Web Page Essays - Web Design, Graphic Design, Communication Design

Web Page We are standing on the precipice of a new culture? Sceptical, questioning connected with the world, thirsting for information and change. Technology is driving society at a pace unparalleled in history creating new attitudes, interrelationships, and global awareness. A new consumer is emerging, suspicious of traditional media sources, incredulous of advertising, and contemptuous of the contrived the hyped, the false. This consumer is not easily persuaded by clever graphics or manipulated by fads in design. In order to integrate all aspects of a ?brands' presentation on a web-site, the designer must move beyond form, colour and type and embrace the comprehensive impact of design. Enhanced awareness of the world; deeper, broader thinking about problems and opportunities; a respect for the historical roots of and formal conventions of design; planning and diligent study are required to create interesting global web-site designs. What? subject: Web site design on the Internet Focus: Web site design in the future. Objectives: To identify web-site designs that work, and to identify the reasons to why they work. Why? With the increasing number of web-sites that are coming online daily, in order for them to work, they are more dependent on good design for attracting readership than print is. How? By examination of the most frequently visited web-sites, and although a historical approach with reference to print in design. Section Two Design is the Answer What? Web sites need to be far better designed than anything in the print medium, due to the very interdisciplinary nature of the web-site. Why? Because a magazine with even minimum design gets its information across to the reader. You buy it because you care about the issues in its headlines, if you want more you jump inside, ?print' by its nature is a tactile phenonenom; touch, smell and accessibility, and it is for that reason it will never die. But web-sites are purely visual and aural, one screen at a time. Encouraging the viewer to go beyond the first layer, even learn where to go for what is required is a common problem for designers. It is their job to bring the viewer inside through the "Dance of the seven veils",and once inside, guide them, not to confuse or frustrate them. How? Web-sites that work are sites that do what you want it to do. They do not insult your intelligence, but neither do they obfuscate. They must indicate the wealth of material lying beneath the first page, but also offer you options and alternate means of approach. The answer may lie in better selling of the ?land' ? in urban planning, to use a metaphor. The solutions to timeless internet problems ? navigation, access to information ? will be provided by design. Good design means; pertinent information, content, good ?surfing', exploring, and gathering. The designer is the Web's real pathfinder. How does the designer achieve this goal? By drawing up an agenda for good web design. Section 3 and 4 Where does good web design come from? I believe that the principles print informed quality print design for hundreds of years and that these principles are equally valid online. TEN RULES OF DESIGN FOR THE WEB 1. Put content on every page. Design should not be decoration. It must convey information. Or entertainment. Content should come to the surface on every single level. Avoid useless and confusing icons, e.g. a navigation bar that has a ? for help. Make sure the content is easy to read quickly. Break the text into smaller segments. On the web people are in a hurry. They want the information they are looking for quickly, like a dictionary, that's still what the web is really about. 2. The first colour is white 3. The second colour is black 4. The third colour is red. This is a basic rule that has been around for 500 years. In Print white is the absence of all colours. White makes the best background. Black holds the highest contrast to white; therefore it is the first choice for text. And red draws the viewer in, and defines the image. 5. Never letterspace l o w e r c a s e When this is done the natural rhythm of the letters, so carefully designed by font designer, is ruined. In design if you look at what you do today, it should look like what you want to do tomorrow. 6. Never set a lot of text IN ALL CAPS Fonts were not intended to be all set in caps. They were intended to be upper

Environmental Issues essays

Environmental Issues essays Pike, J.R., J.H. Shaw, D.M. Leslie Jr., M.G. Shaw and J.E. Smith. 1999. A geographic analysis of the status of mountain lions in Oklahoma. Wildlife Society Bulletin Wildlife managers in the state of Oklahoma manage many species of animals in their state parks and nature preserves. They need current up to date information in order to make educated decisions regarding the parks. The managers have been very interested in learning the population status of mountain lions (Puma concolor) in their area. Due to the fact that few studies have been conducted on the mountain lions eastern and central range, accurate figures were not available. We tested the following null hypotheses that the mountain lion population was not dependent upon the harvest trends of white tail deer (Odocoileus virginanus), size of human population, ecoregions, generalized topography, or locations of exotic game ranchers. In order to find out the current mountain lion population, surveys were mailed statewide to all natural resource professionals. The data was collected and then input into a geographic information system for further study and analysis. Along with the sighti ngs data, layers for deer harvests, census, topographic, and ranch data were added to the map for comparison with sightings. The study showed that the mountain lion population was dependant on ecoregions due to mountain lions preference to hunting on steep slopes and lack of human disturbance in rangeland. However, human population alone had no correlation. Mountain lion population also depends on deer harvests, since the white tail deer is a major part of the mountain lions diet. We predict that the increase of mountain lions is Oklahoma is associated mainly with low human population density, and increasing white tail deer populations. If the state wildlife managers wish to decrease presence of mountain lions in these areas then they should increase the bag limi ...

