Belonging – ‘We Are Going’

What does the Oodgeroo Noonuccal poem ‘We Are Going’ have to say about Belonging and Not Belonging? How does the poet use language forms, features and structures to convey ideas and feelings? The poem ‘We Are Going’ by Oodgeroo Noonuccal is about the displacement of the Aboriginal people in Australian society/culture and their confusion about where or what to belong to as their traditional customs are taken away/forgotten. The text raises the issues and themes of ‘Belonging’ through a mostly-‘defeated’ tone as it shows their loss of tradition and culture in the new Australia.In order to create a sense of sympathy and consideration for the Aboriginal people, the poet uses a range of language forms and techniques to cause effect in this text. One of the most important of these is the writer’s use of Irony – in Lines 8-9 we see the words, â€Å"We are strangers here now, but the white tribe are the strangers. We belong h ere, we are of the old ways†. This statement, in particular, expresses the overall message of this poem while focusing on the ‘Belonging’ concept.The writer put forward the interesting yet tragic idea that the Aboriginal people no longer belong to their homeland, whereas the â€Å"White tribe† – who are unable to fully understand or appreciate it as the Indigenous do – have now overrun them and belong more to this land now than they do. This side of the poem brings it its tragic and â€Å"defeated† tone, thus affecting the reader. The language the poet uses is quite informal and colloquial, without using any slang. The feeling created is that of a story-telling almost.They also use some Indigenous words such as â€Å"corroboree† and â€Å"Dream Time†. This is in-keeping with the poet’s heritage and the nature of ‘belonging’ to a language and to a people. Using unusual, broken-meter and irregular phrasin g, the melancholy mood is heightened in that it doesn’t flow as a poem often does. This puts more emphasis on each line and makes it sound less like a poem, more like a short story. Then, in Lines 8-14, the constant repetition of the word â€Å"we† at the beginning of each line gives the poem a more defiant, hopeful edge; making it sound like a pledge.The blunt contrast between the words â€Å"We† and â€Å"They† at the beginning of many lines de-humanises the White people, making them seem more like an enemy or foe. The poet also uses very emotive words such as â€Å"Subdued and Silent†, â€Å"Dream Time†, â€Å"Laughter† and â€Å"Belong† to cause effect, as well as Visually-impacting words such as â€Å"Wandering Camp Fires†, â€Å"Lightening†, â€Å"Dark Lagoon† and â€Å"Shadow Ghosts†. These add to the emotional effect and eerie feel. Like a true Indigenous person (the author is clearly Aborigi nal by looking at her name and her use of â€Å"they† and â€Å"we†), they speak of the land like their mother, their provider (eg. The shrubs are gone, the hunting and the laughter. The eagle is gone, the emu and the kangaroo are gone from this place†, and so the poet asserts a strong connection and sense of ‘Belonging’ to the land and to their people, even though they are â€Å"dying out† as a culture and community. As the final line states, â€Å"And We Are Going†, the writer is not only stressing that their race or clan is becoming extinct, but also that the traditional Indigenous customs and traditions and being forgotten.These are a part of the Aboriginal culture and a significant thing, which they belong to as a people. This is shown through the writer’s emphasis on these customs and traditions in such lines as â€Å"We are the corroboree and the bora ground† and â€Å"We are the wonder tales of the Dream Time, the tribal legends told. † When the poet uses phrases like â€Å"The Shrubs are gone† and â€Å"The emu and kangaroo are gone from this place†, she doesn’t mean they are extinct completely, of course.What she is saying is, in fact, is that their traditional way of life is gone – the hunting and gathering, their â€Å"wandering camp fires†. The White people have come and taken over their land and have chased away many of the native plants, animals etc. and as such the Aboriginals are left confused and misplaced in their own land, becoming dependent on the Europeans for food, whereas before they were self-sufficient and able to hunt, and medicine, with the introduction of virus and disease.And so, basically, the poem is in fact a metaphor for the disappearing old way of life of the Aboriginal people and their connection and sense of Belonging to the land. It assumes a slightly nostalgic tone with traces of defiance in some parts but an overall sen se of hopelessness and defeat. Through it, we the reader meditate on the idea of ‘Belonging’ and ask ourselves what the Aboriginal people will belong to in our society where their old traditional ways are being taken away. In the words of Oodgeroo Noonuccal, â€Å"We Are Going†.

