Comparison of Athens and Sparta essays

Correlation of Athens and Sparta articles Looking at Athens and Sparta resembles contrasting paradise with hellfire. One of the couple of likenesses which Athens and Sparta share is that both of the urban communities are situated in a similar nation, Greece. Greece is a bumpy promontory that intently takes after in size the province of Louisiana. In view of the mountains which Greece contains, autonomous networks were framed which in the long run became states and a developing civic establishments. Athens previously turned into a city-state; and was managed by a ruler. In 500 b.c. the Classical Age of Greece thrived. Athens was impact by human expressions. It was a developing society that adoration information and looked for reason in all things. Athenian based there life around reasoning (love of insight) and expressions. As a youngster you could get decent instruction and could seek after any of a few sorts of expressions or sciences. You could serve in the military or naval force, yet you didn't need to. Athens was a polytheistic culture. Young ladies were hitched at 14 years old. Ladies were out loud to take an interest in strict occasions as it were. A significant number of todays most noteworthy savants ever were impacted from Athens, for example, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In the Athens society all residents were dealt with equivalent. Ladies and slaves rejected from being residents. Toward the start of the seventh century, Athens got constrained by nobles, in the end turning into a government. Around the finish of the seventh century the Athenian culture started falling quickly. Insatiability over came a large number of the rich blue-bloods which controlled most of the land. In 594 b.c. a man who many like was placed in charge, Solomon. In spite of the fact that Solomon attempted his best to modify Athens in to a fabulous network, the privileged people essentially would not bolster this change. Around 560 b.c. Pisistratus a privileged person came into control of the Athenian realm. Pisistratus was not well like and Athens turned into an oppression. In the long run the individuals of Athens shut down the oppression in 560 b.... <!

Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church

Roman Catholicism is perhaps the biggest religion on the planet, with over a billion disciples appropriated everywhere throughout the world. Catholicism's history started when devotees of Judaism acknowledged Jesus Christ as a prophet, however as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Roman Catholicism was supposedly begun with the dispatching of the Apostle Peter. Catholicism, which implies general, got the descriptor Roman because of the Church's geological area in the Roman Empire. There are two focal plans to Roman Catholicism: the Church as a showing authority, and the Church as a hallowed specialist. The Church as an instructing authority implies that the Church is the deciphering operator of the Bible. The Church as a holy specialist implies that the congregation foundations ceremonies for its supporters with the goal that they can live more profoundly. Roman Catholics perceive the New Testament and the Old Testament. Notwithstanding the sacred days celebrated by most dif ferent Christians, Catholics watch various other heavenly days and holy people days. Extraordinary masses, fasts, or eats may watch these. The Church accepts that the seven holy observances are expected to assist Catholics with carrying on with the sort of life Jesus would have needed and these ceremonies profoundly associate the extraordinary minutes and necessities of human life. These holy observances are absolution, retribution, Holy Communion, affirmation, marriage, blessed requests, and last ceremonies. Coming to America in 1493, 12 ministers went with Christopher Columbus on his second journey of investigation to spread the catholic religion. The ministers who lectured the locals of the southeastern and southwestern bits of what is presently the United States were primarily Spanish Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits. Mass is a custom that is venerated by the Catholics. It is performed in any event once per week and even day by day. A decent method to portray the Mass is to state that it is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday made present tod... Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church Roman Catholicism is perhaps the biggest religion on the planet, with over a billion followers dispersed everywhere throughout the world. Catholicism's history started when adherents of Judaism acknowledged Jesus Christ as a prophet, yet as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Roman Catholicism was supposedly begun with the appointing of the Apostle Peter. Catholicism, which implies widespread, got the descriptor Roman because of the Church's land area in the Roman Empire. There are two focal plans to Roman Catholicism: the Church as a showing authority, and the Church as a sacrosanct specialist. The Church as a training authority implies that the Church is the deciphering operator of the Bible. The Church as a sacrosanct operator implies that the congregation organizations ceremonies for its adherents with the goal that they can live more profoundly. Roman Catholics perceive the New Testament and the Old Testament. Notwithstanding the heavenly days celebrated by most differen t Christians, Catholics watch various other blessed days and holy people days. Extraordinary masses, fasts, or eats may watch these. The Church accepts that the seven ceremonies are expected to assist Catholics with carrying on with the sort of life Jesus would have needed and these holy observances profoundly associate the incredible minutes and necessities of human life. These holy observances are submersion, retribution, Holy Communion, affirmation, marriage, heavenly requests, and last customs. Coming to America in 1493, 12 clerics went with Christopher Columbus on his second journey of investigation to spread the catholic religion. The teachers who lectured the locals of the southeastern and southwestern bits of what is currently the United States were primarily Spanish Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits. Mass is a custom that is loved by the Catholics. It is performed at any rate once every week and even day by day. A decent method to portray the Mass is to state that it is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday made present tod...

