Essay Odyssey - 694 Words

The Odyssey is an epic composed by Homer, an early Greek storyteller. This epic was the basis for Greek and Roman education. Epics are long poems marked by adventure. The main character in an epic is an epic hero. The epic hero is a figure of great stature and may be a character from history or legend. Epic heroes’ most remarkable traits are usually the ones most valued by the society from which the epic came. The main character in this epic is Odysseus. Odysseus is on a quest to find his home after a war. Odysseus is an epic hero. An epic hero exhibits great leadership qualities. One of these qualities is having aplomb in critical times. This is exemplified when Odysseus is trapped in the cave of the Cyclops, a giant one-eyed†¦show more content†¦In one particular instance, he uses his ingenuity to trick the Cyclops. He tricks the Cyclops by telling the Cyclops that his name is â€Å"Nohbdy.† After Odysseus pops the eye of the Cyclops, the other Cyclopes arrive. The Cyclops says to the Cyclopes: â€Å"Nohbdy’s tricked me, Nohbdy’s ruined me.† The Cyclopes reply: â€Å"Ah well, if nobody has played you foul there in your lonely bed, we are no use in pain given by the great Zeus.† Odysseus’ cleverness helped him evade the fate that would have befallen him if the other Cyclopes caught him. One more leadership quality possessed by Odysseus is wisdom. Odysseus’ wisdom is displayed when Odysseus conquers the town of Ismarus. Odysseus says: â€Å"I told them ‘Back, and quickly! Out to sea again!’ My men were mutinous fools, on stores of wine †¦ -while fugitives went inland running to call arms to the main forces of the Cicones.† Odysseus is wise enough to realize that the enemy would slaughter him and his men if they stayed. His wisdom is also evident when he landed on the where the Lotus-Eaters live. The Lotus-Eaters are people whose only concern is to eat an addicting plant called the lotus. If one happens to eat the lotus, one becomes obsessed with browsing on the lotus. Odysseus does not send the entire crew out to this land; he sends small party of men to explore the land. When they do not return, Odysseus realizes something detrimental to their journey is on the land. In this example, Odysseus’ wisdom saves the menShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey739 Words   |  3 PagesIn Greek Mythology, women were either very fierce or very weak. Women were usually defined by wits, beauty, or bad deeds. In The Odyssey women were not in the background. On the contrary, women were powerful. They charmed and controlled men, provided wisdom, and took care of them. The Odyssey appears to be strongly female based. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus who is the king of Ithaca. When Odysseus is called off to the Trojan War Penelope shows great faithfulness and wit. She stays faithfulRead MoreThe Odyssey1243 Words   |  5 PagesThe Odyssey In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, each culture treats strangers and guests with distinct differences from every other culture. One of the most hospitable cultures was that of the ancient Greeks, exemplified in Homer s The Odyssey by both gracious hosts and guests. In Greece and The Odyssey, not only was good hospitality etiquette expected, but the added pressure that if they didn’t treat their guests with respect the gods would punish them further compelled excellent manners. The OdysseyRead MoreThe Odyssey1315 Words   |  6 PagesThe Odyssey has captured minds for over 2700 years, and the story of Odysseus shows his determination to fight and conquer obstacles with and without the help of the Gods. The story dates back before 1000B.c. (The Modern Library, 1950, p.VI) His creative and cunning tactics throughout the story show his determination to reach his homeland of Ithaca. After conquering the Trojan War, Odysseus was told by Poseidon â€Å"man is nothing without the gods†. Poseidon felt Odysseus was not thankful for Poseidon’sRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pages8th century, The Odyssey, is Homer s epic of Odysseus 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. Odysseus defining character traits, such as nobility, courage, thirst for the glory and the appealing confidence in his authority dominated the storyline throughout. The many themes of this epic mainly focus around the Greek hero Odysseus however in my essay I will attempt to analyze hospitality. Hospitality shaped an important part of social interactions in The Odyssey. Although Greek societyRead MoreOdyssey Death and Rebirth in the Odyssey1402 Words   |  6 PagesThe Odyssey, by Homer, is a classical piece of Greek literature. Throughout The Odyssey, the Blind Bard makes use of many literary techniques in order to lend meaning to the poem beyond its existence as a work of historic fiction and aid his readers in the comprehension of the tale. One of these techniques is the use of motifs. A motif is a recurring theme that is used throughout the work. In The Odyssey, Homer makes use of many motifs including eating/drinking, Odysseus sRead MoreThe Odyssey1006 Words   |  5 PagesThe Odyssey, one of the most well known epic stories Introduces Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. This story demonstrates Odysseus’s physical and intellectual strength. Striving to return home after 20 years of his treacherous journey, he uses strength, skill, and superior ability to overcome his troubles. Although he faced numerous obstacles and fought many battles, he made it appoint to get home to his kingdom through his physical ability, intellectual insight, and overcoming his epic flaw. InRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey1267 Words   |  6 PagesLife in The Odyssey In The Odyssey, Odysseus is constantly being challenged. He is being challenged, so Homer can show us the standards for life in The Odyssey. There is no doubt that Odysseus is a great man, Homer even says so in the beginning lines of the text. Although Odysseus is a great man, he also makes mistakes but not any that he doesn t pay for. We learn the representation of life in The Odyssey through Odysseus challenges. Throughout the book, Odysseus specifically struggles with arroganceRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey1667 Words   |  7 Pages During, Homer’s, The Odyssey many strengths were tested throughout the entire book. This book was a mythological Greek folk tale that was created between the eleventh and eighth century B.C, therefore it is filled with many exaggerated stories about the Gods and treacherous adventures Odysseus had ventured on. He encounters a cyclops and after battles a six-headed monster. His crew discovers their talent for making mistakes such as b eing turned into pigs by Circe and letting strong winds out ofRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey848 Words   |  4 Pagesin their way. This is not a new thought; however, even the Greeks before Christ felt this way. In Homer’s Odyssey, many of the characters express the troubles that the gods have caused them, and the gods argue the exact opposite. The gods claim, â€Å"Mortals! They are always blaming the gods for their troubles when their own witlessness causes them more than they were destined for.† The Odyssey demonstrates that humans and not the gods are responsible for their own strife. Odysseus exemplifies how menRead MoreHomer s Odyssey : The Odyssey1236 Words   |  5 Pagesextend his journey in The Odyssey by several years. Homer constructs Odysseus by attributing both godly and human characteristics to him, allowing readers to admire him while simultaneously relating to him. The combination of these revered traits coined Odysseus as being an omnicompetent man, polumetis, in the eyes of the Mycenaean’s and in the eyes of most modern day readers. This shows that the popularity of Odysseus transcends time; however, modern interpretations of The Odyssey in cinematic productions

