United Airlines

United Airlines employees seem utterly incompetent. The recent dog death incident is only the latest in a string of situations in which United employees have screwed up. But the incidents don't reflect a competence deficit at the airline; they reveal a culture problem — and United's leaders must take specific actions to fix it. United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz must take specific actions to fix the culture problem at his company. (Photo by Jim Young/Getty Images)The ProblemWhen Dr. David Dao refused to give up his seat on a plane last year, specifically United Express employees under contract carrier Republic Airlines called airport security who ended up dragging him off the plane. Weeks later, a United gate agent refused to allow two young girls to board a plane because their leggings didn't adhere to the airline's dress code for â€Å"pass travelers.† And just last week a flight attendant insisted on putting a dog in an overhead bin because its carrier wouldn't fit under the seat and assured the dog's owner that it would be fine up there. The dog was found dead upon arrival at the destination.These employee actions are deplorable and quite a disconnect from the company's brand slogan â€Å"Fly the Friendly Skies.† The employees seem completely opposite from those featured in the company's recent Olympics advertisements which aimed to show that their superhero-like qualities enabled them to ensure the safe, smooth, and fun passage of Olympic athletes as well as everyday customers. The contrast between the company's brand aspirations and its actual operations couldn't be sharper.The DiagnosisAlthough United's employees seem to be at fault, the underlying cause is the company's lack of culture leadership. CEO Oscar Munoz and his fellow leaders are responsible for the huge gap between the company's brand identity and organizational culture. They have failed to engage, train, and motivate employees adequately and appropriately.Munoz is credited with stabilizing the airline's workforce after the poorly executed merger of United Airlines and Continental Airlines in 2010 resulted in a widespread lack of trust between the airline's management and its workers. He also has boosted United's position in monthly on-time performance rankings of U.S. airlines from near the bottom to middle of the pack or better.But he and other United executives have not been effective in cultivating the culture at the company. In fact, they have contributed to an unhealthy and poor-performing corporate culture by:Making vapid promises and setting vague values. After the disaster with Dr. Dao, the airline rewrote its overbooking policies and promised to empower employees to act in the moment to put customers first. Munoz pledged that â€Å"every customer deserves to be treated with the highest levels of service and the deepest sense of dignity and respect. † The company initiated a new employee training program called â€Å"core4† to emphasize the company's four core values: caring, safe, dependable, and efficient.Clearly the recent dog death, along with several other incidents in the past year involving pets being delivered to incorrect destinations and/or dying while under United's care and the fact that the airline remains among the highest of U.S. airlines for complaints, indicate that whatever changes the leaders have implemented have not delivered on their promises. The training has not been effective and its values are at best aspirational and more likely inconsequential.Prioritizing operational performance over employees. United's on-time and financial performance gains seem to have been achieved on the backs of its employees. On online forums, flight attendants routinely complain about what they view as deliberate understaffing. This, combined with the increase in quick turns due to more aggressive flight scheduling, means that attendants have too much to do in too short of a time during the boarding process. They aren't paid until the aircraft pushes back from the gate and they're held accountable for departures delayed by lack of in-cabin readiness. It's easy to see why they often rush through procedures and indiscriminately follow procedures.Not respecting or listening to employees. United recently announced that it would discontinue quarterly bonus payments to most employees and would replace them with a lottery-based system in which those who qualified for the lottery through participation in the core4 program could win prizes.When employees responded in an uproar, Munoz explained that the program's intent was â€Å"to spice up the process a little bit.† His comments suggest that leaders view employee compensation as something needing an injection of fun instead of understanding its role in meaningfully engaging employees and contributing to their livelihood. Also his statement, â€Å"We'll be working over the next couple weeks to make sure we get input from people at all levels,† suggests that employees were not adequately consulted during the conception of the change. RecommendationsSetting prescriptive values. Setting policies and procedures do not help to anticipate every customers and also dictate the appropriate employee's response. Employees must be guided by clear and prescriptive values that help them determine how to handle unforeseen or difficult situations. Vague values such as â€Å"caring† don't provide the specificity that employees need to help them make the right in-the-moment decisions. But if United's leaders were to articulate and abide by values such as â€Å"listen carefully and respond respectfully,† they would increase the likelihood that customers would be treated appropriately.Empowering and equipping employees. It's important for employees to develop emotional intelligence and learn effective communication skills, their hands shouldn't be tied by restrictive policies that dictate certain customer handling and they shouldn't face serious consequences for improvising when the situation calls for it. Moods and e motions influence how well the employee follow the decision process. Leaders should let the employee to have the freedom to make judgement.Aligning employee experience and customer experience.Employees can and will only deliver an experience to customers that they experience themselves , so leaders must train employees the way they want employees to treat customers. Therefore, managers should motivate their employees. If managers only follow procedures and don't take the time to understand what their employees need, employees are going to operate by the book regardless of what customers might really need. If employees are treated as if their behavior is less important than airline performance, they will care less about customers' well-being and more about on-time departures and efficient operations. This will affect the company's profit growth. But if leaders listen, value, and trust their employees, Employees will likely to listen to, value, and maintain loyalty of the customers.

Neglect of the Elderly Essay

The neglect of the elderly is an extremely important issue in today’s society. The United States especially seem to treat their senior citizens with a severe lack of respect. In most foreign countries, the elderly are treated with the utmost respect. They are looked upon as the wisest person in their family. In today’s society, it seems as if people are more concerned with their own lives than the lives of those who raised them. This is why something needs to be done. Elderly neglect is a severe problem; one that does not seem to be getting any better. So what do we do when our parents get to the age when they have difficulty taking care of themselves? It seems that the most popular solution is to put them in an adult care facility and let them be someone else’s problem. When babies are born, they cannot take care of themselves. Do parents send them to a baby care facility and let strangers take care of them? No, because that would be preposterous. We care for our children because they cannot are for themselves. Then why is it that when the elderly get to the point that they cannot take care of themselves, we send them off to be someone else’s burden? This makes absolutely no sense. We as their children should be the ones taking care of them. We can ensure that they get the care they need. We would treat them with love and respect, something that they will not get in a facility. Adult homes, senior citizen centers, and assisted living facilities are all businesses. They are controlled by money. When money is tight, so is the care given to the senior citizens. The financial restraints result in the seniors not getting the attention they so desperately need. Some seniors cannot use the restroom without assistance, which sometimes results in them having to sit in their own filth until someone can help them. Imagine not being able to use the restroom by yourself and no one will help you. You end up soiling yourself and you have to sit in your own disgust until the underpaid, overworked employee slopes into your room to unwillingly help clean you up. Is that how anyone should be treated? No, absolutely not. Adult care facilities also suffer from a high turnover rate, which breeds poor employees. These unqualified individuals hold the lives of our elderly in their hands. A prime example would be fast food employees. When you put an underdeveloped person in a high stress, low paying job, you are not going to get top notch service. You are going to find people with bad attitudes that give poor service. Over-stressed and under-qualified caregivers end up giving this same type of service. This issue also tends to lead to elderly abuse, which is another major issue. But why do these people abuse the elderly? Even more puzzling is why do family members abuse the elderly? It was stated that â€Å"most perpetrators of abuse are caregivers who have some history of mental illness or substance abuse, and who are economically dependent on the older adult that they are supposed to be caring for† (Garrett, 2013, para.3). Why do we as a society treat these seasoned individuals with such a lack of respect? I can only imagine that part of the problem is the frustration of the system in place at these businesses. The disgruntled workers take out their frustrations on the seniors. This lack of caring also results in the seniors not being fed properly, which can ultimately lead to severe medical conditions or death. The facilities are not the main problem. The main issue is that people have lost respect for one another. Everyone is so wrapped up in their own lives that they could care less about anyone else. Elderly neglect would improve if we as a society would recognize the importance of supporting and cherishing all things, old and new. Reference Garrett, M. (2013, April 27). Elder abuse. Psychology Today. Retrieved July 24, 2013, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/iage/201304/elder-abuse

Analysis of the Modern State and Features of Stock Market Investment

Analysis of the Modern State and Features of Stock Market Investment Portfolio Analysis for stock market investment An investor tends to come up with various pools of investment to the market intending to maximize bid share and with an aim of upholding the invested amount in the stock market which is generally advocated in the principle of low risks which should lead to high yields. As much as long term investment is concerned, various factors such as types of assets in the portfolio and the management policy, by way of measuring both investor’s long and short term investment goals whereby they should come to fulfillment before closure of the intended period which makes easy to have 10 stocks for a given time. In order to attain an optimal asset allocation for portfolio, the investor should be aware of the market risks likely to encounter. The investor should however come up with the most efficient and risk tolerance portfolio goals. Some of the reasons which fostered the kind of market are as outlined. Transaction summary It clearly lists all the financial activities which occurred in the account in a systematic way. The total investable principle and the additional amount which can be invested can easily be channeled to the market. This has however sieved un important financial transaction which leaves the investor with the net market transactions which includes market buy, market sell, earned dividends and short proceeds. This report allows the investor to filter different transactions by date of occurrence and the date of transaction. Portfolio summary This summary shows the both cash inflow and outflows, purchases and sales, and, cash distributions which make it easy for the investors to at any particular to access the financial position of the investment firm. The summary also outlines all activities and performance in a specified duration, this summary is reached out by use of all transactions that occurred during the specified period of time i.e weekly, after two weeks etc. The investor can have a view on the look of the portfolio in between the selected time duration. The summary includes: value summary section, cash distributions and purchases section, period Returns section, and the portfolios and transaction bit of it. This approach guides on the starting market value (recorded at end of a starting date), ending market value (recorded at the close of ending date) and the portfolio net change. This makes it easy to come up with a financial and a defined market report and trade completion. The Gain/Loss summary The investor can easily get to know how the investment has performed in duration of specified period in terms profit or loss. This guides the investment scheme in making decisions for future investments and shows if the investor minimized costs to maximize returns. Every purchase in this case is matched with the sell transaction and a display of either there is a loss/gain. This information leads to the Back-In-Time-Report. Performance Study This approach analyses the aggregate performance of an investor in the market to other major investors. The trade however reflects the intended purpose, indicating whether the investor is 3in line with the set objectives or not, showing how the investor has failed to meet the core obligation which is maximum returns. True diversification of assets to market exposure is reached out, which advocates for low costly assets and low investment costs.

