Biography of Cary Grant, Famous Leading Man

Biography of Cary Grant, Famous Leading Man Cary Grant (born Archibald Alexander Leach; January 18, 1904–November 29, 1986) was one of Americans most successful actors of the 20th century. He made his way out of an unhappy home life in Bristol, England, by joining a troupe of British comedians, then crossing the Atlantic to try his hand at vaudeville before becoming a suave screen presence and one of Hollywood’s favorite leading men. Fast Facts: Cary Grant Known For: One of filmdoms favorite leading menAlso Known As: Archibald Alexander LeachBorn: January 18, 1904 in Bristol, EnglandParents: Elias James Leach, Elsie Maria KingdonDied: November 29, 1986 in Davenport, IowaFilms: Topper, To Catch a Thief, North by Northwest, CharadeSpouse(s): Virginia Cherrill, Barbara Woolworth Hutton, Betsy Drake, Dyan Cannon, Barbara HarrisChildren: Jennifer GrantNotable Quote: So would I, when told by an interviewer that Everybody would like to be  Cary Grant. Early Life Grant was the son of Elsie Maria Kingdon and Elias James Leach, a suit presser in a clothing manufacturing plant. The working-class family of Episcopalians lived in a stone row house in Bristol, England, kept warm by coal-burning fireplaces. When Grant was young, his parents often argued with one another. A bright boy, Grant attended the Bishop Road Boys’ School, ran errands for his mother, and enjoyed movies with his father. When Grant was 9, however, his life tragically changed when his mother disappeared. Told that she was resting at a seaside resort, Grant wouldn’t see her for more than 20 years. Now raised by his father and his father’s distant parents, Grant took his mind off his unsettled home life by playing handball at school and joining the Boy Scouts. In school, he loitered in the science lab, fascinated by electricity. The science professor’s assistant took the 13-year-old Grant to the Bristol Hippodrome to show him the lighting system he had installed. Grant became infatuated- not with the lighting, but with the theater. English Theater In 1918, the 14-year-old Grant took a job at the Empire Theater assisting the men working the arc lamps. He frequently skipped school to attend matinees. Hearing that the Bob Pender Troupe of comedians was hiring, Grant wrote Pender an introductory letter, forging his father’s signature. Unbeknownst to his father, Grant was hired and learned to walk on stilts, pantomime, and perform acrobatics, touring English cities with the troupe. Grants devotion was thwarted when his father found him and dragged him home. Grant got himself expelled from school by peeking at the girls in the restroom.  With his father’s blessing, Grant then rejoined the Pender troupe. In 1920, eight boys, Grant among them, were selected from the troupe to appear at New Yorks Hippodrome. The teen sailed for America to begin a new life. Broadway While working in New York in 1921, Grant received a letter from his father saying he had fathered a son named Eric Leslie Leach with another woman. Grant gave little thought to his half-brother, enjoying baseball, Broadway celebrities, and living beyond his means. When the Pender tour ended in 1922, Grant stayed in New York, selling ties on the street and performing on stilts at Coney Island while watching for another vaudeville opening. Soon he was back at the Hippodrome using his acrobatic, juggling, and mime skills. In 1927, Grant appeared in his first Broadway musical comedy, Golden Dawn, at the Hammerstein Theater. Because of his good looks and gentlemanly ways, Grant won the leading male role in a 1928 play, Rosalie. He was spotted by Fox Film Corp. talent scouts and asked to take a screen test, which he flunked: They said he was bowlegged and his neck was too thick. When the stock market crashed in 1929, half of the Broadway theaters closed. Grant took a pay cut but appeared in musical comedies. In the summer of 1931, Grant, hungry for work, appeared at the outdoor Muny Opera in St. Louis, Missouri. Movies In November 1931, the 27-year-old Grant drove cross-country to Hollywood. After a few introductions and dinners, he had another screen test and received a five-year contract with Paramount, but the studio rejected his name. Grant had played a character named Cary on Broadway; the plays author suggested that Grant take that name. He picked Grant from a studio list of last names. Grant’s first feature film, This Is the Night (1932), was followed by seven more films that year. He took parts rejected by seasoned actors. Although Grant was inexperienced, his looks and easy working style kept him in pictures, including the popular Mae West films She Done Him Wrong (1933) and I’m No Angel (1933). Marrying and Going Independent In 1933, Grant met actress Virginia Cherrill, 26, the star of several Charlie Chaplin films, at the William Randolph Hearst beach house and sailed for England that November, his first trip home. They married on February 2, 1934, in London’s Caxton Hall registry office. After seven months, Cherrill left Grant and claimed he was too controlling. They divorced in 1935. In 1936, rather than re-signing with Paramount, Grant hired an independent agent to