King Lear The Element Of Disguise Essays - King Lear, British Films

King Lear: The Element of Disguise The play King Lear is, first of all, a play about kingship; about a trustful old king, every inch a king, who in old age brings destruction to himself, and to certain persons in his own circle, and to his country. It is a play which tears off the outer coverings. Pious and innocent-seeming people who are villainous, are revealed in their true nature, and the similar is disclosed for what it is, as it works destruction. This is done in a world in which most men are constantly seeking their own advancement, in a court which flatterers are always lurking, and in which a king should be constantly wary and constantly careful to follow the advice of such practical honest men as Kent. Within the first two acts of King Lear, the element of disguise is established. The king's two daughters, Regan and Goneril, use flattery as a disguise. They conceal their true feelings, conspiring to take over the land once they gain control of it. Goneril says, Sir, I love you more than word can weild the matter; Dearer then eyesight, space, and liberty; . . . . Beyond all manner of so much I love you. (I,I,{56-63}) Regan speaks, I am made of the same metal as my sister, And prize me at her worth. In my true heart I find she names my very deed of love, Only she comes too short, that I profess Myself and enemy to all other joys Which the most precious square of sense possesses, And find I am alone felicitate In your dear Highness' love. (I,I,{72-80}) Clearly, these words are loaded with flattery. The third daughter, Cordelia, cannot wear the mask that the other two wear, "I love your Majesty According to my bond, no more nor less." (I,I,{97-98}) It is for this reason that Cordeila is banished from the kingdom. An obvious example of disguise is with the Earl of Kent, as he enters the play as Tom of Bedlam. Even though he was exiled from the kingdom, he has returned to protect Lear. His great loyality to the king, forces Kent to risk his life in order to decieve Lear. Lear : What art thou? Kent : A very honest-hearted fellow, and as poor as the king. (I, IV, 18-20) A disguise normally is associated with covering up, leaving a very superficial character, but in the case with Kent, it is not so. Kent is still as loyal as he ever was, and it is clear from this scene that he will fight for Lear until his death. The element of disguise, was used extensively within the first two scenes. It shows how Regan and Goneril used this factor to decieve Lear, and it showed how kent used it to help the king.

Psychology-case studies essays

Psychology-case studies essays Yes, the skills and experience that come with age dont count for much because that is not what a company is looking for anymore. A company is looking for potential and street smarts instead of experience and wisdom. Age stereotypes in this article are that a forty-eight year old worker cannot do as much as a twenty-eight year old worker. It is not the case. Just because a twenty-eight year old worker will work 70 hours a week, doesnt mean the older worker cant do the same thing in a smaller amount of time due to his experience. People do not think that Debbie Brown is capable of doing what the future requires, so she most likely will not be able to because of a lack of support. Debbie and Toms causes of layoff are seen as internal factors, a low ability to keep up with a changing work environment, and also psychological factors expectancy of future success is very small, self-esteem is sure to fall, pride suffers, and shame comes into play. No I dont agree with the rational of employers and companies. If that is the way it is going to be in the future where are these 40 year olds going to go? There is nowhere. They cant be hired, there are no decent jobs for them to get, and they have families, bills, and responsibilities. If I were to give advice to some one who was in their 20s I would say to keep going to school, find a trade, or a skill that no one can take away from you. If I were giving advice to someone in their 40s I would tell them to hold on loosely but dont let go. ...

