Individual Analysis for Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant

Engstrom Auto Mirror plant, as a privately owned business, it manufactured mirrors for trucks and automobiles. The managers aimed to increase productivity for sustainable development of the company. Back in 1998, to pursue highly productivity, the plant was redesigning its production lines to incorporate new technology, however, the transition was not smooth, some problems had emerged, such as the staffs' moral and efficiency declining and the internal contradictions being intensified between the managers and employees. As the result of it, the previous manger resigned in 1998.After that, the new manager, Ron Bent believed in the power of worker incentive programs and wanted to establish one at Engstrom. Eventually, the plant adopted the Scanlon Plan as incentive program because a substantial majority of workers wanted it. Due to institute the plan, the plant was achieving growth, higher profits and consistent quality standards, the employees were also receiving good financial reward s. Over a seven-year period, business had been good in the company, However, a downturn hit the industry in 2005 because of the declining of the workforce's morale along with the sales figures.In 2006, Bent had been forced to lay off 46 of his 255 employees. The trust between the managers and employees was shaken and the main problems by the complaints of workers was distrust of bonus calculations and question of fairness between the supervisors and employees. In this situation, Bent thought to make changes urgently before conditions deteriorated further. There are several factors that cause the issues in the Engstrom. Firstly, according to the equity theory, employees focus on the fairness of their work outcomes in proportion to their work inputs.In the Engstrom, some employees thought that supervisors did not working as hard as them, however, the supervisors got the bonus probably higher or equal to them. Therefore, employees complained about unfairness and the unreasonableness of the situation that could be a decline in morale. More seriously, the trust between the managers and employees were likely to declined dramatically because they felt the award or punishment system was not fairness to them that will be a negative effect for the normal operation of the plant. Secondly, the plant was lack of setting up of flexible incentive mechanism.Although the plant instituted the Scanlon Plan to motivate their employees, the managers did not consider to further improve the incentive program before the issues was appearing. Additionally, they did not properly feedback and value views of employees, why the enthusiasm waned and suggestion rates dropped. The employees gradually were a lack of a sense of belongingness and low recognition from the company. For me, I will give two possible options for Bent to ease the crisis for their plant. 1. The plant should improve the Scanlon Plan by the managers.It means that the managers should focus on the recognition and apprecia tion for their employees which as integral components of a winning strategic reward system. It could be posted a top twenty list of employees who perform their jobs excellently in every month. At the same time, it sends personal letters in the name of the company to convey appreciation to them. 2. The second option is to change the Scanlon Plan with another plan that is collect different ideas from the staffs (sometimes are workers' representative) in every week by face-to-face meeting.If some ideas could be accepted by managers, the employees who give the recommendation will be praised at the meeting. Further, the company will give rewards to employees if their suggestions through practice bring economic gain for the Engstrom. According to my analysis, the problems are distrust between the managers and employees and unfairness of rewards between the employees and supervisors. In order to keep productivity and profitability of the plant, it should resolve the issues urgently before the situation deteriorated further. I recommend the option two is better for Bent to deal with these problems for the plant.Firstly, communication is the most important factor that affects the relationship between managers and employees. If the managers could listen advices of the work in time from their employees, it not only will be more easier to handle the existing problem in the company, but also will improve the relationship between managers and employees because the staff feel the company takes, to respect and to trust them, feel oneself is in enterprise's one, and they can have the confidence and the sense of responsibility for the development of their company.Secondly, it is to give the appreciation by managers to employees frequently that will improve the employee morale because they will feel more attached to their company. As the result of this, employees will devote to their work without any complaint. Consequently, because of the improvement of relationship and employe e morale, the efficiency and productivity of company will improve with the efforts of all staff and give them corresponding reward.Although the first option is probably to resolve the crisis for the Engstrom, it is not a long-term incentive program because the communication between the managers and employees is not so much compared with the second option and some problems in the plant may be not addressed immediately by managers. Therefore, the Engstrom should change their incentive plan to built the good relationship, seek advices from subordinates and give employees corresponding reward. In conclusion, I suggest that Rent could choose the second option to handle this crisis in their plant before conditions deteriorated further.

