OBriens Things They Carried Essay: An American Nightmare

History has shaped every country and their people, in particular negative experiences like the Holocaust in Nazi-Germany or the Vietnam war, involving the United States in a grueling controversy from 1964 until 1975. The author Tim O'Brian confronts an American audience in his short stories "The Things They Carried" with the inhumane consequences of political and military power decisions by rewriting history from a subjective,individual point of view. Thus he forces the audience to take a stand, to ask questions, to get morally and ethically involved. The narrative structure of the "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" and "How to Tell a True War Story" contains two levels, the first on being a discourse about the characters of Vietnam stories. The "I", the narrator, introduces 'Rat' Kiley as his source for the narrative that follows. He characterizes stories about war as "strange", "swirling back and forth across the border between trivia and bedlam, the mad and mundane". The stories have a life of their own, reality is not absolute, not final. With this image he describes the ambiguity of war itself, the normality that turns into insanity, he summarizes the narrative about Mary Ann Bell and her experiences with the war. The narrator clearly states the purposes of these stories, he is not interested in factual truths about the war, he openly questions the reliability of his source: "Rat had a reputation for exaggeration and overstatement". He wants the audience to "feel exactly what he felt", an emotional experience, a subjective app roach. The second narrative level tells the story about Mary Ann Bell, the "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong". The narrator, probably the author, retells Rat's story in his own words, so that t... ...ositive as well as its negative accomplishments. But how is this to be done, how do we deal with history personally and politically? Ths author Tim O'Brian gives us one answer in "How to Tell a True War Story" on page 69: "You can tell a true war story if it embarrasses you. It you don't care for obscenity, you don't care for the truth; if you don't care for the truth, watch how you vote. Send guys to war, they come home talking dirty". In other words if you don't want war watch how you vote. The connotation of this statement is far reaching, it naturally places responsibility on the American government for having participated in the war, but it foremost appeals to the american public to take responsibility and to use this history, this story to create a better future. Works Cited: O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried.New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1990.

Compare and contrast the poets attitudes to and experiences of war in :: English Literature

Compare and contrast the poet's attitudes to and experiences of war in Drummer Hodge and The soldier - How does the poet's use of language effect the readers' perception of war? Drummer Hodge is written about the Boer war (around 1899 - 1902), which was a war between the British and the Boers. The feature of the poem is a Wessex drummer boy who was killed in this war. The poem starts with the end of the boy's life as his body is disposed of practically, with no dignity, this gives the reader the idea that war has a bigger picture and the life of one boy does not matter as long as the country prevails; "They throw in Drummer Hodge, to rest Uncoffined - just as found" this gives the image across that the boy was buried with no dignity, no ceremony and with indifference. From this the reader clearly gets a rather horrible and cold image of the war and the way in which people were disposed of, the line also expresses how much life is lost in a war. The next line expresses the way in which he has no grave stone, just a pile of rocks over his body. I think this shows the way that in war, you die and know body knows were you are, so nobody can come to your grave to mourn you. "His landmark is a kopje-crest" in some ways the poet tries to tell us that the land surrounding the boy's grave has become part of him and the land will respect him and give him his dignity. This may give the reader the thought that in war maybe the best way out is death as you will then be eternally respected. In the last lines of the first stanza the poet writes about how the boy entered the war in a foreign place and there is nothing familiar to him; "And foreign constellations west Each night above his mound." The poet writes about how he was buried under a foreign sky in a strange place which was far away from his home. This gives the reader the impression that Drummer Hodge is more of a memory as he died so far away from his home. The second stanza goes on to explain the way in which he was unprepared for the war: "Young Hodge the Drummer Never knew - Fresh from his wessex home." The poet has written about how the young boy did not know what he had let himself in for, the young boy did not

Team Empowerment Essay -- Business Administration, Team Building

ANTECEDENTS OF TEAM EMPOWERMENT Previous research has identified several organizational characteristics that may act as antecedents to team empowerment. Frequently cited antecedents include autonomy (Chen et al., 2007; Langfred, 2000; Campion et al., 1993), task meaningfulness (Stewart, 2006; Thomas & Velthouse, 1990; Hackman, 1987; Hackman & Oldham, 1980), and team-based human resources practices (Kirkman & Rosen, 1997; Mathieu et al., 2006), such as rewards (Balkin & Montemayor, 2000; Kirkman & Rosen, 1999). To build effective teams, an organization has to redesign the work process and to modify a wide range of organizational systems to support the design (Wellins et al., 1991). In the following discussion, I divide the antecedents into two groups: organizational design and organizational support. The reason for such a generalized dichotomy lies in the fact that many antecedents are interdependent with each other within the same group. For example, cross-functional team will enhance employees’ task meaningfulness; and both practices contribute to increasing employee autonomy. However, there are other factors that may increase employee autonomy, such as expanded responsibilities through improving role clarity. Also, in many case studies the implications involved not only one antecedent. Thus, a broader discussion framework is used as it better accommodates these interdependent antecedents and practices that employ different approaches to team empowerment. Organizational Design – Multi-functionalism is the best approach. Empowerment often requires taking a new look at the organizational design. The ultimate goal is to improve organizational effectiveness by promoting ownership of work. The fundamental approach, and also ... ... created a greater sense of ownership and responsibilities among hospital professionals. †¢ BSD, a software inventory control firm (Belasco, 1991), reorganized its team into multidisciplinary teams, which include sales, service, and technical experts, and each is in charge of a specific customer. By introducing the cross-functional teams, the company give its employees greater empowerment for being responsible for making all decisions. Another corporate practice for cross-functional team is to integrate different department, such as human resources, finance, and information technology, into one shared serviced team. Shared serviced team is often viewed as an alternative to outsourcing (Janssen & Joha, 2006). By integrating multiple functions into one team, shared services team is able to deliver more efficient service to internal customer, and the team members.

