Db3 program capstone Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db3 program capstone - Research Paper Example For instance, labor migration, mobility and diversity are directly related to globalization. Many researchers, including Mujtaba (2007), focus on management challenges related to diversity management at work. Since all organizations are expected to create friendly, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment where all employees have equal opportunities, it is a real challenge. According to Drucker (2007), global changes have the greatest influence on internal climate in different organizations. Local markets merge and competition moves to global arena; it is the reason why organizations need to be more flexible than ever in order to survive this harsh competition. The outcomes of globalization need to be addressed complexly. Each consequence requires a special solution depending on corporate culture and people who work in the organization. Generally, diversity management practice and innovative approach to leadership and performance evaluations help organizations to work effectively in rapidly changing environment. In summary, globalization is an umbrella term for numerous changes and challenges in causes in world management practices and solutions. New work conditions, global competition, changes in work force and requirements make organizations change regularly in order to

The March on Washington Essay Example for Free

The March on Washington Essay The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom occurred in Washington D.C on the 28th of August, 1963. Attended by some 250,000 people, it was the largest demonstration ever seen in the nation’s capital, and one of the first to have extensive television coverage.( Source 3) The march started because of employment discrimination against African-Americans who were forced into lower paying positions, Labor leaders and elder statesmen’s of the civil rights movement A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin had initially planned a march in 1941. Directors of the Major Civil Rights Organization went to work on behalf of the proposed legislation. In the political sense, the march was organized by coalition of organizations and their leaders including: Randolph who was chosen as the titular head of the march, James Farmer (president of the Congress of Racial Equality ), John Lewis ( chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) , Martin Luther King, Jr. (president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference), Roy Wilkins (president of the NAACP), Whitney Young (president of the National Urban League). ( Source 3) They determined that the most efficient strategy would be a public show of support in the nation’s capital. In the spring of 1963, Randolph revived his proposal on the march. The â€Å"March for Jobs and Freedom,† as it was called, demanded desegregation of public facilities, as end to discrimination and employment, decent housing, and education, and the right to vote. The march won endorsement of every major civil rights organization. ( Englebert Pg 80) However, the plan had one flaw, and President Kennedy addressed it. President Kennedy requested thirty civil rights leaders for a conference at the White House, and tried to persuade them out of the march, because Kennedy thought the march would harm the  chances of passage of his civil rights bill; he also feared that the demonstration could turn brutal. Since there were already African-Americans holding demonstrations across America, he responded to President Kennedy by saying this â€Å"If they are bound to be in the streets in any case,† said Randolph, â€Å" is it not better that they be led by organizations decided to civil rights and disciplined by struggle rather than leave them to other leaders who care neither about civil rights nor about nonviolence?† A. Philip Randolph ( Engleberts Pg 80) Even though President Kennedy was still undecided about their plan of a national march, President Kennedy commanded officials of administration to support the March organizers. The march started at the Washington Monument and finished at the Lincoln Memorial with a program of music and speakers. The march unsuccessfully started on time because the leaders were meeting with the members of Congress. By surprise to the leaders, the assembled group started to march from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial without them. The 1963 March also spurred anniversary marches that occur every five years, with the 20th and 25th being some of the most well known. The 25th Anniversary theme was â€Å"We Still have a Dream†¦Jobs*Peace*Freedom.† ( Source 2) BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Englebert, Phillis, American civil rights almanac- Volume 1. 1999, Boston. 2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom 3.http://www.infoplease.com/spot/marchonwashington.html 4. http://uquoted.com/the-march-on-washington-affirmed-our-values-as-a-people-equality-and-opportunity-for-all-forty-one-years-ago-during-a-time-of-segregation-these-were-an-ideal/

Evolutionary Attitudes :: essays research papers

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes a time when discrimination was extremely common. In the fictional society of Maycomb County, we can see the primitive forms of discrimination emerge through definition of social classes due to wealth, background and association, as well as the predominant theme of racism towards African Americans. Although in present day Victoria, the subjects of discrimination encountered are different, society’s attitude and response to these flaws are much the same. In Victoria, the homeless problem as well as youth stereotypes present huge venues for discrimination within society. In addition to this, Aboriginals and oriental demographics are segregated by society due to colour and culture. Although civilized society has evolved between Maycomb and Victoria, presenting both communities with different challenges, it has not broken free of the engrained discriminatory behaviour within each of its foundations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The discrimination faced by families such as the Cunningham’s, in To Kill A Mockingbird, was based upon society’s emphasis upon social class. As with the Cunningham’s, many families were hit very hard by the depression, and thus were not as wealthy as many other families in the community. Therefore, families such as these were offered little respect by other member’s of the Maycomb community based on their wealth or associations. Maycomb’s high society looked upon some of its neighbours as below themselves. Maycomb sees these people as a burden. According to inherent honoured codes within society, the importance and meaning of such fine breeding has been ignored, making these people less than those who come from â€Å"fine† families . In cases such as the Cunningham’s , members of the community who do not fall within the parameters of a â€Å"fine† family are objectified. An example of this can be seen when W alter Cunningham, a schoolmate of Scout’s, is invited over for dinner. â€Å" ‘He ain’t company Cal, he’s just a Cunningham-’ ‘Hush your mouth! Don‘t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ company, and don’t you let me catch remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty! Yo’ folks might be better’n the Cunningham’s but it don’t count for nothing’ the way you’re disgracing’ ’em†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 24) As Calpurnia points out to Scout that the Cunningham’s, despite society’s belittlement of such families, it does not give anyone the right to act superior. Although families such as these are not restricted from interaction from society, they are nonetheless victims of society’s prejudices.

