Act Local free essay sample

Disneys fabled studio entertainment unit has an illustrious history in both animation and live-action features. The Lion King, released in 1994, is the highest grossing animated film of all time. More recently, Disney has enjoyed massive hits with live-action features. These include Pirates of the Caribbean and its sequels as well as classic American fare such as the TV show High School Musical. However, despite high worldwide awareness levels of the Disney brand, as of 2006 only 25 percent of the companys revenues came from outside the United States. Historically, the Disney team has created products at its headquarters in Burbank, California, and then exported them to the rest of the world. Now, as the company targets China, India, South Korea, and other emerging markets, it is departing from its one size fits all approach. One factor driving the strategy change: the first-year visitor count in Hong Kong fell short of the target figure of 5. We will write a custom essay sample on Act Local or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 6 million people. This prompted company executives to step up efforts to educate the Chinese about Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other Disney characters. As Bill Ernest, managing director, told the Financial Times, If you havent grown up with the brand, the stories, or the theme, you are not quite sure what you are walking into. In Hong Kong, Disney officials were slow to recognize that Chinese vacationers who live on the mainland often book package tours. Tour operators choose restaurants, shopping opportunities, and other destinations that generate the highest fees and commissions. At first, Hong Kong Disneyland didnt offer a tour package that included dinners. A new dining with Disney program was quickly rolled out. To round out the promotion, individual tour operators were offered a 50 percent individual discount as an incentive to visit Disneyland personally so they would have first-hand experience at the park. Disney has learned that they cant impose the American will— or Disneys version of it—on another continent. Theyve bent over backward to make Hong Kong Disneyland blend in with the surroundings. 47 Dennis McAlpine, media and entertainment research specialist We have been U. S. -centric forever. We realize that if were going to be a global network, then we need to solicit material from around the world. 48 Gary Marsh, Disney Channel Worldwide, commenting on Disneys new programming divisions in the UK and Japan Disney also went to great lengths to capitalize on an astrological coincidence: According to the traditional Chinese calendar, 2008 was the year of the rat. In Hong Kong, Mickey and Minnie Mouse wore special red costumes as Disney proclaimed 2008 to be the Year of the Mouse. Because the Chinese government tightly controls television and motion picture standards, Disney emphasized affordable consumer products such as plush toys and Disney-themed clothing to generate awareness and interest in the Disney brand. In 2009, amidst the global economic downturn and ongoing challenges at Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneys Parks and Resorts division announced plans for a new $3. 6 billion park in Shanghai. The proposed park will be owned jointly by Disney and the Shanghai municipalgovernment. Consisting of a theme park, hotel, and shops, the development would create 50,000 much-needed jobs. Shanghai Disneyland is an important element in Disneys strategy for penetrating the local market. However, the proposal does not address Disneys need for increased media exposure; company officials believe that a Chinese Disney TV channel is essential to build awareness of the Disney brand and interest in the new theme park. Disneys other divisions are also pursuing a more localized approach in key emerging markets. As Jason Reed, general manager for Walt Disney Studios International Productions, noted, Weve been very successful with our big global productions, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure. But we think theres a natural way to supplement these films in areas like China, Russia, and India—areas that have built-in film traditions. For example, in India Disney is abandoning its go-it-alone policy and partnering with local companies such as Yash Raj Films. One new Hindi-language show, Dhoom Machaao Dhoom, concerns a girls quest for identity after living in the United States; another show, Vicky and Vetal, concerns a boys friendship with a 300-year-old ghost. The new approach is clearly paying off. In 2008, Disney released Roadside Romeo, its first animated feature developed specifically for India. The film was box-office gold, with the best opening weekend of any Disney feature in India. Disney is hoping to appeal to Indias family-oriented middle-class consumers; core themes include believe in yourself, express yourself, and celebrate your family. Because the number of cable television subscribers is increasingly rapidly, Disney launched the Disney Channel and Toon Disney. In addition, the company acquired Hugama, a childrens channel. Disney is also making Indian versions of its hit movie High School Musical. One challenge in India is the number of languages and dialects. Roadside Romeo was released in Hindi, Tamil, and Teluga. Future projects may be produced specifically for southern India where movie preferences are markedly different than in the north. Disney is going native in other emerging markets as well. 2009s Book of Masters was the companys first live-action film for the Russian market. A Russian version of High School Musical is also in the works. Next up: the Middle East. As Disneys Jason Reed says, Theres a really strong affinity between the strong family values in the region and the Disney brand. We want to go out and try to make a film that will play to families from North Africa to the Gulf States. Discussion Questions Why is it necessary for Disney to build braid awareness in China and other emerging markets? Do you agree with Disneys decision to pursue a localization approach in emerging-markets? Why is High School Musical~so successful in global markets?

