SWOT Analysis | What is SWOT Analysis? | Examples of SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis | What is SWOT Analysis? | Examples of SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis was originally conceived and developed in the 1960s and its basic organising principles have remained largely unchanged in the field of strategic management since that time (Kotler et al., 2013). It is, as Ghazinoory, Abdi and Azadegan-Mehr (2011) comment, a systematic framework which helps managers to develop their business strategies by appraising the internal and external determinants of their organisation’s performance. Internal environmental factors include leadership talent, human resource capabilities, the company’s culture as well as the effectiveness of its policies and procedures. In contrast, external factors include competition, government legislation, changing trends, and social expectations (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008). The SWOT analysis framework involves analysing the strengths (S) and weaknesses (W) of the business’s internal factors, and the opportunities (O) and threats (T) of its external factors of performance (Ghazinoory, Abdi and Azadegan-Mehr, 2011). Through this analysis, the weaknesses and strengths within a company can correspond to the opportunities and threats in the business environment so that effective strategies can be developed (Helms and Nixon, 2010). It follows from this, therefore, that an organisation can derive an effective strategy by taking advantage of its opportunities by using its strengths and neutralise its threats by minimising the impact of its weaknesses. Moreover, SWOT analysis can be applied to both a whole company as well as a specific project within a company in order to identify new company strategies and appraise project feasibility. Hollensen (2010) asserts that the strengths and weaknesses of a company relate to its internal elements such as resources, operational programmes and departments such as sales, marketing and distribution. More specifically, a strength is an advantageous – or even unique – skill, competency, product, or service that a business or project possesses that allows it to create competitive advantages. This may include abstract concepts, such as its possession of strong research and development capabilities. A weakness on the other hand is a strategic disadvantage, such as a skill that the business or project lacks which limits it and creates potential risks in negative economic conditions. Achieving a balance between such positives and negatives is therefore a necessary pre-requisite for any company and it is also imperative that a company continues to review its strengths and weaknesses to take account for changes in its internal environment (Kotler et al., 2013). An opportunity is, as Henry (2011) comments, a desirable condition which can be exploited to consolidate and strengthen a strategic position. Examples of this phenomenon would include growing demand for a trendy new product which it could consider selling, such as that announced by Burger King relating to the introduction of a black cheeseburger (Molloy, 2014). A threat on the other hand, is a condition that creates uncertainties which could potentially damage an organisation’s performance or market share (Henry, 2011). Threats include the introduction of new competing products or services, foreign competition, technological advancements, and new regulations. Examples of the fear of such external factors can be noted in the comments of companies planning to relocate their headquarters and registration bases from Scotland to England in the event of a ‘yes’ vote in the Scottish referendum in September 2014 (Wright, Titcombe and Spence, 2014). Therefore, a company needs to develop strategies to overcome these threats in order to prevent the loss of its market share, reputation, or profit. It must be noted, however, that opportunities and threats exist in the environment and therefore are often beyond the control of the organisation – but they do offer suggestions for strategic direction. SWOT analysis, as a result, demands a great deal of research into an organisation’s present and future position (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008). The results of SWOT analysis provide a useful source of information from which an organisation can go on to develop policies and practices which allow it to build upon its strengths, diminish its weaknesses, seize its opportunities, and make contingency plans or measures to eradicate or curtail threats, as Kotler et al. (2013) observe. SWOT analysis is widely used by managers because of its simplicity (Hollensen, 2010). It is used as a planning tool that can be adapted to a range of situations and projects. Whilst it is not the only technique available to managers, it can often be the most effective if used properly (Henry, 2011). The basis for a SWOT analysis is usually drawn from an audit review as well as from independently carried out interviews with staff and customers. Data is then analysed to arrive at a list of issues which can be categorised into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The key issues and company activities are then reassessed through protracted discussions between managers and reduced further to identify the most important issues and the potential impact that