Problems with Nazi Support Essay Example for Free

Problems with Nazi Support Essay Using your own knowledge and the evidence of the sources identify the problems we face when looking to identify Nazi support in the period up to 1933. In the 1932 Reichstag elections, the NSDAP became Germanys largest political party with approximately 37% of the total electoral vote. In contrast to the relatively small party of 1928, this was a dramatic rise in party popularity. What is even more interesting is how Hitler and the NSDAP did not usurp power in a military sense. Instead, Hitler was voted into power by millions of unsuspecting citizens from a range of sociological, economical and ideological backgrounds. However, due to this new consensus among modern historians (post -1980), the stress on the individual as oppose to the class has led to a more complex understanding of who essentially favoured the Nazi party; deeming it even harder to identify empirical evidence from sources. Initially, before 1928, the NSDAP had failed to make a significant impact in German politics and they were merely a group with little popular support. However, due to the collapse of the Wall Street Crash and the subsequent recall of loans back to the USA, unemployment had risen dramatically in Germany and latent discontent with the Weimar government was rife. The socio-economic dislocation caused by the Wall Street Crash began to deepen, which acted as the catalyst for the marked rise in those changing their political allegiance to the more radical political groups. These people included self employed businessmen, artisans, retailers, peasant farmers and industrial workers, who had previously voted for the other parties but had now turned to the Nazi regime who offered what the then current Weimar system could not. Therefore, traditionalist interpretations of the support held by historians such as Childers and Noakes assert that it was a combination of the petty bourgeoisie and Protestants who overwhelmingly represented the support for Nazis. As Childers states in his book entitled The Nazi Voter, being a Protestant in rural Germany greatly increased such a propensity, essentially stating that there was a specific trend of rural Protestants who fuelled the support for Hitler. However, Childer does acknowledge that the Nazi Party was a Volkspartei (Peoples Party) whose levels of support were actually from a broad range of social groups. In addition, Childer argues that when analysing this ambiguity, it is important to contextualise the provenance of the election polls and the specific grievances of those who [chose] the NSDAP to speak for them. For example, it is important to contextualise the extent of support acquired from the middle classes under the 2nd Reich, contrasting with the support fr om the new middle classes after the election. Dick Geary in his book entitled Who Voted for the Nazis? somewhat opposes the view of Childer, who basically argues that the timing of when a specific poll was made is arbitrary because of the lack of reliability in studying percentages. Hence, this is why many believe that modern opinion polls are necessary in the search for definitive evidence on the subject. Geary explains how in a particular county 28% of the artisans voted for Nazis. However, he argues that the difficulty lies in how the people who voted cannot be specified, as he states what if it [the votes] came from the farmers plus people in business, rendering the statistical evidence somewhat invalid. Other difficulties historians face involve the lack of depth to many contemporary foreign journals and accounts, which often neglect the question of who supported the Nazis. In order to gather evidence about why the individuals voted, one survey from Abel documents over 580 Nazi member autobiographies. Although still significant today, one potential problem which is discussed by the historian Brustein is how one cannot accurately surmise whether or not the individual actually believes in his/her sentiments towards voting for the Nazi party. In his book entitled The Logic of Evil, Brustein, from a modern perspective, argues that regardless of the idea of support gathering as a result of a peoples movement, the support was only an inch deep. In addition, Brustein asserts that all who voted fell under the underlying principles of dissatisfaction, resentment and fear; exposing the Nazi support to mere superficiality. This severe lack of genuine support for the Nazis even resounds in the opposition to the Hitler Youth; namely the Navajos, Pirates and the Black gang, who would attack anyone in the Hitler Youth because of their following of the Nazi regime. In the last twenty years, a number of problems have been countered when analysing the statistical methodology and sources of the Nazi era. This has inevitably given birth to the complex views proposed by Falter and Brustein, who posit that German workers were far more attracted to the Nazis than many have argued in the past. However, one fundamental issue that cannot be solved is the difficulty in measuring the honest thoughts of the German public and whether or not the lack of any pre-existing loyalties (political or religious) aided the Nazis significantly. Having said this, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence which still stresses that the Mittelstand and the Protestant communities voted disproportionately in favour of the Nazis more so than any other class.

