Older Workers Essay -- Employment Jobs Essays

Older Workers The aging of the U.S. population is affecting the demographics of the work force. Between 2000 and 2010, the age group experiencing the greatest growth will be those aged 55-64; by 2005, people aged 55 and over are projected to be nearly 20% of the working age population, compared to 12.5% in 1990 (Barber, Crouch, and Merker 1992; Barth, McNaught, and Rizzi 1993). For a number of reasons, including financial need, longer life expectancy, and a desire to continue working, the number of individuals aged 55 and over in the work force is continuing to grow (Hall and Mirvis 1994). It is no longer unusual for individuals to retire from one job, begin drawing a pension, and seek new employment: since 1984, both the full- and part-time work of "retired" men younger than age 65 has increased noticeably (Herz 1995). At the same time that the number of older persons available for and willing to work is increasing, the workplace is changing as businesses seek to become more competitive. The most notable changes include downsizing, increased use of technology, and less-hierarchical work structures that use teams. As a result of technological changes and greater dependence on teams, training and retraining are hallmarks of today's workplace. Older workers have not fared particularly well during these changes. During the downsizing that took place from 1986 through 1991, proportionately more older workers were laid off, and, at the expense of retraining existing employees--especially older workers--firms spend more on training new entrants (Hall and Mirvis 1994). Kantor (1994) refers to the aging work force as a "mixed blessing [because] many companies associate it not with a loyal, experienced workforce knowledgeable ab... ...en." Monthly Labor Review 118, no. 4 (April 1995): 13-20. Kantor, R. M. "U.S. Competitiveness and the Aging Workforce: Toward Organizational and Institutional Change." In Aging and Competition: Rebuilding the U.S. Workforce, edited by J. A. Auerbach and J. C. Welsh. Washington, DC: National Council on the Aging and National Planning Associates, 1994. McNaught, W. "Realizing the Potential: Some Examples." In Age and Structural Lag, edited by M. W. Riley, R. L. Hahn, and A. Foner. New York: Wiley, 1994. Rothstein, F. R., and Ratte, D. J. Training and Older Workers: Implications for U.S. Competitiveness. Washington, DC: Office of Technology Assessment, 1990. (ED 336 608). Siegel, S. R. "Relationships between Current Performance and Likelihood of Promotion for Old versus Young Workers." Human Resource Development Quarterly 4, no. 1 (Spring 1993): 39-50.

Disneyland Paris Marketing Analysis Essay

Introduction Following the success in America, Walt Disney decided to build a similar entertainment and vacation park in Europe. On April 12, 1992 the park was opened the first time as Euro Disney ® Resort. Nowadays it is known as Disneyland ® Paris, which is located close to Paris in France. It consists of two theme parks (Disneyland ® Park and Walt Disney Studio Park), one entertainment district (Disney Village)1 and 14 hotels owned by Disneyland ® Paris2 The opening of Disneyland ® Paris was debated. People were afraid of being affected by the unhealthy life style and consumption of the Americans. A French journalist wrote, â€Å"I wish with all my heart the rebels would set fire to [Euro] Disneyland† and a French philosopher said, â€Å"It is not America that is invading us. It is we who adore it, who adopt its fashions and above all, its words.† All in all people were against the opening of Disneyland ® Paris.3 How important is Disneyland ® Paris at this moment? How is it using marketing? Who are the customers, Americans and/or Europeans? Is Disneyland ® Paris a competitor in comparison to other amusement parks? Which challenges does it currently face? To find answers these questions, we will analyse Disneyland ® Paris? performance through a SWOT-Analysis, which gives us an idea of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. As we come to a conclusion, we will also give an advice to Disneyland ® Paris on what it can improve in order to perform better. Internal analysis The market Disneyland ® Paris is in a heterogeneous oligopoly. A heterogeneous oligopoly is a market in which there are a few sellers, and a lot of buyers. The sellers are in competition with each other and they are well informed about the actions of other sellers. Therefore, the decisions firms make, mostly are affected by decisions that their competitors make, and the other way around. Disneyland ® Paris is an actor in the market of amusement parks. In almost every European country you can find an amusement park. However, not all of these parks are offering accommodations and dining services, which makes the trip more of an unique and exciting experience. This market is  heterogeneous because, even though amusement parks seem the same, the feeling and experience in each one is completely different. Furthermore, only a few sellers can oversee decisions made by competitors. Next to that, there are many buyers. In 2013 14.9 million people visited Disneyland ® Paris4. Disneyland ® Paris’ position and performance As mentioned before, Disneyland ® Paris welcomed 14,9 million guests last year. This makes it the biggest tourist destination in Europe, especially compared to the Eiffel tower, which only attracts approximately 7 million visitors per year5. In comparison to other amusement parks How many visitors did other amusement parks in Europe welcome in 20136? ‘De Efteling’ (Holland) – 4 million visitors per year ‘Movie Park Germany’ (Germany) – 1.3 million visitors per year ‘Europa Park’ (Germany) – 4.6 million visitors per year ‘Gardaland’ (Italy) – approximately 7 million visitors per year Set side by side to other amusement parks in Europe, Disneyland ® Paris is doing really well on their visitors count. Financial performance Disneyland ® Land has been taking losses in 2011, 2012 and 2013. So with respect to its profit, Disneyland ® Paris is not doing that well at all. Their net loss was admittedly high in 2012, with 100.2 million euros. In 2013, they managed to cutback the loss to 78.2 million euros. See appendix, table 1. Notwithstanding, it is still a considerable amount of money. So how come that Disneyland ® Paris, the biggest amusement park in Europe, is taking a loss? 14,9 million visitors per year seems to be a high amount of visitors, but in the past three years, the number of visitors per year has decreased and the hotel occupancy rate has gone down. Even though the amount of money that visitors spent (per visitor) has slightly gone up, it is not enough to make up for the decrease in visitors. See appendix, table 2. Conclusion Despite the fact that Disneyland ® Paris is the biggest tourist attraction in Europe, and even draws more visitors than the Eiffel Tower, it is not financially healthy. Disneyland ® has again been taking a big loss.  Disneyland ® Paris has to change its strategy to achieve positive numbers and to start making profits. Value What Disneyland ® Paris offers to their guests is not only an amusement park, it is an experience. Disneyland offers two parks, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, with a total of 59 attractions. As stated by http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/: ‘Disneyland Park captures the wonder and fantasy of a classic Disney theme park while the Walt Disney Studios Park features the magic of movie-making.’ To make the Disneyland ® Paris experience complete, it offers several hotels, 63 restaurants, sport facilities, a wellness center, baby-care service, life-size Disney characters and a lot of shows and parades in the classic park as well as in the studios park. The value that Disneyland ® Paris offers is not just visit an amusement park with only fun rides, but an actual chance meet the characters from the Disney movies. Visitors can hug and take a picture with their favorite movie characters. Besides Disneyland  ® Paris made sure that its visitors stay in the Disney-feeling, even when having diner for example. Another part of the value that Disneyland ® Paris offers is that it combines the Walt Disney Studios Park with the classic park. For example ‘De Efteling’ (Holland) does not have a movie-oriented park, and ‘Movie Park Germany’ (Germany) does not have a classic park, but only the movie segment. The fact is that the customer does not need to choose between those two options at Disneyland ® Paris, but can have both at Disneyland ® Paris. A lot of other amusement parks in France or Europe also have astonishing attractions, but Disneyland ® Paris offers more than that. Disneyland ® Paris’ marketing mix As mentioned before, Disneyland ® Paris has a lot to offer. It serves their customers an amazing experience. Due to all this, the park had 14,9 million visitors last year. However, just like any other company, they used different tools to be this successful. Product Disneyland ® Paris offers several products and not just the amusement parks that people always seem to think about. Next to the two parks, they also own seven hotels owned by itself and seven partner hotels, including a free bus  connection from and to the park. Most of the hotels have their own special features, for example tennis courts, swimming pools, fitness centers, and pony ride. Furthermore, the resort includes Disney Village, which is a street where many shops, bars, restaurants, and attractions are located. Next to all this, the resort also includes a golf complex. The target segments of Disneyland are mainly families with children. When customers come to Disneyland ® Paris they expect to have a good time, not only for the children, but also for the parents. They might even want to feel as children themselves again. Disneyland ® Paris tries to give its visitors this experience using their parks, hotels and all the other features. Apart from feeling like a child again, some parents are looking for some relaxation and sports, which can be found at Disneyland ® Paris as well. All these products are part of the well-known brand Disney, even the hotels. This big mixture of products sets Disneyland ® Paris apart from other attraction parks. Even though other parks may have a brand and shops, most of them do not include a hotel. Even less parks accommodate a golf complex! These advantages make Disneyland ® Paris to what it is: a very attractive get-away. Strengths: Disneyland ® Paris offers a lot of different products. This makes it interesting for many target groups. It is not only for families with children, but can also be for groups of friends. Weaknesses: All the Disney items may become a bit too overwhelming. Price When the decision to visit Disneyland ® Paris is made, tickets need to be bought first. Tickets are sold on the website of Disneyland ® or throughout a travelling agency. The prices for tickets can be found in the appendix, table 2. As seen in the table, the park gives some discounts. For example, instead of paying for three day, one day is given for free. When the intention is to stay for more than one day, the opportunity to book a hotel is available. The tickets are already included in the price of the room. The price of the hotel for one night and one adult range from â‚ ¬111.00 to â‚ ¬663.00. Children from the age of 3 till 11 can spend the night in the hotels for free. However, these prices are not fixed but can fluctuate according to the needs and wants of customers. The prices in restaurants differ. They range from less than â‚ ¬15.- to over â‚ ¬25.-. This gives a wide range for customers and includes something for every target segment, rich or  poor. Having an inexpensive dinner might sounds great to most parents, since often the food in (other) attraction parks is very expensive. Strengths: The low prices of some of the restaurants can be considered as a strength. Usually the food in attraction parks is very expensive. Also, parents often believe that the trip itself already cost much money, so having some inexpensive restaurants gives Disneyland an advantage. Weaknesses: The entrance price of the park is very high, much higher than those of other parks, which are usually around â‚ ¬30.-. Furthermore, the stay in hotels might be too expensive for some customers. Promotion Disneyland uses several tools in promotion, such as the television, radio, advertisements and face-to-face communication. It sends out advertisement on the television on children and family senders. It also play ads on the radio, using the voice of Mickey Mouse. By reaching out to mostly children, it achieves its success. Next to these forms of promotion, it also posts advertisements for example in newspapers and children magazines. Also, there is the face-to-face communication. Visitors inform friends and family about their experience in Disneyland ® Paris, making the listener start thinking about Disneyland ® Paris positively or even negatively. Finally, there is a form of promotion that is not in the hands of Disneyland ® Paris itself, namely the media. Reporters and journalists write about Disneyland. These articles can be positive, but can also be negative. Unfortunately for Disneyland, it is very hard to prevent negative news. The only thing that Disneyland ® Paris can do is to show the journalists are wrong with their writings after their publications. Strengths: Focussing commercials on children is a smart move. Children can be very powerful towards their parents’ spending. Which parent does not want to see his or her child happy? Disneyland ® Paris is a fun experience and makes families bond. Weaknesses: Just like any other company, Disneyland can come across some negative media. Not only by journalists, but also people that have been in the park and have had a negative experience. All of them can start spreading the word about their experience. For example, in an article in The Independent, from May 6th 2010, which explains how employers of Disneyland ® Paris have had accidents or committed suicide, due to some issues with the management of Euro Disney. 7 Place Disneyland ® Paris is located very near to Paris, 32 kilometres to the east. This makes it a central point in Europe. It is well accessible by car, since the park is located near a high way. Across from the entrance of the two parks lies a train station, Marne la Vallee-Chessy. This train station has a direct high speed train service to cities like Bordeaux, Marseilles, Nice, Lyon and even Brussels. Also, the Eurostar services a direct line from London to this station. Another easy way to get to the park is to go buy bus, since there is a direct bus service provided from two international French airports, Charles De Gaulle International Airport and Orly Airport. Strengths: Disneyland ® Paris is easily accessible, which gives them a great advantage. Weaknesses: Disneyland ® Paris is located in a place where the weather is very unpredictable. You are never a 100% certain whether the weather will be good or whether it will rain all day. Also the surrounding villages might experience some troubles with Disneyland and its facilities. For example the train passing by only 200 meters from a city like Chessy. This can cause nuisance for the people living there. External Analysis An external analysis concentrates on all external variables that influence a company’s performance. They determine a company’s success, its chances and risks. Therefore it is a very important task for marketers to know the environment in case to adapt to trends. Marketers need to know and understand them in case to adjust their strategies. The external analysis is split up into two parts, which are called microenvironment and macroenvironment. 