8 Surprising Reasons to Live with Purpose

8 Surprising Reasons to Live with Purpose Do you wake up every day with a sense of purpose? I know I often don’t. I open my eyes in the morning more with of a sense that I will soon be dragged around by my â€Å"to do† list. First on my mind is my agenda for the day and all the stuff I need to DO. Or I go to my computer to let my inbox tell me what to do. Sound familiar? Living this way is one sign that I am not in touch with my purpose. And I don’t mean the BIG significant purpose that most of us think of when we think of â€Å"life purpose.† While some people might know what that is for themselves, most of us aren’t sure, or are afraid of not getting it â€Å"right.† Maybe we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves. Purpose is in the moment. Last week I went on a leadership retreat with the Wright Foundation for the Realization of Human Potential where the theme was â€Å"Purpose.† What I learned is that purposeful living is about living every moment with a purpose in that moment. It could be something as simple as giving our gifts or living with aliveness and presence, in service of ourselves and others. Purpose is who we are being, not what we are doing. What a concept. We can actually try on different purposes each day to see which one motivates us to lead a more fulfilled life. One of the moment by moment purposes toward which I gravitate is using my creative talents. To that end, I wrote a little song and made a video that I will share with you here. Despite the spoof on a commercial spot, this song is all about the real, scientifically proven benefits of living with purpose. Thank you to Rick Bread Kempf, Jacki Davidoff, and Tammy Taylor for singing with me, and to Silvana Favaretto for recording us on my iPhone! Here are the lyrics to my masterpiece, The Purpose Thermos: Purpose you’ve got so much to do Purpose much more of being you Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose it’s who you are each day Purpose repairs your DNA Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose gives you a song to sing Purpose gives you more mattering Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Purpose you’ll feel much more alive Purpose will rev up your sex drive Purpose you’ve got a surplus So drink a thermos of purpose today. Are you in touch with your purpose from moment to moment? What is your sense of purpose right now, reading this article or watching the video? How can you make a difference for others and for yourself in this moment? And this one? And this one? Please share.

SAT Logistics - PrepScholar 2016 Students Encyclopedia

SAT Logistics - PrepScholar 2016 Students' Encyclopedia SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In the U.S., the SAT is offered seven times throughout the year, in January, March (or April), May, June, October, November, and December. Internationally, the SAT is typicallyoffered six times, including all the aforementioned dates with the exception of March. The redesigned SAT, commonly referred to as the new SAT, will be first administered in March of 2016. Students testing internationally will first encounter the new SAT in May of 2016. Note: this article is a series in the PrepScholar2016 Students' Encyclopedia, a free students' and parents' SAT / ACT guide that provides encyclopedic knowledge. Read all the articles here! Most SAT administrations begin at 8:30 AM on Saturdays. Students whose religious beliefs prevent them from testing on Saturday may request an alternative date at the time of registration, though their requests are subject to denial. Students with documented disabilities may request accommodations, the most common of which is extra time. Typicallythe full test is strictly timed at3 hours and 45 minutes, while the actual testing time is approximately 4.5 hours to include the proctor's instructions and three 5 minute breaks. Students may not revisit any sections once time has been called, nor may they discuss test material during break time. Proctors are expectedto report anysuspicious behavior, such as flipping through sections in the test booklet or using prohibited materials, and they have the authority to dismiss students from the testing room. College Board also has the right to withhold, audit, or cancel individual test scores, often as a result of a warning from a proctor or unexplained score fluctuations among sections. Students may speak to their test proctors or contact College Board directlywith concerns about their testing centers, including issueswith timing, noise, instructions, or possible cheating. The June 6, 2015 administration of the SAT, for instance, had timing issues due to a misprint in the testbooklets. To resolve this issue, College Board decided to leave the affected sections unscored, saying they were still "able to provide students with valid and reliable scores." Apart from strict regulations in timing, the SAT also has clearly stated rules about acceptable materials within the testing room. Students may only use Number 2 pencils to write on the answer sheet and essay section. Most graphingcalculators and all scientific and four-function calculators are allowed during the math sections. Snacks and drinksmay be consumed during breaks outside of the testing room. All other materials, especially technology with communication capabilities, like cell phones and recording devices, are strictly prohibited. The SAT costs $54.50, with an additional regional fee of $30 to $40 for students testing outside of the U.S. Fee waivers are available for eligible students and include registration for up to two SATs, two SAT Subject Test dates (on which students can take as many as three Subject Tests, with some exceptions), and an additional four score reports to colleges. The typical requirement for fee waiver eligibility is a student's inclusion on his/her school's federal Free or Reduced Lunch program. Students register for the SAT through their College Board account. It is also possible, and required for students under the age of 13, to register by mail. When creating aCollege Board account, students will be prompted to inputautobiographical information, their high school code (U.S.