Analysing strategic business decisions in us cereal industry

Analysing strategic business decisions in us cereal industry The purpose of this essay is to use game theory and barriers to entry to analyse strategic business decisions in the US ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry. An industry analysis was done using different published journals. An overview of the oligopoly industry was also done for a broader understanding of the ready-to-eat breakfast cereals industry. Bertrand competition was used as the oligopoly model adopted by the industry. Game theory was used to analyse the strategy firms in the industry will adopt and a discussion on barriers to entry as it applies to the industry was done. Introduction This essay will discuss the US ready-to-eat breakfast cereals industry. An overview of oligopoly, discussions on Game theory, Nash equilibrium, Bertrand Price Competition and Barriers to Entry will be used to analyse the industry and the strategic business decisions as they relate to the industry Analysis of the Ready-to-eat Breakfast Cereals Industry Connor (1999) described the ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry as a capital intensive industry requiring huge capital investments in production plants. To a large extent, this has contributed to Barriers to Entry in the industry. This industry market structure though having quite a few number of suppliers, is dominated by four major companies which are Kellogg Company, General Mills, Quaker Oats and Kraft. According to Nevo (2000) these companies have consistently continued to post high profits in comparison with the other food industries. A key characteristic feature of this industry is product differentiation. Brand specific knowhow is apparently present since established firms are sometimes unable to duplicate each others brand. The existence of this however, does not prevent them from producing, promoting and distributing successful new brands. Existing brands differ in such potentially relevant dimensions as sweetness, protein content, shape, grain base, vitamin content, fibre content and crunchiness (Schmalnesee, 1978) Connor (1999) has argued that competition in this industry does not involve the use of price war and therefore not a competitive strategy. Different researches conducted on the industry have shown that there is a level of collusion amongst the top firms though not openly done. This assumption was made popular by a case of anticompetitive complaint by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission against the top three manufacturers Kellogg, general Mills Post in the 1970s (Aviv Nevo, 2000) Because of the absence of price wars in the industry, the use of other non-price strategies to gain competitive advantage are employed by firms in this industry. The consistency of zero price wars over the years, however was broken when in the late nineties, a price reduction by Kraft led the other big three Kellogg Company, General Mills and Quaker oats to respond by also reducing their prices as suggested by ( Nevo, 2000). This pricing strategy by Kraft significantly affected the overall industry price forci ng its competitors to reduce their prices as well. Innovation through the launch of new products and aggressive media advertising are strategies employed by firms in the ready-to-eat cereals industry to compete for market share. This is a major factor contributing to the consistent high profits in the industry. The result of Connors (1999) research revealed that the rivalry in the breakfast cereals industry tends towards the choreographed grunts of televised wrestling than a cutthroat dual to the death and that the ultimate weapon, steep price cuts, is rarely unsheathed. According to Connor (1999), media advertising and new product introductions are intimately related. New product introductions are one of the principal mechanisms for effecting rapid price increases in the breakfast cereals industry. His research revealed that all the new cereals introduced by the big four companies between 1981 and 1987 in the first year of sales, were priced 12% above the companys existing brands average prices. Connor (1999) in his research further showed that the extraordinary attachment of consumers to branded cereals (or at least to the boxes they come in) has made entry by private-label products extremely difficult. This high degree of brand loyalty in the industry has significantly posed a threat to any firm considering entry into the industry. Invariably, the more a firms brand is recognised, the higher the sale of a newly introduced cereal will be. The cereal industry has oligopolistic tendencies and characteristics and will be classified as one. An overview on oligopoly below highlights the characteristic nature of oligopoly. Overview of Oligopoly Lipsey + Chrystal (1999) defined oligopoly as the theory of imperfect competition among the few. The industry is characterised by a few firms selling differentiated products. Because there are only few firms, each firm realises that its competitor may respond to any move it makes and takes that into account because each firms decision affects the other firms in the industry. Earl and Wakeley (2005) described firms in the Imperfect competition as having differentiated products which are close substitutes. These differentiated products are supported heavily by advertising. Advertising tends to persuade consumers to patronise a particular brand over other brands of the other