Event Management Essay Example for Free

Event Management Essay Introduction To fulfill their various roles within destination planning and place promotion, events must be managed as high-quality products with a strong tourism orientation. This is a major challenge, given that most festivals and special events are managed by non-profit organizations in which volunteers dominate. One-time events employ project management techniques to produce an event on a prescribed date, often with years of planning and development. They face special challenges, including protests or political interference, fast-tracking through regulatory channels, shifting priorities and uncertain resource commitments, staff turnover or burn-out, and the temptation to make quality compromises when time and money run low. Event programs are composed of a number of generic elements of style, and managers have unlimited scope in combining them to achieve uniqueness. Celebration is the essence of festivals. Spectacle, including entertainment, consists of those components which please the eye or are larger than life displays. Commerce is a feature of many events, including exhibits and merchandising. Hospitality refers to both the reception and service quality experienced by guests and the opportunity for sponsors to host their clients, staff and associates. Games is a broad element involving competitions, gambling, humor and surprise. Educational components are often important, and cultural authenticity must be considered. A marketing audit can be performed on events to determine their attractiveness and readiness to host tourists. Some of the key elements are sufficient in appeal and quality to attract and satisfy tourists, a theme and setting which conveys an attractive image, a targeted communications campaign with identified tourist segments, a program which provides generic benefits for all visitors and targeted benefits for special tourism interests, provision of special services need by tourists (for example, accessibility, reception of tour groups, additional information, languages, reserved seating), packaging for tourists, relationships with the tour and hospitality sectors, cooperative marketing involving destination marketing agencies and other events, sponsorship which extends the reach of the events appeal and communications, and site and community capacity to accommodate substantial numbers of visitors. Recent research has given an added attention to the theme of event management. event marketing The sponsorship or production of events as a marketing tool, specifically to connect with target audiences, build relationships, sell merchandise and achieve positive publicity, includes some of what is known as event marketing. In return for money, goods or services, events provide sponsors with specific benefits such as visibility, sales promotions, onsite exhibitions and hospitality venues. Explosive growth in event sponsorship occurred during and following the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games of 1984. The events sector has since been revolutionized, giving rise to larger budgets, more attention to marketing, merchandising and media coverage, and the forging of corporate partnerships. Sponsors often augment the reach of event promotions and provide valued technical expertise. Tourism and event development organizations actively promote destinations through events, and this process is largely dependent on the creation of media-oriented events with international sponsors. One consequence of this trend has been a rise in ambush marketing, in which corporations seek to gain advantages through surrounding promotions without actually sponsoring the event. Confusion can also result when event sponsors differ from the sponsors of participants, such as athletes, and from media advertisers. Another trend had been for corporations to seek equity in events, or even to create their own events. This could threaten relationships with some events and result in less sponsorship money. Similarly, moves in some jurisdictions to ban advertising and sponsorship, especially from alcohol or tobacco companies, is also viewed as a threat to the events sector. To be sustainable in the long term, there must be a congruence of goals and styles among sponsors and event organizers, with clear benefits to each party, customers and other participants (Cooper Press, 1995). In some cases these partnerships are leading to environmental and educational programs at events, to heightened community involvement by corporations, and to a resurgence of the arts. Event marketing has had the effect of elevating event tourism into prominence, not just as a special-interest market but as a major tool in destination image-making. Feasibility Study/Overview Report The structure of the fashion market is illustrated in Figure 1. FifthElement produces collections termed either ready-to-wear or designer wear, or prà ªt-à  -porter. Garments are highly priced. Designs are produced in limited numbers and the quality must be of a high standard. There are two main collections a year (plus mid-seasons). The collections may be shown on the catwalks of London, Paris, Milan and New York. In the 1980s and early 1990s,FifthElement was producing two collections a year to show on the international catwalks. The event process for a collection is