The 3 Best College Finders and Search Tools

The 3 Best College Finders and Search Tools SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips College finders can be a useful tool in your college search. College finders allow you to search for colleges based on specific criteria like size, selectivity, and cost. You select what you’re looking for in a college and then the college finder will spit out its results. In this article, I will explain what makes a college finder good and detail the pros and cons of some of the better college finders on the internet. What Makes a College Finder Good? The best college finders possess these qualities: Offer Ample Search Criteria The bad search finders will only allow you to search colleges based on a few items. Most of the subpar finders will limit their search criteria to only very general categories like location (US region), size, and type of college ( 2-year or 4-year and public or private). If you can only search for the location and the size of your ideal college on a certain finder, that may not help you narrow down your college search effectively. You may get hundreds of results that match what you’re looking for in those categories. You’ll more easily be able to find colleges that are a good fit for you if you can search for colleges based on many factors like cost, selectivity, majors offered, diversity, and extracurricular activities. At a minimum, a college finder should allow you to search for location, size, college type (2-year or 4-year and public or private), selectivity (admission rate and average GPA and SAT score), majors offered, extracurricular activities available, cost, and average financial aid awarded or percentage of financial need met. Allow You To Pick Multiple Options in Specific Categories A good college finder will allow you to select multiple options in the same search category.For example, better college finders will allow you to search for schools that are both large and medium size, as opposed to only being able to select one option. Give You the Ability to Choose How Important an Option Is to You Good college finders will allow you to prioritize how important specific search criteria are to you and will factor that into their search results. Maybe you’d prefer to go to a selective college, but that’s not extremely important. On good college finders, you’ll be able to indicate that that’s only somewhat important to you. Provide Important Facts and Statistics About the Colleges It Finds On good college finders, when you click on one of the colleges in your results, you’re given information about the school like its average SAT/ACT score and GPA, application deadline and requirements, student size, cost, and average financial aid award. How to Use a College Finder Effectively Think about your priorities for what you want in a college before you begin using a college finder. If it’s very important to you to go to a school with a stellar reputation, then â€Å"selectivity† will be an essential factor you should search for.For most college finders, selectivity is determined by the admissions rate and the average SAT and ACT score of the college. Schools with low admissions rates and high SAT and ACT scores tend to have a higher caliber of student and the best reputations. Search for colleges using the most important factors to you to help narrow your search.I think the most important factors you should search for when using a college finder are location (rural or urban and geographic region/state), selectivity, and majors offered. Some finders allow you to select a more general area of study or select multiple majors. If you just look for big colleges and get hundreds of results, that probably won’t be very helpful. To really narrow down your search results to a reasonable number, you’ll probably also have to select search criteria like extracurriculars, cost, percent of financial need met, and diversity. I think a good number to aim for in your results is 15-40 colleges. If you get more than 40 colleges in your results, add more factors or increase the level of importance of certain factors. If you get fewer than 15, you can remove some search options or decrease the level of importance of certain options. If you feel like you need everything you searched for, then those could be the schools you should apply to. Make sure you’re applying to at least a couple of safety schools. Generally, when you go through the search results, you’ll be able to eliminate at least a few of the options because they won’t have a quality that you must have in a college. Finders will give you a list that matches most of the criteria you’re looking for, but not every school in your results will match everything you searched for. I did a hypothetical search on the college finder College Board's Big Future based on qualities I'd want in a college if I ever got a chance to do my undergraduate experience again. I guess I like to think about things that are impossible. I got 33 results, but I was able to immediately eliminate more than half of them because they were in a state or city I wouldn’t want to live in (I searched by region) or they were either religious or tech schools. I wouldn’t want my second undergraduate institution to have a specific focus. Once you get your results, after you do any immediate eliminations, click on each individual result to get more information about the college. After reading about the school and its statistics, if it still interests you, save it (this is also an option in certain finders) or write down the name of the school. After you've gone through all the results in your search, you should be left with a list of potentially good college options for you. Then, it's your job to research those schools more extensively. Look at their websites, read college guidebooks like Fiske or Princeton Review's Top 380 Colleges, and consult teachers, counselors, and alumni. Additionally, you can gather information about specific colleges and learn about their reputations from college ranking lists. Reviews of College Finders All of these finders are completely free to use. They do require registration, which is also free, to use features like saving your searches or search results. Big Future Big Future is the College Board's college finder. How Does It Work? Step #1: Select filters on the left to narrow down your college search. Enter the most important qualities to you in your dream college first. As you're entering search factors, the number of results is updated and displayed. Under each category, there are related subcategories. For example, under "Test Scores Selectivity,† you can enter your SAT/ACT score and the level of selectivity (by acceptance rate) you’d like your college to have. Step #2: Add more search filters until you're left with about 15-40 schools, and you've selected everything that's important to you. Step #3: Click on the colleges in your search results that interest you to see full profiles where you can get useful information like average standardized test scores, graduation rates, application requirements and deadlines, and the most popular majors. Profile for Abilene Christian University Step #4: From all this information, determine if each college still interests you. If it does, write down the name of the school, or you can click "Add to My College List." If you register at the site, you can save your college list when you're done. Step #5: You can click "Compare Colleges" for a side-by-side comparison of major statistics for up to 3 colleges from your list to help you rank them or eliminate schools from consideration. Step #6: After you’ve read about and compared the colleges from your search results, you should be left with a list of anywhere from 6-20 colleges to research further. If you’re in the preliminary stages of your college search, you can do multiple searches as you consider what you’re looking for in a college. For efficiency purposes, I recommend doing no more than 3 searches. If you’ve determined some basic priorities for you before you use the finder, this shouldn’t be an issue. Keep in mind that most college experts recommend that you apply to about 6-12 colleges (including at least 2 safety schools) so that you have options, but you’re not applying to so many schools that the application and selection process becomes overly burdensome and time-consuming. Each student’s situation is unique, though. I know recruited athletes who only applied to one school because they were guaranteed admission and offered full scholarships to colleges they wanted to attend. Additionally, many students only apply to one school if they apply early decision to their #1 school and are admitted. On the other end of the spectrum, I know wealthy students who applied to over 20 colleges because they were able to incur the costs and they had multiple people helping them with the application and selection process. As a note, there are application fee waivers for students who can’t afford application fees. Step #7: After you apply to schools and get your acceptance letters, you can return to the finder to do more research or get statistics on the schools that admitted you to help you select the college you’ll attend. Pros Before you even do a search on the finder, there’s an interactive guide that breaks down each of the search criteria and asks you questions to answer to help you determine what you’re looking for in a college. Check out the info from the guide about â€Å"Location.† On Big Future, you can select how far from home or any other specified zip code you want to be, from within 20-3000 miles. Another advantage of Big Future is for each search category, you can choose how important it is to you from "Don't care" to "Want" to "Must have." Additionally, there are multiple search options within each category. For example, under "Type of School," you can select 2-year or 4-year, school size, public or private, and religious affiliation. One unique search category in Big Future is "Support Services." You can choose options like services available for learning disabled, services for minority students, and services for low-income students. Support services can be extremely beneficial resources to enable your success in college. Also, you can pick multiple options in different search categories. If you're searching by US region, you can select as many regions as you like. Another great feature is that you can see how your GPA and SAT scores stack up against other applicants if you click on "How Do I Stack Up?" From this feature, you'll get a better idea of how competitive the school is and how likely you are to gain admission. I made up some SAT scores for myself and this is what I was shown on the Abilene Christian profile: Finally, Big Future offers a quality user experience and is easy to use. The search criteria and results are displayed prominently. The information for each college in the results is organized clearly, and the font and organization of information allow you to see all the info easily. Cons While all the categories are extremely objective, there aren’t really any categories related to campus life or quality of life. On other finders, you can search for things like the quality of the party scene and whether a college is located in a great college town. Under diversity,you can choose the percentage of diversity when searching, but there isn't a search filter to help search for the level of representation of specific groups. While you can look for historically black colleges, if you’re an African-American student looking to go to a school with a sizable African-American student population, you can’t search for that on Big Future. College View College View is another good finder that provides a wealth of information and unique features. How Does It Work? Step #1: Select filters on the left to narrow down your college search. Enter the most important qualities to you in your dream college. There are 24 major search categories. Select as many search filters as possible. You can determine the importance level of each factor from "kinda" to "must-have." Step #2:Once you enter your first search category, you can choose the number of results that are displayed regardless of how many factors you search for, 10, 20, 50, 100, or 250. I recommend searching for 20, but you can search for 50 colleges if you are in the very early stages of your college search. Step #3: Click on the colleges in your search results that interest you to see full profiles where you can get useful info like links to virtual tours, graduation rates, application requirements and deadlines, and average standardized test scores. Step #4:From all this information, determine if each college still interests you. If it does, write down the name of the school, or you can click â€Å"Pin It!† If you register at the site, you can save your search and pinned schools when you’re done. You can pin up to 25 colleges for any search. Step #5:Click â€Å"Compare pinned schools† for a side-by-side comparison of the major stats for all your pinned schools. However, you can only view the info for 5 colleges on the screen without having to click the right arrow at the top of the screen. Step #6: After reviewing the info from the schools in your results and comparing them, make your list of schools that you’re interested in for further research. If possible, try to give the colleges preliminary ranks or put them in tiers from â€Å"most interested† to â€Å"kinda interested.† The ideal number of schools to research at this point is about 6-20 before you finalize your list of schools to apply to. If your priorities change during the college research process, you can use the finder again to update your list. Step #7:You can use the College View finder to help you with the college selection process after you learn of admissions decisions. Pros There are 24 search categories; you're able to select numerous filters to help find colleges that possess the qualities you want. College Viewdoes have more categories that can impact quality of life like â€Å"liberal-conservative,† â€Å"party scene,† â€Å"greek life† and â€Å"great college towns.† Also, unique to this finder, you can search for schools with a strong LGBT support system. For the colleges in your search results, you’re given a ton of information. I was especially intrigued by links to virtual tours and important application advice from each college’s website. In College View, you can search for colleges that have â€Å"high,† â€Å"typical,† or â€Å"low† representation of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, or Caucasians. Cons Some of the results didn’t seem to match what I was looking for. I did a search and selected that it was â€Å"very important† to find a â€Å"very selective† school (admitting less than â…“ of applicants) and it was â€Å"very important† to me to find a school that matched my made up SAT score of 2130. Based on the other options I selected, one of the search results was Northern New Mexico College, which doesn't even require SAT or ACT scores for admission and isn't considered a selective school. The user experience is not as good as Big Future’s. The design and font make search options hard to locate. The information looks cluttered and it’s not as easy to identify all the listed information. While it does have â€Å"special services† and disability services† categories, you can’t search for colleges with services for minority students and services for low-income students.In my college counseling experience, I know programs like EOPcan be very beneficial for low-income and first-generation college students. Finally, for cost, you can only search for the cost of tuition and required fees. In Big Future, you can search for the percentage of financial need a school meets and for colleges that have work-study programs, financial aid for international students, and college application fee waivers. Keep in mind that the listed cost of attendance is not what you'll have to pay if you demonstrate financialneed. College Data College Data is a good finder option for those of you who are especially interested in financial information. How Does It Work? Step #1:Select search filters to narrow down your college search. Enter the most important qualities to you in your dream college. Select as many factors as possible to limit the size of your search results. Step #2: Once you’re done selecting all of the factors that matter to you, you can view your results. The colleges in your results will be listed along with their statistics. Step #3: Click on the colleges that interest you to read about them and get helpful information like freshman retention rates, application requirements, organizations, and class size. Step #4: After reviewing the info from the schools in your results and comparing them, make your list of schools that you’re interested in for further research. Step #5:Do additional searches later on if your priorities change or to assist you during the college selection process. Pros There is much more extensive financial information in College Data than in Big Future or College View.You’re given many more statistics regarding financial aid for the colleges in your search results. For example, here is the financial aid information for Boston University. Also, there's a "financial friendliness" search category. You can search for the percentage of financial need met, amount of student debt, and percentage of students that receive merit aid. Additionally, you can search for colleges by their level of representation of students from particular backgrounds, including Native American, African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and international. For each group, you can select â€Å"No preference† or greater than or equal to 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 50%, or 75%. Lastly, you can select up to 3 majors or disciplines from a very extensive list to help limit your search results and find the college you're looking for. Cons There are far fewer search categories than in Big Future and College View. College Data only has 9 major search categories. You can't look for schools based on your SAT score or religious affiliation. Also, you have to register before you can use a number of the best features to investigate the colleges in your search results. Some of these features include estimating your chances of gaining admission, calculating your net price (cost after financial aid), and saving colleges from your search results. I was reluctant to register because College Data is sponsored by 1st Financial Bank and a student credit card is advertised on the home page. I thought if I registered, I might get a bunch of spam. Big Future is run by College Board, a non-profit, so you don’t have to worry as much about Big Future trying to sell you stuff. Like College View, the user experience isn’t great on College Data. The design and display of information makes information hard to locate. Also, the font size and style make everything a little difficult to read. Finally, for most of the search categories, you can only select one option, and you can't select how important search options are to you. Examples of Bad College Finders Big Future, College View, and College Data are three of the better college finders on the internet, mainly because they offer tons of information and unique features to help you find the best college for you. Here are a couple of bad college finders. They're less beneficial to use. Niche Niche only has 9 search categories and no subcategories. There are no search categories that you can’t find on other search finders. Nothing is uniquely good about this finder and it doesn’t have many of the options of the better finders. Peterson's Peterson's only has 8 search categories. All can be found in other college finders, and you can’t choose how important a search option is to you. While the user experience is good, this finder is far too general. There is so much more information on the better finders. Final Tips Overall, I think Big Future is the best finder. It offers the best combination of features, information, and user experience.However, College View is good to use if you want to do a search focusing on campus life or quality of life criteria. College Data is good to use if you want to do a search on or get extensive information about cost and financial aid. College finders should only be one tool, albeit a valuable one, in your college search. You should use college search websites, guidebooks, ranking lists, and guidance from teachers, parents, and counselors to help you select a college. Remember that these finders aren’t perfect and can’t determine for you which school is the best fit. They can give you insight and information to guide you, but after deciding what’s important to you, doing your research, and visiting colleges (if you have the chance), it’s up to you, and possibly your parents, to decide. What's Next? Make sure you read this excellent article on how to choose a college. Also, learn more about the differences between public and private colleges. Finally, look at this post to help you decide if you should go to a big or small college. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

