History often uncovers the truth about the world of power and political order: There is rarely just one person making all the decisions. In most cases, even authoritarian leadership falls victim to the implementation of advisory panels, which emphasizes the importance of a sound advisor. The democracy the West is used to nowadays is built upon the idea of getting advice from the citizens to create efficient governments. The idea of an advisor is familiar in our daily lives as we try to navigate the modern social landscape making as few mistakes as possible. We count on guidance from our family and friends, as well as mentors and teachers. When it comes to politics, it is important to examine the value of sound advisors by dissecting various examples from historical and religious sources.
History is full of influential leaders, who have had an advisor (or a group of them) to receive additional council and support. The practice dates back to the beginning of times and allows leaders to gain the benefit of including the perspectives and points of view they may not be aware of at the time of making a decision. One of the most crucial examples would be military advisors, who could be leaned upon during war. Genghis Khan, once the ruler of most of Eurasia, had Yelu Chai to provide him with the council (Full Circle Coaching and Consulting, 2019). Frederick Lindermann served as an important scientific advisor to Winston Churchill during World War II due to his excellent knowledge of physics and mechanics (Full Circle, 2019). The Nazi regime in Germany was represented by Joseph Goebbels and Rudolph Hess the most trusted advisors to Adolf Hitler (Full Circle, 2019). It is apparent that by participating in a discussion regarding the most crucial issues, advisors to political leaders can either be a challenging force or a supportive life jacket. They have a certain level of authority and influence, which is why dismissing them could be a fatal mistake.
On the one hand, history demonstrates that advisors provide expertise, challenge the conventional ideas of governance, and develop a symbiotic relationship with their supervisors. On the other hand, however, there are various examples of advisors conning the monarchs and democratic leaders. One of such incidents occurred in 16th century England, when Sir Francis Walsingham, the secretary of Elizabeth I, plotted the execution of the Queen’s cousin Mary, former Queen of Scotland (Teich, 2019). This shows the unreliability and lack of loyalty from advisors that some leaders have to deal with.
As for the Bible, the religious doctrine Christians can count on for daily matters indicates the importance of following good advice. Proverbs 11:14 states that “For lack of guidance a nation falls,” highlighting the significance of good council to any political leader (King James Bible, 1769/2017). The Bible, however, also mentions that a wise man should stay away from wicked advice, which can be deceitful and harmful. 1 Kings 12 describes the aftermath of Solomon’s death and the inauguration of Rehoboam (King James Bible, 1769/2017). Following the advice of his contemporaries, the new king lost the alliance of two southern tribes (Judah and Benjamin), which decided to create their union. Listening to advisors, who are trying to please rather than help, and doing it blindly can lead to trouble. Therefore, it is extremely important to choose the right people, and even then, try to critically assess their suggestions and opinions.
My attitudes towards advice and guidance are mostly positive because I have experienced a fair share of situations, where a conversation with my parents or friends helped me to resolve a particularly complicated issue. For instance, one of the most challenging subjects at my high school was U.S. history, which put a lot of pressure on me and my team in a group project worth 20 percent of the final grade. As a group leader, I had to make decisions regarding the topic of the presentation. We could either go with the safe choice or try to talk about the U.S. foreign policy issue no one picked due to its complexity and many small details. After a thorough discussion with the team (the girl in charge of the content for the presentation, in particular), I informed our teacher of my team’s decision to take a less conventional route and stick to a harder topic. I coordinated my group quite effectively, and the teacher appreciated our effort to talk about something more complex, which led to an A+.
In the fiscal 1989 on March 24, the reservoir base of Exxon Valdez ship 987 smacked the Alaska’s Prince William Sound Bligh Reef. The subsequent impact was the prevalent oil spill that has ever since then been remembered in the history of the United States. In less than five hours, the most receptive ecological unit of one state was flooded with rudimentary oil approximated to be more than ten million gallons.
In fact, in the Prince William Sound only, the spilt crude oil scattered and covered more than three hundred and fifty miles of the offshore while the total area flooded with oil spill was in excess of three thousand square miles (Bryan, 2003). The preliminary response to the Ship Valdez Oil Spill was perceived to be deficient and sluggish.
However, according to the OSHA Act of 1970, Exxon Company failed to enforce or institute safety measures and standards, which could have ensured that both women and men who worked in the corporation had healthy and safe working conditions. Thus, from the failure of Exxon Corp to comply with the stipulated OSHA regulatory standards, a historical publicized incident occurred at Prince William Sound in Alaska.
The incident violated and greatly affected the environment, human beings, plants, as well as other land and sea animals besides affecting the country’s economic performance. This paper discusses particular sections of the applicable OSHA regulations that Exxon Corporation neglected, the hazards the workforce of this company encountered because of the failure to comply with OSHA regulations, and the recommended corrective actions that Exxon should implement to avoid future reoccurrence of similar neglect.
Sections of the applicable OSHA regulations that Exxon Corporation neglected
From the historically publicized Ship Valdez Oil Spill that occurred in the fiscal 1989 at Prince William Sound in Alaska, it is clear that Exxon Corp neglected certain regulations stipulated in the OSHA Act that might have warranted healthy and safe working conditions for its employees.
From the investigations carried out by NTSB (The Board of National Transportation Safety) on the cause of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill incident, it was apparent that the accident occurred from various negligence causes (Wells, 1995). The negligence causes of the oil spill are as discussed below.
The regulations set in the OSHA Act require companies such as Exxon to train and educate their workforce on issues relating to workplace safety and aspects of healthy working conditions. However, Exxon Corp neglected this regulation by sending incompetent master to be in charge of the ship that was transporting million gallons of oil.
From the case, it is apparent that the captain, Hazelwood Joe, rotated those on shift without the knowledge that the ship had started encountering some navigation problems (Skinner & Reilly, 1989). Thus, Exxon Corp failed to provide escort services and a more effective ship pilots to give directions on how the ship ought to have been navigated.
Exxon Corp management did not notify the United States Coast Guard that a fully loaded oil ship was navigating towards Alaska. The negligence on the side of Exxon Corp therefore made it impossible for the coast guards from the U.S. to offer sufficient oil-ship traffic systems that could have helped rescue the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.
