Saturday, December 28, 2019

The Chosen Service User Groups Of People With A Physical...

This assignment will initially define and discuss the chosen service user groups of people with a physical disability and a young carer. Following this there will be a discussion on identifying the needs of the young carer and the person they care for, the range of roles the young carer might provide and the issues involved providing informal care support, the range of support available for both groups, and the role of policy and legislation. A person with a physical disability is someone who has physical impairments which they may have been born with or happened to gain in a result of an injury. Having a physical disability limits you from doing daily activities yourself. The Equality Act have stated the definition of someone with a†¦show more content†¦(NHS Choices 2016) Being a young carer for someone who has a physical disability can be very overwhelming so it is important that the young carers’ needs are being met. Taking a break from caring such as going away on holiday, this would be the time for the young carer to relax and just look after themselves for a short period of time, not worrying about no one but themselves. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely important for a young carer as they tend to forget about their own health because they are focused on the person they are caring for. Ways the young carer could maintain a healthy lifestyle is, making sure they have a balanced diet, making sure they do some form of exercise for 30 minutes a day and to even attend screenings every once in a while at their local doctors to make sure there isn’t any medical problems to be addressed. Having a social life is definitely something what a young carer should fit into their lifestyle. A social life can consist of going out for meals, meeting up with a group of friends, going out doing fun activities and going out on night’s outs. Having a social life would be something the young carer could look forward to and most importantly the young carer would feel like a normal teenager having fun. Staying in education is very important for a young carer. Getting an education would lead the young carer to become successful and get good job. Young carers would

Friday, December 20, 2019

Essay Mlk Speech - 995 Words

Critical Thinking 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Ââ€" I Have a Dream Speech The 1960s were a changing time for America. Soon to be gone were the conservative fifties as many post-war baby boomers became young adults. The youth of American was no longer content to continue with traditional thinking, it was a time for a revolutionary change. The changes would affect values, laws, education, lifestyles and entertainment. All of this would take place during a turbulent time for our country. The Civil Rights Movement, the Viet Nam War, Communism, war protesters, draft dodgers, political unrest and assassinations were all a part of everyday news. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King a Civil Rights Leader delivered a speech at the March†¦show more content†¦To appeal to our sense of compassion by reminding us of the promise of equality made to each and every one of us by our forefathers. Although not in physical captivity, the Negro of the present day was a slave to poverty, discrimination and segregation. While racism was everywhere more obvious were the southern states where designated water fountains, restrooms and bus seats continued to separate the Negro and serve to remind them of their place in society. The American Negro was tired of injustice and began to protest through marches, rallies, and sit-ins. The prime example was Rosa Parks refusal to move to a seat in the rear of bus used for public transportation. Some may have viewed Dr. Kings speech as threatening when he tells us it would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. Then goes on to tell us that we are in for a rude awakening if changes do not occur. Using the culture in 1963 Dr. King hinted at revolution but turned his words towards peace. The answer to gaining equality and freedom did not include bitterness and hatred. As Dr. King speaks of the injustices he also speaks of trust and unity as one answer to the issues at hand. Dr. King is clear in his instruction to the audience by telling them that the only way for the Negro to succeed is through non-violence and faith that there will be a change in culture that would allow equal justiceShow MoreRelatedJfk Speech vs. Mlk Speech1352 Words   |  6 PagesKennedy’s Inaugural Speech We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change, for I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago. The world is very different now, for man holds in his mortal hand the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for whichRead MoreMlk Analysis Dream Speech Essay1034 Words   |  5 PagesMartin Luther Kings speech I Have a Dream delivered on August 28, 1963 is said to be the greatest demonstration of Americas history. Dr. King intended to appeal to both black and white audiences through his inspirational speech. Written in a persuasive, stylistic manner, he used strong diction to call for a change in the nation, doing so without violence. He successfully combined the use of repetition, word choice and figurative language in his speech to connect to his audience and set theRead MoreUse And Manipulation Of The English Language1394 Words   |  6 Pagesalliance with their audience. â€Å"If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter† (qtd. in Lindenbaum ). This famous quote is an excellent interpretation of one of the most pivotal acts of a distinguished leader, Martin Luther King Jr. On August 28, 1963, MLK presented one of the most iconic speeches in the world to call an end to racism (Carson). However, what makes â€Å"I Have A Dream† such a momentous speech that continues to inspire movements and rebellionsRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of I Have A Dream Speech1601 Words   |  7 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. gave a speech titled â€Å"I Have a Dream† on August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. In this speech, Dr. King is trying to persuade all races specifically Blacks and Whites to take action in order to gain freedom and harmony in the community. He tries to do this by using different techniques to appeal to his audience. It is shown that he uses pathos or emotional appeal throughout his speech. Also there are clear signs of logical appeal which is called logos. InRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Martin Luther King Jr. s I Have A Dream 1132 Words   |  5 Pageswrote the speech entitled â€Å"I have a dream† and presented it to nearly 250,000 people on August 23, 1963. In that speech, MLK Jr. used several different types of figurative language/rhetorical devices in order to convey his message to the people on a deeper level. These devices include personification, allusion, symbolism, hyperbole, metaphor, simile, and anaphora. Personification is a form of figurative language in which something has nonhuman human qualities. One example of this in MLK Jr.’s writingRead MoreMartin Luther King Jr.1332 Words   |  6 Pagesand eventually passage of the Voting Rights Act in the 1960s. In his capacity as a Civil Rights leader, MLK delivered his famous â€Å"I have a dream† speech after the march for Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. His speech was delivered on August 28th in front of the Lincoln Memorial. In his speech, MLK made sure to emphasize the hope that many African Americans had in the United States. Furthermore, MLK makes it clear that hope to him is defined as, â€Å"Sons of former slaves and sons of former slave ownersRead MoreMalcolm X And Martin Luther King Essay1131 Words   |  5 Pagesmost striking is that MLK was a good statesman who delivered moving speeches about peace, freedom, and democracy while Malcolm X was a known eradicator of those who was not of the superior white race . Malcolm X refused to see the impossibility of losing, but believed in getting equal rights by any means necessary such as separatism; Martin Luther King Jr. believed that African Americans should gain their rights in a peaceful manner without violence. The beliefs of Malcolm X and MLK stems from their familyRead MoreLincoln And Abraham Lincolns I Have A Dream Speech956 Words   |  4 PagesMartin Luther King Jr. asserted, â€Å"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.† Martin Luther King Jr. was an astute abolitionist who performed a vital speech called I Have a Dream. There is another well-known speech just like this one by Abraham Lincoln called The Gettysburg Address. After attentively analyzing, comparing, and contrasting these two fundamental speeches in history, the readers have developed a question: how are theseRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King Jrs March On Washington1055 Words   |  5 P agesWhile not being the original point of the historic March on Washington which took place in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech as well as his presence in the movement against racist oppression played a major role in the ending of racial prejudice and gave life to the beginning of racial equality. His speech tackled the biggest problem within society head on and the march, consisting of whites, blacks, and members of many different ethnic groups displayed a society that was ready for change. TheRead MoreMartin Luther King Junior ( Mlk )1503 Words   |  7 PagesLuther King Junior (MLK) was a preacher, clergyman, and a powerful speaker who started the end to the black and white segregation in 1960s America. He created many heartfelt and sincere speeches, and his use of literary techniques developed his ideas and political and social concerns. His skills were most evident in such speeches as â€Å"I Have a Dream† (IHD), â€Å"Eulogy for the Martyred Children† (EMC) and his final speech â€Å"I ve Been to the Mountaintop† (IBM). In these speeches MLK expressed his political

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Happiness Can Be Found in Unlikely Places free essay sample

Found in Unlikely Circumstances About a year ago, myself and a couple friends took a semester off school, went to South Africa for a vacation and for a chance to see a different part of the world. We set out for four months; three of those months we spent traveling up and down the garden route and the east coast and midway through our trip, we stopped at a hostel called, â€Å"Coffee Shack. † It was very laid back and relaxing hostel; there were many people there every night and the ocean was so close to the tepee we were living in, we were practically swimming. Every morning we would wake up to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the enormous African sun that hovered over our heads. One morning, we decided to go out with some of the guests from the hostel for a hike along the hills by the seashore. We will write a custom essay sample on Happiness Can Be Found in Unlikely Places or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These hills were covered in thick blades of grass but had rock faces that were pointed out towards the water. If you looked to your left you’d see these hills go for miles; mound after mound, circular shaped huts with cone shaped roofs sitting on top. African trees as well, looking as if the wind was blowing all the branches to one side of the trunk but they stood absolutely still; frozen in time. To your right you’d see the ocean go out for as far as you can see, while standing on a cliff with an almost vertical drop. From looking at the cliffs from the sides, it showed the many trails descending down the cliffs made by mountain goats and every once and a while you could see one half way down; climbing up. Although our surroundings were incredible, the heat was as well. We went through several bottles of water through-out the hike. Our leader, an African local, lead us down one of the more climbable hills to the ocean floor where it was covered in rock. With the sun beating down on us we felt trapped because we couldn’t swim in the water, the waves were too strong we’d be thrown up against the rocks. We carried on through this frying pan for another couple of minutes until our leader stopped the group. He lead us to this crack in the wall on the side of the cliff which was about six feet tall and about a foot or so wide; barely big enough for someone to squeeze through. We all stood there, as warm as ever, wondering what he had brought us too. He then told us we could go inside in groups of four; lucky for us, my friends and I were in the first group. We felt like eggs being boiled on concrete before squeezing through the crack in the wall and going into the cave; shaded from the sun. The four of us stood there; it was absolutely pitch black; we couldn’t see a thing, but as pointless as it seemed, it felt great to get out of the sun even for a couple of seconds. Our leader came in and explained to us that every night, when the tide comes in, this cave gets mostly filled up with water and when the tide goes down it leaves some behind that serves like a pool. He handed my friend a flashlight and he turned it on. The complete darkness we were looking into immediately vanished and a small little body of water appeared. We all looked at each other; I could tell by the expression on my friend, Jake’s face that he was thanking the heavens. We then, one by one, crammed into this Jacuzzi sized pool and let out sighs of relief. The cooling sensation was indescribable. It was easily the most satisfying and refreshing experience I’ve ever had on a hike.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Linking Change Drivers and Organizational Change Process