The Depiction of Women in Indian Cinema

The Depiction of Women in Indian Cinema Introduction Indian Women have excelled in every field and have engraved their names in many parts of the universe, but there still seems to be a long route ahead before she attains equal status in the minds of Indian men. ‘Most agricultural civilizations downgraded the status and potential of women, at least according to modern Western standards and to the implicit standards of hunting-and-gathering societies. Agricultural civilizations were characteristically patriarchal; that is, they were run by men and based on the assumption that men directed political, economic, and cultural life. Furthermore, as agricultural civilizations developed over time and became more prosperous and more elaborately organized, the status of women deteriorated from its initial level. (http://history-world.org/Civilization,%20women_in_patriarchal_societies.htm) In a well-defined patriarchal society like India, even the cinematic world deems to project women as in factual life. This is a good thing as films have mass appeal and at least some if not all carry out a message to the public and try to create awareness. There is a myth that women are characterized in films to prop up the male role rather than characterize them as the one who keeps the narrative structure sinuous. Women are insinuated in films as bearing the burden of sexual objectification that male roles cannot. Hence, they become the bearer, and not the maker of meaning says Laura Mulvey (Mulvey 834). Most Indian women live a silent life with enormous amount of sacrifices and retain their frustration within themselves for the sake of societal pressure. Women in Indian cinema are born with certain assumptions ranging from cult movies to celluloid blockbusters like Sholay to more recent Fashion that employ themselves as in severe gender issues. They are portrayed either as damsels in distress or demented feminists or simple belly-shaking glam dolls whose sole ambition is to attract the attention of the male gender. In many Indian films it is a common trend to insert ‘item numbers which bear no rational connection to the film in anyways but with an assumption that the film is easily associated. As Bindu Nair(2009:53)says, ‘Sometimes the one song ends up making the film a hit, such as ‘Chamma Chamma from the film China gate. Occasionally, do we see a female being the protagonist of a film than merely being objects of sexual desire. In some cases there appears to be a clash between ‘modern feminism and ‘traditional values. Indian cinema often acts like an emotional register and is very resourceful while reading the characterization of ‘Women. I would like to line up the film Paroma and closely pay attention to the way in which a traditional Hindu wife is deprived of her freedom and is confined by the emotional bonding with the family. It appears to be impossible to gather together a woman character as anything beyond the two incarnates Madonna and Whore. Women in India were not expected to express their feelings or to develop their personalities rather get accustomed to their individual subjugation and succumb to the same. To use a women character in a film is to represent a traditional figure as a symbolic image but many a times it is a mere wishful desire. For the present discussion I have chosen the character Paroma as the centre subject, it being a film directed by a female auteur Aparna Sen. The central character in the film Paroma is a middle class Bengali housewife who is played by Raki Gulzar. This film makes a very strong statement about the perception women have on their own body juxtaposed with a mans perception about her. The word Paroma in the ancient Indo-Aryan language which is Sanskrit means ‘the supreme or ‘the very best. In Hindu religion it is used as a prefix to show admiration or reverence. In this film it takes a very long time to bring out her individuality almost to the second half of the film. The film embarks upon the title credits rolling over a Hindu Goddess Kali symbolizing the bestower of liberation. Goddess Kali is an image of the vengeful mother-goddess. Her name Paroma which roughly translates as ‘the ultimate woman in this film is subsumed by the many relational identities associated with her in the family. She is called by different names in the family such as bhabi (sister-in-law), kaki (aunt), mami (aunt), ma (mother) and bahu (daughter-in-law). This marks the beginning of her identity -the given name Paroma being hidden and lost in the different roles she plays within the family. Paromas mother-in-law, we can say the doyen of the family makes a mention to a group of women that she is alive only because her daughter-in-law (Paroma) takes very good care of her and this establishes the fact that Paroma is indeed of very great importance to the family. There is a point being made when the foreign -returned photographers assistant Sarah, tries to understand if Paroma has an identity of her own and this is made sense to her and explained by the patronizing males in the family. But Rahul Rai initiates her identity when he refuses to cast her as Bhabi or Kaki even though Paroma suggests he addresses her either as Bhabi or kaki as he wished indicating her parameters and hinting that she would be safe within these roles which act as barriers for a woman and prohibiting any trespassers within the boundaries of decorum. It is a custom in many Indian families where the female head has to serve hot food to their family and if this is not done they take up the blame for bei ng a terrible house-wife. A scene where Paromas children return from school screaming â€Å"Ma, ma have you not prepared cold coffee for us?† is quite interesting as one can see the duties of a mother in a close-knit Hindu family and yet her limitations are countless when it comes to doing her own things at leisure. For example, Paroma never finds the time to play the traditional instrument Sitar. Her education had an abrupt end and her interest in sitar and poetry fades out because of her responsibilities as a Hindu house-wife. No one in the family pays much attention to what a woman wants in life. Very rarely do we see members of the family obtain the permission or suggestion from Paroma on what is to be done. This is evident as Paromas husband asks his mother if she has any problem in Paroma modeling for their guest Rahul. As the head of the family Paromas mother-in-law agrees and internally suggests its the least they can do to entertain their valuable guest. The scene that preludes her children returning from school is an interesting one where Rahul tries to stare at Paroma taking miniscule bites into a chili in utmost curiosity as if it was a strange personal act where we as audience see a close up of it from the directors angle. The shot is as though Rahul looks at this act through his camera lens. And interesting thing to note is that this lunch scene has no background score weaved into it. The lunch scene starts with the cooing of the cuckoo birds and there is a dead silence which builds up the moment. Women tend to frame themselves and get a grip on what is generally the acceptable norm by the society and in this case a patriarchal one. The male gaze tends to specify the degree of importance a woman has in the society by means of provoking a female to take more interest in her own self. The camera angles as well as the