The Appreciation Of Film Art Film Studies Essay

The Appreciation Of Film Art Film Studies Essay The analysis of film enables viewers to truly appreciate the work as a form of art. It explains all of the working parts, thusly encouraging a more complete understanding of the whole. This in turn deepens the characters, conflicts, and theme of film making it more real or significant to the viewer. While initially developing and implementing skills of analytical viewing are difficult. With practice one will be able to analyze an entire move and describe how viewers find meaning in a film. Also, one can develop their own personal criteria for analyzing film. After reaching these goals the viewer will not only be able to enjoy the film emotionally but also intellectually. Effectively analyzing a film is complex in that film is not static. In literature and screenplays one is able to read and re-read the information because it remains motionless on the page. In film, however the viewer must be able to process the non-verbal, and other visual ques. During critical analysis of a film the critic must be able to view all of the elements separately but also understand their relationship to the whole. The viewer must ask several questions prior to the analysis of the film. Does the film have a unified plot? Is the story and characters credible? Is the film interesting? Does the director create a simplistic yet complex film? Does the film handle emotion with restraint (Boggs, 1996, pg. 6)? A film with a unified plot enables the viewers to follow a stream of consciousness when viewing the movie. Â  It has a beginning, middle, and an end. In literary terms, a unified plot includes an exposition, a rising action, a climax, and a denouement. The characters, theme, and plot are developed as the film progresses. A logical sequence of events maintains a constant theme and the conflict are resolved by elements or characters that have been introduced in the film. The events bear a resemblance to cause and effect; this forces the actions to move the story along (Boggs, 2008, pg. 41). During analysis one must decide if the film is credible. To accomplish this, the plot and the characters will fall into one of three categories. What is understood to be true, what could be true, or what is convincingly created as a reality. Harsh realities often fall into what is understood to be true. The audience knows that the protagonist will not always win and couples do not always stay together. On the other hand, human emotions dictate a desire to experience happy endings. In these films, Romeo would have received his letter from Juliet. Lastly, a production team will create a world of science fiction or fantasy. The objective viewer must decide whether this is done skillfully. The audiences response to the film is directly correlated to the credibility of the fantasy characters and the world of which they live. While all of these aspects can be found in a majority of film, the critical viewer will understand that one follows closest to the theme (Boggs, 2008, pg. 42). The most evident aspect to a reviewer and the audience is the movies ability to captivate. How do the filmmakers make the movie interesting? While to the audience this can be dependent on personal preference, the reviewer must remain objective to make this conclusion. Directors and writers will create suspense throughout the movie to create the desire to keep watching. They will usually provide the audience with clues hinting to possible outcomes. Another aspect of how interesting the movie is the action. Whether it be external, or physical action or it is internal or psychological action. As easily as the reviewer can see a duel or crash landing, they will be able to see external action. Now, when the action takes place in the mind or emotionally for the characters it is internal. They both however create movement that is essential to maintain the audiences interest in the film (Boggs, 2008, pg. 46). The complexity of the film should be taken into consideration during analysis. While it is possible to over-simplify the theme, characters, or the plot of a film it is also possible to make it too complex. Movies are essential created for consumption and as with all things consumed, consumers have different opinions on what pleases them. So, it is possible for many people who enjoy the complexity of a serious, thought-provoking film. On the other hand, it is just as simple to find those who would rather be entertained and do not desire to be challenged during a film. Either way as a critical reviewer, one should be able to recognize how well the film-maker combines these to ideas. How well they are able to present complex ideas in a simple manner without taking away from the meaning, and vice-versa (Boggs, 2008, pg. 48). A final aspect in critical review of film to consider is its ability to present emotional material with restraint. Normally the director will intend for the film to be reciprocated with a certain emotional response from the audience. However, if the audience feels as though it is being forced or coaxed to feeling a certain way it may have the opposite effect. As the objective viewer, one will notice that emotional content can be presented in plot structure, characters dialogue, musical score, and even visual cues. When analyzing the film, it is important to look at all of these aspects to understand the effect that they have on the whole. To understand how the emotional content is presented to add value to the film (Boggs, 2008, pg. 51). People from across every economic, social, gender, cultural, and all other stratifications that can be thought of watch movies. Knowing that people are innately different from one another leads one to the conclusion, that there exist hundreds of different ways that individuals use to find meaning in film. Meaning in cinema can be