Question: Discuss about the Linking Change Drivers and Organizational Change Process. Answer: Introduction Companies go through shifts in the market hence there is need to change some of the aspects of the firm to prevent to collapse when the market changes occur. Most of the strategists propose modifying the various structures in the business promptly once such changes occur whereby one has to use two techniques. The first technique should be for getting the business in the right position by acclimatising the enterprises model to the shifted market. The second technique is the creation of a distinct business that will come up with creative ideas which are necessary for the businesses future growth.one of the firms that undergone a market shift is the Deseret News which started in the 1850s. The company was using the old newspaper model for over 100 years but had to change this model after going through a market shift. The firms customer at first received a paper each day at their doorstep for a monthly fee. The descent in revenue because of the market turns significantly affected the firm and brought a lot of disruptions in the business. The drop started gradually because of the competition from the websites such as the Huffington post which posted news as well as the social media platforms. The readers attention was diverted to these sites leaving the Deseret News with few customers hence causing the financial constraints. The company had to look for a way to correct this, one of the Harvard professor; Gilbert came to the company and gave them an idea on how to resolve the situation. (Gilbert, Eyring Foster, 2012)He gave the concept of digital media which they adapted and has substantially increased their revenues. The company is now firm because of the innovative idea and is still publishing its local daily newspaper as well as using the digital media, for instance, web publishing. In this paper , I will give my scenario on the companys vision in the next five years by looking at the most favourable conditions as well as the threats it may have. Best case vision Planning is a vital thing in the firm, but with the various happenings in the world, scholars say that the future is just a surprise. Some companies had plans, but the natural disasters pulled them down such as the Tsunami in 2005 thus while making plan one need to look at different scenarios. Scenarios are more than one story that guides one in showing them how the companys environment may change in the next years.one of the vision of the Deseret News is decreasing their expenses which they propose will be by reducing some of the staff workers and adapting the advancing technology. The decision may be affected by some of the environmental issues such as the currency fluctuations. Although the company is planning to maximise its profit twice in the next five years, it is vital to look at different scenarios sand come up with an informed decision on benefits they may get. The technological factors are also an environmental force that may affect this vision since the new technologies a te hard to predict as it has affected different firms. By looking at various scenarios using different companies and consulting experienced experts, they suggest that they can achieve the vision and different businesses adapted it to maximise their profits. (Konno, Nonaka, Ogilvy, 2014) The view of maximising profits twice in the next five years has various threats such as terrorist attacks which are prevalent in different nations today. The attacks may lead to the destruction of the company hence use of the companys profit in reconstructing the company. (Konno, Nonaka, Ogilvy, 2014) I believe that the worst case vision will not occur though there have been scenarios of such situations in the past there is need to come up with a correct strategy for security. The idea of maximising the companys profit will be achievable since one of the attempts by the CEO in 2010 where there was a 43% paperwork employee reduction worked so well. Conclusion In conclusion for the Deseret firm to be able to maximise profits as well as prevent the effect from a threat such as terrorist attack seen in various scenarios, it has to come up with individual strategies. The plans may include having a thorough check-up before entering the companys premises as well as having the CCTV cameras all over the enterprise. The company also needs to be careful on the technology equipments that they will adopt as some may be fake hence affecting the companies productivity. References Gilbert, C., Eyring, M. and Foster, R.N., 2012. Two routes to resilience. Harvard Business Review, 90(12), pp.65-73. Konno, N., Nonaka, I. and Ogilvy, J., 2014. Scenario planning: The basics. World Futures, 70(1), pp.28-43. Whelan-Berry, K.S. and Somerville, K.A., 2010. Linking change drivers and the organizational change process: A review and synthesis. Journal of Change Management, 10(2), pp.175-193. Buchanan, D.A., 2011. Reflections: good practice, not rocket scienceunderstanding failures to change after extreme events. Journal of Change Management, 11(3), pp.273-288.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Bill Gates1 essays

Bill Gates1 essays Bill Gates? When most people hear that name they think of money, power, and computers. These thoughts arent necessarily incorrect, but rather insufficient. Sure, Bill Gates has money, thirty-two billion and growing to be exact, and yes he has power, being the CEO of Microsoft as well as the wealthiest man in the country. But people cant look through their jealousy and envy to see what Mr. Gates actually stands for. He has influences the way businesses, schools, and organizations operate, with the creations his programs, and operating systems (Windows). As well Bill along with his wife, Melinda; have spent numerous hours in press conferences and funding campaigns. Together they have founded educational charity organizations. Nevertheless, hard work and dedication led him to his wealthy state, and positive effects. Bill, his full name: William H. Gates III, was born on October 28, 1955, and grew up in Seattle Washington. His father, William H. Gates II, was a prominent lawyer and was rather wealthy. His mother, Mary Gates was a schoolteacher, and served on many charitable boards, and also, was chairwoman of United Way International. Bill showed a lot of talent for math and logic. Bill Gates accomplishments began when he was at the age of 13. His father enrolled him in the private Lakeside school. This is where his career in personal computer software started. Having an interest in computers was extremely rare, especially for a young teenage boy. For computers back then were still the size of a room, and only run by sophisticated scientists. Bill met Paul Allen, a fellow classmate with an interest in computers also. These two along with others formed a group called the Lakeside Programmers. Paul and Bill became very close friends, as well as programmers. They created a scheduling program for the school. This aided the administration in filling slots for classes each semester. Then a coup...

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Index Minerals Defined and Explained in Geology

Index Minerals Defined and Explained in Geology As rocks are subjected to heat and pressure, they change or metamorphose. Different minerals appear in any given rock depending upon the type of rock and the amount of heat and pressure the rock undergoes. Geologists look at the minerals in rocks to determine how much heat and pressure - and thus how much metamorphosis - the rock has undergone. Certain minerals, called index minerals, only appear in certain rocks at certain pressures, Thus, index minerals can tell geologists how much the rock has metamorphosed. Examples of Index Minerals The most widely used index minerals are,  in ascending order of pressure/temperature,  are biotite,  the zeolites,  chlorite,  prehnite, biotite,  hornblende,  garnet, glaucophane, staurolite,  sillimanite,  and glaucophane.   When these minerals are found in particular types of rocks, they can indicate the minimum amount of pressure and/or temperature the rock has experienced. For example, slate, when it undergoes metamorphosis, changes first to phyllite, then to schist, and finally to gneiss. When slate is seen to contain chlorite, it is understood to have undergone a low grade of metamorphosis. Mudrock, a sedimentary rock, contains quarts at all grades of metamorphosis. Other minerals, however, are added as the rock undergoes different zones of metamorphosis. The minerals are added in the following order: biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite. If a piece of mudrock contains garnet but no kyanite, it has probably undergone only a low grade of metamorphosis. If, however, it contains sillimanite, it has undergone extreme metamorphosis.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The impact of e-business on an organisation Dissertation

The impact of e-business on an organisation - Dissertation Example Organizations all over the world have taken the help of various methods to facilitate the operations and expansion of their business. With the development of Information and Communication Technology, firms have chosen to conduct a large part of their business activities through e-commerce. This has generated a new area of interest among financial researchers. Analysts have been curious to know the impact of the introduction of e-commerce on an organization. They have also been interested in comparing the firms’ business functioning in the earlier days with that in the new technological era. The introduction of e-commerce in corporations has brought about significant changes in their operations. The new technologies have enabled firms to undertake a larger volume of business with the help of the same resources.Service organizations are now able to reach out to a wider range of customers. The new ICT methods have facilitated a more efficient functioning of the overall activities of firms. For this reason, it is important to evaluate the impact of e-commerce on an organization. Therefore, this paper has chosen to undertake a research on this subject. The Indian banking sector has been currently been witnessing an ICT revolution. Most of the banks have adopted new technological methods to improve the efficiency of their existing operations and also to expand their business among a larger spectrum of the population. Recently the HDFC Bank has implemented a multichannel integration program across its business operations.... or choosing the project topic area Organizations all over the world have taken the help of various methods to facilitate the operations and expansion of their business. With the development of Information and Communication Technology, firms have chosen to conduct a large part of their business activities through e-commerce. This has generated a new area of interest among financial researchers. Analysts have been curious to know the impact of the introduction of e-commerce on an organization. They have also been interested in comparing the firms’ business functioning in the earlier days with that in the new technological era. These issues have urged analysts to undertake relevant research in this domain. The introduction of e-commerce in corporations has brought about significant changes in their operations. The new technologies have enabled firms to undertake a larger volume of business with the help of the same resources. Service organizations are now able to reach out to a w ider range of customers. The new ICT methods have facilitated a more efficient functioning of the overall activities of firms. For this reason, it is important to evaluate the impact of e-commerce on an organization. Therefore, this paper has chosen to undertake a research on this subject. Reasons for choosing the particular organization-HDFC INDIA The Indian banking sector has been currently been witnessing an ICT revolution. Most of the banks have adopted new technological methods to improve the efficiency of their existing operations and also to expand their business among a larger spectrum of the population. Recently the HDFC Bank has implemented a multichannel integration program across its business operations. Under this project, the bank has integrated its branches, the ATMs, the POS, the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Project - Essay Example This is an example that I wish to share. My doctor told me that I had a heart condition. I became confused and upset because I am a young woman. I have a small child and I do not want to be sick and taking care of my son. My doctor told me I had to undergo additional tests to identify the problem with my heart. This process took two weeks and I kept it to myself because I did not want to worry my family. According to Untitled document (ND) this could be due to cultural differences and/or what society imposes. I know it is not healthy to keep emotions inside but I do not want to worry my family. I believe that if you want to keep your family healthy you should abstain from saying things and keep things to yourself. I have thought about this quite extensively and maybe I am wrong. Maybe I should tell my family. Perhaps there can be a better understanding and they can help out, Untitled document, (ND) suggests that help should be sought and give examples of how to deal with this issue. Problems as well as pleasures rally family. If drawing guidelines will improve my ability to communicate my emotions then I shall seek help (The Function of Emotion, 2003). I know it is important to express your feelings, to have inner peace, and to be a happy person. I may be sick for all that I have kept inside. Since I now have this heart condition, I have to think about myself and my son. I have to learn how to share my feeling with others as others have share feelings with me. I would like to open an accounting business. The accounting business will offer the following services: bookkeeping, accounts receivables, accounts payable, general ledger, trial balance, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, filing income taxes for individuals and corporations, and incorporation and dissolution. For this type of service I must become a (CPA) and have a license

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Post disaster shelter reconstruction Coursework

Post disaster shelter reconstruction - Coursework Example Research has shown that sustainable post-disaster shelter reconstruction is crucial in strengthening resilience and provides full and equitable benefit (Ganapati & Ganapati, 2009 p.57). The principle of sustainable post-disaster shelter reconstruction requires that such reconstruction should meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the capacity of the coming generations to meet their needs (Ahmed, 2011 p.159). There are certain challenges hinder sustainability in post-disaster shelter reconstruction and they include: massive displacement crisis, extensive physical destruction and limited accessible land. Effective shelter reconstruction in urban setting must therefore balance between all interests including, social equity, environment, as well as the economy. Provision of shelter in urban setting after a disaster should be considered as an integrated approach where technical, socio-economical, institutional as well as environmental concerns are considered in each and every stage of the reconstruction process (2010 p.103). As indicated by Hayles (2010 p.104), post-disaster shelter reconstruction process should ensure sustainable results not only with regard to design and construction activities, but also in ensuring ease of access to supply of water, roads as well as sanitation systems. Integrated approach to shelter reconstruction is therefore very important and should include livelihood opportunities, social structures and safety opportunities. This paper focuses on post-disaster shelter reconstruction in urban environments with specific reference to shelter and settlement planning. It outlines the planning process for post-disaster shelter reconstruction within urban and critically analyses the roles of shelter practitioner including needs assessment, methodological approach, settlement planning & design and construction. While the aim of planning for shelter reconstruction process is

