Focus Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Focus Groups - Essay Example The colours used to identify objects, the tone used to communicate , and the environment in which it is done all are important with teaching a particular subject matter. The method by which an instruction is passed on coupled with the quality of content also has an impressionable impact on understanding capability of the recipient. To support the above hypothesis a study was conducted on two groups of children from kindergarten, each group comprising of 10 children between the age group of the age 4 to 5 years .So that there is minimum disparity in the final results due to the level of understanding among the children of the two groups the IQ of the children in both the groups was almost the same. The main purpose of choosing this segment of kids was their total dependence on their facilitators for explaining the content to them. Unlike a slighter older group who can get study materials from reference libraries and the internet, this group due to their limited exposure, would have minimal external influence on the material they would be taught . Their understanding on the subject matter would depend mainly on the method of instruction, the kind of content and the mediums used to deliver it. The first group ( Group 1) was exposed to Montessori way of education and the second group (Group 2) to the traditional public elementary school way of conducting classes. The experiment was presided over by two experienced teachers. Children from both the groups were to be evaluated on a spelling test of 30, five lettered words which would be conducted after a period of about 20 days. The outcome of the two groups would be evaluated on the average scored, scored by each group. Group 1 was introduced to phonetics through the Montessori method of education which lays more emphasis on child development and the over all build up of the child. Here the children were exposed to phonetics in the play way method which helps them learn the spellings by recognising

BMW Human Resources Policy

BMW Human Resources Policy Organisations, Analysis and Policy REPORT To: Senior Management From: Group Accountant Date: 2nd May 2005 Subject: BMW Organisational Analysis andHuman Resources Policies This report will provide a detailed analysis of BMWscurrent corporate appraisal analysis. This will help to identify the companyscurrent strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This will help thecompanies decision makers understand where the organisation is now. The reportwill also critically evaluate BMWs human resources policy as a key area of theorganisation. We will highlight how BMW has strategically responded to thedrivers for change in terms of its structure, conduct and performance. Finally,offer recommendations for the future development and improvements in humanresource management, and how those will impact on its organisational structure,conduct and performance. Company Background The BMW Group is the only manufacturer of automobiles andmotorcycles worldwide that concentrates entirely on premium standards andoutstanding quality for all its brands and across all relevant segments. With the brands BMW, MINI andRolls-Royce Motor Cars, the BMW Group has been focussing on selected premiumsegments in the international automobile market since the year 2000. In thesucceeding years, the launch of the BMW 1 Series meant an expansion of themodel range in the premium segment of the lower middle class and the BMW 6Series did likewise in the segment of the large CoupÃÆ'Â ©s and Convertibles. TheMINI marque was launched and production began in the Oxford plant in 2001. In2003, the BMW Group assumed marque responsibility for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.At the same time, the Worldwide Head Office and Manufacturing Plant inGoodwood, GB, was built. ( AnInternal and corporate analysis in terms of strength, weaknesses, opportunitiesand threats (SWOT) will assist in gaining an understanding of where BMW iscurrently in terms of strengths and where improvement is required within thebusiness and what outside environmental threats it may face as well as what newopportunities are available to the company in the short and medium term. Figure 1:BMW SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS Diverse ranges of Products BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce Strong Cash Flow Position Increase turnover and trading profits Strong Balance Sheet Worlds leading Premium Quality Automobile Manufacturer Brand Awareness Human resources Capabilities to turn resources into advantages OPPORTUNITIES New Products Market shift to globalisation Innovation Alliances Customers demand change to more comfortable and relevantly cheap cars Diversification New Technologies in Automobiles WEAKNESSES Perception of High Prices Customer disinterest Environmental issues: Pollutions Buyer sophistication and knowledge Substitute products or technologies THREATS New existing competition Volatility in Price of Fuel New legislations Consequences of the oil crisis September 11th Economic recession Market shift to globalisation Takeover bids Far-East Automobile companies expansion Extremely high competition for customers and resources The Five Forces Model Figure2: Five Forces Model ACCA Paper 3.5 (2001) Threats from Potential entrants Suppliers Bargaining power Competitive Rivalry Buyers Bargaining power Threats from Substitutes Porterexplains that there are five forces inherent in a market, which will jointlydetermine the intensity of competition and profitability of BMW and theautomobile industry. The first is the threat posed by new entrants, the highcapital expenditure and confidence of customers represent significant barriersto entry and the market is also sensitive to reputation. However, the emergentof low cost manufactures do pose a significant threat (as illustrated by figure2). There is an opportunity in the low price/ low economy (fast) sector. MaybeHyundai or Daewoo could consider introducing a low cost sport saloon. The second is the threats from substitutes, as thereare many make and model of other premium branded cars, hence, Jaguar, MercedesBenz, Audi etc. The third force is the threats from the bargaining power ofbuyers, is this strong for both BMW and the entire automobile industry with alarge number of alternative suppliers, hence, the aggressive pricing strategy.This results in a very str ong competitive rivalry in the industry. This isintensified as a result of little or no differentiation in the basic productoffered. Finally the threats from the suppliers bargaining power, this isfairly low in the automobile industry, due to dual sourcing strategies, using arange of alternative sources of supply for parts. The five forces analysis gives an improved understandingof the degree of competition within the business environment. The analysisshows that the automotive industry is highly competitive, with buyerspossessing and exerting a very powerful influence to the large number ofsubstitute brands available to them. BMW Human Resources Policy In response to a changing business environment BMW isbeing more business and service focus. In the past decade the organisation hasbecome much more proactive, dealing with new concepts to become more serviceand customer focus oriented. The structure of the organisation has beenredefined to deal with the new ways of operating. Organisational structuredefines important relationship within the business for achieving businessobjectives. At the same time it helps to define the new business culture withinBMW. Culture exists with the minds and hearts of BMWs employees andcontributes to business strategies of the organisation. Therefore, BMWs humanresources policies are critical in the organisations structure, conduct andperformance. Competitive pressures on BMW and national economies haveincreased markedly in recent decades. Therefore, organisations are constantlychanging, as powerful entities have arisen at the international level, theEuropean Union being a good example and multinational corporations increasinglydominate particular sectors such as cars. New competitions are emerging andforcing older companies to adopt or reform to survive. Different structuresaffect the way in which human resources are managed. BMW like all otherbusinesses require the same basic human resources activities like recruitment,development and training, appraisal and reward systems, and control andfeedback mechanisms. Organisational structures are influenced by culture.Employees have strong feelings towards the organisations they work for. Germanfirms have inherently a flat, less rigid structures. The McKinsey 7 S modelis often used to identify all the areas that make up an organisation.Structure, Style, Staff are three such areas. BMW has an equal opportunities none sexual discriminatingculture within its organisation. BMW actively supports young female executivesand gives females insight into the field of technology. BMW also offersextensive training for all level of staffs; BMW Groups Trainee PromotionProgramme (TPP) provides the perfect combination of theoretical studies andpractical work. BMW Group trainees receive many benefits in addition to theirpay, other social payments such as holiday and Christmas bonuses, meal andtravelling expenses subsidies, health programme and PC training. BMW claims that it does not see its staff as a cost factorbut as an essential performance factor. Also the employees are referred to asassociates rather that works. BMW in its human resources policy states thatany policy that is not oriented towards its associates will lead to negativecost effects in the long-run. As a future-oriented company, we seek to pursue anexemplary, creative and associate-oriented human resources policy, makingsignificant contributions to business success through our human resourcesactivities. The human resources policy of the BMW Group is an integral featureof our overall corporate policy in both strategic and operative decisions. (Corporate appraisal (or SWOT analysis) consists of the internal appraisal ofthe organisations strength and weaknesses and an external appraisal of theopportunities and threats open to organisations in competition within industry.

T. Coraghessan Boyles The Love of My Life Passage Analysis Essay

That thing in the Dumpster--and he refused to call it human, let alone a baby--was nobody's business but his and China's. That's what he'd told his attorney, Mrs. Teagues, and his mother and her boyfriend,and he'd told them over and over again: I didn't do anything wrong. Even if it was alive, and it was, he knew in his heart that it was, even before the state prosecutor represented evidence of blunt-force trauma and death by asphyxiation and exposure, it didn't matter, or shouldn't have mattered. There was no baby. There was nothing but a mistake, a mistake clothed in blood and mucus. When he really thought about it, thought it through on its merits and dissected all his mother's pathetic arguments about where he'd be today if she'd felt as he did when she was pregnant herself, he hardened like a rock, like sand turning to stone under all the pressure the planet can bring to bear. Another unwanted child in an overpopulated world? They should have given him a medal. (623) In T. Coraghessan Boyle's "The Love of My Life", passage above, we begin to see that there is no regret for the choices made by the characters. Jeremy whose voice we hear in the passage can't even refer to his child as something human. Jeremy views his and china's creation as an IT and he can't seem to grasp the concept that he has done something immoral and wrong. Mistakes are made by many couples and they most likely will choose to deal with them without any outside help some problems need other. Problems begin when the people in the relationship forget to realize when to draw the line and focus on what is truly important, which unfortunately to them might not always be the other person relationship or the relationship itself. When a problem aris... ...serve it? He still couldn't understand. That thing in the Dumpster--and he refused to call it human, let alone a baby. (622-623)" Jeremy had formed the opinion in his psyche that he had done the right thing by getting rid of his child, he began to make justifications for his action in saying that it was just another unwanted child in an overpopulated world. These rationalizations seem to only give Jeremy and China more reasons to not see what they had done as wrong. Consequently at this same time Jeremy is also beginning to discover his relationship has had a severe change which he realizes when China calls him and ask--"I want to see it," she sobbed. "I want to see our daughter's grave."(623)" The mere utterance of this statement seemed to freeze interpretation. Boyle, T.Coraghessan. The Collected Stories of T.Coraghessan Boyle. London: Granta Books, 1998.

