Impact Of The Creative City Theory Cultural Studies Essay

Impact Of The Creative City Theory Cultural Studies Essay The creative city has become an amazingly popular concept in recent years. Along with the appearance of Richard Floridas book The Rise of the Creative Class (2002), and Charles Landrys The Creative City (2000), it seems that every city is developing a creative city policy. At the same time, the creative city concept is under serious debate in the academic world. Nevertheless, a gap exists between the academic literature that discusses the development of the creative city on a conceptual level, and the actual policy development in individual cities. On the one hand, many cities base their policies on limited sources. These include the works of Landry and Florida. On the other hand, cities take over the content of successful creative city policies such as Barcelona or Lille. They update their own policies then with the concept of the creative city (Chatterton, 2000, p. 392). In a similar vein, Russo and Van der Borg (2010, p.686) state that the relation between culture and urban economic remains largely a black box in which cities move like amateurs. Accordingly, creative city policy tends to be ad hoc rather than moving towards the professionalization of creative activities (cf. Jayne, in: Evans, 2009, p. 1011). In the next chapters, firstly, we will summarize quickly academic literature explaining the concept of the creative city in more detail. Secondly, we will review policies of four Dutch cities described by Kooijman and Romein (2007) to find out more about the presence of creative city elements. Finally, we try to find out what the impact of the creative city theory on practice policies really are. In the discussion there are a few critics that have some interesting points of view and we contemplate on the usefulness for my graduation project. Concept of the Creative City Knowledge-based activities are of crucial importance for the growth in modern urban economies. Some regional economists claim that local clusters of linked industries and institutions in specific sectors are essential elements for urban competitiveness. People-based perspectives emphasize the importance of highly skilled and well educated workers as the key to economic success. Although many members of the creative class are high-educated, Richard Florida stressed in his books (Florida, 2002, 2005) the importance of creative talent for economic growth. Following his train of thought, it is primarily the capacity to generate new ideas, new knowledge and technologies, and new forms and content, and the ability to solve complex problems, that determines whether technologically-advanced companies decide to locate and invest in a city. Floridas assumption is that jobs follow people, rather than that people follow jobs. Local economic policy should thus be primarily aimed at attracting cre ative people rather than business. It is a well-known fact that creative people prefer urban places with an attractive living environment, a good quality of place. If a city can provide this, creative people will settle, and investment in creative, productive activities will follow. According to Florida, this means that places have driven back companies as key organizing units in our economy. By means of the metaphor of the 3Ts, he sums up the qualities of places: technology, talent and tolerance. Technological capacity is seen as a prerequisite for economic success; flows of talented people are regarded essential, since these are the carriers of creativity; and tolerance is thought of as the crucial magnet, the supply-side foundation upon which creative clusters are built (Peck, 2005, p.746). Besides the 3Ts, there is a broad array of other factors that the creative class takes in mind when making decisions. On the basis of both theoretical and operational findings, Trip (2007, p. 31) concluded that diversity, specific amenities, liveliness and culture are key-concepts that generate a creative life packed full of intense, high-quality, multidimensional experiences. It can also be assumed that creative talent attaches great importance to the presence of third places which are neither home nor work, but forms of outdoor leisure and entertainment where information and ideas can be interchanged (Florida, 2002). This is not seen as an activity which is strictly separated from work and only engaged at certain times of the day, but rather as something which interacts with work in a process of personal and social creative growth. It is interesting to note that Floridas thesis builds on the notion that former established dichotomies such as culture versus economy, work versus leisure, production versus consumption (Mommaas, 1999, p. 177) are becoming less relevant in understanding how an increasing number of people live in cities, and how individual cities prosper. Policies in Practice To get a better inside in the implementation of the creative city theory in the policies in practice I will give an explanation of the policies in four largest Dutch cities investigated by Kooijman and Romein (2007). They made a methodological framework using the policy philosophy model developed by Vermeijden (2001). In this model there is made a distinction between three major components. The normative core contains the basic principles and guidelines of urban policy that consists of the motivation and legitimation of plans and proposals. The policy core is based on concepts, strategies, themes, programs and policy objectives. It elaborates the normative core into policies. The secondary aspects consist of the practical core of implementation includes the legal, administrative, financial and organisational framework. Amsterdam Economic policy in Amsterdam views as a key concept for economic performance. Currently the city is focusing on both banks of the IJ river and in the Eastern Port Area, by realizing large consumption venues, including a film museum. They are also strengthening the attractiveness of public spaces (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2004a), urban living (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2003a, 2005), and the city as a consumer environment. The city doesnt exclusively focus on the creative class, nor at highly skilled workers. This because of the fact that the city already more than 50 per cent highly skilled workers. Instead the city aims both to encourage creative talent to settle and tourists to visit. Interesting is that they dont distinguish different target groups. They claim that if the city is attractive to its inhabitants that it is also attractive to creative talent and tourists. Nevertheless, the last few years they paid more attention to their traditional characteristic tolerance and open atmosphere. R ecently the Spatial Planning Department replaced its top-down, supply side, design-focused planning approach. They are experimenting with a more demand-side and the role of the local government as mediator. They are actively searching for target groups, costumers and market players to sort into product-market combinations. Amsterdam sees city and region as belonging together. Amsterdam and Almere have thus recently developed the concept of twin city. Amsterdam has also focused on strengthening production with the Science Park Amsterdam. This cluster of high-tech industries is an early example of Dutch knowledge-based urban development policy. With regard to creative and cultural industries, since 1999, the city has invested in a broedplaatsenbeleid. This new policy was the outcome of the clearing large-scale old buildings and a boom in the private construction of commercial mainstream developments. Affordable locations for new creative initiatives became increasingly scarce. And sev eral of the initiatives moved to other cities. This made the local government realize that a valuable kind of economic capital was being destroyed. The policy aimed to take abandoned factories, warehouses, and similar buildings out of the property market, and place them at the disposal of small-scale, start-up enterprises in the creative and cultural