There is no specific topic for it, just answer the questions Essay

There is no specific topic for it, just answer the questions - Essay Example This led to the fact that in the name of society freedom individuals and certain groups in society were subjected to coercion. In contrast, the principle of negative liberty is considering any kind of restriction or regulation as a threat to individual freedom and therefore strictly upholds freedom as noninterference. Thus, negative liberty as a principle of non-interference is above the positive freedom in regard to guarantees of freedom of the individual in society. This inspired Quentin Skinner to propose a "third concept of liberty." As a historian, Skinner restores intellectual tradition of civic republicanism, but as a political philosopher - a political tradition of republican liberty, where freedom considers to be the non-domination. Skinner puts forward an alternative understanding of negative liberty. In the center he puts the wellness of the community, though personal freedom of community members is not subordinated to community members.. In the republican tradition is regarded as a citizen of a free citizen in a free-only. Thus the only problem is in preservation of that freedom state. For every citizen the easiest way may be an economic prosperity and active political involvement. In other words, a person must do something for her freedom. Such understanding of freedom imposes greater demands than the liberal concept of negative liberty. Republican ideal of freedom is not just a simple non-interference, but an active involvement, which tries to promote freedom of the individual and freedom of government in the mutual dependence of these liberties. Thus, the community - its not just a social reality, but a result of active engagement and cooperation that goes beyond pure observation of own interests. In his letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King also appeals to the republican conception of freedom as non-domination involving the historical memory of the protesters: "We had no alternative except

E-commerce and globalization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

E-commerce and globalization - Assignment Example and taking into consideration the virtual space that has been created by the internet, coupled by the globalization of trade and the lifting of trade barriers by various governments, Amazon has been able to conquer nearly all parts of the world by its online businesses (Lynch, 2003). This has led to the classification of commerce as a specialized activity and special experience with Amazon becoming the largest commerce site for the selling of books and goods online. The first advantage relates to the experience that a person gets when browsing through the wide range of books online. Second, online selling spares buyers the time of moving around stores to sample the books that they need. Instead, one only has to do a click of their computer’s mouse and they have a wide range of books to sample. A person only needs to know about the name of the book as most people are unfamiliar with the ISBN concept. Third, online sale of books at Amazon Inc. entails very secure and simple buying procedures that any computer literate customer with basic skills would easily manage (Barfield, 2003). The payment procedures are also simple to use as a person would only require a PayPal account or credit card to make purchases. Subsequently, online sale of books allows the customers the opportunity to select between old and new books assuming that the old books are recalled when still in good condition. Nearly all books are available online and if not a request can be easily made for the same. Online sale of books is also efficient in the sense that one may just order online and then have the book delivered to their houses without having to move at an extra but, lesser aggregate cost. Finally, online shopping of books accords a buyer with the opportunity to assess books from different authors and publications. First, the buying and selling of books is at an extra internet cost that most people are unaware about. In most instances, these books that have to be sold online are to be

