The Great Divorce - Free Essay Example

In the beginning of the book CS Lewis is giving a brief set up to what the book will be about and what we can expect as readers. He makes it very clear to us that this is all a fantasy before we continue into the first chapter. To continue, in the first chapter the storyteller begins to describe a bus stop and who he sees around him. The people are angry, and a Big man and a Small man get into a fight because the small man is complaining about the people he sees while the big man tells him to shut his mouth and punches him right in the face. The small man exits the line and the bus arrives. The storyteller describes it as stunning and bright while also driven by a driver that only has one hand on the wheel. The people were boarding the bus in a frenzy for no apparent reason, because the bus was only half full when the storyteller got on last. The storyteller then sits on the bus next to a man, which he calls, Tousle-Headed Poet. One of the most important things that the poet says to the storyteller is that most people do not actually ride the bus because they would much rather prefer to go to grey town. Then suddenly the storyteller notices that they are flying in the bus and can see grey town below him. Now in Chapter 2 the poet is telling the storyteller, his life story and what he has gone through in his lifetime. He also confessed to the storyteller that at the beginning of the war he was briefly a communist but then later rejected it. He was in a horrible relationship with a woman and came to his final straw when she was greedy with money and jumped in front of a train. He tells the storyteller that ever since he has jumped in front of the train he has spent his time in grey town. As the bus is still in the air a random fight breaks out between all of the passengers with knives and guns. Then all of the sudden it ends instantly, leaving the storyteller untouched. Now, he is sitting next to a different man who is intelligent man. The intelligent man describes grey town to the storyteller as a place where there are always new people coming in and as soon as they do they tend to fight and brawl. When you arrive at grey town you start at the civic center and you want to eventually m ake your way to the bus stop. The intelligent man says that it can take millions of years to go from the civic center to the bus stop. Some rather famous people have drifted past the bus stop which include Napoleon, Julius Caesar, and Genghis Kahn. The intelligent man describes how he wishes he could tell people to go forth to the bus stop instead of drifting away. Then he tells the storyteller that he is going to try to pick up some things, so he can sell them to the people in grey town to make some sort of profit. Now in Chapter 3, the bus finally comes to a stop and people then exit the bus. The area around them is a nearby river with trees and grass on the ground. The storyteller was said to have expressed, I had a sense of being in a larger space, perhaps maybe even a larger sort of space, than I have ever known before (27). This place seemed so vast and infinite to the storyteller. He then comes across a daisy that he tries to pick from the ground. He is bending the stem and trying to twist it and it was as hard as a rock. He described it as hard as a diamond. He then tries to pick up a leaf nearby it and it would not budge. Just the effort of trying to pick the daisy and the leaf left him out of breath. Then the storyteller notices that he is completely see-through and that he is a phantom. So is everyone who wandered out of the bus. A woman cried she couldnt handle it and ran back on to the transportation. The big man who looks like a ghost asked the driver when they were all going to he ad back to grey town and the driver explains, Stay as long as you please (29). Just upon out in the distance they all see a mountain range and then closer by the river they see bodies of people who were naked and called spirits. In Chapter 4, the Big Ghost notices a spirit that he knows from his past and remembers him as Len. He then becomes very angry at Len and reminds him he is a murderer and he killed a man named Jack. Len explains in the book after he was accused of murder, Of course I did. It is all right now' All right is it? All right for you, you mean. But what about the poor chap himself, laying cold and dead? But he isnt. I have told you, you will meet him soon. He sent you his love' (33). The big ghost was envious and confused that Len is in heaven and gets to be free while the big ghost has to spend his time in grey town. The big ghost says that he has always been good and that he doesnt deserve to be in this situation. Len confused, tells the him of his sins and he gets to be upset and says he will never take advice from a murderer. In Chapter 5, the storyteller is approached by two lions which he quickly tries to escape until