outlined in Figure 2. The stages are as follows: Figure 1 Structure of the Fashion Industry Figure 2 The event process for a collection at FifthElement Menswear †¢ The initial theme or story for the collection. Themes have to be innovative and somewhat original as what these designers create will trickle down to the high street. †¢ The International Wool Secretariat, ICI, the Silk Board, the Cotton Board all provide predictions for colors and fabrics they think will sell next season. The color palette should be decided upon before the fabric show is visited. How much per meter of cloth the designer can spend depends on that particular collection, cash flow, sponsorship and the designers preference (Sproles Burns, 1994). †¢ Mood boards/Story boards. Usually numerous A1 or A2 boards convey the collections themes, images, fabrics and color palette (Davis, 1992). It becomes a reference point while designing. It visually pulls all the research together. †¢ Designing. Sketches working drawings and/or illustrations are made. Because of the type and size of the company, FifthElement does not need to produce specification drawings. They collaborates with their pattern cutter to ensure designs are interpreted correctly. Clothes may be modeled on the stand (tailoring dummy) in which case a toile (a prototype of a half-garment used to construct a pattern) is used to create a pattern or a block (standard pattern) may be adapted. A calico garment is constructed from the pattern to assess its function, aesthetics and styling. †¢ The sample garment or final garment is made. This is the garment the model will wear down the catwalk and orders will be made from and further manufacturing will be based on (Chenoune, 1993). †¢ The fashion show will require more than just the garments as it is a marketing event. Within the industry it is usual for companies to have sponsorship from other companies. Enigma Fibres sponsored FifthElements 1994-5 Autumn/Winter collection. This allows FifthElement to reduce their costs and the sponsor to gain publicity. At the show, buyers will order designs they like. It is also where the designer either receives good or bad publicity, depending on the quality of work at the show. †¢ Manufacturing and retailing of collections. When a suitable price is negotiated with a manufacturing company, the range goes into production. Fabric is re-ordered in bulk. Orders are delivered or shipped out. FifthElement will not retail their collection in-store until orders are received and prices are standardized (Dunn, 1996). As a consequence, this will ensure that the supplying company does not undercut their customers. Table 1 Requirements for FifthElement Autumn/Winter 1999-2000 collection The Collection (54 garments shown) Budget Fabric 100 meters @  £10.00 per meter (average)  £1,000 4 models for the fashion show @  £650 per model  £2,600 4 models for fittings @  £100  £400.00 Sound, light and seating  £1,000 Styling  £750.00 Hair and make-up  £400.00 Accessories  £250.00 Hospitality based on 100 people  £1,000 Invitations  £500.00 Total  £7,900 The company has to have a significant amount of cash to participate in designer shows (see Table 1). To research and stage a collection costs over  £10,000. To show the collection together costs  £10,000, plus another  £10,000 to produce customer orders. There will be no return on investment on the initial collection for about a year. After six months, work begins on the next collection. Before any profit is made a cash flow sum of  £40,000- £50,000 is needed. Due to the large amount of money required and to increase the choice to customers in the retail outlet, small collections are put together in-store. Usually in-store ranges are planned four to six months in advance. The timescale of a collection can take up to a year (see Table 2). Table 2 A collection plan produced by Flash Box Studios Timescale Collection tasks Estimated costs Oct-Nov 2002 Research and Development for Autumn/ Winter 2003/9 Collection  £10,000 March 2003 Paris Catwalk A/W 2003/9 Show  £10,000 April 2003 RD for Summer 2004  £10,000 March-Sept 2003 Orders and Production  £10,000 By Sept 2003 Wholesale orders out and in-store retailing October 2003 Next designers show s/s 2004  £10,000 Oct-Nov 2003 Return on Investment Proposed Organizational Structure and Monitoring Systems Wholesale collections are similarly conducted. Cost is worked out by fabric per meter, the actual cloth consumption, patterns, buttons, trimmings and how long the garment takes to make or how much the factory charges. As a general rule, the mark-up is 100 per cent for wholesale and 250 per cent for retail. Buying Buying operates for Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer like the ready-to-wear. Items must fit in with the seasons theme. New suppliers are researched from trade magazines, trade shows, suppliers phone calls and word of mouth (other designers). A performance management system, which cascades an organizations top level objectives down through successive layers of managers and front-line staff, may be one useful method of communicating goals, such as the need for effective event management (Turner, 1999). A budget is set for each supplier depending on the seasons requirements (Feldwick, 1991). Suppliers are kept depending on the sales performance of previous merchandise and whether