competitors. Advertising is used as a crucial weapon to create brand loyalty in the industry as consumers are assumed to be highly mobile. The existence of strong brand loyalty makes entry difficult because consumers are likely to have strong preferences for the already existing brands. This implies that the behaviour of oligopolists are strategic with each firm taking explicit account of the impact of their decisions on competitors and the expected reactions from them (Lipsey + Chrystal, 1999, page 176). Besanko et al (2004) also defined oligopoly as a market in which the actions of individual firms materially affect the industry price level. The strategic behaviour of oligopolists is attributed to the highly competitive nature of the industry. For these firms to make strategic decisions that can give them comparative advantage, they make use of oligopoly models and game theory (Besanko et al, 2004). Game Theory and Bertrand Price Competition Besanko et al (2004) defined Game theory as the branch of Economics that deals with the analysis of optimal decision making when all decision makers are presumed to be rational and each is attempting to anticipate the actions and reactions of its competitors (Besanko et al, 2004, page 36) Game theory is a strategic business decision making tool in areas such as pricing and capacity expansion. Bertrand Price competition Model Besanko et al (2004) has described Bertrand competition as a model of competition in which each firm selects a price to maximize its profit given the price that it anticipates its competitor will select. Each firm views its competitors price as fixed and believes that its own pricing practices will not affect the pricing of the competitor. In an oligopolistic industry with differentiated products, price competition is usually mild. When products are differentiated, a firm will not lose all of its business to competitors that embark on a price cut. This is majorly attributed to competition being based on a variety of product parameters such as its quality, availability and advertising. The US ready-to-eat- breakfast cereal industry like all oligopolistic industries is highly competitive. The strategy of each firm will be to maximize profits and outputs given its rivals strategy. To use game theory to analyse what choice is best for a firm at any given point, two companies will be used; Kellogg Company and General Mills as they are one of the top four and are each others competitors. Game theory and Nash equilibrium will be used to analyse the best strategy for profit maximization given that each firm sets a price for its cereals. A Nash Equilibrium is the strategy combination where each player is doing its best given the strategies of its competitor. An assumption is made that each firm sets a price that maximises its profit and that a price cut by either of them to achieve a larger market share will impact their profits given the strong influence of brand loyalty. The consequences of each firms actions are described in the game matrix below; In the game above, the strategy (Co-operate, Co-operate) is both a Nash equilibrium and a dominant strategy because each firm maximises profit at this point. It is a Nash equilibrium because with the pay-off of ($120, $120) no firm will unilaterally want to deviate knowing that it will achieve a lower pay-off by doing so. Furthermore, co-operate strategy is a dominant strategy because no matter what the other firm chooses, to co-operate will always yield a higher pay-off. Barriers to Entry According to Earl and Wakeley (2005), barriers to entry exist when potential competitors find there are obstacles which hinder their proposed entry into an otherwise attractive industry. Typical barriers to entry include: incumbents owning all sources of essential raw materials; incumbents patents; economies of scale providing incumbents with a cost advantage; and incumbents past expenditure on advertising (which gives them a higher profile in the minds of buyers relative to newcomers). The important point to note about barriers to entry is that they protect all of the industrys incumbent firms from the threat posed by competition from outside of the industry As fierce as rivalries are and as highly competitive as the oligopolistic industry may be in nature, Lipsey + Chrystal (1999) stated that there are determining factors that make a few large firms dominate in the industry. According to Lipsey + Chrystal (1999), some of these factors are natural or structural, and some are firm-created or strategic. These same factors are deterrents to firms seeking entry into an oligopolistic industry. The natural/structural barriers as it applies to the cereal industry include economies of scale, cost of introduction of new brands and economies of scope, and marketing advantages of incumbency, while firm-created/strategic barriers include capacity expansion. Natural/Structural Barriers Economies of Scale According to Besanko et al (2004) production process for a specific product exhibits economies of scale over a range of output when the average cost drops over that range. Economies of scale exist when the unit cost of production declines as the quantity of output increases. When production becomes standardised and highly specialised, the concept of division of labour must be applied. Lipsey + Chrystal (1999) described division of labour as occurring when the production of a product is broken up into hundreds of simple, repetitive tasks. They further stated that the