The Effects Of Parental Consent On Children - 1839 Words

PG-13 movies are supposed to be for kids to watch with parental consent. This means that the movie that is being shown under these ratings is supposed to be appropriate enough for the children to watch. However, some of the PG-13 rated movies reveal a little too much violence and or sexual content for a child’s brain to consume. This type of content in the movies causes negative and life changing effects to a child that nobody would ever think of happening. These effects not only harm the child, but also can cause the child to harm someone else. The exposure to violent PG-13 films like â€Å"The Dark Night† or â€Å"Jurassic Park† to children is extremely detrimental to their psychological and emotional well-being with the ratings increasing the sexual, violent, and inappropriate content in the films. One of the main effects that happens to kids is that they begin to acquire behavior changes. These behavior changes effect more than you think. Something as simple as a kids manners can be affected. Let’s say a kid watches a violent PG-13 movie that contains foul language. The kid will watch what the actor is saying, and he or she will remember that because when the actor said it there was no consequence. The next thing you know that kid is repeating that foul language to another person. According to Movies in Society, â€Å"the most intense pathological impact of the film is found in the scenes of great contrast and violent emotions, such as in scenes of very pronounced eroticism involvingShow MoreRelatedThe Marriage Act ( 1949 )859 Words   |  4 Pagesmarriage, stating thus: â€Å"A marriage solemnized between persons either of whom is under the age of sixteen shall be void † Section 6 of the Marriage Act (1970) also requires that the marriage of any person under the age of eighteen must be with full consent . Section 11 of the Matrimonial Causes Act states thus: Nullity (11) Grounds on which a marriage is void. A marriage celebrated after 31st July 1971 shall be void on the following grounds only, that is to say: (a) that it is not a valid marriageRead MoreAbortion for Underage Children Should Require Parental Consent1121 Words   |  5 Pagesparents’ permission. Therefore, how can a teenage girl have an abortion without the approval of her parents? Abortion itself is a controversial subject, and underage abortion is even more controversial. Minors should not have an abortion without the consent of their parents or their legal guardians for a variety of reasons. First, most adolescents are not mature enough to make decisions that will change their lives forever. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SecretaryRead MoreCross Sectional And 4-Year Longitudinal Study Factorial Design851 Words   |  4 Pagesparticipant and also, an accumulation of math, reading and writing scores will be collected by their teachers. A mixed two-way factorial design will be used. We will have the two factors of SES (2 levels: high SES, low SES; between subjects) and level of parental involvement (3 levels: none, average, high; between subjects). Participants As mentioned in a study mentioned by Miedel and Reynolds (2000), middle school childrens views of their parent’s expectations significantly affected their achievementRead MoreShould Abortion Be Legal?1652 Words   |  7 Pagesmany unborn children. In today s society teens are allowed to have abortions with or without parental consent, even under the age of 18. Allowing abortions is overriding the basic human rights. Teens under the age of 18 shouldn t be allowed to have an abortion because of the basic human rights of a fetus. Teens themselves don t have certain rights so how are they allowed to have rights over someone else s life. Teens under the age of 18 can t get major surgeries without parental consent, yet anRead MoreChildren Should Be Too Great For Their Parents886 Words   |  4 Pages(Brown, 2010). Research shows that children suffer emotional trauma in the event that there parents’ divorce. According to Steven Earll who is a licensed counselor and therapist, he states that; â€Å"Children (and adult children) have the attitude that their parents should be able to work through and solve any issue. Parents, who have given the children life, are perceived by the children as very competent people with supernatural abilities to meet the needs of the children. No problem should be too greatRead MoreEffects Of Parental Divorce On Children s Development1019 Words   |  5 Pagessaid that it has a huge impact in children s development. The researches of Divorce and the impact on a child s development. Some of the e journals will explore and help us identify some the effects that harm children as they encounter their parental divorce. Numerous researchers have found that parental divorce is associated with a range of negative outcomes in young children. We will focus on prosp ective Analysis and explore the study more detailed. The effects of a person’s early relationshipRead MoreThe Abortion For A Minor1198 Words   |  5 PagesSupport legislation and opposition Relating to notice of and consent to an abortion for a minor. Abortion for minors is a major public health concern in the United States. There are more than 300,000 births to teens each year, increasing the risk of both the mother and the baby’s health. Abortions on minors have raised political, clinical, social, and economic awareness. In order to make effective changes to abortion for the minor one must produce empirical evidence, to evaluate policy optionsRead MoreAccess to Evidence Based Sex Education in American Public Schools999 Words   |  4 Pagesdistribution program is especially controversial in Georgia because the state contends with pervasive Bible Belt worldviews. Bible Belt worldviews are fine when confined to the home, but ignorance about sexuality has the potential to have devastating effects on the states student population. Ignorance causes the spread of HIV, myths related to how people do and do not get pregnant, and misogynistic myths such as those suggesting that menstruation is an illness (Rashmi, Bhat and Mahab halaraj). LikewiseRead MorePersuasive Essay On Birth Control1288 Words   |  6 PagesIn the United States, twenty six states allow minors, defined as children twelve and older, to consent to contraceptive services; Michigan allows some minors, such as those who are married or have previously been pregnant, to consent; four states have no standing laws or policy (â€Å"An Overview† 1-2). The contraceptive access also varies across the country. Some states require comprehensive sexual education and for teens to be able to access contraceptives. Some lean more towards abstinence only educationRead MoreA Breach Of Childrens Online Privacy1715 Words   |  7 PagesPrivacy: Examining the Fourth Amendment and a Right to Privacy Regarding Mobile Apps Children are more likely to be found on a technological device that can access the Internet than outside being physically active. While in many cases, they are knowledgeable online users, children are still at risk when using the Internet. Their right to privacy online is endangered, especially when online businesses target children as consumers. Thus, an increased threat of children’s personal data collection exists