the product is classed as trendy or classic as the former has a higher turnover but a shorter lifecycle. Suppliers who have remained constant over time include John Smedley, N-Peal, Burlington and Creed Harris. Technology The company attempted to integrate CAD/CAM into the bespoke side of the business to automate the process of tailoring. The idea was that a shift towards technology would enable the company to offer the service on a larger, less expensive scale. Two systems were introduced (Behling Wilch, 1988). The range of sizes is wider than off-the-peg suits, but not as precise as traditional manual methods. There are forty-one different jacket sizes available without vents or with one or two vents, and in twenty-eight different finishes available on the Scabal Iota system. The CAD/CAM system brings up the nearest pattern match from its database and adjusts the pattern on the Gerber system. Regardless of how vast the database is, it still is somewhat limited and inflexible in comparison to traditional tailoring practices. In contrast, fabric technology helped to increase the companys market position and status in the industry. Enigma Fibres sponsored FifthElement Menswear Winter 1994-5 collection by providing the fabric Tencel. The collection marked the re-launch of FifthElements ready-to-wear collections and their return to commercial fashion. The association between the two companies ensured an increase in press coverage, which was beneficial to both parties. The technological, environmental and functional aspects of Tencel produced in classic designs were popular but for a company which only produces limited designs the research and uses of technologically advanced fabrics are costly (Aaker, 1991). Identifying and evaluating the FifthElement brand The primary aim of organizational analysis is to illustrate how market research can be used to create a strong brand identity (UK Marketing Guides, 1995) for FifthElement and to establish that identity as an effective form of communication between the company and its respective audience. The audience for FifthElement Menswear is shown in Table 3. Table 3 The audience and aims of FifthElement Menswear Audience Aims Customers To instill loyalty General public Enhance awareness of the company and products The media Communicate new strategy and performance/increase awareness Financial Communicate new strategy The industry Differentiate products and services from that of competitors Local community Communicate commitment to growth Internal Set an agenda and common objectives team work Influential groups Show commitment to the environment Government Communicate commitment to growth and global markets The aims are communicated to by the various designed elements of the company. What these elements (or channels of communication) are is relative. In a market characterized by products with little generic differentiation, the fashion own brand has emerged as the cornerstone of marketing strategies (Moore, 1995). Wilson suggests (1982) brand image can be broken down further into: †¢ current image how audiences see the company; †¢ mirror image how the company sees itself; †¢ wish image the way the company would like to be seen. Figure 3 shows how a brand identity program is created. The FifthElement brand will be identified by: †¢ explaining motivation and design policy; †¢ identifying how the company would like to be seen (the wish image) established from the company mission and philosophy; †¢ investigating the design elements of the company and what they communicate (involves observing the mirror images); †¢ auditing design elements on an evaluation scale based on the wish image; †¢ describing the brand according to six levels of meaning; Figure 3 Creating a brand identity program †¢ comparing competitors brands (names, symbols and logos) and finding common elements and characteristics of the industry; †¢ the FifthElement sample logo; †¢ conclusion of findings and recommendations. Purchasing motivation and design policy Design communicates messages about the company to its audiences. Audiences must be able to decode these messages with minimum effort and this is achieved by a strong coherent and consistent brand identity. An effective design policy, which describes the context and constraints within which a company carried out design work can ensure this (Forsythe, 1991). It describes in design terms how customers needs and wants are being met. Design policy at FifthElement Menswear is not documented, nor is their design process. Because the company has a typical entrepreneurial structure, little is formalized. The managing director rarely has time to communicate the policy verbally, therefore they cannot communicate it to customers or ensure that work meets set standards (Goffee Scase, 1995). Design policy must be formalized and standards set to measure the effectiveness of design if the company is to move forward. Van Der Wagon Carlos (2005) identified that the role of the coordinator was often imprecisely defined, with real responsibility remaining with the recurring-event manager. The wish image The companys specific mission, or the purpose for the companys existence is: †¢ to design modern classics; †¢ to create aesthetic garments of unmistakable quality; †¢ to ensure the company conveys comfort (in its clothing and environment); †¢ to