Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Nikes beginning history and success. - 1356 Words

Nike: The Beginnings The Nike Corporation originated from two sources, Bill Bowermans quest for lighter, more durable racing shoes for his Oregon runners, and Phil Knights search for a way to make a living without having to give up his love of athletics (Hincker 1). Their ideas and actions within Nike have radically changed the way sports, business, and popular cultures interact. This influence is seen best through the history of Nikes formation in its beginning years. The concept that would eventually lead to Nikes existence began on a rather small scale. While getting his MBA at Stanford, Phil Knight realized the business opportunities within high quality, low cost shoes produced in Japan and shipped to the US for distribution.†¦show more content†¦He helped create variations within Nike products, and a market to sell those variations. His underlying concept of improving the performance of serious athletes greatly influenced the decisions made to the companys products. Nike would never have become the company it is now without the sound business decisions of Phil Knight. His ingenious concept of using Japans resources for production started the companys initial existence. Knight was the first businessman to allow retailers to preorder inventory. This revolutionary business decision soon became standard among other businesses. Through Knights effective publicity and marketing of the Cortez, Nike was able to take leaps and bounds from its humble beginnings. Knight started small and subtly, working Nikes way slowly in massive popularity and commercial exposure. Knight also saw the possibilities of expanding Nikes product line from its running background. From this expansion, Nike was able to encompass not only different sports, but also incorporate casual-wear into their product line. Because of its unconditional beginnings, the mentality of Nike formed around the principles of being a company focused on serious athletes. As time has progressed, it has fervently stayed true to its values towards its athletes. NBA rookie Michael Jordan signed for Nike in 1985, paving the way for the launching of the new Air Jordan shoe line. This marked new transition in Nike. ItsShow MoreRelatedNike Case Study1494 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: This paper is a case study of Nike Inc. I will give a brief overview of the history, products, company goals, company challenges, financial report and sourcing strategies. My main sources of information are internet databases, company annual reports, and financial articles. Company Overview: Nike Nike incorporated, the worlds leading designer and marketer of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activitiesRead MoreCompetitive Analysis Of Nike Vs. Nike1497 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferentiate its products by means of high technology, quality products and expending responsibility towards the environment and society. †¢ Technological Transforming the resources to high quality products at a low cost is one of the foundations for Nike’s success in the industry. It continues to be at the top because it exploits the technology to the best to get high end products. Innovation is one of its strategies in creating enhanced products when compared to its competitors. It is also the factor thatRead MoreHow Globalization And Technology Changes Have Impacted The Corporation You Researched1233 Words   |  5 Pagesset out to reinvent athletic footwear. They wanted to improve upon one pair of running shoes called Onitsuka Tiger. Nike were more than distributors; they joined forces to design ideas and create better footwear (Vogel Garcia, 2012). The beginning of Nike’s innovation stirred up a creative vision for a company with more than globalization and technology. The company decided to embed sustainability with finance and product teams taking a greater role in the development process. Later, labor practicesRead MoreNike ( Nyse : Nke )1851 Words   |  8 Pagesa strong history of consistent revenues and profits, which it is poised to continue in the future, and is a global power in its industry, Nike’s recent acquisition of Converse is driving up stock price. In the eyes of Graham this would be an unattractive investment. However, if the gap between stock price and intrinsic vale were to close, I believe this company to be a solid long-term investment in the eyes of Buffett. Catalysts Innovation and brand recognition are Nike’s two strongestRead MoreNike- Managerial Case Study4914 Words   |  20 Pagesathletic shoes, equipment and apparel. Nike has invested highly on marketing. It has signed exclusive and expensive marketing deals with some of the worlds top athletes to promote its products. Nike’s marketing campaigns featured winning athletes as spokespeople, and winning teams as an indication of Nike success. Nike enjoys a strong competitive position. It is always innovative and produces high quality products with superior technology. Nike products are sold in about 110 countries worldwideRead MoreAnalysis of Nike Inc.9194 Words   |  37 Pagesthe association between the brand name and its famous endorsers, such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Alternatively, it