The Walt Disney Company

Introduction Organization’s Background and People Involved The Walt Disney Company is a leading international entertainment center and media enterprise having subsidiaries all over the world. The operation and management of enterprise experience is carried out by the organization’s division Disney Parks and Resorts that is responsible for entertaining people and guiding those into the world of media culture (The Walt Disney Company, n. d. a).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Walt Disney Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the fact that employees play the leading role in creating a favorable environment in entertainment center, this target audience should be carefully considered by human resources managers to enhance employees’ level of engagement. Organization’s Purposes, Mission, Values, and Culture The company’s purpose consists in introducing the people di mension in business sphere to meet Disney’s values and culture. Specifically, the human resource management department focuses on reinforcing the responsibility and commitment to people through such services as learning and development, talent acquisition, communication techniques, and employee services (The Walt Disney Company, n. d. b). Specific attention should be paid to increased leadership for handling selection and recruitment processes effectively and contributing to ongoing retention and development. Problem Analysis Problem Identification Judging from the above-presented information the company places a specific emphasis on leadership and supervision strategies for directing and motivating employees’ work. The employees, in their turn, can take advantage of availability of direct support and, because all their actions are carefully controlled, subordinates might lack independence in making decisions, which can become critical under certain situations. As a re sult, leaders and managers prevail over employees’ steps of coping with their responsibilities and obligations. Though employees have right to share their preferences and goals with supervisor, they still lack skills for cooperating in teams for solving the problems independently.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Specifically, the system of communication between the supervisor and employees, as well as between employees and guests, is well settled and, therefore, vertical management deprives employees of possibility to make decisions without informing their managers. Lack of responsibilities imposed on cast members creates a number of problems in terms of effective team management and employee engagement. Discrepancies between Theory and Practice within the Organization Effective human resource management should embrace a combination of theoretical frameworks appl ied to practice. It should also be constructed with regard to services and opportunities the employees can get while accomplishing their duties (Johns Saks, 2005). Judging from the case under analysis, it should be stressed that there is certain inconsistency between the introduced employee engagement strategies and the ones that are still left unnoticed. In particular, managers successfully meet the requirements of perceived organization support and positive reinforcement approaches, but fail to introduce techniques connected to motivated teamwork, job enrichment, and establishment of self-management working team. Recommendations Providing Meaningful Feedback on Performance Excess accent on effective leadership and supervisions provides no perspectives concerning the opportunity for employees to increase their performance. In this situation, meaningful feedback can help the employees quickly adapt to specific behavior for achieving the established goals (Phillips and Gully, 2011, p. 395). The introduction of the feedback system can help employees become more team-focused for achieving the goals in a more effective way. More importantly, such an approach will increase employees’ incentives and motivations. For instance, the organization should create objectives the accomplishment of which is possible only under team working conditions. At this point, employees can be encouraged to introduce their creative ideas directed at the improvement of the entertainment atmosphere, but the creative projects should be carried out in teams.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on The Walt Disney Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such a technique can introduce a challenge for employees at first stages; on the other hand, cast members will have to encounter such aspects as responsibilities distribution, decision-making, and problem solving. In addition, feedback on performance can be presente d in the form of rewards contributing to more effective adjustment to a new teamwork environment. Establishing Positive Relations and Healthy Competition between Co-Workers Leadership and supervision practices imply well-coordinated communication between managers and employees. However, a healthy environment will be established with the introduction of favorable relations among co-workers. According to Dutton and Ragins (2007), â€Å"†¦positive connections contributed to the shared emotions component of sense of community, because it was in moments of connecting that temporary employees shared positive and negative emotions† (p. 257). Indeed, active interaction and successful communication provide a favorable ground sharing and gaining wider experience in communicating and negotiating with guests and managements. What is more important is that the established solutions impel