Normal Branding Theory - Promoting Brand Identity Essay

Normal Branding Theory - Promoting Brand Identity - Essay Example The behavioural mannerisms of the audiences, both primary and secondary are significant since these shape up the sale of these brands or as exclusively one can state, the marketing of the same. (Jackson, 2004) Brands have overtaken the retail units by storm. They seem to be everywhere. One brand is ‘in’ today and it might just be replaced or cannibalized by its smaller unit every other week. This means that there is a lot of diversification which is taking place and if seen from the competitive standpoint, this is something that boosts competition and gives rise to a healthy one. (Keller, 2003) But then again, there are drawbacks in such a situation. Since how many brands can remain in the awareness set of the consumer that the brand is actually hitting upon? The answer to this is not only confusing but also perplexing to state the least. (Faust, 1994) Further, Douglas (2004) has asserted the way in which brands have attained the position of icons on their own due right and place. They have outsmarted the manner in which other brands are perceived and this is a significant basis for their long-term success within the relevant markets nonetheless. The normal branding theory thus speaks of the ways through which brands are propagated across a number of different channels and whether these communicate the essence of the product in entirety or otherwise. The proliferation of brands in a tremendous amount is a tantamount to serious market activity and shuffling in of brands at a breakneck speed which is all the more pleasing for the market indicators and the business as a whole. The manner in which this proliferation has come about has brought serious and grave concerns on the minds of the people who are in charge of running the whole show but then again it is in direct proportion with the supply and demand theory which we discuss in the coming lines. (Brache, 2007) Brands offer some sort of value to a particular set of audience and it is up to the brand manager and his team that this audience is narrowed down as far as possible.  Ã‚  

Right to representation at domestic tribunal - common law and ECHR art Essay

Right to representation at domestic tribunal - common law and ECHR art 6 - Essay Example Under Article 6 of the ECHR, all have the right to a fair and public trial in cases that are both civil and criminal in nature, â€Å"within reasonable amount of time†, and â€Å"by an independent and impartial tribunal established by law†. Moreover, for those who are charged with the commission of a crime, Article 6 contains a provision for a defendant to choose legal counsel or to have one given to the defendant for free if defendant is unable to provide the financial means to procure his own counsel, and â€Å"when the interests of justice so require†. The defense can also be undertaken by the defendant on his own capacity and in his own person 1 That said, Article 6 does not contain an express provision for the right to representation for civil cases. 2 On the other hand, there are cases where the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that in some cases, as when the litigation involves complexities that the defendant is unable to understand completely to t he point of being able to ably defend himself or herself and no representation was given to the defendant, that act of not providing representation is deemed to have been a violation of Article 6. . The findings of the court with regard to the proper interpretation of Article 6 of the ECHR is that legal aid must be given even in civil cases, where â€Å"legal representation is compulsory†, as when the case is complex or the nature of the case itself demands legal representation, or when the defendant has limited abilities to undertake his or her own defense. 3 Moreover, with regard to the coverage of the right to a fair trial, Article 6 expressly includes determining the rights and obligations of people from a civil point of view as within the coverage of the Article, so that areas such as the rights related to property, right to undertake commercial acts, and others are deemed to be included within the scope of the Article. 4The rest of the paper continues this evaluation of the extent of the right to legal counsel in tribunals, taking off from this Introduction and the discussion on Article 6 of the ECHR to consider the common law basis, extent and boundaries of legal representation in domestic tribunals as reflected in common law. 5 II. Discussion In Regina v. Home Secretary, ex parte Tarrant and others, 1985 there is common law precedent with regard to considering the merits of a case relating to the right to counsel for a person already in prison, but was to face possible disciplinary sanction within the prison system. That proceeding to determine whether sanctions were to be meted to the prisoner for disciplinary reasons tackled the reasons for a prisoner in such circumstances being provided the proper access to legal counsel/representation. Those considerations were the gravity of the charge as well as the gravity of the potential sanctions or penalties; whether legal points were to surface and the likelihood of that surfacing; the prisonerâ€⠄¢s own capacity for self-representation; difficulties relating to procedure and how well the prisoner is to handle that; the mandate that the charge had to be determined with reasonable swiftness; and the mandate for fairness to rule the relationship between those who are imprisoned and the staff in charge of overseeing them. The case demonstrates common law bases for determining the conditions wherein the right to counsel is acknowledged, where the prisoner in question is to face a tribunal within the prison system. 6 Elsewhere we see that the right to representation is essential to a man who is untrained in the ways of the law and of the proceedings to which he may be

Critique analysis of scientific paper (How does calorie restriction Essay

Critique analysis of scientific paper (How does calorie restriction work) - Essay Example Testing biases may have played a role, as controlled subjects may have been overfed to the extent of sickness. Despite knowledge of its effects strongly established, its mechanisms remain unknown due to the complexities from metabolic, neuroendocrine, and apoptotic changes involved. Several theories exist on the mechanism of CR. Classical views by evolutionary biologists shows that aging results from the inability of natural selection to pick out and dispose the undesirable characteristics in a post reproductive stage of life. According to a leading research, aging is caused by oxidative damage to DNA, RNA, lipids and proteins. Such damage is reported to have been reduced in CR animals. Studies conducted on CR in yeast have proven that food deficiency has resulted in an increased life span, as part of a synchronized response. Studies conducted on CR and metabolic changes in mammals show that it consists of two stages. The adaptive stage is one in which the restricted animal adjusts to low levels of glucose intake, and results in a striking loss of protein and carbohydrates followed by fat mass. Consequently, the liver produces ketones that are used in the next phase that is the steady state to meet the brain’s energy requirements. Glucose level in the blood falls and then rises, albeit not to the same degree as the initial level, during the whole process. The neuroendocrine system has been found to play a fundamental role in the aging process, its unique feature being that it affects every tissue of the body. Strong evidence is available from researches on various species of worms for part that hormones play in the process. There are normally low levels of pituitary growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone, and other hormones in CR animals. This attests the significant position that neuroendocrine system

Financial crisis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Financial crisis - Assignment Example This paper describes all the types of financial crisis. Monetary crisis occurs due to political instability and speculative attacks that effectively provoke financial institutions or the central banks to raise the interest rates as a measure of avoiding capital flight. Monetary crisis also occurs when there is a depreciation of the monthly percentage of the exchange rates and a decrease in the reserves that surpasses the mean by almost three standard deviation. The debt crisis is one of the fundamental challenges affecting most of the world economies with a classic example being the Eurozone crisis. The crisis is caused by recession that cause most of the economies not to owner their pledges in so far as repaying their debts is concerned. Debt crisis is caused by a number of complex factors that combine to exert pressure on respective sectors of the economy. Additionally, the crisis occurs when there is no balance between the revenues and the public debt. Financial crisis in the banking sector is sometimes caused by a combination of complex factors that otherwise affect capital gain of certain institutions. Banking institution is dependent on the deposits that make it possible for them to lend customers and institutions in terms of loans. There are two events that cause banks to run into a crisis. When a bank lends to customers and the depositors demand the money, it becomes difficult for the institution to meet such obligations effectively leading to a crisis. A bank can be insolvent when the deposits by customers are lost.

Regression Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Regression Analysis - Research Paper Example It may also direct the researcher to other relevant and useful research studies. According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) (2014) offenses such as motor vehicle theft, burglary, arson and larceny are all described as property crimes. All except arson involves the theft of money or property. In the case of arson, it represents damage to property. Motor vehicle theft and burglary are the two main property crimes of special interest because they are serious, prevalent and reliably measured by the FBI (Alfred Blumstein and Richard Rosenfeld 2008; 18). Additionally, only 32% of larcenies are reported compared to more than 50% of burglaries (Alfred Blumstein and Richard Rosenfeld 2008; 18). Several reasons are given for the difference in reporting rates and included among them is the requirement to report for insurance purposes. An important source of heterogeneity associated with the theft of motor vehicles is that a large proportion is stolen for joyriding as opposed to economic gain. The trends in crime statistics in the United States show a 16.3% decline in property crimes for the period 2004 to 2013 (FBI). In fact, burglary has been on a steady rate of decline since 1980 (Alfred Blumstein and Richard Rosenfeld 2008; 18). An explanation for this might be increase in sanctions in relation to burglary which makes it less attractive than robbery. In terms of motor vehicle theft the trend which changed n the 1990’from one of an increase in rate per thousand changed to a decline. This trend is still continuing (Alfred Blumstein and Richard Rosenfeld 2008; 18). The theft of motor vehicles has been associated with the era of crack when they were stolen to trade for drugs and later to prevent their own motor vehicles from confiscation. In order to reliably forecast the property crime rate several factors have been assessed through various studies. Several

SINGLE TEENAGE MOTHER WITH NEWBORN Research Paper

SINGLE TEENAGE MOTHER WITH NEWBORN - Research Paper Example Millions of teenage girls get pregnant in the United States every year and most of them are those who did not take any contraceptive measure. Teenage pregnancy in the US is anticipated to be around 1 million with 85 percent as unplanned (Sams par. 1). Teenage pregnancy, for some mothers, is a disaster for their lives but for others, it is something of a blessing. Research suggests that many deleterious effects can result from teenage pregnancy- effects that are psychological, physical and social. This paper intends to discuss what social problems do single teenage mothers go through and how the society deals with them. The issue of teenage pregnancies has always been considered as disagreeable in all ages (Holgate, Evans & Yuen). Duncan studied what effects teenage pregnancies had on social outcomes for the mother and found that although teenage pregnancies are expected to make the single mother suffer emotionally, socially and financially, still in many cases the mother regard the s ocial outcomes as positive and consider it a delightful experience staying connected with the child. Gillham (11) found that single teenage mothers feel respectable and powerful. He conducted a research about 533 single teenage mothers who came from lower socio-economic status. ... Thus, for many single teenage mothers, their pregnancy and childbirth comes as an opportunity rather than devastation (Duncan). Kidger, while discussing the features of the New Labour’s Strategy as a part of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, states that the policy tends to offer the single teenage mothers better education and employment in order to save them from long term social exclusion. However, Kidger states that the efforts for making the social inclusion possible for teenage mothers will result in encouraging them to develop more intimate relationships in teenage. Female teenagers will start taking their pregnancy as a valid option and an opportunity to avail better job opportunities. Giullari also concluded from his study that such policies are actually supporting the teenage pregnancies rather than controlling them. Despite positive outcomes experienced by many single teen mothers, it is impossible to ignore the stigma attached to the concept of teenage pregnancy. Socia l discrimination, prejudice and late modernity have given rise to the need of resilient mothering practice that teenage mothers should utilize to look after their children (McDermott & Graham). Research also confirms that working single mothers who are in their teens have to suffer from social exclusion due to which they have to mother in poor conditions. They have to develop kin relations and a strong mother-child relationship to gain the identity of a good mother. This makes young mother practices impulsive but restricted by social inequalities. Single teenage mothers have been stigmatized by the society so much so that this perception has created great negative impacts on their lives and their

Model for Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Model for Morality - Essay Example In the Kantian approach to ethics and morality, the ultimate identifier of a ‘good action’ is one that is performed out of ‘duty’ with no other ulterior motive. This becomes a means of a means of rewarding or punishing the individual for performing the action. In this case, duty is the ulterior motive because it accords the individual the opportunity to adopt his own morality. Although Kant was not the first individual to support such an approach to morality and ethics, he was among the first to make such a move. He also passed it along as a moral code of ethics arguing it could be applied universally. This universality of Kantian morality serves as the hallmarks of defining the forms of ethical and moral approaches that have been far been studied. This universality is born out of an understanding that the main guiding precept that defines goodness is duty. This is the duty of maintaining law in society and upholding virtues such as honesty, respect and obed ience. Kant describes it as not necessarily born out of an imprint of Godliness upon the hearts of mankind but out of the universality of reason. This helps to develop moral and ethical approaches to the many situations that greet the individual within his/her daily life (Robert et al, 2011, p. 119). Additionally, Kantian morality and ethics take the approach that God is exhibited through reason and rationality hence presents within the human duties. It, therefore, ultimately leads an individual to perform a moral act for the sake of duty itself. As a means to further this moral approach, Kant argues that the ‘good of humanity’ in itself is sufficient enough a cause for encouraging the application of duty upon any given situation. Good humanity in this case means remarkable values and virtues that define the morality of individuals. Ultimately, this strike at the motivation for action, which itself Kant is able to trace back to a type of humanism that seeks to improve a nd reform the lives of others. It also encourages the good of humanity in general as a means of revealing a better and noble world full of duty. Similarly, the ultimate expression of goodness through the unconscious and conscious acts of duty influences the individual who aspires for such an approach. Conversely, the analysis of the theory demonstrates several levels of weaknesses that raise questions in the reader’s mind with regards to how effective such an approach would ultimately be in the universal practice (Robert et al, 2011, p. 123). This is effective in terms guiding the individual toward reforming his weaknesses and concentrating on his strengths for universal renewal. Although it is laudable to seek to divorce self-interest from moral actions for neutrality and integrity, it