they could have on the organisation. If too many issues are included in the analysis, there will be a lack of focus in the development of a new company strategy and thus it is important to ensure that such discussions focus on a limited number of factors (Ghazinoory, Abdi and Azadegan-Mehr, 2011). Additionally, the issues considered should be made in view of customer opinions and perceptions, which would therefore require objectivity. Ideally, a company should carry out a SWOT analysis on a regular basis in order to assess its situation against its competitors in a constantly evolving market environment (Fernie and Moore, 2013). According to Stalk, Evans and Schulman (1992, p. 62), â€Å"the essence of strategy is not the structure of a company’s products and markets but the dynamics of its behaviour†. It is also recommended that an organisation should develop and undertake SWOT analysis on its competitors so that it is able to take into account consumer perceptions and determinants of their buying behaviour. This is particularly the case with issues such as quality, in which perceptions may be more powerful than reality (Kaplan and Norton, 2008). In today’s highly competitive and fast changing market environment, managers may make a grave error when evaluating their company’s resources; that is, not to assess them relative to the competition (Kotler et al., 2013). A competitive analysis as part of the SWOT framework is always necessary in order to determine an organisation’s position in the wider market. Thus, for example, if a project or business strength is the amount of capital it has to invest in improved IT functionality, this may not be the case if its competitor is investing double this amount to improve its own IT functionality. Thus, it is no longer a strength but rather a weakness for the company. The same competitive analysis should also be taken into account when assessing opportunities and threats, as it depends on the relative situation of the competing businesses (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008). McDonald (1989, p. 16) states that the â€Å"SWOT device†¦ whilst potentially a very powerful, analytical device, is rarely used effectively†, and recommends using a summary from a marketing audit to arrive at a sound SWOT analysis; the analysis must be conducted rigorously so that it prioritises the issues of paramount importance. Further, McDonald suggests keeping it focused on critical factors only and to maintain a list of differential strengths and weaknesses in comparison to competitors, concentrating mainly on competitive advantages. Additionally, only critical external opportunities and threats should be listed with a focus on the real issues. Finally, according to McDonald (1989), the reader of the SWOT analysis should be left with the main issues encompassing the business to the extent that they are able to derive and develop marketing objectives from them. At the end of the analysis, the organisation is left with reasons behind their choices as well as their potential impacts, which provides them with a stronger basis from which to form future strategic decisions. Example of a SWOT analysis of the McDonald’s Corporation Strengths Open door policy to the press Ceres guidance and co-ordination and active CSR Selective supply chain strategy Rigorous food safety standards Affordable prices and high quality products Nutritional information on packaging Decentralised yet connected system Innovative excellence programme Promoting ethical conduct Profitable Weaknesses Inflexible to changes in market trends Difficult to find and retain employees Drive for achieving shareholder value may counter CSR Promote unhealthy food Promoted CSR meat imports in error Opportunities Attractive and flexible employment Positive environmental commitments Higher standards demanded from suppliers Corporate responsibility committee Honest and real brand image Threats Fabricated stories about the quality of chicken Unhealthy foods for children Health concerns surrounding beef, poultry, and fish Labour exploitation in China CSR at the risk of profit loss Contributor to global warming Local fast food restaurants Political instability (e.g. Russia) Strengths Open door policy to the press At times of wider national food scandals, for instance those related to BSE, McDonald’s operated an open door policy, allowing the press into a limited number its restaurants and suppliers (Vrontis and Pavlou, 2008). This was done as a deliberate measure to reassure the public of the safety of McDonald’s. Ceres guidance and co-ordination, and active CSR McDonald’s, as Valax (2012) notes, co-ordinates with employees, investors, environmental and corporate social responsibility (CSR) organisations, such as Ceres, to improve its social and environmental programmes. As a result of such policies, McDonald’s can be seen to be continually updating its profile to take account of changes in consumer preferences – keeping the firm relevant and allied to the desires of its customers. Selective supply chain strategy McDonald’s works to ensure that its suppliers meet or exceed safety and quality standards as well as complying with best practice with reference to a sustainable food supply and animal welfare (Deng, 2009). Indeed, its recent advertisement campaigns have laid a premium on the traceability of products used. Rigorous food