Saturday, August 31, 2019

Patterns in Religion Adherence Essay

Patterns in religious adherence have been steadily changing since the 1947 Australian census. The most noticeable difference is in the constant drop in the number of people that identify themselves as belonging to the Anglican church- an average of 2% every 5 years. In 1947 39% of the entire population claimed to be Anglican and by 2011 that number declined to 17.1%. Although Christianity is still the most popular religion in Australia the overall number of adherents has dropped from 88% to 63%. After World war 2, Australia saw an increase in many denominations in Christianity. More traditional churches such as the uniting church and the Presbyterian and reformed churches all experienced a downturn, losing 14.9% and 11.7%. The newer Pentecostal movement gained momentum with a 25.7% increase since 1996. Catholic, Baptist and orthodox churches also saw significant increase and gained 6.8%, 7.3% and 9.5% respectively. In Australia, 1947, 0.5% claimed to belong to a religion other than Christianity, but in 2006 increased to 5.6%. Buddhism 2.1% Hinduism 0.7%, Islam 1.7% Judaism 0.4% and other religions 0.5%. Hinduism was the fastest growing religion with a rate of 120.2% Buddhism and Islam also grew quickly. The other religions category rose 58.8% (includes spiritualism, wicca and Swedenborg) Judaism gained 11.3% which is smaller than the other religion but still significant and Australian aboriginal traditional religion had a decrease losing 29% between 1996 and 2001. Immigration has been the most dramatic effect leading to an increase in some groups and the decline of other. Other reasons are the movement from one denomination to another, seeking answers in new religious or spiritual movements and an increase in those who acknowledge that they have no religion. Besides Israel Australia has taken in more immigrants (relative existing population) than any other country in the world. Because of this there are now 14 orthodox denominations in Australia and more Eastern Catholic churches to cater for a wider range of ethnic communities. The national church life survey (surveys conducted in major churches in Australia) shows some of the reasons for the increases and decreases in Christian denominations, these being attenders switching from other denominations, decreasing their attendance or stopping attending completely, people attending for the first time or after an absence of a number of years, the birth of children often encourages them to come back and death. Pentecostal churches have the most amount of people switching into their denomination as well as the most amount of people drifting away or switching again. New age religions were also among the fastest growing faiths in the 2001 census increasing by 140% in the 5 years since 1996. Hinduism was not noted in 1947 but in the 1996 census Hinduism had taken 0.4% of adherents from a religion other than Christianity, by 2001 it had grown to 0.5%, 2006- 0.7% and 2011- 1.3%. The decline of the â€Å"White Australia† policy in the 1970’s meant it became easier for migration from a greater range of ethnic groups. Immigration from Asia (India, Malaysia and Indonesia) and the Middle East (particularly Lebanon, Iraq and Iran) has extended Hinduism. Overseas wars and persecution have led to waves of immigration from affected areas for example Lebanon in the 1980’s, which led to an increase in Hinduism in Australia. Many Hindus where also brought to Australia from India by the British to work on cotton and sugar plantations. Hinduism is the fastest growing religion and the fastest since 2006, increasing from 148,130 to 275,534 accounting for 1.3% of religions other than Christianity. This may not be only from immigration from countries where Hinduism is prominent but also because of Australians curiosity and need to experience different things. Hinduism focuses on polytheism meaning they worship many deities, but some Hindu’s describe it as one god in many different forms, some people may have been beginning to search for something other than Christianity and the basics of it, so Hinduism became more popular as a way for people to experience a wider array on how to live life in accordance to religion. Hinduism accepts the existence of all religions; it allowed people to express their spirituality. It may have also been the diversity of the Hindu beliefs that interested Australians, and played a part in its rapid growth.

Analysis on death of the moth by Virginia Woolf Essay

The passage â€Å"The Death of the Moth† has been excerpted from Virginia Woolf’s (1882-1941) collection of essays and published one year after her death. Throughout this particular passage, she symbolizes a moth and its insignificance yet contribution to nature, along with her views on life and death. She skillfully elaborates about this moth, providing information that reveals it is much more noteworthy than it is treated. She begins her writing with a general idea of moths, and although the sentence â€Å"they are hybrid creatures, neither gay like butterflies nor somber like their own† is written in a factual manner, it is actually not a fact; it is her method of expressing that moths are unique individuals, not completely like butterflies and not completely like their own kind. Virginia’s purpose of displaying it in this factually manner is to verify the strength of her belief in this phrase. The moth was trapped and put so much effort into retrieving its freedom that she felt a slight sense of pity for the trapped moth. Nevertheless, she still watches it without reacting to aid it. As she watches it, she realizes the moth has not given up yet, as if it has plenty to strive for. Woolf describes the moth as â€Å"pathetic†, since it was battling against the inevitable and was in pain because of the profound effort that seemed unworthy in her eyes. We see that with numeral examples from this essay, Virginia carefully chooses her style of writing and literary devices to make her writing effective, detailed, and emotionally expressive. It is difficult to understand what exactly motivates her to write like this, and how exactly it reflects her reason for suicide, but there are still many interpretations. She did, however, persistently mention her fascination by the creature, as it had so much determination to live, thrusting its body uneasily, attempting to save itself. The moth seemed to have a dignity that it was holding on to, as it fought vigorously to live. Personally, I think this is the reason people find her motive to voluntarily give up her own life to be extremely ambiguous. The message Woolf is trying to convey to the reader is that one must give in to death, as it is part of the life cycle. One needs to give in to the inevitable, as all beings will die and it is only a matter of time. Even though this particular moth used to be pathetic in her perspective, Virginia now watched it as if it were a renowned masterpiece. The moth had transformed into becoming a truly magnificent creature in her eyes; thus her use of paradox is meant to keep us thinking and wondering. For sixty years now, students and professors of the English language have been studying her rhetorical modes, in hopes of bringing out the true meaning behind her literature.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Overpopulation and Water shortage Essay

Increased life expectancies as a result of advances in science are causing overpopulation. In the west immigration and increased life expectancies are causing overpopulation. This directly translates to various economic and social problems for all the residents in an area due to the increased strain in resources. While there is increased need for other countries to adapt better policies that will improve the living conditions for its residents and curb the need to immigrate, nations have to address the issues that are resulting from overpopulation. These issues arising from overpopulation include starvation due to increased population, reduced food supplies and increased prices of food. In addition there is an increasing danger of water shortages in the world due to overexploitation of water resources. The issue of water shortages also arises from the changing global climatic patterns which have resorted from global warming as a result of climate unfriendly practices such as deforestation from increased need for land to settle on and increased air pollution due to increased number of industries and emissions. Systems such as healthcare have also not been spared from strain due to overpopulation and people are receiving lower quality medical care resulting to more deaths. Environmental degradation and overexploitation of available natural resources is a result of overpopulation. Populations are polluting the environment more by inefficient waste disposal mechanisms and increased air and water pollution. Overpopulation results to overcrowding and increased levels of unemployment which has led to increased poverty, more injustices, violence, hunger and an increase in spreading diseases. Human beings like all other species depend on natural ecosystems self regulating processes for supply of basic life support processes such as the purification of air, decomposition of waste, climate regulation and the supply of water. Water is a natural renewable resource that will automatically self renew. However this is when all other natural processes are held constant. An increase in the population of people living in an area to an amount that will bring a strain to all natural resources is called overpopulation. The integrity of all these ecosystems is compromised by the strain and as a result there is either insufficient water supply or a compromise in the quality of water (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 56) There is a world wide crisis over water. According to the recent report by the United Nations, the problems arising from water shortages cannot be ignored. More than thirty one countries are currently facing dire water shortages. More than a billion of the world’s population is facing water scarcity or is lacking access to clean water for drinking. The reports published by World Bank predict that by 2025, more than two thirds of the world population will have insufficient water (Cooper, 16). The amount of water being consumed is on an upward global trend and is doubling every two decades due to the increasing populations and needs. At the same time, the available water resources are under the constant threat of pollution, depletion and overexploitation in a bid to meet the rising needs. Countries and municipal systems have proved inefficient in the provision of sufficient and safe water to the constantly increasing population. In addition the most crucial aspect to this dilemma is the strain the over population is placing on the existing water resources. Illinois is the fifth largest state in the United States with a population of more than 12. 4 million people. More immigrants are moving to Illinois and experts predict a slow but rapid increase in the state in the future. Illinois has always been thought to have ample water supply. The fact that Lake Michigan has constantly supplied Illinois with water has always given residents security in water supply. Researchers have raised concern over this current trend of affairs and have predicted that in the next fifteen years Illinois will be facing possible water shortage crisis. Cities in the south like Chicago and Bloomington used cooperative agreement with the surrounding California states to limit their water consumption. In the Chicago area, similar to other parts of the continent, awareness on the looming water crisis as experienced by other states in the south has resulted in local and state officials implementing measures that will allow conservation of the fresh water supplies and ensure that water is more efficiently used by the residents (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 64). Illinois as a state has realized the importance of addressing impending water crisis before they become a reality. The solution to the looming water shortages in Illinois were first geared towards increasing the number of water supplies in the state by digging more wells and aquifers. There was an outcry by environmental conservationists and as all the stakeholders began to realize that this approach would not last them long, they initiated a better strategy into the 21st century. This approach is on better management of the already established supplies. To this ideal, numerous water conservation programs have been established at the regional level that are geared towards the application of better water saving approaches at the individual level. In addition they advocate for residents to use water efficient appliances as well as fixtures. The battle over water resources at the Southern states has created awareness among all the US states and the politicians and policy makers have geared their efforts towards addressing the threat of water shortages. Illinois is one of the eight states of United Sates of America which approved the Great Lakes Compact. This is an initiative by the southern states to protect the five great lakes by restricting and regulating access to them thereby ensuring a constant safe supply of water for those Southern Sates in the future. There is a rapid growth in all the towns in Illinois and due to this the demand for water has increased. This has translated to higher water consumption and Illinois is approaching the maximum allotted limit from Lake Michigan. These limits have been in use since 1985 after being decreed by the Supreme Court in 1967. Researches have been analyzing the possibility of utilizing alternative water supplies such as Aquifers for meeting the growing water demands. They discovered that the aquifers would only sustain water use up to 2030 if the populations’ consumption remained stable. Under the growing population strain and the corresponding rising need for more water that would not be enough for sustaining the population (Cooper, 20). Sufficient fresh water which is of good quality is vital for any state to sustain the various people and animals living there. Water is a basic need used for drinking and bathing, irrigation, sustaining fisheries and other crucial services in a state (Shah, 90). There is a global change in the climatic conditions and this has led to the eventual and rapid disappearance of critical ecosystems not only in Bloomington but also in other cities all over the world threatening the continuous supply of water for their increasing populations. The situation at hand in Bloomington is that which is being faced by all the other cities all over the United States. Bloomington city is located in the center of Illinois southwest of Chicago. It is the largest county in Illinois with a population of more than 64. 8 million. Bloomington is the fastest growing city in Illinois and recorded a population growth of more than 20%. There is an increased trend over the last few years due to increased immigration. The city council of Bloomington is working towards the expansion of the Monroe WTPs’ capacity. They are attempting to address this issue by using membrane filtration to bring the additional flow to provide population with sufficient water. Bloomington is major city in Illinois. The main source of drinking water for Bloomington city is Monroe Reservoir. Lake Griffy and Lake Lemon supplement the water supply. In Bloomington, the main regional water conservation body is campaigning for addressing both quality and quantity water issues for Bloomington’s rapidly growing population. Among the recommended strategies they have given to improve the quality of water they are advocating for planting green roofs and eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers. This is because the chemical residues are eventually drained off to the lakes and the water reservoirs. In addition residents are dissuaded from over exploiting fossil fuels and instead using alternative energy (Shah, 102). To address the issue of water shortages the city has focused on implementing measures that will reduce water use for the growing population. They have recommended and are facilitating the implementation of better strategies which will lead the way towards the achievement of a self sustainable biosphere in the light of the increasing population. These include the installation of low flow shower heads, introduction of machines that maximize washing loads, ensuring roof run off is not wasted and is instead used for irrigation and landscaping with native plants that are water efficient. Experts have also advocated for the installation of ultra flow sanitary units, better washing machines and more water efficient sprinkler systems (Shah, 86). The increase in the human population is inevitable and the state and city policy makers have had to address the issue of the increasing strain in natural resources including water. For this approach to be successful, Bloomington like other cities needs to engage a more cyclical approach which will be more efficient and cost effective to ensure long term future sustainability of water resources for its growing population. Bloomington seems to be taking initiative towards implementing this model by an increase in recycling strategies, decreasing the water consumption and toxic releases to the water sources and air. The Bloomington city government seems to have acknowledged the need to do more in regard to establishing initiatives that are addressing the impending overpopulation crisis. To this regard, they have established a commission on sustainability that addresses issues regarding the establishment of policies geared towards conservation of the already available resources. The mayor signed the climate protection agreement and implemented city council resolutions which are Kyoto protocol friendly. These have worked towards reducing the soaring green gas emissions which are targeted towards stabilizing global climatic conditions (Zuckerman & Jefferson, 76). The town needs to increase the North’s supply by incorporating Lake Lemon and Lake Griffy as well as the Bean Blossom Creek. This would only be more slightly expensive than the current model and would supply water to a larger region and would serve as a better supply alternative for Lake Monroe. Other sources that would end the impending crisis would include investing in ground water supplies. Aquifers in the north would supplement the water supply but this would require an intensive study and analysis to ensure that they are a safe alternative for sully of water for consumption. Both of these approaches would ensure reliability in supply but in the light of the growing populations there is need to do more to ensure that these supplies will be consistent and will supply water for the populations. More crucial to implementing any conservation approach is the need to create water awareness campaigns for the residents. There is need to translate the soaring water costs and the reasons behind it so that communities can actively participate in implementing the recommended approaches. REFERENCES Ben Zuckerman & David Jefferson, Human Population and the Environmental Crisis, New York: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 1996, 18-78. Anup Shah, Ecology and the Crisis of Overpopulation: Future Prospects for Global Sustainability, Northampton: Edward Elgar publishers, 1998, 86-162. Mary H Cooper, Water Shortages: Is There Enough Fresh Water for Everyone? , Washington: CQ Press, 2003, 16-35.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Gun Control Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gun Control - Assignment Example The constitution provides for the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment (Lott, 2013). However, this should not be used as a gateway to allow the public to run out of control in regard to ownership and use of guns. Regulation and monitoring of guns is essential to ensure that the right to bear arms does not jeopardize personal and public security. Uncontrolled gun ownership and use could extend to encompass national threats, an aspect that the legal structure should address. Enforcing gun laws does not constitute any measures, processes, or practices that infringe the Second Amendment. Personally, I feel that gun control will promote responsible handling of guns. For instance, as much as the constitution allows the people to bear arms, it does not condone criminal acts like the shooting which occurred at Sandy Hook School. In this respect, gun control is important in ensuring coherent interactions and relations between members of the public (Fisanick,