Phidias & Associates Essay Example for Free

Phidias Associates Essay In the best interest of the productivity and success of Phidias Associates, I’d like to suggest the adoption of a corporate strategy already in use by NASA and other leading countries across the world. Corporate napping is an exceptionally cost-effective and efficient way to improve the accuracy, alertness, and speed of workers by as much as 34%. The conversion of Phidias Associates to a nap friendly zone would enhance the experience of around 92% of employees. Immediate improvements in energy, creativity, problem-solving, and job satisfaction would be in the bright future of this company. The first step to realizing the reality of this advancement is the addition of a nap room to the offices of Phidias Associates. What other room in our building can offer such impressive gains for our country? A nap room doesn’t need to be elaborate. Many companies utilize a sound proof room, several couches, and a dimmer switch to provide a place for employees to recharge and renew. Rather than rearranging the office space, I’ve discovered an even easier alternative for the company to immediately begin reaping the benefits of corporate napping. The company MetroNaps rents and sells individualized EnergyPods to high-paced future-thinking organizations like Phidias Associates. For only $12,485, we could purchase an EnergyPod. There’s also the option to rent EnergyPods for only $10/per employee/per month. A productivity boom is only a small investment away! In addition to a place to nap, our employees will require one other change to fully embrace this advancement. In America, a strong negative stigma surrounds the concept of napping in the workforce. This judgment is holding back our country’s and company’s potential for success. Other countries, like Japan, and some of our own country’s top leaders, like Thomas Edison and John Kennedy, utilized napping for its purpose-the restore energy. A few brief informative meetings and distribution of educational materials could change the mindset of Phidias Associates to view napping as a tool for our company’s growth. Ten and twenty years ago, large and successful companies modernized their facilities by adding fitness centers. Realizing that physical and mental health extends beyond the benefits of exercise, corporate napping is what’s missing from our organization. By becoming a leader in the industry, we can harness the secret gains of this largely unknown trick to boosting productivity. Nap rooms benefit the executives, the employees, and the advancement of Phidias Associates. Please consider the lofty paybacks of installing a nap room and e-mail me your reply.

