Sollievo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sollievo - Essay Example Hence for the six consecutive advertisements, this value will be $210,000. Advertisements that have more than one color cost more than black and white advertisements. The cost of an advertisement on trade shows is significantly lower than running advertisements on TV or magazines. Advertising made on the trade shows ‘website lower the business cost per sale significantly. If an advertisement from a DR magazine is $50,000, a trade show can be around $30,000 to $40,000. The major benefit of magazine advertisement to a business it the aptitude to display images of higher quality than the direct ones through newspaper or mail. Images full of color and gloss create clear pictures of the products. This gives the public a better idea of the company. Many magazines target a specific people. When an advertisement is posted, it means that someone will at one time pick and read it irrespective of the print date. Hence, increased returns to the business. When used properly and in a timely way, both DR magazine and trade shows have the capacity of increasing business returns to over 100 percent. The effect of an advisement is far much better than staying without

Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Hong Kong Essay The Pearl of Asia or the popularly known as Hong Kong is a dynamic metropolis steeped in unique blend of East and West. Hong Kong is also my hometown I am proud of. Since childhood, the most beautiful sight I even seen is the stunning view of Hong Kong. Apart from that, every spectacular image has its own stories, history, culture, and memories that represent this amazing city. Hong Kong is also astonishing for many reasons. One is the famous Victorian Harbor. The Victorian Harbor always caught my attention and my appreciation because of its unique beauty every time I pass along. Victorian Harbor is eye-catching by the glamorous beauty of the lights especially at night. It is actually separated into two sides of Hong Kong Island. When gazing it, I do it intently from one side to another. On the West side, the view of the tier of high raised neighborhood occupied by thousands of families is visible. It is followed by blocks of vintage colonial era architecture which dates back 150 years ago. It is further packed with more tall buildings. The array of glasses, steel and marble-clad edifices are highly condensed in different color layer ranging from the harbor up to the peak. On the other edge of the harbor, there are many high-end and high-rise apartments facing to the direction of Pacific Ocean. Another unforgettable experience is also the refreshing walk along the Avenue of Stars. The Avenue of Stars is a long road which allows every passerby to experience the panoramic views of the popular Victoria Harbor and the memorable Hong Kong skyline. Upon looking in depth at the opposite harbor, various famous architectural works which signifies about Hong Kong excites me. In addition, there are also modern buildings which signify the economic prowess of the city which includes the Two International Finance Centre, Exchange Square, Home to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, HSBC Main Building, and others. Furthermore, there are also buildings built entirely of structural steel without any reinforced concrete in the inner core. The Convention and Exhibition Center which has been built in the concept of Feng Sui with its sweeping sails roof and vast glass windows proves the respect to the culture. These buildings are the proof of the adherence of the city to traditions, culture, quality a nd modernity. Other than the significant buildings, the details of stunning lights along every blocks and street makes the night livelier, more brilliant, and meaningful. Numerous logos of well-known brands are also apparent on top of buildings. Colored neon light signs also hang on every shop which increases brightness of the entire streets. Every block of apartment is also decorated with its own style. These elements, when added together, form the unique culture of fantastic international city. By looking at the brilliant harbor, views of old and new buildings which live side-by-side, colonial buildings, and glass-and-steel skyscrapers, along with its ancient Chinese traditions and lively local culture can clearly be seen. Through the amazing and scenic views I have witnessed and experienced, I became more proud of my citizenship and being part of this attractive land. The above elements and the unique fusion of Western and Eastern culture are the factors that made Hong Kong apart from the rest of Asia. The views I have witnessed will absolutely be remembered in my memories and will forever be painted in my heart.

Effects Of Warm Up In Learning Second Language

Effects Of Warm Up In Learning Second Language The Effects of Warm up in Learning Second Language Abstract One of the ways to learn the language better is having a good warm up activity. This paper aims to investigate the effects of warm up as a class room activity in learning second language. It is going to have a critical study, and over view of some books and essays about this activity. This paper attends to provide the definition of warm up as an activity before the lesson. Then, it is going to discover that how could warm up affect the learning process? It is probably going to find that having a good warm up activity helps students to set for the new lesson. Key words: Warm up activity, second language, learning process Introduction Warm up is one of the good methods for ESL students to learn the second language better. This paper introduces the concept of warm up as an activity which attracts students attention and helps them to focus on the topic. Literary review An interesting way of starting a lesson could be using activities called warm-up activities or ice-breakers (Robertson Acklam, 2000). Teacher could start warm up activity by using some games, asking questions and having discussions which all should be related to the topic or lesson. A warm up activity could help a teacher to recognize the different types of students learning style. According to CÃ ¡rdenas (2001), Students learn best when they can address knowledge in ways that they trust. They will learn best through doing rather than reflecting. Therefore, teacher could use different styles like play, demonstration, discussion, and totally we could say by action. A warm up activity helps students to put aside any distractions which are in their mind and focus on topic, and it helps ESL students to think in target language. According to Peterson (2010), Beginning your lesson plans with a five minute warm up can serve to focus your students on the topic, open up creative thinking and help to apply the learning in new ways. Purpose of the study This paper assesses the impact of warm up on ESL students and aims to examine the effects of this activity on the learning process. It is going to examine these questions: 1) what are the effects of warm up activity? , and 2) how could warm up affect the learning process? Which offers two hypotheses: 1) this activity may helps ESL students to think in target language (English) and focus on the language,2) this activity may just helps ESL students to put aside any distractions and maybe after awhile they will forget whatever they learned. Therefore, this paper is going to explore the answers of these two questions and then it will discover which hypotheses are right. Method In advance this paper mentions two questions which are going to explain in this section. This paper by using critical review about warm up provides the following answers to these questions; 1) What are the effects of warm up activity? This paper propounds five important effects for warm up which are explained below. 1) Create a friendly environment. A brief warm up activity can build a relationship between the students and the learning materials (Hasan Akhand, 2013).Warm up works as an ice breaker; it helps students to be comfortable with the environment and their classmates. 2) Attract students attention. Walqui (2006) states, by focusing students attention on the main ideas, teacher first prepares the students for engaging them in interactive tasks to practice (p.169). A five or ten minute warm up attracts the students attention toward the lesson and besides being physically in the class it helps them being mentally in the classroom, too. 3) Activate the students background knowledge. Rumelhart (1980) states, we comprehend something only when we can relate it to something we already know-only when we can relate the new experience to an existing knowledge structure (as cited in Carrell, 1983, p.82). Students might forget the things which they have learned from the last class or session. Hence, a warm up activity could activate their background knowledge; things they already know or learned. 