A Close Reading Of Oedipus Rex - 1226 Words

Lisa Kidwell Dr. Jessica Parker ENG October 21, 2015 A Close Reading of Oedipus Rex Ancient Greeks cared deeply about the pursuit of knowledge. Although the truth was often a terrifying concept, they still saw it as a critical virtue. The theater was one way in which the ideas of knowledge and truth were examined. Many Greek dramatists use the self-realizations of their characters to underscore the themes of their tragedies. Sophocles, for one, uses the character transformation of Oedipus, in tandem with the plot, to highlight the theme of his famous work, Oedipus the King. As Oedipus grows in terrifying self-knowledge, he changes from a prideful, heroic king at the beginning of the play, to a tyrant in denial toward the middle, to a fearful, condemned man, humbled by his tragic fate by the end. At first, Oedipus appears to be a confident, valiant hero. This is especially true during the situation alluded to at the beginning of the drama, when he solves the Sphinx s riddle. Although Oedipus is not a native Theban, he still chooses to a nswer the riddle of the Sphinx despite her threat of death to anyone who fails to answer correctly. Only a man like Oedipus, a man possessing tremendous self-confidence, could have such courage. When Oedipus succeeds, freeing the city from the Sphinx s evil reign, he becomes instantly famous and known for his bravery and intelligence. A temple priest reveals the respect the Thebans have for their king when he tells Oedipus, You freedShow MoreRelated Use of Character Flaws and Literary Devices to Teach Morals in Oedipus Rex1290 Words   |  6 PagesDevices to Teach Morals in Oedipus Rex      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex is an excellent example of how an author can use literary techniques and personality traits to teach a certain moral or theme.   In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles communicates his themes and morals to the reader through the character flaws of Oedipus, a tragic hero.   The most prominent character flaw that Oedipus possesses is his excessive arrogance. One way this flaw is displayed is Oedipus repeated use of the pronounRead MoreReview Of Oedipus Rex 1342 Words   |  6 PagesJake Gilman Modern Mythology Period 8 Fusaro Oedipus Rex Reading Questions What appears to be the function of the Chorus? - The chorus in Greek tragedies has a similar function to the narrator in various books and plays. It is an outside source that describes the actions of the characters, as well as their thoughts or feelings. Just like a narrator, the chorus can be used to foreshadow an upcoming event and provide more detail than what is said on stage. However, theRead More Film Adaptation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Essay971 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"You are your own enemy† (Guthrie, Oedipus Rex, 22:43). In the film adaptation of Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus Rex† (1957), Sir Tyrone Guthrie portrays the characters as truth seekers that are ignorant when trying to find King Laius’ murderer. On the other hand, Sigmund Freud’s hypothesis of Sophocles’ work introduces us to â€Å"The Oedipus Complex† (1899) which states that as we’re young we grow infatuated with our opposite sex parent and feel resentment towards our same-sex parent. These two p ieces have adaptedRead More Comparing Creons Metamorphosis in Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus1114 Words   |  5 PagesCreons Metamorphosis in Antigone, Oedipus the King, and Oedipus at Colonus      Ã‚  Ã‚   Temptation is ever present in our society and always has been throughout human history. When a person gives into temptation, this is seen as a sign of weakness. Usually, after a person has given into temptation once, that person will find each successive temptation easier and easier to give in to. Before realizing it, this person has changed into a completely false, morally lacking being. Over the course of SophoclesRead MoreAnalysis Of Me Before You, Oedipus Rex, And Macbeth1261 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, that spanned the breadth of our reading this year, was the idea of fate, and how we as mere humans attempt to alter it. This idea pervades centuries of literature, from Greek tragedies to contemporary love stories; fate has played a large role in fiction since the dawn of writing. When an author sets down her pen upon her desk in anticipation of a novel, she will use fate deliberately, exactly, to weave her tale. In the texts, Me Before You, Oedipus Rex, and Macbet h, it is apparent that theirRead MoreHow to Read Literature Like a Professor1408 Words   |  6 Pagessituations, ideas, and themes. -There’s only one story. â€Å"When a new work is created, it is set among the monuments, adding to and altering the order.† –T.S. Eliot -Intertextuality: the ongoing interaction between poems or stories. This link deepens reading, adding multiple levels of meaning to a work. Connections: -Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder: Through Sophie’s travels she meets characters from other works of literature, such as Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, and other recognizable charactersRead More A Rebuttal to E. R. Dodds On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex2978 Words   |  12 PagesA Rebuttal to E. R. Dodds On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex In On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex, E. R. Dodds takes issue with three different opinions on Oedipus Rex. I consider the first two opinions, which Dodds gleaned from student papers, to be defensible from a close reading of the text. The first of these opinions is that Oedipus was a bad man, and was therefore punished by the gods; Dodds counters that Sophocles intended for us to regard him as good, noble, and selfless. ButRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King3894 Words   |  16 PagesThe Concept of Fate in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To the first-time reader of Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, it seems that the gods are in complete domination of mankind. This essay will seek to show that this is not the case because the presence of a tragic flaw within the protagonist is shown to be the cause of his downfall.    In the opening scene of the tragedy the priest of Zeus itemizes for the king what the gods have done to the inhabitants of Thebes:    A blight isRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Oedipus Rex, And Willie Loman1204 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough Oedipus, Othello, and Willie Loman can all be said to fall within Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, each represents a very different interpretation of the concept. Oedipus, the tragic hero of Oedipus Rex, written by the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, is inarguably a tragic hero. In fact, Oedipus was the model which Aristotle used to define tragic heroes. Oedipus’ story certainly is tragic. After going on a manhunt to find the murderer of his subjects’ former king, Oedipus eventuallyRead MoreThe Theory Of Oedipus Complex1469 Words   |  6 Pagesof the mother. The boy sees the father as a threat for her affections, desires and attentions. In terms of the psychoanalytic theory, Oedipus complex may refer to the desire of a child to sexual engagement with a parent of opposite sex, specifically the boy’s amatory concentration, attention and attraction to the mother. Freud argues that the complexity of Oedipus plays an imperative function in the stage of Phallic where a kid undergoes psychosexual growth. Freud also trusts that if the stage completes