found and interpreted exclusively at face value. This method of course does not fully value the vision of the filmmakers and does not allow for the viewer to receive the complete experience that critical receptiveness would attain. When a critical viewer attempts to find meaning in a film there are several different areas in which they can search. The meaning of film can be found in its allegories, symbolism, metaphors, and ironies (Boggs, 2008, pg. 55). In cinema and literature, allegories create an additional meaning for what is being portrayed on the screen. The characters normally cannot adopt distinctive personalities because their primary role is to accurately portray something already in existence. In the film, Animal Farm, the audience understands the different roles that each animal plays and their association to the actual events that occurred in the early 1900s (Boggs, 2008, pg. 70). Films often use symbolism to help the audience discover meaning beyond what is being shown. Filmmakers will introduce a symbol that will arouse certain emotions, feelings, thoughts, and connotations within the viewer. This skillful application of symbols can be done with the use of natural or universally accepted signs or through by the director placing emphasis on the symbols throughout the film. Because different natural or universally accepted symbols have different meanings to different people there is some ambiguity in their meanings. For example, a common association of bats in Western society is to demons or spirits, association of the night. While in the East bats are a symbol of good fortune. When filmmakers want to apply meaning to symbols that occur in the film they utilize methods, such as, repetition, value added by characters, and context. When the director places emphasis on an object that otherwise would seem insignificant by showing it to the audience. When the chara cters place emphasis on objects or identify themselves through something, the audience understands that by considering the objects meaning and its associations they will be able to better understand the character. In context, the director will use a symbol to suggest a meaning to the audience through combining scenes, juxtaposition, or relating the object to other images in the scene. In Batman, when Bruce Waynes mother was shot the audience is shown her pearl necklace being broken and falling to the ground an example of juxtaposition (Boggs, 2008, pg. 71). Often in cinema different metaphors are used to represent actions. Normally metaphors are figures of speech that denote an object or idea to suggest likeness or analogies between them. There exist two methods in creating metaphors in film, extrinsic and intrinsic metaphors. Extrinsic metaphors a normally very similar to symbolism in film in that they are achieved by juxtaposition or showing scenes simultaneously. In a romance the director could show a man and woman making love and then show a bee pollinating a flower to show the miracle of life. The intrinsic metaphors occur more naturally, the metaphor can now replace action. The director can simply show the two people entering a room and then show the bees and the audience will understand what is happening. Of course, the metaphor for the actions depicted is the birds and the bees and many people grow up knowing and understanding its connotation (Boggs, 2008, pg. 80). Quite the opposite of metaphors and similes is irony. Irony creates association through differences; through the differences the audiences can draw similarities. There are many different types of irony: dramatic, situational, characters, setting, tone, and cosmic. Audiences draw meaning through irony by understanding the contradictions that exist in the film. In an example of irony of character in Sling Blade, the audience sees that the formally institutionalized for murder, Karl Childers, as a positive role model and even a father figure for Frank Wheatley. This portrays to the audience a caring, loving side of Karl but also shows the hopelessness of Franks situation (Boggs, 2008, pg. 88). Although viewers can find meaning through these devices, the most common methods are through analyzing the plot and characters of a film. The audience is able to automatically identify with these aspects and parallel personal experiences to find a meaning in a film. The conflict which is central to the plot a film is what moves the movie along. Conflict centers on man versus self, nature, society, or man. The characters portrayed in a film can be identified by the conflicts that they will face and the audience will be able to deepen their understanding of characters through the conflicts that they face. Firstly, the audience will see what actions lead to the conflict. Secondly, the audience will see how the character copes with the situation, whether he will rise to meet the challenge, remain static, or fail to act. Finally, the audience will be shown how the character reaches a resolution adding depth to the character. The type of conflict and the personality character who is facing it often develops the theme of a film. Once the nature of the characters is establishes the viewers can find meaning in them. Is the protagonist a strong minded, witty character who always is quick to act, like James Bond? The directors intention in films like these is to glorify traits of heroism and fearlessness. Similarly, Jason Bourne portrays many of the same traits but with distinct differences. Bourne is a neurotic and is on the run seeking vengeance from the government who betrayed him while lacking the suave style normally associated with Bond. While Bond classically a misogynist, Bourne is in love only with one woman. Audiences find interpret these characters differently and value them in different ways whether they like the values that the characters portray or not (Boggs, 2008, pg. 133). Criteria