Free Essays on Religious Traditions Of Taoism

Overview Taoism is a principal philosophy and system of religion that began in China. It is based on the teachings of Lao-tzu in the sixth century B.C. and on subsequent revelations by Chuang-tzu and others. It advocates a simple honest life, and noninterference with the course of natural events. (dictionary.com, 2004.) It has remained in China and been used hand-in-hand with Confucianism. It has slowly spread west, and in these hectic times, it is being used as a reprieve from today’s troubled world. The main theme of Taoism is to align oneself with Tao, or â€Å"the way.† It is the natural order of things. Taoism combines a way of living as one with nature, mediation, and worshipping and rituals to combine a philosophy into more than a religion – into a way of life. Yin and Yang The symbol of yin and yang is the graphical representation of Tao. Yin is the female side of nature, and is represented by the black part of the circle. Yang represents the male side and is the white side of the circle. Together, they represent balance. Without yin, the yang side would be unbalanced, and vice-versa. This applies to everything in nature. Day and night balance each other out. Floods balance out fires. Peace balances out chaos. When our lives are calm, they are balanced. The theory of yin and yang helps to show Taoists that when things are chaotic, something is out of balance. We must reflect and meditate to analyze these imbalances and work to get our lives back in harmony. The Principle of Non-action Taoists believe that the art of â€Å"We Wei† or non-action is the path to Tao and salvation. Wu wei does not mean that you sit and wait for things to happen to you. This means that you reflect on your actions before you do them, and see how the will affect nature and those around you. It saves energy in that you are not â€Å"swimming upstream,† but rather you are examining the current to find the best way to approach a... Free Essays on Religious Traditions Of Taoism Free Essays on Religious Traditions Of Taoism Overview Taoism is a principal philosophy and system of religion that began in China. It is based on the teachings of Lao-tzu in the sixth century B.C. and on subsequent revelations by Chuang-tzu and others. It advocates a simple honest life, and noninterference with the course of natural events. (dictionary.com, 2004.) It has remained in China and been used hand-in-hand with Confucianism. It has slowly spread west, and in these hectic times, it is being used as a reprieve from today’s troubled world. The main theme of Taoism is to align oneself with Tao, or â€Å"the way.† It is the natural order of things. Taoism combines a way of living as one with nature, mediation, and worshipping and rituals to combine a philosophy into more than a religion – into a way of life. Yin and Yang The symbol of yin and yang is the graphical representation of Tao. Yin is the female side of nature, and is represented by the black part of the circle. Yang represents the male side and is the white side of the circle. Together, they represent balance. Without yin, the yang side would be unbalanced, and vice-versa. This applies to everything in nature. Day and night balance each other out. Floods balance out fires. Peace balances out chaos. When our lives are calm, they are balanced. The theory of yin and yang helps to show Taoists that when things are chaotic, something is out of balance. We must reflect and meditate to analyze these imbalances and work to get our lives back in harmony. The Principle of Non-action Taoists believe that the art of â€Å"We Wei† or non-action is the path to Tao and salvation. Wu wei does not mean that you sit and wait for things to happen to you. This means that you reflect on your actions before you do them, and see how the will affect nature and those around you. It saves energy in that you are not â€Å"swimming upstream,† but rather you are examining the current to find the best way to approach a...

How should one live Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How should one live - Essay Example 2). Most of us people believe that a life devoid of sorrow or hardships is essentially the one that is desirable. Yet another school of thought holds that sorrow and happiness are the two sides of the same coin, and that hardships are an invincible component of human life. According to them, the true essence of life lies in the success in overcoming the difficulties and challenges posed by life. A balanced approach towards life is instrumental in bringing about a transformation of the mind and the soul. It is true that happiness and peace are  the two major issues in human existence. But one can never get everything he/she wants because it is practically impossible. â€Å"The good for man is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, or if there are more kinds of virtue than one, in accordance with the best and most perfect kind.† (Barnes, 2004, p. 16). One can learn to control his/her mind and live a restrained and satisfied life with a whole new viewpoint. Restraint and self-control helps to purify the mind. It cleanses the thought process of negative feelings like greed, hatred and jealousy that keep us enslaved in emotional bondage. It brings the mind to a state of tranquility and awareness and leads the soul to a state of concentration and insight. Another way of leading a meaningful life is to learn to love one self. It is a matter of great regret that most of us spend our entire life cursing ourselves for what we are and pondering over what we could or should have been. We feel ashamed and embarrassed to accept what we are and keep comparing ourselves with others. Instead of self-reproach one should rather love oneself and one’s world. One should realize that pain and comfort are two facets of the same life. So if we are so eager to gain comfort, we should also not hesitate in facing pain. The idea that has to be reinforced is that one should be equally receptive to the

