Saturday, September 7, 2019
The Scream Essay Example for Free
The Scream Essay ââ¬Å"I was walking along a path with two friends-the sun was setting-suddenly the sky turned blood red-I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence-there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city-my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety-and sensed an infinite scream passing through the natureâ⬠(Munch qtd. in Fineman). These were the words of the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch who, after a stroll along a road in Oslo, was inspired by his visionary experience and managed to come up with the world-renowned painting, ââ¬Å"The Scream. â⬠Munchââ¬â¢s work became one of the most recognizable art forms in history and was regarded as one of the most contemporary cultural icons. The art became much popular because of the parodies and copies that were reproduced and have appeared on various objects such as t-shirts, key-chains, mouse pads, coffee mugs, and even became a favorite subject for tattoos (Fineman). see more:essay pt3 english The scream is well known as a lithograph that was finished in 1895. However, before the final version came to its final touches, the scream was the result of a process of evolutions. Edvard Munch painted four versions of The Scream, all of which were done in 1893. The earliest trace of the art form was done out of a single drawing on a cardboard, and the final form was done as an oil painting (Taylor 176). The Scream was a part of Munchââ¬â¢s most important expressionist painting series, ââ¬Å"The Frieze of lifeâ⬠which he produced during 1890ââ¬â¢s. According to researchers, the ââ¬Å"Frieze of lifeâ⬠series centers on the artistââ¬â¢s usual theme such as love, darkness, death, and anxiety. The latter was evident in his most famous painting which is The Scream (Porter and Prince 116-117). Aside from being the most popular painting of Edvard Munch, The Scream is also considered as the most famous painting of Norway. Yet, it is also said to be the most vulnerable among the many artworks in the world because The Scream has been the object of theft twice. The Scream Theft 1994 During the onset of the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, the National Art Museum in Oslo was robbed with its most important piece of art, The Scream. According to reports, two men climbed in a ladder and smashed one of the windows in the museumââ¬â¢s gallery and immediately stole the painting. The thieves used a wire cutter in order to remove the painting from the wall. Shortly after stealing the painting, the two men fled from the scene, leaving behind the cutters and the short ladder. The whole incident was caught by the museumââ¬â¢s security camera. During that time, Knut Berg, the director of the museum, pointed out that the exact value of the painting was impossible to be agreed upon, and it is also impossible to be sold (British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC]). Based from documents, the alarm of the museum went off at around 6:30 local time. This alerted the security guard who immediately called upon the authorities. Police officers started searching for a Mercedes vehicle which was thought as the getaway vehicle of the thieves. Speculations were made that the thieves were somehow connected to the Olympic events, and the theft was pulled by campaigners as a publicity stunt. Due to the incident, the art museum received criticisms for the lack of security. It was found that Munchââ¬â¢s masterpiece was originally placed in the first floor of the museum which was said to be more secured. However, The Scream was then placed at the museumââ¬â¢s ground floor for exhibition and as a highlight for the Norwegian Culture Festival, which was done as a part of the Winter Olympics (BBC). According to sources, a Norwegian anti-abortion group initially claimed that they were responsible for stealing the painting. However, authorities doubted their claim and continued the search for the missing masterpiece. In March 1994, the gallery received a ransom demand from the thieves. The perpetrators demanded for à £700,000 equivalent to $1,000,000 in exchange of The Scream. The board members of the gallery as well as the Norwegian government refused to pay because of the uncertainty of whether the demand was genuine or