The War On Drug War - 2268 Words

â€Å"Over 40 year ago president nixon, Declared Drug abuse public enemy number one, starting an unprecedented global Campaign, the war on drug. Today the number are in the war on drug is a huge failure with devastated unintended consequences, it lead to mass incarceration in the us, to corruption, to political destabilization, and violence in latin america, asia, and africa. To systemic human right abuse across the world.†-Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell The drug war is an all out war between drug cartels, and the governments of the usa and mexico. It has been going for more than 40 year, but it has been a things since the nineteenth century since drug was trafficked from one place to another. In the 1960s drug was a common thing in usa whether legal or not it was a for form symbol for many from rebellion toward the government, social upheaval and even political dissent until the 1971s when it became a bit harder to obtain the drug because of the many laws that came when nixon became president. The drug war has caused many problem problem in many countries especially in mexico where the heat of the problem has come to be from raging war between the government of mexico and drug cartels, from many cities not being safe because of the constant violence throughout the country to economic disruption and more. More than 164,000 people had died between 2007 and 2014 because of the drug war in mexico, more than the iraq and afghanistan war zones combine. Because of the drug warShow MoreRelatedThe War On Drug War2282 Words   |  10 Pagespresident nixon, Declared Drug abuse public enemy number one, starting an unprecedented global Campaign, the war on drug. Today the number are in the war on drug is a huge failure with devastated unintended consequences, it lead to mass incarceration in the us, to corruption, to political destabilization, and violence in latin america, asia, and africa. To systemic human right abuse across the world.†-Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell The drug war is an all out war between drug cartels the usa and mexicoRead MoreThe Drug War On Drugs1378 Words   |  6 Pagesnon-violent drug charges. These people’s lives are now forever changed because of a mistake they made. This mistake is continually made every single day and Americans are being punished in extreme ways for a non violent crime. The United States needs to decimalize all drugs because the drug war is costly, causes high incarceration rates, and isn’t effective as European drug solutions. In the 20th century, the United States government led a major renewed surge in drug prohibition called the War on DrugsRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay972 Words   |  4 PagesThe war on drugs have been a critical issue that has repeatedly held a great debate topic. It was in the 1906 when the first act against drug was put into effect with the Pure Food and Drug Act which required all over-the-counter medication to have label of its ingredients. Under President Nixon the first executive branch office to coordinate drug policy was formed and the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was put into place. Two years following that the Drug Enforcement AgencyRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to control crime, instead of how to prevent it. Not only is the war on drugs costlyRead MoreWar on Drugs818 Words   |  3 Pagesunderstatement to the punishments given to drug dealers for their drug related offenses. Mandatory minimum drug sentencing was arguably established to target higher level drug dealers but recently the majority of cases have been low level drug dealers. Distributing narcotics is a serious offense, but do these people who are trying to support themselves, a family, or an addiction deserve to spend close to a lifetime incarcerated? During the 1960’s drugs became a symbol of â€Å"youthful rebellion, socialRead MoreThe War on Drugs1350 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggling with the problem of drug addiction of its citizens. This has led the federal government to take measures to restrain the problem of addiction in the United States. However, after observing these measures, such as the ‘War on Drugs’ and its consequences, scholars now question the effectiveness of the drug policy implemented. Some scholars even argue that the War on Drugs has been more harmful to American citizens than helpful. Also, scholars claim that the drug policy has had severe consequencesRead MoreIs The War On Drugs?1252 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscussing is the War on Drugs. I will discuss the War on Drugs in relation to mass incarceration and to what consequences the War on drugs has caused among people and society itself. I have always been interested by the War on Drugs. However, slowly realizing, I only knew so much about the issue. As I further researched I learned what the term, â€Å"War on Drugs† really means. The â€Å"War on Drugs† is about the prohibition of drugs in society. Therefore, I strongly believe that the Drug War is a very controversialRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs Essay1549 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Drug has been a serious issue in our society and criminal justice institutes due to many problems associated, including the violence, negative health benefits, social disorganization, and other negative consequences. The police agencies have adopted a policy called â€Å"The War on Drugs†, as a response to the rising drug problems. The War on Drugs has popularized variety policies and practices that significantly increased the overall number of drug arrests, and other drug related offenses(TheRead MoreThe War On Drugs927 Words   |  4 PagesIn 1971 President Richard Nixon declared a War on Drugs stating that drug abuse was â€Å"public enemy number one†. Four decades later America is still waging this war that many say can never truly be won. The goal of this campaign has always been the prohibition of drugs, military aid, and military intervention with the stated aim being to define and reduce the illegal drug trade however the tactics used thus far have done little to solve the problem of drugs in the United State. The use of militaryRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1199 Words   |  5 PagesThere was so much information on this topic of the War on Drugs that I am still wrapping my mind around it. It went into such detail about the war on drugs that are never talked about. We always hear â€Å"just say no.† I know that drugs are a very big problem in our society and even the whole world but I never knew to what extent it really was. I found it very interesting how Johann Hari interviewed these people who were in the middle of the drug war and their stories. It really opened my eyes to what