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy - Assignment Example He gets emotional because his son thinks he is a good dad but the society in general doesn’t believe that homosexuals can be good parents. Shaw tries to cheer up the mood. Brady reveals that his marriage is a fraud but he will continue to play along because it is the right thing to do. His wife is expecting another baby. Their conversation ends on a dilemma that if Brady reveals his sexual orientation he might lose his family but if he doesn’t he will abandon a part of himself. The conversation ends and they both depart. The essay is written in the narrative rhetoric, filled with dialogues and history about the characters. Giving insight to an adult homosexual male probably could not have been done with other rhetorical modes. It is more emotional than critical or argument-driven. As the famous philosopher says that one needs three things to convince someone; credibility, logic and emotional appeal. In this case the emotional appeal dominates the rest. It creates empathy in the readers for Brady. Shaw has not touched the philosophical debate on homosexuality as either right or wrong. She has only given an insight to the life a homosexual man who apparently has a wonderful family but his homosexual nature is restless. There are many instances where Shaw gives the narrative. For instance she brings in the comparison between Brady and David. David is mentioned to strengthen the narrative that he is a confident gay male while Brady is shy. Shaw calls him â€Å"very gay† (paragraph 8). Just like a fictional story, the use of dialogues to describe personality has been used extensively. For instance Brady’s own words are quoted to describe what sort of a person he is. On not telling his wife about his homosexuality he says; Had Shaw used any other mode like exposition, argumentation or description it would have either created a debate or it would have lacked the emotional appeal.

PESTEL Analysis of Alibaba Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PESTEL Analysis of Alibaba - Assignment Example The researcher states that a number of political factors and legal issues that come up due to the government regulations affect Alibaba. In China, the political force is the most turbulent force in the electronic commerce industry in which Alibaba is a player. For instance, the ministry of information industry has guidelines on the standards of operation in e-commerce. In fact, the Chinese government has laid a lot of emphasis on the development of the e-commerce. By so doing, the ministry of information industry has an obligation of coming up with summaries on the development of technology as time goes by. For instance, it has to provide a summary of both the middle and long-term goals on the development of information technology plan. Thus, this is a major booster in the development of Alibaba since it already has the support of the government and by the fact that it is the largest company in e-commerce in China. There is no clear legal legislation on the e-commerce industry in the Chinese government. This is because the Chinese government has not dealt with the issues for long. There minimal experience in coming up with legislation like transactional security, tax and intellectual protection of business rights in the Chines government. Much worse is the fact that there are no laws written on consumer rights, privacy, and recognition of digital signatures and validation of online contracts. This is one of the major threats to the growth of Alibaba as a company. Development in a countries economy has a great impact on the operation of a particular business. For instance, fiscal and monetary policies, of employment, GDP per head, rate of inflation and the banking policies. In China, there has been a prolonged rapid growth of its economy, at the same time, there is a continued improvement on the country’s GDP per head. This is one of the major advantages of the company Alibaba since it leads to increased shopping rates by the residents. Alibaba is affecte d by the global economy because it has now spread its wings further to serve most developed and developing countries.