camera movements used by the cinematographer takes the audience to a new world. When a female character takes up a central part of the screen the camera never prowls at a woman. But when she is performing an action the camera always has a tendency to creep around her body voyeuristically. This all adds up to turning a woman into a spectacle. For example, In Chandni bar directed by Madhur Bhandarkar whose fixation for every movie is ‘real has many scenes set up in a dance bar where women are scanned top to bottom by the men in the bar. The natural contours of the body are made distorted by unnatural ways of dressing to emphasize certain body proportions and for this very reason they are shot from a low angle or a high angle to reveal cleavage. The men in Indian cinema either projected as ‘romantic heroes or the ‘bad guy are indubitably majestic on screen space unlike our female characters that always tend to lead a surrendered life even on screen. As Vrinda Mathur (2009: 66) says, ‘The male characters of Indian cinema, i.e. the heroes(those knights in shining armour) and the villains (those over-energetic sharks) move around the space of the movie like players in a deadly choreographed game of chess with the women characters as sacrificial pawns. It is quite apparent from the beginning that Rahul the photographer has a particular interest in capturing beauty. One can stand by this point from the way he captures Goddess Kali on the day of the religious function which is the opening scene of the film. By this one can confirm that he has interest in aesthetically appealing subjects. Many of his subjects seem to be centered on female oriented issues. We can justify this fact by encompassing his interest to capture the â€Å"Indian house wife†. He proposes to pay peculiar attention to Paroma from the beginning stating that she is a very beautiful traditional Indian woman. As the film grips along, his fascination turns to personal from being a professional admirer of her beauty. In reciprocation to that we see Paroma indulging and getting a sense of sexual undercurrent and falling for the same. She tries to halt the modeling sessions but due to mere persistence from the family she does so to accommodate the guest in every po ssible way. As the modeling sessions go on she is made to realize her radiance and elegance by Rahuls gaze. Although she seems hesitant and apprehensive like for instance she covers her saree over her ankle in the first modeling session. But eventually she tends to react amicably to Rahuls desires. Rahul makes her realize her value and teaches her to see the world from a different perspective. This is symbolically shown when Rahul suggests to Paroma to see her own city from a high angle where one gets a birds eye view of the same. As Anshoo Sharma (2009: 111) rightly says: ‘It is very symbolic when he says -learn to live life dangerously, because it is only when one is ready to experiment and take chances that there is a possibility of gaining something valuable in the process. And in a womans case that ‘something is realization of oneself as a separate entity complete and whole and not a mere extension of the rib of Adam. The films that focus on women protagonists showcase their search for self through their bodies. This is quite outstanding in the film Chandni bar. Mumtaz character played by Tabu the protagonist is forcefully sent by her maternal uncle to be a show girl in a dance bar. Her major source of income was from performing in the dance bar. She would maximum need to groove her body to the music and there would be scores of men willing to shed their money on her for the very own reason voyeuristic desires. This womans body is given the penultimate magnitude in many of the films we see. And in these films the act tends to start with a rebellious nature and the instrument being their body. As Jasbir Jain (2009: 121) has observed, Rebel women are portrayed with ridicule and comedy. Rebelliousness need not always be conclusive or even approved within the narrative structure. At times it may be part of the discourse on modernity and perceived as a potential threat to patriarchy through the values of education/westernization/independence. In a scene from Mirch Masala (1985) the protagonist Smitha Patil directs the tax collector to drink water from the other side of the river. She says: (This side is where human drink and the other side is where the animals drink) This can be an indirect statement made to the tax collector referring him to being a ruthless animal. Although the other women tend to run away at the sight of them approaching Smitha Patil stands still reflecting her character instantly that nothing can demoralize her. Having said much about rebelliousness and insubordination, it sometimes plays the part of a discourse taken towards modernity in a sense that it threatens the patriarchal structure. This can be called to mark the beginning of a revolutionary period that breaks the stereotypical and conventional thoughts of a society. A female protagonist who is shown to be wronged in the society and due to this suffers a great deal in life. In other words, she is said to be victimized who endure the consequences. If one notices it is always the female who bears the brunt of all the misfortunes. Possibly owing this to their beauty and morality they are able to capture the hearts of the men. But this seems to be taken for granted by the men. Now, having discussed about how women are portrayed and the penalties they pay in return are a myriad when it comes to how men are showcased. Although to digress a little from the centre of discussion, it would be interesting to see how men would react if there was a reverse of these situations. But what really happens in this case is that the men do not like to be treated as anything below their dignity even if it was unintentional. As Anshoo Sharma (2009: 114) has rightly said, ‘They vent their anger, shun the women, and make them feel guilty. They are never shown to be in a compromising position -groveling or pleading with their women. From this we can conclude saying there are varying degrees of norms set for men and women in this patriarchal structure. This is otherwise called double standards of the male outlook being more evident. Paromas husband who is away on a business trip to Mumbai tends to sweet talk his secretary to fulfill his desires. What would be interesting to note at this point is that this particular scene goes unnoticed throughout the film. Other than his secretary no one knows the true story and no one would even come to know because the secretary is about to get married. In that case the secretary is not going to reveal this incident hoping to maintain her dignity and not ruin her chances of getting married. In the shot after the secretary leaves, he abuses her and slams the door. There is stark contrast in the way this matter is subdued as compared to what happens to Paroma eventually. One may argue that Paroma also had the freedom to keep up to her appointments with Rahul as her husband was away. Husbands do not necessarily offer the right kind of attention that is needed. Though this is an example of adulterated behavior by Paroma, her husband is not better in this stance. Much later Paroma is being ostracized by the family for the very reason that Rahul sends her a copy of the life magazine where her photograph is explicitly put up with his