Battering in Gay and Lesbian Couples

Battering refers to the physical, sexual or emotional domestic violence exercised by one partner to intimidate and control the other in the relationship: the usual image of a battered person is a heterosexual female tying to cover her black eye using sun screen shades. However, times have changed and today battering in gay and lesbian relationship is as much a serious issue as it is in heterosexual relationships.According to statistics on domestic violence, battering is present in both heterosexual and lesbian and gay couples and 30% of gay and lesbian couples struggle with domestic violence problems problems (GLBTQ, 2010).Battering happens in any kind of a relationship, devoid of sexual orientation. In essence, there are fewer cases of domestic violence that are normally reported by the same sex couples as compared to the heterosexual couples. This does not however mean that they do not have these problems, the reason behind it has been found to be the fact that most of the battered people in same sex relationships refuse to report their cases because they fear that in case they report, people with find out their sexual behavior or discover that their relationship is abusive (Aardvarc, 2008).In addition, the police are sometimes not in position to distinguish between the victim and the battler in gay and lesbian complaints because in most cases, it is the battler who calls the police, which is method of gaining more power over the other (Belge, 2010). Following the growth of gay and lesbian activism in 1908s, the GLBTQ community begun to seek remedy for domestic violence and spouse battering.Many organizations that counsel battered women hardly accept to take in battered gay men. Furthermore, most people presume that the same sex relationships are built from equality (Aardvarc, 2008). Therefore, women who are battered by their female spouses find it hard to accept that another woman is actually being violent on them. In the same way, when gay men is battered, friends, family and the law enforcement bodies treat these lightly by assuming that the ‘boys have to be boys’.Gay men find difficulty coming out as a victim of spouse battling because they feel ashamed that the society will find them being truly ‘less of a man’ (GLBTQ, 2010). Additionally, those who try to report spouse battering in their relationships run into various barriers. Police officers, judges and prosecutors to whom GLBT victims can turn to for help might have trouble in offering the same degree of services as compared to heterosexual victims.Not only could personal prejudice towards gays and lesbians come into play, but these professionals could have insufficient training and experience for handling GLBT victims due to non-existent laws to put into effect on behalf of these victims (Aardvarc, 2008). Evidence shows that the level of battering in lesbian couples is very high as compared to the same among gays (56% v. 25%) (Dutton, 2004). This furt her indicates that as a matter of fact, lesbian and gay couples put together constitute the highest numbers of battering while at the same time, comprise of the least reported cases.Some sociologists argue that the high increase of battering among lesbian and gay couples is influenced by lack of defined roles and responsibilities between the two partners, and hence, it becomes impractical for one man to submit to another or a woman to be ruled over by a fellow woman. The result is conflict of interest and tag of war for power within the setup and eventually, the physically stringer partners end up battering their partners to win their control (Dutton, 2004).Finally, recent research among guys and lesbians has found out that a good number of them are actually bisexuals—some gay men are people who have wives and families, without the knowledge of the other partner (Aardarc, 2010). Due to divided commitment and duties, most of them are unable to keep up their gay or lesbian part ners demands and ends up having domestic problems such as battering (Belge, 2010). Therefore, presuming that there are no or fewer cases of domestic violence in the form of battering among the gay and lesbian couples is wrong and misleading to the society.References Aardvarc (2008). Domestic violence in gay and lesbian relationships. Retrieved from http://www. aardvarc. org/dv/gay. shtml Belge, K. (2010). Fact, fiction and stats of lesbian and gay battering. Retrieved from http://lesbianlife. about. com/od/lesbianhealth/a/DVFactsMyths_2. htm Dutton, D. (2004). Battered men-the hidden side of domestic violence. Retrieved from http://www. batteredmen. com/duttfull. htm GLBTQ, (2010). Domestic violence in GLBTQ. Retrieved from http://www. glbtq. com/social-sciences/domestic_violence. html

Tragedy and the Common Man in Hamlet

Katelyn Stoll Professor Hall English 102 11 November 2009 â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man† in Hamlet Arthur Miller notes that, â€Å"The tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing—his sense of personal dignity† (1). This characteristic seen in most tragedies is definitely evident in the character of Prince Hamlet in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The moment that Hamlet learns from the ghost that Claudius has committed regicide, his goal becomes clear: he has to avenge the death of his father by murdering his uncle. Hamlet could not stand idly by while the assassin of his saintly father had an affair with his mother Gertrude and lied to the people of Denmark. However, Hamlet’s tragic flaw prevents him from taking action quickly. During the course of the play, the prince notes that he has yet to perform any action against his uncle Claudius, and he wonders why this is. The character of Hamlet is prone to reasoning and long soliloquies, not action; this, in my opinion, is his tragic flaw. The apparition of the late Hamlet informs his son that Claudius, the current king of Denmark, poisoned him. Upon hearing the news, Hamlet is enraged and swears to take revenge against his usurping uncle. Almost immediately he is ready to lay down his life to correct what has been done, and he now has a â€Å"†¦willingness to throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful place in his world† (3). It is at this moment in the play that Hamlet takes on the role of the familiar tragic hero and acts accordingly. He was displaced from the life that he knew and loved and was not awarded with his rightful position in society. Hamlet should be the king of Denmark if what the ghost told him is true; not only is Hamlet not the king of Denmark, but also his mental health is constantly being called into question. He is losing ranks in society awfully quickly, and part of Arthur Miller’s definition of the tragic hero is that the hero strives to evaluate himself justly. His tragic flaw does not allow him to regain his personal dignity, however, and Hamlet becomes frustrated over time because of this. He either takes too much time thinking everything through, or he reacts impulsively and violently when the situation does not call for it. This is seen when Hamlet accidentally stabs Polonius to death, thinking him to be a spy. His tragic flaw is not knowing when or how to act aggressively, and it really costs him in the end. According to Miller, â€Å"For, if it is true to say that in essence the tragic hero is intent upon claiming his whole due as a personality, and if this struggle must be total and without reservation, then it automatically demonstrates the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity† (4). He argues that the tragic play has a lot more to offer the spectator than just a sad or unfortunate ending. Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet concludes with the deaths of Gertrude, Laertes, Hamlet and Claudius. The point of this play, however, is not that four people died, but that Hamlet was finally able to avenge the death of his father. Although this was not a perfect victory for Hamlet, he was able to attain his goals, and this demonstrates the will of man (even the common man) to secure his sense of personal dignity. The thrust for freedom is the quality in tragedy which exalts† (3). The conclusion of Hamlet is both a wonderful and depressing one. In one sense, Hamlet is not a tragic hero, because he was able to overcome his tragic flaw and slay Claudius. In another more realistic sense, however, he perfectly fits the description of the tragic hero because he does not live long enough to see the benefits of his actions. Hamlet is never able to evaluate himself justly, and that was his main objective. In the tragic view the need of man to wholly realize himself is the only fixed star, and whatever it is that hedges his nature and lowers it is ripe for attack and examination† (3). Hamlet perfectly adheres to the definition of the tragic hero of Arthur Miller, because of his need to regain his personal dignity, his tragic flaw preventing him for achieving this, and a tragic ending in which his goals are never realized. Works Cited â€Å"Tragedy and the Common Man by Arthur Miller. † Home Page of TheLiteraryLink, Dr. Janice Patten. Web. 02 Dec. 2009. .

Why it is important study quiescent cancer stem cells Essay

Why it is important study quiescent cancer stem cells - Essay Example The study done by Dembinski and Krauss (2009) gave a profound evidence of linkages between quiescence and cancer stem cells. Moreover, the study of quiescence CSCs is important for the reason that the quiescent cancer stem cells are found to be resistant to chemotherapy and other applied therapies (Moore 2010). It has been discovered that as soon as the therapy is discontinued, they retain their state. In this perspective, it becomes necessary to understand the mechanisms of stem cell quiescent state so that normal stem cell functionality could be manipulated. The understanding on this account helps develop the clinical approaches to quell and target cancer stem cells. As per Li (2011), the recent findings explain the resistance of cancer stem cells by their state of dormancy. Dormant cancer stem cells can be activated by altering their intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms that tend to maintain their quiescent state so that they become susceptible to the applied chemotherapy and help discover new visions in the cancer treatment. From above it is quite clear that the study of quiescence CSCs is likely to open new vistas in the discovery of new cancer drugs and therapies to get effective and lasting treatment for all kinds of cancers. 1. Moore N.; Lyle, S. (2010),Quiescent, Slow-Cycling Stem Cell Populations in Cancer: A Review of the Evidence and Discussion of Significance, Online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2948913/#sec6 [Accessed 23 October 2011] 3. Roesch A, Fukunaga-Kalabis M, et al (2010). A temporarily distinct subpopulation of slow-cycling melanoma cells is required for continuous tumor growth. Cell., 141(4):583–594. Also online at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882693/ [Accessed 23 October 2011] 4. Dembinski JL, Krauss S. (2009), Characterization and functional analysis of a slow cycling stem cell-like subpopulation in pancreas adenocarcinoma, Clinical and Experimental Metastasis, 26 (7):611–623.

Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia PowerPoint Presentation

Conflict between Georgia and Russia about republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia (2008) - PowerPoint Presentation Example The was comprised a combined offensive launched from land, air and sea by the warring Russian 58th Army. Georgians and Ossetians had fought a war previously in 1992 that was sparked off as a result of the recognition of an Ossetian government by Russia, which had proclaimed liberation from the Georgian state. Some of the enclaves in South Ossetia were occupied by Georgians, who had had very healthy relations with Ossetian until the Soviet times with even a high rate of intermarriages between the two communities. On 7th August, 2008 Georgia initiated a major ground and air offensive against Ossetian militants that were largely based in the capital, Tskhinvali. Although Georgia alleges that it was done to counter Russian troop movements into the region, Russia was forced into the war when 12 of its peacekeepers were killed in an air raid by Georgian warplanes. On 8th August, Russia launched attacks into the Georgian territory that extended until the cities of Gori and Sukhumi, which lie well within absolute Georgian territory. Russia further opened an additional front by attacking from A bkhazia. After 5 days of continued fighting that included street battles, the Russian army had reached to within 30 km of the capital Tbilisi. The European Union made a significant contribution by mediating through President Nicolas Sarkozy, who brokered a ceasefire deal by visiting the leadership in Georgia and Russia, which ultimately ended major fighting by August 16th. In the coming days, the Russian army began pulling back from Georgian territory and began establishing buffer zones along the way that served as check points into South Ossetia and Georgia. On 26th August, 2008 Russia formally recognize both regions as independent and completed a total withdrawal by October 8th although troops are still stationed in both these places as part of bilateral agreements. Despite the ceasefire,

Growth of Golf in Foreign Market ( china or Eastern Europ) Essay

Growth of Golf in Foreign Market ( china or Eastern Europ) - Essay Example Qualitative research is a process that includes interpretative paradigm under the measures of theoretical assumptions and the entire approach is based on sustainability that is depended on people's experience in terms of communication. The basic advantages of qualitative measures are multifold. Firstly, it presents a completely realistic approach that the statistical analysis and numerical data used in research based on quantitative research cannot provide. Another advantage of qualitative measures is that it is more flexible in nature in terms of collected information interpretation, subsequent analysis and data collection. It also presents a holistic point of view of the investigation. Furthermore this approach of research allows the subjects to be comfortable thus be more accurate as research is carried on in accordance to the subject's own terms. (Dos, 84-85) Thus the most important objective of the interviews regarding this feasibility report concerning the professional golf league would be building an impact regarding the profitability of this league for the stakeholder. (Cunningham, 24-5) For this important names from the field of administration and the game should be included.

Rape Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Rape Culture - Essay Example Most people believe there is a rape culture today on campuses and other higher learning institutions. This paper has put out some views to support the argument for existence of college rape It is projected that the degree of false rape ranges between two to ten percent. Victims should report such cases. Other individuals may also report cases of another person rape case whereas it never occurred, for instance, a mother may falsely report a child rape or a boyfriend may falsely report a girlfriend’s rape. False rape victims provide false evidence like giving bloodied clothes, disarranging the room to indicate that there was a struggle. The existence of false rape is real. Psychologists and counselors argue that false rape signals different kind of problem. These problems mostly are psychological and may require quick intervention (John, 2008). The alleged victim should go through thorough counseling before any other action. The argument about false discussed some of the causes. Some of the cause includes attention seeking, revenge, psychological distress, and greed for power and or money. Some victims may attempt to report a false rape out of curiosity. They may be interested to know what will happen to people around him or her. Distraction is another cause for one to report a false rape. They may want to distract the police, family, or even friend from a particular occurrence. False rape in colleges and universities is mainly for attention seeking. A victim may falsely claim rape in order to seek attention from the individuals he or she is interested in. for instance a woman may falsely accuse a boyfriend of rape in order to get his attention. Students also may report false rape to seek their parent’s attention. Parents may neglect their children while in colleges and universities (John, 2008). This may affect the child psychologically leading him or her to reporting

Population ontrol Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population ontrol - Research Paper Example Population growth control has born fruits in developing nations. Most of these nations experience declining populations that resulted from the population growth control initiatives (Binstock & George, 1990). In developing countries, the rate of fertility is said to be over six per cent. The use of contraceptives is despised. This means the population control problem has not been solved (Eastwood & Lipton, 1999). According to Eastwood & Lipton (1999), the death rate affects the population projections and population growth control. The highest population growth is found in the poorest countries. The relationship between poverty and population growth is seen as inconsequential where fertility is high in the poorest percentage of the developing countries (Eastwood & Lipton, 1999). This leaves substantial room for debate to the appropriateness of population growth control. Population growth control is perceived to be either ethical or unethical. Population growth control is directly proportional to the quality of life (Livi-Bacci & De Santis, 2004). According to some collective initiative approaches, family planning policy or policies are influential tools to enhance the development. The approach views population growth in terms of sharing resources and development of infrastructure. According to Cleland, low population growth in some countries had led to economic growth.... According to Cleland, low population growth in some countries had led to economic growth. This has been helpful in fertility and poverty reduction. Population growth control is driven by a practical rationale of offering quality health care and upbringing to the family. The need to have a quality life and health populations is seen as the major reason for population control (Binstock & George, 1990). As a result, it is rational to pro-active to safeguard the future as pro population control growth collective urges (Eastwood & Lipton, 1999). According to the research, there is no clear dichotomy when it comes to the relationship between poverty and fertility. Binstock and George (1990) argue that poor people can choose large families as a rational way of dealing hardships. Large populations are expected to strain the ability of the government to avail quality services (Livi-Bacci & Gustavo, 2004). This must be perceived in terms of projections (Birdsall & Allen, 2001). Population grow th means the policies makers must keep evaluating the policies and projections. A fifth of the world’s richest people use resources over sixty six times compared to the world's poorest fifth (Eastwood & Lipton, 1999). This suggests that the little population growth in western nations means wastage of resources. Research shows they spend more than the poor nations where population growth is not controlled. The argument that population control is ethical fails to answer the concern by the over usage of resources in the developed countries (Eastwood & Lipton, 1999). The morality of using family control measures has been a source of controversy. In some remote cultures, population control is viewed to be unethical and

Economy of Switzerland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economy of Switzerland - Essay Example The country's political environment too is characterized by a high degree of decentralization with adequate amount of autonomy and authority delegated to the 26 cantons (Datamonitor, 2007). Macroeconomic indicators happen to be good measure of the economic development of a country as these measures keep track of the life-style of the citizens and the problems faced by them while trying to arrange for the living. Sound macroeconomic indicators help in strengthening the base for a lasting growth of a nation. Some of the macroeconomic indicators over the last couple of years can be summarized for the country as follows; Gross Domestic Product (GDP) happens to be the key driver of macroeconomic conditions in a country. It is calculated as1 'the total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given year, equal to total consumer, investment and government spending, plus the value of exports, minus the value of imports'. Switzerland has seen consistent growth in its GDP over the years, but it appears that is not good enough for it to maintain its leading position amongst similarly placed nations. OECD (2007) in its survey, while lauding the high levels of GDP per capita for Switzerland, also expresses concern over the continuous erosion of Switzerland's relative position over the past decade. The report points out that while proper utilization of labor remains high, the productivity levels has dropped down in comparison to other developed economies like Germany, France, Denmark etc. The growth in real GDP for Switzerland over the period of 2001-2006 is as indicated in tabl e-1 Table 1: Switzerland real GDP (Swiss francs billion), 2001-2006 Table-2: GDP per capita growth in Switzerland compared to major Eurozone countries, 2001-2006 and forecast 2007-11 Year GDP (Swiss francs billion) Growth (%) Country CAGR 2001-2006 CAGR 2007-2011 2001 423 1.1 Germany 0.9 1.0 2002 425 0.4 France 1.4 1.5 2003 424 -0.2 Italy 0.6 0.9 2004 434 2.4 Spain 2.9 4.1 2005 444 2.2 Switzerland 1.0 1.4 2006 457 3.0 Source: Datamonitor, U.S Census Bureau International Database, National Statistical Organization- Switzerland CAGR 1.55% Source: Datamonitor, National Statistical Organization- Switzerland Even during the first two quarters of 2007 the GDP growth remained quite encouraging reaching 0.7% in each period, quarter on quarter (OECD, 2007). What is driving the growth is the acceleration in private consumption with an increase in the availability of more job opportunities and labour incomes. In fact in today's market driven economy what makes a big difference in the economic growth is the purchasing power of the workforce which sets a chain reaction in the form of more purchases, more production, and more contribution to the government in the form of taxes, more investments by the industry and expansion of the overall industrial outlook of the nation. Therefore, Switzerland seems to be preparing adequate ground for inviting more investments which obviously helps the government in shelling out more funds for infrastructure and social welfare sectors. For the year 2007 the GDP growth has been estimated around 2.5%, somewhat lower as compared to the 2006 figures but, in view of the global slowdown in economies this percentage appears good enough. The improvement in economic indicators is also on account of

