Journal 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Journal 4 - Essay Example American Dream that promises success for all is not true for Blacks as they are not successful but as a community and with unity, they can succeed. He wishes for Black survival and power but not through armaments but through unity. Merton’s strain theory states that actions of individuals are influenced by structure of society. Butch and Willie, the characters of All God’s Children: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence, both are the victims of a society that drags them towards criminal doings as they are deprived of their basic rights due to which, they are made to do violent acts. Societal inequality pushes people to do wrong. According to Agnew, people become criminals because they are stressed or strained in their lives because of mistreatment of their family or society or because of scarcity of monetary means. In their lives, they become upset due to which, they show negative emotions such as hopelessness, resentment and aggravation. Willie also goes through such occurrences and is brought up in an environment that pushes him towards wrongdoing. According to Merton, American society promises material success to all but is unable to provide equal opportunities to its dwellers due to which, people are strained and motivated to adopt illegal measures to get closer to their goals such as Willie adopts. He uses violence to get what he requires, which is a crime. He is stressed because of his family’s ill treatment along with the society. He is unable to gain equal rights due to which, he is pushed towards using violence towards getting his

Implementation of strategy power politcal Essay

Implementation of strategy power politcal - Essay Example Corporate politics in one time or the other has been considered to lead to divisiveness, which is considered as bad for the organization. However, there are times when corporate politics needs to be rejuvenated for the sole purpose of enhancing changes. These changes are mainly incorporated in the process where the organization is rising from a stable phase to a phase where the fundamental changes are crucial. Strategy implementation on the other hand involves change management. This therefore installs corporate politics with a definite role to take part in strategy implementation. In case of creating political harmony or political tension it is advisable that strategists identify the particular moment where politics can be used to get the wheels of various operations rolling and at the same time know the moment of shunning politics and embrace harmony (Kozami 362). Argument for In an organization, power is said to be derived from five different sources namely; legitimate power, rewa rd power, expert power, referent power, and coercive power. Reward power is attributed to the ability attributed to managers to appreciate positive results by rewarding them. Legitimate power is attributed to the ability of managers to use their status to affect an outcome. Referent on its case is attributed to the ability of managers to form a preference among working subordinates, which arises from ones personality. Expert power is attributed to the expertise the manager has and is identified by others while coercive power is deals mainly with the penalization act undertaken by the manager after a negative outcome has taken place. According to Kozami, strategists mainly use these powers to affect and influence the outcome behaviors of different organization members. Politics dwells mainly on how power is used and the relationship created by various management coalitions of consensus building for organizational purposes. Manifestation of corporate politics is vibrant due to the con ditions created by the nature of an organization (Kozami 362). According to Smith in America, policymaking does not cease to exist once the bills become law. Instead, it continues as various executive agencies have the mandate to establish systems and rules of implementing these laws. These actions in return have a huge impact on the profit margins, strategic planning, and overall management of various industries and corporations. A good example is in the case of the Federal Communications Commission when it decides on which of the broadcasting stations are to be offered licenses (Smith 203). In the business environment, Bridge et al suggests that the strategic decision makers are supposed to embrace the competitive aspect of the industry they operate in. This is because the industrial structure mainly affects the competition in the industry as it offers strategic choices for corporations (Bridge et al 308). Human factor is one of the crucial factors that are considered in strategic management. Leadership in this case is considered at a strategic judgment perspective. One of the attribute that define strategic management is strategic choice. This therefore indicates that any executive judgment despite of it being good or bad is supposed to be made before strategic choices are made. It is

Understanding The Sociological Analysis Of Divorce Sociology Essay

Understanding The Sociological Analysis Of Divorce Sociology Essay Divorce is considered a major social problem in the United States of America (USA). Divorce impacts the lives of many people outside of the divorcing family including many aspects of society. Divorce is playing an active role in reshaping the culture of the USA by changing the definition of the family (Schaefer, 2008). Because divorce is a problem in the eyes of Americans it merits sociological analysis using the Sociological Imagination and the three sociological perspectives: Functionalism, Conflict Theory and Interactionism. The definition and concepts of Sociological Imagination will be outlined first. The social issue of divorce will be viewed from this set of concepts to see how divorce affects individuals and society as a group. A description of the major ideas and concepts in each of the three major sociological perspectives will be followed by an analysis of divorce by each perspective. Using each of the perspectives will uncover useful insights and information concerning th is issue. Finally, concluding ideas will be presented and supported. To be able to see the interaction between the person and their community, for example, is crucial to developing a Sociological Imagination. However, Sociological Imagination is much more complex than Mills definition. When a sociologist uses his or her Sociological Imagination it is the imagination part that is most interesting and enlightening. For example, you walk into a room filled with people talking and engaging in normal social behavior. Without intending to you begin to observe those people and their actions in a very biased way. You bring cultural, gender and economic biases with you as a normal part of your consciousness. Observing objectively, thus scientifically, would be out of the question in this situation. Now, imagine you are an alien observing the same group of people interacting in the room. Because you are not a human you do not have human biases such as viewing a male doing the dishes with disdain. It is easy for the alien observer to truly see interactions in a scientific manner. The alien observer would not think that any action or behavior is unusual or wrong, the action or behavior simply is. Sociological Imagination is an amazing way of observing human social behavior and human groups because it encourages the observer to see objectively and then ask the most important question in sociology: why? Divorce must be considered using microsociology and macrosociology when using the Sociological Imagination. Divorce affects the family, a microsociological group, immediately and sometimes drastically. Divorce affects the entire country, a macrosociological group, sometimes long after the divorce and in many small ways that add up to bigger problems. It can be argued that divorce is only a personal problem. Take, for example, a young married woman without children. Divorce would impact her economic status and economic future. For a young woman going through a divorce negatively affects her ability to provide basic housing and nourishment needed to be a productive citizen. She might even need to file bankruptcy to be able to move on with her life in a meaningful way. This can be seen as only her problem. She will have to deal with bad credit scores for years to come and may have to take lower paying jobs or live in undesirable apartments as a result. She may become depressed and perform poorly at her job as well. These personal hardships carry over into her family and workplace groups quickly and with detrimental effects. However, using the Sociological Imagination provides insight into how divorce influences much more than her and her family. Divorce impacts the society she lives in several ways. The bankruptcy she filed would negatively affect the already unhealthy economy. Because of her low credit scores she might not be able to earn as much as she is actually capable of thus, she will spend less on essentials than she might otherwise. As she is pushed deeper into a lower socioeconomic status her spending will also fall which slows economic growth. Because she has become poor she probably cannot afford private healthcare, so she relies on public healthcare to provide her with medication to combat her depression. Her divorce had become a public problem. The Sociological Imagination encourages observations such as this to better understand the implications of personal issues on a societal scale. There is another way to look at the young divorcees personal problem when using the Sociological Imagination from a macrosociological view point. It can be argued that her divorce is rooted in a deeper social issue within the culture that she lives. For example, the social issue of poverty could have caused her divorce. Many marriages end because of financial hardships. If the divorcee and her then spouse were living on wages that placed them under the poverty level the stresses of providing adequate housing and nourishment would have been great. There are many other social issues that could contribute negatively to a marriage such as domestic violence causing divorce to occur. The Functionalism perspective in sociology states that society is structured the way it is in order to maintain its stability thus, its survival (Schaefer, 2008). The key concepts are balance, harmony and evolutionary, not revolutionary, change within the current scheme. The way the society functions now is the way it should be because everything serves a purpose. This perspective sees society as a complex system that promotes stability by guiding individuals with a social structure that provides certain social functions. Anything that disrupts the current social structure or functions is seen as dysfunction. If some part of a society does not contribute to the current architecture of stability it will not remain. Manifest and latent functions of institutions are of particular interest to this perspective because they illuminate facets of societys structure. The Functionalism perspective overlaps with conservative political views and deals with macrosociological groups such as an ent ire country. Conflict Theory is a perspective that views society as groups that are struggling over power or resources (Schaefer, 2008). The key concepts are tension, inequality and revolutionary change. Society is the way it is because of inequality, and this inequality should be actively opposed. This perspective views society as an arena of disparity that generates conflict and change. Change is seen as a positive force for a society. Conflict theorists are interested in why some people have so many resources while others have so few and how this is either being maintained or changed. The Feminist view is closely related to the Conflict perspective because both deal with inequality (Schaefer, 2008). Feminist view looks at disparity between the genders in terms of womens lower statuses in most societies. It asserts that gender inequity is the force that is at the center of behavior and the status quo. Both the Feminist view and the Conflict perspective overlap with liberal political views and f ocus on macrosociological groups such as American women. The Interactionist perspective, also known as symbolic Interactionism, generalizes about individual social interactions as a way to see society as a whole (Schaefer, 2008). The key concepts are interactions, relations and symbolic meanings. This perspective views society as a product of everyday interactions. Humans are viewed as living in a world of meaningful objects with an emphasis on the importance of symbols. This perspective is closely related to social psychology. The dramaturgical approach and nonverbal communication are of particular interest to this perspective because they help to clarify how personal interactions are accomplished. The Interactionist perspective overlaps with libertarian political views and deals with microsociology such as a symbolic exchange between coworkers. Divorce when viewed from the Functionalism perspective contributes to the stability of the society as a whole. Fewer divorces would actually be dysfunctional because divorce serves a purpose. For example, as a result of divorce many lawyers, judges and court officials are employed. The public system of healthcare employs doctors, nurses and social workers that treat and care for the poorer people in society including those that have lost so much because of divorce. Without the current rates of divorce many people would be unemployed. Unemployment would destabilize societal structure therefore divorce rates must remain where they are to ensure survival of the social scheme. The status quo must remain in place. Divorce when viewed from the Conflict perspective must be analyzed as a microcosm of society. Conflict theorists would describe the divorce as the competition for resources and power within the marriage where both parties cannot come to an agreement. The struggle over resources generates tension that results in a change in the marital status. Looking at divorce from the Feminist view can be seen as conflict between a woman that is addressing the inequality stemming from her gender role and a man that does not want to relinquish power or resources to her. For example, she may have wanted her own checking account with private access to funds while her husband saw this as an unacceptable amount of power for her to have. The resulting tension caused a revolutionary change in their social structure. Divorce is seen in this light as a positive force because it is changing an inequality. Divorce when viewed from the Interactionist perspective examines the choices that each individual has made, the interactions between husband and wife, and the symbolic meaning of marriage and divorce. Nothing is right or wrong is it simply a way of looking at society from a very small scale while determining how these interactions shape the larger group. A symbolic Interactionist would ask the divorcee what she thought about the meaning of marriage and divorce. Her information taken with thousands of other interviews would form a picture of the current meaning of divorce. For example, the institution of marriage as a symbolic contract between a pair of people and the community has changed. Marriage was at once a status symbol and rite of passage. It used to mean you were on the right track in life and providing stability to your community. Conversely, divorce was seen as a great shame and something to be hidden if at all possible. Today multiple divorces are not uncommon. The stigma attached with divorce has declined just as the necessity of marriage has declined. Using the Interactionist perspective uncovers the changing meaning of divorce as a symbol in society. Of the three sociological perspectives the Conflict perspective and Feminist view offers a more convincing and applicable view of divorce. It answers why divorce happens in the most logical way. Americans are the most self-centered and arrogant people in the world. American culture upholds money, beauty and power as the most important goals one should work towards attaining in life. These values do not promote long term relationships. They promote conflict. For example, tensions arise in a marriage because of the struggle over money, property and power in a relationship. When one person in the marriage becomes unable to handle the disproportion of resources a disagreement occurs. Womens historical gender roles are still in effect. Because women are still expected to manage a household while working a full time job frustrations arise. These issues as well as countless others contribute to the current divorce rates. The Feminist view supports this idea by saying that the center of the problem is gender inequality while examining the ways in which it is still occurring. Conflict perspective explains how these problems arise and how they cause divorce by uncovering the perceptions, attitudes and values within the culture that give rise to the conflict.

