Advantages And Disadvantages Of Small States Essay

The ASEAN Summit is an annual meeting held by the member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to economic, and cultural development of Southeast Asian countries.[2]The league of ASEAN is currently connected with other countries who aimed to participate on the missions and visions of the league. Apparently, the league is conducting an annual meetings with other countries in an organisation collectively known as the ASEAN dialogue partners. ASEAN +3 adds China, Japan and South Korea. The formal summit are held in three days. The usual itinerary are as follows:ASEAN leaders hold an internal organisation meeting. .1ASEAN leaders hold a conference together with foreign ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum.2.Leaders of 3 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN+3) namely China, Japan and South Korea hold a meeting with the ASEAN leaders.3.And a separate meeting is set for leaders of 2 ASEAN Dialogue Partners (also known as ASEAN+CER) namely Australia and New Zeala nd.HistoryThe First ASEAN summit was held in February 1976 in Bali.[3] At this summit, ASEAN expressed its readiness to â€Å"develop fruitful relations† and mutually beneficial co-operation with other countries of the region.[4] The ASEAN leaders signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.On 2nd ASEAN summit held on Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1977 was the occasion for the first summit meeting between Japan and ASEAN. Japan expressed its intention to promote co-operation with ASEAN.[5]On 9th ASEAN Summit; A meeting on 7 October 2003 on Bali, Indonesia. The leaders of the members nations signed a declaration known as the Bali Concord II in which they agreed to pursue closer economic integration by 2020. According to the declaration, â€Å"an ASEAN Community† would be set upon three pillars, â€Å"namely political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and socio-cultural cooperation; For the purpose of ensuring durable peace, stability and shar ed prosperity in the region.† The plan envisaged a region with a population of 500 million and annual trade of US$720 billion. Also, a free trade area would be established in the region by 2020. ASEAN’s leaders also discussed setting up a security community alongside the economic one, though without any formal military alliance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..During the same meeting, the People’s Republic of China and ASEAN have also agreed to work faster toward a mutual trade agreement, which will create the world’s most populous market, with 1.7 billion consumers. Japan also signed an agreement pledging to reduce tariff and non-tariff  barriers with ASEAN members†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..On the 11th ASEAN summit last 12–14 December 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Seven main issues were discussed during the Summit. The issues are:1.the spread of bird flu2.southern Thailand conflict3.democracy in Myanmar4.crude oil prices fluctuation and p overty5.investment and trade6.ASEAN CharterImmediately after the summit ended, the inaugural East Asia Summit was held. The 12th ASEAN Summit was originally set to be hosted on Cebu island in the Philippines from December 10 to 14. However on December 8, organisers decided to move the summit schedule to 12–15 January 2007 due to Typhoon Seniang. Cebu Metropolitan Area (composed of Cebu City, Mandaue City, Talisay City, and Lapu-Lapu City) jointly hosted varied events of the summit. The actual conference was held at the Cebu International Convention Centre in Mandaue City while the Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa in Lapu-Lapu City provided accommodations for delegates and venues for smaller meetings. At the 12th ASEAN Summit, the member countries of ASEAN signed five agreements pertaining to continuing integration of ASEAN and enhancing political, economic and social cooperation in the region:[6] Cebu Declaration Towards a Caring and Sharing Community. Cebu Declaration on the Blueprint for the ASEAN Charter. Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015. ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers. ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism. The 13th ASEAN Summit was held from 18–22 November 2007, in Singapore. The theme was â€Å"One ASEAN at the Heart of Dynamic Asia†. The key theme of the discussions was set to be on â€Å"Energy, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development†. In line with the theme, the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Environmental Sustainability was signed at the 13th ASEAN Summit and a proposal to work on a Singapore Declaration on the Environment was issued at the 3rd East Asia Summit†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦The leaders had endorsed the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint which Will help chart concrete targets for establishing a single market and production base in the ASEAN region by 2015.The summit marking the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-EU ties was held on November 22. Other documents that had be negotiated and signed: ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreement on Architectural Services. ASEAN Framework Arrangement for the Mutual Recognition of Surveying Qualifications. Protocol to Implement the Sixth Package of Commitments under the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services. Agreements on trade and areas of cooperation with ASEAN Dialogue Partners. The 15th Asean Summit was held from 23–25 October 2009 in Hua Hin, Cha Am, Thailand.[7] It involved the Leaders from Asean league of Nations together with their dialogue partners from People’s Republic of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. A flurry of meetings among Asian leaders on the last day raised the possibility of forging a regional free trade pact, which is likely to be raised at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2009. The 16th ASEAN Summit held in Ha Noi, Vietnam 9 April 2010 â€Å"Towards the Asean Community: from Vision to Action†. The 17th ASEAN Summit in October 2010 in Vietna m Ha Noi.Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono did not attend the opening ceremony of the Summit this afternoon. He had to cut short his trip and returned home to oversee the rescue operation in the disaster-stricken area, after arriving here on Tuesday for a state visit prior to attending the Summit. The 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta capital of Indonesia. The 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia at November 2011.14th ASEAN Summit and ProtestsThe 14th ASEAN summit was held from February 26 to 1 March 2009 in Hua Hin, Thailand. It was originally scheduled for December 2008, but was postponed due to the political crisis in Thailand. At the summit, the ASEAN leaders signed the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community and adopted various other documents, including the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint.[15] The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area was established.[16] It is one of Asia’s largest trade arrangements and covers trade in goods, investment and services, financial services, telecommunications, electronic commerce and intellectual property.[17] The summit was reconvened in Pattaya, Thailand on 10 April 2009. This second part of the summit was to consist of various meetings between the ASEAN members and one or more non-ASEAN countries from 10–12 April. However, it  was aborted on 11 April when hundreds of protesters forced their way past security forces into the venue.[18] Many of the visiting leaders had to be evacuated from the venue by helicopter to a nearby military airbase, although none were injured. The protests were part of the 2008–2009 Thai political crisis and were not believed to be directed at ASEAN leaders but rather at Thailand’s government.[19] CHINAa signed a trade deal with ASEAN.[20]At the same time, Australia and New Zealand started the negotiation for a free trade deal with ASEAN. The aim of the negotiation is to significantly reduce trade barriers by 2016.[21][22]

Country Report on Road Safety Initiatives in Malaysia

Country Report on Road Safety Initiatives in MALAYSIA Datuk Suret Singh Director General Road Safety Department Malaysia Basic Information Country : Malaysia ? ? ? ? ? Population: 26. 4 Million in 2006 Square Kilometer: 392876km2 Road Length: 72,400 km No of Registered Vehicles: 15,790,732 Vehicle Kilometer Travelled/year: 337. 8 Billion VKT Malaysia Definition and Data System Definition: ? Fatality: Deaths within 30 days ? Serious: All Required Hospitalization ? Slight Injury: Out Patient or Self Treatment Data System: ? Police DataForm : Standard POL27 Accident Form Database/System: Computerized MAAP System Annual Accident Report availability: Yes ? Hospital Data Injury classification used: AIS retrieval System: Many System used, in process of Standardization Malaysia Safety Target and Management National Safety Target? : ? 2. 0 Deaths/10,000 vehicles by 2010 ? 10 Deaths100,000 population 2020 ? 10 Deaths per Billion VKT by 2020 National Safety Plan? : ? Availability: Yes, National Road Safety Plan 2006-2010 ? strategies : 9 Strategies ? Programs: 52 Programs Availability of Institutional Set-up ? ? ? ?Road Safety Department (2005) MIROS (2007) National Road Safety Council (50 years ago) Annual Budget Allocated for Road Safety Programs Malaysia Road Safety Facts (1996-2006) Year Registered Vehicles Road Length (Km) Number of accidents Death 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 7,686,684 8,550,469 9,141,357 9,929,951 10,589,804 11,302,545 12,068,144 12,868,934 13,801,297 14,816,407 15,790,732 60,734 63,382 63,382 64,981 64,981 64,981 64,981 71,814 71,814 72,400 72,400 189,109 215,632 211,037 223,166 250,417 265,175 279,237 298,651 326,815 328,268 341,252 6,304 6,302 5,740 5,794 6,035 5,849 5,887 6,282 6,228 6,200 6,287Fatality Index Per 10,000 Vehicles 8. 20 7. 37 6. 28 5. 83 5. 70 5. 17 4. 88 4. 88 4. 51 4. 18 3. 98 Per 100,000 Population 29. 8 29. 1 25. 3 25. 5 26. 0 25. 1 25. 3 25. 1 24. 3 23. 7 23. 6 Per Billion VKT 40. 4 36. 3 30. 9 28. 7 28. 0 25. 5 24. 0 24. 0 22. 2 20. 6 Malaysia 19. 6 Key Issues and Challenges Key Problems Identified ? Target Groups: Motorcyclists (53%) Car Occupants (22%) Pedestrians (10%) ? Target Issues: Head Injuries among motorcyclists Un segregated VRUs MalaysiaFatality by Casualty Class Malaysia Strategic Programs and Projects Program Potential % Intervention Coverage Reduction 2007 2008 2009 2010 AES Speed Cameras Redlight Cameras Lane Displine Helmet Program Rear Seat Belts Airbags Driver Training RSE and CBP Mcycle Lanes Blackspots Others 20 20 0 30 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 60 60 20 65 40 20 30 20 20 20 20 100 90 60 100 60 40 50 50 30 30 30 100 90 80 100 80 60 60 80 40 40 40 % 30 40 20 50 30 30 10 20 80 30 20 No of Deaths Expected No. f Fatality Reduction Involved/yr 2007 2008 2009 2010 1400 150 450 1500 350 400 300 400 500 500 350 84 12 0 225 21 12 3 8 40 15 7 427 3. 45 252 36 18 488 42 24 9 16 80 30 14 420 54 54 750 63 48 15 40 120 45 21 420 54 72 750 84 72 18 64 160 60 28 6300 Deaths/1 0,000 Vehicles 1009 1630 1782 2. 94 2. 45 2. 21 Malaysia MIROS0 7One Most Successful Road Safety Intervention Name: Exclusive Motorcycle Lane Program Problem Statement: Rear-End and Side Swipe along High Speed Links Double Low Speed Links Issues Identified: Un-segregated leading to Conflicts among Fast, Un Compatible VRUs and Larger Vehicles Rationale for Intervention: Segregation reduce Conflicts, Risk and Exposures Detailed Intervention Programs: 3m Exclusive Lane fully segregated Impact of Intervention: 39% less Accidents, 83% Less Fatalities, BCR=5 Malaysia