Issues that Patients Complain about in Regards to Managed Care Essay

Issues that Patients Complain about in Regards to Managed Care - Essay Example The patients generally, do not view gatekeeping as favorable and complain that its actual purpose is not to improve the quality of care but to reduce costs that managed care organization incur for providing specialized services to patients (Estes, Rodriguez, 2003, p.383). The providers working in managed care networks see more patients in a day than other providers. Thus, patients complain that they face huge delays before they are able to see the doctors (Woodard, 2000). Another concern is the volume of documentation. Multiple pages of forms are required to be filled in by patients detailing personal information. Patients are concerned about access controls to this documentation (Holmes, L., n.d.). Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconsolidation Act (COBRA) was passed by United States government in 1986. It is an amendment to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Internal Revenue Code, and the Public Health Service Act (US Department of Labor, 2006). COBRA states that employees, who would otherwise lose their group health coverage due to certain events, would still be able to continue their health coverage. Prior to COBRA, the health care coverage was allowed only up to the time the employee remained in service. In order to be eligible for COBRA continuation coverage, following three requirements must be met: COBRA is applicable to both private sector and government employers offering group health care plans. But as per the Act's requirements, the company size should be at least 20 employees (including permanent and temporary employees both) on 50% or more business days during the previous year. Qualifying Events Qualifying event refers to the occurrence of an incident that causes the employee to lose the group health plan. The COBRA continuation coverage takes into account the type of qualifying event in determining the beneficiary for continued coverage and the minimum length of the time the coverage should be continued. Following are the qualifying events for employee: Loss of jobs for reasons other than gross misconduct Reduction in job hours Similarly, other qualifying events have been defined by the Act for spouse and or dependents. Qualified Beneficiaries This defines the beneficiary who can remain a beneficiary of the health plan even after the qualifying event has occurred. COBRA specifies who can become qualified beneficiary and under what circumstances. 2. Employee Retirement Income Security Act Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) was passed in 1974 and "provides a comprehensive federal scheme for the regulation of employee pension and welfare benefit plans offered by employers" (Purcell, Staman, 2008). Although ERISA regulates the operations of a pension plan and health benefit plan; but it does not mandate employers to provide these plans to their employees. There are four main parts of ERISA. These include: Protection of employee benefit rights This section requires employers to provide employees with the details of their benefit plans; and protects employee benefit rights by disallowing health plan to invest more than 10% in employer's securities. Internal revenue code provisions Some amendments were made in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The detail of amendments is beyond the scope of this paper. Jurisdiction, administration, and enforcement This section

Project Paper on Wireless Transmission and Communication Essay

Project Paper on Wireless Transmission and Communication - Essay Example n become a technology that is productive in promoting modest, well remunerated employment and improving economic performance in the developing economies of the world (Noll, 2000). According to Noll (2000), in spite of the economic crash of the global economy over the last five years and the passing of the Internet fizz, these queries remain fundamental to the regulators. This is because ITC has become a reality of life in all realms of economic activity. Nearly all organizations use computers and most of them have an Internet connection. Furthermore, a great percentage of these organizations use computers networks for economic rationales, such like selling and outsourcing of goods and services and buying. However, in spite of the far ranging dissemination of ICT in developing economies, questions remain about the effect of the technology on job-generation and economic development. The cumulative denominator of in all these decades has been the slow transit of related technologies from innovator perceptions that could distribute products and services of these technologies more dynamically than their originators by merit of labor cost advantage. Pakistan is situated in South Asia neighboured by Afghanistan, China, Iran, and India. Pakistan is the 7th most populated nation in the world with a population of 160 million. It is a middle income with per capita income of US$846 and the nation has recorded a nominal GDP expansion of seven percent over the past five years. In spite of the political instability that the country has never witnessed during 2007 between ruling military government and numerous political and social classes, Pakistan has accomplished success in mobile telecommunications. The telephone diffusion rate per capita shifted from 4 percent in 2000 to 58 percent in 2007 because of over triple figure expansion during past few years. This growth from 19990 when the first mobile certification was issued to just two private companies in Pakistan. The

Sociology & Scientific Depends Essay Example for Free

Sociology Scientific Depends Essay Sociologists have been divided on the issue of whether or not sociology is a science for as long as anyone remembers. It is a very controversial topic in sociology, due to the number of conflicting views about what it is to be scientific and according to the definitions of what is scientific, whether sociology can be categorised as a science. Durkheim and Compte, positivists believed that sociological studies should be based on the same logic and methods as natural science; they stated that this would create a positive science society and would allow us to discover laws of human behaviour, similar to the way scientists discovered the laws of gravity. Positivists believe that human behaviour, like that of a plant is influenced by external factors, that society shapes us and therefore that these factors can be isolated, controlled and measured. Durkheim believed that he had done just this when he had studied suicide, isolated the factor of being isolated as the cause of suicide. see more:when did sociology begin Popper was a famous philosopher of science, and he agreed with some of the positivists theories, claiming that indeed sociology could be a science. He said that natural sciences are scientific because they use the hypothetico-deductive approach, and look at evidence which may disprove their theory, as well as enforce it, he then went on to say that if sociologist could look at conflicting, as well as supporting evidence when trying to prove their theories, then indeed sociology could be considered scientific. Popper disagrees that human behaviour is only a product of outside stimuli, and so he is not a positivist, he simply agrees that sociology can be classed as scientific but in order to do so, studies must be conducted so that a hypothesis can be enforced or falsified. Popper argued that Marxism wasnt a scientific approach, because when its theory of a revolution failed but come true, they simply pushed its coming further into the future, instead of admitting the original hypothesis was untrue, therefore they prevented any possibility that the original theory had been false because they simply adapted it. Realists also believe that sociology is scientific, and claim that there is not much difference between sociological studies and natural science investigations. They held this view because like natural science investigations, sociology tries to explain the causes of behaviour in terms of underlying causes, which are not visible in everyday life. Sayer focussed on the fact that in all areas of science there were open and closed systems, for example in some situations, a lab can be used where variables can be controlled, but also in areas such as meteorology, experiments cannot always be fully controlled, he argued that sociology faced the same problem, studying issues which were relevant but complex, like meteorologists, sociologists had to deal with the fact that there may be other influences, but this does not mean that the studies they do are not scientific. Both study hidden causes of things relevant to their field, in ways that can be seen as scientific. The realist definition of science is Being scientific involves explaining behaviour in terms of underlying structures, mechanisms and processes. They believe that natural scientists and sociologists do, therefore sociology should be classed as a science.