Jackson Pollock’s Essay Example for Free

Jackson Pollock’s Essay â€Å"Lavender Mist† is a masterpiece by Jackson Pollock, dated in 1950. This particular painting is considered art because of the subsequent factors. But before we distinguish the art behind his work, let us first come across the life of this magnificent artist. Background information about the artist Paul Jackson Pollock (January 28, 1912 – August 11, 1956) was a prominent American artist and a main vigor in the intangible expressionist association. The youngest of five children, he was born in 1912 in Cody, Wyoming, and grew up in Arizona and California, and his schoolwork was done at Los Angeles Manual Arts High School (Pioch). He then later learned under Thomas Hart Benton at the Art Students League in New York City. In 1945 Jackson wedded Lee Krasner and they resided to what is recently renowned as the â€Å"Pollock-Krasner House and Studio in Springs on Long Island†, where he refined the skill of controlling of own volition with fluid paint. After moving to Springs in New York according to Pioch, he embarked on painting and formed what was shortly termed his â€Å"drip technique†, even though spilling out is a more precise depiction of his technique. The artist’s method of decanting and dribbling paint is considered to be one of the derivations of the label â€Å"action painting†. Nevertheless at the acme of his eminence, he unexpectedly discarded the drip method. Then, Pollocks creations after 1951 were gloomier in shade, frequently just black, and prompted to bring about metaphorical fundamentals, shifting to a more marketable colonnade and there was vast requests from collectors for contemporary canvasses. However, due to this stress, his alcoholism intensified. After besieged with alcoholism his entire existence, Pollocks profession was stopped in mid-sentence when he passed away in an alcohol-linked, particular automobile accident less than a mile from his home on August 11, 1956, at the early age of 44. In the twenty years between his influx in New York City to make an incredible legacy concerning art and his hasty decease, Jackson Pollock had became apparent as the most ground-breaking visual artist in America, who is celebrated for his exceptional corporeal commitment with the achievement of painting (National Gallery of Art). Background information about this particular piece What prompted Jackson Pollock to make such a remarkable artwork are a lot of great people, marvelous places, and things. Strolling over the pastures and coppices near the place called Accabonac Creek which is located at the rear of their land, Pollock brought into being a connection with the environment which inspired him to do his illustrious timeless piece. Lavender Mist aggregates up his most distinctive and full of character painting and presents Pollocks authenticity as an artist. He used the outlines triggered by the severance and marbling of one enamel dampness in an alternative, the minute â€Å"black striations† in the filthy pink, to fabricate a perpetuity of ambiance. (Karmel) As a painting of altercations and catharsis with the inner mayhem that compelled him to paint, it evidently illustrates the effect of Picassos craft, which guided ancient forces into completely fresh creative appearance. The scrawled details and calligraphic features in â€Å"Stenographic Figure† have a flow of awareness superiority that appears to join together the techniques of Picasso and the â€Å"Spanish surrealist Joan Miro†, whom Pollock above all well-liked as stated by Karmel. Pollock momentously appreciated a Miro display at the â€Å"Museum of Modern Art in 1941† and was greatly inspired by the artist. Furthermore, wonderfully coordinated mesh of â€Å"Gothic†, entrenched in strapping dark cambers, demonstrates Bentons lifelong impact on the manner Pollock structured his works of art. It resonates with development and the manipulated incident that Pollock had experienced in practicum classes with Siqueiros, and at this instant used to his specific extremities. He even acquired his special inventive style expanded from Mexican muralists. The muralists’ idea of the original range between archaic and modern backgrounds stimulated Pollocks fervor in creating his craft. Iridescent substance shines with the luminous beam of noontime sun on a deep field in Pollock’s work is similar to what he sees everyday on their meadow. Vibrant with curves and spheres of warm-drenched tints, the painting is an indication to the value of the Long Island scenery as a stirring drive of Pollocks piece in the late 1940s. The composition is demarcated by all-encompassing strokes of trickled and spattered paint; a fine mesh that brushes across and stuffs the whole picture. Pollocks traceries affix the painting with their meandering, assuaged streaks and hurdling black and white components sets up rhythmic harmony. Conceivably the most undeniable substantiation of Pollocks primeval and vibrant attachment in the handiwork of his Lavender Mist is the smudge of his hands in the piece. These handprints not only provide a primal mark of possession and ingenuity, but they also highlights the smoothness of the image, hence pointing out the non-illusionist character of Pollocks painting. Formal elements within the piece The fundamentals of recognized elements are basic units that are shared in the design of Pollock’s Lavender Mist. The formal essentials within his piece are the following. First are lines which are the most vital building block of his work. Pollock used lines to form more intricate shapes and to direct the viewers from a part in the artwork to another. The first look at the picture will mislead an onlooker to see nothing more than a bewildering