may be Nike’s cutting-edge sporting vision and technology that entrances multitudes of consumers. Quite conceivably, it is a combination of these factors that has propelled Nike to the top of its industry. However, not the entire of Nike’s story is ideal. In recent years, the company has faced criticism in connection with its use of contract labor in developing nationsRead MoreA001426205 Bellamy Charles STMK Essay2945 Words   |  12 Pagesbenefit. Strategic marketing requires the continual analysis of environmental variables critical to a company’s long-term success. The aim of this discussion is to use the case study Nike – The art of selling air, to analyse challenges encountered by the company and how marketing principles developed in this subject could be, or were, applied to address them. The paper will explore Nike’s historical foundation and the marketing concepts and strategies which helped establish Nike as the world’s leadingRead MoreNike- Managerial Case Study4930 Words   |  20 Pagesathletic shoes, equipment and apparel. Nike has invested highly on marketing. It has signed exclusive and expensive marketing deals with some of the worlds top athletes to promote its products. Nike’s marketing campaigns featured winning athletes as spokespeople, and winning teams as an indication of Nike success. Nike enjoys a strong competitive position. It is always innovative and produces high quality products with superior technology. Nike products are sold in about 110 countries worldwide. TheRead MoreNike Marketing Report2495 Words   |  10 Pages The purpose of this report is to use concepts, models and theories to critically assess and evaluate Nike’s digital marketing activities. Within the report models such as the Marketing Mix and Assofs Matrix are used to demonstrate the importance of Nike’s digital campaigns and evaluate their validity. The report begins with an introduction to Nike as a company; this is a brief history into how the company was conceived. After this we explore different product ranges Nike have to offer andRead MoreEssay on Nike: Moving Beyond Sweatshops1779 Words   |  8 Pagesgreat of time, money, and resources to ensure that they are fulfilling their ethical duty, and achieving the highest standards of ethical responsibility. Because of Nike’s efforts to maintain their ethical integrity, Nike is a good corporate citizen. Nike’s motto says that Nike Inc was founded on a handshake. Their goal from the beginning was to build business with their partners based on trust, teamwork, honestly, and mutual respect. â€Å"Nike has a commitment to management practices that respect the

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Corporate Reporting International Financial

Questions: Discuss about the Corporate Reporting for International Financial. Answers: Introduction In this study, the discussion is focused on the adaptation of International Financial Reporting Standard by the reporting entities. During the study, the costs and benefits of adopting the IFRS rules are analyzed in order to identify the effectiveness and viability of the rules in the practical context. The analysis and the discussion in the study have used some example in order to understand the usability of IFRS in a better way. The conclusion of the study is derived by considering the overall findings of the study. Critically Discussing the Costs and Benefits of Adopting IFRS by the Reporting Entities International Financial Reporting Standards include a set of rules and regulations related to the field of accounting. From 2005 onwards, the application or use of IFRS has increased and gradually it became mandatory for the business organizations in UK, US and Australia to follow the IFRS (Jain and Jain 2015). The application of accounting standards in IFRS are became mandatory because these standards help to control the financial or accounting activities of the companies. Generally, it is considered that the IFRS helps the business organizations to improve their financial operations. However, Phan, Joshi and Mascitelli (2016) stated that adapting the IFRS standards has created several problems for many business organizations. Therefore, in order to understand the actual effects of adapting the IFRS, it is very important to analyze the costs and benefits of adapting IFRS. Damak-Ayadi (2016) stated that IFRS provides more assurance regarding the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the financial statements of the companies, which are not promised by the other accounting standard like, GAAP. In support of this, Barniv and Myring (2015) mentioned that understanding the rules and regulations under the International Financial Reporting Standards is easier than the other accounting standards. The quality of the financial statements prepared under the IFRS rules is much improved (Strouhal, Pasekova and Crhova 2015). The rules and regulations stated under the IFRS helps the small investors to understand the financial statements of the large organizations easily. Pal (2015) believed that the IFRS influences the business organizations to be more transparent regarding their financial activities. After adopting the IFRS, many financial frauds have been detected by the governing authorities in the countries. For example, the corporate frauds done by