The Tragedy of Macbeth :: Classics, Shakespeare

â€Å"Macbeth,† written by William Shakespeare initially described the main character, Macbeth, as an honorable, brave, loyal hero. He was a Scottish General and thane of Glamis. Macbeth fought for his country and supported the king. Macbeth was looked up to and admired for being so courageous and brave. He understood the difference between right and wrong. Macbeth was a man who seemed to have everything, including a loving wife! So what happened to this great man? How did he change from a hero to a villain in a very short time? Macbeth had a very bad character flaw. He was a powerful man, but he was not virtuous; thus, he allowed many outside influences to invade his thoughts and he acted on them! He was immoral. The first outside influence that allowed Macbeth to begin showing his true colors was the three witches. The witches addressed Macbeth as Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland (1.3.49-51). Initially Macbeth is stunned by the way they addressed him and he had many questions. He was confused and, yet a bit excited. His best friend, Banquo, was with him and both of them began asking questions. Banquo was told that he would father a line of kings (1.3.68). While Macbeth and Banquo were still talking with the witches and asking them questions, they disappeared. Two of the king’s men arrived and told Macbeth that King Duncan had sent them to thank him for defending the country and that King Duncan wanted to see Macbeth to give him good news. They told Macbeth that King Duncan told them to call him thane of Cawdor (1.3.107). When the witches’ first prediction came true, Macbeth began to think that he might become King of Scotland. In doing so, he imm ediately began to think about murdering King Duncan (1.3.135-141). This is the first sign of the evil that lies within Macbeth! Macbeth sent a letter to Lady Macbeth to tell her of the witches’ predictions and how the first prediction came true. While reading the letter, Lady Macbeth, thinking about her husband’s nature as she knew it for many years, felt that he had ambition but that he did not have a mean streak that would allow him to kill King Duncan (1.5.15-19).

Child Development: My Virtual Child Essay

My Virtual Child has been a fun and interesting experience. In order to raise a child a person has to be patient, calm, and prepared for any situation. Raising a virtual child prepares and gives you tips for the real world. However, this essay will discuss and compare how my virtual child and I are similar by using specific examples while referring back to the child development concepts and research and also the similarities between my middle childhood and my child’s and how it relates to the topic of social relationships within the family. As I recall my middle adolescent years, I remember having small arguments with my mother over any and everything. The reason for this was because I believed I was able to think and do certain things on my own without anyone’s opinion. My middle adolescent years, when I was in middle school, was when I thought I was grown and becoming more independent and often disagreed with my caregivers. I would argue with my mother over clothes in the shopping mall, what chores I did and did not want to do, and about having a bedtime. I felt as if I had a say so since I was the person who thought of it or was going to do it, but at the end of the day my mom and I always got along. This example of me also has some things in common with my virtual child and his behavior. Beginning at the age of twelve and continuing occasionally until the age of fourteen my child began arguing with me and my partner. Similar to what I would argue with my mom about. He argued with me about issues such as bedtime, chores, curfew, clothing choices, music choices, and much more. At the age of twelve and fourteen my child was discovering his own identity and becoming independent behaviorally and emotionally (Cook & Cook, 2010). However, we still got along pretty well. These two examples of my virtual child and I are both related to the topic of teens developing autonomy and conflict with parents that’s discussed more in depth in Cook & Cook (2010). The two examples of my virtual child and I are similar because the both of us were in the process of developing autonomy. Autonomy is the ability to think and do things on your own, control actions, and take responsibility for your own behavior (Cook & Cook 2010). Teens typically argue with their parents over things that occur every day. This is normal and teens feel that they have the choice and option to do anything that they want. This is when conflicts occur because the development of autonomy is not fully developed. Arguing with a parent about rules depends on how the teen view the problem especially if the teen see it as being personal (Cook & Cook 2010). My child and I both saw it as a problem when rules were enforced about chores, bedtime, and clothing choices. These things are seen as personal to teens because it involves them. I wanted to wear what I chose to wear and not what my mom chose for me and this is related to my development of autonomy and the same goes for my virtual child. Dealing with teen-parent conflict is not as bad that it may seem. Parents and teens having conflict with one another have positive outcomes such as development in identity, understanding others views, and improved reasoning (Cook & Cook 2010). Although parents and teens have conflict does not mean they hate each other. They actually have close relationships depending on the parenting style, like my mom and I and my child and I. These conflicts usually end when someone gives in or drops the situation. My child and I relate in many ways when it comes to this topic about teens developing autonomy.

Hell Hath No Fury Like Medea Scorned Essay

In Euripides’s Medea, revenge can lead to destructive actions. This theme is a central part to the tragedy, mostly because it pops up time and time again. Euripides, through the use of motif, makes Medea’s desire for revenge seem conceivable. Not only has Jason left her by marrying Creon’s daughter, but Creon has exiled her from Corinth because she â€Å"nourish[es] rancorous ill will toward [Jason and Creusa] whom [he] intends to protect† (Euripides 92). The protagonist is left with ultimately nothing and blames her misfortune on Jason. Throughout the play, Medea is described as a very determined and passionate woman who will stop at nothing to serve her sweet revenge. The death motif supports Medea’s theme of revenge because it foreshadows her plans for vengeance. Medea shows the horror that can come when a person lets desire for revenge rule one’s life. Death pops up very early in the play, when â€Å"death is [Medea’s] wish† (87). She explains how she wishes death on herself, her enemies, and her children. She could â€Å"think of nothing but the death of three persons† (96). This foreshadows her plans for revenge because she eventually kills Creon, his daughter, and her own children, leaving Jason with nothing. Medea’s plan for revenge starts with her children delivering a golden wreath and cloak that is cursed to burn the wearer’s body to death to Jason’s new wife Creusa. This leads to not only the death of Creusa, but also her father, Creon. Although Medea has caused much damage and havoc, her vengeance does not stop there. She wants Jason â€Å"crushed, boneless, and crawling,† and she wants to sever all ties with him (119). She claims that â€Å"as long as [my children] live; I shall be mixed with him† (120). This brings her to her final and most destructive act of revenge: she kills her own children therefore leaving Jason with no wife or power. Ultimately, Medea’s theme of revenge is supported throughout the tragedy and ends with Medea coming out victorious yet left with nothing to live for in her life. Death is brought upon multiple characters and is mentioned multiple times throughout the play. Euripides, by using theme and motif, sends a clear message that revenge can seem to control one’s meaning of life and leave a person empty and with nothing except for a rancorous spirit. Medea ends with the protagonist exiting, carrying her dead boys with no home, family, or a reason to live. The protagonist’s need for revenge leads to irreversible destructive actions that not only leave Jason with nothing, but Medea as well.

