Redcrosse Knight

Nurgul Zhanabayeva Alva Robinson Survey of English Literature 9 November, 2012 A Comparison between Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight At all times both history and people wanted heroes, who would be ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a nation. As the history changed for the better or for the worst, there were written a lot of literature works about the heroes of a time, who had devoted their courageous deeds to people. Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight are the examples of such perfect heroes in two different periods, The Middle Age and The Early Modern Period.The story of Beowulf shows the spread of Christianity in the early Danish paganistic society that valued heroic deeds and bravery above all else. Beowulf’s heroism is shown in three separate conflicts, those with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the sea monster. The Faerie Queen is written during the period Christianity had been spread among people; protagonist Redcrosse knight represents a virtue of Holiness, and he is the only Christian fighting against evil. Beowulf and Redcrosse are example heroes, embodying traits typical of heroes: courage, and good deeds. The Faerie Queen,† written during the Early Modern Period, narrates a big change in Christian religious thoughts and practices. Redcrosse Knight offers his help to Gloriana, Queen of Fairyland. Una, representing truth, tells that the dragon of hell has captured her parents and that she needs help in getting them free. Redcrosse decides to get her parents released . This demonstrates a hero, he will undergo many severe trials and fight fierce monsters and this in itself is a character of a heroic knight. Not only does his armour protect his body and those who were with him, but also being a Christian.He has the protection of Christ. For the Christian in order to be holy, he must have a true faith. Much of Beowulf is devoted to expressing and demonstrating the hero, in whom strength, courage, loyalty to a nation, hospitality, gene rosity, political skill and good reputation among all people is valued. These are of great importance to such warrior societies as a way of understanding their relationships to the world and the danger waiting outside their borders. Redcrosse Knight, on the other hand, is a chivalrous hero. He must defeat villains who represent the untrue RomanChurch. The qualities of loyalty, humility, sacrifice for the good of others, and sympathy for those who are less fortunate are described in the text as well as the negative consequences from greed and pride. He meets several evildoers, the dragon from hell, the evil sorcerer Archimago, Sansfoy and Sansloy, who has no faith, the liar and representative of the Roman Church, Duessa/Fidessa, and many others. These evildoers fight Redcrosse Knight through deceit, lust, and untruth. Therefore he must be armed with faith in Christ to win the evils of the spiritual realm.As we can see, equally Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight have a vast amount of braver y. They both defeat enemies that attack or capture innocent people. They both constantly pray to Christ for help to win evil they meet and to have sympathy for those who suffer. These qualities, idealized by thanes and knighthood, such as bravery, courtesy, honour, and gallantry toward women are visible in both Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight. One difference is that women in the Old English Period are not as important as those in Middle age period. We see this in both poems. In Beowulf we only hear about Wealhtheow, Hrothgar’s queen, and Grendel’s mother.However in â€Å"The Faerie Queene,† we see many women characters, Gloriana, Una, Duessa/Fidessa, Lucifera (Hell), Caelia (Heavenly), Fidelia (Faith), Sperenza (Hope), and Charissa (Charity). In some way or another, Redcrosse and Beowulf have connections to these women, either good or bad. Additionally both heroes have a meeting with a character from hell. Beowulf dives into the lake, which is a personification of hell, where Grendel’s mother is waiting to attack. He cannot cut her with his sword, so he tosses it away and finds a larger sword killing Grendel’s mother by cutting her head off.He sees Grendel’s dead body nearby and cuts off his head as a trophy and returns to Denmark . This expresses an important virtue, loyalty. Redcrosse Knight fights Lucifera (Queen of Hell) and other evildoers. He has been weakened by his visit to the House of Pride. Although he had the instinctive good sense to flee from that castle, his conscience is still at work. This failure brings him near to death in the dungeon of Orgoglio, a giant that represents godless pride. Arthur, that represents magnificence, comes along and helps Redcrosse rise up from his lowest state.Redcrosse also defeats the dragon. Here he is compared to Christ descended to hell to win Satan. Redcrosse enters the mouth of the dragon and finally kills it by the help of The Tree of Life and The Well of Life, which are the grace of God given to mankind and which helps Christian in danger. No matter how well equipped or prepared the Christian is, he can’t win the evil without the help of God. A message is given here, a true Christian with all his humility counts on God. Another similarity of both these warriors is rewards for being heroes, however in very different ways.After Beowulf kills Grendel, he is considered the greatest hero in Danish history. Hrothgar says that Beowulf will never lack for riches, the horses and men of the Geats were all richly adorned, and a party was held to celebrate Beowulf’s victory. Redcrosse Knight, on the other hand, will receive his reward in heaven. If he continues to live sinless and fight against evildoers he will receive eternal life. The battle will not end until the end of the world, when Christ will tell which religion is false and which is true. Meanwhile, a Christian believes that honour is gained by good deeds and glory lies in afterlife.In both poems, Beowulf and Redcrosse Knight developed from heroic warriors, who have such qualities as courage, generosity, sacrifice for the good of others, into wise leaders. Beowulf rises from a fearless warrior to a reliable king and Redcrosse Knight finally becomes St. George, the patron saint of England. Both showed the necessary characteristics to become very successful nobles. Though these two outlooks are somewhat oppositional, each character acts as society dictates. Beowulf acted as a hero-warrior and Redcrosse as a chivalric-warrior. However, their Christian values are somewhat similar.The images of warrior presented in both poems are significant roles that are important to Christian life — Faith and Holiness. References Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis: Representation of Reality in Western Literature, Translated by Willard Trask, Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1971. Hadfield Andrew, The Faerie Queen, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Heaney, Seamus, Beowu lf: A New Verse Translation, New York ed. , 2001. Niles, John. D, Beowulf: The Poem and It’s Tradition, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1983.