he then came across a spirit conversing with a larger ghost. The ghost was asking the spirit about a man named Dick which is the spirits father. The ghost explains that he is in grey town and rejects the idea of there being a heaven and hell. The spirit asks him to try to have him, believe in him, so he can then move past grey town. Dick believes that grey town is hell plain and simple. The large ghost asks for Dick to go to the mountain to see the face of god and for him to repent his sins. Then after he listens to this conversation he comes up with a novel idea that maybe he could walk on water. So, the storyteller then steps onto the water and in fact was walking on it. It became very difficult though, since the water was moving and he found it to be more difficult than he ever thought. In Chapter 6, the storyteller is still walking on water and then suddenly is right by a waterfall. He notices the intelligent man he sat next to, on the bus or now known as Ikey. He is in the bushes trying to pick up apples and other items and is finding them to be very heavy. Out of nowhere a large and stern voice came calling out and called Ikey a fool and to put them down. The waterfall, then turned out to be an angel in disguise and made its way over to Ikey. The angel explained to Ikey that apples have no place in hell and that he should enjoy them here. Ikey disobeyed and decided that he was going to continue to the bus anyways. In Chapter 7, Ikey is still traveling to the bus with the apples stuffed in his pockets. The big angel referred to as Water Giant doesnt try to stop him. The storyteller then comes across all over the world and doesnt think that the true sights in the world are worth seeing at all. He describes them as a bunch of advertisements run by some sort of corporation. He also described hell as a huge disappointment. As the Hard-Bitten ghost was leaving, he warned the storyteller that it is going to rain soon. The rain will be like bullets which upset the storyteller and left him to be sad and worried. In Chapter 8, the storyteller was upset with the Hard-bitten ghost for telling him that the rain my really injure him. The storyteller goes off to the river and sulks about how the spirits dont look after the ghosts the way he wants them to. He finds that they have their own agenda of things to do that doesnt include them. The storyteller still saddened by the future rain, tries to find some shelter. On his way through the woods, he comes across a female ghost and a spirit in a heated argument over her not wanting to travel up to the mountain. The spirit is insisting that she does in order to receive her body. She gets upset and says she will not. The text explains, A herd of unicorns came thundering through the glades (63) This must have been merely out of pure disappointment of her insisting to not travel upward to the mountain to repent. Reflection What I found most interesting about grey town or hell, was that all who enter start at the civic center and have to find their way to the bus stop. What makes this so compelling for me to think about is that according to the Poet, it takes millions of years to reach the bus stop. That may be for the agony of time you have to think with just yourself about all of your sins that you have committed. Then by the time you reach the bus stop you can make the decision to repent the sins you have committed and go off to heaven or get back on the bus and return to hell. What CS Lewis I think wanted the readers to take away from grey town is that it is not a fiery and satanic place. It is a sad and depressing place where people who sinned are angry and alone. They are left to think about what they have done. It is almost an internal battle with just you and the millions of years you have to contemplate what you have done. Some questions I have that I did not get clarity from the text is how do you end up getting the luxury of going on the bus? How do you know where to find the bus stop? What inhibits you from getting to the bus stop in Genghis Kahn, Julius Caesar, and Napoleons case? After reading this text I have learned a great deal of what the after life is like in CS Lewiss mind. It is nothing like I would have ever imagined and was quite hard to understand at first read. But after more deep analyzing I have come to the conclusion that when you go to grey town you have to think long and hard about what you have done to land in a place like that. Then, after thorough contemplation you have the opportunity to go to the bus. When you make it to the destination you should travel up the mountain, see the face of God, and repent your sins so then you can enter eternal happiness of heaven. I imagine this book is going to make it quite a feat to get to heaven, but I think it would be. Overall, so far this book is a little confusing, but I really enjoyed reading CS Lewiss perspective on all of these unknowns.