safety standards McDonald’s, as Vrontis and Pavlou (2008) observe, works hard to ensure that high food safety standards are met through training, food, safety and quality and menu development in each restaurant. This filters through to its partners, ensuring that they operate ethically and meet social responsibility standards. The high training required can also be noted by reference to its endorsement of specific qualifications and training for staff – thereby adding value to its workforce (Valax, 2012). Affordable prices and high quality products McDonald’s is an efficient provider of high quality foodstuffs and always seeks to offer the best value to its customers, as noted by its 99p ‘value’ range (Harnack et al., 2008). Nutritional information available on packaging McDonald’s was one of the first fast food restaurants to disclose nutritional information on its packaging and continues to seek new ways in which it can provide nutrition and balanced active lifestyles for its customers (Harnack et al., 2008). Indeed, there are sections of the corporate website specifically tailored to this data. Decentralised yet connected system McDonald’s provides a core system of values, principles and standards which managers adhere to in combination with its â€Å"Freedom within the Framework† programme, which provides them with the flexibility to respond to the diversity of its customers and local markets (McDonald’s Corporation, 2013). Innovative excellence programme McDonald’s employs an array of mystery shoppers who visit premises pretending to be customers. They inspect the premises as customers and rate them accordingly. Many restaurants provide customer comment contact numbers and employee satisfaction surveys. It may also be noted, though anecdotally, that the firm responds quickly to mistakes and problems raised with area managers. Promoting ethical conduct McDonald’s works hard to maintain its integrity with its shareholders through open channels of communication (McDonald’s, 2013). Profitable McDonald’s is profitable, as Wallop (2014) comments, with sufficient capital. This allows it to grow and realise gains on its investments. Thus, McDonald’s is able to offer help to charities as well as itself when in need. Weaknesses Inflexible to changes in market trends If customer trends move towards eating in a more eco-friendly or organically-oriented manner, McDonald’s would be unable to follow this trend without changing suppliers and incurring significant financial losses (Wallop, 2014). McDonald’s could consider the introduction of new products with the aid of market research, in coming years, to prepare them for such potential change. Difficult to find and retain employees McDonald’s has had hostile relationships with unions and, although this has been controlled, the company does find it difficult to find and retain good employees (Valax, 2012). The company can build on its reputation for developing top level managers by further increasing its graduate recruitment portfolio. Drive for achieving shareholder value may counter CSR When McDonald’s profits fall, its stock price often falls as well; as a consequence, it is often forced to take drastic action to resolve the problem. (Wallop, 2014) This often relates to issues of social and environmental responsibility. McDonald’s could be more proactive in finding more long-term CSR suppliers and processes that provide lower costs and higher profit margins, rather than being reactive. Promotion of unhealthy food Despite providing healthier product varieties, McDonald’s continues to sell burgers that have 850 calories in them. . This could continue to harm its reputation as an unhealthy fast food provider. McDonald’s could research ways to reduce the calories in its products whilst still maintaining their taste, or at the least provide low calorie burger options. Much progress has been made in this arena – but it is suggested that more needs to be done (Harnack et al., 2008). Promoted CSR meat imports in error McDonald’s claimed to provide meat from socially and environmentally responsible sources, but a court case found that meat had been imported from Latin America, where rainforests were cleared to create green fields for cattle (Deng, 2009). Where McDonald’s carries out CSR processes or investments, it may wish to consider carrying out random checks to ensure their standards are continually met, to minimise embarrassing press. Opportunities Attractive and flexible employment McDonald’s offers a variety of job opportunities and is proud to say that 42% of its top managers first started by serving customers (McDonalds, 2013). That the company offers a selection of different shift patterns as well as employee benefits can be seen as further reasons as to why McDonald’s attracts employees. Positive environmental commitments McDonald’s incorporates environmental commitments in its daily operations, from the use of environmentally friendly products in maintaining daily ‘drive-thru’ cleaning, to providing sustainable fish sources, to using recycled packaging (McDonald’s, 2013). It was also a pioneer of using bio-diesel and recycling fat from its fryers into a form of fuel. Higher standards demanded from suppliers McDonald’s sets the standards it demands from suppliers for low cost high quality, socially responsible supplies, in return for a long-term business commitment (Yuece, 