Friday, November 15, 2019

Caste and Sri Lankan marriage

Caste and Sri Lankan marriage In the modern day Sri Lankan society, the concept of caste with its pre-historic background plays different roles is human life, and its role becomes dominant at the juncture of the typical Sri Lankan marriage. The research will open up doors to show the typical Sri Lankan community being traditional and outdated, the concept of caste is still one of the major determinisms of leading a happy and successful marriage life. The society we live today is complex and all of us have to live with different ideas and attitudes. These diverse ideas and attitudes come into light in different occasions and stages in our lives. The concept of Caste is a phenomenon unique to the countries in the Indian Sub Continent and it is fossilized in the society. Gender, age, caste, ethnicity and class play major roles in the establishment of the Sri Lankan society. While gender, age, caste and ethnicity are decided by ones birth, class is decided by ones ability. In the present Sri Lanka society, caste does not play a significant role. Caste, which is decided by birth comes into action in different occasions and stages in ones life in different ways and caste becomes a dominant figure in the Sri Lanka context when it comes to marriages. According to Robert Knox,  [1]  Sri Lankans are very selective and careful about marriages. It is a tradition not to get married to a person from a lower caste. Sinhalese would never sacrifice their dignity for an unsuitable marriage even it brings out wealth. A person from Colombo might hear that caste is not as important as it was in the past and that it is subjected to deterioration. Nevertheless, the following extract suggests that it is not so.  [2]  Sinhalese are highly concerned about the concept of caste and boundaries around it and that at least in the dry zone the concept of caste and boundaries around it are significant The above description indicates though caste is not highlighted in the surface level, it becomes a very important concept for the Sinhalese in practical situations. According to E.R. Leach,  [3]  The deterioration of the caste system leads to the deterioration of an establishment. Marriages between different ethnicities can still be seen in the society . E.R. Leach helps one to identify the modern nature of the caste system. The notice on marriage proposals on week-end Sri Lankan newspapers highlight caste consciousness still plays a major role in the contemporary Sri Lankan society. Careful studies show the concept of caste which hails from the colonial period has undergone slight changes after the independence in 1948. As job opportunities are allocated based on academic qualifications, the caste system faces its deterioration. After the changes brought up to the constitution in 1997 and the society being exposed to the open economy made the modern society look into matters based on money. It is evident that the nature of caste has changed, but it does not indicate that the identity one gains through caste has totally been rejected. It clearly depicts the caste consciousness of the traditional Sri Lankans comes to the surface in marriages. CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY AIM The aim of the research is to study the role played by the Sri Lankan caste system in determining a marriage and the importance of a caste to lead a happy and successful marriage life. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Although caste seems on old fashioned and unscientific basis for determining whether two people are compatible for marriage, historic evidence shows that it is a predictor of maintaining success. THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Caste system is a reliable determinism of successful marriages. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The sample is a randomly selected set of twenty married soldiers from the Sri Lanka Army representing different areas around the island and different castes. METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION 10. The collection of data and information for this research will be highly based on the following. Interviews done with the twenty soldiers. Questionnaires given to the twenty soldiers. Books related to the research topic. The Internet. 11. The books related to the research topic and the information gathered through the Internet opened avenues to identify the caste system in Sri Lanka and it led to write a review of literature on the nature of the Sinhala marriage in chapter three. While the fourth chapter describes the impact of caste in determining the marriage of the selected sample, the fourth chapter deals with impact of social, economic and family conditions on deciding a caste. The conclusion is done at the fifth chapter. CHAPTER 3 BACKGROUND CASTE SYSTEM AND THE NATURE OF THE SINHALA MARRIAGE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CASTE 12. The caste system is perhaps the worlds longest surviving social hierarchy .A person is considered a member of the caste to which he or she is born and remains within that caste until death, although the particular ranking of that caste may vary among regions and over time. 13. The caste system in Sri Lanka is a division of society into strata. Ancient Sri Lankan texts such as the Pujawaliya, Sadharmarathnavaliya and Yogarathakaraya and inscriptional evidence show that the hierarchy prevailed throughout the feudal period. Caste as we know it today appears to have been introduced to Sri Lankans by Prakrit language speakers from North India. The introduction of Buddhism in the third century BC blunted the edge of the system to a certain extend. However, there is a reference to king Abhayas son, Saliya choosing to lose caste by marrying Ashokamala, a Candala or outcaste woman, in the second century BC, indicating that caste taboos remained in place. 14. Studies based on caste have allowed the society to come up with different definitions on caste, and these definitions have allowed people to identify the impact of caste on marriage. The concept of caste, the nature of its expansion and the definitions put forward under different areas pave a pathway to understand this concept. 15. According to Peiris Reif,  [4]  The cruel nature of our ancestors led to the origin of a caste system. Thirst for power and land made them fight with each other. As a result, a need arose to appoint a leader who is physically and intellectually balanced to resolve the conflicts. 16. The sources indicate that Aryans from India during their visit in the fifth century have brought down their caste system to Sri Lanka. The legend shows that the ancient Sri Lankan society had different castes such as Raja, Bamunu, Welanda and Govi and the base for these was provided by the different castes like Brahmans, Shathriya, Vaishya and Sudra in ancient India. THE CONCEPT OF CASTE AND DEFINITIONS OF CASTE. 17. Caste is a phenomenon in the society and culture. According to Edmancy Leach, A caste cannot stand on its own. It has a close bond with its members through a network. 18. Mr: Amarasekara Daya in his book titled, The Sri Lankan Society elaborates L.L.Kroebers (an anthropologist) ideas. Caste is a unit. It consists of indigenous sub units. Such a unit enjoys the privileges of the society. Based on that, we can differentiate one sub unit form another sub unit. 19. Mr: Amarasekara further elaborates on caste by bringing forward measuring instruments introduced by Hutton, an anthropologist. They are,  [5]   Caste is an indigenous concept. There are specific boundaries between different castes. A caste is a collection of situations which depicts bureaucracy. It is accepted that through food, physical relationships, customs and by touching a member of a privileged caste by a member of a discriminated caste will corrupt the privileged caste. Caste is related to traditional occupations. Caste is decided by birth. Caste in totality, is a system based on prestige. 20. W.M. Waister, an anthropologist bringing out his views on caste says that keeping laundry, making gold and silver jewellery were the duties of the discriminated castes and these services were rendered only to a privileged segment of the society. 21. Though a man from a privileged caste can keep a woman from a discriminated caste as his mistress, he is not allowed to take meals with her. As Mr: Bryce Rayan elaborated people were allowed to share the same well for drinking water and eat together with farmers from different castes in the paddy field, but at a wedding, people from Govi caste were never allowed to sit with people from other castes at the table. This clearly indicates the effect of caste on marriage. MARRIAGE 22. The concept of marriage differs from country to country, society to society and culture to culture. Marriage simply means the joining of the two sexes who maintain a socially approved or accepted sexual relationship for reproduction. Since marriage is given so many definitions it is believed that studying all these definitions will help one to understand the concept of marriage. 23. According to Mr: Tuder Silva  [6]  Marriage is the union of two or more people of both sexes for a socially accepted sexual relationship for the purpose of reproduction. Marriages are of two types, monogamy and polygamy. The above definition gives an idea of a marriage. According to a statement by the British Anthropology Society, Marriage is a unit which authorizes the children the rights of their biological parents. 24. According to Mr Kumara Hemantha  [7]  Marriage is a special bond between two elders of both sexes based on norms, ethics, rules and regulations. Both the elders maintain a sexual relationship for reproduction. Further, marriage is a unit made up of a husband, wife and their children. 25. The society and time are the deciding factors of rules and regulations of a marriage. 26. The ancient traditions of marriage and the caste have a dinosaur effect on the relationship between the Sinhala marriage and the caste. The Sinhala society by Mr: Ralph Peiris is a suitable example for it. Through his book he talks about the different types of marriages, different methods of getting married, reasons for a marriage and the openness of marriages in ancient Sri Lanka.  [8]  Marriage to a person out of the caste was strictly prohibited. The ancestors did not want their sons and daughters to marry a person with a lower status though that person is from the same caste. 27. The above description shows that the ancient society considered caste an important factor in the marriages, and it also indicates that the Sinhala marriage is a lose bond. 28. According to Robert Knox, in 1600s caste had a prominent place in the Sinhala marriage. Further, he elaborates that caste was given priority than wealth in ancient Sinhala marriage. 29.  [9]  Caste discrimination is there because of the system of family. The need for a family arose to provide security and satisfy different needs of people. Therefore people began to think about their castes in marriages. TYPES OF CASTES IN SRI LANKA 30. According to Bryce Rayan in his book, Caste Discrimination in Sri Lanka, Relationships between different castes began due to the nature of occupations and breaking up of the society into small units. Jana Wanshaya which is the oldest text on caste discrimination shows that there are twenty six different castes in Sri Lanka.  [10]  They are, a. Govigama b. Salagama c. Kamburu d. Waduwo e. Hannala f. Rada g. Ambettayo h. Sommarayo i. Durawo j. Kumbhakarnayo k. Karawo l. Weddo m. Berawayo n. Hakuro p. Hunno q. Pannayo r. Samanno s. Welwaduwo t. Gahalayo u. Paduwo v. Malakarayo w. Kinnarayo x. Rodee y. Olee z. Indrapalanagayo aa. Chandalayo 31. According to Mr. Kalinga T. Silvas research on castes,  [11]  there are fifteen castes in Sri Lanka. Though there is a compromise about the top and the lower levels of the caste system in Sri Lanka, there are several arguments about the middle level. According to Mr. Silva, Sri Lanka is divided into two parts as up country and low country. While people from Patti and Gahala castes live in the up country, people from Karawa, Salagama, Durawa and Hunnu live in the low country. Order ( This is not yet been finalized ) Name of the Caste Traditional Occupation Percentage of Sinhala population Level 01 Govigama Radala Land Owners 0.001 01 Govi Farmers 49 Patti Herdsmen 0.001 02 Karava Fishermen 5 02 03 Salagama Cinnamon Peelers 04 Durava Toddy Tappers 3 05 Hunu Quicklime Industry 0.002 06 Achari / Galladu / Navanandana Traditional Artisans 0.0005 3 07 Hena / Rada Traditional Washmen 3 08 Wahumpura / Hakuru Traditional Makers of Jaggery 12.5 09 Kumbal / Badahela Traditional Makers of Pots 2.5 10 Dura/ Wellandura/ Bodhi pannadura Safeguard Srimaha Bodhi 0.001 11 Nakathi / Berawva Traditional Dancers and Astrologers 3 12 Bathgama / Padu Servants and Porters 18 13 Gahala Traditional Drum Beaters 0.001 4 14 Kinthara Weaving Mats 0.3 15 Rodi/ Hulawali Traditional Beggars / Traditional Makers of Ekel Brooms 0.001 Other* 1.493 * Castes which belong to the other category are Porava, Kara, Olee, Palee, Barber and Ganthara and the number is very low. 33. Mr. Kalinga Silva in his analysis says,  [12]  Though caste is subjected to deterioration, that in the Asian community it becomes dominant at three occasions. Marriage is one of them. A survey conducted with estate workers who have an Indian origin indicates that caste is a major determinism for 90% of their marriages. Climbing up the economic and social hierarchy is the second occasion the caste becomes important. The concept of caste is highlighted at this occasion. 