The Unreliable Narrator Definition, Examples, and How to Make It Work

The Unreliable Narrator Definition, Examples, and How to Make It Work From Edgar Allan Poes Tell-Tale Heart to Gillian Flynns Gone Girl, the authors use of an unreliable narrator is one of the most fascinating literary devices used in storytelling. While there have been unreliable narrators dating back to the work of the Ancient Greek playwright, Aristophanes, the term was coined by Wayne C. Booth in his book, The Rhetoric of Fiction.What is an unreliable narrator?An unreliable narrator is one that is not to be fully believed. His or her credibility is compromised due to some admission of insanity or an obviously false claim that the reader knows is incorrect, or due to the story revealing information about the narrator that makes the reader question the believability of claims made.The unreliable narrator as a literary device can be used for dramatic effect to create an ending with a twist (such as Gone Girl), or can be merely hinted at by other characters as a way to make the reader question if the narrator should be trusted. However it is used and r evealed, having an unreliable narrator is an excellent way for an author to psychologically thrill his or her audience. Nothing can be taken at face value. And if the narrator, the primary voice of the story cant be trustedâ€"then who can?The use of the unreliable narrator is also a reminder that any story told from first person point of view has limitations. In reality, all humans are unreliable narrators. Whenever a person recalls an experience, the recollection is subjective and might not include all relevant detailsâ€"either because the details were missed entirely, or were forgotten in the time that passed between the event and the later description of it. Some people forget or omit details as a type of self-preservation. Others do it to avoid negative consequences. Still others omit details simply because they didnt notice them.Gillian Flynns Gone Girl is an example of an unreliable narrator.Types of unreliable narratorsIn his book Picaros, Madmen, Naifs, and Clowns: The Unrel iable First-Person Narrator, author William Riggan explored the types of first-person unreliable narrators often seen in literature. He narrowed it down to the following list:The PícaroThis is a narrator who is prone to exaggeration and bragging and is unreliable due to his or her tendency for tall tales. Some examples include Moll Flanders in the novel by the same name written by Daniel Defoe, Simplicius Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen, and Felix Krull from the unfinished German novel, Confessions of Felix Krull by Thomas Mann.The MadmanThis is a narrator who has a mental disorder resulting in dissociation, schizophrenia or paranoia. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk gave us one of the best examples of this type of unreliable narrator in the discovery that the insomniac narrator and Tyler Durden were one and the same. Some other examples are Franz Kafkas narrators, Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal, Charles Kinbote in Pale Fire, and Patrick Bateman in Br et Easton Ellis American Psycho.The ClownThis is a narrator who toys with the truth and the readers expectations. Examples of this type of unreliable narrator include Tristram Shandy in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne.The NaïfThis type of unreliable narrator is a narrator with a limited understanding or point of view. One of the best examples of this is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Other examples of naïves include Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn, Holden Caulfield, from J. D. Salingers 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, and Jack from Emma Donoghues novel, Room.The LiarThis is a narrator who purposefully lies to the audience. John Dowell in Ford Madox Fords The Good Soldier is an example of this type of unreliable narrator.Some unreliable narrators are a mix of several of these categories. For example, in A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, the narrator is Alex, a depraved and violent psychopathic adolescent who has no desire to change. In thi s sense, he is the antihero of the story and represents an unreliable narrator who admits to his deception, so is The Liar (based on Riggans types). Its made clear that he is manipulating the reader, especially with his use of the term brothers when addressing his audience. His constant drug use and seeming mental instability, along with a fictional jargon called Nasdat to manipulate and lie to other