2012). Corporate Responsibility Committee McDonald’s has a standing Corporate Responsibility Committee that acts as an advisor to its Board of Directors (McDonald’s, 2013). Honest and real brand image McDonald’s has built and maintains a trusting relationship with its shareholders and customers through truthful marketing and communications (Harnack et al., 2008). Threats Fabricated stories about the quality of chicken Emails and websites have published fabricated information that McDonald’s is using ‘monster-chickens’ in its products. McDonald’s could build on its open door policy with the press and apply it to the web, to combat false distribution of information (Kaplan and Norton, 2008). Unhealthy foods for children If competitors begin to offer premium healthy alternatives for children with small gifts to encourage them to eat healthy, this would be a significant threat to McDonald’s (Kotler et al., 2013). McDonald’s positive strategy to provide a range of healthy products could include further healthy products for children in addition to its present offering of carrot sticks. Health concerns surrounding beef, poultry, and fish There are various initiatives working against hormone induced cows and other issues such as bird flu epidemics and heavy metal levels in fish that could reduce McDonald’s sales and cause profits and its share price to fall (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008). McDonald’s could use its purchasing power to its advantage to source supplies that have proven health benefits. McDonald’s greater work with local farmers in the UK with regard to the sourcing of beef and eggs can be seen as a step in the right direction in this regard. Labour exploitation in China Chinese manufacturers exploit labour in their production of ‘Happy Meal’ toys (Valax, 2012). McDonald’s could use its purchasing power to its advantage to demand that manufacturers provide toys without exploiting labour. CSR at the risk of profit loss If share prices and profitability are under pressure, managers will inevitably seek to resolve it at the risk of a CSR issue (Ceres, n.d.). Contributor to global warming McDonald’s is the largest consumer of beef in the world. Greenfields used to supply this beef comes at the expense of rainforests, heavy use of chemicals, fertilisers and pesticides (Ceres, n.d.). McDonald’s could use its purchasing power to its advantage to source CSR suppliers. Local fast food restaurants Local restaurants which are less environmentally threatening than McDonald’s and have less purchasing power may have better reputations with local suppliers and customers (Wallop, 2014). Political instability Political instability can be a threat to the secure and continued operation of a business. Even if local staff are employed, a tense political situation can cause areas of operation to be closed, in the short- or long-term. An example of this relates to McDonald’s in the Crimea and in Russia; for the foreseeable future, McDonald’s restaurants are closed in the Crimea as a result of the Russian invasion. In retaliation, Russia has temporarily closed a number of McDonald’s restaurants in Russia (Wallop, 2014). From the above SWOT of McDonald’s and the summary that follows it, it can be seen how, by highlighting its position, an organisation can identify areas that could be strengthened, seize opportunities, minimise threats and diminish or eliminate weaknesses. In summary, a SWOT analysis provides a systematic framework for appraising an organisation’s internal and external position. It is a useful tool but it must be constantly updated to enable the company to keep abreast of developments and change its strategies accordingly. Whilst it may be difficult for management to resolve all of the weaknesses and threats highlighted, the company is at least made aware of them through the conducting of a SWOT analysis and can refer to them when implementing future strategies. The McDonald’s SWOT analysis case study highlighted several CSR threats and weaknesses whilst simultaneously highlighting strengths, such as its strong purchasing power which could potentially be used to demand more socially responsible production techniques from its Chinese manufacturers and meat suppliers. It also showed how a more proactive and longer-term approach to its strategies can help it to anticipate changing consumer tastes and demands (Yuece, 2012). Bibliography Ceres (n.d.). Mobilizing business leadership for a sustainable world. Boston, MA: Ceres. Collins, R. (2010). A graphical method for exploring the business environment. Oxford University Working Paper 956. Coman, A. and Ronen, B. (2009). Focused SWOT: Diagnosing critical strengths and weaknesses. International Journal of Production Research, 47(20), pp. 5677-5689. Deng, T. (2009). McDonald’s new communication strategy on changing attitudes and lifestyle. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 1(1), pp. 37-39. Fernie, S. and Moore, C. (2013). Principles of retailing. Abingdon: Routledge. Ghazinoory, S., Abdi, M. and Azadegan-Mehr, M. (2011). SWOT methodology: A state-of-the-art review for the past, a framework for the future. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 12(1), pp. 24-48. Harnack, L.J., French, S.A., Oakes, J.M., Story, M.T., Jeffery, R.W. and Rydell, S.A. (2008). Effects of calorie labelling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: Results from an experimental trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5(1), 63-81. Helms, M.M. and Nixon, J. (2010). Exploring SWOT analysis – Where are we now?: A review of academic research from the last decade. Journal of Strategy and Management, 3(3), pp. 215-251. Henry, A. (2011). Understanding strategic management. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hollensen, S. (2010). Marketing management: A relationship approach. Harlow: Pearson Education. Johnson, G., Scholes, K. and Whittington, R. (2008). Exploring corporate strategy: Text cases (8th edn). Harlow: Pearson Education. Kaplan, R.S. and Norton, D.P. (2008). The execution premium: Linking strategy to operations for competitive advantage. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Press. Koen, P.A., Bertels, H.M. and Elsum, I.R. (2011). The three faces of business model innovation: challenges for established firms. Research-Technology Management, 54(3), 52-59. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Harris, L.C. and Piercy, N.F. (2013). Principles of marketing (6th edn). Harlow: Pearson. McDonald, M.H. (1989). Ten barriers to marketing planning. Journal of Marketing Management, 5(1), 1-18. McDonald’s Corporation (2013). Annual report, 2013. Oak Brook, IL: McDonald’s Corporation. Molloy, M. (2014). Burger King introduces black burger with charcoal cheese in Japan. The Telegraph, 11th September. Stalk, G., Evans, P. and Schulman, L.E. (1992). Competing on capabilities: The new rules of corporate strategy. Harvard Business Review, 70(2), pp. 57-69. Valax, M. (2012). Beyond McDonalds CSR in China: Corporation perspective and report from case studies on a damaged employment reputation. Asian Business Management, 11(3), 347-366. Vrontis, D. and Pavlou, P. (2008). The external environment and its effect on strategic marketing planning: A case study for McDonalds. Journal for International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 3(3), pp. 289-307. Wallop, H. (2014). Has the world fallen out of love with McDonald’s? Daily Telegraph, 23rd July. Wright, B., Titcombe, J. and Spence, P. (2014). Scotland’s biggest companies reveal ‘Yes’ exodus plans. The Telegraph, 11 th September. Yuece, I. (2012). SWOT analysis of McDonald’s and derivation of appropriate strategies. Munich: GRIN-Verlag.

Computerized Physician Order Entry Essay

CPOE stands for Computerized Physician Order Entry and it is the feature of the electronic health record that improves quality of care, patient safety, and clinical efficiency. The CPOE can help the improvement of the medical workflow process in many kinds of ways. This is because the CPOE monitors any generating of related orders, any duplicate orders, prevent lost orders, eliminates any errors due to handwriting that is hard to read, reduce medication errors, reduce time that is spent filling orders, and improve productivity in the doctor’s office. Results that are computerized improve the medical workflow process because it eliminates any lagging time that is spent. This leaves more time for the patient to spend more time with the doctor and be treated faster. These results are easier to access rather than flipping through paper file. Having these improvements are beneficial to the patient. CPOE protects all patients because it helps reduces the medication errors of drug allergies, dosage issues, and interactions with drug to drug. With Computerized Physician Order Entry systems it detects all interactions and allergies and alerts them to the pharmacy. Once the alert comes in, the pharmacist will call the doctor and get it fixed before anything seriously bad would happen when the patient takes their medication. Thanks to CPOE, all these alerts help with saving lives. There are many benefits that come with the CPOE. One benefit is that it improves all documentation that is received by the ancillary department in the medical field. It reduces the mistakes that are made with the misinterpretation of prescription orders. With the CPOE, there is no need for re-entry of any data into the system of the ancillary department. Another great benefit is that it reduces all medical errors dealing with medications. When it comes to the medical field, CPOE helps catch all drug allergies that patients may have and any drug to drug interactions. The CPOE is the best benefit that a patient can have. The CPOE is so efficient that it allows doctors to spend more time treating patients instead of writing notes in the patient’s files. The doctor has more time to come up with a treatment plan for the patient and they would be able to sit there to explain it to them better. The CPOE can be time consuming and cost money. Once a medical facility passes the time and the cost then they would see the great benefits to the facility and to their patients. In conclusion, the Computerized Physician Order Entry will help with the improvement of a facility’s safety and care standards. That would give the patients satisfaction of their doctor and their treatment. The medical facility would also appreciate how easy the system is to use and the medical personnel would appreciate how much time they are saving with the system so they can attend to important matters. Technology in the medical field is going to continue to grow every year and it will focus on the patients and the medical staff.