represent him. Grant could now choose his roles and took taking artistic control of his career, which gave him unprecedented independence at the time. Between 1937 and 1940, Grant honed his screen personality as an elegant, irresistible leading man. He appeared in two moderately successful films, Columbias When Youre in Love (1937) and RKO’s The Toast of New York (1937). Then came box-office success in Topper (1937) and The Awful Truth (1937), which received six Academy Awards- Grant, the leading actor, was not the recipient of any of those awards. Grants Mother Resurfaces In October 1937, Grant received a letter from his mother, saying she wanted to see him. Grant, who thought she had died years before, booked passage to England after he finished filming Gunga Din (1939). At 33, Grant finally learned that his mother had suffered a nervous breakdown and his father put her into an asylum. She had become mentally unbalanced from guilt over losing an earlier son, John William Elias Leach, who had developed gangrene from a torn thumbnail before he turned 1. After watching him around the clock for several nights, Elsie took a nap and the child died. Grant got his mother released and purchased a Bristol home for her. He corresponded with her, visited often, and financially supported her until she died at age 95 in 1973. Marrying Again In 1940, Grant appeared in Penny Serenade (1941) and received an Oscar nomination. He didnt win, but he became a box-office star and, on June 26, 1942, an American citizen. On July 8, 1942, Grant married 30-year-old Barbara Woolworth Hutton, the granddaughter of the founder of Woolworths and one of the worlds wealthiest women. Later, Grant received his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor for None but the Lonely Heart (1944). After several separations and reconciliations, the marriage ended in divorce on July 11, 1945. Hutton had lifelong psychological problems; she was 6 when she found her mother’s body after her suicide. In 1947, Grant received the Kings Medal for Services in the Cause of Freedom for meritorious service during World War II, when he had donated his salaries from two movies to the British war effort. On December 25, 1949, Grant got married for the third time, to 26-year-old Betsy Drake- his co-star in Every Girl Should Be Married (1948). Brief Retirement Grant retired from acting in 1952, sensing that newer, grittier actors such as James Dean and Marlon Brando were the new draw rather than light-hearted comedic actors. Drake introduced Grant to LSD therapy, which was legal at that time. Grant claimed he found inner peace regarding his troubled upbringing. Director Alfred Hitchcock coaxed Grant out of retirement to star in To Catch a Thief (1955). Its acclaim followed two earlier Grant-Hitchcock successes: Suspicion (1941) and Notorious (1946). Grant starred in more films, including Houseboat (1958), where he fell in love with co-star Sophia Loren. Although Loren married producer Carlo Ponti, Grant’s marriage to Drake became strained; they separated in 1958 but didnt divorce until August 1962. Grant starred in another Hitchcock film, North by Northwest (1959). His suave performance made him the archetype for Ian Fleming’s fictional spy James Bond. Grant was offered the role by producer Albert Broccoli, but Grant thought he was too old and would commit to just one film of the potential series. The role ultimately went to 32-year-old Sean Connery in 1962. Grant’s successful movies continued with Charade (1963) and Father Goose (1964). Becoming a Father On July 22, 1965, the 61-year-old Grant married his fourth wife, 28-year-old actress Dyan Cannon. In 1966, Cannon gave birth to daughter Jennifer, Grants first child. Grant announced his retirement from acting that year. Cannon reluctantly joined Grant’s LSD therapy, but her scary experiences strained their relationship. They divorced on March 20, 1968, but Grant remained a doting father. On a trip to England, Grant met hotel public relations officer Barbara Harris, 46 years his junior, and married her on April 15, 1981. They remained married until his death five years later. Death In 1982, Grant began touring the international lecture circuit in a one-man show called A Conversation with Cary Grant, during which he talked about his films, showed clips, and answered audience questions. Grant was in Davenport, Iowa, when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage while preparing for the show. He died that night, Nov. 29, 1986, at age 82. Legacy In 1970, Grant received a special Oscar from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his acting achievements. Coupled with his two previous best actor Oscar nominations, five Golden Globe best actor nominations, 1981 Kennedy Center honors, and nearly two dozen other major nominations and awards, Grants place in film history is secure, as is his image of grace and civility. In 2004, Premiere magazine named him the greatest movie star of all time. Sources â€Å"Cary Grant.† IMDb.Cary Grant Biography. Biography.com.Cary Grant: British-American Actor. Encyclopaedia Britannica.10 Things You Never Knew About Cary Grant, Hollywood’s Greatest Leading Man. Littlethings.com.