characters, paints him as unreliable from the beginning of the narration (and thus, also The Madman).Alex from Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange is an unreliable narrator on many different levels.Outside of Riggans types of unreliable narrators, the following can also be found in modern literature.The narrator who evades the truth out of self-preservationA good example of this type of unreliable narrator is Pi Patel, the narrator of Yann Martels Life of Pi. He tells a story of being adrift at sea and sharing his lifeboat with a zebra, orangutan, hyena, and tiger. When his story is ques tioned for its implausibility, his rescuers (and thus, the reader) learns of another version of the story in which he is adrift at sea with his mother, a sailor, and the ships cook. The rescuers find connections between the two versions of the story and choose to accept the version with the animals, understanding that the alternative (and more likely version) would have been extremely traumatic for the boy.The narrator who doesnt know all of the truthRachel in The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is an example of this type of unreliable narrator due to her frequent alcohol-induced blackouts and her lies to other characters. Her explanation of her whereabouts is unreliable and her connection to the mystery of the novel is questioned due to her loss of memory due to drinking. In this sense, she doesnt quite fall into Riggans category of The Naïf, but her perspective and memory are indeed limited.How to use the unreliable narrator in your writingIf youve chosen to write a story with an unreliable narrator, youre on the right track. Writers have been using this exciting literary device to create blockbuster stories for centuries, and it is still as exciting as it has ever been for readers to discover that the narrator might not be trustworthy (or might be completely crazy). Put simplyâ€"its a great way to hook your audience and create a compelling, memorable character.Here are a few tips for using an unreliable narrator as a literary device in your writing:Make your narrator seem very cleverWe all know that for a lie to work, careful planning is often needed. Liars have to cover all the bases and intuit how their lies might be discovered, by whom, and how to avoid that happening. This is why, particularly if your narrator is the type who lies on purpose, making him or her incredibly clever and intelligent is the easiest way to pull off turning them into a memorable unreliable narrator. In the real world (as in, outside of fiction), liars must work hard and plan carefully to keep their lie from being discovered.Make your narrator do something out of characterWhen your narrator, who is normally a fine, upstanding citizen, suddenly does something out of character, their reliability is immediately called into question. Having them do something that surprises the reader is a great way to set up an unreliable narratorâ€"especially if you dont plan to wait until the end to make the unreliability part of the storys twist.Consider making your narrator the bad guyFrom A Clockwork Orange to American Psycho, having an unreliable narrator who is also a villain is a great way to set up a fascinating story. The trick to this is making sure your narrator is also likable. There have to be some redeeming qualities or some reason for your audience to keep turning pages, otherwise youll lose your readers attention quickly.Make your narrator authenticIf you are toying with the trust of your readers by using an unreliable narrator, it is especially important t o keep your narrator authentic and believable. While many unreliable narrators are narcissists, pathological liars, and/or mentally unstable, staying within an authentic framework when creating them will keep your readers engaged. Even narcissists have a predictable pattern, and various mental illnesses display certain symptoms that should be evident if this is the direction you plan to take with your narrator as a character.However you plan to use an unreliable narrator, whether to add depth to his or her character or to create a surprise twist at the end of your story, dont reveal too much too soon. Readers automatically assume that the narrator is telling the truth and enjoy the surprise when they learn their preconceived notions arent exactly correct. The unreliable narrator is a great storytelling device when used correctly and should be explored by every writer at some point in his or her writing career. Youll have as much fun creating one as your readers will have reading his or her unreliable tales.