Given that the accident occurred at mid night, it was difficult to operate the ship or notify the coastal guards and the responsible authorities that the ship encountered some problems since those on board lacked proper communication and traffic systems. Lack of such safety measures in the Exxon Ship resulted into unhealthy working conditions for the crews (Wells, 1995).
The OSHA regulations necessitate that in order to avoid workplace injuries, the company’s workforce ought to be supervised properly as well as given adequate rest. This was however not the case with Exxon Shipping Corporation. For instance, the in charge navigators did not have enough rest given that there were no sufficient crews in the Exxon Valdez Ship.
Negligence on the side of the company resulted into excessive employees’ workload that probably caused exhaustion to the third crew in charge of directing the ship. In fact, fatigue made it practically impossible for the crew to maneuver the Exxon Company vessel (Bryan, 2003).
Finally, Exxon Shipping Company did not supervise the workplace regulations as stipulated in the OSHA regulations. For example, Hazelwood, the ship’s captain is believed to have propagated the occurrence of Exxon Valdez Ship accident since he hardly offered sufficient navigation watch or supervision. Most investigative reports show that the ship’s captain was operating under alcohol influence by the time the accident took place and he was always in his quarters (Wells, 1995).
The hazards faced by the workforce of this company
From the failure to comply with OSHA regulations, Exxon Company workforces faced various health hazards. In fact, there were budding health hazards emerging from the oil spill caused by Exxon Corp negligence including the indirect or direct exposure to toxins via food chains, fatigues related to loss of way of life along with health hazards encountered during the cleaning processes.
The safety of food
Since most mammals and fish that constitute the workforce food chain were found dead while others were alive, it was difficult to distinguish between safe food for consumption and contaminated food. Upon testing, most selfish and fish showed positive results with respect to the existence of explosive oil constituents. The consumption of untested food could have resulted into the death of the workforce or long term health problems.
Mental health hazard
The workforce of Exxon Corp, fishermen, emergency workers, and other parties who helped the corporation in the clean-up process were exposed to numerous mental health problems. For example, lack of adequate sleep or rest could have caused mental disturbance for the ship crews. In fact, deficiency of sleep could have caused the crews to cause even further accidents or fire incidences that could have claimed the lives of Exxon Company workforce (Skinner & Reilly, 1989).
Workplace wellbeing and protection
When the Exxon Valdez Oil drip transpires, the corporation appointed inhabitants who owned yachts, anglers, and deployed some of its labor force to facilitate the successful oil cleaning and floating functions. It was estimated that the corporation employed from two thousand to five thousand individuals to assist in cleaning up the shoreline that was covered with oil. However, the company did not offer adequate protection measures during the cleaning up process thus workers were exposed to potential problems and injuries.
The workforce articulated their apprehensions with respect to health and safety hazards when carrying out the oil cleaning operations to both the federal and state authorities (Skinner & Reilly, 1989). For instance, there were reported cases of irritating eyes and sore throats. In the event that more oil could have been spilt, there were chances of employees deaths arising from either fire, work stress, or choking.
Some of the occupation safety and health hazards included dermal exposures to the non-explosive crude oil constituents as well as the inhalation contact with volatile rudimentary oil elements. Moreover, the workforces were obliged to work for long hours hence they suffered from stress, fatigue, and excessive workloads.
Thus, there were possibilities that hypothermia and physical injuries could have occurred to Exxon Shipping Company employees (Bryan, 2003). Given that some of the people employed to help in the spilt oil clean up operations were not adequately trained or educated, they lacked information on how dreadful the oil being transported could cause death or injuries. Some of them hardly wore gumboots or protective clothes hence being exposed to the material health effects.
The recommended corrective actions that Exxon to avoid future reoccurrence of similar neglect
Exxon Shipping Corporation should adequately train its workforce, offer suitable protective gadgets, as well as institute the occupational health and safety inspection measures. These should be organized and emphasized by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety, Exxon Shipping Corporation, and coordinated by OSHA.
Before the Exxon oil ship sets off, the company should ensure that, there are enough crews on board and that every worker is adequately rested to avoid incidences of workload, fatigue, and work stress. Each of these workers should have adequate training and education on how to manage work related stress, assigned duties, shift rotations, and the health hazards associated with navigating the ship or giving direction to the crews while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Exxon Shipping Corporation should ensure that there are response organizations to help in the management of oil spills. That is, the company should employ the team concept including the state, federal agencies, the OSC, and the spiller to help in the management and transportation of oil. However, it is advisable that the company should institute effective clean up groups and set up proper on-scene communication systems to shun the reoccurrence of similar incidents.
The Coast Guards ought to be notified about the departure of the Exxon ship and constantly communicated to so as to ensure that everything is in order. In case the company gets negligence reports from the staffs on board, decisive corrective actions should be employed to avert reoccurrence of the same actions. The corrective measures may include terminating contracts of an employee, demotion, taking the employee back for initial training and education or sending the responsible workforce for compulsory leave.
Corrective actions taken by Exxon Shipping Company
Exxon Corp paid for monetary charges and the responsibility associated with cleaning up the spilt oil. The company set up proper communication networks including remote transmitters to avoid future communication failures. Additional training and education were given to the crew on matters relating to disaster management while the pilot was detained for 1000 hours to help in the spilt oil clean up processes (Wells, 1995).
Conclusion
Exxon Valdez oil spill is amongst the historically publicized incidents that will be remembered even in the future years. The accident occurred due the negligence by the company to ensure that the working conditions for its employees were safe and healthy. In fact, there was failure by the company to implement strategies and measures that could have reduced incidences of employees’ workload, stress, fatigue, and ship navigation while under alcohol or drug influence (Bryan, 2003).
Thus, the paper discussed particular sections of the applicable OSHA regulations that Exxon Corporation neglected, the hazards the workforce of this company encountered because of the failure to comply with OSHA regulations, and the recommended corrective actions that Exxon should implement to avoid future reoccurrence of similar neglect. Exxon Company had to pay for the damages accruing from the employee negligence.
References
Bryan, N. (2003). Exxon Valdez oil spill. New York, NY: World Almanac Library.
