Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The defining feature of Modern culture

Modern culture is a direct derivative of and at the same time antithesis of co-existence with nature. The defining feature of Modern culture (adopting the Herder’s definition as â€Å"the practices and beliefs which form the self-identity of a tribe† and not the Humboldt’s version of distinguishing common and high cultures)(Scruton 2) is its increasing distance from the nature and its attempts to understand and divulge the secrets or facets of nature, hither to left unappreciated or not understood.In the history of human civilization (ironically, Civilization means the history of city dwelling population) the pace at which technology improved has grown exponentially since the late 19th century. This growth in technology has spurred the redefining of central values attached to human life. The beneficiaries of the technological advances, the huge sections of societies, seldom bother themselves with the philosophical depths of questions that the increasing use of te chnology and the alienation form nature poses to their central core.However, the tension that resonates between nature and technology is a legacy of inherited historical human values pitted against the negation of the basis of these values in technology. Technology seeks to explore and lay bare while a co-existence with nature demands a certain amount of surrender. Since these two approaches have to be combined in the modern life, there is ambivalence in the approach people are forced to take to their existence.As George Simmel mentions in his work â€Å"The Metropolis and Mental Life†, the deepest problems of modern life are because of the attempts of man to maintain his individuality in the face of changing historic and technological perspectives. (Simmel 11) One basic shift in the modern life to the other forms of society which had a greater correlation with nature is the change in approach to Life in general. Modern life, with it increasing use of technology aims to quant ify everything while co-existence with nature left a lot of qualitative and subjective parameters in place.The resultant void is generally seen as the force that generates the tension between nature and technology. (The dismantling of the religious structure by socialist countries without placing an alternate belief system in place, which saw a huge spurt in religious activity once the socialist structures themselves, crumbled, is an example of a void based on qualitative beliefs and necessity of such beliefs).Modern culture instills a sense of measurement to everything involved in daily life, while co-existence with nature demands suspension of reason to a certain extent. There is an Indian Proverb which roughly translates to â€Å"Plucking the petals of the Rose will not reveal where its beauty lies†. Same is the case with the stimuli caused by nature where suspension of reason is a primary requisite to respond to them. A magnificient sunset is a visual pleasure accorded by nature which cannot be deciphered by any technological quantification measures.â€Å"Whilst Man involuntarily moulds his Life according to the notions he has gathered from his arbitrary views of Nature, and embalms their intuitive expression in Religion: these notions become for him in Science the subject of conscious, intentional review and scrutiny. † (Richard Wagner, 73). In trying to explain the basic differences between Nature and technology Wagner also indicates almost accurately at the reasons for conflict. When viewed in the light of Simmel’s description of man’s emotional responses as he says â€Å"Man is a creature whose existence is dependent on differences, i.e. his mind is stimulated by the difference between present impressions and those that have preceded. † (Simmel 325). But the rapidity with which a person part of the modern culture is accosted by such stimuli is what differentiates his responses. The increasing proximity to his species and in a way that would not have been possible to any of his preceding generations creates a sense of detachment from most stimuli and prevents him from reacting with the same intensity compared to only a few generations earlier. In short, modern culture forces man to react with his head than his heart.This, Simmel argues creates a blase attitude – a defining characteristic of modern culture. â€Å"†¦incapacity to react to new stimulations with the required amount of energy constitutes in fact that blase attitude which every child of a large city evinces hen compared with the products of the more peaceful and more stable milieu† Simmel 14 Advancement in technology creates increased urbanization where people are removed from nature and so closely compressed with one another that their nervous stimulation is hyper excited to become blase.This leads to a state of denial to all other impulses accorded by nature, which are inherently non-quantifiable. Wagner articulate s this alienation of Science and nature in more vocal and less scientific terms. Technology, as mentioned earlier is a result of efforts to understand and harness the energies available in nature, acquires arrogance through its practitioners that it tries to rob the soul of all human interactions with nature. â€Å"And truly Science, in her overweening arrogance, has dreamed of such a triumph; as witness our tight-reined State and modern Art, the sexless, barren children of this dream.† This tension between nature and its instincts as expressed in human emotions and the increasing needs of rational responses conditioned by a technology-driven society are reflected in the probing questions of the late nineteenth and the early twentieth century literature and art forms. Kafkaesque depictions of society not recognizing its traditional pains and bonds due to the demands of the modern culture are common in most art forms. To drive the point home, in his novella â€Å"Metamorphosi s† Kafka paints a picture of the emptiness of modern existence.Seen by many as the gateway to modern literature, it justifies Simmel’s views that the values of modern culture create certain bluntness to responses to stimuli. While it is important to acknowledge the tension between technology (or the changes in life due to technology) and nature as an essential part of the modern cultural set up, it is a learning to understand how this disparity or tension is dealt with. The creation of the modern idiom is largely an effect of the interplay between nature and technology. Additionally, the increased integration of technology has made people more used to viewing their renewed values in a different light.In fact most surviving sensibilities are modern in nature and the exotic feel accorded to romantic art of the previous generations is precisely the result of the contrast. Besides, modern art does adopt the modern life and especially urban living aspect of modern life more readily than was anticipated by the early proponents of modernism. As Wagner argues, Art as an expression of man’s interaction with nature and the resultant emotions – awe or aversion, hope or despair, love or revulsion, harmony or agitation- has in fact been aided by the modern culture. In his typically poetic prose Wagner describes,â€Å" This did the life-force, the life-need, of telluric Nature nurture once those baleful forces – or rather the potentiality of those alliances and, offspring of the elements – which blocked her way in giving true and fitting utterance to the fullness of her vital energy†(Wagner 9) He also seems to say that the potential for abundance brought on by the revolutionary availability of technology affords the luxury of pursuing art for art’s sake for people pf the modern era – all the while remembering that art is the truest form of depicting or connecting with Nature, both internal and external.Besides, a fuller and more complete appreciation of Nature as a separate entity and an ally has blossomed after the initial years of tension with Technology. Though initial years of modern culture and civilization were alarming in the fact that the alienation with nature was at once complete and seemingly irreparable, yet the situation has changed. As with everything and as Darwin would have proudly pointed out, mankind has adapted quite well to this dichotomy of Nature and Technology and has realized the necessity to keep both these aspects of his existence in good humor – all the time.Though it can be argued that most ailments of modern society, like the environmental degradation, lack of trust in human interactions, increasing and pointless violence, or the break down of civilized society in some pockets are essentially the manifestations of the tension between a nature-embracing living and Technology dependent living, it is the way forward. As Man has learnt continuously from all h is endeavors both successful and perilously unsuccessful, modern culture has given a unique perspective to watch Nature in all its glory and make it an ally in pursuing higher spiritual goals.Works Cited Wagner, Richard. The Art Work of the Future. Montana: Kessinger Publishing, 2004. Kafka, Franz. The Metamorphosis. Montana: Kessinger Publishing, 2004 Simmel, Georg & Kurt Wolff. The sociology of Georg Simmel. Translated by kurt Wolff Washington DC: Free Press, 1950 Scruton, Roger. Modern Culture. NewYork: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2007