What Is the Boltzmann Brains Hypothesis

Boltzmann brains is a theoretical prediction of Boltzmanns explanation about the thermodynamic arrow of time. Though Ludwig Boltzmann himself never discussed this concept, they came about when cosmologists applied his ideas about random fluctuations to understand the universe as a whole. Boltzmann Brain Background Ludwig Boltzmann was one of the founders of the field of thermodynamics in the nineteenth century. One of the key concepts was the second law of thermodynamics, which says that the entropy of a closed system always increases. Since the universe is a closed system, we would expect the entropy to increase over time. This means that, given enough time, the most likely state of the universe is one where everything is the in thermodynamic equilibrium, but we clearly dont exist in a universe of this type since, after all, there is order all around us in various forms, not the least of which is the fact that we exist. With this in mind, we can apply the anthropic principle to inform our reasoning by taking into account that we do, in fact, exist. Here the logic gets a little confusing, so were going to borrow the words from a couple of more detailed looks at the situation. As described by cosmologist Sean Carroll in From Eternity to Here: Boltzmann invoked the anthropic principle (although he didnt call it that) to explain why we wouldnt find ourselves in one of the very common equilibrium phases: In equilibrium, life cannot exist. Clearly, what we want to do is find the most common conditions within such a universe that are hospitable to life. Or, if we want to be more careful, perhaps we should look for conditions that are not only hospitable to life, but hospitable to the particular kind of intelligent and self-aware life that we like to think we are....We can take this logic to its ultimate conclusion. If what we want is a single planet, we certainly dont need a hundred billion galaxies with a hundred billion stars each. And if what we want is a single person, we certainly dont need an entire planet. But if in fact what we want is a single intelligence, able to think about the world, we dont even need an entire person--we just need his or her brain.So the reductio ad absurdum of this scenario is that the overwhelm ing majority of intelligences in this multiverse will be lonely, disembodied brains, who fluctuate gradually out of the surrounding chaos and then gradually dissolve back into it. Such sad creatures have been dubbed Boltzmann brains by Andreas Albrecht and Lorenzo Sorbo.... In a 2004 paper, Albrecht and Sorbo discussed Boltzmann brains in their essay: A century ago Boltzmann considered a â€Å"cosmology† where the observed universe should be regarded as a rare ï ¬â€šuctuation out of some equilibrium state. The prediction of this point of view, quite generically, is that we live in a universe which maximizes the total entropy of the system consistent with existing observations. Other universes simply occur as much more rare ï ¬â€šuctuations. This means as much as possible of the system should be found in equilibrium as often as possible.From this point of view, it is very surprising that we ï ¬ nd the universe around us in such a low entropy state. In fact, the logical conclusion of this line of reasoning is utterly solipsistic. The most likely ï ¬â€šuctuation consistent with everything you know is simply your brain (complete with â€Å"memories† of the Hubble Deep ï ¬ elds, WMAP data, etc) ï ¬â€šuctuating brieï ¬â€šy out of chaos and then immediately equilibrating back into chaos again. This is sometimes cal led the â€Å"Boltzmann’s Brain† paradox. The point of these descriptions is not to suggest that Boltzmann brains actually exist. Sort of like the Schroedingers cat thought experiment, the point of this sort of thought experiment is to stretch things to their most extreme conclusion, as a means of showing the potential limitations and flaws of this way of thinking. The theoretical existence of Boltzmann brains allow you to use them rhetorically as an example of something absurd to manifest out of thermodynamic fluctuations, as when Carroll says There will be random fluctuations in the thermal radiation that lead to all sorts of unlikely events--including the spontaneous generation of galaxies, planets, and Boltzmann brains. Now that you understand Boltzmann brains as a concept, though, you have to proceed a bit to understanding the Boltzmann brain paradox that is caused by applying this thinking to this absurd degree. Again, as formulated by Carroll: Why do we find ourselves in a universe evolving gradually from a state of incredibly low entropy, rather than being isolated creatures that recently fluctuated from the surrounding chaos? Unfortunately, there is no clear explanation to resolve this ... thus why its still classified as a paradox. Carrolls book focuses on trying to resolve the questions it brings up about entropy in the universe and the cosmological arrow of time. Popular Culture and Boltzmann Brains Amusingly, Boltzmann Brains made it into popular culture in a couple of different ways. They showed up as a quick joke in a Dilbert comic and as the alien invader in a copy of The Incredible Hercules.