34. Usage of the concept of caste as a weapon in the political battle field is the third occasion where this concept becomes prominent. The following extract taken from Jamnis Tiggins studies about Sri Lanka shows the way, the concept of caste dominated the Sri Lankan political arena. W!;a l=mdÆh uq;a l=mdÆh .fà   l=mdÆhg ckaoh fouq' 35 This was taken from a leaflet distributed during an election campaign and Gama here means a caste. CHAPTER 4 DATA REGIONAL REPRESENTATION AND CONCEPT OF CASTE 36. The following table shows the randomly selected set of twenty soldiers from the Sri Lanka Army representing different regions around the island and different castes to conduct a research on the role played by the Sri Lankan caste system in determining a marriage and the importance of a caste to lead a happy and successful marriage life. Husbands caste Wifes caste Number of families Govigama Govigama 09 Karawa Karawa 02 Bathgama Bathgama 01 Hakuru Hakuru 01 Govigama Hena 01 Govigama Salagama 01 Govigama Padu 01 Padu Govigama 01 Karava Salagama 02 Achari Govigama 01 Total 20 37. The sample represents 45% of Govigama, 10% of Karava, 5% of Bathgama, 5% of Hakuru and 35% of mixed castes. Chart 4.1 Cast of sample 38. The regional representation of the sample is as follows. Srl no Husbands caste Wifes caste Region 01 Govigama Govigama Mahiyanganaya 02 Govigama Govigama Bibile 03 Govigama Govigama Badulla 04 Govigama Govigama Padaviya 05 Govigama Govigama Welioya 06 Govigama Govigama Hakmana 07 Govigama Govigama Kanthale 08 Govigama Govigama Horana 09 Govigama Govigama Puswellawa 10 Karawa Karawa 11 Karawa Karawa 12 Bathgama Bathgama Puttalam 13 Hakuru Hakuru Kegalle 14 Govigama Salagama Kamburupitiya 15 Govigama Hena Veyangoda 16 Govigama Padu Kurunagala 17 Padu Govigama Matale 18 Achari Govigama Ambanpola 19 Karava Salagama Elpitiya 20 Karava Salagama .Galle SRI LANKAN MARRIAGE AND THE IMPACT OF RACE AND RELIGION ON IT 39. Eighteen soldiers of the sample emphasize the importance the importance of equality between races 90%in marriage. The nature of family and demands of the society have made them think that way. As the majority of the sample represents the rural areas of the island, they think that if they do mix marriages they would be neglected by their parents and relatives, and thereby end up in unsuccessful and unhappy marriages. Chart 4.2 Marriage and races 40. Eighteen (90%) soldiers representing the sample think equality between religions is very important to have successful marriages. According to them, the Sri Lankan village is based on temple, and when the husband and wife are from two different religions it is impractical to go to two different religious places simultaneously. Further, they believe that it is hard to practise diverse observances under one roof. Chart 4.3 Marriage and religions SRI LANKAN MARRIAGE AND CASTE 41. Sinhalese believe that race and religion are important factors in marriage. Typical Sinhalese confide in equality between castes in their marriages. While thirteen (65%) soldiers of the sample believe their partners should be from the same caste, seven (35%) soldiers do not believe so. Chart 4.4 Marriage and caste 42. Arranged marriage is still commonly practised in Sri Lanka, but an increasing number of young people today refuse arranged marriage. In arranged marriage caste becomes an important consideration. In love marriages the couple thinks only about matching their races, religions, ideas, views and interests. For them, caste is a minor matter and the survey shows that most of the couples have received the blessings of their parents. 43. The marriage proposals on weekend newspapers highlight the fact that caste is a major determinism in arranged marriages. The following table is taken from a survey conducted by Mr. Daya Amarasekara on marriage proposals in newspapers. Caste Male Female Total Percentage Govi 31 48 79 675 ] Karawa 06 07 13 110 ] Durawa 03 02 05 43 ] Salagama 02 02 04 35 ] Deva 02 02 17 ] Rajaka 02 02 04 34 ] Wellala 01 02 03 25 ] Hetti 01 01 09 ] Other 01 03 04 34 ] Total 46 69 115 1000 ] 44. According to the table, the majority is Govigama and the minority is Hetti. Mr. Amarasekara tells that this table depicts the spread of castes all around the island. 45. When asked from Sri Lankan women about their views on marriage and caste it is evident that women from higher castes do not want to get married to men from lower castes. These women do not want their children to be treated differently by the society because of their fathers surnames. OTHER FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE MARRIAGE 46. Another factor which influences modern marriage is the economy of each individual. The research shows that people are interested in getting married to people from the same economic level or above. People expect to lead simple and comfortable marriage lives by getting married to a person from the same economic level or above. 47. Most of the women in the modern society prefer to get married to men who are more educated than them. CHAPTER 5 DATA ANALYSIS MATCHING CASTE AND ITS INFLUENCE TO A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE LIFE 48. While thirteen soldiers out of the sample have married women from the same caste seven soldiers have married from different castes. The following table depicts the present status of the marriage lives of the thirteen soldiers whose spouses are from the same caste. Srl no Husbands caste Wifes caste Region Present status of marriage life 01 Govigama Govigama Mahiyanganaya Unsuccessful 02 Govigama Govigama Bibile Successful 03 Govigama Govigama Badulla Divorced 04 Govigama Govigama Padaviya Planning to get divorced 05 Govigama Govigama Welioya Unsuccessful 06 Govigama Govigama Hakmana 07 Govigama Govigama Kanthale 08 Govigama Govigama Horana 09 Govigama Govigama Puswellawa 10 Karawa Karawa 11 Karawa Karawa 12 Bathgama Bathgama Puttalam Unsuccessful 13 Hakuru Hakuru 49. According to the table, the marriage lives of the two families representing Govi caste (Row 1 and 5) and the family representing Bathgama (Row 12 ) are unsuccessful. 50. The following reasons have made their marriage lives unsuccessful. a. According to the soldiers from rows 1 and 5, their marriages are a failure because of their wives illegal affairs. Since these soldiers come home once in every two or three months, there is enough freedom and opportunities for their wives to have illegal affairs and this has ended their marriages in divorces. b. According to the soldier from row 12, the reason for his marriage being unsuccessful is the mismatch of ideas between himself and his spouse. He says that his wife never agrees with his suggestions and works according to her own plans and ideas. They have decided to get divorced after being married for eight years because of mismatch of ideas. 51. The above study shows that though the castes match, these people have decided to get divorced because of external forces. This is a very common phenomenon in the present day Sri Lankan society. 52. The following table shows the present status of the marriage lives of seven soldiers of the sample who have married out of their castes. Srl no Husbands caste Wifes caste Region Present status of marriage life 01 Govigama Salagama Kamburupitiya Unsuccessful 02 Govigama Hena Veyangoda Unsuccessful 03 Govigama Padu Kurunagala Unsuccessful 04 Padu Govigama Matale Unsuccessful 05 Achari Govigama Ambanpola Successful 06 Karava Salagama Elpitiya Successful 07 Karava Salagama .Galle Successful 53. Though the families from rows 1,2,3 and 4 have done their best to lead a happy and successful marriage lives, the insults by the parents and relatives of the party which represents Govi caste have made their marriages scatter. In family gatherings, the partners who represent the lower caste have been subjected to inferiority. Two females who represent Govi caste in rows 4 and 5 have been outcasted by their families because of their marriages to males from lower castes. 54. Parents and relatives of the soldiers in rows 1 and 2 totally ignore the presence of their daughters in law at family gatherings and even invitations to special occasions are sent only to the male partner. This indicates how embarrassed the wife becomes in front of her husbands parents and relatives. 55. The couples from rows 5, 6 and 7 lead happy and successful marriage lives though they are from two different castes. Parents and relatives of both the parties have mutual understanding and they respect each others ideas, views, attitudes and interests. 56. The research unveils that people from Govi caste are interested in dominating the society, and the interest on the concept of caste by the other castes are very low when compared with Govi caste. 57. However, the caste consciousness of the Sinhalese in arranged marriage is at a higher level. CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY 58. The objective of this sociological research is to study the role played by the Sri Lankan caste system in determining a marriage and the importance of a caste to lead a happy and successful marriage life. The ancient traditional Sinhala marriage and its relationship with caste and the role played by caste in present Sinhala marriage were studied in depth to come to a conclusion. 59. The sample of randomly selected twenty soldiers from the Sri Lankan Army representing different regions and castes help to discuss in detail a sensitive topic which people very rarely speak in public. Interviews with the sample assisted to reveal the following facts. a. Race and religion have played a dominant role in deciding the marriages of the sample. Sinhala and Buddhist back grounds of the sample have motivated the sample to avoid marriages with different ethnicities. 60. Caste plays a major role in Sinhala marriage. People from Govi caste want to maintain their authority while other castes make less efforts to maintain authority. It is evident that Govi caste is considered as the top caste but no conclusion has been made about the positions of the other castes. It is evident that people from higher castes reject people from lower castes and people from lower castes always try to select partners from higher castes in marriages. 61. In the past, most of the marriages were arranged ones , but today many are love marriages. In the modern society, people are interested in finding their own partners according to their level of education, interests, economic status, regional differences and attitudes. Though it seems that caste is not considered as a major determinism in marriage, it becomes prominent when one look at the reactions of parents and relatives of a higher caste partner who has selected a lower caste person. Though the system of caste is subjected to decay it has a dinosaur effect in marriages, and leading a happy and successful marriage life. 62. The research also reveals that when compared with men, women are more interested in marrying a person from the same caste or a higher caste. As the surname of the father automatically goes to the children, women make sure that they do not marry men make from lower castes. The women also do not like to live with the parents and the relatives of their husbands because they are scared of the insults of the husbands parents and relatives. 63. The above facts depict that caste plays a major role in the Sri Lankan marriage, and the attitudes of parents and relatives of the two partners are important in deciding a marriage. CHAPTER 7 RECCOMANDATION 63. The study shows that in marriages, the concept of caste is dominant. As the citizens of a democratic society, people have been given the rights through the constitution to live freely within the accepted rules and regulations of the government. Caste is not a barrier to a person to get proper education and move up the social hierarchy. Further, a person has the legal authority to change ones surname which is a determinism of his or her caste. 64. Though caste is considered in marriage, it is not a barrier to have love affairs and sexual relationships. A person from a lower caste who is at the top level in the