8 Micro-Environment The microenvironment is about â€Å"[†¦] the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers [†¦]† (Kotler/Armstrong 2012, p. 66). In order to handle the customers, a company?s task is to build up a good relationship with those actors, that consist of other companies, suppliers, marketing intermediaries, competitors, publics and its customers. Customers As mentioned above a company has to create value for its customers. In order  to do so, Disneyland ® Paris has to know its customers’ needs and wants. First of all Disneyland ® Paris has to divide the market into smaller segments. Afterwards it has to decide which groups to target. There are many variables to use to split up a market into smaller groups and to decide whether to enter or not. In the following consumer analysis we look at the main variables like geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural. 1 Disneyland ® Paris? consists of a consumer market, which means Disneyland ® Paris is targeting individuals and households buying services and goods. The consumer market is a combination of a local and international market. Even Disneyland ® Paris is located in France, using the geographic segmentation, which divides a market into different nations, states, regions, countries, cities or even neighbourhoods, its main target group is Europe. As we can see in table 4 (see apendix), Disneyland ® Paris? target market consists of seven major groups and the rest of the world. T he table describes the major groups with the share in percentages from 2011 to 2013. The groups are France (51%), United Kingdom (14%), Spain (8%), Belgium (6%), Netherlands (6%), Italy (3%), Germany (3%) and the rest of the world (9%). With certainty we can conclude these are the biggest groups, not only through the table, but also through the official website which is presented in many languages. 9 A company also needs to make a decision whether for example which age, gender, family size, income they want to reach. These variables belong to the demographic segmentation. The book â€Å"Principles of Marketing by Kotler and Armstrong†¦p 191† says: â€Å"Demographic factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups. One reason is that consumer needs, wants, and usage rates often vary closely with demographic variables.† (Kotler/Armstrong 2012, p. 191) Transferring this strategy to Disneyland ® Paris? customers, we can easily see its target groups w ithin the geographical segmentation. Disneyland ® Paris is mainly focusing on families with children within the age of 3 to 15 years10, which remains to be a problem as analysed later on. Secondary it also provides services and attractions to adolescents and older generations. As we have analysed in the first part of the paper, Disneyland ® Paris offers services and attractions for people in each life-cycle stage.11 As a result we can see Disneyland ® Paris is not mainly focusing on children, it is primarily focusing on family activities as a whole. The family size does not play a big role, because  also singles, classes or just big groups are welcome to visit the world of Disneyland ® Paris. Other variables are psychographic and behavioural. Disneyland ® Paris is targeting consumers who are looking for adventurous and unforgettable holidays, which belongs in the behavioural segmentation. Disneyland ® Paris requires visitors who are enthusiastic, active and dreamer. To achieve holidays like that people has to pay a high amount of money, therefore Disneyland ® Paris is targeting the working class with a higher income. All in all Disneyland ® Paris typical customers are not only young families with their children, also adolescents and groups, all from Europe. Because of the fact Disneyland ® Paris is quite expensive it is focusing on families with higher income, who want to experience a unique and adventurous entertainment. Competitors A company in the same business or in a similar business is called a competitor. In order to be successful, a company has to grant higher value than its competitors do. The same applies for Disneyland ® Paris. What are its competitors and how strong are they? In Disneyland ® Paris? case its competitors are not only located in France, also in Europe (compare table 5). The amusement park business is growing at a steady rate. Still Disneyland ® Paris is the market leader in this business. To evaluate its competitors in this market, it is necessary to take a more detailed look at them. One way is to look at the customers the amusement parks are targeting. Those parks who have the same target groups are closer competitors for Disneyland ® Paris. As mentioned above, Disneyland ® Paris? target groups are families with children and adolescents, who want to make a unique experience in connection with a longer holiday stay in Disneyland ® Paris. The majority of amusement parks are listed in table 3, which are focusing on customers who just want to stay for a day. Therefore Disneyland ® Paris and the other parks in comparison have mostly different target groups and goals. Another factor are the yearly guests. The main competitors are ?De Efteling? in the Netherlands with 4.2 million visitors and ?Europa Park? with 4.6 million visitors in Germany. Even if Disneyland ® Paris has twice as much guests (16 million) (see table 5), those theme parks have the same strategy in creating an overall theme-park atmosphere while targeting the same groups (families with their children and adolescents). Nonetheless, Disneyland ® Paris has  the highest market share and is definitely the market leader in this business. Its overall appearance with the whole Disney World makes the park unique in comparison to ?De Efteling? and ?Europa Park?. But it is very important we do not leave out of account the fact, Disneyland ® Paris is struggling from its debts and losses, as mentioned before. While Disneyland ® Paris is recording losses, the other two parks are recording profits and performing better financially.12 Disneyland ® Paris needs to watch out in order to stay the market leader. Competitive Strategies Disneyland ® Paris is using an effective brand strategy. These results in having a strong image of the Disneyworld in the customers? minds and reaching a higher value people put on Disneyland ® Paris. Besides, there are four basic competitive strategies used by marketers. The first one is called overall cost leadership, which tries to achieve the highest market share while having the lowest costs as possible. Another one is focusing on creating a high differentiation within the companys? product line (differentiation). Some companies also choose to serve just a few market segments instead of reaching the whole market. The fourth strategy is called middle-of-the-road which combines the strategies. Company performances are showing they are performing worse with it.13 While following one of these strategies – overall cost leadership, differentiation, focus or middle-of-the-road- companies want to give a superior value through value disciplines. Introducing all of them, operat ional excellence concentrates on reducing â€Å"[†¦] costs and creat[ing] a lean and efficient value-delivery system.