The Music & Entertainment Manager - research project proposal

The Music & Entertainment Manager - project - Research Proposal Example In recent times, one of these issues can be said to be online music piracy. The piracy of music generally refers to the act of copying and distributing copies of music for personal gain without the consent of legitimate copyright owners of the music (Kreitz & Niemela, 2010). Online music piracy can therefore be said to be the use of the internet or other online portals for music piracy activities (Chase, Mulvenon & Hachigian, 2006). Even though the effect of online music piracy can be appreciated to be vast and widespread, the research seeks to put a very specific spotlight on the entrepreneurial investment in the music industry. In effect, the research will look specifically at the impact or effect of online music piracy on the entrepreneurship and funding of music projects in the UK. As noted by Duckworth (2005), music as an industry is a well branded business which require a lot of financial investment to succeed. But as to whether the issue of online music piracy is a disincentiv e for entrepreneurs is a question that the research will explore. The aim of the study will be to find the direct effect of online music piracy on music entrepreneurship and funding of music projects in UK. To achieve this aim, the following specific objectives will be targeted. There is a historical context to the effect of online music piracy on sales where The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, which is part of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, published a report suggesting that online music piracy does not hurt sales (Ernesto, 2013). Since this publication, there have been several other academic and professional discourses to debate the real economic impact of online music piracy on the music industry as a whole. The proposed study there comes with the significance of contributing to the ongoing public discourse. The study will add much economic contexts to the subject by looking at how

Why Teachers Deserve a Better Pay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Teachers Deserve a Better Pay - Essay Example A question of budget cut Teacher’s pay freeze is right for times, read the Star Tribune’s Jan.22, 2011 editorial (Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011). Well, it is not a right time and it will never ever find a right time. The facts are clear, the US economy is still reeling from the woes of an economic recession and grappling with a $6.2 billion budget deficit (Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011). Consequently, there is diminishing subsidy to the whole US educational system , which leave school district’s no better option than either to freeze the salary of public school teacher’s or to distribute another round of pink slips amongst public school teachers. It is unfortunate that a salary freeze is proposed by no less than Sen. Thompson, Representative of ,Lakeville and were favoured by school superintendent’s. The group favouring a salary freeze argues that the current compensation system which provides an automatic salary increase to teacher’s who hav e been in service for a number of years and have taken additional college credits is the culprit for their school districts ‘overspending’ on salaries ( Editorial, Star Tribune, 2011).This is absurd and totally unjust. T... The real question at hand is why can’t the local and national government increase the funding on education? Why does the teacher’s and the students have to shoulder for the budget deficit that they did not create in the first place? It is unjust to ask the teacher’s to carry the burden of the country’s economic problems for the so called greater good. When big and private businesses fold up in the face of recession, government readily bails them out of people’s taxes and tells us that if it’s not bailed out, the economy would further shrink into recession and crisis. Education is a basic social service that government need to put its priority funding, why can’t the lawmakers shells out some more budget for the education. I believe these whole debate on teacher’s pay is a mere ploy to cover the real issue of budget cut which is unjust and uncalled for. Salary Freeze is not good for recession A better option for an economy sufferi ng from a recession is a salary increase not a salary freeze and much more not a salary cut and laying off of teachers. I don’t know why the lawmakers are finding it hard to comprehend that people need to spend more , so the economy would keep on moving. A salary freeze will definitely hinder teacher’s to get that next travel ticket for a much needed vacation. Salary freeze and cuts may result to teacher’s inability to pay for their house mortgages which in turn would hurt further the economy. On the other hand, laying off teachers would mean a dramatic decrease in the teacher’s ability to buy and afford commodities and services, which would further slows down the economy. Salary Freeze ,Cuts and Lay off would hurt the quality of education Salary freeze and cuts creates

Process control and inspection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Process control and inspection - Assignment Example Commercial Viability: 1. We need to ensure that the cost of the parts should lie within the overall target price for the component. 2. Total cost of production need to be worked out taking care of transport, fitment and maintenance at the customer site once delivered, if relevant. Technical viability: 1. The component should fit into the performance specifications that are sought for the product. 2. The component should be well within the physical specifications specified for the part's size and shape. d) Describe four ways in which the supplier's quality performance would be subsequently monitored. 1. A quality plan should be worked out to enable and monitor quality of all delivered components. 2. Quality plan shall consist of random part checking to see whether it fits into both physical and performance checks that has been specified. 3. Production Process establishment and monitoring has to be done at the vendor factory to ensure that all components go through the same production process and there is repeatability of the process. 4. Every stage of the process should be clearly defined so that at the end of every production stage, the component is checked for required quality levels. 2. You are the owner of a small subcontracting engineering company employing 25-30 staff. Your company has a record of supplying quality components. Your products utilize standard items which you purchase from a variety of suppliers. a) Describe: i) how you control the quality of the 'bought-in' standard parts ii) what action you would take if you received sub-standard items. The quality of the bought in items will be checked at the Material receipt if the components involved are... 3. In either of the cases a minimum and maximum level has to be maintained in addition to the reorder level. When the item goes less than the reorder level, orders get released under the Kanban system and under Just-In-time systems. b) In the selection of suppliers vendor rating is used to determine the 'best' supplier. The details given in the following table show the performance of a number of suppliers over a period of time. Use this data to determine the 'best' supplier. The unit has a value of 19. 2. You are the owner of a small subcontracting engineering company employing 25-30 staff. Your company has a record of supplying quality components. Your products utilize standard items which you purchase from a variety of suppliers. The quality of the bought in items will be checked at the Material receipt if the components involved are small, value is small and quantity is large. For larger and high value items, vendor site inspection can be undertaken to check whether the product meets the required specifications. If the sub standard items are received at the Material In gate, then 3. The vendor is marked with the reject quantity and any repeat of the same is tried and at best avoided.

MGM625-0903A-01 Applied Finance for Decision-Making - Phase 3 Essay - 1

MGM625-0903A-01 Applied Finance for Decision-Making - Phase 3 Discussion Board 2 - Essay Example It has been noted that in most cases the debt carries costs which are much lower (Morgan, Redman Smith and Cooper, 2001). The main reasons behind this include, the ownership of the equity holders is not diluted, and higher rates of interest needed due to the higher levels of risk taken, and also the interest paid on the debts do qualify as business expenses. In theory it is good to use debt as a financing source for businesses. This is mainly because of the fact that the interest paid is generally tax deductible and it can be included as business expenses unlike the cost of equity. This ratio reveals the solvency and the capital structure of the company. It is used as an indicator for the leveraging in terms of the debt and also provides for a better understanding of the amount owned and the amount owed. This gives a view of the amount the company can use for borrowing. There are also a few benefits of debt which include the tax benefits, and also inclusion of higher levels of discipline to the management. However, considering the cost of debt, it is seen that it includes, loss of future flexibility cost, agency cost and bankruptcy costs that can be levied on the companies (Samuels, Wilkes and Brayshaw, 2000). The normal reaction would involve an increase in the Long term debts, which would also lead to an increase in the cash on the assets side of the book. This would in turn have a strong affect on the above mentioned ratios. Also the changes might not be appreciated by the creditors. Also the company might also face issues in terms of receiving loans from the banks as well. Use of higher levels of debt financing when compared to the equity financing means the company would have higher financial leverage. It is noted that the interest payments to debtors is normally tax deductible unlike the dividend which is payable to the shareholders. Thus if the company has higher levels of debt

Spectometers Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Spectometers - Lab Report Example The signal alters as the intensity of light engrossed by the liquid alters. If improvement in the light’s color is connected to the concentration of a compound in solution form, then that concentration could be measured by realizing the extent of absorption of light at the suitable color. For instance, hemoglobin seems red due to the hemoglobin’s absorption of blue and green light rays much more efficiently than red. The level of absorbance of blue or green light is comparative to the concentration of hemoglobin. The moment monochromatic light goes through a solution, a measurable affiliation is normally found between the solute’s concentration and the amount of diffused light. The spectrometer is mainly responsible for measuring all these quantifiers present in matter and other spectrums of physics. Today’s physicists will use the spectrometer to apply a diffraction grating. If the grating layout of the grating becomes accurately known, the light’s colors might be gotten straight from the viewpoint at which the lines appear. The spectrometer of the MIRI is the newest version used in large learning institutions across the globe. The spectrometer of the MIRI consists of two vital parts, the SPO and the SMO (Wiley 1153). The constituents of the SPO are assembled at the UKATC, whereas the constituents of the SMO are assembled by Astron. Both parts of the spectrometer combine together with the use of a spectrograph screen wheel. The MPIA assembles the spectrograph to play a huge part in the efficiency of the spectrometer as a