Beware the yawn factor - Emphasis

Beware the yawn factor Beware the yawn factor Beware the yawn factor when selling your organisation in writing. Attention spans are short and lots of clichd customer-service terminology wont do you any favours. Take this example from the Olympus website: Under the umbrella of Olympus Europa we in the U.K give the best possible support to our customers by providing: A wide range of value added solutions to meet customer demands Flexible working approach to achieve time sensitive order requirements A Supply Chain working closely with both O.E. and the market place providing the vital link between sales and production, monitoring stock movement and demand v forecast ensuring optimum stock levels are maintained A 24 hour delivery service to all of our customers Customer service makes our company Olympus UK Ltd what it is today a very successful, caring organisation run by special people that make a positive difference. The UK Distribution Centre, based in West London, supports this concept wholeheartedly. Therefore an in-depth understanding of the UK market place has built up enabling us to act and react to our customers [sic] needs. Our role is supportive to OEDC (Olympus European Distribution Centre) enhancing performance to provide the best service whilst maintaining an acceptable level of cost. Communication is of paramount importance in establishing this understanding thereby developing an extremely healthy working relationship, providing a platform for success. Wordy bullets Using bullet points works well. They are easy to read and make text stand out. The problem here is that most are wordy and cumbersome. The first one talks about value added solutions. As opposed to what? A value diminished solution? Value added is meaningless corporate speak. It means nothing to the customer. The second one refers to time sensitive requirements. Surely 99 per cent of orders are time sensitive? How often do customers place an order without caring when they receive it? And the third one explains how the supply chain works. But customers wont care about the logistics of how Olympus maintains its stock levels. They just need to know that stock will be available when they need it. Also, the introductory sentence about the Olympus Europa umbrella is pointless here. As far as customers are concerned, there is only one Olympus. So, we could simplify this paragraph to read: At Olympus in the UK, we support our customers by: offering a wide range of solutions for your needs responding to your orders promptly maintaining optimum stock levels at all times guaranteeing a 24-hour delivery service. Cut the clichs Now look back at that second paragraph. It goes on a bit, doesnt it? Cutting back on the clichd and redundant phrases like support this concept wholeheartedly and is of paramount importance would simplify the message, making it easier to read and understand. There are a couple of other issues to address too. Special people is ambiguous, as is an acceptable cost. And enabling us to act and react to our customers needs is grammatically wrong. (It should be enabling us to act on and react to our customers needs.) This paragraph is basically trying to explain, using far too many words, that Olympus UK offers a speedy and efficient service to its customers at a reasonable price. Instead, it could say: Our customer service is at the heart of our success. Olympus UK is run by people who care and want to make a difference. Based at our UK Distribution Centre in west London, they have an in-depth understanding of the UK market. This enables us to respond to and anticipate our customers needs. We believe that good communication is vital to establishing good relationships with our customers. And our ultimate aim is to offer them a speedy and efficient service at a reasonable cost. Find out more about our courses in better writing

Compare and Contrast the reigns of Kangxi and Yongzheng Essay

Compare and Contrast the reigns of Kangxi and Yongzheng - Essay Example Yongzheng Emperor was born Yinzhen between December 1678 and October 1735 was an emperor of Manchu Qing Dynasty and ruled China between 1722 and 1735.2 He was nurtured by his father Kangxi in his childhood. This document explores similarities and different challenges Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors faced during their reign and their responses to the differences. Both emperors were religious and followers of Confucianism. They dedicated their lives to serve their people. They were careful to practice virtues because they believed such practices could bring good luck. For example, Kangxi believed that all present issues should be resolved in the present time to avoid the piling up of issues that may turn onto impediments in the future. He avoided being reckless with the public resources and ensured he spend the public wealth carefully.3 They both emphasized on morality and set the moral standards for their people to ensure they lived morally upright. For example, Kangxi established a version of moral standards known as Shengyu guangxun based on sixteen maxims. Later, his son Yongzheng expanded the sixteen maxims in another version known as Shengyu guangxun zhijie in literary Chinese order to make it easier for the people to follow. Kangxi and Yongzheng viewed well-organized clans and families as the prototypes of orderly states.4 Both emperor s experienced resistances from the central government and the followers of other regions such as Daoism, Buddhism, Catholicism and the folk religion. In his practices Kangxi promoted discrimination by abolishing â€Å"musical households of Yangzhou during his reign.† However, Yongzheng brought reforms that eliminated legal discrimination which gradually diminished the harsh social discrepancies of the former regime he considered evil. For example, he eradicated the â€Å"hereditary status of household slave and retainers in Nigguo and Huizhou prefectures in Anhui in 1727.†5 During the reign of

Intellectual Property Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intellectual Property Issue - Essay Example This approach is non-accusatory but will enable the students understand that what they do is unethical and can cause them their profession as well as personal reputation (Reiser and Dempsey, 2012). After the ethical discussion and in order to make the students understand the seriousness of plagiarism, Joel should introduce to them the copyright and property rights. He should especially emphasize on the consequences and penalties that people who are found infringing these rights is subjected to. This information should be the deal breaker of the bad habits the students have acquired. Joel should cancel the work of the students who have this behavior and provide them a chance to redo their assignment again. If the same thing happens again, then the student should not receive any grade at all. This will act as a warning to the rest of the students who like engaging in similar unethical