4) Think in English and focus on the topic. Kay (1995) claims that warm ups are different types of activities which help the students begin to think in English, review previously introduced materials and become interested in the lesson (as cited in Velandia, 2008, p. 11). A warm up activity could help ESL students to start thinking in second language and forget any distractions and focus on the new topic or lesson. 5) Increase students participation. Warm-up activities like joke, game, and puzzle establish a positive learning environment and make the students comfortable to participate in the classroom (Joshi, 2006). When a teacher uses warm up, because of its enjoyable and interesting feature, students attends to participate or take place in that activity. Students like to be involved in such an amazing warm up activity; it builds a sense of community inside them. Now this paper answers the second question which is: 2) How could warm up affect the learning process? Learning process is facilitated through building a positive relationship with the students. A fun or interesting class largely depends on the teachers as their personality and teaching method motivate the students to raise a positive attitude towards learning (Krishnan Hoon, 2002). Because of all those effects that warm up activity has on ESL students, it is obvious that warm up task could affect the learning process, too. Following is a diagram which displays the effects of warm up task briefly. Diagram: effects of warm up activity Discussion/conclusion This paper, in the purpose of the study, states two hypotheses: 1) this activity may helps ESL students to think in target language (English) and focus on the language,2) this activity may just helps ESL students to put aside any distractions and maybe after awhile they will forget whatever they learned. The first one is acceptable because it is correct and actual, but the second one is reject able because it could help students to put away any distractions but when we use warm up activity, it is a review of what they learned. Hence, they could not forget whatever they learned. In sum up, this paper gets to the point that warm up activity is the best way for thinking in target language, setting for the new lesson, focusing on the topic, and attracting the attention. Therefore, it should be short, interesting, related to the topic, and be at the students level or slightly above (i+1) to have their effect in learning the second language. References Akther, A. (2014). Role of Warm-up Activity in Language Classroom: A Tertiary Scenario. Retrieved from http://dspace.bracu.ac.bd/bitstream/handle/10361/3553/10303010.pdf?sequence=1 Hasan, M. K., Akhand, M. M. (2013). Strategies for Enhancing the Use of Textbooks in Language Classrooms at the Tertiary Level. ABAC Journal, 33 (2), 1-14. Retrieved from http://www.abacjournal.au.edu/2013/may2013/01_StrategiesforEnhancing.pdf Pakdel Estaikhbijari, Z. Khodareza, M. (2012). The Effects of Warm-up Tasks on the Iranian EFL Students Writing Ability. Retrieved from http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ies/article/viewFile/11691/10636 Peterson, D. (2010). Warm-Up Exercises. [Online] Available: http:// www.TeachingJobs.com (September 17, 2010) Velandia, R. (2008). The Role of Warming Up Activities in Adolescent Students’ Involvement During the English Class. Profile Journal, 10, 9-26. Retrieved from http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/1692/169214143002.pdf Walqui, A. (2006). Scaffolding Instruction for English Language Learners: A Conceptual Framework. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9 (2), 159- 180. Retrieved from http://www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/centros/losangeles/es/series/201003-Scaffolding- Walqui.pdf Joshi, M. (2006). Diversity in Lecture-Delivery. Journal of NELTA, 11 (1-2), 1-151. Retrieved from http://nelta.org.np/uploads/files/2006.pdf Krishnan, L. A., Hoon, L. H. (2002). Diaries: listening to ‘voices’ from the multicultural classroom. ELT Journal, 56 (3), 227-239. Retrieved from http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/content/56/3/227.full.pdf+html?sid=c6d03ada-4f81-4786- 819c-78335f7f594a CÃ ¡rdenas, M. L. (2001). Responding to Childrens Learning Styles. How, 8, 17-22. Robertson, C., Acklam, R. (2000). Action Plan for Teachers a guide to teaching English. London, UK: BBC World Service. Kay, C. (1995). Scott Foresman English series. Baltimore, Maryland: Scott Foresman. Carrell, P. L. (1983). Some Issues in Studying the Role of Schemata, or Background Knowledge, in Second Language Comprehension. Reading in a foreign language, 1 (2), 81-92. Retrieved from http://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/PastIssues/rfl12carrell.pdf

Vonneguts Nihilistic Views Exposed in Cats Cradle Essay -- Cats Cra

Vonnegut's Nihilistic Views Exposed in Cat's Cradle If humans strive to fulfill their void, of a lack of meaning in their lives, their folly will blind them from the truth. Kurt Vonnegut portrays his inner emotions and feelings of the insignificance of religion through the characters of his novel, Cat's Cradle. His satiric approach to a subject that many people base their daily existence upon, challenges the readers faith. As people search for a deeper meaning in their lives, the more confused they become. Only to become entwined in the Cat 's Cradle of life. In the beginning, the reader is warned: "Anyone unable to understand how a useful religion can be founded on lies will not understand this book either" (5-6). The theme throughout the entire novel is set as, religion is based on lies to give people something to believe, and find meaning in. Vonnegut created a religion in his novel, Bokonism, founded by a man named Bokonon. Through lies, and short poems, Bokonon spreads his religion to the people of San Lorenzo, a small desolate island with no future. "All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies."(5) Vonnegut, through the ideals of Bokononism, gives the reader insight into the notion that all religions are based on lies, and un-truths. When Bokonon, christened Lionel Boyd Johnson, arrived at the Island of San Lorenzo, he saw the place as a disaster, which would yield no economic wealth or prosperity. Theonly way that he saw possible for of this place to become a utopia was to invent lies in which the people could base their existence. These lies would convince the people ... ... of human existence is "protein" (24). This fact of science intensifies the conclusion that human existence is futile without meaning, such a meaning that religion provides. However, that is just the statement that Vonnegut expects the people of the world to make. The void that humans feel a need to fill, with thoughts such as religion, will never be filled; the search for meaning is never-ending. Just like an endless, pointless game of Cat's Cradle. Bokonon, in his infinite wisdom knew not to take his own advice and the validity of it was null. There is no truth, there is no meaning, "No damn cat, and no damn cradle" (66). Bibliography Vonnegut, Kurt: Cat's Cradle Delta Books 1998. (287 pages) Price, Liana: Understanding Religion Through Cat's Cradle (http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/kv_religion.html) Vonnegut's Nihilistic Views Exposed in Cat's Cradle Essay -- Cat's Cra Vonnegut's Nihilistic Views Exposed in Cat's Cradle If humans strive to fulfill their void, of a lack of meaning in their lives, their folly will blind them from the truth. Kurt Vonnegut portrays his inner emotions and feelings of the insignificance of religion through the characters of his novel, Cat's Cradle. His satiric approach to a subject that many people base their daily existence upon, challenges the readers faith. As people search for a deeper meaning in their lives, the more confused they become. Only to become entwined in the Cat 's Cradle of life. In the beginning, the reader is warned: "Anyone unable to understand how a useful religion can be founded on lies will not understand this book either" (5-6). The theme throughout the entire novel is set as, religion is based on lies to give people something to believe, and find meaning in. Vonnegut created a religion in his novel, Bokonism, founded by a man named Bokonon. Through lies, and short poems, Bokonon spreads his religion to the people of San Lorenzo, a small desolate island with no future. "All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies."(5) Vonnegut, through the ideals of Bokononism, gives the reader insight into the notion that all religions are based on lies, and un-truths. When Bokonon, christened Lionel Boyd Johnson, arrived at the Island of San Lorenzo, he saw the place as a disaster, which would yield no economic wealth or prosperity. Theonly way that he saw possible for of this place to become a utopia was to invent lies in which the people could base their existence. These lies would convince the people ... ... of human existence is "protein" (24). This fact of science intensifies the conclusion that human existence is futile without meaning, such a meaning that religion provides. However, that is just the statement that Vonnegut expects the people of the world to make. The void that humans feel a need to fill, with thoughts such as religion, will never be filled; the search for meaning is never-ending. Just like an endless, pointless game of Cat's Cradle. Bokonon, in his infinite wisdom knew not to take his own advice and the validity of it was null. There is no truth, there is no meaning, "No damn cat, and no damn cradle" (66). Bibliography Vonnegut, Kurt: Cat's Cradle Delta Books 1998. (287 pages) Price, Liana: Understanding Religion Through Cat's Cradle (http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4953/kv_religion.html)

Nestle Case Study

NESTLE CASE STUDY With reference to the Nestle case study, provide one example which clearly illustrates a link between topics or concepts drawn from at least two pre-requisite modules. The Nestle case study provides a number of examples which illustrate links between Strategic management, Methods of Enquiry and Accounting for decision making concepts. Nestle is one of the oldest of all multinational business. Nowadays, Nestle is one of the biggest food and nutrition companies in 86 countries in the world. Hill, 2009 pp). Nestle was involved with a range of acquisitions in the last years in order to extend its line of products and try to expand on a geographical scale. Since its sales are reducing in developed markets, Nestle has the opportunity to expand business in up and coming countries, which is going to generate more profit for the company. Up and coming countries is one sector that Nestle is going to invest money in because it has the potential to be a strong and attractive ma rket.Nestle feels confident in doing so because in such countries population economy and technology has experienced a rapid growth. (Datamonitor, 2006). Nestles long-term strategy is to identify the quickly expanding countries first and get into the market as soon as possible in order to take advantage of other competitors. However, it first has to hold the leading position in the developed markets where it is currently placed. Also Nestle has to hire local managers and staff in the developing markets that understand the local market dynamic and culture.As explained above there is a link between Nestle’s strategy and the Strategic management, because companies employ managers from respective countries in the local companies due to the fact that they understand the local market dynamics. By hiring local manager they can take advantage of the local knowledge and own culture of the country. FIGURE 1 Figure 1 Source: Own diagram It is a huge advantage that Nestle works with local managers in fast rising emerging countries. As a result, Nestle will have quick results which lead to quick profits.As we can see in FIGURE 1 above, Nestle is closely related to the Strategic management module because companies will have a range of research(reports) on fast growing countries. Therefore, they will have the ability to balance the services they are able to provide (food, cereals, coffee, chocolate, drinks, ice cream, etc) (Nestle 2011), with the price that customers are willing to pay. For example, if people cannot afford the Nestle products then they will not expand in such countries but focus their attention and invest in countries where people are able to buy their products.Also, Nestle is connected with methods of enquiry with Emerging markets. Companies will have less space to roam around and make decision considering that much of their movements are controlled by the market reaction. This means that emerging markets are countries with social or business activiti es in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. The Nestle case study as clearly explained above illustrates a good link with the Strategic Management/Methods of Enquiry and the Market dynamic/Emerging markets respectively. Does it make sense for Nestle to focus its growth efforts on emerging markets? Why?The recent financial crisis that reverberated throughout the globe was a clear indicator of the interdependence and the codependence that globalization has created while simultaneously making it clear to everyone that the emerging economies, especially those that make up BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are more resilient than western economies, thus making them engines of growth that have helped the recovery effort in the last few years. Therefore from that point of view alone it can be stated that yes, Nestle’s strategy to focus its growth efforts in developing or emerging markets is indeed a sound one.However this does not mean that the ability of these mar kets to recover faster than the western economies should bebe sole reason for such a decision. Rather there are many more and varying reasons that need to be taken into consideration. The onset of globalization for one thing has helped uplift the living standards of many in China and India and millions of families have climbed out of poverty and are able to aspire to better life styles and a better standard of living, thus creating new markets companies like Nestle (Latshaw and Choi, 2002, pp. 7). Next as has been stated in the case study, the number of individuals who can be considered as middle class in these two economies alone will exceed 700 million in the coming decade, which is more than the entire population of 500 million in the European region or the 300 million in the United States, thus making this a very lucrative market for Nestle and one that needs to be exploited with immediate effect (Crook, Bratton, Street & Ketchen, 2006, pp. 09 – 412). Besides the above Ne stle as a multi national company has a decentralised structure and has often emphasised the need for attracting, recruiting and selecting host country nationals to be employed in its’ manufacturing plants across the world and this again is a very strategic and wise decision (Cesnovar, 2006, pp. 227 – 229).By decreasing unemployment rates, being socially responsible corporate citizen and helping to uplift the standard of living in these regions of the world, the company is earning the respect of the population, which can soon be converted to public relations win, thus it can be stated that this strategy makes immense sense at the present time (Mclean, 2006, pp. 36).Last but not least it should also be stated that by gaining ‘first mover advantage’ of providing basic food stuffs through which brand loyalty is created the company stands to gain much as most consumers will not switch to other brands but rather decide to stick with the trusted brand even when t hey are ready to move to the more upscale and upmarket products that are provided by the company (Gratton, Hailey, Stiles & Truss, 1999).Therefore it can be stated that from every point of view, whether it is as a consumer products manufacturer or an employer, Nestle stands to gain much through this growth strategy of focusing on emerging markets. What is the company's strategy with regard to business development in emerging markets- Does this strategy make sense- From an organizational perspective, what is required for this strategy to work effectively?As is clear from the information that has been provided in the case study, Nestle uses a variety of different strategies to develop its business activities and markets in the emerging markets. While many maybe of the opinion that only one or two strategies should be used in order to ensure that synergies of scale are gained and that there is consistency across the operations, such a customization of strategy to meet the specific need s of an economy is highly commendable (Marshall, Smith & Buxton, 2009, pp. 4 – 18). For instance in countries like India and China, Nestle has entered the market by providing low cost brand name basic food stuff like condensed milk and infant formula, in doing so the company has also located its manufacturing plants within the countries and the regions, employed host country nationals and helped uplift their living standards.Thus not only has the