Marketing †Luxury Watch Marketing Plan Essay

1. Executive Summary This report contains a marketing plan strategy for a new luxury watch entering the luxury watches market. The new product that will be launched on this market is a exclusive luxury watch. Exclusive luxury watches are defined as the ones sold above $9999. The watch for which we are drawing the marketing plan is a gold and platinum watch with white diamonds. The use of innovative and unusual styling is become an increasingly important feature of the luxury watch market. The unique feature of the watch is the possibility of customization and therefore personalization of this watch. The report is composed of four parts. To begin with, we have done a context analysis to discussion the various macro and micro environmental factors that impact the relevant market dynamics such as market size and growth, positioning of existing brands etc. Then we have come up with the demographic and psychographics description of the target market. | | Pocket watches offer a different kind of experience for consumers. Some use it for its novelty and style whereas others find it more functional than wristwatches. A lot of people also use wristwatches and pocket watches alternately. Regardless of one’s preference, using a pocket watch at this day and age is still a very welcome sight. | 2. Main Report 3. 1. Context Analysis The marketing environment for Perkupoldies exclusive watch market represents overwhelming opportunities. It also contains some challenges that the firm believes it can meet successfully. The macro environmental factors are extremely encouraging. a) Economic environment: The number of people in the Forbes’s billionaire group and Merrill Lynch/Capgemini millionaire group are steadily increasing over the past decade. The number of billionaires has increased by more than 250 percentages. According to Merrill Lynch/Capgemini report the World’s High Net worth Individuals (HNWI) population has also grown to 9. 5 million with their assets rising to $37. 2 trillion. | Number of Billionaires| % Increase in number of billionaires| Billionaires combined net worth (in trillion dollars)| % increase in Billionaires group| 2012| 1226| 257. 56| 4. 6| 328. 57| 2003| 476| | 1. 4| | b) Social – Cultural environment: Wealthy people are driven by views of oneself. They spend money for acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power. Sociologically, to the conspicuous consumer, such a public display of discretionary economic power is a means either of attaining or of maintaining a given social status. i. Developed Economies ii. Emerging Economies c) Technological environment – Product innovations, groundbreaking developments in mechanical and atomic watches enable extreme engineering and personalization of watches possible. Additionally, the below situation analysis details the context for Perkupoldies marketing efforts. Here we take a closer look at the internal and external factors that influence our marketing strategy using SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis The above SWOT analysis combines the external (opportunities and threat) and internal (strength and weakness) analysis. 3. 2. Market Analysis with Porter’s Five Forces a) Threats for New Entrants: The presence of profits in an industry will attract new firms willing to take advantage of these profits. Over time, too many new entrants will drive down these profits, decreasing at the same time the attractiveness of the industry. The presence of various barriers to entry can minimize this threat. b) Bargaining power of buyers: If the brand is very famous, successful and appealing to customers, there is no obvious difficulty for distributors to sell the products: the marketing and communication efforts done by the brand will drive customers easily into the jeweler’s shops. Jewelers are usually not especially risk takers and if they have no guarantee that the brand is a hit and will be easily sold, then one might have a hard time trying to convince them to buy ones products. All the power is in the hands of the distributors; with no distributors, the way to the customers is locked. What is more, distributors might be pressured by actual players to refuse to distribute new brands. Therefore, as we mentioned earlier, distribution is an important barrier to entry. c) Bargaining power of Suppliers: The luxury watch industry is dominated by mechanical technology; as a result, the procurement of mechanical movements is the high end brands’ main concern. Qualified manpower can also be an issue that should not be neglected; the number of watchmakers able to produce some of the most intricate complications is very small. d) Threat of substitute products: Counterfeit is a phenomenon that needs to be mentioned because it represents a non-negligible threat for the luxury watch industry. Secondly, in a larger sense, other luxury products can also be considered as a substitute. Now if we think about a legal substitute, which could be fought with conventional marketing weapons, the issue is more complicated. While in a narrower sense substitute could be confined to jeweler, in a broader sense we have to include all the luxury goods available on the market. a) Jewelry b) High end Pens (e. g.:- Mont Blanc) c). Cars Some customers could buy a watch while others would rather travel to tropical and exotic countries, or buy luxury cars or furniture. Therefore, because the range of substitute products we can include is so broad and difficult to define clearly, it is rather difficult to assess accurately how serious the threat is. e) Rivalry among Competition: Concerning the large trends, the past years, big groups were fighting over brands: each group wanted to increase its brand portfolio by taking over independent brands. 3. 3. Pocket watch Industry Background. There was a time that no gentleman felt well-dressed without his pocket watch. Pocket watches, which originated in the fifteenth century among the upper class nobility, reached their heyday in the mid-17th to early 20th century. At one point in time, no middle or upper class gentleman would dream of leaving home without his pocket watch. Among the working class, pocket watches were more than a sign of status. They were, for many workers, an important work tool. Railroad workers, in particular, relied upon their pocket watches to time their duties. By the middle of the 20th century, with the advent of inexpensive wristwatches, the popularity of pocket watches began to wane. From full hunters’ case watches to ladies’ pendant watches, pocket watches are making their way back into the popular fashion scene. Their renewed popularity may have begun within the youthful goth culture, especially the Steampunk segment of Goth culture which esteemed all things Victorian and mechanical clockwork objects and items. If there’s any modern day item that embodies the spirit of Victorian Steampunk culture, it’s the pocket watch. While the popular comeback of pocket watches may have begun with the underground steampunk movement, it has quickly become a new fashion status symbol, popular with youth from the club scene to the stock market floor. Today, advances in glass mechanics and structure have created a new style of pocket watches transparent, scratch-resistant cover so owners can see the time without opening the case. Popular styles of pocket watches today include replicas of antique pocket watches as well as more contemporary styles that fit with today’s men’s and women’s fashions. 3. 4. Description of Product. The watch has several state of the art features which are meant to satisfy the below mentioned needs of the customers. a) Stated needs – To purchase a luxury product b) Real needs – A jewelry and accessory c) Unstated needs – An ever appreciating value d) Delight needs – Personalized e) Secret needs – An expression of status and exclusivity The features of the watch are as mentioned below: 3. 5. 1. Body Construction – The timepiece will be a beautiful handmade timepiece bearing the owner’s name. The watch may be made out of White gold, yellow gold or titanium depending on the specifications provided by the customer. 3. 5. 2. 1. Crystal – Swiss 3. 5. 2. 2. Glass – Sapphire glass with non-reflective coating 3. 5. 2. 3. Chain – Titanium/Yellow Gold/White Gold 3. 5. 2. Nature and Quality of jewels – The watch will have at least 100 brilliantly cut diamonds on the dial case. The chain will be made out of pure 22k gold with have around 200 cut diamonds. Though these specifications are given for the standard watch provided by our company. We will provide custom designed watches for customers that may have more diamonds. Proof of authenticity will be provided for all the diamonds on the watch. 3. 5. 3. Hand Crafted – Usually custom watches would require 4- 6months of manufacturing time depending on the availability of material. All watches will be hand crafted by highly skilled jewelry craftsmen. As each part needs to be fabricated, decorated, assembled, and tested, you can image that the process takes a long time. 3. 5. 4. Features – a) 26 cities world time (including Adelaide) b) Perpetual Calendar c) Radio controlled: Receives standard time radio waves across the world d) Daylight saving function (automatic in radio wave receivable zones, manual in other zones) e) Alarm, 12/24 hr.time f) Magnetic resistance g) 2000m Water Resistant 3. 5. 5. Limited Edition – The watch will be one of its kinds since the design will be custom made by our designers specifically for our customers. The design will be classic and superior that reflects the unique personality of our client and create everlasting value. 3. 5. 6. Warranty type: lifetime International Warranty 3. 5. Factors Considered while purchasing luxury watches a) Precious Metal Construction – It should go without saying that a high end expensive watch should be constructed from quality materials. This means the best possible metals and so forth, but it is also a good idea to ensure that the metals involved are inherently valuable. It also goes without saying that precious stones also are a desirable component given the style and variety of the watch. b) Nature and Quality of Jewels – The first thing to look at is the origin of the stones. The two major options are natural or manufactured. Natural stones are obtained the traditional manner – via often controversial mining methods. There is an inherent romance to the concept that a stone was derived from the earth, discovered, cut and polished, and then used on your luxury item. Aside from â€Å"recycled stones† (taken from older or unsold items), the alternative to natural stones are manufactured stones. c) Hand Construction – High-end watches are hand-made and assembled by master watch makers. Sometimes a team of people will be involved in making the watch, other times a single watch maker toils for as long as a year or more on a single watch. As each part needs to be fabricated, decorated, assembled, and tested, you can image that the process takes a long time. The longer it takes to make a watch, the more refinement and decoration will be found in an on it. There is no specific amount of time that you should look for as it depends on the company. d) Complications – High-end watches don’t just have beautiful mechanical movements, they have complex movements. Other complications effect how accurate a watch is or how interesting the movement is to look at while in operation (i. e. various types of tourbillon escapements). Other common complications in high end watches are perpetual calendars, rattrapante chronographs, sonneries, fusee and chains, moon phases, and multiple time zones along with world timers. e) Style- The best watch makers are skilled in making unique designs, but ones that are â€Å"instant classics. † The best designs will look good on anyone. Lastly, when looking at a designer look, you want to make sure it has enough unique qualities to justify the â€Å"exclusive† item you are thinking about buying. f) Limited Edition – The best luxury things in life comes in small quantities and are made in limited productions by dedicated people. Besides, having too much of anything cuts the value and the intrigue. So look for limited edition or highly limited production watches. Ask how many of a particular model has been made and whether or not there are 1000 or 100,000 of them out there. The more limited a watch is the more exclusive it is, which is a major component of true luxury goods. g) Appreciation of value – The lucky high-end luxury watch buyer will be able to afford a timepiece that has the potential to increase in value. 3. 6. Segmenting Targeting and positioning 3. 7. 7. Segmenting Market segmentation is vital for a company’s success. Without a clear idea of the nature of the target segments, the firm is forced to use a scatter? shot approach to marketing strategic decision making with little chance for success. It is necessary to identify target segments of consumers and tailor offerings to best meet the wants and needs of that particular group of consumers. 3. 7. 8. 4. Demographic criteria: a) Sex: The luxury market could also be segmented according to the sex criteria. Indeed men’s watches are quite dissimilar from women’s. There are differences on the precious metals used for the fabrication, on the size of the strap and of the dial. b) Income level: Naturally the income is a very important factor of the luxury market, because it determines the purchasing power of consumers which has to be very high. c) Geographic criterion: The luxury watches market could also be segmented according to geographic regions. People from different regions do not share the same culture of the purchasing power. 3. 7. 8. 5. Psychographic criterion Psychographic bass for segmentation center on perceptual issues. These segments are determined by combining individuals who are psychologically similar in their orientations. These distinctions are made based upon similarity of lifestyles, personalities and values. a) Lifestyle – it reflects the ways in which the individual chooses to live their lives. What types of activities they enjoy, what life settings they desire, and who they surround themselves with are all components of lifestyle. b) Personality – here the idea is to group people into roughly similar personality types with the underlying assumption that people will be more favorably disposed toward those of a similar personality profile. c) Core values – to try to match its core values with those of its customer segments building positive associations. The company stresses values in its products/services as well as in its corporate environment and culture, and the hope is that the segment will become loyal to the company because it embodies the core values of importance to the consumer. People have different reasons to buy luxury watches. Five motivations can be listed: * To be fashionable * To have a customized and unique product * To have an excellent and reliable product. * To have a product with the latest technology * To have a high standard of living 3. 7. 8. 6. Segmenting on the basis of Demography a) Income group – HNWI, UHNWI, Billionaires b) Sex – Male, female 3. 7. 8. Targeting Targeting requires the firm not only to aim at but hopefully to hit its target segments. The final important aspect involves the establishment of an important perceptual position in the mind of the consumer. It involves the decision of the number of different segments to select and serve and the best action plans to reach the identified segments. Measuring Effectiveness of Target Segments a) Measurable – size of segment, income and purchasing power, and characteristics of the segment b) Accessible – reachable by the firm and able to effectively serve the segment c) Substantial – large enough and capable of generating sufficient profits d) Differentiable – truly distinct from other segments in terms of composition and response to marketing stimuli e) Actionable – marketing programs can be developed to effectively identify, attract and serve the segment Purchasing behavior of Customers. a) Kind of purchase: Most of the luxury watches are bought either by a person for themselves or for another person (as gift). The unit price of a luxury watch would deter much of the gift buying behavior except by the seriously wealthy or on a very special occasion. One typical example is â€Å"birthday† or â€Å"wedding anniversaries† that, in the latter case, help to promote sales from the late spring onwards. b) Decision Making: In this market, the Influencer is the person who hopes to receive a watch as a gift. For example, it could be a woman who incites her husband to buy one for a special event. The consumer is the one who uses the product. In our example, it would be the woman who asks her husband to buy one for her (the consumer is often the influencer). c) Duration of decision–making process: We can distinguish people who do not consider high price to be a deterrent and who make an impulsive purchase; and others who think about spending such money in a luxury watch for a long time. d) Length of buying process: There is a minority of people who are interested in such product. But those who are really interested have already taken the price into consideration and thus would buy our product relatively easily. e) Consumption process: Due to their high prices, luxury watches are an investment for a lot of’ people and that is why it is in average bought once in one’s life. Analysis of Demand a) Potential market – millionaires and billionaires b) Available market – HNWI (High net worth individuals) UHNWI (ultra High net worth individuals) and billionaires. c) Target market – UHNWI (ultra High net worth individuals) and billionaires Based on the above mentioned Segmentation, purchasing behavior and analysis of demand the firm Perkupoldies would be targeting UHNWI and Billionaires. 3. 7. 9. Positioning The last crucial step is placing of the product or service in a particular perceptual position within the mind of the consumer. The idea here is that there is a specific consumer segment in mind and a specific plan to reach it, and now the idea is to ensure that the target consumer has a clear and distinctive image in mind regarding the product offerings being aimed at them that is consistent and positive. a) Customer knowledge b) Ultimate social symbol c) Brand logo – crown d) Innovations in product line. e) Powerful brand ambassadors f) Sport and cultural events g) Philanthropic programs 3. 7. Distribution Distribution channel is key to the sales of Luxury products like Perkupoldies luxury watch. The central dilemma while choosing the distribution channel is generating sales in a dynamic market while maintain brand image and price. The steps to be followed while choosing a distribution channel are as follows: Step (a) – Analyzing customers desired service output levels: For understanding consumer needs the following 5 service outputs need to be viewed. (a) Lot size – usually one to two watch depending on whether its a single watch order or a couple watch order. (b) Waiting and delivery time – The basic product must have a very waiting and delivery time of less than 15 days for global delivery. The personalized versions will have a waiting and delivery time constraint of less than 45 days. (c) Spatial convenience – As a high end luxury product, it will be required to be available at key luxury outlets. (d) Product Variety – the assortment breadth of the marketing channel is very large as the product is highly customized. (e) Service backup – add-on services like credit, delivery, repairs and a high quality of service will be required by the distribution channel. Step (b) – Establishing objectives and constraints: The primary objective of the distribution channel is to provide easy availability at specific high end luxury retail outlets combined with the online purchase options for a highly customized product. Step (c) – Identifying and evaluating major channel alternatives: There are 3 major channel alternatives namely wholesale, luxury retail and online. There are three distribution channels options available for Perkupoldies luxury watch as mentioned below: a) Wholesale – These are sales through third parties. They may include various stores, boutiques etc. While this option offers growth for the product market there are several challenges associated with this distribution channel. b) Retail – These distribution channels are managed in-house. The sales are usually done through company owned or franchised branded stores. Company owned or franchised stores allow will allow Perkupoldies to have a better control over the pricing. For luxury products ‘Luxury Retail’ presents tremendous opportunities. Luxury Retail includes distribution channels like travel location and High-end hotels. c) Online – Sales and transactions are completed online. This distribution channel can operate as both retail and wholesale. Traditionally websites are operated by established retailers such as department stores and e-boutiques. There is an increasing trend towards luxury outlet e-stores, m-commerce, iPad applications, Social networking etc. Step (d) – Evaluating major alternatives: Based on the above analysis of distribution channel options and weighing their pros and cons it can be seen that the best option of distribution channel for perkupoldies is as mentioned below (a) Luxury Retail outlets in high end hotels and travel location (b) An online channel for customizing the product and ordering it. (1) Customize the Hands of the watch| (2) Customize the Body of the watch| (3) Customize the Body of the watch| (4) Personalize the watch e. g. engravings and pictures on the watch| Shown above online screens to enable customization of the Perkupoldies pocket watch|. 3. 8. Brand â€Å"What Rolls-Royce is to car, Perkupoldies is to pocket watch† Here are five steps to build a luxury brand – (a) Identifying a niche segment One of the fundamental principles of effective branding is for brands to diligently select a lucrative segment that they can then target through an enticing positioning. Given the focus on highlighting symbolic value either through an overall brand experience or via exclusivity in offerings, price points or availability, luxury brands have a heightened need to identify the niche segment for which they have designed their offering. (b) Positioning based on high levels of differentiation Since all luxury brands follow a differentiation strategy, the main focus should be to aggressively differentiate the brand ‘experience’. Successful product differentiation creates a competitive advantage for the seller, as customers view these products as unique or superior. (c) Emphasizing symbolic value Symbolic value emanates from the social standing of the brand, that is, the extent to which the brand is perceived as being an elite offering aspired to by customers. As such, symbolic value reflects the extent to which the brand is endorsed and validated by the cream of the customers. (d) Creating perceptions of exclusivity Perceptions of exclusivity can be created by unattainable price, limited geographic availability, barriers to possession, or even limited supply. Clearly, it is the identity, which the brand confers upon the owner. (e) Uncompromising delivery on superior brand promise Not only do luxury brands need to consistently deliver on the promise of symbolic value, but they also will need to project consistency and continuity at every possible touch point. Maintaining focus on superior value and unique brand experience across time and space is an important part of uncompromising delivery of brand promise. 3. 9. Advertising Print advertising appeals to luxury target groups Luxury brands have to cultivate their image continuously and an important aspect of this is the choice of appropriate advertising media. Although, the two luxury-oriented target groups see advertising as being more credible than the population as a whole, there are significant differences between the individual media, parallel to the degree of receptiveness. For both luxury and for premium-watch buyers, magazine advertisements are the most persuasive with 40 percent of this target group according advertisements the highest level of credibility. Poster campaigns are also rated positively. Less well received is advertising in the electronic media, on television and, above all, in e-mails and on the internet. Premium-watch buyers are also characterized bya very great affinity to luxury. However, they are significantly less interested in fashion than luxurybuyers – precision timepieces are their passion. Premium-watch buyers are interested in watches for watches’ sake and not as part of their outfit. 3. Conclusion This marketing plan explains how an attractive combination of 4P’s can be offered by Perkupoldies to promote and sell the pocket watch. There is an existent market for this product. The ease of entry is very low as it’s primarily an online business with a few high end luxury retail outlets. The company is offering a value proposition by offering a high value item which has an everlasting value. 4. References.