English Essay Example for Free

English Essay Culture polity, traditions, language, food, costume, belief system, architecture, arts, craft, music, dance, and sports which will be discussed in this article to give you an indication of Fijis indigenous community but also the various communities which make up Fiji as a modern culture and living. The indigenous culture is an active and living part of everyday life for the majority of the population. However, it has evolved with the introduction of vibrant and old cultures including Indian, Chinese and European culture, and various cultures from the Pacific neighbors of Fiji; in particular the Tongan and Rotuman cultures. The culture of Fiji, including language, has created a unique communal and national identity. Tradition and hierarchy Fijian indigenous society is very communal, with great importance attached to the family unit, the village, and the vanua (land). [1] A hierarchy of chiefs presides over villages, clans, and tribes. Chiefly positions are hereditary; a deceased chief is invariably followed by a kinsman or kinswoman, though not necessarily his own son or daughter. This reflects Polynesian influence: in most other Melanesian societies, chiefs are appointed on merit. The largest social unit for Fijians is the Yavusa, defined by R. A. Derrick as the direct agnate descendants of a single kalou-vu (deified ancestor). Chiefly succession was from older brother/sister to younger brother/sister, after the death of their father/mother. When the youngest brother/sister died, the eldest son/daughter of the eldest brother/sister became chief. This tradition still influences Fijian society today, though less rigidly: there is more of a tendency nowadays towards primogeniture. [2][3] Each brother/sister in the family then formed his own branch of the yavusa, called the Mataqali. Each mataqali became the custodian of a specific task. A fully developed Yavusa has several mataqali: * Turaga: This mataqali descends from the original ancestor through primogeniture inheritance of the eldest son in each succeeding generation. The chief of a village is always chosen from the Turaga mataqali. [1][4] * Sauturaga: These are next in rank to the chiefs, support him, and enforce his commands and also have final say in the installation of a Chief[1] * Mata ni vanua: These form the official heralds of the village. They are also in charge of ceremonial functions. [5] * Bete: This was the traditional priestly class. The kalou-vu was believed to speak through the Bete. [1][6] * Bati: This mataqali forms the traditional warrior class. [6] * Dau (skill) and Matai: these are the crafts people and specialized skilled people of the tribe e. g. Dau ni vucu (Poet/choreographer/composer), Dau ni yau (treasurer), Mataisau (carpenter/or Canoe builder)[1] The mataqali are subdivided into Tokatoka, each comprising closely related families. Several mataqali comprise a village, several of which form a yavusa or district. The British colonial rulers amalgamated the districts into Yasana, or Provinces. The districts also form three Matanitu, or Confederacies. These are often said to be agglomerations of provinces, but as the latter were a colonial imposition, the boundaries do not coincide exactly, and the Provinces of Tailevu, Ra, Naitasiri, Lomaiviti and parts of Yasawa and Ba makes the Kubuna Confederacy. This Confederacy in modern Fiji is considered to be the most senior. The other two are Burebasaga (covering the rest of Viti Levu), and Tovata, covering Vanua Levu, Lau archipelago and Rotuma. Despite its isolation and relatively small size, Tovata has been politically dominant since Fiji gained its independence in 1970. Language The official language is English while the national indigenous language is Bauan which is only one of the many dialects that exist in the Fiji Group, each of the fourteen provinces more or less have their own dialect though there is a clear distinction between the dialects of the West, Central and Eastern parts of the country. Other languages spoken in the country are Fiji Hindi, Cantonese, Rotuman, Gilbertese (Rabi Island), and Tuvaluan (Kioa Island). The Fiji Islands are traditionally linked to their island neighbours Rotuma, Tonga and Samoa, and this is evident in the culture and dialects of the Northern and Eastern provinces being Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata, and Lau. The many dialects spoken in these four provinces consistently use sounds that are heard in Tongan and Samoan, but not so with dialects from the Western and South Western parts of Fiji. The Fijian language uses a Latin alphabet. However, the Fijian alphabet is dissimilar from the English alphabet. Fiji English The existence of many dialects within the Fijian language as well as exposure to the other languages spoken have contributed to many Fiji Islanders being bilingual. For general communication in an informal environment, a very interesting cross use of the languages has developed, resulting in slang now commonly referred to as Fiji English. In formal settings, of course, correct usage is adhered to. Fiji English comprises aspects of Fijian, English and Hindi, which reflects the history and identity of the people of Fiji. Fiji English is non-rhotic. . Cultural arts and social polity In culture, its various crafts and music give it an identity along with it traditional etiquette and varying forms of clothing attire, its unique architecture also tells a story of a culture and its evolution, the following will discuss these aspects of culture in Fiji. Arts and crafts Fijis arts and crafts reflect local adaptations of their Polynesian and Melanesian heritage. By tradition, the mens and womens crafts are separate. Womens crafts The village of Na lotu on Kadavu Island is famous for its pottery, the making of which is still governed by strict rituals. Nadroga and Rewa also produce fine pottery. Each region has its own unique style in the making of pottery. Tapa from the Lau Islands in Fiji. The making of Tapa cloth, or (masi), is another craft associated with women. Tapa is made from the bark of the paper mulberry tree and decorated in charcoal with symbolic motifs and various patterns. In modern times, it has become fashionable for a masi to bear the name of the person who made it. Masi are often exchanged as gifts on formal occasions. The island of Vatuelele of the southern coast of Viti Levu is famous for its masi products. Most Fijian mats are made from the leaves of the pandanus tree. The long process of preparation includes scraping and boiling the leaves, and drying them in the sun. There are different mats used for different occasions, and some are made as gifts for formal occasions such as weddings. Most mats are bordered with highly decorative and brightly coloured wool. One well-known Fijian mat is the kuta, made by women in Vanua Levu, particularly Bua. Weaving using various materials was another craft generally mastered by the women but also aspects of weaving were mastered only by the men, various types of weaving practiced were and still are; basket weaving, coconut rope weaving, and coconut leaves weaving. Mens crafts Carving was practiced by the men; carving would be used for items of practical use and simple shapes and design were used. A lot of effort was put into well adorned weapons and items for the home and ceremony, today carving is practiced for its use in tourism and no longer plays a major role in Fijian society and life except in the case of the Tanoa used from drinking Kava. Drua, the most impressive Fijian canoe. Canoe Building was another art practiced only by the men, canoes were not only the major form of communication, but were important in all aspects of Fijian society, from the gathering of food and transporting of crops to use in presentation ceremonies and they were instrumental in wars and politics which were rife in Fiji. 9] The art of Canoe building was varied across the group and had several different types but of a similar design, the Camakau was a small twin hulled canoe for fishing or small transportation purposes, the most impressive of Canoes in Fiji were that of the Drua. In Fijis early history before European involvement, Control of the seaway was a major and decisive objective; disrup ting or cutting off the enemies supply and reinforcements gave great advantage in battle and would ensure victory. Sea battles involving hundreds of canoes were frequent. The canoe, which inspired fear and awe and so often held the balance was the mighty Drua. One of the most elaborate and beautiful artifacts of Oceania, the Drua was a product of considerable group efforts and human sacrifice. Double hulled and of gigantic proportions, the Drua was a masterpiece of design and craftsmanship, requiring total community involvement in its construction and human sacrifice in its launching. 10] Its speed out at sea would be in excess of twenty knots and still remained highly manoeuvrable, it was capable of carrying upward of 150 warriors and took some 6 to 7 years to build and would vary in length from 100 feet to 118 feet and have a mast height of 60 to 70 feet, in the mid-19th century the following accounts were recorded: Up went the huge sail, down went the great steering oars, splashing into the sea, and away we shot like a racehorse. Owing to the great rate at which we were going, the sea was like a hissing cauldron on either side of our course, and the vessel, instead of having time to mount over the smaller waves, cut its way through them. (West, 1869). It had a magnificent appearance with its immense sail of white mats; its velocity was almost inconceivable. (Wilkes, 1840). Ratu Seru Cakobau commanded an impressive fleet which had Several Drua with armed warriors ready for battle the led Canoe was named Rusi I Vanua or Cursed is the land. 11] Much of the art of Canoe building has been lost and only a small few still practice the art on a very small scale as its use in this modern era seems to have lost its place. The craft of Canoe building was traditionally reserved for the male. Performing arts Fijian Rugby Team Performing a Traditional War Dance before their Rugby encounter against Canada. The Meke An indigenous art form is the Meke, which may incorporate the seasea (womens fan dance) or a meke wesi (mens spear dance). It is usually a narrative of an important event such as a war, a chiefly installation, or even a scandal. Some mekes are generations old, and form an important part of Fijis oral history. In olden times, the meke was considered to be an oracle from the gods, and the Dau ni vucu, or composer, would often go into a trance before a performance. Others are modern, composed for a particular event, much as a poet laureate might write a poem to celebrate an event in a Western country. Each district of Fiji has its own form of meke, performed in the local dialect. Other forms of Polynesian and Melanesian dance art forms exist with most widely known being dances of Rotuma and Tonga. There are also various Indian dances and Chinese dances which are performed at relevant festivals marking important times for these communities which are now a part of Culture in Fiji. Music Music of Old Fiji consisted of various chants which often told a story or preserved information to be passed on from generation to generation, these songs used various traditional instruments. With the introduction of European and Asian cultures music in Fiji has evolved and songs sung in the Fijian vernacular are popular but so also are songs in Indian and English, some local artists mix all three languages and traditional instruments from each culture making for a very interesting musical experience. A distinct Indian sound has evolved in Fiji that some see as influencing modern Indian music and even jazz. Clothing and costume The traditional attire was loin cloths for men and grass skirts for women. Skirts were short for single women, and long for married women, with girls wearing virgin locks before marriage. Most ladies of rank had the lower parts of their bodies decorated with tattoos. Chiefs dressed more elaborately. Modern Fijis national dress is the sulu, which resembles a skirt. It is commonly worn by both men and women. One type worn by both men and women is the Sulu va Taga pronounced Sulu vah Tanga which is a wrap around piece of rectangular material which is elaborately decorated with patterns and designs of varying styles this is for more casual and informal occasions. Many men, especially in urban areas, also have Sulu va taga which is a tailored sulu and can be tailored as part of their suit. Many will wear a shirt with a western-style collar, tie, and jacket, with a matching Sulu va taga and sandals, this type of sulu can be worn to a semi formal or formal occasion. Even the military uniforms have incorporated the Sulu va taga as part of their ceremonial dress. Women usually wear a multi-layered Tapa cloth on formal occasions. A blouse made of cotton, silk, or satin, of often worn on top. On special occasions, women often wear a tapa sheath across the chest, rather than a blouse. On other occasions, women may be dressed in a chamba, also known as a sulu I ra, a sulu with a specially crafted top. There are many regional variations throughout Fiji. Residents of the village of Dama, in Bua Province and Cakaudrove i Vanua (Province), Fiji wear finely woven mats called kuta, made from a reed. While traditional and semi-traditional forms of dress are still very much in use amongst indigenous Fijian culture, there is a greater influence for Western and Indian Fashion in urban areas as in neighboring developed nations. Traditions and ceremonies Etiquette in indigenous Fijian ceremony is rather intricate depending on the function as various formalities and presentations which do several things; firstly it shows respect between two communal groups, strengthen tribal and family ties and reinforce social, tribal and family ties. Various items are used in ceremony and surrounded by ceremony, Kava, known in Fiji as yaqona, is Fijis national drink. Traditionally, it was used only in important ceremonies. Nowadays, it is a social beverage. There is a strict protocol associated with yaqona drinking. One should clap once, clasping the hands, take the cup, and drink the yaqona in a single draft before returning the cup to the bearer. Another highly prized item in ceremony is the tabua or Whales tooth, other items also the use of mats (masi) are also used traditionally in ceremony also various regions have tradition that has been passed down generation to generation for centuries one example are the firewalkers of beqa. The Sawau tribe of Beqa are noted for their ability to walk on white hot stones without being burned. 12] Strict rituals have to be observed before the firewalking ceremony. There is an ancient myth about how an ancestor of the Sawau tribe was given this power by a spirit god in exchange for his life, after the god was captured by the man who was fishing for eels. Cuisine The cuisine of Fiji in pre-colonial times consisted of root crops, vegetables, and fruits, as well as various land animals such as wild pig, human, and various birds. The coastal tribes would have had the same, but also had a large amount of local seafood. These would have been prepared with local herbs and spices on wood fire rock ovens. Most cooking areas were located in the center of house so the smoke would repel insects and strengthen the roof thatching. Another popular method of cooking, which is still used today, is the lovo which is an earth oven[13] — a fire made on in a pit in the ground lined with heat-resistant stones. It closely resembles the hangi of the New Zealand Maori. When the stones are hot, food wrapped in (banana) leaves, is placed in the pit, covered with soil and left to cook before being exhumed and eaten. Dishes cooked this way include palusami, parcels of taro leaves saturated with coconut milk, onions, and sometimes tinned meat. Modern Fijian Cuisine is rather diverse with great influence from Indian cuisine and spices. When these are applied to local traditional dishes, it makes for interesting eating. European, Indian, and Chinese variants of cuisine, along with traditional foods, are common place in most, if not all households in Fiji. Architecture A bure kalou, a sketch done in the early 1800s. In Old Fiji, the architecture of villages was simple and practical to meet the physical and social need and to provide communal safety the houses were square in shape and with pyramid like shaped roofs,[14] and the walls and roof were thatched and various plants of practical use were planted nearby, each village having a meeting house and a Spirit house. The spirit house was elevated on a pyramid like base built with large stones and earth, again a square building with an elongated pyramid like [14] roof with various scented flora planted nearby. The houses of Chiefs were of similar design and would be set higher than his subjects houses but instead of an elongated roof would have similar roof to those of his subjects homes but of course on a larger scale. With the introduction of communities from Asia aspects of their cultural architecture are now evident in urban and rural areas of Fijis two main Islands Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. A village structure shares similarities today but built with modern materials and spirit houses (Bure Kalou) have been replaced by churches of varying design. The urban landscape of early Colonial Fiji was reminiscent of most British colonies of the 19th and 20th century in tropical regions of the world, while some of this architecture remains, the urban landscape is evolving in leaps and bounds with various modern aspects of architecture and design becoming more and more evident in the business, industrial and domestic sector, the rural areas are evolving at a much slower rate. Literature The emergence of Fijis literature (as distinct from oral literature) coincides with the countrys transition to independence in 1970. Among the first published works of Fijian literature, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Raymond Pillais short stories (in English) and Pio Manoas poetry (in English and in Fijian). More recent notable Fiji writers include Satendra Nandan (poet and novelist), Sudesh Mishra (poet), Larry Thomas (playwright), and Joseph Veramo (novelist). Religion Religion is quite diverse with Christianity being the dominant faith in Fiji. Many Christian denominations are present in Fiji, the most prevalent of which is Methodist. Of the other Asian religions the Hindu faith is dominant, followed by Islam. There are other belief systems observed by Fijians as well. The impact of Christianity The impact of Christianity in the 19th century resulted in certain traditions being proscribed. In the pre-Christian era, human sacrifice was practiced. Men were buried alive to hold the pillars to the house of a chief. Cannibalism was practiced, too:[16] the bodies of enemies slain in battle, or in sacrifice, were piled up and cooked for festivals, such as the installation of chiefs or the launching of a great canoe. 16] Seru Epenisa Cakobau. The Bauan warlord who united the disparate tribes of Fiji and proclaimed himself King in 1871, renounced cannibalism on his conversion to Christianity in 1854. A bure kalou, a pre-Christian Fijian religious Building. Old religion Fijis old religion is no longer practiced by the majority in the indigenous community who have adopted Christianity. Old deities are still acknowledged and respected, but not worshipped. Fijian rituals still exists in private. Demographics Of the various faiths, Christianity is the dominant belief system and ncluding all the various denominations of the Christian faith they number in total 449,482. Hindus, with their various denominations, number in total 261,097. Muslims make up 54,324 of Fijis population. Followers of other belief systems make up 10,166 of Fijis population. Sports Sports culture is unique as different racial mixes and cultures come together in a common interest. Fiji is fanatical about sports and the two most dominant being rugby and soccer. Traditional sports Sports in older times had a practical place, apart from recreation, helping to train young warriors. One such practice would have the older men bring the male children a severely injured captive of war, allowing the boys to practice their archery skills against this living target. There were other sports that were practiced in older times which are not practiced now. Notable traditional sports used to be played were tiqa, ulutoa, veisaga, and veisolo. Modern sports The Fiji sevens team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Sports have developed greatly over the past two decades in Fiji with a wide variety of sports undertaken. Fiji is most well known for its prowess in the game of rugby union and in particular rugby sevens. Rugby union Rugby union is the most popular sport in Fiji. The highest level of competition is the Colonial Cup. The Fiji national rugby union team has competed in five Rugby World Cup competitions. The Fijian Rugby Sevens team is constantly one of the top two or three teams in the world, often the premier team. Rugby league Rugby league is a popular team sport played in Fiji. The Fiji national rugby league team is known as Fiji Bati, with the team competing in three Rugby League World Cup competitions. They made it to the semi-finals of the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Football Football was a minor sport, but over the last decade with further international funding from FIFA and sound local management of the sport has grown in popularity amongst the Indian community initially but now also the Fijian community. Other sports Many sports exist in Fiji and in many ways has its own cultural following, sports such as golf which has been made famous by Fiji athlete Vijay Singh. Sports such as cricket and surfing which was brought to prominence by former world champion and Fiji athlete Tony Philips. Sailing in varying forms, various adventure sports, athletics, various Asian martial arts, boxing, and the list goes on.