company provided them with a livelihood by employing them and purchasing local produce from local farmers and businessman, but in doing so has also created loyalty to its brand, which is something priceless (Karake-Shalhoub, 1999). As the living standards and the income levels of these individuals and entrepreneurs increase, they will no doubt continue to be loyal to the Nestle brand and purchase the more upscale and products that are sold by the company, when they are ready to move from basic food stuffs to more branded and upscale foods stuffs like cookies and chocolate.Likewise another strategy that is being used by the company is to enter markets like Nigeria and China and invest in basic infrastructure to ensure smooth distribution channels, while many may see this as a waste, in the long run, the company has gained a strong foothold in the marketplace, created job opportunities and further increased the visibility of its brand nd thus increased entry barriers for the competition (Sims, 2003), thus it can be stated that this is indeed a very good business development strategy that is being followed by the company at the present time. From an organisational perspective for an a strategy to work effectively it is necessary to ensure that the strategy is developed in such a manner that it would fit the market needs and help the company to gain a comparative advantage (Oladunjoye & Onyeaso, 2007, pp. 92 – 598). Based on everything that has been stated above and the manner in which Nestle’s is cur rently operating in China, India, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, it is clear that the company has adopted many different successful strategies that are helping it to gain a competitive edge in these markets while continuing to benefit from the ‘first mover’ advantage that it has created for itself. Through research on NESTLE, identify appropriate performance indicators.Once you have gathered relevant data on these, undertake a performance analysis of the company over the last five years. What does the analysis tell you about the success or otherwise of the strategy adopted by the company? An analysis of Nestle’s performance indicates that the Company has been able to improve its performance over the years. The sales of the Company reached a record of US $73 billion, and growth in profits was 20. 7% in 2005. In 2005, Europe amounted to 30% of sales, Americas 34%, and Asia, Oceania and Africa 17% of the sales.Nestle is aware that it need to adjust its offering if it is to reach its target of 5-6% growth per year. (Country Monitor, 2006). Public Image – In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, consumer needs and wants continue to become more sophisticated on a daily basis. Unlike in the past when companies could simply mass produce and sell products to the end user, today, consumers are demanding more not only in terms of pricing and quality but also in terms of corporate social responsibility.Therefore it is necessary for Nestle to continuously monitor and manage its public image and it is also very important from a strategic perspective that the company is seen as a socially responsible corporate citizen (Niederhut-Bollmann & Theuvsen, 2008, 63 – 68). Compared to many other multi national companies, Nestle’s has not earned the public ire for being irresponsible socially, however as the global slave trade for chocolate manufacturers comes to light it is essential that Nestle’s looks at ways an d means to ensure that it is not ensnared in such a public relations nightmare.Sales Growth – This is a very important performance indicators and should give the company a sense of its successes and failures in terms of strategy. Currently the company has been doing very well on this front and should carefully monitor the external and the internal environments for any factors that may pose a threat to its continued success in this area (Roberts, 2001, pp, 25 – 28). Following a growth strategy in emerging markets is actually a very good strategy that has paid off and continues to pay off, however this does not mean that the company can afford to be laid back on this score.Market Share – By gaining ‘first mover advantage’ the company has been able to gain and retain its market share through the years, however it is also necessary that the company continues to learn from its past mistakes in Japan and other countries, where it did not take the competit ion seriously and therefore has lost much in terms of market share that it could otherwise have gained (Odagiri, 1992).Blue Ocean Strategies – As markets continue to mature and other markets continue to develop it is imperative that the company focuses its attention on research and development and creates ‘blue oceans’ in order to find new markets (Gubman, 2004, pp. 13). This is something that Nestle is currently lagging at and needs to pay particular attention to with immediate effect.Based on everything that has been stated above it is therefore clear that while the company does excel in areas such as managing its public image and sales growth, there is much more improvement needed to be made in the search for innovative market strategies that will help force it to success in the future. How would you describe Nestle's strategic posture at the corporate level; is it pursuing a global strategy, a multidomestic strategy an international strategy or a transnationa l strategy? Figure 2 – Which Structure to Choose? Source: http://www. wiziq. com/tutorial/380-International-StrategyIllustrated above is a depiction of the different corporate level strategies that can be adopted by multi national companies the world over. Such strategy is often chosen on the degree of need for global integration and local market responsiveness (Kaplan and Norton, 2001, pp. 87). Based on the information that has been provided in the case study it is clear that Nestle is a company that need to gain a high level of local market responsiveness due to the variety of different business development related strategies that is pursuing in different parts of the world.For instance while in the Middle East it has entered the markets by building five different lines of products that it hopes will be distributed across the region as trade barriers fall, in countries like China and India, it is pursuing a different strategy of meeting the basic food needs of the populatio n with items such as infant formula and condensed milk. It is the intention of the company in these markets that once standards of living increase, they can leave these Niche markets and provide consumers with more upscale and upmarket products like chocolates and cookies.Further it can also be stated that as a company with only 1% of its revenue being earned in the home country and 8000 different brands, global integration is a must (Lowson, 2002). Therefore it is the opinion of the writer that Nestle need to choose between the multi domestic strategy and a transnational strategy and not swing from one to another, because doing so would only result in the company loosing focus of its final aim, which is to be a global consumer food products leader (George, 2007, pp. 6 – 71). Based on the information that has been provided in the case study it is the opinion of the writer that Nestle’s should choose a transnational strategy because it balances both the global integrati on needs of the company and the local market responsiveness that is necessary to ensure that the company’s products will be competitive and continue to meet the needs of the local population in the emerging markets that it is operating in (Marks, 2005, pp. 1).While many maybe of the opinion that the company should continue to pursue its multi domestic strategy as it has worked well for it in the past, the changing needs of the global environment and the development taking place in the emerging markets make it necessary to gain synergies of scale and global integration for the many brands that it has under its belt and therefore a transnational strategy is the best option for Nestle’s in the future (Barney and Hesterly, 2008).Does this overall strategic posture make sense given the markets and countries that Nestle participates in? Why? The overall strategic posture of Nestle makes a lot of sense given the fact that it is operating in virtually every country in the worl d, with a huge presence in the emerging markets. According to Hill (2006), that multidomestic strategy is appropriate in a market where the pressures for local responsiveness is very high and as a results the pressures for the cost reduction is low.Especially, pressures for local responsiveness can be very high in some productions, such as food, chocolates, dairy nutrition