Operational Plan for an ABC Organization-Free-Sample for Students

Question: Discuss about the Managing an Operational Plan for an Abc Organization. Answer: Introduction Operational management is a specific planning to use organizational resources and the pursuit of strategic plan considered by the organization. The platform offers day-to-day business planning and delivers best possible time to use the strategies and activities. In case of taking any responsibilities implementation of this process and detailed planning is done through the operational process. ABC Company starts their systematic operational plan to achieve their goal within five years. They want to make a strong market base in Australia and expand their travel business all over their connecting nations (Vujanovi? et al. 2012). The process may be one year time frame to improve a particular sector or it can be a long term process to rebuild any organizational process. The objective of the plan is to provide a clear picture of setting a timeframe for strategies. This is a way to enhance the resources and execute them for the development of the organization. All the facility tools are involved in this process and within the strategic planning subdivided parts are concerned about the operational planning. The purpose of the planning is to provide specific time to achieve the goals and objectives and implement procedures for that. Physical and Human resources In case of operational resource, physical and human both these aspects are important for the management to sustain their business. In case of start the business in a formation, certain physical amenities are needed (Slack 2015). Office desk, computer, accessories, electricity, chairs, tables, and space all these are important physical resources to run the business. If the company wants to decorate the office with some other technological appliances then they have to make some market range for that, otherwise, the entire money will go in vain and no such outcome of the investment will be retrieved. In case of human resources, human resource team will take care of that and they will find effective people for the company and with their skill and power, they develop the market position of the company (Levy, Weitz and Grewal 2012). To achieve a good position in market, operational strategy and consult use of making the strategic implementation is needed in that case. Qualified and skilled people important for the company and the company have to offer them a good amount of salary and suitable environment of work in that case so that they retain at the company and deliver their best in any situation. Key Performance Indicators In case of key performance indicators, all the proposed planning of allocating human resource management, allocate financial resources for the company, set timelines for different projects and set implemented deadline management is important. Smart In case of operating the process, the promotional strategy can be used in human resource management. Specific job role allocation will be another strategy to use the potential skill of employees and gain a good market position for the company (Raleigh et al. 2017). These are the smart monitories performance in business. Measurable Operational plan measures the key performance of employees and how they operate the service for the development of the business. The operational process also determines the measurement of capabilities and indicates the stipulate performance to align with the context. Achievable The achievable section process the mark of achievable limitation of operation and that also declares the possible time to achieve aim and objectives. Relevant The relevancy of the project and adopted strategies to formulate the process is the kind of relevancy that organization needs in that section (Slack 2015). The operational process also frames the relevant way to making effort and performed strategies to convey the process in an organization. Time Bound The operational process needs to implement some time to cover. The alignment of time need for that operation and meet the target within that time is the key factor of this section. Table 1: SMART table of Key Performance Indicators (Source: Created by Author) Monitoring Process The monitoring operation plan is a way to formulate the planning goes in a right way and that provides a good outcome from this operational process. The process ensures the quality development and monitoring over the employees so that they directed over the service development and deliver some good quality products through the process (Oakland 2014). From the office infrastructure, recruitment, induction, management, work enhancement to meet the aim and objective of the organization is the key understanding and monitoring process to consolidate business outcome. Operational Plan Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Office Infrastructure Promotion Staff Recruitment Job understanding Monitoring process Achieve target Table 2: Gantt chart of total operation process (Source: Created by Author) Contingency Plan A supportive plan is always ready in case of the failure of the first plan. The disruption of the first plan may happen for certain reasons. As per the risk priority chart, high severity sustains in high frequency and high risk that determines the possible outcomes are risk-oriented in that phase. On the other hand, the low severity has the medium risk and low risk in both the ways (Rummler and Brache 2012). High Frequency Low Frequency High Severity High Risk High- Medium Risk Low Severity Medium Risk Low Risk Table 3: Risk Priority Chart (Source: Created by Author) Intellectual property Employees engagement and recruitment is a productive operational approach that develops the operational understanding to do the work in a right manner and extract productive work from employees. Ensuring a good position is the most effective work of operation process and certain policies and objectivities are required for this process. There are some legal requirements to run the business, government interference is needed also and that enhance the intellectual leadership as well (Slack 2015). Approvals Most of the plans and programs are being approved by the senior or the executive head of the organization. The approval comes from managers or operational managers, who understand the need for the program and then implement the process for the development of the company (Slack 2015). The evaluation of the planning procedure and in-depth analysis of the operation planning is also needed in this situation and that will help to evolve the market position of the company. References Levy, M., Weitz, B.A. and Grewal, D., 2012.Retailing management(Vol. 6). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Oakland, J.S., 2014.Total quality management and operational excellence: text with cases. Routledge. Raleigh, G.G., Tellado, J., Green, J., Lavine, J., James, J., Nguyen, L.A.M. and Carter III, R.B., Headwater Partners I Llc, 2017.Service plan design, user interfaces, application programming interfaces, and device management. U.S. Patent 9,557,889. Rummler, G.A. and Brache, A.P., 2012.Improving performance: How to manage the white space on the organization chart. John Wiley Sons. Slack, N., 2015.Operations strategy. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Vujanovi?, D., Mom?ilovi?, V., Bojovi?, N. and Papi?, V., 2012. Evaluation of vehicle fleet maintenance management indicators by application of DEMATEL and ANP.Expert Systems with Applications,39(12), pp.10552-10563.

