Women driving in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Women driving in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example Due to this, it should impose stringent measures to ensure that women do not drive in public and instead leave driving to men. Women should not be allowed to drive freely as men do and they should not drive cars in men’s presence as this contradicts the Islamic laws (Macfarquhar n.d). Due to this, any woman found driving in presence should be arrested since she would have violated the government laws and lack of respect of Islamic laws. On the other hand, I think women should be allowed to drive since driving is not a reserve for men (Wollstonecraft 56). Banning women from driving is a sign of an oppressive society that does not care about the welfare of other people. Additionally, with persistence discrimination and subordination of women in Saudi Arabia, women lack self –confidence and esteem. In this case, it will be difficult for Saudi Arabia to attain gender equality by the year 2015 as enshrined in the millennium development

Controversies as a Result of the Alien and Sedition Acts Essay Example for Free

Controversies as a Result of the Alien and Sedition Acts Essay In the late 1700s and into the early 1800s, large controversies over the Alien and the Sedition Acts, containing four bills, took place. Some of the controversies included immigration, slander and libel of the government, and states’ rights. While the controversy set the stage for Jefferson’s election, it also left some in tense and unsettled states. The Alien and Sedition Acts brought many disagreements upon the states. The Acts had two bills that seemed to stand out most among the government. The second bill of the Alien and Sedition Acts gave the President power to deport â€Å"all such aliens as he shall judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United Stats. † Just before the Acts were created, President George Washington wrote to the Vice-President John Adams in 1794 of his believe that immigrants brought with them not only their language, but their habits and formal morals too. Later, he goes on to say, that this is not particularly a bad thing because as time goes on, as generations grow, all people will become one. Just before that though, in 1785, Thomas Jefferson had made close to the same note, but a bit different. He believed it would be a miracle for the morals and beliefs of the immigrants to halt in changing at the exact point of liberty. He believed that infusing the aliens into our United States would create a â€Å"heterogeneous, incoherent, distracted mass. † Altogether, immigration was an extremely controversial topic. Each person had their own opinion, especially the rising parties who seemed to almost separate the nation more. While the Acts had allowed the President this power, it also prohibited the slander of libel of the President or any other part of the government. It seems to almost be a coincidence. After this was passed, Federalist prosecutors arrested more than twenty Republican newspaper editors and politicians. The Federalists had accused them of sedition, and convicted and jailed a number of them. Many believed that this part of the Sedition Act was against the First Amendment that forbade the †abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. † As a matter of fact, the Republicans actually tried to charge the Sedition Act as a violation of the First Amendment, although it did not appeal to the Supreme Court. This was because the Court was not sure how to review the case considering the board was made up of mostly Federalists. Jefferson sent a letter to Francis Hopkinson of Pennsylvania clearing up a rumor that he was a Federalist. He states that he â€Å"never submitted the whole system of (his) opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. † Last, but definitely not least, was the issue of whether or not the states had a right to judge the Constitution. After the Republicans tried to charge the Sedition Acts as a violation against the Constitution, Madison and Jefferson looked to the state legislature which led to their declaring the Alien and Sedition Acts to be â€Å"unauthoritative, void, and of no force. This resolution set forth a states’ rights interpretation of the Constitution, asserting that the states had a â€Å"right to judge† the legitimacy of national laws. Albert Gallatin, a Democratic-Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, made a speech in the House of Representatives on the proposed Sedition Act wherein he stated, â€Å"The only evidences brought by the supporters of this bill consist of writings expressing an opinion that certain measures of government have been dictated by an unwise policy, or by improper motives, and that some of them are unconstitutional. The Alien and Sedition Acts caused many controversies. The controversies led to many letters and arguments with the government. With this being said, the major problems seem to have been the topics of immigration, slander and libel of the government, and states’ rights. Although, after these controversies developed over the Acts, the Acts were then rethought. It is often wondered, even now, why the Alien and Sedition Acts were ever passed in the first place.

Chemical Castration and Physical Castration Essay -- Recidivism of Sex

A Critical Analysis of the Effects of Chemical Castration and Physical Castration on the Recidivism Rates of Sex Offenders Introduction This paper examines the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. Using theory integration or the multifactor approach, the findings reveal there are several factors influencing sex offender recidivism. Both chemical castration and physical castration have the potential to reduce the recidivism rates of sex offenders by lowering testosterone levels, diminishing sexual urges, and making sexual urges more controllable if the sexual urges are motivated by increased testosterone levels. Based on theory integration, most sex offences are not motivated by an increased testosterone level but innate biological features, psychological disorders, and social factors making chemical castration and physical castration ineffective in curing most origins of sexual deviance. Literature Review This paper presents a critical analysis of the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. In this paper, the term sex offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of a sex crime and released back into the community either directly after sentencing or after serving time in prison for the commission of the sex crime. It should be noted that both men and women commit criminal sex acts, however, this paper will focus on the male offender. First and foremost, it is of prime importance to clarify the nature of rape and sex crimes. According to Groth and Birnbaum’s study in â€Å"Men Who Rape: the Psychology of the Offender† (1979), the motivation for rape and sex crimes stems most commonly from anger and the need to dominate, terrify, and humiliate one’s victim, not from pent-up sexual desire. â€Å"Rape is an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon† (Benedict, 1992, p.14). Rape is used to control one’s victim in the same way a gun is used to control a store clerk in a robbery. Both are methods of control in order to get what one wants. The majority of men cannot even sustain an erection or ejaculate during the commission of a sex crime (Men against Sexual Violence, 2003). Contrary to popular belief, rape is not the fulfillment of an overly stimulated libido; it is primarily a tool to exert power over a victim. Sex c... ...etreived November 26, 2003 from http://www.rainn.org/statistics.html â€Å"Recidivism of Sex Offenders†. (2001). Center for Sex Offender Management. Retrieved on October 19, 2003 from http://www.csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html Rice, M.E., Quinsey, V.L., & Harris, G.T. (1991). Sexual recidivism among child molesters released from a maximum security institution. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 381-386. Rosler, A. & Witztum, E. (1998). â€Å"Treatment of Men with Paraphilia with a Long-Acting Analogue of Gonadotropin- Releasing Horomone†. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 416-422 Scalora, M. & Garbin, C. (2003). â€Å"A Multivariate Analysis of Sex Offender Recidivism†. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(3), 309-323 Thornberry, Terence P. â€Å"Reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of theortical integration.† Theoretical Integration in the Study of Deviance and Crime. Ed: Messner, Krohn, and Liska. University of New York Press. Albany: NY. 1989. Tolbert, Tracy. (2004). Criminal Justice 404: Crime Theory, Causation, and Control Lecture Notes. California State University, Long Beach. (Unpublished) Chemical Castration and Physical Castration Essay -- Recidivism of Sex A Critical Analysis of the Effects of Chemical Castration and Physical Castration on the Recidivism Rates of Sex Offenders Introduction This paper examines the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. Using theory integration or the multifactor approach, the findings reveal there are several factors influencing sex offender recidivism. Both chemical castration and physical castration have the potential to reduce the recidivism rates of sex offenders by lowering testosterone levels, diminishing sexual urges, and making sexual urges more controllable if the sexual urges are motivated by increased testosterone levels. Based on theory integration, most sex offences are not motivated by an increased testosterone level but innate biological features, psychological disorders, and social factors making chemical castration and physical castration ineffective in curing most origins of sexual deviance. Literature Review This paper presents a critical analysis of the effects of chemical castration and physical castration on the recidivism rates of sex offenders. In this paper, the term sex offender is defined as a person who has been convicted of a sex crime and released back into the community either directly after sentencing or after serving time in prison for the commission of the sex crime. It should be noted that both men and women commit criminal sex acts, however, this paper will focus on the male offender. First and foremost, it is of prime importance to clarify the nature of rape and sex crimes. According to Groth and Birnbaum’s study in â€Å"Men Who Rape: the Psychology of the Offender† (1979), the motivation for rape and sex crimes stems most commonly from anger and the need to dominate, terrify, and humiliate one’s victim, not from pent-up sexual desire. â€Å"Rape is an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon† (Benedict, 1992, p.14). Rape is used to control one’s victim in the same way a gun is used to control a store clerk in a robbery. Both are methods of control in order to get what one wants. The majority of men cannot even sustain an erection or ejaculate during the commission of a sex crime (Men against Sexual Violence, 2003). Contrary to popular belief, rape is not the fulfillment of an overly stimulated libido; it is primarily a tool to exert power over a victim. Sex c... ...etreived November 26, 2003 from http://www.rainn.org/statistics.html â€Å"Recidivism of Sex Offenders†. (2001). Center for Sex Offender Management. Retrieved on October 19, 2003 from http://www.csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html Rice, M.E., Quinsey, V.L., & Harris, G.T. (1991). Sexual recidivism among child molesters released from a maximum security institution. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 381-386. Rosler, A. & Witztum, E. (1998). â€Å"Treatment of Men with Paraphilia with a Long-Acting Analogue of Gonadotropin- Releasing Horomone†. The New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 416-422 Scalora, M. & Garbin, C. (2003). â€Å"A Multivariate Analysis of Sex Offender Recidivism†. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(3), 309-323 Thornberry, Terence P. â€Å"Reflections on the advantages and disadvantages of theortical integration.† Theoretical Integration in the Study of Deviance and Crime. Ed: Messner, Krohn, and Liska. University of New York Press. Albany: NY. 1989. Tolbert, Tracy. (2004). Criminal Justice 404: Crime Theory, Causation, and Control Lecture Notes. California State University, Long Beach. (Unpublished)