The Role of the Financial manager SLP Assignment

The Role of the Financial manager SLP - Assignment Example Coupled with the recent developments in the financial performance successes, Apple Inc.’s status as a towering figure among publicly traded companies continues to cement its business. Based on the strong brand presence and financial successes reported continuously at the company, success projections in the near future appear promising due to the sustainability of its business model. The utilization of high-end technologies at Apple Inc. continues to provide a promising future for the company’s growing market. The size of Apple Inc. in the American and global smart technologies segment correspond with the recorded revenue growth hitting $42.1 in the fourth quarter of the just ended trading period (Apple Inc., 2014). Further projections on the company’s future relate to the company’s ratings on management effectiveness standing at 14.96 per cent and 33.61 per cent for return on assets and equity respectively. The sustainability of the software and hardware model at Apple’s products portfolio enables the company to challenge for top honors in the technology market. Apple Inc.’s towering financial power elevates it to the top of the list of American multinationals supporting tens of billions of dollars as stable investment value. Recent income figures in excess of $325 billion supported by quarterly gross margin growth of 38 per cent give an indication of the size of the company (Apple Inc., 2014). In these financial figures, $70.54 billion of gross profit implies that the company posted positive operations in the market that it continues to dominate. According to Yahoo Finance (2014), Apple Inc. trades as AAPL at Nasdaq stock market, with the recent stock market performance standing at a stable price of $109.70 (week opening Nov 10). The price of Apple Inc.’s share a year ago stood at $74.28, which gives an indication of growth by a growth of

Performing and Visual Arts Standardization Essay

Performing and Visual Arts Standardization - Essay Example In Wikipedia Encyclopedia "The visual arts are art forms that focus on the creation of which are primarily visual in nature, such as Painting, Photography, Print making and film making". Those that involve three dimensional objects such as sculpture and architecture are called plastic arts. In Wikipedia Encyclopedia "The performing arts are those forms of art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face and presents as a medium and latter uses material such as clay metal or paint". The teachers of arts should be well read and well informed on arts and artists. They should do research on arts from the past and the present so as to make them thorough with the subject. They should also try to participate in art criticism based on reliable information and clear criteria. The Art teachers should shape the student's ability to think. They should encourage their students to observe arts, and create and use their imaginations. They should make the students organize their thoughts and feelings. The teachers of arts should teach the students to respond in predictable and unpredictable ways.