Emily Dickinson Essay Contest Example For Students

Emily Dickinson Essay Contest Emily Dickinson is one of the most well known poets of her time. Though her life was outwardly uneventful, what went on inside her house behind closed doors is unbelievable. After her father died she met Reverend Charles Wadsworth. She soon came to regard him as one of her most trusted friends, and she created in his image the â€Å"lover† whom she was never to know except in her imagination. It is also said that it was around 1812 when he was removed to San Fransico that she began her withdrawal from society. During this time she began to write many of her poems. She wrote mainly in private, guarding all of her poems from all but a few select friends. She did not write for fame, but instead as a way of expressing her feelings. In her lifetime only six of her poems were even printed; none of which had her consent. It was not until her death of Brights Disease in May of 1862, that many of her poems were even read (Chelsea House of Library Criticism 2837). Thus proving that the analysis on Emily Dickinson’s poetry is some of the most emotionally felt works of the nineteenth century. Miss Dickinson is often compared with other poets and writers, but â€Å"like Shakespeare, Miss Dickinson is without opinions† (Tate 86). â€Å"Her verses and technical license often seem mysterious and can confuse critics, but after all is said, it is realized that like most poets Miss Dickinson is no more mysterious than a banker. It is said that Miss Dickinson’s life was starved and unfulfilled and yet all pity is misdirected. She lived one of the richest and deepest lives ever on this continent. It was her own conscious choice to deliberately withdraw from society into her upstairs room†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tate 83). She kept to â€Å"only a few select friends and the storm, wind, wild March sky, sunsets, dawns, birds, bees, and butterflies were sufficient companionship for Miss Dickinson† (Loomis 79). She dealt with a lot both physically and psychologically and in the end she still came out on the top. So as Allen Tate best said it â€Å"in her own historical se tting Miss Dickinson is nevertheless remarkable and special† (82). Thomas Higginson said that â€Å"the main quality of her poems is that of extraordinary grasp and insight, uttered with an uneven vigor, which was all her own† (78). The works and phrases she uses shows that she was unconcerned with the fact that no one else could understand her poetry, but instead, she was satisfied by using mere words in order to fit her own ear (Higginson 78). Miss Dickinson’s poetry was strictly confidential and written without the purpose of publication and merely as a way of expressing her own mind (Bloom 2838). â€Å"Art forms were totally unknown to her, and nature was always viewed not in a cosmic way but in its smallest and most intimate forms† (Whicher 87). Allen Tate describes her biggest influence to be nature itself, and though she could not deal with the problems of society, she had such an attitude toward life that she was able to see into this character of nature more deeply than any other (84). Miss Dickinson’s poetry sty le contains â€Å"flashes of wholly original and profound insight into nature and life† (Chelsea House of Library Criticism 2841). â€Å"At first impression her tiny lyrics appear to be no more than the jottings of a half-idiotic school-girl instead of grave musings of a full grown, fully educated woman† (Monro 81). Miss Dickinson often writes out of habit allowing her poems to not require a point of view, but instead, they require for some of the deepest understanding, which allows her style to emerge even when she has nothing to say (Tate 86-87). Some consider her works to be the most original of her time, written with an unusual amount of emotion and often referred to as â€Å"†¦poetry torn up by its roots with rain, dew and earth still clinging to them† (Higginson 78). To others she was considered to be â€Å"intellectually blind, partially dead, and mostly dumb to the art of poetry† (Monro 81). It was best stated by Allen Tate when he wrote,

Sample Essay Test Directions - Avoid Mistakes

Sample Essay Test Directions - Avoid MistakesThe simplest way to avoid getting badly wrong on a sample essay is to read the instructions thoroughly before starting the assignment. This will help you to improve your score if you apply the rules correctly.A sample essay test should give you plenty of freedom to use various techniques to create a coherent composition. The instructions given for the sample should always be simple to follow, and should make sense to the reader. If you are to read the sample test directions carefully, you can avoid mistakes that can make a difference in your performance.In the directions, you should learn the key parts of the essay. For example, in the first paragraph, you should spell out the name of the school in the first and last words. You should always spell out the subject of the essay and explain in detail how you plan to handle each section. This will help you understand exactly what the instructions mean.In the instructions, you should understand that certain words will not appear in each paragraph. You must use words in accordance with the guidelines given. You must write your essay in a careful way and have correct spelling.If you read the instructions carefully, you can make the necessary corrections and improvements to your sample essay, and you can avoid all the mistakes that might ruin your score. You should also bear in mind that the instructions will usually only give you the framework that you need to work with.In the sample test directions, you can add your own ideas, take note of the ones that work best for you, and try to incorporate them into your composition. It is therefore important to follow the instructions precisely and not miss any details. Make the necessary adjustments to meet the specifications and you will get a good score.Sample test directions will usually provide you with some sample topics, so that you can know what you need to do in order to produce a well-constructed essay. Following these guid elines will ensure that you get a high grade, and score highly.

Jeanne Lewis at Steples, INC free essay sample

Six months from now, on February 1, 1998, Jeanne Lewis (HBS ’92) would become the senior vice president of marketing at Staples, Inc. (Staples), a nationwide office supplies superstore. After 10 months working side by side with Todd Krasnow, the current executive vice president of marketing, Lewis was becoming familiar with the department. Her initial assessment led her to wonder if the department’s operating style was suited to evolving competitive realities. As Krasnow’s heir apparent, Lewis wanted to be involved in shaping the department’s priorities for the upcoming year. The strategic planning process traditionally began around this time in August, and Lewis wondered if the time to start taking action had arrived. Thus far, 1997 had been a trying year for the company: the Federal Trade Commission had challenged Staples’ proposed merger with Office Depot, and the two companies had recently abandoned 10 months of merger efforts. At that time, Chairman and CEO Tom Stemberg reaffirmed his commitment that Staples would grow from a $5 billion company to a $10 billion company by the turn of the century. We will write a custom essay sample on Jeanne Lewis at Steples, INC or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Staples not only had to grow bigger, it also had to grow better, as analysts had become accustomed to the company’s 14 consecutive quarters of earnings-per-share growth in excess of 30%. The theme of the upcoming year was twofold: strong growth and more effective execution. tC Lewis believed that Stemberg’s pronouncement to look for the â€Å"silver lining† in the failed merger and to take to heart the lessons of the merger could serve as a call to action for the marketing department. Marketing, which served as both an architect and driver of the brand, would play a critical role in Staples’ continued success. Lewis knew that Staples could survive only if it was prepared to get rid of outmoded ideas and replace them with new ones—a philosophy shared by Krasnow. But Lewis also knew that it could be