Essay on The Providence Debate - 2228 Words

The Providence Debate Barbara J. Best Theology 350 July 3, 2013 When one defines God’s providence it is referring to the way God governs the world. Does God really sit on His throne and dictate or rule the world? It is not surprising that there is some disagreement in the evangelical world concerning the control of God, His dealing with salvation especially as affected by Jesus and the freewill of mankind. Some theologians think that the three are in contradictory of each other. Are they really in conflict with each other’s or can all three exist in full scriptural belief without doing any injustice to the other two? When one talks about the sovereignty of God the actual word is not used in the bible but He is there†¦show more content†¦And it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Romans 9:22-23 What if God, willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy which He had before prepared to glory This is truly a hot topic because it deals with one of the most important facet of the Believer walk and that is which side of the fence are you on when it comes to your salvation. Are you satisfied knowing that God made the choice for you or that you made the choice for yourself to accept His son Jesus? John Calvin was born in (1509-1564) he was a leader in the Reformation. He was a highly respected as a theologian. John Calvin wrote a book entitled the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1535. This book was written primary for the Protestant welfares and it had an astounding effect on many. â€Å"It proved to be the most influential work of the Protestant Reformation. Protestants in different countries saw Calvin as a pillar of strength to their cause, a theologian of the highest rank, while Romanists feared his pen as one of their most formidable foes.† John Calvin was adamant about his belief. He is called the systematical theologian who had a remarkable gift of interrupting biblical doctrine and making it understandable and appealing. He was definitely a man who relied solely on the scriptureShow MoreRelatedThe Theological Definition Of Providence1280 Words   |  6 Pagesthat are heavily debated. One in particular, is the providence debate. The theological definition of providence is, â€Å"God’s governing of the universe. â€Å"God’s support, care, and supervision of all creation, from its beginning to all eternity. The terms comes from Latin providentia, which in turn derives from the verb provideo, â€Å"to foresee,† but far more is meant than foresight or foreknowledge.† Some evangelicals hold that God’s providence is meticulous: He governs each and every detail. OthersRead MoreThe Providence of God1452 Words   |  6 PagesIn a debate that has long plagued those who study scripture, the idea that this paper will change the mind of any is comical. The discussion about the providence of God has long been debated and argued with dozens of different ideas being brought up, however in the broad sense of the debate there are two basic schools of thought. First there is the school of thought that God created all things, and sustains all things, yet has given man, his prized creation, the ability to make choices apart fromRead MoreInfluence Of A Great Philosopher And T he Metaphysic Of Divine Providence1162 Words   |  5 PagesThe Influence of a Great Philosopher and the Metaphysic of Divine Providence. Marcus Tullius Cicero was born on January 3rd 106 BC in Arpinum and assassinated on the 7th of December 43 BC (Cicero, 2016) Cicero was murdered during the consulship of the 2nd Catilinarian conspiracy. Cicero executed five conspirators during the chaotic latter in the 1st Century BC marked by the civil wars and under the dictatorship of Gaius Julius Caesar. Cicero returned to the republic government after the late JuliusRead MoreWhy Are the Good Allowed to Suffer? From Senecas On Providence and The Bible1287 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophers and thinkers like Seneca and authors of the Bible have debated and written about these questions since ancient times. Perhaps because hardships affect every person, many people continue to debate the same topics today. Seneca writes extensively about the topic of suffering in his essay â€Å"On Providence,† which is contained in The Stoic Philosophy of Seneca. 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Hegel in his â€Å"Lectures on the Philosophy of History† presented that free will is completely based on a divine providence. In the other hand, Pelagius, founder of Pelagianism, explained an opposite view about what Hegel thinks in regards to free will. Hegel contributed in different fields includingRead MoreBiblical Worldview Essay1698 Words   |  7 Pagesand govern their way of life. Certainly throughout history, the spread of Christian theology and doctrine has been influential in establishing and developing a deeply rooted theistic and biblical worldview foundation; thus being the center of much debate. In light of the various views within Christian theology, we will focus specifically on doctrine that is foundational to the Christian faith: The belief the God is actively involved in His creation. Furthermore, we will examine how this belief (doctrine)Read MoreThe Benefits And Drawbacks Of Total Immunization1634 Words   |  7 Pageseliminate or restrict legal vaccine exemptions. The decision to allow citizens to continue exercising the right to choose against the benefit of the greater good has been a long and tiring battle. This battle is still in progress and has become a debate between medical professionals, religious groups, and the states’ citizens. Due to the many factors that play into the process of immunizing citizens, the decision to enforce total immunization before entering school, childcare facilities, the workRead MoreEssay on Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1742 Words   |  7 Pages danger, and a cast of characters who are sometimes menacing and often hilarious. A hackneyed expression states that one should never discuss religion or politics in certain social settings. Religion has been, is, and always will be a topic of debate and disagreement. Literature is a major media in which religious sentiments are discussed. The description of one boy and his adventures allows Mark Twain the opportunity to impart his views on religion to his readers. In his novel The AdventuresRead MoreResolving Crisis Incidents: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Negotiations639 Words   |  3 Pagesdevelopment in resolving crisis incidents is the Hanafi Muslim Incident: Role and Impact of the Media in 1977. The Hanafi historical event was crucial in the development of the hostage negotiations because of its ability to spur a critical national debate in relation to the role of the news media with reference to the theater of hostage taking. This relates to the role and impact of the media in helping or limiting the terrorist hostage incidents. On one side of the argument, the media proposed exercising

Movie Essays - Narrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares...

Narrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays My subject in this essay in playtexts and in films of those playtexts. Drama offers the storyteller a simple choice about how to communicate each element of the story to the audience: show it, or have a character describe it. Often in drama narration is used because an event cannot be shown, but occasionally telling is used when showing is perfectly possible and Shakespeare uses this device self-consciously to draw attention to the medium rather than the message of his story. Shakespeare appears then interested in ekphrasis, which the Oxford Classical Dictionary calls an extended and detailed literary description of any object, real or imaginary (Hornblower Spawforth 1996)†¦show more content†¦Whether entering or leaving Heros bedchamber, Claudio and Don Pedro are sure to infer from Borachios presence that Hero is sexually active. The audience are distanced from the sexual act by a double frame: first the corollaries which precede and follow the implied act and second the e kphrastic narrative promise and recollection of those corollaries. Kenneth Branagh chose to show the audience the deception scene in his film of Much Ado About Nothing (Branagh 1993) and he broke III.ii after Don John says I know not that [Claudio means to marry] when he knows what I know to cut to an interior shot of excited kissing between Borachio and Margaret, although from behind Imelda Staunton playing Margaret might easily be mistaken for Kate Beckinsale playing Hero. The next shot shows Don John, Claudio, and Don Pedro entering the garden and is followed by one showing Borachio and Margaret having sex on the balcony of Heros bedchamber. Putting perhaps too fine a point on it--and surely risking alienation of his unwitting assistant in this deception--Borachio moans Hero, Hero in his sexual ecstasy. Returning to the dialogue of III.ii more or less where we left it, Don John states what appears obvious: The lady is disloyal. Branaghs realization of the absent deception scene replaced Shakespeares double framing device with the putative act itself since Don John brings Claudio andShow MoreRelatedGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pages GP NOTES 2010 (ESSAY) Content Page 1. Media a. New vs. Traditional b. New: narcissistic? c. Government Censorship d. Profit-driven Media e. Advertising f. Private life of public figures g. Celebrity as a role model h. Blame media for our problems i. Power + Responsibility of Media j. Media ethics k. New Media and Democracy 2. Science/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technologyRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesprobable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus Day, October 12. Here is some relevant background information to reduce your

If I Ran Zoo By Dr. Seuss - 885 Words

For the quote of Dr. Seuss â€Å"If I ran Zoo† it challenges children and individuals to think about what they would do to change the zoo, if they were given the power to do so. Throughout the semester I learned many contradictions about the Juvenile court system. Not only the contradictions but also the seeing lives of adolescents in the film of â€Å"This is their Normal,† â€Å"Juvies† and the film about the two girls in Juvenile prison. It has shown the difficulties of what the adolescents face when they tell their stories about how they end in prison, issues with their families, and problems among themselves. The adolescents have faced struggles in their childhoods and once they grow up they end up committing crimes that leads them into the Juvenile court system that is giving the adolescents unfair sentences and charges. Although, there were changes in the Juvenile court system since the early 1900’s and after the case of Kansas Charley. Yet there ar e still some issues happening in the Juvenile court system today that is affecting youth. After learning about the contradictions in the Juvenile system and lives of adolescents in the system, I will introduce the suggestions about changing the system if I had the power to do so. The first suggestion that I will introduce is not inside the Juvenile prison when adolescents enter into the system but before when adolescents enter the system. A program called the â€Å"Beyond Scared Straight† program was built in the 1970’s for at-risk youthShow MoreRelatedDr. Seuss Changed the Lives of All Children839 Words   |  3 PagesThat boy was Theodor Seuss Geisel, mostly known as Dr. Seuss. His mother and father, Henrietta and Theodore Geisel, called him Ted. Theodor became a writer, poet, and cartoonist. His work had a revolutionary impact on children’s literature and changed the way children learned to read. â€Å"As a young bot Theodor began drawing many pictures. He was always drawing strange-looking people and animals on his school books.