-based homeschoolers use code 970000), and a clear, recent photograph to be used for identification purposes on test day. During registration, students can choose their test date and testing center, usually their local high school. If their preferred testing center is full, students can selectanother nearby center or choose to be placed on a standby list.The deadline to register is typicallyabout one month before the test date. Additional fees apply for late registration, changes to test date or location, and standby testing. During registration or for up to 9 days after, students may choose as many asfour colleges to bescore report recipients free of charge. Any additional score reports cost $11.25 each. Scores are usually available about three weeks after testing. Official SAT score reports must be sent to colleges, even if students also self-report their scores on the Common Application or college-specific application forms. As of 2009, College Board offers SAT Score Choice, giving students choice over which SAT score reports are sent to colleges. Students who wish to view their SAT scores before sending them to colleges may choose to forego the four free score reports at the time of registration. Some colleges prohibit the use of Score Choice, requiring students to send all available SAT scores from all dates they took the test. Schools that expect students to send the results from their entire testing history include Duke University, Rice University, Stanford University, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and all schools in the University of California system. The majority of colleges allow the use of Score Choice and may consider a student's highest section scores across all dates or highest sitting on one test date. More than half of all test-takerschoose to take the SAT more than once. Studies have shown that students are statistically likely to improve their scores upon retesting. Preparation has also been shown to significantly improve SAT scores. Most students take the SAT in their junior and senior year of high school. Others take the test earlier to ensure a greater number of available test dates for retesting. Important considerations in choosing test dates include college application deadlines, colleges' policies towards SAT scores and Score Choice, preparation time, and skill readiness. Read more from the SAT Encyclopedia! Further Reading How to Register for the SAT, Step by Step How Many Times Should You Take the SAT? Choose Your SAT Test Dates: When's a Good Time for You?

Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Budgeting - Essay Example (Davis & Davis, 2012) Industry context determines the particular risks that affect the budgeting process and outcomes in certain businesses. In the airline industry, fuel price volatility constitutes an external risk that significantly affects the budget of airlines. Fuel hedging is a strategy practiced in the airline industry to stabilize the budget and offset risks involved in changing prices. Fuel hedging can result to benefits and/or downsides relative to the budget of airlines. Fuel hedging does not ensure absolute positive results for all firms and in all circumstances. Budgeting is a complex process influenced by various factors that could lead to different outcomes. There are lessons to be learned by considering budgeting in the context of fuel hedging in the airline industry. The succeeding discussion focuses on the issues involved in budgeting by taking the case of the airline industry. Lessons on budgeting are drawn and practical applications are identified. Main Issues in Budgeting Budgeting should be realistic and based on a thorough analysis of a firm’s financial needs, current and expected revenue generation, and business objectives (Davis & Davis, 2012). ... An accurate estimate would result to a budget that is very close to the actual amount of resources used. Among airline companies, fuel cost constitutes a significant expense comprising around one-third of the overall budget for a certain period. Airlines need to estimate the expected fuel cost in a given period to be incorporated into the overall budget for that period. Estimation involves uncertainties because of unexpected factors. An unexpected factor is change in the cost of fuel. Airline companies do not have any control over the price of fuel since many factors, from both the demand and supply side can affect the price. The extent of change in fuel prices are also beyond the full control of airline companies. (Karp, 2008) In 2000, fuel prices increased by an average of 18 percent between the second and third quarter to represent a 45 percent increase in the same period of the past year. Estimates of many of the airline companies in the U.S. were not able to approximate the actu al price increase. As a result of the wide gap between the estimated change in fuel prices and actual fuel prices, U.S. Airways incurred losses while America West achieved profit levels much lower that its projections. (Trottman & Carey, 2000) While estimation is wrought with uncertainties, managers and decision-makers lessen the gap between expected and actual expenses by learning from repeated experience of the estimation process given different price situations. Fuel hedging involves an estimation of the rate of change in fuel prices over a given period and entering into an agreement for the supply of fuel at a particular price within that period. The contract represents a price where

GENSTAT Analysis of Variance of Two Seed Statistics Project

GENSTAT Analysis of Variance of Two Seed - Statistics Project Example Nevertheless, their growth started declining drastically and then again increased steadily as depicted in the above graph. Conversely, unaged declined steadily in the initial stages of seedbed preparation then started increasing steadily. This implies that preparation process impacted negatively on the growth of the unaged seeds. Seed preparation directly correlates to the seedling aging. There is the relatively higher frequency with the unaged seeds as compared to the aged seeds. Therefore, this confirms the results of the ANOVA that there are more seedlings with unaged seeds as compared to aged seeds. Conversely, unaged declined steadily in the initial stages of seedbed preparation then started increasing steadily. This implies that preparation process impacted negatively on the growth of the unaged seeds. Seed preparation directly correlates to the seedling aging. There is the relatively higher frequency with the unaged seeds as compared to the aged seeds. Therefore, this confirms the results of the ANOVA that there are more seedlings with unaged seeds as compared to aged seeds.