Pointers in Humanities

POINTERS IN HUMANITIES Test 2 year title what happen Chapter 2 Pre-Spanish Period Malayo-Polynesian Alphabet Chapter 3 The Spanish Period (1565-1898) Contribution of Spaniards, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi – 1st gov. gen in the phil. Chapter 4 The Period of Enlightenment (1872-1898)3 priests killed GOMBURZA – Propaganda Movement(1872-1896) Chapter 5 The American Regime (1898-1941) First elected president â€Å"Gen.Emilio Aguinaldo† Chapter 6 Japanese Period (1941-1945) 3 poems HAIKU,TANAGA,KARANIWANG ANYO Chapter 7 Rebirth of Freedom (1946-1970) Start of PALANCA AWARDS Chapter 8 Period Activism (1970-1972) Youth Power of Activism Chapter 9 Period of New Society (1972-1980) September 21 ,1972-PERIOD OF NEW SOCIETY;Continuation of PALANCA Awards Chapter 10 Third Republic (1981-1985) â€Å"Ends of Martial Law† Chapter 11 Periods (1896-1999) â€Å"People Power† Test 1 1. hernando abaya-â€Å"Betrayal in The Philippines† 2. antonio enriquez-â€Å"Spot s In Their Wings And Other Stories† 3. ricardo demetillo-â€Å"The Heart of Emptiness is Black† 4. irilo bautista-â€Å"The Ritual†;†The Archipelagp†;†The Man Who Made a Covenant With The Wind†;†Charts† 5. Salvador P. Lopez – â€Å"For Freedom and Democracy† 6. maria luna lopez – â€Å"I Married a Newspaperman† wife of Salvador lopez 7. September 21 ,1972-PERIOD OF NEW SOCIETY;Continuation of PALANCA Awards 8. Abbre –â€Å"KKK,SAGUPA,KTPD,SDK,MDP 9. jose lacaba – writers in activism period â€Å"DAYS OF DISQUIET†,† NIGHTS OF RAGE†,† THE FIRST QUARTERS STORM AND RELATED EVENTS† 10. Genoveva Edroza-â€Å"Kwento ni Mabuti†;†AKO’Y ISANG TINIG† 11. Pedro Dandan-â€Å"Mabangis na Kamay,Maamong Kamay† 12. Elpidio Capulong-â€Å"Planeta, Buwan at mga Bituin† 3. palanca awards- Carlos Palanca Sr. ; started in 1950; 14. teodo ro agoncillo-â€Å"ANG MAIKLING KWENTONG TAGALOG† 15. juan laya – â€Å"HIS NATIVE SOIL† 16. Rafael Zulueta da Costa – â€Å"Like The Molave† 17. Salvador P. Lopez – â€Å"Literature and Society† 18. The good fight- President Manuel L. Quezon’s autobiographynarciso reyes 19. three poems- in Japanese period HAIKU,TANAGA,KARANIWANG ANYO 20. bembol roco-lead role in the movie†MAYNILA†¦SA MGA KUKO NG LIWANAG† 21. Fernando Poe Jr. -AGUILA 22. Hilda Coronel-â€Å"INSIANG† 23. freddie aguilar – singer â€Å"ANAK†; revision of â€Å"BAYAN KO† 24. hiela coronel- a PANORAMA staff 25. jaja-â€Å"JUSTICE FOR AQUINO, JUSTICE FOR ALL† 26. people power-â€Å"Feb. 21-25, 1986†; aka. LAKAS NG BAYAN 27. nvm Gonzales – â€Å"LUNSOD NAYON AT DAGAT DAGATAN†;†Seven Hills Away†;Poet and Fictionist 28. jesus peralta-â€Å"Grave for Blue Flower† 29. estrella alf on-â€Å"The White Dress† 30. narciso reyes – â€Å"LUPANG TINUBUAN† 31. liwayway arceo – â€Å"UHAW ANG TIGANG NA LUPA† 32. Alejandro Abadilla-â€Å"MGA PILING KATHA†;†MGA PILING SANAYSAYA† 33. PEN-Poets, Essayist, Novelist 34. July 4, 1946 – Philippines regained its freedom 35. CCC- Children’s Communication Center