Coach of the Army Crew

Army Crew Case Analysis Coach of the Army Crew; Coach P. selected the top eight rowers for the Varsity boat after a long series of objective tests measuring each member’s speed, strength and coordination. The Varsity team had a clear advantage over the Junior Varsity team. So, how could Junior Varsity team beat the Varsity team in two-thirds of the time in practice races? There are obvious reasons behind the bad performance of the Varsity team. Coach P. lacking a leadership couldn’t see the signs of Varsity team having serious problems as a team.The problem with Coach P. ’s coaching mistake started with the team selection process of Varsity team members. He managed to measure individual performances successfully by using ergometer and weight records. However, as important as individual skills were, it was crucial for the eight individual members to be a team and synchronize their rowing. His performance and team building criteria lacked personality factors. Howev er, rowing needs a perfect teamwork and mental strength of the crew members. U. S.Olympic Committee’s research project showed that the master coaches those who were most experienced and successful tended to focus on psychological variables as the most important criteria for a successful crew team whereas novice coaches tended to focus on technique just like Coach P. did. Selecting a team solely dependent on individual technical performance resulted in very serious problems among team members. Coach P. lacking leadership skills had no vision about the team having serious trust and coordination problems.Just before National championships races, he –for the first time- included personality dimensions to analyze the team. It revealed that the Varsity team had no team leaders and had team disrupters instead. He brought in an external party to improve their confidence, concentration and motivation of the Varsity team which the Varsity team labeled it as â€Å"touch-feelyâ⠂¬ . Other than bringing in an external party, he should have acted as a leader and make the best decision for the group by using Rational Decision Making Model steps: first by identifying the problem, generating solutions, selecting the best solution and implementing it.He should have showed a transformation leadership which would increase acceptance and support from the Varsity Team. Each set of the transformational leadership behavior was very crucial for the disrupted team: * Inspirational motivation (establishing a vision using emotion): It is very obvious that the Varsity team had superior performance individually and they can perform much better if they believe in their team. However, they are demotivated and lost their beliefs in the team. Coach P. encouraged competition between JV and V groups which affected Varsity team negatively.Other than creating a tension between teams, he should have motivated each team separately and should have built close relationships with membe rs and provided an open and direct communication with them. * Idealized influence (sacrificing for the greater good): Team disrupters decreased the motivation of the team and the team had no leaders. Coach P. relied on third parties such as Center of Enhanced Performance (CEP) and asked the group â€Å"What is your solution? † other than trying to make the best decision himself and then take the right step.For the greater good of the team, he should have demoted the team disrupters. For the rest of the team she should have worked with each member individually to set their goals and increase their motivation. * Individualized consideration (providing support): The Varsity team’s most important problem is motivation and lacking a team spirit. To overcome this problem, Coach P. should have showed his support and provide open communication with the team. Instead, he tried to find the â€Å"right combination† by switching members of the teams and causing a tension am ong Varsity and JV boats.He should have realized from the very beginning that the problem is not about physical but it was psychological. By trying different combinations, he made the team’s psychology even worse. * Intellectual stimulation (encouraging employees to question the status quo): Coach P. should have let them negotiate and come to an agreement about the situation but it was very late for him to hold a group meeting just before National championships. Coach P. should have realized the trust and coordination problems of the team and should resolve the problems much earlier.As a good leader, he should have built the team depending on both physical and personality factors in the first place. He should have demoted team disrupters for better teamwork and motivation among the rest of the team members. To resolve the conflict between Varsity team, he should have provided a better communication among them. That way, they would have come to an agreement without any support from an external party like CEP. To create a team spirit, he should have done team building games and activities and make them socialize with each other. Both the team members and the coach don’t know and trust each other.Just like basketball coach, Coach K. ’s leadership style he should have been a loved leader who creates personal interaction and drives performance through respect. He should have built trust and respect among teammates and himself. After achieving these goals, it is very important to motivate the team to achieve a better performance. For Varsity team, following Locke’s Goal Setting Theory, creating SMART (goals that are specific in their orientation, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based) and right level of goals would increase the motivation and effort.Returning to case, Coach P. should not switch Varsity and Junior Varsity boats even though Varsity will perform badly in the Championships. That way, he will show his support and tru st to Varsity team. If he chooses JV team to compete, he might lose the Varsity team forever. He shouldn’t switch team members other than the team disrupters. Varsity boat has a clear advantage over Junior Varsity team but they lacked a teamwork and synergy. As a coach he should make them feel like a team again and perform their best in the Championships.

Gwendolen Fairfax Essay

In Oscar Wilde’s play The Importance of Being Earnest reflected the changing role of Victorian women. The character Gwendolen Fairfax was most like the women of the time. She is much like her mother, Lady Bracknell, who seemed very strong and independent. The women of the Victorian age were interested in educating and improving themselves. Both intellectually and cosmetically, women wanted to be better and have more rights. Gwendolen was a pretentious women who was obsessed with the name of Earnest. She said that she wouldn’t want to marry anyone without that name. Her superficial attitude concerning this is reflective of Victorian times, when middle to upper-class women were most concerned with appearance and reputation. These women felt that it was very important to appear honorable and virtuous, and their husbands had to reflect that image. It was a pretentious attitude of the time. Gwendolen also attended lectures, which was a way of improving herself intellectually. She was a thinking woman, who had her own thoughts. When she gives an opinion she gives it with authority. She is flirtatious with Jack/Earnest and comes off as a woman who expects her own way. She is much like her mother, Lady Bracknell. Lady Bracknell attempts to influence her daughter’s marital decisions, and it is clear that she is most concerned with image as well. Sources say that the ideas of marriage in the Victorian era were less romantic. Marriage served the purpose of a woman being taken care of and having an honorable reputation. Having a husband was very much a status symbol. We can see that even though Jack was lying about his name, he is supposed to be â€Å"Earnest. † The importance of being Earnest as the play title suggests, is actually the importance of maintaining the right image of honor and respectability. The fact that Lady Bracknell was independently in charge of her daughter, shows that women were becoming a bit more free. She was not a single mother, but due to the sickness of the father she was able to do as she pleased and have a say in who her daughter marries. Before this time it was the father who had that right. Women slowly became more and more influential, and her character reflects that. Works Cited Landale, Nacy S.. â€Å"Dirty Ideology and Sexuality among Victorian Women. † Social Science History, 36. 2 (1986): 147-170. JSTOR. 6 Apr. 2007 . Murray, Isobel, ed. Oscar Wilde: The Major Works. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. 6 Apr. 2007 . Nicoll, Allardyce. A History of Late Nineteenth Century Drama, 1850-1900. Vol. 1. Cambridge, England: University Press, 1946. Questia. 6 Apr. 2007 .