How Do the Writers of the Bible Explain the Concepts of God as Creater

How do the writers of the bible explain the concepts of God as creater? ‘ In the bible there is two main creation stories; genesis one and genesis two. Each of these are very different concepts of God as creater. In genesis one the world is created by God in six days, and on the seveneth day God rests. On the first day God created light, on the second day God created day and night, on the third day God created earth, on the fourth day God created sky, on the fifth day God created sea and fish, on the sixth day God created animals and on the seveneth day God rested.This is an example of creation ex nihilo (creation from nothing). Creation ex nihilo portrays God as very onipotent, for example God says it and it just happens. Genesis one puts creation across as perfect, as if God cannot make mistakes. At the beginning of genesis one it says ‘In the beginning God created the sky and the earth' also when it repeats ‘Then God said' and ‘God saw that it was good' it gives the feeling of God being all powerful and benevolent. God created the world in a very structured way and the world has a cycle which suggests order and purpose.This is very different to Gensis two. In Genesis two God creates man from dust and puts him in a beautiful garden. He saw that man was lonely so he created animals and let man name them. However non of these compainians were right for man so God created woman from one of mans ribs. God told man and women that they could eat from any tree in the garden apart from the tree of knowledge and that if they ate from the tree of knowledge they would die. This shows us that God can make mistakes because he has to try again to find the perfect companion for man.Also in Genesis two there is a chance for sin which shows Gods creation couln't of been perfect. In genesis two God uses things that already exsist to create what he needs to- This puts God across in a much less onipotent way because he can't preform creation ex nihilo. In genesis two God seems a lot more immanent than genesis one. In genesis three women is tempted by the snake to eat a peice of fruit from the tree of knowledge. She does this and both man and woman become aware that they are naked and are embarrassed.They hide, then God comes looking for them and find that they have disobeyed him. The thought of God walking through the garden of Eden gives an anprothmorphic feel to genesis three. God finds out that man and women have eaten from the forbidden tree and decides to punish them. Women is punished by pain when bearing children, man is thrown out of the garden and has to now work for a living, the garden will begin to sprout weeds so man has to work and the snake was compelled to slither on its stomach.Gensesis three reperesents loss of innococence and makes us wonder why God would have put the tree of knowledge in the garden if it wasn't to be eaten from- it almost seems as if God wants them to disobey him. Genesis three also shows God has imperfections. The story of Emuna Elish was around at the same time as when Genesis was written. In Emuma Elish nothing existed but ‘the dark waters of primevil choas' in the beginning. These waters were personified by the Gods Aspu and Tiamat. These Gods reproduced a series of younger Gods who represented the elements of the universe.These young Gods revolted. Aspu was killed and Tiamat was cut in two forming the earth and sky. The Gods were divided, some lived in heaven and some on earth and people were created to slave them. This is an example of polyethism where there is many Gods and not just the one. It is different to Genesis because in genesis God is very much in control of what happens and what is created. The only simularity is that both genesis and emuna elish begin with darkness. Another take on creation is Job 38 which portrays God as a master craftsman.In Job 38 God seems to be belittling Job and bragging about his creation. This puts God across in an almost arr agent way, he seems ominpotent and very proud of what he has created. God seems more important and powerful than Job by how he is speaking yet still in an anprothamorphic way. Job 38 gives us the impression of the world being a ‘controlled chaos' and God is proud of this. An example of this is when God mentions the ‘boundies of the sea'. God cannot control the sea but he has put boundries on it. Job 38 links with genesis one because in both of these stories God is proud of what he has created.We can he is proud in Genesis one because of the repitition of ‘God saw that it was good. ‘ In conclusion, the bible puts God across as a good creater. As if God can do no wrong, God is omnsient and omnipotent. This is very different to some creation stories such as Emuna Elsih where the Gods seems quite dark and imperfect- getting into fights causing chaos. Whereas the Christian God cares about the people hes created and with care. Also in the bible God seems a lot more modest and benevolent than he does in Job 38. The bible puts God across perfect and unchanging.

Leader Characteristics and Foreign Policy Performance Essay

The old saying ‘heroes are made, not born’ describes the making of leaders and leadership. The exceptional courage, nobility and strength attributes to the main character of a hero that may be brought about by a particular circumstance. Within the circumstance of a leadership referring to a President, the epitome of a hero is may be characterized by a political will or the strong decisiveness in role-modeling; by effecting the sovereign mandate of the people reflective of harnessing socio-political idolatry at home and abroad. The role-modeling of a President represents impact towards interstate (domestic) and foreign (intrastate) policies. Thus, the epitome of a hero is outlined in the execution of policies in which heroes are made. This paper will discuss the critical role-model of leadership that is bestowed upon the mandate of a President symbolical to the creation and performance of foreign policies. US foreign policy decision illustrating the rational actor model In the most recent electronic journal issue published by the Council on Foreign Relations (2008) features the article, ‘The Future of American Power: How America Can Survive the Rise of the Rest’, adapted from the book of Fareed Zakaria (2008), discusses Britain’s and America’s distinctions of foreign political power illustrates the â€Å"political leadership of the empire†. According to the article, there has been tremendous shift of political power [shifted from various political leadership] wherein Britain and America competed. The shifting is perceived to be on the third wave in which the â€Å"rest of political power shifting† remains a window of opportunity for the US to shape and master the changing global landscape, in which the strength and dynamism to continue shaping the world can overcome its political dysfunction and reorient its foreign policy for a world defined by the rise of other powers (Zakaria, 2008). From the point of view of Zakaria, the rest of emerging powers in the â€Å"third shift† is the current focus of a foreign policy within the social, political and economic rationale of the US government, and specifically a primary agenda under Bush’ leadership. The â€Å"rational actor model† that could be attributed to Bush’ leadership may be exemplified by the comprehensive enactment of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of 2004, in which the national and global call of President Bush for â€Å"safe (America) and secured world† is by enacting strategic reforms in the intelligence community and the streamlining of the US bureaucracy. To cite the coherence of the â€Å"calling for safe and secured world† is outlined under Section 7001 of the IRTPA that states the