not. Two months after the gallery received the ransom demand and through the cooperation of Norwegian and British police, the painting was recovered unscathed. The painting was found in a hotel room located at a seaside town outside of Oslo. It was said that the area of recovery was the place where Edvard Munch created most of his masterpieces. By 1996, four men were arrested and convicted from stealing Edvard Munchââ¬â¢s most important version of ââ¬Å"The Screamâ⬠(BBC). The Scream Theft 2004 In August 22, 2004, another version of The Scream was stolen at the Edvard Munch Museum. The armed and masked thieves barged in at the said museum in broad daylight. Eventually, the robbers ripped The Scream and another of Munchââ¬â¢s painting, ââ¬Å"The Madonna,â⬠from the galleryââ¬â¢s wall right in front of the stunned visitors and museum staffs. The robbers hurriedly loaded the art pieces into a vehicle. Hours after the incident, Oslo police recovered the get away car as well the paintingsââ¬â¢ frames (Associated Press [AP]). According to reports, the museum was lightly guarded, and the police who immediately responded to the scene received tips from different people. The event led to a nationwide hunt for the missing artworks. Specific motives were unclear. However, experts claimed that the paintings must have been stolen for the thieves to demand ransom or to serve as a ââ¬Å"trophy robberyâ⬠in order to impress other art thieves and criminals, yet no words were heard from the thieves (AP). Just like The Scream heist in 1994, The Scream version in Edvard Munch Museum has no set price. According to John Oeyaas, the managing director of Oslo Forsikring, the company which insured the paintings against damage, the work of Munch was not insured against burglary. Apart from this, Oeyaas noted that the artworks were irreplaceable and were impossible to be sold. Thus, insurance of an artwork is nothing because the loss of an irreplaceable piece cannot be compensated by anything (AP). In May 2006, three men were arrested and were found guilty of stealing the two paintings. A court in Norway pressed the verdict against the perpetrators. The thieves were identified as Peter Tharaldsen, who was the driver behind the heist, Bjoern Hoen, identified as the theft mastermind, and Stian Skjod, one of the gunmen who barged in the museum. Tharalsden and Hoen were both sentenced for nine years in prison while Skjold received five years of imprisonment. The other gunman died from drug overdose in that same year (ââ¬Å"Scream Thievesâ⬠) Three months after the arrest of the thieves, the Olso police retrieved Munchââ¬â¢s two paintings. Both the items had minor marks and tears but were totally in good condition. By September of 2006, The Scream, alongside The Madonna, was once again exhibited and was later on restored in the museum with the protection of heavy glass boxes (BBC). It is evident that Edvard Munchââ¬â¢s the scream is one of the most important art pieces of today. Likewise, it serves as an inspiration for many artists and continuously pervades the popular culture (Porter and Prince 117). The Scream is one of the few artworks that truly expresses and discusses the meaning of anxiety in life. As such, this fragile piece of art has been so popular that after two times of becoming the object of theft, it was able to scream for escape and survived the ordeal to be seen by people who truly appreciate the depths of life. Works Cited Associated Press. ââ¬Å"Munchââ¬â¢s famous ââ¬ËScream,ââ¬â¢ ââ¬ËMadonnaââ¬â¢ stolen.â⬠MSNBC. 23 August 2004. 08 October 2008 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5787000/#storyContinued. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). ââ¬Å"1994: Art thieves snatch scream.â⬠BBC News. 12 February 2008. 08 October 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/12/newsid_3591000/35919 94.stm. Fineman, Mia. ââ¬Å"Existential Superstar: Another look at Edvard Munchââ¬â¢s The Scream.â⬠Slate. 22 November 2005. 08 October 2008 http://www.slate.com/id/2130897/. Porter, Darwin and Danforth Prince. Frommerââ¬â¢s Norway. Norway: Frommerââ¬â¢s, 2007. Taylor, Mark. Tears. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press, 1990. ââ¬Å"The Scream Thieves Jailed.â⬠Art News Blog. 24 April 2007. 08 October 2008 http://www.artnewsblog.com/2007/04/scream-thieves-jailed.htm.
