If Music Be the Food of Love, Play on - 1089 Words

If Music be the Food of Love, Play on Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination; Music itself is a form of mood, it’s an explosive expression. Its something we are all touched by. No matter what culture were from, everyone loves music. As Bob Marley said â€Å"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.† There are certain times good and bad in my life that I can remember just by a song that might play. It’s that recollection of place, time and mood, it brings you back to that moment even if you don’t want to go there. The creation, performance, and even the definition of music change according to culture and social context. I’m sure there is that one song†¦show more content†¦Sometimes, the Patients needs are addressed directly through music; in others they are addressed through the relationships that develop between the client and therapist. Music therapy is used w ith people of all ages, including: psychiatric disorders, medical problems, physical handicaps, sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, communication disorders, interpersonal problems, and aging. It is also used to: improve learning, build self-esteem, reduce stress, and support physical exercise. â€Å"World Health Organization has estimated that there are an increase number of cases deaths from cancer in the near future. Cancer has become one of the most discussed. In this study, we focus on the quality of life of the cancer patients, by using music therapy and to observe the difference between pre-test and post-test results with music treatment. This study was to examine the alternative therapies using of music to enhance, and quality of life, using the Thai Hospice Quality of Life Index (T-HQOLI), in cancer patients. The 11 cancer patients were divided into two different groups; the control (non-music) group followed their routine schedules; the music group received additional music therapy with a music leader. The results from both questionnaires, collected during 4th, 8th and 12th week, showed that musicShow MoreRelatedEssay on How Music Can Affect Our Lives678 Words   |  3 Pages  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken, and so die.† In William Shakespeare’s play ‘Twelfth Night’ Orsino uttered these lines after he was frustrated in his courtship of Countess Olivia. Perhaps Orsino believed that an excess of music might cure his obsession with love the way eating too much removes ones appetite for food. But he was wrong. An old adage says music is the food of soul. The more you listen to it, the more youRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Twelfth Night1502 Words   |  7 Pagesthe text of William Shakespeare s comedy, Twelfth Night, or What You Will, is Music. The first thing that playgoers hear at the beginning is music. This music is being played for a duke, a powerful lord residing over the setting of all the characters. He is surrounded by other lords and his attendant, Curio. The duke, Orsino, cannot help but comment: If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it that, surfeiting, The appetite may sicken and so dieRead More Music in Twelfth Night Essay1321 Words   |  6 Pagespoetic and musical plays. Shakespeare writes poetic lines for the major characters, Viola, Orsino, and Olivia, and gives the Fool, and other minor characters, songs to sing throughout the play. The particularly romantic lines of the play make it seem as if the characters are professional poets themselves. Shakespeare also uses the music and poetry in Twelfth Night to foreshadow what is going to happen for the rest of the performance and to reveal major themes in the play. Music and poetry become majorRead MoreArthur Drayton Anderson And His History With Mass Media1294 Words   |  6 PagesAnderson And His History with Mass Media Growing up in the Holler of Gumfork at the food of Anderson Mountain in the Appalachians of Tennessee, Arthur Drayton Anderson, born September 13, 1948, did not have all of the luxuries other family may have had at the time. It was a forty-five minutes spell to the nearest sign of civilization, and coming out of the Great Depression, Arthur’s family was more concerned about putting food on the table than any form of entertainment. Suppertime was the most importantRead MoreA Brief Biography of David Dickau823 Words   |  3 PagesDavid Dickau David Dickau is a man whose true passion and love is music. Composing and Conducting music is what he truly loves. An Honored Conductor, Composer, and Clinician, He has Composed many Pieces such as the popular â€Å"If Music be the Food of Love†, â€Å"Dresden Canticles†, and â€Å"Stars I Shall Find†. Dickau was born in 1953 and now lives in Mankato, Minnesota, serving as the Director of Choral Activities at the Minnesota State University. He began his career there in 1991 and ever since hasRead MoreI Love Spanish Music Has Good Beats1134 Words   |  5 PagesHowever, the Hispanics brings culture to the community especially when it comes to music, events, schools, nonprofit organizations, small businesses and restaurants. As I walk around the environment, I can hear Spanish music playing at the neighbor’s house, even though I do not understand the language but it sounds nice. I love Spanish music because Spanish music has good beats. One of the good things about Spanish music is that it allows a non-Spanish speaker like myself to dance to beats without understandingRead MoreThe Fool Or Jester, Hired By Olivia858 Words   |  4 Pagesseem like it. He shows the readers this with his language, word play, puns, as well as his quick wit. In scene 5, Feste begins with â€Å"H e that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colours.† Maria also plays into the comedy of the Twelfth Night. Maria and Feste are like a comedy duo participating in quick, witty, and comedic exchanges. A theme throughout many of Shakespeare’s works, is disguise. His characters seem to love to disguise themselves. It turns to be quite important, especiallyRead MoreHard Rock Cafe Case Study1435 Words   |  6 PagesFlorida and has since then, expanded its location to more than 40 Cafà © and employee 75% of their employees throughout the United State. While serving more than 100,000 meals each day, Hard Rock Cafà © chefs are adapting to the change of new taste and music as they continue to gain 45 plus years to their existence. The Hard Rock Cafà © introduced new menus and services, memorabilia, and strategies to create an environment and experience where everyone and anyone can share laughter and joy with their friendsRead More Twelfth Night Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesIn Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night or What you Will, the characters are involved in a plot complete with trickery, disguise, and love. Each character is defined not by his or her gender o r true identity, but by the role they are forced to take because of the complicated situation that arises. Unlike their gender, the speech the characters give an insight to their true personalities. In the Twelfth Night, the character Duke Orsino uses flowery and over-dramatic language, long poetic sentenceRead MoreFilm Analysis Of The Pianist1279 Words   |  6 Pages2002 by Roman Polanski and was based on a 1946 memoir of Szpilman by the writer Jerzy Waldorff. It follows the perspective of Wladyslaw Szpilman and how he survives the abundance of destruction from the Nazis in WW2 with only the comfort of his love of music. This film depicts the harrowing journey of Wladyslaw and how as pivotal events occur, the more desperate he is to survive when he is faced with deadly encounters and inhumane living conditions. Polanski portrays desperation through specific shots

Dignity Of Difference Free Essays

Globalization has been described as the interconnectedness of the world through new systems of communication (Sacks, 27). Thus it’s simply the increased interaction of the world through trade, communication, education, which is brought about by limited restrictions. In the book â€Å"The Dignity of difference† Sacks portrays the world as a global entity by ascertaining that the issue of globalization be it economical, political or cultural has it advantages as well as shortcomings . We will write a custom essay sample on Dignity Of Difference or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"In globalization its benefits are not spread evenly, there are winners and losers† (Sacks 2002, 27). . The economic aspect of globalization according to sacks is old enough in that â€Å"integration of distant regions into a single international economy has been a continuous process extending back for many centuries† (27) Economic globalization The phenomenon of globalization has greatly impacted today’s society in a tremendous way. According to Sacks Economic globalization has been achieved through a number of factors that have led to increased interconnectedness of different parts of the world. Such factors include the presence of free market, which is characterized by increased movement of goods and services across the countries, through use of common currency, through international banking institutions such as the international monetary funds, the World Bank and common trade organisations such as the world trade organization. In the book Sacks cites that economic globalization has led to increased movement of goods which has led to increased availability of variety of goods which leave the consumer with freedom of choice, further it has led to increased job opportunities â€Å"Free market is the best means we have yet discovered for alleviating poverty and creating a human environment of independence, dignity and creativity†(Sacks,2002,16). Increased trade and employment opportunities, further lead to improved living standards. However despite the said advantages, the benefits don’t reflect evenly all over the world especially due to capitalism which emphasizes on wealth creation, favoring the rich but imposing a heavy burden on the poor. Sacks, cogently explain that the issue of globalization which has led to capitalism, it’s difficult to comprehend in that it has it has its disadvantages. For instance it has led to increased inequality. Due to this phenomenon the gap between the poor and rich has increased tremendously leading to increased poverty level. According to Sacks as a result of increased shift of production employment rates decline leading to unemployment especially in poor countries. Due to globalization ,the rich countries restrict trade in that they impose tariffs and subsidies on goods, which are imported from developing countries this affects the, poor countries GDP often leading to increased suffering of citizens Another negative effect of globalization according to Sacks is the problem of debt created by international financial institution who often led money to poor and developing countries. This debts are mostly accompanied by heavy disciplinary which according to Sacks, hurt the countries infrastructure and growth. In essence sacks quips that due to globalizations the moral consciousness brought about by the emerging inequalities is completely destroyed leading to a shift in people behavior as individuals move their attention from family members to the neighbors and the outside society. Also economic globalization has been viewed as to undermine the peoples sense of moral responsibility, in that due to global market ,individuals and countries find it hard to understand their responsibilities, for instance Sacks explains situation where due to increased transactions caused by global market an individuals responsibility is rendered irrelevant. Sacks, also blame the September 11 attack on globalization in that the attacks were planned through internet and as a result of capitalism. He states that, the very elements of capitalism made it possible for such attacks on innocent civilians to take place. Alternatives to conflicts For ages conflicts have continued to exist in the world often leading to tremendous and disastrous repercussions on mankind. These conflicts such as terrorism and poverty according to sacks have resulted despite increased globalization. In his book the Dignity of difference, Sacks tries to emphasize on the importance of virtues such as humility, restraint reverence, and ability to listen in trying to confront human problems, especially those associated to religious ideologies. In the book also Sacks quips that for the world civilization to completely destroy the evil associated with globalization especially the increased acts of organized crime, its important to incorporate in the society the ideals of religious traditions and wisdom. In that such attributes are the â€Å"sustained reflections of humanity’s place in nature and what constitutes the proper goals of society† (Sacks 2002, 12). in essence Sacks stresses the utmost importance of respecting the differences of others which should be celebrated in a way that promotes dignity. The book the Dignity of difference by Sacks highlights on importance of the world civilization to embrace tolerance and respect while dealing with those who are unique and different from us. In that it’s important to recognize the uniqueness of every individual and society. He quips that what happened in New York was as a result of crashing of civilization and could have been avoided if every religion had respected and acknowledged its differences while maintaining dignity. Thus for us to solve modern conflicts and problems we should embrace religion and respect each others differences. Conclusion It’s wise to conclude that though globalization is a blessing it has led to increased conflicts and suffering. And as such if humanity is to survive the onslaught of the dangers posed by globalization religion is paramount, whether Christianity, Islam or Judaism. How to cite Dignity Of Difference, Papers