Skinner, S. K. & Reilly, W. K. (1989). The Exxon Valdez oil spill. PDF File. Web.
Wells, P. G. (1995). Exxon Valdez oil spill: Fate and effects in Alaskan waters. Journal of ASTM International, 13 (1219), 21-955.
The choice of color plays a great role in shaping the user experience. The studies on the associations between colors and certain meanings show that companies can visually represent their message and engage the customer base with appropriate colors (Barševska & Rakele, 2019). For example, blue is the most used color for social media applications and websites – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other applications use a blue hue to manufacture a clean, technology-driven, and credible image (Barševska & Rakele, 2019). Different colors can also help signify stability, fun, creativity, and other characteristics that attract a desired audience. Furthermore, the design of each page also benefits from correct contrasts and simplicity – the user has to see the text, buttons, and other elements of the page to interact with them. Color helps to highlight areas for clicking and guiding users through the content organically, assisting them in reaching their goals.
The information gathered from research demonstrates how specific tips for using color can help one create an effective app. Based on this knowledge, it is necessary to consider choosing a specific recognizable color to identify my application. The color will be based on common associations, and I aim to research how distinct hues are seen by the audience I wish to engage with the app. I will also focus on a clear and simple design to avoid confusion and provide the best user experience. For example, Barševska and Rakele (2019) recommend starting the development process in white and black to see whether the format is understandable enough without color. Then, I will add accents that make the app unique and memorable.
Sound is another important element of designing to improve user experience. Different tones allow the application to stand out even if they are working in the background mode (Faller, 2019). Some sounds can increase stress in people, while others can attract attention without negatively affecting them (Faller, 2019). In my experience, short and moderately loud melodies work well, and many apps use tones resembling a bell. A proper sound cue may stimulate the user to interact with an app more frequently or perform certain activities within the application. Smartphones use sounds to notify the user, while TVs incorporate auditory cues to support people with visual disabilities. Thus, it is vital to consider whether specific steps need notifications that include a tone. For example, the completion of an action can be followed by a sound to keep the user informed if they are not looking at the screen. Another example is a specific tone for receiving messages which can help distinguish the app from others and create a memorable link in the user’s mind.
The investigation of how sounds influence user experience highlights the need to use sound in specific types of applications. I aim to consider this knowledge when designing apps for communication and think about how sound can be used to help users with disabilities navigate. Furthermore, I learned that some sounds might be too distracting or stressful for users. Thus, it is necessary to test sounds and see people’s reactions to them to choose the most suitable one. I will sparingly use sounds in my apps to ensure that they do not worsen the user experience.
In conclusion, sound and color can improve the user experience, but they can also overwhelm the user or fail to convey the intended message. Colorblind or deaf users may not get the full experience of using an app that does not account for disabilities. Therefore, when designing applications, one must consider the different types of users and their specific needs. The design should be balanced and thought-out to guide the user organically. For instance, an application can have several modes, such as dark, light, or high contrast, to accommodate different preferences. Furthermore, the user should be able to turn the sounds off and on, and sound cues should not be used on elements that do not require an alert.
References
Barševska, Z., & Rakele, O. (2019). Color in UI design. Proceedings of the 61st International Scientific Conference of Daugavpils University, 79-87.
Logistics must be one of the most complex issues in the production process for any organization that is trying to expand into a greater marketplace.
Seeing how it involves a careful consideration of the existing resources, the careful evaluation of all possible transportation issues, the comparison of the costs for transportation and the self-cost of the product that is going to be transported, etc., one must admit that logistics must be addressed in the first place (Coyle, Langley, Novack & Gibson, 2009).
In many cases, logistics poses a complicated dilemma for the company leader to handle, as the case of Supreme Sound Explosion shows.
Despite the fact that the company is taking great risks with the production of Blasters, it is more reasonable to take chances and coordinate the logistics issues concerning the Woofers and Blasters supply so that the company could maintain its high status and attract such famous customers as The Rolling Stones and U2.
The idea of providing the customers that are famous all over the world with the sound system that does not comply with the existing standards of quality does not seem right, which is why the given idea cannot be considered as an option.
While with the help of diplomacy, a scandal with the rock stars can be avoided, the very fact that SSE has failed to provide the services of the required quality will definitely bring the SSE reputation down a few notches once the news reaches reporters.
With that being said, the logistics strategies should be reconsidered. Since the case study does not give any information concerning the SSE’s budget, it can be assumed that the company can afford any of the options. The basic problem is, therefore, that, to construct Tweeters, Woofers are also required and, therefore, the time spent on their assembly will increase.
With that being said, it is reasonable to resort to the transportation services that provide faster delivery. In other words, T2 and W1 options must be chosen so that the SSE Company could provide the customers with decent services.
It should be mentioned, though, that the W2 option might sound more reasonable, seeing how it includes a much shorter transit time, e., one day instead of two.
However, it should be kept in mind that the W1 option presupposes a weekly delivery, while the W2 option offers a delivery every other week (Langley et al., 2008, 447). Therefore, the SSE Company will be able not only to assemble the Tweeters faster, but also save on Woofers.
Therefore, it is clear that the company should definitely choose to deliver the sound system of the best quality possible to its customers. Since the dissatisfaction with the quality of the product is definitely going to have a much more negative impact on the company’s reputation than a delayed delivery of the product, it will be logical to pick the lesser evil.
In addition, the given choice will help the company reconsider its approach towards the logistics and find the method to solve the transportation issues once and for all.
After all, it is important to keep in mind that the company is going to expand and, therefore, will need to transport resources to even more remote corners of the United States. Therefore, it is clear that SSE cannot run away from the logistics issues forever and that the latter must be solved efficiently.
Reference List
Coyle, J. J., Langley, C. J., Novack, R. A., & Gibson, B. J. (2009). Supply chain management: A logistics perspective (9th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Langley, C. J. et al. (2008). Supply chain management: A logistics perspective. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.