Black Political Power Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Black Political Power - Research Paper Example Some of her notable acts of activism include an article she wrote in Free speech and headlight that urged blacks to leave Memphis, which led to about 6000 people leaving, while others organized boycotts (Fradin & Fradin, 2000). Quitting teaching, she begun investigative journalism and together with Frederick Douglass and other African Americans, they organized the Chicago boycott of 1893 and died in 1931 at the age of 68 with a record of speaking against anti-lynching and written various works of activism like the â€Å"Red Record† and the â€Å"Southern Horrors: Lynch Law In All Its Phases.† She travelled far and wide including Europe and Great Britain, preaching antiracism. Another key political leader in the black politics who did not hold a political title was Frederick Douglass, who was a poet and an activist against slavery. He was born into slavery in 1818 in Talbot County in Maryland, to become a prominent intellectual who lectured to many people and advised pre sidents. When in slavery at the home of Hugh Auld, his wife Sophia taught him to read the alphabet at the age of 12, helping him acquire the skills that would latter Vault him to national celebrity. In his course of reading, he developed the ideological of opposition, after reading newspaper articles about slavery. He got interested in political writing and literature. In 1833, while working for Thomas Auld, they had a fight in which Auld lost in the physical confrontation. After escaping from slavery in 1838, he got married to Anna Murray and they both moved to Massachusetts where he became an anti-slavery lecturer. He wrote an autobiography of his life story in 1845 named â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An... Black Political Power The key political leader in the black politics who did not hold a political title was Frederick Douglass, who was a poet and an activist against slavery. He was born into slavery in 1818 in Talbot County in Maryland, to become a prominent intellectual who lectured to many people and advised presidents. When in slavery at the home of Hugh Auld, his wife Sophia taught him to read the alphabet at the age of 12, helping him acquire the skills that would latter Vault him to national celebrity. In his course of reading, he developed the ideological of opposition, after reading newspaper articles about slavery. He got interested in political writing and literature. In 1833, while working for Thomas Auld, they had a fight in which Auld lost in the physical confrontation. After escaping from slavery in 1838, he got married to Anna Murray and they both moved to Massachusetts where he became an anti-slavery lecturer. He wrote an autobiography of his life story in 1845 named â€Å"Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave†, which became a bestseller in the United States and was latter translated in several European languages. He published my â€Å"Bondage and My Freedom† in 1855 and in 1881 â€Å"The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass.† He later went to Ireland to avoid his recapture, and remained there for two years, talking and preaching about the evils of slavery (Spengler, 2006). His British supporters raised funds hat purchased his legal freedom and returned to the United States in 1847 as a free man.