The Fall of the Textile Industry in India

The Fall of the Textile Industry in India Free Online Research Papers The industrial revolution took place in 18th to 19th century with impetus from cotton industry. Though raw material for the cotton industry (raw cotton) couldn’t be produced in Britain at all and had to be imported thousand miles from America and later on from Asia. Origin of cotton industry traces back to 17th century. British had to wear uncomfortable clothes made up of either wool or leather in hot summer days. But as cotton clothes were introduced to them which were comfortable to wear in summer, it gained popularity among common people. Demand for printed and painted fabrics rose up and this attractiveness of the comfortable cotton material produced threat in the traditional woolen industry. Hence to squeeze the competition from exported Indian clothes, petition was filled in the parliament. In 1700 an Act was passed against the import of any of such fabric from India, Persia and china. All the goods seized in the process were to be confiscated, sold by auction or re-exported. But the Act could not bring desired result. Consumers were not ready to give up use of imported cotton materials. Many pamphlets were published by representative of woolen industry to prevent consumers from buying those cotton goods. The envy of woolen weavers could not be limited to words and was expressed in the streets via attacking people dressed in cotton material and even the houses with any of such cotton materials found were damaged. However this violence could not hold back the need of people to be clothed in something other than wool or leather. This tremendous violence and protest had to be addressed with new Act of prohibition. However this Act did not impose any ban on trading of cotton fabrics but they had to be kept in the warehouses and re-exported to other parts of the Europe. When the imports from India were restricted, imitators found a golden opportunity to make profit out of depressed demand of consumers. As rightly said, â€Å"Necessity is the mother of invention†, deliberate effort was taken by the carpenter (in absence of engineers) to discover the substitute to the cotton material. Though, replication of years old skills and talent was not that easy. The Lancashire spinners couldn’t reproduce Indian cotton clothes and the fabric spun were too coarse or too weak. This attempt resulted in making material of mixed linen and cotton, linen as warp and the cotton as woof. These mixed materials were not as good as the cotton fabrics; nevertheless they provided a useful substitute to consumers in need. The remarkable skill gifted in the hands of Indian weavers had to be substituted and alternative to human skill was searched for. The petition was again filed saying thousand of workmen would be deprived of work and bread. As a result in 1721, British parliament passed much more comprehensive Act than the older one, according to which anybody found in possession of these fabrics had to bear penalty. The penalty amounted to  £5 for the private individuals and  £20 for merchants. To retain monopoly in the textile industry, traditional woolen industry did almost every thing. They tried to limit the growth of cotton industry in its initial stage. The innovation of spinning mill took more than three decades, when John Wyatt and Lewis Paul developed some type of the spinning mill. This attempt by no possible means got even near to quality of cotton material weaved by Indian weavers. The first invention which was able to make its presence felt was ‘fly shuttle’ by John Kay in 1733 which was the first weaving machine to use steel comb replacing the early wooden combs. But the basic problem with fly shuttle was width of material, which was limited to two arms of a workman. Woolen manufacturers and weaver accused John Kay of depriving daily wage and bread of workmen. Then in 1765, a new innovation of textile machine build up popularly known as Hargreaves’s jenny with eight spindles and these spindles would be increased to many. Since jenny was a simple machine, it did not require setting up special workshop and could be managed by small employers. A single worker could spin threads at once. So jenny raised labor productivity and reduced the cost. Finally in 1767, Arkwright’s water frame was invented. This machine was powered by water springs, required to be situated near the springs and powered by water flow. The invention of Arkwright helped in setting up the factory system. And only at the request of the Richard Arkwright the Act passed in 1721 came to end in 1774. Free trade was emphasized by Ricardo as beneficial for every player in international trade. But this theory of comparative advantage has logical flaw. Let’s see Ricardo’s original example- two countries (Britain and Portugal) and two goods (cloth and wine) model. Let us assume England requires 4 and 2.5 person-days to produce a unit of cloth and a unit of wine while Portugal needs 2 and 1 person-days to produce a unit of cloth and a unit of wine respectively. Further Portugal has 200 person days and Britain has 400 person days. If both the countries dedicate half of person days available, to each of the product then Portugal can produce 50 units of clothes and 100 units of wine and Britain can produce 50 units of clothes and 80 unit of wine. Then Portugal can either produce either 100 units of the clothes or 200 units of wine and Britain can produce either 100 units of clothes or 160 units of wine. So Portugal has absolute advantage in producing both of the goods. For example, Portugal to shift more resources into higher output of clothes the opportunity cost of each extra cloth is two units of wine. For Britain, the same decision has an opportunity cost of 1.6 unit of wine. Therefore, Britain has a comparative advantage in production of cloths. Were Portugal to reallocate resources to wine, the opportunity cost of one extra unit of wine is 0.5 of a unit of cloth. For the Britain the opportunity cost is 0.625 unit of cloth. Thus the Portugal has the comparative advantage in producing wine. Table 1 Person –days per Unit Output Pre-trade output/consumption Good Portugal Britain Portugal Britain Portugal + Britain One unit of cloth 2 4 50 50 100 One unit of Wine 1 2.5 100 80 180 On the other hand if Portugal specializes in producing wine and Britain specialization in producing cloth in that case Portugal can produce 200 units of wine and Britain can produce 100 units of clothes. These countries can benefited through trade, as extra 20 unit of cloth is produced. Table 2 After Specialization output in unit per day Prost-trade consumption Good Portugal Britain Portugal Britain Portugal + Britain Cloth 0 100 50 50 100 Wine 200 0 110 90 200 But the problem of the whole argument is that grapes are required for processing wine but Britain can’t produce grapes in commercial basis. Hence we can’t even identify cost of production of grapes in Britain i.e. can’t define transformation frontier of one good to another. Ricardo’s argument has fallacy in drawing conclusion from invalid premise-â€Å"both the countries can produce both goods†. This type of fallacy in literature of logic is known as ‘converse fallacy of accident’. Ricardo’s argument further has a verbal fallacy. The use of the term ‘grow wine’ is completely a mistake. Since wine needs to be processed from the grapes and grapes are to be grown. It involves two different processes: one is cultivating the grapes and another is processing grapes into wine. Such a crucial distinction was over viewed. Even if we consider Britain can’t produce grapes there is tiny or no possibility in the above example that trade improves consumption pattern in both the countries. Consider the case in which Britain can’t produce grapes then Portugal can produce 50 units of clothes and 100 units of clothes whereas Britain can produce 200 units of clothes. Table 3 Person –days per Unit Output Pre-trade output/consumption Good Portugal Britain Portugal Britain Portugal + Britain One unit of cloth 2 4 50 100 150 One unit of Wine 1 NA 100 0 180 If Portugal, as Ricardo says specializes in producing wine then it can produce 200 units of wine and Britain can produce 100 units of clothes. Post- trade Britain has 50 units of clothes and 100 units of wine to consume whereas Portugal’s situation is same as before. Table 4 After Specialization output in unit per day Prost-trade consumption Good Portugal Britain Portugal Britain Portugal + Britain Cloth 0 100 50 50 100 Wine 200 0 100 100 200 The output of cloth declines by 50 units so there is no vector wise improvement rather Portugal suffers deindustrialization and shift towards export of primary product. Britain enjoys diversified consumption in terms of wine and clothes. If we consider shortage of land in the Portugal then there is possibility of shift in cultivation from food grains to commercial crops (grapes). Thus Portugal will face a shortage in food grains and she may have import food grains too. Situation of Portugal worsens as the effect of specialization and trade. Despite of Portugal’s loss, trade between Portugal and Britain continued for many years due to navigation Act passed where she was compelled to trade with Britain. Similar situation reproduces in India where she suffered deindustrialization in the textile industry. Many writers in the literature believed that reversal in the pattern of trade in cotton textile occurred due to the shift in the terms of trade. Deindustrialization in India as explained by K N chaudhary was due to existence of surplus labour and uncultivable land as comparative advantage assumes full and continuous employment of factors of production. This caused lack of efficiency, limitation of market and little incentive to maximize potential output. Thus India Lost its share of manufacturing output to Britain. Since cotton textile requires raw cotton to produce its output, which is quite impossible to produce in Britain. So the total concept of defining comparative cost is erroneous as in the case of Portugal defined in the example above. The reason for reversal of pattern of trade in cotton textile between Britain and India in the early 19th century lies in the more than 125 years long commercial and discrimination policy followed by British government. Starting from 1700 when first attempt was initiated to ban Indian printed and painted clothes to 1846, they continued to do every thing possible to retain bullion in their own country. Different form of barriers ranging from quantitative restriction to high tariffs was levied on Indian textile. Only under such a harsh commercial policy it was possible for them to copy manufacture of the textiles and reverse the trade pattern. It had nothing to do with the shift in the comparative costs as mentioned by many writers. Even after ban imposed in 1700 and 1721, further they had to impose tariffs. Textile market is segmented and could never be out competed in the entire sector. Additional ad valorem duty was imposed to prevent Indian export to Britain. In 1813 the tariffs we re ranged between 27 to 71 per cent and increased in 1824 to 37-75 per cent and only in 1846 these tariffs were completely abolished. With this discrimination, Britain was not only able to take over the India’s export market but also expanded to India’s own domestic market. Further American civil war (1861-1865) caused cotton prices to rouse high and led Indian farmers to turn towards cultivation of raw cotton. This innovation led fall in cost of textile manufacturers in Britain held back the handloom manufactures in India and were successful to export through out the globe. There was a huge decline in India’s share in world manufacture output. The share in 1750 was 24.5 per cent which declined to 6.9 per cent in 1830. Table 5 Tariff rates for import of muslins, calicoes other cotton clothes manufacturers in Britain Year Tariffs (in %) 1813 27-71 1824 37-75 1830 30-10 1846 Abolished (Source: Tribute transfer and balance of payment, Utsa Patnaik) This discrimination policy displaced hand loom workers and it can be seen in the table below where export of raw cotton was only 4.9 per cent in 1811-12 increased to 21 per cent by 1834-35. Not only the raw cotton but export of other primary commodities like Indigo, sugar etc also increased in significant proportion. The export of piecegoods declines gradually in the early 19th century. In 1811-12 the export share of piecegoods was 33 per cent which decreased by about 19 percent and by the year 1834-35 the export of piecegoods remained only 7 per cent. Between 1813 and 1930 Bengal piece-goods practically disappeared from the investment list of East India Company. Table 7 Indian exports: commodity composition, percentage share of selected items in total value Year Raw cotton Piecegoods Indigo Raw silk Opium Sugar Total 1811-12 4.9 33 18.5 8.3 23.8 1.5 90 1814-15 8 14.3 20 13.3 N.A. 3 58.6 1828-9 15 11 27 10 17 4 84 1834-5 21 7 15 8 25 2 78 (Source: Foreign trade and the balance of payment –K N chaudhary) There was also decline in in the export of cotton piece goods and twist yarn in the first half of the 19th century. Table 8 Annual Export of Indian cotton piece goods and twist yarn: Year Pound 1790-95 to 1803-04  £242 million 1849  £0.69 million The machine made fabrics were cheaper then hand looms fabrics but still complete washout was not possible. The reason for this was that some of the segment could never be produced. Other few reasons were, continued attachment of poor to the coarse cloth and wage level of unskilled labour was much below that of the weavers and fulltime weaver did the weaving job as part time jobs. There was no vector wise improvement at all and countries like Portugal and India lost from trade. Still the theory of comparative advantage survived for long period of two hundred years. Because it is beneficial for some countries popularize this idea and diversify their consumption basket. The story of destruction of the renowned Indian textile industries dates back to the period 1881-1931. Deindustrialization can be defined as the movement of labor out of manufacturing and into agriculture. The brunt of deindustrialization within the country is different from the brunt of industrialization of one country on the secondary sector of the other country. Later is the case where rapid expansion of the cotton textile industry in Britain ruined indigenous industry in India. In Britain, industrial revolution was their own and destruction of handicrafts and loss of employment in the cottage industry was compensated by much larger employment opportunity created in the secondary sector. The traditional giant woolen industry felt little effect of the technological revolution as different measures of protection was used but no state help was rendered in response of the destruction of indigenous industries in India. In addition, cotton industry was relatively new industry and effect of the revolution was limited to the small section of the society and opposite was the case for India were the tradition cotton industry constituted enormous part of industrial sector. The visualization of this process of de-industrialisation can be seen through its adverse impact on the population dependent on cotton industry as shown in the data collected by the Buchanan Hamilton, of the large part of Bihar and north Bengal. He defined De-industrialisation as a decline in the proportion of the working population engaged in secondary industry to the total working population or a decline in the proportion of the population dependent on secondary industry to the total population. The estimate of population dependent on the industry includes two assumptions (a) that every spinners supports one person besides himself and (b) that every spinners support himself only. Based on the assumption (b) total population dependent on the industry in 1809-13 were 1,806,776 and this accounted for about 18.6 per cent of total population. The dependence of total population on industry in 1901 was 937,752 which accounted to just 8.5 per cent of total population. Thus it is easy to no tice that the decline in percentage of dependence on population was roughly about 10 per cent. Table 9 Industrial population in selected in Bihar districts around 1809-1813 District absolute no. of the population on industry Percentage of the industrial to total population Assumption(a) Assumption (b) Assumption(a) Assumption (b) Patna-Gaya 985,947 655,551 29.3 19.5 Bhagalpur 454,965,965 286,080 22.5 14.2 Purinea 874,860 587,860 30.1 20.2 Shahabad 446,775 287,285 31.5 20.2 TOTAL 2,762,457 1,806,776 28.5 18.6 (Source: De-industrialisation in Gangetic Bihar, A K Bagchi) Table 10 Population Dependent on industry in 1901 in selected Bihar District District absolute no. of the population on industry Percentage of the industrial to total population Unadjusted Adjusted Unadjusted Adjusted Patna 279,093 179,695 17.1 11.1 Gaya 287,732 187,016 14 9.1 Shahabad 346,400 228,051 17.7 11.6 Monghyr 281,325 155,439 13.6 7.5 Bhagalpur 222,796 115,618 10.7 5.5 Purnea 220,506 121,933 11.8 6.5 TOTAL 1,638,662 937,752 14.3 8.5 (Source: De-industrialisation in Gangetic Bihar, A K Bagchi) In period of de-industrialisation, the component of industrial sector which suffered most was cotton textile industry. The analysis of data collected by Buchanan Hamilton clearly shows the massive destruction of traditional cotton weavers and spinners. The population dependent on cotton weaving and spinning in 1809-13 was about 1,124,331 which declined to 148,716 in the year 1901. The per cent of population dependent on cotton weaving and spinning was 62.3 per cent and 15.1 per cent in 1809-13 and 1901 respectively. Therefore the decline in per cent of population dependent on cotton textile was about 47.2 per cent. Hence the extent of decline in the cotton industry was enormous as observed from massive fall in percentage of dependence on cotton textile industry. Table 11 Industrial population dependent on cotton weaving and spinning District Total no. Dependent on cotton weaving spinning Percentage of the industrial to total population Year 1809-13 1901 1809-13 1901 Patna-Gaya 379,396 64,154 58.0 34.8 Shahabad 194,625 25,258 67.6 11.1 Purniya 354,775 16,777 60.3 15.1 Bhagalpur 200,035 19,034 69.9 16.5 Monghyr 23,493 13.8 TOTAL 1,124,331 148,716 62.3 15.1 (Source: De-industrialisation in Gangetic Bihar, A K Bagchi) This created huge unemployment in the Gangetic Bihar. The estimation of weavers and spinners thrown back in the soil as referred by nationalist writer was about 10, 00,000 in Bengal and Bihar by 1828. The cotton industry which formed large fraction of industry in India was destroyed to the extent which could never be compensated for. British initially entered in India as traders. And with the establishment of East India Company in 1600 AD, they tried to acquire monopoly in trade of India. In 1765, East India Company got Diwani of Bengal i.e. right to collect tax revenue. As they got right to collect revenue in Bengal, Company ceased importing of gold and silver which was used to pay for goods imported by Britain. The demand for the cotton textile roused was curtailed by exceptionally harsh protectionist policy during the period 1700-1846. These measures supported an environment where innovation of the textile machinery could take place. The machine made fabrics out-competed handloom fabrics of India. In 1750, India exported mostly fine cotton textiles but by the third decade of 19th century it transformed into exporter of raw materials like raw cotton, Opium, indigo etc. Increase in the cultivation of raw cotton was basis for decline in the availability of food grains. Thus two hundred years long British rule ca n be characterized as a period of de-industrialisation, suppression and massive transfers which caused disruption in the path of development. 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All About the Ancient Roman Family