Mythical Pasts: Ethiopianism as a Revitalization Movement :: essays papers

Mythical Pasts: Ethiopianism as a Revitalization Movement Throughout history, identification with Ethiopian heritage has been a familiar concept to the Jamaicans who have suffered under slavery, colonialism and social oppression. This concept of "Ethiopianism" includes the appreciation of Ethiopia’s ancient civilization as well as its profound role in the Bible and world history. It has long been manifested in Jamaican culture as a means to identify with a glorious, righteous, and perhaps the earliest of all human civilization. Anthropologist Anthony F.C. Wallace has focused much of his research on the phenomena of Revitalization Movements throughout social history. He has recognized that such movements are characterized by a uniform process and can be defined as "a deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture" (Wallace 265). Considering the centuries of severe struggle amongst Jamaican society, from the inhumane conditions of slavery to modern neocolonialism on the island, it seems evident as to why the revitalization of the Ethiopian homeland would be present in the culture and even accelerated within the Rastafarian Movement. Prominent leaders and the circumstances of the times have allowed Ethiopianism to flourish amongst the oppressed masses of Jamaica and gain popular recognition through the lyrics of reggae music. There is no doubt that this identification with historical Ethiopia has served as a Revitalization Movement for Rastafarians within Jamaican culture and society. It would be impossible to understand the Rastafarian connection to Ethiopianism without first exploring at least a brief history of this ancient civilization. This historical root in a thriving civilization is especially important to discover as Blacks have unjustifiably been regarded as "uncivilized" throughout the centuries. I hope that the following will prove that today, Africans all over the world are descendents of what was once a very highly developed civilization in what is now Ethiopia. However, white populations have attempted throughout history to deny this fact. European scholars of the nineteenth century claimed that those who occupied the area in ancient times were not Negroes but Hamites; this attempt was made in hope of scientifically proving that whites are the origin and basis of all civilization (Barrett 70). African descendents have suffered for centuries due to this "de-negrification" of Blacks and those confusing racial classifications assigned by Whites. The fa ct that the Ethiopian civilization was indeed a Black one is strongly supported with a quick insight into ancient Hebrew language.

History of Psychology Essay

The development of modern psychology has roots that can be found well past the 19th century. This paper will identify philosophers who are historically related to the beginnings of psychology as a formal discipline. It will also identify philosophers in the western tradition who were primary contributors to the formation of psychology as a discipline. The development of the science of psychology during the 19th century will also be explored. Philosophy is not the same as psychology. However, several philosophers provided the necessary foundations for modern psychology (Goodwin,2008). Two philosophers that are historically related to the beginning of psychology as a formal discipline are Plato and Aristotle. During the fourth and fifth centuries, Plato and Aristotle were the prominent philosophers. Ironically, Aristotle was Plato’s student (Bennett,2007). However, they did have different thoughts on explaining the â€Å"soul†, which was the common term used for the mind. The view that Plato held was that the soul was composed of three parts: the thymos(emotion), nous (intellect) and menos (rage). He also believed that the soul was incorporeal or not material (Bennett,2007). Aristotle on the other hand, distinguished three different kinds of soul: rational, sensitive and nutritive and thought it impossible for an incorporeal soul to interact with a corporeal body (Bennett,2007). So in other words, Aristotle thought that both mind and body, that the mind is not a spirit, but is substantial. These two philosophers unknowingly laid the foundation for psychology. Even in this modern age we still do not have a clear understanding of all the attributes of the psyche, such as cognitive, emotional and responses work. Following Plato and Aristotle, around the 17th century, one of the topics of discussions of human psychology was whether or not humans are born with knowledge and understanding of reality, or are they acquired through experiences and interactions with the world. John Locke is one of the two major philosophers of the western tradition that was a primary contributor to the formation of psychology as a discipline. John  Locke was a British philosopher with an empiricist view. His theory stated, that at birth, the mind was a blank slate, onto which experiences of what a person sees, hears, smells, tastes and feels are written (Goodwin,2008). So in other words there is no store of knowledge, but through our senses, our knowledge comes. This debate stills continues today and it is referred to the nature versus nurture. The other important philosopher is during the 19th century was John Stuart Mill, who was also British. John Stuart Mill, was the son of an important British philosopher. Mill senior used the empiricist and associationist doctrine to shape Mill junior (Goodwin,2008). Johns Stuart Mill was also empiricist, like John Locke. However, he did not restrict himself to solely the empiricist views. He believed that,† a complex idea, is formed by the blending together of several simpler ones.† In 1843, John Stuart Mill published, A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive, Being Connected View of the principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation, which was the foundational rules for conducting empirical research (Goodwin,2008). Both Locke and Mills advocated that empiricism, knowledge that is obtained from the senses (simplypsychology.org,2012, is the most practical and scientific approach to understanding the human psyche. The development of the science of psychology during the 19th century ushered in Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), who some say is the founder of modern psychology. Wundt developed structuralism. He believed that the mind and behavior can be subject to scientific analysis. William James (1842-1910) also brought in a new approach to psychology called functionalism. James is known for his work, Principles of Psychology, the belief that mentality must be seen as an ongoing process and not fragmented into bits of consciousness. In conclusion, the history of psychology is important for three reasons. First is still a young science. Second, it is important to understanding the heritability of traits. Third, the past can provide unity for psychology’s future (Goodwin,2008). All of the great philosophers of ancient times made discoveries that have aided in modern day psychology as a respectable and scientific discipline. References http://www.simplypsychology.org/science-psychology.html Retrieved November 3, 2012 Bennett, M. (2007). Development of the concept of mind. Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Psychiatry, 41(12), 943-956. Goodwin, C. J. (2008) A history of modern psychology (3rd ed). Hoboken, NJ:Wiley

Einsteinium Facts - Element 99 or Es

Einsteinium Facts - Element 99 or Es   Einsteinium is a soft silver radioactive metal with atomic number 99 and element symbol Es. Its intense radioactivity makes it glow blue in the dark. The element is named in honor of Albert Einstein.   Discovery Einsteinium was first identified in the fallout from the first hydrogen bomb explosion in 1952, the Ivy Mike nuclear test. Albert Ghiorso and his team at the University of California at Berkeley, together with Los Alamos and Argonne National Laboratories, detected and later synthesized Es-252, which exhibits a characteristic alpha decay with an energy of 6.6 MeV. The American team jokingly named element 99 pandamonium because the Ivy Mike test had been codenamed Project Panda, but the name they officially proposed was einsteinium, with element symbol E. The IUPAC approved the name but went with the symbol Es. The American team competed with a Swedish team at the Nobel Institute for Physics in Stockholm for credit discovering elements 99 and 100 and naming them. The Ivy Mike test had been classified. The American team published results in 1954, with the test results declassified in 1955. The Swedish team published results in 1953 and 1954. Properties of Einsteinium Einsteinium is a synthetic element, probably not found naturally. Primordial einsteinium (from when the Earth formed), if it existed, would have decayed by now. Successive neutron capture events from uranium and thorium could theoretically produce natural einsteinium. At present, the element is only produced in nuclear reactors or from nuclear weapon tests. It is made by bombarding other actinides with neutrons. Although not a lot of element 99 has been made, it is the highest atomic number produced in sufficient quantities to be seen in its pure form. One problem studying einsteinium is that radioactivity of the element damages its crystal lattice. Another consideration is that einsteinium samples quickly become contaminated as the element decays into daughter nuclei. For example, Es-253 decays into Bk-249 and then Cf-249 at the rate of about 3% of the sample per day. Chemically, einsteinium behaves much like other actinides, which are essentially radioactive transition metals. Its a reactive element that exhibits multiple oxidation states and forms colored compounds. The most stable oxidation state is 3, which is pale pink in aqueous solution. The 2 phase has been shown in a solid state, making it the first divalent actinide. The 4 state is predicted for the vapor phase but has not been observed. In addition to glowing in the dark from radioactivity, the element releases heat on the order of 1000 watts per gram. The metal is noteworthy for being paramagnetic. All isotopes of einsteinium are radioactive. At least nineteen nuclides and three nuclear isomers are known. The isotopes range in atomic weight from 240 to 258. The most stable isotope is Es-252, which has a half-life of 471.7 days. Most isotopes decay within 30 minutes. One nuclear isomer of Es-254 has a half-life of 39.3 hours. The uses of einsteinium are limited by the small quantities available and how quickly its isotopes decay. It is used for scientific research to learn about the elements properties and to synthesize other superheavy elements. For example, in 1955 einsteinium was used to produce the first sample of the element mendelevium. Based on animal studies (rats), einsteinium is considered a toxic radioactive element. Over half of ingested Es is deposited in bones, where it remains for 50 years. A quarter goes to the lungs. A fraction of a percent goes to reproductive organs. About 10% is excreted. Einsteinium Properties Element Name: einsteinium Element Symbol: Es Atomic Number: 99 Atomic Weight: (252) Discovery: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (USA) 1952 Element Group: actinide, f-block element, transition metal Element Period: period 7 Electron Configuration:  [Rn] 5f11  7s2 (2, 8, 18, 32, 29, 8, 2) Density (room temperature):  8.84  g/cm3 Phase: solid metal Magnetic Order: paramagnetic Melting Point:  1133  K   (860  Ã‚ °C, 1580  Ã‚ °F) Boiling Point:  1269  K (996  Ã‚ °C, 1825  Ã‚ °F)  predicted Oxidation States:  2,  3, 4 Electronegativity: 1.3 on the Pauling scale Ionization Energy:  1st:  619  kJ/mol Crystal Structure: face-centered cubic (fcc) References: Glenn T. Seaborg, The Transcalifornium Elements., Journal of Chemical Education, Vol 36.1 (1959) p 39.