division of labour is, as Adam Smith observed long ago, dependent on the size of the market. If only a few units of products can be sold each day, there is no point in dividing its production into a number of specialised tasks. Lipsey + Chrystal (1999) further stated that larger firms have advantage in industries that have potentials for economies based on the division of labour because the larger the scale of production, the lower their average costs of production. Economies of scale also lead to minimum efficient scale. According to Besanko et al (2004) and Earl and Wakeley (2005) minimum efficient scale is the smallest level of output at which economies of scale cannot be sustained further. Minimum efficient scale can only be achieved in the long run. Based on this, it will be difficult for a firm considering entry to achieve MES because of the costly nature. The cereal industry is capital intensive and is dominated by a large few with the long years of existence. As a strategy to deter entry, the incumbent firms may decide to increase the quantity of output to further drive down their costs and achieve a higher rate of economies of scale. Because economies of scale are present in the industry, the incumbents average cost of production will be lower than that of a new entrant who will have difficulties trying to attain MES which can only be achievable in the long-run. Doing so will entail acquiri ng excess capacity and increasing production output which will both be costly and unprofitable as brand loyalty is extremely high in this industry. Costs of Introducing A New Product and Economies of Scope The cereal industry is categorised by the introduction of new brands. It will be difficult for a firm attempting entry to recover such costs in a short period of time bearing in mind that it will need to break even before making profits. Economies of scope are associated with lower cost scales derived from having multiple production lines within a plant. According to Besanko et al (2004) The ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry provides a good example. For several decades, the industry has been dominated by a few firms including Kellogg, General Mills, General Foods and Quaker Oats, and there has been virtually no new entry since World War II. There are economies of scope in producing and marketing cereals. Besank0 et al (2004) further explained that for an entry to be successful in the ready-to-eat breakfast cereals industry, the newcomer will need to introduce 6 to 12 successful brands. This requires heavy capital and makes entry a risky proposition. The introduction of new brands is associated with a high cost of advertising. An incumbent firm in the cereal industry can consistently employ the use of introduction of new cereals to deter further entry by new firms. It will not be as expensive for the incumbent firm to advertise its new cereal product as it will be for a new entrant because of the high brand loyalty in the industry and the economies of scope cost advantages. C) Marketing advantages of incumbency Umbrella branding has been described as a situation whereby a firm sells different products under the same brand name (Besanko et al, 2004). According to Besanko et al (2004), an incumbent firm can exploit the umbrella effect to offset uncertainty about the quality of a new product that is been introduced. The umbrella effect may also help the existing firm negotiate the vertical chain. Retailers are more likely to devote scarce warehousing and shelf spaces to the firms new products more than it would for a new entrant. Likewise, suppliers and distributors may be more willing to transact businesses with the incumbent firms more than the new entrant in the areas of credit sales and relationship-specific investments (Besanko et al, 2004). Incumbent firms in the cereals industry can use umbrella branding as a strategy to deter new entry or force new entrants out of the industry. Umbrella branding also has an effect on consumers. The possibility of a newly introduced brands been widely a ccepted by consumers is higher for firms enjoying umbrella branding than for new entrants. Umbrella branding has the ability to reduce uncertainties associated with the introduction of a new cereal brand. Furthermore, the development of close relationships by an incumbent firm with its vertical chain is another strategy for barriers to entry. Firm-Created/Strategic Barriers Capacity Expansion The incumbent firm may decide to embark on capacity expansion. A new entrant will find it difficult to match up its plant size with the plant size of existing firms and may incur losses at entry. With the expansion of capacity and increased sales, the incumbent will continue to enjoy economies of scale thereby forcing new entrants who are unable to achieve such low unit cost of production out of the industry as their average cost of production may consistently be higher than the market price of the cereal brands and the price. Conclusion The ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry is an oligopolistic industry requiring the firms to employ non-pricing strategies to maximize profits and sustain competitive advantage. Because the ready-to-eat breakfast cereal industry has natural barriers to entry, firms in this industry do not need to do much in the area of strategic barrier to entry to prevent of or force new entrants out of the market. However, the constant introduction of new cereals is crucial to earning higher profits.