Free Essays on Greek Art

During the classical period, Athenian Dominance greatly affected architecture. The war between the Greek city-states and Persia (499-480 BCE) interrupted almost all temple building for a generation while the Greeks concentrated on restoring their defensive walls, civic buildings, and the fleet. Athens emerged as the leader, controlling the war chest of the Delian League, Panhellenic league; the city initiated extravagant program to rebuild the sanctuary of Athena on the Acropolis. The Parthenon, Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheum were built entirely of marble and elaborately decorated with carved moldings and sculpture.The architects were Callicrates and Iotinus, and the chief sculptor was Phidias. A large school of builders and sculptors developed in Athens during the second half of the fifth century BCE. Most of these craft workers were freed slaves from the eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps as a consequence there developed in Attica a unique blend of the Doric and Ionic orders seen in the fortified sanctuaries as well as in Athens. The Corinthian order resulted from long civil wars during the fifth century BCE (Classical period). The Ionian cities recovered more quickly from the civil war under Persian sovereignty. The colossal sixth century BCE temples and altars were replaced on a grander scale. Several Ionian cities were rebuilt on a grid plan that has been credited to Hippodamus of Miletus. The rise of Macedonia and the conquests of Alexander the Great heralded the Hellenistic period. Old building types became more complex: altars, gate buildings, council houses, stoas with two or three levels, and theaters with large attached stage buildings. Many new building types were introduced, including the nymphaeum, monumental tomb, columned hall, choragic monument, clock tower and light house. Many of these structures were decorated with dramatic marble sculpture. Hellenistic architects ma... Free Essays on Greek Art Free Essays on Greek Art GREEK ART Ancient Greece: A Comparative Essay Ancient Greece 950 BCE was a culture that took great pride in perfection, excellence and overall greatness. The people weren’t what today’s society would consider modern, but of their time they were. The Greeks essentially molded the creative world with their intelligence in art, architecture, and astronomy for many cultures to come. The Romans, who claimed the Greeks developments as their own, destroyed many of their ideas and art forms. Even though so much of the Greeks culture has been destroyed, much of it still remains within society today. So many aspects of modern day life have been in some way, influenced by the Greeks. The Greeks were a culture that strived for perfection, and harmony. They were fascinated with the human form, and this is revealed in most of their artwork. The Greeks were the first to glamorize the perfection of the human body during the archaic period. Using balance and proportion they sculpted what they considered to be the perfect male and female forms. They called the male the Kouros. He was considered to represent Apollo (a Greek God) or the perfect male athlete. The Kouros was always depicted nude in a contrapposto position, meaning one foot in front of the other, and facing forward. He had braided hair, no eyeballs, (Greeks believed that the eyes were the windows to the soul) and an archaic smile. The female figure was called the Kore; she was a freestanding fully clothed figure, usually depicted draped in jewelry. The Kore was much more youthful looking than the Kouros. She also had no eyeballs and the infamous archaic smile. These two forms of Greek sculpture along with others can be related to our society today. The Kouros and Kore served as antique models. What the Greeks considered to be ideal body types have influenced our own views. Men should be muscular and strong, and women youthful and well dressed. The Kore was depicted more full fi... Free Essays on Greek Art During the classical period, Athenian Dominance greatly affected architecture. The war between the Greek city-states and Persia (499-480 BCE) interrupted almost all temple building for a generation while the Greeks concentrated on restoring their defensive walls, civic buildings, and the fleet. Athens emerged as the leader, controlling the war chest of the Delian League, Panhellenic league; the city initiated extravagant program to rebuild the sanctuary of Athena on the Acropolis. The Parthenon, Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheum were built entirely of marble and elaborately decorated with carved moldings and sculpture.The architects were Callicrates and Iotinus, and the chief sculptor was Phidias. A large school of builders and sculptors developed in Athens during the second half of the fifth century BCE. Most of these craft workers were freed slaves from the eastern Mediterranean. Perhaps as a consequence there developed in Attica a unique blend of the Doric and Ionic orders seen in the fortified sanctuaries as well as in Athens. The Corinthian order resulted from long civil wars during the fifth century BCE (Classical period). The Ionian cities recovered more quickly from the civil war under Persian sovereignty. The colossal sixth century BCE temples and altars were replaced on a grander scale. Several Ionian cities were rebuilt on a grid plan that has been credited to Hippodamus of Miletus. The rise of Macedonia and the conquests of Alexander the Great heralded the Hellenistic period. Old building types became more complex: altars, gate buildings, council houses, stoas with two or three levels, and theaters with large attached stage buildings. Many new building types were introduced, including the nymphaeum, monumental tomb, columned hall, choragic monument, clock tower and light house. Many of these structures were decorated with dramatic marble sculpture. Hellenistic architects ma... Free Essays on Greek Art I Greek Art INTRODUCTION Greek Art and Architecture is the product of Greece and the Greek colonies from about 1100 BC to the 1st century BC. It has its roots in Aegean civilization, but its unique qualities have made it one of the strongest influences on subsequent Western art. Greek art is characterized by the representation of living beings. It is concerned both with formal proportion and with the dynamics of action and emotion. Its primary subject matter is the human figure, which is also the form of the divine; monsters, animals, and plants are secondary. The chief themes are from myth, literature, and daily life. Few undamaged originals of Greek architecture or large sculpture remain, and no large Greek paintings have survived. An abundance of pottery vases, coins, jewelry, and gems have survived, however, and along with Etruscan tomb paintings, these give some indication of the characteristics of Greek art. These treasures are supplemented by literary sources. Such travelers as the Roman author Pliny the Elder and the Greek geographer Pausanias saw many works that have since perished, and their writings give much information about the artists and their creations. Architecture, painting, and large sculpture up to about 320 BC had primarily a public function, being employed to produce religious objects and to commemorate important secular events, such as athletic victories. The major arts were used by private individuals only to decorate tombs. Decorative arts, however, were chiefly for private use. The average household contained a number of well-made painted terra-cotta vases, and some wealthier households had bronze vessels and mirrors. Many terra-cotta and bronze utensils incorporated small figures and reliefs. Greek architects usually worked in marble or limestone, using wood and tile for roofs. Sculptors carved marble and limestone, modeled clay, and cast works in bronze. Large votive statues were made of hammered... Free Essays on Greek Art Ancient Greek Art The art of the ancient Greeks and Romans is called classical art. This name is used also to describe later periods in which artists looked for their inspiration to this ancient style. The Romans learned sculpture and painting largely from the Greeks and helped to transmit Greek art to later ages. Classical art owes its lasting influence to its simplicity and reasonableness, its humanity, and its sheer beauty. The first and greatest period of classical art began in Greece about the middle of the 5th centuryBC. By that time Greek sculptors had solved many of the problems that faced artists in the early archaic period. They had learned to represent the human form naturally and easily, in action or at rest. They were interested chiefly in portraying gods, however. They thought of their gods as people, but grander and more beautiful than any human being. They tried, therefore, to portray ideal beauty rather than any particular person. Their best sculptures achieved almost godlike perfection in their calm, ordered beauty. The Greeks had plenty of beautiful marble and used it freely for temples as well as for their sculpture They were not satisfied with its cold whiteness, however, and painted both their statues and their buildings. Some statues have been found with their bright colors still preserved, but most of them lost their paint through weathering. The works of the great Greek painters have disappeared completely, and we know only what ancient writers tell us about them. Parrhasius, Zeuxis, and Apelles, the great painters of the 4th century BC, were famous as colorists. Polygnotus, in the 5th century, was renowned as a draftsman. Fortunately we have many examples of Greek vases. Some were preserved in tombs; others were uncovered by archaeologists in other sites. The beautiful decorations on these vases give us some idea of Greek painting. They are examples ...

Free Essays on Educational Leadership

To begin with, teachers, like all individuals, should be treated with dignity, respect, and confidence ¡Xthe same way students should be treated. All teachers, whether young or old, extraordinarily competent or staggeringly inept, deserve systematic support and assistance to change, grow, improve, and share. This can only be accomplished through effective leadership. A process known as the supervisory behavioral continuum, is an effective model for displaying behaviors used in a decision-making process. Skillful and effective use of this model and knowledge of human behavior can ultimately save time, money, and prevent unneeded friction between administration and staff. The continuum gives the supervisor a method to deal effectively with everyday issues that occur at the workplace, and to come up with a workable solution that makes everyone happy. Consider the four approaches to working with and supervising teachers: non-directive, collaborative, directive-informational, and directive-control. In a situation where the teachers are self-starters, who are resourceful and curious, and who work well professionally, a non-directive approach letting the teacher take the lead in their development would be the appropriate approach. In a situation where a lack of common learning goals across departments or grade levels and teachers working mostly in private, a directive informational approach would be appropriate. In a situation where a school with a common history of fragmented efforts to improve but little open and visible collaboration among teachers to see each other at work or to review the work of each other's students, a collaborative approach would be appropriate. Finally, in a school marked by isolation, routine, privacy, stagnation or decline in the achievement of students, and resistance to individual or collective change, directive-control is necessary. The direction of leadership and development of instructional change sho... Free Essays on Educational Leadership Free Essays on Educational Leadership To begin with, teachers, like all individuals, should be treated with dignity, respect, and confidence ¡Xthe same way students should be treated. All teachers, whether young or old, extraordinarily competent or staggeringly inept, deserve systematic support and assistance to change, grow, improve, and share. This can only be accomplished through effective leadership. A process known as the supervisory behavioral continuum, is an effective model for displaying behaviors used in a decision-making process. Skillful and effective use of this model and knowledge of human behavior can ultimately save time, money, and prevent unneeded friction between administration and staff. The continuum gives the supervisor a method to deal effectively with everyday issues that occur at the workplace, and to come up with a workable solution that makes everyone happy. Consider the four approaches to working with and supervising teachers: non-directive, collaborative, directive-informational, and directive-control. In a situation where the teachers are self-starters, who are resourceful and curious, and who work well professionally, a non-directive approach letting the teacher take the lead in their development would be the appropriate approach. In a situation where a lack of common learning goals across departments or grade levels and teachers working mostly in private, a directive informational approach would be appropriate. In a situation where a school with a common history of fragmented efforts to improve but little open and visible collaboration among teachers to see each other at work or to review the work of each other's students, a collaborative approach would be appropriate. Finally, in a school marked by isolation, routine, privacy, stagnation or decline in the achievement of students, and resistance to individual or collective change, directive-control is necessary. The direction of leadership and development of instructional change sho... Free Essays on Educational Leadership â€Å"The three core tasks of expert school leaders are the standard fare of apologist for cultural realignment: articulating a vision, devising strategies to attain that vision and empowering followers† (Gronn 1996) A cursory understanding of the concept of any single leadership theory may lead to the belief that a shift to only one type of leadership style is a panacea for struggling schools. A more thorough analysis of the history and theory behind the different concepts of leadership in general and educational leadership in particular, the moral, ethical and intellectual capacity of the leader may be more significant than the leadership theory he/she practices. In trying to evaluate the efficacy of leadership styles as a practical possibility, four have been identified: transactional, instructional, transformational, and invitational and discussed with a current middle school principal. Transactional Leadership Theory Transactional Leadership as noted by Gronn, â€Å"comprises a technology of control that facilitates an exchange relationship with followers entailing reliance on the management by exception and contingent reward or inducement typical of supervisory management levels† (Gronn, 1996: 15). (See also Leithwood, 1992: 9) According to Leithwood, Transactional practices are considered to be essential to maintaining the organization while transformational practices provide the incentives for people to attempt improvement in their practices. (Leithwood, 1992: 9). This leadership style is primarily a situation where individuals and groups go their own way in an organization and pursue their own objectives, having transacted their legitimacy form the leader, either by obtaining resources to complete tasks or others forms of legitimization. Such organizations are task rather than process oriented, and less successful at managing innovation and change, where the focus is on one person, the leader. Interview response ...