and etc. From the time when consumers have many national differences in tastes and preferences, distribution channels, competitive conditions, business practices, culture and government policies in the markets in which Nestle operates, therefore following a multidomestic strategy is beneficial for the Company.The difference in cultures and purchasing power (Prahalad et al, 1998) in the middle class population in emerging markets imply that in order for a first mover to gain advantage, it must be willing to adapt its product and offer in accordance with the needs of the local market. Figure 3 Source: http://www. do cstoc. com/docs/5632428/Ethnocentric-Polycentric-Geocentric-Diagr ams As stated in the previous section the overall strategy that is currently being followed by Nestle’s is one that focuses on local market responsiveness over global integration, which in effect results in a multi domestic strategy (Shackman, 2007, pp. 79 – 488). It is no doubt however that such a strategy has indeed helped the company to gain the level of success that it currently enjoys in emerging markets, and therefore can be considered as good. However we should always remember that strategies should promise equal or more success in the future as they do for the company today (Cabrera and Cabrera, 2003, pp. 41) and therefore reviewing the strategy from such an angle would work to the benefit of the company in the long run.The company currently follows a regiocentric attitude as is clear from the illustrations above, while it can be reiterated that this type of structure and strategy works to the ad vantage of the company, in the long run as the emerging markets being to mature and the company continues on its mergers and acquisitions strategies to enter new markets in Eastern Europe, it will become essential that the company gains some level of global synergy and integration (Mcwilliams, Van Fleet, & Wright, 2001, pp. 1).Therefore it is the recommendation of the writer that the company begins to embark on a transnational strategy with a Geocentric attitude, which will eventually help it to have a more global view with flexibility to make necessary changes at local level whenever and as frequently as needed (Donaldson & O'Toole, 2002). Therefore in conclusion it can be stated that even though the current strategic posture makes sense, it needs to be reviewed and modified if the company is to continue to penetrate, gain and retain market share in the emerging economies as well as the developed economies the world over (Mockler, 1999).Is Nestle's management structure and philosop hy aligned with its overall strategic posture? The overall structure and the strategy of the company as stated previously and has been made clear to the reader throughout the case study, is that the company pursues a multi domestic strategy, due to the need to have a high responsiveness to the local market needs (Drejer, 2002).While this is impressive, the company goes further to also ensure that it is staffed by local nationals in the host countries and that power and authority is decentralised as much as possible, again indicating that the management structure is indeed very much aligned to its philosophy of local autonomy and its multi domestic strategy (Silverman, 2002).However instead of relying on the local managers alone, the company also has a pool of at least 700 expatriate managers who travel from one country to another ensuring that the local and regional strategies of the company are upheld and global integration is a possibility (Mintzberg & Rose, 2003, pp. 70 – 277), while this may sound like a sound and often a wise move on the part of the company, the fact that none of the regional international managers get involved in local level stratey design and the fact that none of the local level managers are involved in the global strategy design and development leaves a disconnect that can cost the company dearly in the long run and therefore it is necessary to take a close look at the integration of both and make changes wherever necessary (Betz, 2001).Based on everything that has been stated above, it is therefore the opinion of the writer that greater global integration is necessary as the company moves forward and hopes to retain its place as a market leader by gaining large shares of the market in emerging economies, which it has strived hard to build over the last few decades. In effect it is therefore necessary to ensure that there is high levels of global integration and simultaneously ensure that there is high levels of local market re sponsiveness as well (Lefkowith, 2001, pp. 20).As stated previously this is only possible if the company follows a transnational strategy and this strategy and philosophy should be made a possibility by changing the current management structure within the company to one that allows for regional managers to gain an understanding of local issues and challenges and vice versa. This will help the company to align its goals and objectives both on an international local level and thus be more integrated in both spheres. Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/marketing/nestle-case-study-assinemnt-marketin Nestle Case Study NESTLE CASE STUDY With reference to the Nestle case study, provide one example which clearly illustrates a link between topics or concepts drawn from at least two pre-requisite modules. The Nestle case study provides a number of examples which illustrate links between Strategic management, Methods of Enquiry and Accounting for decision making concepts. Nestle is one of the oldest of all multinational business. Nowadays, Nestle is one of the biggest food and nutrition companies in 86 countries in the world. Hill, 2009 pp). Nestle was involved with a range of acquisitions in the last years in order to extend its line of products and try to expand on a geographical scale. Since its sales are reducing in developed markets, Nestle has the opportunity to expand business in up and coming countries, which is going to generate more profit for the company. Up and coming countries is one sector that Nestle is going to invest money in because it has the potential to be a strong and attractive ma rket.Nestle feels confident in doing so because in such countries population economy and technology has experienced a rapid growth. (Datamonitor, 2006). Nestles long-term strategy is to identify the quickly expanding countries first and get into the market as soon as possible in order to take advantage of other competitors. However, it first has to hold the leading position in the developed markets where it is currently placed. Also Nestle has to hire local managers and staff in the developing markets that understand the local market dynamic and culture.As explained above there is a link between Nestle’s strategy and the Strategic management, because companies employ managers from respective countries in the local companies due to the fact that they understand the local market dynamics. By hiring local manager they can take advantage of the local knowledge and own culture of the country. FIGURE 1 Figure 1 Source: Own diagram It is a huge advantage that Nestle works with local managers in fast rising emerging countries. As a result, Nestle will have quick results which lead to quick profits.As we can see in FIGURE 1 above, Nestle is closely related to the Strategic management module because companies will have a range of research(reports) on fast growing countries. Therefore, they will have the ability to balance the services they are able to provide (food, cereals, coffee, chocolate, drinks, ice cream, etc) (Nestle 2011), with the price that customers are willing to pay. For example, if people cannot afford the Nestle products then they will not expand in such countries but focus their attention and invest in countries where people are able to buy their products.Also, Nestle is connected with methods of enquiry with Emerging markets. Companies will have less space to roam around and make decision considering that much of their movements are controlled by the market reaction. This means that emerging markets are countries with social or business activiti es in the process of rapid growth and industrialization. The Nestle case study as clearly explained above illustrates a good link with the Strategic Management/Methods of Enquiry and the Market dynamic/Emerging markets respectively. Does it make sense for Nestle to focus its growth efforts on emerging markets? Why?The recent financial crisis that reverberated throughout the globe was a clear indicator of the interdependence and the codependence that globalization has created while simultaneously making it clear to everyone that the