signature. This entirely shocks the family and creates a massive pandemonium. She is completely isolated from the family and her mother-in-law falls sick. Paromas husband unreasonably blames her for his mother falling ill and simultaneously tells her that he would teach the kids and that he does not want his kids to be taught by a whore. After Rahul has left to Greece her interest in house-hold work lacks interest. A woman, who is so devoted and energetic to the family needs once upon a time, completely does her share of chores listlessly. An observant husband asks her if she is keeping well, distressed reciprocates her absent-minded stupor. After the husband is aware of the photograph he condemns her and makes up his mind to shift to the guest room. In countering that Paroma confronts him and questions him if he has never committed mistakes in his life? And a point blank response No! says it all. One scene shows her husband frantically searching for a pair of cufflinks and scatters the draws and cupboards. Paroma who is silently watching gives a hand once her husband asks her maid to look for it. Paroma picks it up from the right draw and is diffident whether to hand it to him or leave it on the table. We see Paroma in her initial behavior as in early part of the film. Is this saying that she is attempting to get things back to normal? As Shoma A. Chatterji (2002: 76) aptly says, ‘The fact that she knows precisely where things around the house, is a pointer to the desperation a committed housewife like Paroma can be pushed to. It also proves her vulnerability. The irony is that the chores she did with such love and affection can be done with equal efficiency by Kamala, the maid, minus of course, the love and the affection Paroma put into them. Paroma is deemed to be portraying an equal status of a maid in this illustration. However it will be termed as an un-paid servant. Is this the kind of image that women would like to see on screen? Paroma being a strong character should be standing up for herself. Even though her routing was a little unusual to vast majority, this is Paromas point of view. The rupture created between Paroma and her extended family exposes the cruelty of patriarchal insistence and poses a threat to the male dominated society. The image of a mother she carries takes a toll when she puts her relationship before her motherhood. This does not necessarily mean she is insensitive to her childrens feelings. Every human requires a companion and in this case her determinants are surrounded by feelings of pleasure. As Shoma A. Chatterji (2002: 77) says, â€Å"Hinduism and the patriarchy it functions within, insists on placing the mother on a pedestal, which is natural and logical extension of the worship of the Mother Goddess to include the family unit. The pedestal is conveniently used by the patriarchal family to reduce the same mother to silence, absence and marginality, politically constructed to seemingly connote to the woman concerned.† As the narrative progresses, we embark upon something close to a peak. Paroma is disheartened with the way her attempt to reconcile things with family was treated unfavorably that she takes a drastic decision to end her life. She is admitted to a hospital and is diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage where the doctor says her hair needs to be shorn off for the purpose of an x-ray. On hearing this Paromas daughter sobs at her mothers hair being shaven off. One can notice a sense of hesitation from the members of the family as soon as they are informed that the surgery would do Paroma some good. Does this signify their hesitation to her as a person back into the family or just vacillation to the surgery? If it is evident that a surgery will save Paroma from more harm and why would anyone have double thoughts about this. It is clear that the family is in a dilemma to accept Paroma after such an incident and worried if the society would brand them as we know they would. To speak for majority of the families in India societal pressure plays a huge role in any decision the family makes. This is doubled up if the family has many girls in the family. If any decision that is taken has to reflect on the society then where is the question of living life to the fullest. One can understand if there is debate with regard to being responsible but not to the extent where the society rules ones life. This indicates a new beginning to Paroma or an end to all the discomfiture after all. As Mini Nanda (2009: 174) says, ‘Tonsuring of her hair seems to be a process of sloughing off her past, the pain and the humiliation as well as thrusting a widowhood on her. Paroma stays rigid that she will not speak any of her family members. She requests for a diary and a pen and begins to empty her feelings into the book. This self-defining act could also be looked at as a prolongation to the letters she used to write Rahul. She mentions the daily activities that happen in her nursing room. Paromas friend Sheila gets her a paper cutting of a write about Rahul, which Paroma chooses to let go standing near her window. This could be a mark made to erase the smallest trail of her past and to start a new beginning with vigor. Paroma has a conversation with her friend Sheila where she asks Sheila to get her a job as a sales assistant. When her family and the Doctor insist she goes through psychotherapy, she boldly says she has no guilt feeling inside her for her to go through any therapy. We see a fresh air of confidence swing past Paromas character. One can notice the diary writing to have started in the end of the film. Thereby stating the initiative Paroma has taken to express her feeling. Paroma for the first time voices her opinion to her family members about her ideas to work as a sales assistant. Even after each one trying hard to persuade Paroma to go through the therapy, so that her life could flow in the direction as before she stands up for her self. This act is again refreshing from the Paroma earlier on in the film and the rejuvenated Paroma. The climax has us all thinking metamorphic derivations. We see Paroma spill the beans to her shocked family about her new plans of taking up a job. And then her husbands reaction is worth noting at this point as it comes as a shocker to him. He is taken by surprise at Paromas decision and asks what people would think if his wife worked as a sales assistant for a very menial pay. In spite of all the pushing and probing from the family Paroma stands stable no matter what her family brands her as. She pans left to notice the plant sitting by the window sill and the name flashes across her mind ‘Woh Patte! Calendula kaise? Haan Euphobia contenopholia Krishnapallavi!? (Those leaves! Not Calendula! Yes, Euphobia contenopholia) There by telling us that she has definitely come out stronger than before by finding her inner-self and may be more. As Anshoo Sharma (2009: 117) says: ‘In conclusion one can say that like phoenix she rises from her ashes stronger, more capable. It is the rebirth of Durga , the Paroma who has realized her ‘Shakthi but in a new form, a different context. References: Bindoo Nair (2009) ‘The Female bodies and the Male Gaze: Laura Mulvey and Indian Cinema in Jasbir Jain and Sudha Rai (ed.) Films and Feminism, Jaipur, Rawat Publication. Vrinda Mathur (2009) ‘Women in Indian Cinema: Fictional Constructs, in Jasbir Jain and Sudha Rai (ed.) Films and Feminism, Jaipur, Rawat Publication. Anshoo Sharma (2009) ‘Crossing the Boundaries: Woman in search of Self, in Jasbir Jain and Sudha Rai (ed.) Films and Feminism, Jaipur, Rawat Publication. Shoma A. Chatterji (2002) The Cinema of Aparna Sen, Calcutta: Parumitha Publication. Mini Nanda (2009) ‘Symbolism and Space in Aparna Sens Paroma and Deepa Mehtas Fire, in Jasbir Jain and Sudha Rai (ed.) Films and Feminism, Jaipur, Rawat Publication. Mulvey L. (2975) ‘Visual Pleasure and narrative cinema, Screen, 16, 3, Autumn