Personal Computer and Dell Essay

Synopsis: In 1984 Dell Inc. was founded by University of Texas freshmen, Michael Dell. Dell would buy computers from the excess inventory of local retailers and revamp them to sell out of his trunk. Dell was able to sell his computers at 10%-15% below retail price. After Dell’s freshmen year he dropped out to run his business full time. By 1995 Dell had sales of nearly $3. 5 billion and was one of the top five PC vendors in the world. Dell focused on customer support and service and became the master of process engineering and supply chain management. Dell has faced many challenges including distribution through US retail stores, management changes, and keeping up with its competitors. Since consumers aren’t willing to pay huge amounts of money for computers unless they were unique, Dell is at a crossroads. Which road Dell chooses to follow will determine its future. Resources: Dell Inc. ’s most valuable resource has been Michael Dell and its ability to sell computers at 10-15% below market value. Another huge resource is the executive team that Dell formed for guidance. Capabilities: Dell’s capability at producing products at a lower cost to its consumers is key. By adding services such as laptops, software/peripherals, servers/networking, services, and storage Dell expanded its capabilities. With the added services Dell can keep pace with its competitors. Core Competencies: Dell’s core competencies are the ability to offer quality products at cheaper prices, personalized orders, and the ability to keep their inventory relatively low. These competencies have helped Dell become a leader in the computer industry. Finding of Fact: Dell is currently at a crossroads; the company’s margins aren’t in a favorable position for the company. In 2010 yes their net income rose, but was still only 2. 91% of net revenue. Dell’s consumers are no longer willing to pay top dollar for a computer, unless it was unique. Competitors are selling laptops for around $300. Tablets have pushed Dell’s laptop sales down as well. Many more competitors have stepped into the industry since Dell first was founded. Dell also spends about 1% of its sales on research and development, while other companies spend about 5%. Justified Recommendation: Dell should invest more of its money into research and development for its products. Technology is constantly changing and for Dell to stay ahead or at least at the same pace, research and development is a must. I’m not saying Dell needs to go out and hire some new employees for this team. Dell could use members from each of its sections to help brainstorm and come up with new and innovative ideas. Innovative employees are invaluable to a company. Dell’s management should perform environmental scanning both internally and externally to find Dells SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Once SWOT is determined management could strategically figure out how to move forward. Environmental scanning shouldn’t be done just when a company finds it has â€Å"hit a bump in the road†, but periodically to keep the company innovative and make sure it is on the correct path. Dell should also perform an industry analysis. This analysis will review potential entrants, buyers, substitutes, suppliers, other stakeholders, and competitors. By completing the analysis a company can determine the high and low forces against the company. The low forces could be turned into a possible opportunity or based on the analysis results, the company could switch strategies.