Old common law rule

Old common law rule Introduction The old common law rule of The demise of nemo dat quod non habet that a person cannot convey a greater title than that person already has and a person holding a licence cannot convey the superior title of a lease. This old comman law rule had been followed for many years, until the House of Lords decision in Bruton. The House of Lords in Bruton held that someone with no interest in land can grant a lease provided that the exclusive possession is given in the agreement. I will explain and critically evaluate the House of Lords decision in the followings. House of Lords Decision The House of Lords took the opposite view with the Court of Appeal and held that the agreement between the Trust and Mr.Bruton was a lease. I will explain the decision below. Applying Street v Mountford The House of Lord decision in Street had been strictly applied.[1] According to Street, the agreement between the Trust and Mr.Bruton could be a lease/ tenancy if the three elements of 1) exclusive possession; 2) term and 3) rent are satisfied. The agreement permitted Mr.Bruton to occupy a flat in the block on a short-term basis for a weekly sum of ?18. The elements of term and rent are thus satisfied. Whether Bruton had exclusive possession Whether the requirement in Street can be satisfied depends on whether Mr.Bruton had exclusive possession. Although the agreement expressively referred it as a licence, it is irrelevant. Lord Hoffmann said that the language used, such as licence, is irrelevant. It is the true construction that identifies it as a lease.[2] Exclusive possession is a question of law that depends on the characteristic of the terms agreed. Lord Hoffmann said that the Trust plainly gave Mr.Bruton a right to exclusive possession and there was no suggestion on shared possession.[3] Effect of the reservation clause Although the Trust reserved limited right of entry for the purpose of inspection and repair, still exclusive possession was given to Mr. Bruton. Lord Hoffmann used the case of Westminster City Council [1992] as reference .In Westminster City, the only rights which it reserved were for itself and the council to enter at certain times for limited purposes. He further relied on the judgment of Lord Templeman in Street, and deduced that such an express reservation only further reinforced the entitlement of Mr. Bruton to exclusive possession.[4] Special Circumstances Charitable objective Could the charitable objective and the lack of interest in land of the Trust be considered to be special circumstances? Lord Hoffmann stated that the character of the landlord is irrelevant. He said that Although the Rent Acts and other Landlord and Tenant Acts do make distinctions between different kinds of landlords, it is not by saying that what would be a tenancy if granted by one landlord will be something else if granted by another.[5] Therefore, the charitable objective of the Trust did not constitute to a special circumstance. Could a landlord with no interest in land grant a lease/ tenancy The general rule is that if the landlord has no interest in land, he is in lack of capacity to grant a lease. The House of Lords relied on Family Housing Association to justify that there was no special circumstance existed for making an exception to the principle in Street. The House of Lord considered that Family Housing Association v. Jones was wrongly distinguished in the Court of Appeal. Lord Hoffmann regarded the fact in this case was very similar to that in Bruton. The crucial element is that in Family Housing Association, the grantor have no legal title, nonetheless, Slade L.J. concluded that the grantor have no legal title was not constitute an exception to the principle in Street. Therefore, the Housing Trust could grant Bruton a tenancy despite that the Trust had no interest in land. Tenancy by Estoppel MillettL.J. in the Court of Appeal said that an agreement could not be a lease unless it created a legal estate in the land which binds the whole world. He said that the only exception in this case that the grantor could grant a lease was by tenancy by estoppel. Lord Hoffmann thought that MilletL.J. was misled by the term of tenancy by estoppel that an agreement which could not otherwise be a lease or tenancy but which was treated as being one by virtue of an estoppel.[6] Lord Hoffmann and Lord Hobhouse thought that tenancy by estoppel was not a correct analysis. In this case, estoppel arises from the agreement, not the other way round. Critical Evaluation Contrary to the intention of legislation/ Parliament According to section 32(3) of the Housing Act 1985, the Council had no power to grant the Housing Trust a tenancy. Therefore the intention of the legislation was that the trust could only have the capacity to grant licence to homeless people on a temporary basis. The House of Lords decision totally ignored the intention of the legislation. The duty of a Judge is not to make law, but to interpret the intention of the Parliament. In this case, I think that the intention of the Parliament in section 32(3) is to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people through the Housing Trust by granting licence. The intention of Parliament should be supreme and should be strictly followed by the Judges. Street v Mountford should be distinguished Although the agreement expressly stated that it is in the form of a licence. The House of Lords still found that the agreement was a tenancy because the agreement grants exclusive possession to Mr.Bruton. Charitable objective of the Trust should be constituted as a special circumstance that constructs the agreement as a licence despite the rule in Street. Lord Hoffmann regarded that the charitable objective of the Trust is irrelevant and there was no distinction among other landlords. Again, Lord Hoffmann did not follow the intention of the Legislation/ Parliament. The Rent Acts and other Landlord and Tenant Acts do make distinctions between different kinds of landlords. In my opinion, the characteristic of charity does prohibit the Trust from granting a tenancy, since providing a temporary accommodation for people in need required a high degree of flexibility. Therefore a charitable trust should only grant licence rather than tenancy. The decision in Street should be distinguished due to these special circumstances. No exclusive possession I think that exclusivity of possession should be judged in an objective basis. All the terms in the agreement and the intention of the parties should be taken into account. Therefore the reservation clause should be interpreted objectively. As it was an express clause, there was strong evidence showing that the Trust intended not to give exclusive possession to Mr. Bruton. Moreover, with the right of entry is reserved by the Trust, it could hardly be concluded that exclusive possession was given to Mr. Bruton. Floodgate After Bruton, a new type of tenancy called personal tenancy is created. In Bruton, the grantor with no interest in land can still grant a lease. This decision totally departed from the old rule that a person holding a licence cannot convey a lease. After Bruton, Kay v Lambeth [2004] and London Borough of Islington v Green and OShea [2005] both confirmed that a personal tenancy could be granted by someone with no interest in land. [7] The nature of personal tenancy seems to be similar to that of a contractual licence. Unfortunately, the House of Lords did not distinguish personal tenancy from contractual licence. The result would be potentially dangerous since a licence granted by the landlord maybe eventually interpreted as a personal tenancy by court according to Bruton. A floodgate situation would be resulted, since every licensee would argue that a personal tenancy should be granted instead of a licence. Registration The personal tenancy creates no interest in land and the nature of a personal tenancy is similar to that of a contractual licence. A contracts or leases (but not oral lease) are registrable under LRO s.2 but a contractual licence is not registrable under L.R.O, s. 2.. Therefore it is doubtful whether a personal tenancy created in Bruton is registrable. Conclusion After the above analysis, I do not think that the decision of the House of Lord in Bruton is a good decision. It created uncertainty in whether someone with no interest in land can grant a lease or not. Although in Bruton, and the latter case of Kay [2004] and Green [2005] confirmed that a grantor with no interest in land can grant a personal tenancy. But the old common law rule of The demise of nemo dat quod non habet still needed to be considered. And Lord Hoffmann did not give a concrete reason on not applying the old common law rule. It also blurred the requirement of satisfying an exclusive possession. In Bruton, the tenant of the personal tenancy has enforceable rights against the landlord and against strangers,'[8] except the original grantor (the council), which has a superior title.[9] As the tenant cannot enforce his right against someone who has the superior title, the element of exclusive possession in the personal tenancy is in doubt. The House of Lords created an uncertainty in determining whether exclusive possession had been given in the assignment. Lastly, certainty in law and the intention of the Parliament should be strictly observed. And the decision of the House of Lord in Bruton disrupted the legal certainty and contravened the intention of Parliament. Therefore, it cannot be a correct decision. Per Lord Templeman in Street v Mountford, supra at p.818 Per Lord Hoffmann in Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, supra at p.413 Per Lord Hoffmann in Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, supra at p.414 Per Lord Hoffmann in Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, supra at p.414 Per Lord Hoffmann in Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, supra at p.414 Per Lord Hoffmann in Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, supra at p.414 Mark Pawlowski, James Brown, Case Comment Bruton: A new species of tenancy?, Landlord Tenant Review 2000 M. Harwood, Lease: Are They Still not Really Real? (2000) 20 Legal Studies 503 at p.513 John-Paul Hinojosa, On Property, Lease, Licences, Horses and Carts: Revising Bruton v London Quadrant Housing Trust, Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 2005

