Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Essay about Poetry Analysis Mezzo Cammin - 690 Words

Mezzo Cammin The poem Mezzo Cammin by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow explains his regretful life and his reasoning at why he didn’t live it to its full potential and how he looks at his past. It then looks to his future as being near and bearing a huge weight down on him. The way Longfellow talks about his life is depressing. He doesn’t speak of the good accomplishments, only the things he hasn’t done until he looks back into the past and then forward at how the future may be. In the first part of the poem Longfellow talks about his life being halfway over and everything that stopped him from really living his life. In the very first couple of lines he says â€Å"I have let the years slip from me and have not fulfilled the aspiration of my†¦show more content†¦He describes it strangely, â€Å"And hear above me on the autumnal blast The cataract of Death far thundering from the heights.† These lines are very open ended and in one way he could be speaking of death as far away by the way he describes the thundering waterfall very high up. The reference to height could mean its at a good distance that he can see it, but its still far away. It could also mean he has more of his life to live up to and his regretful past doesn’t mean much to him anymore because he has his future to look forward to as he is on his metaphorical hill of life. In another view, he could be describing death as being right around the corner and him looking right at it when he describes the waterfall. You could look at it as him having a life threatening disease and him knowing his death is coming soon, which could also describe the way he views his past full of regret. If he knew the end is coming soon and he doesn’t believe he fully lived his life to how he wishes, the regret is understandable and the cataract of death makes sense in this point of view. Overall, this poem shows the past, present, and future of the writer. His life is full of regret at poin ts and then seems hopeful in others. This poem could be viewed in many ways but mostly you understand it as a man who wishes he could change his past because he knows his future is near and his life will soon be coming to anShow MoreRelatedE.E. Cummings and his Life as a Poet Essay1967 Words   |  8 PagesBiography His early experiments in poetry whilst still a child were encouraged by liberal parents to whom Cummings remained close (â€Å"E.E. Cummings†). After an unsuccessful stint in private school, Cummings father switched him to the Agassiz school, of which Maria Baldwin was the head. Here he displayed a talent for memorizing the poems of Longfellow and Emerson and, before his teens, wrote some simple, two-or-four-line poems (Frazee, â€Å"E.E. Cummings†). His poetry covered many subjects, but he was particularlyRead MorePoetry Essay Prompt2545 Words   |  11 PagesAP Literature Poetry Essay Prompts (1970–2011) 1970 Poem: â€Å"Elegy for Jane† (Theodore Roethke) Prompt: Write an essay in which you describe the speakers attitude toward his former student, Jane. 1971 Poem: â€Å"The Unknown Citizen† (W.H. Auden) Prompt: In a brief essay, identify at least two of the implications implicit in the society reflected in the poem. Support your statements by specific references to the poem. 1972 NO POEM 1973 (exam not available) 1974 Poem: â€Å"I wonder whether one expects

Monday, December 23, 2019

Free Will in Oedipus the King Essay - 1474 Words

Free Will in Oedipus the King Oedipus the King by Sophocles is the story of a man who was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. The story continues in the tradition of classic Greek plays, which were based upon the Greeks’ beliefs at the time. The ancient Greeks believed that their gods decided what would ultimately happen to each and every person. Since those gods destined Oedipus to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus’ life was definitely fated. However, the gods only decided where Oedipus’ life would eventually lead; they never planned the route he would take to get there. All the decisions that Oedipus made in order to fulfill his destiny, and the decisions he made after the fact, were of his own free will,†¦show more content†¦I paid him back with interest! Short work, by god—with one blow of the staff in this right hand I knock him out of his high seat, roll him out of the wagon, sprawling headlong— I killed them all—every motherâ€⠄¢s son! (884-98) Talk about road rage! Oedipus is pushed out the way by a wagon, and he retaliates by killing almost everyone in the wagon, including his father! Sure, Oedipus was destined to kill his father anyway, but the manner in which he did so gives an insight into his demeanor. Oedipus could have killed his father in any number of ways, but to do so in a fit of rage set off by so seemingly trivial of an event is just not rational. Murder may not have been as big of a deal at that time, but if Oedipus had tried that in today’s world, he would have either been executed or have been spending the rest of his life in a mental institution. This incident goes to show that Oedipus is a very rash and impulsive man, and this carries over into his administration and decision-making. As king of Thebes, Oedipus is a very short-tempered leader who thinks, and sometimes even rules, by the seat of his pants. When Oedipus learns of the plague over Thebes, he chooses to root out the source and eliminate the scourge over his city. This is all well and good until Oedipus starts hearing things he does not like. When