Strategic Management Used At General Motors Business Essay

Strategic Management Used At General Motors Business Essay Automotive legend of the last century, GM, is one of the biggest corporations in the world. Although GM had big turmoils in its business, it still operates successfully in all over the universe. The aim of this assignment is to determine the GMs business strategies with rises and falls by looking into their history, having the data of what and how did they do in their businesses and analysing their company activities. Being a leader and pioneer of the automobile industry since this sectors infancy times , General Motors Corporation still keeps its successful place in this competitive business. Since 1908, General Motors Corporation (GM) is one of the largest auto producer in the world as measured by global industry sales, whose headquarters is in United States of America. William C. Durant was the founder of General Motors Company with being an innovator in automobile technology. As being a multinational automobile manaufacturer General Motors employes about 280 million people all around the world with the total assets of 149 billion US Dollars. The company manufacturers the cars and the trucks in 55 different countries (exluding US and Canada). General Motors has sub-brands under its management. Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, Vauxhall, Holden, Saturn and Wuling are some one the names of General Motors brands. The General Motors Company placed into a global market throughout the 1920s. Meanwhile, the company built itself as a firm which provided prestige, power and the other options. As a competitor, Ford, that focused on lower costs and lower prices, reversely GM targeted customers who had likely money to spend on more featurative products. During the World War II, General Motors Company manufactured armament and military vehicles,both for Allied and Axis forces. GM had improved its business level and becomed the largest corporation in the United States after the world war II. During the 1950s, style, desing, and engineering innovations are applied into the companys production line. In 1960s, GM also focused on insurance, home appliances, financing, electronics, locomotives and banking etc. In request for the smaller cars of European producers , GM introduced Chevrolet Corvair, that was ciriticized for safety issues in following days. In the next decade, oil prices went up and as well as the oil costs , environmental problems are taken into consider at those times. Therefore, there were a shift from huge oil guzzling cars to smaller European cars increased with the first energy crisis. After that , second crisis followed quickly by rising the concern for pollution and controlling of over emission and safety problems resulted GM lose of its market share to more economical and smaller vehicles. Especially between 1980s and 1990s , the Japanese imports rocketed ( See Appendix 1) ,so that, that time of a period was a hardship for GM, which was plagued by high competition with Japanese companies. As a result of this, GM had chenged its strategies like redesingining and reengineering of its car models. However , because of the high production costs , GM had continioued its high losses in the market with huge numbers. In 1990s, General Motors Company had started to close many of its plants and also cut the jobs. With these turmoils among the company, GM followed different strategies ,like buying Saab and Daewoo, and a little portion of Subaru and Suzukis shares, that were sold later for increasing the money. As follows, GM merged with FIAT car company which lasted five years. In the late-1990s, General Motors Company seemed on the way to big recovery, with sales stabilizing and stock increasing. However, end of the 2001 September, the company started to have challenges, and the system was changed again. In the following next few years, General Motors became a survivor in the highly competitive automobile industry with the economic recession in 2008, therefore the company had bailed out by the government for avoiding bankruptcy. (bbc.co.uk, 2010) In the first quarter of 2009, the auto giant posted a 6 billion dollars loss and said that it burned through 10.2 billion dollars of cash in the first three months of the year as revenue plummeted by 20 billion dollars'(about.com, 2010). However, besides these hard circumstances, in the first half of 2010, the General Motors sold more vehicles in China than in the US. (Constantini,2010) 3. STRATEGÄ °C ANALYSÄ °S OF GENERAL MOTORS Analysing the companys internal and external environments, there are many different frameworks and models exist for companies. By having some strategies enables the firms to get better understanding of the critical factors for their future success. Some sof the strategic analysis methods are Dunnings Eclectic Paradigm (Cavusgil et al., 2008), Porters Diamond and Five forces, Directional Policy Matrix, Mintzbergs School of Thoughts (Mintzberg et al., 2003) Value Chain Analysis (Johnson et al., 2008), SWOT analysis (Kotler and Keller, 2009), etc. The suitable frameworks choosing is depends on what the company needs to address and in what circumstances it needs to do so (Johnson et al., 2008). This is because many firms today operate both on a national, regional and global basis and as such need appropriate strategy for each individual environment (Schlie and Yip, 2000). As being a multinational enterprise, GM operates in approximately 57 countries, including Canada and US, and they serve and operate in variety of services from improvement, marketing, manufacturing of cars, trucks to economy and insurance services (Datamonitor, 2009). A potent tool and a flexible framework that could assist in describing and assessing competitive pressures in an industry and industry attractiveness is the Porters five forces (FF) model (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). The model helps a company to decide how and where to make strategic changes for gaining and sustaining competitive advantages over rival firms and thereby generating above-average return on investments (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). Figure 1: Michael Porters Five Forces Source: Michael E. Porter The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy, 2008 In addition, one the school of the Mintzberg Ten School of Thoughts, The Design School, gives us another highly essential analysis for the firms. According to Mintzberg, The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). Meanwhile, strenghts and weaknesses are given as the internal capabilities, on the other hand, opportunities and threads are seen as the external possibilities. Figure 2: Mintzbergs Design School of Thought Source:http://blogtext.org/russelldavison/article/7281.html Therefore, in this assignment, the General Motors Company will be analysed through company strategies. Firstly competitive advantage and analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces. Secondly, internal and external analysis will be given according to Mintzbergs Design School by applying the SWOT analysis. Finally, in the last to secion Value Chain and BCG Matrix Analysis will be examined. 3.1. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MICHAEL PORTERS FIVE FORCES The competitive analysis of a company is an essential element of identifying components which are a threat to reduce profitability. For assesing over the competitive problems , Michael Porters five forces analysis is the one of the most efficient way. Porter (2004) has brought the light of five such factors: (1) Rivalry between existing competitors, (2) Barriers to entry, (3) Pressure of price from Substitutes/Complementaries, (4) Bargaining power of buyers, (5) Bargaining power of suppliers. Therefore, General Motors Corporations competitive advantage analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces . 3.1.1. Rivalry Between Existing Competitors: Rivalry occurs, because one or more competitors either feels the pressure or sees the opportunity to improve position (Porter, 2004 :p.17). Additionally, The strategies pursued by one firm can be successful only to the extent that they provide competitive advantage over the strategies pursued by rival firms. ( David, 2011 :p.107-108). Therefore, if we look at the GM motors in this section, in the 1970s and 1980s, competition in the US automobile industry had become much more strong with the increase of foreign rivals such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan (See Appendix 2). Although GM was a leader of the automobile industry at that period of time, its rivals had started to compete with GM providing some different offers. For example, Toyota started to produce cars with lower price than GM cars , whereas the quality of cars were high. So that, the competitros of GM became well-known brands ,while GM had difficulties with competing with them. 3.1.2. Barriers To Entry: According to Porter, new capacity may be brought to an industry by new entrants. Furthermore, gaining the market share, and getting high proportion of resources can be achieved by new entries. Meanwhile, the presence of of new corporations in an any industry can push the prices down and may decrease the profitability. Although these entries may seem as a threat, those may protect the established companies. During the both world wars, GM made a high profit, and it enlarged its business. Being a leader of the sector and being a well-known brand placed the GMs competitors very difficult positon to entry the industry. Especially for the smaller firms, competing with the GM was very hard. In early 20s, GM invented self-starters by differentiating itself from Ford, later on , in 1970s, Japanese and European companies introduced their fuel-efficient models to the industry. 3.1.3 Pressure of Price From Substitutes/Complementaries : All of the companies are in the competition broadly with the industries manufacturing substitute and complementary products (Porter, 2004). In this highly competitive automobile industry, any change in the prices on complementaries such as gas, tires, could have a important effect on the demand for automobiles. If we look at the GM, recent rising gas prices are highly to get a bigger effect on GM. Because, generally GMs cars are energy inefficient. Therefore, this will have great impact on GM. 3.1.4. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Buyers compete with the industry by forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality and more services, and playing competitors against each other, all at the expense of industry profitability'(Porter, 2004 p:24). As a result of highly improved information technologies, and as well as with globalization, customers of the GM (like for the other companies) became more aware of the what were they buying and how much were they paying. Furthermore, getting the information the rivals of GM from the internet increased the bargaining power of dealers of GM. 3.1.5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of an industry plays a significant role for their businesses. They may reduce the quality of the products, or may raise the prices up. For GM, raw materials and machine parts suppliers threat is very low, because there many suppliers for those sections (Nytimes, 2011). However, the powerful labour union, United Auto Workers (UAW), is a potential threat to GMs economical capability and endurance. For example, the liability of pension and health-care costs acquired an additional 1,400 to the cost of every vehicle comes from GM place compared with competitor products (The Economist, 2008). This is a magnificent amount and GM needs to search ways to cut this liability, therefore, GM may get more economical improvement and the growth of the company. Figure 3: Michael Porters Five Forces adopted to GM Source: Author 3.2. INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MINTZBERGS DESIGN SCHOOL Mintzberg explained The Design School as in the following: The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). In this definition, internal factors are given as strenghts and weaknesses. Besides this, opportunities and threats are described as external factors. Therefore, for analysing the GENERAL MOTORS external and internal factors we should do a SWOT Analysis with the light of Mintzbergs Design School. 3.2.1. Strenghts: During the 20th century, GM has been the automotive leader in car industry. Although the company had some turmoils, its market share is still very much competitive in the sector. GM is well established not only in US but all around the world. Moreover, GM also have an rising share in the Chinese market (See Appendix 3). If GM takes the right decisions, there will be no reason for GM becoming a boss of the car industry again with. In addition, GM has wide range of brands such as Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Vauxhall. Company operates in more than hundred countries in the world with employing the approximately 250,000 people (gm.com, 2010) . Therefore, General Motors, with its global experience and its huge market share in the world, is still keeps the professional place in the automobile industry. General Motors Corporation uses OnStar Satellite Technology. This technology provides its customers security and safety facilities. For example, in the event of emergency , the system allows the driver to communicate with OnStar personnel just away a button immediately. GM has been controlling the costs by alliance and partnership with corporations like Shanhai Automobile Industry Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Daimler AG. So that, GM improved its cost reduction system by sharing the company costs. 