Toshiba have been unfolded by the governing authority at the time of checking financial accounts of the company as per the rules and regulations in IFRS. Khan (2016) mentioned that the adaptation of IFRS has helped the investors to avoid the expense of paying extra money to the analysts of the financial statements for analyzing the financial statements of the companies before the investment. Moreover, the International Financial Reporting Standards have helped the business organizations in different countries to prepare the financial reports that are internationally accepted (Nguyen 2015). For example, the Woolworths Limited in Australia prepares the accounting statements as per the rules under IFRS. Now, if an investor in US wants to invest at Woolworths Limited then the investor can use the financial statements easily because IFRS is the common standards followed by the companies in Australia and US. Pal (2015) commented that the comparability of the financial statements has been increased due to the use of IFRS. However, Strouhal, Pasekova and Crhova (2015) argued that due to the adaptation of IFRS the differences remain in the financial reporting of the companies because the financial statements of the organization do not consider or disclose the differences that take place due to the differences between the national rules and regulations. Phan, Joshi and Mascitelli (2016) added that the interpretation of the rules and regulations under IFRS is done differently in different countries because of their past practices. This creates several problems while comparing the financial statements. On the other side, when the IFRS has been implemented by the companies by changing their current accounting standards, it costs much .high to implement the new standards (Jain and Jain 2015). At the same time, changing the internal standard of accounting requires much time, which causes unnecessary delay in preparing the financial statements. Therefore, from the above discussion and analysis, it can be said that there are several benefits as well as costs in adapting the IFRS rules and regulations. However, it can be also identified that benefits are more than the costs of adapting IFRS. At the same time, the accounting governing authorities in different countries has also made IFRS essential for the financial reporting of the companies. Barniv and Myring (2015) stated that as per the Anglo-American model, the culture of a business organization has high influence on harmonizing the accounting standards globally. However, the Continental European model believes that the accounting standards are not influenced by the culture. In the words of Strouhal, Pasekova and Crhova (2015), the accounting standards are prepared and followed by the people and as per the Hofstedes model culture influences the behavior of the people. Phan, Joshi and Mascitelli (2016) believed that the organization, where the people believe in flexible system, the accounting practices are also flexible. The standards of accounting differ as per the demand in situation. On the other side, in the organizations, where the people or the culture is to avoid uncertainties, the accounting standards support smoothing out the assets valuation and income measurement (Jain and Jain 2015). The organizations, where the culture of conservatism is followed the full disclosure of accounting standard is also maintained properly. Therefore, it can be said that the accounting standards of the business organizations are influenced by the culture. Conclusion In this study, it has been identified that the adaptation of IFRS has brought several benefits to the companies. The investors are also able to understand the accounting reports easily due to the application of International Financial Reporting Standards. However, there are several problems also and high costs and time are the two major issues. The study has also disclosed that the culture of a business organization affects the accounting standards and practices to the high extent. Reference List Barniv, R.R. and Myring, M., 2015. How would the differences between IFRS and US GAAP affect US analyst performance?.Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,34(1), pp.28-51. Damak-Ayadi, S., 2016. Tunisia. IFRS for SMEs and Tunisian Accounting. InIFRS in a Global World(pp. 405-419). Springer International Publishing. Jain, S. and Jain, V., 2015. Advantages and challenges of IFRS: a review of literature.ACADEMICIA: An International Multidisciplinary Research Journal,5(7), pp.139-147. Khan, S.A., 2016. Did Mandatory Adoption of IFRS Increase Liquidity in the Canadian Stock Markets?.Available at SSRN 2716149. Nguyen, C., 2015. Challenges in adopting International Financial Reporting Standards for banking sector in Vietnam. Pal, S., 2015. Differences Between Ind AS and IFRS: Can Full Convergence Ever Occur Between the Two?. Phan, D.H.T., Joshi, M. and Mascitelli, B., 2016. Are Vietnamese Accounting Academics and Practitioners Ready for International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)?.Economics and Political Implications of International Financial Reporting Standards, p.27. Strouhal, J., Pasekova, M. and Crhova, Z., 2015. Are SMEs willing to report under IFRS? Czech evidence.International Advances in Economic Research,21(2), p.237.