Journal Of Retailing And Services Consumer -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Journal Of Retailing And Services Consumer? Answer: Introduction Over the years, the creation of high quality customer experience has become a leading concern among the objectives in the management industry. The focus on consumer experience has rapidly gained importance, because in the recent years, consumers have begun to interact with the business organizations through various mediating channels like feedback portals, company official site, social media and surveys. This literature review proposes to evaluate and analyze the current articles published in this context. The first section of the paper discusses the various theories and models for the different agendas present within the definition of customer experience. The second section discusses the management of customer experience in the business and management industry. The third section provides discussion on the management of customer experience. The fourth section presents and demonstrates on the topics that have not been yet researched or discussed in the context of customer experience. Consumer Experience Theories Consumer experience attributes to certain qualities on the part of the customers as well as the industry or business organizations the customers are related to (Peppers and Rogers 2016). There are various agendas within the consumer experience that mainly forms the framework of the experience of the customer. Among these are the customer purchasing behavior, customers loyalty and satisfaction towards the brand, the quality of service that the firm offers, relationship marketing, customer engagement, customer focus or customer centricity, and customer relationship management (CRM). Role of Customer Purchasing Behavior Various theories focus on the factors motivating the customer purchasing behavior and their purchasing experience. Among the many models the most important and influential is the model developed by Howard and Sheth that determines the direction of the purchasing process of the consumers, moving from requirement to recognition, to purchasing and finally to the assessment of the product purchased (Lemon and Verhoef 2016). A different model was developed in the context of the role of advertisements that influence a consumers buying decisions the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action Model (AIDA) (Wolny and Charoensuksai 2014). The AIDA model explains the process of a customers engagement with the firm. When it comes to marketing, it is important to get the attention of the customers or the potential customers through advertising that the relates with the customers, which in turn develops an interest in the product or service of the firm among the customers. Once the customers have establishe d an interest in the products, the firm develops strategies to induce a desire of purchasing the product within the customers by demonstrating services beneficial to them, which then drives them into the action of buying the product. These models have been sufficiently influential in determining the factors that inspire the purchasing decisions of consumers. Promotion of Consumer Brand Loyalty There have been extensive studies conducted that confirmed that customer satisfaction rising out of the firms performance has had positive impacts on the customers response and in the retention of customer brand loyalty (Ramaseshan and Stein 2014). Customer brand loyalty is influenced by many factors. To state an instance, a firms pricing strategies influence customer brand loyalty. High cost functions usually fail at retaining brand loyalty on part of the customers who are highly price-conscious. However, consumers with established brand trust on the service of a firm are more likely to retain brand loyalty. Again, customers who identifies personally with a brand are likely to retain their loyalty towards the firm because of brand symbolism. Such factors influence a customers satisfaction regarding the brand experience. Satisfaction and brand loyalty evaluates the perceptions of the consumers on the consumer experience and helps in the formation of a comprehensive understanding of t he factors working at the enhancement of customer experience. Importance of Quality of Service in Enhancing Customer Experience Service marketing came to be considered as a different area in the management framework in the recent years. Business organizations have realized that service marketing is much more beneficial than product marketing and has a stronger impact on the customers (Nasution et al. 2014). Service marketing is the process of recognizing, framing, communicating and serving customers value and managing the relationship with the customers in such a manner that would benefit both the stakeholders and the organization. Service- marketing emerged as a protesting paradigm against the product-centric activities of the firms. Service marketing ensures that not only the products but also the service of a firm towards a customer is important in determining the experience of the customers with a firm. To this end, have been developed the SERVQUAL model that determines the quality of the service provided by the firms and how it enhances customer experience through customer satisfaction. Relationship Marketing Strategies in Enhancing Customer Experience Consumer experience theories claim that relationship marketing promotes and advertises the relationship quality that includes factors like trust and commitment towards the customers and is important for the determination of consumer experience (Miquel, Caplliure and Adame 2014). Relationship marketing can be referred to as an arrangement that ensures an interest in a satisfying exchange on the parts of both the customers and the firms. Such strategies focus mostly on maintaining long-term and committed relationships between customers and firms. It is believed that research marketing is most influential in the presence of a range of competitive products in the market form which the consumers can choose to buy. One of the few popular strategies that can be influential in establishing successful relationship marketing is a web-based approach to the customers. With the rising popularity of the Web2.0 and advanced technology, most customers find it convenient to engage in online purchasin g activities. It is, therefore, recommended that business firms apply strategies that involve online purchasing portals to ensure a better and convenient experience for the customers that in turn guarantees a more stable relationship with the customers. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in Enhancing Customer Experience While relationship marketing mainly focuses on the creation of long-term and strong relationships with the customers, CRM mainly focuses on the effective utilization of customer relationships for the company profits. In this context, Payne and Frow mentions that maintaining good and long-term relationships with consumers is no longer the major concern (Peppers and Rogers 2016). Major studies have found out ways to implement strategies in a manner that ensures customer retention and better customer experience as well as a growth in the companys revenue. Some of the strategies to ensure better customer relationship management include collection of personal data of customers such as birthdays and anniversaries. This will help in gaining a better understanding of the customer and their needs and demands. The CRM team of a business must have knowledge of the most influential and high priority customers of their firm. Such an approach is called target-based allocation and ensures that the high priority customers who have invested much in the companys profit receive the best service. The CRM team must also be efficient in providing quick replies to a customers complaints. They must ensure proper investigation into the matters and take quick action as a response to a customers grievances with service provided by the firm. Consumer Centricity and Consumer Engagement in Improving Customer Experience Studies have suggested the importance of consumer-centered marketing in improving the consumer experience. They suggest that there are four stages to ensuring effective consumer-centered marketing collaboration of consumer data, attaining views on the consumers from their past behaviors to understand, development of a comprehensive understanding of their future possible behavior, and responding to the valuable feedback of the consumers (Jaakkola and Alexander 2014). Theories have also been developed that give much importance to customer engagement. Customer engagement ensures the participation of consumers in activities that go beyond the act of purchasing. Customer engagement helps in creating a stable relationship between customers and the firms, enabling the customers to engage in the company decisions. This creates a sense of value among the customers and enhances the consumer experience. Role of Consumer Experience Management in Ensuring Positive Customer Experience Studies consider the management of consumer experience as the procedure that includes framing strategies for the management of the complete consumer experience associated with the service rendered by the firm in consideration. According to studies based on the subject, there are five paradigms to the consumer experience management. The first includes the evaluation of the satisfaction of the customers regarding their previous experiences. The second involves building an appropriate platform for the implementation of strategies aimed at customer experience improvement. The third involves developing innovative and unique ideas specific to the brand in order to increase brand loyalty by enhancing customer experience. The fourth includes constructing and framing the steps to be taken to improve the customer experience associated with a brand. The fifth requires constant upgradation of the business strategies to ensure better consumer experience (Homburg, Jozic and Khnl 2013). However, ma ny studies have emphasized on managing consumer experience by addressing the consumer touch-points. Such studies refer to consumer experience management as the cultural approach towards the experience of the customers and the ability of the firm to upgrade and update their management strategies directed towards a positive customer experience for the purpose of accomplishing customer retention. According to most research enthusiasts on this topic, there are specific touch points around which the framework of customer experience strategies must be developed (Jozic 2015). Such touch points that contribute to the improvement of consumer experience include mediating channels for customer feedback, advertisements and other promotional campaigns. Management of consumer experience also has a significant effect on the business organization. In the context of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), a firms strategies that are customer-oriented prove beneficial for the firm as well. It renders them a better understanding of the consumer experience and enables to improve them their consumer experience management. It is therefore, often recommended that firms develop strategies and approaches to provide effective management of the customer experience (Eichorn 2017). Furthermore, management of customer experience requires an approach that is multidisciplinary and multifunctioning like customer service, relationship and service marketing and also online marketing strategies (Fatma 2014). Additionally, organizations need to have essential abilities like management of partner networks and evaluation of customer behavior in both past and present business scenarios. Importance of Consumer Experience Measurement Measuring customer experience is important for understanding and forming recommendations beneficial for the firm. Firms assess the experiences of the customers in order to evaluate the extent of their success in satisfying their customers. However, there does not exist any solid or strong measurement approach yet to evaluate every dynamic of the customer experience other than approaches like the SERVEQUAL. In fact, a better way to evaluate customer experience at the present time, is determining the extent of customer satisfaction through the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Customer feedback collection channels both online and offline that emphasizes on specific aspects of customer experience like the Customer Effort Score (CES) (Peppers and Rogers 2016). The customer feedback channels also help the firms to evaluate and anticipate possible customer behavior. It should also be noted that the customers journey from purchasing to using the product moves across specific touch points which dire ctly affects the consumers decisions of buying (Stein and Ramaseshan 2016). It is therefore, important for firms to recognize those key touch-points that significantly influence and inspire the purchase decisions of the customers which in turn can create a positive customer experience. Customers have been seen to evaluate their experiences from a longitudinal perspective (Klaus and Maklan 2013). They tend to judge a firm even before they have had any actual experience with the firm considered. Such an approach initiates from presentations of advertisements, promotional strategies and from the word-of mouth (Verleye 2015). It is therefore extremely important for the marketing officials to measure the experience quality of the customers both before as well as after encountering with customers in matters regarding to the service. However, this may pose challenges for the marketing officials. If the time frame used for assessing customer experience is too long it would make it difficult for the marketing financial to differentiate the customers experiences form the strategic perceptions of the brand. However, a too short time-frame would result in a faulty and less elaborate measurement of the experience quality of customers. Moreover, a quantifying approach to the mea surement of customer experience must have a more empirical and direct impact on the customers behavior for improving the relationship between customer satisfaction and the business outcomes. Literature Gap Although customer experience and enhancement of customer experience is a widely researched topic, there is still scope for conducting more extensive research on the context. As mentioned earlier, there is no strong empirical approach to conduct effective measurement of customer experience. Studies must be conducted and theories must be developed to provide ways to measure customer satisfaction and the quality of experience of customers in a more effective manner. With the advancement of technology and the emergence of Web 2.0, it is necessary that firms establish web-based approaches in strategies involving customer experience. However, there is not much research conducted on how a web-based approach can differ from the traditional approach towards customer experience and how can it be different in affecting the business growth. Research must also be conducted on developing new tools, preferably web-based, to effectively manage and measure customer experience and its impact on the de velopment of the firms. Conclusion In conclusion, it can be said that consumer experience is a rising issue in understanding the extent of a companys success. Customer satisfaction, brand loyalty of the customers, the firms service quality, strategies adopted by the firm for the sake of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are just a few factors among the ones that determine a customers experience with an association. It has also been seen that effective customer experience management and effective customer experience measurement are essential requirements to ensure enhanced and highly positive customer experience. References Eichorn, F.L., 2017. Internal customer relationship management (IntCRM) a framework for achieving customer relationship management from the inside out.Management (open-access),2, p.1. Fatma, S., 2014. Antecedents and consequences of customer experience management-a literature review and research agenda.International Journal of Business and Commerce,3(6), pp.32-49. Homburg, C., Jozic, D. and Khnl, C., 2013. Customer Experience Management.IMU Research Insights,19. Jaakkola, E. and Alexander, M., 2014. The role of customer engagement behavior in value co-creation: a service system perspective.Journal of Service Research,17(3), pp.247-261. Jozic, D., 2015.Customer experience management(Doctoral dissertation). Klaus, P. and Maklan, S., 2013. Towards a better measure of customer experience. Lemon, K.N. and Verhoef, P.C., 2016, November. Understanding customer experience throughout the customer journey. American Marketing Association. Miquel-Romero, M.J., Caplliure-Giner, E.M. and Adame-Snchez, C., 2014. Relationship marketing management: Its importance in private label extension.Journal of Business Research,67(5), pp.667-672. Nasution, R.A., Sembada, A.Y., Miliani, L., Resti, N.D. and Prawono, D.A., 2014. The customer experience framework as baseline for strategy and implementation in services marketing.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,148, pp.254-261. Peppers, D. and Rogers, M., 2016.Managing Customer Experience and Relationships: A Strategic Framework. John Wiley Sons. Ramaseshan, B. and Stein, A., 2014. Connecting the dots between brand experience and brand loyalty: The mediating role of brand personality and brand relationships.Journal of Brand Management,21(7-8), pp.664-683. Stein, A. and Ramaseshan, B., 2016. Towards the identification of customer experience touch point elements.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,30, pp.8-19. Verleye, K., 2015. The co-creation experience from the customer perspective: its measurement and determinants.Accounting of Service Management,26(2), pp.321-342. Wolny, J. and Charoensuksai, N., 2014. Mapping customer journeys in multichannel decision-making.Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice,15(4), pp.317-326.