provisions, such as â€Å"(Paragraph: 2) to win the war on terrorism, the United States must assign to economic and diplomatic capabilities the same strategic priority that is assigned to military capabilities, and (Paragraph: 3) the legislative and executive branches of the Government of the United States must commit to robust, long-term investments in all of the tools necessary for the foreign policy of the United States to successfully accomplish the goals of the United States† (IRTPA, 2004; in US Public Law 108–458, 2004). It is therefore reflective of Zakaria’s (2008) work that the â€Å"third shift† of power by emerging governments and world economies is the focal point of the US’ shifting of political leadership through its decision illustrating the leader’s rational actor model in framing a foreign policy. US foreign policy decision illustrating the hero-in-history model The â€Å"messianic complex† has been attributed to the character of leadership of President Bush in the US war on Iraq. It may have been recalled that US 9/11 tragedy have sprouted with the â€Å"hero-villain† role-modeling that refers to the US servicemen as hero that fought the villainous terrorists cohorts in Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical regime in Iraq. In which case, the US war on Iraq was attributed to the â€Å"messianic redemption† that freed the Iraqi people from the bondage of tyranny and renewed the democratic processes. Several political experts says that the character of Bush’ leadership has in some degrees being a â€Å"romanticist’; the sentimentalism that catalyzes decisiveness and unwavering acts. Thus, the hero-in-history model is patterned and entangled to the history of war and gaining dominance. In effect, the hero-in-history model has inherent circumstance and dominion vis-a-vis tailored in a foreign policy. As cited from the article of Lynne Olson in the electronic magazine of The Guardian, â€Å"George Bush’s favorite role model is famously Jesus Christ but Winston Churchill is close behind† (Olson, L. , 2007). According to Olson the idolatry is circumstantial in the rose to power of government leaders, in which the hero-in-history has inherent value; referring to Bush’ admiration to the works of Churchill in uniting and bringing the allied nations against Hitler as comparatively what the US did on its war to Iraq. It may be perceived that the framing of the socio-economic-political aspects of US foreign policy manifests â€Å"heroic adventurism† that exalts the hero-in-history model of American policy, and specifically the so-called â€Å"heroic idealism† of the President. US foreign policy decision employing the psychobiographical model Based on the book ‘Profiling Political Leaders: Cross-Cultural Studies of Personality and Behavior’ by Ofer Feldman and Linda O. Valenty, the psychobiographical model deeply links the personality (inner-self) of the leader towards the leadership style. Meaning, personal ideals or beliefs is being applied in the capacity to govern the state or lead the government in enacting policies. To cite, the system of psychobiography assume that leaders’ personal histories [and childhood experiences] are essential aspect that characterized the personality and leaders’ convictions that influences the mode, predisposition and performance in decision making (Kaarbo, J. , 2001; in Feldman & Valenty, 2001). One example that could best describe the personal (psychobiographical model) influence in the process of decision making is the personal conviction of President Bush in his ideals for â€Å"safe and secured world†; as being referred by American war historians as a â€Å"recycled thought† as inspired by his father, the former President George H. W. Bush, during the US troops deployment in the Middle East in the 1990’s known as Operation Desert Storm (The White House, 2008). It may be also recalled that former President Richard Nixon’s (1913-1994) â€Å"abhorrence† to socialism and communism have led to US aggression in Vietnam that weakened the diplomatic ties with China, Soviet Union and the Middle East, and left the American economy into recession (The White House, 2008). It could be viewed that the psychobiographical model relating to the â€Å"influence factor† of the leader in the process of decision making somehow affects the direction, significance and performance of a policy in light of the sovereign will. In which case, the effect could be in the derailment (consistency or inconsistency) or achievement of a policy that addresses all the socio-economic-political interstate (domestic) and intrastate (foreign) perspectives. At hindsight, the enactment of the IRTPA of 2004 could bear the idealistic norm of ensuring a â€Å"safe and secured world†, in which the US foreign policy adheres to those ideals. Significance of political terminologies According to Barbara Kellerman (1983) of Farleigh Dickinson University, the Bureaucratic Politics Model or BPM is the identification and systematic installation of key government functions in which the government’s â€Å"hierarchical organization† compose a bureaucracy. The BPM has been implemented in the US war on Iraq, as exemplified by the streamlining or functional alignment of governmental agencies through multi-lateral functions with the legislative, judiciary, executive branches of the government and its military establishments. In short, BPM is a synergy within a governmental function pre-disposal to the process of decision making and enactment of a domestic and foreign policy (Kellerman, 1983). Decision avoidance is being defined by sociologist as a â€Å"common type† of indecision particularly in major decision making referring to the acts of the President, policy makers, military leaders and even the private corporate chief executives. The decision avoidance is also characterized by â€Å"playing safe attitude† to decide on a situation, condition or state of facts wherein critical analysis is needed (Michael, A. , 2006). Instrumental rationality is being described as a requirement of coherence on non-instrumental desires and means-end beliefs, in which the requirement of coherence can be satisfied either locally or more globally (Smith, M. , 2004). As perceived, one that describes the coherence of instrumental rationality is the legal parlance of IRTPA 0f 2004 in the conduct of US’ war on terrorism wherein recognition, acceptance and collaboration is being worked with allied governments. Thus, the legal parlance in the conduct rationalizes the issues on the flawed effects to human rights violations. Based on the journal ‘Substantive and Procedural Rationality in Decisions under Uncertainty’, the â€Å"procedural rationality† is a method to test the empirical study that is uncertain (Choi, S. , Fisman, R. , Gale, D. , & Kariv, S. , 2005). This definition may be again correlated with the IRTPA’s policy that mandates to reform the US intelligence community by creating and establishing the Office of the Director for National Intelligence (ODNI) that shall streamline the operation of US homeland defense system, wherein the level and condition of national and global â€Å"uncertainties† are critically studied and processed in aid of policy legislation or Executive decisions (referring to Presidential directives). To cite, the â€Å"rational decision-making model† refers to the process-analysis of circumstantial or situational factor that is guided by parameters, such as (1) define the situation and decision to be made; (2) identify the important criteria for the process and the result; (3) consider all possible solutions; (4) calculate the consequences of these solutions versus the likelihood of satisfying the criteria and select the best option (Decision-Making-Confidence. Com, 2008). This modeling ma y be exemplified in the Presidential directives creating the US 