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Medical futility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medical futility - Essay Example As a physician am not obliged to offer to a patient medication that I know will only aggreviate their condition. Futile interventions tend to increase the patient’s pain instead of reducing it. Medicine has come of age, especially in the American society where the role played by the patient is both important and inclusive. Even though patients have a right to make a choice or even demand that the acceptable treatment be given to them, it does not expresslly provide that their wish be granted. A physician is only obliged to offer treatment that conforms to the professional guidelines. Many at times the decision is made based on the personal preference of the patient. A patient may decide that a particular outcome is not worth striving for and therefore reject or demand tratment. As a medical physician I would therefore take it upon my self to explain to the family of the patient about the various medical procudures available and the futility of those procedures. In a loving and compassionate language I would try my best to make them understand the dinamics of such treatment in an effort to help them come to closure with the issue. I may only agree to use some of these interventions to help the patient stay alive if at all there is an important relative who really needs to see the patient alive at least for the last time. Carefull choice of words comes in handy here especially when trying to make the family and friends to realize that the decision has nothing to do with the availability or cost of the necessary medical equipment for the futile procedure. According to medical ethics; the principle of beneficience states that every medical practioner must endevour to do well to the patient whenever possible, including when the most beneficial thing to do is â€Å"nothing†. It’s therefore important to have all parties realize that it’s for the best interest of the patient that nothing is done. That’s where statements

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Applying Theory to Practice Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Applying Theory to Practice - Case Study Example The case explains that Bosket’s father was serving jail term and his mother was married to somebody else and did not have much to do with the young boy (Agnew, 2008). One of the factors that I believe are important in understanding Willie Bosket’s delinquent behavior is the motivation to commit crime. It seems like the fact that Bosket committed several crimes and got away with them without serious consequences reinforced his motivation to commit more crimes. The money he got from robbing people acted as motivation for Bosket to commit crimes. The perceived power he got from carrying a gun was another element that added onto Bosket’s motivation to commit crime. The gun made Bosket feel that he would subdue his victims easily and rob them or do whatever else he needed to do to them (Bohm, 2010). Another factor that is important in understanding Bosket’s delinquent behavior is his history of crime. Bosket committed many crimes and confronted law enforcement agencies severally. It is possible that the experience that Bosket got from his history of crimes made him feel that he was becoming a master at what he was doing thus enjoying committing more crimes. Something about Bosket’s history of crime that could explain his delinquency is a likelihood of weakness in the law enforcement system. Weak law enforcement allows juveniles like Bosket to advance their delinquency since they come to believe that nothing serious will happen to them (Agnew, 2008). Absence of parents to Bosket’s from his immediate environment is another important factor in understanding the juvenile’s delinquent behavior. When parents live with their children in their immediate environments they teach their children to conform to norms and values, which discourage crime and this, is one of the things that Bosket was missing. Absence of Bosket’s father must have had an influence in Bosket’s delinquency

Monday, August 26, 2019

Causes of building collapes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Causes of building collapes - Term Paper Example This means that as long as there are natural disasters, the risk of building collapse will continue to be recorded. This point is made against the backdrop that in most cases of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, almost all types of buildings collapse including short buildings and skyscrapers alike. What this teaches is that natural disasters perhaps have the worse effect or impact on building collapse. Having said this, it would also be appreciated that even when an ordinary building and skyscraper all fall, the impact that will be created in the two can never be said to be the same. This is because the extent of loss that will be recorded with the falling of a skyscraper in terms of lives and property will certainly be more than what will be recorded with a shorter building. What this teaches is that as far as natural disasters as cause of building collapse are concerned, it is important to ensure that areas that are noted to be disaster prone will not be clustered with skyscrapers and other tall buildings. Using the 27 February 2010 Chile tsunami as an example, Palermo et al (2013) made a new revelation on the extent of resilience that different buildings endure in the case of natural disasters such as tsunamis. The outcome of the tsunami revealed that there are two major types of buildings which are engineered buildings and non-engineered buildings. These categories are found in both high-rise buildings and shorter buildings. In the case of engineered residential buildings, natural disasters such as tsunamis are found to have very minimal impact. This is because such modern engineered buildings generally exhibit high levels of resilience to the disasters, being affected only in areas of non-structural components. On the other hand, not the same can be said of non-engineered buildings, especially residential buildings. This is because with such buildings, the impacts of natural disasters are not only experienced with

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Finance for Business Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Finance for Business Decisions - Essay Example Figure value depicts the trend of share price of the said bank. Westpac Bank share prices from 2008 to 2013 The figure clearly reveals some certain trends in the share process of this bank. From the figure it can be derived that there has been continuous ups and downs in the share value of this bank; which is quite normal and does not bother investors much. In the seventh month of 2008; the share price was below $20 i.e. $ 18.68; but during the year share value reached to the maximum of $ 25.05 but at the year end the price was somewhere around $ 16.63. The average price of share in this year was $ 20.6505. Moving further the year 2008-09 showed again a mixed trend where the highest value of share was around $ 27.23. However share price figure at the end of year is $ 28.95; showing a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend. Year by Year Analysis Year by Year Share price of Westpac Bank A simple picture above shows the year by year trend in the share price of Westpac Bank. An d it can be easily derived from the chart that in the year one the price was slightly above than $20 but in the year 2013 the price ended at around $30. There is a significant increase in the price of around $ 10; but again a thorough analysis is required to evaluate the price increase in the shares. However it is an increasing trend and very encouraging for any investor. ... From the organization available the best option for comparison of Westpac Bank can only be Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Many justifications could be presented for this option; for instance both organizations are financial institutions, both of the banks operate in Australia, both of these banks are listed on the same stock markets and both of these banks are subjected to same macro-economic conditions. Commonwealth Bank of Australia Same like Westpac Bank it is essential here to get a pictorial view of the trends of the share prices of Commonwealth Bank of Australia so that a comprehensive comparison could be carried out for both of the banks. Share Prices Trend of Commonwealth Bank of Australia The picture clearly states that the share price trend of the bank is in an increasing trend. The share prices were lowest in the year 2008 at around $21 but then the bank managed either to increase its share price or at least maintain its share prices. There are minor shrinks in the share process but these seem to be quite insignificant. And hence it is right to say that Commonwealth bank of Australia has brilliantly managed to live upto the expectations of its investors. Yearly Trends Same as we did for Westpac Bank it will be useful here too; to have a year by year analysis of the share prices of this bank. The trend can be shown in the picture below. Year by Year Analysis of Share Price of CBA From the picture above it is quite clear that the performance of Commonwealth Bank is quite good since hardly any decreasing trends could be found in this chart. From the previous year share prices have either increased significantly or at least have been static there is as such no decreasing trend here. Most importantly4 the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