Open Boat Theme

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory exerted such a powerful influence on multiple aspects of human life that its echo could be traced as far as in the literary fiction of the period characterized as literary Naturalism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Open Boat Theme specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the most innovative writers of his generation, the American novelist, short story writer, poet, and journalist Stephen Crane produced a series of works remarkable for their Naturalistic tendencies. Among those literary pieces, Crane’s short story â€Å"The Open Boat† is singled out by its thematic and stylistic correspondence to literary Naturalism. By means of such literary devices as setting, characters, and atmosphere, Crane efficiently develops and supports the main theme of â€Å"The Open Boat† — the impossibility of struggl ing against the eternal and permanent Nature. As it is obvious from the name of the movement, Nature is the central notion that determines the course of events in a Naturalistic story. It is represented as an eternal and impregnable matter that exists independently of the worldly vanity. Natural determinism reveals itself in the fact that despite all the man’s attempts to change the natural course of events, everything happens according to the predefined scheme. Nature is objective and remote from all the earthly suffering of man; it is neither brutal, nor friendly; it simply pursues the eternal order of things. Setting â€Å"The Open Boat† amidst the stormy sea, Crane depicts the objectivity of Nature, exactly following the Naturalistic interpretation of it as an indifferent and impartial matter: â€Å"This tower was a giant, standing with its back to the plight of the ants. It represented in a degree, to the correspondent, the serenity of nature amid the struggles of the individual — nature in the wind, and nature in the vision of men. She did not seem cruel to him then, nor beneficent, nor treacherous, nor wise. But she was indifferent, flatly indifferent.† (Crane 142) In this fragment Crane emphasizes that Nature does not possess any emotional characteristics and only acquires them through human interpretation. Nature per se is an objective course of fixed events, and it is only through man’s vision of them that those events gain some meaning.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Placed in the objective setting of Nature are four men, the only survivors of a shipwreck who are now trying to reach the shore in a tiny dingy boat. All of them — the intellectual correspondent, the comic cook, the strong and industrious oiler, and the remote yet compassionate captain — initially pursue one aim: to survive by w ay of struggling with the nature. They view the sea deep as a hostile enemy who can engulf them in the twinkling of an eye, and therefore their eyes are steadily focused on it in fearful apprehension: â€Å"None of them knew the color of the sky. Their eyes glanced level, and were fastened upon the waves that swept toward them. These waves were of the hue of slate, save for the tops, which were of foaming white, and all of the men knew the colors of the sea.† (Crane 123) Throughout the whole story Crane comments on those colors of the sea that change in accordance to the mood of the remaining crew: the waves gradually change from dark lead to â€Å"emerald green with amber lights†, to black, to â€Å"carmine and gold† (Crane 123–124, 136–137, 141). Those changes of color correspond to the alteration of the survivors’ mood: from despair and anger at their disastrous state, to the growing feeling of camaraderie towards each other, and finally , to the understanding of the necessity for cooperation not only among each other but also with the nature for the overall success of their rescue. Mutual support and association with the forces of nature appear to be the key to ultimate survival of men in the seemingly hostile natural environment. It is no mere chance that the injured captain, who has demonstrated a high level of tolerance and encouragement to his team, realizes the dangers of coming too close to the shore and being trapped into a current instead of waiting for help from the rescue station. He demonstrates an insightful understanding of the Nature’s powers from the very start of the misfortune, answering the correspondent’s question on whether they will make it to the shore by the phrase â€Å"If this wind holds and the boat don’t swamp, we can’t do much else† (Crane 127). It designates his obedience to Nature and destiny and his awareness of the higher powers that guide human ex istence. Another revealing fact in support of the Nature’s importance for human life is the fate of the oiler. Being the most physically fit and trained for the battle of survival, he ventures to reach the shore swimming without any support from the dinghy and is the only one who perishes. Such is the result of his presumption and conceit in face of the omnipotent Nature which does not forgive petty arrogance and rewards cooperation instead.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Open Boat Theme specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Stephen Crane’s short story reflects such key concepts of literary Naturalism as natural determinism and Nature’s indifference and objectivity as opposed to the vanity and frailty of men. This story of human struggle and survival in a hostile natural environment teaches the lessons of necessity for cooperation and illusiveness of man’s free will in face of the eterna l laws of Nature. Works Cited Crane, Stephen. â€Å"The Open Boat.† The Red Badge of Courage and Other Stories. Eds. Anthony Matthew Mellors and Fiona Robertson. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. 123–146. Print. This essay on Open Boat Theme was written and submitted by user Eloise Whitaker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Leda And The Swan

William Butler Yeats’ poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is an awkward recreation of the Greek myth in which Zeus takes the form of a swan in order to seduce Leda. In this poem William Butler Yeats, known as one of the greatest twentieth century poets of Europe chose to use the sonnet format to retell this story. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1965. He died at age 73. This Poem was written in 1924, just one year after Yeats won the Nobel Prize in poetry. Yeats, unlike many other poets, wrote this poem using a rhyme scheme. Leda and the Swan states two main charaters and doesn’t refer to the main event whatsoever. Leda and the swan refer to two characters and leaves the reader wondering what was the relationship that emerged and took place. Because the title doesn’t mention the rape, it brings out that a situation existed, but doesn’t put emphisis on the fact that the horrific act was invloved. The significance that the poem, even though it descibes the rape, more analyzes the relationship between Leda and the Swan In the first stanza of the poem, Yeats immediately brings the reader to the moment of supreme horror and doesn’t hesitate to let the reader know what is happening: a sudden blow, great wings beating still above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed, dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. Leda was a victim of a surprise attack. She is described as â€Å"a staggering girl,† â€Å"her helpless breasts†(Rosenthal, 115). The Swan is identified as overpowering- â€Å"the great wings,† â€Å"the dark webs,† â€Å"he holds her helpless breast upon his breast†(Rosenthal, 114). The first stanza describes this poem as a rape. The swan is not known for being a violent bird. It is a peaceful, beautiful bird. Perhaps this is why Zeus chose the swan as a disguise to surprise Leda. It was â€Å"a sudden blow.† She had no time to react, or defend herself. It seems as if she had no idea what was happening. This ... Free Essays on Leda And The Swan Free Essays on Leda And The Swan William Butler Yeats’ poem â€Å"Leda and the Swan† is an awkward recreation of the Greek myth in which Zeus takes the form of a swan in order to seduce Leda. In this poem William Butler Yeats, known as one of the greatest twentieth century poets of Europe chose to use the sonnet format to retell this story. Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1965. He died at age 73. This Poem was written in 1924, just one year after Yeats won the Nobel Prize in poetry. Yeats, unlike many other poets, wrote this poem using a rhyme scheme. Leda and the Swan states two main charaters and doesn’t refer to the main event whatsoever. Leda and the swan refer to two characters and leaves the reader wondering what was the relationship that emerged and took place. Because the title doesn’t mention the rape, it brings out that a situation existed, but doesn’t put emphisis on the fact that the horrific act was invloved. The significance that the poem, even though it descibes the rape, more analyzes the relationship between Leda and the Swan In the first stanza of the poem, Yeats immediately brings the reader to the moment of supreme horror and doesn’t hesitate to let the reader know what is happening: a sudden blow, great wings beating still above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed, dark webs, her nape caught in his bill. Leda was a victim of a surprise attack. She is described as â€Å"a staggering girl,† â€Å"her helpless breasts†(Rosenthal, 115). The Swan is identified as overpowering- â€Å"the great wings,† â€Å"the dark webs,† â€Å"he holds her helpless breast upon his breast†(Rosenthal, 114). The first stanza describes this poem as a rape. The swan is not known for being a violent bird. It is a peaceful, beautiful bird. Perhaps this is why Zeus chose the swan as a disguise to surprise Leda. It was â€Å"a sudden blow.† She had no time to react, or defend herself. It seems as if she had no idea what was happening. This ...