Literary analysis paper on 2 chronicles 33 1-20 Essay

Literary analysis paper on 2 chronicles 33 1-20 - Essay Example The narrator wished to further his anti-Manasseh sentiments in verses 7-8, relaying how Manasseh was purposely trying to rebut God’s orders regarding his temple to invite his wrath, knowing full well what had happened to tribes of the past who had succumbed to God’s contempt and had been driven out of the land. In verse 9, Manasseh is described as an evil force who led others to the wrong path as well, in the process doing more evil than the people of the past. This more or less sets the scene for God’s resolution with regards to Manasseh to come. That is not to say God does not give Manasseh a chance to improve. In verse 10, God’s goodness is demonstrated when he gives Manasseh and his people a chance to mend his ways. However, in 11-12, Manasseh’s refusal to accept God’s advice angers the Lord further, so that he resorts to resolve the matter by getting Manasseh capture by Babylon in a humiliating way. Manasseh then seeks forgiveness and pr ays to the Lord in verse 13, who listens to his plea and rids him from the clutches of Babylon bringing him back to his kingdom in Jerusalem. This reaffirms Manasseh’s faith in the Lord. ... In verse 18, Manasseh becomes an example for kings and the narrator mentions how his name goes down in the history accounts of the Kings of Israel, referencing further reading at the end of the verse. In verse 19, a summary account is given of the past happenings, of how Manasseh’s prayer was accepted and his land rid of evil by him, referenced again by further reading, in order to secure a place for him with his ancestors in his palace upon his dead in verse 20. He is taken over by his successor Amon, his son as a way of bringing Manasseh’s life to an end. Interpretative Problem The literal narrative brings about an interpretative problem that is central to the theme. It demonstrates that all evil, no matter how obscene and disproportionate to man’s inherent goodness, is redeemable by repentance. God, the all merciful, has a soft spot for those who repent if His creation calls out to Him in prayer. This in a way suggests that a person who goes against Godâ€℠¢s wishes and commands would more than likely cause himself to be addressed by Him in a much more direct way, thus inviting his curiosity and bringing about an insight in God that eventually leads to salvation. This inherent theme to life has a very pivotal criticism, in such that, if the assumption of salvation is made regarding anyone who repents his sins, then is it not also possible for the devil to do the same? This notion is readily defeated if the concept of God’s discretion is invoked. God forgives what he chooses to forgive, and is not bound by prayer alone. In verse 13, in response to Manasseh’s plea for forgiveness and help, God’s eternal compassion was evoked in a discretionary fashion. He chose to forgive

Understanding organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding organizations - Essay Example Understanding an organization involve thorough understanding of organizational structures and behavior of its human resources as an individual and as various groups. Studying an organization is a complex process. Various ways of evaluating behavior of an organization have developed over time. This document deals with the different thinking processes used to define direction of an organization and its leadership. It compares and analyzes ways of thinking about organizations and the ways organizations are managed.Perceiving the nature and types of organization; power, interest groups and control; job design and teamwork; individual motivation; organizational culture is always a tricky job.Various approaches towards understanding organizations may be seen as different paradigms of thinking. According to Khn a paradigm is the set of values, or principles, that we use when we think.Classical paradigm is also known as rationalistic paradigm. According to Heijden's explanation of classical paradigm in this way of thinking "the organizational self-perception dictates that the organization is a rather stable entity engaged in a mechanistic relationship with the surrounding environment. This self-perception is not ignorant of change, but it is conceptualized as moving from one stable phase to another and this movement can be initiated through certain, focused actions within the organization" Classical approach towards understanding an organization assumes diagnosis as a primary objective in a rational change of organization. This approach is more objective. Changes within an organization are considered in quasi-stationary equilibrium state for the purpose of classical analysis. Classical paradigm relies on the method of self questioning. Various questions such as in which strategic direction organization is moving, how developed the organization culture is, how should it be and how it could be planned to develop culture in a satisfactory rhythm are raised to evaluate the organizations and strength of their leaders. There are some basic problems with classical approach. First is that, type of questionnaire gives an impression of static nature of an organization ignoring the dynamic nature and emergent scenarios that originations are facing today. This is a sensitive issue as nature of human resources is always core of an organization. Second difficulty is that answers of these questionnaires are derived generally by analysis of associated numbers and statistics which gives a sense of vogue. They seem far from reality as organization's culture can not be treated just like profit and losses. The third problem is that the questionnaire is aimed within the organization whereas the organizational changes can be engineered from outside of the organization also. Classical paradigm thus is effective to analyze only mechanical metaphor of organization. Classical paradigm is always paralyzed because of its rational world view. This paradigm clearly defines the goals of organization without much caring about the execution of plans. It does not emphasize much on outcome maximizing behaviors of organizations and its resources. Classical thinking process is centered on the board room of organization without much caring about business' ground reality. In this case a single entity determines the success or failure of strategy. Processual Paradigm Processual paradigm is also referred as scenario planning paradigm. This approach towards understanding organization is based on the probability theory. Organizations are evaluated according to fact available from their previous performances. Different patterns of organizational performance are the basic of future performance analysis. Processual paradigms can be applied to the phases of linear changes or stable periods ut this probabilistic approach has some basic inherent difficulties as there is no guarantee that the past facts will reflect on future performance

LGBT is a bad idea in university because Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

LGBT is a bad idea in university because - Essay Example LGBT housing is a bad idea in university because housing is discriminative in nature. According to (Cochran) , Barry Magee, who is the Director of Resident Life, argues that housing LGTB will create an environment where allies of LGTB community as well as those individuals who are identified as LGTB come together and share comfortable conversations . In addition, Magee said that housing of LGBT will create a safer atmosphere in the campus for the LGBT community by bringing the community together. Rather than creating a safe environment, housing of LGTB will convey discrimination on the Campus. Researchers argue that the main ground of discrimination and especially in a school environment is a negative perception. The perception that a particular set of group of the individual is more important that another will cause students uproar. Housing of LGBT will act as a transparent base for comparison of beliefs and personal behaviors and as result safety the safety of the student will redu ce. In most cases, every action that is conducted towards schoolmates, classmates among others will be evaluated on the basis of LGBT (Lee 205). LGBT housing is a bad idea in university because of academic reasons. Social relationships are very critical, both in schools and outside school. Good relationships raise the self-esteem of students and more importantly their way of expression. Self-esteem in school enables students to identify their better performers on campus comfortably and as a result making them their target to their academic improvements. Housing of LGBT will be creating a barrier by which students will be interacting. For instance, it will be exceptionally peculiar to find a member of LGBT community interacting, leave alone taking an academic project together with others for fear of discrimination. Fundamentally, different tutors and professors have different teaching methods. In some

Classical Civilisation Essay Example for Free

Classical Civilisation Essay To what extent can we reconstruct the palace civilisation of Mycenae? What does the evidence tell us about their society and how they lived?  This Golden Age, kept alive by Homers poetry, tells the story of an advanced society during a period in history adorned by wealth and legends, believed to have been circa 1450 to 1100 BC. Assembling the limited evidence reveals the art and architecture of the Mycenaean World. The remains of the palaces show evidence of a rich civilisation. The later Greeks referred to this period as a Golden Age when men were bigger and stronger than they are now (Homers Iliad). This is a fascinating era glorified with heroes and victory, which almost three millenniums later, still captures the curiosity of so many. The evidence used to reconstruct this period is questionable. There are archaeological finds, which include the sites and the artefacts. It is difficult to draw accurate conclusions from these due to their age. Then there are literary sources such as Homers Iliad and Odyssey. The problem with using these sources is that many people believe that Homer lived around 700BC, which means the stories he tells will have been greatly adapted to his period. Additionally, others argue that there is little evidence proving that the books are not purely fictional. Architecture and construction proves wealth and culture. Increasingly influenced by Crete, the Mycenaeans began to build palaces of their own. Initially they modelled them on Minoan architecture. This implies that they sailed across the sea. Later they began to develop huge fortifications. Palaces were built throughout Hellas. The most famous Greek palace of the Mycenaean period was found at Mycenae, the city of the legendary Agamemnon who was anax of the expedition against Troy. Others were found in Pylos, Thebes, Athens and Iolkos. They were logically constructed and shared the same features, which proves there was a link between them. They were obviously not isolated from one another. One may assume Mycenae was the main palace and possibly had a primitive infrastructure connecting it to the other sites.  The centre of the palace was a columned porch called a megaron (figure 1). A throne would have also been found on one side. This implies they had a King who held an important role in society. The first floor appeared to have been used for storage and the second floor was where the women lived. The materials used to construct these buildings include stone blocks, mud brick, bonding timber and plaster, which proves the Mycenaeans were a resourceful, organised society. Their building technique is known as corbelling, where each successive row of stones in a wall is laid further out than the previous one below it. The palace of Pylos was the only one not to be fortified by huge walls, one of the main features of Mycenaean palaces. There were three types of citadels: polygonal (various shaped blocks neatly fitted together), ashlar (squared blocks neatly fitted  Cyclopean walls 2 The Lions Gate   together) and finally the famous cyclopean walls (huge, irregular stones yielding massive walls) called so because they were so large that it was believed only a Cyclops could have built them (figure 3). The walls at the palace of Mycenae, where The Lions Gate was uncovered in 1841, are 1100 meters long, protecting the dominating power of the Peloponnese (figure 4).  These massive defences also show that the Mycenaeans felt the need to protect themselves from external threats. Houses were built below the citadel, which implies a close community. They were generally self-sufficient homes with a kitchen, altar and hearth. Their furniture was varied and frequently included a plaster bench, tables, foot-stoles and even bathtubs. Their homes appear to have been comfortable.  More isolated homes were also uncovered in the hills (i.e. Mouriatada, on the west coast). The constructions were smaller and did not use such high quality masonry but did include a megaron and private houses. One may deduce from this that wealth peaked in and around the palaces. Water supplies were an equally important construction to ensure survival and well-being. The palace of Athens had a well, built within the walls, making it accessible, even if they were threatened by a siege.  The cistern built at Mycenae at the end of the 13th century, extended underground beyond the walls, making it more vulnerable (figure 5).  The Mycenaeans learned from the Minoans, in crafts, in efficient organisation and in writing. This is concluded from the similar architecture, tablets and pottery found. The wave of palace destructions on Crete around 1450 and the eventual fall of Knossos around1375 marked the start of the most flourishing period for the Mycenaeans. New pottery shapes and styles began. They produced three handled jars, kraters (large bowls) and kylikes (goblets with long stems). Backgrounds were being painted red or black as opposed to light, matt tones. Forms appeared more natural, like the Minoan art. They began to use floral decorations.  Next, the Mycenaean Age adopted geometric patterns and abstract forms on its pottery. They made stirrup jars, yet another indication of Minoan influence. As the civilisation reached its height, so did the art. Vases were mass-produced for export as well as for use on the main land. Evidence of objects from afar were found at the Palace of Knossos, in Crete, which shows signs of huge wealth, probably due to the position of the island, the cross road of the Mediterranean in circa 1400 BC. The Mycenaeans were equally as good tradesmen as the Minoans. Their pottery was found in Sicily, Rhodes, Cyprus, Italy, Asia Minor, Northern Syria and Miletus, which suggests they were good sailors and traded with the east Mediterranean and Europe. In some places their influence seems so strong that one could think that they had permanent strongholds there, what we may consider today a colonisation. However, they were not able to enter Asia Minor because of the Hittites, described as a strong, troublesome civilisation.