Leni Riefenstahl Essay

Some people are swept along by events. Some individuals use events to advantage. How accurate is this statement in relation to the personality you have studied? â€Å"Leni Riefenstahl exploits events and other people to serve her own egotistical, obsessive and selfish ambition. † Leni Riefenstahl was born on the 22nd of August 1902 in Berlin. Her full name was Helene Amalie Bertha Riefenstahl. She accomplished a lot during her 101 years of living. She had successful careers as a dancer, actress, director, producer, editor, photographer, author, and mountain climber, as well as one of the world’s oldest active scuba divers. Furthermore, she has been induced as one of The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time. However her accomplishments will always be frowned upon given her association with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Riefenstahl had been known to edit scenes from her life, alter details and omit events to suit her purposes. She did this so others would see her as flawless. This has been proven by her quote â€Å"reality doesn’t interest me†. When considering the above thesis statement, 2 differing perspectives arise. The first supports the thesis and is that Riefenstahl was so driven to be worldly famous and recognised that she didn’t care what the cost. The second objects the thesis and is that Riefenstahl could not have possibly predicted the purpose and effects of her films, or Hitler’s intentions for world domination. An historian who supports the first perspective is Steven Bach. In ‘The life and work of Leni Riefenstahl’ he argues that Riefenstahl was obsessed with her career and moulding her image, and that these things are the keys to understanding her behaviour throughout her life. He believes she knew more about Nazism than she would have liked people to believe. An historian who supports the second view is Audrey Salkeld. In ‘A portrait of Leni Riefenstahl’ she argues that much of the condemnation of Riefenstahl came from hindsight. According to Salkeld, Riefenstahl could not have known of the horrors that occurred under Nazism. Three influential events during Riefenstahl’s lifetime that create debate in relation to the thesis are; the direction of â€Å"Tiefland†, The Nuremburg rallies movies (Victory of faith, and Triumph of the will), and her documentary of the Berlin Olympics (Olympia). Tiefland Tiefland is a 1954 film that Leni Riefenstahl scripted, directed, starred in, and edited. She began developing the script in 1934, and shot the movie between 1940 and 1944. The film, however, was not completed by the end of World War II and eventually was finalized and released on February 11, 1954. The film was set in Spain, and so Riefenstahl needed people who looked of Spanish decent to play extras in the film. She cast a group of gypsies that were being held in a camp. These Gypsies were destined for Auschwitz, and many that appeared in the film were later murdered in concentration camps. Riefenstahl’s decision to use these extras formulates a debate. It again links back to the thesis and the points of views which arise from it. One perspective is in support of the thesis and is that Riefenstahl used the Gypsies inhumanly or immorally as she knew of their destiny, but used them anyway to create some sort of realism or authenticity to her film. Steven Bach is in support of this perspective and points out in his feature document ‘The puzzle of Leni Riefenstahl’, that Riefenstahl had publicly claimed to have seen ‘all the Gypsies who worked on Tiefland after the war. Nothing happened to a single one of them’. However, this is not true. In reality, of 48 Gypsies who can be documented, 20 died in Nazi concentration camps, most of them in Auschwitz to which they were transported almost directly from the film set. The other perspective objects to the thesis and is that Riefenstahl had no choice in using the Gypsies as extras and the decision to use them was that of the SS and was out of her control. It also says that Riefenstahl did not know of their destiny. This perspective is supported by the fact that after the war, in 1949, the tribunal that investigated Riefenstahl’s activities during the war declared she was innocent. The court stated that although there were rumours that Leni Riefenstahl used Gypsies from concentration camps for her film Tiefland,  ¬and that most of them had been killed in gas chambers, the judges found no reason to