iOS Development in C# with Xamarin and Visual Studio

iOS Development in C# with Xamarin and Visual Studio In the past, you may have considered Objective-C and iPhone development but the combination of a new architecture and a new programming language together may have been too much. Now with Xamarin Studio, and programming it in C#, you may find the architecture not that bad. You may end up coming back to Objective-C though Xamarin makes feasible any type of iOs programming including games. This is the first of a set of tutorials on programming iOS Apps (ie both iPhone and iPad) and eventually Android Apps in C# using Xamarin Studio. So what is Xamarin Studio? Previously known as MonoTouch Ios and MonoDroid (for Android), the Mac software is Xamarin Studio. This is an IDE that runs on Mac OS X and its pretty good. If youve used MonoDevelop, then youll be on familiar ground. Its not quite as good as Visual Studio in my opinion but thats a matter of taste and cost. Xamarin Studio is great for developing iOS Apps in C# and likely Android, though that depends on your experiences creating those. Xamarin Versions Xamarin Studio comes in four versions: Theres the free one that can create Apps for the App store but those are limited to 32Kb in size which is not a lot! The other three cost starting with the Indie version for $299. On that, you develop on the Mac and can produce Apps of any size. Next is the Business version at $999 and thats the one used for these examples. As well as Xamarin Studio on the Mac it integrates with Visual Studio so you can develop iOS/Android apps as if writing .NET C#. The clever trick is that it uses your Mac to build and debug the App using the iPhone/iPad simulator while you step through code in Visual Studio. The big version is the Enterprise edition but that wont be covered here. In all four cases you need to own a Mac and to deploy Apps in the App store needs you to pay Apple $99 each year. You can manage to offset paying that until you need it, just develop against the iPhone simulator that comes with Xcode. You have to install Xcode but its in the Mac Store and its free. The Business edition does not have a big difference, just that it is on Windows instead of the Mac with free and Indie editions, and it uses the full power of Visual Studio (and Resharper). Part of that comes down to whether you prefer to develop Nibbed or Nibless? Nibbed or Nibless Xamarin integrates into Visual Studio as a plugin that gives new menu options. But it doesnt yet come with a designer like the Xcodes Interface Builder. If you are creating all your views ( the iOS word for controls) at runtime then you can run nibless. A nib (extension .xib) is an XML file that defines the controls etc in views and links events together so when you click on a control, it invokes a method. Xamarin Studio also requires you to use Interface Builder to create nibs but at the time of writing, they have a Visual designer running on the Mac in alpha state. It will likely become available on the PC as well. Xamarin Covers the Whole iOS API The whole iOS API is pretty massive. Apple currently has 1705 documents in the iOS developer library covering all aspects of iOS development. Since they were last reviewed, the quality has improved a lot. Likewise, the iOS API from Xamarin is pretty comprehensive, though you will find yourself referring back to the Apple docs.​ Getting Started After installing Xamarin software on your Mac, create a new Solution. The project choices include iPad, iPhone, and Universal and also with Storyboards. For iPhone, you then have the choice of an Empty Project, Utility Application, Master-Detail Application, Single View application, Tabbed Application or OpenGl Application. You have similar choices for Mac and Android development. Given the lack of designer on Visual Studio, you can take the nibless (Empty Project) route. Its not that difficult but nowhere as easy to get the design looking spot on. In this case, as you are mainly dealing with square buttons, its not a worry. Architecting iOS Forms You are entering into a world described by Views and ViewControllers and these are most important concepts to understand. A ViewController (of which there are several types) controls how data is displayed and manages view and resource management tasks. The actual displaying is done by a View (well a UIView descendant). The User Interface is defined by ViewControllers working together. Well see that in action in tutorial two with a simple nibless App like this one. In the next tutorial, well look in depths at ViewControllers and develop the first complete App.

Capital purchase justification Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Capital purchase justification - Assignment Example The purchase of the equipment is necessary to make the hospital run (Grantham, Haupt, Isbell, McClung, & Rettie, 2005). A CAT scan needs service providers. Selecting a service provider is always the responsibility of the procurement department. The procurement department will find a suitable supplier through researching the market. This will involve market survey on directories, form procurement colleagues, and the Internet. It will be necessary to search for more than three providers to evaluate. One of the economic advantages to deliver the CAT scan is that it will assist in saving cost by comparing prices and deliverability. Selection is made in terms of the provider that in delivering the CAT scan in time. We identified General Electric, Siemens and Medic Exchange. Selection process is done by choosing a provider from the phone book, Internet or using friends and family members. After settling for Siemens, the formal selection process is done. This was evaluation in terms of tech nical and financial evaluation. A contract was signed by the vice president because it was capital equipment which needed high authorization to Siemens to provide the CAT scan needed. It is necessary to the company to analyze the available options for making the right choice. The first step is to document organizational needs by putting the details and specifications by making the Vice President aware of our reasoning’s and justification for our actions. The company analyzed what Siemens could do concerning the CAT scan. The identifying potential sources were also considered by doing research of which organization is capable of providing the CAT scan. Information sent to Siemens is an introduction including contact information. A summary of business needs was prepared by drawing a proposal request for the CAT scan. An invitation to participate was sent to all three vendors for participation in the selection process. The date proposed was for a one-on-one discussion of key iss ues. The third step is to initiate vendor discussions on issues of the site and training or personnel to use the CAT scan. Then non-responsive vendors will be weeded out through both technical and financial evaluation. The fourth step is a final vendor round up. This is the final stage to make an offer and obtain the contract. One of the most important parts of the process is making a decision and sticking to it. This suggests reviewing material facts from the two meetings with each vendor, and a decision is made (Healthcare Financial Management Association (U.S.), 2009). A research article by Grantham et al. points out two aspects on how teams respond favorably to a request for information security budget costs justified with a clear ROI business case. There is also a developing concept of risk based ROI. The concept quantifies taking action of cost and risk associated and how this should be minimized by implementing a proper security infrastructure. This concept is used to purchas e insurance for the CAT scan. If a security breaches occurs as a result of not implementing the proper procedures, the associated costs far outweigh the cost to replace the CAT scan. This was an issue that was addressed with the vice president. To help avoid these liability costs is the goal. This is how the percentage of return on investment (ROI) is calculated. This is often the case when actual security risks are

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic Research Paper

Iran from 500 - 100 BC - Artistic - Research Paper Example It was eventually restored to Persian control between 330 and 100BC, and prospered into the modern era again. The area covered by modern day Iran was then called Persia, and as mentioned in the Bible and in Greek history and literature, it was a proud nation at the heart of a great Empire. Much of our knowledge comes from Greek and Jewish sources because original writings from that location have been lost. This means, unfortunately that some of the historical information is somewhat biased. The Greeks admired the skills of the Persians in producing fine works of art in metal, with precious jewels, and in sculpture, painting and weaving, but at the same time saw them as a threat, and dismissed their culture as â€Å"barbaric.†i Some scholars have noted that the best Greek imperial artefacts of this period such as statues and monuments demonstrate the use of styles and materials, such as gold, which they borrowed from the so-called â€Å"barbarian† culture of Persia.ii Al though very little in terms of writings has survived from Persia in this period, there is fortunately quite a lot of archaeological evidence in the form of metalwork, such as precious armlets in silver and gold, and carved stonework with a distinctive theme: â€Å"The realism of Achaemenian art manifests its power in the representation of animals, as can be seen in the many reliefs at Persepolis. Carved in stone or cast in bronze, the animals served as guardians to the entrances or, more often, as supports for vases, in which they were grouped by threes, their union a revival of the old traditions of tripods with legs ending in a hoof or a lion’s paw.†iii Some of these animal images are realistic, like bulls and horses, while others are more figurative, like griffins and strange creatures with lion’s heads and wings. Another art form that was perfected by the Persians in this period was inlay work, using precious stones that were obtained via the extensive tradi ng networks that the empire had built up over the preceding centuries. The devolved system of government used by the Persians meant that local governors (called â€Å"satraps†) looked after the infrastructure of the empire, and collected taxes. They also made sure that great cities were built and maintained with impressive architecture, including tombs for great leaders, temples for the predominant religion which was Zoroastrianism, and buildings for legal and commercial activity. This infrastructure is evidence of considerable wealth, allowing citizens to learn new decorative trades and arts. The city of Susa, which is often known by its Greek name Persepolis, is a fine example of the high level of planning in city architecture that the Persians were capable of. Another major innovation which the Persians enjoyed was the creation of a postal system, consisting of good roads with posting stations placed a day’s ride from each other.iv Official documents, trade items, a nd all kinds of ideas travelled along this network, making Persia the envy of the civilized world in those days. Reflection It was very interesting to read that even in this early period Persian carpets were famous across the world for their luxurious quality. I think that the cold of the desert areas at night in winter time caused the