Alexander the great 2 Essay Example For Students

Alexander the great 2 Essay Alexander the Great, born in 256 BC in Pella, Macedonia, was the son of Philip of Macedon and Princess Olympiasof Epirus. As a young boy he was always fearless, strong, and eager to learn. He went on to inherit each of his parents best qualities. His father was an excellent general and organizer, while his mother was extremely intelligent.At the age of thirteen he became a pupil of Aristotle. It was Aristotle who inspired Alexanders great love for literature. Through his mentor Alexander learned the Greek ways of living and the ideals of Greek civilization.However, it was not all work and no play for the young Alexander. He spent a great deal of time participating in sports and daily exercise in order to develop a strong body. At a fairly young age Alexander was given many responsibilities. His father made him his ambassador to Athens when he was eighteen. Two years later he became the King of Macedonia. During this time the Greek states had become restless under Macedonian rule. While Alexander was away fighting, the people of Thebes seized the opportunity and revolted. When Alexander returned he attacked the city and destroyed almost everything in sight. This dissipated any further attempts at rebellion and Alexander quickly united the Greek cities and formed the League of Nations, of which he became president. Soon after this victory, Alexander set out to conquer Persia. On the banks of the Granicus River Alexander quickly defeated the Persian troops who had been waiting for him. This victory made the rest of Asia Minor vulnerable. In 333 BC Alexander marched into Syria. Even though Darius III, King of Persia, had raised a large army he was unable to withstand Alexanders powerful infantry and phalanx. The entire region soon submitted to Alexander. Following this he went to Egypt, where he was welcomed as a deliverer because the Egyptians hated their cruel Persian rulers. It was here that Alexander founded the famous city that bears his name. Alexandria, situated on a strip of land between Lake Mareotis and the Mediterranean Sea, became a world center of commerce and learning. Alexander was soon drawn into battle with the Persians again. In the decisive Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander routed Darius and forced his entire army east. After this the city of Babylon surrendered, which allowed Alexander to easily capture Susa and Persepolis. Darius was soon killed by one of his generals which made Alexander King of Asia. He did not rest for long, as he had set his sights on India. In 326 BC Alexander defeated Porus, the prince of India. Alexander was now at the height of his power. His empire stretched from the Ionian Sea to northern India. However, Alexander had even greater plans. He wanted to combine Asia and Europe into one country, and named Babylon the new capital. In order to attain this goal he encouraged intermarriages, did away with corrupt officials, and spread Greek ideas, customs, and laws into Asia. The great and many plans that he had abruptly came to an end. While in Babylon Alexander became seriously ill with malaria and on June 13, 323 BC he died. During his time he conquered most of the civilized world and has been remembered as one of the greatest generals in history. .

Henry V Play Review Essay Example For Students

Henry V Play Review Essay On the 25th November 2009 our drama group saw the play Henry V, in the North Wall professional theatre in Summertown, Oxford. The play was directed by Lucy Maycock. It was a whole school production (but incidently did not contain any members of the shell year). The genre of the piece was Contemporary Shakespeare which was (it was (set) in Afghanistan).  The set was very intricate and contained many hidden meanings, on the floor of the stage the was a H, this could of signified helipad (modern), it also could of signified Henry, or most likely home, because France was rightfully his and so it was his home. There was also a sloping wall, this was the main thing on the stage, it had bullet holes in its textured outside these are both modern, as the textured cover made for the look of a Taliban looking fortress, there were turrets on the top which brought made the wall look old. The wall was often the main obstacle in fighting scenes, it was a barrier between armies, the no mans land, and sometimes seemed as if it was what the armies where fighting not each other but the wall, sometimes soldiers screamed and kicked at the wall, it becomes a wall of death and some of the soldiers for this reason seemed scared of it at times. At other times, the wall is positive, for the maidens of Harfleurs it is their escape with their sheets tied together. The wall is also used in a positive way when deciding the fate of Harfleur, the mayor of Harfleur and Harry discuss the terms on how the siege would be carried out, until the mayor surrenders. The Lights were very cleverly used in the play, one of the most effective methods in which they used the lights was where they used red, they often would use red to signify danger of death/blood spilling. The way the lights were positioned made the wall look red in scenes of war, the doorways in the wall glowed more red than the wall itself, and to me looked like doorways to hell, because the battle was sometimes behind the wall and when they went through the doorways it was as if they were going into hell. In one scene there was a gas attack, in the scene a green light covered the stage, smoke was also projected onto the stage so the light picked up the smoke, on the stalls near the front you could taste and smell the smoke, the gas effected the audience as well, the green light signified gas but also nature and tranquility because the gas attack was located in a jungle. Strobe lighting was used very effectively the main scene with strobe lighting was a field of gun battle, the strobe lighting signified machine guns and bombs in the night, the scene was in slow motion and was accompanied by a cello piece (often associated with death or sad moments), the strobes highlighted the different reactions of the actors, in the night. During the play Harry was constantly spotlighted more than other actors, even when other lights shone bright, or when he was undercover, this showed his importance in play, in his St. Crispin day speech when praying to god he looked up to the spotlight, this showed the heavens opening and him speaking directly to god. In moments of anger the lights were dimmed and the lower lights used this cast shadows. The costumes of each side were very different from each other; the English wore modern military uniform with stab vests and helmets included, whereas the French wore old cavalry uniform in some scenes, whereas in other scenes they wear turbans along with their cavalry uniform, and wield the trademark rocket propelled grenade(rpg) Mistress Quickly wore a corset and neon-goth miniskirt, this showed that she was outgoing, sexy, lively and somewhat of a rebel. .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .postImageUrl , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:hover , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:visited , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:active { border:0!important; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:active , .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4ec5e6ed123c9d935afecadfca7ad46a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The 'how' of funny EssayHarry red tracksuits at the beginning of the play showing he is young and laidback, then as the play matures, he and his dress sends does too, he then wears, basic military uniform, without his hat (showing his high status), then he wears full military with vest and after that he wears his white jacket which is too large for him, this lets us know that he is somewhat of an amateur lover and doesnt know what to do, because is he military born and has spent his life based around military practice, even when trying to woo Katherine he kicks the wall to show his frustration, just as he did earlier on in the play when showing his frustration to his men.