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

LAB - Essay Example Also, in the earliest years of logging much of the work was done in the winter so that the logs could be moved on sleds. Per the previous question, there are two ways that logs were taken to the appropriate sawmills. The first it was by sled in winter or down the rivers. Although many Michigan men became wealthy in the logging industry the majority of the workers, like the lumberjacks made about $26 a month plus their room and board. This was not particularly much overall. Bare ground, abandon branches, and low lying stumps were all that was left behind after the loggers had left an area. The rivers no doubt suffered, they would have changed and been damaged from the constant use and devastation to the surrounding areas. These areas became had little protective groundcover and created immense fire hazards that often would threaten untouched woods and settled areas. So many people believed the propaganda being spread that the leads cleared by loggers was ideal for settlement and farming. For this reason many families spent all of the money they had on this land. However, the land was not fertile, the families could not pay their taxes, and the land became forfeit and given to the state. Ingham County was the first to be settled. The roads were little more than mud pits, uneven, and difficult to travel. Corduroy roads were roads made from logs, it most cases they were later replaced with planks roads, which were much smoother. The Michigan citizens in the 1960s and 1970s were concerned because the air quality was beginning to diminish, water pollution due to sewage and industrial waste. They began to take measures to improve and repair the damage being done to their home environment. The silo is a rounded tower-like building that is used for storing grains. Silage is the â€Å"finely chopped crops† that were fed to the farmer’s livestock (Michigan Historical Museum). A round

Friday, August 23, 2019

Illegal Immigration in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Illegal Immigration in the United States - Essay Example On the other side stand those who advocate the granting of amnesty and citizenship to all illegal immigrants. The only consensus which emerges on the issue is that the current immigration policy is inadequate, and is badly in need of urgent reform. The fact that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detains almost half a million illegal immigrants this year, and follows â€Å"a policy of mandatory detention, detaining individuals in inhumane and unsafe conditions, depriving them of access to legal counsel and a fair hearing in court† (Esposito and Davis, 5), is a testament to a failed immigration system. An analysis of the issue of illegal immigration is required to find a middle ground which will be acceptable to the two opposing factions. The anti-illegal immigration group agitates for the deportation of all illegal immigrants. This group unequivocally blames the government for inaction, and sees a conspiracy to form a North American Union with open borders between th e USA, Canada and Mexico. This faction calls for the securing of the national borders, blocking access to welfare measures and employment for illegal immigrants, rejecting amnesty, rejecting birthright citizenship to the children born to illegal immigrants, stopping all temporary worker legislation, and strictly enforcing immigration laws (Greenley, 16). The anti-illegal immigration group supports its stand by listing several adverse effects of immigration. As â€Å"foreigners enter the country with fewer skills on average than native-born workers, immigration --- lowers the average skill level in the American work place† and leads to lower wages, and fewer job opportunities, for American workers (Hall, VanMetre and Vedder, 203). Today’s immigrants bring with them a diversity of language, customs, distinct physical traits, and religions. They hold on to their cultural roots, emphasize the preservation of their ethnic identity, and do not submit to assimilation. This is seen in â€Å"immigrant isolation† and â€Å"ethnic concentration† (Hall, VanMetre and Vedder, 205), and cause fractures in the American social fabric. Divisive multiculturalism destroys the American identity. One very valid argument is that illegal immigration poses a threat to national security, allowing drug-dealers, terrorists and criminals into the country. Another centers round the high consumption of government resources and taxpayer money by illegal immigrants, through â€Å"medical, welfare and education benefits† while paying minimum taxes (Greenley, 17). All these reasons engender a strong resentment towards illegal immigrants. The supporters of a liberal illegal immigrant policy counter the above arguments. They argue that â€Å"in the long run, immigration attracts new investment and promotes entrepreneurial initiative,† and â€Å"makes the American labor market more competitive, thus enhancing its overall efficiency† (Hall, VanMetre and Vedder, 204). It cannot be denied that large numbers of intelligent and highly skilled immigrants come to America. The unskilled immigrants migrate to the low-paying jobs, such as cleaning and food service, which native-born workers do not desire. Again, cheap labor adds to the flexibility of business, leading to cheaper prices, better quality products, and higher profits. American society has a long tradition of â€Å"celebrating diversity† (Hall, VanMetre and Vedder, 205). The pro-immigration group contends that multiculturalism is part

Histone Deacetylase Sirtuin 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Histone Deacetylase Sirtuin 1 - Essay Example A comparison was then made of the methylated genes at different stages for their commonality and uniqueness in order to find the pattern across the stages of LUAD. Validation and ranking of the patterns for their significance were made using literature evidence. Consequently, the ranked patterns were later analyzed as potential targets of LUAD. Limitations of the study were also identified including lack of laboratory validation of identified targets and availability of information on TCGA. A number of results were obtained through table analysis. After the assessment, it was observed that the highest number of significant DNA methylated genes were found in stage III and the least in stage I. Upon reviewing the table which listed the common significant DNA methylated genes across and between stages it was found that sampled 10 genes it was found that the three most hypermethylated genes were found to be in stage III. The rest of the genes that were hypomethylated were distributed acr oss stage II and I, with the least hypomethylated in stage I. The above hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were further analyzed with respect to their methylation inside and outside of the CpG islands. â€Å"It was identified that hypermethylated genes in Stages I and III and hypomethylated genes in Stage II were mostly identified in TRUE CpG sites† ( Yang et. al. 37256). When network construction and analysis was done it was found that a greater degree of interaction existed within the significant DNA methylated genes.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Political Science Final Essay Example for Free

Political Science Final Essay Mushrooms have been part of religious rituals for thousands of years ago in the early tribes of Central America and Mexico (Health Education, 2008). Psilocybin is extracted from psilocybin mexicana mushrooms and other genus related mushroom species or artificially prepared in the drug laboratory (Health Education, 2008). Chemically, it is related with lysergic acid diethylamide and commonly known as â€Å"shrooms†, â€Å"psychedelic mushrooms†, or â€Å"magic mushrooms† (Health Education, 2008). Historically, for Indians in the Southern and Central America, psilocybin-containing mushrooms were sacred mushrooms and regarded as a means to the world of the spirits. At present time, Psilocybe mushrooms are widely available in fresh and dried forms that are usually ingested, chopped or brewed in tea (Health Education, 2008). Generally, psilocybin users experience tingling physical sensations, mild euphoria and increased music visual sensations and music sensitivity (Health Education, 2008). Literature Review Brief History Sculptures and human-like mushroom arts were prevalent during 1000-500 BC (Freeman, 2004). It was inferred that these artifacts have religious implications. As direct evidence, thirteenth century manuscript of Codex Vienna Mixtec proved the utilization of sacred mushroom in religious rituals (Freeman, 2004). The â€Å"Seven Flowers† was known as Mixtec God of hallucinatory plants represented through an image with a pair of mushrooms in hands (Freeman, 2004). Also, Aztec believed that moving from earthly to super natural realms back and forth was possible under the power of entheogen, the Prince of Flowers. This was called â€Å"the flowery dreams† by the Aztec and ascribed to hallucinatory effects of the sacred mushrooms (Freeman, 2004). In relation to this, Gordon Wasson personally witnessed the â€Å"velada† session led by curandera Maria Sabina at the Mazatec village in Huatla de Jimenez. This â€Å"velada† session is a religious ceremony involving the magic mushroom (Freeman, 2004). Pharmacological Properties Mushrooms with hallucinatory effects are naturally cultivated in the cow pastures and fields of the southeastern and northwestern parts of the United States (Freeman, 2004). The most common of all these mushrooms is Psilocybe mushroom containing psychoactive substances. The stems of psilocybin-containing mushrooms are slender and long with caps having underside dark gills. While the caps of fresh mushroom are dark brown along the edges, white or light brown central part topped in whitish-gray or white stems, dried mushrooms are rusty brown with scattered whitish parts (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2006). In 1958 Dr. Albert Hoffman, the lysergic acid diethylamide discoverer, identified psilocybin and psilocin as the active components of Psilocybe mushroom (Freeman, 2004). About four to ten milligrams per gram of this mushroom is its average psilocybin constituent (Freeman, 2004). In addition, psilocybin is classified as hallucinogenic drugs typically found in the United States, South American regions, and Mexico (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2006). This mushroom contains trace amount of psilocin and 0. 2% to 0. 4% of psilocybin (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2006). Further, psilocybin was reported as a very stable substance that can last even for 150 years in a sample mushroom (Freeman, 2004).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Types Of Tenders And Tendering Process Construction Essay