Revenues sources are an integral part of the functioning of any company as they create the basis for the further rise and its evolution. The functioning of the given company depends on several most important sources of revenue. The first and the most important source is the direct sales of the product of Safe and Sound company. Before running a new business venture, a company has obviously investigated the existing market, its conditions, and the existing demand for goods. For this reason, the bracelet that is created to assist children and other people suffering from mental problems will obviously be popular. The given equipment will be able to improve the quality of their lives and guarantee that people will be protected.
It means that the high level of sales could be expected. Moreover, the given products unique character and its great efficiency will also result in high revenues. Thus, a device that tracks a patients way and shows parents or other close people some possible problems will also be popular with customers (Herman, 2011). It should be sold together with the bracelet and supplied to local police departments. The given scheme could be considered another source of revenue as it guarantees the increased demand for Safe and Sounds product. Besides, the necessity to equip police departments with the above-mentioned products ensures that many devices will be needed and, in its turn, it will also increase the number of sales and revenues.
Additionally, the company also offers an application that works alongside the tracker device and provides basic information about an autistic patients movement. This application could be taken as the second source of income. It is obvious that people who care for these patients have a great need for the monitoring of their movements and this application is one of the best possible ones to accomplish this task. For this reason, its sales will be at a high level. Furthermore, the company has a tendency towards its further rise. It means that Safe and Sound will be able to diversify the products created by it and introduce a wide array of new sources of this kind to satisfy the existing needs. Finally, the maintenance of the devices that are produced by the company will be another source of revenue. For this reason, the above-mentioned aspects could be considered the main factors that will contribute to the companys further evolution and the rise of its financial power. The exploration of these sources of revenue will help Safe and Sound evolve and continue its gradual evolution.
Revenue Model
One should realize the fact that the revenues model depends greatly on the sources of revenue as they determine the functioning of the company and its further rise. Thus, this mutual dependence is one of the major concerns of every companys functioning. For this reason, there are several crucial aspects related to Safe and Sounds revenue model. First, it will obviously explore the production model that implies the creation and distribution of a certain product to customers who value this very product or service and are ready to pay for it (“New commercial models in medical devices,” n.d.). Besides, bracelets and applications as the main sources of revenue contributed to the choice of the given model. At the very stage of the companys evolution, it will have to attract customers attention. For this reason, the efficient and popular pricing strategy will be used as the main competitive advantage that could guarantee a good position at the local market. Comparatively low prices will be needed as the first element of the suggested revenue model. This pricing strategy will attract new individuals, and they will increase the popularity of the suggested product and contribute to the stable and high level of demands for Safe and Sounds services. The broadening of the target audience and attraction of new customers will create the basis for the further rise and constant increase in prices that might promote the companys evolution.
Table 1. Revenue Sources.
Revenue Source
Measure
Value
Safe and Sound Bracelet
Contribution to total sales revenue Unit sales per month Price per unit
70%
100 150$
Application sales
Contribution to total sales revenue Unit sales per month Price per unit
20%
75 30$
Maintenance
Contribution to total sales revenue Operations per month Price per one operation
10%
45 25$
The given table demonstrates the model that could be used by the company to obtain stable incomes and guarantee its further rise. As comes from it, the three main sources of income are not equal, and direct sales of Safe and Sounds bracelet comprise the main item of income. The model used by Safe and Sound presupposes the focus on the promotion and distribution of bracelets. Moreover, the price of $100 contributes to the acquisition of a significant competitive advantage as the company attracts new customers by it. Application sales and maintenance are other aspects that might help a company to evolve. The exploration of the given model also could serve as the guarantee of the efficient commercialization and Safe and Sounds rise. For this reason, we could state that the given three sources of revenues precondition the choice of a certain model and result in the further companys rise.
Income Statement
The financial aspect is one of the most important elements that determine the companys further rise and profitability. Safe and Sounds financial plan presupposes several important aspects that should be explored to create the basis for the further rise of this very organization. Moreover, the creation of the financial plan will help to analyze the potential financial viability of this very business venture, create a forecast that could describe potential threats and expected incomes (Ittelson, 2009). Besides, resting on the above-mentioned revenue sources and model, there are several basic assumptions that could be made. First, the income statement for Safe and Sound should be considered beneficial.
Table 2. Income statement.
Sales revenue
2017
2018
2019
Unit sales
1200
1300
1400
Unit price
200
200
200
Total sales revenue
240000
260000
280000
Cost of sales
156000
156000
154000
Gross Profit
84000
104000
126000
Gross Margin
35%
40%
45%
operating costs
Selling Advertising
55000 10000
65000 10000
60000 6000
Total operating costs
65000
75000
66000
Operating income
19000
29000
60000
Net income
16000
24000
50500
The given table shows the possible incomes in the further three years. Besides, we could admit the fact that there is an expected growth of incomes related to the increased popularity of the suggested product. It means that the cost of advertising will become much lower. A company will not have to spend so much money to promote its product as its positive image will serve as the best guarantee of the increased demand for Safe and Sound products. Moreover, the unique significance of the given product will also guarantee that new customers will appear. For this reason, the given financial income statement provides us with the information that is needed to outline the most important aspects which will alter in the course of the companys further rise. First of all, total operating costs will decrease. It should be taken as the logical aftermath of the companys evolution. Besides, according to the income statement, the price for the product will be $200 for this period of time. The low price contributes to the expected rise in unit sales. The company will be able to earn 16000 in the first year, and then the level of income will increase to 24000 and 50500 correspondingly. The gross margin will rise to 35,40, and 45% within the next 3 years. Altogether, these statistics indicate the unique efficiency of the firm, its ability to evolve, and perform operations that might help it to rise and evolve. Finally, this income statement creates the basis for further cogitations about the expected income.
Critical Risks
Like any new business venture, Safe and Sound company will obviously face some significant risks in the process of its rise and evolution. First, it might suffer from the increased level of rivalry between companies that also function in the same sphere. There are numerous actors who sell medical equipment and try to attain revenues. For this reason, the risk of the new entry is rather high and impacts the functioning of Safe and Sound greatly. it determines the comparatively low price of at the first stages of the companys rise as it will obviously draw over numerous clients. Thus, the company should also be ready to act in terms of traditional market risks which are high manufacturing costs, negative industry trends, a decrease of the level of demand, unstable economic situation, etc. cause these risks might result in the significant downfalls and even future companys collapse. Additionally, the companys officials should consider the fact that medical facilities business is characterized by numerous powerful corporations that control a bigger part of the whole market.