Friday, September 6, 2019
Microsoft Word Essay Example for Free
Microsoft Word Essay ià »? For M2, the evidence can be taken from anywhere. Learners are not required to learn standard proofing symbols, but are expected to make notes or marks on the original document which indicate what has to be done. Evidence will require the initial documents, the final documents and some indication of authenticity of work. Indications of what would be appropriate are included in the relevant section of the PSA. As part of my continued training in my post I am required to maintain and improve my communication skills. I will communicate review draft documents to produce final versions. Spell checker was one tool that I used to review draft documents. I clicked on the Spelling Grammar option. I then looked to see the options for the misspelt word and then pressed add. I then got a pop up showing that the spelling and grammar were all correct. Spelling and Grammar options are very important to ensure that everything is making sense and everything is spelt correctly. Itââ¬â¢s very important that when you hand work in its perfect as if itââ¬â¢s not it will look unprofessional. Sometimes the Spelling and Grammar option may pick out words and spell them the American way. This option should be used with caution. Next I made use of the thesaurus and synonyms options. I right clicked a word that I wanted to change and clicked Synonyms which gave me a list of words I could change it to. Another option is to press Thesaurus on the review section. It does the same as Synonyms. The Thesaurus and synonyms option is very useful if you want to up level words or find other suitable options for specific words. When changing to more complex words it makes your work sound more professional and high level. Lastly, I made use of document tracking options. This is a very important factor when reviewing documentations and can help compare new documents to prior old ones. I chose the Track changed option and changed my document according to how I wanted it to be. I then pressed accept and it showed and highlighted where I had made changed in my document. The Document Tracking Option allows you to track where you have change the document. It also allows you to compare with the previous one so you can decide what you think is better which is very useful. Making use of the reviewing tools that Microsoft word has to offer is very important. Each tool can help greatly when reviewing documents in order to make sure they are at a high level standard that do not include any grammatical or spelling errors that may make the individual look unprofessional. There are many more tools and techniques then the ones listed in this report that can help greatly in the review process. Itââ¬â¢s always very important to make sure that there are no errors in the work as the individual needs to show that they are checking their work and are motivated and care about the quality of the work in helping aid and contribute to the company or business. Using all these tools can help aid the review process and can help improve the quality of the work thus helping the quality in which it contributes to the business or company. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Software section.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
Symbolism of Education in Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
Symbolism of Education in Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi Pinocchio is a childrens story, and the primary purpose of most childrens stories are to be taking some kind of educational responsibility. For many of us the story will exist only in our mind and imagination, nevertheless it is helpful, when reading a childrens story, to have in mind the practical problems faced by the producers or the characters trying to interpret the story. Certainly the plot of Pinocchio is exciting and full of education. We would not, of course, expect education to be the dominating theme of a childrens story which seeks to explore how a child like Pinnochio grows up rather than merely to excite the spectator. Yet some educational scenarios are important dramatically in Pinocchio and it is not artificially contrived. Thus it seems that Carlo Collodi, the author of Pinocchio tend to offer clues towards his ideas of the puzzling aspect of childrens educational processes. It is brought about by the natural behaviour of characters, and often by the unpredictability of Pinocchio. This essay is going to explore whether Carlo Collodi wants to promote or critique educational processes through Pinocchio. The story begins with master Anthony finds a piece of wood which is able to speak, laugh and cry, then he gives this piece of magic wood to his friend Old Joe, who always longs for a piece of wood that can be turned to a fabulous puppet. It is noticeable here, that why Collodi has to introduce two men relate to Pinocchio as he could have had only Old Joe himself alone finds the wood and uses the piece of wood to create Pinocchio? And if we look back to the moment when Master Anthony encounters Old Joe, these two old fellows even fights twice for some funny reasons! Perhaps Collodi would like to remind us of the impact of family background can have on a child: Pinocchio is born in a single parent family. Being parents is a job hard enough, but I reckon doing it alone just doubles the difficulty. The phenomenon of single parent family is not as common in Collodis time as it is in our time now, but possibly Collodi might have already noticed the effect a single parent family may bring o n a child. Then the story continues with sort