Types Of Tenders And Tendering Process Construction Essay A tender can be said as an offer to do work or supply goods at a fixed price. Initiating step of a tendering process in which qualified contractors are invited to submit sealed bids for construction or for supply of specific and clearly defined goods or services during a specified timeframe. The tender process is designed to ensure that the work to be done for client/government is given out in a fair way. For example in Malaysia, there are a number of policies known as procurement policies which guide government of Malaysia on how to make decisions on which tender to accept. Although price is very important in the decision on which tender or bid to accept, it is not the only factor taken into account. Once client/government accepts a tender, it is binding on both parties. This means that the person or company that won the tender has to provide the goods or services in the manner agreed to and at the price offered, and client/government must pay the agreed price at the agreed time. In other words, once accepted, a tender is a binding contract. 2.2 Types of tendering When talk about tendering, it is involved some kind of complicated process and procedure. Before any tendering process can be done, professional team and employer must make sure all necessary tender documents have been prepared, checked and approved. The source of the funding also must have been identified and the project financing put in place. The procedures for subsequent stages should have been established with the express consent of the employer to ensure the tendering process will go smoothly. What types of tendering that employer want to choose is depends on nature of contract, complexity of the construction, expertise needed and several reasons. But usually for the government project all over the world, is tend to make open tender to ensure the procurement and works to be done in fairly manner without prejudice. As the researcher mention before, open tender is one of the types of tendering that commonly used in this world. Actually there are several types of tender including open tender, selective tender, negotiated tender, serial tender and term tendering. 2.2.1 Open tender Open tendering is the main tendering procedures employed by both the government and private sector. The client advertises the tender offer in the local newspaper giving detail and key information of the proposed works and inviting interested contractor to tender. In the legal sense such tender notices constitute invitation to treat, a mere request by the employer for suitable contractor to submit their bids or offers. If the pre-requisite to tendering on the form of possession of the necessary registration has been identified in the tender notice, then the advertisement is directed to only that particular class of the public having the said qualifications. In order to reduce number of enquiries, earnest money is deposited (for private project). Until the receipt of a bone fide tender selected then it will be returned. Although price is very important in the decision on which tender or bid to accept, it is not the only factor taken into account. Client does not bind to accept the lowest or any offer. The advantages and disadvantages of open tender are stated below: Advantages Disadvantages It allows any interested contractor to tender. Therefore it gives opportunity for an unknown contractor to compete for the work. The tender list can be long as too many contractors tendering for one job. Allowing the tender list to be made without bias. Client will obtain the bargain possible. No favouritism in selecting contractors. Uneconomic use of source. Ensuring good competition not obliged to accept any offers. Public accountability may be questioned if the lowest offer is not accepted. Traditional method of tendering, familiar to all sector of the engineering and construction industry. Does not attract reputable and established contractor unless they are forced to, due to lack of work. Selective tender Selective tendering is the one alternatives developed to address the limitations of the open tendering procedure. In this method, a short list of contractor is drawn up and they are invited to submit tenders. The purpose of the elective tendering are to improve the quality of the bids received, to ensure that contractors with the necessary experience and competence are given the opportunity to submit the necessary bids, due to urgency work involved, for specific reasons of the employer, eg security reasons in government projects. etc. and to make the tendering procedure more manageable and less a burden on the parties involved. Such list may be prepared through recommendation from the Clients professional adviser whom have knowledge of the Contractors undertaking the work in the past or advertisement through the newspaper (prequalification). The advantages and disadvantages of the selective tendering are stated below. Advantages Disadvantages Only the competent contactors were invited to tender, then the lowest can be accepted. Reduces the availability of work for other contractors especially new contractors. It reduced the cost of tendering (economic use of resources, reduced tender documentation, shorter tender periods, better management of the tender process, etc.) Tender Price may invariably higher than would have been in open tendering. Greater chance of collusion. Tendering period longer because it involved two distinct stages. Favoritisms may occur in the short listing. Two Stage Selective Tender Two stage selective tendering combined elements of competition and negotiation into a formula where the employer could utilize the contractors expertise at an early stage of the project cycle so as to maximize innovation, ingenuity and quality and simultaneously optimize cost, time and resource input. A contractor is selected competitively early in the design process. The tender documents contain approximately quantities of the major value items. As design and planning proceed, the final tender is developed from cost and priced data supplied with the initial tender. Two stage selective tendering was very popular in developed countries. It was different from selective tendering because has two (2) distinct stages namely: Selection of suitable contractor This involves the selection of a suitable contractor and the establishment of a level of pricing for subsequent negotiations. The objective is to select suitable contractor as early as possible is to work together with the professional team and to establish a level of pricing for subsequent negotiation. The criteria for short listing is normally confined to items such as technical and financial capability, experience in similar works and extent of resources (manpower, plant and equipment). The pricing document should be flexible enough to cater for adjustment of price fluctuation for the period between two stages and the pricing of the second stage. In selecting a suitable candidate, a basis for pricing the subsequent second stage should be established accordingly. Determination of Contract Price Once a suitable contractor is selected, he will work together with the project team start contributing to the pre contract process in his capacity as unbiased but independent construction expert. This contractor will contribute the following: Contribution as a Technical Advisor to the Design Process Practical Skills and Buildability Minimization of Project Delay During this stage, a negotiation to reach an agreement on the final contract price is undertaken and the pre contract process is perfected. If no agreement being reached, the employer has an option to abandon the tendering exercise and re-tender the works using any other tendering procedure. The application of two stage selective tendering might be appropriate where the works are a very complicated nature, where at the time of selection of the contractor, the magnitude of the work may not be known with sufficient certainty and where it is an essential pre-requisite for works to be finished by an early completion date. Table below are some advantages and disadvantage of two stages selective tendering. Advantages Disadvantages Benefit of the contractors expertise in buildability, specialist knowledge in proprietry systems, project scheduling, etc resulting in value for money. Its application requires a high level of familiarity and commitment on the part of employers and contractors. Early commencement of work at site even when the magnitude of the works is not known with sufficient certainty at the time of site possession. Owing to a relatively smaller element of competition, but on the other hand higher negotiations content, the tender process is relatively more expensive and longer than other common procedures. Savings of time due to the overlap of the design and tendering stage. Should the second stage be deadlocked or result in no acceptable agreement being reached, the tender process has to be initiated all over again, albeit, through a different route. This incurs a time and cost penalty to the project as a whole. The procedure utilizes the best aspects of both competition and negotiation to arrive at the most favourable arrangement at an optimum firm price before work commences. This procedures requires a high level of commitment, integrity and good faith on the part of both sides which sadly is usually lacking, hence the apparent failures encountered to date. Since the contractor is part of the project team at a very stage of the project, this results in better communication and information flow. Generally there will be fewer claims and disputes in the post contract award stage due to the contractors involvement at the design / pre contract stage. Experience has shows that the contractor has a clearer understanding of the requirements and a better appreciation of the intricacies of the design and contract documentations. Negotiation Tender Negotiation tendering is extensively used in the engineering and construction industry commencing from tendering till dispute resolutions, i.e. under the styles of pre-contract negotiations and post contract negotiations. Usually with single contractor but may be up to three contractors. Negotiation process involves are as follows: Identification by the employer of a suitable contractor to negotiate with. The contractor can be selected either from the employers own list of preferences or on the advice of the professional team. The contractor being apprised of the workscope. The selected contractor is issued with details such as the scope of work involved, relevant drawings, design and /or information to enable him to appreciate the extents of obligations and the employers actual needs. Some employers prepare and issue to the contractor proper tender documents inclusive of a nominated bills of quantities to assist contractor in pricing the works for the forthcoming negotiations. Negotiations can be applied to the following type of contract: In Partnering type of contracts under the so called win-win formula. Where the employer has a long term business relationship with the contractor. In situations where the parties are in a relationships of holding and subsidiary companies. Where the contractor is involved in the financing of the project. In situations where the employer finds it advantages to employ the same contractor to continue an initial or existing contract for the new works Where there is a pressing need to have a very early start of work on the site and to complete the works on a fast tract basis. In special circumstances e.g. Security reasons, emergencies etc where it is expedient to secure the services of a particular contractor only. Where there is only a single contractor who is the only one available or with ether the special skill or resources to carry out the particular works. The employers resources are either limited or constrained thereby making the use of the other tendering impractical. Advantages Disadvantages Only reputable contractor are invited for negotiation. The cost work is likely higher than competitive tender. The Contractor can contribute his expertise during design stage. Reduces the availability of work for other contractors. Early Commencement of work on site. It shortens the period involved in appointing the contractor. Should the negotiations be deadlock or prove eventually unsuccessful, this causes wastage of valuable resources on both sides and loss of time for the employer, thereby delaying the overall selection of suitable contractor. Reduce risk of failure Best alternatives for the employer to adopt is special circumstances such as emergencies, security reasons and etc. Experience has shows that contracts let out this basis result in fewer disputes and claims during the construction stage. Term Tender Term tendering normally used on major maintenance projects. It may be awarded to a contractor to cover a range of different buildings in different locations. It is often limited to a fixed time scale, although the needs of the client may often require this to be extended. It is like a standing offer to undertake a loosely defined extends of work usually within a fixed time period. The type of work is usually specified and priced in a schedule of rates. The contractor will initially be offered the work to cover a number of different trades usually on the basis of prices contained in a schedule prepared by the client.Where the client supplies the rates for the work, the contractors are given the option of quoting a percentage addition or deduction from these rates depending upon their desire to win the project. The contractor offering the most advantageous percentage to the client will then be awarded the contract. An indication of the amount of work expected over the specified period of time will assist the contractors in the consideration of the percentage to be quoted. 2.3 Conventional Tendering Process As the researcher mentioned before, this chapter will focus on conventional tender while the next chapter will focus on electronic tendering. Therefore readers will see clearly background on conventional tendering and electronic tendering. Conventional tendering process will involve pre-tender stage, tender advertisement stage, closing of tender, tender opening process, tender evaluation process and finally tender award. 2.3.1 Pre-tender Stage At pre-tender stage, when the clients have an idea, client will appoint consultant to discuss further about the project. Consultant will do their job, advising, managing the tender and contract, and also transfer the idea into the drawing. At this stage client and consultants will brainstorming about the scope, time to complete and budget that client willing to allocate. Researcher believes that pre-tender stage is most crucial matter because it will initiate the next step of a project. If the pre-tender stage is failed, the project will not successfully complete. 2.3.2 Tender Advertisement Tender advertisement also called tender notice. The conventional tender notice will advertise in local newspaper. In tender notice, basic requirement should be appearing are: Title of the project. Class of contractor, head and subhead needed. Location, date, and time to obtain the tender document. Fees for tender document. Location, date and time for submission of tender doc. 2.3.3 Closing of Tender In tender notice will mention the time and date of tender closing process. If the contractors fail to submit their bids within specific time and date, it considers the contractors refuse to bid for the tender. At that time also tender validity period is started. At this period, contractors can withdraw back their bids if they are no more interested to fight for the tender. Consultant use this period to make assessment and evaluation each of the offers. 2.3.4 Tender Opening and Evaluation Process Quantity surveyors usually will handle tender opening process. In order to preserve the integrity of the competitive process, it is imperative that the evaluation of proposals is undertaken objectively, consistently and without bias towards particular suppliers.   Tenders are usually evaluated against a pre-determined set of criteria. The evaluation of the tenders shall be prepared the soonest possible after the tender opening. A report prepared by the Quantity Surveyor will describe the findings of the said evaluation and it will be supported by tables and graphs. In the end, the Quantity Surveyor will recommend which tenderer, who in his opinion, is the most suitable to undertake to execute the project. 2.3.5 Tender Award An evaluation team will examine each tender received and make recommendations as to which tender represents best value for money.   Once the contract has been awarded, both the successful and unsuccessful tenderers will be notified. Once the final decision has been made on the tender award, the tender administrator creates the tender results notification which is in letter form, and then sent to all participating contractors.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Theories of Attachment and Disorders

