicitar ayuda. Es el telà ©fono de situaciones de emergencia en todo el territorio nacional. En el caso de violencia domà ©stica se puede, adems, acudir directamente a la là ­nea gratuita que lucha contra esta lacra social. Para ello marcar al  1-800-799-7233. Otra opcià ³n es contactar con la Red Nacional contra el Asalto Sexual, Violacià ³n, Abuso e Incesto, que se conoce como RAINN por sus siglas en inglà ©s. En este caso marcar al  1-800-656-4673. Por otra parte, los migrantes son, lamentablemente, và ­ctimas de fraudes ya que siempre hay personas inescrupulosas que aseguran tener contactos o poder lograr resultados positivos en gestiones migratorias cuando no es verdad. Para estos casos es posible denunciar marcando al 1-877-382-4357. Adems, las actividades delictivas o fraudes relacionados con inmigracià ³n o con aduanas pueden reportarse anà ³nimamente al ICE marcando al 1-866-347-2423, incluidos los casos de matrimonios de conveniencia, es decir, los que se celebran para que uno de los cà ³nyuges obtengan los papeles. Dà ³nde solicitar ayuda o asesorà ­a migratoria No cabe duda de que Estados Unidos es un paà ­s que brinda buenas oportunidades. Pero no es menos cierto que se puede sufrir mucha soledad. Para los casos extremos donde se llega a tener pensamientos suicidas, por favor marcar gratuitamente al  1-888-628-9454, donde se habla en espaà ±ol. Otro de los grandes problemas que afectan a los migrantes es la necesidad de obtener buena informacià ³n sobre leyes migratorias y a un costo no elevado. La base de datos de AILA lista por localidad los abogados de su asociacià ³n especializados en migracià ³n. Adems, la Hispanic Federation puede ayudar con algunos trmites como por ejemplo peticiones de familia, DACA, permisos de trabajo, etc y tambià ©n puede brindar referencias a organizaciones con buena reputacià ³n. Marcar al 1-  866-432-9832. Finalmente, en el caso de mexicanos, siempre se puede marcar al telà ©fono de CIAM que es el y que brinda excelentes servicios gratuitamente. En el caso de los hondureà ±os en EE.UU. existen varios telà ©fonos a los que pueden marcar. Por su relevancia se seà ±alan tres en la zona fronteriza: McAllen, Texas: 214-347-4441Houston, Texas: 713-987-7406Los Angeles, California: 323-283-8623 Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

A Review of Performance Appraisal Practices nad Policy Options. A Case Literature