for effectively analyzing a film will vary from person to person. The most important objective is to establish a pattern, a system, or to evaluate films in way to ensure one covers every aspect. Personally I have developed a system that allows me to enjoy a film on an emotional level and then take a critical look at the different elements work together to create the whole. I do this by: locating a film, ensuring I have a clear open mind, watching the film first to determine interest and initial impressions. Then I will watch the film again to carefully analyze literary elements, such as, setting, plot, characters, and symbols. After the film is completed it is important to reflect on several questions. What is the theme of the movie? I consider if the movie effectively communicates a theme to viewers. How did the storyline move? Does the plot flow easily but remains complex drawing the audience in. Does the dialogue work? Will viewers of the film find the dialogue credible and natural? Do the set, lighting, score, and special effects add to the movie? If not properly utilized these effects can overwhelm the senses and detract from the film. How does the film represent its topic? How well is the film edited? If there are unnecessary scenes that do not add to the movie they should be cut out. Also, do scenes effectively transition or has too much been re moved making the film hard to follow. How effectively does the director use symbolism or metaphors? Does the director add depth to the characters or objects through association (Boggs, 2008, pg. 8)? After deliberate review of all of these questions I am able to fully appreciate the value of the effort put into, or lack thereof, filmmakers have put into their work. While at the same time it allows me to enjoy the film on a platonic level prior to analysis. Film is unique because it is an art form but it also an industry. Audiences are willing to sacrifice money and time to take part in the magic of the silver screen. Their love for this art form has created the need to better understand the films, to create a deeper meaning than what is first visible. With practice audiences can analyze an entire move and describe how they find meaning in a film. Also, they can develop their own personal criteria for analyzing film. Techniques employed by filmmakers at first may be difficult to comprehend, but once understood they will add significant value to the film.

Journeys End by RC Sheriff :: Letters War Essays

Journey's End by RC Sheriff Dearest Victoria, These last two months without you have been awful. We found out yesterday that the final attack is to be tomorrow, but I don’t wish for you to worry, the stress is no good for you or the baby and you must stay strong for the children and reassure them I will be fine. All of the men are starting to get nervous now, except for a few of the newer men who are slightly too enthusiastic, but I’m sure that will all soon change. Most of the men know what is likely to happen to us when we go out onto the front line tomorrow; only a few days ago four soldiers and an officer were killed whilst making a raid. It was a huge shock to all of us; especially Captain Stanhope, when we found out it was Officer Osborne. He was a fantastic officer and a great man. His death seemed to have a huge impact on Raleigh too; he was one of the enthusiastic ones I was saying about earlier. Raleigh’s welcome seemed to be slightly awkward at first. Although nobody said about it there was a strange atmosphere between him and Captain Stanhope. Even though things went back to normal after a while, Osborne’s death seemed to change things again. It was like he had been the peacemaker. I think, in a way, Raleigh may have felt guilty about Osborne’s death. You see Raleigh and Osborne had to make a raid in one of the Boche trenches to capture a German for questioning and whilst Osborne was waiting he was hit by a hand grenade. It was a terribly awful way to die and for all we know he could still be out there and probably is. I’m so afraid it is going to happen to me. It just shows you how anything can happen out here. Of course the Colonel and Sergeant Major didn’t give a damn about any of the men that died; all they cared about was getting information about that poor German boy. He was only about 17 and he looked scared to death. I’m sorry to go on but I’m just thinking of all the things I still want to say to you in these final moments of my life. I want so much to tell the children I love them. I want to see the birth of our new baby and I want to be around to help you look after the children. But most of all I want this letter to reach you in time so that I can tell

Jesus Christ and The Misfit in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard t

Jesus Christ and The Misfit in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find In Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find,† there are many Christian motifs found throughout the story, but the one that I found most interesting is the fact that O’Connor is apparently drawing parallels between The Misfit and Jesus Christ. Initially it seems like there is no way that this could actually be true- what could the Son of God who sacrificed Himself for the good of humanity have in common with a thief and a robber who escapes from jail and kills a family of six in cold blood? Upon closer examination, we can see that they are more similar than one might initially think. The first insight we may be able to draw is on the subject of names. The Misfit is a term that could easily be applied to Christ. In His time, Christ was an outcast, a rebel, and a man who did not fit the norms of the society in which He lived. He worked on the day of rest, He befriended tax collectors and prostitutes, and He drove the moneychangers out of the Temple in Jerusalem. (Mark 3, Matthew 9, Matthew 21). T...