3.2.2. Weaknesses: For analysing the GMs weaknesses, first, we should consider that, this company is an US firm. So that, from its early years until present times, it is still over dependent to US market. The company should take the benefit for expanding globally. According to an article issued by Associated Press (2010), GM had low credit ratio which is determined as junk-credit (BB-). On the other hand, another problem is downsizing. GM put on the market some of its brands and it closed them completely. Additionally, the inactive profitability is the other issue of GM. After the global economic recession in 2008 , companys profit margins and sales went down dramatically. Staying one step behind on alternative energy movement is the biggest weakness for General Motors Company. The competitors of GM like Honda, Toyota, are using fuel efficiently, and also that are producing more ecological and environment friendly vehicles. Therefore, this may led problems such as decrease of market share and loss in company profit. GMs organizational structure is designed vertically. This causes a lack of information between the levels in the company, from bottom to top. So that, many problems can be occur because of the operational and top managerial levels uncommunicative situation. 3.2.3. Opportunities: One of the lightly opportunities of GM is maintaining the Global Expansion . In the last few years, GM achieved a substantial rise in the Chinese market, that made the GM alarm to major on the foreign markets. The other advantage for GM to take is the catching up the hybrid technology cars. Although they had lagged behind the alternative energy, it is not late for the automotive giant becoming again once it was. Recently, GM started to operate Green-Manufacturing systems, such as water-borne technology, reduction goals for hazardous and non-hazardous waste at source ( See Appendix 4). Developing new vehicle models and designs is the big advantage for GM. Because, as we know, what is in today will be out tomorrow. Therefore, focusing on innovations should be the urgent mission through the GM company. 3.2.4. Threats: The threat of the increase in the supply costs is very common in automobile industry like as the other industries. This threat pushes the firms to reduce manufacturing and production costs as much as possible, without carrying away the product quality. For instance, the fluctuation in the steel prices between 2005 and 2010 had a negative impact on GMs production costs, especially as a result of the economic crisis , the rise in 2008, put a negative impcat on GM ( See Appendix 5). The other danger for GM is the increase in fuel prices (See Appendix 6). As same with the rising in the steel prices, after the economic recession in 2008, the sales have plummeted considerably. Therefore, soaring in fuel costs has played a magnificant role in enhancing the advantage for development of hybrid and more fuel efficient vehicles respectively. The increasing competition factor is the another big threat for General Motors. Because, GM is not a leader once it was, currently there are many different brands in the industry, which are working hard for competing with their rivals. Therefore, GM should always keep the innovation on top for competing in the industry. Figure 4: SWOT Analysis of General Motors Source: Author 3.3. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF GM Value Chain is called to add value to the product and remove excess waste of resource consumption, in other word, to maximize the value of work done by the systematic and asset management. Supplier of products and processes that increase the effectiveness of all stages up to final customers and to maintain, so used to gain competitive advantage. Value Chain   Management focuses on the destruction of waste inside the company and also focuses on the customers satisfaction inside the company . Value Chain assits to the companies to identify activities where it may well apply its presence potentials (Diez-Vial, 2009) and also identify which activities to outsource in order to decrease prices by getting opportunity of country-specific advatages. One of the compenent of manufacturing is outsourcing which is congress the features of GMs activities that needs a much more labour to the other countries where labour costs are cheaper, and this could relieve GM from employment responsibility . Additionally, recently GM could be able to resolve problems with United Automobile Workers. Michael Porter (2004) examined a set of interconnected generic activities common to a variety of companies. According to Porter, Value Chain Analysis is described as below: Figure 5: Value Chain Activities Table Source: http://www.netmba.com/strategy/value-chain/ GM, for instance, gives highly importance on its customer relationships. For the theory part, Service activities are the activities that continue and enhance the products value including customer support, repair services, etc. Meanwhile, for the GM strategy, they are using OnStar Technology which enables the customers get in touch with the call center of GM in an emergency situations. 3.4. BCG MATRIX ANALYSIS OF GM The BCG Matrix method is based on the product life cycle theory that can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a business unit ( Lancaster and Reynolds, 2004) . To ensure long-term value creation, high-growth products and low-growth products should be undertaken by the companies in need of cash inputs and generate a lot of cash respectively. Figure 6: BCG Matrix adapted for GM Source: (LancasterReynolds, 2004) As I mentioned above, determining the factors of industry and as well as firms businesses is playing an essential role for gaining competitive advantage in the global market. Till before the two decades, oil prices had gone up with high percentages. So that, this and the environmental factors had oushed the automobile sector to the fuel efficiency vehicles. With the consideration of BCG Matrix applied to the GM, GM should pull off the brands like Pontiac, Hummer which are fuel-efficiency and oil-guzzling cars. Furthermore, more investment should put into producing smaller fuel-efficient vehicles, and also HEVs ( Hybrid Electric Vehicles). 4. CONCLUSION In conclusion, analysing the General Motors Corporation is done by using some strategical analysing methods, such as Porters FF, Value Chain, BCG Matrix, and Swot Analysis. Searching and applying the systems into the GM is quite broad because of the companys long time history which is more than a hundred years. In to the this content, the Company is analysed in detail according to factors of competitive advantage, internal and external. Therefore , I reached up a conclusion for GM. Of course, every single company and firm can make mistake in their business life cycle, however, minimizing those mistakes is one of the essential area for the firms. If we turn to GM, they had been really successful in the industry when there were no any other competitors. However, once GMs rivals entered to the business, GM started lose its market share globally. Because they overlooked at them, they didnt do many things until they lose their profits. After that , they changed some system, they started to struggled with their rivals. So that, with consideering all the analysed strategic forces above and the company, some recommendations should be done. For forthcoming improvements, first of all, General Motors should describe possible and suitable sector to serve. And also GM should concern about arrangement application and differentation strategy. For example, Focus strategy may assist GM to enable to reduce the costs as GM diverge from broad-line manufacturer to another varieties. By doing his, GM will be able to differntiate its product from the other rivals , because of focusing on a specific niche market that may perform much more better . The other one is to stay ready for even every hard and difficult circumstances, such as financial crisis. Although , generally it is an unexpected factor, companies, and also GM, should gain their SWOT analysis under the line of Threats. Staying in prepare positon always gives high competitive advantage with the other competitirs in the global industry. Last but not least is maintaining the speed of rivalry environment, GM should enhance and improve its product development. Alongside with the product development, environmental factors should be considered as well for gaining the high quality of business. 5. RECOMMENDATION In my opinion, General Motors should follow some strategies such as restructuring, product development, liquidation and market development. If GM does the product development, this would allow them to sustain the speed of rivalry environment. As a pratic example of this theory is Hybrid SUV vehicles, which matches the GM shape with continuing the portion of SUV, basically that allocate the company to keep on with trend models. My another recommendation for GM is reevaluation of the market. Global market is a market that which changes frequently. First GM vehicles had got tradition style, however, among the changing industry, they started to produce big cars, especially for the US market. One practical example for that case is to produce ultra-modern vehicles. If they manufacture that futuristic cars before the Honda or Toyota Company, they would gain an advantage in competitive industry. Lastly, liquidation is very essential for GM. The reason for that is, its assets are much more than its incomes. If General Motors can get the assests through the cash, therefore, GM could be more available finance. Moreover , when they achieving that process, GM wouldnt have to rely on US market, they could be independent in global industry. 6. APPENDIX Appendix 1 Imported Japanese Cars Develoopment: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlshow=html Appendix 2 Auto Sales Monthly Change: Source: http://www.wstreet.com/investing/stocks/19359_gms_fire_sale_and_auto_sales_preview.html Appendix 3 -China Car Market Soars: Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/243737-outlook-2011-china-says-no-more-cars-down-goes-auto-industry Appendix 4 Green Manufacturing Processes: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractshow=abstract Appendix 5 Steel Prices Between 2005 and 2010: Source: : http://www.ttiinc.com/object/ME_Materials_Steel Appendix 6 Rise in Fuel Prices Between 2009 and 2010: Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12098981 7. REFERENCES 1. Associated Press, 2010. General Motors Gets Junk Credit Rating From Fitch. Michigan Live LLC. [Internet] Available at: http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2010/10general_motors_gets_junk_credit.html [Accessed 28 January 2011] 2. BBC News, 2011. Petrol Duty and VAT Rises To Increase Price Of Fuel. Business. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12098981 [Accessed 28 January 2011] 3. Cavusgil, S. Knight, G., and Riesenberger, R., 2008. International Business, Strategy, Management, and the New Realities. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 4. Chu, D.L., 2010. China Says No More Cars, Down Goes Auto Industry. Outlook 2011. [Online] Available at: http://seekingalpha.com/article/243737-outlook-2011-china-says-no-more-cars-down-goes-auto-industry [Accessed 31 January 2011] 5. Constantini, F., 2010. General Motors. The New York Times. [internet] . Available at: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/general_motors_corporation/index.html [Accessed 10 February 2011] 6. Datamonitor, 2009. General Motors Corporation. Company Profile. [Online] Available at: www.datamonitor.com [Accessed 28 January 2011] 7. David, F.R., 2011. Strategic Management Concepts. 13th edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 8. Diez-Vial, S., 2009. Firm Size Effects on Vertical Boundaries, Journal of Small Business Management, 47 (2): 137-153. 9.Generals Motors, 2010. Company Profile. [Online] Available at: http://www.gm.com/corporate/about/company.isp [ Accessed 10 February 2011] 10. Hamer, T. Hamer, M., 2010. General Motors-It Wasnt Always This Bad. Learn About Classics. [Online] Available at: http://classiccars.about.com/od/classiccarsaz/a/GM.htm [Accessed 10 February 2011] 11. Johnson, G. Scholes, K. and Whittington, R., 2008. Exploring Corporate Strategy, 8th edn. London: Prentice Hall. 12. Kotler, P. Keller, K. L., 2009. Marketing Management, 13th edn. New Jersey: Pearson Education. 13. Mintzberg, et al., 2003. The Strategy Process: Concepts Cases. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 14. Niederhut-Bollmann, C. Theuvsen, L., 2008. Strategic Management in Turbulent Markets: The Case of the German and Croatia Brewing Industries. Journal for East European Management Studies, Vol. 13, No.1, pp. 63 88. 15. Nunes, B. Bennett, D., 2010. Green Operations Initiatives in the Automobile Industry: An Enviromental Reports Analysis and Benchmarking Study. An International Journal. [Online] Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractshow=abstract [Accessed 13 February 2011] 16. Nytimes, 2011. United Automobile Workers. Organizations. [Online] Available at: www.nytimes.com [Accessed 31 January 2011] 17. Porter, M.E., 2004. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Indystries and Competitors. New York: Free Press. 18. Seidenfuss, K. Kathawala, Y., 2005. Voluntary Export Restraint (VER) Without Market Restraints?: The Case Study of the Monitoring Agreement (1991-1999) Between the Japanese Car Manufacturers and the European Union. European Business Review. [Online] Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlshow=html [Accessed 10 February 2011] 19. Silver, D., 2009. GMs Fire Sale Auto Sales Preview. Wall Street Strategies. [Online] Available at: http://www.wstreet.com/investing/stocks/19359_gms_fire_sale_and_auto_sales_preview.html [Accessed 8 February 2011] 20. Schlie, E. Yip, G., 2000. Regional Follows Global: Strategy Mixes in the World Automotive Industry. 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The Great Gatsby and A Dolls House | Analysis