Jack versus Ralph as Leaders in Goldings Lord of the Flies Essay

In today’s modern society, a leader must contain capabilities that include decisive decision making that benefit the rest of society. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, the leaders, Jack and Ralph, make decisions that impair the well being of the boys on the island. When Jack and Ralph place the personal need of being in control above the needs of the boys, chaos ensues on the island. Also, When Jack and Ralph both use fear as a tool to accomplish their personal goals that they placed above the needs of the boys, order on the island broke down. Lastly, when Jack and Ralph placed their personal needs of not co-operating with one another, order on the island broke down. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, when leaders place their personal needs above the needs of society, order on the island breaks down. When Ralph and Jack placed their own personal needs of being in control of the other boys, order on the island broke down. Ralph stated that he was chief and as long as he was voted chief, the boys would do as they were told to, as stated in the chapter, The Beast from the Water, ‘You voted me for chief. Now you do as I say’ (81). This quotation incorporates the fact that Ralph has grown aware of the fact that he has the power to make decisions that affect the rest of the boys deeply and that he has the top power on the island at that point. Becoming chief was not necessarily a personal need for Ralph at first, but as events occur, he became aware of the fact that he has ultimate authority and will do make sure the boys complete their tasks in order sustain order, even if it meant disciplining them. When Ralph held the meeting by the beach at night in chapter five, chaos ensued as a result of his personal need of being... ...the island. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, when leaders place their personal needs above the needs of society, order on the island breaks down. Ralph and Jack both placed both of their own needs of being in control above the rest of the boys, which resulted in chaos on the island. Also, when Jack and Ralph utilized fear and fear of the unknown against the boys in order to get what they wanted, order broke down on the island. Finally, when leaders place the neglect of co-operation above the needs of the boys, order on the island breaks down. These are all fine examples of how leaders can become corrupt of how an excellent leader can be tested with temptation to do wrong. They all provide sufficient proof that Jack and Ralph placed their own personal needs above the needs of society, which in the end, resulted in chaotic breakdown on the island.