How Geometry is used in Construction :: essays research papers

I have conducted my research through interview with someone familiar with construction and development as how geometry is used in these fields.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first step to development is to survey the property in order to document and draw the bounds and land surface shapes. The property will be represented by various geometry elements such as points, lines, arcs, circles, and other defined geometry shapes. Surveyors use scope on tripods witch use projection of line Referenced point on a stick in order to measure the variations of the heights on the ground. This tool uses various angel theorems and postulates to find location of property boundaries, property corners, utilities and building layouts on the property. The surveyor uses the data collected to draw the property layout on a 36†x 24†sheet of paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After completion of this step the architects use the surveying drawing to develop a working drawing for the building. In these drawing you will see triangles, rectangles, squares, arches and other geometry shapes and forms to create their design. The architects through our history have used these shapes to create famous structures all over the world. If you go back to Roman historical sites you will see such examples like the great Coliseum. A great example can be seen is the famous Egyptian pyramid. Some other famous structures are the Eiffel Tower which is in Italy, and Chrysler building in New York. If you look around your neighborhood houses, you will see these shapes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The structural engineers use geometry in their design in order to calculate the spacing of their columns and beams for proper strength for the building.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The construction phase would not be possible without the knowledge of basic geometry. Points, lines, measurements and angles are often used to lay out the building in accordance to the architect drawings.

Htc Business Model Essay

Executive summary Using Google’s Andriod platform has given HTC a boost, but now the Taiwanese handset maker are vulnerable to underwhelming sales in America and Europe. Their hope? China. HTC only entered China in early 2010, much later than its established peers. It is playing catching up with international premium brands, such as Apple, Samsung and LG, where HTC is currently aiming to get a slice of the pie. However, the company is also facing stiff competition from local brands who operate at the lower price market. In this Global Marketing proposal, we propose several initiatives for HTC to grow its current 1% marketshare in the China mobile phone market, including new products for HTC to tap into the lower price market as well as localized promotion campaigns to sell phones in rural areas. It is time for HTC to sway away from satisfied with being ‘quietly brilliant’. Context analysis Company Background HTC Corporate, founded in 1997, was a relatively obscure Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM). Incorporated as High Technology Computer, HTC focused on manufacturing of computer notebooks. The company created the world’s first pocket size PC in collaboration with Microsoft in 1998[1]; it later developed the iPAQ, one of the earliest PDA for Compaq in 2000. HTC’s close tie with Microsoft led them to develop XDA[2] in 2002, first ever smartphone operated on Windows. The company remained true to ODM principles when it produced smartphones by efficiently catering for carriers’ specifications and requests. HTC’s ODM smartphones continued to generate profit margin as high as 20% compared to industry average of 5%[3]. According to Harvard Business Review, HTC shipped more than 70% of the world’s Windows smartphones in 2006 at its peak. HTC won a reputation for excellent smartphones. But it wanted more, and began to invest more in innovation before eventually creating its own brand in 2007. HTC set up a unit called Magic Labs[4], where engineers from various disciplines come up with lots of ideas, even if most were quickly discarded. From this unit bred several ground breaking ideas, including HTC touch, a touch screen device that appeared few weeks before Apple’s first iPhone; and first ever Android phone in collaboration with Google. Reaping from the Android’s high penetration rate, the company experienced unprecedented growth from 2008 onwards and became the top seller of smartphones in America in 3Q of 2011, according to Canalys Research. HTC has recently eclipsed Nokia in market capacity and has climbed up to the no.3 spot for smartphones sold worldwide, behind Apple and Samsung. In terms of brand equity, the company has invested heavily in developing its own brand and broke into Interbrand’s top 100 Brands 2011[5] (no. 98) . China: Macro-environmental Factors Politics China remained a single party directed country since the founding of People’s Republic of China in October 1949. Putting political ideologies differences aside, efficient decision-making is widely seen as a characteristic of China’s political system. The profound changes that have taken place in various fields of this nation: from Deng Xiaping’s Special Economic Zone in the 80s to the economic leaps in the turn of the century. Inefficiencies in the political system such as corruption still exist today, but China’s communist party has taken bold steps for reform. The party has embraced market socialist economy to lead China out of poverty and soar to one of the most powerful nations in the world. Economic Despite China has mounted new heights in her economy, outshining