Physician And Managed Care Contracts Essay Example for Free

Physician And Managed Care Contracts Essay A contract is a legal binding agreement between two parties that is aimed to execute a certain objective. It is a kind of arrangement wherein a certain action is pledged in exchange for a specific proposition or offer. In order for a contract to be valid, four essential elements must be present in a contract. Firstly, two parties should exist in the contract. One party is presenting an offer while the other party is accepting the offer as a form of return for whatever specifications are requested in the contract. Secondly, the contract should indicate that both parties give their consent or are willing to enter into such an arrangement. Such intention should show that the person giving the offer is capable of providing the offer, while the party accepting the offer should be able to clearly show his/her acceptance of the offer. In addition, both parties must be willing to enter an agreement without any other hidden conditions. Thirdly, a purpose or objective should be indicated in a contract. The purpose should be detailed enough to clearly show what is requested or expected in exchange for the specific offer. And lastly, adequate consideration or an adequate value must be indicated as offer in the contract, in the form of money or in kind. The consideration or compensation can not be given to the accepting party prior to the acceptance of the offer. The act of accepting an offer constitutes a deal. Certain offers have a limited time of availability, wherein an expiration date is indicated and the offer can not be accepted after the said date, unless the offer is renewed or stands indefinitely. In addition, the party presenting the offer has the right to withdraw its offer, but only before an acceptance is received. Once an offer is accepted, the contract may not be modified or revised. Changes in the offer may only be incorporated during the negotiation stage of the agreement, which then makes a contract some kind of a bargain. Similarly, physicians enter contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs) or health management organizations (HMOs) in order to promote their services. The four essential elements of a contract should be carefully studied before accepting any offer or signing any contract. For example, as for the element of willingness and capability to enter a contract, a physician should initially must find out the MCO/HMO’s length of operation and financial stability, because this will give the physician an idea whether the company is capable to pay him at a regular schedule. In addition, it would be good to contact some colleagues who have signed contracts with the same company, in order to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the organization and to unearth any unwritten conditions or policies. The physician should also investigate the identity of the MCO/HMO, and any other parties in the contract, should there be more than two parties indicated in the contract. The most overlooked element of a contract between a physician and an MCO/HMO is the purpose or objective of the contract, which describes a several definitions of services and people that will be covered by the health plan, both during emergency and out-patient consultation events. A comprehensive study of the contract may possibly prevent misunderstandings between the two parties and therefore provide a clear-cut description of the services that the physician is expected to deliver. Another important element of a physician-MCO/HMO contract is the obligations of each party. It is usually indicated in the contract that the physician will actively maintain his/her medical practice documents such as licenses, certifications, registrations and permits in order to provide his/her services to patients. The physician should also inform the MCO/HMO of any modifications on his/her status as a practicing physician. In turn, the MCO/HMO presents its rules and regulations to the potential physician or health care provider working under their company. All policies, guidelines, reviews and appeals should be revealed in order to have its physicians working at the standardized efficiency and competency. The physician’s compensation should be indicated in a physician-MCO/HMO contract. Details including the amount and schedule of payment should be clearly stated in the contract. Payment modes may be in form of per diem, per case, per service or a certain percentage of the premiums. The physician, in turn, should understand the protocol for filing claims and any other arrangements or coordination with the MCO/HMO, including the limited time when these documents may be filed. The MCO/HMO should also indicate in the contract that the physician will receive his/her salary on a regular basis. A physician-MCO/HMO contract may be terminated by either mutual agreement of both parties, or with sufficient cause or reason from the physician, or without cause or reason from the physician. However, a 30-day notice is usually required before any termination takes effect, to provide ample time for the physician to finalize any current patients, cases, services and/or referrals. Contracts are legally binding documents which must be carefully studied and considered before pursuing an agreement and letting the contract take full effect. Every contract has its specific details and all sections of the contract should be well understood and explained.