Creon sends for the blind prophet Tiresias, the same prophet who told Laius andShow MoreRelatedFate And Free Will : Oedipus The King1136 Words   |  5 PagesClearly depicted, in Oedipus the King, is the Greek s popular belief that fate will control a man s life in spite of man s free will. Throughout the story, the concept of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus destruction and ultimately the death of his family. Destined to marry his mother and murder his father, Oedipus was guided by fate. When Oedipus learns of his fate he immediately tries to prevent it, as did his mother and father. This prophecy, as warned by the Oracle ofRead MoreEssa y on Oedipus the King: Oedipus Struggle with Fate and Free Will771 Words   |  4 Pagesfate and free will remains the biggest mystery of all; is everything we do controlled or do we have the freedom of choice? In the story Oedipus the King by Sophocles, the author uses the idea of fate and free will to explain the struggle of Oedipuss life. Fate and free will is explained as; fate is controlled by an outside supernatural force, and there is no way of controlling it. Free will is when each of us is responsible and controls all aspects of our own life. The author of Oedipus the KingRead MoreEmotions and Free Will in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King1904 Words   |  8 PagesEmotions and Free Will in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King Sophocles’ play brings up the complex issues about the relationship between human’s free will and fate predestined by the Gods. It examines the nature of human confidence to defy fate as well as human’s limited ability against the unknown force that they do not completely understand (p. 609). Several remarks were made in the play to question the authority of the divine powers. If the prophecies are wrong, however, how could the playRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King3894 Words   |  16 PagesThe Concept of Fate in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To the first-time reader of Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, it seems that the gods are in complete domination of mankind. This essay will seek to show that this is not the case because the presence of a tragic flaw within the protagonist is shown to be the cause of his downfall.    In the opening scene of the tragedy the priest of Zeus itemizes for the king what the gods have done to the inhabitants of Thebes:    A blight isRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Paradox of Free Will1318 Words   |  6 PagesA Paradox: Oedipuss Free will in the Play Oedipus Rex William Shakespeare once wrote, Who can control his fate? (Othello, Act v, Sc.2).  A hero and leader must acknowledge above all else his honor, and the pride of his image.   In ancient Greek beliefs, a hero was a man who stood taller than the rest; he was able to better any conflict.   He did this not for himself or for any token award that may be given to him, but for the security of his fellow man.   Physical strength and superior wit areRead More Boundaries of Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King1282 Words   |  6 PagesFate and Free Will in Oedipus the King    The ancient Greeks firmly believed that the universe was guided strictly by order and fate. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles has examined the relationship between free will and fate, suggesting that free will paradoxically exists inside the boundaries of fate. It may be concluded, however, that man has free will and is ultimately held responsible for his own actions.    Oedipus destruction was brought about by a combination of fate and free will.Read MoreOedipus the King: Fate Vs Free Will Essay639 Words   |  3 Pages Oedipus the King, was written by Sophocles between C.A.496-406B.C. In this play, Oedipus is a great example of Sophocles’ belief that fate will control a man’s life no matter how much free will exists. Oedipus is a man of unflagging determination and perseverance, but one who must learn through the working out of a terrible prophecy that there are forces beyond any man’s conceptualization or control. Oedipus’ actions were determined before his birth, yet Oedipus’ actions are entirely determinedRead MoreFree will and Determinism in Oedipus the King by Sophocles Essay924 Words   |  4 Pagesby human actions. If this is true, we can imply that people do not have free will and thus are not responsible for their actions. In Oedipus the King we see that the dichotomy of fate and free will is hazed by the hyperbole of events, which can make it difficult, but possible, to determine if humans even have free will. Through Oedipus’s flaws and decisions and Sophocles use of the imagery of a crossroad it is apparent that free will can be exercised in a meaningful way. The play opens, and immediatelyRead MoreOedipus the King: Fate and Free Will Essay example2539 Words   |  11 Pages â€Å"‘Tragedy is an imitation, not of men, but of action and life, of happiness and misery’† (Milch 12). This statement by Aristotle reflects the ideas portrayed in the play Oedipus Rex. Written by Sophocles, Oedipus Rex is a play which combines tragedy with irony to tell a story of a noble king who falls short of his greatness. The play was written around 430 BC and originally intended for an Athenian audience. They considered Sophocles their most successful playwright and consequently, hisRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - The Fate of Oedipus1239 Words   |  5 PagesThe Fate of Oedipus in Oedipus the King    In Oedipus the King there comes a point in the play where Oedipus learns something that plays an important role throughout the play.  Ã‚   He learns from a   oracle that he will eventually kill his own Father and sleep with his own mother.   As one could imagine this is a shock to Oedipus, and he does not believe the oracle.   However, he cannot prevent any of this from happening because it is his fate.   Oedipus is a victim of circumstances