frightening to give up the ideas that had made the company successful. Furthermore, the marketing staff was understandably apprehensive about Krasnow’s planned departure, and many were already mourning his loss. Lewis explained: No While the merger distractions were going on, things that maybe should have been dealt with, weren’t. Now, I wanted to make it clear that a new person was coming on board in this area, and figure out how we could get back to business. We needed to refocus on building our business, because it was as competitive as ever, and we had lost a couple of beats in a few marketing areas while busy with the merger. We were at a turning point in the marketing department, as opposed to being long past it. Because of the confluence of external events as well as our own internal complexity, if we didn’t change, then I was concerned it would start to show eventually in sales. Do Research Associate Jennifer M. Suesse prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Linda A. Hill as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. It is an abridged version of an earlier case, â€Å"Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A),† HBS No. 499-041, prepared by Research Associate Kristin C. Doughty under the supervision of Professor Linda A. Hill. Some names have been disguised. Copyright  © 2000 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 400-065 Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) rP os t Lewis knew the marketing department’s role in ensuring success was twofold: maintaining the delicate balance between meeting short-term financial objectives with appropriate promotional tactics and building customer loyalty and retention with an effective marketing strategy; and investigating ways to leverage Staples’ brand and broaden its franchise. She also had specific questions about some of the department’s structures, systems, and staffing. She was eager to get started, but recognized the risks of doing too much, too fast: op yo My style is that I want things to happen quickly. When I see things—either a new problem someone has never had to figure out before, or where they’ve just had a different sense of timing—I jump in and say, â€Å"here’s the way to do it,† and that makes change happen quickly. But that could limit my ability to work across and with the organization. I could end up spending too much time managing down and not enough time making broader, more expansive impact by managing across the organization as well. Staples’ Background (1985-1991)1 tC In 1985, Tom Stemberg (HBS ’73), known for his marketing savvy and innovations in the staid supermarket industry (as vice president of sales at Star Market, and president of First National Supermarket), pioneered the concept of the office supplies superstore. A â€Å"Toys ‘R’ Us† of office supplies, â€Å"Staples, the Office Superstore† would â€Å"provide completeness, convenience, informed assistance as well as attractive prices†¦ covering everything from coffee to computer software† for the small-business customer. 2 Initial customer research indicated that most small businesses did not track their total expenditures for office products closely, nor were they aware that they were paying on average 40% more for them than large corporations. To communicate the savings and increased convenience of its new way of procuring office supplies, Staples’ management was prepared to invest heavily in marketing. Staples’ message would emphasize discounts and convenience, leaving customers â€Å"free from the hassles† of dealing with long lines, order forms, and multiple suppliers. No For the pivotal role of director of marketing, Stemberg hired Todd Krasnow, a 28-year-old HBS graduate who had worked in marketing at Star Market with Stemberg’s new VP of operations. In the early days, Stemberg’s team of five (himself, Krasnow, CFO, VP of operations, VP of merchandising) each had their own primary spheres of responsibility, but they all worked very closely together, doing whatever it took to get the job done. They began the mornings with a 7:00 o’clock meeting, reconvened for a working lunch, and generally worked through the evening until 10:00 o’clock. They hashed out virtually every decision together, early on developing the discipline to back up their â€Å"intuitions† with hard data. Krasnow’s optimism, exceptional dedication, and â€Å"big picture† perspective often helped keep even the most heated debates substantive, rather than personal. Do The business plan committed the Staples team to opening 26 stores in five years. The first new store opened on May 1, 1986, in Brighton, Massachusetts, and was followed by a second in nearby Woburn in November. The office superstore concept quickly caught on with both customers and other entrepreneurs. The Staples team focused their efforts on building a Northeast franchise to discourage competitors and make it cost-effective to advertise in that very high-cost region; 1 Staples background was compiled from these sources: â€Å"Staples in 1995,† HBS No. 795-158; â€Å"Staples, Inc. ,† HBS No. 593-034; â€Å"Staples (A), (B), and (C),† HBS Nos. 898-157, 898-158, 898-159; Thomas G. Stemberg, Staples for Success: From Business Plan to Billion-Dollar Business in Just a Decade (Santa Monica, CA: Knowledge Exchange, 1996). 2 The â€Å"Staples: the Office Superstore† business plan was published in part as â€Å"Staples (B),† HBS No. 898-158. 2 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) 400-065 rP os t copycatting was common practice in retailing, and second movers often received better terms from investors and suppliers than leaders. Office Depot opened its first store in Florida in October, and within 18 months, 19 other competitors had emerged. For the next several years, Staples and its two main rivals, Office Depot and Office Max, concentrated their efforts in geographically distinct territories. But soon Staples had to contend with a much wider competitive set, including savvy retailers who were not traditional office suppliers, such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and CVS. These competitors often had significantly more capital to invest and some offered lower prices than Staples. op yo Krasnow’s contribution to Staples’ marketing success was universally acknowledged. One executive described it thus: â€Å"With his vast experience, Todd ran the marketing department out of his head and his gut. † On more than one occasion, Krasnow and his team had been able to â€Å"save the company. † For example, when only 20 customers came in to Staples on their first day of business, Krasnow came up with the idea of paying 25 small-business managers $20 to shop in the store and tell him what they thought. A week later, though all had taken the money, none of them had come to the store—undeterred, Krasnow, persisted in contacting them, and those that eventually came in were very impressed with what they saw. This was the beginning of Staples’ inventive marketing style and frequent reliance on direct market outreach. The team later instituted a free Staples membership program that allowed them to measure if they were getting a good return on their promotional efforts. At the time, such database marketing was almost unheard of in retailing. tC Stemberg pushed his team hard, reminding them that they were waging a battle for market dominance. Employees were encouraged to continually reexamine their strategy, to scrutinize other retailers’ activities and â€Å"borrow† their best ideas, and to capitalize on all available opportunities. The corporate and field team from these early years recalled that there was a great deal of â€Å"fire-fighting† and â€Å"band-aiding. † In April 1989, Staples received a much-needed infusion of capital with its initial public offering in which over two million shares sold at an opening price of $19 per share. In coming years, the company further complemented organic growth with a series of acquisitions and joint ventures that allowed it to gain market share, expand into new markets (including the West Coast, Canada, and Europe), and learn from others’ successes. No By the end of 1991, Staples had 123 stores. As Staples grew, the senior management team continued to devote time and attention to recruiting and developing talent. They sought out people with a â€Å"can-do† attitude, competitive