Monday, April 13, 2020

Job analysis of an elementary teacher Essay Example

Job analysis of an elementary teacher Essay In this paper we will examine how a Job analysis which helps describe Jobs and/or human attributes necessary to perform the tasks and Job Component Inventory OIC) method are used for an elementary teacher; by shows what tools, responsibilities, communication and demands are required for this position(Specter, 2014). This will allow an Individual to see how the reliability and validity of ICC works and how It describes the use of objects that will relate to the workers in this setting. Next, we ill see how a performance appraisal in this Job is based on professional learning and growth (Teacher Performance Appraisal System, 2014). Finally, we will look at the benefits and vulnerabilities that are associated with ICC and how it may affect this work setting. The hope is that in the end we can see how ICC can be used as a guide line for teachers. Job Summary With direction from the school principal the teacher is responsible for the education of selected students and will generate a flexible curriculum and classroom environment encouraging for learning and personal growth. The teacher needs to create a strong relationship with the student to help motivate students to develop skills, attitudes, and the know how to provide a strong foundation for future education, while taking the students valuables Into account. There will also be professional relationships developed and maintained between parents and other teachers. The physical demands for this field is considered a LIGHT physical demand characteristic of work position in accordance with the Dictionary of Occupational Title (DOT). Educating the Students Vital Functions The teacher must teach subject matter such as reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, art science, physical education, and music while utilizing the curriculum proposed by the Board of Education. Then there must be a course plan developed that assists each students needs, and utilize the different teaching techniques to express the lesson In a way that Is productive to student learning and utilizes the allotted time available for the Instruction. We will write a custom essay sample on Job analysis of an elementary teacher specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Job analysis of an elementary teacher specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Job analysis of an elementary teacher specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The use of computers, chalk boards, overhead projectors and other visual aids will be used for student instruction. Physical demands for this position require the teacher to be able to stand and walk around the classroom the majority of the time. While also being able to bend, kneel, lean at the waist to communicate with a student at their desk. The ability to hold light weight objects for demonstrations at waist level and slightly above the head may be frequently required. The use of the black board is frequently required while also grasping chalk and an eraser while reaching below, at waist, and above the head occasionally with the frequent need to twist at the waist and neck to observe the class. On a rotating basis there Is a need for assistance with physical education which Involves lifting, using the upper body to assist students with their pull-ups and other actively. While on playground duty It Is required to be able to walk on even and uneven surfaces such as grass, gravel and maneuvering around curbs. The ability to lift up to 25 pounds around the room and halls maybe required The need for communication with parents is necessary through conferences over the phone or in person to discuss academic and personal progress and talk about there school programs. As a teacher the communications with other academic advisors will be needed for professional and personal growth. The participation in faculty meetings and committee sponsorship student activities is required on occasions. The need to address a stressful situation created by an upset or hostile student may arise but the ability to remain calm and listen non-critically but must also remain consistent with Judgments. Remain sensitive to a student who is non- compliant by try to meet the students needs by showing increased personal interest and involvement. Upholding Professional Standards Demonstrate professional ethics while conforming to district policies including attendance, evaluations and absences. The attendance must be sufficient to successfully perform the listed Job functions. Also the need to maintain professional proficiency is done through in-service activities offered by the district and self- selected growth activities. The times that are required for attendance are as followed teachers arrive at AAA. M. And may leave between 4:30-5:00 p. M. And there is also a 30 min lunch offered as long as weather permits. Working in the classroom 84-90% of the day but when needed outside activities such as recess, fire drills and any other special activity may occur. Reliability and Validity of ICC In this type of setting ICC can prove to be validated and reliable because it has helped