Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Monday, May 19, 2008

When it comes to brand-building, product innovation, worldwide distribution and simply being a household name, you don't have to look too far than PAPER-recycling. Ms Zhang's company whose Nine Dragons Paper Holdings buys scrap paper from the US for use in China has followers practically falling at "her office staff” feet almost fainting when they find salvation. And may be it's better to embrace who you are and what you stand for than try to hide behind the veil of your business. "I can understand (trousers)are comfortable but entrepreneur Zhang Yin became the first woman and she is allowed to show that. She should treat femininity as an opportunity and not try to emulate masculinity in Hong Kong." she did add that "I admire her for her determination - a man who founded the company, was kicked out and then asked to return to lead the corporation into a renaissance , which will hopefully take her to the White House." The art of the comeback. Fer chrissakes, it's not like Ms Zhang is Ace-bandaging her tats and rocking a dildo in her trousers.If your small business is going through a tough patch, there are always ways to turn the business around. She needs to be able to roll up on a bitch at any moment in serious-looking pantsuits and slap the shit out of them and then order it covered up. "Women are playing more important roles in China, especially in the private sector as entrepreneurs," But remember, this means that you need to be open to fresh ways of thinking, new product ideas, and new ways of marketing. If you do the same thing and nothing changes, then ... nothing changes. If you bow to the right aesthetics, you can capture a share of the market. Sometimes, we pay too much attention on logistics or mechanics, but not enough on simple design

Friday, May 9, 2008

Chosen Clients

I have chosen Donatella Versace and Steve Jobs as my clients. Through my project I will explore the theme of power whilst relating both clients to their common area of design. Elements of technology versus material will also be explored as I try to juxtapose these two clients through the use of a common meeting place. Below I have found pictures of both clients houses which give an insight into their taste.

Steve Job's House

Donatella Versace's House

Client-Zhang Yin

Madam Zhang tops China's rich list

PAPER-recycling entrepreneur Zhang Yin became the first woman to top a ranking of China's richest people, amassing a fortune of $US3.4 billion ($4.6 billion) after her company's shares were listed in Hong Kong and almost tripled in value.

Ms Zhang, 49, whose Nine Dragons Paper Holdings buys scrap paper from the US for use in China, vaulted from 36th to replace retail tycoon Huang Guangyu, according to Shanghai-based Hurun Report, which compiles the annual China Rich List.

Ms Zhang's wealth ranks her as the world's richest self-made woman, ahead of global celebrities such as US chat show host Oprah Winfrey and eBay chief executive officer Meg Whitman. The number of women on the list rose by more than half to 35, reflecting their increasing role in an economy that's growing at more than 10 per cent annually.

"Women are playing more important roles in China, especially in the private sector as entrepreneurs," said Hung Huang, the female chief executive of China Interactive Media Group, a Beijing magazine and internet publisher. "If you look at the 35 on the list, all are founders of their own companies."

Hurun Report expanded this year's list to 500 people from 400 last year, when 21 women made the list. The number of billionaires more than doubled to 15 from last year.

China's Communist Party promised equality of the sexes when it came to power in 1949, with late leader Mao Zedong declaring that "women hold up half the sky". Still, women have lagged behind in business since Mao's successor, Deng Xiaoping, introduced pro-market policies in the late 1970s, unleashing a more than tenfold economic expansion.

Women "remain weak players in state-owned enterprises," said Ms Hung. "But overall, Chinese women have come a long way since China began its market reforms."

Shares of Nine Dragons have jumped 165 per cent since it raised $HK3.4 billion selling shares in Hong Kong in March, giving the company a market capitalisation of $HK37.4 billion.

Ms Zhang, who owns 72 per cent of Nine Dragons, started the business with her Taiwan-born husband Liu Mingzhong. Her fortune is more than double that of Ms Winfrey, 52, who is estimated to be worth $US1.4 billion by US-based Forbes magazine. Ms Whitman, 49, of eBay is worth $US1.5 billion, according to Forbes.

"Urbanisation and ever-increasing household incomes have continued to be the key drivers for wealth creation in China," said Rupert Hoogewerf, a British-born researcher who has produced the rich list since 1999. The minimum wealth for inclusion in this year's list was $US100 million, compared with $US6 million for Hoogewerf's initial top 50 list eight years ago.

Mr Huang, 37, chairman of Hong Kong-listed Gome Electrical Appliances, dropped to second in the ranking even as his wealth rose to $US2.5 billion from $US1.7 billion last year.

Zhu Mengyi, chairman of Hong Kong-listed property developer Hopson Development, climbed eight notches to No. 3 with $US2.1 billion in assets, compared with $US800 million last year, according to the report.

Cheng A, 2006 'Madam Zhang tops China's Rich List' Smh Online, 12 October, accessed 9 May 2008, http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/madam-zhang-tops-chinas-rich-list/2006/10/11/1160246194998.html

Client-Steve Jobs

What small businesses can learn from Apple's Steve Jobs

When it comes to brand-building, product innovation, worldwide distribution and simply being a household name, you don't have to look too far than Apple. At the helm is the charismatic Steve Jobs - a man who founded the company, was kicked out and then asked to return to lead the corporation into a renaissance. So what can small business entrepreneurs learn from this icon-creator?