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Role of Dreams in Genesis, Song of Songs, and The Oresteia Essay

The Role of Dreams in Genesis, Song of Songs, and The Oresteia When describing the role of dreams in ancient texts, Freud wrote, â€Å"They took it for granted that dreams were related to the world of the supernatural beings in whom they believed, and that they brought inspirations from the gods and demons.   Moreover, it appeared to them that dreams must serve a special purpose in respect of the dreamer; that, as a rule, they predicted the future.†Ã‚  Ã‚   He goes on to explain the findings of a fellow psychiatrist, Gruppe, who believed that there are two classes of dreams in ancient texts.   The first class is influenced only by the present or past and does not play a largely significant role in these texts.   The second class, however, is determinative of the future and is quite important to the understanding of the texts in which they appear.   This class contains dreams that are direct prophecies and directly show the future, dreams that are foretelling of the future and indirectly hint at what the future will be, and dreams that are symbolic and require interpretation to fully understand their explanation of the future.  Ã‚   The gods use all these types of dreams to play a direct role in the lives of men in Genesis, Song of Songs, and The Oresteia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The use of dreams in Genesis is most obvious through the story of Joseph.   Dreams play an important role in determining the course of Joseph’s life, and are used to reveal the mind of God to the people.   The first dreams he encounters are those of the sheaves of his brothers bowing down to his sheaf, and the sun and moon and eleven stars bowing down to him.   These dreams best fit into Gruppe’s description of symbolic dreams.   While their explanation is fairly evident as showing tha... ...re very important in ancient texts because they present to mankind a world that they cannot see.   Without dreaming, there would be almost no connection to the gods, to those beings who impact and design life on earth.   As Freud states, there is significance in every dream; they each have a special meaning for the person who experiences them.   They are important because the gods can directly shape the course of a life through them, because they can be a form of communication with the gods, and because they can show what is going on behind the secret â€Å"god curtain† that humans cannot see through.   Without dreams, man would be stranded, left on earth by himself with no understanding of the meaning behind things.   For this reason, dreams are used as a major literary device, because they create a supernatural connection that everyone can experience and wonder about.   

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Pregnancy and Progressive Treatment Options

Part 1. The practice that I want to have is an OB/GYN. The reason why I want to have an OB/GYN is because I am fascinated with how babies are born, and what goes into everything during pregnancies. It is an absolute miracle. My practice will be a little more involved than most OB/GNY’s. I guess you could call it a â€Å"one stop shop† OB/GYN. I know that from my personal experience of having children, I always had to go to different places to get certain things done. Just for example, in order for me to get an ultrasound I would have to go to a hospital, my OB/GYN did not really do them there.And when I needed to get blood work done, I had to do to Quest to have blood drawn. And when I had to deliver my baby, I had to go to the hospital. Now the OB/GYN that I have in mind I will have all of that there. There will be an area of the doctor’s office for women who need to get blood work done, another area to do ultrasounds, and believe it or not, another area to deli ver the baby. The type of people that I will have working at my practice will be first and for most, the OB/GYN. In other words, the baby doctor. That will be the person who checks on the pregnant woman throughout her pregnancy, and the person who delivers as well.The next will be nurses. They are the ones who will help the doctor’s, and help take care of the patients. The next will be the ultrasound technicians. The people who will be giving the girls their ultrasounds. The other people that I will have be working there are the technicians who will do your blood work. And of course there will be the girls who work behind the desk, the assistants who schedule appointments, file the paper work, things like that. I almost forgot to clarify that my OB/GYN will only be for pregnant women. I think that it makes it easier that way, just to focus on one thing.And that is the type of practice that I will have. Part 2. Missions Statement As a premier medical group in Bristol Pennsylva nia, our goal is to provide current, quality comprehensive medical care to a large number of area women in their pregnancy. We continuously strive to create a patient to doctor relationship that goes beyond today’s standard, partnering with our patients through education, diagnosis, progressive treatment options and ongoing care, while providing the best care to our pregnant patients. Making them feel comfortable as much as possible.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Slave Reparation essays

Slave Reparation essays American slaves struggled a lot by the hands of their white masters. Their ancestors in the present world are fighting and struggling to get reparation. People around the world are in conflict whether to provide To Determine whether or not the descendants of African slaves brought to the U.S. should be repaid for the work and suffering of their To Determine who should be held accountable for the repayment. Who would be eligible to receive any such payment' And to determine how any such payment would be made to those eligible, e.g. in the form of cash, governmental benefits, a verbal apology, land grants, education benefits, etc. During the Reconstruction Period following the Civil War, slaves were promised "forty acres and a mule" to help them start their lives as 'free men'. The promise was never kept and the idea of reparations began to grow. The debt owed to African-American descendants of slaves for work and suffering has been estimated anywhere between $1.6 and $777 trillion by those in favor of reparations. There is historical precedence for the payment of reparations. Reparations were awarded to Japanese families in detention camps during World War II by a 1940s court decision. Also an international court has awarded reparations to descendants of Jewish slave laborers who worked in Germany and Austria during World War II. Those in favor of slavery reparations argue that compensation promised to slaves upon their release was never paid. Proponents mention the years of labor, atrocious conditions, rape and beatings at the hands of their owners and absolute construction of the country as reasons for the debt that is owed. Deadria Farmer-Paellmann, the plaintiff in the most recent case against U.S. corporat...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

CS sorting analysis essays

CS sorting analysis essays For this lab I tested ten different sorting methods by comparing the time it took to sort ordered, reverse ordered, and random ordered arrays of Integer objects of different sizes. I had to write a Timer class that started the timer before the sorting method was called and stopped the timer when the method was finished sorting the array. The elapsed time was calculated by another method in the Timer class so that the actual run time could be printed once the method completed. My test program contained methods to run all of the sorting methods given the size, type of array (ordered, reverse or random), and the number times to run the sorting method (all entered by the user) before the timer was stopped. For my timing experiment I carried out tests on an array of size 1,000 run 100 times through the method before printing the time (since it would be relatively fast for one iteration), an array of size 10,000 run 10 times, an array of size 25,000 run 1 time, and an array of 50,000 run 1 time. For the arrays of 1,000, 10,000, and 25,000 I did five trials for ordered, reverse, and random arrays to get a good average of the time it took since each run varied slightly. Since the array of 50,000 took a long time to run I conducted only two trials for each size on the three different types of arrays and found the average. The run times are included at the end of this report. I then calculated the time it would take to do one iteration through each of the different sizes for the different types of arrays (i.e I divided the average time it took to run the ordered array of 1,000 100 times by 100 to get the average time it would take to run it once). This data is also available at the en d of this report. The outcome of the experiments proved to be very similar to what was expected. As seen in the many graphs provided one can see that there may or may not be a best case or worse case for each of the sorts. Below are brief descript...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Key elements from the philosophies of Hegel and Husserl Essay

Key elements from the philosophies of Hegel and Husserl - Essay Example According to existentialism, existence comes before the essence of life. Hegel was also of the same opinion albeit he put forth certain conditions or situations when human beings have this kind of free will. According to his ‘Philosophy of Right’, human beings are free to act or decide for themselves only if they are part of any particular system or area concerning the free will. According to Hegel, freedom should not be linked with arbitrariness (doing whatever one pleases). Hegel believes that, â€Å"We are free only when we overcome ‘particularity’ and act ‘universally’ or ‘objectively’, according to the concept of the will† (Wood, 2003). Usually people misinterpret the meaning of freedom; they feel that freedom means nonexistence of hurdles in doing anything of one’s choice. But when we view it with practicality, the situation is somewhat different. on the contrary, Hegel feels that human beings cannot be said to b e free â€Å"unless social institutions provide considerable scope and protection for arbitrary freedom† (Woods, 2003). Another element of Hegel’s philosophy relates to the civil society. Hegel says that human beings are free to decide what work they choose for their livelihood but they cannot completely deny the fact that their actions will not affect the society. It should be a give and take system where individuals contribute towards the society and in turn the society looks after the broader interests of all human beings. Any work that we do indirectly helps the society as a whole; â€Å"As members of this society, individuals have the duty to support themselves through labor which benefits the whole, while civil society as a whole owes each individual the opportunity to labor in a way which provides a secure, respected and self-fulfilling mode of life† (Woods, 2003). Philosophy of Phenomenology Edmund Husserl was the founded the ‘Philosophy of Phenome nology’. He was a mathematician and all his anticipations and explanations were based on mathematic calculations or to be more precise, the inferential system. The motive of Husserl’s Theory of Phenomenology, â€Å"is to study the units of consciousness that the respective speaker presents himself as having – that he gives voice to – in expressing the proposition in question (for instance, while writing a mathematical textbook or giving a lecture)† (Beyer, 2011). Husserl relates the actions of human beings to their perceptions. According to him, it is quite possible that while performing any action, a person is hallucinating. Means that he/she may think he/she is being watched while doing the act. Also, â€Å"from a first-person point of view, one cannot, of course, decide whether in a case of what one takes to be, say, an act of perception one is currently performing, there actually is an object that one is perceptually confronted with† (Be yer, 2011). In Tel Asiado’s words Husserl’s philosophy claims that ‘consciousness is ‘directedness towards an object.’ The mental state and the object of the state exist together in consciousness without implying that there is any ‘material’ object answering to the call† (Asiado, 2009). Husserl’s apprehensions are more towards the doubts on the ‘information about self’ rather than the ‘information about things’. Husserl’s philosophy can be summarized to be â€Å"as both an early direct reference theorist (headword:

Friday, November 1, 2019

British Airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

British Airways - Essay Example Apart from scheduled airline, the organisation also operates both domestic and international carriage of mail and freight and ancillary services (Brownsell 2010). BA flies to over 300 destinations carrying over 33 million passengers in its 238 aircrafts (British Airways 2013, Table 1). From the time of its privatisation in the year 1987, the company has beaten the competition in the market to grow worldwide. The entry of its former Chief Executive, Willie Walsh in 2005 saw BA complete Terminal 5 at Heathrow in addition to various other accomplishments. In spite of suffering from the global economic recession, the airline looks forward to being the most responsible airline globally. As such, the firm dedicates much effort to the development of strategic direction and guiding principles to enable it attain its objectives. Key among them includes efforts geared towards the development and sustenance of effective marketing. With the ever changing marketing environment (Haberberg & Rieple 2007), there arises the need for continuous detailed and structured analysis of core dimensions. With the increase in complexity and frequency of terrorist attacks such as the September 11 New York attacks and the July 2005 London attack, there has been unprecedented political instability. As such, deregulated firms like BA need systems that enhance quick decisions. The open skies agreement has significantly changed the regulatory framework. Considering legal factors, BA suffers from Trade Unions’ actions including numerous strike actions in 2004 and 2005. As such, the firm has to consider various legislations on employee rights, environmental concerns and customer rights. Economically, with demand for air travel being highly income elastic, there exists a positive correlation between global economy and air travel demand. The rising cost of oil due to the political climate