ensure the company conveys quality; †¢ to provide traditional skills and expertise; †¢ to support and exhibit art. After investigating the style and content of design communication, it can be audited against these objectives. Passing trade At just under six square miles, Islington is one of the smallest boroughs in London, with a population of 164,000. It is characterized by contrast, vitality and modern cultural diversity. Upper Street is home to the Business Design Centre (BDC) which separates two distinct shopping areas. On one side towards Angel, there is the high street multiple chains, which are easily recognizable. On the other, towards Highbury and Islington there are independent retail outlets very high in design content and product price. FifthElement is situated in the latter part at 186 Upper Street. Renowned for its innovative window displays, the company changes them every 1-2 weeks. The windows of the shop front are curved with a tiled path. The window display area has a polished wooden floor with a backdrop of mirrors. Often done in conjunction with a company called Urban Roots, examples of displays include a window full of daffodils in spring, with a merchandised mannequin in the centre. Sometimes the window display is a piece of artwork combined with merchandise, such as the yes/no heads and two wooden/mechanical heads, shaking and nodding. Not only does this promote local art but also provides local artists with a place to sell their work. Customer service The bespoke service is as it was fifty years ago the customer is made to feel important with personal attention and advice. FifthElement understands fully their craft, enabling him to provide an impeccable consultancy service to bespoke customers. The only problem is enabling customers to visualize a 3D-product prior to its construction (Huddleston, et. Al, 1993). Once the customer has the suit, it is more or less guaranteed for two years. FifthElement will even press the suit after its first dry-clean, out of courtesy. Repairs are part of the service. Merchandise can be exchanged if unsuitable, but there is no formal policy on returns and no set complaints procedures. Assessing general service is also fundamental, as this is an asset which can differentiate a company from their competitors. Below are some questions that the company may need to ask about their general standard of service: †¢ Is the telephone answered in 3-4 rings? †¢ Is there somewhere for clients to rest? †¢ Are the staff attentive? †¢ Are products guaranteed? †¢ Are customers served immediately? †¢ Are individual complaints handled effectively and efficiently? †¢ Are refreshments offered to bespoke customers? It would also be advantageous for the company to have a complaints book to log all complaints, so they could be prevented from recurring. This will help the company assess in the short term what customers expect. However, it must be remembered that for every customer who is dissatisfied and complains, there are many who are equally dissatisfied yet, for reasons best known to themselves, they say nothing (Leppard and Molyneux, 1994). Products as objects Fabrics and patterns are sent to manufacturers who make a sample garment before the line goes into full production. Generally, fifty garments at a time is regarded the maximum, possibly in five styles. FifthElement himself checks quality control. It is a general check of the cut-make-trim (CMT).Although visual defects are checked manually, garments or cloth are not checked for quality assurance. Performance characteristics are neither checked nor presented to the customer as a measure of quality. These include: †¢ shrinkage (BS 5807); †¢ colourfastness (BS 1006); †¢ dry cleaning/washing (BS 4961); †¢ durability and maintenance (BS 5807); †¢ other care characteristics; †¢ fire resistance. It is not suggested that the company attempts to comply with British or European Standards. BS 5750 (ISO 9001) is often difficult in its application for companies, particularly of this size, to comply with. However, there is nothing to prevent the company producing its own standard based on BS/ISO 9000. Conclusion Effective Event management needs to be focused upon processes and assets as means to an end. The growing reliance of organizations upon one another, and upon technology and infrastructure, has also been cited as supporting the view that Event management matters more today than at any other point in history. Soft and hard system elements must be considered together and that organizations themselves may incubate the potential for interruptions. Managerial intervention plays a vital role in causing crises or in mitigating their effects. Whilst no methodology can guarantee that interruptions will be avoided, it is argued that adopting a broad methodology will assist organizations to be better prepared. The Event management process should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that the resulting plans remain appropriate. It is appropriate to examine some general principles of planning which apply equally, in which the planning processes specifically concerned with recurring-event are considered in greater detail. One of the first issues facing an organization setting out to develop a recurring-event plan is that of who should be primarily responsible within the organization for the