† (Kotler/Armstrong 2012, p. 537) Another strategy is to concentrate on the needs and wants of the target groups (customer intimacy), while the last discipline called product leadership is always offering new and better products to their customers. Disneyland ® Paris? strategy is to combine the differentiation strategy with the customer intimacy strategy. Through the analysis in part one, where we have seen the financial debts of Disneyland ® Paris, it is definitely not pursuing the overall cost leadership strategy. Instead Disneyland ® Paris is focusing to expand its park while creating new products and services for all stages of the age life circle. This implies for the differentiation strategy. Doing this, Disneyland ® Paris has to know  its customers’ needs and wants very well, which results in customer intimacy. Reaching this goal Disneyland ® Paris is spending a high amount in research to develop modern products and services.14 It is marketing its amusement mark through digital media and internet to reach the adolescents and teens. Disneyland ® Paris owns the position as the product leader in its business, because it is always innovating and creating new products to keep its park attractive. It is steadily offering leading-edge products and services, not only to reach new customers also to convince customers to visit Disneyland ® Paris again. Macroenvironment In comparison to the micro-environmental analysis the macro-environmental analysis is not about the close actors around the company, it is about the larger societal forces as demographic, economics, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces, that effect the microenvironment. The trends of the factors listed before form the opportunities and threats companies have to deal with15. In case of Disneyland ® Paris the demographic change is one of the most important topics. The demography is looking at the populations’ structure and its shift. As we see in figure 1 (see appendix) the economy experienced an enormous decreasing trend in the birth rates, which resulted in an aging society. Smaller family sizes are the aftereffect of this trend. More important is to take a look how the demographic change will go on in the future. Figure 2 (see appendix) gives us an economic prediction of how the current situation affects the population structure in the future until 2060. Figure 2 (see appendix) shows the development from a bell shaped population towards a form like an urn. This is an indication of an aging population with less births. In 2011 the biggest age group was defined of people in the age of 15 – 55 years. In 2060 it might happen, this group becomes less and the age group of 60 – 90 years will increase. Referring to Disneyland ® Paris, as we analysed earlier in the paper, the main target group of Disneyland ® Paris are young families with children and adolescents. Therefore the demographic trend is a threat it has to deal with. Disneyland ® Paris has to change its structure towards satisfying older generations instead of focusing only on children and adolescents in order not to lose a high amount of customers. In addition Disneyland ® Paris has to  experience a price increase i n non-renewable resources such like oil and water, which belongs in the category of the natural environment. The price increase in oil in the last years is obvious16. Through higher prices for the resources, Disneyland ® Paris has higher costs. Disneyland ® Paris could increase its ticket prices, but how would customers react? Disneyland ® Paris is saying by itself it has to learn how to use its resources mainly water, paper and energy more wisely and efficient17. Even Disneyland ® Paris is geographically not affected by the consequences of the climate change, it is fighting against it. In its ?2013 Reference Document† Disneyland ® Paris is saying it helps †[†¦] through its environmental policy, in particular with its water consumption initiatives and its efforts in preventing and fighting pollution discharges.† Also within the social environment Disneyland ® Paris is putting a high emphasis on negotiating contracts with its suppliers. Disneyland ® Paris is listing its requirements in the ?2013 Reference Document? (p. 144): â€Å"Not to use child labor or forced labor; To treat each employee with dignity and respect and refrain from adopting discriminatory practices in hiring and employment; To respect employees’ right to associate, organize and bargain collectively; To provide employees with a safe and healthy work environment and to ensure that all accommodations provided to employees comply with health and safety standards; To apply laws and regulations relating to wages and working time, environment, manufacturing, pricing and sales and distribution of merchandise, Not to use subcontractors to manufacture Disney products or components without a prior written agreement [†¦] When a breach in standards is identified, the supplier must correct it or stop producing for [Disneyland ® Paris].† These points are showing the high social responsibility Disneyland ® Paris cares about. Besides this it is also trying to market its products child-oriented, improving its food in quality and safety and provides customer health and safety. Disneyland ® Paris also agreed to support the French economy and the employment18, but we won’t elaborate about that too much right now. Strategic advice and conclusion As analysed in the paper there are many threats Disneyland ® Paris has to deal  with. But, threats are not necessary bad for the company, they can also constitute opportunities to improve its strategy. Mentioned before, the demographic change is one of the biggest threats. Disneyland ® Paris has to change its concept towards older age groups in case of not losing customers. Disneyland ® Paris has already done a lot in this direction offering products and services to those age groups.19 This does not mean Disneyland ® Paris is safe, it still need to analyse its older customers? needs and wants in order to innovate products and services satisfying them. One advice is to improve the arrival and departure. Even though Paris and therefore Disneyland ® Paris are easy to reach, it can be still improved. An idea is using the international train Thalys. Thalys is offering many routes through five European countries – namely Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Unit ed Kingdom, stopping in 31 cities20. Disneyland ® Paris could cooperate with this company to create new packages (combining Disney-tickets with traintickets) for an easier and cheaper arrival/departure. Referring to the countries mentioned above, mainly these countries are presenting the target groups within Europe. As we analysed Disneyland ® Paris need to reach new customers. A possibility is to advertise itself more in eastern European countries such like Poland and Russia, which population became more willing to spend money on holidays. As we can see on Disneyland ® Paris? website, it does not offer its official website in those languages (www.disneylandparis.com). This is a point that can be improved to reach completely new target groups. Not only those countries seem to be interesting, also emerging countries such like south-western European countries. In order to reach them, Disneyland ® Paris could try to convince Thalys to expend its routes towards these countries. Another factor is Disneyland ® Paris seriously has to keep its prices stable or even lower them. Of course it is not that easy to reduce them while resource prices and therefore costs are increasing, but Disneyland ® Paris could building its own wind farm using renewable resources to produce own energy. This fact will not only contribute in lowering prices, it will bring a new philosophy that pays attention to the environment and it earns the trust of those people who are environmental conscious. Disneyland ® Paris can include this point, in case they implement this strategy, in their advertisements. Coming away from lowering costs and prices, Disneyland ® Paris can improve its image  through higher sociable responsibility. The main advice giving Disneyland ® Paris is to introduce a sensitization campaign, which is called cause-related marketing. â€Å"Cause-related marketing has become a primary form of corporate giving. It lets companies â€Å"do well by doing good† by linking purchases of the company?s products or services with fund-raising for worthwhile causes or charitable organizations.