Analysis Of Factors Influencing Activities Of Bmw Marketing Essay

Analysis Of Factors Influencing Activities Of Bmw Marketing Essay This text is an analysis of factors influencing the activities of BMW in its efforts to enhance the participation in national and international markets. At the very beginning of the text, the link between profitability and competition is briefly outlined. The nest phase provides a brief insight into the background of the firm, followed by a brief insight into the Mintzberg’s and Whittington’s views on emergent school of strategy formation. The history of the BMW is scrutinised to identify an event which has presented the firm with the strategic paradoxes discussed by Mintzberg. The next chapter of the report consists of an analysis of the external environment with the aid of a PESTLE and Porter’s Diamond Framework and a look into the impact of home market condition on BMW’s international activities. The final chapters of the report outlines the key strategic decisions that BMW will have to take in the near future and the implementation issues related to t he decisions concern. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Organisational background 2 3.0 Scope 3 4.0 Strategy paradoxes in BMW’s history 3 5.0 External environment 5 6.0 Internal strengths and weaknesses 8 7.0 Key strategic decisions or recommendations 10 8.0 Implementation challenges 10 9.0 Conclusion 11 10.0 References 13 12.0 Appendices 14 Appendix A – BMW Group in Figures 14 List of Figures Figure 1: BMW Group Revenues by region 2 Figure 2: BMW Group Deliveries of automobiles by region and market 2 Figure 3: Oil price trend 5 Figure 4: Exchange rates compared to the Euro 6 Figure 5: BMW Group in figures 14 1.0 Introduction An organisation can increase upon its profitability either by locating an attractive industry or by establishing a distinct competitive advantage over its rivals. Over the years with increasing competition across all the industries, very few industries environments guarantee definitive secure returns. Establishing a competitive advantage, t hus, has become the primary goal of devising any strategy within an organisation. A successful organisation makes its balance sheet stronger by establishing and sustaining competitive advantage. The secret of sustaining competitive advantage in a firm lies in its expertise at keeping their competitors away from imitating successful strategies. The greater the difficulty that rivals face in analysing the resources and capabilities required in order to imitate the source of competitive advantage, the greater is the sustainability of the firm’s competitive advantage. Resources and capabilities, thus, are fundamental to a company’s strategy and decision-making. However, in an international context, a firm’s potential for competitive advantage not only lies in its resources and capabilities but also by the government under which it operates, the legal policies in those countries, exchange rates and a number of other factors. Thus, in order to decide whether an organi sation should participate more at national and international level necessitates a thorough analysis of two factors – (i) the industrial attractiveness of the overseas market and (ii) the firm’s capability of effectively transferring its resource and capabilities to the new location. While I put forward my arguments and analysis, I would like to follow a structured approach. I would first provide a brief organisational background followed by the scope of this report. Next, I would touch upon the organisational history and highlight couple of critical incidents to illustrate some of the strategy paradoxes by some of the leading commentators from the emergent school of thought. I would then perform an external environment analysis in order to identify the threats and opportunities in the industry followed by an internal analysis to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation. This would lead to the key success factors and finally I would come up with the ke y strategic decisions that the company need to take and the implementation challenges associated with it before concluding this report.

Oil and Gas Prices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Oil and Gas Prices - Essay Example History has been riddled with many incidents of oil price increases due to conflicts and fighting between and among countries. Emily Witten (2008) documents the history of oil price increase and is hereinafter summarized. In the 1970s, oil price increased to as much as $46 a barrel when the OPEC imposed an embargo on the U.S. and its allies for the latter’s support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War. In order to keep up the high prices of oil, the OPEC even decreased oil production. In 1978, when the Shah of Iran was deposed from power and a radical Islamic government was installed, oil prices rose to $42. In the 1980s, oil prices decreased as many Western countries made an effort towards conservation, however, these efforts were thwarted when Iraq invaded Iran and oil prices rose to $86 per barrel. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, oil prices increased from $21 to $26. The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 sparked another increase in oil prices from $32 in 2004 to $60 in 2006. Interspersed in these oil price increases were efforts towards conservation and peace which noticeably settled or decreased oil prices. However, the trend became clear, whenever there were conflicts between nations, oil prices went up. In the case of Colombia, oil facilities have been under constant threat of attack by guerilla groups in the region. Attacks on oil installations and civil conflicts in the region have made oil-importing countries like the United States concerned about oil supplies. These oil importing countries opined that â€Å"attacks on energy infrastructure in Colombia, and especially the implications of Colombian instability for the broader energy-rich Andean region, pose a threat to a key source of oil supplies† (Dunning & Wirpsa, 2004). These conflicts, in the light of the September 11 attacks on American soil gave license to the US to