believe this and Riefenstahl was acquitted for this point once and forever. However, no gypsy who had served as an extra was present at that time in the court and with time some started to talk. Indeed, there were few survivors; many stated that family members who had played in the film had been gassed in Auschwitz shortly after having worked with Riefenstahl. The Nuremburg Rallies Films Victory of Faith was the first documentary film Leni Riefenstahl directed. She was hired despite opposition from Nazi officials who resented employing a woman and a non-Party member for that matter. Her film recounts the Fifth Party Rally of the Nazi Party, which occurred in Nuremberg from 30 August to 3 September 1933. Triumph of the Will was the other Nuremburg rally propaganda film made by Leni Riefenstahl. It chronicles the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by various Nazi leaders at the Congress, most notably, portions of speeches by Adolf Hitler. The central theme of the film is the return of Germany as a great power, with Hitler as the True German Leader who will bring glory to the nation. Triumph of the Will was released in 1935 and rapidly became one of the best-known examples of propaganda in film history. After many years of people viewing the two Nuremburg rally movies ‘Victory of Faith and Triumph of the will’, two perspectives arise in relation to Riefenstahl’s contribution and purpose. The first perspective, which supports the thesis, is that Riefenstahl created the films knowing of their propaganda intent and potential. She took advantage of the success and popularity of the Nazis at the time, and willingly and purposely created the propaganda films to further her credentials as a film maker and to make her name well known. Author Ken Webb is in support of this perspective and in his book ‘Leni Riefenstahl 1902-2003’ (part of the ‘everything you wanted to know about†¦ but were to afraid to ask’ series. ) makes the argument that, â€Å"Riefenstahl’s film was a clear promotion of the Fuhrer Cult. A major piece of Nazi propaganda was the presentation of Hitler as a special kind of leader, capable of ending the depression, restoring German pride and leading the country into a great future. The film’s only star is Hitler. His adoring fans are there to merely worship and stare in reverential awe. The other perspective that emerges, objects to the thesis, and is that the films were not made under the intentions for Nazi propaganda, but rather just brilliant documentaries with skilful camera and film techniques that inspired people. Audrey Salkeld is in support of this view and argues that it is unfair to judge Riefenstahl through the benefit of hindsight. In 1934, no-one knew that Hitler’s regime would kill 6 million people. Riefenstahl’s films say next to nothing about racist dogma and political persecution, and Salkeld argues that it is because the rally did not do this. Salkeld also refers to Riefenstahl’s statement in Ray Muller’s 1993 film that ‘Triumph of the will’ could not be propaganda because there was no commentary telling people what to think. However, this only means that the pictures speak for themselves, and what do they say? Well according to Salkeld â€Å"She may not have set out to glorify Hitler†¦ but her feelings for him at the time were so worshipful that she could portray him only through the shining eyes of admiration†¦ the Fuhrer represented†¦ this is what she filmed. † Olympia  The International Olympic Committee granted Berlin the 1936 Olympic Games in 1931. When Hitler became chancellor in January 1933, his initial reaction was to condemn the Olympic Games as an evil invention by Jews. The minister of propaganda and enlightenment, Josef Goebbels, however convinced and informed Hitler of the media potential, and the chance to advertise to the world the successes of the new Nazi regime. This lead to the birth and was the basis of Riefenstahl’s sports documentary/propaganda film ‘Olympia,’ which premiered in Berlin on the 20th of April 1938. Like Riefenstahl’s other documentaries under the Nazi regime, this one strikes debate whether it was propaganda for Nazi ideology, or just another innocent documentary which others interpreted it as propaganda. The perspective that ‘Olympia’ was no doubt a piece of Nazi propaganda is in support of the thesis as it debates that Riefenstahl compromised her moral integrity for her own benefits and successes. Author Ken Webb is in support of this