employees to discover the points of similarities. Due to the fact that job is a potential source for self-expression, the establishment of a healthy competitive environment is also indispensible to meeting those goals (Dutton and Ragins, 2007). In fact, the idea of competition consists in creating opportunities for all employees to win, instead of one individual dominating at the expense of another employee (Dutton and Ragins, 2007). The proposed approach can help the company understand whether the level of employee recognition is sufficient for increasing performance and motivation. Coping with Emotional Displays in Various Countries Greater group cohesiveness can be achieved through better recognition of cultural diversity within the organization. In this respect, company’s success largely depends on the techniques it will introduce for managing diverse emotional displays as presented in various cultures.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People coming from different countries also expect specific reactions to their emotions due to peculiar values, personal needs, and social factors of subordinates. Cultural display principles are conceived in childhood to help people cope with their emotions and adapt those to different facial expressions. In order to react properly to these displays, employers should take into considerations psychological analysis of different cultures presented in the working environment (Phillips Gully, 2011, p. 149). Due to the fact that the Walt Disney Company is a multinational organization, it should count the phenomenon of cultural diversity and analyze a variety of psychological portraits. Better recognition of emotional displays will significantly foster employees’ organized work in team. However, information about psychological techniques should also be proliferated among the employees through specific training courses. At this point, the educational program should be directed at enhancing employees’ understanding of other cultures through representation of different behavioral and psychological patterns. Validation Appreciation of Theories With Regard To Feedback on Performance Slight shift from leadership management to self-management in teams will help employees enhance their awareness that their work is highly appreciated. Theoretically, performance feedback will be more effective if it is conveyed in a positive manner, provided immediately after performance observation, and is specific to the behavioral patterns that are being established for feedback. While presenting performance appraisal, it is important to introduce both objective and subjective means for measuring employee productivity and success. In this particular case, providing feedback on collective performance is much more appropriate because it enhances collaboration among the coworkers and fosters the accomplishment of the established goals. The necessity to introduce rewards is als o justified by theory of self-managed work teams. Such a system provides several benefits. First, because reward presupposed reduced supervision, greater responsibilities and independence in decision-making will be imposed. Second, the introduction of self-management can teach employees to act independent and solve difficult problems. Self-determination and introduction of effective decision-making can deprive managers of the necessity to constantly monitor the work of the staff. Finally, the given approach contributes greatly to increasing employees’ competence, which, in fact, can increase a competitive advantage in general. The organization under analysis can further develop new concepts and strategies based on the newly developed patterns of appraisal. Theories Contributing To Enhancing Positive Relations between Co-Workers to Increase Employee Engagement While evaluating the effectiveness of the ideas of enhancing positive relations, it is purposeful to refer to the theo ry of group cohesiveness and operant learning supporting the necessity to introduce positive and negative reinforcement, as well as create a healthy competitive environment. To enlarge on this issue, competition and reward systems define the extent to which a working team is ready to face challenges. It also outlines the major psychological and ethical problems existing among employees within the identified organization. The approach will especially effective for the managing international issues and conflicts because failure to cooperate in team can lead to dismissal. In this respect, the negative reinforcement should also take place to tackle the problem employee engagement. Due to the fact that operant learning theory implies reinforcement of behavior through punishment and reward, employee engagement can be significantly increased through the introduction of interdependent relations between subordinates. The approach is also congruent with the company’s philosophy because it strives to meet employees’ interests and choices, but in a very narrow-focused way. Consequently, the main task of the managers is to foster independent decision-making through reinforcement of group liabilities. In case one member of the group is not able to contribute to the welfare of the department, the rest of the group should be responsible for the failure. Introducing Theoretical Frameworks for Managing Cultural Diversity It should be recognized that the problem of cultural diversity has now acquired a growing popularity. The issue concerns both customer management and employee engagement because these two dimensions are united by the purpose of enhancing human element. In this respect, the