Free Essays on Response To Wagner

A while back, when first dealing with the subject of music in Nazi Germany, someone raised the point that Wagner would have made a great Nazi. I questioned this statement, since I always believed artists contain an aura of humanity about them, which places them above the petty differences and ideologies of the rest of the world. As an artist, I hoped that Wagner might realize his humanity, and object to the treatment of Jewish peoples during World War II (based on the juxtaposition of Wagner in World War II Nazi Germany). Thankfully, this reading corrected my flawed assumption. During this period in history, no Jewish state existed for people of Hebrew descent. Dishearteningly, Wagner did a good job of hammering this point home within the framework of this article. Examining the second paragraph proves this point: â€Å"The Jew speaks the language of the nation in whose midst he dwells from generation to generation, but he speaks it always as an alien.† According to Wagner, the Jew has no place within the nation and never will. Wagner goes too far when attacking the music of Felix Mendelssohn. Research online revealed the Mendelssohn family converted to Christianity. Upon completion of Hebrides, Wagner complemented the work. Even though Mendelssohn had family history rooted in Judaism, Wagner admitted â€Å"Hebrides is a masterpiece of a landscape-painter of the first order.† One can almost sense an indirect insult or devaluing of the composer, based upon his extremely weak Jewish heritage. Overall, this article changed my opinion on the original stance in class. Wagner, an obvious anti-Semite, would have fit perfectly on the Nazi Germany/Hitler bandwagon that emerged in Germany over half a century later. In fact, the Nazis championed Wagner’s music; perhaps because much of his criticism dealt so harshly with people of Jewish lineage. After reading this article, I probably won’t look at much of Wagner’s non... Free Essays on Response To Wagner Free Essays on Response To Wagner A while back, when first dealing with the subject of music in Nazi Germany, someone raised the point that Wagner would have made a great Nazi. I questioned this statement, since I always believed artists contain an aura of humanity about them, which places them above the petty differences and ideologies of the rest of the world. As an artist, I hoped that Wagner might realize his humanity, and object to the treatment of Jewish peoples during World War II (based on the juxtaposition of Wagner in World War II Nazi Germany). Thankfully, this reading corrected my flawed assumption. During this period in history, no Jewish state existed for people of Hebrew descent. Dishearteningly, Wagner did a good job of hammering this point home within the framework of this article. Examining the second paragraph proves this point: â€Å"The Jew speaks the language of the nation in whose midst he dwells from generation to generation, but he speaks it always as an alien.† According to Wagner, the Jew has no place within the nation and never will. Wagner goes too far when attacking the music of Felix Mendelssohn. Research online revealed the Mendelssohn family converted to Christianity. Upon completion of Hebrides, Wagner complemented the work. Even though Mendelssohn had family history rooted in Judaism, Wagner admitted â€Å"Hebrides is a masterpiece of a landscape-painter of the first order.† One can almost sense an indirect insult or devaluing of the composer, based upon his extremely weak Jewish heritage. Overall, this article changed my opinion on the original stance in class. Wagner, an obvious anti-Semite, would have fit perfectly on the Nazi Germany/Hitler bandwagon that emerged in Germany over half a century later. In fact, the Nazis championed Wagner’s music; perhaps because much of his criticism dealt so harshly with people of Jewish lineage. After reading this article, I probably won’t look at much of Wagner’s non...

Athen Essay essays

Athen Essay essays There were three types of government in Ancient Greece: an oligarchy, monarchy, and a democracy. An oligarchy was governed by a few wealthy and powerful people. A monarchy was governed by only one person. A democracy is when citizens voted on who the leader was and public matters. Citizens were only men who had Greek origin and were not slaves. If citizens did not care for a politician, when they voted, they wrote on a clay tablet which person they wanted to leave Athens. If one person got more than 6,000 votes against him, he couldn't come back to Athens for 10 years. Ancient Greece was divided into areas called city-states. There were many city-states and each one had its own government. Athens and Sparta were two of the most powerful city-states. Sparta was ruled by the military. In early times, Athens was governed by a monarchy. A monarchy is a Greek work meaning "ruled by one." Soldiers hand-picked their new leader and put him into power. Monarchy did not last long in Athens. The Athenians build a new government called an oligarchy, which means "ruled by the few." Some leaders were known as tyrants. A tyranny is an unjust government led by someone who has taken power. By 508 B.C. democracy started in Athens. Greece had one of the first democracies ever! In Athens, democracy meant "Power of the people," although women couldn't vote or run for office. Citizens who were 18 and male could be council members, judges or government officials. All three jobs last only one year and not one single person got paid for their services! The assembly would meet at the Acropolis four days every month. Democracy is important because it gives everyone a say in the government, so everyone is treated fairly. In a democracy, anyone can run the country, but in a monarchy, sometimes a bad person rules and will do bad things. In Athens there were originally three archons: the archon basilieus, or king archon, the eponymous a ...

Constant head permeability Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Constant head permeability - Lab Report Example Permeability as defined above is the capacity of sample of soil to allow the passage of water through it. It is also referred to as hydraulic conductivity. The coefficient of permeability is the velocity of flow that is generated by the hydraulic gradient of unity as stipulated by Darcy’s law which is given by the formula: 6. The tamping device is then used to compact the soil layer. About 10 rams per layer are recommended in order to provide a uniform coverage of the surface of the soil. The process should be repeated until the soil layer is within the range of 2 cm. 10. The bottom of the outlet valve is opened and raised to a given height in order to achieve a reasonable steady flow of water. Enough time should be allowed for the pattern of flow of the water to stabilize. 11. The time taken to fill a volume of 750-1000 ml using the graduated cylinder and the temperatures of the water recorded. This process is repeated three times and the average time, volume and average temperature computed. From the foregoing, it is clear that the value of the coefficient of permeability has been determined using the constant head test and found to be 0.2333 cm/s. as indicated earlier that the constant head test is appropriate for permeability’s of soils where k>10 – 4 cm/s, this has been proven to be consistent with the results obtained. Constant Head Permeability Test in Sand, University of Texas at Arlington Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory Test Procedure. Retrieved from: http://www.uta.edu/ce/geotech/lab/Main/Soil%20Lab/08_Permeability/permeability_lecture%20note.pdf. Accessed on 15th April

A short (c. 1500 words) concept note or description that synthesises Essay

A short (c. 1500 words) concept note or description that synthesises and summarises the key ideas, theories, policies and practi - Essay Example However, they used informal methods of learning which could be different from the current methods that are used. Apparently, the informal education relied on informal ways of learning which were considered social ways of learning. The old people in the society had an obligation to ensure the young generation in the society was learned through informal ways of learning (Sinagatullin, 2006: 12). Though this was at times considered an indigenous way of learning, the young generation was able to get vital teachings from the elders. With continued processes, the generation acquired the required skills in life. This led to development of better ways of teaching and learning which was passed to the next generation. This states the origin of education and how it was influential in the past decades. Globalisation is one aspect that is considered an important aspect that has led to the change from informal education to formal education. Many regions were stuck to their informal ways of educati ng the young generation. In their own thoughts, they were suitable to the upcoming generation. There are several reasons that led to the stagnation of such practices in most areas. First, mobility and immigration was unheard of. People in their ancestral land were locked in such areas and they did not feel the need to move to other places in the world. The people were living in their own way of life, which was comfortable according to their needs. These people did not have information flow from other places of the world, and as such, they did not have a comparison of the outside world. In fact, people believed that their way of life was more suitable than any other. However with the cropping up of the concept of globalisation, many other aspects of life changed. First, globalisation led to exchange of information from other parts of the world. This led to deeper comparisons between places and people felt the need to change their educational standards. For example, many people acquir ed formal information from already developed countries. This would be important in ensuring these countries are developing just like the other countries that are already developed (Zajda, 2010:101). For example, South Africa felt the need to copy the Australian way of education. South Africa was not as developed as Australia and it felt the need to adapt a different form of learning. This would improve the quality of education in South Africa to the standards of the education in Australia. Industrialisation is one of the most savoured outcomes of globalisation, especially in the education sector. The education sector needs motivations to be well equipped (Ben-Peretz, 2009:75). For example, the education sector looks at the outcomes of educating people in a certain sector and implements such education syllabuses. A concrete example is development of syllabuses that will equip people to participate in the industrialisation sector. The educational governing bodies will enhance their sy llabuses when looking for better ways of making an industrialised country. For example, the educational sector developed syllabuses for engineers, managers and other professionals that would equip the country with managers that would run industries. This led to massive improvement in education sector since the syllabuses were welcoming many people that would be professionals. This was only after the cropping up of industries that needed works, labourers and managers. Though the