Company Profile of Lactalis

Company Profile of Lactalis I HISTORY         Ã‚   Lactalis is a family-owned company based in Laval, Mayenne, in France. Andrà © Besnier started his cheese maker activity in 1933. It started with the name of Socià ©tà © Besnier when Andrà © Besnier collected 35 liters of milk and made 17 camemberts out of it. Since then, the company changed its name to Lactalis in 1999 and became the world leader of dairy products. Chronology Some key Dates 1933  Andrà © Besnier establishes a cheese making business 1968  Besnier creates the Prà ©sident brand 1977  Michel Besnier launches products abroad and creates the service Besnier Export 1980  The group becomes the 1st European dairy company 1986  Besnier Export becomes Besnier International 1999  The company changes its name to Groupe Lactalis 1999  Besnier International becomes Lactalis International 2005 Lactalis purchased A. McLelland and Son Limited, a Scottish based cheese manufacturer 2006  Buyout of Galbani, leader of cheese in Italy and Italian cheeses in Europe. Lactalis becomes the 2nd cheese leader worldwide. 2006 Joint venture between the Lactalis Group and Nestlà © 2010  Acquisition of Puleva in Spain, 2nd leader for milk in the country. 2010 Acquisition of; Rachels Dairy Limited, the 2nd for organic yogurts and 1st for organic flavoured big pot yogurts in the UK 2011  Acquisition of Parmalat, Italian dairy company. Lactalis becomes the 1st; dairy company in the world II COMPANY STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION Lactalis is a private company owned by the Besnier family, with Emmanuel Besnier, the founders grandson, as its CEO. The company employs around 75 000 people. Lactalis owns 230 industrial sites in 43 countries.Lactalis is the: à ¯Ã†â€™Ã‚   1st dairy company worldwide 1st cheese making company worldwide 1st milk collecting company in Europe 1st cheese maker in Europe The commercialization of products in Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Middle-East and in DOM-TOMs (French overseas departments and territories) is managed by Lactalis International. Divisions in Lactalis Group Lactalis cheeses Lactalis Butter Creams Lactel Lactalis AOC Lactalis consumption AFH Lactalis industry Lactalis International LNUF Lactalis feed Job sectors Procurement Milk collection Sales Finance finance controlling Industrial Information technology Legal department Supply chain Marketing Quality Research and development Human resources III AREAS OF OPERATION Industrial presence worldwide Location of offices and subsidiaries worldwide Red Subsidiaries/ Offices : Lactalis CaraÃÆ' ¯bes; Lactalis Indian Ocean; Algeria; Egypt; Saudi Arabia; Gulf CC and levant; Lactalis Japan; Lactalis China; Lactalis Hong Kong; Lactalis Vietnam; Lactalis Singapore;;;;;;;;;;;;; Grey Export Lactalis International : Sub-saharan Africa; Maghreb-Mediterranean; Rest of Asia; Pacific Blue Other: Lactalis American Group; Lactalis Europe; Lactalis Europe de lEst; Lactalis CEI; Lactalis Australia IV PRODUCTS Product Mix Lactalis Groups product mix and product lines are wide: cheese, yoghurt, milk, cream, butter, powder milk, milk drinks, milk replacers, etc. Lactalis owns a lot of prestigious brands, in France and in other places in the world. Some brands and products Cheese : Prà ©sident Rouy Lepetit Bridà ©light Galbani Rondelà © Munsters Little Friends Butter and creams : Prà ©sident Bridà ©lice Bridà ©light Primrose Galbani Milk : Lactel -; Prà ©sident Ultra-fresh : Nestlà © Nutrition : Cà ©lia Milk replacers : Lactapro Eurovo Manufacturing process Lactalis Group takes the greatest care in collecting the best milk in France and in the world. The development of the Lactalis Group has always been done in respect of human beings and in respect of their partnership with milk producers. In France and abroad, Lactalis Groups constant investments in industrial development and innovation are an insurance of the optimization of milk production. Milk collection Several conditions are necessary to guarantee the production of milk in quantity and in quality: favorable climate, availability of water, extensive agricultural areas, good diets, and technical skills. Lactalis Group has been able to draw the full potential of its dairy tradition and is now the worlds third largest milk collector with more than 18 billion litres collected annually (5.6 billion in France) and is also working in the sheep and goat milk sectors. Environment More than fifty technicians and salespeople of the Group are in contact with milk producers to provide advice and technical assistance. This ensures milk quality, respect for the environment and animal welfare. Lactalis is committed to the environment with the adoption of a charter called Cap sur lavenir (Heading for the future). This commits the firm to good animal husbandry practices, respecting animal welfare; but also to better environmental practices and the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions. Lactalis also deploys energy diagnostics producers to improve its facilities, limit gas emissions, control the temperature of heating, or improve other parameters in order to save energy, such as installing pre-coolers for milk or heat recovery units. Organic milk Lactalis has been involved in organic production for more than 20 years. With the growth of the organic market, products are more and more diverse: UHT milk, cream and butter. Lactalis became the leader in the market of organic milk with their brand Lactel. The collection of organic milk is of 135 million litres of milk, which represents 2.5% of the groups collection. Over the last five years, Lactalis has been accompanying 265 dairy farms engaged in a process of organic conversion. Cows diet Lactalis is in partnership with Valorex to help producers to optimize the feeding of cows and thus improve the quality and properties of the milk produced. The composition of the cows diet contains less soy, more grass, flax, clover, peasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This change in diet results in more than 500 less tones of imported soybeans, almost 500 new hectares of flax. (Flax seeds are rich in Omega 3 and antioxidants), 400 new hectares of grass and alfalfa, and 156 hectares of peas, fababeans, rapeseed, and lupine. This gives an enriched milk of Omega 3, with less saturated fat. It also impacts the cows metabolism and the number of tons of CO2 produced by their digestion is also reduced. V STRATEGY Lactalis strategy is about professionalism, which can be seen in its wide range of products, as in its will to give the best quality of products to its consumers.;;;;;;;;;;;;; They also support their brands abroad by organizing several marketing and commercial actions. Diversification Their main strategy is diversification. They already have a wide range of different dairy products, owning a big share of the market. Their diversification is based