Theories of Attachment and Disorders Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Attachment and Separation Disorders of Attachment Conclusion Bibliography Introduction The demand for literature on parenting and child rearing has increased exponentially over the past few decades. Parents, teachings and other professionals are being coming increasingly aware of the importance of the early relationship between mother and infant in determining future success in intimate, social and professional relationships. Over the centuries there have been a number of approaches to parenting, some promoting a formal, distant relationship, encouraging independence. However, more recently the relationship between a child and his or her primary care-giver (particularly the mother) has been shown to form the corner stone of future emotional functioning. Bowlbys (1980) theory of infant attachment explains how an infants first experience with his or her mother influences the formation of mental representation of the self and of others. The representation of the self determines the individuals sense of self worth, of how worthy one feels of receiving love. The representat ion of others shapes how the individual interprets the world and others as being reliable and trustworthy, or unreliable and not to be trusted. The development of these cognitive processes is rooted in the style of attachment an infant forms with his or her mother. The follow essay will provide an overview of attachment processes and styles and will consider the long-term impact of these. Attachment and Separation The origins of attachment theory are heavily rooted in the observations of psychologist John Bowlby and the subsequent contributions of Mary Ainsworth and others. Attachment can be understood as the tone of affection that exists between two people (or animals) and is described by Bowlby (1969: 194) as the lasting psychological connectedness between human beings. According to Bowlby, this occurs when the relationship between the mother and infant is loving and intimate, and one from which both receive enjoyment and satisfaction. Attachment differs from bonding in that bonding entails the emotional feelings that a mother experiences for her infant and does not include an element of security. Kaplan and Sadock (1998) identify phases of attachment: 1. Pre-attachment Phase (birth – 12 weeks) – characterized by babies using their eyes to orientate themselves to their mother, following her with their eyes and turning towards her voice. 2. Attachment Making Phase (12 weeks – 6 months) – sees the infant developing an attachment to more than one person in their environment (eg. Mother and father). 3. Clear Cut Attachment Phase (6 months – 24 months) – the infant shows obvious signs of distress when removed from mother and seeks proximity with mother on her return and is easily soothed by her. 4. Fourth Phase (25 months and onwards) – the child views the mother as separate. Bowlby (1969) proposed that from birth an infant will constantly seek proximity to his or her mother so as to gain comfort and security. This seeking of proximity, according to Bowlby, can be partly explained as an attachment behavioral system based on the evolutionary process of natural selection. Accordingly, only those who maintain close proximity to their mother are safe from danger and more likely to survive the potential threats of their environment. Early studies by Harry Harlow (1958), a psychologist intrigued by love, relieved the attachment needs of monkeys. One particular study showed that young monkeys, removed at birth from their mother and then given the choice between a wire monkey offering food or a wire monkey covered in cloth (yet without food), would opt for the comfort of the soft wire monkey over food. This experiment showed that attachment is more than a need for food, but includes strong elements of a need for love and affection. According to Bowlby (1969, 1980) the affectional bond between mother and child has a far reaching impact, continuing throughout life. He identified four primary characteristics of attachments: 1. Safety – The carer provides the child with a safe haven; a place where he or she can return when feeling threatened. Here the child will receive acceptance and comfort in times of distress. 2. Security – The carer provides the child with a sense of security. The child feels confident to explore his or her environment. 3. Proximity – The child seeks to maintain close proximity to the carer; thereby maintaining a sense of safety and comfort. 4. Separation – When separated from the carer, the child becomes distressed and seeks proximity with the carer on his or her return and is readily soothed by him or her. Bowlby found that achieving satisfactory proximity in times of distress will result in feelings of relief, however, should the mother fail to respond to the infants attempts at receiving proximity (through crying), this will result in one of two secondary strategies: 1) Deactivation is the repression of attachment needs and avoidance of seeking proximity; 2) Hyperactivation is the continual, often unsuccessful and frustrating, attempts at attaining proximity. Bowlby (1969, 1980) highlights the importance of the quality of the mothers responsiveness and sensitivity to the infants needs in the formation of healthy, secure attachment styles. A mother who responds with sensitivity to her infants cries helps the infant contain his or her anxieties, and mirrors for the infant emotional regulation. Later, the child will be able to be a container for his or her own emotions. Bowlby (1969, 1980) explains how a responsive mother provides a secure base for the child to explore his or her enviro nment free of fear and anxiety. However, an insensitive or inconsistent mother creates, for the child, a sense of insecurity evoking feelings of anxiety and avoidance behavior. Mary Ainsworth, a colleague of Bowlby, built on Bowlbys theory. Ainsworth observed the significant influence the early attachment between mother and baby had on present and future behavior. This researcher, for example, found that by soothing a baby when they cry reduced future crying behavior. Also, Ainsworth found that secure attachment reduced anxiety and that bodily contact between mother and baby nurtured the development of future self-reliance as apposed to clinging behavior (Ainsworth, 1985). Ainsworth, Blehar, Walters and Walls (1978) undertook a study to explore Bowlbys theory. These researchers developed a study called the Stranger Situation, which sought to observe the attachment related behavior of infants when separated from and later reunited with their mother. The process of the stranger situation involved the mother and child initially being placed in the same room; a stranger would then enter the room while the mother left. The stranger would then leave the room and the mother would return and comfort her child. Again the mother would leave and the stranger would return. Finally, the mother would return to the room and comfort her child. Based on the childs behavior through this process, Ainsworth and colleagues were able to identify three distinct attachment styles: 1. Secure Attachment – A securely attached child will be seen to freely explore his or her environment in the presence of his or her mother. When the mother leaves, this child will show obvious distress and will seek proximity with his or her mother on her return, being readily comforted by her. 2. Avoidant Attachment – Children who failed to seek proximity to his or her mother were identified has having an avoidant attachment style. These children were seen as exhibiting little range in affect, and did not respond with distress when the mother left and showed little interest on her return. These children would resort to the secondary strategy of deactivation. 3. Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment – Children with this attachment style also failed to seek proximity with his or her mother, but resorted to the secondary strategy of hyperactivation. Ainsworth (1978) and colleagues were further able to identify the types of mother-child relationships associated with these attachment styles. Securely attached children were found to have mothers who are attuned and sensitive to her childs emotional as well as physical needs. She formed a secure base for her child and helped regulate stress and emotional disease. Mothers of children with avoidant attachment styles would respond with little concern to their childs distress, and rather than comfort them, she would discourage the childs attempts at achieving proximity and encourage independence. Finally, ambivalently attached child had mothers who responded inconsistently to their children. At times they would respond attentively and provide comfort; yet at other times she would discourage the crying behavior and ignore the childs attempts at proximity. These attachment styles differ slightly in adulthood, with four types being identified: sure, preoccupied, fearful-avoidant and dismissing-avoidant. These types differ to those identified by Ainsworth mainly in the distinction between fearful-avoidant and dismissing-avoidant. An individual showing a dismissing-avoidant style maintains a positive view of self and a negative view of others, while those with a fearful-avoidant styles holds a negative view of both self and others. Main, Kaplan and Cassidy (1985) were the first to demonstrate how early attachment styles, formed during infancy, are generalised to an individuals future relationships in adulthood. These researchers described how mental representations of the self and others, formed in infancy, are used to predict and interpret attachment-related situations. According to this line of thought, a person who experienced rejection in infancy will carry this experience into adult relationships. They will feel unworthy of love, and moreover, that others are incapable of loving them. Attachment styles are also shown to influence such things as self-esteem, self-efficacy and socializing abilities. In a study by Kaplan and Sadock (1998) these researchers show how securely attached adolescents are more socially adjusted than those with avoidant or anxious/ambivalent attachment styles. Furthermore, these researchers note how low self-esteem, poor social relatedness, and emotional vulnerability to stress are associated with insecure attachments during the first year of life (147). The development of theory of mind is also impeded in attachment theory. Theory of mind is the understanding that each person has heir own, separate beliefs, ideas and mental states. Furthermore, it is the ability to predict, with a large degree of accuracy, how another person may feel or respond in certain situations. For example, a person having theory of mind would accurately predict how a person may feel should they fail in an important exam. The development of theory of mind or mentalizing capacity is directly dependant on secure attachment. A mother who responds consistently with love and acceptance to her infants cry demonstrates to the infant that they have understood them and that they are in tune with their needs. This mother has demonstrated that she is able to infer the thoughts and needs of her child. The child then learns this from the mother. This ability to make accurate inferences and to envisage the emotional experiences of others is crucial for health psychological and psychosocial functioning (Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist and Targer, 2005). Disorders of Attachment As previously noted, unstable or unhealthy attachment is a result of maternal disregard, where a mother is seen to be dismissive, unresponsive, and lacking in warmth and consistency. People having an avoidant or anxious/ambivalent attachment style experience problems in developing and maintaining relationships, in communicating with others, trusting in others, feeling unworthy of love. This deprivation results in disorders of attachment including such things as failure-to-thrive syndromes, psychosocial dwarfism, separation anxiety disorder, avoidant personality disorder, depressive disorders, delinquency, academic problems, and borderline intelligence (Kaplan Sadock, 1998: 147). These resulting problems highlight some of the adverse effects of a deprived relationship between mother and child. Conclusion John Bowlbys theory of attachment has challenged some of the traditional beliefs on parenting, such as: crying babies should be left alone, holding a baby too much will result in clinging behavior, attending to a distressed baby will result in over dependence. Still today, some of these outdate beliefs are held by many. However, research into the area of attachment has revealed a very different picture. The tenderness of the relationship between mother and child has been shown as being paramount to the healthy development on emotional, social, psychological and even educational levels. Children require physical warmth, love, affection, consistency and understanding in order to develop a positive sense of self, trust in the world, confidence to explore the world and a belief in others. Children learn from their mother, from the very time of birth, what to think of the world, who they are in the world, what to expect from the world and what the world expects from them. Bibliography Ainsworth, M.S. (1985). Attachment across the life-span. Academic Medicine, 61, 792. Ainsworth, M. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., Wall, 5. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the Strange Situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Bowlby, J. (1969), Attachment and loss, Vol. 1: Attachment. New York: Basic Books. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and Loss. New York: Basic Books. Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E.L., Target, M. (2005). Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self. London: Karnac. Harlow, H. F. (1958). The nature of love. American Psychologist, 13, 673-685. Kaplan, H.I., Sadock, B.J. (1998). Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Science/Clinical Psychiatry (8th Ed). Lippincott, Williams Wilkins, Maryland. Main, M., Kaplan, N., Cassidy, J. (1985). Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: A move to the level of representation. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50, 66-104.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Doctor Manette’s Role In A Tale of Two Cities :: A Tale of Two Cities

Doctor Manette’s Role in A Tale of Two Cities Introduction- Individual characters often exist as the heart of a novel. I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Tale of Two Cities evolved from Doctor Manette’s story A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctor Manette’s story II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Recalled to Life† A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctor Manette’s appearance B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His revival C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His relationship with his daughter III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctor Manette’s relapses A. His newfound strength IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctor Manette as a hero Conclusion- Doctor Manette as the nucleus of the novel. Individual characters often exist as the heart of the novel. They contain dynamic characteristics and occupy a central position in the novel. In A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens uses Doctor Manette as the core of his novel, Doctor Manette â€Å"is a worthy hero and a crucial piece in the puzzle†(Glancy 75). His personality and story thrusts him into the spotlight throughout the book. The novel revolves around his character. A Tale of Two Cities evolved from Doctor Manette’s story. He has witnessed the aftermath of a rape and assault committed by two twin nobles, the Evrà ©mondes, and is forbidden to speak of it; â€Å"†¦the things that you see here are things to be seen and not spoken of† (Dickens 325). But when Manette tries to report these crimes he is locked up in the Bastille. The novel is then built up through Doctor Manette’s cruel and unjustified imprisonment and the events following his release from prison(Lindsay 103). That is how he becomes the core of the novel. Upon the opening of the novel Dr. Manette is a weak and horrific man. He is a man â€Å"recalled to life† (Dickens 24) from an eighteen-year imprisonment and has the appearance of an aged man having white hair and a ragged face; â€Å"he is a ghost, the empty shell of a man† (Glancy 69). He is very confused, so confused he cannot recall any of his past or even remember his name. â€Å"The experience of oppressive misery has not merely twisted him†¦it has broken down the whole system of memory in his psyche† (Lindsay 104). He is a mere victim of the past. â€Å"Dr. Manette has been driven mad, broken and goaded into a destroying curse, by eighteen years of unjust imprisonment in the Bastille† (Johnson 30). He is too accustomed to imprisonment to be able to bear freedom, which was true of many prisoners during the Revolution. But he is resurrected at the sight of his daughter, who stimulates the memory of his wife with her â€Å"threads of gold†, or her golden hair.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Politics of Name Changes in India Essay -- Town City