All About the Ancient Roman Family The Roman family was called familia, from which the Latin word family is derived. The familia could include the triad with which we are familiar, two parents and children (biological or adopted), as well as slaves and grandparents. The head of the family (referred to as the pater familias) was in charge of even adult males in the familia. See Jane F. Gardners Family and Familia in Roman Law and Life reviewed by Richard Saller in The American Historical Review, Vol. 105, No. 1. (Feb. 2000), pp. 260-261. Purposes of the Roman Family The Roman family was the basic institution of the Roman people. The Roman family transmitted morality and social status across generations. The family educated its own young. The family tended its own hearth, while the hearth goddess, Vesta, was tended by state priestess called Vestal Virgins. The family needed to continue so that dead ancestors could be honored by their descendants and connections made for political purposes. When this failed to be motive enough, Augustus Caesar offered financial incentives to families to breed. Marriage The wife of the pater familias (the mater familias) might have been considered part of her husbands family or part of her natal family, depending on the conventions of the marriage. Marriages in Ancient Rome could be in manu in the hand or sine manu without the hand. In the former case, the wife became part of her husbands family; in the latter, she remained tied to her family of origin. Divorce and Emancipation When we think of divorce, emancipation, and adoption, we usually think in terms of ending relationships between families. Rome was different. Inter-familial alliances were essential for garnering the support needed for political ends. Divorces could be granted so that partners could remarry into other families to establish new connections, but the family connections established via first marriages need not be broken. Emancipated sons were still entitled to shares of paternal estates. Adoption Adoption also brought families together and allowed continuity to families that would otherwise have no one to carry on the family name. In the unusual case of Claudius Pulcher, adoption into a plebeian family, led by a man younger than himself, allowed Claudius (now using the plebeian name Clodius) to run for election as tribune of the plebs. For information on the adoption of freedmen, see The Adoption of Roman Freedmen, by Jane F. Gardner. Phoenix, Vol. 43, No. 3. (Autumn, 1989), pp. 236-257. Familia vs. Domus In legal terms, familia included all those under the power of the pater familias; sometimes it meant only the slaves. The pater familias was usually the oldest male. His heirs were under his power, as were the slaves, but not necessarily his wife. A boy without a mother or children could be a pater familias. In non-legal terms, the mother/wife could be included in the familia, although the term usually used for this unit was domus, which we translate as home. See Familia, Domus, and the Roman Conception of the Family, by Richard P. Saller. Phoenix, Vol. 38, No. 4. (Winter, 1984), pp. 336-355. Household and Family Religion in Antiquity, edited by John Bodel and Saul M. Olyan Meaning of Domus Domus referred to the physical house, the household, including the wife, ancestors, and descendants. The domus referred to the places where the pater familias exerted his authority or acted as dominus. Domus was also used for the dynasty of the Roman emperor. Domus and familia were often interchangeable. Pater Familias vs. Pater or Parent While pater familias is usually understood as head of the family, it had the primary legal meaning of estate owner. The word itself was usually used in legal contexts and required only that the person be able to possess property. The terms usually used to denote parenting were parens parent, pater father, and mater mother. See Pater Familias, Mater Familias, and the Gendered Semantics of the Roman Household, by Richard P. Saller. Classical Philology, Vol. 94, No. 2. (Apr. 1999), pp. 182-197.

Measurement Definition in Science

Measurement Definition in Science In science, a measurement is a collection of quantitative or numerical  data that describes a property of an object or event. A measurement is made by comparing a quantity with a standard unit. Since this comparison cannot be perfect, measurements inherently include error, which is how much a measured value deviates from the true value. The study of measurement is called metrology. There are many measurement systems that have been used throughout history and across the world, but progress has been made since the 18th century in setting an international standard. The modern International System of Units (SI) bases all types of physical measurements on seven base units. Methods of Measurement The length of a piece of string can be measured by comparing the string against a meter stick.The volume of a drop of water may be measured using a graduated cylinder.The mass of a sample may be measured using a scale or balance.The temperature of a fire may be measured using a thermocouple. Comparing Measurements Measuring the volume of a cup of water with an Erlenmeyer flask will give you a better measurement than trying to gauge its volume by putting it into a bucket, even if both measurements are reported using the same unit (e.g., milliliters). Accuracy matters, so there are criteria that scientists use to compare measurements: type, magnitude, unit, and uncertainty. The level or type is the methodology used for taking the measurement. Magnitude is the actual numerical value of a measurement (e.g., 45 or 0.237). Unit is the ratio of the number against the standard for the quantity (e.g., gram, candela, micrometer). Uncertainty reflects the systematic and random errors in the measurement. Uncertainty is a description of confidence in the accuracy and precision of a measurement that is typically expressed as an error. Measurement Systems Measurements are calibrated, which is to say they are compared against a set of standards in a system so that the measuring device can deliver a value that matches what another person would obtain if the measurement were repeated. There are a few common standard systems you may encounter: International System of Units (SI): SI comes from the French name  Systà ¨me International dUnità ©s.  It is the most commonly used metric system.Metric System: SI is a specific metric system, which is a decimal system of measurement. Examples of two common forms of the metric system are the MKS system (meter, kilogram, second as base units) and CGS system (centimeter, gram, and second as base units). There are many units in SI and other forms of the metric system that are built upon combinations of base units. These are called derived units.English System: The British or Imperial system of measurements was common before SI units were adopted internationally. Although Britain has largely adopted the SI system, the United States and some Caribbean countries still use the English system for non-scientific purposes. This system is based on the foot-pound-second units, for units of length, mass, and time.

Analysis of the Film The 11th Hour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis of the Film The 11th Hour - Essay Example The essay "Analysis of the Film The 11th Hour" overviews the film about the irreparable damage caused to the world by the industrial civilization. The speed with which natural resources are depleting is enormous. Habitats of many animal and plant species have been completely destroyed by the global warming, thus causing those species to become extinct. The development is highly unsustainable. If necessary measures are not taken at the 11th hour, the whole world would soon have to regret their unwise and inconsiderate practices. In order to fight against the ever-worsening environmental conditions, it is imperative that we, as responsible citizens, take objective measures on an individual level. We can achieve this by planting seeds, growing trees, and taking care of animals. Solar energy should be used for all kinds of needs instead of fuel and gas. The film projects that these issues are more of political nature than technical. Historically, there have been many political reasons fo r the environment unfriendly practices. The film conveys that the future of Earth lies in the hands of the young generation. What I specifically liked about this movie was the mood in which it conveyed the message. For quite some time, I felt as if I had been watching a great action movie. The action was particularly meaningful because it offered the audience a look into the future. I also like the title of this movie very much. It has been very adequately and purposefully selected and goes excellently with the theme of the movie.