of chaos, when the puppet Pinocchio runs away from home after he is just completed and given a name. This naughty (or even worse rebellious) personality of Pinocchio marks his fortune and the relative education he is going to accept as the story unfolds. Unlike any infant or new born kids that symbolize pureness and naivety, Pinocchio seems to be very distinctive because of his wildness and naughtiness. The scenario of Pinocchio runs away also leads to poor Old Joes life in jail for a few days, yet it is worth noticing that Old Joe does not condemn Pinocchio for his wildness. Perhaps it is because the miserable experience Pinocchio has while Old Joe is in jail distracts his attention. It is what normally happens when parents see their children get hurt even it is their own accounts. Possibly Collodi is not criticizing if it is right or wrong, yet according to Old Joes attitude towards Pinocchio more or less indicate Collodis acquiesce i n parent spoiling their children. Pinocchios naughtiness and wildness leads his father Old Joe to think about letting Pinocchio go to school. But Old Joe makes up his mind too soon, in despite of considering the possibility and availability. At this point Collodi shows his mastery of creating touching and emotional scenario: Poor Old Joe sells his cape to buy Pinocchio an alphabet book. As a father, no doubt that he wishes his child could learn to be a sensible and amenable child. Nevertheless it appears this kind of orthodox education process does not work on Pinocchio. Thus one may argue, is going to school the only way to teach children to behave properly and be sensible? It is reasonable to speculate that Collodis answer is likely to be: No! Because in fact even until the end of the story when Pinocchio eventually becomes a real boy and behaves appropriately, school is something never has any obvious positive effect on him.à Though going to school is a daily requirement in his life, however he is in constant m ental battle whether to go or not. There is just too much temptation ahead of him, such as puppet play, the land of toy, etc. In order to watch the puppet play he sells his book which costs his father the only cape and he takes the risk of not becoming a real boy to go to the land of toy, where he and his ââ¬Ëfriend Candle-Wick turned donkeys. His desire of becoming a real boy is so strong, yet his remarks are always inconsistent with what he promises. In a way Pinocchio stands for ordinary immature children, who need proper guide and appropriate help from the adults. However the images of ââ¬Ëadults are pretty grim throughout the whole story, apart from his father Old Joe, the talking cricket and the Fairy. Considering those adults from the beginning: the careless police who puts Old Joe into jail; the puppeteer Swallowfire almost makes Pinocchio a great contribution to his dinner (but he could be positive as he shows his mercy by giving Pinocchio 5 gold coins); the fox and cat swindles Pinocchios money, etc. I do not think Collodi is being cynical but surely he shows his concerns of the social environment, in which children grow up. What shall we expect from children when they are growing up in a society which is full of dishonesty, lies and incredibility? Furthermore, it is funny that we hardly see any glimpse of Old Joe as the action progresses. As Pinocchios only family, Old Joe is bound to teach Pinocchio things like how t o tell right from wrong or how to avoid mixing with wrong people. Whereas until Old Joe joins the reunions with Pinocchio inside fish, he scarcely appears and his role is ironically fulfilled by the talking cricket and the Fairy. In this crucial stage of growing up, it is quite a pity there is hardly any trace of Old Joe. Despite his wildness and rebelliousness, Pinocchio does not seem to be a precocious child and he gives an impression of genuine simplicity and naivety, particularly when it looks as if everything is so convincible to him. Nevertheless there is one thing is highly noticeable, that is he is unable to tell any lie. Of course it is the way the Fairy helps him to always tell the truth and learn to be honest, but is it not too cruel for a child, when he must be totally honest otherwise his nose gets longer as punishment? It seems the world have no mercy on him, because his destiny is to be an honest man. When the story comes to the end, Pinocchio finally becomes a real virtuous boy, but the price for it, I am afraid, is a bit too high, as he makes his dream come true by overcoming too many troubles like a yoke which is too heavy for a child to bear. Moreover, even though he is merely a puppet, he has the human traits. He shows true warmth and love towards his father Old Joe and the Fairy. In conclusion, of course the whole story of Pinocchio is rather an example of the kind of presence of mind with which educational stories are wont to amaze the children and thus successfully becoming a real boy is a tribute to Pinocchios tireless effort to behave properly and learn to be a virtuous boy, however the progress of his grow-up is riveting. Yet with the examples of traditional education processes presented by the author in the story, and his occasional critiques on the society in which children are brought up, the confrontation remains as we dare not assert if Carlo Collodi himself is promoting or criticizing educational processes. Thus it is reasonable to argue, that the balance between promoting and criticizing educational processes is well maintained by Collodi. Bibliography Collodi, C., (1996). The Adventure of Pinocchio. trans. A.L.Lucas. Oxford: Oxford University Press Stewart Steinberg, S., (2007). The Pinocchio Effect: on making Italians 1860 1920. Chicago: University of Chicago Press Zipes, J.D., (2007). When dreams came true: classical fairy tales and their tradition. New York: Routledge