The Great Gatsby and A Dolls House | Analysis INTRODUCTION The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is set in the Jazz Age of America in the 1920s, where the end of the Great War brought a period of peace and prosperity. Mass production allowed much wider access to new consumer goods, such as radios and cars. The women of this era wore short hair and short dresses, and in many Western countries they finally achieved the right to vote. The former restrictions that applied to women were replaced by a new feeling of freedom. The play A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen was first performed in 1879, and through the characters of Nora and Torvald Helmer it illustrates the subordinate and confining position of women in marriages of the late Nineteenth Century. Torvald Helmer would have been easily recognised by the audience as a representative depiction of the middle class male attitude. Gender roles are highly defined in this play; even with the legal limitations of women and expectation that women would remain in domestic situations. Attitudes to marriage and relationships are reflected powerfully in these two pieces of work, where both protagonists, although they share some similarities, have extremely differing perceptions of what they want in life, which includes the different outlook each has on their marital relationship. Each of these works can be considered as early contributors to the body of modern literature. Although both are intensively concerned with their specific characters, they allow the reader to come to an appreciation of attitudes towards matrimony and relationships. Both The Great Gatsby and A Dolls House have made their contribution into the collection of literature that have marked the 1800-1900s, and through their portrayal of interesting and uniquely developed characters they have allowed reflection on the society of their time. Both pieces of work are modern in the sense of dealing with challenging issues which face modern society. The women Daisy Buchanon from The Great Gatsby and Nora Helmer from A Dolls House have been specifically chosen, being the obedient and subordinate possessions of their husbands, who evidently mask their possible intellectual potential. Whilst Nora develops a dramatic character change throughout the drama by realising her duties to herself, Daisy remains and accepts the same person she was at the beginning of The Great Gatsby. In this essay, comparisons will be made concerning both Nora and Daisys relationships with their husbands and children, as well as a deeper analysis into their personalities, uncovering the ir secret beliefs and motivations. In Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby, each character is noteworthy when establishing the confusions and complexities of social relationships. The novel is considered a representation of the golden age of jazz and all of its extremes. The parties that Gatsby would host demonstrated the extreme ostentation of this era: wealth, luxury and corruption. The novel begins with a verse quotation from Thomas Park DInvilliers to introduce it; Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her and this is suggesting that one must do all things possible to impress the woman whose love one seeks. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, he is a persona adopted by the author and as a moral barometer the readers can value his insights and feel that he will be a reliable informant. Through his eyes and experiences we meet other characters and learn of all the relationships included in the novel. The chronology of the events of The Great Gatsby begins with the protagonist, Jay Gatsby, meeting and falling in love with a young Daisy while he is still a poor officer. When he is sent overseas, Daisy marries the very rich yet fierce Tom Buchanan. Fitzgerald gives the readers a significant impression of Tom through the use of many descriptive adjectives. The first time the readers are introduced to him he is in riding clothes this accentuates his muscularity, and his high boots are an association with military authority, and the fact that he was standing with his legs apart indicates a stance of confidence and power. Daisy, who becomes Toms wife, is also introduced to the readers in an imposing way. She is described as charming, passionate and witty and the readers learn that she had a sad and lovely face. Fitzgerald shows her personality as appealing, attention seeking, seductive and captivating in the sense that when she talks one enjoys being in her presence. Tom and Daisy also have a three year old daughter. When the readers are introduced to these characters they also learn that the relationship between them is not a typical relationship that a married couple are expected to have. To add, when Gatsby learns that Tom and Daisy married he decides to pursue wealth endlessly until he becomes a self-made millionaire. Gatsby then moves to New York and occupies a great mansion, where he begins to host generous parties to which he is hopeful that Daisy will appear. Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel, lives next door to Gatsby and he is also Daisys cousin. When Gatsby learns this, he befriends Nick trusting that this will lead him to see Daisy again, which eventually does happen. The relationship between Gatsby and Daisy then is the rekindled, which introduces the readers to the central passion of the book as well as one of the most prominent relationships in the novel. Furthermore, the marital relationship between Daisy and Tom is a very unusual one due to the fact that Tom has a mistress in New York; Myrtle Wilson, who is also a married woman. The odd thing is Daisys attitude towards this relationship; Daisy continues to stay with Tom despite her knowledge of his unfaithfulness, and this is the thrust of the novel. This staggers Nick who does not understand why Daisy does not rush out of the house, child in arms, and also raises the central question, why does Daisy stay with Tom? Additionally, when Nick goes to visit Tom and Daisy at the beginning of the novel, Daisy confides in Nick, she calls herself cynical, and this is reflected in her negative approach to life and relationships. She also tells Nick that she cried when her daughter was born, the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool. Daisy indicates that being a fool will protect a girl from the harsh truth of infidelity. Daisy cried when her daughter was born, sadness is fixed in her life. The readers can appreciate that Daisy is not a fool because if she were she wouldnt be concerned about Toms mistress, and Tom is not a caring husband because when his child was born he was not nearby which is known when Daisy tells Nick that Tom was God knows where when their daughter was less than an hour old. This goes to add to the bizarre fact that Daisy does not leave Tom, despite almost everything being wrong in their marriage. Also, the relationship between Myrtle and Tom is one that is clearly driven by wealth. Tom entertains Myrtle in an apartment in New York. She was young when she married her husband, George Wilson, and she thought that he was a gentleman; she had little knowledge that he was a simple soul who had borrowed a suit for his wedding. She loves the sense of wealth from Tom that George could never provide, and she stays with Tom because of this; as well as the status, prestige and ego-flattery that he provides her with. Myrtle enjoys the lifestyle with Tom, in a boasting tone she chatters about the things she intends to purchase. These items are cheap consumables of no financial consequence to Tom. Furthermore, Myrtle enjoys being a hostess; which is reflected in the confident manner she behaves in. She changes into an elaborate dress when they get to their apartment with Nick and smiles with pride whenever complemented. When Tom slaps her and breaks her nose at the apartment he has provided her with, he proclaims his power and sense of male authority because that is the type of man he is. This goes to display that this relationship offers Myrtle the wealth and status she would never be able to receive from George; only leading her to want it more from Tom. Additionally, when Gatsby invites Nick out for lunch he introduces him to Meyer Wolfsheim, who was reputed to be a gambler who fixed the World Series in 1919.This illegal act linked Gatsby with a shady and suspicious reputation. There is no proof that Gatsby was involved in this illegal act but there is a long-standing association between the men; this linkage soils Gatsby, which shows that the relationship between the two men is not a decent one. The readers know that Gatsby originated as a poor deprived man, who suddenly, driven by his love for Daisy, became wealthy and owned much more then people knew he could afford. This goes to show that the origin of Gatsbys wealth may have come illegally and so it is not guaranteed that he may have this wealth forever. Moreover, the play A Dolls House is a clear analysis of a character that goes through a great dynamic change only to find her true self and to remove the dishonest perception of herself in the eyes of those around her. This change lead the character to become fully aware of her life along with an understanding of what an insincere life she had mistakenly led, and this character is known as Nora Helmer. At the beginning of the play, Nora is portrayed as a childish and naive housewife with a talent for spending money. This view is conveyed through the parent child dialogue she has with her husband and his usual categorization of Nora as an expensive little person with a talent for melting his money in her hands. This evidently reveals Noras relationship with her husband to be very similar to that of a relationship between a spoiled child and his parents. Also, through the character of Nora, Ibsen shows us that a woman is expected to be little more than a child in her own marriage, incapable of taking on serious issues, and useful only for her ability to amuse her husband. During the course of the play, as Ibsen takes the reader through the climax of Noras controlled life, he shows how Nora develops into a wiser and more determined woman who learns to have her say. Noras development is highlighted and guided with her growing courage, her direct attempts to become more equal with her husband, and her decision at the end of the play conveys Ibsens idea that a woman has a duty to herself, and that the marriage she shared with Torvald was so confining to the extent where she could only fulfil her duty to herself by leaving her husband. However, Nora learns this through the experiences she undergoes while she was treated more like Torvalds child rather than his wife. The fact that she does not retreat at Torvalds comparison of her to minor creatures, but rather she even links herself into his terminology by saying things such as we skylarks and squirrels just proves how blind Nora was towards her husbands arrogance and superiority. A major theme of the play, deception or the gap between appearance and reality, is introduced in the very first word of the play; Hide. Nora wants to hide the Christmas tree so that the children dont see it before it is decorated. The theme is developed throughout the play until it is realized that Noras entire relationship with her husband is based on many layers of deception; one of these layers is that Nora was constantly aware of the need to flatter and protect Torvalds masculine ego. She disguises her anxiety over the repayment of the substantial loan in order to protect Torvald fro m his own somewhat exaggerated sensitivity. Another strange deception in the play is the macaroons, which are symbolic to their relationship. Torvald forbids them while Nora enjoys them secretly, which just shows that Nora is capable of lies and deception. But the fact that Torvald forbids them because they will spoil Noras teeth also adds to the way in which Nora has more of a father-daughter relationship with Torvald, rather than a husband and wife relationship, because that is a strange instruction to be given to an adult. The deceptive relationship between Torvald and Nora is contrasted with that between Dr Rank and Nora. With Dr Rank, Nora is able to be more truthful and drops the childish-flirtatious act she employs with Torvald, and she is able to have open conversations with him, which shows the audience a different side of Nora. Through the relationship she has with Dr Rank the audience are able to appreciate that Nora can be treated as a woman and handle different situations in a much stronger manner than Torvald. In A Dolls House, Ibsen explores his interest in the role of women in society. He raises questions about how much a woman has to compromise her own wishes and aims in order to fit into society. Mrs Linde has had to give up her true love, Krogstad, and marry a man she did not love in order to gain the financial security she needed to look after her mother and brothers. This is known when Nora asks Kristina why she married her husband and she replies My mother was still alive; she was bedridden and helpless, and I had my two younger brothers to look after I didnt feel I could refuse his offer. Therefore, because she let the relationship with her loved one go in order to have the wealth she needed to look after her family, which shows that her life has been one of self-sacrifice rather than self-fulfilment. The relationship between Kristina Linde and Krogstad constitutes the sub-plot. It is of less importance of that of the Helmers, but serves as a contrast to aid the understanding of the audience of the relationship between the protagonists. Krogstad and Kristina find the mutual need, they are open and truthful, and they move towards emotional love. Ibsen has employed Krogstad to provide a device to bring the play to a climax. He has also provided a different male paradigm to that of Torvald, and when he had fulfilled these tasks, he takes no further part in the play. Krogstad does not hold a grudge; he is not vindictive and is prepared to request the return of his letter from Torvald. However Kristina makes the decisive decision of the play, she wants Torvald to find out the truth of Noras secret; it was she who saved Torvalds life, she borrowed money and forged her fathers signature without his consent. The novel The Great Gatsby investigates the new incidents that women began take part in society throughout the 1920s. Throughout the novel, in contrast to life before the early 1900s, women were almost on equilibrium with men; they were allowed to dress and behave like them. They were also allowed to drink and act in an improper manner at parties, and they also began to express their views more openly. This dramatic change had a great affect on the new established place that they held in society. Daisy is a character who had the wealth and beauty that other girls would dream of, however she let Tom degrade her and philander with other women, which made her the inferior of their relationship. Eventually as the novel goes on, Daisy gives herself a sense of freedom when she has the affair with Gatsby, and this is known when Tom is on the telephone, and it is rumoured that he is talking to his girl. Daisy kisses Gatsby and tells him, You know I love you,which is followed by a firm statem ent to Jordan Baker I dont care, which displays Daisy reacting against Toms infidelity and proclaiming her own standing and independence. Whats more is that although Torvald may regard Nora as extremely inferior to him, he had never used physical violence against her, as Tom of The Great Gatsby did on his mistress. When Myrtle attempts to elevate herself by speaking about Daisy, Tom violently lashes out and breaks her nose. Although distressed, Myrlte accepts that she has been put in her place as inferior and submissive to Tom. To add, Tom would answer the calls of his mistress at dinner time; indicating that he did not have an ounce of concern for Daisys feelings whatsoever. On the other hand, Nora was Torvalds whole world, and he would not dream of hurting her. Therefore, when Daisy decides to stay with Tom while Nora decides to leave Torvald, the readers are left in a confused state. Daisy stays with Tom because despite everything they are from the same social status. Tom offered Daisy certainty of position, while Gatsby has an upstart, and there are suspicions about his money. Gatsby also has no reputation in the background of being socially acceptable. Daisy stays with the group of socially stable people, and even though Gatsby loves her, she finds her wealth and position in society more important. Furthermore, Noras ultimate decision of deciding to leave her husband and children may seem uncalled for, however she did have reasons which supported her decision. The relationship she shared with Torvald was that like a father-daughter relationship, it was dishonest as well as hypocritical. There was no love between them; she was Torvalds doll wife and when she realises this she tells Torvald I dont love you anymore. At the end of the play, Nora is aware of herself and the subordinate inferior position she held for so many years. She feels a strong sense of injustice, firstly by her father and the by her husband, and she accuses Torvald; Its your fault Ive made nothing of my life. When she states her intention I must try to educate myself Torvald is concerned only about appearance; you havent thought of what people will say and then pathetically says I could change followed by his plaintive suggestion couldnt we live here as brother and sister? Both these ideas were dismissed out o f hand by Nora. When Ibsen presented the Helmer family to his 19th century audience, he had a strong intention of using the dramatic situation to further the consideration of the need for the status of women to be reappraised. He rejected the traditional view of women as inferior appendages to men. Ibsen believed that marriage should be a mutual arrangement, and that women had the right to develop their potential through education and involvement in the commercial world. His strongly implied criticism of Torvald Helmer was a criticism of the traditional male paradigm. F. Scott Fitzgerald set out to present an impression of American life during the exuberant period of the early 1920s. Although it was a time when women rejected restrictive traditions, Fitzgerald presents more as a social commentator then crusader for change. The traditional bonds of status and security are what hold Daisys relationship with Tom together. Their marriage was far from perfect, but it was sustained; they werent happy and yet they werent unhappy either there was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together. CONCLUSION This essay examined the different attitudes to marriage and relationships that are evident in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the play A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, and in due course it was clearly evident that neither Ibsen nor Fitzgerald present marriage from the perspective of a romantic bond; there are other more practical considerations involved. Through F. Scott Fitzgerald, romance was presented through Jay Gatsby which was ultimately doomed due to the obsessive and irrational nature of it. Both literary works show the audience that marriage and relationships are impacted on by wider pressures of society in life; but whether a marriage is sustained seems to be up to individual preference. The apparent irony evident in the two pieces of literature is the fact that Nora leaves Torvald, despite the fact that he had never physically hurt her nor was he ever unfaithful to her; while Daisy stays with Tom and his violent and unfaithful nature. Daisy had more reason to leave Tom than Nora had to leave Torvald, but both characters ultimately made unexpected decisions which left its impact on the audience. Daisys attitude towards marriage is not based on infatuation or love; rather it is built on her status, both financial and social, and that is what she considers to be luxury. Noras regard for marriage was initially founded on what she thought was love; as she knew nothing more or less. However throughout the play she learns and develops into a woman able to make her own decisions; where her marriage becomes an obstacle to her individuality. Further exploration of these two works could be undertaken to explore the conflicting pressures that are faced by mothers in unhappy marriages and relationships. Catalonia: History of Independence Catalonia: History of Independence 1.0 Abstract Catalonia is a historically supressed region within Spain. After 1975, when the dictator Francisco Franco died it allowed for a new democratic Spain. This has resurfaced Catalan Nationalism. Most recently the Catalan region has called for a legal referendum in 2017, as the one held in 2014 was deemed illegal. Democracy takes priority within the region which has created increased tensions and potential for violence. The report showed there has been an increase in violence and that the governance and future threats are key concerns. The report highlights the grievances within the region, that have been accumulating. 