Representation Of The American Dream Film Studies Essay

Representation Of The American Dream Film Studies Essay Independence Day is a film directed by Roland Emmerich WHAT HAPPENED RELEASED in 1996, which shows the planet under an alien attack, where the U.S. is the center of the problem and the country that saves the world. In relation to this film several elements can be analyzed belonging to the American culture. One of the most significant is The American Dream. An ideal of American culture that is based on democracy and equality and aims to maintain the welfare of society, in order to achieve the fulfillment of the dreams of its members. Based on this, the question that this paper attempts to answer is: To what extent the movie Independence Day directed by Roland Emmerich reflects the American dream? In this paper is exposed how there is a relationship between The American Dream as a cultural element that represents an American ideal and the script of the film, where elements, the film presents such as leadership, equality in terms of race, gender and social context, and the image of a perfect democracy REPRESENT THIS FEATURE. So we can see IN THIS WAY that the film represents to a great extent and very clearly the American Dream, because it reaffirms the central role of American culture on a global context by exposing the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of the American Dream as the country defends the planet from the Alien attack, it also brings these values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹to a global context as it takes the independence Day as a celebration of global importance, and showing America as a country where the dreams of an entire nation and its members are fulfilled. Word count: 262 INTRODUCTION Nowadays The United States is one of the most influential countries in the global context, taking into account its economic and military power. However its importance worldwide is also due to their culture, a culture that has strongly expanded in the Western Hemisphere by spreading a set of customs, traditions and ideals. Among the strongest and representative ideals of American culture is what is known as The American Dream, a concept that has transcended through history and has strongly consolidated American culture by showing that in this country people can achieve an ideal lifestyle where all of its members fulfill their dreams in a country that enforces their rights and welfare. Taking this into account it is important to analyze how these ideals are represented and displayed as part of American culture by focusing on a specific cultural artifact, in this case the film Independence Day directed by Roland Emmerich released on 1996. Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter and producer known by his science fiction productions which usually show humanity under catastrophic and risky situations. That is why on Independence Day a catastrophic context can be seen a context in which Planet Earth is under an Alien attack and places The United States in the center of the tragedy and as a country that puts all of its efforts to save the planet. The aim of this paper is to show: To what extent the film Independence Day directed by Roland Emmerich reflects the American Dream. For this IT IS NECESSARY TO analyze the concept of The American Dream as part of their culture in relation to the elements that the film shows, an analysis of the script by showing the different situations and characters, and an analysis of the symbols used throughout the film. THE AMERICAN DREAM AS REPRESENTATION OF THEIR CULTURE The concept of the American Dream was introduced by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic America, where he talks about this concept as a social ideal representative of American culture, which seeks equality in terms of opportunities and a comfortable lifestyle for everyone, based on a proper use of democracy to achieve it. The American dream is the cultural expression of North American identity and, even if it was occasionally transformed into the American nightmare, it remains one of the most motivating forces of American civilization and a still viable token of American exceptionalism. (Stiuliuc, 2011). According to this, Diana Stiuliuc in her text The American Dream as the Cultural Expression of North American Identity claims that the American Dream despite the different interpretations that may have, will always refer to the American culture as a unique factor that represents the American national identity. Taking these definitions into account we can see how this concepts fi t the American culture, because it is based on democracy and equality, concepts that were consolidated as part of that culture since they were mentioned in the American constitution and the declaration of Independence. On the other hand, referring to Ferdinand Lasalle who said on his book On the essence of constitutions (YEAR) that culture is related with public consciousness, we can consider a relationship between the Constitution and culture. It means that the constitution has to reflect the aspects of society that are determined by their customs, their morality, their ideas about good and evil and in general all kind of aspects that represent the members of a society, in order to make people identify with the constitution and actually obey the laws. According to this and focusing in the movie, it is significant to stand out some concepts that clearly reflect The American Dream because they are based on democracy and equality, the concept of The United States as a country with a perfect democracy, a multicultural country and a global leader. ANALYSIS OF THE SCRIPT Throughout the film America is depicted in many ways as a model of democracy. Several ideas present in the classic documents mentioned appear as concepts in the films plot, there are mainly four ideas represented in the film, they are: America depicted as a progressive country, America depicted as a land in which goals can be fulfilled with enough effort, America as a country in which peace and the due processes are a priority, and America as a country which authority comes from the consent of the governed. America is shown as a progressive