Fulfillment of an American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fulfillment of an American Dream - Essay Example How a person decide about economic matters are in line with how one will maximize utilities with the budget that they have. (Kabeer) More people see America as a place where they could gain economic stability because in here, they expect equality for an opportunity. Immigration is not an easy phase for those nationalities coming to America to fulfill their dream. It is free to dream, to hope for good things to come and to wish for a better life but not all were able to live this wonderful dream. There are still some who area victims of inequality in America. There are times when one is being harmed because of the color of their skin. Yes, they say that America is the land of the free but that is the bitter irony. That here in what they call land of the free some are being contained just because the color of their skin is black or brown and not as white as some thinks American color should be. These people have not thought of the fact that America is the land of Immigrants. That if we trace it way back in history, the native dwellers of this country are the Indians. So why should one discriminate another when if we look back, our brothers fought for freedom and equality, the very thing that some are not giving their fellowman. W

Working with children and families case study Essay

Working with children and families case study - Essay Example The different aspects of intervention in the families are historical, social, psychological and legal in nature. These aspects are incorporated in the guidelines that are being followed by the social workers to resolve the case specific problems of the clients (Hepworth et. al., 2009; The historical aspect is one of the facets in the implementation of family intervention. This aspect is important to be able to determine the possible causes of the situation wherein intervention is required as well as the background information for assessing the needs of the person. Included in the historical aspect are the family members in the household and the relationship to the person in need of assistance. Another factor included in the said aspect is the experiences of the parents and the events that had happened in the family that may have triggered the problematic situation. The interactions and interrelationship between family members that may have directly or indirectly affect the perspective and disposition of the person in focus. In addition, the strengths and the weaknesses of the parents that can trigger the changes in behaviour and way of thinking of the person are also included in the fundamental historical components of the family intervention (Horwath, 2000, p.56 , 80-82). For the child Debbie, the members of her immediate family are in the household, her parents and her siblings. Historical aspect of the intervention includes the relationship between the family members and their effect on the child. Her mother Irene is agoraphobic and her brother is severely disabled. Other issues make matters worse such as the situation of the father John who is not employed. The conflicts within the household are having effects on Debbie and Hannah who are exhibiting violent behaviours and problems in learning. The social aspect of the intervention in the family is another area of importance. This can be

Worplestrop Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Worplestrop Case Study - Essay Example Akin to all other business entities, the Worplestrop Partnership wants to develop an efficient costing and information systems for the management of their organization. This would necessitate the development of budgets, accomplishing responsibilities to achieve the goals, incessant evaluation of real performance with expected standard performance, taking counteractive actions if required in addition to revising the budgets. Assessment of the various product cost and budgetary control methodologies and systems The most commonly employed cost budgeting techniques and tools comprise of ‘strategic budgeting’ as well as ‘contingency and allowance budgeting’ (Owens, 2007). In the former technique, the management of the organization estimates the cost that might be incurred in their operational activities, however it is very difficult to accurately estimate the costs involved. The later cost budgeting technique ascertains that a suitable amount of finances is devel oped to provide accommodation for upcoming hazards or unforeseen expense rises. For the successful implementation of contingency and allowance method of budgeting, Worplestrop Partnership would have to establish their expenditure build-up procedure comprising of base and contingency expense estimations in addition to allowances and finance reserves. This approach involves the grass roots as it builds up and communicates a plan for accomplishing superior estimates with all the workforces. Figure: Expense Build-up Components (Owens, 2007). In addition to this, there are around five different methods of budgetary control, namely, summary budget, fixed budget, financial budget, flexible budget and zero-based budgeting. The assessment of these methodologies reveals that zero-based budgeting would be appropriate for Worplestrop Partnership, because it would enable the organization to methodically assess the various operational activities undertaken by it. This would ensure that the manage ment is able to distribute its resources as per the precedence of its activities. The implementation of this technique would ascertain that Worplestrop takes up activities are vital for the business and that those are carried out in the utmost manner. This is because; this method would connect the budgets with the overall goal of the organization (Shah, 2009). The management of an organization and the decision making processes involved in it can be categorized into three groups, namely, operational, tactical and operational. All the three categories comprise of planning as well as control measures. Nevertheless, the focus of strategic level is more on planning, while at the operational level it is more accentuated towards control. Information Outputs to support Management decision making at operational level The ground level managers or supervisors are directly in charge for those involved in production or manufacturing. They are associated principally with the administration of non -management human resources and the management of routine operational activities. The major responsibility of such managers is to assess performance of the business unit against the standard that has been specified. The manager ought to be familiar with precisely how much was

Working with children and families case study Essay

Working with children and families case study - Essay Example The different aspects of intervention in the families are historical, social, psychological and legal in nature. These aspects are incorporated in the guidelines that are being followed by the social workers to resolve the case specific problems of the clients (Hepworth et. al., 2009; The historical aspect is one of the facets in the implementation of family intervention. This aspect is important to be able to determine the possible causes of the situation wherein intervention is required as well as the background information for assessing the needs of the person. Included in the historical aspect are the family members in the household and the relationship to the person in need of assistance. Another factor included in the said aspect is the experiences of the parents and the events that had happened in the family that may have triggered the problematic situation. The interactions and interrelationship between family members that may have directly or indirectly affect the perspective and disposition of the person in focus. In addition, the strengths and the weaknesses of the parents that can trigger the changes in behaviour and way of thinking of the person are also included in the fundamental historical components of the family intervention (Horwath, 2000, p.56 , 80-82). For the child Debbie, the members of her immediate family are in the household, her parents and her siblings. Historical aspect of the intervention includes the relationship between the family members and their effect on the child. Her mother Irene is agoraphobic and her brother is severely disabled. Other issues make matters worse such as the situation of the father John who is not employed. The conflicts within the household are having effects on Debbie and Hannah who are exhibiting violent behaviours and problems in learning. The social aspect of the intervention in the family is another area of importance. This can be

Technology, Society, and Culture Group Project Term Paper

Technology, Society, and Culture Group Project - Term Paper Example na, Evaristo and Srite (2005) values are acquired early in life through childhood socialization and education, and are often â€Å"stable in nature but can change over time reflecting changes in culture†. Practices develop later in life through activities such as workplace socialization, and are more subject to change than values. According to a cross-cultural research conducted by Kawabata and Tamura (2007) there is limited religious use of the Internet by the Japanese in comparison to the US in spite of a high Internet penetration rate of 66.8% and estimated 85.29 million users by the end of 2005 Internet exchanges are primarily text-based interactions, whereas the new religions, which are more active in Japan than Buddhism or Christianity, have a strong element of religious activities that are physical action-oriented and cannot be translated into text. The structure of public education in Japan is largely based on the American model of education adopted after World War II. Practically almost 100% of Japanese students complete its nine-year compulsory education core. In the late 1980s, the Ministry of Education included computer literacy courses in technology education programs in lower secondary schools to help students understand the roles and functions of computers, and develop capability for the use of computers and information (Murata & Stern, 1993). Combining these new computer courses with introduction of integrated problem solving courses such as mechatronics, applied mechatronics and independent project study at upper secondary technical courses greatly increased the technical human capacity in Japan. Japan has also been able to leverage its superior computer technology and skills to create some of the largest and most advanced products such as textiles, electronics, motor vehicles, chemical substances, processed foods, steel and nonferrous metals and so on. Cultural practices may have changed due to the cross-cultural information brokered by