industries. They did this, to provide affordable working and living spaces. (Van Ulzen, 2007, p. 181). The only other initiative to strengthen creative production has been the creation of an inventory of creative businesses, including characteristics of their production environments. To provide an empirical basis for possible future policies. (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2003b, 2006a, 2006b). Utrecht In Utrecht in the policy there is a focus on consumer environments notable as well. Two documents (Gemeente Utrecht, 203b, 2003c) aim at the strengthening of the inner city as a hospitable meeting place. Hereby there lies an emphasis on the hospitability sector and the leisure sector. The leisure note (2003b) seek to attract more visitors to Utrecht in order to create jobs and revenues. While the Economic Note (2003c) positions Utrecht as a meeting place for talent. This should draw people to live and work in the city. However, this talent could be described rather highly trained than creative. Those two documents reglect an entrepreneurial approach. This is also present in the Memorandum on Culture (Gemeente Utrecht, 2005), where the economic potential of consumer environments is the foremost priority of the policy-makers. The consumption-oriented policy in Utrecht tries to a achieve culture and leisure services in specific areas of the city. The emphasis lies here on the city cente r. The intention is to create a consumption environment with new shops, catering, cultural services and nightlife activities. The purpose here is to compete successfully with Amsterdam. In addition, area developments have been planned around the central railway station. In the Leidsche Rijn center there is developed a second heart that would generate 80,000 new residents and 40,000 new jobs. These projects include large scale consumption programs. A new music hall, multiplex cinema and a multi-purpose theatre. Finally, large-scale mono-functional retail, sports and recreation projects are planned at the edges of the city. All of these projects reflect the ambition of Utrecht to become a leisure center of national importance. Policy in Utrecht focuses explicitly on reinforcing the cultural and creative production than Amsterdam (Hogeschool voor de Kunsten, 2005). Just like Amsterdam did, Utrecht mapped out its creative sector, but the intention of Utrecht is to use this map actually as tool for strengthening the creative production. The municipal departments of Economy and Culture are attempting to support creative companies by equipping seedbeds and multi-tenant buildings. Utrecht is hereby more explicitly geared towards economic goals than Amsterdam. This is reflected in Utrechts explicit intention to improve the quality of cultural and creative entrepreneurship. Of all four cities, Utrecht is the only one that is engaged ina regional platform of municipalities, collaborating on production. The objective of this is strengthening networks of creative and artistic businesses with other institutions and companies like, educational institutes and banks. The city has a close alliance with the Province via the long term cultural program, Vrede van Utrecht (Treaty of Utrecht, 1713). In the years coming to the third centenary of the Treaty, there will be organized many events. Investments in cultural production will be made that explicitly aim to position Utrecht on the international map of cultural destinations. The focus is not limited to cultural and creative industries. The Economic Memorandum (Gemeente Utrecht, 2003c) focuses on other sectors as well. Business and medical services. The latter is an example of knowledge-based urban development. The aim is to strengthen links between educational and research institutes, healthcare services, and industry. The approach is more explicitly entrepreneurial than Amsterdam . There is a finer balance between the consumption and production based policies. Rotterdam The production and consumption-oriented policies in Rotterdam are to be concerned of the grown awareness that the city has about the fact that it lies behind the other three major cities. Due to relatively strong orientation on capital-intensive manufacturing and logistics, lowly skilled labour force, and a low intensity of knowledge (Gemeente Rotterdam, 2004b). The aim of its consumption oriented policy is to improve the citys attractiveness for residents, visitors, and tourists. This policy has clear economic roots, although the relative strength of the economic perspective differs between local government departments and agencies. The municipal Department of Art Cultures Cultural Plan 2005-2008 (Gemeente Rotterdam, 2003) puts major social and educational goals forward. The mission statements of the Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Rotterdam (OBR) and the Economic Developmetn Board of Rotterdam (EBDR) are spatial economic in nature. Their consumption oriented policy clearly reflects an entrepr eneurial approach. The OBR chaired the inter departmental Working Group that was responsible for developing the vision of the citys leisure and entertainment provision in 2001( Gemeente Rotterdam, 2001). This vision connected twenty-four locations (mostly in the center and on the waterfront) with ten different leisure themes (shopping, modern architecture, cultural heritage, sports and port, maritime and water related activities. Specific combination of themes was developed for each location. The vision acted as a framework for inviting entrepreneurs form the leisure industry to invest in the city (Gemeente Rotterdam, OBR, 2004c). Like Utrecht, Rotterdam, explicitly aspires to strechthen its leisure economy. And they also acknowledge the importance of large consumption projects in area development programs. Indeed, the building, extension, and renovation of sports facilities, multiplex cinemas, theatres and museums have been features of urban policy since the 1970s. Furthermore, Rot terdam places significant emphasis on large scale, outdoor summer festivals. In 2005, Rotterdam won the National Festival City of the Year award for the second time. Rotterdam has developed a policy that focuses directly on encouraging creative production. This is more explicitly than Amsterdam and in a more elaborate way than Utrecht. This is emphasized in the Economic Vision 2020 memorandum (Gemeente Rotterdam, EDB, 2004a). This is even further developed in two policy documents (Gemeente Rotterdam, 2005b; Gemeente Rotterdam, EDBR, 2006). The former reflects the priority assigned to the development of audio-visual expertise in competition rather than cooperation with other cities. Rotterdam makes work of creativity is a more general policy document that denominates four promising creative sectors for further development. The document distinguishes four types of creative zones. Those are areas where designated policies stimulate concentrations of creative businesses. Visibility thro ugh clustering is considered as a precondition for a successful creative-sector development. The intention is that the creative cluster, the medical cluster and the portbound industries should create the international profile of Rotterdam in the near future (Gemeente Rotterdam, EDBR, 2004a). For the creative cluster in particular, the local government aims to focus on improving the citys quality of place.. This in order to attract and retain students and other creative people. However the most policy initiatives concerned the Creative City aim on more on production instead. This includes the upgrading of entrepreneurship and improvement of adjustment of the knowledge infrastructure to creative production (Gemeente Rotterdam, OBR, 2005a; Gemeente Rotterdam EDBR, 2006). The role of the local government in the expansion of these three sectors of local economy is to facilitate the process of cooperation between businesses , knowledge institutes and municipal departments. In some locatio ns, there are policies aiming to improve urban consumption and strengthen creative production are being combined with large scale area redevelopment programs. In the Lloydkwartier and the