Boudicca the Revolt

But despite the obvious Roman agenda that has been intertwined within the recounts of Tacitus and Dio, they remain to be the only credible primary sources of information and provide the most accurate reports of the revolt’s eruption, core and aftermath. Differences and contradictions exist in both accounts of the revolt, with Tacitus harbouring a more lenient attitude towards the British in his collections, ‘Agricola’ and the ‘Annals’. Tacitus suggests that the underlying cause of the revolt was the mistreatment of the Iceni tribe by the Romans following Prasutagus’ death. Tacitus writes in Agricola, ‘the Britons dwelt much amongst themselves on the miseries of subjection†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ introducing the idea that the native’s rights had been suppressed and that the revolt was partly at the fault of the Roman government. Tacitus, in the Annals, proposes that frustration and resentment grew within the Iceni after the Romans ignored Prasutagus’ will to share the rulership of the tribe between the emperor and his two daughters. Instead, Roman officers and slaves alike attacked his kingdom, publicly flogging his wife, Boudicca, and raping his two daughters. Outrage ensued within the humiliated tribe, subsequently leading to the rise of the revolt. Tacitus’ account of the events that led to the revolt display a soft tone of sympathy towards the natives, whilst also openly criticizing and condemning the treatment the Iceni received; thereby providing the most objective viewpoint of the revolt’s roots. On the other hand, Cassius Dio submits other reasons behind the eruption of Boudicca’s revolt in ‘Dio’s Roman History’. Dio introduces the idea that the Iceni were searching for an ‘excuse’ to strengthen the notion that the Romans were tyrants in order to ignite the rebellion and overthrow the invasion, ‘an excuse for the war was found in the confiscation of sums of money that Claudius had given to the foremost Britons. ’ Dio proceeds to propose another possible cause, focusing on the money that Seneca, hoping to garner profit from interest, lent the natives and later demanded back through harsh strategies. However, Dio concludes that ‘the person who was chiefly instrumental in rousing the natives and persuading them to fight†¦ was Boudicca. Dio’s approach to the revolt presents the British tribes as greedy; killing seventy thousand people for the sake of the money that was taken from them. Cassius Dio projects biasness towards Rome in his work, hence the title of his historical collection ‘Dio’s Roman History’. This is especially clear when Dio, in his collection, chooses to overlook the growing frustration amongst the native tribes that was caused by the aggression of the Romans, as suggested by Tacitus and other minority sources. Manda Scott, British author of the ‘Boudicca’ series, agrees that the financial conflicts between the native tribes and Rome were essential to the breakout of the war; however, she insists that the conflicts were because of Roman greed for money, opposing Dio’s insistence on presenting the blame upon the British natives. Tacitus and Dio’s accounts of the revolt bring forth different perspectives in regards to the causes. Yet, both historians have recorded similar information in regards to the events and the aftermath. In Tacitus’ ‘The Annals’, Boudicca’s army destroyed Camulodunum and burnt down the Temple of Claudius – referred to as ‘Citadel of Tyranny’ by Paul Sealey a major symbolic victory for the Trinovantes, whose land was seized for the construction of the temple. The large army then advanced to Londinium, where Suetonius was awaiting them. However, upon contemplation, Suetonius decided to abandon Londinium to its fate on the basis of his army’s numerical inferiority, a decision that was morally criticized by Tacitus, ‘unmoved by lamentations and appeals, Suetonius gave the signal for departure. Tacitus portrays the rebels as barbaric during their campaign, recounting that they ‘could not wait to cut throats, hang, burn and crucify. ’ Similarly, Dio, in ‘Roman History VIII’ also depicts the Britons as savages by describing in detail their methods of torture, ‘They hung up naked the noblest women an d then cut off their breasts†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ After the rebels ravaged Londinium and Verulamium, in an unknown location, Suetonius gathered his army of 10,000 men. Suetonius positioned his men in a position that gave the British the impression that they were trapped, giving the Romans the advantage of deceiving their opponents before an ambush attack. As Boudicca’s army of, according to Dio, 230,000 men encountered the experienced Roman soldiers, Dio writes that Suetonius ‘could not extend his line the whole length of hers†¦ so inferior they were in numbers. ’ For this reason, the army was divided into three bodies, to which Suetonius delivered three speeches of encouragement and comfort, saying, ‘Up, Romans! Show these accursed wretches how far we surpass them†¦ Fear not. Meanwhile, Boudicca also delivered a speech to her army that further fueled their rage, ‘†¦old people are killed, virgins are raped†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ whilst also giving them confidence to fight, ‘they will never face the din and roar of all our thousands’, before ordering them to charge. As the large army charged toward s the Romans, Tacitus writes that Suetonius signaled his men to throw their javelins at the approaching mass. John Nayler, historical consultant, explainss Suetonius’ strategy as to move as one shielded body, so as to act as a defense, whilst those at the front used their short swords to kill attackers. Meanwhile, Tacitus’ account, ‘then, in wedge formation, they burst forward’, supports this theory. As the battle begun and their forces clashed, Dio’s account suggests that the battle was initially even between both sides as the ‘heavy-armed were opposed to the heavy-armed, cavalry crashed with cavalry†¦the barbarians would assail the Romans with a rush of their chariots. ’ However, as events unfolded, order was lost and chaos unfolded, ‘horsemen would overthrow foot-soldier and foot-soldier strike down horseman. Neither Tacitus nor Dio provide further detail other than that the battle continued ‘for a long time’ but ‘finally, late in the day, the Romans prevailed. ’ As many as eighty thousand Britons fell according to Tacitus, but as for the Roman casualties, both historians deliberately give the illusion that the Romans were not massacred in order to maintain the reputation of their victory. There exist co ntradictions between Tacitus and Dio in regards to Boudicca’s fate, with Tacitus claiming that she poisoned herself whilst Dio writes that he died of illness. Manda Scott supports Tacitus’ account, suggesting that this would be the most plausible explanation considering the grief that Boudicca would have experienced after the mass slaughter of her people as well as the loss of her two daughters. Along with the Britons’ defeat and the loss of their leader, they had also suffered from famine due to neglecting their crops that year. As for the aftermath of the revolt within Rome, Tacitus recounts that Suetonius prolonged the war through punitive operations, gaining criticism from Classicianus. These criticisms, in turn, were received by Rome, who had interests to stop the war immediately so as to save resources and lives. Therefore, Nero sent his freedman, Polyclitus, to assess the situation in Britain, resulting in the replacement of Suetonius by Turpilianus in the hopes of improving relations with the natives. To conclude, Boudicca’s revolt, though ending in a military failure, was a spectacular failure that displayed to the Romans the strength and determination of a race that they had seen as inferior. Due to this revolt, which comprised of inexperienced tribesmen and women, the dynamics of the Roman government in Britain had shifted as Nero realized the core importance of maintaining good relations with the tribes. Both Tacitus and Dio have played major roles in retelling the story of Boudicca and the legacy of her political revolution, providing essential information and details that have helped modern historians to study and observe Boudicca and all the events that surrounded her. s

Lifecycle of a successful nightclub Research Paper

Lifecycle of a successful nightclub - Research Paper Example Nightclub goers seek fun, refreshment, entertainment, food, and accommodation. A successful club should have the potential to attract new club goers and maintain the patronage of the occasional club goers. As such, the nightclub should situate in a secure location and possess the required club and liquor license. At the same time, the nightclub should possess a unique â€Å"club† mood that makes it stand out from the rest. Most importantly, the employees of the nightclub should be hospitable. Notably, several factors affect the nightclub life cycle and nightclubs go through different development stages to become successful. Indeed, some nightclubs are more popular than others are as seen in the Marquee’s case study where Marquee succeeded where other clubs failed. Hence, there is need to understand the basics of the nightclub business and its lifecycle for enhancing a longer profitable life of a club. Body 1 The personnel of operating a nightclub as seen in the Marqueeà ¢â‚¬â„¢s case study involves managers, security people, bar backs, waiters and waiters, door attendants, bartenders, and a DJ (Elberse et al., 2009). For a nightclub owner to establish a successful nightclub, it is necessary for them to try other forms of entertainment like restaurants to understand the entertainment business (Klebanow, 2007). Indeed, Tepperberg and Strauss were initially event promoters where they established a good customer base that later came to Marquee nightclub. Moreover, there is need for clear bar business concept for the nightclub. Additionally, we should do a market research (Earth Bar, 2013) to derive a clear understanding of the nightclub business (Klebanow, 2007) just as Tepperberg and Strauss spent their time in major hotel, restaurant, or club opening in Vegas. More so, for a successful nightclub we should not be mean in spending (Klebanow, 2007) and should strive to create attractive and appealing environments. As such, there is need for adequate spa ce, amenities, lighting, parking, and other club aspects. Indeed, we can see how Marquee stood on a space that was functional and efficiently laid out to accommodate drinking, entertainment, dancing, and special events (Elberse et al., 2009). Notably, a successful nightclub should cater for different types of people as seen in the case of Marquee, which had three separate spaces for professionals, socialites, filler crowd, and bottle service customers who were mostly celebrities. Indeed, the club has seven different kinds of bars located in the main room, the library, and the Boom box area (PartyLasVegas.us, 2013). Notably, to sufficiently carryout these operations, there is need for a well-trained staff (Earth Bar, 2013) to offer hospitable, excellent, and clean services. Indeed, we can see that Marquee had trained staff, which offered exceptional services, which made the nightclub a one-stop shop for hospitality in New York (Elberse et al, 2009). A professional DJ to provide enter tainment and play the right music is also very significant in a nightclub. Marquee had invested heavily on a top class DJ. Most assuredly, any nightclub must offer a wide variety of alcoholic drinks to its different types of customers. Notably, Marquee offered different alcoholic

What arguments can be given for and against the desirability of the Essay

What arguments can be given for and against the desirability of the existence of interest groups or (as Madison called them) factions in a democracy Which position do you think is correct - Essay Example The desirability of the existence of interest groups is quite high in the United States of America, because due to their existence, the civilians or the public are able to communicate their issues and concerns to those who are in various positions in the government. There are various interest groups in the US, and the civilians can find one according to their concerns at any point in time. One of the main purposes of any interest group is to influence policy-makers and the way American public system is shaped; interest groups have enough say in the policy-making process. Interest groups have been really effective mainly due to the power imbalance of the parties that are in the government; this imbalance has been created due to difference in power structure of the two branches of the US government. The desirability of interest groups has increased because of several reasons. The same government decisions may be hurtful for one group or community and fruitful for others; thus, those hurt by government policies use interest groups to lobby to make these policies more favourable for them. Sometimes, when a political party representing one side of population is elected, it may be prone to work for the interest of that particular side, so other sides feel neglected; therefore, such people create interest groups to make sure that their interests are not harmed. As an individual, one might not have the power, resources and voice to influence public policies; therefore, interest groups are seen as a means to achieve power and resources for certain individuals who want to safeguard their interests. Several interest groups are in existence in the US, and they are there for different purposes. Another important function of interest groups is to ensure that the members of the government do not devise policies for their own interests and attach equal importance to different individuals within the US; this ability of interest groups is regarded as oversight power. For