Does Facebook Help or Hinder Offline Friendships Essay

Some of the effect of the ever-growing social networking is the lack of face to face interaction. Now websites such as Facebook allow you to find your long lost friend but hinders the ability to go out and meet friends face to face. The question remains does it help or does it hinders a person’s interaction ability. In my opinion it helps that person get over the social anxieties and be able to communicate so when a person meets face to face it is not so awkward and being able to communicate builds confidence when speaking. There was an article in the New York Times where they asked this very same question. Which state that â€Å"If anything, Facebook has helped me sift through the friends I’m happy with keeping at arm’s length by offering the perfect vehicle to do it through. â€Å"(Wortham, 2011). Being able to sort out your friends and like Wortham stated at an arm’s length it helps. Cultural Impact The impact that social media plays in our everyday life is extraordinary but for some there are mixed emotions. Some culture such look down upon social media because it could be dangerous or even discourage you away from your beliefs. It could impact an entire family or have people find out information about you that should be private. I feel for the most part most cultures rely on social media as much as the mainstream society. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to keep in touch with friends and families across the globe. Besides the Amish and some Middle Eastern cultures I find the it helps to better know your friends and help you to meet new ones that you would of never met if it wasn’t for social media.

Free Essays on Richard III Vs. Looking For Richard

Year 11 English Comparative Essay: â€Å"Richard III† vs. â€Å"Looking for Richard† The differences between McKellen’s â€Å"Richard III† and Pacino’s â€Å"Looking for Richard† should immediately be predicted when you see the first few minutes of each film. On one hand, Richard III begins with an intense gunfight, while on the other hand, in Looking for Richard; Pacino is simply preparing to perform a play. We realise one is actually supposed to be based entirely on the story (Richard III) and the other is essentially a documentary (Looking for Richard). This is easily seen within the characters also. In Richard III, there is no â€Å"Ian McKellen†, only Richard; while in Looking for Richard there is both Pacino and Richard in a sense, as we see Al Pacino playing Richard- if you catch my drift. Al Pacino is basically a character in the movie. In terms of the presentation of the actual play â€Å"Richard III† in both films, the style and setting in which they are presented are completely different also. Both Pacino and McKellen have the same idea in a sense- to portray the play Richard III in such a fashion as to be understood by the audience. In Looking for Richard, Pacino tries to find the thoughts and opinions of regular people on Shakespeare, in order to create a movie explaining (in a simplistic fashion) what â€Å"Richard III† is about. Pacino decides to use the play’s original setting in order to do this. However, in Richard III, McKellen places the play in a setting people today understand and can relate to: a dark period identical in its appearance to World War II. In terms of their success I believe Richard III does a better job of conveying the theme and story to the audience, because unlike Looking for Richard, the movie is fluent, not cutting from a scene to street talk, etc. Also, most people find the traditional setting quite confusing, the WWII setting making far more sense. Also, in Richard III, we do not... Free Essays on Richard III Vs. Looking For Richard Free Essays on Richard III Vs. Looking For Richard Year 11 English Comparative Essay: â€Å"Richard III† vs. â€Å"Looking for Richard† The differences between McKellen’s â€Å"Richard III† and Pacino’s â€Å"Looking for Richard† should immediately be predicted when you see the first few minutes of each film. On one hand, Richard III begins with an intense gunfight, while on the other hand, in Looking for Richard; Pacino is simply preparing to perform a play. We realise one is actually supposed to be based entirely on the story (Richard III) and the other is essentially a documentary (Looking for Richard). This is easily seen within the characters also. In Richard III, there is no â€Å"Ian McKellen†, only Richard; while in Looking for Richard there is both Pacino and Richard in a sense, as we see Al Pacino playing Richard- if you catch my drift. Al Pacino is basically a character in the movie. In terms of the presentation of the actual play â€Å"Richard III† in both films, the style and setting in which they are presented are completely different also. Both Pacino and McKellen have the same idea in a sense- to portray the play Richard III in such a fashion as to be understood by the audience. In Looking for Richard, Pacino tries to find the thoughts and opinions of regular people on Shakespeare, in order to create a movie explaining (in a simplistic fashion) what â€Å"Richard III† is about. Pacino decides to use the play’s original setting in order to do this. However, in Richard III, McKellen places the play in a setting people today understand and can relate to: a dark period identical in its appearance to World War II. In terms of their success I believe Richard III does a better job of conveying the theme and story to the audience, because unlike Looking for Richard, the movie is fluent, not cutting from a scene to street talk, etc. Also, most people find the traditional setting quite confusing, the WWII setting making far more sense. Also, in Richard III, we do not...

