Globalization and Migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Globalization and Migration - Essay Example The people in this world belong to different religions, different continents, different continents, different cultures and different races. There are many differences in the ways the people living in different prospect differ. The people need to be aware of the differences and they need to explore and know more. For that reason we see that the people have started travelling around the world to know more and to get answers to the questions. This is the concepts of globalization. Globalization is the concept and the rationale in itself. It means the people are moving to other places to get more from the people who belong to the different religions and the cultures. The concept that underlies the idea of the globalization is migration. Migration is the movement of the people across the borders, from one country to the other, with the permission of the higher authorities belonging to the foreign destination country. In this way too the globalization is still there. The countries have higher authorities which are known to us as the embassies. The embassies are the authorities which the grant the foreigners the permission to make entry in their countries. This restriction to the easy and open entry is due to many factors. The main factor is the illegal activities that occur due to the foreign immigrants in the country which in the end might be harmful or detrimental for the country's safety. For the purpose of the migration some countries have lower restrictions as compared to the other countries. Illegal activities and globalization With the increase in the globalization and the increase in the people travelling to the other destinations of the world, it has been seen that the criminal activates are also increasing day by day. The ease with which the people are able to cross the borders of the countries make the people perform some illegal activities including the illegal migrations, the human smuggling or the human trafficking. This list also includes the refugees which are able to cross the borders across to the other countries and they take their refugee in the other countries. Human trafficking: The case Friman and Reich (2007) discuss that there are two concepts that might be intermixed in this case. The first concept is called the human smuggling which is very different from the human trafficking. The human smuggling means that the person wants to be transported across the border illegally and the smuggler is paid some fee for that and after being transported illegally, smuggled person is free to do any thing in the other country. In the second case the human trafficking means that the person so the persons are transported across the borders, though illegally, in addition against the will and the wish of the person being transported. The people being transported are transported force fully. The reasons underlying human trafficking The human trafficking is done so that the people are forced into some illegal work forces. This includes the forced slavery, servitude or debt bondage. In this way the trafficker deprives the person of the basic human rights of the person who is being trafficked across the border. The person is sometimes physically forced to being trafficked. It has been seen that the people are even deceived into lies such as better futures in the

The Globalisation Of The Rastafari Cultural Studies Essay

The Globalisation Of The Rastafari Cultural Studies Essay Globalization of Rastafari is a highly rich historical and ethnographic work exploring Rastafarian from its origin in the early twentieth century to the world today. The book analyses the political, cultural, spiritual, geographical, political, sociological and psychological aspects of globalization on the rastafari movement, and provides a carefully weighed and richly illustrated assessment of the benefits and ills that have flowed from globalization as well as suggestions for steering it towards more positive outcomes in the future. It highlights the pursuit for change among an oppressed people and how they settled in other countries. This literary work serves to show how the Rastafarian movement created their own dogmatic ideology. The articles in the book focus most particularly on the latter two concerns: first, how does the global context of Rastafari affect the dynamics of the movement and the forms the movement takes? Second, how do we understand the potential impact of Rastafari on the larger world when we view it in a global light?  [1]   As we link the inception of the Rastafarian movement in the 1930s to todays time, it can be implied that they are still trying to get global recognition of their unique syncretic religion. There is still a struggle even now to regain their African heritage and cultural identity and ideologically distance themselves from what many perceive to be the misguided and unjust societies in which they live.  [2]   The first chapter seeks to give an overview of the general content of the collection of articles that were used to create this literary work. R.C. Slater through his methodology gives us a very lucid explanation of the term Globalization as relates to the Caribbean and the wider world. He shows that since the time of Columbus, the population of the Caribbean has been a truly global population, comprised of Africans, Asians, Native Americans and Europeans.  [3]   He postulates that Rastafari is a syncretic religion derived from Christian and African sources continues to expand globally via foreign missionaries and as believers participate in a new Diaspora in search of work and livelihood. Not only do these religions spread religious ideas and practices, but they also have become sources of inspiration for art, literature and music around the world. He introduces the term Babylon, which can be definitively traced to Marcus Garveys teachings, which liken the Afro-Caribs in the West to the Jews Exile into Babylon. The institution of slavery created tremendous suffering for those that were enslaved in both of these cases. The term Babylon is used in Rasta terms with much negative connotations. It is something that they are radically opposed to. Corruption, politics, police, laws, and cities are often referred to as Babylon  [4]   In chapter two, Richard Slater seeks in defining Who are the Rastafari? stating the negative connotation that the world at large may label them. He writes that despite the many and confusing answers to the question, it is undeniable that people who identify themselves as Rastafari exist. He stresses the difficulty in defining Rastafari and states, I do not believe it is possible to present an all-encompassing definition of Rastafari, but a workable minimum characterization of it will be helpful. My focus here will be on Rastafari I-consciousness as an element of the movement.  [5]  He goes on to show how this I indicator relates to the Rastafari identity and that the central features of Rastafari are not necessarily found in either beliefs or practices, but a set of unorthodox religious practices when compared to established religions. He further mentions that there are major differences in the Rastafi core belief system with respect to Leonard Barretts six tenets of Rastafarian beliefs. He writes, I met many people who identified themselves as Rastafari, but who did not acclaim Haile Selassie to be the living god, others considers Selassie to have been a corrupt sham.  [6]  ; and also , no Rasta whom I have ever met would claim that it is by virtue of smoking ganja that one is a Rasta. In fact, if one is reliant on ganja if one cannot exist without it one certainly has been trapped by Babylon. In chapter four, Slater interviews Mutabaruka, who is a DJ for Jamaicas IRIE FM radio station, a poet and some consider him as an international emissary of Rastafari. Matabaruka is very unorthodox in his beliefs, he openly states, As a matter of fact, you will hear purely negative things about Jesus when you come to I. Because I and I dont have anything good to say about Jesus, because Jesusà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ because Jesus became like the Devil.  [7]   Mutabaruka meticulously answers the questions put to him by Slater, and very candidly allude to the fact that the majority of Rastafari have deviated far from Rastafari true essence and way of life. Mutabaruka attribute the spread of Rastafarism out of Jamaica is via the reggae music and that many reggae artists can only articulate Rastafari in the music but not outside the music. Also the culture of Rastafari can spread, can be identified with, can be lived true by anyone who identifies with oppression and anyone who feels disenfranchised by the colonial system or white supremacist system that maintains itself all over the world would gravitates towards Rastafari. Mutabaraka does not foresee Rastafari being decentralised from Jamaica due to globalization but rather he thinks Jamaica is almost like Jerusalem when it comes to experiencing Rastafari. He argues that Rastafari is not a religion but its a way of life. In chapter five, the article by Jan DeCosmo explores the shape Rastafari identity has taken in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, from its introduction through reggae music and its revaluation of African heritage, to its ambivalent relationship to Afro-Bahian spirituality.  [8]  DeCosmo shows that amidst the racial discrimination that Afro-Brazilians face in line with poverty, oppression, and social injustice, they still manage to keep alive their Rastafarian culture via the reggae music. Such poverty, constructed on the shoulders of a colonial and racist history, and supported by continuing legacies of that colonial and racist history, is one context in which Bahias Rastafari community has arisen to resist oppression, to call for justice, and to revalorize Bahias black African heritage.  [9]  DeCosmo writes that some of the Rastafarians she interviewed were proud of having rejected the globalized world, or what they call Babylon and replace it with a divine order, an order of spirit, of love, of African roots. As such, Rastafari identity continues to be linked with cultural resistance and a desire to radically change the world. DeCosmo further writes that there are differences between Bahian and Jamaican Rastafari. Thus, there are two differences between Bahian Rastafari and Jamaican Rastafari that deserve attention. First, among Bahian Rastafari there is much less emphasis placed on physical repatriation to Africa than in ideal typical Jamaican Rastafari especially in its early stages. Second, Bahian history has given Rastafari there a special relationship to the religion and culture of the orixas.  [10]   With respect of the connation globalization of the Rastafari as it applies to Bahian Rastafari, we observe the prevalence of distinctly African cultural practices in Bahia. One of the interesting differences between orthodox Rastafari and cultural Rastafari is the different levels of tolerance each has for the religion and culture of the orixas. Unlike cultural Rastafari, the orthodox stand opposed to indigenous forms of Afro- Bahian religion and culture, such as Candomblà © and Carnival. Thus the globalized Rastafari in Bahia is far from being achieved since each group see their roots in a distinctively different location. In chapter seven Michael Barnett explores from a Jamaican diasporic perspective, the impact that the migration of Jamaicans to England, the United States and Canada has had on the globalization of the Rastafari movement. Barnett gives a clear picture of the reality that the Jamaicans faced when they migrated to England as recruits to help to rebuild England and its economy after the devastation it suffered during World War II. They were to be given the opportunity to improve and develop their social and economic life but they were greatly deceived. As Barnett writes, There were in fact no institutions established in England to welcome and process the Jamaican newcomers. As a result Jamaicans had to learn to cope on their own in their new home, against a background of racial discrimination and prejudice. Notting Hill, West London was the scene of major race riots in England and gave birth to the now famous Notting Hill Carnival.  [11]  It is said that this incident gave birth to the Rastafari movement in England in 1950s. Black power movements soon developed over the next few years where we saw many Black power leaders emerged and some were imprisoned for inciting racial hatred after making what w ere considered inflammatory speeches to their audiences. After years of struggle, reggae had experienced its definitive breakthrough into the mainstream pop culture of England mainly due to effective marketing of Bob Marleys music. The popularity of reggae music during the seventies served to secularize the Rastafari movement, with many youths embracing the political, social and cultural message of Rastafari, and not necessarily the religious beliefs of the movement. With respect to Rastafari groups in Canada,during the late sixties the Civil Rights struggle in the USA spread across to Canadian Blacks This helped to fuel the growth of the Rastafari movement. Rasta was seen as a bizarre cult and faced the same hardship as was in England. Two distinct Rastafari group emerged,the more politically oriented Rasta tended to participate in the general struggles of the Black community while those Rasta more steeped in religiosity tended to remain as mere spectators on the sidelines. In the USA, the presence of the Rastafari movement is due to Caribbean migration. The Jamaicans have infiltrated the USA whereby in Brooklyn in New York is frequently referred to as Little Jamaica. They are well established having regular reggae concerts and setting up clothing and record stores. And similarly to the other countries, the Rasta is seen as criminals, thugs etc. Barnett ends his article by mentioning two Rastafari services, Nyahbinghi Rastafari binghi and the Boboshante binghi. At the Nyahbinghi Rastafari binghi, the core of the activity was significantly at the Tabernacle where the drummers pounded away incessantly but rhythmically, lulling much of the crowd into a semi-hypnotic trance. The air was thick with the smell of ganja,and just in front of the tabernacle a group of brethren smoked their spliffs as they observed the proceedings. At the Boboshanti ceremony, they read Psalms from the bible, whereupon after every verse or so, everyone would say, Holy Emmanuel I, Selassie I, Jah Rastafari with the accompaniment of drums. Barnett commended the Binghis at both mansions for their authenticity and their Jamaican-ness., and it is fair to say that one could not tell that one was not in Jamaica. The exposition and general discussion throughout the book have established and did justice to the term, Globalization. We can clearly get an insight into how the Rastafarian movement has managed to extend its reach and influence throughout the Caribbean, from England to Zimbabwe and also as far north as Canada and as far south as Brazil and South Africa. The book is well worth the price and I strongly recommend this book to anyone desirous of getting a deep insight into the historical development from early stages to modern times of the Rastafari and their struggle through racism, labelling, oppression and all such negative conations. The book clears any misconception that one may have about their rituals, beliefs, culture and most of all their music, reggae, which seems to be the one thing that formulates this whole idea of a globalized Rastafari.

Distress in The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock Essay -- Love Song J. A

The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock - The Distress of J.Alfred Prufrock The human psyche is divided into three distinct aspects: the Persona, the Shadow, and the Anima/Animus; at least, it is according to Jungian Psychology. Drawing heavily on the theories developed by Freud, Jung's psychological concepts tell us that if these three facets are not properly integrated - that is, if one of the three is overly dominant, or repressed, or all three are in conflict with each other - then an individual's energies - his libido - will be out of alignment, causing psychological distress and unconscious problems. The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock, if read Archetypaly, reveals to us such an individual. J.Alfred Prufrock, the nebbish little man that he is, has some very serious problems - he is extremely indecisive, obsessed with trivial details, and frets over inconsequentials ('Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare eat a peach?'); more importantly, he seems to have an inability to confront the opposite sex, choosing instead to develop elaborate fantasies in which to meet imaginary women - all of whom seem to be either cruel, vain, or sinister in some subtle way. An archetypal analysis drawing upon Jung's theories seeks to uncover the reasons behind Prufrock's neurosis. The first line of the poem - 'Let us go then, you and I' - gives an immediate insight into Prufrock's problem: his psyche is out of joint. The 'You' and 'I' of the poem are two aspects of his personality: his Shadow and his Persona, respectively. Prufrock is very much aware of the schism within his own mind. His Persona - the aspect of himself he presents to the social world - remains dominant most of the time. His Shadow, however, comp... ...s earlier illness. Unfortunately for Prufrock, this apparent cycle is entirely contained within a small portion of the whole. Prufrock participates in a greater cycle, but one that seems to end, not in life, or rebirth, but in a symbolic death. He is a crab, a '... pair of ragged claws/Scuttling across the floors of silent seas', a man who wakes... and drowns. His cycle ends negatively, without the rebirth. He never gets his act together, never integrates his personality properly, never stops being the sad little nebbish of a man that he is; the cracks in Prufrock are never mended. -Michael J.Noakes Works Cited Eliot, T.S. "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock ." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume Two. Ed. M.H.Abrams, 6th Edition. New York: Norton, 1993. 2140-2143. Distress in The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock Essay -- Love Song J. A The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock - The Distress of J.Alfred Prufrock The human psyche is divided into three distinct aspects: the Persona, the Shadow, and the Anima/Animus; at least, it is according to Jungian Psychology. Drawing heavily on the theories developed by Freud, Jung's psychological concepts tell us that if these three facets are not properly integrated - that is, if one of the three is overly dominant, or repressed, or all three are in conflict with each other - then an individual's energies - his libido - will be out of alignment, causing psychological distress and unconscious problems. The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock, if read Archetypaly, reveals to us such an individual. J.Alfred Prufrock, the nebbish little man that he is, has some very serious problems - he is extremely indecisive, obsessed with trivial details, and frets over inconsequentials ('Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare eat a peach?'); more importantly, he seems to have an inability to confront the opposite sex, choosing instead to develop elaborate fantasies in which to meet imaginary women - all of whom seem to be either cruel, vain, or sinister in some subtle way. An archetypal analysis drawing upon Jung's theories seeks to uncover the reasons behind Prufrock's neurosis. The first line of the poem - 'Let us go then, you and I' - gives an immediate insight into Prufrock's problem: his psyche is out of joint. The 'You' and 'I' of the poem are two aspects of his personality: his Shadow and his Persona, respectively. Prufrock is very much aware of the schism within his own mind. His Persona - the aspect of himself he presents to the social world - remains dominant most of the time. His Shadow, however, comp... ...s earlier illness. Unfortunately for Prufrock, this apparent cycle is entirely contained within a small portion of the whole. Prufrock participates in a greater cycle, but one that seems to end, not in life, or rebirth, but in a symbolic death. He is a crab, a '... pair of ragged claws/Scuttling across the floors of silent seas', a man who wakes... and drowns. His cycle ends negatively, without the rebirth. He never gets his act together, never integrates his personality properly, never stops being the sad little nebbish of a man that he is; the cracks in Prufrock are never mended. -Michael J.Noakes Works Cited Eliot, T.S. "The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock ." The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume Two. Ed. M.H.Abrams, 6th Edition. New York: Norton, 1993. 2140-2143.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Nine

Jack staggered out of bed at precisely fourteen minutes before seven. Waking had been an elaborate undertaking. He had, after Miss Eversleigh had departed the night before, rung for a maid and given her strict orders to rap on his door at fifteen minutes past six. Then, as she was leaving, he thought the better of it and revised his directive to six sharp raps at the appointed time, followed by another twelve fifteen minutes later. It wasn't as if he was going to make it out of bed on the first attempt, anyway. The maid had also been informed that if she did not see him at the door within ten seconds of the second set of raps, she was to enter the room and not depart until she was certain he was awake. And finally, she was promised a shilling if she did not breathe a word of this to anyone. â€Å"And I'll know if you do,† he warned her, with his most disarming smile. â€Å"Gossip always makes its way back to me.† It was true. No matter the house, no matter the establishment, the maids always told him everything. It was amazing how far one could travel on nothing but a smile and a puppy-dog expression. Unfortunately for Jack, however, what his plan boasted in strategy, it lacked in eventual execution. Not that the maid could be blamed. She carried out her part to the letter. Six sharp raps at fifteen minutes past six. Precisely. Jack managed to pry one eye about two-thirds of the way open, which proved to be just enough to focus upon the clock on his bedside table. At half six he was snoring anew, and if he only counted seven of the twelve raps, he was fairly certain the fault was his, not hers. And really, one had to admire the poor girl's adherence to plan when faced with his somewhat surly No, followed by: Go away; Ten more minutes; I said, ten more minutes; and Don't you have a bloody pot to scrub? At fifteen minutes before seven, as he teetered on his belly at the edge of his bed, one arm hanging limply over the side, he finally managed to get both eyes open, and he saw her, sitting primly in a chair across the room. â€Å"Er, is Miss Eversleigh awake?† he mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his left eye. His right eye seemed to have shut again, trying to pull the rest of him along with it, back into sleep. â€Å"Since twenty minutes before six, sir.† â€Å"Chipper as a bloody mockingbird, too, I'm sure.† The maid held her tongue. He cocked his head, suddenly a bit more awake. â€Å"Not so chipper, eh?† So Miss Eversleigh was not a morning person. The day was growing brighter by the second. â€Å"She's not so bad as you,† the maid finally admitted. Jack pushed his legs over the side and yawned. â€Å"She'd have to be dead to achieve that.† The maid giggled. It was a good, welcome sound. As long as he had the maids giggling, the house was his. He who had the servants had the world. He'd learned that at the age of six. Drove his family crazy, it did, but that just made it all the sweeter. â€Å"How late do you imagine she would sleep if you didn't wake her?† he asked. â€Å"Oh, I couldn't tell you that,† the maid said, blushing madly. Jack did not see how Miss Eversleigh's sleep habits might constitute a confidence, but nonetheless he had to applaud the maid for her loyalty. This did not mean, however, that he would not make every attempt to win her over. â€Å"What about when the dowager gives her the day off?† he asked, rather offhandedly. The maid shook her head sadly. â€Å"The dowager never gives her the day off.† â€Å"Never?† Jack was surprised. His newfound grandmother was exacting and self-important and a host of other annoying faults, but she'd struck him as, at the heart, somewhat fair-minded. â€Å"Just afternoons,† the maid said. And she leaned forward, looking first to her left and then her right, as if there might actually be someone else in the room who could hear her. â€Å"I think she does it just because she knows that Miss Eversleigh is not partial to mornings.† Ah, now that did sound like the dowager. â€Å"She gets twice as many afternoons,† the maid went on to explain, â€Å"so it does even out in the end.† Jack nodded sympathetically. â€Å"It's a shame.† â€Å"Unfair.† â€Å"So unfair.† â€Å"And poor Miss Eversleigh,† the maid went on, her voice growing in animation. â€Å"She's ever so kind. Lovely to all the maids. Never forgets our birthdays and gives us gifts that she says are from the dowager, but we all know it's her.† She looked up at him then, so Jack rewarded her with an earnest nod. â€Å"And all she wants, poor dear, is one morning every other week to sleep until noon.† â€Å"Is that what she said?† Jack murmured. â€Å"Only once,† the maid admitted. â€Å"I don't think she would recall. She was very tired. I think the dowager had her up quite late the night before. Took me twice as long as usual to rouse her.† Jack nodded sympathetically. â€Å"The dowager never sleeps,† the maid went on. â€Å"Never?† â€Å"Well, I'm sure she must. But she doesn't seem to need very much of it.† â€Å"I knew a vampire bat once,† Jack murmured. â€Å"Poor Miss Eversleigh must adhere to the dowager's schedule,† the maid explained. Jack continued on with the nodding. It seemed to be working. â€Å"But she does not complain,† the maid said, clearly eager to defend her. â€Å"She would never complain about her grace.† â€Å"Never?† If he had lived at Belgrave as long as Grace, he'd have been complaining forty-eight hours a day. The maid shook her head with a piety that would have been quite at home on a vicar's wife. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh is not one for gossip.† Jack was about to point out that everyone gossiped, and despite what they might say, everyone enjoyed it. But he did not want the maid to interpret this as a critique of her current behavior, so he nodded yet again, prodding her on with: â€Å"Very admirable.