Create atmospher Essay Example for Free

Create atmospher Essay The writer creates a tense, aggressive and misleading atmosphere. Miller creates a tense atmosphere as Eddie is attacking Rodolfo with sneery comments to lower his self esteem and make Rodolfo look bad in Catherines eyes. The quote thats why the water front is no place for him (Rodolfo) Eddie is making Rodolfo feel unwanted and like this place is no place for you. Also this could imply that Catherine also no place for him and he needs to back off. In the stage direction Miller make the atmosphere tense by I quote (has has been unconsciously twisting the newspaper into a tight role) and everyone is looking at him and acknowledging him knowing how much Rodolfo annoys him. Then miller writes in the stage direction about the paper suddenly tears in two this doesnt only show eddies frustration and strength but also could symbolise Eddie and Catherines relationship, it shows if Eddie keeps on pushing her and twisting their relationship and eventually it will break and Catherine will have to make a decision and that is exactly what happens later on in the play when Catherine has to chose between staying with Eddie or going with Rodolfo and she finally feels she needs to stand up for herself and grow up so goes with Rodolfo. Eddie then moves on to how Marco and him should go see a fight together, and constantly addressing Marco showing he feels Marco as the only person who can put Rodolfo down a peg or two, he loves the dominance over Rodolfo so then takes advantage of this by always asking for Marcos approval on matters on how Rodolfo has done bad, like when Catherine and Rodolfo were out late at the pictures and Eddie states about how Rodolfo might get picked up if hes out that late and how he dragged Catherine off and shouldnt be out so late with her. Marco asks Eddie what has he done and Eddie tells him about being late In and Marco say to Rodolfo you come home early now Eddie loves how Marco can embarrass and be dominant over Rodolfo. When Eddie is talking about fighting Marco is uneasy because he can see that its not a good idea, but Eddie is making the atmosphere so misleading he is being nice and saying things like you want to come and I treat you and he says Ill buy the tickets at this point the reader is not sure of what is going to happen but we have this thought at the back of our head that its not a good idea and foreshadowing danger. Then the atmosphere turns violent and tense, it starts out Eddie saying about how he could teach Marco how to box, then he turns to Rodolfo and then states well come on, Ill teach you instantly this seems an innocent gesture from anyone else but not Eddie, he knows what he is doing and just wants to get back at Rodolfo. He is saying Ill show you a couple a passes these are all excuses he just wants a chance to inflict pain on Rodolfo. Boxing is another manly sport that feminine Rodolfo cant do, and Eddie knows this so takes advantage of this weakness knowing he wont be able to defend himself so expects Rodolfo to be weak. It then turns out that Rodolfo is very good and both Eddie and Marco are praising him so this all seems like a bit of fun but then Eddie is egging him on to do worse and saying dont pity on methrow it we then get this superstition that its not going to turn out well. Eddie then states you cant hurt me but we know this is not true because Rodolfo has already hurt him but through Catherine instead, Eddie knows this and takes advantage of this all the time making the atmosphere tense and aggressive, Eddie knows he has sort of lost Catherine to Rodolfo and is determined not to lose to Rodolfo at something Eddie is good at. Catherine then becomes scared and is the only one sensing trouble so asks what are they doin? and Beatrice doesnt think anything of it and is happy they are finally getting on and cant see the trouble behind it. Eddie seems fine and happy then all of a sudden fakes a punch and lands his right on Rodolfo, Rodolfo staggers. Marco then rises this shows that Marco is not afraid to stand up for his family and is kind of warning to Eddie. Then Catherine rushes to Rodolfo this will seriously anger Eddie as it seems Catherine has already made the decision to go with Rodolfo instead. Eddie senses Catherine is angry with him so instantly comments on how Rodolfo is fine and saying did I hurt you kid? he is trying to keep the atmosphere neutral and not get on the bad side of Catherine. Beatrice then puts and end to it and says thats enough to Eddie. He then says to Marco Ill teach him again and in the stage directions It states Marco nods dubiously this shows that Marco weary of this. Eddie is made out to be a bully and Rodolfo seems even better in the eyes of Catherine for being so good at boxing and not fighting back to Eddies punch. After the boxing the atmosphere becomes tense again Rodolfo puts on the record paper doll and we know that this record has created quite a tense atmosphere in the past because the lyrics symbolises the love triangle between Eddie, Catherine and Rodolfo. The lyrics state about how Catherine is Rodolfos girl and not Eddies anymore and Its tough to love a doll thats not your own and thats how Eddie feels. We know that this was not a good idea for Rodolfo to do then he asks Catherine to dance. Marco can see that Eddie is uncomfortable with this, so Marco sets him a challenge he places a chair in front of him and asks him to lift the chair by one leg and with one arm behind your back, Marco only demonstrates this though, this may imply that Marco wants to be the dominant one and show Eddie how its done after Eddies pathetic attempt to do it, Eddie then proceeds to accept the challenge it. Eddie cant do it and never faults himself and how its because the chair is on an angle not because he isnt strong enough. This could also symbolise about how Eddie feels his judgments are right about Rodolfo and now Marco needs to show Eddie some dominance and prove Eddie is wrong. Marco then raises the chair exactly how he showed Eddie and he carries on hiring the chair all the way above his head and holding it there. The stage directions state Marco gives of a glare of warning to Eddie all the while still holding the chair over his head, he is stating to Eddie to back off and leave Rodolfo alone before he does something his regrets. His glare then turns into a smile of triumph this shows that he has dominance over Eddie and control. Marco ends the scene as the most powerful man. All the while the atmosphere has a constant theme of tension and aggressiveness. In this extract there is pathos which means you feel sympathy for a someone and this particular person is Eddie. He never seems to get what he wants and has been seen as a bully and not a nice person in everyones eyes. We feel pity for him as Catherine has shown she has chosen Rodolfo over Eddie and now Eddie seems powerless and not the man of the house when Marco shows his act of dominance.

Animal Farm Compared To The Russian Revolution :: compare contrast

Education is not as prominent in the book as during the Russian Revolution. In the book, education is mentioned when Snowball finds old spelling books, once belonging to Mr. Jones. He begins to teach himself, followed by the other pigs, and finally he helps the other animals to read and write. Some of the not so intelligent animals find this quite taxing, whereas the pigs– being the most intelligent, learn the fastest. Snowball is the most interested in educating the animals, and the well being of the other animals on the farm. Just as Trotsky was intent in educating the Russian people, and their well being during the Revolution. â€Å"Napoleon took no interest in Snowball’s committees. He said that education of the young was more important than anything that could be done for those who were already grown up.† This shows Snowball’s commitment to the animals compared to the uninterested Napoleon. In the book Napoleon began his leadership role quite well, with his ideas being fair and with a positive meaning. As the story continues he becomes more corrupt, and his ideas turn into a dictatorship. â€Å"Napoleon lead the animals back to the store-shed and served out a double portion of corn to everyone, with two biscuits for each dog.† As time went on his true nature, of a power crazy character begins to surface, he becomes more selfish and the principle idea of equality no longer exists. The farm is run on terror, and no animal dare speak out against him, for fear of death. â€Å"The news leaked out that every pig was receiving a ration of a pint of bear daily, with half a gallon for Napoleon.† Just as during the revolution, when at first Stalin was fair and just but as he was given power he turns into a corrupt man with dictatorship qualities. He became more selfish and sinister. When securing his power base he engineered the permanent exile of Trotsky. This compares to the book, when Napoleon and his ‘nine sturdy puppies’ chased Snowball out of the farm. Napoleon then proceeds to portray his true nature of an assassin. Snowball is the other main leader in animalism, along side Napoleon. He was the one who was most interested in the well being of the animals and their education. The complete opposite of Napoleon. I fell if he had not been chased away (assassinated) then the idea of communism may have succeeded.