History of Colour in Art

History of Colour in Art The use of colour in history has gone through a long story. It has been used because of its ability in altering mood and atmosphere, and also because of its symbolic meanings. The earliest known usage of colour in interior space started when man drew on walls of caves and tombs, which continues with the application on cathedrals, palaces, and ordinary homes. History of colour The usage of colour has been involved in the architectural development in ancient Egypt and Greeks. It has been used mostly because of the association of colour with certain symbolism in the cultures. Ancient Egypt, one of the most documented civilizations, used paintings on walls and ceilings in order to tell the story of their civilization, from daily life to battle scenes. Earth pigments are used in creating these paintings red, yellow ochre, also green, blue, purple, black, white, and gray. Each colour is used to symbolise certain criterias, for example red ocher for skin colour of men, while yellow is used for the women. While in the Greek history, the Palace of Knossos, is a distinct example of the use of colour in its architecture. The most outstanding feature in the building is its large red and black columns. Palace of Knossos, Greece   Colour has been widely used in the past, but this tradition doesnt always go well along the development in architecture. The Lost of Colour Being used and developed throughout the early civilization, colour arrived at a point times when its use is being ignored. The situation is caused by several reasons, such as the perception of whiteness, and how this idea is strengthen by the emergence of the Modern Movement and International Style, who preferred the natural colour of the materials, and later on the idea of black, white, and gray in Minimalism. These movements has changed peoples perception of colour and therefore resulting avoidance in its application. Whiteness Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Bible The colour white, through various cultures, has been associated with perfection, innocence, and cleanliness. Colour, on the other hand, is perceived as the opposite of whiteness, which is dirtiness and the less-than-true. The word colour, which is colorem in Latin, is related to celare, means to hide or conceal. In Middle English to colour means to disguise. The Modern Movement, International Style and Minimalism Rejection of colour, partly is also formed by the influence of Modern Movement and International Style, which often termed their works as minimal. In this period, light and neutral tones are preferred in the space. White is the most dominant colour because it allows colours and light in the surrounding reflects into the space and that it is felt as natural colour. Colour, on the other hand, is being avoided because it makes a striking contrast with the surrounding. Even in times when it is used, colour is still artificially applied  and the majority of the surfaces is white.The famous people in this period are Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. Their works, reflecting the idea of Modern Movement, shows restraint use of colour. Instead of using colours, they use the genuine colour and texture from the materials used, such as steel, glass, concrete, masonry, and stone, which dominates their works. Minimalism, another architectural style, is also much associated with the use of white. The term minimalism is applied to works showing reduction in forms, usually created with flat surfaces that reflect a simple and tranquil atmosphere. White colour is chosen as the most dominant colour, since it is seen as colour with pure, smooth, and serene quality, and therefore goes along with the idea of calmness and tranquillity in minimalism. Samuel Wagstaff, an art curator, mentioned that this new aesthetics in black, white, and gray, is aimed to keep the viewer from being biased by the emotionalism of colour. So, white colour, along with black and gray are preferred to be used here. Chromophobia The perception of white and the modern art movement influence has a causal relation to what David Batchelor mentioned as chromophobia. Chromophobia, based on David Batchelor, is defined as a fear of corruption or contamination through colour. He mentioned that chromophobia manifests itself in the many and varied attempts to purge colour from culture, to devalue colour, to diminish its significance, to deny its complexity . ( Batchelor, David, 2000) The rejection of colour happens in two ways. First, colour is made out of foreign body- usually the feminine, the vulgar, .In this case, colour is  treated as something foreign, something alien'( Batchelor, David, 2000 ) so that it is considered dangerous. Charles Blanc, a colour theorist, identified colour with the feminine in art and as something that cannot be detached from life. Not just that, he even consider colour as a permanent internal threat. Therefore, he came up with the idea of either completely ignoring colour or controlling it, in order to preventing it from ruining everything. Charles Blanc is not the only chromophobic. The idea of fear of colour has also swept the society and therefore had its impact to architectural design. A few cases of the rejection of colour in the past have been experienced by architects. It happened to Belgian architect Huib Hoste, who throughout his career has been experimenting with colours in his works. One of his works, the Zwart Huis ( Black House ), which is created for Raymond de Beir Knokke in 1924 is painted deep black and partly red for its walls. Complains came from the neighbours who felt uncomfortable by the too-striking-colours and on how it broke the harmony within the surrounding environment. In 2001, a similar problem occured with the work by MVRDV. Designing an entire orange office building in a courtyard in Amsterdam, provoked dissapproval from the neighbours who felt annoyed with the orange glow that forced its way to the surrounding homes. Everything around you is orange you didnt ask for it, you didnt want i t, but you cant do anything about it, they said. (Colour in Contemporary Architecture, 2009) According to David Batchelor, the word chromophobia, other than defining colour as dangerous, is also used for the idea of colour as something superficial, supplementary, and as a secondary quality of experience, which leads to lack of consideration in its usage. This had  happened even in ancient times, when Vitruvius complained that buildings were painted without considering its relation with the architectural form, which means there was not much consideration put in the thought process therefore resulting an unsatisfying project. Rejection for colour has become a serious problem and therefore cause the lost of colour. THESIS STATEMENT : Colour once is considered as an afterthought, that it ends up as decorative elements. It also has been considered dangerous. But considering the ability of colour in changing perception and mood, there might be a chance to create a more emotive architecture than those without colour. So, should we re-examine the role of colour in architecture? BODY Colour in Architecture The impulse of using colour in architecture emerged in 1920s, inspired by paintings. Three architects who were known to use colour in their works in this period are Le Corbusier, Theo van Doesburg, and Bruno Taut, but each architect has different approach in applying colour in their works. Theo van Doesburg, is the member of De Stijl Movement, an important accomplishment in applying colour in architecture. Other movements using colour as their conceptual design basis are Constructivism and Expressionism. In De Stijl, colour is considered as an important element and is developed as a tool in creating a new spatial experience. The goal of the movement is to achieve an ideal future where walls that separate men would be broken down. The architects of De Stijl believe that the three-dimensional properties of mass and volume is against the goal of the movement, and in order to achieve their goal, these characteristics must be broken down by using colours. The method they used is to place colour planes on corners and boundaries, resulting a change in the volume of space. Here, colours were used not just as mere decoration, but it also plays an important part in altering the visual experience of the user spatially. However, Le Corbusier called van Doesburg application on colour as camouflage architectural and disagreed with the use of colour to weakens the physical space or to conceal its actual spatial proportions. Villa la Roche, Le Corbusier Opposing the idea, in his work, Le Corbusier coloured the entire wall surfaces to make them an individual elements, so that it would not disturb the spatial effect of the architecture. These coloured walls were used as an intervention against the mostly painted white spaces in the building. The colours here, as Batchelor commented, was used by Le Corbusier to make his architecture even more white. Having a different approach with his two fellows architects, Bruno Tauts intention was to use colour as an agent of social reform. His goal was to create various identities in a large housing estates, where people from overcrowded flats in the backyard of Berlin will be the occupants of the building. (Komossa, Susanne, 2009) Although the myth of white appeared not long after these colour methods were being used, architects such as Louis Barragan emerged into practice and back with the idea of colour as an essential element, opposing the idea of colour  as decorations. His choice of colours mostly reflects the colours of Mexican culture. Through his works, Barragan proved how the use of colours are able to evoke dreamlike and surreal atmosphere. Another renowned colour architect is Ricardo Legorreta. Inspired by the 20th century mural paintings, Legorreta uses many bright colours in his works and proves that colours can emphasize shapes and deny mass of the buildings. From time to time, along with the gradual loss of Modern Movement influence, colour slowly made its way back to architectural design. Herzog de Meuron, for example, coloured their first house in Basle suburb with blue layer that engages the viewer. Looking at how colours are being considered more deeply in architecture nowadays, and how it is constantly being moved away from the idea of a mere decoration to elements that can alter perception of the viewer, the use of colour has achieved a different state than it used to be. And in this sense, just as mentioned by Rem Koolhas, the future of colour is looking bright. Visible Space: Seeing Colour 1.1 Perception of Space Perception is a critical connection between human and their surrounding environment. It can also refer to a more complicated and higher level of thinking process. Perception enables human beings to decide what has been sensed and analyze that sensation. Beside digesting the information received from the sensors, perception also acts as a filter that classify important and useful information. In architectural design, whose works mainly is about the creation of space, perception of space is nevertheless important. In order to perceive the space, one must firstly sense the space. To sense a space is to become aware of own self existence in the space and therefore one is able to distinguish between the self and the surrounding. This can be done using human senses, which are hearing, seeing, smell, taste, and touch. But as we always hear, Seeing is believing, visual perception is very important in shaping perception of space. Here, colour takes a major role. 1.2 The eye and the colour Take a good look round and youll see that everything is coloured. K. Schippers Colour, dissolving perfectly in our life, may seem as a very normal experience. But it actually is a very important aspect in our vision because it plays a big part in shaping our visual perception. So what is colour? Colour, in physics and optics, are defined as component parts of light. Being able to see colour enables human see many more different things under the light, comparing to what might possibly be seen in only shades of gray ( known as monochromatic vision). Some animals, such as dogs, dont experience colour vision. This condition cause they can only spot other creatures, for example rabbits, only if it moves. The experience of seeing colour will not be possible if not because of the assistance of light in our vision. Our eyes perceive differences in light frequencies just as how we perceive differences in sound frequencies with  our ears. While differences in sound frequencies enable us to hear different pitch, differences in light frequencies enable us to see different colour. The colour field that human perceive ranges from the longest visible wavelength (red) to the shortest visible wavelength (violet). Light, in various wavelength and brightness, enters our eyes through a transparent outer covering, called the cornea. The received light then will be focused on the back of the surface of the eye. The back of the eye is covered by the retina, which contain many layers of cells. The layer which is important in colour vision consist two receptors called rods and cones. Rods enable us to see black and white visions in dim light, while cones enable us to see hues under brighter lighting condition. Hence, through these series of mechanisms, we are able to see colour. Colour and Light Architecture is light. It is because of light, architecture can be seen. In its relation with colour, light always assists colour enabling it to be seen. Both colour and light are important aspects in creating perception in architecture. Light, enabling colour to be seen, determines the experience of the colour perceived. The condition of light and the changes it made; its direction, form, colour, and its arrangement; has a potential to create various colour perception. Considering the possibility of changes in perceiving colour based on the lighting condition, various kinds of atmosphere might be created. Both natural and artificial lighting is able to be used in assisting colour in the space. The perception of colour under the sunlight can vary depends on the atmospheric condition. The direction of the sunlight has to be considered in order to create a desirable colour perceived in space. Direct sunlight can make surfaces appear lighter, while the indirect sunlight will cause less dramatic shadow casting. Since the sun moves throughout the day, different kinds of light will be experienced. Different lights will reflect colour differently, resulting the same colour might be perceived differently during different time of the day. An observation of how light affects the colour perceived has been done by the French Impressionist, Claude Monet, in creating his works. In order to find the visual truth, Monet often painted the exact same scenes, such as haystacks and cathedral face, under different lighting condition. Once, he rented a room opposite Rouen Cathedral and spent months there painting the cathedral in different times of the day. It appeared that in full midday sunlight , the facade of the building is washed with gold colour and a slight blue shadow. While at sunset, the surface is coloured pale bluish pink, with lots of oranges and reds in the buildings recesses. Colour and Atmosphere: Towards Emotive Architecture Colour Deceives The usage of colour is often associated with its ability in creating illusion. Based on Joseph Albers book, Interaction of Colour, colour in visual perception is always never seen as it really is in reality, which is why he mentioned, In order to use colour effectively it is necessary to recognise that colour deceives continually The ability of colour in deceiving the viewer resulting two kinds of conditions the actual and the  factual. The actual is the space which is perceived by the viewer, while the factual is the physical space bordered by walls in reality. The ability of colour to change spatial perception is also written in Ittens analysis, Among cold and warm tones of equal brilliance, the warm will advance and the cold retreat. By recognizing the potential of colour in terms of altering perception of space through vision of the viewers, colour has vast opportunities in being used as the resource in creating space. Colour Affects: Physiology and Psychology Colour is known as an expressive element and can be used to generate emotional response. Studies on how colour can change peoples emotion has been conducted by people. Bright colours ( warm hues ) fit well for spaces requiring lots of activities and mental alertness, therefore these colours are often being used in school environments. While on the other hand, cooler hues tend to calm people. In his book Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Kandinsky did analysis on the sensory effects in colour. He found that bright and warm colours attract greater attention and the visual emotion created by these tones generates physical effect that touches the soul. Realizing the potential of colour in altering emotion, people used it as a tool in healing. Chromo therapy, or colour therapy, is the practice of using coloured light and colour in the environment to cure specific illness and in general to bring about beneficial health effect ( Hope and Walch, 1990, p.75). The study on chromo therapy is based on the  discovery of how our bodies, acting like prisms, absorb white light and other colours, too. The therapy involves the use of natural light that is filtered through a certain colour of glass. For example, patient with migraine will be treated with sunlight filtered through blue glass, and depression can be treated with red light. Emotive Architecture Emotive architecture, is usually defined as buildings and spaces that is purposefully built to provoke emotional response from the users. The idea came up from the feeling of too functional architecture in the 20th century, which created the space with much logic and utility. Case Study Luis Barragan In my activity as an architect, colour and light have always been a crucially important constant. Both are basic elements in the creation of an architectural space. Luis Barragan Luis Barragan learned much from the work of Itten who is devoted to the laws of harmony, contrast, and the spatial effect of colours. In his works, Barragan treated colour the same way as other architectural components and he bravely experiments and utilizes its ability in generating sensations in the space. His works on The Gilardi House, dwelling of Francisco Gilardi, showed a skillful consideration in assisting colour with light in the space. The method of the colour used here, such as achieving brighter or softer hues through direct and indirect lighting, using coloured glass to create chromatic ambience, has been experimented in his earlier works. In the dwelling, Barragan continued his experiment in utilizing white light in the space and how it landed on the coloured vertical sections. A yellow-painted corridor is placed nearby the entrance in order to prepare the journey to an important space. Walking down the corridor, the visitor is faced with a radiating blue space. The contrast between the warm and cool colour is aimed to arrest the visitors vision. The visitor then comes out into the space with pool which is surrounded by three primary colours; blue, red, yellow. The whole composition of this space is supported by the coloured surfaces around the pool and the reflections created by the water. Steven Holl Famous for his method of utilizing light in the space, Steven Holl is also do a lot of experimentations on its relation with  colour. In his work The Chapel of St, Ignatius, for example, Steven Holl used the idea of treating the space like seven bottles of light. Each bottle is pierced with light which define each spaces inside the building with coloured light.