Traffic Gridlock in New York Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Traffic Gridlock in New York - Essay Example This letter will begin with the statement that as the traffic gridlock in New York continues to bring the city to a grinding halt every single day of the week, Mayor Bloomberg has done his best to try to solve the traffic situation. One of his traffic easement programs includes the building of more bicycle lanes in our city. There are currently 255 miles of additional bike lanes around the city. But it is little used because native New Yorkers are not aware of the bike lane program of the city. The researcher tells that he cannot help but feels saddened by the fact that New Yorkers continue to face daily gridlocks that adversely affect the local economy. The author feels even worse when he realizes that no amount of government programs will be able to help ease the situation because the government lacks the advertising and promotional skills to make sure that their bicycle programs get out the most number of New Yorkers. Although 66 percent of New Yorkers believe that the bicycle lan e is a good idea. It appears that not everyone in New York owns a bicycle. That is why the researcher was more than happy to learn about the Paris style Bike sharing network that the city is working towards implementing. Under the bike sharing network, even people who do not own a bicycle can participate by simply â€Å"renting† a bicycle at specific points within the city and then parking it at a similar terminal at their point of destination. With all of New York reeling under the rising costs of gasoline, the bike sharing idea does not sound like a bad thing.

Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership - Research Paper Example One of the foci of these varied discourses is the concept of leadership and the way it affects the efficacy of any organization. The reason for laying emphasis on this topic is multifold. First, the importance that effective leadership holds in functioning of any sort of activity is self-evident: a football team cannot perform without a coach, a company without its CEO and a family without a head. Secondly, the failure of leadership has evidenced some of the most drastic failures of the history: empires with lazy kings, companies with ineffective heads and teams with incompetent captains have, been the driving force behind the downfalls of their tenure. It is for this reason that this paper focuses on the leadership and skills that make up a good leader. The paper dwells into the effective leadership styles and the skills, which are important in building strong management strategies, which subsequently help in strengthening the structure of any organization or a company. Unlike popul ar beliefs, there is no one formula of a good leader. Every task has a different context to it and leaders, or rather good leaders, differ from one task to another. Thus, a good leadership strategy in one field may not be the optimal plan of action in the other (Koestenbaum, 2002). Therefore, a good leader understands the situation he is surrounded with, and performs in accordance with the situation. For example, the soccer coach of a primary school team and that of a country’s premier league team seem to be alike, but in reality are very different. The coach of the primary school team cannot use the same disciplinary methods or motivational speech as those of the latter coach. His audience is different and so he needs to be more loving and less strict in his attitude than the professional coach of a much bigger team is. Thus, there is no one definition of a good leader. However, there are some primary uncontested skills, which form the base of all sorts of leadership styles and are therefore very much in demand. Some of these skills are explained here: Time-Management Time management is one of the most fundamental skills necessary for effective leadership. A good leader not only manages his time well but also plans effectively for his her team. Here, time management does not only refer to planning schedules and sticking to it but also to the active attitude. A good leader is always on the go and does not slack or lay off work for the next day. Leaders are also very goal-oriented. They envision an end and then set more specific, short-term goals that lead to that bigger aim. Importance of time management best reflects itself in the example of Mughal emperors of India, who, due to their distraction to gambling and women, lost their empire to British reign. Self-Confidence Self- confidence is another very important tool of good leadership. Self-confidence means that the person has faith in his own self and really believes in his ideals and actions. A good leader can only inspire others to work for the goal if he really believes that they all are capable of achieving that goal. On the other hand, an insecure or unconfident leader who is doubtful of his own ideals will not do justice to the responsibility that he bestowed with and will inhibit the goal achievement process of his team (Goleman, 2004). People skills The most important of all the leadership skills is the skill to deal with people. A good leader invests resources in building rapport

The Dreaming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Dreaming - Essay Example It defines their values, beliefs and relationships. Knowledge of the Dreaming has promoted the development of the land. The aboriginals have many dreaming stories, which describe their own origins and how the landscape was formed. They also serve to teach children about various things, such as the world of nature and spirit, right and wrong behaviour, and social norms. As such, they are not merely stories, but expressions of their belief system that once also involved ritual and totemic associations (Tunbridge, 1988). In fact, they describe the history of the people, which was rich in culture and oral literature. Behavioural lessons include examples for demonstrating the importance of good manners, sharing, honesty, respect for elders, etc. The American ethnographer, Deborah Bird Rose, observed, â€Å"the inherent ethos of the Dreaming regarding human behaviour can be summarised as four basic laws †¦ [which] emphasise balance, response, symmetry and autonomy† (McBride, 20 00: 4). Balance is necessary for a system to be able to enhance the quality of life, and each part shares responsibility for sustaining itself and for balancing the others. Response emphasises the reciprocity of communication, and it reminds of the obligation to learn, understand, pay attention and respond. Symmetry ensures the parts in a balance are equivalent and that no one dominates another. Autonomy stresses, â€Å"authority and dependence are necessary within parts, but not between parts (Rose, 1993: 4-5 in McBride, 2000: 5), so no species, group or country should lead over another. A number of further important aspects of The Dreaming also deserve attention. One of these is that it assumes a considerable knowledge on the part of listeners. In particular, â€Å"there are allusions which can only be understood by those with comprehensive linguistic and cultural knowledge† (Tunbridge, 1988: xxx). Even an outsider who is culturally immersed would find some points difficul t to grasp, and some would only be able to be understood by the initiated. However, this shows the need to study a narrative within the context of its roots. Another aspect is change and ‘death’, which are dynamic qualities. For example, there are some accounts of the substitution of species, some site locations become lost due to changes in the social environment, and the accounts too sometimes change as they do in space. The latter demonstrates the need for adaptation due to both physical and social changes. As far as the characters in The Dreaming are concerned, the spirits (nguthuna) feature a lot besides people (yuras), animals, etc. They can assume a variety of forms including mammals and birds, but they have human powers and more besides. They also appear in various social relationships. Sometimes they appear as first stage initiates (vardnapas), sometimes with adult responsibilities, whereas sometimes they are punished for unacceptable behaviour. The Dreaming al so leaves behind certain ‘signs’ as evidence of the reality of events. These indicate the spiritual ancestors’ presence or passing. Sometimes a character could even leave multiple images behind during an event, which are different manifestations. These include marks such as in the form of rock carvings. All of these provide evidence that a Dreamtime Spirit has passed through the place and that the places â€Å"

Presentation PowerPoint Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PowerPoint Presentation Example Dependency theory takes this a step ahead and identifies the relationship between the dependency on a particular type of media and the number of needs it fulfills for a person. Higher dependency on the media also results in higher influence and power of that media on that individual. This is in line with the Agenda Setting theory. Combination of these theories results in the Dependency theory preposition: As a persons dependency on media increases to fulfill needs, that media becomes more and more important to that person At a conceptual level this theory gives an integrated outlook of audiences, media and social system. The degree on dependence on media is governed by two factors (Dependency Theory, 2004). First, the number of needs satisfied by a media; more needs satisfied, more you are dependent on that media. Second, social conditions; if there is a situation of social conflict or change then media is depended on to make choices/decisions. However, apart from these factors there are several external factors that can influence a person’s choice of media such as culture, social context etc. These factors that are not under the control of an individual act as constraints on the choice and degree of media usage. Increasing involvement of audience in information processing relayed/published by media can result in a three-fold effect – Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral (Dependency Theory, 2004). Dependency theory is applicable to mass media at micro, meso, and macro levels. Scope of application includes individuals, interpersonal networks, organizations, social systems and societies. One of the critiques for this theory initially argued that information shared by interpersonal networks is not accounted for. This is not a strong critique as even in these networks someone would have picked up the information from media only (Lindsay Ems, 2008). This theory has some features that make it widely

Fortune 500 CEO of Boeing Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fortune 500 CEO of Boeing - Term Paper Example As stated in the ‘executive biographies’, The honors and recognition he received include John W. Dixon Award (2011) from the Association of the U.S. Army, Turning Point Award (2012) from the U.S. Army War College Foundation, Semper Fidelis Award (2012) from the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and National Management Association's Executive of the Year (2008). McNerney has been a big success as a strategic leader throughout his extensive career. The key aspect of his strategic leadership is the emphasis he gives to the growth of others. Unlike many other entrepreneurs, Jim gives more importance to his crew than the company’s strategy or product. He disclosed this strategy to Fortune's Geoffrey Colvin; â€Å"I start with people's growth because I believe that if the people who are running and participating in a company grow, then the company's growth will in many respects take care of itself† (Colvin). Another unique quality of this strategic leader is t hat he seldom fears change but enjoys it. Admittedly, in the current global market, the Boeing Company has numerous potential opportunities. ... This situation offers potential opportunities to the Boeing Company and its leader. The firm has a strong global network and it assists the company to spread its elements of risk. This strength also benefits McNerney to easily raise adequate resources whenever necessary. An efficient research and development department would be helpful for the organization to vie with its market rivals. Similarly, the Boeing Company and its leader face some potential challenges too. Firstly, the increasing price of titanium and aluminum is likely to threaten the market position of the organization. Referring to the law of demand, the demand for Boeing aircrafts may decline if their price increases. Hence, the company may struggle to maintain its market dominance. In addition, intense competition in the industry also affects the competitiveness of the firm. The growing competition can be a tough test for McNerney’s leadership and a major challenge to the company’s future. The company has been increasingly depending on the US government contracts. This over reliance might adversely affect the firm’s viability if the federal government terminated the contracts with the Boeing Company for some reasons. Finally, the US government has recently introduced some strict regulations on the purchase of military equipments. This change also may affect the business operations of the Boeing Company. Some major steps taken by McNerney at 3M include changes in research and development activities. Those steps gave specific focus to customer orientation. Since then the company has been focusing more on the growing Chinese market. Some changes, including strict financial control were termed