The Self-Concept of Father-Absent Children in Middle Childhood Essay

The Self-Concept of Father-Absent Children in Middle Childhood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Man’s individuality embodies numerous traits and self-concept holds the predominant of these traits according to Rogers. It helps the person understand personality and social development, for it is through the developing self-concept that man form increasingly stable picture of their selves, partly, reflected by others in their surroundings (Craig;1996,p.367). As the person interacts with his environment, such as peer groups, school, community and most especially the family, these concepts are constructed. Many developmentalists believe that infants are born without a sense of self (Shaffer, 1989), therefore, we can say that we develop our self-image as we continuously grow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Families are believed to be the first, the closest, and most influential social group in the child’s life. They provide children with the definition of right and wrong, the patterns of behaviors, the expectations and the evaluations of actions on which children base their own ideas (Craig, 1996). It is in the family where a child spends a great portion of his life mainly during the formative years. It is from the family that he receives his earliest training in proper behavior. Thus, it is the family which plays the major role in the development of his self-image (Medina, 1991). As a child grow, he begins to realize who he really is and what he is and at the same time aware of his capability.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The person’s general view of self is made up of other, more specific concepts, including the nonacademics sefl-concept, self-concept in English, and self-concept in mathematics. This self-concept evolves through constant self-evaluation indifferent situation (Shavelson & Bolus, 1992). Children and adolescents are continually comparing their performance with their own standards and with the performance of peer and also gauge the verbal and nonverbal reactions of significant people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Moreover, a harmonious home environment can create confidence in ones own perspective of himself because it provides not only a place of residence but also an identity of mutual security and support (Sevilla, 1989). However, through the changing nature of the family structure, there are broken families and marital dissolution. Single parent families, usually are fatherless, continuously growing up which affect both their children’s ... ...hey are free to ask questions. Furthermore, the researcher will assure the subjects that the test results will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Scoring Procedure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The instruction of the scoring will be taken form the manual fo the test instruments. Corresponding points are provided for each answer. Then the number points are counted. Scoring will follow a given equivalent and through the local norms of the test, the level of self-concept of the subjects will be identified. REFERENCES: Craig, Grace. Human Development, 7th edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. 1996 Davidson, Kenneth J.Jr Marriage and Family: Change and Continuity. Massachusetts: Ally and Bacon: Simon & Schuster Co., 1996 Elliot, Stephen N. et al. Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching/Effective Learning. 2nd edition. USA: Brown and Benchmark Publishing,1996 Tan, Earnest L. The Development of Self-Concept Quezon City. Values Education Program of Mirian College Graduate School, 1991. Medina, Belen T.G. The Filipino Family: A text with selected Readings. Philippines: Office of Research Coordination, U.P. 1991 Easten,Nina J. Los Angeles Time Magazine, 9June 1992): 15-16, 18, 44-46.