research, planning, analysis and drafting of preliminary plans. Although the planning process requires a dedicated project manager it also normally needs senior management support. Given that the planning process requires information which can only be gathered and ascertained from individuals across many parts of the organization, participation in the process is considered essential. Many successful organizations place recurring-event within a central department that has responsibility for strategic planning and analysis amongst other tasks (Barnard, 1996). A useful model includes a steering group to support the project manager. This steering group should include senior and influential staff from different units or departments. A further problem which arises from the outset of any planning process, whether this be strategic, functional or recurring-event oriented, is the legacy hindrance. Organizations are complex socio-technical systems which reflect antecedents such as decisions, systems, structures, values and beliefs. The influence on strategy of an organizations structure has long been recognized (Chandler, 1962) and, despite considerable debate in this respect, structure should remain a focus of attention since it offers one manner in which the organization can be viewed and, therefore, analyzed. The way in which one perceives an organization can often determine the decisions and actions that are taken. In a recurring-event context (and in practical terms) many organizations find themselves in a brownfield planning context. This means that managers involved must recognize that they cannot make sweeping changes to the organization and its social and technical systems. They must plan in their context. This does not necessarily mean that they should eschew possibilities for greenfield planning. Analysts have observed that organizations may design in redundant computer-processing capacity and facilities as a contingency for interruptions. Hence, the challenges facing planners in brownfield and greenfield situations are not dissimilar from those which emanate from process redesign (Baugh Davis, 1989). The perception of failure may also influence the discovery process that precedes the development of recurring-event plans. In some organizations, failure is considered to be a positive side-effect from which discovery and subsequent improvements can be effected. Managerial recommendation is clear: Awareness has to be developed first (Catherwood Richard, 1992). Equally, planners should be aware of the symbolism that failure can bring. The plan itself could be blamed, or specific individuals could be blamed. The failure itself is more nebulous, and unless it is thoroughly understood, there could be little, if any, improvement should similar circumstances arise in the future. Resources Aaker, A.D. (1991) Managing Brand Equity. Capitalizing on the Value of a Brand Name, New York: The Free Press. Barnard, D. (1996) Fashion as Communication, London: Routledge. Baugh, D.F. and Davis, L.L. (1989) The effect of store image on consumers perceptions of designer and private label clothing, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 7 (3), p. 15. Behling, D. and Wilch, J. (1988) Perceptions of branded clothing by male consumers, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 6 (2), p. 46. Chenoune, F. (1993) A History of Mens Fashion, Paris: Flammarion. Cooper, R. and Press, M. (1995) The Design Agenda, Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Catherwood, Dwight W., and Richard L. Van Kirk. The Complete Guide to Special Event Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1992. Davis, F. (1992) Fashion, Culture and Identity, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Dunn, B. (1996) Lauren to himself, GQ, April, p. 157. Feldwick, P. (1991) Defining a brand, in D. Cowley (ed.) Understanding Brands, London: Kogan Page, pp. 19-28. Forsythe, S.M. (1991) Effect of private, designer and national brand names on shoppers perception of apparel quality and price, Clothing Textiles Research Journal, 9 (2), 1-6. Goffee, R. and Scase, R. (1995) Corporate Realities, London: Routledge. Huddleston, P., Cassill, N. and Hamilton, L. (1993) Apparel selection criteria as predictors of brand orientation, Clothing Textiles Research Journal, 12 (1), 51-6. Model-Netics. ( 1980). Sacramento, CA: Main Event Management Corporation. Moore, C.M. (1995) From rags to riches creating and benefiting from the fashion own brand, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, 23 (9), 23. MCCURLEY LYNCH, THE VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT HANDBOOK, Heritage Arts Publishing, Illinois, 1996 Sorensen, C. (1995) The fashion market and the marketing environment, in M. Easy (ed.) Fashion Marketing, Oxford: Blackwell Science. Sproles, G. and Burns, L.D. (1994) Changing Appearances: Understanding Dress in Contemporary Society, New York: Fairchild, p. 7. Turner, JR (1999) Handbook of Project-Based Management, McGraw Hill Maidenhead UK Marketing Guides (1995) Postcode Targeter of Great Britain: A Guide to Postcode Sector Marketing, (vols 1 and 2), London: HarperCollins. Van Der Wagon, L. Carlos, B. (2005) Event Management for Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events, Pearson, Sydney. Wilson, (1982), Marketing Audit Checklists, Maidenhead, Berks: McGraw-Hill.