entertainment services provided by the Walt Disney Company will be significantly advanced with the introduction of techniques managing emotional displays. The practical approach can be effectively carried out by referring to the theories of observational learning and behavior mo deling training. The former is concerned with process of imitating various behavioral modes. The practice is aimed at examining others’ behavior, analyzing the consequences of experience, evaluating the outcomes of choosing a specific behavior and imitating the mode to introduce favorable consequences. The former focuses on the introduction of educational program directed at describing a set of behaviors that should be consider and providing patterns demonstrating how to use those models effectively. The training is also connected with the presentation of social reinforcement and feedback to the trainees, as well as with taking measures to ensure the behavioral transformation with regard to organizational goals. In whole, both theories should contribute to better understanding of emotional displays and creating a more favorable environment for employee engagement. Reference List Dutton, J. E., Ragins, B. R. (2007). Exploring Positive Relationships at Work: Building a Theoret ical and Research Foundation. NY: Routledge. Johns, G., Saks, A. M. (2005). Organizational Behavior: Understanding and Managing Life at Work. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Phillips, J. and Gully, S. M. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Tools for Success. NY: Cengage Learning. The Walt Disney Company (n. d. a). Business Standards and Ethics. Retrieved from https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/ The Walt Disney Company (n. d. b). Company Overview. Retrieved from https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/ This case study on The Walt Disney Company was written and submitted by user Alyssa Thornton to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Beat Generation essays

The Beat Generation essays When Sal began his journey on the road, he was a young writer with nothing to lose. He had no plans set for the future of his life and could do whatever he wanted to. Life had been extremely dull for him in the past and it wasnt until he met Dean Moriarty when anything drastically changed in his life. Sal begins a journey in which he attempts to become more and more in tune with himself and tries to discover his inner soul. He says, Somewhere along the line I knew thered be girls, visions, everything; somewhere along the line the pearl would be handed to me. (Kerouac, 8) Through his endeavor, Sal was able to gain a better perspective on his life, and turn his life into something positive that had much promise for the future. In the beginning of the novel, Sal seems somewhat weakened and depressed. Hes a grown man but continues to reside in his aunts house, spending much of his time writing at home. Him and his wife had just split up and he says, I had just gotten over a serious illness that I wont bother to talk about, except that it had something to do with the miserably weary split-up and my feeling that everything was dead. (Kerouac, 1) He never actually discloses what this illness that he speaks of actually is, but it is obvious that life has not been going to well for Sal up until this point. Whether the illness was drug addiction or depression, it was clear Sal needed change in his life and this would come from Dean. Dean lived a very different lifestyle than Sal had, living a very fast paced, rebellious life that intrigued Sal greatly. Sal was at such a low in his life that Dean was easily able to take advantage of Sal. Claiming he wanted to further develop his writing skills, Dean asked Sal if he could stay at Sals aunts house and Sal graciously agreed. At first Sal was intrigued by Dean because he seemed to have this active, impulsive passion that Sal lacked, but ...

Visit, To Visit, Visitor - Confusing French Pairs

Visit, To Visit, Visitor - Confusing French Pairs There are a number of French equivalents for the English verb  to visit  and nouns  visit  and  visitor. I.  To Visit Aller voir  is the most general French term - it literally means to go to see, and is used only when visiting people. A somewhat more formal verb used to indicate that you are visiting people is  rendre visite . Je vais voir Monique. Im going to see Monique. Elle va voir ses parents. Shes going to see her parents. Je rends visite Anne. Im visiting Anne. Nous rendons visite Luc. Were visiting Luc. Aller   is used when you are visiting a town, museum, or other attraction. A more formal verb for this is  visiter. Je suis all Versailles. I went to Versailles. Nous allons en Belgique. Were going to Belgium. Jai visit le Muse dOrsay. I visited the Orsay Museum. Il visite actuellement Cannes. Hes currently visiting Cannes. A formal visit, such as an inspection, is expressed with  inspecter  or  faire une visite dinspection. II.  Visit The word  visit  can be translated by une  visite  (a tour) or un  sà ©jour  (a stay with someone).   La visite du muse dure 15 minutes. The museum visit lasts 15 minutes. Son sjour chez nous durera 3 jours. His visit with us will last 3 days. III.  Visitor Une  visite  is the general term for a  visitor  who is visiting a person, while  un(e) invità ©(e)  refers to a guest at a home or party.  Un(e) client(e)  is at a hotel and un  visiteur  visits a museum or exhibition. Je nai pas beaucoup de visites. I dont get many visitors. Il y aura 100 invits la fte. There will be 100 guests at the party. Les clients cet htel sont riches ! This hotels visitors are rich! Le muse reoit 200 visiteurs par jour. The museum gets 200 visitors a day. IV. Summary Visiting a... Person  Place To visit  aller voir     aller rendre visite            Ã‚  visiter Visit   un sà ©jour       une visite Visitor  un invità ©      un clientune visite                     un visiteur