Heroic Figures of the 21st Century essayEssay Writing Service

Heroic Figures of the 21st Century essayEssay Writing Service Heroic Figures of the 21st Century essay Heroic Figures of the 21st Century essayThe 21st century is the epoch of profound changes that have occurred in the world. In this regard, the rise of the US as the only world super power is the most distinct feature of the 21st century but the 21st century also gave rise to powers that oppose to the expanding impact of the US, westernization of the world, democratization and globalization. At the same time, the 21st century brought considerable changes not only to the world but also to the US, especially with Barak Obama coming to power as the first African American president in the history of the US. However, he was not the first African American, who has played an important part in the US politics. At this point, it is worth mentioning Condoleezza Rice, who was the US Secretary of State, when the US has launched its major international advancements to enhance its position as the only super power in the world and suppress any attempts of resistance in the Middle East.Barak Obama i s the iconic figure of the 21st century. He is the personification of the American Dream for probably all African Americans and the symbol of the personal power and charisma recognized worldwide and the first African American president elected in the US (Schama 6). He is a heroic figure because the world has recognized him as one of the prominent world leaders, who stands for the support of democracy worldwide. At the same time, he is the person, who has tried to eliminate racial and religious frontiers not only within the US but also worldwide. He became the first African American President of the US that contributed to the further closing of gaps between white and non-white Americans.Furthermore, his Cairo speech was his prominent attempt to appease representatives of the Muslim and Christian world (Schama 12). In this speech, he referred to his personal example to show the world that people with different religious background can live together and succeed. At the same time, he pr ioritizes democracy as the only way to the peaceful, stable and happy world and his efforts are recognized by the world community. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that Barak Obama won the Noble Prize for Peace in 2009, which became the international recognition of his efforts to put the end to war in Iraq, Afghanistan and other parts of the world along with withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and supporting peace keeping efforts worldwide (Abcarian 2).In such a way, Barak Obama is the heroic figure because of his considerable contribution to the promotion of democracy and elimination of barriers between different racial and religious group (Abcarian 10). However, what is even more important about the heroic image of Barak Obama, who gave many people throughout the world hope for changes and better life, the hope for putting the end to racism, conflicts and inequality. As for the US, he became the President, whose opponents accuse of socialist view s and policies, while a large part of the population view him as one of the first Presidents, who attempted to take the state responsibility for the wellbeing of American citizens in need, who cannot cover their basic needs, including health care and education.Condoleezza Rice was the person, who has influenced, if not to say determined, the foreign policy of the US for almost a decade from 2001, when she took the position of US National Security Advisor, to 2009, when she resigned from the position of the US Secretary of State (Mabry 115). She is recognized by the international community as one of the most influential politicians in the first decade of the 21st century. As the National Security Advisor, she contributed to the elaboration of the War on Terror policy and foreign policies conducted by the US in regard to the Axis of Evil and outcast states and organizations supporting terrorism. As the Secretary of State she continued to work on the suppression of tyranny and it was h er, who developed the concept of ‘outposts of tyranny’, which were the major threat to democracy in the world. At the same time, she was and still is well-known as the political and just the world leader, who promotes the idea of democratization of the world as the way to the improvement of the quality of life of all people (Cunningham 184). Condoleezza Rice stands on the ground that despair and poverty are the major causes of sufferings of millions of people worldwide, but she believes that despair and poverty persist because of the lack of democracy and poor people control over governments.Thus, Barak Obama and Condoleezza Rice are two heroic figures of the 21st century, who belong to minority groups and who personifies the success and power to overcome social, cultural and racial barriers on their way to success. Moreover, they are not just successful people but they are the major proponents of the democratization of the world and elimination of racial, class and rel igious barriers between people worldwide.

A Quiz About Missing Connections

A Quiz About Missing Connections A Quiz About Missing Connections A Quiz About Missing Connections By Mark Nichol Writing is often compromised by a writer’s failure to think a sentence through to its logical conclusion. Often, along the way, a small but crucial word or phrase is omitted that leaves a gap in a parallel construction, thereby contributing to the reader’s confusion. In each sentence below, determine the missing element, then check my revisions at the bottom of the page to see how our solutions compare: 1. â€Å"The corporation runs hydropower plants from Maine to Montana.† 2. â€Å"Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.† 3. â€Å"If she could, she would travel to Saturn to see the rings as well as other galaxies to see if there is life elsewhere.† 4. â€Å"Remember the sixties dream of an entire meal served in a pill, like the Jetsons?† 5. â€Å"The practice field utilizes the same dirt on the warning track as the team’s home stadium.† Answers and Explanations 1. The impression is that the plants are somehow interconnected in a continuous string from one state to the next, rather than that the plants can be found in various states in and between the two states mentioned. Complete the thought with the addition of a phrase that clarifies that the plants are located intermittently and eliminates the possible misapprehension: â€Å"The corporation runs hydropower plants in many parts of the country, from Maine to Montana.† 2. The comparison should not be described as the one between Martinez’s potential and Sandy Koufax; it should be between the respective potentials of the two men. That distinction is clarified by the addition of two words that indicate the true parallel relationship: â€Å"Because Martinez was so young, it was natural to compare his potential with that of Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.† 3. As written, the sentence suggests that the subject desires to travel to Saturn to see two features the planets rings and other galaxies – both for the purposes of determining whether life exists elsewhere besides Earth. But the two things she wishes to experience are Saturn’s rings and other galaxies and only in the latter case because she’s curious about the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. This significant misunderstanding is due to one small but important omission: The sentence is missing a preposition before the reference to other galaxies that parallels the one before â€Å"Saturn to see the rings†: â€Å"If she could, she would travel to Saturn to see the rings, as well as to other galaxies to see if there is life elsewhere.† 4. This sentence implies that the Jetsons constituted an entire meal served in a pill. However, the writer is referring to a futuristic idea reminiscent of something that might have appeared, or perhaps did appear, in the 1960s animated television series The Jetsons referring to the program, not the family featured in it and that’s what the sentence should indicate: â€Å"Remember the sixties dream of an entire meal served in a pill, as in The Jetsons?† 5. The suggestion here is that the dirt on the warning track at the practice field is dug up and deposited in the home stadium and that it is shuttled back and forth repeatedly. What the writer means is that the dirt on the practice field’s warning track and the dirt on the home stadium’s warning track are from the same source. This fact must be explicated in such detail, including specifying that the dirt in question at the home stadium is to be found not just generally within the structure, but, more precisely, on its warning track: â€Å"The practice field utilizes the same type of dirt on the warning track as that found on the perimeter of the team’s home stadium.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Math or Maths?8 Types of Parenthetical Phrases5 Keys to Better Sentence Flow

Summary and evaluation writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary and evaluation writing - Essay Example Although, he admits that one may unintentionally omit some drawing aspects, he emphasizes on the essence of the incorporation of standard symbols and features when representing a source or a specific target. Goldschmidt ecucidates on how creative sketching can moderate the problem space by showing the representation behavior depicted in the sketches. While drawing has undergone evolution over the years with improvement of paper, Goldschmidt argues that it is recemmended for skilled sketchers to integrate orthogonal projections in their skecthes for complete representaion. Though a number of researcher suggest the benefits of imagery over sketches, Goldschmidt strongly disapproves this allegation. Concerning the beneficial aspect of skething on sharpening one’s creative imagination and reflective skills, I wholly support Goldschmidt. Though not every person or child may possess good skething skills or simply the passion as every individual has their innate capabilities. His ack nowlededgement of the fact that skething in a child improves over time to a detailed level is largely accurate as regular practice in sketching advances over time. However, I do not subscibe to the idea that emphasizes on the necessity of incorporating orthogonal projection as I strongly believe that each artist has their own way of enhancing their sketches. This takes me to the point that sketching is a liberated field and so every sketcher should do their own style. Lastly, I concur with Goldschmidt in emphasizing that sketches speak volumes as compared to imagery and they are easier to interpret. Although th use of imagery is crucial in creative writing, it is best suited for longer works besides involving some element of reading skills. Schon, D. 1983, ‘Design as a reflective conversation with the situation’, The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action, Basic Books, New York, pp. 76-104. Schon complains about the little attention that architecture has received over the years especially considering the fact that most design professions derive their foundation from architecture as field. He goes ahead to affirm how design can manifest as a reflective conversation more so in difficult and complex circumstances and situations. Schon categorically mentions in his article the close relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication, clearly depicting the essence of design as an architectural tool in eliminating language barrier. In reflecting the design aspects, Schon agrees that the shape plays an important role in architectural design as it forms silent reflective conversations with the subjects. Besides, he states the role of different shapes in as far as enhancing space is concerned. Schon claims that there are three dimensions attached to architectural design namely the consequences of the design sphere, the implications of the discovery, and the ability to respond to the situation. Schon argues that architectural desig n is crucial in solving problems of geometrical nature through critical and analytical reflection of the elements of design domain. I agree with Schon’s claim that architecture as the mother of all designs does not get the deserved acknowledgement in as far as