P&G Strategic Plan Essay

Executive Summary Our Procter & Gamble Strategic Plan makes available an investigation and assessment of the current and prospective opportunities for the company based on in-depth market and company research. Analyses are based on standard business strategy analysis tools, which are: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) analysis, External and Internal Factors Evaluation (EFE/IFE) Matrices, and standard financial analyses including competitive comparison with Procter & Gamble’s industry. Strategic alternatives were evaluated with the use of the Internal-External (IE) Matrix and the Grand Strategy Matrix which fed into the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). The results of the QSPM validated the best strategy to pursue. The best strategy for Procter & Gamble is the production of less expensive, yet same quality consumer goods, which we plan to implement without compromising our belief in quality and effectiveness. Introduction In order to begin a strategic plan for a company it is important to understand what that business does. Since 1837, P&G has built a rich heritage of touching consumers’ lives with brands that make life a little better every day (â€Å"Company Heritage,† 2011). P&G believes that innovation will sustain them. They have a broad range of brands and are known as the world’s leading branded consumer company since their products are sold in 180 countries (â€Å"Global Structure & Governance,† 2011). Buhovac, Epstien, and Yuthas, in their book Implementing Sustainability: the role of leadership and organizational culture, wrote: â€Å"P&G managers have widened their organizational perspective to see the broader picture and capture benefits beyond a particular issue or cost. They strive to create products that enable consumers to be more environmentally sustainable. Improving efficiency of the entire product life cycle from cradle to grave is a major focus of P&G’s sustainability efforts† ( p. 44.). A brief look at the history of P&G and their mission/ vision statements will provide a better understanding of what type of company P&G is and wants to be. History According to Procter and Gamble’s website, P&G was created on October 31, 1837 by brother-n-laws, William Procter and James Gamble. Each one had their own skills; William made candles and James produced soap. They formed Procter and Gamble to make and sell candles and soap (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). The two entrepreneurs were successful in making it through the financial difficulties of the time. The largest impact on the company at this time was the civil war in which the government contracted the company to supply soldiers with soap and candles (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). Edison’s light bulb invention caused the demand for candles to weaken and the company began to focus on making soap by opening up their first research lab. The research lab came up with Ivory flakes which served as soap to wash clothes and dishes. Chipso was the first soap designed for washing machines. Dreft was the first synthetic house-hold cleaner and Crisco, which is still around today, was an all-vegetable shortening (â€Å"P&G: A Company History,† 2006). From that time on, P&G has continued to be innovative and create new products for consumers and in 2011 ranked number 26 on the Fortune 500 list (â€Å"Fortune 500,† 2011). Mission and Vision Statement Procter and Gamble has created a mission statement to tell what their business is. â€Å"Sometimes called a creed statement, a statement of purpose, a statement of philosophy, a statement of beliefs, a statement of principles, or a statement ‘defining our business,’ a mission statement reveals what an organization wants to be and whom it wants to serve† (David, 2011, p. 44). P&G’s mission statement says, â€Å"Procter & Gamble will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers. As a result consumers will reward us with industry leadership in sales, profit, and value creation, allowing our people, our shareholders, and the communities in which we live and work to prosper† (David, 2011, p.46). P&G has also created a vision statement that states, â€Å"Procter & Gamble’s vision is to be, and be recognized as, the best consumer products company in the world† (David, 2011, p. 44). Proctor & Gamble’s mission and vision statements explain their dedication and importance of selling high quality products in order to improve people’s lives around the world while providing jobs and stimulating the economy (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). The objectives the company would like to uphold in living up to the mission statement are building existing businesses into stronger global leaders, expand to reach more markets, increase higher margins with global leadership potential, and produce more products in order to satisfy all consumers’ needs and wants. P & G believes they can improve everyone’s lives in ways that enable them to thrive, to increase the quality of living, and over time make them loyal buyers (â€Å"Purpose and People,† 2011). STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT One of the most important parts of the strategic formulation stage of the strategic management process is the assessment of a company, both externally and internally, and where that company stands in their industry. The results of these assessments will produce information that can be analyzed to determine the best strategic plans for evaluation based on the company’s present situation. The external assessment looks at forces beyond a company’s control; opportunities that can enhance and threats that can hurt their operations. The internal assessment looks at forces from within that are either strengths that can be capitalized on or weaknesses that must be offset, or both, for success. Financial and operational analysis, using the Dun and Bradstreet business ratios, looks at a company’s financial and operational success, or failure, as compared to competition within their industry. External Forces Evaluation (EFE) Matrix The following analysis is an external evaluation of the opportunities and threats that can affect Procter & Gamble. The External Factors Evaluation matrix, Figure A-1, and this supporting summary draw data from published reports, news articles, and blogs to ensure as complete a picture as possible is presented. The following opportunities and threats discussed refer back to Figure A-1. Opportunities. As Procter and Gamble is looking to find ways to bring in customers, they have used a method of observation to see what people are concerned about and what they want (Silverman, 2011). By spending $2 billion annually on R&D, Procter and Gamble have brought upon the company an opportunity, as they think about Future Growth plans with a focus on increasing concentration on its core attractive business and enhancing its customer base. Also, Procter & Gamble has been applying for and being assigned patents for â€Å"fabric care compositions and systems comprising organ silicone micro emulsions and methods employing same†¦ assigned Patent for Automatic Dishwashing Detergent Composition†¦and Process for Treating a Hard Surface using an EO/PO Trisiloxane† (â€Å"Targeted News Source†, 2011). As more women want the natural look, there is a movement towards the use of herbal cosmetics (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review,† 2011). As the manufacturer of cosmetics, Procter & Gamble have an opportunity to capitalize on this opportunity by shifting their production and purchase from synthetic cosmetics towards natural, herbal cosmetics. As the producer of Herbal Essences, the opportunity to increase a line of â€Å"herbal† cosmetics and healthcare products is wide open for the taking. Procter & Gamble have a great opportunity to take advantage of the emerging economies of countries like China, Kuwait, and India (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With increased employment and the growing desire for affluence, there is an increase in disposable income available for the purchase of known brands into a market that has little penetration from other organized retailers (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Another opportunity Procter & Gamble has developed is to branch out and invest in manufacturing in developing countries such as its chemical company, Procter & Gamble SA. â€Å"It is one of the newest P&G subsidiaries†¦in South Africa principally into production of cleaning products and beauty care products. P&G uses its South African base to export to neighboring SADC countries,† (â€Å"Procter & Gamble SA – Strategic SWOT Analysis Review,† 2011). This opportunity can help to offset a slowing economy in the United States where Procter & Gamble presently generate 41% of their 2011 sales (Hoovers, 2011). As the producer of Iams and Eukanuba pet foods, Procter & Gamble has a prime opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend of humanization of pets worldwide (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). Procter & Gamble’s market share of pet food and personal pet care products can be increased through an increase in their line of high-quality food and luxury products (â€Å"The Procter & Gamble company – Financial and strategic analysis review†, 2011). With the decline in the market and rising government debt, Jonathan Chevreau published on his Financial Post Blog Wealthy boomer a letter written by Robert Smith, CFA, CFP where Robert wrote that investors should be moving towards purchasing stocks from â€Å"solid dividend-paying companies† ( 2011). Procter & Gamble were cited as one of the companies that are a sure bet because of the diversity and necessity of their products. Procter & Gamble can capitalize on this by continuing to provide a dividend on their stocks which should attract more investors. There is a new trend advancing in the baby diaper industry. Competitor Kimberly-Clark has jumped into the trend with Huggies jeans; a diaper that looks like it is jeans material. Now they are producing a camouflage design diaper for Wal-Mart that will support Military families. Procter and Gamble has recognized the new trend by introducing floral prints for girls. John Brase, head of North American baby care marketing at Procter and Gamble is stated in an article by Bruce Horovitz (2011) as saying, â€Å"You have a group of moms focused on fashion who think of the diaper as an extension of clothing.† Another opportunity for Procter and Gamble is the demand for environmentally friendly products. In recent years there has been an increased focus on saving the earth through green choices. This opportunity has prompted Procter and Gamble to become publicly committed to long-term goals of reducing energy consumption, converting to entirely renewable energy sources, using 100% renewable or recycled materials, and eliminating disposal of consumer and manufacturing waste in landfills (Pandis, 2011).

Online Instruction In A Continuing Professional Education Setting Education Essay

IntroductionThe article I chose to supply a outline for is entitled, â€Å" The New, Modern Practice of Adult Education: On-line Instruction in a Continuing Professional Education Setting † by Brian W. Donavant of the University of Tennessee at Martin. The intent of his survey was to analyze the effectivity of on-line instruction compared to traditional bringing attacks. His survey involved quantitative research methods through the usage of pre and posttests in both the online and teacher led classs every bit good as an unfastened ended questionnaire to assist find if the potency for success of on-line direction is related to demographic variables of the pupils. This multi-phased survey was conducted in a non-academic scene utilizing police officers go oning their instruction. The about 200 participants were from the Florida Regional Community Policing Institute and varied in age, gender, ethnicity, educational background, and old ages on the occupation.Research QuestionThe ge neral inquiry of this survey was to find if there were statistically important differences in successful acquisition by the participants who learned via online acquisition in comparing to teacher lead preparation. Additionally, the survey set out step the potency of online larning success by constabulary officers and if this possible online larning success was related to assorted other factors such as race, gender, age, and educational experience. The survey besides measured the officers ‘ attitudes and perceptual experiences sing the usage of online larning for professional development. ( Donavant, 2009 ) While the writer acquiesces to the impression that the apposition of online acquisition to instructor lead acquisition in authoritative academe has been done legion times, there is small to no important research done measuring this in the sphere of professional development and go oning instruction. The deficiency of important research from this position is what motivated the research worker to prosecute this way.MethodsThe first stage of this three stage survey was an scrutiny of pre and post-test professional development tonss used to determine if larning really occurred and if there was a difference in effectivity between on-line bringings versus teacher lead direction. The pre and post-tests used anon. multiple-choice and true-false inquiries. The research worker had no control over the arrangement of the participants into control or experimental groups of people. Additionally, the research worker did non hold control over the figure of participants in each group or the continuanc e and quality of the direction. ( Donavant, 2009 ) The 2nd stage of the survey examined the potency for online acquisition success correlated to gender, race, age of the scholar, figure of old ages of constabulary service, figure of old ages of formal instruction, and old exposure to online acquisition. This rating leveraged Kerr ‘s Test of Online Learning Success ( TOOLS ) ( Marcel S. Kerr, 2012 ) which is a 45 point self-report appraisal that attempts to determine behavioural strengths and failings to mensurate possible online larning success. Participants rated each of these 45 points on a 5 point Likert-type of graduated table runing from 1 ( strongly disagree ) to 5 ( strongly agree ) . ( Donavant, 2009 ) Finally, the 3rd stage of this survey involved an open-ended questionnaire to turn to considerations of on-line bringing methods that were identified through analysis of the current literature that the writer deemed as relevant beginnings. The research worker ‘s purpose was to find other lending factors that were important to the larning experience such as willingness to take part in on-line acquisition, scholar ‘s perceptual experiences of the user of online acquisition in the sphere of professional development, and the practicality of its usage as a bringing mechanism. For the 2nd and 3rd stages of this survey, one constabulary bureau within each of the six geographic parts of the United States was indiscriminately selected and each bureau had anon. voluntaries to take part it the survey. The 2nd stage had a sum of 188 officers participate while the 3rd stage had a sum of 150 constabularies officers participate. Of the 188 officers that participated in the 2nd stage the bulk were white males ( 87.8 % and 85.6 % severally ) with a average age of 36.9 and a average figure of old ages on the force of 10.75. 75.3 % of the participants had non participated in any on-line instruction prior to this survey and the bulk listed their degree of instruction attainment as â€Å" some college † 52 % . ( Donavant, 2009 ) The stage one survey that used the historical pre and post-test consequences used a t-test to find the significance of the pre and post-test consequences comparing on-line instruction to trainer led experiences. The stage two survey besides conducted a t-test to find if there was a degree of significance between those who completed on-line instruction and those that did non complete on-line instruction. Bipartisan eventuality analysis was conducted to assist find if there was a relationship with possible success in on-line instruction and independent variables such as race, gender, and prior exposure to online instruction. The research worker so used Pearson Correlations to find important relationships between online larning success and independent variables such as age, figure of old ages of service and degree of educational attainment. ( Donavant, 2009 )ConsequencesThe stage one post-test tonss ( Teacher Lead: M=82.91, SD = 18.43 ; Online: M=73.38, SD=21.72 ) were significantly hig her than pre-test tonss for both instructor led and on-line lead instruction ( Teacher Lead: M=43.27, SD=17.96 ; Online: M=47.44, SD=16.74 ) . The ANCOVA analysis revealed no statistically important difference in the effectivity between both trainer lead and on-line bringing ( 1, 40 ) = 2.99, P = .09. ( Donavant, 2009 ) The stage two survey rendered similar consequences of deficiency of significance between online larning success and gender, race, and old engagement in on-line instruction ( I†¡2 ( 1, N =178 ) = 0.12, P = .72 ; race, I†¡2 ( 5, N = 184 ) = 7.97, P = .16 ; or old engagement in OE, I†¡2 ( 1, N = 188 ) = 3.07, P = .08. ) Where the research worker did happen some degree of significance was the correlativity between possible online larning success and the officers ‘ educational degree they achieved, R ( 185 ) = .23, P = .001. The consequences of the 3rd stage of the research indicated that a bulk of the pupils liked the convenience of the on-line instruction ( 92, 68.7 % ) but bulk besides indicated that what they liked least about the on-line educational experience ( 63, 52.9 % ) was the deficiency of interaction with the teacher as their primary ground for non wishing the on-line educational experience. ( Donavant, 2009 )DecisionThe research worker surmised that while the effectivity of on-line instruction versus teacher lead preparation are both deemed significantly effectual, the potency of on-line instruction being effectual is significantly correlated to the pupil ‘s anterior experience with on-line instruction every bit good as their degree of instruction. The research worker besides went on to sum up that by and large talking, there is no important benefit of online acquisition in comparing to teacher lead preparation when looking at it from the position of race, gender, old ages on the forc e or age. So, for an organisation sing teacher lead preparation in comparing to online instruction, they should see the person scholar and take into consideration their degree of instruction along with old experience with on-line instruction. If an organisation has a figure of pupils who do non hold a batch of post-secondary instruction, they may happen better consequences with teacher lead preparation.

