Tuesday, May 5, 2020

SWOT Analysis of Singapore Airlines Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the SWOT Analysis of Singapore Airlines. Answer: Introduction Strategic management can be considered as the pillar behind the development of business strategies for the organizations. To the business organizations, strategic management is one of the major tools for the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2012). On a more precise note, strategic management refers to a particular process undertaken by the organizational managers that includes the processes of planning, monitoring, analysis and assessment of business strategies in order to achieve goals and objectives of the companies. Strategic management includes the process of formulation and implementation of major organizational strategies. The organizational managers can identify the major strategies issues in the organizations with the help of strategic management so that effective strategies can be developed in order to diminish them (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). Organizational managers use some specific strategic tools in order to identify strat egic issue in the companies. One of those major tools is SWOT Analysis. Organizational managers are able to identify the major organizational strategic issues with the help of SWOT analysis. The main objective of this research is conducting a SWOT analysis on Singapore Airlines and after that, to identify two major strategic issues of the company. Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier of Singapore and the airline is its hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Singapore Airlines commenced its operation in the year of 1947. At present, the employee base of the company is about 25000 (singaporeair.com, 2017). Based on the whole discussion, a conclusion is drawn at last. SWOT Analysis of Singapore Airlines As per the above discussion, SWOT analysis is considered as one of the major tools of strategic management as it helps the organization managers to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the companies (Eden Ackermann, 2013). The major aim of this part is to conduct a SWOT analysis on the business operations of Singapore Airlines. The SWOT analysis is shown below: Strengths The adoption of Multi Brand Model strategy has been one of the major strengths of Singapore Airlines. In the year 2012, Singapore Airlines launched Scoot that became one of the three long-haul low cost carriers (Thedrum.com, 2017). Singapore Airlines has been able to register profit for consecutive thirteen years and the profit margin has been high in the last five years. Singapore Airlines is well known as the company has been providing their customers with premium quality of products. These premium products have been a major strength of the airline as it has differentiated the company from its major competitors. Singapore Airline is the largest Asian Airline in whole Europe that helps the airline to position their premium products (singaporeair.com, 2017). This is a major strength of Singapore Airlines. In Europe, Singapore Airlines operates in eleven destinations that have almost 70000 weekly seats. Thus, the company has become able to compete with the European airline companies. Apart from Europe, large presence of Singapore Airlines can be in the Australian and New Zealand market. Currently, Singapore Airlines operates in seven Australian destinations with a capacity of 85000 seats. In New Zealand, Singapore Airlines operates with more than 11000 seats. All these aspects together has made Singapore Airlines the second largest foreign airlines in Australia and fourth largest in New Zealand. It is remarkable that Singapore Airlines has been profitable in every year since it has started operation 40 years ago. This can be considered as the most dominated strength of the airline. Among all the airlines of Southeast Asia, Singapore Airlines has been able to register the most amount of profit as the airline has been performing significantly over all these years. Weaknesses It can be seen that maintaining the opportunity of growth has been one of the major weaknesses of Singapore Airlines. In the recent years, the average growth rate of Singapore Airlines passengers has been less than 2% per year and the growth in passenger tariff is low. The main reason is the limited growth opportunity of passengers (reuters.com, 2017). It can be seen that Singapore Airlines has not been able to access the market of North America and it is a major weakness of the company. In the US market, Singapore Airlines holds the position of ninth. Being not able to make business in the American market is a limitation of the business operation of Singapore Airlines (straitstimes.com, 2017). Chine is one of major markets for Singapore Airlines and slow growth in Chine has become a weakness for Singapore Airlines. In the last eight years, only 30% growth has been registered in the business of Singapore Airlines in China. However, it needs to be mentioned that there is still major business opportunities for Singapore Airlines in China. Inability to register growth in china is a major weakness for Singapore Airlines. Being reluctant in entering into partnerships like joint ventures is a weak area for Singapore Airlines. Over the years, Singapore Airlines do not have any partnership or joint ventures with any of the major companies. In addition, small ventures are not working for