A of Performance Appraisal Practices nad Policy Options. A Case Study on a Local Nightclub - The Plug - Literature review Example An effective, valid, strong and accurate appraisal system for rating the performance of employees is indispensable in ensuring effective functioning of the performance management system and helping the organization attain competitive advantage ((Kuvaas, 2006:506; Boachie-Mensah & Seidu, 2012; Abdulakadir, Isaika, and Adedoyin, 2012:124). The outcome of the appraisal process, the accuracy of employee ratings as well as perceived effectiveness of the appraisal process is critical as such inputs are often used by organizations to make various decisions in promotion and compensation, administrative, and training and development. Performance appraisal systems also make it possible for employees to understand their capability development and their performance, and in this sense keep employee morale high and improve organizational health. This is possible through an effective and fair appraisal system (Boachie-Mensah and Seidu, 2012). Various research studies have explored performance Appra isal systems and the need for such systems to work effectively in organizations. This section reviews literature on performance appraisal practices and policy options by looking at main approaches in performance appraisal, objectives of performance appraisal programs, issues surrounding performance appraisal systems, the managerial role and employee perceptions in performance appraisal, and performance appraisal practices in the entertainment / nightlife industry. Background of Performance Appraisal Performance Appraisal has been in existence since the industrial revolution where it was used a means of monitoring organizational output (Fandray, 2001). However during the earlier days, it was used more as a negative procedure than a positive one. It was often linked to punishment and reactivity to poor performance (Kennedy & Dresser, 2001). This implies that the performance appraisal focused on punishment of employees for poor performance as a way of motivating the employees to perfor mance highly. However, overtime the performance appraisal has continually evolved over the years. Kennedy and Dresser (2001:8) note that, as years passed organizations gradually refined their performance measurement techniques that focused on improving performance, with the trend focusing more on a move towards rewards than punishment. In the past three decades, researchers and practitioners have vigorously and critically analysed and examined the effectiveness of how various performance appraisals are used within different organisational contexts (Kondrasuk, 2011). Though there have been a wide array of studies on effectiveness of performance appraisal system, no consensus has yet been reached concerning what type of performance appraisal universally best meets the desired objectives of various organisational contexts. This implies that different performance appraisal systems are suitable for different organisational contexts. Definition of Performance Appraisal and main approaches Various scholars have defined performance appraisal in a number of ways. Armstrong (2006:450) defined it as steps involved in assessing the performance of employees, recording such performance and providing feedback to the employees. It is a formal employee monitoring system (Cardy & Dobbins, 1994; Ikramullah, et al, 2012: 144), which often involves evaluation of employees performance based on the opinions and judgments of supervisors, workers, managers, peers and subordinates (Jackson & Schuler, 2003:455). On the other hand, Nath (2011:648) defines it as formal procedures employed in evaluating employee’s contributions, possibilities and potentials within an organization. This

The Art of Negotiation - reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Art of Negotiation - reflection paper - Essay Example At a personal level, the thought of bargaining or negotiation does not cross my mind on an everyday basis. However, Moore and Woodrow (2010) contend that negotiation is an ongoing process in the life of an individual. This is because individuals always strive to make their lives better in one way or another. In the process, negotiation becomes critical as far as realizing the underlying outcomes is concerned. In this respect, it is eye opening to learn that bargaining and negotiating is a significant part of an individual’s experiences over time. Whether negotiation takes place at an individual, social, economic, legal, political, or business level, it is evident that some individuals are better negotiators than others are (Thompson, 2009).An actual negotiator usually has certain characteristics. They are good listeners with high and reasonable expectations. Regardless of having a good knowledge of the topic, they give time to the other party to express themselves. To add on, they usually have the willingness to prepare on the area of discussion and are people of very high integrity (Kramer, 2001). In other words, the strategy and approach employed in negotiations are critical to the expected results. The success, effectiveness, and efficiency of the negotiator determine what the negotiator gains at the end. This is because the primary goal of negotiating or bargaining is emerge a winner as opposed to a loser. However, it is important to point out that negotiations encompass both winning and losing depending on the skills of the persons involved. The art of negotiation in the business world usually has several steps. The first step is preparing on the right strategy. This mainly involves developing an intense knowledge for the matter at hand. With all the relevant knowledge it is easy for someone to negotiate and answer any question that may arise.