emerging economies, especially those that make up BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are more resilient than western economies, thus making them engines of growth that have helped the recovery effort in the last few years. Therefore from that point of view alone it can be stated that yes, Nestle’s strategy to focus its growth efforts in developing or emerging markets is indeed a sound one.However this does not mean that the ability of these mar kets to recover faster than the western economies should bebe sole reason for such a decision. Rather there are many more and varying reasons that need to be taken into consideration. The onset of globalization for one thing has helped uplift the living standards of many in China and India and millions of families have climbed out of poverty and are able to aspire to better life styles and a better standard of living, thus creating new markets companies like Nestle (Latshaw and Choi, 2002, pp. 7). Next as has been stated in the case study, the number of individuals who can be considered as middle class in these two economies alone will exceed 700 million in the coming decade, which is more than the entire population of 500 million in the European region or the 300 million in the United States, thus making this a very lucrative market for Nestle and one that needs to be exploited with immediate effect (Crook, Bratton, Street & Ketchen, 2006, pp. 09 – 412). Besides the above Ne stle as a multi national company has a decentralised structure and has often emphasised the need for attracting, recruiting and selecting host country nationals to be employed in its’ manufacturing plants across the world and this again is a very strategic and wise decision (Cesnovar, 2006, pp. 227 – 229).By decreasing unemployment rates, being socially responsible corporate citizen and helping to uplift the standard of living in these regions of the world, the company is earning the respect of the population, which can soon be converted to public relations win, thus it can be stated that this strategy makes immense sense at the present time (Mclean, 2006, pp. 36).Last but not least it should also be stated that by gaining ‘first mover advantage’ of providing basic food stuffs through which brand loyalty is created the company stands to gain much as most consumers will not switch to other brands but rather decide to stick with the trusted brand even when t hey are ready to move to the more upscale and upmarket products that are provided by the company (Gratton, Hailey, Stiles & Truss, 1999).Therefore it can be stated that from every point of view, whether it is as a consumer products manufacturer or an employer, Nestle stands to gain much through this growth strategy of focusing on emerging markets. What is the company's strategy with regard to business development in emerging markets- Does this strategy make sense- From an organizational perspective, what is required for this strategy to work effectively?As is clear from the information that has been provided in the case study, Nestle uses a variety of different strategies to develop its business activities and markets in the emerging markets. While many maybe of the opinion that only one or two strategies should be used in order to ensure that synergies of scale are gained and that there is consistency across the operations, such a customization of strategy to meet the specific need s of an economy is highly commendable (Marshall, Smith & Buxton, 2009, pp. 4 – 18). For instance in countries like India and China, Nestle has entered the market by providing low cost brand name basic food stuff like condensed milk and infant formula, in doing so the company has also located its manufacturing plants within the countries and the regions, employed host country nationals and helped uplift their living standards.Thus not only has the company provided them with a livelihood by employing them and purchasing local produce from local farmers and businessman, but in doing so has also created loyalty to its brand, which is something priceless (Karake-Shalhoub, 1999). As the living standards and the income levels of these individuals and entrepreneurs increase, they will no doubt continue to be loyal to the Nestle brand and purchase the more upscale and products that are sold by the company, when they are ready to move from basic food stuffs to more branded and upscale foods stuffs like cookies and chocolate.Likewise another strategy that is being used by the company is to enter markets like Nigeria and China and invest in basic infrastructure to ensure smooth distribution channels, while many may see this as a waste, in the long run, the company has gained a strong foothold in the marketplace, created job opportunities and further increased the visibility of its brand nd thus increased entry barriers for the competition (Sims, 2003), thus it can be stated that this is indeed a very good business development strategy that is being followed by the company at the present time. From an organisational perspective for an a strategy to work effectively it is necessary to ensure that the strategy is developed in such a manner that it would fit the market needs and help the company to gain a comparative advantage (Oladunjoye & Onyeaso, 2007, pp. 92 – 598). Based on everything that has been stated above and the manner in which Nestle’s is cur rently operating in China, India, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, it is clear that the company has adopted many different successful strategies that are helping it to gain a competitive edge in these markets while continuing to benefit from the ‘first mover’ advantage that it has created for itself. Through research on NESTLE, identify appropriate performance indicators.Once you have gathered relevant data on these, undertake a performance analysis of the company over the last five years. What does the analysis tell you about the success or otherwise of the strategy adopted by the company? An analysis of Nestle’s performance indicates that the Company has been able to improve its performance over the years. The sales of the Company reached a record of US $73 billion, and growth in profits was 20. 7% in 2005. In 2005, Europe amounted to 30% of sales, Americas 34%, and Asia, Oceania and Africa 17% of the sales.Nestle is aware that it need to adjust its offering if it is to reach its target of 5-6% growth per year. (Country Monitor, 2006). Public Image – In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, consumer needs and wants continue to become more sophisticated on a daily basis. Unlike in the past when companies could simply mass produce and sell products to the end user, today, consumers are demanding more not only in terms of pricing and quality but also in terms of corporate social responsibility.Therefore it is necessary for Nestle to continuously monitor and manage its public image and it is also very important from a strategic perspective that the company is seen as a socially responsible corporate citizen (Niederhut-Bollmann & Theuvsen, 2008, 63 – 68). Compared to many other multi national companies, Nestle’s has not earned the public ire for being irresponsible socially, however as the global slave trade for chocolate manufacturers comes to light it is essential that Nestle’s looks at ways an d means to ensure that it is not ensnared in such a public relations nightmare.Sales Growth – This is a very important performance indicators and should give the company a sense of its successes and failures in terms of strategy. Currently the company has been doing very well on this front and should carefully monitor the external and the internal environments for any factors that may pose a threat to its continued success in this area (Roberts, 2001, pp, 25 – 28). Following a growth strategy in emerging markets is actually a very good strategy that has paid off and continues to pay off, however this does not mean that the company can afford to be laid back on this score.Market Share – By gaining ‘first mover advantage’ the company has been able to gain and retain its market share through the years, however it is also necessary that the company continues to learn from its past mistakes in Japan and other countries, where it did not take the competit ion seriously and therefore has lost much in terms of market share that it could otherwise have gained (Odagiri, 1992).Blue Ocean Strategies – As markets continue to mature and other markets continue to develop it is imperative that the company focuses its attention on research and development and creates ‘blue oceans’ in order to find new markets (Gubman, 2004, pp. 13). This is something that Nestle is currently lagging at and