† (Kotler/Armstrong 2012, p. 85) Considering that Disneyland ® Paris is focused on families and children, for every ticket sold a portion can be donated to a charity for poor children. Not only Disneyland ® Paris would benefit of this marketing concept through higher profits, also children living in the underclass are better off. In one sentence: Disneyland ® Paris would not only give smiles to children visiting the amusement park, it also gives smiles to children that are not experiencing the unique and exciting dream world of Disneyland ® Paris. Reference List ?De Efteling?, official website http://www.efteling.com/NL/Over-de-Efteling/Pers-en-Publicaties.html 19-02-2014 21:36 De Efteling, Press Information 2013 http://www.efteling.com/media/Pdf/Persmappen/Persmap%20ENGELS%202013%20DEF.pdf 17-02-2014 20:18 ‘The independent’ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/the-dark-side-of-disneyland-paris-1964505.html 16-02-2014 15:39 Disneyland ® Paris http://www.disneylandparis.com/ 20-02-2014 18:06 Disneyland ® Paris, article about Disneyland ® Paris? decline http://disneyatwork.com/2013/08/is-disneyland-paris-in-decline/ 20-02-2014 18:03 Disneyland ® Paris, brochure http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/CORP/EN/Neutral/Images/Community%20report %202012.pdf 19-02-2014 14:23 Disneyland ® Paris, financial performance http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcorporate.disneylandparis.com%2Finvestor-relations%2Ffinancial-indicators%2Findex.xhtml&h=NAQG1F7MB 20-02-2014 16:26 Disneyland ® Paris, overall information http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/about-our-company/the-narrative-of-numbers/index.xhtml 20-02-2014 18:02 EURO DISNEY S.C.A. (2013): 2013 Reference Document http://corporate.disneylandparis.com/CORP/EN/Neutral/Images/fr-uk-reference-document-2013.pdf 19-02-2014 15:48 Europapark http://www.europapark.de/lang-en/Home/c1174.html?langchange=true 20-02-2014 18:03 ?Moviepark?, article http://www.derwesten.de/staedte/bottrop/kirchhellen/1-25-millionen-besucher-im-moviepark-id6139835.html 20-02-2014 18:07 Oil prices http://moneyweek.com/prices-news-charts/oil/ 17-02-2014 16:23 Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong (2012, 14/E): Principles of Marketing, Global Edition, Pearson, Harlow, England Philip Kotler & Gary Armstrong (2014, 15/E): Principles of Marketing, Global Edition, Pearson, Harlow, England

Write About the Ways Fitzgerald Tells the Story in Chapter...

Write about the ways Fitzgerald tells the story in chapter 7 (Page 132 onwards) Chapter 7 mirrors chapter 1 in setting and structure, of the travelling to New York and the necessity to pass through ‘The Valley of the Ashes’ symbolic of the mythological River Styx and â€Å"The Waste Land† by T.S. Elliot. Also, the many separated sections in chapter 7 are reminiscent of the structure of chapter 1, used as a key way for Fitzgerald to effectively and emotively convey the story, by framing the two chapters together. The tragic events in chapter 7; the climactic revelation of Daisy and Gatsby’s affair and Myrtle’s death; come to light. The theme of mistaken identity is crucial in chapter 7, from the first half of the chapter where the prolonged†¦show more content†¦Fitzgerald’s inclusion of the wedding march adds to the sensuous introduction to this scene; the taste of the Mint Julep, the touch sensation of the heat and sweat, the â€Å"tentous chords of Mendelssohn’s Wedding March† all increase the sens e of oppression in this scene; too much heat, sensuous overload and rising friction between the characters. As well as this oppressive sensuous effect, the wedding march tune also indicates towards the mention of Daisy’s wedding and her hazy recollection of it; â€Å"’I was married in the middle of June’ Daisy remembered, ‘Louisville in June!’ Somebody fainted. Who was it fainted, Tom?’†. The manner in which Daisy speaks of her wedding is detached and seemingly a memory she is not incredibly fond of, since she instantly recalls the negative of somebody fainting; selfishly relating to her present situation of overbearing heat. The discussion following; about, â€Å"A man named Biloxi. ‘Blocks’ Biloxi† is used as a tool for Tom to begin his berating insults against Gatsby. Since the factual history of Biloxi is uncertain, Tom implies that Gatsby is a fraud in relation to his Oxford experience; â€Å"You must have gone there about the time Biloxi went to New Haven.† This implication made by Tom is amounting to the stru ctural climactic tragic outcome since Fitzgerald cleverly includes intermittent pauses between Tom’sShow MoreRelated The American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby1134 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a brilliant illustration of life among the new rich during the 1920s, people who had recently amassed a great deal of wealth but had no corresponding social connections. The novel is an intriguing account about love, money and life during the 1920s in New York. It illustrates the society and the associated beliefs, values and dreams of the American population at that time. These beliefsRead MoreThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Marks2252 Words   |  10 PagesColeridge 1. Write about the ways Coleridge tells the story in Part 5 of ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’. (21 marks) And â€Å" ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ is simply a tale of crime and punishment.† How do you respond to this view? (21 marks) Lamia, The Eve of St Agnes, La Belle Dame Sans Merci – John Keats 2. How does Keats tell the story in stanzas 36 – 42 of ‘The Eve of St Agnes’? (21 marks) and Readers have responded differently to being told that the story happened ‘long ago’Read MoreThe Method of Narration in ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F Scott Fitzgerald1331 Words   |  6 Pagescrucial tool in conveying his story and with it his characters and message. In ‘The Great Gatsby’, F Scott Fitzgerald deploys this tool effectively to tell the tale of Jay Gatsby, a self-made man on a quest to find and win back the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, through the eyes of Nick Carraway. As well as reflecting on the dreams and tragedy of that summer in Long Island, Nick’s narration gives us essential insight into the characters and key issues that Fitzgerald addresses. Most importantlyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1523 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 6: As the chapter starts out Gatsby learns that with fame and fortune comes the people who will try to knock you out. We also learn that Gatsby was not born Jay Gatsby but James Gatz from North Dakota, or as the press says. This source says the Gatsby isn t who he says he is and that it was Dan Cody brought Gatsby under his wing and taught him all he knows about flying through life from the seat of his pants. Nick has spent much time with Jordan and hasn t seen Gatsby in a new weeks andRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1515 Words   |  7 Pages 1. Nick Carraway narrates the story in both first and third person. I would characterize his voice as contradictory. At some points in the novel, he disapproves of Gatsby’s actions but at other times, he seems to admire him. 2. In the very first chapter we find out that Nick believes Gatsby represents everything he scorns. However, we also learn that Nick exempts Gatsby completely from his usual judgments. 