Sacrament of Reconciliation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Essay Example The Israelites were constantly reprimanded for their transgressions against God through the prophets. The reference about the sacrament of reconciliation can be seen in the history of the Israelites. They were the recipients of mercy and grace due to their covenant with God. Yet at the individual and community level, they would engage in wickedness and evil deeds. Thus there was a need for compromise and exoneration which was the right of the Israelites due to their special status. The New Testament enjoins kindness and mercy for all human beings irrespective of color, caste or creed. Jesus Christ proclaimed the liberation of humanity from sins through repentance and clemency. Faith is a powerful force that enables human beings to abstain from sin and wickedness. Such a state can be acquired only through grace, mercy, and affection. Thus it can be seen that the New Testament modifies the concept of repentance and forgiveness in numerous ways. The early Church devised a system of expi ation and atonement that was public in nature. An individual who had perpetrated a sin would have to offer penance through his outwardly actions and behaviors. Such individuals had to perform religious rites and rituals in a systematic manner. They had to engage in worship, charity, and abstain from worldly desires (Coffey, 67). The severity of sins would determine the number of years in which the individuals would complete their penance. The public system of atonement would lead to the ostracism of individuals as they were prevented from participating in Christian rituals. The system was harsh and ruthless since it exerted unnecessary burden on individuals. The system eventually met its demise through the reforms of Irish monks. The new system for expatiation and atonement was implemented at the private level. Further penance had to be completed until a specific time period. The Irish monks devised an

Ethanol production in Brazil may drive deforestation in Amazon Term Paper - 1

Ethanol production in Brazil may drive deforestation in Amazon - Term Paper Example Our extreme weather temperatures (heat waves and extreme cold temperatures), super typhoons, droughts, floods, and similar occurrences have all been traced back by scientists and other experts to global warming. Due to these concerns, efforts to cut back on fuel or oil use have also been conceptualized and strong support for the use of alternative sources of fuel has been suggested. One of these methods is the use of ethanol from sugarcane as an alternative fuel source. Ethanol can be blended with or used directly as fuel and its properties create less pollution and environmental damage. Ethanol is already being utilized in different countries, including Brazil, Scandinavia, United States, Germany, Japan, and New Zealand, among others and many car manufacturers have made the necessary adjustments and accommodations in their cars in order to ensure that they would run well on ethanol fuel (Peyton and Nalco, p. 298). The use of ethanol is however, not without its problems. Brazilâ€⠄¢s ethanol is mostly made from sugarcane and some environmentalists have pointed out that the growing demand for the fuel may push sugarcane growers into the Amazon. Hence, the global demand for ethanol may threaten the Amazon rain forest in Brazil, causing large scale deforestation of the area. This paper shall now discuss the negative impacts of the ethanol production in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. It shall also conceptualize possible solutions in order to alleviate these problems. Surveys reveal that from the years 1960 to 2007, the land area in Brazil planted with sugarcane increased from 1.4 million to 7 million hectares. With this increase in land cover for sugarcane plantations, the production of sugarcane also increased from 45 to 75 Mg/ha. Such an increase in productivity was caused by improved agricultural techniques and improved breeding programs (Martinelli and Filoso, p. 886). In recent years, the increase in

Principles of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Principles of management - Essay Example Megan needs to find out how CAR’s competitors are managing to sell their products at a lower price than CAR. Increase in the need of research and innovation A major problem of the CAR’s products is that they are getting comparatively outdated whereas the customers are looking for latest and innovative designs and features. Change management Last but not the least, Megan needs to manage any change that she makes to deal with the aforementioned challenges so that the strategies she develops are appropriately implemented and yield favorable results. Theoretical analysis Motivation of the employees is one of the most fundamental drivers of their performance at work as well as retention (Sandhya and Kumar, 2011, p. 1778). According to the Employee Retention Model, organizations need to understand what the employees like and what they do not like in order to retain them (Howatt, n.d., p. 5). While employees differ in what they like and dislike, an organization should address the needs of the masses; the most important needs and concerns that must be addressed at priority are the ones that are common. Once things have been adjusted in the big picture, it becomes practicable and more convenient as well to address the needs and concerns of individual employees. ... on of the word competition, competition means â€Å"[r]ivalry in the market, striving for custom between those who have the same commodities to dispose of† (Newman, 1989, p. 3). In this sense, a perfect competitor actually does not do any competition. The strive for custom is the action of competing and is a dynamic process. A firm that is perfectively competitive accepts the market price passively rather than paying heed toward what the rest of the companies are doing in the industry. There is an assumption of the rivalry in the market in all cases. On the other hand, the new models of game theory visualize competition as a strategic decision-making process that is under uncertainty. These models depict the engagement of firms and people in competition. For instance, â€Å"an important aspect of competition neglected in the models of perfect competition is the public revelation of private information held by individuals† (McAfee and McMillan, 1996). Solution for Employ ee retention Megan needs to conduct a survey to obtain the employees’ views on what are their expectations from the organization, what their needs are, and what aspects of the organization are disliked by them. Apparently, the case study suggests that the biggest problem is with the sales department, so Megan should start over with the sales department first because conducting a survey of an organization with 3500 members is quite time-consuming and taxing. Megan should identify the common needs and areas of concern and do the needful to address them at the earliest. Some of the ways in which Megan might be able to easily address their needs and concerns include providing the employees with team building trainings, increasing recognition, carrying out the culture inventory of the organization, and

Summarize Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summarize - Essay Example Zaltman’s Theory and the Development of Zaltman Elicitation Technique (ZMET): â€Å"People give us only what we give them the opportunity to provide.† (Zaltman). Because of his marketing experience and interdisciplinary background, Zaltman was able to apply the idea that people respond with what is below the surface of language, thinking in pictures and memories when deciding what it is they want. He used his study in Nepal to support his theory, saying â€Å"Everything we see hides something else we want to see.† (Zaltman). With that in mind, he moved from the University of Pittsburgh in 1991, to Harvard Business School, where funding was provided for him to set up his ZMET site and staff it appropriately. ZMET â€Å"combines neurobiology, psychoanalysis, linguistics and art theory† (Pink, 1998) to bring out what people really feel about a product. Once this is established, then sellers have an additional, creative marketing tool. The example of the Nestl e Crunch Bar is a good illustration. The chocolate showed up as a metaphor for ‘time’, as the images provided related to the simple, easy-going days of childhood. The product brought back happy memories; this was the metaphor the ZMET process turned up. The same test discovered women’s feelings about wearing panty hose, that dogs were a metaphor for safety and security and that executives identified ‘customer-focused’ as â€Å"having integrity, caring about customers in an authentic way, being a company worthy of trust.† (Pink, 1998). Application: Zaltman’s projects are treated as individual tests, which have consistently delivered â€Å"metaphor-based insights† (Zaltman) He believed that the technique is not going to solve every problem for every company but that it does provide a creative addition to other market research processes. He pointed out that in the final analysis, it is up to managers to

Principles of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Principles of management - Essay Example Megan needs to find out how CAR’s competitors are managing to sell their products at a lower price than CAR. Increase in the need of research and innovation A major problem of the CAR’s products is that they are getting comparatively outdated whereas the customers are looking for latest and innovative designs and features. Change management Last but not the least, Megan needs to manage any change that she makes to deal with the aforementioned challenges so that the strategies she develops are appropriately implemented and yield favorable results. Theoretical analysis Motivation of the employees is one of the most fundamental drivers of their performance at work as well as retention (Sandhya and Kumar, 2011, p. 1778). According to the Employee Retention Model, organizations need to understand what the employees like and what they do not like in order to retain them (Howatt, n.d., p. 5). While employees differ in what they like and dislike, an organization should address the needs of the masses; the most important needs and concerns that must be addressed at priority are the ones that are common. Once things have been adjusted in the big picture, it becomes practicable and more convenient as well to address the needs and concerns of individual employees. ... on of the word competition, competition means â€Å"[r]ivalry in the market, striving for custom between those who have the same commodities to dispose of† (Newman, 1989, p. 3). In this sense, a perfect competitor actually does not do any competition. The strive for custom is the action of competing and is a dynamic process. A firm that is perfectively competitive accepts the market price passively rather than paying heed toward what the rest of the companies are doing in the industry. There is an assumption of the rivalry in the market in all cases. On the other hand, the new models of game theory visualize competition as a strategic decision-making process that is under uncertainty. These models depict the engagement of firms and people in competition. For instance, â€Å"an important aspect of competition neglected in the models of perfect competition is the public revelation of private information held by individuals† (McAfee and McMillan, 1996). Solution for Employ ee retention Megan needs to conduct a survey to obtain the employees’ views on what are their expectations from the organization, what their needs are, and what aspects of the organization are disliked by them. Apparently, the case study suggests that the biggest problem is with the sales department, so Megan should start over with the sales department first because conducting a survey of an organization with 3500 members is quite time-consuming and taxing. Megan should identify the common needs and areas of concern and do the needful to address them at the earliest. Some of the ways in which Megan might be able to easily address their needs and concerns include providing the employees with team building trainings, increasing recognition, carrying out the culture inventory of the organization, and