Radicalism of the American Revolution

Essay 1 â€Å"Radical†, a term generally defined by many as an event or action that fundamentally changes the political, cultural, and/or economic nature of a society. The American Revolution was a time of great change within the structure of society, greatly transforming certain parts of America, yet leaving other parts relatively unchanged over the course of the Revolutionary period. When asked whether or not I consider the Revolution to be â€Å"radical†, I can give no absolute yes or no response.Instead I will have to take more of a â€Å"grey area† approach to the question and say a bit of both yes and no, because although the revolution did change quite a bit, there were still areas it was unable to change. In my opinion, I would say the American Revolution was â€Å"radical†, but only to a point. Some of the most important changes that the Revolution did make in American society were focused heavily on expanding and redefining political freedom thro ughout the country, and establishing religious tolerance. One important way that the revolution did not change the American society was in social hierarchy.Prior to the American Revolution, politics consisted of many voting, but few actually holding any kind of political power, those who did have power not listening to voters, no parties, and few public political arguments. During the Revolution, however, many Americans had a much more powerful voice in politics. This newfound power was due to an ending of old governments and authority, and the fundamental â€Å"need to reinstitute legitimate governments†. Election campaigns also became very public arguments over what the government â€Å"should† be, this is very different than what the political scene was in post-Revolution Colonial America.Some of the most radical movements can be seen in the Revolution in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, the pro-independence radical took control, abolishing such political offices as g overnor. The issue of voting rights was also a very contentious subject in politics. John Adams believed that the â€Å"common rabble† of men in the country had no â€Å"judgment of their own†, and the removal of a property qualification to vote would â€Å"confound and destroy all distinctions, and prostrate all ranks to one common level†.Pennsylvania, for one abolished the property qualification for voting, but retained the tax payment qualification, whereas other states did away with both. Prior to the Revolution, only a few colonies embraced religious tolerance, those being Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Most of the colonies in the country still had established state churches. However, colonists began to regularly associate religious freedom with â€Å"liberty† and evangelicals particularly supported this movement towards religious liberty, having suffered much oppression, and believing that â€Å"government corrupted religion†.An assault on st ate churches developed with The Elites, a. k. a. , Founding Fathers agreeing that religion could be potentially dangerous when apart of government. This â€Å"Enlightened† religion argued that religion had often supported unjust governments. Most of them would have been Deists. Deism, a popular belief among elites in the 1700s, held belief in God, but that he was rarely and distantly involved in human affairs, and viewed many Christian beliefs as superstition.Thomas Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia, 1782 saying that â€Å"The whole history of these books is [the Gospels] is so defective and doubtful that it seems vain to attempt minute enquiry into it†. The Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom was a Virginia bill introduced by Thomas Jefferson in 1779. The bill eliminated religious requirements for voting and office-holding, eliminated government finance for religion, and barred the state from forcing participation in religion. One important way that the Revolutio n did not change the American Society was in social hierarchy.Although the American Revolution changed many things, it still left some unchanged, like the much higher sociopolitical power of the upper class aristocrats within the country. The social classes were arranged from highest to lowest as such: Upper class, merchants, tradesmen, farmers, working men, indentured servants, slaves, and finally Indians. Not much had changed since Colonial America with the wealthy upper class controlling much of everything from politics to religion. Slavery continued, women had no rights whatsoever, and the system was simply not open to all white men yet.Wealth always made a difference, as it usually does. They were the land owners, the voters, the senators and congressmen. Normal people couldn't be or do any of these things without having the money and success. In conclusion, the American Revolution, in my opinion, can be seen as partly â€Å"radical† and partly not. Similar to many other revolutions, it could not have changed every single thing overnight, and in fact, it did not. But there is no denying that, at least then, it did radically change things in the country, but also left some the same.

Personal Mission Statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal Mission Statement - Essay Example On arrival, we found my grandfather sitting under a tree in the convalescent home waiting for us. My father looked lonely and forlorn. Before going to the elderly home, my grandfather looked lively and vibrant in life. This fact made me to start wandering what had happened of my grandfather; it was actually my first day to see my grandfather since he went to live in the convalescent home. On seeing us, my grandfather immediately blossomed with life again and he looked quite happy. After talking with my grandfather for a while, I inquired from him how life was in the nursing home and how they were being treated. My grandfather told us that, although they were getting all the physical necessities of life in the nursing home, emotionally and spiritually they were not being taken care of well. For instance, my grandfather told us that rarely did the workers of the nursing home talk with them individually. For this reason, my grandfather told us that most of the time they are lonely in th e nursing home. This incident made me to resolve to commit my whole life in serving the elderly people. In serving the elderly, I will observe the following values and principles. Secondly, I will serve the elderly with love and compassion. Having realised that the main problem that the elderly face in nursing homes is lack of love and compassion, I will show them love and compassion. I will spare my personal time to have individual conversations with the elderly as a way of showing them and compassion. Thirdly, I will serve the elderly fairly, without discriminating against them on racial, religious, political, social, or any other ground. Fairness will actually be one of the most important values that will guide my relationship with the elderly. Also, I will treat the elderly with integrity. Experience has taught me that in most cases, the elderly are not treated with integrity. Many people don’t treat the elderly with integrity because they think that