Presentation PowerPoint Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

PowerPoint Presentation Example Dependency theory takes this a step ahead and identifies the relationship between the dependency on a particular type of media and the number of needs it fulfills for a person. Higher dependency on the media also results in higher influence and power of that media on that individual. This is in line with the Agenda Setting theory. Combination of these theories results in the Dependency theory preposition: As a persons dependency on media increases to fulfill needs, that media becomes more and more important to that person At a conceptual level this theory gives an integrated outlook of audiences, media and social system. The degree on dependence on media is governed by two factors (Dependency Theory, 2004). First, the number of needs satisfied by a media; more needs satisfied, more you are dependent on that media. Second, social conditions; if there is a situation of social conflict or change then media is depended on to make choices/decisions. However, apart from these factors there are several external factors that can influence a person’s choice of media such as culture, social context etc. These factors that are not under the control of an individual act as constraints on the choice and degree of media usage. Increasing involvement of audience in information processing relayed/published by media can result in a three-fold effect – Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral (Dependency Theory, 2004). Dependency theory is applicable to mass media at micro, meso, and macro levels. Scope of application includes individuals, interpersonal networks, organizations, social systems and societies. One of the critiques for this theory initially argued that information shared by interpersonal networks is not accounted for. This is not a strong critique as even in these networks someone would have picked up the information from media only (Lindsay Ems, 2008). This theory has some features that make it widely

Technology Adoption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Technology Adoption - Essay Example Despite adoption of technology contributing positively to the organization, most firms have not utilised the potential benefits. Therefore, small firms and even researchers themselves should consider the factors hindering and those enabling adoption of wide range of technology to enable them make informed decisions on technology adoption. Wiggly Wigglers is a point of reference on benefits derived from adopting technology. Wiggly Wigglers gained immensely after adopting new technologies. Wiggly Wigglers is a natural gardening company which was founded by Heather Gorringe in 1990. It is located in a farm in the rural Blakmere, Herefordshire. According to Heather Gorringe, they live in a village with a total of 63 people only. She says that the cows in their farm are three times more compared to the total number of people. The company being careful in handling the land, the surrounding community and the environment, it produces eco-friendly products. These include: eco-friendly homewar e, plants and worm composting kits. They are keen to work with the environment and not against it. The small company gets motivation, ideas and directions which assist consumers to be part of the solution and not part of the damage, when it deals with various environmental products, such as gardening and recycling. The success of the company has been attributed to adoption of new technology at the early stages. The company came up with its own website in 1995. This included validation of the company’s address. Heather Gorringe admits that the company has been able to expand through various services which are internet based. She admitted that she has always been impressed by technology and that she has a great passion for it. The company has witnessed growth even through the recession. This is because the company did not invest in an internal information technology infrastructure but embraced already existing information communication infrastructure such as the social media an d services available on the internet which was of great advantage to the company. According to Bunzel, social media overcomes the barriers which exist between marketing and training. Social media assist large organizations and small businesses as well as the entrepreneurs to communicate different messages that drive sales in companies or portray positive image (goodwill) about the entity. The company’s founder Ms Gorringe began to explore earnestly the social media in September 2005. This was the period when she travelled to London to attend a podcasting conference. She was ever determined to find various innovative ways which could help boost her company. Her greatest desire was to reach out to greater audience about their existing products through broadcasting. Most people had the concern for organic gardening but most lacked adequate content. It was while at the conference that she fully understood about podcasting potential. She wanted to be independent on the issues to d iscuss. She was aware that to be able to sell she had to find an opportunity to give more explanation concerning the company’s products. Therefore, social media became the best tool to interact with her customers and other interested people. Social media enabled customers to purchase flowers online from the company. The company was able to persuade all its potential customers through the internet that its bouquets of English origin were of quality and worth buying. Selling worms was one of the

Paul The Apostle Of The New Testament Religion Essay

Paul The Apostle Of The New Testament Religion Essay Paul the Apostle is one of the most important people in the New Testament. He wrote more books in the New Testament than any other author. This man did not start out as the person he was in the end however, for he was not always a Christian or lover of them. For a person to know who they are and where they come from is one thing, but to trade all one knows in for a different identity, life, and religion is something else altogether. Paul lived a life that was life changing, as well as world changing, to those he came into contact with. Paul was a very hard and rugged man and would not have made it through everything he encountered if it had not been for; the way he was raised as Saul, his conversion to Christianity, and his ability to place the mission of God before his own. Paul was born as Saul in the city of Tarsus, a commercial city in Asia Minor, located not too far from the Mediterranean coast. He more than likely was named after the first king of Israel, King Saul. His mother and father were Jewish, his father being a Pharisee from the family line of Benjamin, the son of Jacob. Being born and raised in a place like Tarsus made him aware of many other types of people from all walks of life. He encountered sailors, soldiers, merchants, wealthy and poverty stricken people. He also learned the trade of tent making while growing up in order to earn a decent living. In the tradition of the family during that time, whatever the father did as a trade the sons did also. The textile industry of that day, which included tent making and outer garments, did a fairly lucrative profession back then due to the presence of the sailors and soldiers ordinarily needing shelter from the elements. Not only was Saul born a Jew but he was also a Roman citizen. No one kno ws for sure; however it was Roman law that if a person was born free anywhere in the Roman Empire then they were Roman citizens. When males were born to Jewish parents they were dedicated to the service of God and brought up in very strict Jewish religious custom. Sauls mother read the Torah to him until around age four or five and then his father became his teacher for a year. By the time he was about six years old he was taken to school to learn the teachings of Moses in Hebrew and Greek, memorizing them as the teacher recited them. This took a lot of hard work and concentration on a young childs part but this is how serious his parents were about their tradition and religious belief. At fourteen or fifteen years old it was off to rabbinical school to study under Gamaliel, who was considered the master Rabbi. After studying under Gamaliel he became a Pharisee, for he said of himself in the bible; Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). (Nelson) In the transition of studying in Tarsus and then studying in Jerusalem, Saul discovered that to be a Pharisee meant something totally different. He had learned that in Tarsus, it meant to observe the teachings of Moses and its interpretations by the Rabbi. In Jerusalem it meant to be a separatist and legalistic in your views concerning the Law. This is a major turning point in the life Saul. These men sought to hurt or even kill anyone who opposed them or called them out on their wrong doing. This is the advanced education Saul now received and had a fire in his heart to carry out this new standard of belief and teaching, this belief system that exchanged the spirit of the law for the letter of the law. Unlike the person he was a few years earlier he now becomes a crazed, heartless, religious fanatic that desires to destroy anyone that believes openly what is contrary to what he believes. He gets to the point where he not only kills Christians but because of his deep hatred for them, he a lso rounds them up to bring them into the city for torture, entertainment and sport. He goes all out persecuting Christians for what he believes is right; things like getting written permission to drag people from their homes to bring them to Jerusalem; until one day he has an experience on the Damascus road. (Boyd) While traveling from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to round up Christians, Saul had an experience he would never forget. As he rode down the Damascus road, all of a sudden he fell off the horse he was riding and a bright light shined all around him. (Acts 9:3-4) (Nelson) So bright in fact, that he was blinded by it. He heard a voice he thought to be a man but later recognized that it was not a man but the very Christ he persecuted by persecuting the Christians. This was another major turning point in the life of Saul. He now goes from persecuting, killing, beating, and torturing Christians to becoming one. His blindness lasted for three days and then he was healed of his blindness by the laying on of hands as it had been previously told to him. His name now is changed from Saul to Paul and he leaves Damascus and goes to Arabia in order to get to know the God of his salvation personally. He knows who God is by the letter of the written law but now needs to know Him by the spirit, so he gets away for approximately three years to spend time with God. After Paul returns to Damascus he proves hands down that Jesus is the Messiah, just like Jesus said He was, and the Jews there tried to kill him because he now preached the truth of the law they knew and recited. Pauls escaping with his life from this death attempt became the catalyst to him going from place to place and city to city spreading the Gospel. He was however, made an Apostle, and commissioned to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, the Grecians and all the non Jewish people, and convert them to Christianity and not the Jews. (Boyd) Paul began to travel on what is known as his missionary journeys throughout Asia Minor encountering manifold crises and near death experiences. He forged very strong relationships with men and women of like passion for God and His work as well as establishing many churches and installing pastors to oversee them as he traveled. He visited the churches he established and wrote letters to them when he could not physically be there. These letters came to be known as the Pauline epistles in the New Testament. These same letters serve today as direction and guidance for holy living. Paul the Apostle was shipwrecked several times, attacked, arrested, beaten with rods, and left for dead; yet persevered until he had accomplished his mission. Absolutely nothing but death would keep Paul from fulfilling the destiny that was his to complete and he did not taste of death until he knew he was ready. However, when the time had come for him to die they executed him. Ordinarily, they would have cruci fied him but it was unlawful to crucify a Roman citizen, so he was beheaded. Paul the Apostle was a great man in history and his life lives on through the pages of Holy Scripture. (Boyd) Citations Boyd, Robert T. Paul the Apostle. Iowa Falls: World Bible Publishers, 1995 Holy Bible: King James Version. Nashville: Nelson, 1999

Power of Knowledge Essays -- Education

The Power of Knowledge "Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of every progress." This quote from Kofi Annan, a diplomat of Ghana involved with the United Nations, directly correlates with an overall theme found in Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. This autobiography clearly depicts trials and tribulations that confronted Washington, but not one of them is ever noted as anything less than a learning experience. Washington's passion for learning enabled him to surpass boundaries perceived by those who allowed themselves to merely become victims of their circumstances. He looked at the struggles that faced him as opportunities to become a stronger and more confident person. Success did not come easily for this man, but through a series of events and obstacles he was able to create a success all his own. Having an education that is furthered by schooling is important, but Washington's life is proof that the power of knowledge can also be notably attained through makin g the most out of life and all that it has to offer, good or bad. Booker T. Washington's views on education enlighten viewpoints surrounding the controversial topic of placing a higher value on education or experience. As today's society heavily focuses on schooling, it is important to remember that lives are not solely based upon that aspect. A combination of both education and experience are necessary to achieve the highest level of success. Education is a good foundation, but without experience limits are placed on how much a person can achieve. Likewise, without the foundation of education a life full of experiences can be unstable. A common consensus has yet to be agreed upon for this ongoing debate over whether educa... ...s as a testament to how pivotal both schooling and experience are. With a balance of the two, he could best shape all that he knew and all that he had into usable material that would best benefit his life. Works Cited Baym, Nina, Wayne Franklin, Philip F. Gura, and Arnold Krupat. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 7th ed. Vol. C. New York: W. W. Norton &, 2007. Print. Boud, David, and Ruth Cohen. "Experience-based Learning." Understanding Adult Education and Training. By Lee Andresen. 2nd ed. Sydney: Allen and Unwin. 225-239. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. Savery, John R., and Thomas M. Duffy. RLT. Tech. no. 16-01. Indiana University, June 2001. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. . "What Is Experience-based Learning?" Starting Point. Carleton College, 11 Apr. 2012. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. .