Kop van Zuid, leisure, residential developments for the new middle class are being developed alongside cultural and creative sectores. The Kop van Zuid had already been designated as a strategic urban development program in the early 1980s (Ter Borg and Dijkink, 1992). Amsterdams IJ-oever and Utrechts Central Station area are also focusing on area redevelopment, but not so explicitly in support of creative production. The Hague The Hague is a city that attaches a great deal of importance to culture. It seeks to strengthen forms of small-scale cultural production by stimulating these to interlink with consumption. The keyword is integration and the intention is that producers of culture should be more open to the public. Moreover, the intention is that established actors should themselves open up to local producers, to create public for the latter. However, local memoranda (Gemeente Den Haag, 2005a, 2005b) state that no changes are needed with respect to retail policy. Leisure policy is less relevant tot the creative city. It is consumption-oriented, and aimed at larg-scale facilities in general and the business tourist in particular. Two areas in The Hague conspicuously represent this approach. The city center and the Scheveningen beach resort. A notable aspect of the local policy is the potential link between culture an economy. There is a suggestion that previously separate policy areas and social domains could be linked to great effect. Linkage is needed in order to allow different economic sectors to profit from one another. The city is actively using its real estate to implement local policy. The city region of The Hague has perhaps the highest amount of inter-municipal co-operation in the four largest Dutch cities. Comparable with Amsterdams proactive approach, The Hague is initiating meeting to answer the interests of cultural producers. A large number of networks are being organized in order to bring the relevant parties together. Producers, theatres and real estate owners (Gemeente Den Haag, 2005c, 2005d). However, discussions exist about the border of the city. Retail and leisure are issues of discussion with secondary cities in the environment (Stadsgewest Haaglanden, 2002, 2006) In addition The Hague is holding talks with Delft about developing the ICT sector. One clear advantage is the location of the University of Technology. The Hague is in discussion with the secondary city of Leiden on the possible relocation of part of the citys university to The Hague. Knowledge based urban development is and increasingly important field of urban policy making. The Hague is at disadvantage as it is the only one of the four largest cities without an university. The policy discourse is at least as explicitly entrepreneurial as that of the other three cities. Altough the two directions, the stimulation of large scale consumption projects and the stimulation of cultural industries, are present in all the four cities. The policy of The Hague is most openly entrepreneurial due to the formulation of specific product-market combinations. The municipality is looking for big spenders. Tourists or high income workers that not yet live in the city. The city aspires to be business-like and a reliable partner'(Gemeente Den Haag, 2005e) Impact of the Creative City theory The four cities have adopted strengthening competitiveness for post-industrial economic growth as a main objective. Just like Florida (2005) they try to attract the highly mobile flow of creative talent. Though the impact of Floridas work it has hardly impact on discussions on the policys normative core. However one interprets Floridas position on the social aspects of the creative economy, this has played no big role in this debate in the Netherlands. Lastly the plea for an open and tolerant social climate in cities does neither appear to have had a significant impact on Dutch policy. The multicultural harmonious Dutch climate, on the contrary, has changed towards the adjustment of diversity to fit the Dutch cultural values and norms. The debate about social inequality, is an issue in Dutch cities, but is separate from the debate on the value and utility of Floridas thesis. The policy core aims to achieve a strong competitive position and good economic performance. Regardless of Floridas aversion on standardized and tightly-scheduled forms of consumption the four cities have planned and developed these new commercial programs anyway. The four cities focus less on improving hard to grasp place quality. Instead they do on direct and explicit support of economic production. One of the tactics of the government is to put old buildings at the disposal of creative producers. The four cities do not have blind faith in the notion that jobs follow when a high quality consumption for the creative class is established. The policies involve small scale production of cultural activities and creative businesses in Rotterdam and the cultural sector in The Hague. However, they pay at least attention to the clusters based on knowledge and the medical clusters in Utrecht and Rotterdam. Moreover, Floridas most important argument, of the creative class, is not prominent in the current policies. Rather the cities aim at attracting graduates and highly trained professionals, to boost scientific knowledge-based sectors, as well attracting visitors and tourists. One obvious aspect is the cooperative network that links institutions with young talented creative producers. For instance in Utrecht the educational institutes took the initiative over the government. The perspective, however, is more local, and cooperation between different municipalities is limited. The impact of Florida on the organisational framework is very limited because he doesnt really gives specific details in his books. Conclusion Discussion The influence of the Creative City theory is considered very limited in the urban policies of the largest four Dutch cities. Floridas vision on urban economic development fits so good that it hardly adds something new. Neither regarding social development nor tolerance had a significant impact on the four cities. The emphasis of Florida lies on creative people, while the policies use the label creative for production. Floridas thesis appears to be little more than a source of inspiration that has been interpreted widely, in order to stimulate creative industries in the context of broader economic growth. There has been no development of governance arrangements that contribute to a more competitive city. Important criticisms these days on the potential of the Creative City theory on sustainable economic growth are. It is a long way from the improvement of qualities of place to economic growth. Second Atzema (2007) states that it is extremely difficult to define who belongs to the creative class and who doesnt. Another criticism is that the suggested interrelation between living, working and leisure is extremely difficult to put into practice (Van Dalm, 2007) Finally Floridas model is typical North American metropolitan area. Very different than the Dutch urban environment, this demands that issues related to qualities of place should be place in a different perspective. For my graduation project this review study has been quite useful. It made me see how different Dutch cities are dealing with creativity in their policies. My project is in Amsterdam which makes it very interesting to notice how other cities are dealing with the same issues. This brought me also more to the understanding that the success of the creative industries are really place specific, while those place qualities are difficult to plan. Therefore those strategies are probably most successful on temporary bases in non planned environment. Desolated industrial areas are really suitable since they have a strong sense of identity. Furthermore it is interesting to see how the implementation of theory in this example is overestimated. Creativity is used as label for production. This insight provides my graduation project with numerous long term possibilities while the creative industries can be used in the trajectory transformation.