Cause and effect essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cause and effect - Essay Example As a result, ocean waves travels out from the epicenter of the earthquake which rushes landward to the shorelines where the water was recently lowered. The huge ocean wave that strikes the shorelines causes flooding, destruction and disease. Tsunamis cannot be prevented despite its destructive nature. The first effect of the huge ocean waves caused by the tsunami is excessive flooding. The flooding caused by tsunami will literally submerge everything on its path. Tsunamis cause flooding due to the sheer volume of water carried by its massive ocean waves. The ocean waves that go to the lowered shorelines are so huge that it could tower as tall as 1720 feet just like when it struck at Lituya Bay in Alaska in 1958. This huge amount of water brought by the tsunami immediately floods the nearby inlands where the waters were temporarily lowered and subsequently submerges everything on its path. The flooding could submerge an entire community depending on the size of the ocean waves that st ruck the shoreline. The stronger the ocean floor movement and the nearer the shoreline to the epicenter, the larger the ocean waves are causing excessive flooding. The second effect of a tsunami is the deadly push of the ocean wave that will destroy everything on its path. ... The massive waves that characterize tsunamis can be a â€Å"wave train† or a series of powerful waves that would race toward shorelines making its destructive nature exponential by the multiples of its waves (www. Geology.com). Its strength can literally wipe out a community on the shoreline that will strike. This includes human beings, animals, trees and even structures. A strong tsunami is so destructive that it can even damage structures that are designed to withstand strong waves. The third effect of tsunami is disease. After the water of the tsunami has ebbed, it will leave rotting bodies of living things it drowned and plenty of contaminated water that could potentially precipitate an epidemic in the affected area. The diseases that the tsunami aftermath will range from skin diseases to more lethal diseases such as malaria that could potentially make the entire community sick if the disease is not attended. Tsunamis are indeed very powerful forces of nature that is very destructive and frightening. Its aftermath can leave diseases to the community it affected that could potentially make everyone sick. Also, the amount of energy accumulated in the bottom of the ocean that drive the waves of tsunamis are so powerful it can destroy anything that stands on its path. The power of its waves is terrifying because it can kill people and other living things in multitudes. Not even strong structures can withstand the power of a tsunami because it can destroy such structures like as the case of Fukushima plant that was supposed to be protected by a tsunami wall. The huge waves and massive amount of water wrought by a tsunami could flood the communities near the shoreline of its epicenter that could

Intro letter to my teacher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intro letter to my teacher - Essay Example For example, using sophisticated jargons to a layman to describe something would not be very effective communication. Or, using a colloquial tone while writing to someone who deserves more respect is hardly the best idea. First writing often needs a revision. I think while we are writing, we are simultaneously thinking ahead for the next word, line or paragraph. More often than not, this can easily lead to silly errors. This is where revising comes in handy. Also, it helps in properly structuring the written work. I think one improves better if one knows what to work on. Self-reflection can bring in some ideas, but the best feedback is one that comes from the general public. I would greatly appreciate constructive criticism of my writing style and look forward to improving upon it. The professionals in finance are engaged in several different activities. Some are bankers, some handle corporate finance for large and small companies, some are asset managers, and some specialize in advisory business and so

HRM For Hospitality And Tourism Industries

HRM For Hospitality And Tourism Industries Introduction  · Human resource management (HRM) is the tactical and logical approach to the management of an organizations most esteemed property the people working there who independently and together contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business.  · All methods and functions concerning the recruitment and development of personnel as human resources, with the aim of efficiency and greater output in a company, government administration, or other organization  · Human resource management (HRM) is the perceptive and application of the policy and procedures that directly involve the people working within the task team and working group. These policies include recruitment, maintenance, repayment, personal development, training and career development.  · is the effective use of human resources in order to improve managerial performance.  · The management of the workforce of a business to ensure satisfactory staff levels with the right skills, properly satisfied and motivated.  · Staffing function of the business. It includes the activities of human resources planning, recruitment, orientation, selection, , training, performance, payment, appraisal and safety. What is HRM? Human Resource Management (HRM) is a way of management that links people-related behavior to the tactic of a business or organization. HRM is often referred to as strategic HRM. It has numerous goals: To meet the needs of the business and management (rather than serve the interests of employees); To bond human resource strategies / policies to the company goals and objectives; To find ways for human resources to add value to an industry; To help a business gain the obligation of employees to its values, goals and objectives Human Resource Management for the Hospitality and Tourism Industries This takes an incorporated look at HRM policies and practices in the tourism and hospitality industries. Utilizing existing human resource management (HRM) theory and carry out, it contextualizes it to the tourism and hospitality industries by looking at the specific employment practices of these industries, such as how to manage tour reps or working in the airline industry. It initially sets the picture with a open review of the facts of HRM practice within the tourism and hospitality industries. Having identified the broader picture, the text then begin to focus much more plainly on a variety of HR policies and practices such as: Recruitment and selection: the effects of ICT, skills required specific for the industry and the nature of advertising Legislation and identical opportunities: illegal intolerance and managing assortment Staff health and welfare: aggression in the workplace, working time orders, smoking and alcohol and drug misuse wage strategies in the industry Human Resource Management for the Hospitality and Tourism Industries will be illustrated throughout with both examples of best practice for dictatorial training and discussion, and international case studies to put into effect problem solving techniques and contextualize learning. It incorporates a user friendly design and includes educational features such as: chapter outlines and objectives, HRM in practice The nature of HRM in hospitality and tourism; executive culture and the search for service quality; Labor markets; staffing and selection; equivalent Opportunities; Training and improvement; Staff health and welfare; Employee relations, involvement and participation; Performance management; compensation strategies in hospitality and tourism; Disciplinary and complaint procedures. Development in HRM in hospitality and tourism It is common knowledge that the performance of human resource management ( HRM ) is established in most organizations ranging from small- to medium- to large-scale corporations. The current-day human resource ( HR ) manager has direct control on the strategic direction and judgment of both private and public sector organizations. Tourism is the broad umbrella that drives related indicators within local and national economies. Hospitality organizations are motivated by public and private sector tourism policies and practices. The increase of telecommunication technologies along with the development of multinational hospitality organizations has generated an understanding of tourism policies on a global level. Sustainable tourism is a long-term mutual systems approach to establishing and maintaining pleasant-sounding relationships among hospitality/travel-related organizations and the social, cultural and environmental aspects associated with tourist destinations. While the process of sustainable tourism involves the establishment and maintenance of harmonious relationships, the goal is the creation of continued possibility and development of tourism-related entities. Proponents of sustainable tourism slot in in a process of creating a mutually favorable balance between the microenvironment (social, cultural and environmental aspects) and the microenvironment (internal workings of a specific organization). The objective of this process is the institutionalization of the tourism industry as a contributor to the sociocultural welfare and development of each and every destination. In essence, this aim seeks what might be called a triple win outcome. Successful sustainable tourism initiatives result in positive outcomes for consumers (guests, travelers and customers), organizations (commercial enterprises) as well as the society (indigenous people and cultures). But how does the practice of hospitality human resource management fit into this picture? CAREER PATHS As part of the commitment to the social environment of the community, human resource practitioners in sustainable tourism-based organizations must agree on the career goals and desires of host country citizens. While certain individuals will exist who do not possess progressive career aspirations, there will be others who will view the organization as a means to pursue professional development activities. For this reason, job design processes should provide a clear snapshot of knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes for every position within the organization through job descriptions and job specifications. The job descriptions and job specifications provide foundational information to track logical paths of career progression among the many disciplines found within the operations and administrative areas of a medium-to-large hospitality enterprise. Once these paths are discovered, human resource practitioners may engage in career counseling activities