Dissertation, Alcohol Abuse - 13244 Words

Dissertation Alcohol Abuse Carolien Wesselink 76121 Table of Contents Introduction - Background 3 - Statement of the Problem 4 - Objectives of dissertation research 5 - Specific research questions 5 - Assumptions and limitations 6 - Definition of Terms 7 Literature Review - Alcohol Policy: Political Statements 8 - Alcohol Policy: The preventive Approach 9 - Influences on Behavior 11 - Alcohol Trends 13 - Conceptual Framework 14 Methodology - Brief overview 16 - Research Design 16 - Methods for data collection 16 - Data Analysis 17 - Appendices (Survey, Interview) 18 Analysis -Introduction 20 -Analysis of Survey 20 -Analysis†¦show more content†¦And if someone wants to sell alcohol outside the bar he or she needs a special drinking permit (ALCA – Act, article 3). The ‘ALCA - Act’ is made to prevent drank abuse, therefore age limits are set. To persons younger than 16 years no alcohol can be sold or served (ALCA – Act, article 20.1). Strong liquors (15% or more) are not allowed until the age of 18 years old (ALCA – Act, article 20.2). It is forbidden to let drunk people into a bar, cafà © or club. Also pouring in drinks for already drunk people is forbidden. Meaning that the owner of a bar, cafà © or club has to prevent people from getting drunk in their catering establishment (ALCA – Act, article 21). Making advertisements for a catering establishment is not forbidden, however there are certain rules for the making of advertisements for alcohol. These rules are stated in the ‘Advertising Code for Alcoholic Beverages ’ 1985. In this code is stated that 40% of all television commercials and all other audiovisual advertisements have to be provided with a slogan which is: ‘Geniet, maar drink met mate’ (ACAB – Act, article 31.2). This is a very well known slogan in the Netherlands, it means you can enjoy a drink, however do not overdo it. 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Mental Illness and Alcoholism A total of 150 chronically mentally ill residents of board-and-care homes were interviewed using the alcohol section of the National Institute of Mental Healths Diagnostic Interview Schedule, Version III. The interview was used to diagnose alcoholism. Forty-seven percent of the 150 subjects were found to score positive for alcoholism. This percentageRead MoreThe Progression And Maturation Of Human Development841 Words   |  4 Pagesinto the respected community. Each candidate is required to instruct at least three developmental psychology classes. Furthermore in addition to their course of study, candidates are required to formulate, annotate and present a professional dissertation. Each university has varying program requirements, which ensures only the most skilled and competent individuals are eligible for graduation. 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A particularly important factor in choosing this career path has been my undergraduate experience when under my dissertation I conducted a study in the field of cyberbullying assessing the psychological characteristics of perpetrators and victims within a sample of 453 junior high school students. This gave me the chance to contribute in teaching about cyberbullyingRead MoreSexual Assault Within American Culture2065 Words   |  9 Pagesorientations, and consumption or non-consumption of alcohol. The focus of the current analysis is by no means comprehensive, but it did examine statistically common elements among sexual and physical assault in regard to alcohol use. As studies have indicated, one in five female students were sexually assaulted with three out of four of them under the influence of alcohol during the crime (Mohler-Kuo et al., 2004). Consequently, the scope of the current dissertation considered precursors to assault, with the

NoLag product Free Essays

For the different budgets related to the NoLag product of JetSet Travel, Inc. (JTI), I would expect to see different items. Below are said budgets and items. We will write a custom essay sample on NoLag product or any similar topic only for you Order Now But I would like to define what budget is first. Horngren, Datar and Foster (2002) defined budget as the â€Å"[quantitative] expression of a proposed plan of action by management for a specified period and is an aid to coordinating what needs to be done to implement that plan (p. 835). Sales budget. This is usually the staring point for budgeting. The budgeted sales for a future period determines the production and inventory levels which also determine the manufacturing costs of JTI as well as its nonmanufacturing costs for its NoLag product. Items seen in the sales budget are the budgeted selling price for the product, budgeted number of units to be sold, and of course, the budgeted total revenues fro the product. With respect to costs behavior, the items shown in the NoLag sales budget are all variable. That is, these items changes in total in proportion to the number of products to be sold. Purchase budget. This budget identifies the direct materials to be purchased which depends on the budgeted usage of direct materials. Items seen in this budget are the direct materials needed, and under each material the following are