Resource and Talent Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Resource and Talent Planning - Essay Example Table of Contents 1.Introduction 4 2.The War for Talent 5 3.Factors affecting the War for Talent 6 4.Talent Management during Economic Downturns 7 4.1 Recruitment and Selection 8 4.2 Training and Development 9 4.3 Talent Retention 10 5.Conclusion 11 1. Introduction The war for talent has been as a result of an expanding global economy. This is because it has led to increased competition for talent around the globe. During times of slow economic growth or unusual economic crisis, management of talent remains a critical issue for organisations. This is because during such times, companies stand to lose valuable talents among their employees, if not careful. In order to succeed in the competitive global marketplace, organisations need to manage talent. Lockwood defines talent management as the application of systems created to improve productivity in the workplace or unified approaches by establishing better methods for inviting, cultivating, maintaining and deploying individuals with t he essential skills and abilities to fulfil present and forthcoming business needs (2006). It is a fact that the greatest challenge companies’ face in managing their work force is developing and retaining talent. Just like the rest of the world, talent management is constantly progressing. Different other factors also come into play in the effort to manage talent within organisations. These include partnerships, global development, and the economy that is constantly changing (Lockwood, 2006). At the centre of talent management is the belief that talent begins from the bottom of organisations and is present in individuals at all levels, and therefore everyone ought to be considered. The war for talent is influenced by factors such as increased movement of people across the globe, irreversible changes to cultures, skills and business environments, economic and demographic trends across the globe, and diversity, which all lead to competition for labour and labour shortages in or ganisations. To counter this, especially during times of slow economic growth, organisations focus on recruiting top talent, training and developing talent, and retaining good employees as discussed in this paper. 2. The War for Talent The term ‘The War for Talent’ was created by McKinsey & Company in 1997. During the time that this term came to being, many organisations had been experiencing the phenomenon associated with it, but they could not fully express it. According to Michaels, Handfield-Jones and Axelrod, â€Å"the economy was burning white hot in the late 1990s and companies were scrambling to hire and retain the people they needed† (2001, p. 1). During this time, organisations were offering substantial bonuses for those who signed contracts with them, highly qualifies employees were being headhunted before they even settled in their new jobs and majority of them were asking for salary increments barely three months after joining organisations (Michaels , Handfield-Jones and Axelrod, 2001). Companies experienced shortages for qualified employees to fill crucial positions, while those that were esteemed with such talents, such as consulting firms and

A Spatial Median Filter for Noise Removal in Digital Images Essay Example for Free

A Spatial Median Filter for Noise Removal in Digital Images Essay With each snap of a digital photograph, a signal is transmitted from photon sensor to a memory chip embedded inside a camera. Transmission technology is prone to a degree of error, and noise is added to each photograph. Signi? cant work has been done in both hardware and software to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in digital photography. In software, a smoothing ? lter is used to remove noise from an image. Each pixel is represented by three scalar values representing the red, green, and blue chromatic intensities. At each pixel studied, a smoothing ? lter takes into account the surrounding pixels to derive a more accurate version of this pixel. By taking neighboring pixels into consideration, extreme â€Å"noisy† pixels can be replaced. However, outlier pixels may represent uncorrupted ? ne details, which may be lost due to the smoothing process. This paper examines four common smoothing algorithms and introduces a new smoothing algorithm. These algorithms can be applied to one-dimensional as well as two-dimensional signals. Figure 1. Examples of common ? ltering approaches. (a) Original Image (b) Mean Filtering (c) Median Filtering (d) Root Signal of Median Filtering (e) Component wise Median Filtering (f) Vector Median Filtering. The simplest of these algorithms is the Mean Filter as de? ned in (1). The Mean Filter is a linear ? lter which uses a mask over each pixel in the signal. Each of the components of the pixels which fall under the mask are averaged together to form a single pixel. This new pixel is then used to replace the pixel in the signal studied. The Mean Filter is poor at maintaining edges within the image. 1 N ? xi N i=1 MEANFILT ER(x1 , , xN ) = (1) The use of the median in signal processing was ? rst introduced by J. W. Tukey [1]. When ? ltering using the Simple Median Filter, an original pixel and the resulting ? ltered pixel of the sample studied are sometimes the same pixel. A pixel that does not change due to ? ltering is known as the root of the mask. It can be shown that after suf? cient iterations of median ? ltering, every signal converges to a root signal [2]. The Component Median Filter, de? ned in (3), also relies on the statistical median concept. In the Simple Median Filter, each point in the signal is converted to a single magnitude. In the Component Median Filter each scalar component is treated independently. A ? lter mask is placed over a point in the signal. For each component of each point under the mask, a single median component is determined. These components are then combined to form a new point, which is then used to represent the point in the signal studied. When working with color images, however, this ? lter regularly outperforms the Simple Median Filter. When noise affects a point in a grayscale image, the result is called â€Å"salt and pepper† noise. In color images, this property of â€Å"salt and pepper† noise is typical of noise models where only one scalar value of a point is affected.