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

All Souls' Rising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

All Souls' Rising - Essay Example The decision of the French administration on the island was ratified by the French revolutionaries in 1794 and this decision quickly challenged the previously accepted norms of the master slave relationship. The entire Americas domain was shaken up as the emancipation on Saint-Domingue became public knowledge. One of the largest disturbances from the Saint-Domingue experiences was for the American South where the economy was predominantly based on slave manpower. However the revolution of slaves in Saint-Domingue holds more than meets the eye. The composition of whites, mulattos and blacks meant that society was already in a precarious balance that the revolution upset. As a reaction to the changes introduced by the revolution the various strata of society began taking steps to increase their influence. The pivotal role for the balance of power play lay with the mulattos in society who were obliged to corroborate with the blacks and the whites alike. The British and Spanish conquest only added to the panic and confusion in society. The invasion was dealt with by an uprising lead by an ex slave Toussaint who was supposedly prepared by the whites in order to decimate the blacks in the shorter run and the mulattos in the longer run. The overall objective of the whites was to restore the previous order. The novel penned by Madison Smart Bells All Souls’ Rising also portrays this precarious situation and the immense power plays that occurred. In order to understand the issue better it would be relevant to wade through the novel within historical context. The novel depicts the grand blancs (who are members of the white elite) as conceiving a slave rebellion in order to augment their political needs and desires. As the story progresses it becomes clear that the highly esteemed Bayon de Libertat who is the owner of the slave rebellion leader Toussaint is also part of the conspirators. The slave rebellion leader is shown as being handpicked by the white power eli te in order to serve their nefarious purposes. Here consideration must be provided to the political problems of the grand blancs as the French Revolution was at its zenith by 1791 however the King was still in place on the throne. On the other hand the petit blancs, the day laborers, white craftsmen and poor ne’er do wells had already taken up arms and adopted the red cockade of the revolution. These groups had by this point in time taken to rebellion in Saint Domingue and had managed to capture Port au Prince which was a direct threat to the power of the grand blancs. Given also that this was the most profitable island in the Atlantic, its loss was not acceptable for the grand blancs. The problem became all the more complicated as the Estates de General declared by decree in May 1791 that all free property owning mulattos in Saint Domingue would be given full citizenship. Consequently the red cockaded petit blancs became overwhelmingly outraged by this decision. In a similar manner the white cockaded grand blancs were also outraged at such a decision by the government. However the white cockaded grand blancs contend that they cannot win the war against the petit blancs and the free mulatto calls for full citizenship at the same time. In order to deal with these threats the stratagem of the slave rebellion was created. The plan of action suggests that when the slave rebellion occurs the petit blancs would be neutralized and will try to unite with the whites in order to quell the black slave

Monday, October 28, 2019

Looking at the social comments Bennett Essay Example for Free

Looking at the social comments Bennett Essay For I could easily afford to keep my mother and wife too. This conveys that from Phillips point of view, women are the responsibility of men and this also reflects his upbringing as through the environment he has been brought up in, he has gained the arrogance of being able to believe that he is higher than women and that women to him, are something that must be brought in order to look after or keep them. Bennett stereotypes the arrogance of men in society through the assumptions that Phillip makes about his mother. This is shown as when in the text Phillip comes to know that dinner was set for three; he immediately thought that it was something to do with him, that his fianci e Agnes was arriving he did not consider the fact that the guest could be for his mother. By presenting Phillip like this, Bennett is suggesting that Phillip is portraying the arrogance of the male in society; However, Phillip can not be blamed for his attitude towards women in society as he was merely acting of the confines of the social rules within the society that he was brought up in at the time. This is shown as at the end of the story, Phillip realises that the arrogance he was brought up with was wrong as when Phillip realises that his mother is engaged, he states I had never thought of my mother as a woman with a future. By saying this, Phillip admits that his views were not necessarily correct as he never thought his mother had a future or a life of her own but after hearing the news of the engagement from his mother and Mr Nixon, he realises that he was wrong and admits this by simply stating we live and we learn. Through news of the engagement Bennett shares the views of Phillip towards the relationship between him and his mother, leaving the reader to assume that Phillips mother has an unfair status within society and that her views are different to those of her sons views. This is shown as Phillip wouldnt share his personal matters with his mother, he tells the reader this by stating .. you cant write even to your mother.. In cold blood: I think Agnes likes me by saying this, Phillip is implying that his mother and him do not have a close relationship as he cant tell his mother about his engagement, he also shows that his mothers opinion doesnt count or matter as he states she might be a little bit hurt just at first . Here, Bennett insinuates to the reader that Phillip has been brought up to be independent enough to perform personal matters without involving his mother as she isnt very important to him; although he believes that he means everything to his mother as he is the only man in her life. However, nearly to the end of the story, the reader comes to know that Phillips mother feels exactly the way towards Phillip as he does towards her, this is shown as Mr Nixon states .. she couldnt have well written, My dear Phillip, an old friend, Mr Nixon, is falling in love with me and I believe Im falling in love with him. .. . This proves that Phillips mother is also a product of her environment as she also implies that she believes her sons opinion does not count or matter and that he does not need to be involved in her personal matters. This is very ironic as at the start of the story Phillips environment lead him to believe that he couldnt write in a letter to his own mother that he is getting engaged then, in the end, Phillip learned that his mothers environment also lead her to believe that she couldnt write in a letter to her own son that she is getting engaged, this changed Phillips views as he realises the irony and the views that his society and environment brought him to believe he admits his mistake by simply stating we live and we learn. Bennett simply comments on society, inferring simple messages such as we live and we learn, he does not criticise society through his stories, unlike Charles dickens, who sends highly critical messages across about society through his famous stories such as a Christmas carol and Oliver! . Bennetts stories are inferred comments about social and historical issues and how they are or should change, he explores the upbringing and status of the characters in news of an engagement and implies the change in society after the main character realises the irony of the relationship between him and his mother.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Essay --

In the short story â€Å"Going to Meet the Man† by James Baldwin, Baldwin pushes the boundaries of racism and cultural repression. Jesse is white deputy sheriff who is sexually frustrated in bed with his wife Grace when he cannot develop an erection. For the first time he is suffering from insomnia and he begins to have flashbacks of the many interactions he has had with the black race. He starts to tell his wife of an earlier incident he had with a group of black protesters who would not stop singing. While the sheriffs are arresting the protesters, Jesse takes the â€Å"ring leader† of the group to a cell and beats him repeatedly with a prod in order to force him to stop the singing. As Jesse heads for the cell door, the boy reminds him of his pass when he once disrespected his auntie, Old Julia. This channels the many flashbacks he has to understand why he sexually repressed with violence and has grown to be racist. Baldwin conveys that violence and pain manifests th emselves in each generation because families teach them through household values and societal expectations. Jesse first lesson was his childhood friend, Otis. Jesse was not always violent towards the black race as he was in the jail cell with that black, battered body. As a child, he looked beyond race and his black friend Otis was just a boy to him: â€Å"He had a black friend, eight, who lived nearby. His name was Otis. They wrestled together in the dirt† (1756). Baldwin shows that Jesse and Otis are simply friends. Jesse plays with Otis because he did not care about his race but he just wanted to be a kid and have fun. Shortly following the friendly interaction with Otis, Jesse started his transition from child to the chauvinistic man he is now. Soon young Jesse realizes that... ...oked to them for courage now† (1754). Jesse’s prior experiences provoke him to believe that through violence towards the colored race was the epitome of being a man. It was because of his father and his friends, which forms the racial tension he has with colored race and the moral value of white supremacy. Overall, racism and social repression is a pending issue that has yet to cease. Racism has become the face of American history because of the belief structure and family morals built on hatred of one another. This leads to societies broken and has become the most common setback of modern society. The use of violence and pain has manifest through generations, teaching whites to be superior and allowing blacks to be use to common oppression. If the world fails to reprimand the issue, generations will grow to believe the unrealistic morals that have shaped America.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Indian Book Retail Industry Essay