country in terms of its political structure, as the movie shows how the country is worried about social progress and welfare. One of the main characters in the film is the President who takes on many roles depending on the situations he faces throughout the film; one of these roles is that of a young yet wise politician. In the film America is shown as a land in which youth is not a hindrance in terms of wisdom. This is shown at the beginning of the film when the Presidents communication director Constance Halbrook, another important character, shows the news to the President arguing that people are attacking not his policies but his age. Other types of progressive thinking are shown throughout the movie such as the presence of debate and protest among the citizens. The President is shown as a human being despite his role as a hero, if he is not defeated at the end of the film, it is due to his prowess as a politician and soldier instead of a set of special abilities inherent to himself. Protestors are shown when US police and military forces take place close to the Alien ships. And debate is implied in occasional TV broadcasts shown as secondary plot devices. America is depicted as a land in which dreams can be fulfilled throughout the entire film. Almost each character starts his or her journey with a certain frustration, David failed as a scientist, Constance failed in her previous relationship with David, Steven could not get a job in NASA and Jasmine struggles with keeping her family together. At the end of the film after each character is forced to grow and has to put huge efforts in developing their skills or going through great risk, is able to accomplish his or her goals, David and Steve succeed in their attack to the alien ship, Constance and Jasmine are able to put their families together. America is also shown as a peaceful country that wont attack unless it is attacked first. After Alien ships are positioned over each major city in the United States the President gives the order to approach them in a peaceful way by having a group of helicopters get close to one of the space ships and broadcast a welcome message. Following an offensive by the Aliens the President gives the order of a counterattack. Also it is implied at several moments that America is a country that respects the supremacy of others, it is only after the United States supremacy is threatened that open war begins. This is closely related to the idea mentioned before that America is a country in which authority comes from the consent of the governed. Most scenes in the movie show scenarios of political life, TV debates, the Oval Office, the White House and so on, democracy is a central theme to the movie. A very representative moment of this idea is when the President decides to prepare a nuclear attack just after receiving a message from the Aliens that describes their method; Aliens are compared to locusts, their essence is that of the exact opposite to the freedom of a democratic government. Some of the mentioned ideas have a parallel in classic documents. The fifth amendment of the United States constitution mentions due process as one of the main components of justice in the United States; this thinking is re-enacted several times during the film. Nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. (U.S constitution. Amendment. 5). The Declaration Of Independence states that the source of authority of each country should be the consent of the governed and not the authoritarian rule of a monarch, and that idea is reflected in the movie as it shows the concerns of the president anytime he is making a decision that may or may not benefit people. Another notorious idea is the representation of America as a multicultural country. Different genders and ethnicities are shown in the movie occupying different important roles, as it is an idea of equality that reaffirms The American Dream. Scientists are shown as people from Caucasian, Asian and African-American descent as well as one of the main characters, David, who is clearly of Jewish descent. Women have important roles during the film too, Constance and Margaret, the First Lady, are shown as brave and dedicated women among the world of politics, and Jasmine is shown as a strong woman and mother willing to do what it takes in order to survive and protect her family. It is important to mention about this element of the film what Hanson said on her work American Dream in the 21st Century an idea that shows a close relationship between the film and the American Dream. The American Dream represents a state of mind that is an enduring optimism given to a people who might be tempted to succumb to the travails of adversity, but who, instead, repeatedly rise from the ashes to continue to build a great nation. (Hanson, White, 2011). Soldiers that are one of the main components of the plot are also from different ethnic backgrounds. There is representation of Caucasians, African-Americans and Latinos, each person is compelled to fight for the independence of the United States regardless of their ethnic background or occupation as is mainly shown with Russell a farmer who is considered crazy and drunk during most of the film but turns into a hero by the end. Both the 15th and 19th amendments to the United States constitution defend gender and race diversity by protecting the right to vote of people from all genders and ethnicities. This idea is an essential part of The American Dream and their culture, and is therefore represented in the film repeatedly. Aside from that, it is important to mention how the military forces of the United States of America are shown throughout the film. Military forces are important since they are the first institution of the American government to appear in the film after the aliens have appeared and have been identified, they are the first group to face the threat and set research and analysis into motion. They are also the first ones to establish a defensive stance towards the invaders. This is shown in the movie since a Pentagon official who discovers the Aliens presence takes as first measure the action of summoning the Secretary of Defense. A very prominent idea shown in the film is the