Shoah - Movie Summary Essay -- Film Movies

The movie begins with Simon Srebnik going back to Chelmno, he is one of the two survivors. He was taken to Chelmno when he was thirteen, his father was killed in front of him, and his mother died in the gas vans. He was known throughout the camp for his agility and his beautiful singing voice. Before abandoning the camp the Nazis shot everyone, including him, in the head. He was left for dead, but was found and survived. Simon went back to tell of the experience he had. He cannot believe what happened as he walks along what is left of the frame of the buildings. He said that 2,000 were burnt per day, but he remembers the camp as being peaceful. No one ever shouted, they just went about their work. He was forced to go up the river, under guard, to get food for the rabbits from the alfalfa fields. Along the way he would sing and the people along the shore would listen and some still remember. The other survivor of Chelmno is Michael Podchlebnik. The day he went to the camp everything died in him, he is human though and wanted to live. He wants to forget about the Holocaust and doesn’t like to talk about it. In the beginning he thought himself as dead because he never thought he’d survive. His job was to unload corpses, on his first day he cried. On his third day he saw his wife and children. He put his wife in the grave and asked to be killed. The Germans said he was strong enough to work and that he wouldn’t be killed yet. Motke Zaidl was a survivor of Sobibor. They vis...

Professional Development Opportunities Essay

NAYCE (National Association for the Education of Young Children) – http://www.naeyc.org NAYCE is a vast among the Early Childhood Education. The programs feed knowledgeable information to Early Childhood teachers. Teachers can become a member and go to many Expos and Conference to meet other teachers and program directors. NAYCE also have educational books online for teachers to develop more learning into their classroom and curriculum. CAT (Creative Art Team)- http://www.creativeartsteam.org/professional-development/professional-development/early-childhood-professional-development-initiativ The CAT website provides an Early Childhood Professional Development Initiative workshop for mentoring teachers. The schools who wish to participate for the workshop will have five days of in-services for students, in class mentoring and coaching with four teachers, on site staff development and second-five hour’s professional development with CAT. The workshop is free for all teachers who are interested to join. Collaborative for Children- www.collabforchildren.org/training-child-care-providers The Collaborative for Children is a learning development for teachers in the surrounding Houston area and online for all Early Childhood teachers. The professional development programs offer Early Childhood Training Courses with the cost of $12.00. The Collaborative is part of Texas Agrilife Extension Service, an educational agency of the Texas A&M System. New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute- http://www.earlychildhoodnyc.org/ New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute offers many programs to benefit new awareness in New York City. The Institute offers on site coaching, professional development, and technical assistance also CDA programs for aspiring childcare workers. These programs are working with parents and teachers to develop healthy and learning children. Early Learning Leaders- http://www.earlylearningleaders.org/?page=Professional The website contains Early Care Professional Training and Education for child care administrators. The program enriches childcare directors into learning and developing new programs into their childcare program home base. There are weekly webinars and sessions for each learning development.

African Americans : the Role of Race Essay

Abstract The Following Essay defines and integrates the role race plays on the African American culture in their family values and politics in comparison to the Anglo American Culture. The United States has become increasingly diverse in the last century. While African American families share many features with other U. S. families, the African American family has some distinctive features relating to the timing and approaches to marriage and family formation, gender roles, parenting styles, and strategies for coping with adversity. African cultures, slavery, slave rebellions, and the civil rights movements(circa 1800s-160s)have shaped African American religious, familial, political and economic behaviors. The imprint of Africa is evident in myriad ways, in politics, economics, language, music, hairstyles, fashion, dance, religion and worldview, and food preparation methods. In the United States, the very legislation that was designed to strip slaves of culture and deny them education served in many ways to strengthen it. In turn, African American culture has had a pervasive, transformative impact on myriad elements of mainstream American culture, among them language, music, dance, religion, cuisine, and agriculture. This process of mutual creative exchange is called creolization. Over time, the culture of African slaves and their descendants has been ubiquitous in its impact on not only the dominant American culture, but on world culture as well. The Role of Race According to the U. S. Census Bureau 13. 6 percent, 42 million, of the total U.S population was made of people who identified themselves as black. This is a 15. 4% increase from 2000 to 2010 (Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel & Drewery, 2011). Is it becoming increasingly difficult to describe the American black population, though the majority of American blacks trace their heritage to slavery, an increasing minority are voluntary immigrants or their descendants. More Africans have entered the United States since 1990 as voluntary immigrants than entered as slaves before slave trafficking was outlawed in the early nineteenth century ( Marger 2012 p. 178). Never before and in no other country have as many varied ethnic groups congregated and combined as they have in the United States. With such reputation, here is exactly where the famous term â€Å"melting pot† arises. This conception has traditionally been perceived as the best expression to describe the multi-ethnicity of America. Its basic idea presents the whole nation as one large pot. Anyone who enters the United States is automatically thrown into this â€Å"pot† where, for the following years, a process of assimilation into the American belief systems is taken place. Assimilation is all the cultural aspects that one brings into are blended together, or melted, to form a new culture. The outcome of this massive procedure is the â€Å"melted† version of a culture, which is described as characteristically â€Å"American. † It is notable that in this assimilation, the identities of each original culture are extinguished to bring out a complete new mixture Slavery Part of the control mechanism of slavery was to strip African Americans of identity, language, and culture of their homeland. This was done by undermining and replacing family structures with temporary ones built around identity as slaves. This undermining was not however entirely successful as many slaves organized themselves into family structures very similar to nuclear families. Family Formation Within African American families, the formation of a household often begins not with marriage, but with birth of a child. 56% of African American children are born into families where the mother is not married to the biological father. Single women head 54% of African American households. African American women are taught to be strong and independent, to prepare for careers rather than rely on marriage for economic security. Marriage According to the 2010 census only 40% of black households were married couples. While 40% of African American men and 35% of African American women over 18 had ever been married. Experts attribute this decrease to factors including a shortage of marriageable African American men and to structural, social, and economic factors. Black males have a 32 percent chance of serving time in prison, as compared to 6 percent of white males. Nearly one in three African American men in their twenties is in prison, on parole, or on probation. Blacks account for 28% of arrests even though they represent only 13% of the nations population. These realities decrease an African American woman’s chances of finding a marriageable mate. Conflict Theory suggests that Higher arrest rate is not surprising for a group that is disproportionately poor and therefore much less able to afford private attorneys, who might prevent formal arrests from taking place Parenting and Discipline African American families tend to be more strict, to hold demanding behavioral standards, and to use physical discipline. This is however, balanced within a context of strong support and affection. Physical punishment among African American families usually doesn’t result in the same negative outcomes as it does for white children. Income and wealth In 2005 Median income of Black families was $37,500 compared with $64,663 for White non-Hispanic households. Black income today resembles that of Whites more than 10 years ago. African American unemployment is 11. 2 percent, which is more than double that of whites. Factors explaining official unemployment rate of young African American males * Many live in depressed economy of central cities. * Immigrants and illegal aliens present increased competition * White middle-class women entered the labor force * Illegal activities at which youth find they can make more money have become more prevalent One in four African Americans are poor, compared to one in twelve whites Politics President Kennedy, in a 1961 executive order, was the first president to call for affirmative action by prohibiting discrimination against minorities by contractors who receive federal funds. The order also told them to hire and promote minorities. Supporters of affirmative action sought not just equality of opportunity but equality of results. The fact that millions of Americans, both black and white, hoped that retired General Colin Powell, an African American, would run for president in 1996 was a milestone. The color of a person’s skin was no longer a barrier to seeking the nation’s highest office. By 2004, there were 39 African Americans in the House of Representatives and more than 9,101 others in elective offices throughout the nation. Three African Americans served in the cabinet, and another sat on the Supreme Court. * Four hundred forty-five African Americans were mayors of major cities. * A federal holiday is now observed for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. * Retired General Colin Powell held the highest military post * On January 20, 2009 Barrack Obama was sworn in as the 44th president of the Unites States. His inauguration was attended by an estimated 1. 8 million people on the Washington National Mall, the Capital grounds, and the parade route. Hundreds of millions in the country and around the world watched the historical event on television. Stressing unity, responsibility, change, and action. Obama declared,† Starting today we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again, the work of remaking America. † Slavery Part of the control mechanism of slavery was to strip African Americans of identity, language, and culture of their homeland. This was done by undermining and replacing family structures with temporary ones built around identity as slaves. This undermining was not however entirely successful as many slaves organized themselves into family structures very similar to nuclear families. n). Baltimore, Maryland Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: African American Families. (2001). Retrieved on July 11, 2005 from p2001. health. org/cit04/res7. htm Webb, Nancy Boyd. (2001). Culturally Diverse Parent-Child and Family Relationships. New York: Columbia University Press. Woods, L. & Jagers, R. (2003). Are Cultural Values Predictors of Moral Reasoning in African American Adolescents? Journal of Black Psychology, 29, 102-118. Marger, M. N. (2012). Race and ethnic relations: American and global perspectives, ninth edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Rastogi, S. , Johnson, T. D. , Hoeffel, E. M. , & Drewery, J. (2011, September). Retrieved from http://www. census. gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06. pdf Live text Upload * Courses Main Page > * SOC 240 HY 20 – CLTR SSCI > * SOC 240 HY 20 – CLTR SSCI Assignments.