Discuss how social media can be used to build a brand community and Essay

Discuss how social media can be used to build a brand community and illustrate your answer with detailed examples of such use - Essay Example It goes without saying that technologies and social media, in particular, contribute to the development of the collective brand identities and, therefore, brand communities. The example of Apple Macintosh suggests that social media, including blogs, forums, and social networks, facilitate the creation and expansion of brand communities, through the creation of shared meanings, the development of groups and clubs, elimination of any formal hierarchy, and diversification of communication instruments and ties. Brand communities Brand communities are among the most popular topics of present day market research. The rapid advancement of technologies and social media, in particular, contributes to unprecedented growth of brand communities and groups. According to Muniz and O’Guinn (2005), â€Å"brand communities are nongeographically bound collectives of brand admirers who, through their ability to aggregate and community at very little cost, assert themselves as important marketpl ace collectives† (p.65). Brand communities are always about building and sustaining a common, collective identity in their members (Muniz & O’Guinn 2005). ... Needless to say, brand communities develop and operate through the subcultures of consumption which differ from brand communities but also share numerous common features with them. Subcultures of consumption Unlike brand communities, subcultures of consumption is a separate society subgroup, which self-selects as a result of developing shared commitment to brand, product class, or consumption activity (Heding, Knudtzen & Bjerre 2008). The basic features of a subculture of consumption include (a) social hierarchy; (b) shared ethos; (c) unique lexicon and ritualistic features; and (d) unique ways of symbolic self-expression (Heding, Knudtzen & Bjerre 2008). Subcultures of consumption exemplify a collective view of numerous brand communities and identities. In the current state of global marketing, brand communities are of particular importance for firms, since they primarily focus on shared brand meanings and do not normally reject the prevailing society’s culture (Wiegandt 2009 ). In this sense brand communities’ reliance on low-cost communication methods and social interaction implies that social media do play a role in their development and expansion (Wiegandt 2009). The Apple brand community presents a unique example of how social media and brand communities interact. Apple Macintosh, brand communities, and social media Apple is one of the most frequently cited objects of brand community research in professional literature. Much has been written and said about what works and sustains the culture of sharedness in Apple Macintosh brand communities. It should be noted that the Apple brand community displays a number of specific features. These

What was Northern Learning and why did some Korean scholars advocate Coursework

What was Northern Learning and why did some Korean scholars advocate it Why did others oppose it How do you evaluate Northern Learning (and Practical Learning) in the context of economic development - Coursework Example The learning borrowed ideas from the neighboring China, which had a more orderly social, economic, military and political structure as compared to Korea. Some ideas were borrowed from Europe through the Catholic missionaries (Choi, 2006). There was a rapid change in the economic structure in Korea such that large scale farming was being adopted in the rural areas and wholesale and large-scale production was being adopted in the urban areas. As a result of this, many small-scale farmers lost their land in the rural areas to the large-scale farmers, and the small business owners were pushed out of business in the urban areas. There was a wide margin amid the rich and poor creating a wide social gap (Kim, 1981). Some scholars in Korea during that time developed a form of learning that would address these problems in a more practical way in Korea. The Northern learning took into consideration the culture, history, religion and geography of the Korean people alongside with the ideas borrowed from the neighboring countries to develop solutions to the political, social and economic problems they observed in their society (Setton, 1997). This form of learning received direct criticism especially from the ruling class and the wealthy merchants and farmers of the day since it attacked their privileges directly and criticized their methods of thriving and ruling (Kalton, 1975). Northern learning was developed over a period of time after a careful analysis of the challenges facing the people of Korea. It provided more practical solutions to the problems of a young developing nation. This approach is more suitable to most developing countries today since it is not biased to a single culture, but it incorporates ideas from many cultures yet still maintains the culture of the Korean people (Palais,

HSBC Bank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

HSBC Bank - Research Paper Example d.). The HSBC holdings are one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world. HSBC holdings were established in Honk Kong in 1990 as a parent company to the HSBC and were incorporated as a public limited company in England and Wales in the same year 1990. The bank has its new headquarters at London after 1993. Formerly, that is until 1992 Honk Kong served as its headquarters. The reason was the takeover conditions for the acquisition of Midland Bank that forced the HSBC to move its headquarters from Honk Kong to London in 1993 (Cavallo, 2001). The bank's international network consists of around 8500 offices in 86 countries and territories with assets worth around US$ 2,527; 210,000 shareholders, 331,458 employees and 128 million customers worldwide. In the UK the number of HSBC was more that is, 1600 branches than that of UAE HSBC Bank that had only 8 branches and around 110 ATM machines. The Forbes magazine in April 2, 2008 recognized HSBC, as the fourth large st bank in the world in terms of assets ($2,348.98 billion); the second largest in terms of sales ($146.50 billion), the largest in terms of market value ($180.81 billion). ... d.). The factor that helped the HSBC to reach this position is its high loan-deposit ratio of 90% that claim to have more deposits than loans. Such a high loan-deposit ratio facilitated the bank to build and retain the trust among its investors and customers and also keeping these users assured with the financial strengths of the banks. Thus the sound financial position of the bank helped the bank to maintain stock at relatively high price even during the times of credit crunch phase, which could not been seen in other banks. The present study focuses on the aspects of financial and banking performance of HSBC bank. The study is carried out to achieve mainly three objectives, which are: To measure how well the HSBC banks are performing in compared to other banks; What are the necessary steps that have been taken by the HSBC banks to improve their overall performance and; Finally to provide sufficient important information to its investors (Hunter, 1990) Literature Review The analysis of financial performance has always been a subject of interest to scholars and academicians. The banking performance in particular invites the attention of bankers as well to evaluate how successfully their operations are being conducted and the interest of various stakeholders are protected. There have been many measures and indexes to evaluate the performance of a bank. These include broadly economic and non-economic measures. For instance, Rovell (1980) remarks banking performance can be best evaluated by interest rate margin over different periods of time. Interest income here is defined as the difference between the interest income and dividend expenses and the

Impact of the Great War on Modern Western Literature Essay

Impact of the Great War on Modern Western Literature - Essay Example Self-awareness and politics became a more popular theme in literature. In Christine Stansell's American Moderns, she accounts how "it gained momentum with a call to arms that echoed earlier campaigns for literary realism waged by Howell and Twain" during the 1910s (148). Personally, I am instantly inspired to write whenever I experience unfortunate instances in life. I don't know but perhaps it is the sad occurrence and the lesson learned from it that drives a writer to start scribbling on a piece of paper or pounding on the computer keyboard. In most cases, literary works reflect the writer's mood at the moment he wrote the piece. During the First World War, stories of starvation abound on the streets. Children in less developed countries die of hunger because the leaders who are supposed to take care of their welfare have joined the Great War. Families of soldiers feel more fear and longing as the war progresses. These terrifying experiences and the idealism gained from the Great War have inspired many writers, veteran and amateur alike. Even the soldiers who survived the war wrote their own memoir to enable the public to, at least, take a glimpse inside the army camp or at the battlefield. Thus, answering the call for realism in literature - the kind of literary piece that discriminating readers like to read as they also long for information. Stansell further puts it that "serious American readers who came of age just as modernist prose was exploding in Europe formed their notions of new literature not from stylistic and narrative innovation but from a realist tradition that dwelt on contraband subject matter" (161). In turn, the "American writers saw their task as telling the truth of modern life, an act that, in their minds, amounted to revolutionary realism" (Stansell 161). Apart from this, people became more aware of their religiosity. To some, the Great War gave them the chilling sensation of what it would be like during the Judgment Day. T.S. Elliot's The Hollow Men, for instance, depicts the feeling of a dead man who has nowhere to go to: Is it like this In death's other kingdom Waking alone At the hour when we are Trembling with tenderness Lips that would kiss Form prayers to broken stone (Elliot). However, for me, this poem depicts the sense of emptiness in a person who fought a war that has claimed many lives and destroyed communities. Though Elliot did not go to the battlefield himself, somehow he has experienced the battle as he transferred to the United Kingdom on 1914 - the time when WWI is brewing. William Butler Yeats' The Second Coming has a religious or spiritual connotation as well: Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi (Yeats). However, Yeats actually refers to a new phase in every man's life, particularly a life after a revolution. Certain meaning to specific phrase in the poem is offered in the website http://www.stfrancis.edu/en/yeats!.htm. Indeed, the First World War or the Great War, although not well remembered as the Second World War, has made a considerable turning point in every man's life. The controversies and the lessons learned from the war made an important impact among the writers and the readers craving for a realist literature. This important change in Modern Western Literature is still used up to this time