The art of the comeback

People say that John Travolta, Bert Newton and Duran Duran have all staged successful comebacks after years in their respective wildernesses. But none can compare to Steve Job's triumphant return to Apple in 1996 after 11 years away from the company.

If your small business is going through a tough patch, there are always ways to turn the business around. But remember, this means that you need to be open to fresh ways of thinking, new product ideas, and new ways of marketing. If you do the same thing and nothing changes, then ... nothing changes. Jobs championed innovation and evolved Apple from a computer company to one that is synonymous with music, MP3 players (the iPod) and, now, phones.

The personality-driven CEO
No one can argue that Jobs is a visionary. He's also an enigmatic leader that has followers practically falling at his feet. While this might sound like an exaggeration, have a look at his Macworld keynote in San Francisco earlier this year (you can download it free from iTunes). It's like a group of devoted fans following their Messiah, cheering at every second phrase he utters and almost fainting when they find salvation in the much-hyped iPhone.

While I'm not suggesting you foster a cult-leader persona to get new business, I would suggest the customers often prefer to deal with real personalities. And may be it's better to embrace who you are and what you stand for than try to hide behind the veil of your business.

I once coordinated the Australian Young Woman of the Year Awards for a national women's magazine. One of the nominees was an architect. When I told her she had been nominated, she insisted that her entire office staff be included in the nomination. I explained to that "her office staff" didn't all qualify for the Australian Young Women of the Year Awards, particularly as some of them were men! She said she didn't want to take all the glory. While that was a nice sentiment, it was also a lost opportunity for her.

Of course, you shouldn't take credit from your staff, but if the spotlight happens to land on you, use it as an opportunity to promote your business. Don't step away from it, because someone else is just going to step into it instead.

Beauty is skin deep
When it comes to product innovation, one thing Jobs is obsessive about is good design. Some of his products will undoubtedly go down in design history books as iconic pieces of functional art. Consumers have gone nuts simply because iPod shuffles were released in a variety of metallic colours. Now, some are going crazy at the pastel hues available.

It goes to show that beauty can be skin deep. If you bow to the right aesthetics, you can capture a share of the market. Sometimes, we pay too much attention on logistics or mechanics, but not enough on simple design. You might not be designing an iPod, but you can be judged on whether your corporate newsletter looks like it's been designed by a professional or an amateur. If there's one thing Jobs knows for sure, looks matter.

Khoo, V, 2007 'What small businesses can learn from Apple's Steve Jobs', Smh Online 17 September, accessed 9 May 2008, http://blogs.smh.com.au/enterprise/archives/2007/09/what_small_businesses_can_lear.html

Client-Donatella Versace

Versace told German newspaper Die Zeit, "I can understand (trousers) are comfortable but she's a woman and she is allowed to show that. She should treat femininity as an opportunity and not try to emulate masculinity in politics."

Donatella did add that "I admire her for her determination, which will hopefully take her to the White House."

Fer chrissakes, it's not like Hil is Ace-bandaging her tats and rocking a dildo in her trousers. She's all business, and you need to be when you've got a philanderer for a husband. She needs to be able to roll up on a bitch at any moment in serious-looking pantsuits and slap the shit out of them and then order it covered up. You know she threatened Monica Lewinsky's ass at some point. And where the hell does Donatella get off? She's got a mug like a purse from the 1970's.

Harvey,J 2007, ‘Donatella Versace Feels Hilary Clinton Needs to Ease up on The Butch’, A Socialties Life, 9 February, accessed 9 May 2008,

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Filefront

http://files.filefront.com/DM+ARCH1101+templateEXP27ut2/;10133042;/fileinfo.html

Image Capture from Final Environment

Final Environment looking over outside Studio/ Goodall's Studio

Looking towards wall with Goodall's Studio in the foreground

Looking into Goodall's Studio space/ inhabitation space for her gorillas

This space relates to my quote as it uses the study of animals in a natural environment to extend the understanding of our own existence. It is through this suspended cube that a distinctive shape is created, giving connotations of being imprisoned.

Looking into the Meeting place for both clients

The meeting place is a metaphor for the progressive steps taking in evolution. this links to Hawkings in the sense that he is searching for the meaning of the universe and also to Goodall, as she is studying the ape, the main theory behind our evolution of existence.

Looking into Hawkings Studio Space

This space achieves a feeling of the marrige of space and light involved in the outer reaches of the universe. the dark interior is linked to the search for the ultimate theory, the universe and space. It created a feeling of inferiority in such a daunting space

ELECTROLIGUID AMALGAMATION REFERENCE
“Only if we care about human life long enough to find the ultimate theory will we be helped by previous generations and ultimately be saved by the limit of discovery”