† â€Å"Not with the help, at least,† the maid clarified. â€Å"Maybe with her friends.† â€Å"Her friends?† Jack echoed, padding across the room in his nightshirt. Clothing had been laid out for him, freshly washed and pressed, and it did not take more than a glance to see that they were of the finest quality. Wyndham's, most probably. They were of a similar size. He wondered if the duke knew that his closet had been raided. Probably not. â€Å"The Ladies Elizabeth and Amelia,† the maid said. â€Å"They live on the other side of the village. In the other big house. Not as big as this, mind you.† â€Å"No, of course not,† Jack murmured. He decided that this maid, whose name he really ought to learn, would be his favorite. A wealth of knowledge, she was, and all one had to do was let her get off her feet for a moment and into a comfortable chair. â€Å"Their father's the Earl of Crowland,† the maid went on, nattering away even as Jack stepped into his dressing room to don his clothing. He supposed some men would refuse to wear the duke's attire after their altercation the day before, but it seemed to him an impractical battle to pick. Assuming he was not going to succeed in luring Miss Eversleigh into a wild orgy of abandon (at least not today), he would have to dress. And his own clothes were rather worn and dusty. Besides, maybe it would irk his dukeliness. And Jack had judged that to be a noble pursuit, indeed. â€Å"Does Miss Eversleigh get to spend time with the Ladies Elizabeth and Amelia very often?† he called out, pulling on his breeches. Perfect fit. How fortunate. â€Å"No. Although they were here yesterday.† The two girls he'd seen her with in the front drive. The blond ones. Of course. He should have realized they were sisters. He would have realized it, he supposed, if he'd been able to tear his eyes away from Miss Eversleigh long enough to see beyond the color of their hair. â€Å"Lady Amelia is to be our next duchess,† the maid continued. Jack's hands, which were doing up the buttons on Wyndham's extraordinarily well-cut linen shirt, stilled. â€Å"Really,† he said. â€Å"I did not realize the duke was betrothed.† â€Å"Since Lady Amelia was a baby,† the maid supplied. â€Å"We'll be having a wedding soon, I think. We've got to, really. She's getting long in the tooth. I don't think her parents'll stand for much more delay.† Jack had thought both girls had looked youthful, but he had been some distance away. â€Å"Twenty-one, I think she is.† â€Å"That old?† he murmured dryly. â€Å"I'm seventeen,† the maid said with a sigh. Jack decided not to comment, as he could not be sure whether she wished to be seen as older or younger than her actual years. He stepped out of the dressing room, putting the finishing touches on his cravat. The maid jumped to her feet. â€Å"Oh, but I should not gossip.† Jack gave her a reassuring nod. â€Å"I won't say a word. I give you my vow.† She dashed toward the door, then turned around and said, â€Å"My name is Bess.† She bobbed a curtsy. â€Å"If you need anything.† Jack smiled then, because he was quite certain her offer was completely innocent. There was something rather refreshing in that. A minute after Bess left, a footman arrived, as promised by Miss Eversleigh, to escort him down to the breakfast room. He proved not nearly as informative as Bess (the footmen never were, at least not to him), and the five-minute walk was made in silence. The fact that the trip required five minutes was not lost on Jack. If Belgrave had seemed unconscionably huge from afar, then the inside was a positive labyrinth. He was fairly certain he'd seen less than a tenth of it, and already he'd located three staircases. There were turrets, too; he'd seen them from the outside, and almost certainly dungeons as well. There had to be dungeons, he decided, taking what had to be the sixth turn since descending the staircase. No self-respecting castle would be without them. He decided he'd ask Grace to take him down for a peek, if only because the subterranean rooms were probably the only ones that could be counted upon not to have priceless old masters hanging on the walls. A lover of art he might be, but this – he nearly flinched when he brushed past an El Greco – was simply too much. Even his dressing room had been hung wainscot to ceiling with priceless oils. Whoever had decorated there had an appalling fondness for cupids. Blue silk bedroom, his foot. The place ought to be renamed Corpulent Babies, Armed with Quivers and Bows Room. Subtitled: Visitors Beware. Because, really, there ought to be a limit on how many cupids one could put in one small dressing room. They turned a final corner, and Jack nearly sighed in delight as the familiar smells of an English breakfast wafted past his nose. The footman motioned to an open doorway, and Jack walked through it, his body tingling with an unfamiliar anticipation, only to find that Miss Eversleigh had not yet arrived. He looked at the clock. One minute before seven. Surely that was a new, postmilitary record. The sideboard had already been laid, so he took a plate, filled it to heaping, and chose a seat at the table. It had been some time since he'd breakfasted in a proper house. His meals of late had been taken at inns and in rented rooms, and before that on the battlefield. It felt luxurious to sit with his meal, almost decadent. â€Å"Coffee, tea, or chocolate, sir?† Jack had not had chocolate for more time than he could remember, and his body nearly shuddered with delight. The footman took note of his preference and moved to another table, where three elegant pots sat in a row, their arched spouts sticking up like a line of swans. In a moment Jack was rewarded with a steaming cup, into which he promptly dumped three spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk. There were, he decided, taking one heavenly sip, some advantages to a life of luxury. He was nearly through with his food when he heard footsteps approaching. Within moments Miss Eversleigh appeared. She was dressed in a demure white frock – no, not white, he decided, more of a cream color, rather like the top of a milk bucket before it was skimmed. Whatever the hue was, it matched the swirling plaster that adorned the door frame perfectly. She needed only a yellow ribbon (for the walls, which were surprisingly cheerful for such an imposing home) and he would have sworn the room had been decorated just for that moment. He stood, offering her a polite bow. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh,† he murmured. He liked that she was blushing. Just a little, which was ideal. Too much, and that would mean she was embarrassed. A bare hint of pale pink, however, meant that she was looking forward to the encounter. And perhaps thought she ought not to be. Which was even better. â€Å"Chocolate, Miss Eversleigh?† the footman asked. â€Å"Oh, yes, please, Graham.† She sounded most relieved to get her beverage in hand. And indeed, when she finally sat across from him, her plate nearly as full as his, she sighed with delight. â€Å"You don't take sugar?† he asked, surprised. He'd never met a woman – and very few men, for that matter – with a taste for unsweetened chocolate. He couldn't abide it himself. She shook her head. â€Å"Not in the morning. I need it undiluted.† He watched with interest – and, to be honest, a fair bit of amusement – as she alternately sipped the brew and breathed in the scent of it. Her hands did not leave her cup until she'd drained the last drop, and then Graham, who obviously knew her preferences well, was at her side in an instant, refilling without even a hint of a request. Miss Eversleigh, Jack decided, was definitely not a morning person. â€Å"Have you been down long?† she asked, now that she had imbibed a full cup. â€Å"Not long.† He gave a rueful glance to his plate, which was almost clean. â€Å"I learned to eat quickly in the army.† â€Å"By necessity, I imagine,† she said, taking a bite of her coddled eggs. He let his chin dip very slightly to acknowledge her statement. â€Å"The dowager will be down shortly,† she said. â€Å"Ah. So you mean that we must learn to converse quickly as well, if we wish to have any enjoyable discourse before the descent of the duchess.† Her lips twitched. â€Å"That wasn't exactly what I meant, but – † She took a sip of her chocolate, not that that hid her smile. † – it's close.† â€Å"The things we must learn to do quickly,† he said with a sigh. She looked up, fork frozen halfway to her mouth. A small blob of egg fell to her plate with a slap. Her cheeks were positively flaming with color. â€Å"I didn't mean that,† he said, most pleased with the direction of her thoughts. â€Å"Good heavens, I would never do that quickly.† Her lips parted. Not quite an O, but a rather attractive little oval nonetheless. â€Å"Unless, of course I had to,† he added, letting his eyes grow heavy-lidded and warm. â€Å"When faced with the choice of speed versus abstinence – â€Å" â€Å"Mr. Audley!