Home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Home depot - Essay Example This is the reason for the creation of so much competition between both these stores, since both of them are finding the best ways to improve the service to the customers, which would play a very crucial role, in increasing the customer satisfaction, which would improve their business during such tough times. (www.bloggingstocks.com) In the consumer’s mind there exist different types of gradation, for both Lowe’s and Home Depot. In the case of the Lowe’s stores consumers really believe that, there is a very good scope for the selection of the best products. They also feel that when compared to the Home Depot store, the Lowe’s store renders much better customer service. Most of the men and contractors get their needs satisfied through the Home Depot store that has resulted in the inflow of customers, mainly from these two sectors. In the case of Lowe’s, it has got the women as its main customers. Thus it is the differentiation of both these stores in the mind of the two genders, which has created the respective customer base. (www.bloggingstocks.com) Though there is a huge inflow of customers into the Home Depot store, still there doesn’t exist any kind of consumer loyalty for both the stores.

Essay to Howard University Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Essay to Howard University - Personal Statement Example In my opinion, medical laboratory science provides this opportunity to strike the best balance thus validating my eagerness to be a medical laboratory practitioner. I have served as a laboratory assistant where setting up the experiments is a core duty. The skills obtained have led to a vast knowledge in microscopic practices and experiments. Out of school, I engage in activities like drawing and hospital-based voluntary services. These activities motivate my interests and allow me to think in a broader perspective. They also expand my thoughts needed in a medical field leading for diversity in ideas. The community service helps me to interact with people thus improving my communication skills, which assists in modeling a trustworthy and reliable person. Both my school and out of school activities have had a gradual impact in the improvement of time management skills, which I believe is a fundamental requirement for medical laboratory science study. The personal desire to interact with other people to understand their ideas and experiences has originality from medical setup. My exposure to medical laboratory environment gives a fascinating advantage for career enhancement. Having spent some good time in a medical setting, I have had a chance to interact with various professionals in the medical laboratory. I am also an independent individual with precise, observant and good problem-solving skills, which serve as a booster for a successful career in the rapidly growing medical laboratory field of profession. I am informed of the excellent Howard University reputation through research and personal conversation with some of the alumni. This has concisely served in deepening my interest in the choice of your prestigious University for my career advancement. In addition to excellent university setup, the presence of the medical laboratory tools in Howard University will equip me with the best experimental practice to

Can a judge order a convicted drunk driver to attend weekly Alcoholics Essay

Can a judge order a convicted drunk driver to attend weekly Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings over the course of one year as a condition of probation for drunk driving - Essay Example In case the defendant violates probation, a one month jail term is imposed depending on the original sentencing. However, the state implemented the law of AA as an effective amendment for providing spiritual revelation to the drunk drivers. AA offers the defendant spiritual education programs in order to help the drunk driver to stop drinking (Smith 299). Drunk drivers are given AA as an alternative for going to jail and this takes place after carrying out alcohol screening test. The court does not put the offender directly to AA, but they are sent to the probation officer or a counselor first. The counselor will carry out screening test in order to determine the drinking pattern of the offender. The results will enable the officer to determine the drinking level and then make a decision of sending the offender to the Alcoholic Anonymous. This alternative probation to jail was seen effective because it reduces the costs of maintaining the offenders in jail. The government may violate the freedom of religion, equal protection and due process by holding the court hearings in a church as seen under the First Amendment. Under the First Amendment rights, the church was given freedom and the constitution protects the rights of the church (Smith 301). The church was separated from the state and given the freedom to exercise their rights. Holding court hearing in a church is deemed as the violation of freedom of religion and speech. This is because the First Amendment clause aimed at separating the church from the state. The central government does not have the authority to engage in church matters.