Kmart SWOT Essay -- essays research papers

Kmart started off on the right foot back in 1899 and was a major player in supplying goods to the consumers from their small five and dime stores. From there they started to expand, they were a provider of low-cost merchandise but once the competition (Wal-Mart and Target) started opening they started loosing the fight. Since that time they have been through many changes and many hard times. By 1962 they started opening full line discount stores which continued to help the company succeed. From 1980 - 2002 five different CEOs ran the company. Some of their strategies were focused on the same track as the one before them while others had to change direction entirely in order to fight to turn the company around. Kmart has suppliers that they order their goods from so they can keep their shelves stocked. They do not make any of their own products however they do try to differentiate themselves by selling exclusive brands that include Thalia Sodi, Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, Martha Stewart , and Sesame Street. Kmart ¡Ã‚ ¦s strategy has changed a few times since they started out and may continue to change in order to succeed. They have faced bankruptcy in the past and have fought to continue to compete against their competitors. Kmart has many competitive and environmental forces impacting the industry today. As all organizations do some or these forces are opportunities for them while others are threats to the organization. A few of the forces are their rivals or competitors, the substitutes that can be used, and the new entrants into the market. The main rivals among the merchandising companies are Wal-Mart, Kohls, Family Dollar and Target among many more. Wal-Mart and Target are their main rivals, this is because Wal-Mart is known for their niche as having the lowest prices and Target is known for their fashions and home furnishings both of these items Kmart tries to compete against. Also buyers see Kmart as a discount store which doesn ¡Ã‚ ¦t stand when other competitors have lower prices. Kmart ¡Ã‚ ¦s customer service and available products are two other items that Kmart fails to be a strong competitor in against these rivals. Therefore, the rivalry among the merchandising stores is a strong competitive force in this market. Another external force that affects the market is substitutes. Substitutes are the items a customer can buy to replace the items they purch... ...o the picture. By getting rid of their food items they would also have more room on the shelves to stock the much more requested items that customers want. Since Kmart is up against a couple well known companies they are going to need to stand out. They have their exclusive brands which is great if that is what the customer wants. They need to really push these items by marketing (TV spots and newspapers) so the consumer feels they need to have these items. They also need to put standards in place so that anytime research is done there is a project team put together to implement what changes need to be completed. Their strategy to win back the customer is failing because they are not implementing the needed changes. Instead they are closing down stores and not remodeling the ones that are still in business. They are loosing the market share to both Target and Wal-Mart because they are so focused on how to make another buck that they are not focusing on what really matters, the cu stomers. Until the customers are satisfied with the stores product (being on shelves), the service they receive and the location and shape of the stores they will not return as loyal customers to Kmart.