to evaluate if a person meets requirements or needs more training in certain areas. Even though situations may vary the overall assessment is positive. This method shows what tools and physical demands will be placed on a teacher and how certain requirements can affect performance appraisals. As for the benefits and limitlessness for ICC it has its share of both due to personal interpretation and exaggerations people use to get Jobs. In closing this paper has shown what a Job analysis may look like using Job Components Inventory as a method and what some of the requirements are of an elementary teacher are. There are not only physical but mental demands required to hold this position. Planning and meeting ones own professional goals as well as those of the students helps to make for a proper teacher and good performance appraisals. The validity and reliability for ICC has been shown to be high in regards to eloping professionals pick Jobs that meet their abilities and skill set. The benefits and vulnerability aspect has not been conclusive due to human nature to exaggerate ones own abilities in a Job interview. However, it has sill shown beneficial with regards to pointing out key functions required for the position as a teacher.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Matlab

Matlab Image RotationI used the size() function to determine the size of the input file's picture's matrix, and then used the inverse transformation matrix shown below to determine the source pixel for each destination pixel. My program determined whether the source pixel was within the 320 x 200 dimensions, and if so, painted the destination pixel into the output file and if not, left the value as 0, i.e. black.Image ShearingThis program was very similar to the image rotation's code. Similarly, the program determined whether the source pixel of the picture was within the 320 x 200 frame using the inverse shearing transformation matrix shown below. Again, if so, it painted the destination pixel into the output file and if not, left the value as 0, i.e. black.Edge DetectionInstead of using loops for this program, detect.m uses matrices to detect the horizontal and vertical edges for all the pixels at one go.A closeup of pixels.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Standard Chartered marketing communication strategy and competitive Lab Report

Standard Chartered marketing communication strategy and competitive position - Lab Report Example According to the research findings Standard Chartered discovered marketing as the group expanded its operations from local perspective to a global perspective across diverse-cultural set of markets, Asia, Africa and Middle East for onstance. The bank admits the fact that it serves multiple geographies, different people with diverse values and significant cultures. This has enabled standard chartered to develop a strategy that focus on understanding of its markets’ core values to offer distinguished products and services to consumers with respect to their local requirements. The bank claims that it has developed a ‘consistent marketing strategy’ through constancy of efforts, stanch commitment to miscellaneous values and cultures and focused on relationships with local customers across the target markets. Standard chartered asserts that the bank has an unambiguous straight forward strategy that revolves around the market and consumers it serves. It has classified it s marketing strategy on two major areas: standard chartered for consumers and standard chartered as the corporate brand. Amongst consumers there are two set of markets: the individual consumers, who consume bank services for themselves; and second set is of business/commercial consumers, who utilize bank services for commercial purposes. Standard chartered has developed wholesale banking for commercial consumers’ category and consumer banking for individual consumers’ category. Marketing is an ever changing and sprouting discipline of businesses; companies always have a room for development and advancement. (Vanhuele and Wright, 2008). The bank has to broaden the base of its marketing communication strategy to effectively converse the different marketing messages, to different set of consumers it serves, in the most appropriate manner which could influence the target audience and trigger the desired response out of each target group. There are three marketing strategie s that fit Standard Chartered intent to serve the market: push, pull and profile strategies. The bank has to adopt these strategies as each meets a separate objective using a separate approach, thus, supporting the overall mission. Push strategy requires the bank to direct marketing activities to propel the products to consumers. It is more a selling concept, supports the sale organization of the bank and helps them design sales programs over push strategy (Kotler, 2009). It requires the bank to encourage and motivate the consumer, direct selling and negotiating with the prospects, emphasize point of sale promotions and advertisements, and performing other promotional activities to forcefully throw the banks’ offers and services to the consumer. It is appropriate for standard chartered as