Human Resourse Essay

Introduction 1. The Definition and Discrimination of HRM and PM 1.1 The Definition of Human Resource Management  Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization achieved  the best from their highly motivated people and it is new management techniques to  ensure the effective use of human talent to accomplish organizational goals.   Human Resource Management is the process of recruitment, selection of employee,  providing proper orientation and induction, providing proper training and the  developing skills, assessment of employee (performance of appraisal), providing  proper compensation and benefits, motivating, maintaining proper relations with  labour and with trade unions, maintaining employees safety, welfare and health by  complying with labour laws of concern state or country.   (http://www.whatishumanresource.com/human-resource-management) 1.2 The Definition of Personal Management  Personal Management (PM) is includes the functions that Human Resources staff  perform relative to the organization’s employees and include recruiting, hiring,  compensation and benefits, new employee orientation, training, and performance  appraisal systems. The management of the people in working organizations. It is also frequently called  personnel management, industrial relations, employee relations, manpower  management, and personnel administration. It represents a major subcategory of  general management, focusing exclusively on the management of human resources, as  distinguished from financial or material resources. The term may be used to refer to  selected specific functions or activities assigned to specialized personnel officers or  departments. It is also used to identify the entire scope of management policies and  programs in the recruitment, allocation, leadership, and direction of employees. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/personnel+management) 1.3 The difference between Personal Management and Human Resource  Management. Human Resource Management Driven by employer needs for   competitive advantage in the marketplace. Operates within competitive markets and  a change agenda Is a distinctive approach to managing  people, with a strong strategic purpose Adopts a unitary frame of reference to  organisation and people management Manages employees individually rather  than collectively Personnel Management Driven by employer needs to treat people fairly in organisation. Operates in relatively stable market  conditions Is a traditional approach to managing  people, with a strong administrative  purpose Is long term, with a strategic time  perspective  Is short time, with an ad hoc perspective Adopts a pluralist frame of reference to  organisation and people management Negotiates with trade unions where they  are recognized 2. The four major stages of the evolution of Personal and Human  Resource Management. 2.1 Social Justice 2.1.1 Explain the Social Justice The origin of personnel management lies in the 19th Century, deriving from the work  of social reformers such as Lord Shaftesbury and Robert Owen. Their criticism of the  free enterprise system and the hardship created by the exploitation of workers by  factory owners led to the appointment of the first personnel managers. In the late 19th  and early 20th centuries, some large employers began to appoint welfare officers to  manage new initiatives designed to make life less harsh for their employees. The  results were higher productivity, improved retention of the workforce and a bigger  pool of applicants for each job.  2.1.2 Robert Owen (14 May 1771-17 November 1858)  The Industrial Revolution provided the impetus for developing various management  theories and principles. Preclassical theorists like Robert Owen made some initial  contributions that eventually led to the identification of management as an important  field of inquiry. This led to the emergence of approaches to management: classical,  behavioral, quantitative and modern. The classical management approach had three  major branches: scientific management, administrative theory and bureaucratic  management. Scientific management emphasized the scientific study of work methods  to improve worker efficiency. Bureaucratic management dealt with the characteristics  of an ideal organization, which operates on a rational basis. Administrative theory  explored principles that could be used by managers to coordinate the internal  activities of organizations. The behavioral approach emerged primarily as an outcome  of the Hawthorne studies. Mary Parker Follet, Elton Mayo and his associates,  Abraham Maslow, Douglas McGregor and Chris Argyris were the major contributors  to this school.   (http://www.icmrindia.org/courseware/Introduction%20to%20Management/Evolution  %20of%20Management%20Chap2.htm) 2.1.3 Cadbury Cadbury Schweppes employs more than 50,000 people and has manufacturing  operations in more than 35 countries. It is the world’s third largest soft drinks  company and holds either the top or second position in the market share of 24 of the  world’s top 50 confectionery markets. This illustrates that the large Quaker company  has its value in the market where it is important for HR to manage their employee’s  performances, working culture and management in an efficient and positive way.  Resource based model, the SHRM role becomes one of the creating systems and  procedures that focus not on external relationships but on how staff and their abilities  are used. The resource-based model recognizes that many aspects of capability can be  formally defined in skill terms and allows the integration of the intangible aspects of  work alongside other more visible areas such as patents, trademarks and other  intellectual. The core competencies inclu de many things such as aspects change of the  management, capability of staff, strategic development capability and speed of  response. (http://www.ukessays.com/essays/business-strategy/cadbury-strategy.php#ixzz2xjamqFC) 2.2 Human Bureaucracy 2.2.1 Explain the Human Bureaucracy Marked the beginning of a move away from a sole focus on welfare  towards meeting various other organisational objectives. The  fostering of social relationships in the workplace and employee  morale thus became equally important objectives for personnel  managers seeking to raise productivity levels. 