HSBC Bank Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

HSBC Bank - Research Paper Example d.). The HSBC holdings are one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world. HSBC holdings were established in Honk Kong in 1990 as a parent company to the HSBC and were incorporated as a public limited company in England and Wales in the same year 1990. The bank has its new headquarters at London after 1993. Formerly, that is until 1992 Honk Kong served as its headquarters. The reason was the takeover conditions for the acquisition of Midland Bank that forced the HSBC to move its headquarters from Honk Kong to London in 1993 (Cavallo, 2001). The bank's international network consists of around 8500 offices in 86 countries and territories with assets worth around US$ 2,527; 210,000 shareholders, 331,458 employees and 128 million customers worldwide. In the UK the number of HSBC was more that is, 1600 branches than that of UAE HSBC Bank that had only 8 branches and around 110 ATM machines. The Forbes magazine in April 2, 2008 recognized HSBC, as the fourth large st bank in the world in terms of assets ($2,348.98 billion); the second largest in terms of sales ($146.50 billion), the largest in terms of market value ($180.81 billion). ... d.). The factor that helped the HSBC to reach this position is its high loan-deposit ratio of 90% that claim to have more deposits than loans. Such a high loan-deposit ratio facilitated the bank to build and retain the trust among its investors and customers and also keeping these users assured with the financial strengths of the banks. Thus the sound financial position of the bank helped the bank to maintain stock at relatively high price even during the times of credit crunch phase, which could not been seen in other banks. The present study focuses on the aspects of financial and banking performance of HSBC bank. The study is carried out to achieve mainly three objectives, which are: To measure how well the HSBC banks are performing in compared to other banks; What are the necessary steps that have been taken by the HSBC banks to improve their overall performance and; Finally to provide sufficient important information to its investors (Hunter, 1990) Literature Review The analysis of financial performance has always been a subject of interest to scholars and academicians. The banking performance in particular invites the attention of bankers as well to evaluate how successfully their operations are being conducted and the interest of various stakeholders are protected. There have been many measures and indexes to evaluate the performance of a bank. These include broadly economic and non-economic measures. For instance, Rovell (1980) remarks banking performance can be best evaluated by interest rate margin over different periods of time. Interest income here is defined as the difference between the interest income and dividend expenses and the

Meaning of life - Religion Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life Religion Essay In my opinion, there is no specific meaning of life. There also is a part of me that thinks that life really doesn’t have a meaning at all. But, since I have to try to define life, I would have to say it’s a combination of things in your life that you are living for, or the purpose of you being on this earth. Everyone most likely has a different purpose for being alive. Whether it is family, school, or your career; those things have a lot of impact on your life and also decisions that you make throughout life. In our society, many families instill faith and morals early into their children’s lives by continuing traditions or practices of religious faith. The idea of faith and moral beliefs are instilled in a person by attending or participating in church activities and reading the Bible or other religious texts. When there is a sound moral foundation in a person’s life it may give them the motivation through faith to build a sound structure for their life or to achieve personal goals. Simply put, a person may believe through faith that it is possible to achieve an education, start a family, or to have a successful business or career because of their foundation in faith. The reason why I somewhat think that life really doesn’t have a meaning, is because no matter what anyone does or how well or righteous someone lives their life, in the end they still die. What happens after that? Nothing, you never come back nor will you have any recollection of what went on during your lifetime here on earth. A person can bust their behind in working doing good for the community and everything else and in the end you still end up in the same place as everyone else, good people or bad people, you die. Another reason why I believe life doesn’t have a meaning is because all of the people in this world have to suffer, they still go through pain, they have to watch loved ones die, they still have to go through heartache, and rough times. Being poor, homeless, and not having food for as single meal in the day. Where is the meaning in life when people have to wake up hungry or worry about where they will lay their head that night? I’d say there is none when you look at it from that perspective. In my opinion, the meaning of life is too complex for the human brain to comprehend. People tend to say that they know what the meaning of life is, but who really knows the answer. There are various opinions and schools of thought, however, most people can never and will never reach a clear understanding of what the meaning of life is. If there is meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering. †? Viktor E. Frankl. Frankl could not have said this quote any better, most people can say that they have found meaning in their life but at the same time, there are some people wondering if the only reason they are on this earth is to suffer on a daily basis throughout their entire lives.

Market Analysis of Coca Cola

Market Analysis of Coca Cola Jump to: PEST Analysis | SWOT Analysis Coca-Cola, corporation nourishing the global community with worlds largest selling soft drink since 1886. Its nations top soft drink brand, with the best bottling network. It is the largest marketer of non-alcoholic beverages in the world. In India, Coca Cola was the leading soft drink till 1977 when govt. policies necessitated its departure. It returned to India in 1993 after a 16 year hiatus and made significant investments to ensure that the beverage is available to more and more people, even in the remote and inaccessible parts of the nation. In the minds of worlds consumers the brand has assumed an iconic status. Coca Cola was initially advertised as a remedy for headache and exhaustion. It has been advertising on television for 50 years. COCA COLA INDIA (CCI) Leading player in the Indian beverage market A fortune 500 company in India (73rd position) Coca Cola India with PepsiCo forms Duopoly Includes 24 company-owned bottling operations Came back in 1993 and acquired local brands (Ibef, 2010) (Coca Cola India, 2010) 2. COMPANY BACKGROUND Marketing Coca Cola in India-The post-liberalization period in India saw the comeback of Coca Cola but Pepsi had already beaten Coca-Cola to the punch, by creatively entering the market in the 1980s period by way of a joint venture. In a way Pepsi benefited the Coca Cola by developing the Indian soft drink market in the early years of liberalization .The only disadvantage was that CCI in 1993 applied the American way of life approach in selling its product on the contrary, Pepsi targeted the youth. (Coca Cola India, 2010) 3. The Marketing tools: The Marketing Environment 3.1-The Macro Environment- PEST Analysis of Coca Cola (P)OLITICAL ANALYSIS- Political variables have very little effect on the CCIs selling and production behavior. There are few exceptional things like the environmental protection laws they somewhat effect the industry of coca cola. The state government of Kerala released a report on March 22, 2010 holding Coca Cola responsible for causing pollution and water depletion in a state of Kerala and made it liable for Indian rupees 216 corer for damaged caused as a result of the companys bottling operations. To deal with this problem the company has made proper adjustments in plant and applied the proper way of wastage management. The companys production also gets effected by the elections and military take over because in the day of election any countries production in any field is declined. (E)CONOMICAL ANALYSIS- Inflation in any country is not good from its production point of view. So, coca cola is no exception. Its impact on coca cola is highly negative. In a country like India where there is a high rate of unemployment, CCI directly employs approximately 6,000 people and indirectly creates employment for more than 1,25,000 people in related industries. Its among the countries top investors having invested more than US$ 1 billion in India in the first decade and further pledged another US$ 100 million in 2003 for its operations. (S)OCIAL ANALYSIS- CCI in partnership with the NGO, Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA) has launched a program to build awareness on micro-nutrient malnutrition (or Hidden Hunger) in the bottom of the socio economic pyramid population in India. They are constantly working to keep their product environmentally and socially beneficial to the communities they serve. Their community water programs are designed to support healthy watersheds and sustainable programs to balance the water used throughout their production process. CCI has been awarded the Social and Corporate Governance Award for Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility in 2009. All India Division COBOs are now ISO 14001 certified. (T)ECHNICAL ANALYSIS- The CCI uses the more advanced technology in its production process. Computers have become the basic needs these days and it is giving the way of other industries to come to new technologies and into a new world of business. Computers can increase the efficiency of its business and the latest coke vending machine will now employ the use of (user friendly) touch screen technology. SWOT ANALYSIS OF COCA COLA (S)TRENGTHS Brand Ambassadors-focused target marketing by launching appropriate brand ambassador for the target market. Diverse Product Portfolio. Extremely Recognizable Brand. Improved Quality Control. Heavy Investment. Bottling System. (W)EAKNESSESS Reduced Consumer Purchasing Power. Issues for Health Care. Environmental Destruction. (O)PPORTUNITIES To serve a large geographic diverse area Brand recognition Sponsorships (T)HREATS Substitutes Heath Consciousness Consumer preferences Stiff Competition 3.2-The Micro Environment The micro environment represents those elements over which the marketing firm has full control in order to reach its target market i.e. the 4 Ps, which it can use in order to gain information that will better help it in its marketing operation. MAJOR COMPETITORS Coca cola major competitors is Pepsi as its portfolio includes- PEPSI 7UP NIMBOOZ MIRINDA SLICE MOUNTAIN DEW After CCI it covers the 2nd largest market share % of the soft drink industry in India (Pepsi Co India, 2010) Consumer Behavior- The two factors that dictate the Consumers decision-making process are involvement and perceived risk. The consumer will follow the habitual decision making steps while purchasing coca cola. Habitual Decision Making Product Coca Cola Level of Involvement Low ( unimportant decision ) Perceived Risk Low ( simple , low-cost product ) Information Processing Respond to environmental cues ( shop signage or displays ) Learning Model Behavioral learning ( ad shows product in beautiful setting , creating positive attitude ) Needed Marketing Action Provide environmental cues at point of purchase , such as product display Fig 4.2 extended problem solving versus habitual decision making (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg151) In India the perception of the people regarding coca cola is that, they consider it as a drink which can quench their thirst as well as creates a sense of belongingness. Indias physical environment is suitable for the sale of soft drinks moreover during festive time sales are doubled. Thus the need of buying a soft drink falls in the first and third level of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs (Exhibit 1.) Situational Influences Physical environment Time Internal Influences Perception Motivation Learning Attitudes Personality Age groups Decision ProcessLifestyle PURCHASE Social Influences Culture Subculture Social class Group memberships Fig 4.4 Influences on Consumer Decision Making (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg151) SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS- Different aspects of social media, which CCI uses in order to communicate with its consumers. This in turn will increase Brand awareness Positive image for the brand 4 THE ORGANISATION MARKETING MIX- 4.1-PRODUCT- http://www.coca-colaindia.com/media/images/brand_logos_all.gif Major Brands of Coca Cola- Coca Cola Diet coke Thumbs Up Sprite Fanta Limca Minute Maid Pulpi Orange Maaza Kinley Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh Georgia Burn http://cdn.i.haymarket.net.au/Utils/ImageResizer.ashx?n=http%3A%2F%2Fi.haymarket.net.au%2FNews%2FCoca-Cola+India.jpegw=460 The product strategy includes decisions such as product design, packaging, branding, etc. Coca Cola brand consists of different packs and flavor. They promote all brands available in brand pack under their product strategy. 4.1.1-Packing Strategy Coca Cola products are available in different packing, in order to capture each and every segment. GLASS PET CAN FOUNTAIN 200ml, 300ml, 500ml,1000ml 500 ml, 1.5 L, 2 L ,2.25 L, 300 ml + 100 ml 330 ml Various Sizes 4.1.2 -THE STRATEGY PLANNING PRODUCT EMPHASIS EXISTING PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCT Existing MarketMarket penetration strategy (Coca Cola) Market EmphasisSeek to increase sales of existing products to existing markets Product development strategy (New Launches e.g. Burn) Create growth by selling new products in existing markets NEW MARKETS Market development strategy Introduce existing products to new markets Diversification strategy Emphasize both new products and new markets to achieve growth Fig 2.4The Growth Strategies (Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes and Mitchell, 2009, Pg 70) New Launch- CCI launches Burn, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh and Maaza Milky Delite http://popsop.com/wp-content/uploads/maaza_milky_delite_01.jpg https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmf1p_IEgs0LtGTamPASimXz4bVIBGmYI7jL-jQDG2OWfq-7_b2OFTya5XJq_rFj6UohPFb1-tn92FMIR1kdelHLal3nQexZUzfDZ6h4xZb58e8WfxWaGskXQtfaxLfx0Y7tKZ-2NA123/s1600/burn.jpg http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100409/ls15.jpg 4.2- PRICE- Firms Pricing Strategies should be based on costs, demand or the prices of competing products. CCI, some time back, had initiated the first cola price war by launching small 200ml packs priced at Rs 5. On the other hand its competitor Pepsi India also reduced its prices of 300ml pack from Rs.8 to Rs. 6. CCI was able to reduce its price from Rs 7 to Rs 5 because it acquired a big glass bottle manufacturing facility which enabled it to offer small bottles at reduced process. PRICE STRATEGY- DIFFERENT PRICE IN DIFFERENT SEASON India is a country with diverse season, summer season is supposed to be a good season for beverage industry. During winters they reduce their prices to maintain their sales and profit. They usually reduce the prices of their pet bottles or 1 litter glass bottle. Even during festivals they offer different price schemes. 4.3-PLACE- 4.3.1DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY- Events- Cricket Matches, FIFA World Cup, World Cup Hockey, Common Wealth Youth Games, Cultural Festivals, Concerts etc. Urban Distribution Network Consumer Retailer Spoke Hubs Bottling Plant Rural Distribution Network 4.3.3-CCI KEY LOCATIONS (Coca Cola India, 2010) 4.4:- PROMOTION CCI follows the Pull Promotion strategy Coca Cola is the official beverage partner of the Common Wealth Games 2010 (CWG), because of which it enjoys exclusive marketing and supply rights for the beverage across its portfolio. CCI has undertaken the largest ever free product sampling program called Delhi celebrates a cultural fiesta where 5000 artists will perform. The companies association with the commonwealth games will provide the opportunity to enhance its brand value. These games will help consumers in connecting with the brand. When product is seen more in the market, they have good sales too because according to the experts the product which is seen more in the market sell more too. Types of Media which CCI uses Print Media Posters and Stickers Material TV Commercials (TVCs) Billboards Holdings Banners Celebrities Getting shelves Sales promotion Placing the product at an eye catching position in the shops UTC scheme (Under the crown scheme) To keep the products in nice condition, company provides-Freezers, display racks, etc Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, etc- CCI have their own and separate brands account on these social networking sites, where they directly gets the opinion of todays generation about the existing and new products. http://htmlimg2.scribdassets.com/7lva67i2vf9rsu8/images/19-f744e60085/000.jpg (Google, 2010) 5. THE SEGMENTATION, TARGETTING AND POSITIONING STRATEGY- 5.1-SEGMENTING STRATEGY CCI focuses on Demographic segmentation 1. Generational marketing CCI targets the youth of the country. Coca Cola started using Indian themes in order to appeal the Indian customers. They wanted to communicate with the youth. Considering that the Indian youth respected traditional Indian values coca cola created advertisements showing college students valuing their culture. This connection helped coca cola in creating its own personality with which Indian youth could relate itself and it resulted in the suitable positioning of the brand. 2.Gender- CCI have different product range for different genders like for males there is Coca Cola, Thumps up, for females they have Fanta, for kids they have Maaza. 3. Rural Market- The majority of Indian population i.e. (74%) lives in numerous villages scattered throughout the country. Estimates show that rural India accounts for 58% of Indian rural disposable income and 41% of middle class. 5.2-TARGETING STRATEGY Coca Cola commercials basically target on young generations, because they want to represent Coca Cola with the youth and energy. Rural Market is also a very attractive target- In order to reach to the rural India, CCI had also launched television commercials targeting at rural population. This market covers 80% of Indias new coke drinkers. 5.3 -POSITIONING STRATEGY CCIs Initiative in Indian Market- 5.3.1- Urban India- In order to target the metropolitan areas and large town audience, CCI captured the theme of Celebration and Joy of peoples, they showcases increasing social and economic status of the people in their television commercial (TVCs). This theme they applied for positioning their brand in urban market. Life ho toh aise (life as it should be) was very popular and successful tagline. 5.3.2.-Rural India- Under it they have tapped the local entertainment like fairs and local festivals They increased their TVCs on Doordarshan (the local channel), designed to target rural customers. Its all rural marketing initiatives were well supported by TVCs. In 2002 CCI launched Chota Coke (Mini Coke) at Rs 5considering the pocket size of rural consumers. CCI communicated this price cut message with the help of TVC featuring leading Hindi movies star Amir Khan in rural settings to enable proper brand association because large number of people inspire to emulate these celebrities. It will help in creating the right identity for the brand. Its tagline gained a lot of popularity Thanda Matlab Coca Cola (Cold Means Coca Cola) (You Tube, 2010) http://www.thaindian.com/images/stories/aamircoke.jpg Exhibit: Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola Advertising Campaign 6.-RECOMMENDATIONS- New Strategy- Rural market (MARKET IS CREATED AND NOT BORN) Rural consumers are inclined more towards the home made drinks like Lassi, lemonade etc. So, we need to target them when they are out of their home and will need something to quench their thirst. Rural India with the average income of Rs 100/day, consider coca cola whose average price comes around Rs 10, as a luxury product .Moreover soft drinks categories are undifferentiated in the minds of rural consumers. The good news is that the rural consumer market which grew 25% in 2008 is expected to reach US$ 425 billion in 2010-11 with 720-790 million customers. 1. As this market is not fully utilized, there lays a huge scope to reposition the brand in a more effective way to prove that CCI is the suitable brand meant for rural customers and there is a need to shift it from luxury item category to every day product category. 2. An appropriate marketing strategy is required, which is only possible by listening to consumers needs and requirements. Advertising Strategy- Looking at the tough competitors there is a need for aggressive marketing campaign. Announce a new campaign for CCI. In order to connect with the rural population, CCI should increase social welfare activities. Prior creating the ad ,following points should be kept in mind- Selecting an appropriate brand ambassador with which the rural population could relate itself with. Brand promotion by targeting folk and traditional culture. To think local we have to act local. Distribution Strategy- There is a need to extend CCIs distribution channel especially in rural sector. Creating an Extended Distribution channel available all over India, it will provide support to TV commercials. Branding Strategy- There is a need to restructure the communication channel, which will bring open and honest views of the people (public, media, employees, suppliers, state and national government, channels). It is the only solution to resolve the issues in a way that it benefits the Indian consumers as well as CCI.