Wednesday, September 4, 2019
Joy Luck Club - The Struggles of Life :: essays papers
Joy Luck Club - The Struggles of Life A giant total has been assessed onto an assignment. The team has spent weeks of preparation. In moments the presentation of this project will commence. But, some team members aren't ready. The whole project crumbles and ultimately results in a failure. Disciplined workers have no control over it, but they must overcome this obstacle. Only this way can they become better people and know how to handle similar situations in the future. People must overcome hardships to have stronger personalities, just like the women in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. People learn from their mistakes. For Suyuan Woo, she over packed and failed to make it to a relief area. "After a while, she left the suitcases behind, keeping only the food and a few clothes. And later she also dropped the bags of wheat flour and rice^ ." (p. 324). After leaving all this, she continued, but she was already too fatigued to walk anymore. Her energy was burned up from her body, like fossil fuel from the Earth. Finally, too much was used. She learned that no one could ever take everything with them. They must make sacrifices to survive. An-mei Hsu survived a great hardship, like when hot soup scorched her young neck, leaving her with a scar. "I could not speak because of this terrible choking feeling. I could not see because of all the tears that poured out to wash away the pain." (p. 39). Her tender skin survived the intense heat, and her character developed. When she was older, another crisis erupted when her mother killed herself with opium. At this point, Wu-Tsing's house was nothing, only a hive of polygamy. From this, she learned that she could gain respect that her mother could never fully achieved. "And on that day, I showed Second Wife the fake pearl necklace she had given me and crushed it under my foot. And on that day, Second Wife's hair began to turn white. And on that day, I learned to shout." (p. 272). She resisted, and refused to succumb to the pressures in her life. Planned marriages were a common practice when the Joy Luck mothers were still young. For instance, when Lindo was 12, she was forced to marry into a very harsh family. From it, she learned patience. Soon, after her marriage, she longed to be free again. "On the morning of that day, I woke up Tyan-Yu and the entire house with my wailing. It took Huang Taitai a long time to come into my room.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
The Effects of Cloning on the Actual Clone Essay -- Biology Medical Bi
The Effects of Cloning on the Actual Clone Abstract An examination of the side-effects of cloning from the actual clone?s point of view. Focusing on the female cloned sheep Dolly (1995-2001) and her development under the unusual conditions in which she was raised that resulted in a premature euthenization. Not only is the process of conception brought into consideration, but also the living conditions and interactions between Dolly and other creatures is detailed. The resulting behavioral development of the sheep is then weighed and the death of Dolly attributed to not the cloning process, but the propaganda and attention given the actual sheep. The controversy surrounding the issue and ethics of cloning, centered on the large animal side, is also addressed here. Contributing factors as to why clones are not the exact carbon copies of their ancestors, as is expected, are also listed. Technical jargon is elaborated upon. _____________________________________________________ With all the controversy over the ethics of cloning, the focus of all the articles has been on ?playing God? and how it changes the meaning of life. The train of thought has been that animal cloning will lead to human cloning, and that human cloning is unethical and maybe even dangerous if the practice becomes common. But the common civilian doesn?t stop to think about the effects of cloning on the actual clone. No, most non-scientifically oriented people simply know some of the ethical arguments for or against cloning. Such points including that tampering with natural selection is wrong, or that cloned livestock would benefit the economy. Of course, the media most commonly focuses on the bad news and then the propaganda about cloning issues surfaces. Tak... ...cloned sheep that would be consumable by humans. (NISE 19997) This study is still being continued at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, and now Dolly has two younger cloned siblings that are contributing to the research along these lines. From the Clone?s Perspective 5 Many other animals such as lab mice have been successfully cloned as well. However, domestic animals like dogs and cats have not been produced through the cloning process. Rats as well have so far been a failing experiment. (Pence, 2004) From the Clone?s Perspective 6 References NISE. (1997 March). Hello Dolly. Scottish Sheep Shocker. 7-28-05: http://whyfiles.org/034clone/ Pence, G. (2004) Cloning After Dolly: Who?s still afraid? Lanham Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc. Roslin Institute. (1998 April). Progress AD (After Dolly). 7-28-05: http://www.roslin.ac.uk/public/cloning.html
Monday, September 2, 2019
The Age Of Reason Essay -- Romanticism Essays