Anton Chekhov Essays - Anton Chekhov, Dramaturges, Modernism

Anton Chekhov Essays - Anton Chekhov, Dramaturges, Modernism Anton Chekhov Anton Chekhov Life and Influences Anton Chekhov was born on January 29, 1860 in Taganrog, Russia, the third of six children. His father, Pavel, was a grocer and his mother, Yevgeniya, was the daughter of a cloth merchant. In1875 Pavel's business failed and, threatened with imprisonment, he fled to Moscow. Yevgeniya remained behind with Anton and his younger siblings, but soon lost the house to a local bureaucrat. At this point, she joined Pavel in Moscow taking all the children, with the exception of Anton whom she left behind to attend school and support himself. After completing his early studies, Anton received a scholarship to study medicine at the Moscow University and at this point reunited with his family. During this time, the family continued to be plagued by financial hardship. In an effort to help support them, Anton began to write humorous short stories for comic magazine. As time went by, Chekhov developed a love of writing, preferring this to the practice of medicine, and devoted himself to his craft. After 1880, his work shifted toward more serious subject matter and is filled with realistic views of the suffering of the poor, no doubt in memory of the struggles his own family had endured. Comments and Concepts An Upheaval is classified as a short story, but does not follow the traditional short story structure as defined by Freytag's Triangle. The story begins in medias res as Mashenka enters a household already in turmoil. Rather than at the beginning, the exposition takes place throughout the story as Mashenka's thoughts and actions reveal her background and place within the household. At the end of the story, the reader is left without resolution. This abrupt end to the action without an resolving the conflict is known as a zero ending. The story An Upheaval is a slice-of-life narrative. Chekhov offers a dispassionate observation of life within an upper-class household. There is no deep psychological profiles within the story; all the characters are merely stereotypes. The view is naturalistic, with the socioeconomic background of the characters influencing their every action. The lady of the house believes she is well within her rights to search her servant's quarters when her brooch has gone missing. When Mashenka is upset by the search, the maidservant Liza reminds her somewhat delicately of her place by stating still you are as it were a servant. An Upheaval displays a rite of passage. At the beginning of the story, Mashenka is a simplistic child. She believes herself to be more than a mere servant within the household. Mashenka feels personally violated when she discovers a search of her room has been made without her knowledge. Mashenka leaps into adulthood when she realizes that although she is hired help and is, therefore, in a lesser position she is still a person within her own right. Rather than allow them to violate her sense of personal integrity, Mashenka decides to leave. Key Quotations Mashenka went into her room, and then, for the first time in her life, it was her lot to experience in all its acuteness the feeling that is so familiar to persons in dependent positions, who eat the bread of the rich and powerful, and cannot speak their minds. Mashenka begins to recognize her place within the household and within society. She acknowledges that her life is controlled by others. Though you are a young lady, still you areas it werea servant Liza forces Mashenka to acknowledge that she is a servant like the rest of them, nothing more. I don't say she took the brooch, but can you answer for her? To tell the truth, I haven't much confidence in these learned paupers. The lady of the house removes all humanity from her servants. They are nothing more to her than beasts of burden. Forgive me, Nikolay Sergeitch, but I cannot remain in your house. I feel deeply insulted by this search! Mashenka reveals her new sense of self and personal integrity. Half an hour later she was on her way. The story ends without any true sense of closure. Relation to Current Culture Today a search without permission or warrant is a criminal offense. Even as a hired servant living within someone else's household, a person is entitled to his own personal space and privacy.