specified: Direct materials usage for the period, Target ending inventory for the direct material, Beginning inventory for the direct material, Cost per unit of each of the direct material requirement, and Budgeted direct materials purchases for the period The direct material cost, specifically the direct materials purchase cost is a variable cost. The amount changes relative to the number of direct materials budgeted. Operating expenses budget. This budget included the nonmanufacturing costs related to the NoLag product value chain. Included in this budget are research and development, marketing, distribution, customer-service, and administrative costs. The research and development costs’ behavior – fixed or variable – depends on how management allocates funds to it. If management decides that 10 percent of the total sales budget is to be allocated to research and development, then it is variable – it varies according to the sales budget. The rest of the items under the operating expenses budget exhibit the same characteristics. For example, marketing costs are usually budgeted as a percentage of the sales budget. Capital expenditures budget. This is composed of the investing requirements of JTI with regard to the manufacture of the NoLag product. The expenses here are fixed which includes budgeted purchase amount of new equipments. Cash budgets. The cash budget, according to Horngren, Datar and Foster (2002), â€Å"is a schedule of expected cash receipts and disbursements† (p. 197). Generally, the cash budget has several main sections. Beginning cash balance AND cash receipts. These will form part of the cash available for financing requirements of JTI. Cash receipts come from collections from customers and sales of the NoLag product. Cash disbursements are composed of direct materials purchases, direct labor and other wage and salary outlays, interest on long-term borrowing, income tax payments, and other costs and disbursements. Short-term financing requirements. JTI needs short-term financing requirements if its total cash receipts for the period are less than its total cash disbursements. Ending cash balance. Include considerations for the variable aspects of this product and its sales References Horngren, C. T., Datar, S. M. Foster, G. (2002). Cost accounting: A managerial emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. APA 1    How to cite NoLag product, Essay examples

Virgin Essay Example

Virgin Essay 289 CASE EXAMPLE The Virgin Group Aidan McQuade Introduction The Virgin Group is one of the UK’s largest private companies. The group included, in 2006, 63 businesses as diverse as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. The group included Virgin Galactic, which promised to take paying passengers into sub-orbital space. The personal image and personality of the founder, Richard Branson, were highly bound up with those of the company. Branson’s taste for publicity has led him to stunts as diverse as appearing as a cockney street trader in the US comedy Friends, to attempting a non-stop balloon flight around the world. This has certainly contributed to the definition and recognisability of the brand. Research has showed that the Virgin name was associated with words such as ‘fun’, ‘innovative’, ‘daring’ and ‘successful’. In 2006 Branson announced plans to invest $3bn (A2. 4bn; ? 1. 7bn) in renewable energy. Virgin, through its partnership with a cable company NTL, also undertook an expansion into media challenging publicly the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. The nature and scale of both these initiatives suggests that Branson’s taste for his brand of business remains undimmed. Origins and activities Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. In 1986 the company was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of ? 250m (A362. 5m). However, Branson became tired of the public listing obligations: he resented making presentations in the City to people whom, he believed, did not understand the business. The pressure to create short-term profit, especially as the share price began to fall, was the final straw: Branson decided to take the business back into private ownership and the shares were bought back at the original offer price. We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The name Virgin was chosen to represent the idea of the company being a virgin in every business it entered. Branson has said that: ‘The brand is the single most important asset that we have; our ultimate objective is to establish it as a major global name. ’ This does not mean that Virgin underestimates the importance of understanding the businesses that it is branding. Referring to his intent to set up a ‘green’ energy company producing ethanol and cellulosic ethanol fuels in competition with the oil industry, he said, ‘We’re a slightly unusual company in that we go into industries we know nothing about and immerse ourselves. Virgin’s expansion had often been through joint ventures whereby Virgin provided the brand and its partner provided the majority of capital. For example, the Virgin Group’s move into clothing and cosmetics required an initial outlay of only ? 1,000, whilst its partner, Victory Corporation, invested ? 