3. Nick is a young man from Minnesota who has been to war and to college. In addition, weRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Analysis5626 Words   |  23 PagesIntroduction â€Å"The Great Gatsby†Ã‚  is a  novel  by the  American  author  F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in 1925, it is set on  Long Islands  North Shore  and in  New York City  from spring to autumn of 1922. The novel takes place following the  First World War. American society enjoyed prosperity during the â€Å"roaring†Ã‚  as the economy soared. At the sameRead MoreThe Disillusionment of American Dream in Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night19485 Words   |  78 Pagesdream in the Great Gatsby and Tender is the night Chapter I Introduction F. Scott Fitzgerald is the spokesman of the Jazz Age and is also one of the greatest novelists in the 20th century. His novels mainly deal with the theme of the disillusionment of the American dream of the self-made young men in the 20th century. In this thesis, Fitzgerald’s two most important novels The Great Gatsby(2003) and Tender is the Night(2005) are analyzed. 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PLOT The Elements of Plot When we refer to the plot of a work of fiction, then, we are referring to the deliberately arranged sequence of interrelated events that constitute the basic narrative structure of a novel or a short story. Events of any kind, of

Essay on Criticism of The Storm by Kate Chopin - 661 Words

Criticism of The Storm by Kate Chopin While it has traditionally been men who have attached the ball and chain philosophy to marriage, Kate Chopin gave readers a woman’s view of how repressive and confining marriage can be for a woman, both spiritually and sexually. While many of her works incorporated the notion of women as repressed beings ready to erupt into a sexual a hurricane, none were as tempestuous as The Storm. Kate Chopin was a woman whose feminist viewpoints were far ahead of her time, which of course garnered her more than her share of criticism. In a time when women were expected to behave properly and sexual desire was considered to be something only experienced by men, Chopin spoke with exceptional openness†¦show more content†¦For Alcee however, the issue is more blurred because he is looking at how morality affects him personally, not how it affects the general state of society. Like a storm, Calixta began as quiet, calm and unthreatening to man. But as her passion began to brew, she became electric and powerful; a force driven by nature, as inept at controlling her own desires as a storm is at controlling the damage it leaves in its path. Examine the following passage: Her lips were as red and moist as pomegranate seed. Her white neck and a glimpse of her full, firm bosom disturbed him powerfully. As she glanced up at him the fear in her liquid blue eyes had given place to a drowsy gleam that unconsciously betrayed a sensuous desire. He looked down into her eyes and there was nothing for him to do but to gather her lips in a kiss(p. 211) While romance novels today are filled with steamy passages like the one above, in Chopin’s time it was rarely acknowledged that women even had any sexual desires at all. Sons and daughters had been taught for generations that a woman has to do certain things to please her husband. Sex was right up there on a woman’s list of chores with washing the dishes or scrubbing the floor. By not only admitting the fact that woman have strong sexual desires, but glorifying it, Chopin crossed a threshold in both literature and thought that opened new portals of exploration and communication forShow MoreRelatedThe Storm By Kate Chopin Essay1508 Words   |  7 Pages Kate Chopin was an American author who wrote the short story â€Å"The Storm†. It takes place somewhere down in Louisiana at a general store and at the house of Calixta, Bobinot who is the wife of Calixta, and their son Bibi. The other character in the story is the friend of Calixta, Alcee Laballiere. The story b egins with Bobinot and Bibi in the general store to buy a can of shrimp; meanwhile, at home, Calixta is at home doing chores when a storm develops, which makes her worry about Bobinot and BibiRead MoreEssay about Symbolism of â€Å"The Storm1512 Words   |  7 PagesKate Chopin wrote the short story â€Å"The Storm† one of her most bold stories and did not even intention to publish it (Cutter 191). The two main characters in the story are Calixta and Alcee. They both used to be attracted to one another in previous years, but now they are both married to someone else. After Alcee arrives to Calixta’s house looking for shelter they are driven into a passionate moment. In the story â€Å"The Storm† the storm has a significant meaning; without it the affair of Calixta andRead MoreThe Unique Style Of Kate Chopin s Writing1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe unique style of Kate Chopin’s writing has influenced and paved the way for many female authors. Although not verbally, Kate Chopin aired political and social issues affecting women and challenging the validity of such restrictions through fiction. Kate Chopin, a feminist in her time, prevailed against the notion that a woman’s purpose was to only be a housewife and nothing more. Kate Chopin fortified the importance of women empowerment, self-expression, self-assertion, and female sexuality throughRead MoreLeo Haines. Professor Capozzi. Research Paper. April 29,1518 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Paper April 29, 2017 Kate Chopin Kate Chopin was a famous author of short stories and articles. Kate was born on February 8, 1850, in St. Louis Missouri, and she grew up speaking English and French. After her husband has passed in 1882, and that is when her writing career launched. In most of her novels and stories her characters are bilingual, also known as fluent in two languages. Kate Chopin using the theme of feminism in her stories, â€Å"The Awakening†, â€Å"The Storm†, and â€Å"The Story of an HourRead More Kate Chopin Gives a Womans Voice to Realism Essay example1173 Words   |  5 PagesKate Chopin Gives a Womans Voice to Realism Kate Chopin succeeded in giving a womans voice to realism. While doing this she sacrificed her career. This seems to be a higher order of feminism than repeating the story of a woman as victim...Kate Chopin gives her female protagonist the central role, normally reserved for the man, in a meditation on identity and culture, consciousness, and art. (Robinson 3) The role of woman in the society Chopin creates is of special interest and relevanceRead MoreEssay about Kate Chopin Short Stories1663 Words   |  7 PagesKate Chopin was an