Balanced Scorecard versus Bottom

Balanced Scorecard versus Bottom In recent years, managers within the hospitality industry have witnessed a proliferation of expectations that must be met for businesses to remain relevant in the current competitive environment (Jones Lockwood 2002). Hotel and resort managers, in particular, are often called upon to balance between the service expectations of customers and the financial expectations of the hotel owners.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Balanced Scorecard versus Bottom-line Approach in Resort Hotel Operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The balancing of priorities has led managers to adopt a plethora of performance measurement models, including the balanced scorecard and the bottom-line approach (Phillips 2007). The present paper purposes to demonstrate the suitability of the balanced scorecard in assisting hotel and resort managers to balance their priorities, hence refuting the claim that adopting the bottom-line approach is the way to go for these managers in balancing service quality expectations and financial demands of the owners. Extant management literature shows that the balanced scorecard evaluates an organisation’s performance through four perspectives namely â€Å"financial, customer, internal operating processes and learning and growth, and lays emphasis on the comprehensiveness and integrity of evaluation† (Wang et al 2013, p. 25). The bottom-line approach focuses more on an organisation’s net income and financial reports to determine its strengths and weaknesses (Jones Lockwood 2002). Owing to the increasing competitive phenomenon of the hotel and resort industry (Lau et al 2005), an effective and efficient measurement tool must draw on both qualitative and quantitative perspectives (Phillips 2007). More importantly, such a measurement tool must have the capacity to expressively assess service quality attributes (Namkung Jang 2008), as well as the financial performanc e based on the fact that financial management is the backbone of any business (Tsai et al 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In this light, the balanced scorecard is better placed to assist hotel and resort managers balance the service expectations of their customers and the financial expectations of hotel owners as it employs multiple perspectives not only to measure organisational success but also to assist in the implementation of effective strategies for future success (O’Fallon Rutherford 2010). Unlike in the bottom-line approach which deals with a single indicator to measure operational success (Jones Lockwood 2002), all the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard can be used to assist hotel and resort managers deal with the conflicting priorities that are largely predicated upon customer service expectations and the financial expectations of hotel owners. For instance, under the financial dimension of the balanced scorecard model, hotel and resort managers should be able to know what types of financial performance they should provide to hotel owners and other stakeholders so as to be successful financially (Evans 2005). Under the customer perspective, managers should be able to develop customer and service quality standards that enhance the vision and strategy of their respective service organisations (Cruz 2007). Again, under the internal business perspective of the balanced scorecard model, managers must have the capacity to develop and implement business processes that will enhance customer satisfaction and service quality. Lastly, under the innovation and learning perspective, managers must develop strategies that will not only ensure the organisation’s ability to change and improve, but also its capacity to enhance service quality offerings and the attainment of financial expectations set by stakeholders (E vans 2005). Available management literature demonstrates that excellent service quality within the hospitality industry not only enables an organisation to differentiate itself from its competitors in the marketplace, but also to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and promote customer repeat intentions (Ladhari 2009). Arguably, therefore, the bottom-line approach cannot be used by firms within the hotel and resort industry to evaluate these qualitative values since it concerns itself with measuring quantitative (financial) attributes at the expense of service quality attributes (Jones Lockwood 2002).