aimed at communicating activities to attain the necessary job requirements for internal promotions. Human resource practitioners may choose to take this one step further through formal succession planning programs coupled with training development activities. Many cases of global expansion within hospitality organizations include the placement of expatriate managers from home nations into positions at host country locations. STO strategies might be aimed at the temporary placement of such individuals until citizens of the host nation are adequately prepared to assume senior management positions. An advantage to this strategy would be the assimilation into the mainstream culture of the host nation by establishing a representation of senior management positions that are held by qualified host nationals. PROPORTION OF LOCAL STAFF MEMBERS It makes good business sense for human resource practitioners to scan the external environment of the host nation to determine the statistical representation of various groups of individuals by ethnicity, age, sex, race, national origin and in some cases religion. Once the demographics for the locale are discovered, the human resource manager would enact strategies aimed at a statistical representation within the organization that is somewhat similar to those evident within the region. Some reactive hospitality organizations might claim to have sufficient numbers of represented groups within their companies. Upon further inspection, however, it could be determined that the representation exists exclusively for lower-level position holders.   OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO HR MANAGERS TO IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR STAFF Career options: Human Resource Management human Resource Management professionals are employed in medium large enterprises across all sectors of the workplace. The Australian Human Resources Institute defines the diverse roles of human resource practitioners as follows: They provide a support service and serve as technical advisers to line managers on issues such as recruitment, training and safety. They play an important role in defining the personnel policies that guarantee fair treatment of all employees, recognition of staff needs and democratic organization. They serve an audit role ensuring that managerial decisions agree with the personnel policies and are consistent across the organization. They explore ways of improving employee productivity and satisfaction, and keep managers informed about changes in employment legislation. They manage changing business processes brought about by a dynamic business environment, for example business restructures. They provide an ethical and legal understanding of the frameworks required for managing people in various types of business. Senior HR managers provide strategic input into the decision-making processes within their organizations. They build the corporate wisdom of their organizations through staff development and managing human resource information systems. They assist the organization to be customer focused by aligning the needs and requirements of the employees with those of the customers. In addition to knowledge and skills directly related to your program of study, you have also developed a range of other skills (e.g. teamwork, analytical, communication) through academic study, employment, voluntary work, sporting activities and life experience. These are often referred to as transferable skills because they can be utilized in different environments. Recognizing the value employers place on these skills is an important factor in your graduate job search. Positions and employers Many graduate employers recruit from a wide range of disciplines. The major directory of graduate recruitment in Australia, Graduate Opportunities, lists employers by the disciplines from which they are recruiting. You might be surprised by the range of employers recruiting from your degree and the sectors of the workplace where you might establish a career. Synopsis Human Resource Management is very important in business management. Management is an organizational function, like sales, marketing or finance. It doesnt necessarily mean managing people. We can manage ourselves or the material assigned to us at work. If you managed a project very well on your own, it would mean that you did the job in a well-organized, efficient manner, making good use of all resources at your disposal. Human resource management is fundamentally about ensuring that the right person with the right personality, knowledge base and skill set is best matched for a particular role within the company. Human resources professionals may also be responsible for organizing training needs, advertising vacancies, interviewing, selection, aptitude testing and disciplinary procedures in the event that an employee is not meeting expectations. When the company expands, production and cost management is very important to the existence of organization when considering about more profit, the executive level has to manage variety of resources of the organization. To have a efficient use of the physical resources of the organization, there should be a proper control of staff management. Thats what we call Human Resources Management.

Deconstructing the Sphinx of Fashion Essay