Cover page and other minor requriments to be added Essay

Cover page and other minor requriments to be added - Essay Example Moreover, organizations should make sure to implement periodic changes in its culture based on the changes happening in science and technology and the subsequent changes in the life and living standards of the employees. 11 Executive Summary Organizational culture includes the principles and technologies embraced by different organizations. These are dynamic and vary from one organization to another. Organizational culture is directly related to employee performance as it sets the environment in which the employees work. Different elements in the organizational culture determine the performance of employees. These are the management style, right state of mind of employees, degree of motivation of the employees, organizational change such as downsizing, workload of employees, employee reward packages, and internal and external cultures of the organization. Depending on the nature of these elements, employees will be motivated to perform to their best level, or may be demotivated and p erform poorly in their work. The company management ought to ensure that all these elements of organizational culture are favourable to the employees, and are a source of motivation for them to perform maximally and get satisfaction in their work. Good organizational culture boosts employee performance, while poor organizational culture lowers employee performance. Introduction Since culture is a word associated with human behaviour, organizational culture can be referred to as the collective behaviour of the employees of an organization. Culture of one country may not be the same as of other countries, because of the huge differences in social, economic, political and environmental or geographical differences between different countries. For example, America is an extremely wealthy country in which democratic administration prevails and majority of Americans are believers in Christianity. On the other hand, China is a communist country in which religion has no significant roles. Th erefore, organizations working in these two countries are entirely different as far as culture and working environment are concerned. Organizational Culture Organizational culture is not a static phenomenon. It is a dynamic phenomenon, which undergoes periodic changes because of the advancements in science and technologies and subsequent changes in organizational principles. For example, the introduction of computers, internet and globalization have brought tremendous changes in the functioning of organizations. Majority of the corporate companies are currently operating internationally because of globalization. Outsourcing and offshoring are some of the new business terms brought in to this world by globalization. Instant and enhanced communication was introduced in the organizational world with the help of computers and internet. All these developments caused huge changes in organizational culture. Organizational Culture and Employee Performance Employee performance is directly co nnected with organizational culture. All organizations like to derive maximum output from an employee; however, few organizations provide the necessary organizational culture for the employees to perform well. Management styles in different countries and different organizations are entirely different and hence employees in different organiz

Theories of literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Theories of literacy - Essay Example In addition, literacy is seen as the ability to read or write words. Literacy can also mean the ability to comprehend the different forms of correspondences. There are different forms of communication. The forms include body language, sign language, and video, pictures, listening, and speaking. In our modern world, literacy means the ability to read complex math or number systems (adding, subtracting multiplying, etc.) and complex words. Literacy levels vary from one community to another. Literacy in one country or community may be different from the literacy in another country or community. For example, an American resident would not understand (illiterate) the Japanese immigrant’s Japanese language. Peter Molnar (1997) states Piaget discussed how 60 day old child, Laurent, was able to shake a hanging rattle and attached with a string to the child’s arm. Peter Molnar (1997) insists â€Å"Smiling and cooing, Laurent repeated these movements several times and with short er and shorter intervals: "Laurent naturally shook the balls by chance and looked at them at once (the rattle inside them made a noise (p.109). When the rattle’s shaking was frequently repeated Laurent arched his body, waved both his legs as well as his arms short. He showed in increase in pleasure and continued to retain the interesting result. In addition, Henry Sussman (1989) mentions â€Å"It is now possible to complete the semiological definition of myth in a bourgeois society: myth is depoliticized speech. One must understand politics as describing human relations in their real, social structure, in their power of making the world (p. 3.)† The quote clearly shows that there are many facets of political life. Each individual or learner has a different critical view of the government. Some approve of the government’s political decisions. Other political decisions generally affect all the members of society. The average person or organization seeks government support Literacy is an activity that continues during the life of the individual. The literacy process begins with the ability to read words, numbers, figures, pictures, graphs, and other information. To accomplish the reading aspect of sentences, the individual must first learn how to read and understand each letter, number, figure, picture and the like. The literacy process ends with the words enter the head of the information receiver. Marc Miyashiro (1996) opines communication plays a vital part in the improvement of the organization. Communication within an organization is geared towards achieving established goals and objectives (p. 45). In addition, reading development includes a wide