the retail banking structure in its target market: Asia, Africa and Middle East enable the bank to push its offers to consumers. Products/Services Push Consumers Pull strategy involves the b ank to design marketing activities in a manner that would fetch the consumers to the products and services themselves by enhancing their visibility (Kotler, 2009). It is more a branding concept for it supports the organization to design more customer-driven marketing programs that would develop strong bank-consumer rapport which is the ultimate objective of Standard chartered bank. It requires the bank to establish consumer associations with the bank through mass communication programs, mass-advertising campaigns, sales incentives and buzz marketing campaigns to create word of mouth influence. Pull strategy supports standard chartered ideology of understanding local consumers and markets, and their respective cultures, consequently, its attractive for effective communication strategy. Products/Services Pull Consumers Finally, the third marketing strategy which encompasses a broader marketing perspective is profile strategy. This strategy reveals the corporate reputation of an organi zation. It has deep orientation in corporate branding which identifies what an organization is

Friday, February 7, 2020

Knowledge Management in Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Knowledge Management in Healthcare - Essay Example This paper would expound on the need for and how Knowledge Management is adopted in healthcare, what problems does it address, what are the considerations to maximize its total benefits, what factors may hinder it from being an effective tool in effecting development in the field of healthcare and what are the importance of transferring the explicit knowledge.. "Healthcare organizations are facing many challenges in the 21st Century due to changes taking place in global healthcare systems. Spiraling costs, financial constraints, increased emphasis on accountability and transparency, changes in education, growing complexities of biomedical research, new partnerships in healthcare and great advances in IT suggest that a predominant paradigm shift is occurring. This shift is necessitating a focus on interaction, collaboration and increased sharing of information and knowledge which is in turn leading healthcare organizations to embrace the techniques of Knowledge Management in order to create and sustain optimal healthcare." (Sharma et al., 2005) Indeed healthcare plays by the rules of the economy and the society too, it lends itself vulnerable to the limitations of the body administering it. As acquiring information does not come without a cost, readily available yet reliable information are sought for, thus the role of Knowledge Management to regulate and pass on information. (Tandon, Angrish, Anand, 2006) Knowledge Management, though having relative definitions sums up the process of creating, controlling, channeling and transferring knowledge assets to address competitive advantage and optimal performance. (Morgan, Doyle, Albers, 2005) In healthcare, most especially in nursing care, knowledge continuity is posed as an organizational challenge. In the US, there is a high turnover rate among hospital staff-already amounting to 20% (Morgan et al., 2005). This dynamics breaks the links of transferring knowledge from old to new employees leading to poor acquisition or transfer of valuable knowledge assets. In basic terms, knowledge is shared through a "traditional scholastic medical education" through "textbook based" learning, and acquiring lessons through experience and mentorship. Although this, in the beginning, could let the workers harness best business practices, it could also mean lack of diversification in knowledge unless branching out to different hospital units is initiated. "There are a number of organizational benefits to KCM [Knowledge Continuity Management] such as decreasing job turnover costs, increasing organizational effectiveness, improving training for new employees, facilitation of organizational learning, speeding the maximal productivity of new employees, and improving the decision making and decreasing the process errors of new employees." (Morgan et al., 2

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

On Rape and Responsibility Essay Example for Free

On Rape and Responsibility Essay Throughout the course of Disgrace, Coetzee attempts to juxtapose the rape of Melanie with that of Lucy. By analyzing the actions of David Lurie, Lucy and Petrus, it becomes apparent that there is a dynamometric sense of responsibility among victims and abusers. Coetzee attempts to demonstrate that rape is more than a gendered based crime, that social class, and ethnicity also play roles in determining what harm is committed. It is because the rapes are not viewed through the eyes of the victim but primarily through Lurie, who sympathizes with Lucy and denies raping Melanie, that the readers are forced to determine who burdens responsibility and to what extent actions are repentant. Lurie’s attack on Melanie is more or less a date rape. He doesn’t take no for an answer and her passive means of refusal are not enough for him to take