For this reason, except for the high rivalry, the company should be ready to follow the tendencies established by these very powerful corporations, especially at the beginning of its evolution. Another risk is related to the companys possible inability to attract customers attention and guarantee the high demand for the product it suggests. In such a case, the level of revenues needed for Safe and Sound to survive will hardly be achieved, and it will collapse. Finally, poor and inefficient management should be taken another crucial aspect that might condition either its rise or collapse. In this regard, considering the unique importance of these aspects, the creation of an efficient and flexible strategy is one of the most important tasks (Ebben, 2005). It will help to monitor the situation at the market and implement efficient measures that will alter the situation and guarantee the acquisition of a certain competitive advantage. Additionally, the implementation of different monitoring tools is needed to trace the evolution of the company and admit the most important changes in its structure. Only under these conditions, Safe and Sound could become prosperous and create the basis for its further stable growth and becoming a significant actor.
Ministry of Sound was established by James Palumbo as a London Club in 1991, and it has put up a strong and exclusive brand. Ministry of Sound is known for its big name in dance music, and in year 2002, it faced a strategic drift.
Fourth Phase at the close of the case
According to this case study, Ministry of Sound has already underwent three stages of its development considering the whole history of the appearance and work of this body. That is why using the results of this research, it is possible to state that nowadays, Ministry of Sound faces a strategic drift which is at the fourth phase, and it demonstrates the transformational change or casualty stage of a company.
At the end of the case “Ministry of Sounds” by Wittington, this company is in this phase as the results of the change in culture around the world and the environmental market.
Its performances were highly affected by introduction of the live concerts which were becoming more popular hence outraging dance music which were seen out of fashion. It was a necessity for Ministry of Music to change strategy and adopt another one in order to survive (Kotler and Caslione, 2009).
At the end of this case study, the company cannot be at phase 1, 2 or 3 because it doesn’t demonstrate period of flux. Nevertheless, there is such a time demonstrated previously in the case where it indicates that the new style magazine was launched and failed their after.
It is clearly illustrated that the strategy is totally taking a new direction where marketing director strained a transformational change and conducted a strategic review policy of the organisation.
Strategy Lenses
At the establishment of the Ministry of music organisation, the founder, James Palumbo, applied discourse lenses as his strategic element. This shows the confidence that he had since the beginning of the company and the strategies that he implemented in managing his drug free environment (Kotler and Caslione, 2009).
He had to remain courageous and confident while facing drug traffickers and other related gangs. He was also expected to advertise his drug free club to achieve a competitive advantage over the other clubs in London.
Additionally, the design lens oversees strategic development as an added advantage and can helps the brand through selection of products. By doing so, one will be able to analyse the market and establish which products are less competitive and has a demand in the market.
It will help the company to come up with variety of the products to its customers. Finally, there is lens of idea which stipulates the significance of accepting the environmental and cultural changes and encourages use of the power of branded (Glenn, 2004).
Future Strategic Direction
To ensure proper strategic management in future for the Ministry of Music, it is advisable to the future management to implement both the ideal and discourse lenses. If those two lenses are properly combined, they will lead the organisation into a new direction and warrant the company with the survival in a competitive and changing environment through generating new ideologies for the future.
Finally, it advised to keep in mind other lenses which are important to apply them whenever making managerial strategies.
Reference List
Glenn, A., 2004. Implementing management initiative Decision 913: a study effective change management. New York: McGraw-hill
Kotler, P., and Caslione, C., 2009. Chaotic: Management en marketing in turbulent tijden. London: Oxford Press.
Sound and image are the elements that often complete each other. When there is not enough of imagery, the acoustic elements add the atmosphere, and vice versa Sourcing Sound and Image is the project that perfected it. Making the visuals blend with the sounds in the background, it creates a fantastic cadence of imagery and sound. Taking a closer look at some specimen of the genre, one can possibly tell why these unusual artworks are so mesmerizing.
Speaking of Wolniak’s Flash Art, one must mention that the images, with all their abruptness, remind of the SOS signal; however, with the soothing buzzing sound in the background, the whole artwork of life and death. Perhaps, it is the simplicity of the idea and its meaningfulness that makes Flash Art an artwork one cannot shift the eyes from.
Another peculiar masterpiece, Lightning Field by Rudy Lemke makes one see the whole idea of Sourcing Sound and Image from a different perspective. The image of black and white stripes shape shifting is something that can put even an insomniac to sleep; however, the music that follows creates the atmosphere of something being about to happen, which makes the whole artwork rather threatening.
Van McElwee attempted to approach the same issue from a different angle as well, displaying footage of images sinking in white noise, and offering a corresponding soundtrack. Disturbing and unusual, the work leads the viewer into the depth of the subconscious and turns the process of watching into unceasing guesswork.
On the contrary, Vitiello offers rather vague images combined with a heavy melody that jumps from the background into the front. Creating the impression of something dangerous approaching, the composition is a triumph of merging a sound and an image into a single entity.
Like a dashed line, it charms the viewer into watching, yet at the same time makes the audience remain on alert, intrigued and waiting for something to happen. In the given case, the sound and the video are not fully corresponding, yet they perfectly supplement each other.
As for Lemcke’s Waterlilies, the footage stands out from the rest of the works; unlike the rest of the compositions, it does not contain a neurotic element that sends shivers down the viewer’s spine immediately; on the contrary, it is much like the Flash Art, with its soothing and relaxing effect. In addition, the shape shifting images create the impression of something elusive.
Finally, Brilliant Noise by Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt is one of those artworks that immediately send the audience into the realm of their own fantasies. With the image of a solar eclipse and a weird, alien-like melody in the background, the whole video makes the audience believe that they have entered the sci-fi territory.
Therefore, it is clear that the specific art owes a lot of its charm to the specific way the sounds and the imagery are combined. In addition, the succession of the elements is crucial for the perception of the artwork as well – these are the sharp changes of the images together with the noise in the background that create the unique feeling of witnessing something grandeur. While both the images and the sounds are sharp and abrupt, they create a pattern that thrills the viewer into paying attention.