the company. Thus, it is a major weakness for Singapore Airlines. Opportunities There is a huge opportunity for Singapore Airlines to enter into deeper partnerships so that the company can improve its weak areas. Under the leadership of Mr. Goh, the CEO of the airline, Singapore Airlines has become able to enter into eight major partnerships along with several others. As per the announcement of Singapore Airlines on May 2014, the airline has been working on the development of major premium economy products that includes the introduction of long-haul aircraft 2H2015. For this reason, Singapore Airlines has identified major market segments for premium economy products. This will create major business opportunities for Singapore Airlines. The joint venture of Singapore Airlines with Indian conglomerate Tata will provide major business opportunities for Singapore Airlines. The main reason of this partnership is that India has been providing unique growth opportunities for Singapore Airlines. This partnership will be helpful to unlock growth opportunities for Singapore Airlines (airvistara.com, 2017). The introduction of Scoot in the year 2012 has opened a new market for the company that has a huge potential growth opportunity. In the recent years, major partnership can be seen between Scoot and Nok in order to establish new long-haul low cost carrier and it is called ScootNok. Threats Large increase in the number of Gulf carriers is creating threat for Singapore Airlines as these carriers have been affecting the profitability and growth of the company. The impact of Gulf carriers can be seen in major markets where Singapore Airlines operates like the markets of Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and others. Thus, the huge and aggressive competition from Gulf carriers is a major threat for Singapore Airlines (asean.travel, 2017). It can be seen that the Southeast Asia market has been suffering from overcapacity as many competitors of Singapore Airlines are operating in this market. Thus, mismatch in demand and supply can be seen as supply is more than demand in this industry. Hence, it can be said that the increasing amount intense competition is creating threats for Singapore Airlines. It is a fact that Singapore Airlines has been the market leader in terms of premium space. However, it can be noticed that the increased competition in this segment is narrowing the gap with Singapore Airlines. In the near future, this can be a major threat for Singapore Airlines. It can be seen that the rival companies of Singapore Airlines are gaining massive strengths day by day with the help of effective strategies. This can also be considered as a threat as it can affects the growth and profitability of Singapore Airlines. Analysis of the operations of the corporation Singapore Airlines (SIA) reveals the fact that financial performance of the company has deteriorated with steady decline in its profit over the past several years. The poor financial performance of the company is said to be driven by intensified competition and difficult market condition. In the recent years, SIA has encountered biggest challenges and has carried out numerous strategic adjustments ever since Goh Choon Phong assumed charge as the chief executive officer (CEO) at the start of the year 2011. The present section identifies the critical strategic issues faced by the company based on analysis of the current situation of the company and SWOT analysis Identification of critical strategic issues in Singapore Airlines Strategic Issues faced by Singapore Airlines in attaining growth opportunities Based on the SWOT analysis of the company Singapore Airlines, it can be hereby mentioned that a specific strategic issue of SIA is the overcapacity present in the Southeast Asian market. Increase in the competitors of the company SIA counting the LCCs along with the full service flags have led to the excess supply in the market (Shaw, 2016). Therefore, it can be hereby mentioned that the opportunity of growth in the passenger of SIA remain exceedingly limited. Again, the home market of SIA is comparatively mature and for the last decade has witnessed swift growth of Low cost carrier (LCC) carrier, however, has slow growth of full-service. Furthermore, SIA also has conventionally depended on sixth freedom passage; nevertheless, transit growth witnessed in a wide-body network is restrained by intensifying competition, specifically from Gulf Carriers. In the course of growth of the middle as well as middle class, the overall demand is still getting improved in the Southeast Asian region, however, the overall capacity is adding up a swift pace during the period of long term, medium term as well as short term markets (Johnston Marshall, 2015). Therefore, this is developing pressure on specific load as well as yield facets of Singapore Airlines. Again, SIA also has reliably been a pioneer in the premium market; however, competitors have contracted the existing gap impressively as of late. In addition to this, SIA also has one of the major premium offerings in the business so far, but there are still lot of carriers at or at least close to the maximum point of the group. Essentially, the business class offerings on the larger part of the Singapore Airlines long term force was necessarily presented during the year 2006. During this time, it spoke to a specific jump last contending different offered items. Nowadays, a few airborne tran sports have presented