By night in chile

This is the story of a boy who yearned to be a poet but became an Opus Dei priest Father Sebastian Urrutia. His love is for the literary arts and continues writing poems even as he continues his work as a priest. He is challenged to preserve churches in Europe and encounters odd priests who have a prejudice for pigeons, maintaining falcons in order to keep the pigeons away. One of the priests posits that falconry is the destruction of the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Father Urrutia is sent to teach Marxism to General Pinochet and his Junta secretly.He occasionally goes to the house of a literary lady Maria Canales who has a penchant for hosting parties to artists and authors. As the story progresses, it is revealed that the American husband of the hostess collaborates with the Chilean secret service so that they can detain and imprison suspected subversives. They are kept in the basement of the house where his Chilean wife had these parties. The author masterfully weaves the story and exudes the creative and destructive forces of Chilean politics and literature. He uses magical realism in order to stimulate readers’ minds using graphic style of writing as well as satire and sarcasm.This paper looks at the entity of Urrutia who remains indifferent of the plight of man as well as the destructive apathy of Chilean literature amidst corruption and literary collapse. Bolano uses this narrator to point out the air of complacency that pervades the artists, officials and other people who are accountable to history because of the show of indifference. Father Urrutia is not interested in politics at all since he is basically a priest and literary critic and a priest first and foremost but the political events at that present time seem to get a hold at the upper class circles of literati whom he associates with.His has a comical reaction to the election of Allende (and Pinochet's subsequent coup) since as the people of Chile march to the streets in sweeping social ch ange, Urrutia indulges himself in classical Greek literature so that he is able to escape the political confusion that may derail him from his own personal pursuits. Pinochet succeeds and restores some kind of order. Urrutia is able to breathe as he senses peace at hand. Thus the priest seemingly has distantiated himself from this kind of responsibility and escapes in his own world.He thinks that it distracts him from his art. He is of the thinking that he needs to find something if he does indulges in the confusion of politics if he is to pursue it at all. Thus, he is alienated from the times. Basic to being an effective person is the fact that we are able to make decisions and freely choose from among alternatives. One’s likes and dislikes are partly the wisdom of one’s organism, partly the result of helpful learning that protects one and keeps one out of trouble, and partly the result of harmful learning.Harmful learning includes certain kinds of accidental learning brought about by chance circumstances, as well as conditioned responses that were once appropriate but are no longer so. These obsolete ways of thinking and feeling make it hard for one to act in healthy and satisfying ways now. But when one pays attention to one’s liking and disliking, one naturally becomes more fully aware of likes and dislikes of what one wants to do and do not want to do. One discovers that these sometimes contradict with what one should like and dislike, if one is aware of what is happening inside him.As Urrutia refuses to recognize the kind of apathy that he has for being involved with the exigencies of the times then, he cannot identify with the people around him. The author states that Urrutia maintains that â€Å"One has a moral obligation to take responsibility for one's actions, and that includes one's words and silences, yes, one's silences, because silences rise to heaven too, and God hears them, and only God understands and judges them, so one must be very careful with one's silences. I am responsible in every way. My silences are immaculate. Let me make that clear. Clear to God above all.† (Bolano, 1) Thus, his silence can be a kind of cowardice and stubbornness that characterize his motives. Maria Canales’ house is the host of a soiree and a few of Chile’s well-bred and worldly poets gather to drink cocktails. There is a kind of denial about the urgency of the times as one guest accidentally discovers man manacled who has been tortured because he was an anti-Pinochet dissident. The guest discovers this was done by Canales' husband, Jimmy Thompson. Urrutia thus looks deeply at the implications of this and how it reflects on the inappropriate choice of Canales as the party is done in the same house.