needs to pay particular attention to with immediate effect.Based on everything that has been stated above it is therefore clear that while the company does excel in areas such as managing its public image and sales growth, there is much more improvement needed to be made in the search for innovative market strategies that will help force it to success in the future. How would you describe Nestle's strategic posture at the corporate level; is it pursuing a global strategy, a multidomestic strategy an international strategy or a transnationa l strategy? Figure 2 – Which Structure to Choose? Source: http://www. wiziq. com/tutorial/380-International-StrategyIllustrated above is a depiction of the different corporate level strategies that can be adopted by multi national companies the world over. Such strategy is often chosen on the degree of need for global integration and local market responsiveness (Kaplan and Norton, 2001, pp. 87). Based on the information that has been provided in the case study it is clear that Nestle is a company that need to gain a high level of local market responsiveness due to the variety of different business development related strategies that is pursuing in different parts of the world.For instance while in the Middle East it has entered the markets by building five different lines of products that it hopes will be distributed across the region as trade barriers fall, in countries like China and India, it is pursuing a different strategy of meeting the basic food needs of the populatio n with items such as infant formula and condensed milk. It is the intention of the company in these markets that once standards of living increase, they can leave these Niche markets and provide consumers with more upscale and upmarket products like chocolates and cookies.Further it can also be stated that as a company with only 1% of its revenue being earned in the home country and 8000 different brands, global integration is a must (Lowson, 2002). Therefore it is the opinion of the writer that Nestle need to choose between the multi domestic strategy and a transnational strategy and not swing from one to another, because doing so would only result in the company loosing focus of its final aim, which is to be a global consumer food products leader (George, 2007, pp. 6 – 71). Based on the information that has been provided in the case study it is the opinion of the writer that Nestle’s should choose a transnational strategy because it balances both the global integrati on needs of the company and the local market responsiveness that is necessary to ensure that the company’s products will be competitive and continue to meet the needs of the local population in the emerging markets that it is operating in (Marks, 2005, pp. 1).While many maybe of the opinion that the company should continue to pursue its multi domestic strategy as it has worked well for it in the past, the changing needs of the global environment and the development taking place in the emerging markets make it necessary to gain synergies of scale and global integration for the many brands that it has under its belt and therefore a transnational strategy is the best option for Nestle’s in the future (Barney and Hesterly, 2008).Does this overall strategic posture make sense given the markets and countries that Nestle participates in? Why? The overall strategic posture of Nestle makes a lot of sense given the fact that it is operating in virtually every country in the worl d, with a huge presence in the emerging markets. According to Hill (2006), that multidomestic strategy is appropriate in a market where the pressures for local responsiveness is very high and as a results the pressures for the cost reduction is low.Especially, pressures for local responsiveness can be very high in some productions, such as food, chocolates, dairy nutrition and etc. From the time when consumers have many national differences in tastes and preferences, distribution channels, competitive conditions, business practices, culture and government policies in the markets in which Nestle operates, therefore following a multidomestic strategy is beneficial for the Company.The difference in cultures and purchasing power (Prahalad et al, 1998) in the middle class population in emerging markets imply that in order for a first mover to gain advantage, it must be willing to adapt its product and offer in accordance with the needs of the local market. Figure 3 Source: http://www. do cstoc. com/docs/5632428/Ethnocentric-Polycentric-Geocentric-Diagr ams As stated in the previous section the overall strategy that is currently being followed by Nestle’s is one that focuses on local market responsiveness over global integration, which in effect results in a multi domestic strategy (Shackman, 2007, pp. 79 – 488). It is no doubt however that such a strategy has indeed helped the company to gain the level of success that it currently enjoys in emerging markets, and therefore can be considered as good. However we should always remember that strategies should promise equal or more success in the future as they do for the company today (Cabrera and Cabrera, 2003, pp. 41) and therefore reviewing the strategy from such an angle would work to the benefit of the company in the long run.The company currently follows a regiocentric attitude as is clear from the illustrations above, while it can be reiterated that this type of structure and strategy works to the ad vantage of the company, in the long run as the emerging markets being to mature and the company continues on its mergers and acquisitions strategies to enter new markets in Eastern Europe, it will become essential that the company gains some level of global synergy and integration (Mcwilliams, Van Fleet, & Wright, 2001, pp. 1).Therefore it is the recommendation of the writer that the company begins to embark on a transnational strategy with a Geocentric attitude, which will eventually help it to have a more global view with flexibility to make necessary changes at local level whenever and as frequently as needed (Donaldson & O'Toole, 2002). Therefore in conclusion it can be stated that even though the current strategic posture makes sense, it needs to be reviewed and modified if the company is to continue to penetrate, gain and retain market share in the emerging economies as well as the developed economies the world over (Mockler, 1999).Is Nestle's management structure and philosop hy aligned with its overall strategic posture? The overall structure and the strategy of the company as stated previously and has been made clear to the reader throughout the case study, is that the company pursues a multi domestic strategy, due to the need to have a high responsiveness to the local market needs (Drejer, 2002).While this is impressive, the company goes further to also ensure that it is staffed by local nationals in the host countries and that power and authority is decentralised as much as possible, again indicating that the management structure is indeed very much aligned to its philosophy of local autonomy and its multi domestic strategy (Silverman, 2002).However instead of relying on the local managers alone, the company also has a pool of at least 700 expatriate managers who travel from one country to another ensuring that the local and regional strategies of the company are upheld and global integration is a possibility (Mintzberg & Rose, 2003, pp. 70 – 277), while this may sound like a sound and often a wise move on the part of the company, the fact that none of the regional international managers get involved in local level stratey design and the fact that none of the local level managers are involved in the global strategy design and development leaves a disconnect that can cost the company dearly in the long run and therefore it is necessary to take a close look at the integration of both and make changes wherever necessary (Betz, 2001).Based on everything that has been stated above, it is therefore the opinion of the writer that greater global integration is necessary as the company moves forward and hopes to retain its place as a market leader by gaining large shares of the market in emerging economies, which it has strived hard to build over the last few decades. In effect it is therefore necessary to ensure that there is high levels of global integration and simultaneously ensure that there is high levels of local market re sponsiveness as well (Lefkowith, 2001, pp. 20).As stated previously this is only possible if the company follows a transnational strategy and this strategy and philosophy should be made a possibility by changing the current management structure within the company to one that allows for regional managers to gain an understanding of local issues and challenges and vice versa. This will help the company to align its goals and objectives both on an international local level and thus be more integrated in both spheres. Read more: http://www. ukessays. com/essays/marketing/nestle-case-study-assinemnt-marketin