The Indian book retail industry is estimated to be over Rs 3,000 crore, out of which organised retail accounts for only 7 per cent. The industry is expected to grow by approximately 15 per cent a year. Book retail contributes only about 1 per cent to the overall retail industry. Text and curriculum books account for about 50 per cent of the sales. Second-hand books are also a big chunk of the book retail market. In the past few years, several large format book store chains have come up, such as Landmark, Crossword and Om Book Shop etc . More than 75 per cent stores of these large chains are in top eight cities. These Organized Book retailers are focusing on improved customer experience. Many book stores have also introduced coffee shops and provide a library-like atmosphere where customers can sit and read, while sipping coffee. Besides this online channel is also significant with players like Flipkart, Indiaplaza, Infibeam etc. With the printed word considered an endangered species in much of a rapidly digitizing world, India now represents one of the best book markets in the world. â€Å"There has definitely been a huge jump in the size of the industry in terms of book sales and the number of books being published,† said Mita Kapur, the founder of Siyahi, a literary agency, who says the number of books published in English is growing by 30 percent a year. Vikrant Mathur, associate director of Nielsen Book, India, said the volume of book sales grew by 45 percent during the first half of 2011. For the entire year, Nielsen, a global information provider, documented English-language book sales of 3. 28 billion rupees – about $62 million – from more than 12 million books sold. And that is probably only a fraction of true total sales, since Nielsen only measures about 35 percent of the total market. â€Å"Where physical books are concerned India right now is a very, very big market,† said Priyanka Malhotra, director of Full Circle Publications. â€Å"There is a whole younger generation coming up from BPOs who are starting to read in English, which is where a lot of new demand is coming from. † Online retail have also spurred growth in the industry. To summarize India’s book retail industry is broadly divided into 3 sectors : 1. Organized 2. Unorganized 3. Online The organized sector has big names such as : crosswords, OM book shop , landmark etc to name a few. On the other hand unorganized sector is huge and highly fragmented, with shops spanning from local book stores to road side book shanties to red light book sellers etc. This sector is also filled with piracy and pirated copies of original books (which is a serious threat to the sales of organized sector) Online sector is the newest of them all and has just started to takeoff in sales since last 3-4 years. The major advantage of such a format is the wide variety of offerings under one roof and ease of access for the users. Thus this is the fastest growing sector among all of them. The prominent players in this category are Flipkart. com, Infibeam. com etc. Unorganized sector (Golden book depot) Golden book depot is a typical book store among many in the unorganized sector of the india book retail industry. This store is loacated in the vicinity of our target organized sector store ( OM book shop) i. e.  Ber Sarai ( adjacent to IIT) in south Delhi. As can be seen in the photograph, this is a small shop , almost 1/10th of the size of om book shop and most of the products are available behind the counter, with only magazine stand placed just outside the store. As magazines as a category has most no of impulse purchase. On an average around 50-70 customers come to this book store, and this tore has a footfall conversion of over 85% which is very high as compared to the organized sector (OM book shop) . The reason for this behavior is that most of the products in these kind of shops are behind the counter and it doesn’t provide the luxury to the customer to stroll around and search and read a book as in the case of organized sector. Therefore almost all of the customers coming to these shops like golden book depot are aware of what they want and demand that directly from the shop keeper who then searches the book in the shop and hands over to the customer. Besides having a smaller area , less variety of books and behind the counter selling, the sales (in terms of no.of books sold) is still higher in golden book depot as compared to OM book shop . The reason for that being : 1. Availability of educational books , i. e. educational course materials and competitive exam preparation books. These books constitute the majority of the portion of these book shops in unorganized sector. These kind of books , especially course materials for various courses such as MBA, B. Tech, BCA etc . are not available at book stores like OM book shop. As they (Organized) focus more on selling of novels and leisure read books. 2. Many of the popular shops in unorganized sector offer a facility to bring the old books and exchange them with the new books at a discounted rate or return the old books at a discounted rate in form of cash return. This is a major reason why price conscious middle class Indian customers prefer unorganized sector over organized sector. 3. Perception in the minds of Indian customers that these small shops will offer the same product at cheaper rate than the organized sector shops, which have flashy interiors and huge shop floor. This perception is true also upto some extent as these shopkeepers in these small shops have the control over their margins and not guided by any company policy ( as in the case of OM book shop) that means these shop keepers can even squeeze their margins from around 10% to as low as 1-2% to attract or retain a customer by offering them the cheapest bargain. Organized sector (OM BOOK SHOP ) About Om Book Shop Retailer and Publishing House: Om Book Shop is a part of Om Books International, a leading English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, and is a prominent player in the Indian book industries. The book retailing chain has a significant presence across the Delhi-NCR region. Besides stocking books, movies, magazines and CD ROMs, Om Book Shop is also a major distributor of books of many leading international imprints. OBI began publishing in 1993. Collection: With a strong focus on children books and coffee-table books, the store has a diverse collection including books on Lifestyle, Nature and Wildlife, Fashion, Bollywood, Heritage and Culture, Management, Health & Fitness, Cookery, Architecture and Interiors, pictorial books for children etc. Children section is a major thrust area for the company and OBI publishes children’s titles under the Om Kids imprint: illustrated classics, mythology, folk tales, encyclopaedias etc. Loyalty programs and other salient features: Other salient features Om Book Shop currently holds about 50 thousand registered customers with the Om Book Privilege Loyalty Programme which offers points, discounts & other offers to its loyal customers. OBS aims to popularize the Gift -a- book idea across its stores and delivers services like Dial-a-book which allows the customers to shop from their homes; and the efficient and helpful staffs in the book stores assists them in finding the right book or the right gift for the right occasion. Overview: Product, Category and Store Product Category: ‘Books’ Retail Format: Category Specialists Customer segments: In terms of demographics, the Om Book shop customer can be a child/adult from any age group, gender, income class (reasonably well off) etc. Store: Om Book Shop is located in DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj. The store is located on the 2nd floor of the mall and the floor plan is provided in Figure1. The store is strategically located in a way that it falls on one of the 2 ways to the food court and movie theatre. Figure 1: Floor Plan of Om Book Store STORE PHILOSOPHY * Layout * Ambience/decor * Sale program * Loyalty Store layout structure Om book store has a very functional and efficient physical layout. Mall sq. foot area is very expensive so there seems to be an effort on part of the book store to utilize as much area as possible. Hence the layout may be a bit crammed for some customers. The bird’s eye view of the layout is as follows: K1 K2 K3 Graphic K Adv Cin/music Photo Sports Arch Interior Craft T20 F Ind F Sc F K Classic Rom F Languages (Dic//Ref/Hindi) Poetry(1) Classics(2) Travel Gardening Pet Wildlife OM KIDS (Activity) On the Ground OM KIDS (Story Books) MAGAZINES Cook Book Hor KR Envelopes Movies CD/DVD Biography NF Poi Hist Astro Psycho Philo Mili K NF (encyclopedia) Fiction (A-Z) BS BS BS BS BS BS BS BS BS BS ENTRY s mp p s P NA Cooking T 20 NF s Teenage F Health Indian Religion Management HBR Fashion/Textile Om Posters Om Posters Hobby/Work F= Fiction. NF= Non Fiction NA= New Arrival K= Kids bm Loyalty info om The front view of the store is a transparent glass window through which a passerby can easily see into the store. The poster’s on display from the front view are only of â€Å"OM publisher’s† in different categories like kids books, cook books, and biography (Amir Khan’s â€Å"I’ll Do it My Way†. The most popular and eye-catchy book categories are positioned near the entrance of the store. The largest selling categories, Children’s books, Fiction, and New Arrivals are placed in shelves that a customer encounters as soon as he enters the store. These sections also have the largest impulse buy and are therefore kept at the forefront. Om book’s self published books in the kids category is displayed in big piles on the ground straight in the line of path of a customer who walks into the store. Since the child often runs about choosing his/her own story books and activity (colouring/mask) books and heavily influencing the purchase decision of the parent so the children books of the OM publisher has been strategically kept within reach of the child on the ground to woo the him/her. Other publications in the same Children’s category have been kept on the shelf and in â€Å"sideway† display to decrease their exposure to the child/parent. Om Publication’s in any other category when placed on the shelf have been given a frontal full display to encourage sales. Management books being the next most popular category, they have been placed right after the popular categories when comparing in terms of â€Å"distance from entrance†. Categories pertaining to work or hobby like gardening, travelling, cooking etc / or specific topics of interest like astrology, philosophy, poetry, etc have been grouped towards the end of the store, furthest away from the entrance. This is because these categories can usually not create impulse purchase and so every customer need not pass through these segments/aisles. People who do buy these books are targeted shoppers and will anyhow walk to the back end of the shop to pick up his/her book. These categories are not as popular as the others and have loyal customer following. The impulse buy accessories are lined along the passage on either side from the entrance to the cash counter. It is further seen that the counter is placed at the other end from the entrance to ensure that a customer has to walk through all the impulse purchase offerings before he/she can buy the book. The products on offer in this so called â€Å"impulse accessory† shopping segment are: pens (parker and waterman), magazines, cookbooks, horoscope books, key rings, bookmarks, marble-paper/wrapping paper, and bestsellers in each category. It can further be noticed that the best seller section just prior to the cash counter is dedicated solely to Om publication. Additional aspects of the Store Layout The layout is no doubt very functional keeping in mind the profit maximization philosophy of the store and the main agenda of pushing its own publication to the shopper. However the spacing of shelves is crammed with little walking space, hardly any sitting space (only 2-3 stools), and only 1 book stand. The entire focus is on 1 product offering i. e. books. Unlike competitors in the organised sector like Landmark, it is not focussing on the entire shopping experience, (no coffee, no other items on offer like stationary etc, no sitting space). Store Ambience and Decor The bookshelves were made of engineered wood like particle wood. This created a unique and rich traditional effect. Plastic or metal bookshelves were not used since they do not look expensive and give a modern feel, which was not something the book store wanted. Furthermore the particle wood was coloured a light shade of brown to give a bright and roomy/spacious look to the store. However the bookshelves were placed too close and for a particular section of customers who prefer the comforts of abundant seating arrangement, coffee facility, and walking space (as provided by Landmark), the sheer functional design of the store might be interpreted as a crammed. This might not work well for a particular segment of customers whose involvement with the shopping experience is as high as, if not higher than the involvement with the product itself. Furthermore the store works on the philosophy that it will focus on selling books alone and not encourage customers to spend hours just reading in the store. This is unlike some of its contemporaries like Landmark that encourage customers to sit and read inside the store. Hence at OM book stores some customers may complain that the staff hover close to them and make them feel uncomfortable if they stay too long. The store plays light and slow English instrumental music to suit the taste of the higher-strata of people who usually visit the Promenade Mall and create a relaxed atmosphere in the store. Instrumental music is played since a song with wordings would disturb the concentration of a customer reading the epilogue/back-cover of a book. This gives a contemporary feel to the store. Store Sale Programs The store’s maximum profit comes from its Children’s section. Hence the sale period coincides with the summer and winter vacation in schools in Delhi. December to Mid-January and May to June are the respective winter and summer sales. The store is also receptive to mall trends in sale. Since almost every other shop in the mall had a sale in July, so the store too announced a sale to cash in on the increased footfall to the mall during the sale-period. There was no Flat Sale offer. Discount amounts were graded on the basis of demand. Books with high demand had low sale; New Arrival, Top 20 Fiction/Non-Fiction, general Fiction, and bestsellers had only 10% discount. The store felt that irrespective of the price these books would sell and so gave negligible discount on them. However on the kids section the discount was higher, around 20%, and even higher discounts on children’s books published in-house by Om Publications. This is because the store believes that parents during the sale period buy in bulk and a higher sale would induce them to buy more and yet it would not affect your margins. Furthermore parents are price conscious when buying for little kids since the books cannot be added to a collection later on and mostly become irrelevant in a short time after the child has outgrown them. The sale on OM publication was the highest because they already had the highest margins on it due to the absence of a middleman, and therefore could easily afford a large discount on those books. By touting the large discounts they aim to attract consumers to their publication and yet make the largest profit on the same sales. The books with the largest discounts (say more than 50%) were displayed in piles on the floor. This was due to the belief that even if the books weren’t displayed at eye-level, even then the mammoth sale amount would encourage the shoppers to make the effort of bending down to pick up the book. To publicise the sale big red stickers were pasted on the glass walls of the store which can be viewed by the casual shopper passing by the store. Inside the store the discount for each section was mentioned separately through stickers and pointers. Store Loyalty Program A book is generally a product category where the consumer’s involvement with the product (i. e.the book itself) is much higher than his involvement with the store. Even if a person might have store preferences, yet his/her loyalty lies with the book and not with the store. Hence a consumer would not really care much as to whether he bought his/her book at OM Book stores or at Landmark, which is a stones throwaway. Thus in order to boost retention of loyal customers Om book stores has come up with a loyalty program, a privilege card holder concept which is as follows: * 1 point for every Rs. 10 purchase. * Minimum points for redemption are 500 points. * 1 point equals Rs 1 reduction in bill amount. 