The Product Or Service Itself Marketing Essay

The Product Or Service Itself Marketing Essay Ford Motor Company is one of the worlds largest producers of cars and other vehicles in the world. It owns a number of brands including Ford (of course), Volvo, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Mazda, and, in the USA, Lincoln and Mercury. Ford also has an extensive network of main dealer workshops, the Rapid Fit tyre and servicing chain, and owns the Kwik Fit brand. Ford is also one of the largest providers of automotive financial services. The company makes over 6 million vehicles per year and employs well over 300,000 people worldwide; it has around 25,000 dealers and over 10,000 suppliers. Ford is BIG. However, in recent years, Fords fortunes have been mixed: with increased competition, particularly from the Far East, sales have dipped in some areas dramatically. This paper attempts to reason why this has happened, and suggest ways in which more products and services can be sold to both new and existing customers. Except where specifically referred to, this document primarily focuses on the domestic car market in the United Kingdom. Since the turn of the century, Ford has been trying to turn around a sharp decline in worldwide sales. Every year or two, executives have swapped their roles in the boardroom to and from sales, marketing, finance and operations, and the brand message and sales slogans have been changed at the same time. In early 2009, for example, Ford announced that it was changing its marketing strategy to focus on its core brand and logo, rather than promoting specific models. By December 2009, Ford was working to integrate the companys marketing team members, global agencies and other supplier partners with a common and integrated plan to bring new global vehicles to market. Jim Farley, the companys group vice president of global marketing, confirmed  they were moving toward a new global marketing model and that global coordination would apply to everything from TV advertising to creating single vehicle marketing brochures. Fords new integrated global marketing strategy was deployed at the launch of the 2011 Ford Fiesta at the North American International Car Show in January. The company says it wants to create a more consistent and compelling connection with customers worldwide, while better leveraging the companys global assets and capabilities. The problem with Ford is: they dont have a clear marketing strategy. For some reason, Ford is finding the transition from a production oriented company to a marketing oriented company difficult. The Marketing Orientation The marketing orientation has become common in companies that make things for individual customers; not so common in business-to-business (B2B) companies. Many motor car companies have made the transition successfully, but Ford is not one of them. The Chartered Institute of Marketing defines marketing as: . . . the management process which identifies, anticipates, and supplies customer requirements efficiently and profitably. Probably the most important point when talking about marketing is the following: Marketing is both an important functional area of management and an overall business philosophy which recognises that the identification, satisfaction and retention of customers is the key to prosperity. (Lancaster Massingham, 1993, p.5) Marketing is both a functional area of management and a business philosophy, and can be viewed as follows: A basic concept that focuses on customers. A set of management techniques. As a function, part of marketings role is to identify correctly both the current and future needs and wants of specifically defined target markets. This information is then acted upon by the whole organisation in bringing into existence the products and/or services necessary to satisfy customers requirements. It is the marketing function which forms the interface with the firms existing and potential customers. Marketing provides entrepreneurship by identifying customer requirements, and through marketing the rest of the firm is able to mobilise resources to capitalise on. Although it can be seen that marketing has very important functional role within the organisation, the influence of marketing should not be restricted to the marketing department. A marketing oriented business has implications for the way people throughout the organisation respond to the initiatives that are forthcoming from marketing. Marketing as a Business Philosophy Many successful companies see marketing is the keystone of their business. Such firms do not see marketing simply as yet another functional area of management, but more as an overall business philosophy, and way of thinking about business, and a way of working which runs through every aspect of the firms activities. Hence, marketing is viewed not as separate function, but rather as a profit-oriented approach to business that permeates not just the marketing department but the entire business. Looked at from this point of view, marketing is seen as an attitude of mind or an approach to business rather than a specific discipline. The holistic view of the role of marketing within the firm has been expressed by a leading authority on management thinking, Peter F Drucker (Drucker, 1954, p.56), who stated: Marketing is not only much broader than selling, it is not a specialised activity at all. It encompasses the entire business. It is the whole business seen from the point of view of its final result, that is, from the customers point of view. Concerning responsibility for marketing must therefore permeate all areas of the enterprise. To be really effective, this marketing oriented business philosophy, known as the marketing concept, must pervade the whole company. An integrated approach is required, not just the creation or tweaking of a marketing department. Embracing customer satisfaction throughout the entire organisation is what separates a market-oriented firm from the rest. Having this approach to business drives the marketing oriented company into new activities and new opportunities and away from the narrow preoccupation with selling existing products to existing customers. Marketing cannot begin to be effective within a company unless it has the firm support of all layers of management and penetrates into every area of an organisation. So why, if the marketing concept is so simple and straightforward, has it been only relatively recently that firms have adopted it as a serious business philosophy? Very briefly, its because of the history of industrial development and the way in which business has been done since the Industrial Revolution. Production Oriented Businesses In the beginning, businesses were production oriented. There was virtually a never-ending demand for goods and services. Companies concentrated on production and efficient production in order to bring down costs, and product decisions were taken first and foremost with production implications in mind. This production point of view was workable as long as the sellers market existed. However in the early 20th century the rest of the world caught up with Great Britain and people could buy their goods and services from all over the world. For the first time companies had to compete, and had to differentiate themselves from their competitors. There are still some firms around today who are production oriented and they pay little regard to their customers wants: such firms take the attitude that they produce excellent products and common sense dictates that people will want to buy them. Ford started out as a production-oriented business, and still retains an element of this approach. Customers are, of course, convinced of the superiority of the companys products, and it is a company sales force that convinces them. If consumers are not buying the companys products, and as far as the companies concerned there can only be two possible reasons: 1) the customer is ignorant and does not appreciate a good product, or 2) the sales force is inept. Many companies have produced excellent products, but its not necessarily what customers want to buy. The British motorcycle industry produced fine quality machines, but consumers preferred the styling range offered by Japanese manufacturers. There is no longer a British motorcycle industry. In a production oriented company senior personnel such as the chairman and managing director are likely to have production backgrounds. Such companies are likely to have a small sales department which handles traditional marketing functions such as advertising. The greatest importance is placed on production. Under the production concept the salespersons task is a relatively minor one; he or she has to sell what the firm has produced. The sales area is viewed as a service function, and so the sales manager is not part of top level management. Sales Oriented Businesses In the early 20th century business people began to realise that it was not enough simply to produce goods as efficiently as possible. In order to make profits, these goods had to be sold. Business philosophy in many companies switched from production orientation to sales orientation. The sales force now became the most important people in the organisation. The firm could manufacture the goods, but these goods still had to be sold. The sales concept states that effective demand can be created by sales techniques, and it was thought that the sales department held the key to the firms future prosperity and survival. Techniques were developed that are still used today in modern marketing or, more accurately, selling. In order to achieve a competitive advantage, greater importance is attached to product differentiation and branding. Advertising, sales promotion and other sales techniques were increasingly used to achieve the sales angle. Customer satisfaction was not an issue: the whole ethos was based on getting the sale with the emphasis definitely on using the hard sell. Motor car dealers have a reputation for using sales orientation techniques. They believe that with some young, highly motivated salesman, hungry for success and with a well worked out incentive scheme, they can sell anything. Sales volume is the most important criterion, and planning horizons tend to be relatively short-term. The actual customer, and how customers might perceive the value of the utility or the goods being sold, is of secondary importance. Philip Kotler (reference here) defines the selling concept as: management orientation that assumes that customers will either not buy or not by enough of the organisations products unless the organisation makes a substantial effort to stimulate their interest in its products. Other examples of sales orientation companies would include certain home improvement type companies, such as double glazing or roof repairers, who send people door-to-door to get leads; once they have a lead from an unsuspecting targets, they send round a high-pressure salesmen with a foot in the door approach. A sales approach to business fine for those companies that are here today and gone tomorrow, but not to firms that want to remain in business and build their business on the basis of trust and respect and genuine customer satisfaction. A good high-power salesperson can sell virtually anything to anyone once! For repeat business over the long-term, however, the typical selling mentality of many firms is not enough: a more customer all market-oriented approach is necessary for long-term success. Marketing Oriented Businesses The modern marketing concept appeared in the United States during the 1950s, and since then has been adopted as the central business philosophy by many firms throughout the world. The marketing concept is sometimes referred to as a marketing or customer orientation. The theory is: in order for a firm to survive in the long term and make a profit it must ascertain the genuine needs and wants of specifically defined target markets and then produce goods and services that satisfy customer requirements. It is the customer who takes centre stage under the marketing concept. The satisfaction of customers is seen as the key to prosperity, growth and survival. The marketing oriented firm produces goods and services that customers want to buy rather than what the firm wants to make: the emphasis on the customer buying rather than on the company selling the goods. To progress from a sales oriented company into a marketing oriented company the firm must be able to cultivate a companywide approach to customer requirements. Marketing cannot begin to be effective within a company unless it has the full support of general management and penetrates every area of an organisation, from the lowest to the highest levels. Levitt (Levitt, 1960) has drawn a sharp contrast between the selling and the marketing concept: Selling focuses on the needs of the seller; marketing on the needs of the buyer. Selling is preoccupied with the sellers need to convert his product into cash; marketing the idea of satisfying the needs of the customer by means of the product and the whole cluster of things associated with creating, delivering and finally consuming it. Changing from a sales orientation to a more sophisticated marketing orientation will mean marketing will have much more influence and authority over other departments to bring about integrated co-ordinated marketing. This is the case at Ford: Ford seems to have attempted, half-heartedly, to change, but the sales orientation concept is entrenched, and the sales department, understandably, are reluctant to concede their status or influence. As stated earlier, the marketing concept requires whole-hearted cooperation from everyone within the company Ford needs an exceptional change management strategy to resolve the reallocation of power within the company. To turn around fords fortunes, management must adopt and use the marketing concept as a business philosophy. A change of management labels and titles will not achieve the necessary fundamental change in company attitude it is the companys whole approach to business problems that is the key issue. The adoption of a business philosophy that puts customer satisfaction at the very centre of management thinking is what will that finally convert Ford from a production or sales oriented company to marketing oriented one. Planning and Information Gathering The way to measure how committed a company is to the marketing concept is to analyse how it is planning for the future, particularly the information and procedures on which those plans are based. The focus for information gathering and planning should be based around catering for customer needs and satisfaction. The mistake that many managers make including many within Ford is that they think, by working in an industry for a number of years, they acquire a deep insight into what customers want. They believe, incorrectly, that marketing research would just confirm what they already know, and is therefore a waste of time and money. At the very least, the following questions need to be answered: Who are our customers? What do they buy? How do they consider value? How do they buy? When do they buy? It is essential for a company to plan their marketing based on an actual, accurate understanding of customer wants and needs. This means that processes and procedures must be in place to gather the information required to analyse and interpret these needs. What business are we really in? In a famous article published in 1960 Theodore Levitt, then a lecturer at the Harvard business School, asked the key question that all organisations must answer, What business are we really in? (Levitt, 1960). Levitt gave examples of organisations that have failed to understand the benefits their customers derive from the product offered. In the case of the American railroads, for example, he argued: The railroads did not stop crying because the need for passengers and freight transportation declined. They grew. The railroads are in trouble today, not because the need was filled by others (cars, trucks, air planes, even telephones), but because it was not filled by the railroads themselves. They let others take customers away from them because they assumed themselves to be in the railroad business rather than in the transportation business. The reason they defined their industry incorrectly was because they were railroad orientated; they were product orientated not customer orientated. Other important questions are: what are we selling? And where do our products fit in the marketplace? What is the publics perception of Ford as a brand? 