The eighteenth century saw unprecedented growth of literature and the arts in Europe and America. Britain during this time period also enjoyed prolonged periods of civil peace that stood in sharp contrast to the bloody and protracted civil and international conflicts that lasted throughout the 17th century. Furthermore, as the rising middle classes increasingly sought both education and leisure entertainment, the marketplace for artistic production swelled dramatically. One of the most critical elements of the 18th century was the increasing availability of printed material, both for readers and authors. The period was markedly more generally educated than the centuries before. Education was less confined to the upper classes than it had been in centuries, and consequently contributions to science, philosophy, economics, and literature came from all parts of the newly United Kingdom. It was the first time when literacy and a library were all that stood between a person and education . The first half of the century has often been aptly described as the Age of Reason, the Augustan Age and the Neo-classical Age. The very description of this period as Augustan throws light on the prosperity and growth of this period, drawing a direct parallel to the affluent era of Latin literature during the reign of Augustus and in the process, claiming a similar Golden Age of English literature and arts. It was an "age of reason" in that it was an age that accepted clear, rational methods as superior to tradition. The period saw the development and growth of a new attitude towards life and more importantly towards the role of nature around us. Rationalism, as an ideology, gained importance and influenced literary works to a large extent. Rationalism as a philosophical doctrine, asserts that reason and factual analysis, rather than faith, dogma or religious teaching should determine the truth. Such a philosophy provided stability and order to the society and was hence considered as a welcoming change from the chaos that Europe had recently experienced. The Age of Reason, hence, emphasized on the importance to perceive life in a scientific and detached manner. It rejected emotion or fashionable belief and stressed on a more rational, logical and scientific attitude towards life. The discoveries of Isaac Newton, the rationalism of Rà ©nà © Descartes, the skepticism of Pierre Bay... ...ight be taken to include the rise of individualism, as seen by the cult of the artistic genius that was a prominent feature in the Romantic worship of Shakespeare and in the poetry of Wordsworth, to take only two examples; a new emphasis on common language and the depiction of apparently everyday experiences; and experimentation with new, non-classical artistic forms. Romanticism also strongly valued the past. Old forms were valued, ruins were sentimentalized as iconic of the action of Nature on the works of man, and mythic and legendary material which would previously have been seen as "low" culture became a common basis for works of "high" art and literature. Romanticism played an essential role in the national awakening of many Central European peoples lacking their own national states, particularly in Poland, which had recently lost its independence. Revival of ancient myths, customs and traditions by Romanticist poets and painters helped to distinguish their indigenous cultures from those of the dominant nations (Russians, Germans, Austrians, Turks, etc.). Patriotism, revolution and armed struggle for independence also became popular themes in the arts of this period.
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell: Human Rights in Nigeria Case Analysis International Business April 22, 2013 The History Royal Dutch Shell is a global company. It has about 93,000 employees and is located in more than 90 countries. It is an energy and petrochemicals business. In the US it was founded in 1912 by the American Gasoline Company to sell gasoline along the Pacific Coast, and Roxanna Petroleum to buy oil product properties in Oklahoma (according to Shell. US website). However, it was founded in 1907 in Europe when Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and the Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd merged.This was done to help the company compete globally. It has done several mergers and buyouts in its hundred plus years of business. Throughout the years Shell has made changes in their business to better compete in the market from becoming a global business to investing in research and development in the newest and latest energy technologies. Today it is in the top six of oil and gas companies. It produces around 3. 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. The Problem The Guardian News has run an article reporting on the inconsistencies of what the Royal Dutch Shell has committed to and the reality of the situation.Two hospitals that we built in the Ogoni region of Nigeria are diametrically opposite of each other in health standards and overall aesthetics. The company has reported that it is committed to the social well-being of the area, but the reality is completely different. The Situation The situation is that we have as part of the 1996 ââ¬Å"Ogani Reconciliationâ⬠plan committed to the social and economic well-being of the local communities. There has been millions of dollars sent to the country allocated to the areas of hospitals and medical care as well as to other needs.Though resources have been sent to build hospitals for the region, the reality is that any of the improvements that was said to be done are seriously subpar to any health standard of any country. Improvements have been done with little regard to the needs of the people and were primarily done so