† He sat back with a satisfied smile. â€Å"I was wondering when you'd scold me.† â€Å"Not soon enough,† she muttered. He picked up his knife and fork and cut off a piece of bacon. It was thick and pink and perfectly cooked. â€Å"And once again, there it is,† he said, popping the meat into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, then added, â€Å"My inability to be serious.† â€Å"But you claimed that wasn't true.† She leaned in – just an inch or so, but the motion seemed to say – I'm watching you. He almost shivered. He liked being watched by her. â€Å"You said,† she continued, â€Å"that you were frequently serious, and that it is up to me to figure out when.† â€Å"Is that what I said?† he murmured. â€Å"Something rather close to it.† â€Å"Well, then.† He leaned in closer, too, and his eyes captured hers, green on blue, across the breakfast table. â€Å"What do you think? Am I being serious right now?† For a moment he thought she might answer him, but no, she just sat back with an innocent little smile and said, â€Å"I really couldn't say.† â€Å"You disappoint me, Miss Eversleigh.† Her smile turned positively serene as she returned her attention to the food on her plate. â€Å"I couldn't possibly render judgment on a subject so unfit for my ears,† she murmured. He laughed aloud at that. â€Å"You have a very devious sense of humor, Miss Eversleigh.† She appeared to be pleased by the compliment, almost as if she'd been waiting for years for someone to acknowledge it. But before she could say anything (if indeed she'd intended to say something), the moment was positively assaulted by the dowager, who marched into the breakfast room trailed by two rather harried and unhappy looking maids. â€Å"What are you laughing about?† she demanded. â€Å"Nothing in particular,† Jack replied, deciding to spare Miss Eversleigh the task of making conversation. After five years in the dowager's service, the poor girl deserved a respite. â€Å"Just enjoying Miss Eversleigh's enchanting company.† The dowager shot them both a sharp look. â€Å"My plate,† she snapped. One of the maids rushed to the sideboard, but she was halted when the dowager said, â€Å"Miss Eversleigh will see to it.† Grace stood without a word, and the dowager turned to Jack and said, â€Å"She is the only one who does it properly.† She shook her head and let out a short-tempered little puff of air, clearly lamenting the levels of intelligence commonly found in the servants. Jack said nothing, deciding this would be as good a time as any to invoke his aunt's favorite axiom: If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. Although it was tempting to say something extraordinarily nice about the servants. Grace returned, plate in hand, set it down in front of the dowager, and then gave it a little twist, turning the disk until the eggs were at nine o'clock, closest to the forks. Jack watched the entire affair, first curious, then impressed. The plate had been divided into six equal, wedge-shaped sections, each with its own food selection. Nothing touched, not even the hollandaise sauce, which had been dribbled over the eggs with careful precision. â€Å"It's a masterpiece,† he declared, arching forward. He was trying to see if she'd signed her name with the hollandaise. Grace gave him a look. One that was not difficult to interpret. â€Å"Is it a sundial?† he asked, all innocence. â€Å"What are you talking about?† the dowager grumbled, picking up a fork. â€Å"No! Don't ruin it!† he cried out – as best he could without exploding with laughter. But she jabbed a slice of stewed apple all the same. â€Å"How could you?† Jack accused. Grace actually turned in her chair, unable to watch. â€Å"What the devil are you talking about?† the dowager demanded. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh, why are you facing the window? What is he about?† Grace twisted back around, hand over her mouth. â€Å"I'm sure I do not know.† The dowager's eyes narrowed. â€Å"I think you do know.† â€Å"I assure you,† Grace said, â€Å"I never know what he is about.† â€Å"Never?† Jack queried. â€Å"What a sweeping comment. We've only just met.† â€Å"It feels like so much longer,† Grace said. â€Å"Why,† he mused, â€Å"do I wonder if I have just been insulted?† â€Å"If you've been insulted, you shouldn't have to wonder at it,† the dowager said sharply. Grace turned to her with some surprise. â€Å"That's not what you said yesterday.† â€Å"What did she say yesterday?† Mr. Audley asked. â€Å"He is a Cavendish,† the dowager said simply. Which, to her, explained everything. But she apparently held little faith in Grace's deductive abilities, and so she said, as one might speak to a child, â€Å"We are different.† â€Å"The rules don't apply,† Mr. Audley said with a shrug. And then, as soon as the dowager was looking away, he winked at Grace. â€Å"What did she say yesterday?† he asked again. Grace was not sure she could adequately paraphrase, given that she was so at odds with the overall sentiment, but she couldn't very well ignore his direct question twice, so she said, â€Å"That there is an art to insult, and if one can do it without the subject realizing, it's even more impressive.† She looked over to the dowager, waiting to see if she would be corrected. â€Å"It does not apply,† the dowager said archly, â€Å"when one is the subject of the insult.† â€Å"Wouldn't it still be art for the other person?† Grace asked. â€Å"Of course not. And why should I care if it were?† The dowager sniffed disdainfully and turned back to her breakfast. â€Å"I don't like this bacon,† she announced. â€Å"Are your conversations always this oblique?† Mr. Audley asked. â€Å"No,† Grace answered, quite honestly. â€Å"It has been a most exceptional two days.† No one had anything to add to that, probably because they were all in such agreement. But Mr. Audley did fill the silence by turning to the dowager and saying, â€Å"I found the bacon to be superb.† To that, the dowager replied, â€Å"Is Wyndham returned?† â€Å"I don't believe so,† Grace answered. She looked up to the footman. â€Å"Graham?† â€Å"No, miss, he is not at home.† The dowager pursed her lips into an expression of irritated discontent. â€Å"Very inconsiderate of him.† â€Å"It is early yet,† Grace said. â€Å"He did not indicate that he would be gone all night.† â€Å"Is the duke normally required to register his schedule with his grandmother?† Mr. Audley murmured, clearly out to make trouble. Grace gave him a peeved look. Surely this did not require a reply. He smiled in return. He enjoyed vexing her. This much was becoming abundantly clear. She did not read too much into it, however. The man enjoyed vexing everyone. Grace turned back to the dowager. â€Å"I am certain he will return soon.† The dowager's expression did not budge in its irritation. â€Å"I had hoped that he would be here so that we might talk frankly, but I suppose we may proceed without him.† â€Å"Do you think that's wise?† Grace asked before she could stop herself. And indeed, the dowager responded to her impertinence with a withering stare. But Grace refused to regret speaking out. It was not right to make determinations about the future in Thomas's absence. â€Å"Footman!† the dowager barked. â€Å"Leave us and close the doors behind you.† Once the room was secure, the dowager turned to Mr. Audley and announced, â€Å"I have given the matter great thought.† â€Å"I really think we should wait for the duke,† Grace cut in. Her voice sounded a little panicked, and she wasn't sure why she was quite so distressed. Perhaps it was because Thomas was the one person who had made her life bearable in the past five years. If it hadn't been for him, she'd have forgotten the sound of her own laughter. She liked Mr. Audley. She liked him rather too much, in all honesty, but she would not allow the dowager to hand him Thomas's birthright over breakfast. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh – † the dowager bit off, clearly beginning a blistering set-down. â€Å"I agree with Miss Eversleigh,† Mr. Audley put in smoothly. â€Å"We should wait for the duke.† But the dowager waited for no one. And her expression was one part formidable and two parts defiant when she said, â€Å"We must travel to Ireland. Tomorrow if we can manage it.†

Activision Blizzard