William Shakespeare and His Works Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare and His Works Essay William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the home of John Shakespeare and Mary Arden at Stratford-on-Avon. He was educated at the King Edward IV Grammar School in Stratford, where he learned Latin and a little Greek and read the Roman dramatists. At eighteen, he married Anne Hathaway, a woman seven or eight years his senior. Together they raised Susanna, who was born in 1583, and the twins Judith and Hamnet (who died in boyhood), born in 1585. He was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the worlds pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called Englands national poet and the Bard of Avon. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlains Men, later known as the Kings Men. In 1594, Shakespeare joined the Lord Chamberlains company of actors, the most popular of the companies acting at Court. The Globe, which became the most famous theater of its time. With his share of the income from the Globe, Shakespeare was able to purchase New Place, his home in Stratford. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16th century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights. In 1623, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two friends and fellow actors of Shakespeare, published the First Folio, a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeares. Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, but his reputation did not rise to its present heights until the 19th century. The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeares genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare. In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. In his poems and plays, Shakespeare invented thousands of words, often combining or contorting Latin, French and native roots. His impressive expansion of the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, includes such words as: arch-villain, birthplace, bloodsucking, courtship, dewdrop, downstairs, fanged, heartsore, hunchbacked, leapfrog, misquote, pageantry, radiance, schoolboy, stillborn, watchdog, and zany. His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses. Only eighteen of Shakespeares plays were published separately in quarto editions during his lifetime. He retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49, where he died three years later. Superstitions during Shakespearean time Superstitions are irrational beliefs but a handful of them are actually still evident in our modern world. The superstitions that originated during the Elizabethan era were based on various beliefs and traditions. The historians opine that many of the traditional English customs were based on the myths and superstitions that date back to the Dark Ages. Ignorance and fear of the unknown, combined with a false conception of death resulted in many superstitions during the Elizabethan era. Shakespeare had made use of the superstitions regarding spirits and witchcraft that prevailed in the Elizabethan society in his plays Macbeth and Hamlet. Books by Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet The play begins with a large fight between the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, two prestigious families in Verona, Italy. Meanwhile, Romeo and Benvolio are accidentally invited to their enemy’s party. At the party, Romeo locks eyes with a young woman named Juliet. They instantly fall in love, but they do not realize that their families are mortal enemies. When they realize each other’s identities, they are devastated, Romeo sneaks into Juliet’s yard after the party and proclaims his love for her. She returns his sentiments and the two decide to marry. The next day, Romeo and Juliet are married Juliet’s mother, informs Juliet that she will marry a man named Paris in a few days. Juliet asks Friar Lawrence for advice. Friar Lawrence gives Juliet a potion which will make her appear dead and tells her to take it the night before the wedding. Juliet drinks the potion and everybody assumes that she is dead. Romeo assumes that his wife is dead. He rushes to Juliet’s tomb and, in deep grief, drinks a vial of poison. later, Juliet wakes to find Romeo dead and kills herself due to grief. Once the families discover what happened, they gather sufficient self-knowledge to correct their. Macbeth It is considered one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most powerful tragedies. Set in Scotland when its protagonist, the Scottish lord Macbeth, chooses evil as the way to fulfill his ambition for power. The play is believed to have been written between 1603 and 1607, Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the throne for himself. He is then forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion. The bloodbath swiftly takes Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of arrogance, madness, and death. Othello Believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story Un Capuano Moro (A Moorish Captain) by Cinthio. The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army; his wife, Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted ensign, Iago. Because of its varied and current themes of racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal, Othello is still often performed in professional and community theatres and has been the basis for numerous operatic, film, and literary adaptations. The Tempest Believed to have been written in 1610–11. The Tempest attained popularity only after the Restoration. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda He conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to lure his usurping brother Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to the island. There, his machinations bring about the marriage of Miranda to Alonsos son, Ferdinand. The story draws heavily on the tradition of the romance, and it was influenced by tragicomedy and the courtly masque. It differs from Shakespeares other plays in its observation of a stricter, more organized neoclassical style. Twelfth Night Twelfth Night or, what you will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–02 for the close of the Christmas season. The play expanded on the musical interludes and riotous disorder expected of the occasion Much Ado about Nothing Much Ado About Nothing is a comedic play by William Shakespeare thought to have been written in 1598 and 1599, as Shakespeare was approaching the middle of his Much Ado About Nothing chronicles two pairs of lovers: Benedick and Beatrice (the main couple), and Claudio and Hero (the secondary couple). Benedick and Beatrice are engaged in a very merry war; they are both very witty and proclaim their disdain of love. In contrast, Claudio and Hero are sweet young people who are rendered practically speechless by their love for one another career. The courtship between the wittier, wiser lovers Benedict and Beatrice is what makes Much Ado about Nothing so memorable. Benedick and Beatrice argue with delightful wit, and Shakespeare develops their journey from antagonism to sincere love and affection with a rich sense of humor and compassion. Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into confessing their love for each other. Dogberry, a Constable who is a master of malapropisms, discovers the evil trickery of the villain, Don John. In the end, Don John runs away and everyone else joins in a dance celebrating the marriages of the two couples. As You Like It It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 . The play features one of Shakespeares most famous and oft-quoted speeches The play remains a favorite among audiences and has been adapted for radio, film, and musical theatre. As You Like It follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncles court, accompanied by her cousin Celia and Touchstone the court jester, to find safety and eventually, love, in the Forest of Arden. Julius Caesar Julius Caesar is a tragedy believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the conspiracy against the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, his assassination and the defeat of the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi. It is one of several plays written by Shakespeare based on true events from Roman  history,. Although the title is Julius Caesar, Julius Caesar is not the most visible character in its action; and is killed at the beginning. The central psychological drama is Marcus Brutus’s struggle between the conflicting demands of honor, patriotism, and friendship. The Comedy of Errors The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeares earliest plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humor coming from slapstick and mistaken identity. The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which turns out to be the home of the twin brothers, When the Syracusans encounter the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to wrongful beatings, a near-seduction, the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus, and false accusations of infidelity, theft, madness, and demonic possession.