American position in regards of conflict against enemies. It is very important to stand out their role as negotiators and a peaceful society at the beginning of the film, they initially will not attack unless they are attacked. In the film, the first approach to the aliens by the American government is a peaceful one. After this peaceful attempt goes terribly wrong and the aliens attack, the army is given the green light to retaliate. This response as we mentioned before was of course more than ready. This peaceful feature of the American society has as well parallels in the official documents. In the Declaration Of Independence, it is stated that the King of England had attacked first by placing troops in American territory even in times of peace. It also says that America will stay in peace with all its allies and friends but will be in war with any enemy. Doing an analysis of the main characters points of view we can see that they always keep an attitude of braveness and enthusiasm. First of all we can see how the President always keeps a brave image and is never afraid or intimidated by the Aliens; he is always present at every moment, refusing any invitation to a shelter and doing everything possible for his country. This idea is reinforced when he decides to be a member of the final offensive fighting like any other soldier. Another element depicted in the film that reinforces this idea of America as a peaceful and caring country yet ready to battle, is how solidarity is an essential characteristic of all characters personality. This idea is prominently shown once again in the President. He is constantly shown as a loving family man. He appears for the first time during the film while receiving a call from his wife and being with his daughter. He stays with his daughter throughout the entire film and has his wife in mind. On the other hand, David is shown as a character attached to moral integrity, an environmentalist always concerned about taking care of the planet and the greater good. He is because of that the first one to go against the decision of launching a nuclear assault. Another recurrent theme in the film is the characterization of the United States as a technological super power. Scientists are during the story more than support characters, they are heroes. Since the beginning of the film scientific facilities are shown. In fact the first character to appear in the film is a scientist. The film goes back and forth between political and scientific scenarios in which all characters interact. America displays power in the film through politics, the army and technology. All these three scenarios are closely intertwined and together form what makes the United States a super power in the film. As mentioned, science appears in the film very early. The first image is a shot of the American flag placed on the moon showing one of the biggest achievements of humanity in terms of space exploration. Then it continues by depicting a scene of a Hi-tech facility in which scientists discover for the first time the presence of the Alien invaders. The importance of science in the movie not only as a tool of survival but as an icon of American pride is reinforced every time that characters face an obstacle in terms of technology. Very early in the film a member of the military is aggravated when an employee of the Pentagon admits that they are confused about what is going on. Another feature of the film related to the depiction of technology is the way that other countries technology is represented. Iraq and Russia are shown as countries in ruins after the alien attack, the Russian satellite is shown as old and is immediately destroyed, it is implied that the only network the Aliens use is the American one. David is therefore the most important character in the film in terms of technology. His personal journey goes from being a scientist who failed professionally despite his studies and intelligence to being the one who discovers the alien communication system and the one who learns how to destroy their defenses. David is the genius who represents the true power of America which is not the brute display of force but the use of knowledge, technology and progress. It is because of him that the world has to follow Americas lead during battle. Another very prominent representation of America in the film is that of the country being shown as a brave and resilient nation. Americans are shown as heroes who overcome adversity no matter how strong their opponents may be, always willing to defend themselves and their people, American scientists, politicians and soldiers seem to be utterly resilient and indestructible. That characteristic though is not shown as the starting point of the film, in fact, Americas most powerful cities are destroyed and all of their military efforts are rendered useless before the attack is successful displaying a story of heroes who had to sacrifice everything in order to win and who to be able to defend their freedom had to rely on their braveness only. Indeed America is shown as the Land of The Free and the Home of The Brave many times during the movie. The figures of the President and the First Lady are examples of courage, unwilling to hide, both decide to stay with the people of America during the alien attacks even after they are offered protection. The First Ladys sacrifice is therefore the ultimate display of braveness and will to resist against the oppressors. Even right before her death she is shown as a warrior who has set her mind on the only goal of defending her country even at the point of surrendering her life, she says she trusts her husbands capabilities in winning the battle turning her death into the moving force of the Presidents determination to win. The President is then the most important figure of braveness and resilience. Not only he is challenged in terms of his job he is also personally attacked and has his family destroyed before he can stand against the aliens. This mixture of professional and personal obligation comes together in his role as a soldier. The President is also a soldier with special abilities in the fields of air combat, he personally leads the final battle against the aliens, because of