Company History and Profile Activision and Blizzard Entertainment have been longstanding brands within the gaming industry for some time. Activision started out in 1979 as the world’s first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles such as Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, in addition to developing both gaming and business applications for personal computers. One of their earliest major hit games was Pitfall, which was designed for the Atari 2600 series gaming console. This project was so successful; it resulted in the production of several clones, including stand-up arcade games. After losing a multi-million dollar judgment on damages involving a patent infringement, Activision went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and reorganization in 1991. It was during this time when they decided to concentrate solely on a video gaming production strategy, eventually developing popular games such as Sonic, Guitar Hero and the current Call of Duty Series. From 1997 to 2007, Activision acquired multiple companies geared towards strengthening their position relative to their gaming strategy, but have also kept their foot in the door for expanding their market into other entertainment ventures. Beginning in 1998, Activision launched strategic partnerships with comic and movie producers Marvel Entertainment, Disney Interactive, and LucasArts Entertainment. In 2001, Activision acquired the rights to the Columbia Pictures’ feature film Spider-Man, and had signed a multi-year publishing agreement between DreamWorks SKG in 2003. Blizzard Entertainment began in 1991 as a company called Silicon & Synapse, also designing games for Sega-Genesis, Super Nintendo, and DOS- and Mac- compatible games for personal computers. The company established the Blizzard Entertainment label in 1994, when they became one of the most popular and well respected makers of computer games. Blizzard’s main focus is on creating well-designed, highly enjoyable entertainment experiences, and by doing so, has maintained a reputation for quality within the gaming industry. Released in 1994, Warcraft: Orcs and Humans became their first in a series of role-play strategy games to win accolades as one of the best games of that year. Multiplayer computer games were still relatively new at this time, and Blizzard began to take advantage of the opportunities that this niche had to offer. They are now the leader in the field of massively multiplayer online games (MMORPG), with more than 11. 5 million monthly subscriptions. Blizzard has additionally developed a trio of popular PC games, including the Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo series, creating a culture that champions both productive and experimental creativity which inspires devoted players. Jeff Green, editor-in-chief of the online gaming magazine 1Up. om notes, â€Å"[Blizzard people] are essentially design geniuses, making games easy enough for casual players and deep enough to attract and hook hard-core players. Simple to learn, difficult to master is the holy grail of game design, and Blizzard does this every single time. † In late 1998, Blizzard Entertainment became a subsidiary of the French conglomerate Vivendi, grouped into its Vivendi Universal Games division. From 2000 to 2007, Blizzard Entertainment released several games under their trilogy series, consistently exceeding sales projections and becoming the unprecedented leader within the gaming industry. On December 2, 2007, it was announced that Activision would be acquired by Vivendi, with Vivendi contributing its gaming division plus a cash investment, in exchange for a majority stake in the new group. In 2008, Vivendi Games merged with Activision, using the Blizzard brand in naming the resulting company, Activision Blizzard. SWOT Analysis Strengths Activision Blizzard’s balance sheet was initially considered to be its most valuable strength when the merger between the two companies transpired; however, this was not necessarily the case. The apparent strategy was to rely on Blizzard Entertainment as a cash cow to finance the merger. With Blizzard Entertainment having more than $3. 3 billion in cash and short term investments, and no debt at the time, it had the flexibility to obtain more intellectual property and talent, and thus further help to strengthen the new company. Reeling from a series of legal actions against them, and suffering income losses in both 2008 and 2009, Activision Blizzard has finally begun to turn around their financial status, and is beginning to gain ground relative to their balance sheet. More on this matter will be discussed in the financial section of this paper. The revenue stream should only be getting smoother with the merger of Blizzard and Activision. The combined company is not as dependent as other gaming companies on console upgrade cycles for generating the majority of its revenue and earnings. Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft, as a subscription service, helps to also keep the revenue stream smoother than normal. With a large and popular range of titles, Activision Blizzard can ask for, and receive more shelf space than competitors at retail outlets that sell their products, such as GameStop and Wal-Mart. Getting the product in front of consumers with favorable shelf placement is just as important in the gaming industry as it is in the grocery industry, and Activision Blizzard uses this strategy to their advantage. Weaknesses Activision Blizzard has had a previous history of difficult relations with developers. The recent firings and defections of product developers from Infinity Ward, producer of the hit release â€Å"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2† is a primary case in point. Also, legal issues have been a tremendous weakness and liability for the company. Who owns what, and what is agreed upon at times are contentious issues. The ex-Infinity Ward executives claim control of the â€Å"Modern Warfare† brand line. Additionally, the musical group No Doubt sued Activision Blizzard, claiming that their images were being used for any song in â€Å"Band Hero†, contrary to what they said had been agreed to. Opportunities At the past E3 conference for the gaming industry, current Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick noted that â€Å"There is a $3 billion used game market that we do not participate in. The only true competition within this realm is GameStop, who would potentially suffer losing a large portion of their current market status if Activision Blizzard decided to enter this segment of the market. Activision Blizzard also has strong franchising capabilities. Even in the middle of a recession, gamers are willing to pay for the newest releases and additions related to their games. A winged horse â€Å"pet† for World of Warcraft, priced at $25, was estimated by some reports to be bringing in as much as $2. 5 Million per hour for a period last spring. Activision Blizzard has the capabilities to take advantage of this phenomenon through franchising markets. The mobile gaming medium is wide open; Activision Blizzard successfully released a mobile version of â€Å"Guitar Hero† for Apple’s iPhone. It would appear that scaled-down versions of their most popular games are on the horizon to be produced for smartphones and iPads. With Activision Blizzard’s branding, they have a tremendous repertoire of brands and licenses that can be franchised or published for various markets, including clothing, toys, collectibles, comics and books, and even syndicated movies or cartoons. Threats Mobile gaming is probably their biggest threat, due to small studios being able to reach a multitude of people through inexpensive downloads to smartphones. This will certainly create a more competitive atmosphere in the very near future. Games with long franchise lives can also be a burden on the company. A good case in point would be their â€Å"Guitar Hero† game, which is getting old, with sales beginning to drop and stall. Consumer Affairs cites a â€Å"continued decline in the music genre† as the primary reason given by the company for dropping the game. Activision Blizzard, as a quality control measure, is retiring some of their lesser grossing games to concentrate on more revenue productive and newer versions of such games as â€Å"Call of Duty†, â€Å"World of WarCraft†, and â€Å"Diablo†. SWOT Conclusion When looking at the collective elements contained within the SWOT analysis, it is apparent that Activision Blizzard began their merger rather sluggishly. This could be attributed to differences in corporate cultures or their need to address and resolve pending legal issues as quickly as possible, so that finances are readily available to fund future ventures. Opportunities abound in the realm of on-line gaming, franchising, and partnerships or joint ventures with various companies in a diverse range of markets, and it would be in their better interest to take advantage of these given opportunities in utilizing a differentiation strategy that delivers both tangible and intangible attributes. Blizzard Entertainment has been at the forefront of this type of strategy long before their merger, with such features as Battle. net forums for its customers to chat, exchange ideas and strategies, and submit feedback on given games. Each day hundreds of gamers post new ideas and petitions in Battle. net forums while there are always assigned personnel on Blizzard’s behalf to read and respond to them. By infusing a culture of having gamers as employees, coupled with the feedback