| Learning Outcomes |
| · An understanding of surface and embedded meaning in the text is reflected in presentations of viewpoints.
· Values and views in selected texts are identified and explained in terms of the impact on meaning and target audience. · Evidence cited from texts in defence of a position is relevant.
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1. MEANING AND VIEWPOINTS IN TEXTS
1.1 Surface meaning versus embedded meaning
| Surface meaning | Embedded meaning |
| Obvious meaning | Not immediately obvious |
| Literal meaning | Figurative meaning |
| Usually just one interpretation | Different interpretations possible |
| Immediately clear | Not usually immediately clear |
| Not trying to disguise | May be deliberately disguised |
| Consciously done by the author | Can be unconscious on the part of the author |
1.2 Values, views, attitudes and assumptions
Values are the beliefs that guide our behaviour. They define what is good or bad or right or wrong in terms of each individual’s personal frame of reference. A personal frame of reference can be formed by the society that the individual lives in, the family they were raised in, their religious beliefs and the influencing media.
Views or viewpoints are opinions or ways of looking at something and are also based on an individual’s frame of reference.
Attitudes are our values being manifested into thoughts or actions of other people or other things. A dominant attitude may prevail in a society at a specific time. For example, in the 1960’s, the dominant attitude was freedom.
Assumptions are made when we accept something without proof or question. This is often the result of things we are so used to hearing or seeing that we take them for granted and they take on the appearance of truth. Often assumptions are made due to what is termed as “common sense”.
THE WOMAN AND THE SAILOR
A ship sank in a storm. Five survivors scrambled aboard two lifeboats: a sailor, a young woman, an old man in one boat; the woman’s fiancé and his best friend in the second.
During the storm the two boats separated. The first boat washed ashore on an island and was wrecked. The woman searched all day for the other boat, or any sign of her fiancé, but all her efforts were in vain.
The next day the weather cleared, and still she could not locate her fiancé. In the distance she saw another island. Hoping to find her fiancé there, she begged the sailor to repair the boat and row her to the other island. The sailor agreed, on condition that she sleep with him that night.
Distraught, she went to the old man for advice. “I cannot tell you what is right or wrong for you”, he said. “Look into your heart, and follow it”. Confused but desperate, she agreed to the sailor’s condition.
The next morning the sailor fixed the boat and rowed her to the other island. She jumped out of the boat, and ran up the beach into the arms of her fiancé. Then she decided to tell him about the previous night. In a rage he pushed her away from him and said, “Get away from me! I don’t want to see you again”.
Weeping, she started to walk slowly down the beach. The best friend, seeing her, went up to her and put his arm around her. “I can tell that you have had a fight”, he said. “I’ll try to patch it up but in the meantime I’ll take care of you”.
1.2 Citing relevant evidence from texts
Analysing and responding to a text often requires the reader to give their own viewpoint, opinion and argument. In order to defend a position, it is important to give evidence from the text. Citing evidence may require the reader to:-
- Quote the relevant information directly from the text
- Paraphrase someone else’s words from the text that are relevant
- Supply the relevant numbers or statistics
- Use relevant information from graphs, tables or drawings.
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When citing relevant evidence it is important to use generally accepted practice such as using quotation marks and mentioning the author and dates of publication. |
IMPORTANT
Sample Business Plan for American Management Technology (AMT)
1.0 Executive Summary
By focusing on its strengths, its key customers, and the underlying values they need, American Management Technology will increase sales to more than $10 million in three years, while also improving the gross margin on sales and cash management and working capital.
This business plan leads the way. It renews our vision and strategic focus: adding value to our target market segments, the small business and high-end home office users, in our local market. It also provides the step-by-step plan for improving our sales, gross margin, and profitability.
This plan includes this summary, and chapters on the company, products and services, market focus, action plans and forecasts, management team, and financial plan.
1.1 Objectives
- Sales increasing to more than $10 million by the third year.
- Bring gross margin back up to above 25%, and maintain that level.
- Sell $2 million of service, support, and training by 1998.
- Improve inventory turnover to 6 turns next year, 7 in 1996, and 8 in 1997.
1.2 Mission
AMT is built on the assumption that the management of information technology for business is like legal advice, accounting, graphic arts, and other bodies of knowledge, in that it is not inherently a do-it-yourself prospect. Smart business people who aren’t computer hobbyists need to find quality vendors of reliable hardware, software, service, and support. They need to use these quality vendors as they use their other professional service suppliers, as trusted allies.
AMT is such a vendor. It serves its clients as a trusted ally, providing them with the loyalty of a business partner and the economics of an outside vendor. We make sure that our clients have what they need to run their businesses as well as possible, with maximum efficiency and reliability.
Many of our information applications are mission critical, so we give our clients the assurance that we will be there when they need us.
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