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Balanced Scorecard versus Bottom-line Approach in Resort Hotel Operations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although the measurement tool has received praise for capturing the financial performance of an organisation, hence effectively serving the interests of owners (Tsai et al 2011), it is one-dimensional and backward-looking for its lack to include other performance indicators such as service quality and customer satisfaction (Evans 2005). In the hotel and resort industry, it is imperative for any performance measurement tool to effectively illuminate the service quality and expectations of customers. Available literature demonstrates that â€Å"the benefits of service quality include increased customer satisfaction, improved customer retention, positive word of mouth, reduced staff turnover, decreased operating costs, enlarged market share, increased profitability, and improved financial performance† (Ladhari 2009, p. 308). The customer dimension of the balanced scorecard effectively measures five core variables that are intrinsically related to service quality, namely â€Å"customer satisfaction, customer winning, customer retention, customer profitability, and market and customer shares in the target segmentation† (Wang et al 2013, p. 2 6). In contrast, the bottom-line approach has no capacity to measure service quality attributes despite the fact that they are immensely important in the hotel and resort industry, especially with regard to the factors and benefits mentioned above. To conclude, it is important to underline the argument that the balanced scorecard is a more suitable measurement tool for hotel and resort managers, hence this paper refutes the claim that the hotel and resort industry is becoming increasingly bottom-line focussed. While the bottom-line approach is only able to fulfil the financial expectations of the owners through its financial measures, the balanced scorecard takes into account the financial expectations as well as a host of other qualitative indicators, including service quality and customer satisfaction.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Cruz, I 2007, ‘How might hospitality organisations optimise their performance measurement systems?’ International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 19 no. 7, pp. 574-588. Evans, N 2005, ‘Assessing the balanced scorecard as a management tool for hotels’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 17 no. 5, pp. 376-390. Jones, P Lockwood, A 2002, The management of hotel operations, Cengage Learning, Stamford, CT. Ladhari, R 2009, ‘Service quality, emotional satisfaction, and behavioural intentions: A study in the hotel industry’, Managing Service Quality, vol. 19 no. 3, pp. 308-331. Lau, PM, Akbar, AK, Fie, DYG 2005, ‘Service quality: A study of the luxury hotels in Malaysia’, Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, vol. 7 no. 2, pp. 46-55. Namkung, Y Jang, S 2008, ‘Are highly satisfied restaurant customers really different? A quality perception perspectiv e’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 20 no. 2, pp. 142-155. O’Fallon, MJ Rutherford, DG 2010, Hotel management and operations, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Phillips, PA 2007, ‘The balanced scorecard and strategic control: A hotel case study analysis’, The Service Industries Journal, vol. 27 no. 6, pp. 731-746. Tsai, H, Pan, S Lee, J 2011, ‘Recent research in hospitality financial management’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 23 no. 7, pp. 941-971. Wang, YG, Li, YM, Jan, CL Chang, KW 2013, ‘Evaluating firm performance with balanced scorecard and data envelopment analysis’, WSEAS Transactions on Business Economics, vol. 10 no. 1, pp. 24-39.