it gets from its Battle. net forums, they are capable of using this data in designing or making improvements on their current games in real time as well as future games. They additionally hold several events annually for their gaming customers to interact with and launch new products. BlizzCon (in the United States) and the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational (held in various other countries) are major events that showcase their talent and customer oriented initiatives. With Activision coming on board, they have taken a major step in creating a company that is virtually one with the gaming community on both a consumer level as well as a personal level, which should be a viable recipe for success, regardless of which direction they choose to go. Five Forces Analysis Barriers to Entry †¢There are little to no barriers to entry. Popular games are being developed at a rapid pace throughout the industry. †¢Activision Blizzard posses an advantage, however, with their scale and catalog of games, in addition to third-party developer relationships. †¢Their main advantage relative to this issue lies in their manufacturing and distribution capabilities. Threat of Substitutes †¢There are currently no close substitutes for games such as â€Å"Call of Duty† and â€Å"World of WarCraft†, however, new games always have a potential of becoming popular, depending upon their format, story line, and general audience appeal. Other types of entertainment could also be classified as substitutes, such as music and movie videos, but it is unlikely that they would surpass the popularity of Activision Blizzard’s more popular games. Power of Buyers †¢With on-line distribution capabilities becoming the norm, buyer power is diminishing. †¢Activision Blizzard allows for â€Å"real time† consumer feedback through various forums, which gives them a differential advantage when developing new games due to the uniqueness of the industry. Power of Suppliers †¢Activision Blizzard relies primarily on in-house talent to design and evelop their games. †¢Supplier power is medium, primarily because developers and console game producers need Activision Blizzard as much as it needs them. Rivalry Among Sellers †¢Activi sion Blizzard is the leading MMORPG developer relative to on-line gaming, and they will continue to focus on this platform as a primary revenue stream. †¢They also lead the console gaming market, and have begun a quality control model to ensure a consistent and sustainable competitive advantage through innovation and development of quality products. Gaming is not the only business within the entertainment industry, but it serves a well-proportioned demographic, to say the least. With making a distinction between gaming and entertainment, one can see a more obvious picture developing relative to the merger between the two companies. In joining two major players with hit franchises together, Vevendi is expecting to realize a major coup within the entertainment side of this merger by taking advantage of Activision’s relationships with major motion picture production companies. And with social gaming on the rise with the launch of smart phones, there is another consideration to make within the gaming realm. With the trend towards digital distribution growing, this should continue to drive down costs, which will also open the field to potentially more on-line players. Activision Blizzard faces numerous hurdles when speaking in terms of their competitive advantage in both the gaming and entertainment industries, but to be the dominant player in both industries, one must be resourceful and innovative by nature. This is truly where both companies have dominated in the past by comparison, and will most certainly be the catalyst for a rebound performance in the future, or even a new entry into other markets as well. Key Success Factors †¢Diversified partnerships with licensing or franchising companies †¢Large inventory of product, which in turn gives them a larger portion of retail shelf space †¢New product releases (Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Starcraft, and Diablo) †¢Leader in on-line gaming subscriptions (MMORPG) Corporate culture of gamers throughout company structure, coupled with collective talents of game designers †¢Designs and develops their own gaming platforms †¢Interactive consumer portals for input and feedback on their products (Battle. net, BlizzCon, Blizzard Worldwide Invitational) Financial Analysis Despite Activision Blizzard experiencing a couple of net losses in 2008 and 2009, the company is doing well when compared to its competitors. Its operating margin was 10. 55% in 2010, with a 5 year margin of 9%, versus its average competitor earning 9% in 2010 and average margin of 12% (according to wikiwealth. om). The 2010 net deficit in retained earnings shows that Activision Blizzard has not been profitable over its existence. While cash flow margins have been higher than its competitors at 15% over the past 5 years, versus its competitors 11% average value, there is not a large amount of cash flow for which the company can pay its operating bills, as its working capital was negative both in 2009 (at $423 million) and $1,030 million in 2010, and its liquidity ratios were less than 2. Within operations, the company has begun to manage its inventory and accounts receivable better, as its days of inventory decreased from 30 to 19 days, resulting in a better turnover from 12 in 2009 to 19 in 2010; along with the average collection period going from 63 days in 2009 to 52. 5 days in 2010. Blizzard Entertainment, one of the three segments within the company, earned approximately 35% of its total net revenues, but yielded over 60% of operating income from operations, making it the most profitable segment of the company. Keeping that in mind, it would be beneficial for them to concentrate on increased sales within this given department (on-line subscriptions) to facilitate a greater increase in revenues. As a side note, a lot is riding on Activision Blizzard’s release of their new Call of Duty console game for the holiday season. With last year’s Black Ops having sold a record $360 million in its first day, this new release could make or break their holiday season revenues. If sales do well for this holiday season, the company has the potential to enter the new year having a much greater advantage over their competition, by far. Analysis of Competitive Position Although the merger of Activision Blizzard got off to a slow start, things now appear to be on track for the current year, and their outlook seems to be in a much better financial and competitive positioning than for their three previous years. The ability to generate a sustainable and consistent revenue stream, while also keeping costs down, is one of their greatest strengths, and should continue, considering their rapidly diversifying portfolio of partners and strategic alliances. Given Activision’s partnerships and alliances prior to their merger with companies such as Marvel, Disney Interactive, LucasArts, and Dreamworks; coupled with Blizzard’s partnerships with various vendors in the apparel, toy, and collectible markets, Activision Blizzard has built a strong foundation through their broad differentiation strategy, which affords them a greater advantage of maintaining their number one position within not only the gaming industry, but opens the doors to other venues as well through licensing and franchising opportunities. The company’s diversity is a critical advantage, because it allows them room for expansion and cross-selling opportunities across various platforms or markets. Additionally, Activision Blizzard is beginning to increase their presence in China, partnering with Netease, which is considered to be one of the best eastern on-line gaming companies to date. This opportunity will allow them to distribute their StarCraft, World of WarCraft, and Call of Duty series games to an eagerly-awaiting population within that country. Activision Blizzard’s new release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 this past week resulted in the biggest launch of any console game ever, and is seen as crucial to their strategy of releasing fewer, better quality game titles each year. CEO Bobby Kotick commented that within the first 24 hours of release, 6. 5 million units were sold within North America and the U. K. , for a total of $400 million dollars. He is noted as saying, â€Å"We believe the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories†. This surpassed last month’s release of Electronic Arts’ five million units of Battlefield 3 by 1. 