analogous business class offerings, bridging the gap with SIA. Indeed there are some air carriers of Europe and North America that had been quite a few eras behind, have now bridged the gap (Baker, 2014). Thus, it can be hereby mentioned that the entire airline industry can be considered to be one of the most competitive sectors and the rival airlines are attempting to acquire advantage of different opportunities and assess the requirement of the consumers to sustain in this competitive market (Keller and Kotler, 2015). Management of SIA is also concerned with the consolidated important competitors such as Emirates Airlines as well as Qantas Airlines operating in the Australian route. Moreover, the increase in the number of airlines specifically in the Gulf nations are remaining to be very much aggressive and large number of rivals for both economic as well as premium passengers in this specific SIA market. Critical strategic issue due to inappropriate strategy for market development Singapore Airlines also faces strategic problem in gaining accessibility to the market of North America and strategy adopted for China. The prospects of acquiring return to specific non-stops to particularly North America are almost nil. Consequently, SIA needs to depend on the fifth freedom in order to pursue growth in the non-stop service segment. However, these kinds of rights are difficult to secure as markets namely China would be perfect transit stops as SIA is not essentially open (Dickinson, 2014). Again, China also remains a strategic market for the company SIA. However, the entire group has successfully established new secondary markets utilizing Scoot, that now runs around 12 weekly flights to around four different Chinese destinations. Nevertheless, several attempts to carry out investment in different Chinese airlines have hugely failed considerably and the present political environment carries out specific deals, that are crucial for position of SIA for a long-term peri od in the important Chinese market (Baker Saren, 2016). Thus, management of SIA hereby fails to develop a strategy to overcome the problem of accessibility to the market of North America. Again, management of SIA has also failed to properly implement an appropriate strategy for functioning in the Chinese market. SIA Group although operates in the market of China with 60000 complete weekly service seats. However, growth of the company has been comparatively slow and the capacity is approximately 30% over the past eight years. During the same period of time, the Cathay Pacific Group has extended operations in several parts of Mainland China by approximately 50% whilst three chief gulf carriers have enhanced their capacity, thereby eroding the share of the market of SIA in the concerning markets (Meffert, 2013). Thus, it can be hereby stated that SIA has failed to develop appropriate strategy of partnering with any Chinese carrier on regional connections (Foxall, 2014). However, its i ncapability to get codeshare as well as strategic partners together with the decreasing market share compared to rivals implies that China is not strength for the company anymore. Another critical strategic issue that can be witnessed from the operations of Singapore Airlines include missing the opportunity of establishing Tiger Airways as a wholly owned subsidiary of SIA. Thus, the Tigerair was not incorporated into the group of SIA. Again, Tiger air can be considered to be unprofitable in the current years, bringing down the results of the SIA group. Again, the corporation also encountered disadvantage with essentially the geographic factor of the company (Sheth Sisodia, 2015). Thereafter, the management of the company realized that long time flights are no more profitable for the corporation. The prospects of these flights are not very impressive. In addition to this, joint venture strategies for development of market of the firm have also become the weakness and critical strategic issue of the firm Singapore Airlines since the corporation fears about the dilution of the reputation of the brand (Kotler et al., 2016). The company does not engage in any of t he metal unbiased anti-trust joint undertaking that have become widespread in the trans-Atlantic as well as trans-Pacific markets. These essentially have also begun to break through the Asia-Europe market.Quite a lot ofof SIAs Japanese as well as Europeanrivals are engaging in these kinds of ventures, thereby presenting a competitive advantage, specifically on US routes of the operations of SIA. SIA only has joint collaborative operations with two different small carriers that again do not serve up Singapore. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that the management of Singapore Airlines has employed different innovative business strategies since the beginning that have supported the entire organization. However, decline in the level of profits recorded during first quarter of the financial year 2015 helps in indicating growing challenges for the Singapore Airlines. Analysis of the operations of the firm reveal that the operating profits of the firm have decreased by approximately 52% caused mainly by the swift changes in the conditions of the market and intensified conditions of the market. Thus, the current study helps in understanding the factors that are crucial to comprehend strategic limitations and issues of SIA. References airlines, B. (2017).Company Information.Airvistara.