Marketing theories and concepts applied to Waitrose

Marketing theories and concepts applied to Waitrose In this report firstly I aim to examine different theories within marketing, secondly I would be critically analysing the common characteristics of a marketing oriented organisations. Moving on from there I would be explaining various elements of marketing concepts using my research I carried out on Waitrose and would be evaluating and comparing the costs and benefits of marketing approach for todays business. Furthering in this report I would be explaining how tools of macro and micro concepts would help in decision making within marketing using Waitrose as my example. Then I would be looking into the significance of segmentation and factors influencing during the choice of targeting strategy. To summarise this section, I would be looking into how buyers behaviour affects any marketing activities in an organisation in two different situations. Finally, I would be examining how product development helps Waitrose in sustaining a competitive advantage over their competitors and how are their distribution channels they have in place for their customers proving convenient for their customers and how it helps the business in return. Defining marketing There are many definitions of marketing which generally revolve around the primacy of customers as part of an exchange process.   Customers needs are the starting point for all marketing activity.   Marketing managers try to identify these needs and develop products which will satisfy customers needs through an exchange process.   As a business philosophy, marketing puts customers at the centre of all the organisations considerations.   This is reflected in basic values such as the requirement to understand and respond to customer needs and the necessity to search constantly for new market opportunities.   Marketing means more than one thing. Many Marketing experts have many definitions of marketing, but most of them are based around different ideas of marketing. If you look at these two expert definitions of marketing, they are based on the idea of marketing being a range of activities. Kotler defines marketing as a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they want and need through creating, offering, and exchanging products of value with others. his view on marketing looks at marketing being more of an exchange process. [Kotler, 1991] Chartered Institute of Marketing defines it as the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers requirements profitably. However, there exist numerous definitions of marketing; it is always about meeting existing needs and anticipating future needs [Bagozzi, 1975]. In Elements of marketing, Prentice Hall, 1975;Marketing is all those activities involved in getting goods from producers to users, including buying, selling, storing, transporting, advertising, and promoting the goods [Bagozzi, 1975]. Another view explains marketing as being more of a process of goods or services getting it from the supplier to the customer. This definition is based on that idea. Marketing is the performance of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from producers to customers. [C E Merril. 1982] Now after the definition of marketing, it is important to understand the marketing concept. This concept holds to achieve organizational goals depends on the needs and wants of the target market and delivering the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors. To illustrate the marketing concept Peter Drucker said: if we want to know what business is we must first start with its purposeThere is only one valid definition of business purpose: to create a customer. What business thinks it produces is not of first importance. What the customer thinks he/she is buying, what he/she considers value is decisive-it determines what a business is, what it produces, and whether it will prosper? [Peter Drucker, 1954] Common characteristics of marketing oriented organisations The major feature of the marketing oriented organization is that they are aimed to stay closer to the customers and ahead of their competitors. The reason is that the basic aim of these organizations is to attract the customers. There are four major characteristics which define the marketing oriented organizations including, Shared Values, Organization, Strategy, Customers. Firstly, all decisions of these companies consider the customers first and they share the common value of superior quality of products. Secondly, their organizational structure has very few layers and their policies are not very difficult. Thirdly, the strategy of a market oriented organization is long term, flexible and participative. Finally, they consider the expectations of the stakeholders before making any important decision. The Marketing Concept and the Mix The marketing concept is a kind of recipe how a company can achieve its goals by understanding the exchange partners and associated costs, being a response to external opportunities and threats and to internal strengths and weaknesses as a means of competitive advantage (Houston, 1986). Bagozzi (1975) underpins this viewpoint, arguing that marketing is much about the exchange paradigm which focuses on the question why parties take part in exchanges and how these work.   The marketing mix is the organizations overall offer or value to the customer.   The Marketing Mix is a term used to describe the combination of tactics used by a business to achieve its objectives by marketing its products or services effectively to a particular target customer group.   Businesses need to make sure they are marketing: The right product, to the right person, at the right price, at the right place and at the right time. The aim of doing this is to gain a competitive advantage and thus to outperform competitors. (De Wit and Meyer, 1998) The concept of marketing mix and 4Ps was introduced in 1965.It has become the basic model of marketing and has been unchallenged since then. It is defined as the set of controllable tactical marketing tools that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.   The marketing mix consists of everything the firm can do to influence the demand for its product. It is considered that a common model for achieving this is the 4-P framework as put forward by Kotler and Levy (1969). Lauterborn (1990) proposed that there were twelve dimensions of marketing, however, McCarthy reduced the model so that it became known as the 4Ps: Product, Place, Price and Promotion. Waitroses Marketing Mix There are many factors that encourage Waitrose to vary its product mix, promotional offers pricing from store to store as place (location) is also very important to Waitrose. . Price   Although Waitrose tries to operate a uniform national price list (all products sold at identical prices) it does admit to some price flexing to keep in line with its competitors. A variation of prices between stores can be in response to the size of the store, position of a store, regional incomes, and customer preferences, which can all have major affects. To illustrate the picture, a Waitrose store situated in the centre of London may have higher prices compared to a Waitrose store out of town in Surrey. This can be due to the high operating costs of trading within the city centre. Transport costs can also have an affect on prices especially to stores situated in London, as they will now experience the cost of the congestion charge, resulting in an increase in the cost of delivering stock. Also stores may face higher costs because they are remotely located. Yet stores that have a local monopoly, because no alternative shop is located within reasonable travelling distance, Waitrose may decide to exploit this by setting high prices. On the other hand, fierce competition will see low prices to attract the consumer who would have a choice in this case. Regional incomes and customer preferences can also have an effect on prices as certain areas may have lower incomes so prices of certain products may have to be decreased to meet the wealth of certain areas. All these factors have to be considered when Waitrose prices it products. Overall prices within Waitrose tend not to vary as most stores are situated in the south of England so incomes and operating costs are fairly similar. Product Product mix may differ from area to area because of varying consumer tastes. For example, the Canary Wharf store is tailored to meet the needs of its affluent customer base as they offer designer breads, a sushi bar, a wine bar, a steak and oyster bar, and an exclusive wine cellar offering vintage wines. Product mix may also vary in relation to what Waitroses competitors are doing, as Waitrose may feel they have to supply certain products just to keep up to date and in competition with its competitors. Additionally, Waitroses product mix may vary due to the size of the store and the space allocation of products. Waitrose may choose to supply certain products in certain areas as they are good sellers and so the bigger store the more they may sell. Sales data is a good way of identifying where certain products should be situated between branches and a process of achieving sales data is by the use of electronic data interchange (EDI). Varying the product mix is part of an efficient consumer response system (ECR). By focusing on the efficiency of the supply system and thereby reducing cost enables Waitrose to offer products tailored to a region. A major advantage of own brands is their extremely short maturity process. Since own brands are commonly exact imitates of branded manufacturers products. They benefit from this, by being immediately familiar with the customer. Most popular own brand products are those that show little difference to branded products, so-called inferior goods, where there is little room for differentiation. Retailers have the advantage of tracking market needs fast and react to the change in social life style (take away, healthy eating, alternatives food, exotic, ethnic foods) that encourage expanding in new own brand categories. The retailers have often been quicker than the major branded producers to respond to consumers tastes, as it tends to be easier and quicker to alter lower volume, private label products specifications than higher volume manufacturer branded products. Promotion Promotional offers may be carried out within certain stores to help grow specific lines which do not sell well, in hope of increasing sales, and matching sales targets of other stores, while encouraging shoppers to increase their spend within the store. Another reason for promotional offers to contrast between stores is so that they can compete against their local competitors offers in aim of keeping and gaining (counter competitor activity). A new store may also have promotional offers running at different times to other stores a means of winning customers, and increasing awareness of the new store. Different levels of store traffic can also have an effect on promotional offers, as stores with low traffic may carry out promotional offers in an attempt to increase the number of people visiting the store. An alternative motive for the variation in promotional offers between stores can be to stimulate customers switching to own brand products, as certain stores may have low own brand s ales. Place Waitrose is located mainly in the south east of the UK with stores only as far north as Newark. The typical Waitrose Store is located in town centres next to other major shopping facilities. The average Selling Space of a Waitrose Store is under 1500 sq meter, which is fairly small. However newly opened stores tend to be of at least 2000 sq meters and preferably 2500 sq metres. With the introduction of its food home store format, Waitrose has also started to build in out of town locations, however, this account for only a very small share. Costs and benefits of marketing approach The principal benefit of marketing is that it enables companies to maximise their potential and reach the right customers at the right time. But any organisation should weigh up the costs approaching marketing. Every project is different and could end up with the costs mentioned below, Setting marketing focus structure Initial product development Building excellent services Attracting attentions of customers Building long-time relationships with: +customers +suppliers +distributors customer retention A proper approach to marketing involves understanding the customer and his or her needs: identifying the real needs of the market.  And the below benefits are more likely to happen; Profits Customer loyalty and trust Long term goal Reputation PEST Analysis PEST Analysis is used to finding out if the market is in growth or decline, or has potential and the direction of the business. PEST analysis is manly used for measurement implement. External factors usually are beyond the firms control and many of different times can cause problem and treats for a business, but external environment also creates new opportunities, this is different for each country because they have different rules and guidelines. Pest analysis can be used for market and business development and decision making.  Ã‚   Waitrose PEST Analysis Political: The Government remains firmly committed to the objectives of PPG6, which seeks to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of our existing city, town, district and local centres and to make them the focus for retail investment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦means that it is very difficult to get planning permission for out-of-town stores. The Competition Commissions report The Supply of Groceries from Multiple Stores in the United Kingdom, published in 2000, stated that the leading supermarkets do not operate as a cartel to keep food prices unduly high. (Key Note, 2001, Supermarket Services) Although some questionable practices were found (selling product at a loss, lower prices in areas of high competition), the Commission did not recommend any corrective actions. EU Competition might not be as generous as the Competition Commission and therefore might order changes. If the introduction of the congestion charge is successful in London, it is likely that this kind of scheme will be extended to other big cities. Economic The takeover of Safeway by Morrison is an indicator that competition is getting more intense with fewer but bigger players. Social Demand for organic and healthy foods has increased and most retailers have responded to that trend. Today customers are less prepared to pay a premium price for organic foods, which is why retail chains have started to offer own brand organic products. Waitrose has long been offering these kinds of products. Busier lifestyles increased the demand for convenient foods/ ready meals. Also notable is an increasing demand for exotic and ethnic foods from consumers. The public has become more environmentally aware and Waitroses strategy fits well into this Almost 70% of women are working and working times are longer than in any other European Country. However, women are still doing the majority of the shopping. More than 75% of shopping trips are made by car. Public transport links are even declining as a percentage. Technological Online shopping is a major new opportunity for retailers and the UK offers a good market for this with the highest percentage of people online across the EU. And already more British food shoppers have converted to online grocery shopping than in any other country (Keynote, 2001, The Internet Grocery Market) Tesco is now the worlds biggest Internet grocer. Information technology and Communication has enabled more sophisticated store management, with detailed statistics of products sold being made available, thus facilitating the ordering of new stocks. More attributes of the store can be steered centrally such that costs are reduced, margins increased and sales enhanced. Stakeholders of Waitrose and their influence in marketing. A stakeholder is a person who interests a business. The stakeholders in Waitrose are: Customers: without customers Waitrose would not survive. Sales provide revenue. Employees: Waitrose has many employees in all aspects of their business.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Owners and shareholders: Waitrose have people that own parts of the company and get a part of profit. If they invested money successfully then they will make money for Waitrose. But if it is not, they will lose money. The local community: their interest in business activities and operations that could result in damage to the local environment such as the building of housing on green-field sites. Pressure groups: their main concern is the products that Waitrose are selling.   Suppliers: Suppliers selling their goods to Waitrose. Financial: Waitrose would not survive without money. Waitrose loan money from e.g. bank. Stakeholders within Waitrose have different interests in the business like, Customers have an interest in the production and services that Waitrose provide. The range of goods or services offered in the Waitrose. Also the price of these and the quality, and the range of additional facilities and services such as free home delivery. The customers also have interest on the attitude of staff and the overall performance of the organisation in this case Waitrose. The Employees have an interest in success of Waitrose as this can affect their wages and long-term employees with the company. Also employees have an interest on the way which they are treated e.g. they want be treated fairly and to do interesting work. They want to be paid a fair rate in relation to other people worked in Waitrose with the same qualifications and experience. They have interest in receiving sick pay and holiday pay. Owners and shareholders have interest in the amount of profit that is made. How much money Waitrose has invested? All shareholders have one vote for each share. Large institutional shareholders like Waitrose may hold several hundred thousand shares and they can use their votes to influence the way company is run. Also they have interest on the health and safety of customers and employees. The local community has an interest in many of the business activities taking place in an area. E.g. residents of a large housing state might welcome a supermarket opening the edge of their estate but be concentrated but the number of Lorries making late deliveries to the store. Also local community may be concentrated about business activities and operations that could result in damage to the local environment.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The government have interest on employment of people, more taxes off Waitrose. They want employ the people that could be the best for customers. Government is also interested in business for political reasons. The government want to retain power aim to be re-elected. If the economy is healthy, then the government receives more money. Pressure groups have interest in what kind of products Waitrose are selling and if they harm the environment or have been animal tested. There are thousands of pressure groups in Britain including: trade unions and the TUC, most charities e.g. Amnesty International, many famous environmental groups such as Greenpeace. The interests of a specific pressure group will depend upon who it represents. For example The TUC and trade unions represent the views of employees and campaign on issues such as health and safety.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Suppliers have interest on in selling their goods to Waitrose for a fair price. To be successful themselves, they need to keep receiving orders from buyers. Some suppliers dislike being dependent on business buyers so they extend their operations to sell direct to the final consumer for example, many breweries own their own pubs and restaurants and petrol companies have their own petrol stations. Equally some business do not like being dependent on suppliers. Financiers have interest in putting money into a business like Waitrose. If a grant has been provided, there will be checks ensure the money is used as agreed. If the financier has provided a loan, the business must honour its repayment commitments. Porters Five Force Analysis for Waitrose This is a means of identifying the forces which affect the level of competition in the retail industry. Threat of New Entrants Economies of scale in terms of square footage of shopping area and breadth of distribution channels are all critical factors in the U.K market. Larger stores can stock and sell many more products faster which is consistent with both their customers and suppliers preferences. Brand loyalty of customers in the sector is relatively high in that existing players have built a certain amount of goodwill with customers through loyalty and own branded credit cards. Scarcity of suitable real estate for shopping centres consequent to the absorption by the existing players as well as government legislation placing strictures on further out of town development. New entrants have limited access to U.K distribution channels as these channels are controlled by existing players. Access is typically being gained through mergers and acquisitions. There are very low switching costs to customers in the market and so market share can typically be gained by leveraging price and product range variables.  Ã‚   Existing players have accrued cost advantages due to experience curve effects of operation with  fully depreciated assets.   Power of the Supplier Supplier power tends to be relatively low for the most part in the U.K market as there are a small number of significant operators in the market. However in certain segments of the market for example washing powder where Procter and Gamble and Unilever enjoy a virtual duopoly. As own brands are emerging as a growing segment of the goods portfolio of large grocery multiples due to the higher margins available, even large suppliers manufacturers such as Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo have been increasingly producing   for own labels despite potential competition to their own brands. Some however such as Kelloggs, Coca Cola and Gillette do not agree to such arrangements as they consider it prejudicial to their quality reputation. Power of the Buyer Buyer power is particularly strong in the U.K grocery retailing industry where there is an extremely high concentration of buyers. Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda dominate the market. For smaller retailers joining a buying group is an important element of survival and give members enhanced economies of scale in purchasing. These groups however play only a small and declining role in the market since they do not buy on the scale of the large supermarkets and also cannot guarantee sizeable shelf space to major suppliers. Consequently they obtain lower discounts than the major chains. Wholesaling and distribution have been internalised and the retailer controls them directly. The cost of switching suppliers in the U.K market is very low and involves negligible risk.   Threat of substitutes Though Tesco has successfully improved its margins by increasing the ratio of non-food to food in its superstores it has moved into other competitive arenas e.g. its foray into furniture and household appliances has put it on a collision course with household appliance retailers like Currys and Argos. Changes in public consumption; e.g. the loss of confidence in British beef during the B.S.E beef crises of 2001 or fear of the long term implications of consuming genetically modified foods. Competitive rivalry Four major firms dominate the U.K market at present but concentration has increased markedly in the 1993-1996 period with major multiples pursuing active policies of new store development. Over this period Tesco has overtaken Sainsbury to become the market leader while Asda has since being newly acquired by Wal-Mart been threatening to take Sainsburys slot. There is no genuine differentiation between products therefore the principal rivalry tends to revolve around pricing and perceived value for money. Own-Label is increasingly becoming an important differentiator. Information Technology offers modern retailers the potential to speed up stock replenishment while reducing the cost of distributing products as well as strengthening links between the retail chains and their customers. Players which are most innovative in adapting technologies for these purposes tend to have a decisive advantage in the market. Strategies of the larger players are fairly similar in that larger players typically employ growth by international acquisition in emerging markets and by increasing their exposure to the non food segment of the market. Players in the lower echelon such as Sainsburys have since embarked upon a strategy of consolidation around a core business of food while maintaining a presence in the international arena. Other Global competitors such as Carrefour/Promodes just across the channel may gain entry positions to the U.K market by way of acquisition of weaker companies. Segmentation Undifferentiated marketing assumes everyone is the same and aims a particular product at everyone. Advantages: easy to plan, doesnt miss anyone. Disadvantages: can be wasteful, ignores segmentation, can lead to disappointing sales. This applies to market coverage strategy whereby a company ignores differences within a market and attempts to appeal to the whole market with a single basic product line and marketing strategy. Undifferentiated marketing relies on mass distribution and mass advertising, aiming to give the product a superior image in the minds of consumers. It is cost effective because there is only one product line to be produced, inventoried, distributed, and advertised. Also the absence of segmented market research lowers the costs of consumer research and product management. Concentrated Marketing:   This is where an organisation concentrates its marketing effort on one particular segment. The firm will develop a product that caters for the needs of that particular group. For example Rolls Royce cars aim its vehicles at the premium segment, same as Harrods within the UK. Concentrated marketing is when the message is aimed at just one small market. Advantages: Small firms can concentrate their marketing, allows a specific mix to be developed. Disadvantages: Ignores other areas of the market, can cause problems in future as may make it more difficult for company to expand. Some companies, particularly smaller companies, identify a comparatively small segment of the market on which to concentrate their marketing effort. By selecting a niche in the market for themselves, they hope to avoid head on competition with larger and more powerful rivals. A classic example of a successful product in a small market is the hand-made Morgan sports car (UK), the demand for which keeps the companys order books filled. Rolls Royce, though a much larger company, has been equally successful in catering to a small but affluent segment of the international market. Niche marketing, as concentrated segmentation is sometimes called, is currently very popular. It is no guarantee of a safe haven, however, since mass marketers will only ignore niches as long as they see no way to compete in them profitably and as long as they are not threatened by them. Should an opportunity or a threat be detected, however, the market power of the mass marketer would prove very uncomfortable fo r the richer. Proposed Waitroses segmentation Waitroses differentiation strategy and its competitive industry were analysed. The selection of the location can be identified as one of the most influential decisions in the life of a store. Various methods are described in order to help identify the most suitable location. The merits and problems of online shopping are explained and it is regarded as too early to evaluate Waitroses performance in this segment. Market segmentation allows Waitrose to identify different groups of buyers who share similar definable needs and behaviours. (Debbie Anderson) Whilst Behaviouristic responses are fundamental to segmenting Waitroses market as factors such as usage rates, impulse purchases, loyalty, and sensitivity to marketing mix factors allow for conclusions and positioning within consumer markets. Waitrose seems to segment its market based on simple variables such as incomes and Geographics (geodemographics). This has been identified by associating the number of Waitrose stores in the south of England with the average incomes, showing that Waitrose is aiming at the higher income earners at the upper end of the market, and segmenting itself toward the social groups of A, B and C1. There are no Waitrose stores in areas such as Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Bradford, Britains poorest regions indicating that Waitrose would not benefit financially from these areas. The use of Geo demographics is a fast and efficient way of identifying trends within certain geographical areas, allowing Waitrose to divide a market into different groups based on social class and lifestyle characteristics. Segmentation helps the marketers to distinguish one customer group from another within a given market and thereby enables him to decide which segment should form his target market. Targeting strategy Once a firm has successfully identified the segments within a market, the next step is to target these segments with products that closely match the needs of the customers within that segment.   There are a number of targeting strategies, including: Niche/concentration marketing this is concerned with targeting one particular, well-defined group of customers (a niche) within the overall market.   An example is, Jordans, the cereal company, adopted this approach by targeting groups of customers interested in organic products at a time when this group of consumers represented a relatively small proportion of the overall market.   Niche markets can be targeted profitably by small firms who have relatively small overheads and, therefore, do not need to achieve the volume of sales required by larger competitors.   The main disadvantages of niche markets are that the potential for sales growth and economies of scale may be limited, and the survival of the firm may be seriously affected if sales begin to decline. Mass/undifferentiated marketing this is concerned with selling a single product to the whole market.   This strategy is based on the assumption that, in respect to the product in question, customers needs are very similar if not identical.   The main benefit for the firm is that it can produce on a large scale, benefiting from low unit production costs via economies of scale.   These lower costs can be passed on to the consumer in the form of lower prices because, although profit margins on each item sold may be lower, high sales volume should generate large profits over