drive, and an eagerness to learn and stretch themselves. Staples’ employees had to be flexible and willing to move laterally through the company, as Stemberg contended that these periodic rotations helped the company avoid complacency and maintain its entrepreneurial spirit. They also had to be comfortable taking risks on behalf of the company and being held accountable for them. It was not easy to find people who could thrive in this fast-paced, often stressful environment. As one manager observed, â€Å"Within weeks you could tell if a new hire could withstand the pace and pressure. † Jeanne Lewis (1991-1995) Do Marketing and operations Lewis first came to Staples in 1991 as an MBA summer intern in the marketing department (see Exhibit 1 for a timeline of key events). At the time, Staples was small enough that, as she reflected, â€Å"you could literally fit the entire management team in one room. † As an intern, Lewis evaluated marketing plan effectiveness for the company’s 105 stores in 12 states. She passed Stemberg’s office each day and had the opportunity to sit in on meetings occasionally with the CEO and president. In 1993, one year after her HBS graduation, she returned as a marketing manager responsible for sales forecasting and field marketing. In 1994, she became director of operations for New England with $250 million profit and loss (PL) responsibility for 50 stores. Lewis had 7 direct reports and over 1,000 indirect reports. The stores were underperforming, which she concluded was because of a lack of strong leadership throughout the area: 3 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 400-065 Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) rP os t Going into operations was a real change. I was put in charge of managing people who had all â€Å"been there, done that† for years. They’d started out as merchandise managers making $18,000 and moved up the silo. And then I came in: I’d never run a store, never rung a register, never done any of the things that they valued expertise in. And yet we had a situation where the stores weren’t performing that well, and I had to tell them to make money and grow sales. Lewis went straight to work, made tough choices, and replaced 25 store associates in a 12month period. Her new team set aggressive store standards, launched training programs, and rejuvenated performance. A year later, Lewis became the director of sales for 150 stores on the East Coast. One of her direct reports described his time working with Lewis as a time of professional growth: â€Å"Jeanne’s charm could be disarming. She worked really hard, and her personality motivated you. She tended to manage tightly at first, then loosened the reins. She challenged us a lot, and invited us to challenge each other. † op yo Merchandising Within a year, Lewis was asked to move again, this time into merchandising as vice president and divisional merchandising manager for furniture and decorative supplies, a potentially profitable category. Merchandising was the department responsible for deciding what product to buy, how much to buy, what price to charge, and how to display it in stores and catalog. She now had product-level PL responsibility for $350 million and both direct (three) and indirect (nine) reports. Again, she was an outsider entering a department of people who had a deep experience base and shared background. As one merchant explained, â€Å"We are a different breed, with our own style of rough and tumble. Because we spend so much time negotiating, we are always a bit distrustful, and wary of being cheated. † Lewis explained: No tC The same thing occurred in merchandising as operations. I came into the department that is the heartbeat of a retailer having never bought product, but suddenly I had to manage a group of buyers, somehow create a merchandising strategy, and make this sick category a winner [the division’s sales had been flat in a company where double-digit growth was both common and expected]. And again, there was a vendor community looking at me saying, â€Å"What do you know about buying and negotiating? † And I had a group of buyers who typically had been led by people who had come up through the ranks, while I had none of the technical expertise they placed a premium on. Often when you move to a new functional area, the onus is on the group you’ve just inherited to teach the new manager the ropes. For me, though, it was â€Å"you’ve got to fix it, and fix it fast. † There was no time for the people who reported to me to teach me. Do In short order, Lewis and her team developed a strategy for turning around the department. They replaced over 75% of the product assortment and tripled direct product profitability (DPP). 3 Lewis soon won the respect of her colleagues thanks to her strategic talents and penetrating mind. Her direct reports and peers learned that to influence her, they had to be prepared to get to the heart of a matter and support their position with relevant analyses. One reported that at first impression, he worried that Lewis might be a micro-manager, but he soon realized that she liked to inspire dialogue and debate to ensure that they dug deeply in their decision making. Many found these exchanges intense and more productive in one-on-one interactions, as opposed to group settings. According to her boss, Richard Gentry, executive vice president of merchandising: 3 Although it was common in food retailing, Staples had only recently adopted DPP. With DPP, Staples used computer modeling to calculate the costs and revenues in the distribution system directly attributable to a given product and could thereby measure each stock-keeping unit’s (SKU) contribution to profit. This information could then be used for new product selection, shelf space allocation, and pricing decisions. 4 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) 400-065 rP os t Jeanne demonstrated that you can be a good merchant but you could also be strategic and think outside of the four walls. She showed us how to maximize DPP instead of just â€Å"here’s what I sell it at, here’s what I buy it for. † She was the first merchant to look at financials beyond gross margin, to look at what it actually cost to handle a product in the distribution centers, what it cost in terms of the space in the store. I think she was able to influence people and get respect because she had great insight, and she combined it with a great natural personality. Opportunity Knocks (1996) op yo By 1996, Staples was a $3 billion business with over 500 stores (see Exhibit 2 for a partial organizational chart). Although small business remained the core customer, the company had expanded its offerings to meet the needs of mid-sized and large businesses. It was organized into three strategic business units (SBUs): Retail, Contract and Commercial, and International. The Retail Unit consisted of all U. S. stores. The Contract and Commercial Unit consisted of three divisions: Staples Business Advantage, which handled regional mid-sized to large companies; Staples National Advantage, which provided complete, customized solutions for national, multi-location companies; and Staples Direct, a catalog division. The International Division managed all functional areas for all stores in Europe. This structure was designed to encourage ownership and accountability, and each SBU had its own strategic priorities and aggressive quarterly financial objectives. Although each unit relied to greater or lesser extents on the corporate marketing and merchandising departments, they also had their own dedicated marketing and merchandising areas. Newcomers to Staples often found the organizational structure cumbersome and difficult to cope with. As one manager recalled, â€Å"I soon discovered that the many (explicit and implicit) dotted-line reporting relationships were often more important than the solid-line reporting relationships. Thankfully, we are all stockholders, so at the end of the day we are all focused on the same goal. † No tC But it was not easy to maintain the focus across the now over 1,500 corporate and 12,000 store employees. After Staples’ tenth year, Stemberg raised the stakes. If the company was to reach its $10 billion objective by the year 2000, it had to adapt its strategy and culture to transform from being what some executives had called a â€Å"pure operating company†4 to one that was more customer service-oriented with the infrastructure necessary to deliver the scope and scale of services required. A task force was charged to draft a new mission statement to catalyze this transformation, which outlined four areas of continued focus: customers, employees, communication, and execution. In addition, the task force created a Point Team of key managers. Since the top team felt they could no longer rely on proximity to keep up with developments in the company, this Point Team was charged with ensuring the sharing of goals, key information, and alignment on policy issues and decisions. Do Potential merger Then, during the summer of 1996, Staples’ most formidable competitor, Office Depot, stumbled. Office Depot, which had taken under five years to reach $1 billion in sales, was currently out-grossing Staples’ stores by $2. 