Outrigger Case Study Essay Example for Free

Outrigger Case Study Essay Though the hotel and resorts industry has suffered due to the declining economy over the past several years, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts (â€Å"Outrigger†) has been able to maintain a strong niche market in Hawaii as well as beginning to expand geographically, establishing a stronger international presence. Though they began as major competitors with companies like Marriott, Hilton, and Starwood, Outrigger has been able to diversify its product portfolio mainly through acquisitions to appeal to a wider customer base. Outrigger created OHANA hotels to attract more â€Å"budget travelers† as well as beginning to offer condominiums off the beach front to appeal to regular travelers that vacationed more frequently. In these new markets, Outrigger benefited from no direct competition and is able to benefit from a diversified product portfolio. Outrigger has enjoyed success in these new markets but has faced many problems due to their entrance into these slightly different markets. In spite of Outrigger’s aggressive geographical and product expansion in new markets, it has preferred to maintain a centralized management structure. Along with their centralized management structure Outrigger has tried to develop centralized operations and information systems. Outrigger’s operations and IT infrastructure in Hawaii were highly centralized. Outrigger’s properties in Hawaii all utilized the same Central Reservation Office; however all other properties located outside of Hawaii handled their reservations in house, limiting collection of important customer data and missing out on the opportunity to enjoy significant cross-property traffic. All properties in Hawaii ran on a JD Edwards ERP as the cornerstone of Outrigger’s back office operations while running Stellax, their integrated CRS/PMS, providing revenue management, reservation center support, and enabled data collection for further analysis on their E.piphany software. This integrated IT infrastructure has allowed Outrigger to â€Å"harness the analytical power of E.piphany to do forecasts and generate business intelligence both at the source of business and at guest levels.† Properties outside of Hawaii are not allowed to benefit from integration of IT and information systems since they run on similar but different systems that do not allow for real time electronic interface with other hotel locations and wholesalers of vacations. Outrigger believes that a  centralized IT infrastructure and systems is a source of competitive advantage. However, as the firm has diversified its product portfolio and geographic presence they have been sacrificing the centralization of IT infrastructure and have been unable to harness the potential benefits of integrated systems in their international markets. To remedy this problem of a lack of integration and communication, Outrigger could expand their use of Stellax to its international locations, develop a new PMS/CRS system that better could better handle the different needs of Outriggers’ properties in different markets, or move its information sharing to the cloud for better communication between properties. Expansion of Stellax would benefit Outrigger by enabling consistent data gathering and analysis of important business and customer information that could allow for rewards programs that could increase profitability through cross-property traffic and meeting the needs of the customer better. This expansion of Stellax would be expensive and could create problems due to differences in needs between properties in Hawaii and international properties. Development of a new PMS/CRS platform that would be better suited for the wide variety of needs between different properties, though customization could be achieved through the ap plication of add-on modules that could tailor the new PMS/CRS system to the unique needs of each individual property. This solution could be very complicated and much more expensive then the first alternative due to the degree of customization. In addition, this option could create a more decentralized structure when Outrigger is trying to achieve increased centralization of operations. Lastly, Outrigger could move their information sharing between properties to the cloud. This option is less expensive than the other alternatives but would offer limited benefits. Though properties would be able to share business and customer information, analysis would be limited due to different data gathering techniques and differences between the type of business and customer data that each individual property’s system collected. To enable better integration of properties and to create a more centralized IT and systems infrastructure, Outrigger should develop a new PMS/CRS platform that would meet the needs of their diversified product markets. Though this option is most expensive it offers the most centralized structure and the greatest potential value for  Outrigger. Stellax is very outdated even though it still suits the needs of properties in Hawaii, but not the needs of Outrigger’s international properties. By developing a new customizable PMS/CRS platform, Outrigger would become much more centralized and could create value from its diversified portfolio of projects through the utilization of rewards programs that promote cross-selling of Outrigger properties and harnesses the power of business and customer information that is consistent between Hawaii properties as well as international properties. To track to success of such a large system implementation Outrigger could track the amount of customers that visit multiple Outrigger locations and the success of cross-selling of properties through the tracking of customer’s redeeming rewards points they earned through staying a multiple different Outrigger properties. Implementation of brand new software is risky however if it is properly managed and implemented correctly the rewards could greatly outweigh the cost.