The Politics of Name Changes in India Ever since independence in 1947, many locations in India have changed their names. Much of this resulted from the reorganization of the states on linguistic lines (as opposed to British colonial divisions). However, in the last six years, many major towns and cities have been renamed in ways that affect foreigners more. Among this flood of changes, three stand out. These are the former cities of Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta, which, together with Delhi, are considered the "mega cities" of India.1 They are the four most populous cities in India, and all but Madras are among the 15 most populous cities in the world.2 As a result, they are important commercial and transit hubs, and are well known outside India. Yet nearly six years later, most non-Indians still have no idea that they are now named Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. Given the difficulties involved in these changes, one expects compelling justifications for the changes. In each case, these changes have officially been justified on anti-colonialist grounds. However, I will argue that these changes are instead tools for channeling regionalist sentiment in the conflict between the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the centrist Indian National Congress (INC), and various regional parties. Opponents of the INC proposed all these names, but those proposed by the BJP and its nationalist allies have been more divisive. The case of Mumbai was the first major change to happen, and is thus the best known. In 1995, the ruling party in the government of the state of Maharashtra (of which Bombay was capital) announced that Bombay's name would be changed to its Marathi name, Mumbai.3 The casual observer would assume that the name "B... ...ttp://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/52a/076.html - a BBC article about the Kolkata name change * http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/indian_subcontinent/mumbai/history.htm - a travel site with a history of Mumbai. (It connects Bal Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena, to Adolf Hitler!) * http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/history/people/language/ - a list of most languages in India spoken by over a million people * http://www.contactsindia.com/tourism/south/tamil_nadu/madras.htm - a site with information about Chennai * www.aapkashahar.com - a tourist site with little or no graphics, demonstrating usage of both old and new names for cities * www.soulkurry.com - a site about women's spirituality in India List of Indian cities that have recently undergone (or may undergo) a name change. (Population figures are from www.citypopulation.de.)

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Ten Minute Time Sample Observation

Ten minute child's observation Observer: someone Aim: To do a ten minute time sample observation of a child engaged in a play activity. Date of observation: 29 11 2011 Observation started: 9. 55 Observation completed: 10. 05 Child's Initials: AWDate of Birth or Age: 4 years 5 months Legend: Child observed = AWOther girl = ESG = small group P= pair of childrenSOL = alone Evaluation : During the observation I did, AW was engaged in play all the time. She was playing with other children most of time. She is confidently interacting with other children while playing. She speaks clearly, in simple sentences. Asks simple questions. In ten minutes time she used even five areas in the nursery; so she’s very confident in there. Also, she doesn’t like staying in one area for a long time and she engages in imaginative play. Interested in shapes while in gluing activity. From this observation, I can tell that she has a good social skills, but, also, that she likes to dominate and tell other children what to do. Plays very well with E, likes to spend time with her, but sometimes doesn’t want to take turns. Time Setting Language Social group Comments 9. 55 In a construction area, going to play hide and seek. AW Â ® E ‘see if you can find me. ‘ E Â ® AW ‘I'm sure I will' P AW is going to find some place where to hide, E is not looking. 9. 56 In construction area hiding under the table. None SOL AW is hiding and E is trying to find her looking in all the nursery areas. 9. 57 In house corner – AW is hiding in the wardrobe None SOL AW has changed area, E didn’t notice her. Finally E finds AW in the wardrobe. AW is very happy. 9. 58 Music area AW Â ® E ‘can you please turn the music o? ’ E Â ® AW ‘sure, I can’ P AW is in music corner together with E again. She has a suitcase full of things. She found a remote control and gave it to E. 9. 59 Music area Whispering to each other P AW and E are hiding behind the armchair and laughing silently. 10. 00 New experiences area AW: ‘I want to be a dog; I want to be a dog!!! ’ SG AW, E and to other girls are playing in new experiences area. AW finds a dog bed and she’s pretending that she is a dog lying in dog’s bed. 10. 01 New experiences area E Â ® AW ‘let me be a dog now? ’ AW: ‘no, I am a dog!!! ’ SG AW doesn’t allow E to be a dog, because she wants to be a dog and she is still lying in a dog’s bed. 10. 02 New experiences None SG AW is still in a bed, pretending sleeping. 10. 03 New experiences AW: ‘sssh, I am sleeping’ SG AW is telling other girls to be quite, because she is sleeping. Other girls are quite now. 10. 04 Gluing area None SG AW is taking some card boxes from the shelf, measuring them and comparing shapes. 10. 05 Gluing area None SG AW took some boxes from the shelf and she put some glue on it. Later she took decorations from the box and started to decorate her art. She plays silently

A child centred society Essay

Present British society is certainly more child centred than it ever was. Some may argue Britain is a totally child centred society focusing on the needs and protection of children. However this hasn’t always been the case, back to as recent as just before the 20th century children were regarded as ‘little adults’ who could be hanged or punished for crimes, work and behave just the same as adults. However there was a major change in attitudes starting with the 1870 education act giving children from the ages 5-13 an opportunity for education. As the ‘little adults’ were now attending school rather than being an economic asset to the family-by going out to work- they became a financial responsibility, more of an investment for the parents, a view reinforced by recent statistics showing an average child costs i 155. 60 a week in the UK. Other social policies devised by the government include the factory acts such as the factory and workshop act of 1901 raising minimum working age to 12 and then consequently up to 16. the 1889 prevention of cruelty to children act was another policy, all these with the combination of recent laws restricting the use of drugs, alcohol, smoking and sex to for under 16s and 18s have sent out the message that children were not the same as adults, needed to be treated differently and above all needed protection. These, along with welfare provisions such as social services, child benefits and higher standard of living and medical knowledge ensure better attachment to the children have led to a massive change of attitude where the difference between children and adults is concerned, and ensure children stay healthy and safe being protected. However some may argue that Britain is far from being the rosy happy child centred society it may be portrayed as, Neil Postmans view is that if Britain was indeed a completely child centered society there would be no threat to children whatsoever. This is no the case with 17,727 cases of sexual crimes against children being reported in 2010/11 within England and whales. Along with 1 in 9 young adults reporting experiences of physical violence committed by adults in there childhood means although the majority of children are protected its not all. Neil Postman also argues childhood is disappearing due to the increasing integration of children and adults life accessed via the media, exposing children to adult issues and behaviour through tv programmes such as soaps are bringing the lives of children and adults closer. This is also reflected in the increasing similarity of dress ode between young children and their adult counterparts. To conclude I would say Britain is, at the moment mainly a child centered society, we do not have an economy dependant by 20% on children unlike India so it is definitely better than most. However it cannot be said that Britain is totally a child centered society although it has improved greatly not all children do experience the protection they needed and do come across violence and abuse in their childhood.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Triumph Launching Event