† (Wheeler 6) His father would take him to the local park and zoo, where he loved to goRead More The Man Behind The Hat Essay811 Words   |  4 Pagesnamed Theodor Seuss Geisel, also known as â€Å"Dr. Seuss.† A man who some think created, â€Å"the world of imagination† as we know it in children’s literature. Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote and illustrated many books and sold millions of copies. He created catch phrases and captured the eyes of children all over the world. What made this man, Dr. Seuss such a well-known author by children and adults until this day? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Theodor Seuss Geisel, â€Å"Dr. Seuss,† was born MarchRead MoreDr. Seuss - a poet753 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Dr. Seuss: A Unique Poet Shel Silverstein is unarguably one of the world’s favorite poets. Millions of children have read his greatest classics such as â€Å"The Unicorn†, â€Å"Hug O’War†, â€Å"Ickle Me, Tickle Me, Pickle Me Too†, and â€Å"Where the Sidewalk Ends†. His use of balderdash, rhyme, and alliteration draws the attention of these children; nevertheless, there is another children’s poet who is as equally eccentric as Shel Silverstein: Dr. Seuss. Although Dr. Seuss is considered one of the finest influentialRead MoreResearch Paper on Dr. Seuss1331 Words   |  6 PagesTajmia Owens Mr. Putnam Language Arts 3 16 May 2013 Our Childhood Brought To Life â€Å" I do not like green eggs and ham I do not like them Sam-I-Am.† These famous words not only started my childhood but many children’s childhood. Theodore Seuss Geisel or most commonly known as Dr. Seuss was born on March 2, 1994 and from there the world was changed. Theodore Geisel is a charismatic man who put his lively personality into his fun and lighthearted books like Green Eggs and Ham, The classic CatRead MoreDr. Seuss Or Theodor Seuss2175 Words   |  9 PagesDr. Seuss or Theodor Seuss Gressel was a children’s writer. He wrote many award-winning books that made him one of the greatest American writers in history. Along with writing books, he wrote quotes, created sculptures, and some of his books have been turned into movies. For example, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Lorax, and the most famous work of his, The Cat In The Hat. Throughout his life, he was a successful man, but had a few obstacles to overcome. On March 2, 1904, Theodor was born toRead MoreDr. Seuss is the Most Well Known Childrens Author1311 Words   |  5 PagesOccupying five of the top fifteen spots in Publisher Weeklys list of all time best-selling childrens books, Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, is the most well known childrens author to date, with forty-seven published books and more than two-hundred million copies sold(Levine 37). Born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts, Theodor Seuss Geisel, wrote books with memorable characters that have become classic childrens books such as The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole ChristmasRead MoreEssay on Theodore Geisels Emergence as Dr. Seuss3883 Words   |  16 PagesTheodore Geisels Emergence as Dr. Seuss The appellation , Dr. Seuss, has become a name that often evokes fond memories of a cherished childhood. Entrenched in monotony of gray day when, The sun did not shine./ It was too wet to play, we only had to look at the grinning face of Dr. Seusss famous cat to remind us that there was more to do than wait as time slipped away. There was something appealing in the simple anapestic tetrameter rhythm, coupled with nonsensical words and illustrationsRead MoreInnovators Dna84615 Words   |  339 Pagessuccessful innovators exhibit common behavioral habits—habits that can boost anyone’s creative capacity.† author, e 7 Habits of Highly E ective People and e Leader in Me â€Å"Having worked with Clayton Christensen on innovation for over a decade, I can see that e Innovator’s DNA continues to stretch our thinking with insights that challenge convention and enable progress in the important cause of innovation . . . so critical to competitiveness and growth.† retired Chairman of the Board and

Lost in Translation by Ewa Hoffman Essay - 502 Words