Blade Runner, created by Ridley Scott in 1982, is considered one of the most significant films in the history of cinema. It is a movie with its philosophy, investigating humanity, love, and life in a postmodern world. This philosophy, however, is reflected not only through the plot and actions but through every element of the film. Blade Runner is detailed in all its aspects, including lighting, sound, camera movement, and other components. As Ridley Scott himself notes, “every incident, every sound, every movement, every color, every set, prop or action has significance within the performance of the film” (qtd. in Bukatman 18). This paper will analyze the sound and cinematography of Blade Runner (the Final Cut version), referring to specific elements or episodes of the movie.
Main body
Every detail becomes significant, starting from the opening scene. The viewers can see Los Angeles covered in darkness with probably thousands of light dots from the buildings and a couple of skyscrapers in front spewing up flames. One of the dots is starting to move towards the camera, almost unnoticeably at first, and suddenly turns out to be a flying car with bright headlights. It seems as if this whole view also opens from the windshield of a flying car, but the camera is moving very slowly. Just a few seconds later, the lightning appears in the background. Thus, the opening scene allows the viewers to plunge into the atmosphere of the film from the first seconds.
In general, the film uses low-key lighting and is full of shadows and darkness. All the light in the movie is usually artificial: light from the buildings, neon signs of different vibrant colors, red Coca-Cola advertising. The lightning at the beginning is probably the only element of natural origin. The Sun that the viewers see when Deckard first meets Tyrell and Rachael is unusually bright and big and seems artificial as well. At some moments of the scene, the Sun is used as a backlight, helping to create more contrast and make the whole setting deeper. At the same time, this Sun plays the role of key light at some points in the episode. When Rachael first approaches, her face is lit in front, and her eyes reflect the Sun, in the next shot, the viewers see Deckard, whose figure is contrasted to the background. Such usage of the light in this scene may be interpreted from many angles. This representation creates meaningful contrast, and it is possible to assume, for instance, that it gives a hint to the future conflicts and interactions of these characters.
The described usage of lighting and colors in the movie contributes to the image of cyberpunk Los Angeles. The crowded and noisy city becomes even more full and lively with every neon sign or flashing TV screen in shop windows that can be seen when Deckard is reading a newspaper on the street. One may agree that lighting, citing Moeny’s words, also reflects “Scott’s philosophy of packing each shot with detail” (49). However, apart from lighting, other elements play a significant role in the movie as well.
The usage of the camera also supports the atmosphere of the film. As Pilcher notes, “streets are crowded, main characters are framed very close to the camera, and there’s rarely any wide-open space in a scene” (4). One of the most interesting episodes to discuss is Deckard chasing Zhora. In this scene, when Zhora runs out of the club, the camera follows her movements for a couple of seconds but stops at some point, showing her running away to the crowded street. When Deckard is trying to find Zhora in the crowd, the camera is unstable and, at times, moves almost chaotically. At the moment when Zhora hides and stays still, the camera freezes with her but moves actively with Deckard turning his head in different directions, trying to detect her. This scene is very dynamic and tense because of the described usage of the camera. However, the atmosphere of the episode is also achieved through sound usage.
The scene is full of voices, music, sounds of steps, cars, and sirens, which mix into one noise, but at the same time, each of the sounds can be clearly heard. All these sounds are diegetic, which allows the viewers to go deeper into the tension of the moment, plunging with Deckard in his pursuit in the heart of the crowded Los Angeles. Some sources are off-screen, which makes the sound appear from different directions, again, packing the scene with details. As Chion points out, in the film, “the setting and the characters are often shown in close shots while their surroundings are acoustically portrayed or suggested by sounds that evoke wide open spaces” (211). Thus, the sound in the movie performs not only the function of atmosphere creation but supports and expands the setting.
In addition, in Blade Runner, the sound is usually closely related to the image, following the characters’ actions and reflecting their emotions. It is worth discussing the scene where Deckard and Racheal have their first kiss. When they are sitting in front of the piano having a romantic moment, the music is very gentle. At these seconds, a diegetic piano sound that Racheal plays mixes with the soundtrack. Then, as the result of Deckard’s attempt for a kiss, Rachael tries to leave, but Deckard blocks her way and grabs her almost violently. At this moment, the music is tense and even threatening, and the sound of hitting the wall with the man’s fist is very sharp and loud. However, when he softly kisses her, music again changes to romantic and calm. Thus, the sound interacts with the visual components making them more meaningful.
In general, the sound in the film is rather tense. It also often does not have natural origins: cars, computers, neon signs blinking. In addition, when discussing voicing, it is necessary to note that in this version of the movie, all characters’ words are external. It makes the viewers pay more attention to other elements (such as mimics, lights, sounds) and analyze the whole picture created by numerous details to understand the characters’ feelings.
Conclusion
One may conclude that every element in Blade Runner is significant. It is hard to deny that Ridley Scott managed to embody his philosophy making each detail crucial within the performance of the movie. Lighting effects, camera usage, and sound complement each other and fill the picture with meaning. The setting becomes more expanded, and the image of this fictional world seems alive. The city is vibrating with its lights and sounds, and the camera leads the viewers through its crowded streets. Thus, every detail contributes to the movie’s philosophy and atmosphere.
Chion, Michel. “Audio-vision and Sound.” Sound, vol. 11, edited by Patricia Kruth and Henry Stobart, Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp. 201–215.
Moeny, Jordan. “Things You Wouldn’t Believe: Predicting (and Shaping) the Future in Blade Runner and Minority Report.” A Journal of Communication, Culture & Technology, vol. 19, no. 2, 2019, pp. 46–57.
Peter Shaffer’s play “Amadeus” is a romanticized drama about an artist’s struggle against the forces of philistinism applied in the context of uneven distribution of genius. Sounds in the film are used to amplify the impact of images. The film version of Peter Shaffer’s psychological drama “Amadeus” uses the music to exemplify the rivalry between the two protagonists. Mozart’s music is a necessary component of the film structure since the play and film attempt to provide an accurate portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the events that led to his death.