on large-scale milk processing in all its forms, placing stress on quality production. They aim for better breeding practices, a certification of producers, a monitoring of milk quality and sustainability. Expansion strategy Another main point of their strategy is market expansion. Buyout of other companies is their way to reach more markets and consumers locally and worldwide. They entered the ultra-fresh market by doing a joint venture with Nestlà ©, called Lactalis Nestlà © Produits Frais LNPF, owned 60 % by Lactalis. They made the acquisition of Puleva and Forlasa in 2010, which have a dominant position in Spain. They also acquired Galbani in 2006, Italys first cheese producer, and Parmalat in 2011. These are only some examples of Lactalis expansion. V FINANCIAL STRUCTURE Capital structure of Lactalis The capital structure of Lactalis shows that the Besnier family owns 100% of the firm. Emmanuel Besnier, its CEO, is the majority shareholder. Capital Structure of Lactalis, propriety of the Besnier family Turnover of the company and its distribution Financial data by year Year 2004 2005 2008 Turnover  £5.6 billion (25% abroad)  £6 billion (40% abroad)  £9.35 billion Year 2009 2010 2016 Turnover  £8.5 billion (56% abroad)  £14.7 billion (74% abroad)  £17 billion Prà ©sident is sold in 160 countries and produces more than  £1.8 billion turnover. Galbani is sold in 140 countries and produces more than  £1.5 billion turnover.      Ã‚   VI PROGRAMMES TO ATTRACT YOUNG GRADUATES The Commercial and Marketing Graduate programme allows young graduates to work as a Product Manager or Sector Manager. The Maintenance programme allows to work at several of their production sites to develop potential and broaden knowledge. The Finance controlling programme offers a 6-month internship, followed by a 24-month international internship (V.I.E). The Industrial programme is designed to transfer French dairy expertise to foreign students. It is a sandwich course programme at the Higher School of Agriculture in Angers (ESA), combining periods at school with work experience in two production sites in France with an offer of work placement after two years. REFERENCES Agro, L. (2017). Lactalis : le PDG Emmanuel Besnier en est lactionnaire majoritaire Lusine Agro. [online] usinenouvelle.com/. Available at: http://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/lactalis-le-pdg-emmanuel-besnier-en-est-l-actionnaire-majoritaire.N151974 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: http://www.iuf.org/sites/cms.iuf.org/files/The%20Lactalis%20Group.pdf [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Groupelactalis.co.uk. (2017). Groupe Lactalis UK. [online] Available at: http://groupelactalis.co.uk/ [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Lactalis. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactalis [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Fr.wikipedia.org. (2017). Lactalis. [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactalis [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Lactalisfeed.fr. (2017). Lactalis Feed | Lenfance de là ©levage. [online] Available at: http://www.lactalisfeed.fr/en/ [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Lactalis-international.com. (2017). Lactalis international Accueil. [online] Available at: http://www.lactalis-international.com/ [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017]. Lactalis. (2017). Le Groupe Lactalis Lactalis. [online] Available at: http://www.lactalis.fr/ [Accessed 21 Mar. 2017].

Crohn’s Disease Essays -- Nursing Essays

Introduction with Statement of Purpose Crohn’s Disease is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohn’s disease is an acute and chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal track. The disease can also affect the surrounding bowel tissues. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, but it is most common in the distal ileum and the ascending colon. The disease is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. The disease process begins with edema and thickening of the mucosa, and then ulcers begin to form on the inflamed mucosa. The affected areas are separated by healthy tissue. As the inflammation of the disease begins to spread into the peritoneum, abscesses, fistulas, and fissures can develop. As the disease advances, the intestinal wall begins to thicken, becomes fibrotic, and the intestinal lumen narrows. Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease can vary from mild to severe. They can also develop slowly or come on suddenly, without any warning. When Crohn†™s disease is in remission, signs and symptoms may be very mild or there may be none. When the disease is in an active state signs and symptoms may include: diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, ulcers, reduced appetite, occult blood, and weight loss. There are many different test and procedures that confirm the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, these include: blood tests, fecal occult blood test, magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, double balloon endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, small bowel imaging, and barium enema (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011). Impact on patients and patient care My father was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2010 at the age of 51 years. He currently does not smoke cigarettes, but has a hi... ...who is familiar with inflammatory bowel disease and the psychosocial difficulties that it can cause. â€Å"Although living with Crohn’s disease can be discouraging, research is ongoing and the outlook is brighter than it was a few years ago† (Mayo, p. 16, 2011). Works Cited Bare, B.G., Cheever, K.H., Hinkle, J.L., & Smeltzer, S.C. (2010). Brunner & suddarth’s textbook of medical- surgical nursing (12th ed. p. 1082-1088). Wolters Kluwer Health. Crohn's and colitis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ccfa.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/ Diseases and conditions crohn's disease. (2011, August 09). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/basics/definition/con-20032061 Inflammatory bowel disease. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.gastro.org/patient-center/digestive-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease Crohn’s Disease Essays -- Nursing Essays Introduction with Statement of Purpose Crohn’s Disease is a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohn’s disease is an acute and chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal track. The disease can also affect the surrounding bowel tissues. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, but it is most common in the distal ileum and the ascending colon. The disease is characterized by periods of remission and exacerbation. The disease process begins with edema and thickening of the mucosa, and then ulcers begin to form on the inflamed mucosa. The affected areas are separated by healthy tissue. As the inflammation of the disease begins to spread into the peritoneum, abscesses, fistulas, and fissures can develop. As the disease advances, the intestinal wall begins to thicken, becomes fibrotic, and the intestinal lumen narrows. Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease can vary from mild to severe. They can also develop slowly or come on suddenly, without any warning. When Crohn†™s disease is in remission, signs and symptoms may be very mild or there may be none. When the disease is in an active state signs and symptoms may include: diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, ulcers, reduced appetite, occult blood, and weight loss. There are many different test and procedures that confirm the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, these include: blood tests, fecal occult blood test, magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography, double balloon endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, small bowel imaging, and barium enema (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011). Impact on patients and patient care My father was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2010 at the age of 51 years. He currently does not smoke cigarettes, but has a hi... ...who is familiar with inflammatory bowel disease and the psychosocial difficulties that it can cause. â€Å"Although living with Crohn’s disease can be discouraging, research is ongoing and the outlook is brighter than it was a few years ago† (Mayo, p. 16, 2011). Works Cited Bare, B.G., Cheever, K.H., Hinkle, J.L., & Smeltzer, S.C. (2010). Brunner & suddarth’s textbook of medical- surgical nursing (12th ed. p. 1082-1088). Wolters Kluwer Health. Crohn's and colitis. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ccfa.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis/what-is-crohns-disease/ Diseases and conditions crohn's disease. (2011, August 09). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/basics/definition/con-20032061 Inflammatory bowel disease. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.gastro.org/patient-center/digestive-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease

Analysing Invisible Man Essay -- Invisible Man Ralph Ellison Essays

Analysing Invisible Man After reading this book I wondered what it would be like to be blind then gain sight, but realize you cannot see yourself because you are invisible. It seems like a cruel joke that once you can see you realize that you still cannot see who you are. Even though this seems like a very depressing event Ellison makes it seem like a positive thing. While, at the end of the story, the narrator still does not know his place in the world he seems to be glad that he is no longer blindfolded. He even questions the reader's ability to see, "Who knows but that, on some lower frequencies, I speak for you?" What Ellison does well is the evolution of the narrator's blindness. The blindness motif seems to first show up at the battle royal. The blindfold scares the narrator. He was not used to darkness, and it put him in a "blind terror." This is the first time that the narrator admits his blindness, but at the same time he also shows the blindness of others. All of the men in the battle royal are blindfolded. Is this symbolic of the African-American's plight in society? The whites have blindfolded them and they have no idea who they are fighting against. So they end up beating each other rather than the real people they should be fighting. I think Ellison goes even deeper than mere race relations in this scene. I think he is showing the plight of the individual in society. I think Ellison is saying that we fight blindly amongst ourselves, and it is not until we take off the blindfolds that we can band together and fight the real enemy. When the narrator finally is allowed to remove his blindfold he is so preoccupied with what he believes he is there f or that he can not really focus on his fight with Tatlock. Again Ellison is commenting on the plight of the individual. The narrator is also blind to Dr. Bledsoe's true nature. It is not until later in the story that he realizes that Bledsoe wears different masks in front of different people. The narrator cannot be completely held at fault here because others are also fooled by Bledsoe. Bledsoe also dupes Barbee. Ellison then lets the reader know that Barbee is physically blind. Why is that fact important? I believe that Ellison is saying that anyone who buys into Bledsoe or Bledsoe's way of thinking is also blind. There is a point in Barbee's speech where he is "turning toward Dr. B... ... fact that he can be mistaken for Rinehart proves that Rinehart has no identity himself, but it also proves the same thing for the narrator. This seems to be why the narrator is never given a name. How do we identify people? By their names, and he has no identity so he is nameless. The Epilogue is as important as the Prologue. Here we learn that the narrator is ready to go out and search for his identity. However, now he seems to see himself as higher than others because of his experiences. He states that everyone has experienced the same thing he has, but on a "lower frequency." Is this conceit, or is he trying to relate to everyone? If it is conceit then I am less likely to trust the narrator and his point of view on all that happened to him. However, he speaks of his "social responsibility" so he seems to be a caring person, and it is because of this that I trust him. Questions: 1. Is Mr. Norton wrong in believing that the narrator is "his destiny"? 2. Who is the most "visible" person in the book? 3. Ellison seems to be speaking out against stereotyping, yet most of his characters are types rather than characters. Is he the very thing he is speaking out against?

Inner City

1. Financial Ratios— †¢Liquidity Ratio: measure the availability of cash to pay debt. Current Ratio = Current assets/ Current Liabilities 262,515/ 285,030= 0. 92 There is a problem meeting its short term obligations The best way to improve this ratio and better position the business to cover its short-term obligations is to better manage current liabilities (accounts payables).Generate more profit (cash) out of each sale by increasing profit (as long as it is competitive within the industry), reducing costs of goods sold (making the product with less cost or providing services with less costs) or finding efficiencies throughout the operating cycle. †¢Asset Management Ratio: indicate how successfully a company is utilizing its assets to generate revenues. Inventory Turnover= COGS/ Average inventory 1,428,730/ 18,660= 76. 57 Indicate a shortage or inadequate inventory levels, which may lead to a loss in business.Average days to sell the inventory= 365 days/ inventory t urnover ratio 365/ 76. 57= 4. 8 Measure of the number of times inventory is sold or used in a time period (a year). A low turnover rate might point to overstocking, obsolescence, or deficiencies in the product line or marketing effort. On the other hand, a high turnover rate might indicate inadequate inventory levels, which can lead to a loss in business, as the inventory is too low (stock shortages). Receivables Turnover= Sales/ Accounts Receivable 1,784,080/ 242,320= 7. 36 A low ratio implies the company should re-assess its credit policies in order o ensure the timely collection of imparted credit that is not earning interest for the firm. Days Receivable= 365/ Receivables Turnover 365/7. 36= 49. 6= 50 The receivables turnover ratio is used to calculate how well a company is managing their receivables. Total assets turnover= Net Sales Revenue/ Average Total Assets 1,784,080/ 294,565= 6. 