5 million per store. Until then, Office Depot had been the darling of Wall Street, routinely turning in 30%-40% gains; after a string of a few lesser—but far from bad—quarters, however, analysts began to refer to it as an â€Å"aging growth company. †5 Stemberg seized the opportunity to provide customers with additional savings through economies of scale, and in September 1996, the two companies announced that they would merge. â€Å"Staples, the Office Depot† would be the clear industry leader with $10 billion in annual revenues, 1,100 office supplies superstores, and combined mail-order and contract-stationer divisions. 4 Stemberg, Staples for Success, p. 143. 5 David Altaner, â€Å"Turning the Page on Office Depot; Investors Penciled in Bigger Future for Smaller Staples,† Sun Sentinel, 8 September 1996, p. 1G. 5 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 400-065 Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) rP os t Krasnow, now the only remaining member of the Staples’ founding team, agreed to lead the marketing effort and to play a pivotal role in working through the complicated companywide implementation that lay ahead. Throughout his tenure, Krasnow had taken many temporary assignments outside marketing. He had led new market entries and troubleshot in high stakes situations. He had always returned to marketing, but this time he announced that he would leave Staples in January 1998 to pursue his dream of creating his own entrepreneurial venture. People wondered aloud, â€Å"Who could fill Krasnow’s big shoes? † The company prided itself on promoting from within, and many speculated that Krasnow’s successor would come from within the marketing department; for instance, someone like Bridget Coles, the current vice president of advertising— another HBS graduate who had been with Staples for over seven years. op yo Promotion After careful deliberations, the Point Team concluded that Jeanne Lewis should be offered the position. Although she had spent only limited time in marketing, they were impressed with her track record in taking charge and mastering varied job assignments. She had demonstrated considerable leadership talents, business acumen, and drive. Lewis weighed the pros and cons of this new opportunity. The move to marketing would represent a very different type of challenge, and she would now be responsible for a budget of several hundred million dollars and a staff of 100 people. Despite its strategic significance to the company, she would now occupy a staff position: In my other positions, I got a report card every day that would say I had screwed up and needed to fix it or, hey, we made a good decision and we executed it well. In this job, the report card would be very different. I wouldn’t have a PL, and while I would feel responsible for sales and creative output, it would be much more subjective, and the sales and performance more diffused. No tC I’m not a good example of how to manage your career—I’ve just been willing to raise my hand several times for new opportunities. I’ve taken a lot of what others would perceive to be career risks, which fortunately have worked out. I think Todd’s feeling was that I had proven myself in several different kinds of functional areas and I brought breadth, if not depth, of experience, coupled with the knowledge that I enjoyed operating in a high stress environment. From my perspective, this was the biggest job I’d had. It would require me to learn to deal with the top levels of the organization and across a broader span. Unlike my other jobs, here I think the challenge was replacing the guy who was here before the first store opened, and who had become a bit of a legend. And, in addition, walking into something that wasn’t totally screwed up, but which had lots of opportunity to be made just a little bit better. I would say my operations and merchandising jobs were bridging â€Å"performance† gaps, while this was going to entail bridging an â€Å"opportunity† gap. I was looking to take it to the next level, although what that exactly meant was not entirely clear at the time. Do In October 1996, Stemberg announced that Lewis would join the marketing department as senior vice president of retail marketing and small business. Stemberg and Krasnow explained to Lewis that she would assist Krasnow in the merger initiative and have a year to â€Å"learn the ropes and prepare to take over the marketing responsibility. † While taking her new responsibilities, she would simultaneously remain in her current position in merchandising until her replacement came from Office Depot. Stemberg also announced Coles’s promotion to senior vice president of advertising. Joining the marketing department Lewis began working with the marketing department in her new capacity immediately. Marketing served as both an architect and driver of Staples’ brand, which meant balancing between short- and long-term objectives. On the one hand, marketing â€Å"existed to optimize the agenda† of the three SBUs, which generally tended toward meeting short-term financial goals using promotional tactics. On the other hand, marketing played a pivotal leadership role as the integrator responsible for establishing a strong brand across Staples’ multiple markets and channels, and for building long-term customer loyalty and retention with effective marketing strategy. The 6 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) 400-065 rP os t department consisted of two areas: a marketing organization and an in-house advertising agency. The marketing organization developed the marketing strategy to differentiate and build the brand and made the tactical decisions regarding the overall marketing mix (e. g. , television, radio, print, direct mail). The advertising agency was responsible for both the creative and production sides for all of the company’s advertising. The agency also produced the Staples catalog, including creative design. Krasnow, who had brought together a branding review committee to create a brand around the integrated company, asked Lewis to lead the marketing and advertising merger team. Lewis found the work stimulating, but realized she had a steep learning curve to climb, both vis-a-vis her new department and Office Depot, who had what was often described as a â€Å"shoot-‘em-up-cowboy† culture. Lewis decided to take her time to thoroughly assess what she was inheriting: op yo Whenever I go into a leadership role, I want to figure out what is underneath the water I’m swimming in. So I dive down into the details in order to figure out what I’m really dealing with below the surface. I always think of it as kind of a long, slow dive into the detail: control freak, driving everyone crazy, learning about their business, understanding their business, understanding them, and hopefully articulating along the way that I don’t mean to be in the way. And then I come back to the surface which is really where I’m most comfortable. But I only do that when I felt like I know what I’ve got in the way of challenges and opportunities and how strong the team really is. She warned her new staff she would want to â€Å"ride shotgun† with them and ask a lot of questions in order to learn as much as she could from their expertise. She scheduled multiple meetings with each of her direct reports to make sure she understood their particular function and fit within the rest of the department. The director of marketing