30 to 50 years ago, people bought Ford because a) they were relatively cheap, b) spare parts were readily available, and c) maintenance didnt cost the earth in fact many maintenance tasks could were DIY. What does Ford stand for now? Inexpensive Korean and soon Chinese imports are now the choice for people buying on price considerations, and, as vehicles have become more technology advanced, most maintenance tasks are beyond the scope of the DIYer. The truth is, Ford has lost its way it just doesnt know (or doesnt know how to inform the public) what its cars stand for. As a quick, unscientific, exercise, take a look at these phrases taken from recent motor car advertising and see how many you recognise: Papa! Vorsprung durch technik The power of dreams Va va voom Kinetic design Are there any you dont recognize? Turn the page to see the products they are advertising. Phrase Association Manufacturer (Model) Papa! Fun! Feminine, trendy, young, sporty in a girly kind of way. Renault (Clio) Vorsprung durch technik Quality, precision, technical expertise. Audi The power of dreams Aspirational. Inspirational. Honda Va va voom Fun! Trendy, young, sporty in a way that appeals to everyone. Renault (Clio) again Kinetic design ? Ford Ford Kinetic Design? What does that mean? A European-wide television advertisement backs this up with It looks like its moving even when its not. Is that what you look for in a car? According to the online Cambridge Encyclopedia, kinetic has the following meaning: Energy associated with an objects motion; a scalar quantity; symbol K, units J (joule). For an object of mass m moving with velocity v, kinetic energy K  =  mv2/2. A change in kinetic energy is work done to the object by a force. (Net Industries, n.d.) It just doesnt work, does it? The Marketing Mix There are environmental factors that are outside the control of an organisation, but which nevertheless can affect it. A company is affected by, and therefore must take account of, factors that are environmental and hence outside its control. In order to accommodate these factors, the company must use those elements of which it does have control. The most important of these elements are those that comprise the companys marketing mix. Figure 1: the 7 Ps Neil H. Borden has been credited with coining the term marketing mix (Borden, 1965). It refers to the set of marketing ingredients a company can use to achieve its objectives. Just as a chef can select from a wide range of ingredients and combine them in different amounts to bake a cake, so to the marketer can pick and choose from an extensive set of marketing components in order to find the right combination. The main elements of the marketing mix have become known as the four Ps: Product Price Promotion Place Over time, and with the inclusion of the marketing of services, Bordens four Ps have been extended to 7, with the inclusion of: Physical Environment Process People Within each of these four broad categories of marketing decision variables are many subdivisions, as shown in figure 1. The Research Process While marketing research can be invaluable, it can also be very expensive. There is no point in conducting market research if the value of obtaining the information is less than the cost of obtaining it. Also, market research does have its limitations. There is always a chance at least part of the research is flawed; the aim should be to minimise the occurrence of at least some types of error, including: Sampling errors: specifying the incorrect target population, or selecting an unrepresentative sample. Non-response errors: failing to successfully contact all people in a sample, or not receiving a high enough response rate. Data collection errors: respondents supply answers designed to irritate, impress or please the interviewer. Or questions that lead, or give rise to inarticulate answers, or can be misinterpreted. Analytical and reporting errors: simple human error or bugs in the information-gathering process. Gathering information in this way is known as primary data collection: as already stated it is expensive and can have other drawbacks. It can make sense to use information, called secondary data, which has already been collected, often by specialist organisations who sell it on to 3rd parties. Ford themselves have information on the millions (perhaps billions) of people who own, or have owned, a Ford motor car, as well as all those, not necessarily Ford owners, who have used a Ford-owned garage or service centre. Organisations such as J.D. Power provide extensive feedback from car owners, not only on the cars themselves (both new and second-hand), but on after sales service. Target Marketing Once the research is complete, companies need to identify and attempt to satisfy the genuine needs and wants of specifically defined target markets: it should go without saying that they need to do this more efficiently and effectively than their competitors. Implementing this philosophy means that it is usually not possible especially not in the motor industry to assume that every customer is identical. This assumption would be a product-oriented approach rather than a market-oriented one. An important development in recent years in marketing has been the realisation that many markets are made up of significantly different sub-groups, which could be treated as separate markets in terms of product offering, pricing policy, communication strategy and other marketing mix elements. For example, Ford makes motor cars, but the target markets for the Ford Ka and any type of Jaguar are worlds apart. The tendency, therefore, is to target the most commercially attractive sectors in segments of the market for a product, such as the executive car market or the sports car market. Target marketing is the reason for the market research described earlier: it is the reason for the extensive information gathering. Consumers have become more affluent over the years and have been offered a much wider range of products within a particular market to choose from. For example, there is such a wide range of options available when purchasing a Ford Focus that its almost like buying a custom-built car. To be effective, target marketing needs to be carried out methodically and precisely. Kotler (Kotler, 1991) states that the process of target marketing has three distinct stages: Stage One: Market Segmentation. The overall market is divided into distinct groups of buyers who are likely to respond favourably to different product/service offerings and marketing mixes. The firm determines the most appropriate basis for segmentation, identifies the important characteristics of each market segment, and develops criteria for evaluating their commercial attractiveness and viability. Stage Two: Market Targeting. This is not to be confused with the overall process of target marketing. Market targeting is the process whereby one or more of the market segments previously identified are evaluated and selected. Stage Three: Product Positioning. Even within a given market segment, competitors products are likely to be positioned in a particular niche or position. Product positioning is the process whereby the product or service and all other marketing mix elements are designed to fit a given place within a particular segment. Such a position may be more implied than real. It is how the consumer perceives the product position relative to the competitors products that is important. Companies are now identifying customers whose exact needs can be met more effectively. Thomas Levitt (Levitt, 1974) said that the marketer should: . . . stop thinking of his customers as part of some massively homogeneous market. He must start thinking of them as numerous small islands distinctiveness, each of which requires its own unique strategies in product policy, in promotional strategy, in pricing, in distribution methods, and in direct selling techniques. There has always been some form of market segmentation. The wealthy buy fine wines and fashionable clothes, and poor people buy beer and more functional clothing. But this was by accident rather than design. As companies have come to realise over time, it is unlikely that they can produce one product that will satisfy everyone. You can look at any number of markets to see the huge array of choices within each particular segment. For example, washing detergent from the same brand can be bought in original powder form, liquid, concentrated, tablets, liqui-tabs, and so on. Likewise, Ford sells has a wide range of options and configurations within each marque, so a Mondeo could be a cheap(ish) family car, or it could be a well-respected high(ish) performance sports model, with a plethora of extras. Market Segments There are many variables that can be used in segmenting consumer markets. A combination of them may be necessary to define a specific segment. There are no golden rules when it comes to segmenting consumer markets. Very often it may be necessary to use a combination of variables in order to define a pre-precise market segment. Market segments include demographic variables, the main ones being: age sex family size family life cycle A company called Tesearch Services developed a family lifecycle approach and branded it as SAGACITY. This segmentation approach combines life cycle with income and occupation to define different consumer groups. SAGACITY is a powerful tool for differentiating consumer groups for a wide variety of products and services. The current standard in the UK is to use a mixture of social class and income. Classification is based on the occupation of the notional head of the household. The socio-economic groupings used in the UK are those established by the National readership survey, ranging from class A at the top higher managerial, administrative or professional, down to E at the bottom state pensioners, widows, lowest wage-earners and the unemployed. These are some limitations to geographical or social-class segmentation, so a number of approaches have been developed which are a combination of where the customer lives and a number of sociodemographic variables, such as occupation, home-ownership, family size, and so on. These have become known as geodemographic variables. One of the most popular and powerful of these is the A classification of residential neighbourhoods, or Acorn, system. This system is a method for geographically mapping concentrations of different types of people. The Acorn system, based on census data, has proved particularly useful for direct mail campaigns, but also for deciding on sites for retail outlets and advertising poster locations. Segmentation based on census data and neighbourhoods is effective and a number of similar approaches have emerged. Pinpoint (PIN) analysis uses 104 census variables to define up to 60 neighbourhood types which can further be clustered into 12 main types. Mosaic is also based essentially on census enumeration districts. Education is a popular segmentation type. Education is related to social class group because, usually, the better educated tend to obtain better jobs, and generally earn more. Consumers media habits are also generally related to education. The better educated tend to read the quality broadsheet newspapers such as the Times or the Guardian, and are more likely to watch more highbrow commercial television programmes. Benefit segmentation is when different people buy the same or similar products for different reasons. For example, some people buy cars simply to get from A to B; others for aesthetic reasons; others as a status symbol; others as an extension of their personality; and so on. Hayley (Hayley, 1968) first introduced this approach, based on the idea that consumers could be grouped according to the principal benefits sought. This approach assumes that no single variable is likely to be powerful enough to adequately segment the market on its own; the main variable is the benefits sought. As Hayley states: the benefits which people are seeking in consuming a given product are the basic reasons for the existence of true market segments. Another form of segmentation uses degrees of brand loyalty to separate customer types. Kotler divided consumers into 4 groups in descending order of loyalty: hard-core loyals, soft-core loyals, shifting loyals and switchers, who have little or no loyalty. These are many other types of segmentation, but the samples given here should illustrate the possibilities. Fords recent advertising strategy, both in Europe and the United States, has been to align itself to major sporting events. In recent years Ford has sponsored football tournaments and events, including the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League in the England. This has given the company considerable TV airtime through its association with Sky Sports. However, viewing figures show that, typically, the average top viewing figure a given week is just over 1,000,000, dropping to around 140,000 for the 10th most popular sporting event on Sky. Although the popularity of (first-class) football has increased in recent years, particularly amongst more affluent individuals and, in particular, women, Fords sales figures most certainly have not. In fact, there is no evidence to suggest that Fords allegiance to sporting events have had any effect on sales at all at least not in the UK. While it makes sense to promote the Ford brand, and to promote it globally, perhaps it would make more sense to promote individual marques in their own right. Potentially, Ford has the range of models to sell to people at all stages in their lives from the student in a second-hand Ka, to the executive a Jaguar. What is needed is a marketing strategy that segments the stages in customers lives, with a clear route through to their ultimate aspirational car, whether that be a Focus, Land Rover, or an Aston Martin. The Product or Service Itself For the marketer, the product becomes any good or service satisfies a want or need that is considered together with its perceived tangible and intangible qualities. To the consumer, a product is a series or a bundle of satisfactions. Whatever a company would like its products to be, the real nature of its products li