display of muddled lines and blots. But as one starts to set his eyes deeply in the masterpiece, one will perceive that there is more on the painting than mere lines and specks. Secondly, shapes are formed when these lines are combined to form different kinds of entities. The artist used shapes that are natural, uneven asymmetrical shapes observable in the natural world, and geometric shapes with tough lines and inclinations. The existence of â€Å"tic-tac-toe† grids, suspended figures, and ostensibly arbitrary sketches can be seen in the artwork, which stem from Pollocks declared appeal in being unfastened to the psyche as a spring of originality. Third are forms which are three-dimensional figures with thickness and extent. He included ancient and makeshift forms like orbs, rolls, boxes and pyramids in his piece. Even sections of a imaginary yet indistinct interpretation of the human outline associate Pollocks work with Miros images. Forth are spaces which are regions between and around things, and it can also be seen in Pollock’s Lavender Mist. Diminishing the quantity of gap around the items in Pollock’s artwork affects the way addressees perceive it. Then fifth are colors which distinguish and classify lines, shapes, forms, and space. The black and white streaks in his work have numerous dissimilar tinges of gray. The canvas has also texture in it which is the facade attribute that can be seen and felt. As displayed in the painting, rough, smooth, soft and hard textures blend into one. These textures are often ambiguous with its atmospheric appearance. Though there is no lavender on the painting, encrusted traces of paint engender exquisiteness and sort out of deceptively casual signs. Aside from the abovementioned elements, the following principles of formal analysis are also presented which build on one another. Balance is fashioned in the work of art when textures, colors, forms, or shapes are united pleasantly (Glatstein). In this image, it can be seen how the artist accomplish an impression of balance by spread out the entire streaks in the canvas. Contrast is also used as the quite a few elements of design hold the interest of the audience and steer the watcher’s eyes through the masterpiece. Movement, on another view, is shown as the movement of the work is directed by lines, contrasting shapes and colors. Furthermore, pattern is also brought about by the recurrence of shapes, forms, and textures across the canvas. Together with this, proportion is formed when the dimensions of elements in the painting are pooled cordially. In this work of art, all of the proportions come out unerringly as one would anticipate. And lastly is the assimilation of unity which is created when the principles of analysis are present in an artwork and in synchronization. Some imagery has a absolute sense of unanimity, while some visual painters intentionally keep away from reserved unity to generate a manner of tension and fretfulness. In this painting, the outsized regions of complementary textures, arrangements and tints craft a sense of unity. In any composition, all of these elements and principles are at hand, though some are more palpable than others. When slotting in formal study of art, artists decides on the fundamentals they sense are most stalwartly corresponding to the work they are making. Pollocks audacious intangible Lavender Mist legitimized the union and mastery of opportunity, perception, and control. Role or roles which the artist used when creating this piece Jackson Pollock perceives himself as one with nature. He claims that he belongs to the natural world that is why he has this extensive love of creating his masterpiece. In our day, one has to stride only into the countryside behind Pollocks home to comprehend the irresistible existence of nature in the impenetrable and intertwined surfaces of his painting. Pollock once protected the basis of his craft pronouncing, I am nature. The role of the artist is to produce something that, when looked over by a viewer, calls to mind instinctive way of thinking and emotions. Conclusion Jackson Pollock’s Lavender Mist is considered as an art because of the following reasons. First, the actual artwork is large, nearly 10 feet long and it seems to grab and get hold of a person viewing it, and pull him towards it. Second, what you see in the imagery is nothing like the genuine object. One and all discern that looking at an actual artwork is a lot different from staring at pictures of paintings with no sense. However, there is another rationale why people were so enthused by Lavender Mist, and it has to do with the very idea of art. There are a number of upfront explanations why people construct art. It may possibly be to craft an adornment, to convey a story, to portray or uphold a picture, or to exemplify a thought. Then again, there is another, more insinuating, but far more notable grounds why art is essential to people. The necessity to get into an individual’s self and influence the oblivious feelings is universal. People all complete it to some scale, even if more often than not people are blind to what artists do. That is where art draws closer in. As it is said previously, one of the points of art is to let people to have implicit approach to the inner consciousness. Immense art allows a way to get in touch with the unaware fraction of people’s subsistence, even if people do not grasp what we they are doing. In this meaning, the role of the artist is to produce something that, when looked over by a viewer, calls to mind instinctive way of thinking and emotions. Despite the fact that an Italian playwright disapproves of Pollocks painting as a bedlam, with total need of concord, absolute deficiency of