Nuclear Energy in France and Germany

Nuclear Energy in France and Germany Brach Hadean Nuclear Energy Germany vs. France Nuclear energy and its validity in today’s world is a topic that stirs much debate and everyone seems to have an opinion on the issue, but who is correct? When considering Europe, France and Germany are on complete opposite ends of the nuclear spectrum. Germany believes the complete shutdown of nuclear derived power is necessary for a safe and prosperous country. France, on the other hand, opt for a pro nuclear stance. I intend to compare and contrast both countries views regarding nuclear energy and hopefully reach an effective conclusion. Brief History-Then and Now Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, numerous atomic reactors are raised for producing power, utilizing diagrams amazingly like those made for the submarines. These outlines work well and produce economical, emanation free power with low mining and transportation impact. An atomic fueled future is envisioned by many people. In 1974, France chose to make an expansive push for atomic vitality, and wound up with 75 percent of their power from atomic reactors. The US fabricated 104 reactors, and obtained 20 percent of its power from them. In time, work deficiencies and development postponements began driving the expense of atomic reactors up, decelerating their development. The 1979 Three Mile Island setback and the 1986 Chernobyl mishap further postponed the sending of atomic reactors. Choking regulations brought costs higher. 1986 testing demonstrate that advanced designs(other than the ones initially used to make submarines) might be extensively more secure. In 94, the Megatons to Megawatts settlement with Russia is marked to down-mix atomic warheads into reactor fuel. Inevitably, 10% of US power originates from disassembled atomic weapons. In the late 1990s and 2000s, the sensational well being record of the US reactor armada (0 casualties) and smooth operation of reactors consolidated with continuous stresses of worldwide environmental change because of carbon emanations realizes generous talk of an atomic renaissance, where new developments may begin once more. Then, solid enthusiasm toward Asia reinforces and yearning arrangements to fabricate vast armadas are made to fulfill developing vitality needs without including more fossil fuel. On March, 2011, a vast seismic tremor and wave immerse the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi. Reinforcement diesel generators come up short and the fuel rods cant be cooled. Fuel dissolves, hydrogen develops and explodes. Radiation is discharged, yet much of it goes out to the ocean rather than into populated zones. No individuals anticipated deaths from the radiation dosage. Nuclear power is at the end of the day considered a popular option, despite the dismissal it was met with in the 1970s. This is on the grounds that its presently being touted as an environmentally advantageous solution since it transmits far less greenhouse gasses during power generation than coal or other conventional plants. It is generally acknowledged as somewhat perilous, conceivably dangerous, yet reasonable way of creating power. Radiation isnt easily managed, particularly in atomic waste and upkeep materials, and large capital are required to hold, control, and shield both individuals and nature from its mischief. FRANCE Frances decision to launch a large nuclear program dates back to 1973 and the events in the Middle East that they refer to as the oil shock. The quadrupling of the price of oil by OPEC nations was indeed a shock for France because at that time most of its electricity came from oil burning plants. France had and still has very few natural energy resources. It has no oil, no gas and her coal resources are very poor and virtually exhausted. Frances choice to dispatch an extensive atomic system goes once again to the 1970s and the events in the Middle East that they allude to as the oil shock. The quadrupling of the cost of oil by OPEC countries was undoubtedly a stun for France in light of the fact that around that time a large portion of its power hailed from oil burning factories. France had and still has very few assets. It has no oil, no gas and its coal assets are exceptionally poor and essentially depleted. Policy makers saw one route for France to accomplish its energy independence: atomic energy, a wellspring of energy so effective that a couple of pounds of fissionable uranium is all the fuel required to run a huge city for a year. Arrangements were made to present the most exhaustive national atomic energy program ever. Throughout the following 15 years France introduced 56 atomic reactors, fulfilling its energy needs and actually sending out power to other European nations. As mentioned earlier, there were a few challenges in the early 70s, however from that point forward the atomic system has been famous and amazingly non disputable. A piece of their popularity comes from the way that researchers and scientists have a much higher status in France than in America. A lot of high positioned civil servants and government authorities studied science and engineering (instead of lawyers, as in the United States). French officials have worked to get individuals to learn the benefits of atomic energy and additionally the dangers. Lustrous TV campaigns fortify the connection between nuclear power and the power that makes advanced life conceivable. plant technicians request individuals take tours, an offer that six million French individuals have completed. Today, atomic energy is a commonplace thing in France. Conversely. The Fukushima disaster led many countries to rethink their view on nuclear energy. Germany plans to abandon it altogether, but French President Francois Hollande also wants to cut nuclear output sharply by a third in 20 years. Its a big ask in a country that now relies on nuclear for 75% of its electricity. If fully implemented, the pledge would force the closure of up to 20 of the countrys 58 reactors according to Professor Laurence Tubiana a former government adviser who the president asked to facilitate a national debate, paving the way for what they call la transition energetique. This would be a huge step, but Tubiana describes it as a logical evolution. France realized that Japan had survived economically when all its atomic power stations were shut down because of its diverse energy mix. In Japan, before the disaster, nuclear power delivered about 30% of the countrys electricity, but France is hugely dependent not only on nuclear, but on a single generation of nuclear power stations.† -BBC News Magazine Nuclear Power in France France derives over 75% of its electricity from nuclear energy. This is due to a long-standing policy based on energy security. France is the worlds largest net exporter of electricity due to its very low cost of generation, and gains over EUR 3 billion per year from this. France has been very active in developing nuclear technology. Reactors and fuel products and services are a major export. It is building its first Generation III reactor. About 17% of Frances electricity is from recycled nuclear fuel. Germany Germanys choice to kill the utilization of nuclear energy has been connected with the Fukushima disaster, to the point where it is frequently been viewed as sudden and hasty. Be that as it may, Germany has been debating the utilization of atomic energy for quite some time and its recent choice is just a step, but a huge one, on a long road. Subsequently, to completely comprehend the nations recent choice, it is important to grasp the historical backdrop of Germanys atomic energy program and the powerful debate that existed inside the nation throughout the decades paving the way to this choice. Germanys nuclear program started in the late 1950s, and the first plants opened in the 1960s. Whats more just a couple of years after the opening of the first commercial atomic power plant, the opposition to atomic developments made its appearance through protests. The primary episode of note happened in the 1970s, when neighborhood gatherings figured out how to stem the development of a plant in Whyl through civil rebellion. There were numerous critics of the utilization of force by the local authority against the dissenters, bringing significantly more consideration regarding the problem at hand. The impending choice to drop the development of the plant served as a jump start for the formation of anti-atomic gatherings in Germany. Then again, over the accompanying years not all developments were as fruitful. Germanys biggest protest to nuclear energy, which occurred in 1981 united many demonstrators to protest against the development of a nuclear plant in Brokdorf. The plant was built and is still in operation. It is planned to stay in operation for a long time to come. Around 1975 and 1987 there were a couple of small mishaps in the German plants. Some of these mishaps contaminated nearby areas, radiation discharge, open flames and harm to plants. Furthermore, while numerous individuals were, at that point, worried about the safety of atomic energy plants even before these mishaps, dread of nuclear energy was seriously increased by the Chernobyl plant explosion in 1986. The mishap had a substantial effect on Germany, defiling numerous zones with radiation, debilitating the populaces prosperity and additionally the wellbeing of water and nourishment supplies. These impacts gave new strength to hostile anti-atomic groups in Germany and around the globe. None the less, vast scale catastrophes(Chernobyl) were not Germanys sole concern. Atomic waste had previously been a worry beginning in the 1950s. In 1977, a proposition had been made to utilize salt mines in the city of Gorleben as a hold for atomic waste, yet arguments broke out and the arrangement was surrendered. But, the area is as of now being utilized as interval stockpiling and there are continuous rallys when waste is brought to the area. Numerous people contended that the expense and the danger connected with waste were reason enough to not put resources into atomic energy in Germany, yet the nation still kept utilizing its atomic energy plants. By 2002, 19 atomic energy plants were in operation in Germany, while the nation stayed reliant on transitory waste stockpiling locales and dispatched atomic material to Britain and France. By 2005, Germany quit delivery abroad yet at the same time had only temporary stockpiling sites With the opposition to atomic development exhibiting a solid resistance, Germanys atomic energy system wavered for many years. Two reactors were erected in 1991, but failed to stay open squandering colossal amounts of cash. The thought of moving from atomic energy had been authoritatively exhibited in 1980 by a German Commission. The Green party, which contradicted the utilization of atomic energy from the onset, popped up around the same time and immediately picked up space inside German governmental issues. The gathering first won seats in the commission in 1983 and, in 1998, with the Schrà ¶der organization, it was advertised that Germany would move away from atomic energy and capital would be funneled towards renewable energy. After the tragedy in Japan, Germany under the helm of Chancellor Merkel made an abrupt change in policy and implemented a complete phaseout away from nuclear energy in 2011 speeding up Schrà ¶ders policy in 2000. But, while the German public can hardly be accused of panicking, Chancellor Merkel certainly did. Had she merely continued the previous nuclear phaseout and decided to maintain patience, the effects might not have been so detrimental. Nuclear Power in Germany Germany until March 2011 obtained one quarter of its electricity from nuclear energy, using 17 reactors. The figure is now about 18%. A coalition government formed after the 1998 federal elections had the phasing out of nuclear energy as a feature of its policy. With a new government in 2009, the phase-out was canceled, but then reintroduced in 2011, with eight reactors shut down immediately. The cost of attempting to replace nuclear power with renewables is estimated by the government to amount to some EUR 1 trillion without any assurance of a reliable outcome, and with increasing reliance on coal. Public opinion in Germany remains ambivalent and at present does not support building new nuclear plants. More than half of Germany’s electricity was generated from coal in the first half of 2013, compared with 43% in 2010. Germany has some of the lowest wholesale electricity prices in Europe and some of the highest retail prices, due to its energy policies. German nuclear power units Plant Type MWe (net) Commercial operation Operator Provisionally scheduled shut-down 2001 2010 agreed shut-down March 2011 shutdown May 2011 closure plan Biblis A PWR 1167 2/1975 RWE 2008 2016 shutdown Neckarwestheim 1 PWR 785 12/1976 EnBW 2009 2017 shutdown Brunsbà ¼ttel BWR 771 2/1977 Vattenfall 2009 2018 shutdown Biblis B PWR 1240 1/1977 RWE 2011 2018 shutdown Isar 1 BWR 878 3/1979 E.ON 2011 2019 shutdown Unterweser PWR 1345 9/1979 E.ON 2012 2020 shutdown Phillipsburg 1 BWR 890 3/1980 EnBW 2012 2026 shutdown Kruemmel BWR 1260 3/1984 Vattenfall 2016 2030 shutdown Total shut down (8) 8336 Grafenrheinfeld PWR 1275 6/1982 E.ON 2014 2028 end 2015 Gundremmingen B BWR 1284 4/1984 RWE 2016 2030 2017 Gundremmingen C BWR 1288 1/1985 RWE 2016 2030 2021 Grohnde PWR 1360 2/1985 E.ON 2017 2031 2021 Phillipsburg 2 PWR 1392 4/1985 EnBW 2018 2032 2019 Brokdorf PWR 1370 12/1986 E.ON 2019 2033 2021 Isar 2 PWR 1400 4/1988 E.ON 2020 2034 2022 Emsland PWR 1329 6/1988 RWE 2021 2035 2022 Neckarwestheim 2 PWR 1305 4/1989 EnBW 2022 2036 2022 Total operating (9) 12,003 Total (17) 20,339 MWe Conclusion â€Å"Politics is the art of the possible, said Bismarck, the first German Chancellor. His present-day successor, Angela Merkel, knows perfectly well that her decision to phase out all nuclear power stations by 2022 makes no scientific or economic sense. In fact, she said so herself as recently as two months ago, when she promised that Germany would not let itself be rushed into abandoning nuclear power by the Fukushima accident in Japan.†- the telegraph This quote says it all..I believe Germany panicked into phasing out all nuclear energy by 2022. Too many German citizens protested against a nuclear future following the Fukushima explosion relying on emotions from the past and allowed it to cloud their judgment. Relying solely on renewable energy is a bad idea in my opinion. Studies have suggested that it will be extremely detrimental to the environment with the current technologies. France, on the other hand, is headed in the right direction but seems shortsighted and naive about the future. France, Germany and other countries should be looking at alternative nuclear reactors such as: the Integral Fast Reactor. The Integral Fast Reactor is a plant that has been in the staging phase for a considerable length of time. In any case it has yet to be assembled, stating that it requires large amounts of capital. While it is expensive, this fourth era atomic plant would be far more secure than what we have now, and would be powered totally from the waste of current atomic plants. Fast Reactors would burn 99% of their fuel and create minimal harmful waste. Our current renewable energy plan is not viable considering it would require the further degradation of the atmosphere by way of coal burning to implement it. Also, it will cost much more to maintain than the Fast Reactors would. Sources Pandoras Promise, 2013 documentary by: Robert Stone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUdhHEtIsRw http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25674581 http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/country-profiles/countries-g-n/germany/ http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Countries-A-F/France/ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-16/germany-abandons-nuclear-power-and-lives-to-talk-about-it.html http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-14/2014-outlook-germanys-green-energy-switch http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/8546608/Why-Germany-said-no-to-nuclear-power.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13597303 http://video.ft.com/960910465001/Post-Fukushima-Germany-dumps-nuclear/World http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2006/04/nuclear-power/did-you-know-learn