06 Measures the efficiency of a Co. use of its assets in generating sales revenue. Companies w ith low profit margins tend to have high asset turnover, while those with high profit margins have low asset turnover. Debt Management Ratio: measure the firm's use of Financial Leverage and ability to avoid financial distress in the long run. The use of debt can improve returns to stockholders in good years and increase their losses in bad years. Debt Ratio= Total Liabilities (Total Debt)/ Total Assets (285,030+ 15,000)/ 294,565= 1. 02 All assets are financed by creditors and some losses are covered by creditors. Indicates the proportion of a company's debt to its total assets. It shows how much the company relies on debt to finance assets. The higher the ratio, the greater the risk associated with the firm's operation.A low debt ratio indicates conservative financing with an opportunity to borrow in the future at no significant risk. †¢Profitability Ratio: represents the % of total sales that Co. retains after incurring the direct costs (variable costs) associated with produc ing the goods sold. Return on Assets= Net Income/ Average Assets 17,610/ 294,565= 5. 98% Indicates that the company is asset heavy. Net Profit Margin= Net Income/ Sales Revenue 17,610/ 1,784,080= 0. 987% A high percentage of each dollar generated by the company in revenue is actual profit Gross Profit Margin= 1,784,080-1,428,730)/ 1,784,080= . 20% Indicates that gross margin isn’t large enough to cover other expenses beyond cost of goods sold. Purpose of margins is to determine the value of incremental sales, and to guide pricing and promotion decision. Understanding and monitoring gross margins can help business owners avoid pricing problems, losing money on sales, and ultimately stay in business. Helps avoid offering prices that are too low or have costs that are too high to ultimately make a profit. 2. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats— †¢Strengths: Fast Service/ delivery- supplied paint to contractors within 24 hours, -Steady growth in its mark et, -Competitive price, -Cheap rent/ low overhead costs- gives a competitive advantage, -Cheap employee wages- nonunion organization, -Low production costs- low cost and high quality paint, -Excess capacity †¢Weaknesses: -Unorganized- operating with no management or financial controls, -Lack of consistent and reliable inventory control system, -No customer record (manual count): wastes too much time, -No office space, no billing records, no shipping information -Undesirable ocation and building is in poor condition: old plant, and old equipment (dusty, dirty environment) -No sales personnel, -No computer, no database, -Inexperienced/ unskilled employees, -Lack of delegation and employee empowerment -Narrow product line, -Bad cash flow: insufficient financial resources to fund any changes, -Culture, -Lack of customer confidence: customer perception as a company that negotiates price and unreliable to fill large orders. -Lag between time when they are paying their suppliers and e mployees versus time it takes to collect receivables from customers (30-60 days) †¢Opportunities: Expand product range: go after different segments, -Purchasing a computer to organize data and reduce needless paperwork, -Increase market share by taking large orders, -Hiring professional salesmen to ensure consistent growth and accountants/ consultants to identify problems and solutions: Lower cost of goods sold, lower expenses due to Walsh’s salary, and lower bad debt. †¢Threats: -Market is in slow growth- housing market and overall economy, -High bargaining power of suppliers -High threat of substitutes: larger Co are more reliable Threat of new entrants,low entry barriers in paint manufacturing industry -Rumors that company is in difficult financial straits- unable to pay suppliers and owes a lot for payment on previous taxes, -No audit has been performed= IRS penalties: Wash did not include his income taxes in his income statement; he owes $38,510 in taxes. 3. Re commendations— Within 30 Days: †¢Pay his taxes before he gets audited †¢Collect bad debt from clients †¢Hire personnel to assist in various tasks -Salesmen and accounting managers †¢Grow business and solve current financial problems Within 90 Days: Inner City Paint should keep records of inventory, finances, billing info. -They should invest in a computer and keep all records in a database to automatically calculate changes. †¢Take a cut in high salaries †¢Find and research new suppliers -To be able to provide timely delivery for large orders †¢Minimize COGS Beyond 90 Days: †¢Buy more equipment and trucks †¢Improve management skills and create policies †¢Earn business of larger clients †¢Manage business and growth of the company and to be able to acquire companies in the future that help attaining a larger market share.

Sonnet 129

The poem Sonnet 129 focuses on human lust and its inevitable stages of shame. Shakespeare promotes the theme that as a result of lust there is only corruptness, whether it be while one is â€Å"in pursuit† (9) (in the future tense), â€Å"in possession† (in the present tense), or after the fact (in the past tense) when it proves â€Å"a very woe† (11). The negativity of lust is extremely reinforced in only the third line of the poem with a chain of adjectives to describe lust: â€Å"Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame, / Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust† (3-4).This word choice exemplifies strong and ruthless voice that one would not usually categorize with lust. A simile is used to expound the consequence of lust by comparing it to when a fish is tricked by â€Å"a swallowed bait† (7). When a fish takes the bait with the hidden hook, the barb on the hook encases itself inside the fish’s flesh. This is an accurate compariso n to lust because the energy the fish exerts directly correlates with how deep the hook is buried. Correspondingly, just like when one is lustful, he or she is unavoidably doomed; that is, trying to escape the shame worsens the situation.Also, Shakespeare touches on the deceptiveness of lust: at first one is convinced lust is not a problem, merely â€Å"A bliss in proof† (11); however once realized and â€Å"proved† (11), the struggle with lust ends up being problematic. Moreover, Shakespeare expresses the shamefulness of viewing lust from â€Å"behind a dream† (12), the consequently terrible feeling one feels after lusting. The organization of Sonnet 129 helps convey Shakespeare’s idea about the tangles created by lust. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG.This organization of rhyme forms a sense of always searching for a conclusion to the rhyme, as one reads one line and then the next in search for an end rhyme. There are no periods for the first 12 li nes creating a lack of pause, which forces one to read the entire poem through in a hastily manner. This all exemplifies the theme of lust because the poem reveals how once one lusts, they are never satisfied whether it be before, during, or after the lusting just like how as the reader is always propelled into the next word or phrase.The last couplet of the poem â€Å"All this the world well knows; yet none knows well / To Shun the heaven that leads men to this hell† (13-4) finally breaks the hurried 14 lines. In this couplet, Shakespeare explains that everyone knows lusting is a sin and it is always visible to God. This is an appropriate conclusion for this poem because it is reiterating the seriousness of lust and the Christian stance that lusting, in the end, will place you in hell.