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.airvistara.com/trip/company-info Baker, M. J. (2014).Marketing strategy and management. Palgrave Macmillan. Baker, M. J., Saren, M. (Eds.). (2016).Marketing theory: a student text. Sage. Dickinson, J. R. (2014). The marketing management experience.Developments in Business Simulation and Experiential Learning,27. Eden, C., Ackermann, F. (2013).Making strategy: The journey of strategic management. Sage. Foxall, G. (2014).Strategic Marketing Management (RLE Marketing)(Vol. 3). Routledge. Hill, C. W., Jones, G. R., Schilling, M. A. (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E. (2012).Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Johnston, M. W., Marshall, G. W. (2015).Marketing management. McGraw-Hill Education. Keller, K.L. and Kotler, P.T., 2015.Framework for Marketing Management. Pearson. Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Brady, M., Goodman, M., Hansen, T. (2016).Marketing management. Pearson Education Ltd.. Meffert, H. (2013).Marketing-Management: AnalyseStrategieImplementierung. Springer-Verlag. Our story. (2017).Singaporeair.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/flying-withus/our-story/ Premium Economy Class | Singapore Airlines. (2017).Singaporeair.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/us/flying-withus/cabins/premium-economy-class/ Scoot has to be aggressive with tactical fares to drive volume in India, says marketing head. (2017).The Drum. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/08/30/scoot-has-be-aggressive-with-tactical-fares-drive-volume-india-says-marketing-head Shaw, S. (2016).Airline marketing and management. Routledge. Sheth, J. N., Sisodia, R. S. (2015).Does marketing need reform?: Fresh perspectives on the future. Routledge. SIA has lost market share and needs new strategy. (2017).The Straits Times. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sia-has-lost-market-share-and-needs-new-strategy Singapore Airlines Repositions As Competition Increases -. (2017).Asean.travel. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://asean.travel/2016/05/16/singapore-airlines-repositions-among-increased-competition/ Struggling Singapore Airlines fights back to boost growth. (2017).reuters.com. Retrieved 8 September 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/article/singaporeairlines-results/struggling-singapore-airlines-fights-back-to-boost-growth-idUSL3N0DV26H20130515

Sunday, April 5, 2020

What is religion an Example by

What is religion? How religion is about "sex and food'. To survive, one requires having food for giving the body enough energy and sex to guarantee progeny. Similarly, people's survival for thousands of years depended on religion for life propagation even with little knowledge of genetics (Robert, 2002). Need essay sample on "What is religion?" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Religious organization. Comprises of organized systems that act to transfer knowledge and information about a particular religion sect. Whereas some are organized into definite structures like Catholicism others like Hinduism have virtually no structures. Religion and exploration. Religion has posted a bigger task of digging out more about the world outside and outsourcing inwards to the respective people and nature. As a result, the relation to others, superpowers and our inner selves defines and carves the immediate faith. Religion and Natural selection. Religion origin, occurrence and progress concur to a greater extent with the theory of natural selection. This theory argues that all life forms are derivatives of natural unseen and un-understood forces that control it. Religion about world pictures. World pictures are about major religious icons, prophets, praying houses, sacred trees and progress in various activities acts as major strengthening rafters in religious beliefs for the followers. Matter of life and death. Religions have varying beliefs about life and death. However, they concur in that the activities that happen in an individual are important for a second type of life form after death. They view death as a major transition. Religion as story. Over the years the evidence given by the different religions lack conclusiveness in terms of the main origin and life after death. They cannot be fully believed as they lack the testability and thus may be people's own creations. Religious belief and behavior. Beliefs in religions are usually related to existence, nature and worship of a deity or divine involvement. The behavior is dictated by codified or unmodified trends assumed through religious leaders and passed to the later followers. Myth and rituals. Religions have been associated with myths about historical events, natural phenomenon, unverifiable existence or metaphors about spiritual potentiality. Again, all religions have their prescribed rituals like meditations, sacrifices, baptism and taking of holy sacraments (Robert, 2002). Achievements of religion Over the years, religion has brought people together and ensured that they remain as a family in different sects. Besides, it has assisted in establishing a common destiny and objective for the people in the same sect. It has ensured that the people live lives of respect through loving one another. However, it has divided the people into different sects and along religious lines. Reference list Robert, G. c. (2002). What is Religion? Introducing the Study of Religion. New York: Routledge.