this reason he is fundamental to Americas victory, he embodies the might of the State, the braveness of Americans and the peoples will to resist and thrive through great efforts. Other main characters are symbols of courage and resilience. Russell is the everyman who even after being described as a bad father and mediocre man saves the day by showing that nothing else is more important than serving his country and fulfilling his duties as an American soldier, the President grants him the status of hero, because of this reason Russell receives the approval of his family and in spite of his previous failure he turns into a hero because of his braveness and willing to sacrifice. Steven is also the soldier who is willing to lose everything if it is for his country and his loved ones. His motivations are fulfilling his dream of being an astronaut, serving his country and protecting the family he wants to form with Jasmine. He puts himself at great risk by being a part of the stealth mission to destroy the enemy defense and does it without any hesitation. The same goes for David who as a member of this mission risks everything in name of the things he believes in, he is shown as an environmentalist who would do anything in order to save his country. Jasmine on the other hand shows another type of resistance. She is the one that as a main character represents the people of America. The everyday fighter, the passionate mother, she can only resist by doing what every civilian can do, being brave and trusting her state leaders. This is another prominent feature of the film. People are shown as hopeless yet brave citizens, they dont have the strength to fight against the aliens but do so by putting their trust in their government. The American civilians have anyway a common characteristic with the military and government their weakness that turns into braveness and finally victory. Then war is not between two equally powerful opponents, humans are obviously outnumbered and overpowered. Their machines and weapons are shown as tiny next to the huge weaponry of the aliens, even the final weapon against their defenses is tiny, a computer virus, showing that intelligence, courage and sacrifice are worth more than raw force. USE OF SYMBOLS One of the most prominent symbols shown in the movie is the speech given by the President to the soldiers prior to the battle against the aliens, where not only are displayed patriotic ideals but also America is depicted as a country that fully represents the promises of the American dream. One of the main symbolic references is the declaration of the 4th of July as a worldwide celebration extending the idea of The United States national independence to the entire world declaring that way that the ideals of the American revolution and its independence values are applicable to the entire world and should therefore be celebrated by all nations since they represent what is good for every nation. This reference to the 4th of July, which is of course a main idea in the film considering its relevance in relation to the title, places America as the leader of the world. The United States government and its military institutions are the ones to begin and lead the attack against the alien threat; the mentioned speech keeps a strong moral and military rhetoric style. The response from the listeners of the speech is highly emotional as they are all willing to defend these universal values in a clear reference to The American Dream. On the other hand we can talk about the symbols displayed visually. Throughout the film different places are shown and many are representative of American culture. Mainly, government buildings like the Pentagon or the White House and national monuments like the Statue of Liberty are shown, also the skylines of New York City and the city of Los Angeles are repeatedly featured. These symbols are a representation of the main aspects of American culture in relation to The American Dream; government buildings represent the power of the United States, its importance in keeping peace and order, as they show the importance of democracy. Cities like New York or Los Angeles are not only the main economic centers of the country but the most renowned touristic destinations in America. CONCLUSIONS Finally it can be seen how the concept of the American Dream has a very important role in everything related to the American culture, from it, the bases for a great amount of social ideals that represent and promote American culture and identity have been formed. The American Dream attempts to fulfill all ideals of equality and common well-being a nation where the dreams of all its members can become a reality depending on the extent to which they belong to the American society. It is very interesting also to analyze how these concepts go back to classic texts like the Declaration Of Independence and the Constitution of the United States since the importance of creating a global country had already been stated. Taking this into account, it can be seen how this film includes clear references reaffirming the cultural importance of the American Dream in a global context by showing how this nation has the capacity of being a world leader and keeping a society together. In the film, the concepts that depict the United States as a country with a perfect government system can be seen. America achieves through democracy a society that has equal rights for everyone regardless of ethnicity, gender and social differences but most of the film depicts America as a country able to keep a society in harmony where collective objectives and individual dreams are fulfilled. Finally, in terms of the inquiry that guides this paper, it can be seen that the film greatly represents the American Dream. Even from the title which refers to an American holiday but places it on a global context we can see how this film shows American values as the answer the world needs to be able to survive the invasion. We can see in the film how the United States is tested and destroyed just so it can reaffirm itself as a powerful nation in all its aspects, mainly culturally, showing the importance of the American Dream at a national and international level. Word count: 3974