Lost in Translation - A Place to Remember As people grow up, there are special places that remain in the memories. These places become a safe haven when life becomes too rough to handle. All the bad qualities of this place disappear in their minds so that only a perfect world exists. This is a place where everything is right and everyday troubles do not exist. In the novel Lost in Translation by Ewa Hoffman, she describes this paradise of sorts as her hometown of Cracow, Poland. Cracow, Poland is where Ewa spent the majority of her childhood up until age fourteen when she emigrated to the Canada with her mother, father, and younger sister Alina. Although she only spent fourteen years there, this place†¦show more content†¦From the beginning of Ewa’s emigration, she realized the difference in monetary values. In Poland two dollars could have bought a bicycle whereas on the train the two dollars only bought four bowls of soup. This is one reason why Cracow was a special place to her; it provided her with luxury. In Cracow, Ewa was considered a piece of beauty. She was considered a porcelain princess and often received comments about her attractiveness. She always had the finest clothes and was very up-to-date with her sense of style. When arriving in Canada her perception of herself changed as she realized that she was not the most attractive girl. All of the other girls walked around with thin eyebrows and red lipstick, whereas Ewa had bushy eyebrows and wore no lipstick. The clothing the Ewa wore was also quite different than that of Ewa’s. Because of her family’s lower political caste, her family was unable to provide the money for Ewa to look like all the other girls. She had to rely on the charitable donations of people such as the Rosenbergs. In Cracow, this would never be the case. Growing up in Cracow, Ewa had many close friendships. However, there was one boy in particular that was always there for her, Marek. Ewa and Marek’s parents were best friends which eventually led to the two children becoming best friends. It was with Marek that Ewa had her first

Case Predicting Performance Free Essays

The pressure of the SAT exam is very great, and many students suffer from test anxiety. The results, therefore, may not truly reflect what a student knows. There is evidence that coaching improves scores by between 40 and 1 50 points. We will write a custom essay sample on Case Predicting Performance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Test scores, therefore, may adversely affect the chances of acceptance for students who cannot afford the $600 or $700 to take test-coaching courses. Are Stats valid, or do they discriminate against minorities, the poor, and those who have had limited access to cultural growth experiences? Alternatives: 1- Keep student selection criteria and its weights as it is for now â€Å"including SAT at 0%† 2- Increase SAT weight 3- Decrease SAT weight to 20% and add to the criteria intelligent test with weight of Alternatives Evaluation: 1 . Keep student selection criteria and its weights as it is for now â€Å"including SAT at 40%† Positives; l. It will give Alex more time to do further study and benchmark with similar colleges. Ii. Alex will gain more practical experience to be able to judge fairly on SAT score iii. People who design the SAT† lb. Stats tap intelligence and employers want intelligent job applicants Negative; I. Alex concerns about SAT score will remain 2. Increase SAT weight Positives; I. SAT score are valid predictors of how well a person will do in college. â€Å"According to people who design the SAT† IL. Stats tap intelligence and employers want intelligent I. Alex concerns about SAT score will increase 3. Decrease SAT weight to 20% and add to the criteria intelligent test with weight of I. SAT will remain part of the selection criteria it. Intelligent test is used by multimillion companies to choose their future employees so by using it in the student selection criteria it will improve the college graduates in finding their Jobs. Negative; I. What if a student â€Å"poor† excels in intelligent test but didn’t do so well in SAT score? It will remain a dilemma to accept him in Ale’s highly selective college. Recommendation:- First alternative is for me is the best†¦ Although it’s scores less than second alternative in the evaluation yet it will allow Alex to have enough time to gain more practical experience and benchmark with other similar organization to improve her decision making process. Also in the second alternative Alex concerns about SAT score will not be eliminated or solved! Prepared by: Amman Taft How to cite Case Predicting Performance, Papers

Global Marketing Strategy and Planning