9/11 Commission that has recommended the legislative process of enacting the IRTPA of 2004. We may quote the saying of the 2nd US President John Adams (1797-1801) that describes the presidential character, â€Å"liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people who have the right to that knowledge and the desire to know, but besides this, they have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge—I mean of the character and conduct of their rulers† (President John Adams, 1735-1826; in Texas University Press, 2004). Interpreting the â€Å"Presidential Character† connotes the moral values and virtuosity in the character of a President or a political candidate. It may be perceived that the moral attributions to â€Å"presidential character† also relate to the socio-religious-cultural upbringing of the state, to which the moral values of social responsibility, accountability and confidence must be retained to the people. Conclusion The role-modeling of every government in its domestic and foreign affairs is characterized by the figure-heading of a President being the pre-dominant figure of the bureaucracy. It may be said that the 2ist century character of the US government in bringing about and reaching out its foreign policies has related or shifted in the sensibility of personality and political will or decisiveness of the Chief Executive of the Land, especially when formulating effective and strong governance correlating the â€Å"heroic ideals† and championing of democracies. The power shifting, as therewith previously discussed in this paper, could be substantive in framing a foreign policy within the emerging democracies throughout the world. The substantive role of the US government may be viewed as more than strategically entangled in the socio-political-economic conditions of its allied governments and other countries, which may be going beyond based on the Presidential performance and effectiveness of a foreign policy. In today’s political race in America, the American people are overly conscious in exalting their right to suffrage, likewise the people of the world casts on their predicaments and seeming alienation to whom America shall bear its foreign policy where heroes shall be made. References Choi, S. , Fisman, R. , Gale, D. , and Kariv, S. , (2005). ‘Substantive and Procedural Rationality in Decisions under Uncertainty’. Departmnet of Economics, New York University. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from http://fic. wharton. upenn. edu/fic/papers/06/0601. pdf. Decision-Making-Confidence. Com (2008). ‘The Rational Decision Making Models’. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from http://www. decision-making-confidence. com/rational-decision-making-models. html. Feldman, O. and Valenty, L. O. (2001). ‘Profiling Political Leaders: Cross-Cultural Studies of Personality and Behavior’. Questia E-Library. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from http://www. questia. com/read/113103019? title=Profiling%20Political%20Leaders%3a%20%20Cross-Cultural%20Studies%20of%20Personality%20and%20Behavior. Kellerman, B. (1983). ‘Allison Redux: Three More Decision-Making Models’. Polity, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 351-367. Palgrave Macmillan Journals. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from http://www. palgrave-journals. com/pal/index. html. Michael, A. (2006). ‘Manage to Change’. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from http://managetochange. typepad. com/main/2006/06/the_change_resi_5. html. Olson, L. (2007). ‘Yes, George Bush does recall a British wartime Prime Minister’. The Guardian. Retrieved 01 May 2008 from

Burberry Strategy Essay

INTRODUCTION It is important for every business to clearly understand how resources and capabilities affect firm performance. As Grant (2005) defined, resources are the productive assets owned by the firm and capabilities are what the firm can do. In fact, companies that have sustainable competitive advances have been developed and exploited based on their internal resources and capabilities. Furthermore, they have successfully exploited external environment. In this essay, I will explore the topic area of ‘Resources & Capabilities’ with regards to a UK’s fashion group; the prominent designer label, Burberry GRP. In particular, the research will focus on the Strategic Business Unit of Burberry; understanding and explaining how they utilize the resources and competencies to achieve a competitive advantage. In order to do this, this paper will address on theory based from work in the areas of the ‘Resource-Based View’ and ‘Resources and Capabilities’ as well as using theoretical frameworks to give a holistic view of the strategic issues Burberry. After their reform, Burberry recovered rapidly, after the crisis of September, 2008. With 500 stores in over 50 countries, total revenues grew from 27% to  £1,501 million which is more than double its nearest rival, Chanel (with total revenues of  £ 651, 3). Retails revenues reached  £ 962 million and wholesale achieved  £ 441 million (Burberry’s a and Chanel financial report, 2012). As a result, Burberry has substantial surplus resources and is therefore able to withstand and compete in the hypercompetitive fashion market sector. Thus, Burberry achieved brand value up to more than  £ 2, 5 billion in 2012. Gucci, Prada and Chanel gained approximately of  £ 5.8,  £ 4.95, and  £ 4.2 billion respect ively. BODY The Resource-Based View In 1990s, the role of resources and capabilities become known as the basic for firms strategy and the primary source of profitability coalesced has become the resource-based view. Resources and capabilities are an important component of strategy to archive the competitive advantage. According to the  resource based view (RBV), assets and capabilities create value for the firm that leads to a sustainable competitive advantage (Hall, 1993). Burberry, Chanel and Gucci all compete in the same environment, yet Burberry is superior in performance. A Resource-Based View argues that Burberry is distinguished not by the environment, but by their internal resources. Peteraf (1993) adds to this view by arguing resources have to be heterogeneous and not perfectly mobile in order to transform a short run competitive advantage into sustained competitive advantage. Based on Grant’s model, through VRIN frame work, this research will now find out how Burberry use their resources to initiate their organizational capabilities and competences and ultimately achieve their strategic Capability. As displayed in Grant’s model showed above, in order to maintain operations, companies must have tangible, intangible, and human resource. â€Å"Tangible resources are known to be the easiest way to identify and evaluate† (Grant, 2005), however, this author assert that intangible resources contribute to total asset value much more tangible. Also, Hall (1992) mentions, intangible assets like the â€Å"feedstock† of capabilities are essential for a sustainable competitive advantage. They are assets without specific physical forms; such as intellectual property rights, trademarks, copyrights, technical know-how, brand name, reputation and so on. Core Competencies Prahalad & Hamel (1990) move away from the RBV and coined the term ‘Core Competencies’ to distinguish those capabilities fundamental to a firm’s performance and strategy. These are the organizational capabilities that are achieved through the effective deployment of a firm’s resources. Core competencies are distinctive and differentiating competencies that lie at the heart of an organization. This includes not just the products and services a company sells but also ‘soft’ areas of a company’s activities, such as branding, organizational innovation and service† (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). Frà ©ry (2006) adds to this view and describes core competencies as the basic building blocks for a firm’s corporate strategy. Burberry have two key core competencies in Brand Name and Digital Innovation. Brand Name With a luxury fashion brand such as Burberry, brand name and reputation are extremely important. Burberry has gone through many ups and downs on the path of development and it has many competitors that include: Coach, Polo, Armani, Chanel and Gucci and so on. While Gucci focuses on luxury accessories, Coach concentrate mainly on the production of bags ( as does Chanel) and also produces accessories that range from watches and shoes to scarves and dog collars, and Chanel focus on bags. Armani’s and Polo’s marketing positioning is more focused on clothing. Burberry has succeeded in penetrating both the accessory and luxury goods. Moreover, Burberry’s resources include its high brand equity, its popular trench coat product and its signature check design. It is has a long history serving with the soldiers of World War I and it has been well received by the Royals; once by Queen Elizabeth II and once by Prince Charles. This means that customers now acknowledge them as the supplier of products to the royal family (Instyle, 2012). Referring to Burberry, customers immediately think of a luxury, high quality, and diverse fashion. However, in 1997, the new Burberry management knew that they could not rely on this benefit anymore. They realized that over the years, trends and customers change and become more diverse. From that issue, the new management believed that the problem with Burberry was undermined by a poor image and was now overly dependent on a narrow customer base comprising of middle aged, ‘fashion-conservative’ men (Fletcher, 2003). Their new strategy sought to change the position the brand of Burberry defined by ‘Britishness’, authentic outerwear heritage, historic icons, democratic luxury positioning, innovation and intuition (Burberry’s b annual report, 2011) which was aimed at the younger generation, while still retaining the traditional customer base. Recent advertisement of Burberry has brought all the characteristics of the England, â€Å"from a British landscape with aristocratic looking models to edger advertisement with models in bikinis.† (Jacobson), They also make their mark on pop culture by using iconic British representative, such as model Kate Moss and the up and coming actress Emma Watson. Their use of reputable fashion photographers is also to be noted. Considering these factors, Burberry is targeted towards different segments of the population with one common theme, luxury. With the advantage of the supplier of the royal, all of which attach a strong sense  of ‘Britishness’ with the Burberry’s brand. In November, 2011 Burberry was again included in Interbrand’s Top 100 Global Brands; was awarded the 2010 British Graduate 100 Award for ‘Where Fashion Graduates Want to Work’; and was recognized as the 13th most innovative company in the world by Fast Company magazine, as well as receiving the Inaugural Innovation Award at the 2010 British Fashion Awards (Burberry’s c annual report, 2011). This means, Burberry has a strong and sustainable competitive advantage that hard to beat. Digital Innovation Competition has always seen as a great source for innovation, while other brands focus on decors the boring store, Burberry opened up a new era of shopping by digital. Its business is driven by: Digital focus and integration (Burberry’s d annual report, 2011). In danger of being consigned to history a decade ago, Burberry has undergone a creative and digital revolution under the direction of chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, who joined the company in 2001. (Clark, 2012). The news follows the launch of the brand’s ‘Runway to Reality’ strategy, which allows VIP consumers to buy items from its runway collections immediately, via an iPad app. Also ‘Burberry Retail Theatre‘ was broadcast the brand’s Spring Summer 2011 women swear show live stream directly into 25 flagship stores worldwide, creating live simultaneous virtual trunk show events on 21 September 2010. Customers in store will explore the collection through iPads where they will be able to buy immediately through a custom-built Burberry app following a private viewing of the show on high definition screens spanning 3Ãâ€"3 meters. Burberry has been developing and testing over several months custom-designed, digitally charged in-store ‘Retail Theatre’ environments with enhanced acoustics and state of the art visual technology, creating the ultimate experience for modern luxury consumers. ‘Burberry Retail Theatre’ is at the heart of our retail growth strategy. This investment in cutting edge technology in partnership with Verizon enables us to more closely connect the Burberry brand with our consumers worldwide. This interactive retail investment will enable long term sustainable growth well beyond these  exciting global digital events.’ (Alexander, 2010) Moreover, the photo sharing website, which give consumers as well as fashion photographers a chance to try on iconic Burberry trench coat by online, allowing consumers to place immediate orders from the collection with a seven-week delivery. Burberry continued its digital democratisation of fashion with its Tweetwalk, partnering with Twitter to post backstage Twitpics of every look before they were sent down the runway, meaning the brand’s Twitter followers saw its runway looks in advance of fashonistas in the front row. During the Tweetwalk the brand’s Instagram account was taken over by Mike Kus, the most-followed Instagram user in the UK (Burberry’s e annual report, 2011). With digital innovation, Burberry has to prove to the fashion industry all over the world that the fashion industry needs to keep with the new shopping generation with lively images rather than images on the magazine and yet the luxury customers now very knowledgeable and they quickly make purchase decisions. Grab their attention in the digital boom trend is also the best way to Burberry became the first brand to appear in the consumer’s mind, rather than a different brand. Sustained Competitive Advantage Here have been many academics that have critiqued the Sustained Competitive Advantage over the years. According to Barney (1991) â€Å"to have sustained competitive advantage when it is implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented by any current or potential competitors and when these other firms are unable to duplicate the benefits of this strategy†. Some other authors have suggested that a sustained competitive advantage is simply a competitive advantage that lasts a long period of calendar time (Jacobsen, 1988; Porter, 1985). In relation to Burberry, they have high negotiating powers with suppliers because they can offer unique products with the sophistication, elegance, a sense of pride to customers because they wearing what the Royal family do. Their resource is rare and it is this uniqueness that offers them value with regard to suppliers and customers. Their core competences allowed them to create the exceptional customer value assets that set it apart from its competitors. (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). CONCLUSION It is important for every business to clearly understand how resources and capabilities affect firm performance. In fact, companies having sustainable competitive advance have been develop and exploit based on their internal resources and capabilities. This paper has illustrated how Burberry has maintained its competitive advantage in the face of exhaustive efforts from its competitors by using its resources and capabilities such as brand name and shopping through digital technology. In fashion industry, a usual