Clad in drapes and flowing fabric, with enough chutzpah to sport a turban that had become her signature, Madame Gres had always been an icon of fashion and art. With a stellar list of clients and muses, from noble royals such as Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Matilda of Greece, the Duchess of Windsor and the Duchess of Deterling, among others; to film celebrities and then-socialites Marlene Dietrich, Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, Barbra Streisand, and Greta Garbo. Such was her presence and inimitable style that many would say, unwittingly, that she was more Garbo than Garbo herself (www. parfumsgres. com). Full of passion and fashion, and shrouded with mystery. Even her birth was mysterious. Many documented sources indicate that she was born to a bourgeois family, a fact that was only established after many years. Her birth on November 30, 1903 gave her the name Germaine Emilie Krebs, hardly one suitable for a would-be legendary fashion designer. To keep historical accounts of her personal life consistently vague, not much is known about her early years—until she eventually launched her fashion career sometime after the Wall Street plunge in 1930, an unfortunate time to do so as the market was no longer viable for luxury products. Some reports have it that she started as a sculptor, but was never quite successful at it—making her decide to change career paths (Mendoza). It is also said that she soon opened a couture house under the name Alix, yet others have mentioned that she was only but an employee of a small-time couturier named Julie Barton. However, that time was adjudged to be the best for a woman to be working in fashion, since the most well-known names—Lanvin, Vionnet and Chanel—made themselves known during the period (www. telegraph. co. uk). She later married the Russian painter Serge Czerefkov, and used the anagram of his name as hers, exactly the way he would sign his artwork. But the marriage laster only for a year or less, for Czerefkov traveled all the way from France to Polynesia, and never returned. Alix Gres, as Germaine Emilie Krebs then called herself, forged on and indulged herself in the one passion that would etch her name in history—fabrics and fashion. Taking inspiration from one of her design models, Madeleine Vionnet (Chang, 2005), the Grecian silhouette was what art and fashion historians would attach to the Gres name. Madame Gres viewed the clothes she created as works of art, and fashioned a manner of construction and style that is uniquely hers—draping. This technique, as opposed to tailoring, entailed sculpting yards of fabric directly onto the bodies of her models. producing her acclaimed signature, the flowing jersey dress. Gres’ distinct style emulated the classic Hellenic dress, which called for what is known as wet-drapery—the manner of fabric contortion through animated folds, that ultimately reveals the shape and contour of the human body (Koda, 200-). Clearly, it is Gres’ background in sculpture that influenced her choice of couture, that also brought her to use other like fabrics such as chiffon and crepe. Her lines were always simple and clean, yet completely feminine and elegant. Drama was her goal, and unlike most designers in the 1940s and 50s, Madame Gres never relied on structure and stiff support to create her silhouettes, no matter how much complexity and angular shapes were in fashion at the time. She also used heavy fabric and paper taffeta to achieve her signature flowing designs, which achieved more impact than expected, considering its basic construction. The dresses and gowns of Madame Gres were always lauded for their almost-opposing characteristics of being timeless and modern at the same time, yet in truth, they were innovative and evolved constantly. During the 1940s, in the aftermath of World War II, many restrictions were put in place and Madame Gres’ classic Grecian fashions could no longer be produced as often and as much as she used to. Because of this, she focused on perfecting another technique called fluting, which is a detailed, highly-concentrated version of the regular pleating. thus, when fabric became widely available once more, Madame Gres easily incorporated this new standard of workmanship into her classic Greek-inspired creations. In 1958, Madame Gres went on a journey to India, where she discovered another significant influence on her art. It was here that she took a liking for the country’s native saris and caftans, which she rightly surmised would perfectly blend with her already-established smooth, flowing style. Fashion journals all over the world showcased Gres’ new collections that included pajama pants, which she wisely combined with the trends at the time—even with miniskirts and the ubiquitous hot pant (The Museum at Fit). It was also during this trip that Madame Gres took inspiration for a perfume line she named Cabochard, quite apt for the launch of her new company called Parfums Gres, The 1970s and 80s proved to be Madame Gres’ most memorable years, for at this time she was offered numerous titles and recognition. In 1974, she became President of La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, as well as recipient of the De d’Or de la Haute Couture. Later, in 1980, Madame Gres was named â€Å"The most elegant woman in the world†, and, for her unmatched contribution to French culture, she was given the honor of being a â€Å"Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur†. Also, while she constantly refused to delve into pret-a-porter, it was during the same year that she launched Gres Boutique—her first collection. Her colleagues also agreed with all the accolades given her, particularly her sense of design and classic style. The popular designer Bill Blass was asked for his opinion, on the statement that fashion is an art. He said no, it is a craft, unless it is done