2.2.2 Henri fayol (1841-1925) Fayol’s â€Å"14 Principles† was one of the earliest theories of management to be created,  and remains one of the most comprehensive. He’s considered to be among the most  influential contributors to the modern concept of management, even though people  don’t refer to â€Å"The 14 Principles† often today. In 1916, two years before he stepped  down as director, he published his â€Å"14 Principles of Management† in the book  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Administration Industrielle et Generale.† Henri Fayol’s â€Å"14 Principles of  Management† have been a significant influence on modern management theory. His  practical list of principles helped early 20th century managers learn how to organize  and interact with their employees in a productive way. Although the 14 Principles  aren’t widely used today, they can still offer guidance for today’s managers. Many of  the principles are now considered to be common se nse, but at the time they were  revolutionary concepts for organizational management. ï ¼Ë†http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/henri-fayol.htmï ¼â€° 2.3 Consent by Negotiation 2.3.1 Explain the Consent by Negotiation The elements of hard bargaining or win-lose bargaining were illuminate how to set  aggressive target, start high, concede slowly and employ threats, bluffs, and  commitments to positions without triggering an impasse from 1950s to 1960s. 2.3.2 Collective Bargaining Process The process of negotiating the terms of employment between an employer and a  group of workers. The terms of employment are likely to include items such as  conditions of employment, working conditions and other workplace rules, base pay,  overtime pay, work hours, shift length, work holidays, sick leave, vacation time,  retirement benefits and health care benefits. In the United States, collective bargaining  takes place between labor union leaders and the management of the company that  employs that union’s workers. The result of collective bargaining is called a collective  bargaining agreement, and it establishes rules of employment for a set number of  years. The cost of this employee representation is paid by union members in the form  of dues. The collective bargaining process may involve antagonistic labor strikes or  employee lockouts if the two sides are having trouble reaching an agreement. (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/collective-bargaining.asp) 2.4 Organisation and Integration 2.4.1 Explain the Organisation and Integration At the late 19th and early 20th century, there are some social problems in British, which  is social injustice and Rich-poor gap. So British make some legislation on the basis of  economic situation, political democracy, the international environment and social  thoughts. 2.4.2 Race Relations Act 1976 The Race Relations Act 1976 applies to discrimination on the grounds of colour, race,  nationality and ethnic and national origins. It applies in Great Britain but not in  Northern Ireland. Religious discrimination is not explicitly covered in Britain but  separate legislation covers this in Northern Ireland. â€Å"Ethnic origin†, however, has  been interpreted broadly to cover groups with a common or presumed common  identity such as Jews or Sikhs. There are important exceptions to the legislation  which, for example, allow discrimination on grounds of nationality to preserve  immigration controls. Both direct and indirect discrimination are covered by the  legislation which applies to all stages of employment: arrangements made for  deciding who is offered a job; the terms on which the job is offered; opportunities for  promotion, training and transfer; the benefits and services granted to employees; and  in job termination or other unfavourable treatme nt of employees. The Act provides for  a few, specific exemptions where it may be a genuine occupational qualification  (GOQ) to be a member of a particular race, ethnic group, etc. (http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/UNITED%20KINGDOM/RACERELATIONSACT1976RRA-EN.htm) 2.4.3 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 aims to end the discrimination that  faces many people with disabilities. This Act has been significantly extended,  including by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006 (DDO). It now gives  people with disabilities rights in the areas of: employment, education access to goods,  facilities and services, including larger private clubs and transport service buying or  renting land or property, including making it easier for people with disabilities to rent  property and for tenants to make disability-related adaptations functions of public  bodies, for example issuing of licenses. (http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/the-disability-discrimination-act-dda) 3. References http://www.whatishumanresource.com/human-resource-management http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/personnel+management http://www.icmrindia.org/courseware/Introduction%20to%20Management/Evolution%20of%20Management%20Chap2.htm http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/henri-fayol.htm http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/the-disability-discrimination-act-dda http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/emire/UNITED%20KINGDOM/RACERELATIONSACT1976RRA-EN.htm  http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/collective-bargaining.asp http://www.ukessays.com/essays/business-strategy/cadbury-strategy.php#ixzz2xjamqFC http://www.uniassignment.com/essay-samples/management/cadburys-approach-to-managing-its-human-resources-management-essay.php http://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/study-on-strategic-human-resource-management-at-cadburys-management-essay.php http://www.studymode.com/essays/Henri-Fayol-Five-Functions-Of-222700.html