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Saviour or Psychopath essays

Saviour or Psychopath essays Was Randall P. McMurphy a saviour or a psychopath? The character of Randall P. McMurphy in Ken Kesey's acclaimed film, 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest', displays characteristics that are commonly associated with being both a psychopath and a saviour. The film is set in an American mental institution in the early 1960's, which means that the attitudes of the staff, and community in general, towards mental illness were a lot different to that of the twenty- first century. McMurphy's persona seemed to be constantly changing throughout the film to fit each situation; whether he was being a madman towards his superiors or being the nice guy to his fellow inmates McMurphy always 'tried' to know what to do. Mac, as the inmates knew him developed into a man who was on the good side of evil, slightly eccentric and mischievous but underneath a warm, loveable gentleman who would break an arm and a leg to help his friends. It is for this reason that the character of Randall P. McMurphy is comparative to Jesus Christ - he empowered and cured ot hers to the dissatisfaction of his superiors. The argument for that of saviour is a very positive one with Randall showing many times that he is indeed a saviour. There was one main character in the film, Chief, whom Randall formed a special bond with. In a way, Randall actually saved Chief from a desolate life in the asylum. When Randall first arrived at the asylum, Chief was a deaf, mute Indian and none of the other inmates talked to him or cared enough about him to involve him in anything. Their relationship started with Randall cracking wise guy jokes around him but after an afternoon game of basketball, they formed a closer bond. This game really set up Randalls character as a larrikin who cared. There were another three scenes where Randalls relationship with Chief was prominent: the second vote regarding the World Series Baseball when Randall convinced Chief to...

Friday, February 21, 2020

The relevance of personal networks (social contacts) in China and, Essay

The relevance of personal networks (social contacts) in China and, especially, in Germany - Essay Example Personal networks serve as sources of information on business, education, jobs and wage prospects. Hence, personal networks or social contacts remain more valued when they comprise contacts of individuals from a range of diverse networks. This essay presents a qualitative research analysis based on interviews conducted on five Chinese students in Germany. Following an interview with Kenny (Chinesestudent_De_02_Kenny N.d.:1-18), personal networks enable individuals to gain a wider perspective of ideas and thoughts when faced with challenging situations or issues requiring appropriate decision making. In addition, social networks in Germany enabled Kenny to arrange everything for his studies abroad thereby easing the whole process. Chinese students studying in Germany have created a website forum where they interact establish social contacts and receive answers to problems they encounter while in Germany. This forum remains useful as the Chinese in Germany experience similar problems and could obtain useful feedback from their colleagues who have stayed long enough in Germany or had similar experiences. The main difference between personal networks in in China and Germany would be that those in China are honest while those in Germany know more about the world and have exposure to more things. Kenny goes on further to state that social contacts possess lifestyle attitudes which vary in both China and Germany. Social networks also facilitate the discovery of ideas that an individual may have not thought of in advance or missed out. Moreover, certain things an individual could do relies much on the type of social contacts a person has. According to Kenny, establishing personal networks in China remain rather easier than in Germany. More so, he indicates that an individual needs to have personal networks of those people he or she likes and who possess similar

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Db2 employment recruitment and select Research Paper

Db2 employment recruitment and select - Research Paper Example The other function involves the non essential functions, as the name suggests they are additional duties laid form a major function being presented. They are either caused by some occurrences or used as additional duties to be carried out workers. They done require specialist to perform them so in major organizations they are usually distributed among amongst all employees. According to (Walker, 2003) Essential and non essential functions are executed with respect to the organization of the subject at hand for example the introduction of a new system be it scientific or simple system the need to describe functions of the employs must be kept in mind. In caring out the essential duties the international laws governing the labor sector must be observed. They include the recommend eight hours of working time is observed and that the working conditions are favorable. The issue of overtime pay must be included in performing these duties. Essential duties are major to the organization for instance an account caring out an audit is termed as essential but when he is involved in matters to deal with training of fellow employees then it becomes non

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Wayne Mcgregors Career As A Choreographer Drama Essay