5 million units, which is their closest competitor to date in the console gaming industry. The above noted quality control strategy is just another addition to their value chain activities, in conjunction with the previously mentioned Battle. net and BlizzCon forums, which affords them a real-time advantage when designing and launching games or addressing consumer issues and concerns. By doing so, Activision Blizzard maintains a proficiency in performing their core competencies, and continues to build and evolve their competitive advantage in this area. This is one of the primary reasons that Activision Blizzard has consistently held the top ranking, in addition to their model MMORPG platform that grows in subscriptions monthly. Activision Blizzard’s portfolio of digital and console games usually attracts more hardcore gamers than casual gamers. This is a decisive advantage in an economic downturn particularly, because Activision Blizzard’s sales are not as profoundly affected when there is a decrease in consumer spending. When potential customers have limited disposable income, they need to be assured of the quality of what they are spending their hard-earned dollars on. The Activision Blizzard brand is quite often strong enough to convince a repeat customer of the quality of a new game. Additionally, with upgrades in digital distribution, the ability for companies to offer their products and services in digital form is becoming a necessity. Activision Blizzard is well aware of this occurrence, and has continuously been moving towards this higher-margin business model for quite some time. In fact, they already derive a good portion of their income as a percentage of revenues from this model, which is a great advantage over their competitors. They continue to broaden their subscription model, with an emphasis on direct distribution of its products to consumers. This also reduces income loss through having to pay out royalties to retailers and on-line gaming hosts. Project Beachhead, a new group formed within Activision Blizzard, will be bringing their hit series Call of Duty franchise into a subscription-based service in which consumers will pay Activision Blizzard directly to use a premium content that is included. Activision Blizzard is in a leading position to take advantage of this business model, considering that they have some of the most popular franchises in the world. As a point of reference, World of WarCraft currently has 11. 5 million subscribers paying fifteen dollars a month to play. Add to that the 7 million daily Call of Duty users, and one should be able to derive their true profit-making potential in this forum. Over the past twelve months, Activision Blizzard has generated just under $4. 8 billion in revenue and $800 million in operating profit, for an operating margin of almost 17% (according to Gurufocus. om), but this is actually an understatement of just how much money they are currently generating. Their growth through acquisitions and partnerships is likely to continue well into the future, where they continue to buy key franchises. As part of these acquisitions, they place a value on intangible assets (such as brands) that they purchase. They then expense these intangib les, which have no basis in accounting circles, but most certainly impact their cash flow. After adjusting for these â€Å"non-cash† expenses and other write-offs, Activision Blizzard has actually earned $1. 4 billion in operating profit, for an operating margin just under 30%. Relative to disadvantages, Activision Blizzard stands to lose some market ground due to new â€Å"casual† and social games coming out, such as Angry Birds and Farmville, but it is actually the ease of distribution from tablet devices such as the iPad (digitized games) that could cause their competitive advantage to erode somewhat. This is particularly why they are concentrating on their current business model. Recommendations Activision Blizzard’s marketing strategy is more a model for the industry, as they have partnered extensively, but selectively, with various companies and brands to diversify and expand their exposure and profitability. They have a proven track record with their on-line (MMORPG) gaming capabilities, and generate a large percentage of revenue from such. As a result, they should actively pursue this growing segment of the gaming industry, to which they are already the leading model. They should also continue their broad differentiation strategy relative to partnerships and strategic alliances, as this has proven to be quite successful for them since even before their merger. Our group recommends stepping out of their â€Å"comfort zone†, so to speak, and to begin looking at new ways to expand their brands and licenses. With this in mind, we recommend that they explore what we consider to be a â€Å"natural† transition for their gaming brands in particular, that of producing animated movies and syndicated cartoons. This actually aligns with a comment made by CEO Bobby Kotick not too long ago, in that he noted the potential of there being a StarCraft movie in the near future, which is based on one of their more popular MMORPG games. As of 11 November, their parent company (Vivendi SA) purchased EMI music group for $1. 9 billion dollars. Already owning a 26 percent market share of the music industry with Universal Music Group, Vivendi now owns an additional 9 percent, not to mention the rights to songs by such groups as the Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Not only is this considered a coup within the music industry, but it could also play out relative to our recommendation, as it now gives them a solid foundation in choosing a select grouping of soundtracks for movie productions that can be targeted for various demographics ranging in ages from Baby Boomers to Gen X’ers. Our research indicates that to produce a movie, it would take an investment of approximately $200 million in revenue to do so (Negative Cost = Development Cost + Pre-Production Cost + Production Cost + Post-Production Cost). This is generally an accepted estimate of the total production cost, from the planning and development phase, to pre-production, into production or filming, and then to post-production (which includes marketing and advertising). Naturally, this estimate varies, according to several factors such as where the movie is filmed and produced, who stars in it, distribution, etc. Not only does Activision Blizzard maintain such a potential to take on a project such as this, their parent company (Vivendi) as well as several alliances and partnerships would be more than willing to share such a project cost with them, much like their current gaming model. Keeping that in mind, it would be another transition (still) to follow such companies as Pixar, Amblin, LucasFilms, and Dreamworks, which all began as production companies from one or two major film hits. Whether StarCraft would be a box office smash is anybody’s guess, but if it were, the residual revenue alone from merchandising and franchising toys, clothing, and other products sold could potentially offset the initial cost considerably, not to mention the interest it would draw from a new generation of gamers. In developing their own production company, Activision Blizzard is ensuring that their brands stay marketable well into their more mature phases, while also maintaining control of production costs and opening the door once again for profitable partnerships in future endeavors within one more market niche of the entertainment industry. References Blizzard Entertainment Inc (2010) http://blizzard. com/us/inblizz/profile. html Cavelli, Earnest (December 23, 2008). â€Å"World of Warcraft Hits 11. 5 Million Users† http://www. ired. com/gamelife/2008/12/world-of-warc-1 Coleman, Freddie (2010). Why Blizzard is a Renowned Game Developer. http://ezinarticles. com/? Why-Blizzard-is-a-Renowned-Game-Developer&id=3584114 Consumer Affairs (2 Feb 2011) The Tour is Over for â€Å"Guitar Hero† Fans. www. consumeraffairs. com/news04/2011/02/the-tour-is-over-for-guitat-hero-fans. html Morris, Chris (2008). â€Å"Blizzards Perfect Storm† http://www. forbes. com/2008/06/30/videogame s-blizzard-morris-tech-personal-cx Moser, Jason (2011). Activision Blizzard’s Edge May Be Smaller Than You Think† http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2011/01/31/activision-blizzards-edge-may-be-smaller-than-you-. aspx The Motley Fool- Activision Blizzard: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats http://www. fool. com/investing/general/2010/06/15/activision-blizzard-strengths-weaknesses-opportuni. aspx The Cost of Making a Hollywood Movie (2010) www. anomalousmaterial. com/movies/2010/03/the-cost-of-making-a-movie Vivendi Will Buy EMI Recorded Music Unit for $1. Billion (Bloomberg Businessweek 11 November 2011) http://news. businessweek. com/article. asp Magic Formula Stock of the Week: Activision Blizzard (10 October 2011) http://www. gurufocus. com Universal’s $1. 9 B EMI Deal: In a Digital World, Market Share Counts for Less (Reuters. com 13 November 2011) http://www. reuters. com â€Å"Call of Duty’ Sales Hit $400 Million (The Wall Street Jour nal- Jarzemsky and Rubin, 12 November 2011) http://online. wsj. com