The use of music helps to develop a “true texture and ambiance in the film” that cannot be developed in a theatre. There are different sounds used in the “Amadeus” film including music and screams. Instances of screams include the scene where Salieri screams out “Mozart! Forgive your assassin!” when he confesses that he was the one who killed Mozart. Mozart also screams in anguish, accompanied by two large chords of the Overture to Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Another instance of a blast involves the sudden blast of music at the start of Mozart’s symphony (Tsioulcas, 2003).
Diagetic and nondiegetic display of music
Tibbetts (2004) identifies the use of diegetic and nondiegetic music in various instances of the film. These scenes are useful in the comparison of the characters of Salieri and Mozart. The three instances identified by Tibbetts (2004) include Mozart’s improvisation on Salieri’s “Welcome March,” Salieri’s stunning encounter with Mozart’s manuscripts, and Mozart’s dictation to Salieri of the Requiem’s Confutatis Malecivtus while on his deathbed. This last scene depicts Salieri struggling with capturing Mozart’s “dictation” of the Confutatis maledictions while the latter is on his deathbed.
The film expresses the voices and instrumentation playing in Mozart’s head in a sequence, as they are relayed to Salieri in a psychic manner. The first piece by Mozart involves a male chorus declamation, followed by the trombone instrumentation. Mozart also shares “the underlying tympani, the female voicing, the agitated ostinato passages in strings, and the plangent “voca Mei” for high voices” (Tibbetts, 2004). This scene comes to an end when a pale and feeble Mozart falls back on the pillow fatigued. He also asks for the dictation of the Lacrimosa to stop for the moment.
The display of music helps in the development of an exciting scene that depicts a need for urgency. This scene comes towards the end of the film and forms a climax for the previous two scenes forming a graceful arc of Salieri’s shift of emotion. The first scene that involves a diegetic display of music as Mozart impresses his audience with his brilliant performance for the Baroness brings out the emotion of initial amazement in Salieri.
This emotion transforms to growing anger in the second scene that constructs an inner diegesis when Salieri hears the heaven-sent sounds as he examines Mozart’s manuscript. This revelation causes him to erupt in vengeful rage and to thrust a crucifix into a fireplace as he makes the decision to kill Mozart. The last transformation of Salieri’s emotion is humbling, as he identifies the music’s transcendence over his petty, jealous envy. At this point, Mozart is transformed from the rugged individual in the film, to a delightfully motivated voice of God (Tibbetts, 2004).
Salieri’s Anger and frustration
Music is used in “Amadeus” to describe the thoughts of Mozart. Shaffer portrays him as the ‘magic flute’ who communicates directly with God. Shaffer uses this aspect of the effortless composition of music in several instances in the film. For instance, just before the first scene involving Lorl, the audience hears the revelation of one of Mozart’s songs and watches him noting down the lyrics.
During this process, Constanze is forced to haul Mozart’s name so that she can be heard over the sound of music playing in his head. The music then stops abruptly, and the scene introduces other characters including Lorl and Leopold, who begin to quarrel with Constanze (Tsioulcas, 2003).
The inspiration of Mozart’s music by God is further elaborated when Salieri hears Mozart’s music for the first time. This causes him to ponder on the relevance of music, and whether it is inspired by God, or it includes the thoughts of man. In addition, Salieri faces numerous questions regarding himself, his work, and his relationship with God. In that scene, where Mozart performs for the Baroness, Salieri finds out that his own music is not the voice of God, but that of Mozart.
This scene is vital in developing the theme of the film and the events that lead to the death of Mozart. The realization that Mozart is in direct communication with God makes Salieri denounce his love of God. This marks the beginning of the conflict between Salieri and Mozart, as well as between Salieri and God. He also vows to destroy Mozart as Salieri begins his journey of transformation whereby he blames God for communicating with Mozart instead of him (Tibbetts, 2004).
Monologue
Monologues take various forms, including the speaker, who is independent of the poet, a listener, and an occasion. The interplay between these three develops the drama in the film. The speaker in “Amadeus” is Salieri, who is the self-proclaimed murderer of Mozart. The listener in this scene is the priest, who goes to minister to him while the occasion is Salieri’s detention in an asylum for allegedly attempting suicide. Townsend (1986) claims that the monologue by Salieri does not seek any response from his audience, but rather helps him to understand himself.
The monologue by Salieri also serves to address the audience, as in the case when he interprets the work of Mozart so that the audience can acknowledge Mozart’s brilliance in music composition and performance. The audience (priest) is requested to go and join Salieri in the cell in order to obtain a confession of his murder. However, the events that follow are not typical to discuss between a clergyman and a proclaimed murderer.
Salieri takes that opportunity to explain his life and bitterness for Mozart’s brilliance in composition in a long monologue despite his young age. In the film, Salieri appears to be explaining the meaning of Mozart’s music to a priest, who in an actual sense represents the audience that has limited musical knowledge. This strategy helps all kinds of people, including the ‘tone-deaf’ viewers to “comprehend the heart of Mozart’s genius and Salieri’s tragedy” (Townsend, 1986).
The responses from the priest are only present to give continuity to the monologue, and so they are the implied responses of Andrea’s wife and the arresting officer, being also in the scene. Salieri’s monologue forms the primary voice while his second forms the second voice that “allows him to look back examining, explaining, and reflecting” (Townsend, 1986). This form of sound forces the audience to experience the events in the eyes of the speaker, which helps to build compassion for his actions.
The development of sympathy for Salieri’s actions makes the audience withdraw from passing judgment on him as he is telling his story in flashback. This leads to the development of tension between Salieri’s villainy and the sympathy for his anguish. Some of the bad things done by Salieri against Mozart include interfering with the “latter’s court appointments, viciously influencing the Emperor against him, and apparently causing the young composer’s death by overwork” (Townsend, 1986).
Salieri is also portrayed as a connoisseur of beauty through his engagements with appealing women, fancy clothing, social status, rich food, and chamber performances. The combination of both loathsome and appealing traits causes the audience to show both admiration and hatred for Salieri. The audience experiences overt tension because of empathizing with Salieri’s appealing qualities while at the same time judging his culpable behavior (Townsend, 1986).