Japan as the second largest economy in the world, the slowdown in economic growth has not abated. The housing boom in the past decade is now over, implying that growth now weigh on heavy industry and local consumption. In the past, China has offered massive infrastructure stimulus, as it did to prop up growth following SARS and the global financial crisis. However, local governments have learned not to overheat the economy, as evidenced by the late 2011 credit crunch in Wenzhou[6]. Central government is expecting a moderate GDP growth of 6%, but China is due for correction in its property and possibly stock market. Social China’s Communist Party maintained its strong foothold in the nation, as the country enjoyed a period of unprecedented prosperity in the past decade. As China’s economy take flight, the number of local billionaires and millionaires grew by leaps and bounds. The wealth gap, at the same time, widened drastically. As a consequence, there have been several localized pro-democracy campaigns since 2011. Termed ‘Jasmine revolution’, citizens used social network site such as microblogs to organize public protests demanding fairness, housing and food – social issues that are often overlooked during economic boom. Such unrests were quickly put to rest as Beijing aims to mitigate any form of dissidents since learning the hard lessons from Tiananmen protests in 1989. Other than localized protests and occasional controversy in human rights, China’s social order have been maintained. Technology China has sparked its technological boom since it gained accession to the world trade organization in 2001. Internally, China has developed a matured internet market which now boost one of the largest internet users in the world. In mobile phones, the market evidenced a dynamic growth due to the rapid development of mobile subscriptions and growing third-generation (3G) networks. China: Smartphone Market Industry analysis After China’s telecommunications operators acquired 3G licenses, they formed several strategic alliances with mobile phone brands. For example, China Unicom has established alliances with Apple’s iPhone and Lenovo’s LePhone, whilst Motorola and HTC and strategic partners with China Telecom. Customer analysis According to government statistics in 2012, China has become to first country to top 1 billionThe cell phone users, a soar from 2010’s 787 million users. The number of users is equivalent to 74% of China’s population. That being said, only 14% of users are 3G users. Mobile phones are seen as a necessity, as customers regularly use phones for texting and micro-blogging. Competitor analysis Mobile phones are relatively consolidated in China, with the top five brands deriving nearly 72% of total retail volume stales in 2010[7]. Top five brands are Nokia (34.2%) , Samsung (18.1%), LG (6.8%), ZTE (6.3%) and Huawei (6.3%). Apple (1.4%) and HTC (0.7%) are late boomers in the market, with both companies having entered China in 2009 and 2010 respectively. According to market research by Canalys[8], international brands such as Samsung, Apple and HTC should continue to dominate in the space above RMB2,500 (US$400). Leading local tier-one brands, such as Huawei and ZTE, are diversifying beyond the entry level by launching a number of high-profile, flagship smart phones. As of late, Lenovo has made efforts to penetrate the low cost, rural market by introducing models starting from RMB700 (US$158). Company Analysis HTC in China HTC only entered China in 2009 and occupied a market share below 1% as of figures in 2010. Its strategy is to challenge Samsung and Apple as the biggest smartphone players in Mainland, but it also faces stiff competition from local brands such as Tianyu and ZTE Despite its geographic proximity in Taiwan, HTC started off late in China than in richer parts of the world largely because the country’s 3G structure was not as matured in 2009 as today. Targeting & Positioning HTC’s mission statement is â€Å"to become the leading innovative supplier of mobile information and communication devices by providing value-added design, world class manufacturing and logistic and service capabilities.† Whilst this may have been a successful formula over the past 10 years in geographic location, HTC is in danger of falling behind competitors in China. HTC currently has 10% of the market for smartphones costing more than RMB2,000 (US$320). Its strategy is to target those high-end customers who utilizes 3G network and appreciates international brand. As if HTC’s Magic Lab works tirelessly to come up with numerous innovative products, HTC currently adopts a similar volume approach in its phones. HTC regularly pushes forward phones in the market. In 2011, when Apple had launched one new iPhone, HTC introduced fifteen new models. HTC’s Challenge After a meteoric rise which placed it briefly atop the U.S. smartphone sales charts, HTC revenue as a whole in the first two months of 2012 was a staggering 45% down on last year. HTC has run afoul of punitive legal juggernaut Apple, which delayed the availability of HTC’s handsets. Determined to avoid the fate looming over troubled rivals like Research in Motion, HTC saw a big revitalization push in China, championed by several flagship phones such as HTC One X and Evo 4G Lite. Sales in Europe have been dropping but HTC saw better than expected revenue in China. The rise of HTC in China despite its late entry could be partially attributed to their advanced operating systems with Android and excellent hardware, such as dual core processing units and friendly features where the phone rings louder when in a bag. But with competitors catching up hardware specifications overnight these days, can