Productivity †Is It In You

Productivity – Is It In You The big deal these days, especially if you are in the romance arena, is to write very short books and write to market. You pen whatever is hot, pen it quickly, and sell it fast. For example, a bunch of writers are attempting to flood the market with short, clean, billionaire romance stories, offering them at a premium, publishing one a month or more. Then theyll use Fussy Librarian, FreeBooksy, and other sites (mini-Bookbub types of promo sites) in an attempt to accelerate interest and sales. Some authors are making serious bucks doing this. (So are all these sites!) I can see the logic and have spoken to authors who are living proof of its success, but Im not sure how long this method will work. Once upon a time, free ebooks were uncommon, but then suddenly everyone jumped on that train. The cost of ebooks dropped like a rock. Now it takes more than just offering a free book to snare readers. I mean, how many of these billionaire books can one person read? Dont get me wrong. Kudos to the folks making five- and six-figure incomes from this method, but these folks will change their marketing strategies as conditions change. They are smart entrepreneurs regardless of the methods used, and they morph with tools and concepts as they materialize. But right now, with so many people shooting out books like bullets, how long before the market is glutted? Even more so, how long can an author produce like that? (I wont get into quality of the writing, because that is so subjective; plus, some authors write faster than others.) For last years words belong to last years language. And next years words await another voice.  Ã‚  ~T.S. Eliot Writers were meant to produce words, with each book supposedly becoming easier. But you might want to be careful not to burn out using this method. Writing to market is SOOO tempting, believe me. It rambles around in my head, too, only with mysteries. Mark Dawson writes his John Milton suspense novellas fast and furious. The writer who wants to make good dough at this thing (even a living) realizes that the only â€Å"formula†Ã‚  is to keep producing quality work at a steady pace.  ~James Scott Bell Writing for a living is a two-part formula: Quality + Pace. Your quality must match the quality your readers expect, and you must find a pace that wont burn you out. Dont be sucked into what other authors are doing. Choose the quality and pace that suit  you best. After all, you need to be in this business for the long haul, not just through the fads.

Euphemisms for Job Loss

Euphemisms for Job Loss Euphemisms for Job Loss Euphemisms for Job Loss By Maeve Maddox The unfortunate occasion of being dismissed from employment can be expressed in numerous ways. Some of the more familiar expressions are: to be made redundant to receive a pink slip to be dismissed to be discharged to be laid off to be let go to lose one’s job to be fired to be got rid of to be booted out to be given the boot to get the sack to be sacked to be given one’s marching orders to get the ax/axe These homely expressions still appear in headlines: Pentagon gives pink slips to thousands of soldiers, including active-duty officers Digital strategy to axe tens of thousands of central government jobs Thousands of Woolworths staff face sack in Christmas week Thousands of Doctors Fired by United Healthcare However, when it comes to carefully worded announcements issued by people doing the firing, today’s reader must exercise advanced skills of textual interpretation. Here are some of the ways firing people is described by public relations officers: realigning the workforce reallocating resources focusing on involuntary attrition rightsizing the company offering unpaid leave with the option to pursue new employment eliminating redundancy smart-sizing the company redeploying workers rewiring for growth eliminating positions rethinking our future adjusting to shifts in demand rebalancing human capital re-engineering simplifying streamlining going in another direction And my personal favorite: decruiting. decruit (verb): to remove people working for an organization from their jobs because they are no longer needed. Clearly modeled on the word recruit, this poor little misshapen invention is already being used without scare quotes: the phenomenon of companies announcing their various intentions to decruit vast numbers of people.  Ã¢â‚¬â€œStanley Bing, Fortune. Teach leaders what they must know to decruit workers when necessary. –from a brochure for a business leader workshop sponsored by Penn State. Let go of the unalterable agents. If you can’t change their work habits, then change their work place. Decruit them. Let them go. –â€Å"Tips to Lead Your Company to Success,† Miami Association of Realtors. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About TalkingBody Parts as Tools of MeasurementArtist vs. Artisan

Relationships Suffer When a Person is Depressed Essay

Relationships Suffer When a Person is Depressed - Essay Example As a person’s partner is likely to be in their company more than anyone else, and relies on them and has certain expectations for their relationship, then it is the partner which is likely to feel the adverse affects of the person’s depression more than anyone else. The exact ways in which depression causes these types of relationships to suffer, include immediate, remote and contributing factors. The immediate cause of a suffering relationship due to an individual’s depression is the psychological manifestation of the depression itself. When a person is depressed, they often experience feelings of loneliness, sadness, despair, unhappiness and isolation. These feelings are very strong and persistent in the condition of depression, hence such a diagnosis. Due to the strength of these undesirable feelings, a person can easily change in terms of demeanour, mood, personality, outlook and behaviour. They may want to avoid social activities and any occasion where they must interact with others. They may be in very low moods which makes them difficult to talk to and engaging with them while they are like this is often quite an arduous and frustrating experience. They often find it impossible to be optimistic, friendly or willing to try anything new. All of these things are a manifestation of the feelings they experience when depressed. In this way, depressions seriously can affect the individual’s relationship. If the persons partner is forced to tolerate being with someone who is unhappy, moody, pessimistic and unwilling to socialize or engage in activities, this can easily and quickly put a strain on the relationship. Another possible cause of relationships suffering when a person is depressed is previous abuse of some type, which is a remote cause. For example, if the depressed

Gender Differences in Academic Underachievement Research Paper

Gender Differences in Academic Underachievement - Research Paper Example Methods 10 Participants 10 Design and procedure 10 Data analysis 10 Summary 11 References 12 1. Introduction Background Secondary and high school students in US, UK and other countries have been witnessing an increasing drop in educational achievement of boys when compared to girls. In some of the school settings, research has found that girls outperformed boys in English more than in other subjects (Bush, 2005). While there may be many reasons for underachievement of both, it is more prevalent with performance of boys rather than that of girls. More boys who underachieve in GCSE test in the UK are found to fail or underachieve in the elementary too. It is likely that boys are four times prone to underachieve than girls of the same age. There is an ‘anti-education culture’ (Paton, 2007) gaining acceptance among ‘the lads’, particularly in the working class boys who develop a ‘counter-school culture’ in terms of ‘hegemonic masculinityâ€⠄¢ in which the teachers are also found to be accomplices to an extent (Abraham, 2008). Patterns of interaction among underachieving boys and girls are also similar as boys tend to develop anti-education culture more prominent in the early years while girls develop similar behavioural traits at later stages (Myhill, 2002). A study by AUT University in Auckland reveals that more teenage boys, as high as 72 percent, are underachieving and are over-represented in suspension and stand down rates than girls. Also, 10 percent more of girls are entering university when compared to boys (Boys underachieving in school and overrepresented in suspensions, 2009). Although, there has been a general disparity between girls and boys attending primary education in many countries across the globe, over the last three decades, the intervention of Commonwealth has ensured equality in education and gender parity. This has led to increased participation among girls on par with boys. However, underachiev ement in education by boys is a serious concern faced by almost all countries and is inevitably compared with participation and performance of girls (Jha and Kelleher, 2006). Need for the Study Motivation techniques for underachieving students, which section, is dominated by boys are to be identified to tackle the problem of underachievement in education by boys. It may be that the issue of underachievement is blown out of proportion by a section of the organization or media but the problem remains. Several researchers have tried to understand the reasons behind the anti-education culture exhibited by boys but somewhere down the line, there is a lack of clarity on the nature of problem and the necessary remedies that need to be included in addressing the issue on hand. Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to understand the reasons behind underachievement in education by boys. It is to be understood at what stage, boys who underachieve start to show behavioural or pe rformance symptoms. Gender differences and their influencing factors will also have to be related to understand the anti-education culture that boys are found to exhibit. It is also important to understand what solutions can be obtained in this regard and to what extent are they measureable. Limitations This study is limited in scope as it focuses on understanding gender differences and differences in educational performance in the different levels or forms. Although reasons for

Sales Developing and Merchandising Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sales Developing and Merchandising - Assignment Example s of the product, external sales development techniques, the tools and techniques of internal sales promotion and merchandising and role played by the staff in ensuring the success of the hotel. The hotel under consideration is called the APA Hotels & Resorts. As a point of departure, the APA Hotels & Resorts are headquartered in Japan. This hotel has a slogan that assures the clients top quality products and services. The hotel endeavours to attain non-nonsense frugality. A long side the normal services that are offered at a cost, the hotel offers a free breakfast. The rates are affordable. They range form 5500-14000JPY. The hotel has over 76 properties well spread across various nations. The hotel offers a wide range of accommodation facilities, which range from a single executive room for one person to double executive suite for two people. Consider the following cost of various classes of accommodation. In essence, the nature of products and services offered form a fundamental basis in which the organization creates its market niche. The larger the market niches the more the revenues. Essentially, in the hotel and & hospitality industry, the competition among the primary players depends on the quality of the products and the nature in which they are presented to the clients (JONES & LOCKWOOD, 2004). Giving more insight on the manner of product presentation in the modern business milieu has taken a technological dimension, which has seen numerous organizations embrace internet marketing and distribution. In the hotel industry, the hotels and resorts use internet application in creating channels, which help in the overall management of the organization (ANDREWS, 2009). The aspect of product differentiation is attributed to this context where the organizations such as the APA Hotel and Resort use the best procedures and superior raw materials to produce unique products. It is imperati ve to note that product differentiation helps APA Hotels & Resorts to identify