Competition Energy Drinks Essay

The beverage industry, like most food service industries in these economic times, faces many challenges. Not one company is excluded from the challenges of economic conditions, demographics, social and global forces, and regulatory, political, and legal factors. The global economic conditions affect the energy drink industry in many ways. This industry depends highly on the disposable income of its customers. People are very cautious with their money these days and if additional income does not exist to purchase these items, then the companies suffer. In recent projections, however, this does not seem to be the case. The global industry factors show a projected growth of $20 trillion in sales between 2009 and 2014, and demand for these alternative beverages is expected to increase globally as customer purchasing power increases. Social factors play an important part in the industry’s strategy, as well. With customers concerned with healthy lifestyles and exercise, the alternative beverage industry has increased sales in the last decade. Customers demanding low calorie, energy & vitamin-enhancing drinks turn to these types of beverages for their needs instead of carbonated soft drinks. Alternative drinks are consumed by a slim demographic. These products are generally used by young adults, college and high school students, athletes and exercise aficionados. Another branch of these drinks are the energy â€Å"shots,† which have become very popular in the last decade. With new legislation and changing regulations, it is very important for companies to stay abreast of all changes. There has been an increase in negative reports on what affects energy drinks have on people that use them, from high blood pressure to arrhythmia, which as forced some companies to include warning labels on their packaging. There is also a concern with the consumption of these drinks contributing to the obesity issue, many of these drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, and many additives that can contribute to weight gain if consumption is not limited. Competition is fierce in this industry; not only between the two biggest competitors, Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo Inc., but also Red Bull GmbH, Hansen Natural Corporation and privately owned regional brands. The two major companies, Pepsi and Coca Cola, are strong competitors within the alternative beverage market and use both the introduction of new products as well as the introduction of existing products in new markets to increase sales. Pepsi has introduced several new products – Charge, Rebuild, and Defend – three new brands available to consumers interested in vitamin-enhanced drink alternatives. Pepsi has also recently agreed to distribute the â€Å"Rockstar† brand drinks in Canada and the United States. Coca-Cola Company’s strategy is to distribute their existing brands in the new markets of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and other Asia/Pacific countries. In order to compete with these two major companies, Red Bull relies on sponsorships and promotion as well as celebrity endorsements. By using advertising in this manner, Red Bull is able to use its slogans and logos in a variety of ways to get their name out into the public. Hansen Natural Corporation utilizes a different approach to boost sales. This company increased their package size and still maintained a competitive price compared to Red Bull. Like Red Bull, Hansen also uses celebrity promotion and sponsorship as a marketing tool. This is not to say that PepsiCo Inc. and Coca-Cola Company do not utilize this method of advertising, as they both spend billions on advertising promotions, celebrity, and sporting endorsements. The competitive edge in this case lies with PepsiCo Inc. , whose sales of energy and alternative beverages have surpassed its competitors in the past few years. New entrants are not a strong competitive pressure for this industry. The dominating companies are unsurpassed in their strong brand names and great distribution channels. The industry is fully saturated. These factors make it difficult for new companies to compete against them. Any new company wanting to get into this industry would face high capital start-up expenditures and would surely fail due to the high cost. Substitution of products is also an area where the competitive force is low. With brand loyalty, the market for substitution is very low. Consumers want the brands they are used and won’t accept substitution. Suppliers for the industry do not hold much competitive pressure either. Suppliers to this industry are bottling equipment manufactures and secondary packaging suppliers. The suppliers have little bargaining power, as the two major brands own their own bottling centers. As discussed earlier, changes in this industry’s long-term growth rate is a positive one. Growth is high in this market and is expected to continue to grow. One of the reasons for this is the increasing globalization. Coke is expanding its operations to be more global as are some of its competitors. The changing spectrum of the customer base is not really a factor here. Most of the demographic has not changed much since the introduction of these alternative beverages. Marketing and innovation has to continue to grow so that the company can grow. Regulatory influences and government policy changes are a huge factor in this industry. As the customers call for increased legislation and regulation of the ingredients, the companies have to make adjustments to their drink formulas, and this could prove costly if not monitored closely. Society is constantly changing and this industry needs to transition with these changes. By the introduction of new products and the re-tooling of existing products, all of the competitors can be successful. This industry has several success factors, product marketing, product differentiation, brand name, a strong distribution network and the ability to adapt to change. PepsiCo Inc. and Coca-Cola Company have strong aspects of all of these factors which is what has made both of them so successful. PepsiCo Inc.has branched into the food market as well as remaining in the soft drink and alternative beverage markets. Coke has had a similar strategy and relies heavily on their brand name and product recognition. All of the companies have unique and successful marketing techniques such as sponsorships, promotions, and celebrity endorsements. In order to achieve a successful strategic plan, a company needs to establish a group of people to discuss the goals and objectives of their company, sometimes called a task force. The task force should then decide what the company’s goals and objectives are. By drafting Mission and Vision statements, this task force can begin to convey their goals and objectives. Strategic planning is an on-going task for every company. When a plan is established the implementation and monitoring phases begin. To be successful a company should be constantly monitoring its goals and objectives and changing them when the need arises. With competition so high in this industry, a strong strategic plan is critical. In viewing these companies one can see that their plans are very strong. In order to continue to grow and compete in this market all companies need to look forward at the changing times, attitudes and cultures. All of the companies in this market, as with any market, need to maintain their competitive advantage and find new and different ways to achieve it. A comprehensive action plan needs to be put into place and reviewed often. By doing this all companies have a better chance at keeping their competitive advantage and enjoying better profits for their shareholders.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author of One Hundred Years of Solitude, lived and experienced a religious Latin American life. These experiences played a vital function in the development of his characters, specifically Jose Arcadio Buendia. Jose Arcadio Buendia was the founder of the innocent city of Macondo where â€Å"the world was so recent that many things lacked names. †(p. 1) He was a strong coordinator and looked to as a leader.As Melquiades and the other gypsies passed through the village, Jose Arcadio Buendia’s attention was quickly captured. Fascinated by their magic and determined to learn more, he bartered the most valuable possessions of his family in exchange for their mystical tools. He would then spend his time trying to figure out how to use these tools and what they meant, unaware of the fact that his constant pursuit for knowledge would soon lead to his downfall.In the meantime, he became obsessed with trying to find civilization outside of Macondo, a t ask he had failed to do but his wife, Ursula, had simply completed months later. I believe Jose Arcadio Buendia’s desire to find other civilization is related to his obsession for knowledge and information for reasons beyond just the simple founding of people. The discovery of civilization will not only allow him to find more unknown information, but will also subconsciously allow him and his family to interact with more people.It is possible that this subconscious quest for social interaction is the actual cause of the introversion and solitary confinement that is evidently a characteristic of his family line. This unintentional corruption of his family is consistent with the significance of Jose Arcadio Buendia within the novel. The innocence of the rest of Macondo was also corrupted through Buendia’s obsession for facts and information.If he had not sought answers, the gypsies may have had no incentive to return to Macondo, Jose Arcadio would have never impregnated the gypsy girl or joined the gypsies as they left town, and Ursula would have never followed Jose Arcadio and returned with knowledge of the path through the swamp that led to other civilization. In fact, even if the gypsies continued to pass through the village and Ursula still found the path through the swamp, it was her husband’s obsession of finding other civilization that made mentioning of this path significant.Beyond this unfolding sequence of events, the search for truth corrupts human’s abilities to live in fantasy worlds without realizing the fantasy of it. Once truth is revealed, the world previous to that truth will be interpreted as an incorrect way of life. Thus, continuing the attempt to live that â€Å"incorrect† life after knowing the truth will now be interpreted as a fantasy. If truth had not been revealed, the village of Macondo could have lived in a fantasy world without interpreting it as a fantasy.In searching and revealing the truth, Jose Arcadio Buendia corrupted the imagination of the villagers with a correct answer for things. Soon things began to have specific names and people had correct ways of life. I find Macondo to be the Garden of Eden’s second chance. If the world of the novel were compared to the Holy Bible, then Jose Arcadio Buendia would symbolize Adam. His obsessions and constant search for knowledge is clearly analogous to Adam and Eve when they eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.The subsequent downfall of the Buendia family as well as the rest of Macondo is the same as Adam and Eve being outlawed from Eden and sentenced to live a mortal life. When Jose Arcadio Buendia is tied to a tree by the other villagers, it is a symbol for how Bible followers, such as Christians, are trying to separate themselves from Adam and Eve through redemption and reconciliation. Through the death of the Buendia line, Marquez may be trying to reveal the possibility that the line of Adam and Eve can als o be ended.