the hint. He truly believes that he is dating this woman, and that it is his right to engage in such relations with her. This belief is wound up in his perpetual state of selfishness and his arrogance of self delusion. She ends up filing for grievances making the whole situation public. Lucy is not just attacked, she is punished. What is done to her is done for the sole intention of causing her harm, of scaring her as an individual. It is done because she is a white woman, because she is the epitome of what is wrong with her rapist’s world. Along with the rape she is robbed of her property, and her father is assaulted and badly burned. In the end they both have to live with the scars of what happened. The attack on her is not personal; it is the way an oppressed social class is lashing out at the harsh mistreatment they have received for generations. What is ironic however is that the fact that the act in itself is the most personal it could have been. The society they are trying to punish is not going to be affected as a whole to what happened that day. It is a tragedy but one that would otherwise be swept under the rug, if Lucy had not swept it under herself Lucy. The hatred they had for society, they funneled into this woman. They made it personal once they had decided that Lucy was their victim. Similarly the reason these women are harmed is not purely random. Yes Melanie as student put her into the pool of prey for David Lurie, but his attraction to her is personal, and her mild response to him in the beginning paves the path Lurie takes. Her response is what Lurie feeds his delusions with, and that causes him to make the decisions he makes. Lucy is chosen out of what seems like convenience, Pollux attacks close to home, victimizing the woman that oversees his brother-in-law. Lucy is the best representation for the oppressive white class that he has, since she is â€Å"oppressing† Petrus. What theses essentially break down to is a crime of opportunity and a crime of restitution. The strongest underlying feeling that distinguishes the two is hate. It is not because Lurie hates Melanie that he does her injustice, it is because he is selfish and has no regard for her wants or feelings. Lurie finds Melanie alluring; he pursues his desires and treats what are blatant expressions of refusal as too subtle to actually mean â€Å"no†. The two rapes do however shed light on the misconception that rape is simply a gender based crime. Rather race and class complicate the situation making the two incidents vary widely in their response. Lucy keeps quite while Melanie comes forward; Lurie denies his actions while the other men acknowledge what they did as it matched their motive. Lucy’s refusal to come forward stems from white guilt, believing that what happened to her she had coming to her. She analogizes her gang rapists to tax collectors and feels that she should be paying to them what they feel they deserve. Her white guilt and higher class both make her a target and victim distinct from Melanie. Reporting such a rape would thereby align Lucy with the previous hierarchical white class of the apartheid period. She realizes that the crime would be used to â€Å"fuel the fires of racism† and knowing that her case would be used to represent â€Å"others† she does what she can to prevent the white class to rationalize future segregation. Melanie, who is a young black girl, is attacked by an older white man. Her response to his misdeeds is filled with want of restitutions. She does not accept what has happened to her as due to her, and she ultimately makes her attacker pay for the injustice he has committed. Interestingly, Coetzee uses Lurie’s view to further illustrate the racial-social class effects on perspective. Lurie’s inability to acknowledge what he has done as rape sheds light on his sexist and racists ideology, as Mardorossian points out, Lurie can only see rape as something black men do to white women, and prevents him from doing earlier what he does with Lucy, â€Å"namely call rape ‘rape’†. In his disciplinary hearing, Lurie establishes an equivalence between â€Å"the ‘rights’ of desire and sexual violence’† demonstrating his belief in his personal superiority over Melanie. The two rapes are diametrically opposed in their factors and responses, which demonstrates to the reader the â€Å"inextricable relation between incommensurable categories of identity such as gender, class, or ethnicity in the application of legal and moral authority†. When Coetzee introduces Lucy into the novel, she is sympathetic to her father’s situation. She leaves judgment aside as something that is his to deal with. She encourages him to make reparations but does nothing to make him feel ostracized for his previous misdeeds. All of this changes once Lucy is victimized. With Lurie’s inability to empathize with the situation, at least to the extent that Lucy wants, Lucy refuses to confide in him. She feels what has happened to her is a private matter and because he is not a woman, he could not understand the way she feels, and so she feels no obligation to share her experience with him. In addition to his male-handicap Lucy also starts to view Lurie as a predator, seeing only subtle