My Teaching and Learning Paradigm in the Classroom

My Teaching and Learning Paradigm in the Classroom Introduction Every educator should possess his or her own unique set of teaching philosophy which suits the ever-changing needs and demands of education in todays society. Exploring and developing the beliefs of teaching plays an important role in contributing to the success of an educator in the teaching profession because our beliefs can generate our own confirmation. This teaching philosophy has been shaped by my personal experience when serving my alma mater as a relief teacher, as well as my prior experiences in teaching experience and teaching assistantship as a trainee teacher. It will serve as a basis for my embarkation to the profession of education with the aim of success in teaching. My Belief of Teaching and Learning Paradigm My core belief of teaching has been carved out based on the saying of a Greek philosopher, Socrates Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. Personally, I would like to further build this belief upon the old saying If I give a man a fish, I feed him for a day; if I teach him to fish, I feed him for a lifetime. So, which came first, the chicken or the egg? If my student were to ask me this question, I would probably smile at him and reply, Why dont you find out and tell me? Many times during my interaction with young children through my teaching experiences, I was often stumbled upon the questions posed by the inquisitive minds of theirs. While there may be not definite answers to their questions, I often did not give them the answers directly. This is what shaped my core belief about teaching learning is that it is not just only a process of acquiring knowledge or skills (dictionary.com, 2012) but also a journey of discovery where sometimes the process of discovery is more important than the discovery itself. It is important not to spoonfeed the children with answers. My Teaching Belief: Now and Then Role of the teacher: To cater to Differentiation and Adaptations In this 21st century, it is a generation armed with myriad of technologies. The power of IT allows an individual to google for the answers just by a few clicks in a space without boundaries. So, one may question the role of the teacher since most answers to questions can be found on the internet. A teacher takes up many roles, one of which is to teach. And so, what if the information found on the internet does not suit the appropriate level or the learning style of the child? In my view, this is where the important role of the teacher comes in. In the past, I used to think that having a single-way approach of tackling the concept is sufficient, and assume that all children would be able to understand what is being taught. However, after taking this course, I come to realise that every child is a unique individual with different learning styles: visual learners, auditory learners, tactile learners as well as Kinesthetic learners. This is even more crucial when it comes to dealing with children with special needs. It is important not to assume, as it often does not reflect the reality. It is also essential for the teacher to adapt to the differentiation of the child. However time-consuming and taxing to modify the curriculum and the 8worksheets it may seems, I believe it is all worth it as the child would be able to learn something new that would benefit him. In my opinion, the teacher has to package her lessons in a creative and dynamic way, at the same time, tailoring to suit the individual students with a myriad of different learning styles. There is never a one size fits all approach in anywhere, including the classroom, as well as the internet. To me, what the teacher does is to try her best and tailor the content to the ability of the class. Hence, it is essential that the teacher examine the profile of each individual student before the semester. Perhaps, it is also ideal to find out the learning styles of each child prior to the lesson from their parents or from the former teachers. However, if time does not permit, this could be done over the semester, when one has taught the class for a period of time and knows the different learning styles of each individual child. According to Gardners theory of multiple intelligences, there are a total of 8 intelligences: linguistic, musical, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal. It is important for the teacher to approach a concept in a variety of ways. Hence, for my upcoming Practicum 1 and 2, I would be more tactful in including different approaches, such as including Youtube videos, songs, poems, story-telling, hands-on experiments into my lesson plan to cater to the different learning styles of my students. Of course, there are many other roles of the teacher which include: counsellor, mentor, friend, disciplinarian, group dynamics facilitator, motivational speaker etc. This would also mean that the many roles of a teacher entail the never-ending list of workload. This is when the problem seeps in, when one has to struggle with the issue of work-life balance. To me, work is never-ending and time waits for no one. It is crucial that the teacher adjusts his or her working style, to deal with each matter one at a time. This would avoid creating unnecessary stress which is unhealthy to oneself. Parents, too, have special needs In the past, I used to think that the main challenge I would face is the children, especially those with special needs. However, after taking this course, I was taught to rethink and view things from the perception of the parent. It is not only some children who have special needs some parents, too, have special needs. In this generation where parents are generally more educated than in the past, they do have a high demand from the teachers of their children. Sometimes, these demands are something that supersedes expectations which can be way beyond our limits. Encounters with parents of children with challenging behaviour can come in a variety of forms and for a variety of reasons. It is worth remembering that sometimes they are flooded with a range of strong emotions triggered by nothing to do with school. Hence, it is essential not to take their comments personally and put you down. Ultimately, it is the children that we have in heart. In fact, I used to have this mentality to why I should take up the role of a parent when I am just a teacher. Besides, I am only in my early twenties and I cannot see myself behaving like a mother who possesses all the motherly traits. I would tend to draw the clear line between the responsibilities of a teacher and a parent. Also, I would think that it is the responsibility of the parent to build a positive upbringing in the child. However, I realised that every family has their own problems. Sometimes the parents are in denial that the behaviour is unacceptable and feel the schools expectations are unreasonable. It can be difficult to deal with such parents (Rogers, 2004). However, it is important to remain professional and not to give in to the temptation of throwing in the towel. Even though, I still do not think that a teacher should take up a role as a surrogate parent, however, I am able to emphasise with their situation more compared to the past. I believe it is important not only to cultivate collegial and pupil relationship, but also parental relationships. Creating a Positive Primary Classroom Environment A classroom is the place where a teacher will be most involved during his or her professional career as a teacher (Louradusamy, Myint, Quek Wong, 2003). Hence, creating a positive primary classroom environment for the pupils is an integral part of good classroom management (Weinstein, Miganana Romana, 2011). I strongly believe in this and have integrated it as part of my teaching philosophy after taking up this course. In additional, a classroom management reflects about my philosophy of teaching and learning, which tells a lot about me who visits my class (Louradusamy et al., 2003). According to Doyle (1986), the classroom may be considered as an ecological system and viewed the classroom as a unique unit in which the teacher and the pupils interact for a purpose of teaching and learning to take place. Given the already overload work that teachers have to juggle with, I used to think that going to the extent of having an attractive classroom may be over demanding and impractical. However, after going through the teaching experience at Lian Hua Primary School, one of the things that captured my attention is the class pets a tank of guppies with iridescent colours and a furry Winter White hamster at the back of the classroom. Having to observe the class from the back of the classroom, surprisingly, it does not feel like an ordinary classroom to me. The entire feeling felt at the point of time was a brand new feeling that I have never felt before in a classroom. It felt more like a study room to me, rather than a typical classroom. After careful observation, I realised there was even a mini reading corner, with carpeted floor, and bean bags. By the side of the windows, there were pots of green bean plants with the students name labelled on each pot. Apparently, that was a science exp eriment and the pots of plants were the works of students. The greenery brought the classroom closer to nature, and together with the pets corner and reading corner, they add vibrancy to the dismal classroom setting. At the end of the lesson, the student surrounded the cage and fed the hamster and guppies. One of them even picked up the hamster and gave it a few strokes at its back. Of course, I had burning questions flashed in the mind who is going to take care of the hamster? Who is going to change the water in the tank? Who is going to dust the bean bags? As such, I spoke to the form teacher of that Primary 5 class. He said that the class pets are there to instil the sense of responsibility and to build a caring classroom culture. The students have a class duty roster where students will take turn to feed and clean the cage of the hamster and the guppies. He also emphasized that this takes time to build but the end result is often worth every efforts put in to create a positive classroom environment. True enough, the students I mingled with said that they do not find it a hassle to take up the duties of cleaning the cage and feeding the pets, Theyre part of our 5G family. The conversations exchanged with the students gave me further affirmation that it is all worth it to consider the aesthetic part of the classroom. In the future, I would definitely make the classroom attractive and pleasure-looking. Conclusion In the midst of the 4 years training as a student-teacher, I have been told of the endless stories by in-service teachers as well as ex-teachers, about how taxing and demanding teaching can be. Undoubtedly, it is hard not to feel disheartened, sceptical and even fearful about what is lying ahead of me. However, I believe that one should not let the self-fulfilling prophecy take effect (Myers, 2004). One should be positive and should embrace the future. While it does not pay a lot in dollars to be a teacher in Singapore, the psychological and emotional rewards are more than suffice the light up look on a face when a seemingly unfathomable concept is finally grasped and understood; the thank you cards from the students; and the internet satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference that left an undeniable mark on the future. This is my teaching philosophy that I have developed thus far, and it will continue to evolve when I embark on my 4 year of teaching career. (2031 words)

My Soul Mate Essay example -- Observation Essay, Descriptive Essay

My Soul Mate I never thought I would meet the other "half of my orange." "Offspring" was not in my vocabulary, until I saw him, the entity of my imaginings. As he roamed the halls, strutting as though he possessed the building, he consumed my every thought. Every muscle he owned protruded through his uniform, his bulky, curly, caramel, tresses chiseled high and tight. The looks he granted me reassured my interests. He would be the father of my children. He dreaded our visit to Texas; we would travel through four southeastern states, all during the hottest months of the year. In the sweltering Texan sun, we arrived just after one o'clock. His forehead beaded with sweat, like a vehicle that had just been waxed with water beads at the surface. Sensing the encounter, he appeared nervous, almost unrecognizable. Usually he strutted tall and ambitiously; today, a difference was noted. His massive hands, displaying manicured nails, were humid to the touch; the callous that had been caused by heavy weightlifting was disguised. The origin of this unusual behavior was the infa...