strategy is brand name, and Burberry is no exception. This strategy aims to through more coordinated use of brand assets and greater integration of its global organization, Burberry has more opportunity to enhance consumer responsiveness and operate more efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, the company has also expanded its customer base with introduction a new aspect of the brand is defined by ‘Britishness’, authentic outerwear heritage, historic icons, democratic luxury positioning, innovation and intuition (Burberry’s f annual report). As brand name strategy is rather common among fashion, Burberry has attempted to bring in some differentiation to stay ahead. A breakthrough in the transition from conventional shopping to shopping combined with enjoys the overwhelmed digital features and sound. â€Å"Fashion is supposed to be about making things relevant. Yes, it is luxury. Yes, it is aspiration. Yes it is supposed to be inspiring. But I think there is nothing more inspiring than talking digitally because you can get attitude, you can get music, you can get sound, and you can get video and movement. You can actually articulate so much of your brand using this medium,† (Vogue Chanel, 2011). Innovation of digital technology has a breakthrough in the fashion industry in general and in particular luxury fashion and Burberry is leader. It also allows Burberry to create the exceptional customer value assets that set it apart from its competitors (Hamel and Prahalad, 1994). It has created brand awareness, as well as establishes and reinforces a luxury positioning of Burberry. REFERENCES Alexander, E. (2010) [online] Available from: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2010/09/08/burberry-retail-theatre-launch [Accessed 6 December 2012] Barney, J.B. (1991). Firm Resources & Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1). pp 99-120. Burberry’s a annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 1 December 2012] Burberry’s b annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 3 December 2012] Burberry’s c annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 3 December 2012] Burberry’s d annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 4 December 2012] Burberry’s e annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 4 December 2012] Burberry’s f annual report (2011) [online] Available from: http://201011.annualreport.burberry.com [Accessed 4 December 2012] Channel’s annual report (2011) [online] Available form: http://annualreport.channel4.com/assets/downloads/hi-res/c4_annual_report_2011_financials.pdf [Accessed 1 December 2012] Clark, N. (2012) Burberry boosts digital approach with interactive campaign. Marketingmagazine, 29th May,p. 5. Fletcher, R. (2003), Brava, bravo!, The Sunday Telegraph, 5th October. Grant, R.M. (2005). Contemporary strategy analysis. 5th Edition. Oxford: Blackwell Ldt Hall, R. (1992). The strategic analysis of intangible resources. Strategic Management Journal, Vol 13, (2), pp. 135-144. Hall, R. (1993). A framework linking intangible resources and capabilities to sustainable competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal. Vol 14 (11), pp. 607-618. Hamel, G & Prahalad, C.K. (1994). Competing for the Future. Harvard University Press : Harvard University Press. Instyle. (2012) Burberry [online] Available from: http://www.instyle.com/instyle/fashiondesigners/keymoments/0,,20226013_burberry_20236334,00.html [Accessed 6 December 2012] Jacobsen, R. (1988). The persistence of abnormal returns. Strategic Management Journal, 9. pp. 41-58 Jacobson, L. Burberry case studies. Weblog [online] Available from: http://laurenmjacobson.wordpress.com/case-studies/burberry-case-study [Accessed 6 December 2012 Peteraf, M.A. (1993). The Cornerstones of competitive advantage: A Resource-Based View. Strategic Management Journal, 14(3). pp 179-191. Prahalad, C.K. & Hamel, G. (1990). The Core Competence of the Corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68(3). pp 79-91. Porter, M. (1985). Competitive advantage. New York: Free Press Vogue festival Christopher Bailey (2012) Video. Vogue Chanel [online] Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWSwtfAtDyA [Accessed 9 December 2012]

Intelligent Traffic System for Islamabad

Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) for Road Network Management in Islamabad Mohammad Imran (Sp-2011/PhD EM/001) Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad Author Note Mohammad Imran, Department of Engineering Management, Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mohammad Imran, Department of Engineering Management, Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad. E-mail: [email  protected] com Abstract Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Despite of high gasoline prices, rush hour gridlock and pollution, seemingly nothing can interfere with people’s love affair with the car. Building more roads cannot provide the answer to better traffic management as it cannot keep pace with the ever increasing vehicle population as well as limitation of the environment’s ability to sustain the impact. Unlike authorities in cities across the world where people are encouraged to make greater use of public transport, residents of Islamabad are handicapped to exercise this option due to absence of a mature and well integrated mass transit system. An intelligent traffic management system which can ensure smooth flow of traffic to manage congestion (delay, reliability and network resilience) for all people and freight movement on the road network is required for Islamabad. This paper therefore argues the case for a better integrated approach towards road network management for ensuring mobility of people and goods through integration of governance management issues, information technology and traffic routing systems. 1. Background Interest in ITS comes from the problems caused by traffic congestion and a synergy of new information technology for simulation, real-time control and communications networks. Traffic congestion has been increasing worldwide as a result of increased motorization, urbanization, population growth, and changes in population density. Congestion reduces efficiency of transportation infrastructure and increases travel time, air pollution, and fuel consumption. In the developing world, the migration of people from ural to urbanized habitats has progressed differently. Many areas of the developing world have urbanized without significant development of road network as well as unplanned formation of suburbs. In Islamabad for instance the population is supported by a multimodal system of walking, bicycle transportation, motorcycles, mini buses, taxis and cars. Many urban poor, living on the outskirts of Islamabad, cannot afford to travel to economically active areas. Those who can are dependen t on a public transport system, which generally has a low service level. In many cases, informal minibuses or taxis provide the only public transport available. Many vehicles used in this informal system are not road worthy. For those who cannot afford the minibuses or taxis, the only option is walking or riding bicycles. In case of affluent urban inhabitants private car ownership is high and public transport is not considered an option. Highways and secondary roads provide access to all parts of the city. Moreover, private cars are expected to play an even greater role for transportation of the urbanites in the future as well. The data held with Motor Vehicle Registration Authority of Islamabad indicates that the number of vehicles using the road network of the city continues to be higher than the month before. The high fuel prices do not seem to have a restricting effect on car usage in the city. The ever increasing vehicles plying on the city’s roads pose a significant safety risk due to limited space available on the road network, exert pressure on the ever increasing conflict between further developments of road network in relation to other land uses, degrade air quality and exacerbate feelings of inequities in the society. This trend re-emphasizes the need for ITS and efficient road network management system. 