Four Seasons Goes To Paris Case Study Tourism Essay

Four Seasons Goes To Paris Case Study Tourism Essay One of the worlds leading operators of luxury hotels, Four Seasons, renovated George V and operated it as Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris in 1999, which is its first property in France. George V was opened in 1928 and since that has been a landmark which is located in the Triangle dOr (golden triangle). In Four Seasons Goes to Paris case study shows how Four Seasons developed the diversity and adapted to French market, with the Four Seasons outstanding standards. The purpose of this report is to analyse how Four Seasons, a Canadian company adapted the big cultural difference, also to be able to apply and explain the management principles identified in the case study and the management strategies in todays reality. Furthermore, by understanding how the management adapt to become the French employer and what the company core values were implemented in Four Seasons team, in order to know how the management stand out in this process. Finally, comparing to Four Seasons years of management in Paris how does the current internal and external environment affect the managers to be more entrepreneurial. Cultural awareness, Adaptation and Management Changes Cultural awareness can be thought of as internalized attitudinally insights about those common understandings held by groups that dictate the predominant values, attitudes, beliefs and outlooks of the individual. (Adler, 1986:31) Four Seasons opened its first property in Paris and it was a huge challenge for the management to go into the local. According to the case study, French is characterized by cultural researchers as having Polychromic Culture, which means they consider the importance of human relationships and they prefer building lifetime relationships. On the contrary, Americans are much more easygoing to develop short-term relationships. French do different tasks at the same time usually, but their attention can be taken away very easily. Additionally, the management explained that there is simply an incredible pride in being French and the French have a very emotional way of doing things. They cannot keep the standards and do not respect the Golden rules as it is too American as well as changing plans often because their decisions sometimes are unpredictable and not based on any reasons. For the management has to adjust to the French regulations especially in labor policy regarding to the staff working hours and conditions. David Crowl, noted that each hotel is tailor made and adapted to its national environment. Four Seasons have learned across borders from different countries and properties, trying to incorporate the native elements inside the property. Richey, the president of Richey International, which was hired to audit service quality and he felt that Four Seasons adapted to the local market very successfully from a design perspective at the first place. Also they understand the national idiosyncrasies, business culture and labor laws in order to become a French employer. Besides, Four Seasons hired Didier Le Calvez to be the General Manager of George V. He had 25 years working experience outside France and he acquired patience and tolerance to prepare the hotel opening. Four Seasons had assigned a 35-person task force which composed of experienced Four Seasons staff to help Le Calvez and his teams, to be Four Seasonize as well as making sure that the opening will be succeed. It helps to establish norms, attitudes and beliefs by reflecting the operating needs and is a good way for communicating the right information to all staff. In addition, the management implemented the 35-hour workweek at George V in order to meet the spirit of French law. Besides, starting direct line meeting for General Manager with managers, supervisors and employees in groups of 30 once a month, in order to promote communication and address the problems. It is very important for staff to be aware of different national and organizational culture because management is a process of coordinating work activities with the management skills in order to complete the work efficiently and effectively with and through people. (Robbins and Decenzo, 2008) It enables to work well with other people both in a group and individually, as hospitality is a people industry and about interaction with people from different culture, language and beliefs, communication can be improved by developing and understanding the cultural awareness Besides, a successful management for today should be able to be flexible, create ethical work environments and exhibit entrepreneurial skills when facing the changes. As we are not all the same and everyone is unique, we have to recognize the similarities and differences of each individual us, in order to achieve the same goal for the company. Instilling the Core values into the team Core values are operating  philosophies or  principles  that guide an organizations internal conduct as well as its  relationship  with the external world. (businessdictionary.com, 2010)   It is important for stakeholders of the organization because it is a performance guide and clarification of what behaviour and attitude should be performed. According to Sharp, founder and CEO of Four Seasons, he mentioned that the reason for their success is no secret. It comes down to one single principle that transcends time and geography, religion and culture. Its the Golden Rule the simple idea that if you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same. (Fourseasons.com, 2010) Sharp emphasized that The Golden Rule is the key to the success of the firm. It is not only a positive belief that provides consistently exceptional service and just for you to the guests, but also is a monitor to the employees and helps to shape relationships between the guests and staff. Base on the Golden Rule, the management needs to stand out by directing the activities of other people in the company with the functions of management, which is a process have generally been condensed to the basic four: planning, organizing, leading and controlling (Robbins and Decenzo, 2008:7) Planning It is a process to establish an overall strategy for achieving the goal of organization and helps to remind the staff what is the most important. (Robbins and Decenzo, 2008). The management mentioned the Four Seasons is a family and completes with rules, traditions and tough love. In order to provide consistently exceptional just for you, the Golden Rule was established to guide the family. The behaviour of all staff over the world were expected to follow the seven Four Seasons Service Culture Standards (Refers to Appendix I), Departmental Sample Core Standards and Four Seasons Goals, Beliefs and Principles. (http://www.fourseasons.com/about_us/service_culture) They are the foundation of the organizational goals and it shapes the relationships between staff and guests, as well as enriches the service culture. Organizing Structure of the Organization The responsibility of the general manager is supervising the day-to-day operations of the property and the regional management structure of the company (Refers to Appendix II) is the most important of its ability to maintain and deliver the highest and most consistent service standards in a cost-effective manner. Hire the right person with right attitude Four Seasons is trying to look deep inside of the applicants in the selection process in terms of finding the potential employees with right attitude. Refer to Frederick Taylor, the father of scientific management believed that increased efficiency could be achieved by selecting the right people for the job and training them to do it precisely in the one best way. Hire the right person with right attitude and proper training, not only increasing the strength of the property, but also controlling relationship between input and output in order to minimize the