Surrealism Of The Temptation Of Saint Anthony Essay -- essays research

During the period between World War I and World War II, many people decided that rationale had created the destruction left behind from the war and that it was time to rely on the subconscious as a way to analyze the world. These people became known as Surrealists. One of the most famous surrealist artists was Salvador Dalà ­. Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s piece The Temptation of Saint Anthony is a prime example of Surrealism. Surrealist paintings are described as dreamlike and fantastical. Much of Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s paintings were images he had dreamed up. He said that he would paint what almost seem like photographs from his dreams. Dalà ­ took Sigmund Freud’s idea that dreams are symbolic. Objects can symbolize something as well as take on a pun on the word. Much of the objects in Dalà ­Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s paintings symbolize sexual desires that are expressed in dreams because society condemns them. The Temptation of Saint Anthony has many symbols including sexual symbols that make it dreamlike. Surrealism is expressed in the absurd objects that are dreamlike yet have an explicit meaning. In the bottom corner of The Temptation of Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony is seen trying to ward off the temptations the horse and the elephants bring. These physical temptations symbolize the mental temptations Saint Anthony dealt with. The horse, leading, symbolizes strength and sensual desires/pleasures. Following the horse is the elephant that brings the Cup of Desire and a naked woman. The gold cup and woman represent sexual desires as well...

The Impact of Gender on Shakespeares Othello Essay -- Literary Analy

The Impact of Gender on Shakespeare’s Othello In the book â€Å"Gender Trouble† (1990), feminist theorist Judith Butler explains â€Å"gender is not only a social construct, but also a kind of performance such as a show we put on, a costume or disguise we wear† (Butler). In other words, gender is a performance, an act, and costumes, not the main aspect of essential identity. By understanding this theory of gender as an act, performance, we can see how gender has greatly impacted the outcome of the play in William Shakespeare’s Othello. From a careful analysis of the story, tragedy in Othello is result of violating expected gender roles, gender performance by Desdemona and Othello, and the result of Iago’s inability to tolerate these violations. The tragedy â€Å"Othello† is written by William Shakespeare in 1604. The story is based on revenge of two characters, Othello and Iago. Othello, the play’s protagonist and hero, who has great reputation as one of Venice’s most competent generals. However, his jealousy causes the major tragedy in his life. This tragedy is brought by a simple manipulation of Iago, the villain of the play. The jealousy led Othello to a path of constant questioning to his wife, and his friend Cassio. Throughout the play, he sinks deeper and deeper into his doubt and eventually that causes him to kill not only the love of his life, but also himself. In her work, â€Å"This that you call Love†: Sexual and Social Tragedy in Othello, Gayle Greene (2004) argues that the tragedy occurs from adherence to patriarchal rules and stereotypes (Greene 655-659). According to Gary Greene, the tragedy is caused by â€Å"men’s misunderstandings of women and women’s inability to protect themselves from society’s conception of them† (666). In the ... ...major tragic downfall of the play. In the end, we can conclude that Shakespeare used a very conservative world view in his play, â€Å"Othello†. Using the characters of Othello, Desdemona, and Iago, Shakespeare reinforced the stereotypes of his time. In conclusion, gender expectations have greatly impacted the outcome of Shakespeare’s play, â€Å"Othello†, because the script of the play has reinforced the stereotypes such as girls who resist their fathers die, women who marry different race, class, and cultures die, and women who decide their own destiny die at the end. Through â€Å"Othello†, Shakespeare portrays women in a patriarchal system, and the result of the play is the consequences of gender disruptions. Therefore, there is no doubt that the gender expectations placed on both male and female characters have greatly impacted the outcome of Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Othello†.