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age

Prehistoric Culture Culture in the Stone Age CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: Prehistory is a term used to denote the long period of time before people began making written records. Some people believe that prehistoric people had lived on earth for millions of years before writing was invented more than 5,000 years ago. Recent finds of prehistoric fossils have led some scientists to believe that the first hominids, or human like creatures may have appeared in Africa seven million years ago. They think that a large range of different hominid species developed over the next millions of years. Some scientists think that the first species of Homo, the genus to which humans belong, emerged about 2.5 million years ago and that their successors eventually began making stone tools, mastering the use of fire, living in cave entrances and simple shelters. Scientists hold that modern humans first appeared in Africa more than 160,000 years ago, eventually leaving that continent to spread across the whole world. In Europe, they are thought to have lived at the same time as another species, the Neanderthals. When the Neanderthals died out, modern humans became the only hominids left on earth. Some of our hunter gatherer ancestors eventually took up farming, and their early settlements gradually grew into cities and formed the basis for the first civilizations on earth. After people found time to devote to art, religion and trade, the invention of writing finally marked the end of the prehistoric period. Prehistory is about sets of sites, artifacts and landscapes from the past which we try to understand in the present, putting the evidence we have in the context of their contemporary environments, both physical and social. The chronological scheme for understanding prehistory, the so called Three Age System, was mainly developed in Europe. The three-age system is the periodization of human prehistory into three consecutive time periods, named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies; the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. The Stone Age was divided into two by the start of farming, with the Old Stone Age(Paleolithic, with its own three divisions-lower, middle and upper) succeeded by the New Stone Age(Neolithic). The metal age of bronze and iron(the Mesolithic Age), it was thought saw the development of tribal societies with sophisticated farming and the ability to build monuments like hill forts or create metal objects. Some of humans greatest achievements were made by prehistoric people. They created the worlds first languages, and learned to make tools and clothes and to control fire. They invented art, religion, farming, boats, and the wheel. Prehistoric people also settled the world, from the Arctic to the deserts of Australia. All the evidence that we have for our prehistoric past comes from material remains-objects and sites-that ancient people have left behind. It is the task of archaeologists to find and interpret this evidence. Many prehistoric sites have been discovered by accident, such as Seahenge in England, an ancient wooden monument revealed by the tide in 1998. Other prehistoric features, including standing stones and burial mounds, stand out in the landscape. The first question archaeologists ask about any prehistoric site is, How old is it?. 1.1 WHAT IS CULTURE ? Term traditionally used in prehistoric archaeology to define a specific collection of portable material objects, most often stone and bone tools, that exhibit similarity in a number of variables and that are found within a delimited region and time period. Culture also refers to a shared system of learned behaviors, passed on through several generations and thus characteristic of particular groups or communities. In this sense, there is considerable debate over whether humans are the only living primate species with culture, and, if so, when culture first appeared. At one extreme, only anatomically modern humans are considered to have possessed culture; at the other, chimpanzees and even certain species of cercepithecoid monkeys (macaques, baboons) are described as exhibiting culture in the form of long-term learned behavioral differences between populations. 1.2 EVOLUTION: The theory that living things evolve with time, giving rise to new species, was first proposed in the 1790s by English scientist Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802). But there was no convincing explanation as to exactly how a species might evolve. Then, in 1859, Erasmuss grandson Charles Darwin (1809-1882) published The Origin of Species, in which he explained that evolution was driven by a process he called natural selection. Darwins theory led to the conclusion that humans and apes had evolved from a common ancestor. Hominization is the evolutionary process that results in the present human being. It was a very long process. The first ancestors of the human beings appeared about five million years ago. We call them Australopithecus. They were quite similar to chimpanzees. Two million years ago a new human species called Homo Habilis appeared. They made tools of stone and lived on hunting and gathering. Homo Habilis and Australopithecus lived in Africa. Homo erectus appeared a million and a half years ago. They were similar to Homo habilis but they made more perfect tools. They had a greater technological development. This species discovered and learned how to use fire. Home erectus remains have been found out of Africa, in Europe andAsia. Homo antecessor is an extinct human species discovered in the Atapuerca site ( Spain). He appeared about 800,000 years ago. Most probably he is the oldest European. He is a common ancestor of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens. Then, about 100,000 years ago Homo sapiens appeared. This species is divided into two subtypes: Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis or Neanderthal man and Homo sapiens sapiens. Neanderthal man looked like us but he was more robust and sturdy. This species became extinct. Homo sapiens sapiens is the species we belong to. Archaeologists have found remains of Homo sapiens in America and Australia. The continent where human beings first appeared is Africa. Homo erectus were the first human beings to leave Africa. Their remains have been found in Asia, Europe and Africa. In America and Australia, there are no remains of Homo erectus.The only vestiges that archaeologists have found there belong to Homo sapiens. There are several characteristics that make human beings different from other similar species: they invent tools thanks to the evolution of their intellect; they can walk on two legs (biped walk) so they can work with their hands; they have an opposable thumb, which, for example, allows them to make tools or write; and., finally, the fact that learning is possible because human beings develop a symbolic language and have a long childhood. Homo Neanderthalensis Homo Erectus Homo Sapiens Austrelopithecus The basic timeline of Prehistory is dominated by the so-called Old Stone Age or Paleolithic era, which lasted (roughly) from 1,600,000 until 10,000 BCE. It spans three periods: (1) Lower Paleolithic (2,500,000-200,000 BCE) (2) Middle Paleolithic (200,000-30,000 BCE) (3) Upper Paleolithic (40,000-10,000 BCE). After this comes a transitional phase called the Mesolithic period (sometimes known as epipaleolithic), ending with the spread of agriculture, followed by the Neolithic period (the New Stone Age) which witnessed the establishment of permanent settlements. The Stone Age ends as stone tools become superseded by the new products of bronze and iron metallurgy, and is followed by the Bronze and Iron ages. CHAPTER 2: PALEOLITHIC AGE: The period, also known as the stone age, encompasses the first widespread use of technology-as humans progressed from simpler to more complex developmental stages-and the spread of humanity from the savannas of East Africa to the rest of the world. It is generally said to have begun approximately 500,000 years ago and to have ended about 6,000 B.C.E. It ends with the development of agriculture, the domestication of certain animals, and the smelting of copper ore to produce metal. It is termed pre-historical, since humanity had not yet started writing-which is seen as the traditional start of (recorded) history. Knowledge of human life at this time is confined to generalities. Scientists do not have records of individual lives or of the achievements of individual contributors to human development. As technology enabled humans to settle in larger numbers, however, more rules were needed to regulate life, which gave rise to ethical codes. Religious belief, reflected in cave art, also be came more sophisticated. Death and burial rites evolved. As hunting and gathering gave way to agriculture and as some people became artisans, trading implements they produced, even larger settlements, such as Jericho, appear. Art and music also developed as some people had more time for leisure. Human society emerged as more self-consciously collective. People became aware that they faced the same challenges, so co-operation was better than competition. In the early Paleolithic period, each clan or family group regarded themselves as the people to the exclusion of others. Strangers may not even have been thought of as human. With settlement, this changed and community identity became more important than individual identity. 2.1 MATERIAL CULTURE DURING THE PALEOLITHIC ERA: IMPLEMENTS AND TOOLS: Implements are essentially an extension of human limbs-the extension of the fist and tooth with the stone ; the arm with the stick; the hand or mouth with a bag or basket. If an implement such as a stone, picked up and thrown, is the beginning of human technical process, that progress becomes unlimited once the tool is developed. The tool-the implement to make implements-creates the possibility of producing far more different types of implements than could by simply selected from nature. The process of making tools, first by chipping from stone, then by grinding, and finally from metal by hammering and casting, underlies all our modern techniques of dealing physically with material objects. Through the practice of tool making, men learned the mechanical properties of many natural products and thus laid the basis for physical science. Paleolithic means Old Stone. In the Paleeolithic objects were made of stone, wood and animal bones. Most objects were made of stone and that is why this period was also called Stone Age. The technique to make tools and objects out of stone was very simple. They knocked two stones together until they got small pieces from one of them. These pieces became cutting objects. They used them to hunt and cut animal skins and meat. Examples of objects made of wood and animal bones are: harpoons, needles and lances CLOTHING: Partly from the need to carry things about, at first only food and implements, came the custom of attaching objects more or less permanently to the body, wherever a convenient hold could be made, in the hair, round the neck, waist, wrists and ankles. These attachments tended to become distinctive and ornamental. Feathers, bones and skins were added. Then came the crucial discovery that furry skin helped to keep people warm on cold nights and in winters. From this came clothes, first in isolated skin, cloaks and skirts then sew and tailored garments. FOOD: Food sources of the early hunter-gatherer humans of the Paleolithic Age included both animals and plants that were part of the natural environment in which these humans lived, often animal organ meats, including the liver, kidneys, and brains. They consumed little dairy food or carbohydrate-rich plant foods like legumes or cereal grains. Current research indicates that two-thirds of the energy was derived from animal foods. FIRE AND COOKERY: Fire was discovered about half a million years ago. For human beings in the Paleolithic Age it was one of the most important discoveries. The climate was extremely cold and with fire they could heat and light their caves, cook their food and frighten wild animals away. How man came across fire and why he dared to tame and feed it is yet to be discovered. The preservation and propagation of fire must at first have been frightening, hazardous and difficult. At first it must have been used to warm the body on cold nights. Cooking could only have come once the camp fire had become an established custom. Just as the tool is the basis of physical and mechanical science, so is fire the basis of chemical science. First of all came the very simple and essentially chemical practice of cooking. It is from the accidental use of fire that the more specifically controllable and scientific uses of fire in pottery and later in metal-making first arose. It was not very difficult to roast meat on sticks, but boiling represents a real problem, the solution of which was to lead to further great advances. The crucial discovery, was that by coating a basket with thick clay it could be put on the fire and actually improved in the process. In time it was discovered, probably towards the end of the Old Stone Age, that the basket could be dispensed with and clay pottery made that would hold water and stand fire. PRIMITIVE ART: For this, we have the evidence of the most detailed knowledge of nature possessed today by all tribes