Ransom Written by Lois Duncan Essay -- Ransom Lois Duncan Essays

Ransom Written by Lois Duncan Setting:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story takes place in New Mexico Time:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story occurs during the winter. Characters:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Buck is one of the three people who are kidnapping the children. He is tempered easily. He doesn’t really care for others much. Rita is Buck’s wife. She is not very pretty and gets drug into schemes by Buck. She feels he will leave her if she doesn’t follow directions. Juan is the other kidnapper who does more of the dirty work. He is the one who calls the parents for the money. He’s the one who shot the bus driver. Glenn is one of the boys who were kidnapped. He’s very popular and has friends and thinks that nobody dislikes him. He’s handsome and very athletic. Glenn’s brother Bruce is into more technology stuff. He is not very handsome and looks up to his brother a lot. He is physically challenged because his body is underdeveloped. Dexter doesn’t have a mother or father. He lives with his bachelor uncle who’s always away on business trips. He is liked fairly well. He is happy with his li fe. Jesse is new to everyone. She moves around the world quite a lot. She’s very mature compared to the others. Marianne has two brothers. Her parents are divorced and her mother remarried another man. She thinks that her real dad still loves her and will rescue her and doesn’t care much for her new father. Conflict:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The group’s main problem is that they are being held ransom and they don’t know whether they’ll ever be rescued. The group is concerned that their parents won’t be able to get the whole amount of money so they are faced with the fact of having to runaway in order to escape their kidnappers. Plot:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The kids are getting on the bus to go home after another ordinary day at high school. They noticed they had a substitute bus driver. He missed a couple of stops so Bruce volunteered to show him the way. When only the five kids who live on Valley Gardens are left, the bus driver drives past their subdivision without stopping. The kids complain and he tells them to shut up. The bus pulls off to the side of the road next to a waiting car. He orders them to get off the bus and into the car. By this time the kids realized they were being kidnapped. A woman is in the car, whose name is Rita. She drives them to a cabin about two hours away. When they arrive, the kids are fed stew. The boys were sent... ...ased the brakes until coming to a complete stop. Juan and Glenn, knowing where they were going, went to the door leaving the dad alone to get the money. Upon entering the cabin, Juan asked him for the money. He replied quickly that first he needs to see his daughter. The children came out. There was a sudden movement by Glenn which attracted the attention on him long enough for Marianne’s father to pull out the pistol. He pistol whipped Juan and held the gun towards Rita. Rita suddenly started screaming in Spanish asking where Buck was. They told her he was dead and ordered her to put her hands above her head. He handed the gun to Glenn motioning him to stay here and watch the two as he went for the cops and took the others. Evaluation:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought the book was very exciting and suspenseful like her other books. The book had very good detail and an interesting plot. I liked the twist when Juan and the girl’s father came upon Glenn walking down the road. I also liked how the author described the action in great detail. It made me feel like I was right there seeing it all happen firsthand. I don’t think that the author could’ve made this book any better than she did already.