â€Å"Because, normally, when she had a soiree, the basement was unoccupied. I asked myself the following question: Why then, on that particular night, did a guest who lost his way find that poor man? The answer was simple: Because with time, vigilance tends to relax, because all horrors are dulled by routine. I asked myself the following question: Why didn't anyone say anything at the time? The answer was simple: Because they were afraid. I was not afraid. I would have been able to speak out but I didn't see anything, I didn't know until it was too late. Why go stirring up things that had settled down after a few years? † (Bolano, 122).Every guest in the party ignores and dismisses this as people get to know about the tortured man at the basement of the house where the party was being held. It is a pity that a priest like Urrutia could justify this inhumanity saying that this is some sort of a goal of literary history, â€Å"That is how literature is made, that is how the great works of Western literature are made. You better get used to it. † (Bolano, 128). Urrutia as an indifferent man is like that of the tortured man and the symbolism that this entails is replete all throughout the story because other people are also indifferent to the plight of the people.Bolano is able to create Urrutia as a pessimistic embodiment of the moral apathy of the writers during the regime of Pinochet. The kind of true responsibility is lacking in Urrutia because response-ability according to Perls, is often a misused word that refers to â€Å"the ability to respond: the ability to be alive, to feel, to be sensitive. † (GTV, 100). It does not mean â€Å"obligation. † It does not mean â€Å"duty. † It is actually a trait that directs a person to do a task without asking why. One does it automatically and because he has been committed to doing that no matter what happens.Discretion is a trait that characterizes the career of Urrutia and his views become distorted as guilt overwhelms him. Author Eder of The New York Times maintains that â€Å"His avowals fall suddenly mute; his omissions blare revelation. † (Eder). WORKS CITED Bolano, Robert o. By Night in Chile. New Directions Publishing Corporation (December 2003) Eder, Richard. Books of the Times: A Priest who Lived Trhough the Grim Pinochet Era. The New York Times. Retrieved June 5, 2008 at: http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9B00E2DB1030F935A25752C0A9629C8B63&n=Top%2FFeatures%2FBooks%2FBook%20Reviews

Viral Hemorrhagic Fever and Ebola Virus Species - 2359 Words

What is Ebola hemorrhagic fever? Ebola hemorrhagic fever (Ebola HF) is a severe, often-fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees) that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. The disease is caused by infection with Ebola virus, named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) in Africa, where it was first recognized. The virus is one of two members of a family of RNA viruses called the Filoviridae. There are five identified subtypes of Ebola virus. Four of the five have caused disease in humans: Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and Ebola-Bundibugyo. The fifth, Ebola-Reston, has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans.†¦show more content†¦Persons tested later in the course of the disease or after recovery can be tested for IgM and IgG antibodies; the disease can also be diagnosed retrospectively in deceased patients by using immunohistochemistry testing, vir us isolation, or PCR. How is Ebola hemorrhagic fever treated? There is no standard treatment for Ebola HF. Patients receive supportive therapy. This consists of balancing the patient’s fluids and electrolytes, maintaining their oxygen status and blood pressure, and treating them for any complicating infections. How is Ebola hemorrhagic fever prevented? The prevention of Ebola HF in Africa presents many challenges. Because the identity and location of the natural reservoir of Ebola virus are unknown, there are few established primary prevention measures. If cases of the disease do appear, current social and economic conditions often favor the spread of an epidemic within health-care facilities. Therefore, health-care providers must be able to recognize a case of Ebola HF should one appear. They must also have the capability to perform diagnostic tests and be ready to employ practical viral hemorrhagic fever isolation precautions, or barrier nursing techniques. These techniques include the wearing of protective clothing, such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles; the use of infection-control measures, including complete equipment sterilization; and the isolation of Ebola HF patients from contact with unprotectedShow MoreRelatedEbola Essay851 Words   |  4 PagesEbola Impact on Human Health amp; Hygiene Essay Historically Ebola has had a serious impact on human health and hygiene and still does due to the fact of no vaccine or treatment being discovered, but thanks to improvements in scientific and medical knowledge the virus itself is now controllable. Ebola is the virus Ebolavirus (EBOV), a viral genus, and the disease Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), a viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). The virus is named after the Ebola River Valley in the DemocraticRead MoreOutbreak of Ebola792 Words   |  3 PagesEbola was first recognized in 1976 as the cause of outbreaks of disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then known as Zaire) and in Sudan. 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It was formally known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Ebola can cause disease in humans and also in non-human species, such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. Altogether, information about Ebola Virus Disease will include: the background, transmission, symptoms and diagnosis, and treatment and prevention. Ebola Virus Disease was given it s name from the Ebola River in the Democratic