The Overhead Projector (Ohp)

The Overhead Projector (OHP) August 24, 2012 Introduction Overhead Projectors are still being used in a lot of schools, like in the Philippines. It is not as modern as other equipments, but it still serves its purpose which is to show enlarged images on screen. I. Description The Overhead Projector is an optical device for showing images on screen, usually for group viewing. The OHP is mainly used for projecting charts, sketches, and other material prepared on sheets of transparent plastic. II. Techniques You can show pictures and diagrams, using a pointer on the transparency to direct attention to a detail. The silhouette of your pointer will show in motion on the screen. †¢ You can use a felt paper or wax-based pencil to add details or to make points on the transparency during projection.†¢ You can control the rate of presenting information by covering a transparency with a sheet of paper or cardboard (opaque material) and then exposing data as you are ready to discuss ea ch point. This is known as the Progressive Disclosure Technique. You can superimpose additional transparency sheets as overlays on a base transparency so as to separate processes and complex ideas into elements and present them in step-by-step order. †¢ You can show three-dimensional objects from the stage of the projector-in silhouette if the object is opaque or in color if an object is made of transparent color plastic. †¢ You can move overlays back and forth across the base in order to rearrange elements of diagrams or problems. †¢ For special purpose, you can simulate motion on parts of a transparency by using the effects of polarized light. You can simultaneously project on an adjacent screen other visual materials, usually slides or motion pictures, which illustrate or apply the generalization shown on a transparency. Other reminders on the effective use of the OHP are: †¢ Stand off to one side of the OHP while you face the students. †¢ Don’t ta lk on the screen. Face the students when you talk, not the screen.†¢ Place the OHP to your right, if you are right handed, and to your left if you are left handed. †¢ Place the OHP on a table low enough so that it does not block you or the screen. Have the top of the screen tilted forward towards the OHP to prevent the â€Å"keystone effect† (where the top of the screen is larger than the bottom). †¢ Avoid the mistake of including too much detail on each image. A simple layout makes an effective slide. If an audience needs to be given details, provide handouts to be studied later. †¢ Avoid large tables of figures. Come up with graphic presentations. †¢ Don’t read the text on your slide. Your audience can read. †¢ Avoid too much text. Rely sparingly on printed text. Come up with more graphs, diagrams, or pictures. †¢ Your presentation must be readable from afar. Simple use of color can add effective emphasis. III. Advantages †¢ Th e projector itself is simple to operate. †¢ The OHP is used in the front of the room by the instructor who has complete control of the sequence, timing, and manipulation of this material.†¢ Facing his class and observing student reactions, the instructor can guide his audience, control its attention, and regulate the flow of information in the presentation. †¢ The projected image behind the instructor can be as large as necessary for all in the audience to see; it is clear and bright, even in fairly well-lighted rooms. Since the transparency, as it is placed on the projector, is seen by the instructor exactly as students see it on the screen, he may point, write, or otherwise make indications upon it to facilitate communication. †¢ The stage (projection surface) of the projector is large (10 by 10 inches), thus allowing the teacher to write information with ease or to show prepared transparencies.†¢ It is especially easy for teachers and students to create t heir own materials for use in the OHP. †¢ An increasing number of high-quality commercial transparencies. Brown, 1969) IV. Limitations †¢ It requires a constant power supply and a white flat surface on which its image can be projected. †¢ If the surface is not suitably inclined at the correct angle, the image will suffer from a phenomenon called â€Å"keystone effect. † †¢ Handwritten material can look sloppy if not pre-prepared. †¢ Presenter and audience can be distracted by the light's glare. †¢ Lamps can burn out and interrupt a presentation. Summary The Overhead Projector is indeed a very versatile equipment. With prepared materials, we can do so much in a short time.We can save much time when we present our lectures on transparencies instead of writing notes or drawings naively on the chalkboard. Also, by learning how to use it properly, we are able to realize our instructional objectives, and adopting them in teaching ensures a lasting lear ning for our students. Sources: †¢ Educational Technology 1 by Brenda B. Corpuz ; Paz I. Lucido †¢ http://www. safetyxchange. org/training-and-leadership/part-3-overhead-projectors †¢ http://www. buzzle. com/articles/what-is-an-overhead-projector. html †¢ New Standard Encyclopedia (Volume 13) pp. 592-593

Contextual role in lifespan dvelopment

Lifespan development is the process by which individuals go through a series of stages that unfold one after the other. Development applies to both the physical and non-physical dimensions. Almost all individuals agree that physical growth stops at certain points. However, there is a lot of contention about where the issue of personality development stops. Many authors have used descriptions such as adulthood, inner unity and self actualization in attempts to describe where this development ends. However, these definitions are all linked to certain cultural or historical aspects of a person’s life. This then brings out the importance of context within the field of lifespan development. The essay shall look at cultural, historical, spiritual aspects that affect how an individual’s lifespan development occurs. (Pogson and Tennant, 1995)Role of contextMany books address the stages that human beings go through as they grow but few of them pay attention to the forces or powe r that one’s social surrounding can have upon their lives.   It should be noted that the environment can influence ones’ development both physical and intellectually. This is because the environment can interact with ones genes and change the way they grow.Many theories exist about the stage of development. Some experts suggested seven stages; others suggested six while others believe that human beings go through five stages. While these stages may be common among certain individuals, one cannot ignore the fact that they are not applicable to all individuals. By establishing a system of theories that generalize developmental stages, these experts were ignoring one of the most crucial facts in development; the individual. Each and every person is exposed to different cultural or social aspects; consequently, that person is bound to turn out differently in comparison to their counterparts. (Jarvis, 1997)When one examines the nature of stages that their own lives have u ndergone, one can see that none of them actually fit ideally into the latter mentioned life stages. There are some delays in certain instances and there may also be some skips. One must therefore ask themselves why this is occurring. The answer is that human beings are creatures of their surrounding. Every single person is exposed to different experiences. This affects them both physically and otherwise and it can therefore affect the nature of their developmental process.Life development should not be mechanized in such a manner that one can assume that they can predict growth phases. Life is not clear cut and sometimes, one’s experiences can either cause that person to retrogress (in that they depict signs characteristics of an earlier stage), in other instances, experiences may propel individuals to enter into stages that may not be predicted for their age. Sometimes, one can undergo a certain stage twice and these are all as a result of people’s interaction with th eir environment. (Humphries, 1988)Some of the stages created by experts on lifespan development may not necessarily be prevalent in all parts of the world. The authors mentioned include ·   Erikson ·    Piaget ·    Kohlberg ·      EtcThese experts conducted their studies only in certain parts of the world while the rest were left out. Sometimes, some communities may not depict the characteristics laid out in their theories. For instance, stages such as mid life crisis may not prevalent in all parts of the world. Some people may assume that this is a western notion.Another important issue that affects development is one’s gender in relation to their surrounding. Because of the roles laid out by society with respect to gender issues, then one cannot assume that all societies will have individuals who go through similar stages as do other women in the rest of the world.Certain psychologists and sociologists came up with a series of factors that can affect the n ature of one’s life outcome. An example of such an author was Holmes and Rahe. The latter authors described some forty three items that can alter one’s perception of the world around them, these includedSA spouse death-100Divorcce-73Separation from a spouse-65A close family member’s death—63Detention in jail-63Illness-50Marriage-47Pregnancy-39Job retirement-45Others included reconciliation with a spouse, changes in health etc. (Rutter and Rutter, 1992)The latter ratings were in order of the event’s ability to alter one’s development. The authors explained that when these events occurred, then one had to succumb to overwhelming emotional burdens. It should be noted that the list largely contained a number of adult related issues. It was also explained that the degree to which he events alter one’s life is largely dependent on whether they were expected in one’s lifespan. Also the sequence within which those events occur also mat ters because when the events follow one another, then they can cause a crisis which eventually changes one life course.ConclusionIt should be noted that development largely depends on one’s experiences and environment. In other words, context is crucial. This is the reason why many developmental stages are not linear and vary from individual to individual.ReferencesRutter, B. and Rutter, M. (1992): Developing Minds. Challenge and continuity across the life span; PenguinPogson, P. and Tennant, M. (1995): Learning and Change in the Adult Years; Jossey-BassHumphries, B. (1988): Adult learning in social work education; Critical Social Policy No. 23: 4-21Jarvis, P. (1997): Adult Learning in the Social Context; Croom Helm