The Management by Objective Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Management by Objective Approach - Essay Example Management by objective has several principles, which include cascading of organizational objectives, setting goals for each member, participative decision making, over time, and feedback provision and performance evaluation. 1. Better utilization of resources – Here, resources can be measured in financial, human or physical terms. In management by objective, goals can be easily attained by optimum utilization of financial, physical and human resources (Bryman 1996, p.66). These resources can be regulated and efficiently managed to provide the greatest possible benefits for all employees in the company. 2. Development of Personnel – Management by objective is a valuable tool which can be used to develop and train the subordinate managers. The training techniques employed helps the subordinate managers to improve their skills in leadership, decision making, planning, directing and controlling (Migliore 1977, p.78). The flourishing future of a company largely depends on the qualifications of its employees and the quality of the services rendered to its customers. Management by objective helps a company to set several attainable goals to run a project and process oriented organization that enables employees to work in a professional, innovative and customer oriented way. Therefore, the continuous enhancement of technical and personal skills of employees is a critical issue in a company. Hence, the subordinate managers get prepared for promotion to higher posts in the future (Huselid 1995, p.65). 3. Makes planning effective – A solid business plan in a company can be the main difference between failure and success. Most of the businesses fail because they overlooked the idea of a business plan due to a lack of knowledge and time on how to make one. In management by objective, the goals and objective of a company get clearly stated.  

What are the main constraints for the effective enforcement of the Essay - 1

What are the main constraints for the effective enforcement of the Antimonopoly Law in China - Essay Example The Antimonopoly law began operating in early August 2008, making China a vital competition law jurisdiction, for international and domestic businesses, or companies with running activities in China’s territory. Its three broad rules are based on prohibiting abuse of dominant market positions and restrictive agreements, mergers rules preventing mergers or joint ventures that restrict competition as well as control M&A activities, and rules forbidding abuse of administrative powers that end up in competition restriction (Rose, 2012). The application of the law is viewed differently among the people of China. Some think it applies to all businesses or organizations in dealings of providing goods and services, while others think the complexity of the law has something to enhance leniency in state owned enterprises. However, even after its initiation, several factors have dominated to restrict full enforcement of the law. They include limited transparency, concentration, influence from government involvement, outdated economic planning, unreliable market infrastructure, unnecessary enforcement of law, insider control, and general resistance. So far, the Anti Monopoly Law (AML) is being enforced by three bodies; MOFCOM, NDRC and SAIC, to ensure fair competition, safeguard social public and consumer interest, boost economic efficiency, and restrain monopolistic behavior. The enforcement agencies continue to experience challenges and problems in the law enforcement practice, limiting effective application and acceptance of the AML by the people. Over the years, the enforcement agencies have been handling many cases to do with monopolistic agreements, merger control, and price and non price related cases for the companies and businesses operating and showing interest to practice within China. The NDRC and SAIC have faced accusations

Discuss the roles and the purposes of higher education Should 50% of PowerPoint Presentation

Discuss the roles and the purposes of higher education Should 50% of 18-30 years old go to University - PowerPoint Presentation Example ide quality education so that it ensures that education outcomes that are both measurable and recognizable are attained especially in numeracy, communication, and literacy skills. Quality education will ensure that those who pass the system have the right qualifications (Layer 2002a,p.148). Students doing practicals Higher education in every institution ensures that the learners participate during election of their leaders. This will in turn boost their democratic right as well s a civil participation. This produces individual who will actively with in their countries and communities affair Higher education has the role of developing education whose content and methodologies aims at promoting individual social and cultural realities. This means that higher education ha the capacity of ensuring that the social aspect of individual is promoted. This produces an individual who can successfully socialize with others from different societal setting. Higher education also produces individuals who can appreciate different cultures from the world (Arche 2003,p.206). The institutions of higher education are charged with the process of national development and majorly they involved in development of their immediate societies. These institutions play a key role in uplifting lives in the community by establishing life-sustaining projects through 3xtension and community service. The research done in institutions of higher education, link the community and these institutions thus contributing directly to the welfare of the community (Catelles 2000, p.98). Institutions of higher education have well-trained teachers that equip the learners with adequate knowledge, attitudes, skills, and cultures, which will enable the learners to effect the much needed change in the society. In this regard the institutions produce holistic individuals. This means that the knowledge received in colleges and universities will enable them to agents of change in the society. The learners from