Opposites Attract :: essays research papers

Opposites Attract On November 17, 1998, I walked into the halls of Towers High School for the very first time. Nervous and afraid, I was introduced to the eight grade class president, John Hamilton. John was both charismatic and charming. He was the type of guy everyone wanted to be around because he gave off a feeling of security and warmth. When I first met Him, John made me feel welcomed. He opened his heart to me and from that day on, I looked for friends willing to do the same. As I grew older, I met two of the most converse individuals in the world. When I was first introduced to Chris and Desmond, I did not know what to think. Everyone said that they were best friends, but for some strange reason I just could not understand why. As time passed we became closer and we grew fonder of each other. We did just about everything together. Then finally, after all the years of questioning their relationship, it finally hit me, opposites attract. Chris grew up in a stable home with a mother, a father, a sister, and an older brother. He learned how to live life very differently than anyone I’ve every met because he had to learn how to provide and to survive on his own. Even though he had both a mother and a father living with him, they still did not have enough money to provide everything for him immediately after his birth. He learned how to be independent and that has made him the person he is today. When he was fourteen, his family moved from a low income neighborhood to an upper middle class neighborhood. From rages to riches, some people might say, but that was not the case. Chris was still the same cheap guy. Chris has the type of personality that I absolutely hated when I first met him. He said things that were true, but uncalled for at the time. He just told the truth no matter what or who might got hurt. I honestly could not stand him for that. As we became closer I began to understand that was a very outspoken individual, who never held back. And now I really appreciate that about his character. Chris is my balance in life. Whenever I’m on cloud nine, he always brings me back to reality. Desmond is also my best friend.

The Power of Words Essay -- Psychology Essays

The Power of Words Communication and language are not always synonymous. Gesticulations and facial expression can convey certain messages that often make verbal expression unnecessary. Although I appreciate the endless possibilities that are associated with speaking, our primary means of communication, I have discovered that the human capacity for speech might not be as extremely innate as the linguist Noam Chomsky claimed. A few years ago, I had the privilege of encountering a thirty-five year-old woman named Joann at a summer camp for adults with multiple disabilities. Being extremely autistic, Joann was unable to close her mouth, let alone form distinguishable words. Instead of talking, her principal method of communication was to make clicks and guttural noises when she was upset or wanted something. Unlike the case of Genie, who was reared in a small room without human contact, Joann and many other autistic people are not raised in silence and should have theoretically learned to talk (as per Chom sky's theory). The camp counselors encouraged Joann's attempts at speech and tried to build her verbal skills, but they were never able to progress beyond monosyllabic words. Why wasn't she able to speak and why did they fail? To a certain extent, language is innate, but Daniel Dennett trivialized the depth and complexity of linguistics. He wrote, "...it's so effortless...for even 'slow' children to learn to speak. They aren't really learning at all, any more than birds learn their feathers. Language, and feathers, just develop in species..." (Dennett 388). This generalization is horribly arrogant and unfair to people like Joann, for whom any form of verbal communication is hardly 'effortless.' I think that some form of learn... ...heoretically could be speaking or trying to covey some message when she makes those utterances, as if she had completely bypassed the evolution of clicks into words. It has been suggested by psychologists that there is a "critical period" for language acquisition which theorizes that children lose the capacity to readily absorb new languages by the end of their toddler years. The fact that children are able to learn new languages so quickly shows that to some extent, language is innate, but speech is not acquired so easily. Joann will probably never be able to speak like other people, but there exists the possibility of her understanding much more than Dennett would give her credit for. Works Cited: Dennett, Daniel C. Darwin's Dangerous Idea. Simon and Schuster: New York, 1995. Pennisi, Elizabeth. "The First Language?" Science 27 Feb. 2004: 1319-1320.

Immigrants in Action :: Short Stories Immigration Equality Papers

Immigrants in Action Members of the Comità © de Inmigrantes en Accià ³n Santa Teresa (the St. Theresa Committee of Immigrants in Action) look solemn this evening. It is Friday, 5:00 PM, in the basement of St. Theresa's Church. The basement boasts a distinctly cafeteria-like atmosphere: fluorescent lights, linoleum floors, folding chairs, bare walls, and long institutional tables. Appropriate, a church volunteer later informs me, as the room also functions as a soup kitchen for homeless and low-income families. Outside, red late afternoon sunlight diffuses through the air and low-bellied cars cruise the streets, bursting with hip-hop beats. But neither the music nor the sun can penetrate the brick church walls. Inside it is quiet, except for the buzzing of blue-white lights. The sparseness of the large space makes the Comità © look small. There are ten members present this evening, huddled around one table near the entrance. They straggle in during the first half hour of the meeting, nodding hellos, hanging jackets, pulling up chairs. Juan Garcà ­a, the Comità © leader, has positioned himself at the head of the table. Beside his chair rests a bulging black briefcase and spread out before him are folders, binders, pamphlets, papers, all in neat stacks. The words Puerto Rico promenade merrily across his T-shirt, the "e" and the "r" interrupted by the ever-present gold locket that hangs around his neck. It is splayed open, as usual, la Virgen Maria holily presiding over the Comità ©. Garcà ­a started the Comità © in 1999, with the support of St. Theresa's, a Catholic church on the West side of Providence, Rhode Island. The church secured him a paid position as an organizador comunitario - a community organizer. The Comità ©'s most immediate mission is simply stated: to assure permanent residency for the 6-9 million some-odd undocumented immigrants in the United States. Garcà ­a, himself a documented Guatemalan immigrant, collaborates with the Latin American community in Providence and the surrounding areas to raise awareness about the most recent immigration policies and proposals and to encourage the people to organizarse. Organize themselves. As the Comità © is part of the National Coalition for Dignity and Amnesty, a nation-wide network of similar groups, Garcà ­a also keeps tabs on events and advancements in other parts of the country. The size of the Comità © is forever fluctuating: at the moment, it includes about ten members, documented and undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America.