HTC sustain its China growth? The challenge of HTC faces is not neither simply in hardware nor software. HTC needs to formulate a marketing and branding strategy for China, as to fend off the fierce challenge by international brands (Apple, Samsung) and local players. Proposed Marketing Campaign For the proposed marketing campaign, we propose a bi-polar approach to target existing high-end customers of HTC’s and also tap into the basic customers specturum, an area HTC has not entered so far. High-end customers HTC is currently focusing on high-end customers who are tech savvy, able and willing to pay for premium mobile phones. These high-end customers are currently up and coming professionals, live a fast moving lifestyle and mostly reside or work in first or second tier cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi Chuan. All of these customers have subscribed or are going to subscribe 3G network, in order to make the most of out HTC’s smartphones. In addition to product quality and operating system, high-end customers nowadays also care about brand reputation and image. The proposed marketing campaign for HTC’s high-end customers is therefore to enrich the brand experience and differentiate HTC’s personality. Basic customers As mentioned earlier, 3G users accounts to less than 20% of China’s mobile phones market. According to market analysis, local players, best represented by ZTE and Huawei, are more popular amongst price sensitive mass and lower-end customers. These basic customers reside in third tier cities or rural areas, demand basic functions for their phones and also aspires to own a smartphone one day. Product Designers collaborations are nothing new. Indeed, they are now a well-established marketing tool – as well as source of income. Standard Hotel Group in America has joined forces with the likes of surfwear brand Quiksilver to provide exclusive trunks and bikinis that guests can purchase in the group’s resorts. H&M, the Swedish fashion behemoth, took rise after asking Karl Lagerfeld, designer for Chanel and owner of Fendi, to come up with a special collection back in 2004. For mobile phones,it is no different story. RIM collaborated with Porsche design and launched a high-end luxurious blackberry in 2011. LG and Prada started working together in 2006[9] and continued to attract fashionistas for their crossover phones. For high-end customers, HTC should leverage connection with a renowned brand within the Chinese community and produce collaborate products. Nike would deem to be an appropriate choice, given the brand is held in high regards among Chinese and its innovative brand image aligns with that of HTC’s. Nevertheless, Nike has strong connection with Apple as Nike currently produces Nike+ – a tracking device that connects an athletes’ performance data with iPhones, iPods etc. If there is a brand for up-and-coming professionals which matches HTC’s pricing and targeting strategy, Adidas would be a great fit. Rather than choosing a luxury brand such as LVMH or Gucci, a partnership with Adidas could not only appeal to the sports lovers, but also be perceived as socially acceptable. Partnering with luxurious goods might risk further alienation as the wealth gap widens in China. Adidas is actively investing on its mi adidas platform that rivals Nike+. The sports company enjoys a good reputation in China after sponsoring Team China in Beijing Olympics, and its innovative roots in products and designs could enrich the HTC brand experience. For basic customers, HTC could build 2G or even very basic 3G phones to attract the mass. With much reduced functionality and a lower price point, HTC could attract the 80% users who have not yet subscribe to 3G network. While the simpler handsets should have less fancy functions, embodying the HTC names mean that that the phones should still be innovative. HTC could be more localize with these phones by having local functions such as Chinese keyboard and improved durability that adapts to environment in rural areas. Perhaps basic phones could have a brighter screen for users to view the screen easily in open rural areas, or made in anti-sand materials as desertification is common in northwest China. Aside from hardware reengineering, HTC needs to redesign its software capabilities. HTC is relatively weak in content when compared to rivals such as Apple. It has no plans to launch its own app store, preferring instead to reply on Android marketplace and its apps. HTC acquired French content provider Abaxia in June 2010[10] to develop innovative apps for its devices. Recently, it has installed digital map apps in HTC Sense interface. Currently, there is a market gap in smartphone manufacturer originated apps in China. Almost all of the apps available on Android/iPhone system are developed by individual software company. HTC could potentially develop operating system with apps linked to popular Chinese social media sites, such as QQ and Sina’s Microblog. Price HTC should continue to target upper tier price points for its high end customers. Its currently price point closely resembles Apple’s and Samsung’s, averaging around RMB2,500 (US$400). The high price setting strategy further illustrates HTC’s ambition to compete with the international brands but the company could consider undercutting its price by a fraction, say less than 10%, than the leaders so as to gain stronger market share. Price reduction should not be advertised aggressively, as it might signal a loss in quality. For products in the lower end market, HTC should try to be a price leader in the arena. Lenovo markets its cheaper line of phones around RMB700, and HTC should try to undercut Lenovo. It is important to capture the