that it can be said that the company was committed to the local region. Though millions has been sent to the country, much of this has been siphoned off to other areas of government and possible to fill the pockets of people that are in the place of authority. Also, some decisions have been made without direct input from the region itself.What to build? Where to build? How to allocate resources? These are all questions that need a comprehensive answer that involves each of the concerned parties. It is concerning that these issues have been allowed to happen. A company of their size and magnitude should not have allowed these community projects be the mockery of the press. Royal Dutch Shell is a company that has many well rounded and sound business plans. The execution and maintenance of these business plans is one of Shellââ¬â¢s main issues. They have the ability to creat e great business plans but lack the commitment to maintain them and sometime execute them in all areas.Marketing Issues The company has had a lot of negative publicity due to the companies operation in the Ogani region of Nigeria. The company is seen to be working hand-in-hand with Nigerian security personnel with little regard to the local minority people of that region. This is causing violence and unrest of the region as well sabotage of the oil pipelines causing oil spills and environmental damage. Actions For the short term, we need to consider the following objectives: * One of the first steps is to make sure the hospital consistently has the electricity and the fuel to run a backup generator.Provide backup generators with the fuel to run them when necessary. If a lavish hospital can be kept up for the employees of our company we can keep up adequate levels of care of Gokana. This will serve as big public relations improvement. * The company should use its knowledge to help ou t the struggling hospital and install wind and solar power technology so they can lower the cost of electricity and help improve a bad situation. * The company should consider helping and sharing their equipment, employees, ambulances, etc. with the hospital in Ogoniland.This will show the community that Shell is ââ¬Å"being a good neighborâ⬠, which in turn would boost the communities morale. * Making improvements on the hospital will directly affect the people of the region. * Setup a working committee with MOSOP (Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People) and Nigerian national representatives, as well as an independent group to oversee any agreements. * Work with the region to start making the improvements that will directly affect the people of the region. * Take responsibility of the oil spills due to company failure and get these cleaned up. Take responsibility for all of the pollution * Use the people of the company to reach out into the community and start community clean up days so the people can help clean up their community and also have a little ownership into the improvements. * Review the companies committees and oversight boards and make sure that the people in place are committed to working with the region. * Reach out to the community with surveys to the people to get their feelings about Shell and what they would like to see improve. * Once improvements are made hold a press conference to help with the PR of the company.It is obvious that the public relations area has suffered. Make it a point to show what is being done to help the area. The long term goals would be to: * Work with the MOSOP to get a comprehensive plan in place that will work to end the protests and sabotage of company pipelines. * Put a sustainable corporate plan in place with independent review that all policies are being adhered to by all officers pertinent to this region. * By getting these agreements, and with the investments in the local infrastructure will cau se less problems that will need money allocated to them. Work to develop better company practices to promote a higher sense of ethics and their climates in the work place * Change their business approach from an egoistic approach to a principal-based approach (integrity approach based on laws) Conclusion Caution will be needed due to the political environment and instability of Nigeria. The company will always need to be aware of what is going on politically on both the national and local levels. The corporate actions taken by Royal Dutch Shell has affected and destroyed a community.The company has tried to recover and fixed what they have done but they have not succeeded in doing so. Royal Dutch Shell has to build a relationship of trust with the Nigerian community. They have to let the community be heard when they are reaching out to let the company know what they need and allow them to be part of the reconstruction and rebuilding of their community. Shell is a very lucrative comp any that makes millions of dollars a day; they would be very hurt to lose this business operation base in Nigeria. Shell went from an egoistic operation in Nigeria to a principle based operation.If Shell even took on a larger sense of social responsibility, they would have gained a larger competitive advantage over the competition. Though the company was acquitted of several charges in January of 2013 by the Dutch courts and made responsible for the oil spills on the last count, there will be unrest in the local region as they want to make the company responsible for all of the problems. Careful steps will need to be taken to address the concerns in such a way to help the region and to lessen the criticism of the people and media.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)