60-70% of walk-in customers were privilege card holders and the store already has 4500 privilege card holders. The scheme is a moderate success. Store Timings | 11 A. M to 10 P. M ( For Mall)11 A. M to 8 P. M ( For standalone shop not the store we studied)| Working days| All 7 Days of the week| Peak days| Saturday and Sunday| Peak hours| Evenings post 6:00 pm| Staff| 10-12 members including the manager. Manager stands behind the counter at one of the two cash registers. He is accompanied by 2 staff members whose work is to: 1. Use the second cash register for quick transactions during peak hour to prevent long queuing period 2. To get a book for a customer if he/she directly comes to the counter and asks for a specific book. | Floor Staff responsibilities| * Taking care of the specific three to four sections assigned to them. * keeping a track of inventory * Filling the requisition form for the replenishing of stock * Guiding the customers if required * Sticking the barcode behind each new book before placing them on the shelf. | Shifts| There are no shifts; each staff member works throughout the day from 11:00 AM -8:00pm (fixed) and from 8:00pm-10:00pm (variable) depending on the rush. Hence post 8:00 pm the retained staff is paid on overtime basis. | Showrooms (strategic positioning)| NCR – 5 in malls and 2 stand aloneMumbai – 1 stand aloneThe store we studied was in the Promenade mall beside DT cinemas movie ticket counter on the 2nd floor. | Revenues| 1. 5 to 2 Lakhs on weekdays3 to3. 5 Lakhs on weekendsChildren, Fiction – highest selling category (80% of sales)| CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR The product category is such that it involves Limited-Decision Making by the customers. The reasons for purchase of a book from the store can be: * Buying for self- Leisure * Buying for self Knowledge * Buying for Others- Regular * Buying for Others- Situational. The greater the motivation to make an optimal decision, the more likely an attribute-based choice will be made. Thus, attribute-based processing is more likely for an expensive book purchase than it is for an inexpensive magazine. The easier it is to access complete attribute-by-brand information, the more likely attribute-based processing will be used. A variety of situations influence which choice approach is most likely. A book bought with the intention of a gift purchase is assigned more importance than a purchase for oneself. Thus, gift purchases would be more likely to produce attribute-based decision processes. Time pressure is a major determinant of choice process used, with increasing time pressures producing more use of attitude-based decisions. Thus, we can identify 3 major clusters of customers that visit Om Book Shop. Category I: DEDICATED READER This is the kind of person who feels complete with a book in his hand. For him, the behaviour is governed by his choices alone and it is solely his decision. He is always trying to find the time to get back to his book. He is convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more. His primary information search happens within the store only. Category II: LITERATE GOOD CITIZEN This is the kind of person who usually buys a book after reading it review by a critic or an expert. Such a person does more information search before coming to the store. For our respondent group, the most dominant sources for this information were reviews and Bestseller lists published in newspapers, magazines or online blogs and sites likes Amazon. com. Category III: FAD READER This is the kind of person who only reads the popular books/ latest bestsellers so he can be up to date on what other people are talking about and be seen by others as someone who is well read. He often reads for the social credit he can get out of it. His primary information search is more through his friend circle or his group of colleagues from whom he might hear the latest ‘fads’ in terms of books. Such a person could also go in for information search in popular newspapers/magazines or the shares on social media websites. From the interactions with a few customers at the Store, we could find out the following: Social Class| Effect on Book Purchasing Behaviour| Contended Upper-Middle class| Preferences:†Popular fiction† is their favorite category. Read fewer authors. Might read books in vernacular. Purchases: most of them prefer borrowing from friends/library, buy books once in a while. Prefer buying during sales unless the book means a lot to them. Communication: they are most exposed to TV and then the Internet. Reviews from friends also propel them to buy popular books. | Aspiring Upper-Middle Class| Preferences: Like reading a variety of books. They read popular fiction, romance, thriller, and also lots of red classics, classics and mature serious books. Often read books due to peer pressure. The time they can devote to reading is very little because they are usually time-constrained. Purchases: Prefers borrowing books to buying them. Communication: Internet and TV is relatively high, followed by the newspaper. They often read books that are suggested by their friends. Being seen reading particular books gives them a social esteem and acceptance among their peers. | Upper Class | Preferences: prefer a variety of books from contemporary novels, to classics, red classics, neo-classical books, non-fiction and business related books. Hardly read romantic fiction and don’t blindly go for bestsellers. Purchases: convenience is important. If the book is available instantly with a friend they will borrow, else they will buy it without delay, whichever is faster. Communication: Highest exposure to and influence of net (online reviews and blogs) and newspaper. A close friend/colleagues suggestion might matter. They do not read to fit in with their peers. | Upper-Upper class| Preferences: A preference for mature intellectual serious reading and contemporary novels. No â€Å"cheesy romantic novels†. However since Sumedha is a housewife she admits that at times she also likes reading thrillers (fiction). Read a variety of authors. Reading books is a popular leisure activity in this class. Purchases: They purchase the book they want to read, never borrow. Communication: Newspaper, Blogs, online reviews, magazines matter. TV doesn’t play any role and nor do peer group tastes in books. Friends don’t influence their purchase. | Some interesting finds about what customers believe about book reading: * Strongly believed that if parents read book then usually the child inculcates the habit of reading books too. * Felt that girls read more than boys. * Felt that people pick up the habit of reading books in school. * Felt that books influence the internal self. * Felt reading books is an enjoyable activity. * Fiction is the most popular category. * Bestsellers and classics/novels are the next preferred category. * Non-fiction, philosophy/religion/supernatural, business/law books, and books on specific topics of interest are least favoured. RECOMMENDATIONS STORE BASED RECOMMENDATIONS: When we map the Customer decision making process to the Store philosophy and operations we see that OM book store fairs well on certain aspects and do poorly on others. These have been described in greater detail below: Strengths: * Promoting their own OM Publication Om Book stores layout and staff are clearly successful in attracting a majority of the customers to their own publication by strategically placing these books in certain ways. For eg: they have placed OM publisher’s children books on the ground within easy grab opportunity of children who majorly influence the parents buying decision. And this section is placed straight in line with the entrance, i. e. any customer entering the store will be bound to enter this section. However children’s books of other publishers have been placed on the shelves. Further the way the books have been displayed influence buying impulses. Even on the shelf display the store practices discriminatory display policy. They mostly display other books sideways, while at least 1 copy of each of their books have a frontal display. Further to cash in on impulse purchases they have stocked the bestseller section closest to the payment counter and the bestseller section at the mouth of the entrance is stocked only with OM publications. * Cashing in on Impulse Buying. Impulse buying can occur in 2 categories, either in the main category i. e. books, or in the accessory category i. e. pens, magazines, marble papers, key rings etc. Impulse buying can mostly occur in the Fiction, New arrival, Bestseller and Kids section. Hence these sections are kept in the front and a customer walking into the store is bound to encounter these sections because he will be forced to walk into these aisles. Further the right side of the aisle leading from the entry to the payment counter is lined with the best sellers in the respective branch aisle. Hence even if a customer isn’t a management book loyalist, he will still get an exposure to the top selling bestsellers in the management category, and this might interest him enough to buy the book. The categories which are specific to a hobby/work/topic of interest and have low chances of impulse buying have been pushed to the back end of the store so that every customer wouldn’t have to face the hassle of walking through them, which is also unnecessary since impulse buying scope in these sections is very low. A category loyalist would never mind walking up to the category and so there is no loss in customer sales. Impulse buying in knick knack accessories has been promoted by lining the left side of the main aisle from the entrance to the payment counter with pens, magazines, recipe books, horoscope books etc. Bookmarks have been placed on the payment counter. * Very High Discount books displayed on the ground This was a clever move because it saved space, and even though the books weren’t displayed at eye-level or reach level; the prominent low prices would make the customer bend down to pick up the book. Areas that need Improvement * In store shopping experience The lack of sitting availability, coffee counter, spacious movement space might annoy certain segments of book purchases who want to have a leisured nice shopping experience in-store. These customers might want to sit and evaluate the books and go through them. Om book stores would lose out on this segment of customers who wish to get a â€Å"feel† of the book to stores like Landmark and Crossword where furthermore the staffs does not hover around you if you have been in the store for too long. * Online/Flipkart shopping. In all cases where the publisher is not OM Publisher, the prices in the store would be definitely higher than prices on Flipkart since the latter has no middleman margin loss. It is often seen that OM book store purchases from Flipkart hence they can never sell at the same low online price. Further the variety online would be greater and have the benefit of home delivery. Most young or tech savvy customers are moving to Flipkart. The home delivery problem can be solved if the company decides to offer this service to privileged loyal/high potential customers by making them aware of the online purchase option on the OM books store website. They should promote the website. * Neglecting some Book categories The stores strong focus and monumental variety keeping priority in the kids, and fiction category often make certain customers, who are interested in specific work/hobby/topic of interest related categories, feel that the collection in these categories is unsatisfactory. As a solution they could either stock more books in these categories, or if it is not in line with their aim/policy, they can attract customers by giving marginally greater discounts on these books than their competitor stores. * Lack of Clear Sale communication It was often found that though the header of a category column bookshelf read 10% or 20% it still stacked books with higher discounts like 50% and up. This will make the store lose out on prise sensitive sale crazy customers. Additional Recommendations: * The store needs to decide on its vision, mission, and focus and align its product offering and ambience accordingly. If it still wants to differentiate as a non-commercial book stop then it can continue with its current policy and live with losing out some of its customers. Store space limitation is a problem in this particular store for it to provide a Landmark-like offering. * The store should specifically target the loyalist who will in any case come to the book store and purchase all that the book store has to do is to keep the books of their interest. The book store can also take advantage of the Social Conscious nature of North Indians. So they can provide seating within the book stores and so that the consumers can come and sit over which will give them a sense of good feel as they will be recognized by others as an intellectual person. It can also start service like home delivery for consumers like Rajiv who don’t have time to come and buy books although he like to buy them from book stores. * They should try to convey the value of the product. If he’s successful in conveying the value of the product then the marketer i. e. book shop can make the Marwari Baniya loyalist. They should also come out with sales once in a while so that the value buying consumers come in and along with the books giving value they also pick up other books which are not on sale i. e. promote impulse buying behavior. This will increase the customer traffic and also help in increasing revenues. For Bengalis since book reading is a culture so we should have book stores at as many locations as possible and also the marketer should try to make his book shop more popular among the group as they would buy books anyways so if the unaided recall is high then the consumers would go to the books stores. The book stores should also be at strategic locations where the crowd is more * As we can infer, that the person who is highly involved in purchase, will sit in the book shop for a longer time and browse. The book shop staff can go to such person and suggest him some of the latest books which might have come or ask him about his preferences and suggest books accordingly. * Another area which can be tapped is of low product involvement category like people buying for others they are the consumers who spend less time but are generally confused as to what they should buy so the shop staff should help these people in selecting the books and also add relevant suggestion wherever necessary. In this way the person might actually end up buying more than initially thought. SEGMENT BASED RECOMMENDATIONS: DEDICATED READER For the Dedicated Reader, as has been re-iterated time and again external influences do not work for him and if anything he only shirks off popular culture. Self-actualized people have realistic perceptions of themselves, others and the world around them. Thus promotions and marketing efforts have no influence on this category. She/he doesn’t need to be persuaded to read and neither does she/he need any felicitation or acceptance for picking up a book to read. This category needs to be communicated that Om Book Shop (OBS) is a place where she/he will find all the categories of books and that availability r variety is not going to be a problem. The ad pitch to him must re-iterate the points of variety and availability in all categories of books. Since, this category enjoys reading and wants to make an experience.