Enter the Void Film Review

Enter If You Must A testament of cinematic genius, a daring and psychedelic composition, an adventure through reality and the afterlife: Enter the Void is unlike any movie one has seen or probably will see in the future. Written and directed by the Frenchman Gaspar Noe, Enter the Void is a complex film that constantly experiments with the director’s unique visual style. Enter the Void follows the tragic story of a young American drug dealer, Oscar, as he struggles to survive in the neon-lit and chaotic streets of Tokyo. Early in the film, Oscar is shot and killed in a drug bust gone wrong.The rest of the film is captured from the perspective of Oscar’s spirit, as he revisits important moments of his past and watches over his loved ones. Enter the Void challenges all theories about life and death, explores the world of drugs and sex, and reaffirms the true value of a brother and sister relationship. However, what makes Enter the Void especially distinct is that the camer a only shoots through the first-person perspective of Oscar, as we watch everything through his eyes. Noe’s commitment to presenting the whole film through Oscar’s perspective dates back to films such as Robert Montgomery’s Lady in the Lake.Noe is able to effectively bring the audience into Oscar’s conscience with this camera technique, and the detail makes the film all a more fascinating experience. Throughout the film, Noe consciously alters the POV-style of the camera to represent different stages of the character’s life. When Oscar is alive, the camera is strictly through his viewpoint, and we are reminded he is alive from his eyes blinking on the screen. This POV-style allows us to get to know Oscar on a very personal level, as his every action and thoughts are always seen by the audience from a perspective they are used to seeing their own life from.When Oscar dies, Noe changes the camera to an over-the-shoulder shot, and all we can see is th e back of Oscar’s head. This POV-style allows the audience to revisit moments of Oscar’s past from a different perspective, one that is uninviting, but it also allows the audience to finally be able to care for a character who they can see visibly. Eventually, Noe removes Oscar’s silhouette from view, and the camera hovers like a ghost over Tokyo in a fantastic out-of-body visual display. The swooping and soaring camerawork perfectly transcribes the feeling of Oscar’s spirit flying through the luorescent lights and towering skyscrapers on the Tokyo skyline. There is a dreamlike quality to this camera view, and Noe masterfully mesmerizes the audience with a psychedelic display of colors, lights, and movement. The different POV-styles of the camera are definitely an important tool that constantly reminds the audience what stage they are following Oscar in: Life, death, or in his memories. Without a doubt, Enter the Void courageously experiments with camera perspective, and Noe is able to create an exciting visual experience for the audience, while telling his story in a non-traditional manner.Enter the Void is not only remarkable for its daring first-person perspective camera work, but Gaspar Noe’s brilliant use of computer-generated imagery allows him to visually synthesize the sex, drugs, and violence of this film, into a complex masterpiece. Noe is able to create a visual beauty and sense of spirituality through the help of computer-generated imagery, even allowing the audience to share Oscar’s experience hallucinating after smoking DMT. Noe experimented with hallucinogens in his youth, and his experiences had a profound influence on the visuals in Enter the Void.He would often reference paintings, photographs, music videos, and other films in order to describe his psychedelic experiences to his design team. As Oscar starts his trip, the screen transforms into a collage of brightly lit shapes and colors. The elaborate designs and images incorporate the audience into Oscar’s character, a lost and troubled youth, and we experience his thoughts and viewpoint first hand. Noe experiments with a new language of film, as the various textures and morphing images he uses are essential in achieving a 3D feeling without any glasses.Noe constantly breaks from the typical conventions of film, as he simultaneously combines experimental visuals with obscure POV-styles. When filming the camera shots hovering over Tokyo, Noe combined studio scenes, helicopter shots, and computer-generated imagery into one so the audience could not tell them apart. The dreamlike world of Enter the Void was achieved by accentuating the neon lights, reflections, and dark areas of Tokyo. Noe even experimented with motion blur, chromatic aberration, and focus effects to create the mysterious flickers that add to Tokyo’s sleazy psychedelic environment at night.Noe’s visuals and unique storytelling methods definite ly show similarities to his favorite film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The light corridor scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey clearly influenced Gaspar Noe, as Noe re-creates the same feelings of amazement and mystery that come from special effects, camera movement, and lighting. Noe’s work has also been compared to Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke, as they both have created experimental works that distort the formal elements of film, often in a frustrating, cruel, and provocative way.Enter the Void is effectively able to draw the audience into the film through personal relationships with the characters, but it is the film’s fascinating use of visuals and CGI that makes it hold meaning with the audience on a spiritually mesmerizing level. Overall, Enter the Void is a phenomenal work that recognizes the experimental side of film, as it combines an unconventional plot, daring POV-styles, and outstanding computer-generated imagery.Gaspar Noe masterfully combines digital effects wi th unique cinematic techniques, and as a result Enter the Void is a mind-altering experience that constantly challenges our theories on life, death, and the spiritual. Noe breaks away from the usual conventions of film, and this gives him the freedom to embrace his creativity, and follow his true passions. Enter the Void will surely take one on a captivating journey through hell and back, but more importantly it will open one’s eyes to how a director can expand the possibilities of film.