2. Traffic Control Systems and Road Network of Islamabad The Islamabad Metropolitan Area is composed of Islamabad, the old city of Rawalpindi and the National Park. The latter is a hilly area, containing two large lakes, the National Sports Centre, the National University and the National Research Centre. Four major interurban roads delineate the above three major components of the Metropolitan Area. Islamabad is planned according to a hierarchical system of communities of various classes, each class comprising the functions corresponding to its ize. These communities are properly served by a major transportation system developed within wide corridors of a grid-iron configuration, surrounding and defining the higher class communities. Local and collector low speed roads, wide sidewalks, pedestrian roads and bicycles lanes within the lower class â€Å"human communities† provide access to the major transportation system. The above hierarchical system of communities and transportation facilities, contributes to the reduction of travel distances/times and accidents, and to the promotion of â€Å"green transport† (walking, cycling, public transport). Traffic congestion in urban areas and related environmental problems such as air/noise pollution, through car movements in residential and other sensitive areas, road accidents, etc. are mainly due to the development of these areas before the explosion of car ownership as well as to the lack of proper combined transportation –land use planning, to cope with this explosion. The standalone traffic control signals and limitations imposed by the existing road pattern designed in 1960’s do not allow for the development of the configuration, spacing and capacity of the road network required under the current scenario. As a result, the ever increasing traffic imposes its rules. When existing as well as possible new arteries are saturated, new arterial routes are created through collector and local streets within residential areas, deteriorating the quality of life and increasing traffic accidents in these areas. The limitations of infrastructure are further compounded by improper behavior of road users, (lack of respect to traffic lights, to lanes for opposing traffic, etc), by the public transport drivers (stopping anywhere to drop and pick up passengers), by improper design and signage of intersections, by lack of systematic police enforcement, etc. Efforts are therefore required to obtain sustainable mobility through proper traffic and demand management, improving Public and other â€Å"Green Modes† of transport, using Intelligent Transportation Systems, etc. Parallel efforts are also required to convert the existing road network into a system of properly spaced arteries, collectors and local roads, each category serving the proper through and access movements generated by the existing and planned land uses. 2. The Global Perspective on ITS Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Despite of high gasoline prices, rush hour gridlock and pollution, seemingly nothing can interfere with the growing number of vehicles plying on the road. The relief from traffic congestion through the construction of highways is temporary as new commercial and residential growth follows the path of every project. Building more roads therefore cannot provide the answer to better traffic management as it cannot keep pace with the ever increasing vehicle population, other potential uses of land as well as limitation of the environment’s ability to sustain the impact. Efficient use of the existing road network using the emerging advancements in technology represents itself as the appropriate solution towards better traffic and road network management. The traditional solution to combat vehicle congestion has been to construct more and larger highways. Martin, Marini & Tosunoglu (2008) analyzed the potential solutions provided by technology for efficient traffic control and management of the road network. There work revealed that high financial, social and environmental costs of new road projects can be curtailed by efficient use of technology. They identified remodeling of existing road network, improved traffic-signal controllers, changeable highway signs, rerouting of rush hour traffic, creation of traffic-control centers which monitor and display gross traffic conditions, use of preplanned alternative traffic solutions based on repeated daily traffic patterns as some of the many innovations offered by modern technology which can potentially be used for better road network management and traffic control. Deakin (2006) examined the current thinking about sustainable transportation as part of a broader strategy of transportation and land use based on existing traffic patterns. Her work revealed that demand management, operations management, pricing policies, vehicle technology improvements, clean fuels, and integrated land use and transportation planning are the components which have to be pursued in an integrated manner as a part of transport sustainability strategy. The interest in creating intelligent transport systems as a means of achieving satisfactory safety levels is dependent on the need for powerful databases able to manage the data. Maria and Ruiz (2005) examined the different areas in which geographic information system technology (GIS-T) can be used for efficient traffic control and management of road network. Their work revealed that GIS-T integrates land management, planning of new infrastructure, integral traffic control, inter-modal integration of transport plying on the road network and management of road space to ease the flow of traffic thereby controlling congestion. Xu (2003) indicates, telemetric products and services for individual means of transport are based on the integration of digital maps and radio data systems / traffic message channels for the transmission of traffic data, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) for the transmission of travel data and mobile telephone communications and other additional sensors needed to gather travel information in real time. The role of GIS is therefore pivotal towards development of ITS. Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Traffic control and road network management in real-time is a complex field. Remodeling of roads as well as the number of ways to interface with vehicle drivers and travelers is increasing. A top-down, strategic approach is needed to ensure that technology is used in an appropriate and effective way for efficient traffic control and management of road networks . New technology offers the capability for rapid collection, processing and dissemination of data and information that would enable efficient traffic control as well different strands of road network to be managed collectively and coherently. 3. Research Methodology Our experience with solving local problems is based on importing solutions from other countries. It would be out of context to say that these solutions do not assist in circumscribing the problem but more often than not they fail to deliver the optimum results. Adapting international practices to the local setting can help improve the impact and sustainability of solution to the problem shortlisted for implementation. Learning from indigenous knowledge by investigating first what local communities know and have, can improve understanding of local conditions and provide a productive context for activities designed to help the communities find solution to the problem. Indigenous knowledge about the various contours of the problem therefore provides the necessary data which when utilized in consonance with best international practices delivers the desired results. The methodology which will be applied in the study has been chosen in order to acquire information and deduce conclusions about the selection of appropriate traffic control initiatives combined with initiatives designed to efficient management of road network for Islamabad. 