structural orderliness, overall lack of skill, and undeveloped, afresh, paintings such as Lavender Mist collapsed the limitations of art as people are acquainted with it at mid-century. Pollock, in his most excellent work, has indeed the formal elements of art. He had an practically preternatural power over the whole outcome of those retreating pits of paint. In them, the brightness of colors is always right. Nor are they utterly natural; he would time and again touch up the dribble with his brush. The term â€Å"action painting† was made up to depict the system used by Pollock. He often used normal house paint, for the reason that he favored the manner it flowed. When one views the Lavender Mist, one is not agitated by consequential similes, so in effect all of one’s intellectual control is dedicated to feeling. One can open one’s self and absorb in the power and liveliness of the artwork. Needless to say, this merely works if one collaborates with the painter. His occupation is to construct a canvas that is delivered so dexterously that when one views it, what one sees in fact modifies what one feels at an oblivious situation. One’s work is to empty the aware intellect of thoughts and fixed ideas in order to let one’s self to be inclined by what one is viewing. This denotes that, if one is to really recognize the value of a work of art, one must be eager to let one’s self go, to put one’s self in the hands of the painter, so to verbalize, and let him take a person anywhere he desires. Most of the time, this relationship do not succeed, occasionally because the painter is basically not dexterous enough and frequently because the person viewing the artwork does not recognize how to really value it. Now it can be seen why the arrival of Abstract Expressionism was so significant. For the first time in account, painters were crafting intangible art so competently that it was able to go through swiftly and strongly into peoples unconscious. As a result, it is probable to view the record of painting as a lengthy evolutionary procedure, beginning with the sluggish, arduous progress of means and methods. Finally, after centuries of representationalism, the impressionists started to shake off the lengthy boundaries, which led to the advancement of a variety of schools of theoretical art in the 1940s, with Abstract Expressionism, the commencement of a new age of conception and human accomplishment (Hahn), and this must be somehow attributed to the remarkable artist, Paul Jackson Pollock. Works Cited: Glatstein, Jeremy. Formal Visual Analysis: The Elements Principles of Composition. May 31 2007. http://artsedge. kennedy-center. org/content/3902/. Hahn, Harley. Understanding Abstract Art . 2007. May 31 2007. http://www. harley. com/art/abstract-art/. Karmel, Pepe. Jackson Pollock: Interviews, Articles, and Reviews. (1999). National Gallery of Art. 2007. Washington DC. May 31 2007. http://www. nga. gov/feature/pollock/process1. shtm. Pioch, Nicolas. Pollock, Jackson. 2002. May 31 2007. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/pollock/

The Raven and Ligeia a comparison Essay examples -- English Literature

The Raven and Ligeia a comparison Although the two tales are presented in different literary forms the tales themselves deal with remarkably similar subject matter. So much so that it is possible to compare the style of each with but a little reference to the general themes of the two works. The Raven and Ligeia are both about loss. The narrators of both tales have lost the dearest thing to them, a woman of incomparable talents and beauty. That the loss of this woman has happened for different reasons does not matter for it is how this loss manifests itself in the lives of the narrators that provide the drama and the poignancy of the stories. In each we discover the narrator is dwelling upon that woman that he adored and in each we find the peculiar way in which they deal with this. In the Raven a man sits alone in his chamber reading ancient tomes trying desperately to keep his mind from thoughts of his lost Lenore. But he hears the sounds from without the chamber that could be perhaps the ghost of his beloved. It is this irrational hope and fear that the bounds of death can somehow be transcended and that he might once more speak with his love that begins to lead to his irrational behaviour. When the titular Raven makes it's appearance the narrator is worked into such a fever of imagination guilt and fear that he perceives the bird as some emissary from beyond. So it is that it's constant repetition of "nevermore" are taken as both confirmation that the spirit of Lenore lives on and denial of him to ever speak to her again. The narrator leaves us still locked with the bird projecting upon it his own feelings of self-loathing and hate. Ligeia on the other hand is a statelier version of the narrat... ...e thing he identifies with in his current situation. When after the raven appears to have refuted his fantasy of Lenore he finds that he hates the raven as an extension of himself and perhaps the raven is nothing more than the narrators metaphor for himself or at least some darker aspect of his mind. The main difference between the two tales is that while Ligeia is couched in very descriptive prose the Raven makes much more use of metaphor. That said the style of the poem is very much that of a rhyming tale and as such is also similar to the prose structure of the short story. In conclusion it should be noted that both are excellent attempts to tackle a difficult and provocative subject and they manage this in two similar but unique ways. It is the similarity, which lends them both power and the stylistic differences that mark them as being exceptional.