Wayne Mcgregors Career As A Choreographer Drama Essay Wayne McGregors career as a choreographer has been experimental and Innovative. This essay is an overview of his career so far as a choreographer, looking mainly at his work as Artistic director of Random Dance, Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet and his interests in Technology and Science. The essay begins with a brief biography of McGregors career and goes on to show his collaborations and choreographic works and finally analyzes what makes him unique as a choreographer. Wayne McGregor was born in the year 1970 in Stockport, England. He studied dance at Bretton Hall College which was at The University of Leeds and he then went on to study at the Josà © Limon School in New York. In the year 1992 McGregor was appointed choreographer in residence at The Place, London and in that same year he founded his own dance company known as Wayne McGregor | Random Dance which was invited to become the resident company at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London in the Year 2002. In 2004 Wayne McGregor was appointed Artist-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge at the Department of Experimental Psychology. (www.randomdance.com) In the year 2006, Wayne McGregor was appointed as the Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet. This was a great achievement as he was the first Modern Dance choreographer with no ballet training to be given this role at the Company. In 2009 McGregor premiered his production of the Opera, Dido and Aeneas at the Royal Opera House, London, this was his Opera debut. His newest choreographic works are Outlier, which was premiered this year by the New York City Ballet on May 14th and Yantra, premiered by Stuttgart Ballet on the 7th of July this year. (www.randomdance.com) Wayne McGregors company Random Dance premiered Xeno 1 2 3 at The Place, London in January of the year 1993, this was their debut as a company. Throughout the 1990s Wayne McGregor and Random Dance continued to develop the company with choreographic works such as AnArkos 1995, 8 legs of the Devil 1996, The Millennarium 1997 and Sulphur 16 1998. Wayne McGregors interest in technology developed and his choreographic works from the year 2000 onwards really reflected this with performances such as Aeon 2000, digit01 2001, PreSentient 2002, Polar Sequences 2003 and Qualia 2004. (www.randomdance.com) Wayne McGregor has a great interest in science which greatly influenced his choreography in 2004. During his time at the University of Cambridge where he had a fellowship for six months at their Department of Experimental Psychology, he started to research a condition called Ataxia. . (www.randomdance.com) The word ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia have problems with coordination because parts of the nervous system that control movement and balance are affected. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and eye movements. The word ataxia is often used to describe a symptom of incoordination which can be associated with infections, injuries, other diseases, or degenerative changes in the central nervous system. (www.ataxia.org) At the Department of Experimental Psychology, McGregor worked with scientists who had interests in areas such as object recognition and spatial processing, movement analyses, cognitive dimensions of notation, and relationships between representation and self. ( Kupper, 2007, p.178) After his research Wayne McGregor choreographed Ataxia, the performance was designed with the help of his experiences with neuroscientists; his company of professionally trained dancers, along with the help of a person experiencing an ataxic movement disorder, her name was Sarah Seddon Jenner. ( Kupper, 2007, p.178) McGregor uses lighting effects to add to the choreography and bring it to life as he does in many of his choreographic pieces. In a review of Ataxia for The Guardian, Judith Mackrell says In Wayne McGregors latest work there is a moment, in the middle, when the stage seems to dissolve into an electric brain storm. Pulsing currents of brightly coloured light stream in disorienting patterns around the space. The music judders and strains as if several clashing scores were being played at the same time. (Mackrell, 2004) In 2005 McGregor continued to use science as a tool of exploration for his choreography for the piece Amu. He worked with heart imaging specialists for this piece, along with artistic collaborators. They wished to question both physical functions and symbolic resonances of the human heart. (www.randomdance.org) In a review of Amu in The Sunday Times, Debra Craine says If you thought about it too much it could haunt you. Each minute of every day, through a complex web of arteries, your heart is pumping the bodys lifeblood. Its a fact of nature that we take for granted but its something that the choreographer Wayne McGregor and the composer John Tavener want us to think about. Their fascinating new collaboration Amu (Arabic for of the heart) is all about the organ, seeing it through McGregors embrace of science and Taveners famous spiritualism. (Craine, 2005) McGregors concepts for choreography include technology as well as science, a good example of this would be Entity which was premiered by Wayne McGregor | Random Dance at Sadlers Wells Theatre in London on April 10th 2008. Entity incorporated technology, with the use of a soundscape which was an hour long, created by Jon Hopkins and Joby Talbot. It incorporated the use of video; the video design was created by Ravi Deepres. (www.randomdance.org) The