Falling Asleep on the Job: The Story of Narcolepsy Essay example -- Bi

Falling Asleep on the Job: The Story of Narcolepsy Have you ever pulled two all nighters in a row? If you have then you know that afterwards, during the day, you drift off to sleep very easily. You feel physically and mentally exhausted and your body tells you that you need to rest. This is a normal reaction by the body to the lack of sleep. This however is something that people suffering from narcolepsy must deal with on a daily basis even when they have had a full nights sleep. One of the major symptoms they suffer from is overwhelming daytime sleepiness. Imagine you are in a boring lecture and you start to drift to sleep, usually you can manage to force yourself to wake up. This may be common occurrence but try to imagine falling asleep while driving or walking. These situations seem more rare. A narcoleptic’s body doesn’t care what it is doing when it goes into these paralyzed sleeping episodes. The sudden overwhelming feeling drives the narcoleptic person to fall asleep. One type of episode that they experience is called cataplexy, which is usually caused by some stressful situation or other common activities such as laughing or running (6). During these periods the person suffers from muscle weakness and paralysis. Although the person appears to be sleeping, they are still conscious, but unable to move. They can hear and feel but cannot react to stimulation. For this reason narcolepsy is a very dangerous condition to have without receiving treatment because serious vehicle accidents can result as well as an general i nability to succeed in school (6). Another major symptom that affects narcoleptics is called hypnagogic hallucinations, which they experience when they are falling asleep. These hallucinations can in... ... narcolepsy as well. 6) Narcolepsy: Althogh people with the disorder do not fall face-first into their soup as in the movies, narcolepsy is still a mysterious disease. But science has new leads., Siegel really knows what he is talking about. http://www.sciam.com/missing.cfm 7)Mystery of Human Narcolepsy Solved, He is the master of these studies http://websciences.org/narnet/current_news/01_winter1.html 8)University of Pennsylvania Narcolepsy Research Project, A nice summary http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/Narcolepsy/narcolepsy.htm 9)Organization of amygdaloid projections to brainstem dopaminergic, noradrenergic and adrenergic cell groups in the rat, Brain Res Bull, 1992, volume 28, pp 447-454, Very detailed info 10)Living with Narcolepsy, Go info about the lives of Narcoleptics http://www.sleepfoundation.org/publications/livingnarcolepsy.html

Gender Roles in North and South

Tierney Deggelman Morrissey Engl 209 October 1, 2012 Gender Roles in North and South It is no surprise that the novel North and South is one that frequently employs the literary style of placing two entities in juxtaposition as the very title coincides with the idea of comparison. Similarly, the chapter headings often mirror this literary style: â€Å"Masters and Men,† â€Å"Likes and Dislikes,† â€Å"Roses and Thorns†. The most significant of these comparisons is masculinity and femininity.Through the development of the novels female heroine Margaret Hale and through John Thornton’s perspectives of her, Emily Gaskell is in essence taking a stand against gender stereotypes and highlighting the underestimated value of female empowerment in Victorian society. Throughout the novel Margaret Hale proves herself to be a strong, outspoken, capable and irrepressible spirit. These descriptions of Margaret however were more likely to be attributed to men in this tim e, as they were viewed as the superior gender. Gaskell describes Margaret as â€Å"full of a soft feminine defiance, always giving strangers the impression of haughtinessâ€Å" (58).In attempts to draw attention to the fact that Margaret is out of the ordinary with a personality unlike most women of her time, Gaskell incorporates Mr. Thornton’s first impressions of her as well. â€Å"He almost said to himself he did not like her, before their conversation ended; he tried so to compensate himself for the mortified feeling, that while he looked upon her with an admiration he could not repress† (59). This passage is significant because it shows the discontent Thornton feels due to Margaret’s reluctance to conform to stereotypes of femininity.However, even with feelings of discontent, Thornton looks at her with admiration showing he cannot help but be captivated with her strong-minded manner. Perhaps this is Gaskell’s way of showing us that if breaking gend er stereotypes can be admired by a high class powerful man such as Thornton, then why cant it be admired by society as a whole? Another instance where Margaret demonstrates her unusual strength is in regards to her mother’s illness. When she finds out her mother is dying she decides to keep it from her father as she says, â€Å"He will not bear it as I can† (119).The instant she convinces the doctor to reveal the severity of her mothers illness marks the moment she takes on the role of authoritative figure in her family. The authoritative position in a family would again usually belong to a man but Margaret claims her father could not handle it and that she will have to step forward. Margaret’s strength through her mothers illness, taking power over her father is yet another characteristic of hers that’s advocates female empowerment. This is reinstated in the actual event of her mother’s death. Her eyes were continually blinded by tears, but she ha d no time to give way to regular crying. The father and brother depended upon her; while they were giving way to grief, she must be working, planning, considering† (230). This quote depicts Margaret acting as backbone for the family. She has allowed her family members to look to her for stability, which is extremely rare in a time where women were viewed as delicate. The most memorable demonstration of Margaret’s character is in the event of the strike when she comes outside of the Thornton household and steps in front of John Thornton.Margaret puts herself in a spot of grave danger in between Mr. Thornton and the strikers who are described as beastly, animalistic creatures who have lost all traces of their previous humanity. The stepping in front of Mr. Thornton symbolizes the crossing of his masculinity. In essence she is stating herself more masculine than Thornton by doing so. The irony of this situation is as she is preceding his masculinity, the very thing she ban ks on not getting hurt is gender. She thinks that as a woman she will not be subjected to any violence delivered by man.Margaret’s attitude toward her mother’s death and her approach to confronting the strikers shows her strong and brave character. Such character that contradicts the social norms of gender roles is attributed to the female protagonist in attempts to convey the author’s values of female empowerment. The fact that Mr. Thornton is not oppressive toward women instead attracted to Margaret’s challenging nature marks Gaskell’s attempt at getting readers to believe that women can be just as strong as their male complements despite what society says.