3. 1Purpose of Study and Type of Investigation This paper argues the case for ITS through a better integrated approach towards road network management for ensuring mobility of people and goods through integration of management issues, information technology and traffic routing systems. For the above reason, this research will take an exploratory approach. According to Sekaran (2002) an exploratory study is undertaken when not much is known about the situation at hand, or when sufficient information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past. The aim will be to gain familiarity with the issues, and to gain a deeper understanding about the topic. 3. 2Data Collection For the purpose of this research both primary and secondary data was collected and utilized. Primary data was collected in two ways. Firstly, interviews were carried out with commuters to identify areas and issues which need to be addressed in Islamabad for improving traffic control and better road network management. Secondly, a questionnaire survey was conducted to prioritize the issues and recommend solutions. The secondary data used has contributed towards the formation of background information, needed by both the researcher in order to build constructively the project and the reader to comprehend more thoroughly the survey outcome. 3. 3 Sample Design Ideally one desires to study the entire population. However, usually it is impossible or unfeasible to do this and therefore one must settle for a sample. According to Black (2006), sample is a portion of elements taken from a population, which is considered to be representative of the population. In order to collect primary data the questionnaire survey technique was used. For the purpose of this study random probability sampling was selected. According to Akhtar (2000), sample sizes larger than 30 and less than 500 are appropriate for most researches. Accordingly, the sample size consisted of about 100 respondents. 4. Results 4. 1Interviews The issues identified due to interviews conducted with commuters within the context of integrated issue of traffic control and road network management in Islamabad are as under:- †¢Future Development oWider roads. oDesign of roads to allow expansion. oSufficient roadside drainage facilities for surface runoff. oIncorporate passage of utilities. oCohesion between various line departments. oModeling to ease flow of traffic. oTransit, pedestrian and bicycle friendly development. †¢Conventional Traffic Flow Improvements oTraffic signal timing. oTraffic signal coordination. oBottleneck removal. Restructuring of security checkpoints. oDensity calculation. oImposition of toll based on vehicle occupancy. oDiversion of traffic on connecting roads. oTicketing on vehicles parked on roads to pick up school children. oPrevent walking on busy roads. oShoulders to be converted into lanes for use by bicycles / motorcycles. †¢Modal Substitution oTransit, ridesharing, cycling improvemen ts and incentives. oMass transit system. oRevamping of public transport system. †¢Intelligent Traffic System Improvements oSmart roads. oCorridor flow of traffic. oRouting and scheduling enhancements. Accident and incidence management. oCentralized nerve system. †¢Awareness Programs oRadio updates. oDriver education. oLeaflets. oRoad billboards. †¢Pricing Incentives for Easing Road Usage oImposition of road tax on vehicles not registered in Islamabad. oVehicle tax to be assessed on fuel efficiency, fuel consumption, road space occupied, weight and expected life. oVehicle registration based on residency verification and not on property holding. oOther impact fees based on assessed usage. 4. 2Survey The results of survey yielded the following results:- 4. 2. 1. Valid Driving License 4. 2. 2. Mode of Traveling 4. 2. 3. Importance of Values 4. 2. 4. Means to Ease Traffic Congestion 4. 2. 5. Traffic Police Performs to Manage Flow of Traffic and Road Network 4. 2. 6. Maturity of Traffic Control System 4. 2. 7. Technology Intervention Can Improve Traffic Flow and Road Network Management 4. 2. 8. Better Facilities for Pedestrians and Cyclists Can Ease Flow of Traffic 4. 2. 9. Improvement of Public Transport and Introduction of Mass Transit System Can Help Ease Traffic Congestion 4. 2. 10. Best Initiative(s) for Easing Flow of Traffic 4. 2. 11. Support for Implementation of ITS 4. 2. 12. Faith on Civic Managers to Deliver on ITS 4. 2. 13. Financial Commitment for ITS Conclusion Intelligent Transport Systems aim to tackle the problems of road network management. Most proposed systems are already technically feasible. †¢ Various safety systems exist that warn of hazards or that automatically intervene to assist the driver. †¢ Safety systems need to be carefully implemented to avoid giving the driver too much or too little to do. †¢Congestion could be reduced by road charging, and by better network management and information provision. †¢ Road charges could reflect the costs of congestion and pollution. However, such a system could be expensive. †¢ Integrating different systems can reduce costs. References Hernandez , Ossowski S. , and Garcia-Serrano (2002). Multi agent architectures for intelligent traffic management systems, Transportation Research Part C 10 473–506. Martin, Marini & Tosunoglu (2008). Geographic Information Systems and Intelligent Transport Systems: Technologies used to form new communication networks, NETCOM volume 17. Deakin, E. (2006). Sustainable Development and Sustainable Transport: Strategies for Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality and Equity. Central London Congestion Charging: Impacts Monitoring, Sixth Annual Report, Transport for London, 2008. 10 Implementation of Road Pricing System, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, The Netherlands, 2008. Annexure A Questionnaire 1. Do you have a valid driving license? a. Yes b. No 2. What is your mode of traveling? a. Car b. Minibus c. Taxi d. Motorcycle e. Bicycle f. Walking 3. What is more important to you when you are traveling? a. Cost b. Time c. Convenience d. All of above 4. Congestion on roads can best be managed by:- a. Building new roads. . Better Management of road network. 5. Are you satisfied with performance of traffic police in managing flow of traffic and road network management? a. Yes b. No 6. Is the traffic control system mature or requires improvement? a. Mature b. Requires improvement 7. Can induction of technology improve the flow of traffic and road network management? a. Yes b. No 8. Can better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists imp rove the flow of traffic? a. Yes b. No 9. Can improvement of public transport and introduction of mass transit system help ease traffic congestion? . Yes b. No 10. Which initiatives can best ease flow of traffic and ensure effective road network management? a. Corridor flow. b. Smart road. c. Communication of information. d. Remodeling roads. e. Introduction of toll. f. All of above. 11. Should the Intelligent Traffic System be implemented? a. Yes b. No 12. Do you have faith in the current civic managers to deliver if the initiatives are implemented? a. Yes b. No 13. Will you be willing to pay for initiatives to implement an Intelligent Traffic System for better road network management? a. Yes b. No