choreography was initiated from McGregors Choreography and Cognition research project which is a collaboration with scientists of Neurology and Psychology. (www.randomdance.org) The choreography was described by Gia Kourlas of the New York Times when he said, Wayne McGregors Entity begins and ends with a video of a greyhound seeming to run in place. The reference is significant: as entities, these slim animals are at once refined and fidgety, highly flexible and, of course, able to devour space at great speed. For Mr. McGregor, those are key physical ingredients that his dancers, also entities, must possess to have a solid grasp of his movement. In this world of glossy distortion, there isnt a place for hazy shapes. (Kourlas, 2010) After the success of his choreography for Chroma performed The Royal Ballet in 2006, Wayne McGregor was given the job as Resident Choreographer of the Royal Ballet. In 2008 audiences saw another great choreographic piece by McGregor which showed his innovative use of technology and lighting to make his choreography unique, this performance was called Infra and premiered at The Royal Opera House, London March 13th 2008. (www.randomdance.org) McGregor collaborated with many people while developing and choreographing Infra. Wayne worked with Monica Mason, Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet. He commissioned a British artist called Julian Opie to collaborate with him and create a visual set to add to the piece. For the music Wayne collaborated with cult composer Max Richter to create a unique soundscape to accompany the choreography. The choreologist for Infra was Darren Parish who recorded Waynes choreography in rehearsals with the use of Bensch Notatation. (BBC Documentary) The producer was Will Harding, the lighting designer that worked closely with Wayne McGregor was Lucy Carter and the costume designer was Moritz Junge. The artist Julian Opie that worked on the set design had never designed for the theatre before. Opie had created screen lights, which showed the silhouettes of a male stick figure and a female stick figure in light, these are in Dublin on OConnells Street. While researching for his set design for Infra Opie observed people walking along the streets and how they moved like choreography. (BBC Documentary) The music created by Max Richter was created on a synthesiser and Waynes choreography was created before the music as this is the way McGregor worked on this particular choreography. The performance was twenty five minutes long and cast included twelve dancers plus a cast of fifty extras that were included in the choreography. The process of creating Infra from the very beginning to the premier performance on opening night was filmed by the BBC for a documentary. The documentary gave great publicity for Wayne McGregor and Infra and he won South Bank Show award for Infra in 2009. . (BBC Documentary) (www.randomdance.org) In an interview by Sarah Crompton for The Telegraph, Wayne McGregor talks to her about the process of his collaboration for Infra with Julian Opie, McGregor explains: We both feel that the body can never really be abstract but he feels that there is a difference between a functional action he jumps up to demonstrate raising an arm, tying a shoe and a pose. A pose for him is something that cant be connected to meaning in a really exact way and I found that really interesting. So what we have done is worked with this absolute physicality and, at the other end, a kind of language which is oppositional to that. (McGregor Wayne, citied in Crompton 2008) In a review of Infra by Debra Craine for The Times, she gives her opinion on what strikes her about the performance, she says: The first thing that strikes you about Infra is Julian Opies set. His evocative figures, drawn in outline on a giant LED screen, move back and forth high across the stage, like busy London commuters. Underneath are the live dancers, the inner manifestation of the outer world above. Their memories, fears, dreams and desires are being lived out in the intimacy of their own heads. McGregors movement may still be a full-body workout (undulating torsos, limbs constantly in motion, muscles yearning to exceed their limits) but it speaks as strongly of compassion and anger, of happiness and anxiety, tenderness and tears. (Craine, 2008) Wayne McGregors appointment as resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet, was a great achievement, he continues creating choreographic pieces for his company Random Dance, while choreographing for The Royal Ballet. But does he work in a different way with the dancers in his company than he does with the Royal Ballet. During the rehearsals for Limen in 2009, Emma Crichton-Miller talked to Wayne McGregor about his creative approach and the development of his new work. She asks him: Do you work in a different way with your own company Wayne McGregor | Random Dance than you do with The Royal Ballet? To which Wayne Explains: In every new piece I create the process is different as the individuals in the studio (whatever the company) have their own direct effect on the choreography. That is one of the great motivators of working deeply with both companies; the individuals within them are incredibly inspiring. Equally, there are differences in the circumstances of making. At Random I have the dancers all day for many weeks at a time, exclusively. Their priority is dancing only my work and our collaborative journey together reflects this singular commitment. At The Royal Ballet I cant have the dancers exclusively, and theyre doing lots of other repertory simultaneously, so the demands they place on their bodies in a day are different and how I use their precious time is tempered accordingly. Both circumstances, each with their own innate challenges, nurture me in distinctive but highly complementary ways.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges Essays -- Literature Epic Poetry Poem

Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges For many years, the conventions and existence of epic poetry from the pre-literate age were explained as repositories for information. A well-known story, usually involving a hero that embodied the virtues of the society who told the story, engages in battles, quests, etc. As the epic is spoken to an audience, the hero’s actions and the way they are described impart the audience with information and teachings. The information the listeners received is thought by some to be analogous to a modern day textbook lesson, in which students learn mathematics, grammar, and law, all by the written word. So is the contention of Homeric scholar Eric A. Havelock. As Hobart and Schiffman state in Orality and the Problem of Memory, Everywhere he looked in Homer, Havelock saw a wealth of instruction. For instance, the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of the Iliad embodies for him a wide range of subliminal â€Å"teachings.† It lays out the rules for disposition of captives, the etiquette of making and receiving ransom requests, the reverence due to priests, the respect accorded to kings by powerful warriors, and the symbols of public authority†¦(19). Havelock believed the nature of the epic was to verbally hand down a type of classical social contract, so that society could remain stable based upon the information that the speaker’s gave audiences of the Iliad. Integral to the audience’s reception of these teachings was a willingness to become participatory in the communication of the epic. According to Havelock, this is not a choice, but a necessity for a pre-literate listener. Havelock contends that a pre-literate soci... ...ring a list of words and definitions. What is important in Hobart and Schiffman’s essay is the idea that the purpose of oral epics is radically different than what has been traditionally thought. Our modern concept of memory is a very personal experience, as is for the most part our learning styles. Books are intimate and stress the individual interpreter of them; their pages are filled with information that in the reader’s hands might be hundreds of years removed from the time they were written. Yet with spoken epics, the only way to experience them was in the flesh, listening in a group to the speaker. It was a nominally individual process, but did include information as a print culture knows it. In the present day, perhaps the immediacy of the performance nature of pre-literate work is overlooked when so many written words flash before our eyes on pages. Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges Essays -- Literature Epic Poetry Poem Pre-literacy and Modern Vestiges For many years, the conventions and existence of epic poetry from the pre-literate age were explained as repositories for information. A well-known story, usually involving a hero that embodied the virtues of the society who told the story, engages in battles, quests, etc. As the epic is spoken to an audience, the hero’s actions and the way they are described impart the audience with information and teachings. The information the listeners received is thought by some to be analogous to a modern day textbook lesson, in which students learn mathematics, grammar, and law, all by the written word. So is the contention of Homeric scholar Eric A. Havelock. As Hobart and Schiffman state in Orality and the Problem of Memory, Everywhere he looked in Homer, Havelock saw a wealth of instruction. For instance, the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon at the beginning of the Iliad embodies for him a wide range of subliminal â€Å"teachings.† It lays out the rules for disposition of captives, the etiquette of making and receiving ransom requests, the reverence due to priests, the respect accorded to kings by powerful warriors, and the symbols of public authority†¦(19). Havelock believed the nature of the epic was to verbally hand down a type of classical social contract, so that society could remain stable based upon the information that the speaker’s gave audiences of the Iliad. Integral to the audience’s reception of these teachings was a willingness to become participatory in the communication of the epic. According to Havelock, this is not a choice, but a necessity for a pre-literate listener. Havelock contends that a pre-literate soci... ...ring a list of words and definitions. What is important in Hobart and Schiffman’s essay is the idea that the purpose of oral epics is radically different than what has been traditionally thought. Our modern concept of memory is a very personal experience, as is for the most part our learning styles. Books are intimate and stress the individual interpreter of them; their pages are filled with information that in the reader’s hands might be hundreds of years removed from the time they were written. Yet with spoken epics, the only way to experience them was in the flesh, listening in a group to the speaker. It was a nominally individual process, but did include information as a print culture knows it. In the present day, perhaps the immediacy of the performance nature of pre-literate work is overlooked when so many written words flash before our eyes on pages.