American feminist fiction writer and a woman ahead of her time. She lived in the socially conservative nineteenth-century, but in her stories, she wrote about unconventional characters, particularly women, that caused others to question her morality. Similar to the female characters in her stories, Kate Chopin was an independent woman. She would often smoke cigarettes or walk in the streets unaccompanied; these practices were considered unusual for a nineteenth-century woman toRead MoreFemale Characters Overthrowing Gender Roles1101 Words   |  5 Pagesthink of. Kate Chopin, a primarily short story writer, does not fall short of this statement. Through her stories, â€Å"The Storm,† and â€Å"T he Story of an Hour,† the women seem to be trapped in confining gender roles. By the conclusion of each story all the women find a way to challenge their everyday roles and overthrow them in some matter. Although these stories are dissimilar from each other, both show the struggle that women have against one or several antagonists in their lives. Chopin shows hardshipsRead MoreKate Chopin s The Storm Essay1339 Words   |  6 Pagesfamous writer Kate Chopin once said, â€Å"The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.† The Awakening, (1899). Kate Chopin was widely recognized as one of the leading writers of her time. She was an American author of short stories and novels. She was born on February 08, 1850 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. She died on August 22, 1904, in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Written in 1898 but not published until it appeared in The Complete Works of Kate Chopin in 1969, The Storm has been widelyRead More The Awakening by Kate Chopin Essay2440 Words   |  10 PagesAwakening by Kate Chopin Kate Chopin is one of the first female writers to address female issues, primarily sexuality. Chopin declares that women are capable of overt sexuality in which they explore and enjoy their sexuality. Chopin shows that her women are capable of loving more than one man at a time. They are not only attractive but sexually attracted (Ziff 148). Two of Chopin’s stories that reflect this attitude of sexuality are The Awakening and one of her short stories â€Å"The Storm†. AlthoughRead MoreThe Storm by Kate Chopin1238 Words   |  5 PagesKate Chopin is writing so many great stories about whatever she sees. Kate has many Wonderful stories such as, (The Storm, Desiree’s Baby, A Pair of Silk Stocking, A Respectable Woman, and The Story of an Hour). There is one story in particular that catches my mind which is â€Å"The Storm†. 0In Kate chopins era, women are seen as nothing more than a wife and have to stay with their husband for life. Chopin shows a dramatic scene between Alcee and Calixta during the time of a storm that is passing by

Historical Representation An Undervalued Paradox Essay

Historical media, most specifically film, has existed since history began. The recounting of prior events to a new audience to portray the feelings and the emotions of the time typically is transferred through conversation, but modern technology allows for the mass-production of not only the recounting of historical events on large screens, but also the possible re-creation of those events. When something is re-created, the new product simply, by definition, could not put into perspective the overall effects of historical events properly. To captivate and to understand the death of one man for another on a movie screen hurts my head to even contemplate. One of the first American films, The Birth of A Nation, by D.W. Griffith, pioneers†¦show more content†¦Resnais initially cuts to documentary-like footage for the first section of the film, typifying life in the camps, and the early movement of the Holocaust. This introduction is followed by a hard cut back into an omnisci ent perspective from the historical present, also showing footage of the camps, but from more recent moments. When Resnais initially cuts from the past to the â€Å"present†, the narrator reflects: â€Å"Who does know anything? The reality of these camps, despised by those who built them and unfathomable to those who endured them, what hope do we have of truly capturing this reality,† (Night and Fog). By creating an image of what proper representation may be, and by hinting at the hardships in recreating and capturing history, Resnais critiques the very way in which we document and represent the un-representable, offering a valid exception in the form of â€Å"Night and Fog† itself. Marguerite Waller reflects upon historical representations saying thta â€Å"Representations in the sense that one position or effect can stand for another (whereby for example, [A female lead] could stand for women, who could stand for victims, who could stand for Jews) would re quire the inert, monocular vision enforced by binary logic that produces a kind of â€Å"truth† in which people and events appear to stay put† (Waller 269). This binary logic â€Å"limits historical understanding, concealing possibilities that couldShow MoreRelatedThe Phenomena Behind Equity Risk Premium Discussion For 35 Years1365 Words   |  6 Pagesconduct by Schiller (1982), highlighted the difficulty of explaining the historical volatility of stock prices. The results of Shiller’s paper stunned the profession at first as most of economists felt discount rates were close to constant over time. The intuition behind the unpredictability of volatility, later named volatility puzzle by scholars who have studied this paradox as well. Just after 3 years from Schiller work on historical volatility, Mehra and Prescott (1985) introduced the equity premiumRead MoreEssay on Like water for chocolate6961 Words   |  28 Pages yet recognize the complexity of human psychology. In the mid 20th century magical realism reared its head as an influential, if not genre, style of literature, usually Latin in origin. Distinct from realism, magical realism aims to seize the paradox of the union of opposites. The realistic laws of cause and effect are suspended: whereas events in realistic novels occur for reasons that are eventually made clear and lead logically to the conclusion of the plot, in magical realism events don’tRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagespeople, and for this reason it is virtually impossible to discuss plot in isolation from character. Character and plot are, in fact, intimately and reciprocally related, especially in modern fiction. A major function of plot can be said to be the representation of characters in action, though as we will see the action involved can be internal and psychological as well as external and physical. In order for a plot to begin, some kind of catalyst is necessary. An existing equilibrium or stasis must beRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pagescontingency frameworks, performance measurement systems, and strategic cost management, which are considered from the perspective of changing concerns facing modern organizations and present-day management thought as well as in the light of some of their historical dimensions. Other chapters deal with newly emerging concerns in management accounting, including network relations, digitization, integrated cost management systems, knowledge management pursuits, and environmental management accounting. 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Ocean Flying free essay sample