Cooper Industries Case

Managerial Policy| Cooper Industries Case | By: Aena Rizvi, Anum Rinch & Rafia Farooqui| | Introduction: In 1833, an iron foundry was founded by Charles and Elias Cooper in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Overtime, Cooper became the market leader in pipeline compression equipment. Cooper Industries was around 150 years old and was mostly involved in the manufacturing of engines and compressors to facilitate the flow of natural gas through pipelines. They began expanding it around 1960s and for that, more than 60 manufacturing companies were acquired in the following 30 years.This came to be known as the process of Cooperization and some re-known companies became a part of the Cooper banner to form a highly successful and profitable business. Timeline of Important events for Cooper: Year| Event| 1833| Charles and Elias Cooper founded an iron foundry in Mount Vernon, Ohio| 1900| Switching to the production of natural gas compressors| 1920| Cooper became the leader in pipeline compression equipment | 1957| Gene Miller was elected as the president| 958| Cooper suffered a cyclical downturn and a corporate raider acquired enough shares to elect two board members| 1961| Miller recruited Robert Cizik as chief assistant for corporate development from Standard Oil| 1965| The company formally adopted the name ‘Cooper Industries’| 1967| Headquarters were moved to Houston| | Diversification began and Cooper acquired Lufkin Rule Company| | Bill Rector was appointed as Corporate Vice President and given capital to develop the Tool Group| 1968| Cooper acquired Crescent Niagara| 969| Cizik became Chief Operating Officer| 1970| Cooper acquired Weller Manufacturing Corporation| | Tool Group set up its headquarters in Apex, North Carolina| | C. Baker Cunningham joined the corporate planning department at Cooper| | Cooper purchased Dallas Air Motive| 1970-1988| Cooper Divested 33 businesses| 1971| Cunningham joined the Tool Group as director finance and introduced a new computer sy stem to manage inventories, sales, shipping and billing for all tool products | 1972| Cooper acquired Nicholson Company| 974| Cooper’s acquisitions had relocated their manufacturing operations to new plants mostly in the South | 1975| Robert Cizik became CEO and formed Corporate Level Manufacturing Services Group| 1976| Cooper purchased Superior, maker of engines and natural gas compressors| 1979| Cooper purchased Gardner-Denver| 1981| Crouse-Hinds was acquired| | Cooper acquired Kirsch| | Cooper sold off its Airmotive Division| | Compression, Drilling and Energy Equipment generated 50% revenues and 60% operating profits| 1984| Purchasing council was established| 1985| Cooper acquired McGraw Edison | 987| Cooper expanded its industrial compressor business by purchasing Joy’s air and turbo compressor business for $140 million| 1988| Cooper was a broadly diversified manufacturer of electrical and general industrial products, and energy-related machinery and equipment| | Electrical and Electronic (E&E) became Cooper’s largest segment, generated 50% corporate sales and 57% operating profits | | Acquisitions in the Tool Group were consolidated and new manufacturing facilities were constructed| | Compression Drilling and Energy Equipment accounted for 21% sales and less than 10% of operating profit|Vision, Mission and Corporate Strategy: Cooper’s success lied in making high quality products that become important input for other products such as turbine compressors. They wanted to be a company with a steady stream of income which is why they always went after ventures that were profitable. They made sure they had no cash flow of liquidity issues just to ensure this. Moreover, they were more interested in being an owning company rather than just a holding company.To make sure of this they made their acquired companies adapt to their benefit plans etc so that the whole organization on a whole is consistent in policy making. They even made su re that they were deeply involved in all the acquisitions they made so that they do not end up making mistakes by acquiring a wrong company. Cooper’s President, Gene Miller’s ideology was to not restrict operations to the production of engines only. This was reflected in the business decisions when Cooper began to diversify and widen its product ranges.Cooper’s acquisition strategies were well planned and they were not left to the professional managers on the grounds that they could do justice to any product categories or manufacturing processes. Great importance was given on understanding the culture and customs of the areas in which Cooper operated and diversification only took place when the prospects looked profitable. There was a limit to diversification and special attention was paid to the timing of acquisitions. Most of the companies that Cooper aimed at acquiring were market leaders who maintained records of high quality manufacturing.Cooper’s jo urney was not about acquisitions and additions only. After a business had served its useful purpose, it was divested because clinging to the past would