Goals: Goal and Long Term

Why are goals necessary in life? Goals are objectives set for one to achieve. They come in different types and different length of time. One can have a personal, academic or career goal along with long term or short term goals. There are many goals I would like to achieve. I have created my long term personal, academic and career goals. My long term personal goal I have set for myself is to stay connected to my parents and siblings. I also want to have a family of my own. My academic long term goal is to complete four years in college and obtain a masters or bachelors degree in Computer Analysis.My career long term goal is to get a job in Computer Analysis.. Who should be the most important people in your life? Your parents and siblings are the people that you should never forget. For my long term personal goal, I would like to keep a strong relationship with my family because they are the people who was there for me whenever I needed them. To keep a strong relationship, I believe I need to have an open communication with my parents. For instance, I would call them if I were to come home late or keep them informed of my whereabouts. I want a family of my own that I can provide for them with a good home and with a stable income.I believe to reach this goal I need a small step. I want to save money and keep some in a savings account that I can use later in life for my family. I believe to reach this goal I need a short term goal that I can concentrate on for a short period of time. I feel that I need to show my parents that I am a responsible person and that I can fulfill any responsibilities given to me. During this journey in reaching in this goal, we may come cross penny little arguments that may escalate into bigger problems but surely if I follow my game plan everything should be alright. Education should be the first thing in everyone’s mind.Since I was a child, I had valued education very greatly. It has always been a big part in my life. For my lon g term academic goal, I want to complete my fours in college and proceed in my academic career. To maintain this goal, I would need to stay focus on my school work and keep up good grades. I would like to maintain a GPA of 3. 5 or higher. In order to complete this, I would have to do a lot of studying and dedicate most of my time into school. In the meantime, I would like to keep studying hard and concentrate in school. I would make school my number one priority or challenge.One challenge that can break this goal is procrastination. I tend to keep putting off some homework and leave it to do at the last minute. This will cause major problems and infer with my goals. But if I tackle my assignments early I know I can overcome that challenge. My long term career goal is something that can make my life better or worse. My long term career goal is to find a job that would give me a stable and comfortable life style. I would prefer a job to be along the lines in computers. If I want a dec ent job in the lines of computers, I would first need to find a temporary job that can help me get experienced.For example, I would look for a job like in Best Buy dealing with computers and helping customers fix their computers. I can also work in an office as a technician who fixes computers or any type of technology machines. The only challenge I foresee in the up coming years is the limited amount of computer related jobs. But I know if I follow each of my goals to my full ability I can overcome any obstacle laying in my way. I believe everyone should set goals because it helps you be organized and on track of what you would like to achieve.People can have different types of goals and even different time length of goal. The goals I have listed in this paper are personalized goals to help me benefit my life in an easier way. From keeping a good relationship with my family to graduating with a degree or even to getting a job along the lines of computers, I know I can follow each o f these goals and fulfill it without any obstacle getting in the way. Even if some goals were short term or long term, I feel that I can achieve these goals if I put my heart into it and work hard everyday.

Palmal Group of Industries

Palmal’s Background: Established in the year 1984, Palmal group of industries ensure its quality, standards and is engaged in manufacturing of all kinds of knitted garments. Engr. Nurul Haque Sikder is the founder of company. Now he is present chairman of group. Managing director Mr. Nafis Sikder, son of Engr. Nurul Haque Sikder took the leadership in the year 2001. He is guiding the group with his wide experience and skill. Business Intervention: †¢ Palmal is mainly RMG focused group of industries. Expanding in the areas of knit composite and other backward linkage industries. Palmal’s Vision: Palmal stands behind its garments products with quality assurance. Palmal believes that quality is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilful execution. To provide customers with the most comprehensive sourcing, production, design & product development service, guaranteeing quality, competitive pricing & qu ick turnaround times with an excellent professional personalized service. Palmal’s Mission: Palmal’s mission is to be the market leader, in providing clothing from Bangladesh to its customers around the globe. To be a market leader it is committed to develop high quality, sophisticated and deviation-free products in its capacity and make on time delivery to its customers. Objectives of palmal: Palmal has name objective for the development of the society. The objectives of palmal are giving below: 1. To increase the economic development of the country. 2. To create employment opportunity. 3. To play positive in the process of industrial development of Bangladesh. 4. Palmal Assures quality and customer services. Palmal’s Commitment- †¢ Regular production updates to the Importer. †¢ Facilitate & Co-ordinate the Buyer’s visits to Bangladesh. †¢ Handle orders of any volume, style & color. †¢ Short lead times & in time delivery. †¢ Best quality and first service. †¢ Handle orders of any volume, style & color †¢ Excellent customer service. †¢ Best service from others. †¢ A headache & hassle free one stop solution to Importers †¢ 100% clients satisfaction Corporate Offices of Palmal Groups : | |Due to space constraint, Palmal had to arrange its corporate office in 4 different buildings located in Gulshan-1 area. | |Offices identity |Location | |Corporate Head Office (MD and C. O. O’s Secretariat) |House # 16, | | |Road # 30, Gulshan-1 | |Admin. Compliance Dept. |House # SWB/20, Road # 08, Gulshan-1 | |Comme rcial, Transport, Maintenance, Wal-Mart Sample and |House # 2B, | |Banking |Road # 29, Gulshan-1 | |Mainstream HRM, Factory HR, Sweater Division, Local |Crystal : Point, H # 2, R # 21, Gulshan-1 | |Procurement, Accounts, T&OD Dept. Merchandizing(Partly) | | Board of Directors |Name |Position | |Engr. Nurul Haque Sikder |Chairman | |Mr. Nafis Sikder |Managing Director & CEO | |Mrs. Meherunnesa Haque |Director | |Mrs. Sylvana Sikder |Director | |Mrs. Tajrina