Analysis of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez Essays -- Papers Hun

Analysis of Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez Richard Rodriguez?s essay, Hunger of Memory, narrates the course of his educational career. Rodriguez tells of the unenthusiastic and disheartening factors that he had to endure along with his education such as isolation and lack of innovation. It becomes apparent that Rodriguez believes that only a select few go through the awful experiences that he underwent. But actually the contrary is true. The majority of students do go through the ?long, unglamorous, and demeaning process? of education, but for different reasons (Rodriguez, 68). Instead of pursuing education for the sake of learning, they pursue education for the sake of job placement. Even from an early age, Rodriguez is a successful student. Everyone is extremely proud of Rodriguez for earning awards and graduating to each subsequent level of his education. But all his success was not necessarily positive. In fact, we see that his education experience is a fairly negative one. One negative that Rodriguez endures is his solitude. Education compels him to distance himself from his family and heritage. According to Richard Hoggart, a British education theorist, this is a very natural process for a scholarship boy. Hoggart explains that the ?home and classroom are at cultural extremes,? (46). There is especially an opposition in Rodriguez?s home because his parents are poorly educated Mexicans. His home is filled with Spanish vernacular and English filled with many grammatical errors. Also, the home is filled with emotions and impetuosity, whereas the classroom lacks emotion and the teachers accentuate rational thinking and reflectiveness. The conflict between the classroom and the home environm... ... are looking at the end product. Then don?t mind changing in order to get somewhere in life. Most know that they need to change. We can?t be educated without changing. The mere word education means change or development. Obviously, students are still learning for the sake of economic utility. Rodriguez may have done his learning for the sake of being an educated man, but it was the end result he craved. Whether someone?s aim is to get a good job or to elevate themselves to a higher level of education, the product of their efforts is what counts. Bibliography: Rodriguez, Richard. Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez. New York: Bantam Books, 1985. The U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 28 Sept. 2000. The U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 25 Nov. 2000

Capital Punishment Is A Deterrent To Crime Essay -- Pro-Death Penalty

Capital Punishment has ended the lives of criminals for centuries. People have debated whether the government should have the power to decide one person’s life. On one side, people think the government does not have the right to play God as well as believe that the death penalty is simply unethical. Forty-eight percent of a half sample survey stated that life imprisonment was a better punishment for murder while forty-seven percent stated that capital punishment was a better punishment (Newport). However, capital punishment should be enforced throughout the country to help deter crime, benefit the economy, and ensures retribution. The one thing that people fear the most is death. Nothing deters anyone, including criminals, more than their biggest fear. Most cases show that death is always more feared than life imprisonment (Haag). Additionally, once the murderer has been executed, the sensation he or she gets from committing crimes will become nonexistent. Evidence shows that most of the prisoners who were administered the opportunity to start life over and be emancipated from prison early or managed to escape, in the long run, started killing innocent people eventually. Professor Paul Cassell did a study of one hundred sixty-four Georgia murderers, and of those one hundred sixty-four murderers, eight of them had committed consequential murders in the next seven years of their release (â€Å"Morally Defensible?†). Since 1935, the rate of murder has been steadily decreasing. However, it had escalated immensely after the Supreme Court began to, on a routine basis, make the state death penalty null and void, starting in 1963. With the discontinuation of capital punishment, murders and homicides quickly rose to outland... ...n?url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abchri/capital_punishment>. "The Death Penalty: Morally Defensible?" Casey's Critical Thinking. Web. 04 May 2012. . Hennessy-Fiske, Molly. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 04 May 2012. . "Sixty-Nine Percent of Americans Support Death Penalty." Web. 04 May 2012. . "Top 10 Pros and Cons - Death Penalty - ProCon.org." Death Penalty ProCon.org. Web. 04 May 2012. . Tucker, William. "Capital Punishment Works." Weekly Standard. Web. . Capital Punishment Is A Deterrent To Crime Essay -- Pro-Death Penalty Capital Punishment has ended the lives of criminals for centuries. People have debated whether the government should have the power to decide one person’s life. On one side, people think the government does not have the right to play God as well as believe that the death penalty is simply unethical. Forty-eight percent of a half sample survey stated that life imprisonment was a better punishment for murder while forty-seven percent stated that capital punishment was a better punishment (Newport). However, capital punishment should be enforced throughout the country to help deter crime, benefit the economy, and ensures retribution. The one thing that people fear the most is death. Nothing deters anyone, including criminals, more than their biggest fear. Most cases show that death is always more feared than life imprisonment (Haag). Additionally, once the murderer has been executed, the sensation he or she gets from committing crimes will become nonexistent. Evidence shows that most of the prisoners who were administered the opportunity to start life over and be emancipated from prison early or managed to escape, in the long run, started killing innocent people eventually. Professor Paul Cassell did a study of one hundred sixty-four Georgia murderers, and of those one hundred sixty-four murderers, eight of them had committed consequential murders in the next seven years of their release (â€Å"Morally Defensible?†). Since 1935, the rate of murder has been steadily decreasing. However, it had escalated immensely after the Supreme Court began to, on a routine basis, make the state death penalty null and void, starting in 1963. With the discontinuation of capital punishment, murders and homicides quickly rose to outland... ...n?url=http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abchri/capital_punishment>. "The Death Penalty: Morally Defensible?" Casey's Critical Thinking. Web. 04 May 2012. . Hennessy-Fiske, Molly. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 04 May 2012. . "Sixty-Nine Percent of Americans Support Death Penalty." Web. 04 May 2012. . "Top 10 Pros and Cons - Death Penalty - ProCon.org." Death Penalty ProCon.org. Web. 04 May 2012. . Tucker, William. "Capital Punishment Works." Weekly Standard. Web. .