resource costs. Leading When managers motivate employees, direct the activities of others, select the most effective communication channel, or resolve conflicts among members, they are leading. (Robbins and Decenzo, 2008:8) Le Calvez, carried out some programs for motivation such as the invitation to the employees and their families for an open event about three times a year, in order to break down the barriers and remind them the pleasantness of working. Furthermore, achievement was celebrated by launching employee-of-the-month and employee-of-the-year programs to let the staff understand the recognition and the work speaks for them. Controlling The basic controlling process is the responsibility for monitoring, comparing and correcting. (Robbins and Decenzo, 2008) The management of Four Seasons hired both external and internal auditors to audit and evaluate the service quality. It is very essential because the standards of Four Seasons are the foundation for all our properties and it is based on which we build according to a senior manager noted. Therefore, the top management team gathers every morning for reflection and reviews in order to go over the mistakes, which have been done unprofessional and comparing to the companys goal and service standards, then identify and address the problem for improvement. How does Current Internal and External Environment affect managers to become more entrepreneurial Compared to the year of Four Seasons management, it is very important for the current managers to be more innovative and creative, as well as flexible in order to become entrepreneurial to both change and adapt the changes. Current Internal Environment Analysis Management Change Le Calvez worked with Four Seasons for 18 years and 8 years General Manager and Vice President in George V, he joined Shangri-La in 2007. He was credited for the renovation and his leadership while facing the adaptation and challenges. In my opinion, it effected the work motivation of the managers but they should be able to adapt the changes all the time. The hotels culture is embodied in the General Manager, An F.S. George V manager noted and it is a opportunity to establish innovative ideas and new promotional strategy in order to create a new hotels culture. Ownership Four Seasons agreed to be taken private in 2007 and was sold to the companys chief executive officer Sharp, as well as investment companies, one is Microsoft founder and Chairman, Bill Gates and the other by the owner of Fairmont Hotels Resorts, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the prince owned around 20% of Four Seasons already. (Usatoday.com, 2007) Gates and Prince Alwaleed invested on Four Seasons and there are opportunities to expand the Four Seasons and increase market share in other countries, where is the needs of luxury hotels and resorts. In this case the managers should work ambitious and pre-active to do market research in order to get the chance of promotions and working in another country. Current External Environment Analysis Political There are more upcoming infrastructure including convention centres, highway, mobile portal and urban planning. Furthermore, Paris is strongly promoted as a sustainable tourism destination as long as global warming becomes serious. It is also the new trend to being green in these few years, hence it provides the opportunity to explore Paris in eco-friendly way and helps to create an image of Paris is a green capital (parisinfo.com, 2010) As the French government promotes Paris as a green destination and it is part of the trend of tourism, the managers can create eco-friendly offerings and policies in order to enrich the reputation of Four Season through this opportunity. Economical Even with a tax rate of 43% in 2008, France is the fifth most attractive place to start a business. (industryweek.com, 2010) Therefore, the goods price in France is very stable as inflation rate is about 0.9 2% in these 5 years. The GDP contracted 2.1% in 2009 due to the financial crisis and there was world tourism collapse because of the Iceland volcano eruption in first quarter of 2010. Hence, there is a big lost since tourism is the largest income in Paris. Paris is the capital and gathers with most of the culture and technology of France, the manager can through this opportunity to more establish innovative conference package and facilities as well as eco-friendly meeting offer to fulfil the new demands. On the other hand, the managers can learn how and what to do during the financial crisis especially know what strategy to do when the hotel was in low occupancy rate and how to reduce the extra costs and arrange the work schedule properly in order to survive in bad financial situation. Socio Cultural Paris is well-known as a floury city but full of artistic and cultural atmosphere. There are 25,000 artists living and working in Paris because of its historic and romantic atmosphere. (Hurriyetdailynews.com, 2010) The managers will increase the cooperation with company which provides luxury city tour service as well as the training of the concierge service since the tourists come to Paris mostly for culture and sightseeing in order to create more revenue base on the advantage of the location and outstanding service. Technological France Telecom Group Orange Business Services and Disneyland Paris have built the wireless bar code of mobile messaging services for the visitors. (Technow.com, 2009) In meanwhile, the government is planning to increase building mobile portal. (Proximamobile.fr, 2009) It is very innovative and convenient and the visitors can access to the useful travel information. The managers can cooperate with the telecom companies about implement the new hotel wireless system in order to attract new target markets and turn it into the new unique selling point. Then the guests will be able to find the information of the property as well as the tourist information through this innovative service. Conclusion To conclude, Four Seasons  has grown effectively over half a century with the exceptional and unparalleled service. The success of Four Season all bases on a simple idea Golden Rules If you treat people well, the way you would like to be treated, they will do the same. Likewise, Four Season George V has been renovated successfully through by understanding the cultural awareness and adapting to the local market with universal standards. The successful management is not only required the qualifications but also be able to take accountability for decisions and policies, with the positive attitude, exhibit entrepreneurial skills and flexibility to create ethical work environments. Besides, the internal and external environment factors need to be recognized and overcome by the management skills. Hence, the spirit of the Four Seasons consistent personalize service will be highlighted perfectly. Appendix Appendix I The Seven Four Seasons Service Culture Standards (Sources: Four Seasons Goes to Paris Case Study) SMILE Employees will actively greet guests, SMILE, and speak clearly in a friendly manner. EYE Employees will make EYE contact, even in passing, with an acknowledgment. RECOGNITION All staff will create a sense of RECOGNITION by using the guests name, when known, in a natural and discreet manner. VOICE Staff will speak to guests in an attentive, natural, and courteous manner, avoiding pretension, and in a clear VOICE. INFORMED All guest contact staff will be well INFORMED about their hotel and their product, will take ownership of simple requests, and will not refer guests elsewhere. CLEAN Staff will always appear CLEAN, crisp, well groomed, and well fitted. EVERYONE EVERYONE, everywhere, all the time, show their care for our guests. Appendix II Four Seasons Reporting Structure (sources: Four Seasons Goes to Paris Case Study) Regional Vice Presidents Hotel General Managers Regional Marketing Director Area Director of Finance Regional Human Resource Director Supporting