buy custom Campbell Soup in China essay

buy custom Campbell Soup in China essay Introduction Campbell Soup Company is a global soup giant with 60 per cent market share under its belt. The company has for long enjoyed its market leadership with presence in key market segments such as: soups, sauces, baked goods, beverages and snack foods. Its products are sold in 120 different countries. Campbell Soups brand life cycle has reached its maturity and the biggest challenge at this stage is to sustain its market share and continue to dominate. The mainstream target market of Campbell Soup comprises of baby boomers that are now in their 50s. Since its target market is aging, so is its demand in the Western markets. And it has become tough to acquire share in the younger age segment owing to the economic slump in major Western markets such as US and Europe where the falling disposable incomes of individuals is translating into a declining demand of its products. With the growth in the emerging economies such as India, China, Russia, etc, Campbell Soup has opened a new window for com panys strategic direction which leads it to tap these emerging markets (Foreman-Peck 310). China offers a handful of opportunities for the company and its products from market entry route to consumer demand and from trade liberation to cheap labor. As a management consultant, I would like to recommend China as the most suitable market to enter for Campbell Soup. In the report, the favorable factors associated with the Chinese market are thoroughly explained and discussed for relevance. Countrys Background Chinas rich culture and traditions are famous all over the world. China is a country filled with colors, culture and tradition. It follows collectivism and the family culture whereby giving importance to all those products that provide the family-feel to them. Their houses, parks, malls, and household products are all built in same manner. Predominantly being an agricultural country, China has progressed radically over the last few decades as a global trader of industrial goods, consumer electronics, food, apparel and succeeded in various other industries (Hu and Khan 5). It has stepped into every major global industry and poses threats to foreign companies. The biggest global competitive advantage that China enjoys is the low cost of production. Labor in China is available at a very cheap cost. For this reason the labor market in China has caught attention of manufacturing firms and retailers all over the world. Chinas economic growth has started which is attributable to the growth in the various industries that China has stepped into, to the rising standard of education that the government has invested tremendously in, to the growth in domestic businesses as well as to the multinationals operating in the country that has increased employment rate and improved the standard of living of a common man (Hu and Khan 7). Favorable Market Conditions Operating in an international business environment is even more complex than having only single regional market to deal with. What adds to the complexity in managing international business performance and profitability is the influence of the changing economy in different markets, the effects of which come in the form of fluctuations in exchange rates, interest rates, labor supply and cost, and cost of production (Hill 148). Each of these affects the profitability of the international businesses as they have wings spread across different countries at the same time. For this reason, market conditions in the host country have to be favorable for a foreign brand to enter. China has been seen to welcome various multinationals every year and the main reason behind this is the favorable market conditions that exist in the country (Hill 189). While the global market for soups has either declined or remained stagnant during the economic slump, China together with Russia continued to grow in the soup market and now represent 40 per cent of the total global sales in the soup industry. This is highly impressive considering the fact that the Western market was previously the centre of all soup sales but now the favorable market conditions in Asian markets, such as China, are responsible for a major portion of the global sales (Our Brands). The so-called credit crunch has already started affecting major Western economies. Warren Buffet, the billionaire founder of Berkshire Hathaway hailed as the most successful investor ever described the US economy as already in recession. Invariably, the economic downturn will reach Europe and the UK as well (Hill 213). This will mean that peoples disposable incomes may go down. At the same time, consumer spending will slow down even more in the face of higher inflation and job market uncertainty. In China, however, people are enjoying high incomes owing to the increase in the international market share of Chinese products. They, thus, have enough finance to purchase international brands for their regular use (Hu and Khan 8). China has a good mobile market, automobile as well as technology items market along with luxury brands. The situation in UK and US may directly affect Campbell Soup. Consumers may switch to cheaper brands and start shopping for its brands as a treat. In China people are switching towards foreign goods, thus, attract foreign brands like Campbell Soups. At the same time, incomes are rising in Eastern Europe, Russia and Dubai where Campbell recently opened its stores. Revenues from these markets may partly offset the decrease in consumer spending in the West. One can assume that people tend to eat out less in times of economic turmoil. This may, actually, benefit Campbell Soup as people stay home and buy its foods, perceived to be of higher quality (Hill 211). Since, China is a large market for soups and has soup tied to its national food customs, Campbell is to face a tough challenge to impress the customers. However, a strong demand for its products exists in the market as Chinese consumers and retailers seek consumption of foreign brands owing to their social aspirations (Ferraro 138). These are discussed in detail later. The Internet has become a powerful selling channel in China. The Internet accounts for 8% of the amount spent in global advertising. This amount is growing rapidly. This only highlights the fact that to capture the Chinese target audience which is very much influenced by gadgets, mobile phones and technology, it is necessary to use the quickest means to attaining them such as internet and technologically advanced media (The Chinese Food Market). Mobile phone shopping is just taking off but it is likely to grow considerably in the years to come, which presents a clear business opportunity (Hu and Khan 9). Threat of new entrants in China is low. This is because it takes enormous capital investments to set up a successful chain of stores. The market is mature and an entrant would need to offer something radically new, which is rather difficult to do in food and apparel retailing. All major retailers have strong established brand names and so enjoy customer loyalty which becomes increasingly important in homogenous markets. The incumbents are firmly holding their market shares and would utilize all means to counter any new entrants including litigation (Whitelock 340). Economic Growth and Trade Liberation According to Kenwood and Laougheed (1999), slow-downs in the economy are meant for a short term and economic growth is certain to happen. The following fators account for economic growth of any country: Advancements in technology that maximize efficiency and production output; Increase in know-how, education, human development index and the culture of learning that leads to innovation and become a source of competitive edge in the international trade market; Use of natural resources for maximizing production; Increase in financial resources that are used in investments in research and development, improvement in infrastructure that invites foreign investors, increases overall production capacity of the country, and allows the domestic players to compete internationally; Rise in the literacy rate that improves the skill level of employees or in other words the human capital; more labor inputs available lead to a higher rate of economic growth; A country having low barriers to trade both encourages domestic companies to trade and invites foreign companies to enter the domestic market and increase competition, both of which contribute to economic growth of the country; International markets hostility, level of competition and level of governments support for international trade all influence international trade that in return contributes towards economic growth of a country (Whitelock 345). It has been reported by economists and analysts that a countrys rise in the international trade results in economic growth of that country in return. When a country liberalizes trade and opens up the economy, economic growth is stimulated. More specifically, international trade influences the economic growth through the following effects. Chinas success in terms of economic growth is attributable to its trade liberation. It has reduced import duties that results in rise in foreign exports that come into the country (Hu and Khan 8). When firms trade with other countries they contribute towards overall global competitiveness. Domestic companies make them competitive, induce efficiency in their operational activities and equip themselves through investing in improving human capital, research and development for the global competitiveness (Whitelock 343). Globalization resulted in global integration of business activities that has contributed towards an increase in the number of entrepreneurs in the economy that make use of advancements in technology. This increases efficiency and, thus, productivity which advances the country in fuelling the economic growth. In such a way, global competition invites and increases level of innovation that is required for economic growth (Hill 316). The governments which are liberal for trade and not protectionist conserning exporting and importing of the products achieve better foreign trade returns that contribute towards economic growth. Developing countries implement more protectionist policies on trade than developed nations so as to defend their growing domestic industries from foreign competition and anti-dumping of foreign imports in the country (Kuo and Yang 599). Developed countries import apparel, textiles, and other labor intensive goods from developing countries that sell these products at cheaper costs. Mostly retailers in UK purchase fiber and cotton from countries like India and Pakistan as it costs them cheaper to purchase these raw materials from developing countries than to buy them from their local suppliers. This fuels their total output and finished goods for sale. Developing countries earn export revenues in return. It benefits their economy. For developed countries, importing cheap supplies results in more output, lower costs of production, and more profits that are used in investment projects which eventually contribute towards economic growth of the country (Hill, 341) International trade results in generation of excess financial resources for a country. Income is mainly earned from exporting goods to growing markets and importing cheap supplies to support production which is further exported to earn more revenues. Companies equip themselves via advancements in technology to improve quality of products, introduce innovation in products, benefit human capital, invest more in research, and development, to create demand for their products in foreign markets. This could allow them to export more and, thus, to earn revenues in return which would fuel their economic growth (Kuo and Yang 602). China acceded to the WTO in 2001 whereby removing all protectionist trade barriers and encourage free flow of foreign goods (Hu and Khan 8). Although Campbell Soup does not yet have stores in China, they are seriously considering the possibility as the Chinese with their rising incomes and fascination with all Western brands present a great business opportunity. With no trade barrier in the way, usage of the market entry route of export would allow Campbell Soup to enter and penetrate the market quite easily and receive a higher level of profits flow into its home country in return (Williamson 350). Legal Environment Chinese government expects companies to be socially responsible and to manufacture healthy and environmentally friendly products. Chinese society is prone to being healthy and efficient. For this reason, their diet includes only healthy and nutritional food elements. They show favorable response for their local or foreign food brand that allows them to stay in shape, healthy and active. Chinese governments, media and public are urging companies to be environmentally friendly and to reduce packaging. What is more, Chinese government and public have rising concerns for health and safety of products. Campbell Soup will benefit in this regard as the heart and soul of its brand identity is healthy food. Positioning itself as a healthy food brand in the market would not only allow it to attain a favorable response from the consumers and a sustainable market position, but also, it would be able to cultivate a corporate social responsibility initiated in the form of a two-fold strategy (Mooij 175). Waste management presents another dilemma for companies as well as criticism in adding to CO2 pollution. Companies have to adhere to environmental laws and regulations when operating plants in the country. In this regard, Campbell will benefit as it will be shipping the packed goods to the country and not producing them there. As consumers of China become more aware of their rights, the risk of being sued increases. But this can be curbed by ensuring proper quality assurance on all products shipped and exported to the country for sales. Socio-Cultural Environment The socio-cultural environment shapes the consumer behavior towards a brand, the employee behavior as well as how a company can communicate with the consumers in the market. Cultural understanding is important for organizational performance, especially in operating in a foreign a market. Cultures have various underlying forces and issues such as high or low context, individualism or collectivism, low or low uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs femininity, etc that shape communication, behavior, intentions, attitude, opinion, and to a great extent relative individual performance in the context of the organizational culture. The dilemma that comes to the limelight is the extent to which change should be imparted or adaptation should take place to the local culture when a company enters a new market with regard to the organisational culture (Ferraro 245). To resolve this dilemma, two important viewpoints that fall under Neoliberal context of cuultural theory provide support. The one im portant concept which should be understood is that there is no the best answer or the best cultural framework with regard to the level of adaptation, internally or externally. Context is an important determinant of the best type of culture which could be in either form of adaptation or change imposition onto the external environment. This context can be, for example, customer-centered or people centered approach and also nationalistic or liberal approach of the company that could be used to determine the level of adaptation needed with the local culture or the level of change needed to be imparted onto the local culture to bring in line with the organisational culture (Ferraro 246). Organisations that promise high organisational performance as a result of close link with customers, high productivity, value-driven environment within the organisation, specialisation as well as multi-tasking and flexibility to adapt and respond to changes perfectly feet the excellent culture (Gabriel and Lang 103). This is evident in the culture that exists in China. Like the entire scope of marketing, advertising too is linked closely with social aspects mainly because of the objective of generating consumer appeal, playing with cultural and individual forces, shaping consumer behaviour, and relating to the product in question. For this reason, advertising produces several social effects that focuses on social news and social media (Ferraro 247). Other than the basic information and awareness received by customers about products that they may need, some important criticism that advertising has received from social media over the years is related to the high level of materialism infused into the minds of consumers in order to generate unnecessary desires for company products to result in repeat purchases (Gabriel and Lang 105). This results in positive effects on company sales and profits and makes the overall marketing effort successful, the consumers, on the other hand, and the society as a whole is left with the desire for artificial realities of life linked with superficial mind frames pointing towards unneeded products, for example, fashion labels (Gabriel and Lang 110). Other objections include reinforcement for the consumerism and materialism embedded culture in the society and creation of social stereotypes through symbolic language and images used in advertisements (Ferraro 248). In pursuit of delivering attractive, appealing and thought-provoking messages, images, and sounds, to attract customers and target specific market segments in response to consumer behavior research findings indicating social gaps, companies end up creating cultural shifts in the society to directions that may otherwise be undesirable or unsuitable for the society (Ferraro, 2010). For example, considering the global warming and environmental degradation, it is only understandable now that the present consumerism culture was and is not desirable. Such trend has been prevailing since the industrial revolution (Gabriel and Lang 115). Campbell Soups is to face a challenge in cracking the culture of China at first. However, understanding the culture and using it in the benefit of establishing a strong brand positioning and equity in the market will turn out to be surprisingly effective and easy. This is so, because Chinese culture is deeply rooted in hospitability, collectivism, team work and efficiency. These traits translate into a friendly business atmosphere and acceptance of consumers. China for this reason has become a favorite location to do business in the contemporary market. The people are family oriented and welcoming (Gabriel and Lang 110). Despite of the fact that a highly masculine and power distant culture exists in the country, the trend is towards team work and barrier free communication. This results in effective coordination between the locals and the foreign brands (Ferraro 265). For Campbell this translates into a healthy opportunity to locate a suitable distributor and have that distributor understand the company goals and follow them effectively. The cultural element of China will prove to be quite favorable in terms of infusing effectiveness and efficiency in the supply chain. Since, Campbell is to export the brand into the market, coordination and alliance with the local distributors is utmost necessary for successfully penetrating in the market. Because of the team work approach to business the potential sources of channel conflict in the supply chain required to be set up to export the brand into Chain automatically becomes eliminated. On the other hand, with regard to consumer demand for Campbell Soup in China, the economic growth and rise in business activity in the country has translated into a fast lifestyle in the society. With increased disposable incomes the buying power has increased but time for cooking in the traditional patterns and methods has reduced. This translates into a growing demand for ready-made or canned products similar to what Campbell Soup has to offer to the country (Gabriel and Lang 119). Greater work mobility means that people have no time to cook, and they often eat on the go (Marshall 226). Food stores can benefit from this by offering a variety of ready meals, snacks and sandwiches. Chinese people live longer, which means they can spend more during their lifetimes (Ferraro 219). As Campbell Soups main customer base is people aged over 40, with a large proportion over 55. This represents a considerably large target market size for Campbell Soups. Also, a large segment of young consumers who seek low-calorie food intake also will find Campbell Soup as an attractive brand. Infrastructure One of the biggest hurdles that multinationals face in penetrating across emerging markets in developing countries segments is improper infrastructure. Improper infrastructure in the form of lack of built roads that aid in distribution by trucks or trains. In China, however, owing to the technological advancements, the infrastructure is thriving to conduct efficient business. The infrastructure compliments the fast lifestyle of the Chinese business men and consumers (Hu and Khan 3). Skyscrapers, subways, underpasses, etc all compliment the modern living standard of China and provide evidence of its economic growth. Such infrastructural improvements would allow the company to easily access all urban as well as rural areas in the market and ensure effective distribution. Conclusion China presents an ideal market for Campbell Soup to enter into. The country is host to favorable market conditions, trade liberation, favorable legal environment, cheap labor, and favorable socio-cultural environment that translates into consumer demand for the companys products as well as standard infrastructure required for a multinational to access the market and reach the consumers with ease. Each of these favorable and inviting aspects of the Chinese market was discussed in detail in the paper. The market conditions are favorable in China because of the economic growth in the country, rising disposable incomes and technological advancement. Rise in employment has resulted in a rise in disposable income, whereas improvement in education and infrastructure has resulted in rise in entrepreneurial activity and commercial activity in the country. This has not only invited foreign companies to enter and expand across the country but has improved the domestic business environment treme ndously. There is intense rivalry in the country as a result which only evokes a high level of innovation that each firm brings to the market to counter the threat from competition. Buy custom Campbell Soup in China essay