Reviewing Films Depicting Supremacy of Artificial Intelligence Essay

There is without a shadow of a doubt that we are now living in a time when there is almost nothing we cannot accomplish. The outbreak of high technology all around the world is soaring, and day by day, improvements on what is already highly intelligent devices are being developed. From computers, to cellular phones, to MP3 players, everything has been made accesible to man. Because of this technology, man can bask in his creations and marvel at the genius that he has invented through the years. Half a decade ago, today’s technology wouldn’t have even been deemed as possible. Yesteryear’s most advanced technological developers probably wouldn’t have even dreamed of the possibilities of what we now have today. But such is the development of the human mind: our intelligence is further developing and increasing, being able to establish new concepts and ideas to be used for our own benefits. Indeed, with this highly advanced technology, we are further establishing ourselves as the dominant species of the planet. For us, we are in charge of our own destinies, and no species of another kind can tell us otherwise. But one is lead to ponder about the marvels of our own creations. What if the articifial intelligence we created were able to evolve themselves? What if these computers suddenly became self-aware, and starts acknowledging its own existence? It is true that we are the one who controls the technology, but what if the technology were able to control itself? If it became self-aware, what if, all of a sudden, it starts to refuse to follow its human creators? And if not the computers themselves, what if one person controlling these technologies started using them for their own ulterior motives? With our main defenses relying on technological advances, what if these advances were suddenly used against us? Would the humans still be able to lay its claim as the rulers of the earth when a something else establishes themselves as more intelligent and dominant? Such is the fear that some of us have: the fear of having our own technology turned against us. We fear the idea that perhaps someday, these computers that we have in our homes would become intelligent enough to start recognizing its own existence. In the early nineties, technophobia became rampant among the adults, although this fear was largely based on the misconceptions on computers being too overly complicated. Still, for some people, the advancements in technology is reason for them to be cautious about our own inventions. Creating Technopobia in Movies Since early in the 1980s, there have been a string of movies depicting highly advanced technology being used woefully and without any regard towards others. These movies often show state-of-the-art gadgets or creations, which are used against the protagonists to further cause ruin and devastation. Oftentimes these gadgets are used for the wrong reasons, and with its infinite possibilities, it creates the fear that maybe what we have created may not be totally beneficial to us, and could possibly create more harm than help in the long run. Perhaps the most popular among the movies that came out during the eighties that depicted this theme was the 1984 movie Terminator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a human cyborg sent back in time. In the future, Skynet, a computer system fights a losing war against the humans who built it, and who it nearly exterminated. Just before being destroyed, Skynet sends a Terminator back in time to kill Sarah, the mother to be of John Connor, the Leader of the human resistance. The terminator can pass for human, is nearly indestructible, and has only one mission: killing Sarah Connor. One soldier is sent back to protect her from the killing machine. He must find Sarah before the Terminator can carry out it’s mission (MGM. com). This movie portrays Skynet as a super computer, one that is capable to making decisions for itself. The super computer becomes self-aware, and recognizes the human race as a threat to its existence. It therefore wages a war against all of mankind, which almost led to the anniliation of the entire planet. In 1998, the movie ‘Enemy of the State’ provided a different insight on abusing highly advanced technology. Robert Dean, the main character of the story, is just a successful and gutsy labor lawyer when he runs into an old college friend who was a big hurry. Unknown to him, that friend secretly drops a disc and viewer containing footage of a political assassination overseen by the senior advisor to the National Security Agency. Unfortunately, that politician soon learns what Dean has in his possession and secretly uses the vast resources of the NSA to find, investigate and stop him before he goes public. Soon, Dean finds himself on the run, with his assests frozen, his loved ones watched and actively hunted by NSA agents using all the survellience technology they have available. Not knowing what is going, Dean must stay one step ahead while trying to figure out the cause of this mess (Yahoo! Movies). This movie dwells on the idea of government surveillance and the invasion of our personal privacy by the government. We see from the movie that these technological advances could be easily used against us, and just as it could make our lives easier, it could also make it extremely difficult. We also find that if technology were to be used the wrong way, then those in power could have a commanding control over our very lives. Another movie that depicted computers going against humans was the highly acclaimed ‘The Matrix’. Thomas A. Anderson is a man living two lives: by day he is an average computer programmer and by night a malevolent hacker known as Neo. Neo has always questioned his reality but the truth is far beyond his imagination. Neo finds himself targeted by the police when he is contacted by Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker branded a terrorist by the government. Morpheus awakens Neo to the real world, a ravaged wasteland where most of humanity have been captured by a race of machines which live off of their body heat and imprison their minds within an artificial reality known as the Matrix. As a rebel against the machines, Neo must return to the Matrix and confront the agents, super powerful computer programs devoted to snuffing out Neo and the entire human rebellion (Whatisthematrix. com). The movie is almost identical to the concept of the Terminator, in which there is a computer mind that becomes self-aware of its own existence. Knowing that it has the power of technology, it sees the human race as disposable, and decides to take over and control the entire world. When Neo met Morpheus, he was awakened to the fact that they were being used by the computer systems as mere batteries to continue sustaining their own power. And it was up to them to reawaken the rest of the world from this nightmare that is the Matrix. The Fear of Control What these three films had in common was theme of technology taking over the human lives. The films shared similar highly advanced technology that in one way was very helpful, but at the other end caused problems that were catastrophic. This is what we are afraid of; that maybe perhaps at some point, our own creations would backfire on us and cause a lot of harm towards society, and it would perhaps be unstoppable when it happens. Perhaps what motivates the persistence of these kinds of themes is the fact that we all know that this fantasy that they try to present could and might become possible in the future. Fifty or so years ago, our technology today wasn’t even thought of as possible. A lot of things are being developed today that our predescessors couldn’t have possibly dreamed of back in the day. Nowadays, the sky is the limit. The human race is making every dream come to life, developing newer and better technology every single day. So deep inside, we know that this threat of computers taking over is not a long shot. We see that perhaps someday, artificial intelligence would become this advanced as to be self-aware. And if this happens, what’s gonna stop them from taking over the world and eliminating the human race? In terms of humans going against fellow humans using technology, we ourselves could be comparable to this technology. Donna Haraway mentions how we are like the cyborgs, which are both part machine and part organism. She further states: In short, we are cyborgs. The cyborg is our ontology; it gives us our politics. The cyborg is a condensed image of both imagination and material reality, the two joined centres structuring any possibility of historical transformation. In the traditions of â€Å"Western† science and politics—the tradition of racist, male- dominant capitalism; the tradition of progress; the tradition of the appropriation of nature as resource for the productions of culture; the tradition of reproduction of the self from the reflections of the other—the relation between organism and machine has been a border war (Harraway, 516). With the peer-to-perr capabilities of networked computer communication today, it is likely to have a major impact on both the film and music business. Depending on how this technology is used, it could have either a postive or negative effect on these industries. Everything could be made easier with technology, films and music could be produced with relative ease, and everything to be made more accesible. On the other hand, changing the sytems could mean doing things a lot different, which could cause a chain reaction among those who are involved. Business could be done more efficiently, but it could leave people out of jobs. Human work might be replaced by much more efficient computers doing their jobs, and that could have an effect on the economy of the country. Looking back, technology has certainly come along way since back in the old days, when all of this conveniences didn’t exist. It is easy to picture people being intimidated by these advancements, due to its infinite potential. Depending on how it is used, it could be very good for all of us, or it could be catastrophic to all. Only time will tell whether these technological improvements would come back to haunt us in the long run. Works Cited Enemy of the State. Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 3 June 2008 from http://movies. yahoo. com/shop? d=hv&cf=info&id=1800021531 Haraway, Donna. â€Å"A Cyborg Manifesto. † The New Media Reader (1985). pp. 515-541. The Matrix Trilogy. Whatisthematrix. com. Retrieved 3 June 2008 from http://whatisthematrix. warnerbros. com/ The Terminator. MGM. com. Retrieved 3 June 2008 from http://www. mgm. com/title_title. php? title_star=TERMINAT

Caase study

The two primary functions of Varian Magna Agricultural Cooperative Society (EVANS) are procurement of agricultural produce from the farmers & marketing it to the amandine, and procurement & supply of agricultural inputs to the farmers. The objective is to devise a strategy for EVANS for efficient use of funds with respect to procurement and sale. Criteria Benefit of the farmers should be the top priority while planning the strategy.Financial planning must be done carefully in view of the limited supply of funds. Variation of prices of payday as well as fertilizers during different seasons must be used to the advantage of EVANS. Since the society shares a good relationship with the bank, this must be leveraged to suit required credit facilities. Options We assume that EVANS maintains minimal liquid cash to handle administrative expenses and interest.Some of the relevant options are listed below: Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Evaluation Option 1 Farmers get sufficient funds to plan lon g term Losing out on higher margins by selling payday at current price Cost benefit on early arches of fertilizers is marginal Initial cash balance Cash paid to farmers Revenue from payday sales +500000 Fertilizers purchase expense Overheads -35000 ODD Extension Option 2 Cost benefit by postponing payday sales is high Insurance for payday -10000 From reserves Option 3 Farmers get their part of their share on time Cost benefit on early purchase of fertilizers can also be leveraged Credit limit extension translates to higher interest Part payment to farmers -250000 -38000 -298000 Interest -15000 Decision The high cost of storage, labor and equipment and the low savings margin make the early purchase of fertilizers an unattractive option.On the other hand, there would be a significant loss with regard to opportunity cost since we are selling payday at the current price of INNER 5000 per ton. Moreover, a marginal extension of Overdraft limit is required to support operations. The higher margin on payday sales can be leveraged by holding the stock in storage for 6 months. The high overheads of storing fertilizers can be avoided. Since we have sufficient reserves, we can support daily operations with minimal funds. The objective of the Co-operative society is to benefit the farmers over the long run. If the members agree to give up part payment towards procuring fertilizers at the discounted price, they can get the coupled benefits of the higher margins on payday and reduced fertilizer costs. Therefore, we recommend option 3.Action Based on the calculations below, accounting for minimum and maximum possible price of payday in 6 months, we can bring about a substantial reduction in cost per bag of fertilizers. Min Max 630000 750000 Profit margin 130000 250000 (-) Interest Net profit from payday sales 210000 Fertilizer cost 475000 38000 Total Cost 513000 (-) Net profit from payday sales Revised Total Cost of Fertilizers 423000 303000 Revised cost per bag of Fertilizer s 222. 63 159. 47 Contingency Since our recommended option requires deferring part payment, the farmers do not receive the entire sale revenue right away. This option also requires the bank to allow an extended overdraft limit to EVANS. In the circumstance, that either or both parties are unwilling to accept this proposal, we recommend option 2 as a backup.

Coeducational vs Single Sex Schools Essay

I think it would be nice to attend an all-girls school. I am for this for many different reasons. Of course, there would be a lot less drama with the girls, and they would concentrate more on their schoolwork instead of their appearance. Their grades would be much better, because they would study more and ask questions about the assignments. An all-girls school is a great idea for teenage girls in high school, because since there would be no boys around, the girls wouldn’t be vying for their attention. Without all of the boys, the girls wouldn’t worry about many things, besides their schoolwork and their grade. They wouldn’t wear make-up or cute clothes, because they would have nobody to impress. I’m going to admit it, there are only two reasons why girls have drama or fight, either somebody is running their mouth, or it’s over a guy. On https://privateschool.about.com/u/ua/choosingschools2/singlesex.htm, there is a comment from a girl with the username, Girl Power. In her comment she makes really good points about why an all-girls school is better than coeducational. Although all of the comments were inspirational and helpful in making my decision, her comment was the one that helped me make my final decisions that I have written in this paper. All-girls schools help young women learn to be independent, and not fight about stupid things, like boys. In all-girls schools, just like coeducational schools, there are different groups of people. Some of the groups are similar to the groups at coeducational schools, such as preps, jocks, nerds, miscellaneous, etc. All-girls schools would have a lot less drama than coeducational schools, because the girls would have no reason to start drama. Alright, this whole next paragraph is my opinion; you don’t have to agree with me. Girls pay a lot more attention to their schoolwork then to boys in all-girls schools, because there are no boys around to pay attention to. Most girls just can’t help it, they are natural flirts. My friends and I are that way, so I’m not being mean. It’s completely natural to flirt, some girls may take it too far, but that’s their problem. If I was at an all-girls school, I am almost positive my grades would be better than they are now, except for math. Math is my weakness. If all the boys left midway for a week, and nothing was left but the girls, the school average would increase dramatically, because the girls would pay attention more, and make better grades. Girls are too worried about their appearance or too caught up in flirting with the boys to pay attention in class, therefore, they will fail. It’s normal for girls to crave the attention from the boys. Most of the time it reflects in the way girls act. Sometimes I don’t understand why girls have boyfriends, because they will flirt anyways, it’s the natural thing. I got off topic there for a second, let’s get back on track. The girls wouldn’t have to look â€Å"perfect† at an all-girls school. They wouldn’t have to wear any make-up; they would just have natural beauty. They wouldn’t be competing for attention from the boys, because there would be absolutely no boys. Well, after doing a lot of research and taking a lot of notes, an all-girls school is the way to go. Less drama, better grades, and you don’t have to be perfect. Okay, I’m going to go beg my mommy to let me go to an all-girls school. It’s the best decision in my opinion.