FireArt, Inc. Essay -- Managing Management Business Essays

FireArt, Inc. Diagnosis of team ineffectiveness and corrective action plans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   FireArt, Inc. has encountered a dilemma where their competitors are now able to profitably make short runs in the production of glass. Because of this competition, Jack Derry, the CEO of FireArt, Inc. has asked Eric Holt to put "together a team†¦one person from each division, and have a comprehensive plan for the company’s strategic realignment up, running, and winning within six months." Eric, being the newly appointed Director of Strategy, knew his overall goal and creates a formal group in order to fulfill the overall organizational mission of turning the company around. However even though a formal group is created, there is a lack of specific goals and tasks. Eric who only had experience managing working group with professional from similar backgrounds actually created a working group than a team. Moreover, the members did not interact with one another prior to coming together, and did not perceive themselves to be in a group. While the team cons ists of various division heads of the organization, Randy Louderback the director of sales and marketing does not believe that groups are worthwhile. Eric formed this temporary group, which would ceases to exist once the job is carried out. This group, although temporary, never really gets off the ground due to lack of leadership-management skills, lack of clear attainable goals, team structure and incompatibilities of the group members. Team Dynamics and Structure:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One issue that is faced by the group is the lack of team dynamics as well as the pressure being felt to devise and implement a comprehensive plan in six months. Some managers create groups to aide in team dynamics as groups serve functions such as organizational, psychological, and personal. The group that Eric set up was created to generate ideas in order to beat the competition. However, due to the conflict from the team members, idea creation was never brought about. Additionally, the psychological functions that give an outlet for affiliation needs and the personal functions of increased self-esteem, increased security, and a sense of identity are never achieved. With the creation of his group, Eric was faced with a peer, in particular, that strongly believes â€Å"that groups are useless†. There are variables that affect the integration in groups of org... ...uctive thinking will help members think better to solve problems and contribute innovative ideas. The lack of ideas is demonstrated on how the first couple of times the members met they had difficulty coming up with innovative/creative ideas on how to solve the company’s troubles. Also, when Ray, Maureen, and Carl presented their ideas they did not challenge Randy’s comment, â€Å"Let’s do everything, why don’t we, including redesign the kitchen sink!† If they had, the team could have had an open discussion on the merits of each and possibly evolved into a more cohesive problem solving group. Lastly, FireArt Inc. is family owned business and probably Jack Derry ultimately authorizes a lot of decisions. However, for the team to be fully effective it will be important for the team to be granted decision-making authority. This will prevent the team from forming easily acceptable and non-controversial solutions to the problem. Once the team is functioning properly any ideas on how save the company must be accepted. It is also important for the team to be aware that they are anchored in organizational realities that are outside of their control and affect the success of their efforts.

Behavioral Implications Of Biological Developmental Changes In The Human Past

Behavioral patterns of the humans are no less influential in its biological development. In fact, one had complemented the other in many ways, and it is a never ending process. It is this process which have manifested in humans the most, after they justified their candidature before natural selection through its various stages of evolution, ranging from bipedalism to the development of language, save the development of brain-size in between.As behavior is found to be mostly species-specific, it speaks of its biological connection; on the other hand, biological development also keeps track of the behavioral changes and adapts to them, all the while environment playing a catalyst between (Descent, 2007). It's like gene-text facilitating the course of behavior and behavior at other times, influenced by the environment, scripting new traits in the gene-text.Some might call humans lucky to find the environment conducive to reach this stage, some would stress on the fact that bipedalism ho lds the key, while some other would stress on the behavior that humans achieved after bipedalism through the development of brain. Thus this essay explores the behavioral implications of biological developmental change, before coming to the conclusion of holding both equally responsible and complementing to each other. Bipedalism Two-legged activities are called bipedalism (bi=two, and pedalism= pedaling acts).It basically covers the four states of movement through a pair of legs, such as standing, walking, running and hopping. It has long evolving history among the vertebrates, ranging from dinosaurs to birds, save the ostrich, who has an estimated speed of 65 km per hour that once matched by the maniraptors, now in the extinct list of dinosaurs (Bipedalism, 2003). However, bipedalism is not a habit of those who have four legs, like the larger section of mammals.However, to match with the uniqueness of nature's diversity, the kangaroos lead in representing the mammals who use biped al movement, through hopping. But it is the humans who provided more variation in their bipedal movements, while the gibbons and giant pangolins prove to be distantly resembling to it. Understandably, bipedalism involves a firm ground beneath the feet; and that takes away the amphibians' scope to earn this scope. More so, it is mostly a reared-up action and barring a few instances of some lizards and cockroaches this action is also unfamiliar in arthropods.Same can be said about the reptilians. With exception being the rule of the nature, two kinds of octopus are seen to resort to bipedal movement at times or some of the animals can be trained to exploit the bipedal movement. , much like the humans who can train themselves to walk on their hands. These are deviations and have no bearing to the mainstream evolution. Bipedalism is considered to be one of the major causes of bringing humans where they are today. The reasons are far too many, as they range from elevation of perception t o the improved condition of survival.Between them lies the factors like utilization of free hands, swimming, faster movement, greater reach, etc. , that speak of several advantages of adapting to the living conditions. This trait has evolved independently, that is, not in a set pattern, having various lineages. As for example, the lizards, the recognized pioneer in bipedalism, have a proven track record of this since 290 million years! Dinosaurs and birds follow closely with their record of 230 million years, much before the groups of extant mammals resorted to bipedalism, mostly evolved independently.However the quest to find the reasons behind this elevation of humans fetch us 12 hypotheses and also points at the fact that the human brain-size could develop only after attaining bipedalism. Brain Development Bipedalism facilitated the humans with a new kind of freedom that they enjoyed with hands, letting them to be more organized in their survival and developmental processes. Howe ver, the gradual manifestation of intelligence in humans has a complex process, and still invites lot of research and observation.Charles Darwin attributed its development in humans as an evolution through the process of natural selection, where humans have become successful in manipulating the brain-body ratio, as well as the development of brain-size for a longer period after birth, rather than other creatures (Creationists, 2007). Overall the situations proved more conducive for the humans to develop their brain-size, like the bipedalism, or front-facing, binocular vision. The work-power of the two hands saved free zone for the brain for them, which led to the exploration of new avenues, thereby increasing the horizons of thinking through more number of activities.Once they adapted to giving birth to their offspring with soft skull that would grow on later, the humans were the decided master of the Earth. The evolution of intelligence always follows a pattern, where, a solution t o a problem takes the solver to another plane, where it faces a new set of problems – upon solving which, it again arrives at another plane to face the similar situation; in the process its thought-processing faculty also fights to gear up for the new challenge, finally succeeding in increasing its ability.Humans, after discovering their new life in the post bipedalism era, when they also had the scope to develop their brain-size in the post-natal period, faced the challenge of securing their offspring, who proved to be totally unfit to survive alone. This situation forced them to remain in groups and explore the ways to enhance the communication among the group members.This state again, commanded for using the brain more than earlier, and responding rightly to that challenge, the humans arrived at a new plain of existence, where they could mastermind their ventures and be joyous with more productivity, with the more secured system for their offspring. The power of interperso nal communication earmarked the new bend in the history of development of humans and finally propelled them to an astoundingly different height from the rest of all other creatures of the earth, with sophisticated set of body and brain complementing each other.Language Faculty The advent of the concept of communication gradually helped humans to shape their behavior, and those acquired traits again worked on their biological evolution apropos their interdependency. As like in its earlier stages where the new solutions fetched new problems which ultimately proved ladder to another developed state of being, the progress of language also had a similar route and is still evolving on with time. It started with signs and sounds and finally followed by the scripture forms, all generated with the intensity to express the ideas bubbling within.The behavioral process at this stage dealt with the urge to create the identity of the individual and the group; another new challenge with the invita tion of reaching another plane of refined existence. They then started identifying various sounds as the representative of various emotions, and needs; with time, these set ideas gave birth to proto-language, which, it could be well-assumed, were influenced and conditioned by the environment, much the way it helped them to achieve bipedalism, and thereafter the larger brain-size.Now it worked on to them find their identity, which generated the races with their certain features distinguishable from one group to another. This tendency of uniqueness gave way to the quest of tracing the uniqueness in an individual greater than ever, and in the process, the started reshaping the language by broadening its base from sound to scriptures, the cuneiforms. These activities also helped to serve the group or the race, helped to maintain the balance in the demand and supply ratio of the resources, it again indicated towards a better state of living with every requisites of it being more organize d and handy (Scientists, 2003).Thus a new avenue of collective living was opened with the cohesion in language. Some also earmark this period as the involuntary manifestation of the desire to form better society or race, a period of precursor of eugenics in the recent times; some attribute this stage as the moment before the giant leap of the civilization. However, concepts apart, there is no doubt that the advent of language among humans helped them to find their ways and means of more comfortable life-style and that attributed further to the evolution of their body that gradually adapted to that newly acquired lifestyle.CONCLUSION The history of the evolution of humans may be counted from the natural selection to the time from when humans started selecting their living conditions. Between these two poles, lie millions of years of graduation or probation period entwined with millions of influencing factors, in which its behavioral patterns and biological developments played stellar roles, both being interdependent and determiner of the development of the other.Likewise, it's the bipedalism facilitating the development of the brain, and then brain's behavior affecting the working pattern of the humans, which in turn influencing the body to adapt to that new working condition, and again that acquired new formation of the body ventures to some new action which is supported by the brain.. this never-ending process of evolution is still on; with body, brain and environment, all the three components achieving new dimensions, nevertheless influencing one another as ever.It can be said, thus, the human past is a fascinating, interactive journey of body and brain (the determiner of behavior), where environment all along served the input for the development of both. In the maze of body-brain communication, any of them can rule over the other, depending on the situation, i. e. , the state of environment, who works on as a stimuli, be in on the mental or on the physical plane. Ends BIBLIOGRAPHY Adaptation by Natural Selection. http://www2. wwnorton. com/college/anthro/bioanth/ch1/welcome. htm. Retrieved on march 28, 2007 Bipedalism http://www. stanford. edu/~harryg/protected/chp15.htm Retrieved on march 28, 2007 â€Å"Creationists Arguments: Brain Sizes† http://www. talkorigins. org/faqs/homs/a_brains. html â€Å"Evolution of Man†, BBC http://www. bbc. co. uk/sn/prehistoric_life/human/human_evolution/index. shtml : Retrieved on march 29, 2007 â€Å"Human evolution†, http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Human_evolution , Retrieved on march 29, 2007 Press release. â€Å"Scientists discover hominid cranium in Ethiopia†.. Indiana University (March 27, 2006). Retrieved on march 30, 2007 â€Å"The Descent of Man† http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/The_Descent_of_Man%2C_and_Selection_in_Relati on_to_Sex Retrieved on march 27, 2007