Irish Violence and the Troubles Essay Example for Free

Irish Violence and the Troubles Essay In this essay I will examine the effect of silence during the ‘troubles’ on individual and national identities; with particular interest to Seamus Deane’s Reading in the Dark, Tim Pat Coogan states that the term Irish Troubles refers to a whole history of violence and colonialism that Ireland has endured, over the last thousand years. ‘To the physical force school of Irish nationalism the Norman coming is generally regarded as the starting point for ‘eight hundred years of British oppression’’ (Coogan, 1996, p. 43). In addition to this, he explains that the term ‘troubles’, is now directed to the modern, twentieth century troubles. They mainly occurred during 1960 to 1998. The reason for the violence and resentment in Northern Ireland is due to the divisions between the nationalists (Roman Catholics) and the unionists (Protestants). The nationalists identify Northern Ireland as part of Ireland, not a separate country, and not another colony of the United Kingdom; whereas the unionists have great allegiance to Britain and regard their position as part of the UK with pride (Coogan, 1996, p. 1). But the Irish agony had been building up slowly also, rooted in complex factors, one of which geography, pre-dates the dawn of history: others involve the outworkings of two forms of colonialism, those of Mother Church and Mother England (Coogan, 1996, p. 1). Discrimination also factored into the tension between the two groups. The unionists rule over Northern Ireland affected most Catholic lives negatively, as they were a minority; they were discriminated in areas of employment, housing and education. Internment or also known as Operation Demetrius is one key issue that contributed to the beginning of the ‘troubles’ (Coogan, 1996. 30). This was introduced by the British Army and the Royal Ulster Constabulary; it involved arresting anyone who was accused of being against the professional military force immediately, without trial. These aspects stirred resentment from the nationalists and inconsequence caused violent rebellion (Coogan, 1996, p. 145). Thus, the violence that was carried out during the ‘troubles’, was chiefly by the IRA (Irish Republic Army), the Ulster Volunteer Force, the British Army and The Royal Ulster Constabulary (Coogan, 1996, p. 18). The aggression of the ‘troubles’ constructed Northern Ireland to be a place of great instability and tension. In his book The Wretched of the Earth, Frantz Fanon comments on the state of the colonised mind. Fanon was a psychiatrist and a theorist of post-colonialism. His work essentially centred on the developing countries, particularly Algeria. In order to break away from colonisation, Fanon advocates violence to the colonised and he is renowned for this factor (Fanon, 1967, pp. 10-11). His main concern is his patients, who are mentally ill. In his final chapter â€Å"Colonial War and Mental Disorders†, he explains that his patients suffer not merely by war but also from a colonial circumstance (Fanon, 1967, p. 235). But the doctors described it by portraying as a congenital stigma of the native, an ‘original’ part of his nervous system where, it was stated, it was possible to find the proof of a predominance of the extra-pyramidal system in the native. This contracture is in fact simply the postural accompaniment to the native’s reticence, the expression in muscular form of his rigidity and his refusal with regard to colonial authority (Fanon, 1967, p. 35). It is this colonial circumstance that inevitably yields the ‘native’ into a nervous, mental state. Fanon pays close attention to language and asserts that language is taken away from the colonised subject (Fanon, 1967, p. 194). The language of colonising involves removing the ‘native’s’ language and speech. Consequently, the colonised is silenced, and this is an oppressive act. ‘Silence’ is defined in The Oxford English Dictionary as an ‘absence of sound’ and ‘speech’; it can be an evasion of discussing something in particular, or it can be something that is forced upon (Soanes and Stevenson, 2008, p. 1342). Sara Maitland, author of A Book of Silence, attempts to understand silence and claims that the OED’s definition is far too indistinct (Maitland, 2008, p. 25). She explores the essence of it in several ways; her own life, history, religion, literature and travel. It is apparent from this book that ‘silence’ is an ambiguous phenomenon that consists of both positive and negative dimensions. Silence is abstract and transforms itself; it can be relative or a complete absence. Maitland observes that it is generally recognised negatively, her friend writes in a letter that, ‘silence is the place of death, of nothingness’ (Maitland, 2008, p. 8). She justifies that silence is only negative when it obstructs. Maitland describes the three forms of ‘interferences’; a subject’s tongue is cut out then they are silenced; if someone is imprisoned, they are silenced, since any noise they make will not be heard; if speech is construed as ‘worthless’ and ‘meaningless’, then it is silenced (Maitland, 2008, p. 29). This is very effective and useful for your average oppressor: calling someone ‘mad’, for example, means they can say what they like but no one will hear – this was the sort of silencing the Soviet Union went in for (Maitland, 2008, p. 9). This form of silence interrupts speech and creates a barrier that subjugates the potential speaker. It is oppressive and in effect it becomes a metaphorical prison. Seamus Deane’s novel Reading in the Dark was published in1996, two years before the end of the ‘troubles’. The novel is a bildungsroman, as it reports the protagonists’ growth from child to an adult, so the reader witnesses the protagonist’s youthful innocence transform with experience, as he comes of age. The narrator is an Irish Catholic boy who is growing up in Northern Ireland, Derry. It is constructed of smaller stories that are dated from 1945 up to 1971, where the protagonist matures into an adult. These stories are fragments of memories, conversations, myths and events that happened in the area. They contribute in narrating the protagonist’s growth from a young child to an adult. Thus with backdrop of the violent ‘troubles’, the narrator develops his understanding of who he is, by unearthing a profound family secret (Deane, 1996). Deane complicates the whole novel by playing with ‘silence’. The style of narration is one of the key methods that he employs to do this. Before the narration begins, the title ‘Reading in the Dark’ indicates towards a narrative of silence and so to a narrative that will be indecipherable. As mentioned before, this novel is a bildungsroman, a story of self-discovery and identity. Ensuing this, to read is to understand, and so the protagonist will understand and discover himself by ‘reading’. However, ‘reading in the dark’ is a paradox, as it is impossible and in result self-discovery is silenced. The opposite of dark is light, and light is generally associated with illumination and knowledge (Farquharson, 1999, p. 101). Whereas, darkness contains an absence, so it becomes the visual equivalent to silence. Deane implies through this understanding of the title that the unfolding of the narrative will be an intricate and complicated process. This displays that the colonial landscape of Northern Ireland and the ‘troubles’ create identity as problematic. Pre-eminent among them are the disfiguring effects of both colonialism and postcolonial nationalism alluded to above, the crisis of self-representation produced by colonialist discourse, and the dynamics of power and resistance, history and memory, language and identity within colonial relations. Read from postcolonial perspective, the novel could be described as an exploration of the problematic process of identity formation in a colonialist context (Harte, 2000, p. 152). As a result, Deane deliberately confirms through his title that self-discovery and understanding of identity is furthermore complex in a colonised state (Fanon, 1967, p. 182). In consequence, darkness obstructs light and silence obstructs articulation. Therefore, silence hinders the narration.