Education Is Not Luxury

In † Education Is Not Luxury†, Stephen Joel Trachtenberg discussed about that people should take school seriously and in his opinion, † Topics like these may be putting a squeeze on the time spent on literacy and numeracy. † Years ago, most American worked in farming or in finishing agricultural crops. However, † Agrarian calendar continues to dominate one facet of American life–education. â€Å", even we are no longer agrarian.Schooling was a luxury and it is a long process of educating the young but â€Å"America will never take schools seriously as long as they operate on the ancient agrarian calendar† or â€Å"they are open from only nine to three o'clock or some equivalent. † So people thought that â€Å"this schooling business is a part-time occupation. † So the schools have to do the right thing to make them important to people by spending time on literacy and numeracy. So the schools should be able to teach both acade mic subjects and other things.This would at least show that schools are serious. It could also help teachers to find a job and getting paid. Students would learn what they should learn. † Universities are driven by their double missions of learning and service and the compelling. However young students do not take the class seriously and they do not desired to learn, even have the opportunities to learn. In † Expanding Offerings†, † many students come to school without any training in foreign languages, or that only couple of languages.And † many school districts must deal with immigrant children. † School calendar can help teachers to keep their teaching on track and teaching more. But there are some objections which against to achieve more cause they do not have money, most of learning do not take place at school and extending the school days and making the day longer. Response I strongly agree with Stephen's opinion cause these suggestions whic h he discussed about can really help students to understand why they have to study, what they have to study about and how to study more efficiently.Schools should make people to realize that they are important by spending time on literacy and numeracy. Schools also have to be responsible to the students like making sure they do not spend † additional time to teach what is already being taught. † They are also responding to what is available. † An atmosphere of learning without the first-rate instruction or the various tangibles and intangibles that make learning possible is nothing but a disappointment.† What's more, lengthening the school years can really help to convince † the rest of the world that schools are, at least, serious. † Secondly, â€Å"teachers working conventional hours and a typical work year, it would be possible to begin to pay teacher. † Finally, † it would accommodate all the things that teachers need to teach and young people need to learn. † In my opinion, these are good way to go through and making education more important and common.

Halifax Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Halifax Analysis - Essay Example The service delivery method deployed by Halifax is strongly related to the company's ability to promote and execute to customer needs through professional E-business at http://www.halifax.co.uk/home/index.shtml. This allows the bank to run literally twenty-four hours per day year round. The benefits of this service delivery are the continuity of service, however the detriment may be found in genuine customer service and person to person contact. The professional service deliver for online banking is in high demand. In the long run, there will always be demand for credit cards, mortgages business loans or insurance in one form or another. Financial services are the backbone of our economy and will continue to be for years to come (Davies 1992). Because diversified financials offer such a wide range of products, they are able position their companies to tap changing demand for different products (Davies 1992). World population is continuing to expand at an exponential rate. It is important for companies within the industry position themselves in developing countries to take advantage of exploding populations, especially in emerging countries (Davies 1992). The degree of customer interaction for online banking is low. ... Several online banks also offer 'click to chat' options which allow an online customer to 'chat' with a professional banker. This is not an option available with Halifax. ). Technological innovation has allowed financial companies to automate time and labour intensive processes and enhance their ability to match up borrowers and lenders, regardless of geographic location (Gardener 1988). While Halifax has reached several components of innovative technology by the development of 24-7 online banking, they are severely lacking in the degree of viable customer interactions. Degree of Service Customisation The degree of service customisation is relatively high. Halifax has developed specialised services through online banking for the purpose of gaining new customers and retaining current customers (McDonald 2002). In the degree of customised services, Halifax offers diverse and multiple professional banking services. Expectations are commonly defined as "beliefs about a product that serve as standards or reference points against which product [or service] performance is judged" (Zeithaml et al. 1993, p. 1). To this, Halifax responds by offering direct and easy to navigate professional services. There are icons for nearly all-banking needs that the customer can easily navigate based on their requirements. Halifax also boasts that it will assist the customer in 'switching' banks, which customises the professional service towards new customers. Nature of Service Act The nature of the professional service is strongly E-business The service side concentrates mainly on providing services to the customer. Halifax's customer care section plays an important role on deciding if the company and should be

Outline and critique the subjective interpretation of probability Essay

Outline and critique the subjective interpretation of probability - Essay Example In normal conversations, one might say â€Å"the storm will hit the city†, usually, the person does not imply that the storm hitting the or not hitting the city is a random factor and that the odds presently favour, such a person in normal conversation qualifies the statement to a degree of confidence. When in a newspaper it is written â€Å"the most probable explanation† of the Mother Gaston Boulevard Street in Brooklyn, New York is that it was named after Mother Rosetta Gaston. The statement does not imply that Mother Rosetta Gatson is not favoured by a random factor, but it is pretty much the most plausible reason that can be given to the evidence, which disputes others that are less likely. Subjectivist Probability This category implies a situation in which an argument may be allocated whatever the circumstance, even when no random process is involved, in a bid to show the subjective plausibility, or the level to which the argument is aided by the existing evidence. In a number of situations, subjectivist probabilities are taken to imply the degrees of belief, defined in the manner in which an individual is capable of gambling at certain odds. ... Mathematically, this can be defined as P (A) = NA N The mathematical definition has its limits, which was not taken into account, the theory failed to consider numbers that could run to infinity and merely considered finite number of possible outcomes. There are some random games for instance as tossing of a coin-like object until it gives a tail might run into endless set of outcome- infinite outcomes. Additionally, one may need to determine beforehand all the likely outcomes are equally plausible without depending on the concept of probability to avoid circularity for example by symmetry concerns. The frequensists suggests that the likelihood of an occurrence is the relative frequency over given number of times, which is the relative frequency of happenings after repetition of a process over considerable amount of time, given similar conditions. The occurrences of events are presumed to be under certain random physical phenomenon which is basically not knowable. Outsides the confin es of theory and into the real world, tossing of a dice and spinning of roulette wheel can be examples of such. Other scientist suggests that the radioactive decay might be included as a possible example under the frequency probability. Frequency theorists argue that when one is tossing a coin, the probability of getting a tail is 1/2, they don’t rely on the simple explanation of chance, but rather on the expectation that a repeated series of numerous trials show that the empirical frequency will ultimately converge to the limit ? as the number of tossing goes to infinity. The mathematical definition hence becomes, therefore P (A) = P. this approach is not without its set back, infinity is assumed

Evaluation of alternative growth paths available to organizations Essay

Evaluation of alternative growth paths available to organizations - Essay Example Everything takes some time and any initiative taken by a new entrant takes some time to fructify and yield desired results. There are four different strategies that can be chosen by a new entrant to penetrate a new market. These strategies are embodied in what is popularly known as Ansoff’s Matrix (Pearce and Robinson 2007). The four pronged attack that a marketer must implement in order to make a mark in a new market are aptly embodied in this matrix which clearly identifies between existing products and new products and existing markets and new markets. The pictorial representation of the matrix is: (tutor2u 2009) It is quite obvious that the strategies differ in different situations. If a company wishes to make its presence felt in an existing market with existing products it needs to adopt strategies that would help it in penetrating the market. But if the company is attempting to introduce new product in an existing market, it needs to concentrate more on strategies relat ed to product development as that would help it in creating a firmer hold on the existing market. Similarly, if the company is attempting to introduce existing products in new markets, it must concentrate on strategies that are closely associated with market development. Whereas, if the company has grand plans of entering new markets with new products it must embark on a path of diversification and devise relevant strategies. Market Penetration Product/market placement This strategy attempts to increase the market share of an existing product in an existing market and is generally adopted by firms that want to increase their turnover without altering their product portfolios. Main Principles As the main emphasis is on increasing the turnover, management should concentrate on increasing sales personnel while offering attractive discounts and bargain sales that are made to appear genuinely appealing through aggressive sales promotion and advertising. However, there is no assurance tha t such moves would pay dividends and a firm should adopt such strategies only if it feels the market has not matured or its market share is steadily decreasing due to onslaught of rivals. Organizational Example The best example of such market penetration strategy is observed in the way Airtel is promoting its services in the mobile telephony market in India. Pros and Cons There is bound to be a lot of investment in advertising and promotion and per unit revenue gets reduced due to discounts. So, the sales volumes must be sufficiently large to offset these reductions. But that can never be guaranteed. However, if the venture becomes successful, the firm can earn substantial revenue. Market Development Product/market placement When a firm tries to discover new markets for an existing product it is termed as market development strategy. It is obvious that a new market would result in additional turnover and consequent bolstering of the bottom-line. Main Principles There are two basic m ethods of focusing on a potential market. Such a market can be configured on the basis of geographical location such as state, country, region or even a city, or it could be delineated on the basis of demographic divides as gender or age. It could even be demarcated on the basis of income or educational or family background. This move is obviously riskier than market penetration as the firm is entering new and uncharted territories and should be undertaken only after potential for further expansion in domestic market is exhausted. Organizational Example The best example of market development strategy is exemplified by the ventures made by Pakistan Oil Company in new markets in Afghanistan or the way Chinese products, especially consumer products that have expanded their market all over the world. Pros and Cons A