still in the hunting phase and by the large part that animal dances play in their ceremonies. All this is shown by widely dispersed cave paintings, drawings and sculptures, which are almost exclusively of animals. These representations don not stop at the outside of the animal, often bones, heart and entrails are also shown giving evidence of the origin of anatomy arising from the cutting up of game. A rock painting at Bhimbetka, India, a World heritage site. 2.2 SOCIAL BASIS OF PRIMITIVE LIFE: LANGUAGE: The cooperation of several individuals in the pursuit of food with their bare hands or with unshaped sticks and stones is possible only by the use of gesture or words. Early language must have mainly dealt with the getting of food, including the movements of people and the making and using of implements. Language must have been, from the very beginning, almost entirely arbitrary and conventional. In each community the meaning of sounds had to win acceptance and be fixed by tradition into a complete language capable of dealing with the totality of material and social life. FOOD GATHERING AND HUNTING: DIVISION OF LABOUR The general ecological character of the human groups was determined at first almost exclusively, later very largely by how they got their food. To begin with they must have collected anything they could eat-seeds, nuts, fruit, roots, insects etc. All primitive people still surviving have passed into the next stage where food gathering is supplemented by hunting large animals. The necessarily small social groups of the early Stone Age maintained their continuity through the women, while the young men for the most part must have gone off and mated with girls of other groups to which they then attached themselves. This corresponded to an economic division in which the women collected fruits, nuts, grains while men caught game and fish. The further development of big game hunting a mans business increased mans importance as a prime food-getter. It may be that this, combined with the extra strength, aggressiveness and skill that went with it, led towards the end of the Stone Age to the dominance of men over women. RELIGIOUS/BURIAL CUSTOMS: A number of archeologists propose that Middle Paleolithic societies such as Neanderthal societies may also have practiced the earliest form of totemism or animal worship. Animal cults in the following Upper Paleolithic period, such as the bear cult, may have had their origins in these hypothetical Middle Paleolithic animal cults. The oldest known burials can be attributed to the Middle Paleolithic Period. The corpses, accompanied by stone tools and parts of animals, were laid in holes in the ground and sometimes the corpses were especially protected. In some cases, the findings give the impression that the dead were to be held onto. Whether or not that meant that the dead were to be cared for lovingly or that their return was to be feared, it implies, in any case, a belief in life after death in some form. But it is not necessary to infer a belief in separate souls; rather, it could also indicate the concept of a living corpse. SACRIFICES: Sacrifices (i.e., the presentation of offerings to higher beings or to the dead) appear as early as the Middle Paleolithic Period. Pits with some animal bones have been found in the vicinity of burial sites; thus, it is a likely possibility that they represent offerings to the dead. There is a dispute over the interpretation of the arrangement of the skulls and long bones of bears, since they are deposited in such a manner that it is hardly possible to discern a profane explanation. It is assumed that they had a cultic or magical significance. Most likely, certain parts of the prey, such as the head and the meaty shanks, or at least the bones with brain and marrow, were sacrificed. Even if it cannot be definitely stated who the recipient of these sacrifices was, analogies with present-day primitive phenomena make it likely that a part of the prey was offered to a higher being who was believed to dispense nourishment. CHAPTER 3: MESOLITHIC ERA: The Mesolithic period is a transitional era between the ice-affected hunter-gatherer culture of the Upper Paleolithic, and the farming culture of the Neolithic. The greater the effect of the retreating ice on the environment of a region, the longer the Mesolithic era lasted. So, in areas with no ice (eg. the Middle East), people transitioned quite rapidly from hunting/gathering to agriculture. Their Mesolithic period was therefore short, and often referred to as the Epi-Paleolithic or Epipaleolithic. By comparison, in areas undergoing the change from ice to no-ice, the Mesolithic era and its culture lasted much longer. The Mesolithic is characterized in most areas by small composite flint tools microliths and microburins. Fishing tackle, stone adzes and wooden objects, e.g. canoes and bows, have been found at some sites MESOLITHIC CULTURES: As the ice disappeared, to be replaced by grasslands and forests, mobility and flexibility became more important in the hunting and acquisition of food. As a result, Mesolithic cultures are characterized by small, lighter flint tools, quantities of fishing tackle, stone adzes, bows and arrows. Very gradually, at least in Europe, hunting and fishing was superceded by farming and the domestication of animals. The three main European Mesolithic cultures are: Azilian, Tardenoisian and Maglemosian. Azilian was a stone industry, largely microlithic, associated with Ofnet Man. Tardenoisian, associated with Tardenoisian Man, produced small flint blades and small flint implements with geometrical shapes, together with bone harpoons using flint flakes as barbs. Maglemosian (northern Europe) was a bone and horn culture, producing flint scrapers, borers and core-axes. MESOLITHIC ROCK ART: Artworks created during the Mesolithic period reflect the arrival of new living conditions and hunting practices caused by the disappearance of the great herds of animals from Spain and France, at the end of the Ice Age. Forests now cloaked the landscape, necessitating more careful and cooperative hunting arrangements. European Mesolithic rock art gives more space to human figures, and is characterized by keener observation, and greater narrative in the paintings. Also, because of the warmer weather, it moves from caves to outdoor sites in numerous locations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. For example, in Africa, a number of bushman rock paintings were found in the Waterberg area which date from about 8,000 BCE. In India, the paintings in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, derive from Mesolithic artists. A good deal of Australian Aboriginal art (eg. from Arnhem Land) dates from Mesolithic as well as Paleolithic periods. Most of the Aborigines ancient artwork i s stylized rock painting, often executed in a symbolic or abstract manner as many were created from a birds eye view. MESOLITHIC SCULPTURE: As well as these stylized cave paintings, the Mesolithic era also featured more 3-D art, including bas-reliefs and free standing sculpture. Early examples of the latter include the anthropomorphic figurines, typically embellished by animals, uncovered in Nevali Cori and GÃ ¶bekli Tepe near Urfa in eastern Asia Minor (now Turkey), dating to 9,000 BCE. The mesolithic statues of Lepenski Vir (eg. The Fish God) in Serbia date from about 5,000 BCE and depict either humans or hybrid figures, part-human, part-fish. MESOLITHIC DECORATIVE CRAFTS: Other examples of this type of new portable art include adornments, like bracelets and painted pebbles, together with decorative drawings on functional objects like paddles and weapons. Ceramic art was also developed, notably by the Jomon culture an early highpoint of Japanese Art whose sophisticated pots have been dated to the 11th millennium BCE. Their clay figures and vessels were typically decorated with patterns created by impressing the wet clay body with cord and sticks. Chinese pottery begins during the Mesolithic period. MESOLITHIC MASTERPIECE: The Thinker From Cernavoda (5000 BCE) One extraordinary example of Neolithic art is the sculpture known as the Thinker From Cernavoda (c.5,000 BCE), discovered in the lower Danube in Romania. It belongs to the Hamangia culture, usually classified as a Neolithic culture practised in Dobruja (Romania and Bulgaria) on the right bank of the Danube in Muntenia, and in the south, but may be connected with mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The uniqueness of the sculpture stems from the fact that the figure is neither a hunting or fertility idol, but simply sits in deep thought. A near-perfect illustration of a thinking Neolithic man. CHAPTER 4: NEOLITHIC OR NEW STONE AGE: Neolithic means New Stone Age. This was a period of primitive technological and social development, toward the end of the Stone Age. Beginning in the 10th millennium BCE (12,000 BP), the Neolithic period saw the development of early villages, agriculture, animal domestication, tools and the onset of the earliest recorded incidents of warfare It is characterized by the discovery of stone implements that were polished, and, in particular, the stone axe that was bound to a wooden handle. There were also numerous arrow-heads that were found. Also found was the beginning of a sort of agriculture, as well as the use of plants and seeds. Evidences of hunting revealed that there were hunters among Neolithic humans. There is also evidence revealing the domestication of animals, such as dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. Hunters began tending the herds that they hunted. Also discovered are evidences of pottery, plaiting and weaving. In the Mesolithic period, people built up knowledge about harvesting wild foods. In the Middle East, they specialized in gathering the seeds of wild grasses. Between 10,000 and 9000 bce, people learned how to store and sow seeds of plants, which then changed as a result of human selection. Wild wheat has brittle stalks that shatter when ripe, releasing grains to be spread by the wind. People harvested wheat with larger, intact ears, which stayed longer on the plant and eventually created a new wheat with heads that no longer shattered. People also began to control the breeding of animals, such as sheep. They had become farmers. This new period of prehistory is called the Neolithic (New Stone) Age. 4.1 VILLAGE AND RIVER CULTURE: The characteristic economic and cultural unit of the Neolithic age is the village. Village economy is strictly limited in scope and possibility of change. Even where it involves thousands of people, as in some African villages today, it remains an economy in which nearly all the people are occupied most of the time in agricultural pursuits or in the production of locally made and locally used goods. The first step towards larger scale of operations occurred when people tried to practice agriculture in the wide alluvial valleys of rivers which flowed in their lower courses through aris lands. They may have started from the low river banks where seeds could be sown in the wet mud and then gradually cut back the marshes and cleared the river channels. Alternatively, the practice of agriculture in small upland valleys may simply have been pushed downstream step by step into the great valleys. In some such way, a new kind of agriculture based first on natural then on artificial irrigation came into being. 4.2 SOCIAL ORGANIZATION: During most of the Neolithic age, people lived in small tribes of 150-2000 members that were composed of multiple bands or lineages. There is little scientific evidence of developed social stratification in most Neolithic societies; social stratification is more associated with the later Bronze Age. Although some late Neolithic societies formed complex stratified chiefdoms similar to Polynesian societies such as the Ancient Hawaiians, most Neolithic societies were relatively simple and egalitarian. However, Neolithic societies were noticeably more hierarchical than the Paleolithic cultures that preceded them and Hunter-gatherer cultures in general. The domestication of animals (c. 8000 BC) resulted in a dramatic increase in social inequality. Possession of livestock allowed competition between households and resulted in inherited inequalities of wealth. Neolithic pastoralists who controlled large herds gradually acquired more livestock, and this made economic inequalities more pronou nced. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION: We can conclude by saying that Prehistoric culture refers to human evolution and development that occurred before the discovery of writing. For a short cut, this period is sometimes called the Stone Age. As the sciences of Geology, Paleontology, Anthropology and Archeology have developed, they have, by our time produced a vast, complex body of knowledge about the dawn of the human mind. If we correctly evaluate modern discoveries and proposed hypotheses, it can help us understand human nature and shed light on modern human problems. What is the role of reason in the life of mankind. Question One. What does our current knowledge about prehistoric times tell us about the use of reason in the prehistoric culture? Question Two: How do we use our personal, modern day reason in order to answer Question One. In order to examine the role of reason in prehistoric times, it first behooves us to understand the role of reason in our own lives here and now.