18 Interesting and Inspirational Quotes About Editing and Proofreading

18 Interesting and Inspirational Quotes About Editing and Proofreading If you think the business of writing is difficult- try editing. In fact, both writers and editors alike have a lot to say about the often-frustrating process of whittling words and emotions down to only the best. Heres our list of 18 quotes about editing that keep it real.So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.Dr. SeussKill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribblers heart, kill your darlings.Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the CraftTo me, the single biggest mark of the amateur writer is a sense of hurry.Hurry to finish a manuscript, hurry to edit it, hurry to publish it. Its definitely possible to write a book in a month, leave it unedited, and watch it go off into the world and be declared a masterpiece. It happens every fifty years or so.For the rest of us, the single greatest ally we have is time. Theres no page of prose in existence that its author cant improve after its bee n in a drawer for a week. The same is true on the macro level – every time I finish a story or a book, I try to put it away and forget it for as long as I can. When I return, its problems are often so obvious and easy to fix that Im amazed I ever struggled with them.Amateur writers are usually desperate to be published, as soon as possible. And I understand that feeling – you just want it to start, your career, your next book, whatever. But I wonder how many self-published novels might have had a chance at getting bought, and finding more readers, if their authors had a bit more patience with them?Charles FinchWriting without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.Patricia FullerWhile writing is like a joyful release, editing is a prison where the bars are my former intentions and the abusive warden my own neuroticism.Tiffany MadisonEditors can be stupid at times. They just ignore that authors intention. I always try to read unabridged editions, so much is lost with cut versions of classic literature, even movies dont make sense when they are edited too much. I love the longueurs of a book even if they seem pointless because you can get a peek into the authors mind, a glimpse of their creative soul. I mean, how would people like it if editors came along and said to an artist, Whoops, you left just a tad too much space around that lily pad there, lets crop that a bit, shall we?. Monet would be ripping his hair out.We never end up with the book we began writing. Characters twist it and turn it until they get the life that is perfect for them. A good writer wont waste their time arguing with the characters they create...It is almost always a waste of time and people tend to stare when you do!C.K. WebbWhen an editor works with an author, she cannot help seeing into the medicine cabinet of his soul. All the terrible emotions, the desire for vindications, the paranoia, and the projection are bottled in there, along with all the excesses of envy, desire for revenge, all the hypochondriacal responses, rituals, defenses, and the twin obsessions with sex and money. In other words, the stuff of great books.Betsy Lerner, The Forest for the TreesA good editor doesnt rewrite words, she rewires synapses.S. Kelley HarrellThis leads me to the Higher Editing. Take of well-ground Indian Ink as much as suffices and a camel-hair brush proportionate to the inter-spaces of your lines. In an auspicious hour, read your final draft and consider faithfully every paragraph, sentence and word, blacking out where requisite. Let it lie by to drain as long as possible. At the end of that time, re-read and you should find that it will bear a second shortening. Finally, read it aloud alone and at leisure. Maybe a shade more brushwork will then indicate or impose itself. If not, praise Allah and let it go, and when thou hast done, repent not. The shorter the tale, the longer the brushwork and, normally, the s horter the lie-by, and vice versa. The longer the tale, the less brush but the longer lie-by. I have had tales by me for three or five years which shortened themselves almost yearly. The magic lies in the Brush and the Ink. For the Pen, when it is writing, can only scratch; and bottled ink is not to compare with the ground Chinese stick. Experto crede.Rudyard Kipling, Something of MyselfThe first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color.Emma HillWriting is not like painting where you add. It is not what you put on the canvas that the reader sees. Writing is more like a sculpture where you remove, you eliminate in order to make the work visible. Even those pages you remove somehow remain. There is a difference between a book of two hundred pages which is the result of an original eight hundred pages. The six hundred pages are there. Only you dont see them.Elie WieselWhen you write a story, you are telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking ou t all the things that are NOT the story...Your stuff starts out being just for you...but then it goes out. Once you know what the story is and get it right, as right as you can...it belongs to anyone who wants to read it, or criticise it.Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the CraftAn editor doesnt just read, he reads well, and reading well is a creative, powerful act. The ancients knew this and it frightened them. Mesopotamian society, for instance, did not want great reading from its scribes, only great writing. Scribes had to submit to a curious ruse: they had to downplay their reading skills lest they antagonize their employer. The Attic poet Menander wrote: those who can read see twice as well. Ancient autocrats did not want their subjects to see that well. Order relied on obedience, not knowledge and reflection. So even though he was paid to read as much as write messages, the scribes title cautiously referred to writing alone (scribere = to write); and the symbol for Nisaba , the Mesopotamian goddess of scribes, was not a tablet but a stylus. In his excellent book A History of Reading, Alberto Manguel writes, It was safer for a scribe to be seen not as one who interpreted information, but who merely recorded it for the public good.In their fear of readers, ancients understood something we have forgotten about the magnitude of readership. Reading breeds the power of an independent mind. When we read well, we are thinking hard for ourselves- this is the essence of freedom. It is also the essence of editing. Editors are scribes liberated to not simply record and disseminate information, but think hard about it, interpret, and ultimately, influence it.Susan Bell, The Artful Edit: On the Practice of Editing YourselfEditing fiction is like using your fingers to untangle the hair of someone you love.Stephanie RobertsLet the reader find that he cannot afford to omit any line of your writing because you have omitted every word that he can spare.Ralph Waldo Emer sonDont cross out. (That is editing as you write. Even if you write something you didnt mean to write, leave it.) Dont worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar. (Dont even care about staying within the margins and lines on the page.) Lose control. Dont think. Dont get logical. Go for the jugular. (If something comes up in your writing that is scary or naked, dive right into it. It probably has lots of energy.)Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer WithinLearn to enjoy this tidying process. I dont like to write; I like to have written. But I love to rewrite. I especially like to cut: to press the DELETE key and see an unnecessary word or phrase or sentence vanish into the electricity. I like to replace a humdrum word with one that has more precision or color. I like to strengthen the transition between one sentence and another. I like to rephrase a drab sentence to give it a more pleasing rhythm or a more graceful musical line. With every small refinement I fe el that Im coming nearer to where I would like to arrive, and when I finally get there I know it was the rewriting, not the writing, that won the game.William Zinsser, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing NonfictionIve reached that final moment of editing a book- the one where the text manifests as a living breathing person and starts slugging me in the face.Richard Due