Saturday, December 14, 2019

The Modern Researcher Free Essays

Both authors, Jacquez Barzun and Henry Grafff are historians and are faculty members of Columbia University. They finished this book by year 1969. THE BOOK- Summary and Purpose: This book is primarily intended to â€Å"guide and instruct students in the arts of research   and writing†(note on the revised edition), with special emphasis on historiography. We will write a custom essay sample on The Modern Researcher or any similar topic only for you Order Now The book is divided into three parts, with the titles: The First Principles, Research and Writing . The idea for the first principles is to lay down the necessary frame of thought, the attitudes and qualifications of a (modern) â€Å"researcher†- apparently, to distinguish him from an antiquated one. It combines both the technique of research and writing. Unlike common writing/research manuals that concentrate only on the â€Å"how to’s† ,   Barzun Graff, offered all the necessary ingredients for excellent history writing that is based on fastidious effort to search for â€Å"the truth†. It is a book on historiography that develops the idea that â€Å"facts alone do not constitute history† but that these need to be interpreted and ably written. Writing   should consist an effort on the writer to communicate as close as possible his   own ideas to the reader. It gives a very convenient outline summary for all the great philosophical systems  Ã‚   that influenced historians and their writings. This background could further enhance an understanding of historians’ very human tendency to reduce patterns into ‘laws’ in order to make them coherent and unified. However, such laws overly simplify   phenomenon and , if possible, should be avoided by the writer. Barzun convincingly provides strong bases for his ‘principles’ through excellent  Ã‚  Ã‚   choice of examples. An anecdote on how a historian was able to establish the authorship of the â€Å"Diary of a Public Man† is such a good example on how   one investigates and verifies his data. This historian was able to come up with a  Ã‚  Ã‚   probable answer to his problem through trial and error that took him more than thirty years- visiting libraries, interviewing key people mentioned in the diary, verifying documents written during the period in question (Lincoln Administration). In the end the historian found out that the author employed both fact and fiction in his diary entry and therefore   this (diary)   would not be useful as a historical document. Another is about a researcher who investigated the origin of the motto: â€Å"In God We Trust† written on dollar currencies. He noticed that there was a period when such a motto was absent,   and he wanted to investigate, first -its origin and then,   the reason   for its absence; then, its revival in the present currencies. Through painstaking investigation he found out that it was Stuart Chase, the Secretary of Treasury who , being a clergyman, mandated its inclusion on all currencies during his incumbency. When his term expired, his successor had this motto deleted only to reappear later when the American Congress saw the wisdom of restoring it. Such examples on the process of research reinforces the idea that research is a worthy endeavor and   is indeed exciting. Moroever, the book stresses on the importance of having the proper perspective in writing history, i.e. â€Å"Book concentrates on principles of thought and analysis of difficulties and aims at imparting the fundamentals of informed exposition.† The authors repeatedly expounds on these throughout the book. Another important tenet which Barzun convinces his reader is that it is by way of probability that all scholars, including scientists can claim the truthfulness of their work. Thus, patterning in history is intended not to arrive at â€Å"laws† or generalizations that are â€Å"unbreakable† and immutable but rather to serve as guidepost that may give coherence to an ,otherwise, confusing motley of data. They are therefore made for convenience, just as periodizations in history are. The menacing issue on subjectivity and objectivity in historical writing was given adequate attention by Barzun. He avers that   these words apply â€Å"not to persons and opinions but rather to sensations and judgments† and are better avoided by historians and their critics. â€Å"An objective judgment is one made by testing in all ways possible one’s subjective impressions, so as to arrive at a knowledge of subjects.† A corollary principle will be that â€Å"competence, not majority opinion, is decisive. There have been collective hallucinations that deceived large majorities’† (p.166). This obviously happens, specially with political issues and with politicians who exploit public opinion to suit their ends. Analysis: Barzun Graff’s Modern Researcher is, indeed, not an ordinary manual on research and writing. But I have only one comment, why did they entitle the book â€Å"The Modern Researcher†? Nowhere in this book did they explain the title. Does the word â€Å"modern† means a historical period? Or a frame of mind? I would assume that the work being about historiography may connote a historical period. But it could also be a frame of mind, i.e. progressive and liberal. How to cite The Modern Researcher, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Honda Effect Case Study Essay Example For Students