Religious Fanaticism :: essays research papers

An Analysis of Moliere’s Satirization of Social Issues A man, or rather a demon in flesh and inhabited as a man, the most notably impious creature and libertine who ever lived throughout the centuries, has had the impiety and abomination to bring forth from his devilish mind a play [Tartuffe]…He deserves for this sacrilegious and impious act…to be burned at the stake as a foretaste of the fires of hell. Pierre Roulle (1664) Moliere lived a life surrounded by controversy. After renouncing his position of Valet de Chambre Tapissier to pursue his acting career, Moliere formed a theater performance troupe called “The Illustrious Theater'; with his mistress’s family, the Bejarts. The troupe struggled for two years before collapsing in 1645 under the weight of massive debts. Moliere was soon arrested for bankruptcy. After bail was posted he fled from France with Madeline Bejart. Moliere returned to France some time later after his father paid his debts. He soo n married Armande Bejart, either the sister or daughter of his first mistress, Madeline. His enemies charged him with incest. Not only his personal life, but his plays as well were considered subjects of controversy. Many were considered blasphemous. Tartuffe, for example, was forbidden from being performed for five years. Controversy followed Moliere right up to the day he died, when he was refused burial in the local cemetery because his remains would offend the sacred ground. Moliere thereby left the world in as agitated a manner as in which he had lived (Hobdell 102-105.) Comedies, of which Tartuffe is an example, aggressively satirize issues and relationships communities care the most about. The purpose of this essay is to identify these situations, as found in Tartuffe, and to illustrate how they were important to the society for which it was written. By examining misuse of religion, destruction of paternal authority, and the corruption of the guest-host relationship, I will d emonstrate the ways in which these satirized issues were considered threats to society. A person who misuses religion has always been considered somewhat of a threat to society. During the 1600’s, when Tartuffe was written, this was especially true. Tartuffe, before his character is actually revealed, is discussed by the other characters as feigning his piety—“You imagine he’s a saint but, believe me, he’s nothing more than a hypocrite!'; While all the other family members can see Tartuffe is a fake, Orgon refuses to believe it.

Social Trends In Art

Art is something which can be analyzed to give deeper insight as to the common values and beliefs shared by the members of a certain society. Regardless of the place of origin or the time period of a form of art, it will always be a reflection of the social structure in which it’s creator/s lived. However, the way the artist perceives the culture common to his time period is very relative. People pertaining to a higher social class had different values and ideologies than members of a lower class. This different view of life can be seen very clearly in individual forms of art such as painting and music. These specific forms of artistic expression required very little money, thus could be exercised by anyone including members of a lower class. Other forms of art such as architecture and sculpture required more money and in most cases wealthy patrons such as kings or queens. Architecture also required large numbers of workers which often made it hard to see any individual influence in the design, however showed the collective ideology of all of the people involved. The cost of labor and materials was also so great that very affluent members of society were needed to financially support the whole process. Sculpture was also an artistry that required great amounts of material and labor. This resulted in a more normative form of art which portrayed societal aspects in a way that was of interest to the financial backers. By studying both popular and normative art together it is possible to obtain a greater perspective on a specific culture. Outside influences from other countries can also affect the art and the artists of a certain society. As a country sees more and more immigrants from a certain area, the art will begin to reflect the ideologies these outsiders bring in with them. This same change can be seen more drastically in the case of an invasion. The architecture would change drastically, since it is normative art and the new rulers would enforce their own norms and rules. The painting would also change, however less drastically than more official forms of art. This more gradual change could be attributed to the individuals of the country who still retained the old values and customs. These same influences on art would take place if nobility of another country married into the royal family, and was then given heir to the throne. The change would be just as drastic, but departure from old ideologies would be encouraged instead of enforced. In the case of Arab influence in Spain during the eighth century, it was not an invasion rather a gradual settling of this other culture in Spain’s borders. The change was brought about by the affect this outside influence had on the people of Spain. The new ideas and forms of artistic expression were exciting and intriguing to Spaniards, and eventually they adopted these ideas as their own. The change was seen in all forms of art, especially in the new arches and vivid colors used in Arabic architecture. Any time a new way of life makes itself present in a society, it has an affect on the art. Usually this change is seen mostly in architecture and sculpture, while painting follows behind. The two cultures can also mix together and give rise to a new form of hybrid artistic expression. This mixing of ideas and beliefs is usually most evident in places were the people are trying to choose between the new popular culture, and the old beliefs and values of the country. Painting of a certain society can be analyzed either technically or with the purpose of discovering its meaning. It’s the second which should be used in order to give a better idea of the philosophies of a certain group of people. The background of the painting is always very important when studying a painting. The landscape or buildings behind the main focus of the painting can give an idea of where the artist is from. Many times the artist will use a background which doesn’t pertain to the actual painting to show loyalty to his place of birth. This occurred mostly with painters who moved from their home country to live elsewhere and ended up painting in the same style as the other artists in his new country. If the background is painted in a very refined way and contains very elegant features than it can be deduced that the society at that time gave importance to these features. If it is painted very realistically, not showing much attention to beauty, then portraying the scene in a sincere way is probably the author’s primary objective. The subject of a painting is also a very important factor when examining its social influences. In cultures where religion governs every aspect of life, the painting will reflect these beliefs. In any society run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church the only theme used in painting is that of Christianity. This art is known as committed art, and the most common subjects in painting are the Virgin Mary and Jesus. In a society where the paintings are mostly of mythological events and people, it can be deduced that the church is not the most important part of life. Returning to ancient Greek and Roman ideals is more important to this culture than the Catholic Church. Many times art will show common people participating in everyday activities. This type of painting is done by popular artists who have more of an interest in the lower class than the higher class. Many of the artists who depicted this lifestyle were more popular than normative artists, however didn’t receive the same attention from the critics. By looking at the techniques used in paintings it is evident which qualities were seen as more important to art. If the society views color and the overall impression of the painting as the most important aspect, than these techniques will stand out the most. If lines and realism are more important than these aspects will be emphasized in the painting. These trends are often parallel to the social trends which accompany them. If a certain culture believes that reason and straight thinking are the guidelines of life, then these qualities will be reflected in the painting. However, if feelings and the human soul are more important, than the paintings will be less realistic and more emotional. Likewise if a society sees religion as something to be painted with respect, the figures are more likely to be shown idealistically. For instance if the Virgin Mary is always portrayed as young and beautiful, then this shows the society’s respect and admiration for this religious figure. However a different culture could believe in realism as more important and portray Christ on the cross in a gruesome, instead of peaceful, manner. Architecture is the form of art most representative of a certain cultural period. It doesn’t allow for as much individual expression as sculpture or painting because of the number of people involved. While only one or two people design the building, hundreds of people help make this design reality. The designers also had to please the people who gave them the money for supplies and manpower. This made it hard for an architect to show much individual expression. Often times the architecture of a time period is very similar throughout a certain area. The churches are all built in a certain style, as are any official buildings. The architecture very rarely strays from this style since all of it is made to please the same people. This, although sometimes monotonous, makes architecture a unifying force for a specific society. When people see a certain building they know what that building is used for and what that style of architecture signifies. It is also possible to examine architecture and find out more about the society from which it originated. The institutions hailed as important by that society are often built in the official style while other buildings are not. Also, these institutions are often housed in the biggest, most elaborate buildings. Much like painting, the social trends of the time period are often portrayed in architecture. The period of Enlightenment where reason governed most actions, the buildings were built rationally and ever structure served a purpose. The baroque period gave rise to buildings which closely resembled the attitude of the people: the more adornments, the better. Sculpture is a form of art which was often found on buildings as a decoration, or as part of the architecture. Most of the time it was used to portray religious figures in a narrative on the front of a church. The altars inside the church were also made up of mostly small sculptures of religious figures and people. Official sculpture can be found of kings and queens and other important people of the society. Sculpture is helpful in analyzing society partly because it shows a culture’s view of the human body. A culture with an interest in the human body is more likely to show the person nude, and use great detail in the artwork. Sculpture also shows what symbols or figures were representative of a society, and how that society used this symbolism in their art. Music is a form of art that is very individual in nature, and because of this is very diverse. There can be many types of music in a certain society, however, the most popular songs will be those that embody the ideas and beliefs of the common people. Music’s availability to almost everyone makes it a very popular art form. Someone could make an instrument out of just about anything they could lay their hands on. Singing doesn’t even require an instrument, just a voice and some artistic talent. Courtly forms of music show the lifestyles of the rich, affluent members of society, while popular music illustrated that of the common man. Since all of these forms of art are products of society, the driving force behind them are the normative and popular views of life at the time. Although individual expression is always important for any artist, his art won’t appeal to the people if it isn’t representative of society. This makes art a constant reflection of social trends, whether they be those of common man or those of the king and queen. Studying art can prove helpful in analyzing a specific culture or society because embodies the ideology of the nation.