Organizational Structure of Walgreens Essay

This week’s learning team assignment focused on the organizational structure and design. Team C will examine the organizational chart of Walgreens and restructure it to make it more efficient and beneficial for the company. The students have decided the CEO of the organization is overwhelmed with departments reporting to him. Therefore, some departments will be consolidated and moved to more specialized officers under the CEO for a more productive company. The officers to receiver these additional departments will be Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) and Chief Informational Officer (CIO). This paper will discuss structural changes, the work to be completed and how this work can be done effectively. Financial Reorganization Currently, the Administration and the Human Resources departments report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. We have proposed a change to the chain of command with Human Resources being combined with the Administration department and have that new, combined department report directly the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Human Capital Management (Human Resources) directly affects the bottom line of an organization through the workforce, benefits costs, training and development and finally employee engagement. The Administration department manages the overall direction of Walgreens. Since the management of the workforce is one of the main driving factors that directly relate to the financial success of an organization, it will be efficient and cost effective to reorganize and combine these departments under the CFO. To accomplish this reorganization, we will use cross-functional teams to address each department’s work specializations, strengths and weaknesses. And then outlay an effective plan of action. The CFO’s financial expertise will be used to analyze the underlying financial  implications of the reorganization as well as the daily cost of business operations. Strategy and Community Management Reorganization The Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) will continue to report to the CEO. To be more efficient in work specialization, we have decided to move the following departments and make them branches under Strategy: Customer Experience, Customer Experience and Daily Living and Community Management. As Walgreens embraces today’s consumer, creating a unique customer experience is apart of the strategy to build their trusted brand and set them apart from the competition. Moving these departments will be beneficial because the leaders in each department can collaborate on strategies and plans that are customer focused. In addition to reporting to the CSO now, the Community Management department will also receive new responsibilities. Currently Facilities Development and Store Operations report to them. In order to create a more efficient department they will now oversee two additional departments; Well Experience and Operations Community. The Community Manager will have Store Operations and Operation Community work as a specialized team focused on lowering operational cost for the company. One of Walgreens key strategies is to create a â€Å"Well Experience† (Walgreens 2014). The Well Experience â€Å"starts with leading-edge store design, new layouts, enhanced product assortments and state-of –the-art pharmacies, including bringing the pharmacist from behind the counter for a greater interaction with patients (Walgreens 2014). They will work with the Community Management department in collaborating together to create a partnership for success in â€Å"Well Experience† initiative. Once the pharmacist is engaged with the customers in their community it creates transparency and trust not only in them but also in the Walgreens’ brand. Information Technology Reorganization The eCommerce and Design departments will be moved under the direct supervision of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to reduce the direct reports of the CEO. Consolidating these two departments under the CIO will help turn Walgreens into a technology-driven company that has consistent creative across all platforms. These two departments will also benefit from the CIO’s more specialized technical skills. The Chief Information Officer  already oversees the enterprise technology that supports Walgreens operations, including security software. For eCommerce, security is a major concern for Walgreens’ customers. The CIO’s specialization in the information technology will help him better implement the eCommerce tools and keep those tools secure. The Design department produces the creative that is used to promote the Walgreens’ brand. As Walgreens expands its digital presence with an enhanced web experience and new mobile app (Walgreens, 2014), it is important that creative remain consistent and functional across all platforms. Having the Design department working hand-in-hand with Information Technology and eCommerce will produce consistent creative that is technology-focused across all marketing channels. The CIO’s technical skills will allow him to lead the Design department in an every-growing online world. Conclusion The team decided to restructure the organizational chart of Walgreens. Ultimately, taking responsibilities off the CEO and moving those departments to more specialized officers. In doing so, this will allow the CEO to be more productive because his or her workload is more manageable. The reorganization of these departments under the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, will make these departments more efficient because they will benefit from their specialized skills. References Robbins, Stephen, & Coulter, Mary (2012). Management, 11th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Press. 978-013253894-7 The Official Board (2014). 2014 organizational chart of Walgreens Co. Retrieved from http://www.theofficialboard.com/org-chart/walgreen Walgreens Co. (2014). 2013 annual report of Walgreens. Retrieved from http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WAG/3514601079x0x709191/5F506D54-9148-47D1-9494-D4E4A4CB95B1/WAG_2013_AR_lo.pdf