Question: Discuss about theGlobal Marketing Strategy and Planning. Answer: Introduction According to Alon Eugene (2012), global marketing refers to a product strategy that applies promotion and advertisements to increase the sales globally. It deals with a wide area for business operations. It can be said that almost all business has a global existence. According to Kotler et al (2015), even the companies that are operational within their native places try to attract global market. The increase in global marketing is the primary reason of why it is important to study. It is a major area of business because it offers access to large scale profit margins, better quality of life and vast demographic audiences. McDonalds Internal Business Situations The internal business situations of McDonalds are discussed in the following: Organizational Structure Recently in 2015, McDonald has reformed its company structure for a better handling of global operations. McDonald is among the largest fast food restaurants of the world. The focus has always been given to the current market related issues. Sachdeva (2015) outlined that they have a divisional organizational structure. Each division manages a particular operational area. The objective of the organization is to support autonomy besides maintain organizational flexibility. According to Schlegelmilch (2016), the main characteristics of their organizational structure are the following: Global hierarchy Performance-based divisions Function-based groups De Mooij (2013) mentioned that McDonalds has 23,500 restaurants in 109 countries across the world. Lee Carter (2012) opined that almost 85% of McDonalds restaurants are owned and managed by franchisees. These are independent and full time operators. They have restaurants in exotic tourist locations, highways, theme parks and inside the Wal-Mart. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) Current Product or Product Line The burgers are the most sold product of McDonald. They use 100% USDA inspected beef without any fillers and additives in their products. The chickens are also 100% farm raised without any fillers and additives. According to Pearce (2013), they work in a close association with growers, ranchers and suppliers for world class food quality. Only the brand items such as Dannon yogurt, Nestle chocolate, Heinz Ketchup are used by them. The branded menu items include Big Mac, and Chicken McNuggets. The popular products of McDonalds are hamburgers, pork burgers, and beef. To survive in India, they have added lamb, chicken, and fish burgers into their menu. These items gained popularity in the metropolitan cities of India. In spite of it, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Subway and KFC are giving competition to McDonalds here. Customer Behavior and new Trends It is a fact that the new trends are faced by the consumers because there are many competitors offering quality fast foods to them. Subway and KFC are such competitors. Following the new trends, McDonalds are offering foods in low price rates, offers discounts, and also introduced healthy food. Many have questioned the high proportion of fat in the burgers and in many countries the foods of McDonalds are banned because of the health related issues. Even they have introduced McMuffin to spread nutrition awareness. It is a move by McDonald to spread its business in those countries too. Distribution and Supply According to Griffith Hoppner (2013), McDonalds supply chain follows the concept of three-legged stool. It is the following; Suppliers Company Franchisees According to GUPTA (2013), the company has invested years in establishing a unique cold chain. Through this, the integrity of the food products are maintained and the nutritional values is also retained. The company assists in the selection of high quality seeds, refrigerated transportation system, and drip-irrigation technology. They have also enabled the E-Procurement system through which the buyers and sellers can specify the costs and also invite online bids. Customers can also qualify for special offers and volume discounts over internet. They have an E-Procurement website named Emac Digital Company. It is jointly owned by McDonalds and Accel-KKR Internet Co. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) McDonalds External Situations The external situations of the McDonalds are discussed in the following Competitive Environment Although McDonalds is considered worlds largest fast food chain, it is facing tough competition from companies such as KFC, King Burger Corporation, Subway, BKC, and Yum foods. McDonalds generates most of their revenues from eight countries. Jeon et al (2016) pointed out that these are- Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany, France, Brazil, and Japan. They started their business in India during 1996 and since then they have adopted with the food habits, cultures, and lifestyles of India. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) Industry Situation in a Particular Global Market McDonalds is a famous brand in Singapores market. The industry analysis of McDonalds is discussed in the following in terms of Singapores market. Customer analysis: McDonalds has segmented its customers in terms of their lifestyle and age. Although the target customers are teenagers, adults, and seniors, they heavily target the children. Keegan Green (2015) opined that in Singapore, they retain communication with the customers apart from anticipating their demands. However, most of their customers belong to well-educated and economically affluent families. It is found that McDonalds has made changes in their menu keeping in mind different needs of different customers. Competitor analysis: Yum Brands and McDonalds are fighting neck to neck for the number one spot in Singapore. The products of McDonalds are more costly than Yum Brands. Therefore, many customers prefer it over McDonalds. In spite of it, McDonalds has their own set of regular customers. Buyers: McDonalds have a large section of regular customers. They belong to the affluent section of the society. Suppliers: McDonalds does not have a single supplier at the global level except Coca Cola, which is a cold drink company. They have their own farm from where they get meat and from the local store they collect raw materials. Substitutes: some healthy foods that are becoming popular among the health conscious customers are posing threats to McDonalds food products. Therefore, they have shifted their focus on the healthy foods. New Entrants: No new entrants are endangering McDonalds demands in the market of Singapore. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) Strategic Fit of the Market Opportunity to the Companys Capabilities McDonalds is already a popular fast food brand. Still for the development of their business they can look into certain opportunities. Many people restrict themselves from eating food products of McDonalds because of rising health awareness. Newer range of healthy foods can attract more customers. The company should also explore the opportunity to expand in foreign market more. They can also think of renovating their old restaurants, decrease the food prices to attract the middle class customers. Even they can also introduce new popular products such as coffee because of its rising popularity worldwide. A Market Opportunity Worth Pursuing Introducing new and healthy products should be given importance. In many Asian countries, McDonalds products are not acceptable to the customers and also to the governments. In an age of growing health issues and health consciousness, customers should be served healthy foods. The SWOT Analysis of McDonalds Strength: They have a diversified income scheme. The revenues are generated from various countries across the world. It never depends on one key source of income. McDonalds sales were US$16.488 billion in the last year. It earned US$8.925 billion from franchisee stores. Weaknesses: The declining market share, quality of food are the two main weaknesses. Many people do not eat beef and in many countries the products are banned. Opportunity: International expansion, joint ventures with the retailers, and their adaptation with the regional and current trends are the main opportunities. Threats: Growing competition from companies such as subway, KFC and Burger Ken, more health consciousness among the consumers are the big threats facing by the McDonalds. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) PEST Analysis: Political: It has to follow the government regulations related to foods and hygiene. Some government has banned the junk foods of McDonald. Economic: It has to decide whether to buy the raw materials or import them is a major economic factor. The tax rates, i.e. the tariff on the imported products is another concern. Socio-cultural: Changes in lifestyle and food habits of people in specific regions are the main concerns. Asian people prefer rice over hamburgers, which is a preferred food item in Unite States. Technological: technology helps in saving time and resources. It helps in scheduling, ordering, foot traffic, and forecasting sales. Easy customer payment is also helpful. Environmental: They have replaced polystyrene with paper-based packaging to avoid environmental hazards. ("McDonald's: Burgers, Fries More. Quality Ingredients.", 2016) Conclusion Global marketing management has evolved widely. It is a best way to expand the business of the company. Whereas International marketing is limited, global marketing is fast growing. McDonalds is one such company that has expanded across the globe following the trends. It can be known from the SWOT and PESTEL analysis of the company. Most of the big companies are getting involved into global marketing in case they are not willing to tie up with the franchisees. In todays market scenario, the global marketing not only helps the sellers but also the consumers are getting benefitted from various products. Many companies set the product range keeping in mind the customers needs. It is an important factor of global marketing. 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