basic customers first, with the hope that HTC could persuade basic users to switch to more expensive phones over time. Place According to Economists, HTC now as 2,300 authorized retailers in China. Apple has 3,500 – not withstanding its flagship Apple store and website – while Nokia and Samsung have 9,000 each. HTC could open more shops by granting authorized retailers license, but it is easier said than done as brands jostle retailers for shelf spaces. Rather than investing heavily in opening its own shop, HTC could form a strategic partnership with popular online shop Taobao or Alibaba to reach customers in the second or third tier cities to compliment its e-shop. Further place promotion could been referred in ‘HTC ambassador’ campaign in People section. In first tier cities, HTC could theoretically leverage on Adidas’s store presence and distribution network. Nonetheless, HTC should adopt a selective approach by opening flagship store that can illustrates its customer experience. Promotion In HTC’s incumbent global marketing campaign, the company slogan is ‘quietly brilliant’. HTC commercials do not focus on the precise functionality of their handsets but the way people use them. The concept itself is intuitive, but the campaign is not as much advertised in China as other places – the slogan does not even has a Chinese translation. As a result, HTC’s promotion in China is product focused. HTC One X advertisements were filmed where a photographer takes pictures with HTC phone while skydiving – stressing the superior camera quality of the handset. To revamp the promotion campaign, HTC should first come up with a better slogan for China or even for its global campaign. Stressing on the way people interact with HTC cell phones is a good idea, but conceptually the slogan could be more straight forward – Nokia’s ‘connecting people’ or LG’s ‘life is good’ are good examples. For China specifically, HTC needs to build on build on enriching users experience. Yan Siqing, chief operating officer of China Telecom said HTC grew rapidly despite its late start because it provided a â€Å"good user experience†. Nationwide promotion campaign should focuses on how HTC helps people to capture their moments in life. Whether is at work, in sporting moments or vacation, a user-friendly HTC handset is always there to make things happen. People Simliar to Unilever’s â€Å"Shakti Revolution† to help women in rural India to become entrepreneurs[11], HTC could foster partnership with non governmental organisations, banks and local counties, to promote handsets at rural areas through employing ‘HTC ambassadors’. Ambassadors are underpriviledged residents in country sides and they are invited to become direct-to-consumer sales distributors for HTC’s basic handsets for second or third tier cities. Contrary to normal mom-and-pop shops, HTC should provide training in selling, commercial knowledge and bookkeeping to help ambassadors become micro-entrepreneurs. This proposal could not only expand HTC’s reach in the lower tier markets, but also been seen as a socially responsible act of goodwill. ———————– [1]Kim R. & Yoffie D., HTC Corp. in 1999, 8th Dec 2009, Harvard Business Review [2]Sourced online: http://xda.o2.co.uk/ [3]Kim R. & Yoffie D., HTC Corp. in 1999, 8th Dec 2009, Harvard Business Review [4]HTC: The brand from no where; The Economist, 7th Apr 2012, sourced online from [5]http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/best-global-brands-2011.aspx [6]Wolfe A, Gurushina N & Gassambe I, China Outlook: The Tao of Hard Landing, 28 May 2012, Roubini Global Economics Report [7]Mobile Phones in China, Category Briefing, 19 Sep 2011; Passport GMID [8]http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20120619PR203.html [9]http://www.gizmag.com/lg-prada-collaborative-phone/20862/ [10]http://www.ubergizmo.com/2010/06/htc-acquires-abaxia-to-strengthen-its-software-capabilities/ [11]http://www.unilever.com.au/sustainability/casestudies/economic-development/creating-rural-entrepreneurs.aspx

Chartered Accountancy Essay

Chartered Accountancy as a profession is attracting a lot of young and witnessing a rapid growth, thanks to the growing corporate sector globally. Chartered Accountants usually occupy high and respectable posts in an organization. They are the ones responsible for handling accounts and finance related matters, deal with money management. Chartered Accountancy is also a dynamic, challenging and rewarding profession. Chartered Accountancy Course is a professional course in Accounting introduced in our country in 1949, with the enactment of the Chartered Accountants Act. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was formed the same year. This Institute is both an examining and a licensing body. It is the responsibility of the institute to conduct the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. Chartered accountants are the one who are specialized in accounting, auditing and taxation. They also serve as a management and corporate caretaker. In recent times, accountancy has become popular as a profession. The services of a Chartered accountant are required in money matters even in a small business. Moreover according to the Company Act only CA’s in professional practice are allowed to be appointed as auditors of companies in India. Chartered Accountants are the one who are accepted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) after having passed the Final examination of the Chartered accountancy course conducted by the institute. CA Program currently has three sections, Common Proficiency Test (CPT) that was earlier known as Professional Education exam (PE1), Professional Competence Course (PCC or PCE) and Final examination.