Never Overlook the Arc

Never Overlook the Arc Never Overlook the Arc Never Overlook the Arc By Guest Author This is a guest post by Vic Shayne. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. There are many elements that are key to creating a good story, and the arc is one of the most important of all. It doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about fiction, nonfiction, a fantasy story, documentary or screenplay. I could say that even Noah knew the importance of an ark, but homonyms lose their charm in writing. What is an arc? In the world of physics, an arc is a curve. In writing we can explain it in similar terms - it’s the path that a story and its characters follow, from their introduction to their finale. It starts here and ends there, so to speak. I’ve seen a lot of people’s writing that completely misses this fundamental element, and they wonder why their work is flat or unsalable. If they set their egos aside, they can learn from their mistakes. If not, they go on chalking up their failures to stupid editors or readers who just don’t get their genius. To make sure your work is rich, plan your arcs from the outset. Before you sit down to write your story, make an outline that includes an arc for the story and all its characters. Figure out how your story begins and how it ends, including all the changes in points in between. Figure out how your characters act at first compared to how they act when your work comes to a conclusion. If they do not exhibit change or growth, then something’s wrong and your work will lack dramatic interest. This is true of a silly comedy, a farce, a musical, a slice of life story, a science fiction work and a tear-jerking drama. Everything has to keep moving in a direction that exhibits change. They say if a shark stops moving, it dies. Don’t let your writing go belly up. Let’s get more specific. Take a look at your own life as an example. Your life, like everybody else’s has an overall arc with a series of events in between. You started off as a baby, moved through childhood and got to where you are now. You’ve changed, changed some more and changed again so that you are not the same person you were in the beginning. Your life story has an arc. At this present moment, you have accumulated wisdom. You have experienced sorrow, happiness, hard work and moments of reprieve - all of which are evidence of your arc. Remember too that in addition to an overall story arc, there are also many in between arcs that need to be written. Each chapter needs to have an arc in which something is accomplished, ruined, created, thwarted, grown, deconstructed and/or abandoned. Only by creating these chapter or scene arcs is your audience or reader compelled to move to the next event. Many movies suffer from an absence of arcs and even uninformed audiences will complain that the film they just watched â€Å"didn’t go anywhere,† even if they can’t articulate the exact source of the flaw. I have a friend, John, who goes to the movies on a regular basis. John has little patience. If there’s nothing that compels him to watch what happens after the first ten minutes, he leaves the theater. He considers sitting any longer in his seat a waste of his valuable time. Worse, John is angry at the writer and director for taking advantage of him and robbing him for an unfulfilled promise. John’s a tough critic, but to me he’s a reminder of the importance of giving your readers something to look forward to from scene to scene and chapter to chapter until, by the end of the affair, you’ve taken them through a journey. This â€Å"something† depends on well-crafted arcs. Vic Shaynes latest book, Remember Us, just hit the bookstores nationwide. Vic has been a professional writer since 1978, with six books and more than 500 articles over his career, as well as screenplays, stage plays and commercial work. To learn more about him and his work, you can visit his website. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Exquisite AdjectivesUsed To vs. Use ToPeople vs. Persons

Differences Between Hills and Mountains

Differences Between Hills and Mountains Hills and mountains are both natural land formations that rise out of the landscape. Unfortunately, there is no universally accepted standard definition for the height of a mountain or a hill. This can make it difficult to differentiate between the two. Mountain Versus Hill There are characteristics that we typically associate with mountains; for example, most mountains have steep slopes and a well-defined summit while hills tend to be rounded. This, however, is not always the case. Some mountain ranges, such as the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, are geologically old and are therefore smaller and more rounded than more classic mountains such the Rocky Mountains in the western United States. Even leaders in geography, like the United States Geological Survey (USGS), do not have an exact definition of a mountain and a hill. Instead, the organizations Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) uses broad categories for most land features, including mountains, hills, lakes, and rivers. Though no one can agree on the heights of mountains and hills, there are a few generally accepted characteristics that define each. An Attempt to Define the Height of a Mountain According to the USGS, up until the 1920s the British Ordnance Survey defined a mountain as a geographic feature rising higher than 1000 feet (304 meters). The United States followed suit and defined a mountain as having a local relief higher than 1000 feet. This definition, however, was dropped in the late 1970s. There was even a movie about the battle over mountain and hill. In  The Englishman That Went Up a Hill and Down a Mountain  (1995, starring Hugh Grant), a Welsh village challenged cartographers attempts to classify their mountain as a hill by adding a pile of rocks to the top. What is a Hill? In general, we think of hills as having a lower elevation than a mountain and  a more rounded/mound shape than a distinct peak. Some accepted characteristics of a hill are: A natural mound of earth created either by faulting or erosion.A bump in the landscape, rising gradually from its surroundings.Low altitude and elevation, often less than 984-1968 feet (300-600 meters).A rounded top with no well-defined summit.Often unnamed.Easy to climb. Hills may have once been mountains that were worn down by erosion over many thousands of years. Contrariwise many mountains- such as the Himalayas in Asia- were created by tectonic faults and would have, at one time, been what we might now consider hills. What is a Mountain? Though  a mountain is typically taller than a hill, there is no official height designation. An abrupt difference in local topography is often described as a mountain, and such features will often have  mount  or mountain  in their name; examples include Mount Hood, Mount Ranier, and Mount Washington. Some accepted characteristics of a mountain are: A natural mound of earth created by faulting.A very steep rise in the landscape that is often abrupt in comparison to its surroundings.High altitude and elevation, often higher than 1968 feet (600 meters).A steep slope and a defined summit or peak.Often has a name.Depending on the slopes and elevation, mountains can be a challenge to climb. Of course, there are exceptions to these assumptions and some features that would otherwise be called mountains have the word hills in their name. For instance, the Black Hills in South Dakota can also be thought of as a small, isolated mountain range. The highest peak is Harney Peak at 7242 feet of elevation and 2922 feet of prominence from the surrounding landscape. The Black Hills received their name from the Lakota Indians who called the mountains  Paha Sapa, or black hills.