only reduce chances of future success. Between 1970 and 1988, Cooper divested 33 businesses. Cooper also ventured into the aircraft service business by purchasing Dallas Airmotive which was mainly involved in the repair and lease of jet engines as well as the distribution of aircraft parts and supplies. After this, Cooper turned to its Energy Division and concentrated all its efforts there.Energy Divisions’ rising profits made up for the falling sales of hand tools. Cooper’s biggest merger was the purchase of Gardner-Denver, which was equal in size to Cooper and manufactured machinery for petroleum exploration, mining and general construction. One advantage of this merger was that Cooper’s needs of exploration; production, transmission, distribution and storage for oil and natural gas were met. However there were some problems with Gardner-Denver too as it was a company that lacked planning and control and its sales force was not motivated enough to steer the company in the ight direction. Unlike Cooper, the management style at Gardner-Denver was too centralized. Cooper had to change all these things subsequently in order to align Gardner-Denver with the values and business practices of Cooper industries. By late 1970’s Cooper came up with the ‘acquisition by necessity’ idea when it was acquiring Colorado Fuel & Iron (CF&I) which mainly took place because CF&I has stopped producing 1095 Steel and it was really expensive for Cooper to buy it from another German company.Crouse-Hinds was another crucial acquisition in the history of Cooper and in the words of Mr. Cizik, this was a ‘true diversification’ as compared to that of Gardner-Denver which was more of a complimentary nature. However the Crouse-Hinds acquisition was criticized on the grounds that it reduc ed Cooper’s exposure to the booming oil and gas industry. Cooper built a reputation in the electrical industry such that it came under the ambit of one of the best-managed companies. Some of Cooper’s acquisitions looked decisive such as the purchase of Kirsch (world’s largest manufacturer of drapery hardware).But actually they were not based on impulse and such opportunities are normally short-lived. Had Cooper not taken advantage of such opportunities then some other company would have. Cooper had a very flexible management style unlike other companies and it consolidated most of its acquisitions in order to maintain uniformity. Manufacturing Services Group made Cooper a quality conscious company that had state of the art Management Information Systems. It used benchmarking and cross-referencing to improve the production methods.Manufacturing Services Group also initiated training of engineering school graduates and this equipped the employees at Cooper with th e necessary skills. Cooper followed the Hay system for salaries and people with the same ranks throughout the organization had similar salaries. These salaries were at par with the industry average. EVP’s at Cooper had a management-by-exception philosophy and they only interfered in the management of a division if its performance suffered or when the division violated the boundaries set by the strategic planning process.Cooper believed that ‘cash-flow is king’ because a strong cash flow position enables Cooper to pursue acquisitions. SWOT Analysis Strengths| Weaknesses| * Highly diversified hence lower risk * Acquisition of market leaders was done based on research and not on impulse. * It had a flexible management style * Understood the cultures and customs of the areas in which it operated * Divested businesses that served their useful purpose * Focus on profitability led to the success of the firm * Due to numerous acquisitions, $1. 8 billion of Cooper’ s $1. 77 billion stockholder’s equity was goodwill| * ‘Lean and mean’ cost structure due to which many RTE senior managers left within a year after acquisition * Cooper exercised centralized control over corporate policy * Cooper retained too much control with itself which is evident in its control on working capital * Too much focus on profitability| Opportunities| Threats| * Manufacturing Services Group will make Cooper a leader in manufacturing functions. Due to Management Development and Planning, Cooper has a very rich organizational culture and hence more successful market leaders would be willing to merge with Cooper in the future. | * Downturns in industries such as electrical industry can make Cooper resort to cost cutting and layoffs rigidly. * After a merger or acquisition Cooper requires the new company to adopt its benefits package for medical insurance and pensions which leads to dissatisfaction and may make Cooper known as a conservative company|Co nclusion: Cooper remained a market leader in pipeline compressors and engines. It has always focused on being identified as a quality company and pursued only those companies for acquisitions and mergers that were market leaders, had strong core competencies and were successful in their respective industries. It had an eye for rewarding opportunities and took full advantage of them when came across one of these.