Mozart’s brilliance
Shaffer identifies Mozart’s music with an “evocative aural symbol of divinity”. He goes further to express his opinions to an audience that is not musically literate by using Salieri as a translator of music. This feature provides Shaffer with the opportunity to acknowledge the brilliance of Mozart’s music. Shaffer compares the existence of Mozart to that of Shakespeare in the sense that their work can neither be compared to another nor rewritten without diminishing its actual impact (Tsioulcas, 2003).
The extraordinary ability of both Salieri and Mozart to hear complete music in various circumstances also helps in the development of unique scenes. One such scene is evident when Salieri’s quickly goes through Mozart’s manuscripts as the audience hears “an amazing collage of great passages from Mozart’s music” (Tsioulcas, 2003).
There is a similar occurrence when Mozart hurriedly dictates a song as he nears his death. His piece is incomprehensible to everyone with the exception of Salieri. The audience gets to hear the complete version of the passages immediately they are written down. This version involves an intro of single voices and instruments that is followed by the rest of the ensemble.
Conclusion
“The play and film take-up Mozart’s middle name whose literal meaning is “beloved of God” (Tsioulcas, 2003). The use of the name “Amadeus” in the play signifies God’s chosen instrument, as is seen in the direct communication between God and Mozart in his music. The word “Amadeus” can also be used to imply “lover of God”, which would be better applied in the case of Salieri, whose role as a protagonist is more dominant than that of Mozart.
It is, however, ironical, since Mozart turns against God later in the story. The transfer of the drama from stage to screen was a challenging task due to the visualization of various literary expressions without changing the structure. In spite of everything, the most dominant aspect of the film is the use of sounds in the form of music. The impact of music on film helps to recreate the musical world of Mozart in a way that was not possible in the stage version.
References
Tibbetts, J. C. (2004). Faces and Masks: Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus from Stage to Screen. Literature/Film Quarterly, 32(3), 166-174.
Townsend, M. A. (1986). AMADEUS as Dramatic Monologue. Literature/Film Quarterly, 14(4), 214-219.
Tsioulcas, A. (2003). Classical Score: Cecilia Bartoli Sets Salieri’s Story Straight. Billboard, 115(51), 19.
The importance of visuals and sound cannot be overestimated in movies. They are the methods of emphasizing the key points made by a director. Visual and audio components of a movie are as important as the screenplay and the acting of the most prominent actors and actresses. The movie created by Carol Reed and called The Third Man is the classical example of exploiting visuals as the method of outlining the director’s ideas. Considering the cinematography of The Third Man, the paper is aimed at exploring the lighting and color, the sound, the location, the camera angles, and character’s movement to explain the state of mind of the main character Holly Martins.
Lighting and Color
The main tool used by Reed to make The Third Man look as it looks is the use of black and white filming. The film’s style is noir, so it has to be dark, gray, and grim. The idea was to create the feeling of threat, to increase tension, and sharpen the fears of Holly Martins. The methods of emphasizing the dismal atmosphere in Vienna of that time in the black and white movies are the appropriate lighting and the use of the corresponding hues of black. Thus, the lighting is extensively used to add shadows that symbolize the uncertainty, which should increase suspense. The shadows of boys in the dark street can be used as an example. These shadows are exaggerated and used to intimidate the audience. The director used chiaroscuro lighting to add a noir effect and show that Holly has two sides of the character. He is good and evil at the same time when the shot demonstrates an almost fully dark scene (the dark side of Holly) and the bright spot in it (Holly’s face, his bright side).
Sound
The movie’s soundtrack seems something rather unsuitable for such a dark and tense motion picture. It is cheerful, and it has the motives of happiness, which is inconsistent with Holly. It is more associated with the charm of Harry Limes. Non-diegetic sounds are exploited in the movie to present Harry as a good person while his actions show that he has the terrible side of the character as well. Dialogues are supplemented with diegetic sounds, but German dialogues do not have subtitles, which makes the audience feel uneasy in this situation. The power of sound in the movie is used to emphasize the mood and the activities of some character or a scene. It is worth mentioning that the music is produced by a zither, which is important considering the location of the movie set – Vienna.
Location
The post-war Vienna is the setting of the movie. It is depicted as a fractured, hostile, shattered place where the segregation and the black market are rather normal. The scenes in the movie depict streets of Vienna as deserted, sometimes dark, sometimes shiny to show the labyrinth, in which Holly Martins appears. The first scene presented in the movie shows an unglamorous setting that looks unpleasant, dirty, and seems rather isolated. The dead body in the water along with a shipwreck should make the audience fell appropriately and get prepared for the scenes and story that follows next. The overall image of Vienna is very unappealing. It looks like a risky and dangerous place where Holly will have to be.
Camera Angles and Character’s Movement
The work of a cinematographer in The Third Man is an exceptional example of artwork. The movie has a substantial variety of shots that have a particular style and purpose. Lines, tilts, Dutch angles, a variety of perspectives, and many other methods utilized by the professional behind the camera have made this movie so different-looking and unusual. The tilt, for example, is aimed at indicating the confusion of the main character and it is extensively used in the movie as well as lines that make shots two-dimensional, flat, and thus, more vivid and expressive.
High angle shots demonstrate the weaknesses of the character while low angle shots point at something or somebody scary. The confusion of Holly, his unclear and undecided position regarding many things in the movie, and his state of mind are emphasized by the tilts and weird angles, creating unusual perspectives in the shots. Thus, for example, when the train comes too close and becomes bigger and bigger, it should daunt the audience. Holly’s movement in the move is not confident, and it shows the doubts in his mind about many different things he is not sure about anymore. In color, the film would not be that strong in terms of the operator’s work. It can be said that the black and white approach was the only possible to use.
Conclusion
Summing, the paper explored the lighting and color, the sound, the location, the camera angles, and the characters’ movement and explained the state of mind of the main character Holly Martins. Using a style of noir, Reed managed to create a grim, gray-colored movie depicting the main character as the man with a similar state of mind full of inconsistences and weird perspectives on regular things. The famous Dutch angles were used extensively in the movie to emphasize it.