Essay on Political Debate of Slavery - 1209 Words

During the Antebellum period, the issue of slavery affected many religious and political debates. This was seen in the Lincoln Douglass debates, legislation, and the evolution of political parties. The political debates that fueled the slavery controversy were derived from legislation. The first legislation passed was the three-fifths compromise. Naturally, southern states wanted slaves to be counted as a whole person because the slave population in the south was larger. The northern states opposed this. The three-fifths compromise stated that three out of five slaves would be counted into population counts to determine the amount of representation in Congress. Other constitutional laws included the section that said the slave trade†¦show more content†¦Jackson was the president during the war. In the election of 1844, Henry Clay (who was a Whig candidate) lost to President Harrison. Several Democratic presidents followed; such as, President John Tyler and James K. Polk. The solution to the population problems that the west was finding was solved by Henry Clay. The Compromise of 1850 admitted California as a free state. New Mexico and Utah had a doctrine established o f popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty allowed the states to choose whether or not to accept slaves or not. The boundary was settled in Texas. The slave trade in Washington D.C. was abolished. A stricter Fugitive Slave Law was placed. President Taylor died and Millard Fillmore (a Whig) came to power. Clearer political parties were drawn. A clear Northern Whig, Southern Whig, Northern Democrat, and Southern democratic line would be seen. Clay died in 1852. This hurt the Whig party in the election of 1852. By this election, the Whig party had separated into the Cotton Whigs and Conscience Whig. The Cotton Whigs leaned toward southern opinion and the Conscience Whigs leaned towards abolitionist opinion. Their main disagreement involved expansion and whether states should be a slave state or not. The Whig’s candidate was Scott and the democratic candidate was Pierce. The Democrats won. Stephen Douglas desired to pass the Kansas- Nebraska Act. This actShow MoreRelatedFeder al Government of the United States and Territorial Expansion1101 Words   |  5 Pagesheld by Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s? (Form B) 1. The issue of territorial expansion sparked considerable debate in the period 1800–1855. Analyze this debate and evaluate the influence of both supporters and opponents of territorial expansion in shaping federal government policy. 2009 DBQ: (Form A) From 1775 to 1830, many African Americans gained freedom from slavery, yet during the same period theRead More Debates Essay685 Words   |  3 Pages Before engaging in the debates with Senator Stephen A. 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Tennessee Williams And Truman Capote - 1039 Words

Weakness is seen as a physical incapability, in which the incapability does not allow a person to succeed in anything they participate in. However, a person is not only weak because of their physical limitations, but also a result of a mental dysfunction. People with a physical incapability may be able to overcome their obstacle because their mind is strong and powerfully installed with the modes of determination and perseverance. Whereas, a mentally incapable person does not have the drive to accomplish what they want because they make themselves believe that they are not worthy enough or do not live within reality which allows those to suffer with the truth of life. Authors Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote exercised their talents thematically by allowing their characters to have set physical and or mental weakness, that hindered them, making those characters social outcasts and only allowed the characters to move back instead of forward throughout the play or story in which the y wrote. Truman Capote, author of In Cold Blood, took two characters; Perry and Dick, and created a story in which these characters murder a family, leave town, and then eventually become captured. Perry is a physically incapable man in which he has a disfiguration of his body. He allows his deformity to change his way of viewing life, and himself. Physically he is â€Å"no taller than a twelve-year-old child, and suddenly looked, strutting on stunted legs that seemed grotesquely inadequate to theShow MoreRelated A Comparison of the Masks In Cold Blood, Streetcar Named Desire, and Fences1890 Words   |  8 PagesCold Blood by Truman Capote, Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, and Fences by August Wilson. The three characters, Perry Smith, Blanche DuBois, and Troy Maxson wore masks to their bitter endings, always trying to fool everyone else. When times got tough, they had to face themselves, and they could not stand the sight.    The characters of Blanche DuBois (A Streetcar Named Desire by Williams), Troy Maxson (Fences by Wilson) and Perry Smith (In Cold Blood by Capote), all had an imageRead MorePsychological Effects On Society In Truman Capotes In Cold Blood1534 Words   |  7 Pagespermanently harmful. Literature explores these psychological effects, their causes, and other side effects. 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According to the published literature Tackling Addiction