20m. Wi th Virgin Mobile, Virgin built a business by forming partnerships with existing wireless operators to sell services under the Virgin brand name. The carriers’ competences lay in network management. Virgin set out to differentiate itself by offering innovative This case was updated and revised by Aidan McQuade, University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business, based upon work by Urmilla Lawson. Photo: Steve Bell/Rex Features 290 CHAPTER 7 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND CORPORATE-LEVEL STRATEGY services. Although it did not operate its own network, Virgin won an award for the best wireless operator in the UK. Virgin Fuels appears to be somewhat different in that Virgin is putting up the capital and using the Virgin brand to attract attention to the issues and possibilities that the technology offers. In 2005 Virgin announced the establishment of a ‘quadruple play’ media company providing television, broadband, fixed-line and mobile communications through the merger of Branson’s UK mobile interests with the UK’s two cable companies. This Virgin company would have 9 million direct customers, 1. 5 million more than BSkyB, and so have the financial capacity to compete with BSkyB for premium content such as sports and movies. 1 Virgin tried to expand this business further by making an offer for ITV. This was rejected as undervaluing the company and then undermined further with the purchase of an 18 per cent share of ITV by BSkyB. This prompted Branson to call on regulators to force BSkyB to reduce or dispose of its stake citing concerns that BSkyB would have material influence over the free-to-air broadcaster. 2 Virgin has been described as a ‘keiretsu’ organisation – a structure of loosely linked, autonomous units run by self-managed teams that use a common brand name. Branson argued that, as he expanded, he would rather sacrifice short-term profits for long-term growth of the various businesses. Some commentators have argued that Virgin had become an endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses with which it was associated. However, Will Whitehorn, Director of Corporate Affairs for Virgin, stated, ‘At Virgin we know what the brand means and when we put our brand name on something we are making a promise. ’ Branson saw Virgin adding value in three main ways, aside from the brand. These were their public relations and marketing skills; its experience with greenfield start-ups; and Virgin’s understanding of the opportunities presented by ‘institutionalised’ markets. Virgin saw an ‘institutionalised’ market as one dominated by few competitors, not giving good value to customers because they had become either inefficient or preoccupied with each other. Virgin believed it did well when it identified such complacency and offered more for less. The entry into fuel and media industries certainly conforms to the model of trying to shake up ‘institutionalised’ markets. Corporate rationale In 2006 Virgin still lacked the trappings of a typical multinational. Branson described the Virgin Group as ‘a branded venture capital house’. 3 There was no ‘group’ as such; financial results were not consolidated either for external examination or, so Virgin claimed, for internal use. Its website described Virgin as a family rather than a hierarchy. Its financial operations were managed from Geneva. In 2006 Branson explained the basis upon which he considered opportunities: they have to be global in scope, enhance the brand, be worth doing and have an expectation of a reasonable return on investment. 4 Each business was ‘ring-fenced’, so that lenders to one company had no rights over the assets of another. The ring-fencing seems also to relate not just to provision of financial protection, but also to a business ethics aspect. In an interview in 2006 Branson cricitised supermarkets for selling cheap CDs. His criticism centred on the supermarkets’ use of loss leading on CDs damaging music retailers rather than fundamentally challenging the way music retailers do business. Branson has made it a central feature of Virgin that it shakes up institutionalised markets by being innovative. Loss leading is not an innovative approach. Virgin has evolved from being almost wholly comprised of private companies to a group where some of the companies are publicly listed. Virgin and Branson Historically, the Virgin Group had been controlled mainly by Branson and his trusted lieutenants, many of whom had stayed with him for more than 20 years. The increasing conformity between personal interest and business initiatives could be discerned in the establishment of Virgin Fuels. In discussing his efforts to establish a ‘green’ fuel company in competition with the oil industry Branson made the geopolitical observation that non-oil-based fuels could ‘avoid another Middle East war one day’; Branson’s opposition to the Second Gulf War is well publicised. In some instances the relationship between personal conviction and business interests is less clear cut. Branson’s comments on the threat to British democracy posed by NewsCorp’s ownership of such a large percentage of the British media could be depicted as either genuine