view and in his book ‘Leni Riefenstahl 1902-2003’ (part of the ‘everything you wanted to know about†¦ ut were to afraid to ask’ series. ) makes the argument that, ‘ despite its technical brilliance, it was really nothing more than a piece of Nazi propaganda. The aim of the film was to present the essence of the Nazi message, which was the primacy of race. ’ The point of view that it was just another documentary, maintains that it was just a film trying to capture the essence of Aryan superiority and the beauty of the human race. This view is in contrast to the thesis. Rainer Rother is one who believes that the film is not of Nazi propaganda. He argues that the â€Å"fascist aspects of Riefenstahl’s films do not necessarily conform to the definition of fascist art as, above all, ‘a utopian aesthetics’ – that of physical perfection. † Rother challenges the view that the film is fascist art. He claims that although Riefenstahl definitely celebrates beauty and athleticism, he then asks, that don’t the images appear too smooth? He then argues that the images as a result of being ‘too smooth’ suppress any actual effort. He questions â€Å"Can Riefenstahl’s films really contribute much to the ideologization of events which are already empathically ideological in their own right†? In rebut to the above argument, indeed the idea of the filming was to capture the beauty of the human race, and this was the prime force behind the Nazi regime. Further evidence to rebut the argument in the previous paragraph, is that the financing of her film came under the control of Goebbels’ propaganda ministry. Therefore, it makes no sense that the Nazis would give Riefenstahl 1. 5 million marks to finance a film, unless the film was for Nazi purposes, which was to create a propaganda film for them.

shopping motivation towards online - 2272 Words

Content 1 Introduction 2 Definition 3Motivations to shop for luxury products online 3.1 Time saving and convenience 3.2 Cheaper price 3.3 A wide variety of commodities 4 Disadvantages of online shopping 4.1 The product quality can not be guarantee 4.2 Online payment is not secure 4.3Customer legitimate rights hard to safeguard 5 UK online retailing market 6 Summary Analysing Online Consumer Shopping Motivations For luxury Product 1 Introduction 20th century is the era of rapid technological development, scientific and technological progress and development has brought great innovation to people’s daily life. The most significant change is the development of†¦show more content†¦people no longer need to visit the shop for maybe whole day only to find the product they want, instead they just need to enter the keyword of their desired productï ¼Å'network will list a series of related products. Furthermore the online shopping industry keeps growing and more products are made available online. You can now find all kinds of goods on the internet and you can purchase the items you want just with few clicks. 3.2 Cheaper price Price and financial considerations have always been a shopping motivation(Tatzel,1982) Rintamaki also mentioned that â€Å"Saving money is a primarily utilitarian dimension of online shopping motivations† (Rintamaki et al. 2006) The online shopping channel allows retailers to save on output costs(Miller,2000) and reduce their product prices so as to be competitive when compared quickly and easily online( Forsythe and Shi,2003) online shopping is different from the traditional shopping mall, it does not require stores, traditional retail stores need to rent stores to display goods, and also need to hire salesmen and store managers to sell the goods and manage the store. retail stores are generally selected location near the city center where the rent is more expensive, especially for luxury stores. The decoration of luxury stores are very luxurious, and the wages of its staff and managers is higher than ordinary industry salesman, which virtually increase the cost of the produc t . In some developing countriesShow MoreRelatedOnline Purchase Motivation Behaviors From Conscientious Shoppers Essay893 Words   |  4 Pagesis the stated research question or problem? The stated research question from Jen-Hung Huang’s and Yi-Chun Yang’s article titled, The Relationship between Personality traits and Online Shopping Motivations, observes the different purchasing behaviors from Conscientious shoppers and Extravert shoppers while shopping online. 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