Pastoralism and the Development of Civilization

Pastoralism and the Development of Civilization Pastoralism refers to a stage in the development of civilization between hunting and agriculture and also to a way of life dependent on the herding of livestock, specifically, ungulates. The Steppes and the Near and Middle East are particularly associated with pastoralism, although mountainous regions and areas too cold for farming can also support pastoralism.  In the Steppes near Kiev, where the wild horse roamed, pastoralists used their knowledge of cattle herding to domesticate the horse. Lifestyle Pastoralists focus on raising livestock and tend to the care and use of animals such as camels, goats, cattle, yaks, llamas and sheep.  Animal species vary depending on where pastoralists live in the world; typically they are domesticated herbivores that eat plant foods. The two main lifestyles of pastoralism include nomadism and transhumance. The nomads practice a seasonal migratory pattern that changes annually, while transhumance pastoralists use a pattern to cool highland valleys in summer and warmer ones during the cold wintertime. Nomadism This form of subsistence agriculture, also known as farming to eat, is based on herding domesticated animals. Instead of depending on crops to survive, pastoral nomads primarily depend on animals that provide milk, clothing and tents.   Some key characteristics of pastoral nomads include: Pastoral nomads typically do not slaughter their animals but already dead ones may be used for food.Power and prestige are often symbolized by this cultures herd size.The type and number of animals are chosen in relation to local characteristics, such as climate and vegetation. Transhumance The movement of livestock for water and food encompasses transhumance. The core differentiator in regards to nomadism is that herders who are leading the flock must leave their family behind.  Their lifestyle is in harmony with nature, developing groups of people with the worlds ecosystem, embedding themselves in their environment and biodiversity. The main places you can find transhumance include Mediterranean locations such as Greece, Lebanon, and Turkey. Modern Pastoralism Today, most pastoralists live in Mongolia, parts of Central Asia and East African locations. Pastoral societies include groups of pastoralists who center their daily life around pastoralism through the tending of herds or flocks.  The benefits of pastoralism include flexibility, low costs and freedom of movement. Pastoralism has survived due to additional features including light regulatory environment and their work in regions that are not suited for agriculture. Quick Facts Over 22 million Africans depend on pastoralists for their livelihood today, in communities such as the Bedouins, Berbers, Somali and Turkana.There are over 300,000 cattle herders in Southern Kenya and 150,000 in Tanzania.Pastoralism societies can be drawn back to the time period 8500-6500 BC.Literary work involving shepherds and rustic life is known as pastoral which comes from the term pastor, Latin for a shepherd. SourceAndrew Sherratt Pastoralism The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Brian M. Fagan, ed., Oxford University Press 1996. Oxford University Press.

Colombia's International Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Colombia's International Trade - Research Paper Example Additionally, there are other factors responsible for the growth of the economic conditions, which include reduction of public debt, rigid government budgets, increased export activities and increased commodity prices. Contextually, improvements relating to security of business affairs and trade policies have been accountable for attracting greater Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) within its national markets, which is further expected to yield greater benefits to the economy in the long run through enriched international collaborations (Beittel, â€Å"Colombia: Background, U.S. Relations, and Congressional Interest†). Contextually, trade operations are determined to play an effective role in developing the economy on the continuous basis over the long run rather than focusing merely on short-run benefits. In this regard, the government has adopted important measures of performing international trade activities with other countries. Moreover, the government has also entered into free trade agreements with the US. Subsequently, the growth of trade operations is quite likely to facilitate in enhancing import along with export operations to a considerable extent. The country is also identified to acquire energy along with mineral resources in abundance to support its developmental needs in the near future (LTBS, â€Å"Focus on Colombia†). Prior to assessing Colombia’s economic indicators, it is essential to note that the country has been engaged in conflicts and dispute situations for a period of five decades in the recent past till the present scenario between Colombian government, the ‘National Liberation Army’ (ELN) and the ‘Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia’ (FARC) during the 1950s (Lopez 6-20).