Part 1: The Sky I look up. I am covered in a blanket of black licorice. The moon caresses my cheeks, tickling the tips of my ears and my nose. I lay on the teak deck of the SSV Tole Mour next to three girls, people whom I consider as close as family, close enough to discuss that which I am afraid of. I tell them I am afraid I will not live my life to its fullest potential, that the opinions others have of me will force me down paths I would rather not take. I tell them I don’t care what the world thinks of me, yet like all humans, I am affected by its opinions. I fear a life of absurdity, a life chained to conformity, like that of Sisyphus. I want to live my life like we do here on the Tole Mour, I say, a life where love is the thread that binds us together, where we respect each other, allow our passions to fuel us, where we are not afraid to express our emotions. We will write a custom essay sample on Ocean Flying or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There is no shame on the Tole Mour; we find beauty in that which others would shy away from, like the beauty of the sky above us. The four of us look up together. The grandeur of the full moon seems to dance across the glossy surface of our eyes, seeming to nod in approval to a life of adventure. I close my eyes, and to the rocking of the ship, I am swayed to sleep. Part 2: The Land I look around. The silence was deafening. For nineteen minutes, the entire crew of the Tole Mour was completely silent, with only the sounds of the water filling our eardrums with satisfying resonations. During a normal sail strike, meaning the taking down and furling of the lower seven sails, commands would be heard echoing throughout the ship, with callbacks even louder than the commands themselves. Setting and striking sails on the Tole Mour is usually perceived as perfectly planned chaos. This time, with suggestion by the first mate, we decided to do a completely silent strike. It was the most beautiful scene I had every witnessed, eighteen bodies working in complete unison as seven sails were lowered and furled without a sound but the sea around us. Memories like these are what keep the SSV Tole Mour close to my heart, arousing the call of the sea year after year. I have learned to admire beauty in its simplicity, along with an appreciation for the â€Å"little things†. Because of the Tole Mour, I sing when I do the dishes, instead of watching TV, I watch the clouds. Part 3: The Sea I look down- the choppy, cresting waves of the Pacific lie twenty-five feet below the bowsprit. Above me is nothing but the blue of the sky, the white of the clouds. My arms are convulsing, squirming, uncertain; there is nothing to hold on to. The only way down is to jump, the free fall gifting me with five beautiful seconds of bliss, five seconds of understanding. I close my eyes and wait. This moment, the moment before I allow myself to step away from the edge, before I take a leap of faith, is when realization sets in For 5 seconds I am one with nature. I am surrounded by purity. It is this simple realization that connects me to the past,that is the thread that binds me to a world of Thoreau, Jack Sparrow, Stravinsky, the Beatles, and Andre Agassi. and Davy Jones Locker. this is where I feel content. Seconds before I splash into the ocean is when I have achieved all that I work so hard for, but never seem to concur. Here, I am a violinist, a composer, a challenging tennis player, an environmentalist with solutions, and a dreamer. I open my eyes and I am content and confident. I step off the edge, and for just a moment, I can fly.

Analyzing “the Rocking Horse Winner” free essay sample

â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner† DH Lawrence’s â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner† is the perfect example of this materialistic world. The Uncle in the story The Rocking Horse Winner is symbolic of capitalism and the drive to continue to obtain a greater income. The fact that the family is never content with their financial situation, Lawrence is showing the relationship of the family is affected by the amount of money they have. Luck is introduced as a way of achieving wealth instead of working hard for your money. Gambling has ways of tearing families a part and ruining lives. A family can work even if they’re dysfunctional as long as there is love in it. The world has become a materialistic place where enough is never enough. Lawrence’s family in this story is living well beyond their means, which is how many people live their lives. â€Å"The mother had a small income, and the father had a small income, but not nearly enough for the social position which they had to keep up. We will write a custom essay sample on Analyzing â€Å"the Rocking Horse Winner† or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page † People spend so much money trying to keep up with the Jones. Debt just piling up, until eventually you lose it all. â€Å"Paul’s mother touched the whole five thousand. Then something very curious happened. The voices in the house suddenly went mad,† Money doesn’t bring happiness; it can’t fix a person’s personal and dysfunctional problems in their life. Paul’s mother believed in fate and luck and that you couldn’t change it. In a passive way of dealing with things, to always blame people or supernatural means for your problems. â€Å" â€Å"And aren’t you lucky either, mother? † â€Å"I can’t be, I married an unlucky husband†. To accept responsibility means you have to acknowledge when you succeed as well as when you fail. His mother told Paul at an early age that it is better to be lucky then rich. â€Å"That’s why it’s better to be born lucky than rich. If you’re rich, you may lose your money. But if you’re lucky, you will always get m ore money. † She has lead her son to believe that luck determines all. When actually he could work hard and learn how to earn his own money and become quite wealthy. Paul already before the age of ten became a gambler. He became obsessive with the need to win as Paul slow starts to lose it. A gambler is an addict and they have an actual problem where they can’t stop, as does Paul in â€Å"The Rocking Horse Winner†. â€Å"I think you care too much about these races. It’s a bad sign. My family has been a gambling family, and you won’t know till you grow up how much damage it has done. † The stress from his gambling was probably one of the major factors that caused his sickness, which he later died from. Most families are not the traditional families you think of with a father, mother and three perfect children. Families aren’t cookie cutter, so they differentiate from one another, but they can survive if the have love, that’s what all successful families have in common. â€Å"She had bonny children, yet she felt they had been thrust upon her, and she could not love them. † There was a lack of love in Paul’s life that ate at him, and he strives for his mother’s affection. Children can tell when their not loved by their parents as Paul and his sisters knew. â€Å" Everybody else said of her: â€Å"She is such a good mother. She adores her children. † Only she herself, and her children themselves, knew it was not so. They read it in each others eye’s. † To know that your not loved by the person who brought you into this world, might make you question your self worth. The lack of love was what initially made Paul go mad and led to his tragic passing. DH Lawrence’s shows the reader an in depth perception of a fictional family, but is based more families then people would think. It’s a tough world when your out on your own, that’s why family support is important to people. As far as luck goes I think Shakespeare summed it up pretty well with this â€Å"some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon em. †