concern from a public figure or sour grapes from a business rival just been beaten out of purchasing ITV. More r ecently Branson has been reported as talking about withdrawing from the business ‘which THE VIRGIN GROUP 291 more or less ran itself now’,6 and hoping that his son Sam might become more of a Virgin figurehead. However, while he was publicly contemplating this withdrawal from business, Branson was also launching his initiatives in media and fuel. Perhaps Branson’s idea of early retirement is somewhat more active than most. Corporate performance By 2006 Virgin had, with mixed results, taken on one established industry after another in an effort to shake up ‘fat and complacent business sectors’. It had further set its sights on the British media sector and the global oil industry. Airlines clearly were an enthusiasm of Branson’s. According to Branson, Virgin Atlantic, which was 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airways, was a company that he would not sell outright: ‘There are some businesses you preserve, which wouldn’t ever be sold, and that’s one. ’ Despite some analysts’ worries that airline success could not be sustained given the ‘cyclical’ nature of the business, Branson maintained a strong interest in the industry, and included airline businesses such as Virgin Express (European), Virgin Blue (Australia) and Virgin Nigeria in the group. Branson’s engagement with the search for ‘greener’ fuels and reducing global warming had not led him to ground his fleets. but rather to prompt a debate on measures to reduce carbon emissions from aeroplanes. At the beginning of the twenty-first century the most public problem faced by Branson was Virgin Trains, whose Cross Country and West Coast lines were ranked 23rd and 24th out of 25 train-operating franchises according to the Strategic Rail Authority’s Review in 2000. By 2002 Virgin Trains was reporting profits and paid its first premium to the British government. xperience with any one of the product lines may shun all the others’. However, Virgin argues that its brand research indicates that people who have had a bad experience will blame that particular Virgin company or product but will be willing to use other Virgin products or services, due to the very diversity of the brand. Such brand confidence helps explain why Virgin should even conte mplate such risky and protracted turnaround challenges as its rail company. Sarah Sands recounts that Branson’s mother ‘once proudly boasted that her son would become Prime Minster’. Sands futher commented that she thought his mother underestimated his ambition. 10 With Virgin’s entry into fuel and media and Branson’s declarations that he is taking on the oil corporations and NewsCorp, Sands may ultimately prove to have been precient in her comment. Notes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Sunday Telegraph, 4 December (2005). Independent, 22 November (2006). Hawkins (2001a, b). PR Newswire Europe, 16 October (2006). Fortune, 6 February (2006). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Ibid. The Times 1998, quoted in Vignali (2001). Wells (2000). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Sources: The Economist, ‘Cross his heart’, 5 October (2002); ‘Virgin on the ridiculous’, 29 May (2003); ‘Virgin Rail: tilting too far’, 12 July (2001). P. McCosker, ‘Stretching the brand: a review of the Virgin Group’, European Case Clearing House, 2000. The Times, ‘Virgin push to open up US aviation market’, 5 June (2002); ‘Branson plans $1bn US expansion’, 30 April (2002). Observer, ‘Branson eyes 31bn float for Virgin Mobile’, 18 January (2004). Strategic Direction, ‘Virgin Flies High with Brand Extensions’, vol. 18, no. 10, (October 2002). R. Hawkins, ‘Executive of Virgin Group outlines corporate strategy’ Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, July 29 (2001a). R. Hawkins, ‘Branson in new dash for cash’, Sunday Business, 29 July (2001b); South China Morning Post, ‘Virgin shapes kangaroo strategy aid liberalisation talks between Hong Kong and Australia will determine carrier’s game-plan’, 28 June (2002). C. Vignali, ‘Virgin Cola’, British Food Journal, vol. 103, no. 2 (2001), pp. 31–139. M. Wells, ‘Red Baron’, Forbes Magazine, vol. 166, no. 1, 7 March (2000). The future The beginning of the twenty-first century also saw further expansion by Virgin, from airlines, spa finance and mobile telecoms in Africa, into telecoms in Europe, and into the USA. The public flotation of individual businesses rather than the group as a whole has become an intrinsic part of the ‘juggling’ of finances that underpins Virgin’s expansion. Some commentators have identified a risk with Virgin’s approach: ‘The greatest threat [is] that . . Virgin brand . . . may become associated with failure. ’8 This point was emphasised by a commentator9 who noted that ‘a customer who has a bad enough Questions 1 What is the corporate rationale of Virgin as a group of companies? 2 Are there any relationships of a strategic nature between businesses within the Virgin portfolio? 3 How does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? 4 What were the main issues facing the Virgin Group at the end of the case and how should they be tackled?