Pathological Explanations of Poverty

Pathological Explanations of Poverty Discuss the pathological and structural explanations of poverty. Poverty was first identified by Sir William Beveridge in 1942, as a major social evil in society. It is a highly contested and multi-dimensional social problem that has no single agreed definition. Kilty et al defines poverty as ‘an overall condition of inadequacy, lacking and scarcity’. She further claims, ‘it is destitution and deficiency of economic, political and social resources’ (Kilty et al, 1997: 30 cited in Kane Kirby, 2003: 52). Social scientists have established two main representations of poverty. These are absolute and relative poverty. Absolute poverty denotes a lack of access to a minimum level of subsistence that is required to live a healthy lifestyle. This includes basic life necessities such as food, water, clothing and shelter. In contrast, sociologist Peter Townsend defines relative poverty in terms of relative deprivation which means that the living standards of the poor are considered far too removed from the rest of society (Holman, 1978; Pantazis et al, 2006). Sociologists have identified numerous explanations for the existence and persistence of poverty. These include unemployment, homelessness, ill health, old age, lack of access to education and an underprivileged socio-economic position in society. In this essay, I will discuss two major sociological/political theories of poverty, one known as the pathological explanation and the other as the structural explanation. As part of the pathological perspective I will explore individualistic, familial and subcultural understandings of poverty. In contrast within structural accounts, I will examine class, agency and inequality approaches to poverty. In doing so, I will discover their solutions to help tackle poverty and will also evaluate the relevance of both pathological and structural explanations in the contemporary world (ibid). Pathological explanations of poverty are favoured by those on the right of the political spectrum. Firstly, according to the individualistic viewpoint social problems like poverty, unemployment and crime stem from individual deficiencies and limitations. For instance, it is argued that the poor have a character defect. They are deliberately indolent individuals who have made bad choices in life. Therefore, they are held responsible for their own plight. Individualistic explanations also attribute poverty to the biology of the poor. In support of this, Charles Murray (2000) claims that ‘by choosing to be poor people pass on inferior genes to their offspring’ and ‘over time, there is a deterioration in the genome of the poor’ (Fitzpatrick, 2011: 101). Nevertheless, it must be noted that there is no scientific evidence to prove that poverty is an innate problem (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978). Successive governments have adopted different policy approaches to tackle poverty. A historic example is of the 19th century Poor Law Amendment Act which was introduced in 1834. The act took into consideration the widely accepted individualistic ideology of its time, which believed poverty to be a moral failure of the individual. As a result, workhouses were introduced to instil discipline in poor citizens. The conditions of a workhouse were deliberately terrible in order to discourage people from applying for state assistance and instead, provide them with the incentive to find work. Later, the act was heavily criticised for purely treating the symptoms of poverty rather than the actual disease itself. Alternatively, familial explanations of poverty blame the individual’s family circumstances for shaping their disadvantaged lifestyle. For example, if a child lives in a family environment that is characterised by laziness, poor educational attainment, unemployment, delinquency and dependence on the welfare state, then the child is more likely to grow up dysfunctional (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Kane Kirby, 2003; Townsend, 1979). Familial explanations also attribute poverty to the child rearing practices of lower class families. It is argued that these families encounter multiple deprivations in life and are thus, unable to provide their children with a decent upbringing. This has a negative impact on the child’s life opportunities. According to the cycle of deprivation theory, family pathology is responsible for transmitting social deprivation intergenerationally. This is due to the belief that poverty runs in families. Furthermore, in an attempt to end the generational cycle of poverty, in 1998 the New Labour government introduced Sure Start programmes which are a form of educational intervention in the lives of children. They were set up with the aim of improving deprived children’s life chances, so that they do not face disadvantage in the school life (Kane Kirby, 2003; Shuffelton, 2013). The third well-known pathological explanation is the subculture of poverty theory which was coined by the American anthropologist Oscar Lewis. Lewis claimed that poor families exist within a subculture which is made up of unique behaviour patterns and characteristics. These are distinct from mainstream society and include: long-term unemployment, substance abuse and welfare dependency. Subcultural explanations claim that groups who share these negative characteristics are destined to remain within a self-perpetuating cycle of poverty. They begin viewing poverty as an accepted lifestyle and make little effort to improve their circumstances. However, this is not necessarily true as an individual’s changing economic circumstances can lift them out of poverty. Additionally, many people do make an effort to improve their situation through work and the education system. Overall, subcultural explanations have proven beneficial in explaining the persistence of poverty in the contempor ary world (Holman, 1978; Kane Kirby, 2003; Waxman, 1977). Pathological explanations of poverty have received considerable support from New Right theorists, the Conservative Party and other Right Wing academics like Charles Murray (1984), who is highly critical of the welfare state. Murray asserts that welfare benefits have gave birth to an underclass in society and a generation of the unemployed. He argues the welfare system is a poverty-perpetuating system, as over-generous welfare benefits have encouraged recipients’ to become dependent upon them throughout their entire lives. Nevertheless, Murray has been criticised for underestimating the desire of the underclass to be free from state assistance. Likewise, his ideological position has meant that he has also lacked focus in explaining how wider structural factors may also cause poverty (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978; Niskanen, 1996). Murray’s underclass theory has influenced contemporary government approaches to tackle welfare dependency. For instance, the current UK coalition government has adopted radical policies that involve cutbacks in benefits and the introduction of disciplinary workfare programmes, where welfare claimants are obliged to undertake voluntary work or training in return for their benefits. The coalition government has also expanded apprenticeships. The aim of such policies is to help welfare dependents regain the incentive to work. This is by teaching them the skills needed for a decent paid job. Overall, pathological explanations of poverty have numerous strengths and weaknesses. For instance, the political scientist Michael Harrington asserts that, ‘the real explanation of why the poor are where they are is that they made the mistake of being born to the wrong parents in the wrong section of the country in the wrong industry or in the wrong racial or ethnic group. There are two important ways of saying this: the poor are caught up in a vicious circle; or the poor live in a culture of poverty’ (Harrington, 1962: 12 cited in Kane Kirby, 2003: 98). Here, Harrington illustrates his support for the pathological explanation by highlighting the importance of familial and subcultural explanations in understanding poverty (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978; Niskanen, 1996). Pathological explanations have also been criticised for ignoring how wider societal and situational factors cause poverty. For example, circumstances where an individual loses their job, partner or experiences ill health may push an individual into a poverty lifestyle. In addition, the theory does not explain why particular groups like ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to poverty. For example, the structural perspective of poverty would argue that ethnic minorities experience discrimination and social exclusion in all areas of life. This is often attributed to their race, religion or culture. Within the workplace, they are treated as a source of cheap expendable labour, are provided with menial tasks and are paid well below the minimum wage. This example illustrates how social injustices can create poverty in society (ibid). In opposition to the pathological perspective, structural accounts of poverty are favoured by those on the left of the political spectrum. Firstly, according to the Marxist explanation by Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), poverty is a key ingredient of capitalist societies. All capitalist societies are characterised by class conflict between the bourgeoisies, who are the owners of the means of production and the proletariat or working class who sell their labour power in return for wages. Marxists argue that the proletariat experience marginalisation, exploitation and alienation at the hands of the bourgeoisie. This is clearly evident in the labour market where they are treated as a reserve army of labour, are made to work for long hours and are paid low wages in return. Although this enables the capitalist system to thrive, it creates inequalities in wealth and income and keeps the proletariat located at the very bottom of the social hierarchy (Fitzpatrick, 201 1; Kane Kirby, 2003) Karl Marx anticipated a revolution to occur where the proletariat collectively unite for radical social change. He argued that this revolution will give rise to a communist society which is based on equal distribution of wealth and thereby, will ensure the entire elimination of social problems. Nevertheless, Marx has been criticised for overestimating a revolution which has failed to occur. Therefore, the Marxist theory failed to come up with an adequate solution to the problem of poverty and instead, it continues to blames poverty on the evils of capitalism. Overall, Marxists argue that class conflict is an inevitable feature of every capitalist society and therefore, social class is the main socio-economic determinant of whether people experience poverty in the contemporary world (ibid). Secondly according to the agency perspective, poverty is caused by the failure of public services and inadequate welfare benefits. Although, social services play a vital role in alleviating social and material deprivation, this theory argues that they have proven inefficient in tackling poverty. Also, government policies and institutions that have been set up to eradicate poverty have not performed their duties and have failed to serve the needs of the poor. Consequently, it is argued that there is a need to improve both the access and administration of welfare services. Alternatively, advocates of the pathological explanation criticise structural explanations for advocating a hand-out approach to welfare, which they believe fosters a dependency culture and serves to perpetuate poverty in society. They argue that policy solutions should focus on making individuals self-reliant and not providing them with a cradle to grave welfare state (Holman, 1978; Pantazis et al, 2006). In response, advocates of the structural interpretation criticise pathological accounts for ignoring the rise in the number of the working poor who are also reliant on state assistance. This rise in the number of the working poor provides evidence against the pathological view that work is the best route out of poverty. Structural accounts of poverty have blamed the rise of the working poor on the retrenchment of welfare provisions by the New Right, which they argue provided people with an additional support mechanism. On the other hand, the third well-known structural perspective is based on an inequality approach and argues that poverty is attributed to inequalities in society in terms of race, gender, age, ethnicity and social class. Generally, it is argued that there is more poverty where there is economic inequality. For instance, Britain is an unequal society in terms of wealth and income. There is a huge gap between the rich and poor which demonstrated by the clear north/south divide in the country (Fitzpatrick, 2011; Holman, 1978) In order to tackle income inequality, structural viewpoints argue for a redistribution of wealth in society and the need for governments to implement inclusive policies that help integrate the poor back into society. This includes people with disabilities who face social exclusion in the labour market. Structural explanations also advocate for a change to the structure of society, and a redistributive taxation system and also greater economic growth which will create more jobs and help alleviate economic inequality. On the other hand, Unwin 2007 argues that because ‘people are both: individuals and social creatures. it is impossible to tackle poverty from just one or the other perspective’ (cited in Bourassa, 2009: online edition). Unwin argues a more effective solution would involve a combination of both structural and pathological understanding of poverty in explaining poverty in the contemporary world (Harrop, 2015: Online; Gooby, 2015: Online; Luebker, 2014). In conclusion, poverty has proven to be a highly complex and difficult challenge for all contemporary governments. Social scientists have established two compelling accounts of poverty. These are pathological and structural explanations of poverty. Pathological explanations of poverty are favoured by those on the right of the political perspective. According to the political right, poverty is blamed on individual, familial and subcultural factors. In contrast, structural explanations are favoured by those on the left wing of the political spectrum. According to the political left, poverty is a consequence of structural and societal factors. These include an individual’s social class, an inadequate agency and societal inequality which all help explain the cause of poverty in society. Research has shown that both perspectives have numerous strengths and weaknesses. One solution would involve a combination of the two perspectives, as it will offer a more holistic approach in unde rstanding and tackling poverty in the contemporary world.