Compare and contrast the concepts of ‘alienation’ and ‘anomie’ Essay

Karl Marx first outlined his theory of alienation in The Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts (1844) and refers to a define set of social relationships that were first formed in feudal societies which then became disrupted by modern industrial society. Marx himself said when discussing the topic of alienation â€Å"The worker becomes poorer the more wealth he produces and the more his production increases in power and extent. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity the more goods he creates. The devaluation of the human world increases in direct relation to the increase in value of the world of things. Labour does not only create goods; it also produces itself and the worker as a commodity, and indeed in the same proportion as it produces goods†. Anomie however, is defined by Emile Durkheim as a change in â€Å"normalness† and a breakdown of social regulations. Durkheim became interested in the social condition characterised by a breakdown of ‘norms’ governing social interactions. â€Å"The state of anomie is impossible wherever organs solidly linked to one another are in sufficient contact, and in sufficiently lengthy contact. Indeed, being adjacent to one another, they are easily alerted in every situation to the need for one another and consequently they experience a keen, continuous feeling of their mutual dependence.† (Durkheim, E: 1893). Durkheim went on to develop his interest of anomie further when he began his research into ‘Suicide’, where he suggested that when a person’s ‘norms’ and rules that regulate their lifestyle become week, this can lead to a form of suicide which he called ‘Anomic Suicide’. Marx believed that there were four degrees of alienation that break down the fundamental link that human beings have to their self defining qualities. Firstly there is ‘product alienation’ which Marx believed was alienating to the worker because the products that they produce do not reflect their creative energies and are merely objects produced by the command of the employer (Ransome, P: 2010). Which he argues was present in industrialised society but not in feudal societies as a result of capitalism and its economic gain fuelled society. (Morrison, K: 2006). Secondly, Marx said that alienation could come from ‘act of production’. This, according to Marx is linked to ‘product alienation’ as the product of labour is alienating then  so is the act of production. So in capitalist societies people have no choice but to work and feel alienated to meet their basic needs. Marx’s work stated that â€Å"The worker feels himself only when he is not working; when he is working he does not feel himself†¦ his labour is therefore not voluntary but forced† (Marx, K: 1844). Thirdly, Marx suggested that there was alienation due to ‘common purpose’. He outlined that this happened when a worker’s social relationships become debased and they are taken from a cooperative social dimension, for example on factory lines and in open offices. Finally the fourth alienation type that Marx wrote about was ‘alienation from humanity’. Marx believed that this happened when a person worked long hour days -as Marx wrote in the Victorian society this was extremely common- and to gether with the three other forms of alienation; a person lost their sense of humanity and became alienated from their own inner self (Ransome, P: 2010). That influenced suicide (Giddens, A: 2009). He argued that there were four types of suicide: Altruistic, Anomic, Egoistic and Fatalistic (Pope, W: 1976). Altruistic suicide being too much social integration, for example suicide bombers give up their life for the needs of their social group (Giddens, A: 2009). Egoistic suicide, in Durkheim’s terms was due to insufficient regulation. This can be seen in societies such as religious groups; Durkheim found that suicide was higher in the Protestant religion than it was in Catholic religious groups. He believed that this was due to the Catholic religion having a more strict regulations, so therefore people believed that it was ‘against god’ to commit suicide and also with the Catholic society being greater regulated, he believed that this closer connected society made the people have a greater sense of community and moral values so did not feel the need to commit suicide (Ransome, P: 2010). Durkheim related the low suicide rates during World War 1 to this as he believed the face of an external enemy brought about social integration (Giddens, A: 2009). Fatalistic suicide for Durkheim was due to excess regulation. This can be seen in contemporary society in prisons as people feel that they have no sense of future or self worth. However Durkheim felt that this type of suicide was of little importance in modern society but it was of specific historical interest. Historically, this is evident in the  slave communities in America during the civil war (Morrison, K: 2006). Durkheim argued that Anomic suicide occurs when rules and ‘norms’ that govern a person’s lifestyle become unstable and break down. He looked at this subject of suicide by researching the suicide rates of industrial society during periods of economic crisis created by financial recession and periods of economic change. Between 1845 and 1869 in Europe, Durkheim identified that there was a rapid rise in suicide rates, which he linked to the economic state at the time as there was repeated economic crisis, which resulted in a dramatic decline in the business cycle and severe bankruptcies. He also acknowledged that there was a specific pattern of the suicide rates during this time across Europe; he found that there was a rise in the rates of suicide as the state of the economy decreased, and when the crisis deteriorated the rates fell. However as the economy worsened again, the suicides increased (Morrison, K: 2006). When taking into account Durkheim’s theory of ‘Anomic Suicide’ and Marx’s four types of alienation, it could be argued that there are several similarities between the two social theories. ‘Alienation’ in basic terms defines the relationship that a worker -mainly- has with their productive role and their self being within society. ‘Anomie’ can be suggested to relate to this similarly as it seems that it defines a person’s self being within society and themselves. However, critiques have suggested that the theory of anomie for Durkheim was not in fact in relation to a person but it refers to society, although there are definite implications of a person’s state of mind in his works (Robinson, J; Shaver P and Wrightsman, L: 1991). When referring to the subject of anomie, social thoughts of other sociologists must be taken into account. Robert Mereton extended Durkheim’s thoughts on anomie and emphasised that an individual intensifies their anomie when they chose to discard their ‘norms’ to acquire to their intricate desires and thus anomie and deviant behaviour draw from a disjunction between a culturally prescribed aspiration of a society and socially constructed avenues for creating those aspirations (Giddens, A: 2009). Durkheim’s theory of anomie can be seen as similar to both Mereton’s interpretation of anomie and Marx’s theory of alienation in terms of isolation and disorientation. However clearly it can be seen that there is a  significant difference in retrospect to money being the source of the proletarian’s lifestyle and the theory that it keeps the ruling class on top and the rest of the population down in terms of Marx’s thought of alienation, where as Durkheim dealt with the themes of attitudes and expectations of the society within his theory of anomie and people resisting and having the choice of their lifestyle rather than being forced into lifestyles alike in alienation (Perry, R: 2007). Looking for examples of OUR work? Click here to see our Essay Writing Examples > Want to know more about our services? Take a look at our Writing & Marking Service Index > Although Marx and Durkheim’s definitions are clearly the classical concepts of these theories, it has been suggested that contemporary society has obscured these definitions. It can be said that ‘Alienation for Marx and Anomie for Durkheim were metaphors for a radical attack on the dominant institutions and values of industrial society’. From this they take on similar issues, but in different perspectives; Marx took on the conception of the relationship between man and society and the ‘value of freedom from constraint’ through the interest of power and change. Durkheim however, was interested in the ‘transcendental value and moral constraint’ through problems with maintenance of order. When taking into account Marx and Durkheim’s research however there are critiques that need to be considered. Many people argued that Durkheim’s research on anomie and suicide could not be one hundred percent accurate; this was because it was apparent that Durkheim used other people’s research and did not conduct his own. Durkheim used suicide statistics in Germany, however these statistics were taken by Durkheim at face value and not critiqued. Also it could be argued that Durkheim’s interdependence theory may not have been completely free from his own background assumptions and laden judgement. The main article that needs to be considered when studying suicide is â€Å"How do some deaths get categorised as suicides?† according to Atkinson, J (1978). When taking into account this question it makes one consider whether the initial research and  also Durkheim’s assumptions were one hundred percent because the research was conducted across Germany, with statistics from many different coroners, who each would arguably have had their own laden judgement as to what constitutes as suicide. So it is argued that Durkheim was taking what the coroner constituted as suicide so therefore the suicide categories are not objective facts but interpretations and meanings given to a particular event. Therefore to have done his research more accurately and to allow no criticisms Durkheim should have conducted his own research. He could have arguably done this by talking to people that have themselves attempted to commit and families of those who have, to find the different reasons behind the attempted or actual suicide (Atkinson, J: 1978). One could initially argue that Capitalism is the main cause of both alienation and anomie. In anomie, Durkheim saw a number of indications relating to anomie in the late nineteenth century such as industrial conflict and marital breakup; which he believed was related to the industrial society and the growth of capitalism (Durkheim, E: 1893). However, Marx believed that alienation was aided by capitalism. He believed this as there was a fiercely competitive nature of capitalism that forced industries such as factories to step up their means of production and productivity, to gain economic status and power (Marx, K: 1844). In conclusion, Alienation in retrospect means people becoming isolated from society as a result from industry and Anomie in retrospect is a change in normalness of their social status. It is clear from this that one could argue that alienation and anomie could both mean isolation to a person but however in different forms. So therefore it could be argued that alienation is isolation of a person from their economic status quo, and anomie is isolation of a human being from their social status quo and personal norms. However from the information throughout the essay it can also be suggested that the differences between alienation an anomie comes from the status of the concepts, as alienation is said to be relate and revolve to a person singularly, where as anomie is said to describe a social group rather than one person alone. To conclude, it can be argued that there alienation and anomie have both similar and unique concepts. This is evident from the  sources used throughout the essay, however it cannot be regarded completely as research or information that is