Executive Summary3 Introduction4 Customer Profile6 Demographic6 Behavioural6 Environmental scan7 SWOT Analysis7 PEST Analysis9 Store observations10 In-store10 Shoppers Behavior11 Online shop12 Ideas / Amendments for functional and creative online services12 Brand Awareness Survey14 Motorcycle range14 Clothing and accessories17 Conclusion and Recommendations21 Range evaluation21 Triumph dealers’ range21 Executive Summary Firstly, we shall present a little information about the company. The company was formed as a bicycle manufacturing company by Siegfried Bettmann in Coventry in 1887.In 1967, the production of the motorbike peaked at 47,000 units in this year. Unfortunately the business went into liquidation because lack of government backing. But in that year, John Bloor, a businessman who is the current owner of the company, bought the land where the factory located and therefore have the rights to the name of Triumph and assembles a team to develop a new range. In 2008, the company could break the record of its peak production. They were able to produced more than 50,000 units in this year. Triumph now has five factories and all are 100 percent owned by the company.Two of these factories are based in Hickley, UK and the other three factories are in Chonburi, Thailand. The clothing and accessories are made in China. For Triumph motorcycle, there are six range which can be classifies as the following; Supersport, Adventure, Touring, Classics, Cruisers and Roadsters. The age ranges for each range are different from each other. The younger target market is more attracted to the Supersport, adventure and roadster range whereas touring and cruisers range attracts more of 45-60 years old. The range that is the most popular and has the biggest volume sold is the classic.Whereas the roadsters range has the most competitors. There are 54 dealerships in United Kingdom and Ireland. Sixteen of these are multi- franchise dealers and 38 are solus dealers. All of thes e dealerships are franchised. All dealers must follow brand standard such as colour the store blue with wooden floor. Fifty percent of the stores will have PCA specialist. There are 16 subsidiary markets and 36 countries nationwide. Introduction The aim of this project is to propose an effective launching event of Triumph clothing range to dealers around UK using the range evaluation that we have researched.Having an effective launching event can help the company to maximize and maintain relationships with the dealers in order to secure orders. This project also hoping to improve with the order management process which can reduce cost and time benefits both the company and dealers. We have been given the opportunity to evaluate and improve the sell at the launching event for the Autumn/Winter 2011 Triumph clothing collection. Triumph is a motorcycle company whom also sell biker’s clothing and accessories range. Their objective is to promote and be more emphasize with this ran ge where they see potential opportunity.This project aims to gain knowledge about how to expand Triumph’s clothing collection to non-biker customers. We are appointed to evaluate and suggests a new lunching event(s) to dealers around UK. The problem that they are having now is that their clothing and accessories range are only known among bikers. It is our mission to come up with strategy to maximize their profit by expanding their customer base. We are here to think of ways that can attract those who are non-bikers. For clothing and accessories, they will launch collections twice a year, which consists of Spring/Summer collection and Autumn/Winter collection. The collection is made up of core and seasonal items. Core items are the items regarding to the season and the dealers can reorder any time because the stock is at Headquarter. For seasonal items, they focus on the climate during that particular time of the year and only available via forward order. Forward orders are c rucial for both dealers and Triumph. This is the way dealers can secure products for the season and allows Triumph to understand the market and best seller.For the Autumn/Winter 2011 collection that we are appointed, Triumph has coordinate together with Barbour. Barbour is a UK owned clothing store broadening out from its countrywear roots. Todays the company produces clothing that is designed for a full country lifestyle. The collection is to be launch during February and March 2011. The launching event usually taken place at the factory where dealers visit the pop up store for viewing the new collection and this is to be joined by appointment only. Information, product demonstration and order making are taken place on the event day.Sometimes the person visiting the event may not have the authority to make the purchase, therefore the company is given them a 3 week launching event so that decisions can be made within this 3 weeks. During this 3 weeks, larger dealers have their indiv idual bringing of 1-3 staffs whereas 2-4 small dealers are grouped together. The main goal of this collection is to start expanding the market to those who are non-bikers. But the problem being that they have not been considering about putting their products into any other department stores because they want to give priority to their existing dealers for stocking Triumph products.There is no budget limit for the launching event and sounded like the previous events made at the factory has been quite low. Their main competitor is BMW (for motorcycle department). If there were any stock left at the end of the season, participated dealers will pay extra to get their names printed on the sale adverts, which is usually published in the motor publishing. Customer Profile Demographic Supersport: Customer is male, in the mid 20s, single, and lives in the city. Adventure: Customer is male, in the 30s, married, lives in an upscale neighborhood.Touring: Customer is male/female, in the 30s, marr ied, moves around a lot with no permanent resident. Cruiser: Customer is male, 50-60 years old, married, living in rural area. Classic: Customer is male/female, in the 50s, married, and does not live in big cities. Roadster: Customer is male, 25-40 years old, single, and lives in the big cities. Behavioural Supersport: People who like racing, and look for a motor technically outstanding with high specification. Adventure: People who like adventure, and look for versatile motor accompanying them in different environment.Touring : People who like sport and travel, they look for a powerful motor having grater practicality in touring or sports touring. Cruiser: People who like cruisers look and embrace attitude of the hotted up motorcycles of the  60s. Classic : People who like vintage style and look for a motor presenting modern interpretation of a timeless classic. Roadster: People who take speed and agility seriously and look for a middleweight streetfighter. Environmental scan SWO T Analysis Triumph was formed as a bicycle manufacturing company by Siegfried Bettmann in Coventry in 1887.The first motorcycle was built in 1902. Triumph now has five factories around the world. They have 750 dealers in 35 countries and 54 of them are in UK. The clothing range started in 1994 with collaboration with Frank Thomas. Strengths * Branding – A United Kingdom’s brand born in 1887. The brand is not only well known in the UK but throughout the world. * Worldwide presences – Triumph truly has an international presence with factories in UK and Thailand for the motorcycle sector and for clothing sector in China. Also there are 750 dealers around the world.Countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, USA and Venezuela. * Collaboration – The company successfully collaborates with the well known British clothing brand â€Å"Barbour† for their 2011 Spring and Summer clothing collection. This is an opportunity for Triumph to extend their brand awareness to non-bikers sector. * Customization – There is an option â€Å"create my Triumph† on the website where you can build your very own Triumph motorcycle.Weaknesses * Undifferentiated products/service – Unlike their rival, BMW, they don’t only make motorcycles, they produce cars as well. This is why BMW is a much better known company because their target market is relatively larger. * Because Triumph refuses to expand their stores into a more commercial environment such as a department store, the chance of attracting larger non-biker audience is lower. * The company is lacking marketing expertise. This weakened the brand to expand to its potential customers. Opportunities * The virtual world is becoming an essential part of our lives, Internet is a powerful tool.Having a Triumph site where customers can order online is beneficial. * Joint venture with Barbour will give opportunity to Triumph for expanding the brand name and brand awareness. * Moving into a new market segment with the clothing collection will generates more interests in the brand itself and also generates more profit. Threats * The continuing Global recession – The economic decline result in the demand of consumers. Especially with the increase in oil price, a motorcycle is considered as a ‘want’ not ‘need’. * Intense competition – There are many competitors in this market.Many of the competitors offer marketing incentives and reduce in product price. This action will have a negative effect on Triumph pricing and market share. * Global warming – The issue of global warming will effect in Triumph motorcycle sales. People are becoming more conscious of fuel consumption. PEST Analysis Political: The government has di scouraged bike usage by increasing taxes for all bike riders. Since 2009, there has been an increase in Bike Road Tax as well as Bike Parking Tax. Vehicle Excise Duty for Motorcycles has increased for the 2009-2010 period.With the increase in oil prices, it has become far more costly to ride a motorbike today. Even so, traffic congestion and overcrowded public transport favors motorcycle use as a means of commuting. Economic: Inflation rates in the UK are increasing as well as the exchange rate, while the interest rate remains low. Due to this situation, the production of motorcycles depend more on imports and labor cost have increased as a result. At the same time the increase in global trade has created severe competition in the industry due to the emerging foreign markets.However it is easier to escape this recession on a two-wheeler rather than a car. Social: More people in the UK now own motorbikes despite the increases in cost. It is more socially acceptable to own a bike, and there are a lot more female motorcycle owners. A lot of older individuals who used to ride bikes when they were young are now starting to purchase bikes once again (returner bikers). The number of motorcycle use has increased over the years as opposed to cars, as they serve as a status symbol and are more efficient and practical in traffic.Technological: Technological advances have added many safety features to motorbikes to make riders more comfortable. The demand of motorcycles has led to the emergence of larger capacity engines (around 500cc). These changes make motorbikes more attractive as a means of transport as well as a leisure activity. Store observations In-store North city Triumph North city Triumph opened this brand new store just a month ago and the shop outlook really inspires customers, even though you are not rider. Big Triumph flags outside and a fresh, clean environment welcomes you inside.The store is located in a busy suburban area, half an hour from London city , in a good marketplace if you are coming by car or by bike. The store is a Triumph Solus dealer and they have a PCA Specialist who is in charge of clothing and accessory parts. The Triumph brand is very well presented in the North city store: Wooden floors, bright and high spaces display their bike range and latest clothing collection range in a stunning way. The shop offers personal assistants for customers and all staff is most helpful and willing to serve clients to meet all their needs.The Triumph collection is still very monotonous and dark leather jackets and trousers make everything look like same. Unfortunately no product really stands out and even labels such as â€Å"new model† failed to make you more interested to buy. North city Triumph’s ideal customer is a man in his mid 40s, who buys products mainly for his needs rather than his wants. Metropolis Vauxhall Metropolis Vauxhall is located south of London city center, close to all transport connections. The shop is a Triumph multi- franchise dealer, so it also offers its competitors products.Here Triumph’s image as a brand is less highlighted and the collection range is narrower. The store visit is less inspiring than at the Solus store and Triumph’s products get lost among competing brands. Yet, a broad supply of competing products and brands attract a larger number of customers and this generates increased impulse sales for the more generic Triumph products, such as their leisure clothing line. The Triumph collection range remains vague and limited space availability makes displaying products, and brand imaging, challenging.Metropolis Vauxhall Triumph? s ideal customer is a man aged between 35 and 55 and they also might pop in store just for clothing, not just because of biking. Shoppers’ Characteristics †¢ Triumph clothes’ ideal customer is a man between 35 and 55 †¢ The ideal, and also potential customers, are males returning to their youth: t hey like to wear something classical, stylish and keep their individual style rather then run after the latest trends †¢ They like to shop in store †¢ They shop mainly for needs more than wants Triumph’s customers respect personal assistants and prefer visiting the same local store †¢ Customer respects practical clothes and a personal look †¢ Triumph’s brand is an important factor for customer ( SWOT,PETS, Dealers feedback) Online shop Online shopping has exploded during last decade and today it is normal to do a virtual shopping trip that satisfies the customer’s needs. This year e- retail sales are on course to a record 16% growth in the UK and as retailers start offering more and more e-services online shops will become faster and more functional.Also, using IMRG ( Interactive media in retail group) research report, clothing is one of the fastest growing online shopping sectors. Online shopping advantages are remarkable. Lower costs (expe nses) to retailers and customers, user friendliness, fast delivery and independence of shopping hours are factors that every company should take advantage of as much as possible. Though Triumph’s image is built on customer service, this would be a further advantage that increases their competitiveness. Also, as no other competitor has a truly outstanding online store, small quality improvements could result in a decent increase of customers.Triumph world website and dealers’ websites are overall very professional compared to other motorcycle brands, but dealers’ own online clothing shops /services differ largely in their visual outlook, ranges and operating systems in general. Outstanding and interesting dealers stand out straight away. Carl Rosner and A1 Moto are good examples of online shops that are simple to use and harmonized/balanced within Triumph’s brand image and product range. Almost exceptional, Solus dealers stand out with a positive Triumph b rand image and visitors get a feeling that the dealer is standing behind and believing in their brand 100%.However, surprisingly many dealers have a complicated order system and their product ranges are presented in a dull way, without a professional feel. The pictures are small and especially the light coloured casual clothes drown into the white background. At the moment some dealer’s pages don’t inspire to shop and their complicated order-system does not encourage online buying. Based on the research results and the feedback we got