The Benefits of using Social Network to improve sales for Century 21 Essay

The Benefits of using Social Network to improve sales for Century 21 - Essay Example Century 21 is one of the major companies that has created significant shift in marketing strategies through internet function and design. It has been listed as the biggest real estate agency that operates across national borders in the world. The US Company has been compelled by fast changing technologies in competitive environment to adopt marketing strategies that are focused on social networking sites in order to increase sales (Charlene & Bernoff, 2008). This research study analyses Century 21’s marketing strategies and coordination efforts for the next three years. It is an international company and it is one of the most reputed Real Estate Agent Franchise Companies operating across national borders. Its inception dates back in 1971 in California but it was privatized until 1977 when the co-founders decided to make the company public. During its early stages, the company offered products and services that satisfied the needs of real estate owners. The company has expanded rapidly and has established more than 8000 offices and large number of sales professionals all over the world (Parsipanny, 2009). The company started its operations in United States but it has gained strong foothold and its presence has been felt in more than 60 countries. It is the leading marketer of real estate services and it has spent a great deal of time in improving online display advertisements, search engine marketing and real estate listing sites. In general, Century 21 can been regarded as the world leading provider of real estate services in comparison with other competitive real estate companies since it possesses the world’s largest network and geographical coverage. The company continues to take lead in the industry as evidenced by the increased online ads which offer substantial benefits to brokers, agents and customers. The company is very