Sikder. |Director | |Mr. A. K. M Sazzadul Karim |Director & C. O. O | |Key persons | |Name |Designation | |Mr. Nafis Sikder |Honorable Managing Director | |Mr. A. K. M Sazzadul Karim |Honorable Director & C. O. O | |Mr. Amzad Hossain |Chief advisor to MD | |Mr. Ashith Laxmidas Dayalal |Director (Marketing), Garments Div, | |Mr. Aseem Sood. |Vice president, (Marketing –GAP Div | |Mr. Tahmid Zaman Khan |Director (Marketing), Sweater and AWL | |Mr. Aseem Sood. |Vice president, (Marketing-GAP Div) | |Major Sofiul Azam Chowdhury (Retd) |Director, (Admin. & Compliance) | |Mr. A. A. M. Munir |Director(P. P & Q. A Coord) | |Key Persons | |Name Designation | |Mr. Emdad Hossain |Director (Production) & In-charge, ACML | |Mr. Shakil Rahman |Director (Marketing) | |Mr. Ruhul Amin Siddiqui |General Manager (Commercial) | |Mr. S. A. Nakib |General Manager, HRM | |Mr. Shair Nasser Azad |General Manager (Administration) | |Mr. Kazi A. Muhit |General Manager (Accounts) | |Shelkh Obaidur Rahman |GM-Quality, CSI | |S. M. Sanowar Hossain. |GM-PP & Cord, W*M | |Md. Hossain Ahmed |GM-Quality | Sister Concerns | |Type of Business |No of Concerns | |Garments Factories |20 | |Sweater Factories |02 | |Knit Composite Mills |02 | |Washing Plant |02 | |Embroidery |01 | |Central Store |05 | |Sample Section |05 | |Cutleries Industry |01 | |Total |38 | Corporate strategy of Palmal: To develop a comprehensive strategy for palmal, it integrates the finance, marketing, human resource, accounting, quality, and operations functions. According to the corporate strategy, it carries out all the organization’s functions. Under the corporate strategy, it determines for which customers or clients it will produce product, which new product it will produce in future, which new strategy it will take for international market to survive. Operations strategy: To do its daily activities palmal takes operations strategy. These strategy help palmal to achieve the company’s corporate strategy. By using these strategies, it takes decisions about when the products produce, where it produces the products, how many workers it needs, what are the training requirements of the worker, what is the target level of quality for the products, how should suppliers be selected, what is expected from the suppliers, what types of technology it should be used to develop its product etc? Palmal’s product: This company produces knit garments product especially. The main products of palmal are: Man’s T-shirt | | Sport wear | | Long sleeves polo shirt | | Man’s sweater | | Women’s sweater | | Man ’s jacket | | Women’s jacket | | Corporate uniform | | Baby long sleeve T-shirt | | Baby suit | Technology used in Plamal: Palmal group uses version types of technology to run their daily activities such as – 1. Telephone 2. Fax 3. Entrance control system: This is the system that controls employee entrance and leave employee uses their entry card to enter office. A central computer record employee they use the card and computer saves their leaving time. 4. E-mail: Palmal widely use e-mail. To communicate with its customers and suppliers. They order raw material through e-mail. They also receive order by mail. The employees of Palmal use e-mail to communicate among themselves. This type of communication helps interdepartmental communication. Palmal is not using ERP because management thinks that ERP will disclose confidential data to employers. However, at present its management team have award about the importance of ERP. They are planning to implement ERP in their organization very soon, as they are facing many types of problem not for using ERP. Manufacturing strategy: To produce products palmal applies Make-to-order strategy. After taking the order from the buyers then it produces the product. Therefore, inventory is kept at a minimum level. Strategic vision Manufacturing process: Palmal follows assembly process to produce the product. It collects different finished goods from its suppliers. After collecting various finished goods then it produces a whole product. To produce a shirt as a whole product it collects buttons, nylon fabrics, and such kinds of different finished goods. Different Stitch Number and their applications: Stitch Class |Application | |100 Stitch Class |Basting Button sewing BTN whole spot taking | |Chain Stitch |hamming, belt loops filling | |Blind Stitch | | |200 Stitch Class | | |Back Stitch |To attach laise and elastic | |Catch Stitch | | |Running Stitch | | |300 Stitch Clas s |To lock parts of bodies bottom rolling | |Lock Stitch | | |400 Stitch Class |To attach main seam permanent edges | |Chain Stitch | | |500 Stitch Class | | |Over lock C/S |Surging blind hemming | | |Seaming Surging | | |Break open Surging | Stitching process: All the above stitch used to make any garments. But what stitch will follow in which process will be notified by the buyer. By following that instruction, Palmal can only stitch the garments. Stitch also depends on the process of stitching. For heavy fabric or critical process, the stitch will be different and for the thin fabric and easy style, stitch will not be same. Quality Assurance: Palmal group is highly committed to produce and supply highly quality product to its customers. To produce high quality garments products they collect high quantity raw material from their suppliers. Palmal groups have quality assurance department that is responsible to control and check the quality of raw products from their suppliers. As customers of Palmal group requires high quality products, they emphasis on high quality product. Their production control department ensures production is exactly as approved quality standards. Three or more inspections are carried out during the production process. Initial inspection, checks on fabric, wlor thread and first run of production. Second inspection and final inspection check on products and ensure whole production is up to quality standard. Palmal group believe quality products are the key to repeat business. Turnover of Palmal In 2007: Approximately US$ 100 Millions equivalent to Tk. >700 Cores from Export. In 2008: Approximately US$ 110 Millions from Export. In 2009: Projected Turnover is US$120 Millions from Export [pic] Embroidery CAPACITY: ? 6 threads with different color at the same time. ? 20 lines in each machine ? 