The Influence on the Beatles on American Culture Essay -- The British

The Beatles were more than their music. They influenced the lives of millions of people unlike any musicians before them. They were the first and most popular band in one of the most important music movements in American history, the British Invasion. The year 1964 was the year both the British Invasion and â€Å"Beatlemania† came to America and forever changed the landscape of music in the United States by introducing the genre of pop, as it is today. The Beatles changed the rules of music. Many things that are considered normal now were pioneered by the Beatles such as: creating compilation albums, expressing their views on world happenings through the media, musicians in movies, and even mass media advertising. The beatles influenced American culture more than any other musical artist in history (Holmes, 2012). Prior to the Beatles’ arrival to the United States in 1964, American society was in a valley of negativity. The following were some of the big headlines the American people had to endure: President John F. Kennedy, one of the most popular presidents ever, was assassinated in November of 1963. President Lyndon B. Johnson was increasing U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which was also creating tax increases, all despite the protests of millions of Americans. Policemen on national television were beating Martin Luther King Jr.’s followers. All of this negative publicity surrounding the American public had the people, especially the youth, needing something to take their mind off of the depression going on all around them. â€Å"The Beatles – with their cheeky wit and catchy, upbeat pop songs – proved to be the perfect anecdote for America’s collective depression† (Harry, 2004). Luckily for the American public and... .... "The Beatles." City Portal Liverpool. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . A Brief History "The Beatles: It Was 40 Years Ago That They Began to Play." News Center. Richard Aquila, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . "The Beatles: Most Influential Band of All Time." Hub Pages. N.p., 4 May 2012. Web. 15 May 2015. "The British Invasion." Survey of American Popular Music. Mus273, n.d. Web. 17 May 2015. . "History of The Beatles." Beatle Tribute Bands. @lphaENTERTAINMENT, 2007. Web. 17 May 2015. .