Target Case Study

Case Study: Target Adriana Gonzalez Principles of Marketing Statement of the Problem(s) In this particular case, there is one major dilemma and all other problems seemed to have risen from this one. For the past few years there has been a recession globally. In the year 2008, the recession was at its peak and all industries suffer tremendously. For many years Target grew at a much faster pace than Wal-Mart, but the economy made a radical turn affecting everyone. Target rapidly started to experience low sales as the time pass.As a result, the most important shareholder, William Ackman, demanded a rapid and effective strategy to bring Target’s sales up once again (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). Summary of the Facts * Target is known for its products in style and fashion. * Numerous designer product lines. * Customers view Target as a retail store with higher prices * Target’s customers went for the lower prices at its competitors retail store * Wal-Mart changed is mission sta tement to â€Å"Save money. Live better. † it mimics Target’s mission statement (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). While Target’s image of higher quality products remained, Wal-Mart use â€Å"rollbacks† to attract customers. * Target started to greet customers with value messages and big signs promoting sale products (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). Target’s mission statement has been, â€Å"Expect More. Pay Less. † After the recession the company focused on the â€Å"Pay Less† part of their slogan. At the middle of the year 2008, Target had experienced three quarters of same-store sales growth (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). Customers did not respond as rapidly as the company hoped.They seemed to be more interested in low prices than quality. Wal-Mart took over Target’s customers during the recession. Analysis The CEO, Gregg Steinhafel, came up with a strategy to help the business. Using the same mission statement, they focused on the â€Å" Pay Less† part of it. On the other hand, Wal-Mart’s new mission statement seemed to fit perfectly with customers during this difficult economy crisis. Target’s competitor closed its quarterly sale-store sales with an increase of five percent during 2008, while Target had no increases (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012).After months of urging the new strategy the company finally got results. New advertising help the company move forward in the industry. Target launched a new brand named â€Å"up & up,† which was a thirty percent lower than comparable brand names. The company also decided to introduce fresh foods that were not as expensive as its competitors. Target’s stock went up twenty-seven percent since 2010, when they introduced fresh foods (Young, 2012). Now customers could to all their shopping at Target without hesitating to make another stop at the grocery store.For the past five years Target and Wal-Mart have been the strongest competitors in the re tail industry. Target suffered the first couple of years, but has climbed up to its competitor’s level. The company was in critical condition when the most important shareholder, William Ackman, demanded effective results. Ackman stated, â€Å"It should be a business that does well, even in tough economic times† (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). After Ackman’s statement the CEO, Steinhafel, sharpened its strategy by advertising new television commercials with catchy music.Promoting new ads and adding a Target brand helped Target to raise its sales to five percent with profits of fifty-four percent increase (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). Meanwhile, Wal-Mart focused on low price strategy to save people money. Target on the other hand commits to a higher marketing expenditure and considers its customers guests (Wal-Mart and Target, 2011). After all, many customers continue to shop at Target because of its higher quality products. Recommendations Target is not the only busin ess that was harmed due to the recession. On the contrary, it was one of the businesses that survived those tough years.There were losses in the company, not just financially, it also lost many customers. There were obviously changes that needed to be made quickly and intelligently. The CEO, Steinhafel, made a wise decision when it came to emphasizing differently the current slogan. Customers might have had a different perspective of the store and its products. They may not recognize Target as a high quality and fashionable retail store, but as a retail store that lost its faith in its mission statement. â€Å"Expect More,† is the most important part of the mission statement because customers expect more when they shop at Target.Target’s customers still had that image of better quality but now at lower prices. When it comes to promotion and advertising, the company could have done more on this portion. As the company started to advertise more television commercials and weekly newspaper circulars, the customers soon responded to them. Customers liked the idea of ads showing ordinary people consuming Target’s products (Armstrong & Kotler, 2012). After eighteen long months of pushing forward the strategy Target finally got results. Customers would have responded positively if these promotions were at their reach months earlier.The company’s number one priority needs to be our customers’ demands, wants, and needs. Target’s strategies need to focus around our customers in order to maintain sales and profits. The shortages of concentration on promotion lead to a longer crisis for Target. By researching our customers wants and needs the company can accomplish greater profits. The company cannot set aside the importance of marketing process and marketing mix. Managers have to motivate everyone in the organization to help built customer relationships. Target’s success lies on strong customer-focused and heavily committed to marketing.References Armstrong, G. , & Kotler, P. (2012). Principles of Marketing (pp. 94-95). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Wal-Mart and Target: Strategic Differences. (2011). Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://www. ftsmodules. com/public/texts/valuationtutor/VTehn3/tonic8/tonic8htm. Young, A. (2012 August, 23). Target Vs. Wal-Mart: Target Wins on Pricing, Barely, And Probably Not for Long. Retrieved February 19, 2013, from http://ibtimes. com/target_vs_wal-mart_target_wins_prining_barely_and_probably_not_long_htm.