Research paper about India. ( How people make a living in india Essay

Research paper about India. ( How people make a living in india Current countrys economic status - Essay Example India grows and export major food commodities such as rice, sugar, wheat, cotton, and vegetables. The country also produces and export animal agricultural products, which include buffalo milk, eggs, meat, and chicken. Most of Indian farmers are small-scale farmers who grow their crops or rear their animals on small pieces of land. However, the country has favorable climate and soils that support agricultural activities. The agricultural sector contributes about 16% of the country’s GDP and provides employment opportunity to about 50% of the total Indian population (Department of Revenue web). The agricultural sector provides employment mainly to rural Indian population. The industrial sector is a major contributor to the Indian economy. Currently the sector contributes about 14% to the Indian GDP (Panagariya 453). India is known worldwide as a major manufacturing country. The sector employs about 25% of the Indian population. Majority of industrial workers live in urban centers and other industrial towns that spread across the country. The Indian industries are recognized worldwide for their production of affordable and long lasting commodities. Indian industries produce products ranging from heavy duty equipment such as steel beams to light duty equipment such as bicycles. Indian industries are also involved in production of pharmaceutical products that are marketed across the globe. Currently the industrial sector is eying the booming technology sector. The industrial sector provides employment opportunity to both the skilled and unskilled labor force. In addition, the industrial sector has small-scale industries that provide opportunities to tho usands of Indians. Cottage industries or home-based industries produce basic commodities for export and domestic market. Indians are known to be business people. Indian are successful business people who have set up businesses in many parts around the globe. The

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example These can include (but may not be limited to) employees, customers, suppliers, community oraganaizations, local neighborhood and shareholders.'-Wikipedia.CSR entails that corporations should contemplate the actual and impending effects of their decisions on other stakeholders as well. It is correlated with the principles of sustainable development, which propagate that social, environmental and other consequence of business decisions should be taken into consideration. These two aspects can be better understood by examining the shareholders and stakeholders theories. The main ideas of the two theories are juxtaposed under the following heads. Director's fiduciary duties: The Shareholder's theory advocates that value maximization should be the governing corporate objective. It makes a plea that the interest of the shareholders should precede over that of other constituents, based on the presumptions of capitalism. The supporting view is that, the directors fiduciary duty is to run the company in the interest of the shareholders.Tradional property rights are cited as a justification for this argument. The shareholders are the owners of the company, therefore they hold property rights. ... The chief proponents of the stakeholders' theory are Donaldson and Preston. According to this school of thought, directors should have multi fiduciary duties towards all the stakeholders. Stakeholders are the people who affect and are affected by the company. The stakeholders view of strategy is an instrumental theory of the corporatin, integrating both the resource based view and the market based view, it is opposed to the view where the company solely tries to increase the value for shareholding. The stakeholder group should not be treated as a mean to some end but must be participative in detreming the direction of the company in which they hold stake. Basis for determining business relationships: As per the shareholders' theory, business relationships are determined by legal contracts. Thus, it recognizes accountability towards those parties with whom explicit legal contacts have been signed. It follows Sternberg's argument that such contracts are made under 'libertarian free contracting". This vastly limits the scope of the corporation's obligations. On the other hand, the stakeholders' model advocates social and moral obligations towards all those who affect or get affected by the company, these obligations may be become binding on the company via legal or implied contracts. Both the theories accept that the firm is a nexus of contacts but differ about the basis for determing those contacts. Objective of wealth creation: The two theories take different stands about the nature of these contracts. Kay's work in strategic management (Kay1993), show that managing contracts on collaborative, 'relational' basis can lead to competitive advantages directly benefiting shareholders. Thus, shareholder's theory acknowledges that contacts should be