The Honda Effect Case Study Essay Introduction Honda is a Japan based company and is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles as well as the world’s manufacturer of motor vehicles, producing more than 14 million internal motor vehicles each year. The Honda Motor Company was founded by Soichiro Honda in 1948. In 1959, he opened the American Honda Motor Company, so he could fulfil his dream of building a high performance motorcycle and marketing it globally. The discussion below briefly emphasises on the strategy used by Honda to gain entry into the US motorcycle market. The key differences between the two accounts of Honda’s entry into the US motorcycle market The two accounts of how Honda entered into US motorcycle market differ in numerous ways. There are two approaches to strategies were used by Honda to enter the US market, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report clearly shows a deliberate approach to Honda’s strategy in entering the US motorcycle market, while the report Documented by Richard Pascale shows a clearly defined emergent strategy (Mintzberg et al. 2003:152-165). -The deliberate approach which was emphasised by BCG enabled the Japanese manufactures to succeed in many ways. The BCG report showed that the success of the Japanese manufactures began with the growth of their own domestic market. The high production for domestic demand led Honda to experience economies of scale proportion as the cost of producing motorcycles declined with the level of output. This allowed Honda to achieve a highly competitive cost position which they used to enter into the US market. The Japanese manufactures believed that high volumes per model provide the potential for high productivity. They also believe in putting capital back into production and making use of highly automated techniques. Thus, their marketing strategies are directed towards developing these high volumes, hence the careful attention that we have observed them giving to growth and market share. The BCG asserted that the motorcycles available before Honda penetrated in the US market were designed and marketed toward a limited group of people such as the police, army, etc. (Mintzberg et al. 2003:152-165). However, because Honda had a policy of selling, they marketed their product toward the everyday members of the public, rather than the typical confirmed motorcyclists. The bike designed for this target market was a small, lightweight bike that sold less than its leading competitors, which were Harley-Davidson of the USA and Triumph and Norton of UK. Another distinguished characteristic that helped Honda become the leading competitor in its field was the addition of staff members. Honda’s willingness to hire more employees shows how strongly they valued innovation, as they had about 700 engineer and design members, whereas its competitors staffed only about 100 employees. Besides the increased level of hiring, Honda also implemented other strategies such as the developing region by region. Over a period of years they relocated from the west coast of America to the east coast. Along with expanding their market, they also began to focus more on their advertising. A huge investment was spent in on their advertising theme â€Å"you meet the nicest people on a Honda†. This theme in particular disassociated Honda motorcycles from other stereotype motorcycles that had a rowdy image. Richard Pascale (1996) however, disagrees with the BCG report. He emphasises on how Honda used the emergent approach to strategise on entering the US motorcycle market. His report suggests that Honda’s entry in the US market was much smoother and it is what led to their instant success. Pascale (1996) argues that Honda entered the US market at the end of the motorcycle trade season showing their inability to carry out research in the new market. Pascale (1996) also criticizes the assumption that Honda was superior to other competitors in productivity. He states that Honda was successful in Japan with productivity but evidence suggests that the company was not superior, due to the lack of funding from the ministry of finance and the tight budget they had. .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .postImageUrl , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:hover , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:visited , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:active { border:0!important; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:active , .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206 .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc921fc8c102e7a97abad0512b978e206:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Ulysses S. Grant Argumentative EssayIn regards to the BCG reporting that Honda had a deliberate strategy of disassociating themselves from their competitors’ rowdy motorcycle image by following the â€Å"nicest people† advertising policy, Pascale (1996) asserts that it was not an intentional move. Instead, it was a result of the director of sales persuading management that this was the best course. The BCG report found that Honda penetrated into the US market with small lightweight motorbikes. Pascale (1996) however, argues that the idea of designing lightweight motorbikes at low cost was not one of inspiration but one of desperation. He argues that the intended strategy was one of promoting the larger motorbikes because