2.0 Introduction   Europe is experiencing modern day separatism, with currently over 25 active separatist movements. Spain is the most divided ‘nation’ within Europe having experienced the most civil wars of any country. Catalonia is the most profitable region in the north west of Spain making around 20 billion a year (BBC news 2013). They have recently called for another referendum in 2017 after having achieved an attendance rate during the last referendum in 2014 from the population of 30% of the 7.5 million. The polls from 2014 gaged an opinion that is in favour of independence for the region. The poll was deemed illegal by the Spanish government, which resulted in Arthur mass, Catalonia’s president, being arrested and numerous other legal cases against the Catalan politicians (The Guardian 2016). The protests, so far, have been peaceful however it has been assumed that this may not continue as an emergence of separatism could continue as theorised based upon the past and become violent. Many other places such as Scotland, who are allied in methods with Catalonia, called for a referendum in 2014 with a concluding vote of no and to stay within the United Kingdom (The financial times 2014) Most recently with 2016 the United Kingdom parted with the European union, in an event termed Brexit. The votes for Brexit were broken up into regions, Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay within the European union which has resurfacing a call for a referendum from Scotland to be held in 2017. Within Northern Ireland the vote has caused talks around a united Ireland or for Northern Ireland to become independent. With the success of Brexit, the European union is not being presented in a positively. Within this report the tern nation is going to be examined within theoretical and historical contexts to better understand the separatist movement within Catalonia. A field based analysis was conducted to gather the opinions of the Catalan population on the notion of independence and whether they think it will be obtained peacefully. 3.0 Research context To understand the current situation within Catalonia its place within theories must be examined. Nationalism is defined as a political programme. It consists of groups of people who define as nations who form territorial states that have a single language (Hobshawm and Kertzer, 1992). Renan in (1882) said within his speech that a nation was â€Å"a group of people united by a mistaken view about the past and a hatred of their neighbours†. This nation joins biographies to have one common historical narrative (Calhoun 1993).   Nations and nationalism can be a complex definition with many theories on how it happens. Benedict Anderson (1983) differs in views with many scholars by seeing nationalism as an â€Å"imaginary political community†. He states that Communities are to be distinguished, not by their falsity/genuineness, but by the style in which they are imagined Ernest Gellner (1983) said that â€Å"nationalism is primarily a political principle that holds the political and the national unit should be congruent†. Gellner believes that nationalism was something that the modern world needed sociologically and mainly focuses on modernisation and industrialisation. Anthony smith was a critic of Gellner saying that he had misread the relationship that is between industrialisation and nationalism (Smith 1989). Smith (1989) is quotes to say that â€Å"the modern world had become inconceivable and unintelligible without nations and nationalism† Bruielly (1982) shows more of an academic approach and states that when intellectuals or professionals miss out on important career opportunities this may lead to a rise in national ideology. Nationalism to him is portrayed through intellectuals as unsuccessful professionals. This is like Kedourie’s theory about indigenous intellectuals in colonial societies and how they too turned to nationalism. The abundance of intellectuals and inability for society to find them suitable roles may explain why they turn to nationalism. (Kedourie 1960)   Nairn (1977) however, approaches nationalism in a study from a Marxist perspective. He considers nationalism to be a bourgeois phenomenon which can be seen to be a product of the disparities within capitalism (Nairn 1977). The continuation of nationalism is linked with the interests of the bourgeois (Anderson 2006). Focusing on Europe, Woodrow Wilson’s had a large impact on the Versailles Peace Conference that began outside of Paris in 1919. He had a plan to divide Europe it into ethnic-linguistic territorial states. The project was impracticable as well as dangerous, the cost of this feat would have been mass expulsion and genocide (Hobshawm 1992). However, a nation cannot be born they’re made in response to international incentive and power policies (Fearon 2004). Nationalism has been the source of anxiety and conflict in European history (Coppieters 2010). Borgen (2010) states that there were currently twenty to twenty-five separatist movements across the continent. The movements may be based upon cultural and political issues and the majority are non-violent. Separatism is mainly linked to nationalism and their ideologies. There have been two consecutive waves of separatism. In the 1950’s the first separatist movement began with the decolonisation of the world, this questioned the legitimacy of boundaries that establish under colonialism. This was closely followed by the second which happened at the end of the cold war in the 1960s toward the beginning of democratisation in the 1980 and 1990’s. The second wave was surrounded by the suppression of people’s rights and liberties under the communist regimes (Schaeffer 1998, Agnew 2001). Recent separatist movements like that in Yugoslavia from 1991- 2001 were driven by the common notion of an economic disparity. This movement was against the state as they failed to deal with this, however there was also territorial divisions within the state that showed internal colonialism based upon ethnicity and nationality (Agnew 2001) Guibernau (2000) sees nation states as a cluster of institutions that are defined and governed by the state. Stateless nations can enjoy cultural or political autonomy based upon the state’s decision. In most cases within a region that is trying to be separate their nation, the political issues that have arisen are based upon previous governmental experiences of nation building. States and nations that are trying to establish are understood to be real communities with enduring collectivises. (Brubaker 1996) To establish social cohesion for a nation building project a common identity must be established, linguistic campaigns are a powerful tool in doing this. It allows for people to bring the communities fears together by reducing embarrassment about speaking a native language.   (Webber 1991; Trueta 2008) The Catalan region in the North West of Spain during the Franco regime (1939-1975) had languages and identities supressed along with other regions. This then meant that Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, had suffered neglect. His regime created tensions in the country’s political system. It believed that Spain consists of ethnically defined identities in several regions (Bylan 2014). When democracy was restored after 1975, there had been a shift towards expressing the regional identities. The Catalan region sees itself as an independent metropolis (Mellon,2008) In history by 1898, the nationalist movements of Catalonia and the Basque country had emerged in wanting their own identity, these sources of national identity threatened the hegemonic position of Spanish nationalism (Muro 2005; Pozo Andrà ©s and Braster 1999). Basque and Catalan nationalist movements however in more recent times within Spain have unified this Spanish nationalism again (Muro 2005).   Spain is not however a formal federation it is a unitary state that has given devolving power to seventeen autonomous communities and two autonomous cities in a system that is called the state of autonomies (Bylan 2014). This is consistent with the theory that contemporary separatism is the product of the rise in modern nationalism and that they are overcoming the previous nation building project. Today in Catalonia, the current project is to build true Catalan culture through language as this is the ultimate expression. (Illas, 2014). Catalonians also express this through rituals and festivities such as human towers (Castells) (Giner 1980). The separatist movement had been mainly led by linguistics and a traversed class with rallies in 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014 that have staged a transformation in separatism (Illas 2014). The modern-day disparities of the Catalan people are based upon their history. 4.0 Historical context To understand fully where Catalonia fits within the nation-building theories it is important to understand the common historical narrative within the state. Starting with the 14th century within Catalonia, there was political and economic decline, due to the successive waves of the great plague. By 1365 Catalonia has lost half a million people, and in the 15th century Barcelona had its lower ever population. (Giner 1980). During the 15th century the Catalan capital was gripped by the civil war. The maritime power that once existed there was starting to decline. (Giner 1980). Now, there was a transition from early medieval contractually to liberal societies who have more of an individualistic approach. Elliot (1963) mentions the revolt of the reappears between 1640- 1652, when the Catalan people united due to castile giving them harsh treatment. The war of succession in Spain happened between 1702 to 1714. Barcelona resisted unification and was besieged in march 1713 (Guibernau, 2000) Felipe V built a fort (the Ciutadella) so Barcelona could be watched. He banned writing and teaching in Catalan and distributed Catalonia’s possessions to great powers (Webber, 1991) This abolished Catalan rights and liberties and they were subject to regime occupation (Gibernau 2000; Gibernau 2014). The events that took place started the process of national integration and state-building within Catalonia (Moreno 1988) In the 18th century the Spanish economy was based around agriculture. The Napoleonic invasion devastated the country and lead to political instability (Patrick 2016). Catalonia made positive gains with the urban middle classes and created confidence. Barcelona was then transformed into the capital of a society that was industrialising and modernising (Webber 1991). Defeudalization was happening around this time. Spain was in the process of homogenisation under the bourbons. They forcibly generalised the Castilian law and the institutions, they were creating a modern centralised state and this was completed in 1812. (Giner,1980) The trade union movement after World War One was led by the Confederacià ³n Nacional del Trabajo (CNT) which had 80& of the cities workers. Between 1919 and 1920 there was a wave of strikes and union leaders were eliminated. Dictator General Miguel primo Rivera had conflicting views on the working-class radicalism (Giner 1980) Rivera’s repression ended in 1930, he did not successfully stop the unity in Catalonia. In 1931 the formation of a Spain’s republic this was driven by the Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya. The leftist popular front in 1936 won genuine autonomy (Guibernau 2014; Illas 2014). The class system of the society at that time was a product of the successive waves of industrialisation and advances in urbanisation. (Giner 1980).   The genuine autonomy that was gained by the Catalonians was short lived as the result of the Spanish civil war between 1936-1939.After Francisco Franco’s Victory in the war he imposed a pro-fascist and militarised Spain, laying emphasize on Castile as the ‘ethnic core’ of the nation (Muro 2005). The Franco regime between 1939-1975 supressed the languages and identities of the Catalonian people (Webber 1991). During this time persecutions took place of Intellectuals and language speakers. The education system featured no Catalan and the street names were changed to Castilian Spanish (Marinzel 2014). Francoist propaganda changed the narrative of the civil war to be that of a crusade and associated leftists and anti-Spain figures as a ‘cancer’ of the nation that needed to be cured (Richards 1998) The Catalonian population increased with massive migrations from deprived areas in other parts of Spain during the 1960’s and 1970’s (Serrano 2013). During this time, Catalonian separatism was emerging again as a political opposition to the dictatorship. They rivalled in literature and the arts which moulded the Catalan identity (Muro 2005). After Franco’s death in 1975, a central part of the regional policy was to promote the Catalan language. In 1978 Catalonian was defined as a democratic state within the new Spanish constitution which had granted autonomy (Giberneau 2000). This allowed for the Catalan people to change the educational system and policies within the region. In 1975 online 60% of people in Catalonia spoke Catalan whereas in 2001, 76% of Catalonians spoke Catalan (Borgen 2010). Regional feelings for Catalan nationalism rose in the 1990s and early 2000s, with it being rated sixth amid Spanish autonomous communities (Moreno 2001). Patterns of similar relationships between identity and independence emerge (Muro 2005; Serreno 2013). 5.0 Discussion Nationalism changes all the rules; a nations existence is based upon the past experiences and it challenges historians to decide a nations existence. History however is not as clear as would believe and interpretations and narratives can be different (Marino 2002). Modern day nationalism may be overcoming the previous nation-building project. Catalonians hope to achieve this by assertion of their own culture (Illas 2014). The region has been suppression numerous times as mentioned and the clear territory and history that define it as a nation are evident (Smith 1998). In the fight for independence Catalonia is aware that that staying a part of the European union is important, as there are strong ties with Spain and the European single market. With the situation in Catalonia baring resemblance to that in Scotland and the Catalan foreign affairs minister recognises that it should too have the right to vote in a legal referendum as that would stay true to democracy and a constitution is a text that is written under certain circumstances, these circumstances can change. (The guardian 2016) Brexit in the UK isn’t good news as it questions the European project. An MP called Ciudadanos accused the separatist movement of removing the state out of the 21st century. Previously however other politicians such as Mr Fernandez would welcome an exit from the EU as he sees it as being ruled by capitalists. (The Independent 2015) The rise in separatism and the need for independence grows stronger as the Catalan government fight for responsibility for taxation and spending policy (Boylan 2015). Previous grievances have shaped Catalonia culture and the desire to return to being an autonomous region is still wanted. The Catalans may fall into Renan’s definition in 1882 of a nation â€Å"a group of people united by a mistaken view about the past and a hatred of their neighbours† as the public polls reflect a rise of opinion of violence in the region. Arthur Mas the former president hopes that his prosecution for the illegally deemed poll will also be a cry for the cause of independence from Spain (The Financial times 2017). 