650 Stitches per minute. ? Same machine cannot be used for diff. jobs at the same time Why Palmal is the order winner? Palmal’s Knowledge and commitment has made it a multi product company with clients all over the world. It works hard to address the expectations of its customer in an innovative way. It tries to maintain long listing relation with its clients and ensures serving best to them based on following parameters: †¢Ã‚  High Product facility   Sourcing of products from reliable manufacturers at competitive prices   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Good quality & on time delivery †¢Ã‚  Believes in cost effective productivity †¢Ã‚  Enjoys a reputation for â€Å"clean business practices† †¢Ã‚  Strong network of manufacturers and vendors †¢Ã‚   Regular Supervision of products right from the production to the shipment stage . Ordering system of Palmal: At this time, Palmal does not offer on-line ordering. Before ordering the product clients should communicate with the company through fax, telephone, letter or e-mail. Clients should print out the order form, fill it out completely and send with a check, money order, or credit card information to the address at the offices. They should also send the sample of the product to the company. If everything is favorable for the company then Palmal take the offer from the clients. PALMAL’S CLIENT LIST: It is palmal’s ambition to has a lateral thought process which will help in designing unique and innovative range of apparels. All its endeavors are well appreciated by its clients, which has motivated it to go beyond the expectations of its clients. As an accomplished house, it has clients across the globe. The customer satisfaction it is acquired has led to a strong credibility for UK & Europe in market. It is established its export market in Germany, Italy, France, Bangkok, Mexico, UK, Europe. List of major clients or buyers: | Gap Inc. | WaL*Mart USA | | WaL*Mart Canada | | Charming Shoppes | | New Wave | | GEORGE | | Primark | | Zara | | Nygard | | K. Mart | | SEARS | | TESCO | | TARGET-Stores | | Li & Fung | Suppliers of Palmal: Supplier’s selection criteria of Palmal: To select suppliers Palmal follows some rules. Such as- †¢ Quality-to purchase raw materials from suppliers at first it thinks the quality of the product. Because the future of garments factories heavily depends on quality. †¢ Cost- it thinks about the cost of the raw materials which it will purchase †¢ Delivery-on time delivery is a major to select a supplier †¢ Financial soundness-before purchasing it considers the financial soundness of the suppliers. Kinds of raw materials: Inventory control system of Palmal: Palmal controls inventory to meet its future customers demand. It controls the inventory based on quantity. This system is designed to ensure that an item will be available on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Types of inventory Palmal maintain: Palmal stock some important goods for its future safety. Like- |Nylon fabrics | |Cotton fabrics | |Different kinds of buttons | |Plain Machine | |Button Attach machine | |Chain stitch machine | Palmal’s layout: The factories under the palmal group of industries are designed in such a way so that they can do their work properly. In factories similar machines are grouped together to do work. For example, to sew all sewing machines are grouped together in one area. Cutting sections are separated from other sections to do its cutting work. Inspection sectors are detached from others for checking fabrics. Select a location for a new factory of Palmal: To establish a new factory Palmal basically thinks about- †¢ Trade Zone †¢ Transportation facility †¢ Labor cost †¢ Export – Import facility †¢ Power supplies †¢ Rent †¢ Political environment †¢ Near to the competitor SWOT analysis of Palmal: Palmal group of industries has achieved great success over a short time of period. However, the global market environment for textile and clothing industries is in transitional stage and will change at the end of the phasing out quota. This change in global trade will create new challenges for the company. Therefore, high productivity, free access in backward supply line, shorter lead-time determines the company’s competitiveness. The following analysis of strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT) concisely sum up the conclusion of the competitiveness of palmal group of industries. Strength- †¢ Low labor cost. †¢ Energy at low price. Easily accessible infrastructure like sea road, railroad, river and air communication. †¢ Excellent Tele-communications network of E-mail, Internet, Fax, ISD, NWD & Cellular services. †¢ Scope for career development. †¢ Country leading Pay Master in RMG Sector. †¢ People developer. †¢ Having fully COMP LINT Factories. †¢ Consider people as â€Å"Resources†. †¢ Avoid discriminations to the best possible extent. †¢ Exercising fair practices in Employment. †¢ Value good workers and avoid troublemakers. †¢ Assure workplace safety. †¢ Factory is located in industrial area where company can enjoy uninterrupted power supply. Labor union is not all owed in the KDS groups since all labor related matters are dealt by KDS industrial area. Factory is able to ratify of their customer in the specific market according to their demand. Weakness – †¢ Lack of marketing tactics. †¢ A small number of manufacturing methods. †¢ Time-consuming custom clearance. †¢ Subject to natural calamities. †¢ Most of the raw materials from abroad, this is cause of high price, which are affected the production cost. Opportunity- Cheap and abundant labor force. Availability of foreign buyer in Steel Products. Palmal has a chance to create his own market by showing the quality of the products and working condition of the factory. To establish a new factory without long term agreement which is also based on the another buyer or customer by showing the new technology which is now at present Threat- Political situation of under developed country like Bangladesh is a major threat for Palmal. Technology is developing day by day. Therefore, technology is also changing rapidly. There is hardly any local source of raw materials Palmal, since backward linkage industries have not been developed in our country. Therefore, it is a threat for Palmal. Awards: For consistence and good product and service provided to their customers, â€Å"Palmal Groups† won several national and international awards. â€Å"National Award†: For their contribution to the national economy and for successful operational activities â€Å"Palmal Groups† achieved President best Performance Award in two consecutive years. International Award: Palmal is always committed to provide their customers with high quality product and service. In return, of their quality maintenances they have got several awards from international buyers. The awards are— Best supplier award from â€Å"Wal-Mart† in 2004, 2006 and 2007 Recommendations & Conclusion: . The company does not apply Operation Research models as well as tools. Initiative steps should be taken to apply Operation Research models as well as tools as early as possible to establish efficiency, productivity, competitive advantages etc. in the company. Palmal should use modern technology and software to develop its productivity and to increase its profit. However, Palmal has strong managerial support for which over a period of last seven years the company’s business growth is more than 300%. ———————– Customer Palmal Society Market Corporate Strategy Marketing functions Financial functions Operation functions Accounting functions Human resource functions Purchasing functions Quality assurance functions Product development functions Customer needs New products Current products Competitive dimensions Best Quality Customization Low price Timely delivery Company’s capabilities: Produce the required products New product development Sales the required products