differences between what he did to Melanie and what those men did to her. It made it harder to sympathize with his experiences, and she ultimately becomes distant. When Lucy does finally go into detail about what happened. Rather than offering solace to his daughter’s grief he instead attempts to give her another outlook on the situation. Her confession that the worst part of it was how personal the action was, and her inability to understand it. â€Å"Why did they hate me so? † is met with â€Å"It was history speaking through them†¦ A history of wrong. Think of it that way if it helps. It may have seemed personal but it wasn’t. While what Lurie is saying may have truth to it, this is not what Lucy is looking to hear when she confides in him. Lurie suffers from what Stember calls sexual racism- having a right to claim a â€Å"colonized woman’s† body, and to project his guilt onto the colonized man imagining him wanting revenge and thereby desires â€Å"the white woman†. In this light Glenn suggest that Coetzee uses Disgrace as a sociological and cultural statement, as â€Å"symptomatic- part of the traumatized white reaction to living in the Black Republic. Demonstrating that Lucy’s refusal to report the rape, taking responsibility for it, and even keeping the rape-child is central to South African politics and the use of women as objects in a kinship economy. In Addition, Petrus embodies the â€Å"black claims for restitution of farm land† essentially getting through violence, what black South Africans felt they were due. The rapes also introduce the idea of responsibility. The intertwining elements of ethnicity, gender, and social class also incorporate a sense of responsibility, both to self and community. Rebecca Saunders uses Nietzsche’s position of justice and responsibility as an economic manner to illustrate how characters shun responsibility off of themselves, or accept unwarranted responsibility. Lurie’s inability to confess, but rather simply plead guilty is a great example of such. He feels that his plea is what is necessary for the hearing, but sincerely apologizing is more valuable to him that he feels is warranted by the committee. Likewise Petrus’ solutions to Lurie and Lucy are compensation as if they appropriately equate to the emotional and physical harm done. Saunders explores this logic in the frame of â€Å"visceral† versus â€Å"reason†. How responsibility should be dealt in relation to the justifications behind the actions. He feels undercompensated, because he stands behind â€Å"reason† he understands that Petrus’ offers do not actually equate to the needs at hand. Also standing behind â€Å"reason,† Lucy equates the values of the harms done to her and to her aggressors, and feels as though a debt has been paid. This merely serves to illustrate that every character feels their side is the rational one, and their opponents’ are acting out of visceral. Rosemary Nagy, also explores the idea of responsibility, but in relation to the language of justification. How things are worded greatly impact the level of responsibility each character takes on for the actions they have committed, or have had done to them. The three figures centered around responsibility are Petrus, Lucy and Lurie. Petrus is of course playing surrogate for the men who attacked Lucy. She suggests that Disgrace establishes that there is no easy formula to decide where the middle ground falls between reconciliation and responsibility. David Lurie’s rape of Melanie is always met with a lack of culpability, despite Gal’s reasoning, that Lurie cleanses himself through his treatment of the dogs. However by the end of the novel he still refuses to believe that what he did constituted rape. The idea of repentance and responsibility stems from an expectation of transformation. That those committing such crimes become â€Å"new† men, but by the end of the novel we do not see this change in Lurie. In fact he nearly comes full circle, satisfying his sexual appetite with prostitutes and solving â€Å"the problem of sex rather well. Lucy on the other hand takes responsibility for what the white class in South Africa did for decades, a burden much bigger than warranted. She sacrifices herself, leaves herself with nothing â€Å"no cards, no weapons, no property, no rights, no dignity. † She completely switches roles with Petrus, who onces was dog-man, now she is â€Å"like a dog. † Petrus while not obligated, still accepts no responsibility for what happened to Lucy. Instead he reaps the benefits of her misfortune, gaining land, and a third wife because Lucy no longer feels capable of protecting herself. Through the act of (or lack of) accepting responsibility, Coetzee forces the readers to analyze the extent to which acknowledgement dictates reconciliation. Coetzee uses Disgrace, to make a statement about race and culture in a post-apartheid South Africa. That rape is more than a gendered- crime, that it crosses through socio-ethnic barriers to express something more harmful. That the feelings on reconciliation vary widely depending on who feels victimized and who feels responsible, which is a reflection of how Coetzee feels about the future of the white middle class in the years after the apartheid state.