6.0 Field based analysis 6.1 Methodology   Ã‚  Ã‚   6.1.1 Day 1 Observational study of landscape Figure 1: The route that was taken on the first day during the streetscape observational exercise The streetscape of Barcelona needed to be understood. A transect of the area was carried out in small groups. These groups covered different areas all meeting back at the same point at the Sagrada Familia, the route can be seen in figure 1. The results of the small groups were combined to gain a large-scale view of the area. Along this route elements that are seen to represent the Catalan conflict were taken note of. The different types of flags, graffiti, street names and political posters and murals along with anything else that could be seen to potentially represent the conflict were recorded. Within a table format the route walked was recorded along with where the observation occurred and a small discussion was help to note the implications of what we had seen. The differences in areas we walked through was noted as the route lead to a tourist area however was through mainly residential streets. 6.1.2 Day 2 Historical Narrative A guided walk through the city was undertook to identify the monuments that may commemorate previous conflicts. Along the walk the date in which the monument was erected was taken down, along with what it was and what it is commemorating. The reason behind doing this was to analyse how culture and history is remembered within Barcelona. Certain aspects of the monuments were noted such as what way the history is shown and If the monument represents one side more. To gauge an idea of the historical narrative Barcelona was trying to perceive, 3 historical sites were visited. These were the Catalan museum, El Borne centre and memorial democratic. The sites were visited to understand the story they are telling. A similar study was undertaken by Breen et al (2016), and observations were noted such as, is there anything that is not present within the museum? Is there any important messages they are trying to highlight? Is there a main language? To see whether the people within the museum either working or visiting understood its role, a semi structured interview was carried out.   The questions asked recorded their understanding of the role, if heritage plays a role in Catalan separatism and whether any part of the centre was controversial. 6.1.3 Day 3- Semi- Structured Interviews A method of semi structured interviews was carried out to collect qualitative data on the publics perceptions of important issues with Catalonia whilst gathering information about the person in question. The questions that were asked were: Are you from this neighbourhood?What is your first language?Did you vote in the last referendum?Were you happy with the outcome?Do you think Catalonia will gain independence? Do you think this will be achieved peacefully? These questions were asked to gather information on, the nationality of the person, the language in which they see to be their language, their political participation, their views about the last referendum and views on future independence for the state along with how possible violence will be. Cohen and Crabtree (2006) have shown the benefits of using semi structured interviews as you will only get to speak with that person one time. They also highlight the importance of it being undertaken by small groups as they collect the same information to show the varied opinion over a large area. The results are comparable and the results are collated. With a large sample taken the results could be representative public opinion and could be compared with polls that have been previously taken. This will show how the opinions in the region have changed over time. The route that was taken can be seen in figure 2. Figure 2:   Route taken and main stops while conducting semi structured interviews. 6.1.4 Day 4- Quantitative Data A quantitative data collection in the form of a social vulnerability survey. Social vulnerability shows which elements of society are worrying the most. The survey had a scoring system included the value 1 meaning that they strongly agree with the statement and 5 representing strongly disagree. The statements represented the social, economic, environmental and political situations along with opinions on the future of Catalonia.   This type of survey was conducted in small groups again and allowed the results to be combined and numerically represented. The triangulation of multiple methods stated within Duffy’s (1987)’s papers shows that this method gives a complete collection approach. 7.2 Observations and Results 7.2.1 Street Observational Survey From the transect that was carried out general observations were made. The city has undergone times of suppression and conflict and from the observations generalities were made as things observed could be expressions of nation-hood. Hans Christian Andersen in 1862, commented on Barcelona by saying that the city was the â€Å"Paris of Spain†. The first notable feature was that of the layout of the streets, the city consists of grand octagonal blocks. Antoni Gaudi has a huge influence on the architecture of Barcelona, with many Catalan people they associate his work with a period called Renaixenà §a, which tried to show better times (Giner 1980). He has become a symbol of the city. The Flags that were on the residential buildings held much significance to how they stood politically. The flags that presented Catalonia were mainly flown on buildings that were residential with the souvenir shops that sold the flags only stocking Catalan related items. The flags within the residential area differed, from the slogan that was upon it to whether it had a star present. They can send a political message and are used in campaigns. It is a tool in which the Catalan people are not afraid to change, with a flag holding great significance to a group of people, they are willing to alter the flag to send a strong political message (Borgen, 2010). Alongside the Catalan flag EU flags were found, this says that the Catalan people are scared that with independence come an exit from the single market. This is a strong incentive to stay within the unified state of Spain (Patrick 2016). Scotland holds close parallels in situations with Catalonia. The British government has also driven nationalism in the last referendum with the fear of leaving the European Union. The Scottish flag was observed on the transect showing the close similarities. The Catalan flags declined in numbers when leaving the residential area heading towards the centre. The buildings in the centre had more Spanish flags as these were mainly political or service providing premises such as hotels (figure 3a). The Spanish flag should be flown on a Spanish building and if that place is not meant to have a political view, then both flags would be outside of the building. Both flags were observed on hotels and tourist areas.   In some areas both flags of region and state were also seen, this shows loyalty to an area. For example, a bacelonetta flag seen in figure 3b Figure 3: (A) Spanish flag being flown outside of the Military building in Las Ramblas. (B) Barcelonetta regional flag. The street names were in Catalan with many commemorating people who have been influences from Catalan (figure 4a). The Sagrada Familia has taken a century to complete, still not being finished. The architect of the building is Antoni Gaudi; it is a statement of the Catalan culture and is the most visited place within Spain.   Throughout the streetscape we encountered political graffiti that was around the city voiced the political opinions of people within the community who wanted that message to be shown (figure 4b). Figure 4: (A) street sign with dedication to a self-acclaimed Catalonian. (B) Graffiti that reads â€Å"Anti-Fascist Area†. 7.2.2 Monuments Monuments play an important role in who society idealises as symbols of culture. Barcelona has many monuments that were observed to understand their political message for an independent Catalonia. The plaza de Torro monumental is a bull fighting ring that existed in the 20th century. The building is influences by Islamic design replicating dà ©cor from the previous 8th century invasion from north Africa. The building today has been repurposed as a museum due to the recent ban from Catalonia in 2012 for bull fighting (The guardian 2011). This is extremely important as they had ended a 600-year-old tradition within Spain, stepping away from the culture. The Universal exhibition was held in Barcelona in 1888. The triomf was to symbolise victory and national pride. The Arc links Barcelona’s medieval past with its future. Beyond the arc lies the park, with the Catalan parliament building residing within the parks grounds. The park has a Zoo and an elaborate fountain which at the time was put in place to show how advanced the people of Barcelona were. Like many other cities have done in the past, such as Paris. The Main Cascada monument is a grand project that took place for the 1888 universal exposition and a small contributor to it was Antoni Gaudi. The grand waterfall features goddesses showing idealising women and sexism that existed at that time.   A band stand within the Cuitedella Park was dedicated in 1991 to a transgender teen who was killed. This emphasized the cities progressive attitudes to social problems. The Als Voluntaris Catalan statue in the Cuitedella park is dedicated to the volunteers of the first and second war. The monument was subject to violations during the Franco regime with its arms being cut off in 1952. The internal flame (Fossar de les Moreres) was observed within in gothic quarter and is a contested symbolism, as it is seen to be site of the graveyard for the fallen during the siege of Barcelona in 1714. This site for Catalonians is a reminder of the homage. On the 11th of September (ladeada) people gather to this space to remember the battle. The symbolism is contested but it is used to further the nation building project. 7.2.3 Museum overview To understand the historical narrative that was being projected upon the Catalan people, three institutions were visited to understand how they were representing the history of their culture. The first site visited was the Christopher Columbus statue. This statue was erected for the Universal expedition in Barcelona in 1888. Groups of anti-capitalist councillor in Barcelona however said that the city â€Å"should not be celebrating the explorers’ colonial legacy† (The Guardian 2016). The emphasises the Catalonians feelings toward colonialization and suppression. The second Museum that was visited was the Catalan museum, the levelled institution has 3 floors which displayed a different time within Catalan history, from the bottom floor up it contained the history from the roman times to the top flow having recent achievements from the 21st century. An observation made was the fact that within the Catalan museum the paint on the walls were red and black, the colours of the anarchists. This may not have been intentional but could be a subliminal message as within the museum the Catalan culture was celebrated. Franco is not liked within the museum. From the semi, structured interviews conducted a worker of the museum stated that Spanish people will say that the museum is a lie, however the intended audience is the Catalan people and the international community. A museum worker was quoted in saying that the museum â€Å"celebrated† his heritage and that it has influence in the separatist movement. Sympathetic language was used within the Catalan museum a phrase observed in the Franco dictatorship section said ‘the unmistakable aim of Francoism was to strip Catalonia of its nationhood’ strong language was focused upon within the museum. Descriptive words were mentioned in nearly every time that contained suppression of Catalonia’s identity. Another example of this read in the museum was â€Å"language was a slow and uneven process†. The Catalonian history is showing the notion of separatism by identifying themselves as different from the Spanish, A person at the museum was quoting in saying that the Spanish â€Å"believe that this is all made up† showing Spain’s undeniable unwillingness to accept Catalonia as a nation. Whereas museums are understood to be some of the key places that deliver the message of what a nation is (Ashworth et al 2007) The el born centre showcases the streetscape within Barcelona during the 18th century. This streetscape represents Barcelona in a time when they had independence from Spain, the archaeologists could have kept excavating and gotten to a roman street. They stopped on purpose to give a utopian image of a time of independence when it was a vibrant multicultural marketing town. This gave the visualisation that there were greenspaces with music and food in the once internationally trading town. This is a clear political message of culture and heritage used at the El Borne (Breen at al 2016) It has been argued that the visitor of a museum will connect to the personal account of the narrative that is being told (Fladmark 2015). People had been quoted in saying that the centre had been â€Å"controversial†. An exhibition was spoken about that featured Franco and his dictatorship, the Exhibition was meant to last for a couple of months however it took the Catalan 4 days from when it started to have it removed. The hostility and want to forget the dark period of Franco’s dictatorship is evident in their actions. The importance of these institutions is to promote culture. These centres could be understood to b a part of the nation-building narrative which are in line with the core set of grievances that are within Catalonia (Breen at al 2016) 7.2.4 Grievances Catalonia has a key set of grievances towards the Spanish state shown in Figure 5. A few of these issues are going to be discussed. Figure 5- grievance model visually showing the key set of grievances within Catalonia. A key issue in the region is how the money that the state produce is used. Economically Catalonian has had historical grievances with the state, first starting with the Catalan bourgeois and modern industrialisation in the 19th century. Spain believe that Catalonia are â€Å"financial parasites† that don’t provide enough for Spain. Catalonia today has a fiscal deficit of 9.76%, this is highest taxed region in Europe. The people of Catalonia feel exploited as they cannot control their own funding when new services are needed within the state. Barcelona is the most visited region within Spain. The media and television play a large part in left and right wing narratives. A nation state emphasize political views this way. Gellner stressed the importance of communication in societies, the power to control the media modifies culture and is necessary for the homogenisation of the state. (Gellner 1983) Sport is an important cultural event for Catalan people. The Barcelona football club during Francoism was a representation of the Catalan nationalism and resistance against the dictatorship (Giberneau 2000) Sport is a powerful means of expressing identity (Trueta 2008). At the 17th minute and 14th second, the crowd will stand and shout ‘Independence’ as this date is representative of the last year they were an autonomous state. Language is important when expressing culture and the use of a language can indicate your current feelings politically (Woolard 1984). The Catalan language as mentioned through the report has been supressed, driving the need for the language to be expressed and recognised internationally. 7.2.5 Survey results A qualitative survey method was undertaken to test the hypothesis of will Catalonia resort to violence to gain independence. The results of the surveys are below (Table 1) Table 1: Combined group results of qualitative survey. Table 1: Combined group results of qualitative survey. The results obtained from the combined groups matches those gathered from the Catalan government in their recent poll. With the representative sample size and closely comparable results the figures gathered are reliable. The survey was conducted in English however the fluency in Catalan and birthplace determined majorly their identity (Webber 1991) which would be closely linked with how they would feel about independence. The difference in percentage between the two opposing opinions (independence vs no independence) is not that high. The surprising figure is that of violence, with many key events happening in the last 12 months such as the arrest of Arthur Mas, change would be assumed. Triggers such as that would provoke a sense of undermining and this may increase the likely hood of violence. Historically within Catatonia has had such events. Figure 6 shows an ice berg model, which is a visual representation of some key events in Catalan history. From the results obtained the mediation stage was considered as the point of conflict Catalonia as both sides have not yet concluded what they want. Figure 6: Key moments in recent Catalan history that has led to a rise in separatism within the state, key events are symbolled.    5.2.6 Social Vulnerability Survey These results are those obtained from quantitative surveys (figure 7). The total number of respondents was 139. Figure 7: Social vulnerability pentagon, highlighting main worries. The closer the result is to the centre the more of an issue they feel as though it is. With the survey showing that people are worried about the governance, environment and future threats gives an idea of the key grievances today. The economy is not a worrying factor as there has been on the rise since 2008 after the recession. The social aspects of life are not worrying factors in society. In regards to the environment, water is not evenly dispersed across the region. The summer months also bring a lot of pollution as tourists leave litter, which was pointed out by a shop keeper during an interview. 5.3 Conclusion To conclude, Catalonia has been experiencing separatism for many generations. The conflict so far within the state has remaining non-violent however this figure could change. The rise in percentage of people who believe violence will start echoes the increasing political tensions however 15% is not enough to accept the hypothesis stated as 85% do not believe there will be a need to resort to violence. The politicians are becoming impatient waiting on a referendum when other democratic places such as Scotland have been allowed to do so, with them not being allowed it feels as though the Franco influences have not yet disappeared. This is reflected on the social vulnerability results with governance scoring low. 5.4 Recommendations The key recommendations for peace within the region are: Allowing the Catalan government, the ability to reinvest the budget which will help in improving infrastructure. The media needs to have an unbiased opinion. Fiscal deficit needs improved and there’s a lot of tension towards Spain and the uneven taxingGentrification of city centre, leaving the city centre inhabitable by people who would be working in the city. 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