Man and Nature in Norman Macleans book, Young Men and Fire Essay

Man and Nature in Norman Maclean's book, Young Men and Fire Norman Maclean's book, Young Men and Fire, recreates the tragedy of the Mann Gulch fire. His ambition to have this lamentable episode of history reach out and touch his readers triumphs in extolling the honor and respect deserved by the thirteen smoke jumpers who died. This book is a splendid tribute to the courageous efforts of such men, as well as a landmark, reminding mankind to heed the unpredictable behavior and raw power of nature. Deep in the midst of the Mann Gulch valley in Montana, above the densely wooded forest and below the towering precipices lies the fast-burning cheat grass, home to twelve of the thirteen dead smoke jumpers. The smoke jumpers were an elite group of the United States Forest Service's firefighters compiled in 1940, and their mission was to parachute from the open sky down unto the fires to extinguish them before they became too large. Triggered during a lightning storm the previous day, the Mann Gulch fire didn't pose a threat until the afternoon of August 5, 1949, when the thermostat reached its summertime peak and the various crosswinds from the three surrounding rivers began to whirl and swell up the fire. Before the big "blowup" occurred, the smoke jumper crew was dropped down unto the fire led by their foreman Wag Dodge to quench the fire's thirst. The recapitulation of events which Maclean embarks the reader on traces the perseverance, endurance, and fortitude of the crew as they raced for life against the ever-raging wall of fire roaring behind them. Maclean utilizes various fragments of factual interviews, personal observation, theoretical fire science, and his own distinct exploration to compose this "factual fabricati... ... its ashes, and as the biblical phrase goes, "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" Dodge literally was resurrected from a certain death. Maclean wanted to know so much, each detail, in order to reconstruct the tragedy. It is remarkable how his determination to "tell this story" sustained him over the fourteen years he devoted to this project. Maclean writes like a true master. His story creates its own rhythm, and the reader is captivated by his masterful storytelling. He retells the same strain of thoughts, with slight variations on his theme, much like the repetitiveness of a musical composer's refrain. Maclean's "Young Men and Fire" makes the reader vicariously experience the inexplicable pain and suffering of the crew and relatives. In this respect, Maclean has forever engraved this misfortune into my mind, and through this magnificent tale, the dead live on. Â  

Beethoven Essay -- Biography

Introduction Like many people of this time period Beethoven was affected by the French Revolution, the enlightenment and romantic periods; in 1789 the French Revolution was raging and people were dying. The French general Napoleon defeated France’s enemies and inspired Beethoven with ideas of freedom and equality. It was because those inspirations that Beethoven was going to dedicated his Third Symphony, Erocia which means heroic to him, that was until Napoleon decided to declared himself emperor, which made him so angry that he viciously scratched out the dedication. (Alvarez 2006-2007) He was also influence by nature and especially the country side. This is evident by his sixth Symphony, Pastoral which means simple country, below are the titles for each movement of this Symphony â€Å"Awakening of Cheerful Feelings upon Arrival in the Country,† â€Å"Scene by the Brook,† Merrymaking of Country Folk,† â€Å"Thunder Storm,† and â€Å"Song of the Shepard’s, Joy and Gratitude after the Storm.† Along with other musical composition Beethoven was a man of head of his time. He was a classicalist but he should have been a romantic. In fact it is because of him that the Romantic period of music was started. Just like Frank Schubert he drew on poets like Goethe and Schiller for his songs. Just the stirring emotions of his compositions gets my vote for being a romantic. Most biographers tend to divide Beethoven life into three stages. I will continue with this practice event though this is just summarized version of events that took placed due Ludwig van Beethoven’s Life. His career is divided into Early, Middle and Late Periods. Early general is thought to be from birth to 1802, the middle from 1803 to 1814, and the late period from 1815... ...Alvarez 2006-2007) There is much debate about what has caused Beethoven’s hearing loss. Since there wasn’t any hearing specialist during that time period the real cause may never be known. I have listed one theory below. Beethoven may well have had the specific form of immunopathic disease known as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, which typically commences in early adult life with a fever accompanied by mental confusion. Typical symptoms are destructive rash ('lupus') and redness ('erythema') of the butterfly area of the face. Any of the immunopathic disorders may occur, notably colitis. The excellent life-mask of 1812 shows an elongated atrophic scar particularly suggestive of Lupus. The portraits clearly show flushing of the cheekbones and nose. Beethoven's high color was frequently commented on and may have aroused suspicions of heavy drinking. (Lane 2005)