administration, who had been at Staples since its pre-IPO days, arranged to have her team meet with Lewis on a one-on-one basis as well. No tC As Lewis tried to continually â€Å"take the pulse of the floor,† she began to get some signals that she would need to adapt her style, which had been honed in the more â€Å"rough and tumble,† confrontational worlds of operations and merchandising. She explained, â€Å"The first time I decided to challenge a marketing program, I thought we were going to have some good honest dialogue around it. But the person was just devastated. It was a real eye-opener for me. I realized I needed to shift my style or would have people leaving my office in tears and end up accomplishing nothing. † Wearing two hats and running between the fourth floor (where her office in merchandising was located) and the third floor (where marketing was located) kept life interesting, and Lewis knew her staffs on both floors were finding her less accessible than they would have liked. She did her best to counter this. As one of her direct reports acknowledged, Lewis had â€Å"an open door policy and made an effort to be approachable. Her days were full, but you could pop into her office for anything, even to tell a joke, as long as it was the right time. † One of her new direct reports remarked, â€Å"I saw Jeanne look tired, but I wasn’t surprised, considering the jobs she had to deal with. She always had a smile on her face, and was really positive, even on a bad day. I could go the extra mile for someone like that. † Do By the late spring, it was still unclear when the merger would go through. Krasnow and other executives continued to be embroiled in legal negotiations, which took a toll on the entire organization. As a member of the merger transition team explained: â€Å"An organization of this size— with over 30,000 employees—which is moving this fast, needs clear direction. When you’re driving that race car, you need to know where you’re going, you can’t just be making turns! † Lewis concluded she should no longer juggle two full-time jobs, especially since Krasnow was preoccupied with the merger. In addition, Coles announced that she would be leaving Staples in July for personal reasons. This development further unsettled the department. As one member described, â€Å"Everyone felt a lot of loyalty to the ‘old regime. ’ There was a lot of fear and trepidation around Bridget and Todd both leaving within six months of each other, the fear and insecurity that comes with change. † 7 This document is authorized for use only by Harutyun Gevorgyan at HE OTHER until November 2014. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [emailprotected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 400-065 Jeanne Lewis at Staples, Inc. (A) (Abridged) rP os t So, Lewis insisted that her replacement in merchandising be appointed, and in May she moved downstairs into a new office in marketing. Beginning to Move op yo Then, in July 1997, a federal judge ruled in favor of the antitrust challenge. Stemberg announced that Staples was abandoning the merger, but he charged his employees, in true Staples’ fashion, to â€Å"see the positive in the sea of bad news†: to learn the lessons and move forward on them. The Point Team had learned that to maintain a competitive edge, Staples had to intensify its efforts to focus on profitability and to build the business. This meant providing more corporate leadership to assist all departments in getting tighter control over their costs, especially salary and administrative costs (SA), and figuring out how to maximize the use of resources across SBUs. Marketing would continue to differentiate and build the brand. Everything the company did should be consistent with the newly articulated brand statement of â€Å"slashing the cost and hassle of running your office. †6 Lewis wondered if her time to seize the moment had arrived. After 10 months assessing the department, she had a clear understanding of marketing as the brand champion and the key support for other departments. She elaborated: It was our job to think strategically—to keep the other departments honest when it came to long-term growth. We had to find the right balance between hitting the numbers in any given quarter and really growing the customer franchise for the long haul. All the brand-level marketing was really making sure that we were creating a personality and a promise that would drive the right customers into the store by talking about who we were and what we offered, and providing whatever incentives necessary to make sure that the product would sell, and that the customer would come back and buy more. tC Yet, Lewis was convinced that there was a â€Å"firewall† between the two marketing areas. Marketing’s strategy was being developed by the marketing side and handed over to advertising to execute, so neither party was benefiting from the extensive experience and expertise of the other. How could they produce an integrated message unless they did their work more collaboratively? Lewis felt that she could not begin to improve the integration of marketing across merchandising, operations, and the SBUs until her own house was integrated. She remarked: Do No I was amazed that while we had this huge marketing budget that everyone shared, no one knew what the other people were doing. You couldn’t even have that conversation. I remember the first staff meeting that I had them all together, there was lots of feedback I was getting on â€Å"Well, I don’t really know what Marci does, or how Lisa looks at this. † No one really knew the marketing mix, how much we spend on each piece, in relation to the other pieces, either in terms of dollars or objectives. I think you need a group that understands the overall strategic objectives and what we do as a department to support these objectives, even if it’s not within their particular area. I also found them terribly disconnected from the strategic objectives of the other areas—merchandising and operations. The thought I would go home with at night was, if they knew more, then they would do a better job. It sounds so simple. â€Å"Knew more† means if they knew more about each other and the marketing results, and if they knew more about our overall objectives. And then, as you expand that circle of knowledge out to include merchants, operators, Contract and Commercial, and other SBUs, then by the time

THE RADIO ADVANTAGE

THE RADIO ADVANTAGE Between 1993 and 2002 I wrote and broadcast over one hundred radio pieces for CBC (the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canadas public radio network). Fifty of those were humour, another fifty, scripts for conversations about folklore. Three were 12-minute features with voice and recorded sound, and fifteen were pieces about shepherding written as letters to the shows host.   Ã‚     Writing for voice is different from writing for print. Some things you simply cant say on air. For example, an early piece concerned the varied liaisons among my angora rabbits. Angora rabbits is difficult to say naturally and clearly. The first RA is the sound of RAW, the second the RA in RAT. On air I said ANGORA BUNNIES instead.  Ã‚     I learned two kinds of timing in radio. My first lesson was to keep to time, write succinctly, and condense every piece to 550-650 words. Anything else either ran over my five-to-seven minutes or had to be read too quickly to sound polished.   Ã‚     My se cond lesson was vocal timing. When you read aloud, breath matters. A sentence had to be short enough to be read aloud easily in one breath, or else break naturally for a breath. (I also learned not to pop my ps or hiss my ss on the microphone!)  Ã‚     I had to use intonation to compensate for missing visual cues, and allow pauses for the listener to react to something funny. Essentially, I learned to perform for an unseen and unheard audience. (Even if the producer laughed as I read, I couldnt hear her from the sound studio.)   Ã‚     This taught me to deliver humour on trust, believing that Id left room for a laugh or a groan in the right places. Writing humour for the page is also a matter of trust – we dont see our readers immediate reactions. When Id done thirty or so short pieces of humour, and had had feedback from listeners, I had a well-developed sense of comic timing.   Ã‚