Honda felt that due to Americans preferring large items, they would be more likely to buy a larger bike. The larger motorbikes intended were unreliable, which led to the promotion of the smaller motorbikes. Overall, Pascale (1996) gives the impression that it was through an incidental sequence of events that led to Honda gaining a strong hold in the US market. This was mainly through the unexpected discovery of a large untapped target market while at the same time trying to retain the interest of the current market. Pascale (1996) also believes that an element of luck also helped Honda follow an emerging strategy. Restrictions placed on the funds by the government for the US venture forced Honda to take an alternate route. If they had all the funds necessary, they may well have gone through the normal distribution channels. The extent to which Honda’s apparent strategy was deliberate and/or emergent In order to determine whether the company was following a specific model when entering the US market or not, it is crucial to consider the theoretical side of Honda’s strategy. According to Andrew’s model, there are two stages to corporate strategy, formulation and implementation. Formulation involved looking at the market, competitors and resources and formulating a corporate strategy which would be implemented throughout each process of the organisational structure. This is how BCG viewed Honda, as a corporation, who had looked at the market, formulated a strategy to cope with the environment and pressure of competing in the market and implemented it. Overall, this would make all Honda’s plans and activities deliberate. Pascale (1996) however, viewed Honda as having an emergent approach. This approach shows a realised strategy made up from an intended strategy, together with an emergent strategy, which is not planned but emerges in relations to activities within the environment. Pascale (1996) seemed to think that in Honda’s case, the company’s strategy was emergent and less was actually an intended strategy. By analysing both accounts, it is evident to state that Honda did not just follow one specific strategy, but rather followed a combination of both deliberate and emergent strategies together. Key lessons to be learned from any comparison of the two quite different accounts of the same strategic decision Both accounts have identified numerous key lessons, the following below are a few of them: A company should be able to move ideas from top to bottom and back again, meaning from senior managers to lower managers, as this provides more participation and support from all employees (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2008). This is one of the abilities of the Honda organisation that was most valued. Advertising to the right target market is also a key lesson to be learned. Doing research on the competitors will help give an advantage and select the right advertising campaign that will capture the target market or segment intended (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2008) . Innovation is vital to every company. Mr Honda showed his innovative ability by producing better motorcycle engines, and the hiring of additional employees portrayed how strongly they valued innovation, which gradually paid off, leading to success. Companies should do a thorough research and know how to utilize their market position (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2008). .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .postImageUrl , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:hover , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:visited , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:active { border:0!important; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:active , .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089 .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u64fd021e909ee2828dc679d63cadf089:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Its Not About School Prayer EssayIn the case of Honda, strengths in design advantages and production methods meant they were able to increase sales in Japan even though at the time there was no organisation within the company. The importance of a company’s culture is also emphasised. Culture has also played a huge role at Honda. This was tested when Mr. Honda sent two executives to the U. S with no strategy other than to see if they could sell something. Studying the culture in the US market and determining what role Honda could play in the same market has benefited the company, and led to its success. Conclusion From the above discussion, it is relevant to view Honda as being a company dedicated to being a low cost producer, utilizing its dominant position in Japan to penetrate into the US market, redefining that market by putting up its nicest people image and exploiting its comparative advantage using aggressive advertising and pricing (Mintzberg et al. 2003:152-165). After all, the weaknesses in an organisation can become irrelevant if the strategy is strong and there is a good leadership, and in Honda’s case, the strategy was strong, thanks to Mr. Honda’s good leadership skills and determination that led to the company’s success. BIBLIOGRAPHY Johnson, G. , Scholes, K. , Whittington, R. (2008). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text Cases. 8th edition. England: Pearson Education Limited. Mintzberg, H. , Quinn, J. B. , (1991). The Strategy Process. New York: Prentice Hall. Pascale, Mintzberg, Lampel, Quinn, Ghoshal, (2003). The strategy Process: Concepts, Contexts, Case. , 4th edition. Prentice Hall.