from consumers that are targeting Triumph’s target group, it is recommend that dealers’ webpages and online services would be similar and linked together with the Triumph brand nationally.Triumph’s target group and potential buyers mainly consists of men who usually appreciate user friendliness, and a straight forward clothing line, that can be bought with just a couple of clicks on the mouse Ideas / Amendments for fu nctional and creative online services †¢ Dealers online services/ shop harmonized to Triumph official sites and brand image. †¢ Product info and pictures to have same the outlook as is used in the Triumph catalog and their official pages. †¢ Creating seasonal online campaigns that are targeted to inspire loyal customers and new potential bikers. Charity campains. †¢ â€Å" â€Å"Goes with† – boxes†.Website would automatically suggest clothes or accessories that would go well with previously purchased items. †¢ Making online shopping easier and more fluent. Product ranges displayed with uniform background image and a picture size that allows you to properly view the chosen product. * Clothing pictures with real people, using professional photographer †¢ Promoting of casual wear line should be more directed towards the target customer group, men that have spending power, but little time for shopping. †¢ Create competition â€Å" design your own jacket or t-shirt†. Winner’s design would be launched with limited number.Brand Awareness Survey We have set up a survey analyzing Triumph brand awareness amongst Fashion students aged between 21 to 35 years old and other category was people with no age limit. At the moment, out of 38 respondents, only 14 have heard of the brand ‘Triumph’. Whereas the main competitors such as Yamaha, Ducati and BMW have 35, 32 and 30 respondents respectively. There are many factors that can be the reasons why Triumph is not as well known as the competitors. * Locations of the stores * Sponsorships * Product variety * Brand reputation * Brand marketing * Brand accessibilityAnother point that we can observes is that out of 38 respondents, only 1 respondent wrote Triumph as the brand that comes first in their mind. Whereas Harley Davidson has 15 respondents and Ducati has 8 respondents. For improvements of the brand awareness, we can study how Harley Davidson presents itself to the audience. After this observation, we would like to focus the brand emphasizing its British heritage with the Classic look. We can see that Harley Davidson and Vespa also have the Vintage Classic look and we think if Triumph brings out the Heritage theme it can become better known as well.Also, taking considerations consumers, we see that most potential new customers are middle age people, who have interest to start new, youngish hobby or finally carry out their dreams. These people, mostly men, have also money to spend for bike and naturally for street wise/ credible clothing. Analysis of Product offers Motorcycle range Triumph’s 2011 motorcycle product contains the following ranges. Pictures of products are listed in appendix. Roadster range Triumph Roadsters range is for the street. It stresses attitude, style, performance and agility.This range has Street Triple and Speed Triple. The Street Triple’s specification includes Triumph’s trad emark twin headlights and high level silencers, meaty dual brake discs up front and a comprehensive instrument suite that even includes a lap timer and adjustable gear change indicator. The Speed Triple’s specification includes four-piston Brembo brakes for eye-popping stopping power, fat alloy handlebars, fully-adjustable 43mm upside down forks for maximum control and a comprehensive instrumentation that includes lap timer and programmable gear shift light. Supersports rangeTriumph Supersports range is for the racetrack to compete with the best in the supersport class. This range has Daytona 675. With the lightest and narrowest chassis in the class, the Daytona 675 delivers outstandingly agile and intuitive handling. Fully adjustable suspension front and rear, with separate adjustment for high and low speed compression damping, gives the Daytona 675 superb composure on all surfaces, while top-of-the-range monobloc radial brake calipers up front deliver eye popping stopping p ower. Adventure range This range is designed for people who are looking for adventure and it has Tiger 1050.The Tiger 1050 is equally at home in the urban jungle as it is prowling on the open road. The Tiger 1050 with its commanding riding position, its muscular 1,050cc triple engine, powerful brakes and high specification sporty chassis making for real fun on the twisties and composure in the traffic. Tiger 1050 is a superbly competent bike and does scratch, tour and commute all. Touring range This range satisfied sport and touring at the same time and it has Sprint. (Sprint ST and Sprint GT) Equally capable of crossing continents or taking on a track day, the Sprint is one of those rare contradictions.The new Sprint ST has been given a number of improvements to ensure it remains one of the world’s favourite sports-tourers. Updates include new reflector-style triple headlight unit; re-designed cockpit; the same stunning 1050cc inline triple engine, but with latest spec ECU f or ultra-smooth throttle response. Sportier than the GT, the Sprint ST is set to become even more attractive due to its new ultra-competitive price. The New Sprint GT is greater practicality and more emphasis on the ‘touring' aspect of ‘sports touring'. It offers a unique proposition of performance, practicality and price.Performance from the uprated 1050cc triple with 130PS on hand. Practicality – the GT's byword – with 117 litres of lugguage, ABS brakes,   u-lock, built in rack and grab handle, and a  200 mile fuel range. Classics range This range is designed for classic motorcycle style. It has Scrambler, Bonneville, and Thruxton. Scrambler is inspired by the 60s Triumph off-road sports motorcycles that were stripped down for racing and has a unique look and feel all of its own. It has styling details including gaiters, white seat piping and high swept chromed side pipes.Bonneville is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the definitive ‘proper ’ motorcycle, this iconic symbol of rebellion and independence is even more accessible thanks to its low and narrow seat, clean and efficient fuel-injected engine and lightweight 17 inch alloy wheels for even sharper handling. Thruxton is named after the famous racetrack where Triumph ruled the roost and is inspired by the Ton Up Boys of the 1960s. The Thruxton is Triumph’s sportiest Modern Classic, and authentic cafe racer delivering a unique Triumph experience. Cruisers rangeThis range presents classic cruiser looks and has America, Speedmaster, Thunderbird, and Rocket III. For the classic cruiser look, the America comes with shrouded front forks with polished lowers, chromed single headlamp and chromed engine covers, machined cast wheels, chromed detailing and twin reverse cone pipes. The Speedmaster is a tough looking, no-nonsense sports cruiser that’s dripping with attitude. With blacked out engine cases, slash cut pipes and cast black wheels with polished rims, the Speedmaster embraces the attitude of the hotted up motorcycles of the  60s.The Thunderbird oozes cruise from every angle with its strong, muscular lines. Powered by the all-new 1600cc T-16 parallel-twin engine, the Thunderbird delivers class leading power, torque and economy figures, with a refinement previously unheard of in the mainstream cruiser class. Rocket III Touring is a true mile eating custom tourer blessed with unique character and that memorable 2. 3 litre motor. The iconic engine has been retuned for effortless low down torque. Rocket III Roadster has Classic streetfighter looks and delivers the tree-pulling levels of torque. Clothing and accessoriesTriumph’s 2011 spring and summer garment and accessories product contains the following ranges. Pictures of products are listed in appendix. Roadster range Performance products with attitude, developed for the street and the city. Roadster garments are targeted at the riders of Speed and Street Triple and range from subtle to heavy branded products. Added comfort and features make these products more usable for everyday or occasional riding. This range has items in jackets, pants and jeans. Supersport range Performance supersport products follow the ethos of bikes like the Daytona 675.They are technically advanced with high specification, delivering a product range that is aimed at the track and sports riding. Visually strong, these pieces are heavily branded with a bold and distinctively triumph design. This range has items in one piece suit, jacket, and jeans. Touring range Touring series is a very functional range of products. Waterproof, windproof and breathable, this collection has been developed to allow consumers to enjoy long rides, providing the wearer with the essential protection from the elements. This range has items in jacket, pans, and jeans.Adventure range Inspired by the spirit of adventure, this collection of products has a more rugged, enduro style. Packed full of features, these functional garments will deal with the requirement of both road and off-road riding. This range has items in jacket and pants. Heritage range Classic looking products make up this range, inspired by motorcycle garments of the past. This collection is designed for the exacting requirements of a modern day motorcyclist, whist also maintaining that true authentic heritage. This range only has items in jackets. Modern retro rangeWhere modern meets retro, a range of products inspired by the classic racing garments of the 60’s and 70’s. The use of racing stripes, graphics and colors are combined with classic style leathers and modern construction technologies to deliver a performance riding product. This range has items in jackets and jeans. Legend range The Triumph legends range includes a series of products that pays homepage to the icons of music and screen that had a close relationship with Triumph. Legend collection contains two special editions which Ma re- James Dean special edition Jacket and Mcqueen special edition Jacket.Cruiser range This range have taken the classic image of the cruiser and given it a Brit Rocker attitude. The Cruiser range take their influence from the British Rocker culture of the 1960’s and 70’s and combined these looks with modern technology. This range has items in jackets and jeans. Triumph union range The triumph union range has a fashion influence with products that cross over between categories and can be comfortably worn on any bike or worn off-bike. These products have character and a style of their own. This range has items in jackets and blousons.Function range The function range of products comprises of waterproof oversuits and protector including protect vase, back pro-tech and pro-tech jacket. Men’s casual range This range presents casual look and has items in shirt, layer tops, leggings, jackets, T-shirts, shorts, polo, hoodies, and denims. These products can go with othe r Triumph products. Ladies range The ladies collection offers a focused number of styles and options to appeal to both rides and pillions alike. All styles are designed independently, conceived to appeal to women.This range has items in jackets, jeans, gloves, and boots. Ladies casual wear range This range presents casual look and has items in shirts, T-shirt, vests, and jeans. Junior range The junior range is fun and colorful, and is ideal gifts for younger Triumph enthusiast. This range has items in shirts, T-shirts, bike models, model kits, and Triumph Teddy. Personal accessories range Personal accessories range has items in following categories: – personal luggage (helmet bags, bum bags, laptop bags, and hold all) – gifts(magnets, cybertool, water bottle, and cards set) team hinckley(door mat, buff, beer mat, and bike mat) – headwear and buffs (hat, buff, and neck tube) – collectors scale models – wallets and pens – watches and wall cloc k – belts and buckles – key fobs and pin badges – mugs and glassware -patches and stickers Conclusion and Recommendations Range evaluation Triumph’s clothing line is strongly linked to their motorcycle collection. They offer a wide range of riding gear, of high technical quality, designed specifically for each motorcycle model.They renew their clothing line twice a year to suit their customer’s changing needs throughout the year, allowing them to adjust for different weather and climates. Triumph is proud of its roots and history. This becomes clear after only a brief glance through their webpages. Their clothes are designed and manufactured with utmost respect towards its image and heritage. This way they guarantee customer satisfaction and a first class biker look, suitable for riding and leisure. Their vast clothing line serves both the customers and the dealer’s needs.An ideal riding suit or just a jacket has been designed to every motor cycle type and this helps the dealers in designing their collection and building their order. Triumph pricing range is ideal and comparing biggest competitors BMW and Ducati, we see that their products offer best value for money. If the clothing range, especially in casual wears would be bit more mature and classical, we would even suggest higher prices for some products. Every dealer should offer best-selling products for all motorcycle range and also build up perfect combination for casual wears that goes together in style with modern motorcycle clothes.The climate and location are naturally also important factors, but it is more important in our view that the supply for their target group and demand of motorcycles are in balance. Collections offer great suits for driving and in that field Triumph are reaching their goals (touring, supersports, adventure). However problem is that most of these products aren’t something you buy every season, not even every year, so Triumph c lothing should be stand out more through modern motorcycle clothes, casual wears, that goes as well as biking clothes (modern retro, legend, heritage, casual). Triumph dealers’ rangeBased on our store-visits, customer feedback and material that we received from the Triumph company, it seems like Solus and multi-dealers have certain problems defining an ideal clothing range. Solus dealers normally have a large range of products but the typical customer normally comes in to see motorcycles and if they buy clothes it is usually mainly for driving. The casual wear line is presented well but since the competition in this field is fierce, people tend to prefer buying clothes elsewhere. Multi-franchise dealers have other brands presented as well, so Triumph clothes are not standing out too well.However, these shops are visited by a larger number of new potential customers, so if the range matches the customers’ needs, this will affects sales positively. To be able to find a p erfect balance for the range that is being ordered, dealers must target their potential customers and then build the perfect match of driving clothes, casual wears and personal accessories around it. The Triumph company must also be able to build a brand image that is identical with the products that are being offered. Every successful clothing brand has to focus on a certain look.Triumph’s history and success in motorcycles is defined by their individual yet stylish look and this should also be the brand message going forward. Appendix: http://www. triumphmotorcycles. co. uk/clothing, Triumph company materials, ——————————————– [ 1 ]. http://www. triumph. co. uk, http://www. a1moto. com, http://www. carlrosner. co. uk, http://www. metropolismotorcycles. com [ 2 ]. http://www. harley-davidson. com/en_US/Content/Pages/MotorClothes_Merchandise/pink-label. html [ 3 ]. http://e u. levi. com/en_GB/shop/index. html, http://www. asos. com [ 4 ]. http://www. streetshirts. co. uk