by Balenciaga or Madame Gres. For further validation of the woman’s talents, 1988’s Vogue History of 20th Century Fashion named her â€Å"the greatest living couturier† (www. parfumsgres. com). But not everything in Madame Gres’ life was as pristine and flowing as the dresses she designed, or the celebrated couture house that was at par with the world’s best (Cocks, 1986). Like many successful celebrities, she had her own share of negative publicity and vicious tales. Stories have been told about her indifference to the past and the accomplishments she made, even as she would travel the world just t open numerous boutiques to her name. While the legendary Vogue editor, Diana Vreeland, would comment that Madame Gres had the best address in Paris (Trow, 1980), Gres was also compared to Carmel Snow, longtime editor of Harper’s Bazaar, on their both being self-centered and uninterested in nothing but themselves (Horyn, 2005). But what was most disturbing and mysterious about Madame Gres’ life is her death in 1993. For over a year, her only daughter Ann kept the fact hidden from fashion journalists and her mother’s colleagues. Ann would even respond to queries sent about Madame Gres, indicating her mother’s appreciation of the gestures, as evidenced by the time when Yves Saint Laurent gave due praise to the Gres prospective of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ann sent back a note detailing how Madame Gres was greatly touched and appreciative, even including a personal account of her mother’s humble beginnings, told in an uncomfortably personal tone. In truth, Madame Gres was already whiling away her remaining days at a nursing home in the South of France. She was believed to have been either 89 or 94 years old. The fashion society in Paris were all baffled by this turn of events, which they were completely uninformed about. She continued to hold the position of honorary president of the Chambre Syndicale, because no one knew of her her demise. Apparently, correspondence was sent regularly to Ann Gres, which she refused to answer. Ann Gres was adamant about keeping her mother’s death a secret. She believed that was how Madame Gres would have wanted things to be—mysterious and secretive. She disclosed, though, that their family was in dire need of funds and other resources, that she had not been able to even afford a decent tombstone befitting her legendary mother. Ann also lambasted her mother’s so-called friends, whom she declared to have never even inquired about Madame Gres’ condition. Sadly, this was how things turned out for the once-prosperous fashion icon. Her business, with debts and failures mounting, was sold to Bernard Tapie, an American businessman. After two years, the French group Estorel took over the company, only to go bankrupt in 1987. Eventually, a Japanese investment group called Yagi bought the Madame Gres name for $2 million in 1988, but the contract did not include royalty payments for the designer. (Deeney, 1994). The same fate happened to her perfume company, which was acquired by Lamotte Taurelle, a distribution company, that later sold it to a finance company subsdiary. The licenses were soon purchased by The Escada Group, which in turn sold in 2001 to Silvio Denz (www. parfumsgres. com). To this day, much of Madame Gres’ influences live on, and her existing pieces are now proverbial treasures. Auctions of her creations command the highest prices, as they are true showcases of a woman’s lifelong passion for the art of fashion. Draping is a skill many of today’s young designers try to emulate, an example of which is a noted finalist in Season Four of Project Runway, a hugely popular American reality show documenting the challenges of over a dozen young designers. Rami Kashou, who won second place, is known for his talent in draping—which may probably tell of his knowledge of Madame Gres’ legacy. It is just, however, completely mind-boggling how many accounts and stories lead to the conclusion that Madame Gres and her incredible talent would be the source of envy of her only child. Though, as they say, Ann Gres despised her mother for that known fact, But it is correct to say that Madame Gres has carved her name and design philosophy into the annals of global fashion. And just like her ethereal creations that had been consistently singular and distinct, the life of Madame Alix Gres, or Germaine Emilie Krebs, will always be mysterious and legendary. Works Cited Cocks, Jay. â€Å"An Elegant Legacy Comes Alive†. Time Magazine, February 3, 1986. Trow, George W. S. The Talk of the Town. â€Å"Work†. The New Yorker, September 29, 1980. Horyn, Cathy. â€Å"Before There Was Vreeland†. The New York Times, December 4, 2005. Deeney, Godfrey. â€Å"The Strange, Secret Death of Madame Gres†. Women’s Wear Daily, December 14, 1994. Koda, Harold. â€Å"Classical Art and Modern Dress†. Timeline of Art History. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 200-. The Costume Institute. â€Å"Costume in the Metropolitan Museum of Art†. Timeline of Art History. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 200-. Alix Gres: An Exceptional Couturier. http://www. telegraph. co. uk/fashion/main. jhtml? xml=/fashion/2008/02/17/st_ madamegres. xml Biography. http://www. parfumsgres. com/biography. html Chang, Lia. Cut and Construction: The Foundations of Fashion, 2005. http://www. asianconnections. com/a/? article_id=594 Mendoza, Sandra. Alix Gres (1903-1993). http://www. vintagefashionguild. org/content/view/664/111/ The Museum at Fit. The Life and Career of Madame Gres. http://www3. fitnyc. edu/museum/gres/lifeandcareer. htm