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Homers the Iliad Essay

The Iliad is a Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. Paris, son of King Priam of Troy carries off Helen, wife of Menelaus. The epic describes the war waged by Achaean prince against Troy with an intention to recover Helen. Specifically, it deals with the anger of Achilles, the special hero of the poem at the slight put upon him by Agamemnon, leader of the host, and his final return to the field and slaying of Hector [MARGARET and JENNY, Para 1]. The Iliad is one of the most prominent among the ancient masterpieces in literature. It is about two countries that bitterly war over a single woman, Helen, the wife of Menelaus. The rivalry takes place for about ten years before the Argive armies (the Greeks) finally win out over the Trojans. Today, The Iliad is available to a contemporary audience in several different forms. It may be read, listened to, or viewed even by illiterates. The story’s author, Homer, has typically overcome the challenge of how to tell the story to the masses. He achieved it by singing the entire poem or perhaps several books at a time to them. Homer has employed the so called oral tradition of communication to reach the masses. In the epic, Homer has used certain terms which an average person in Ancient Greece could understand. These similes can be divided into several different categories: the descriptions of battles, people, and gods. In all cases, these similes are used to aid understanding in Greek oral tradition [Radman, Para 1]. The story suggests a battle between Troy and Greece in large scale. Since most of the listeners would never have seen such large wars, Homer has made an effort to link between what those people would understand and the actual events of the combat. The similes that Homer used to describe the various fighting scenes have nature as its basis to depict the actions of the warriors, or of entire ranks of men. If an average person who listens to the epic had never seen a war, he/she will never be able to visualize the actions being dictated. Therefore, Homer has used creative and elaborate descriptions of something common in an ordinary person’s lives, juxtaposed with the unfamiliar and it has allowed the listener to understand what the singer of the tale is trying to convey. The similes related to fighting are divided into two different categories: the type depicting animals in nature, and of the happenings of the natural world itself. When one goes through the text, he/she could notice similes on a single page of fighting, describing one or several people through animal behavior. This could be observed when the Trojans are fighting for the body of Patroclus. There the simile used links their armies to an angered hive of wasps. When the Trojans charge it, the simile goes like: they swarmed forth like wasps from a roadside nest when boys have made it their sport to set them seething, day after day tormenting them round their wayside hive—idiot boys! They make a menace for every man in sight. Any innocent traveler passing them on that road can stir them accidentally—up in arms in a flash, all in a swarm come pouring, each one raging down to fight for home and children †¦[Radman, Para 4] The movements of entire armies in a seething battle portray the images found in a typical life of an Ancient Greek. The other two frequently used references to the mass movements of troops are that of land and water. These references utilize the commonality of the elements so that Homer can describe some scenarios to the listeners who find it difficult to understand such scenes. Another simile that is used frequently in battles is when one person was singled out for a description of their fighting prowess. These similes call upon the graphic details of wolves in attack, or the ravaging of a lion. Menelaus is one of the Argive warriors and when he is fighting rigorously in the battle, the other would-be attackers are frightened-off by the intense ferocity of his initial attack. Homer describes this scenario as follows †¦ as a fierce mountain lion sure of his power, seizing the choicest head from a good grazing herd. First he cracks its neck, clamped in his huge jaws, mauling the kill then down in gulps he bolts it, blood and guts, and around him dogs and shepherds raise a fierce din but they keep their distance, lacking nerve to go in and take the lion on †¦[Radman, Para 7] There are several observations that can be made by looking at the similes of warriors in battle. The first is that the type of animal used to describe Menelaus and his actions represents his ferocious nature. In other instances, the lion is used to describe several fighters like Argives and Trojans. The second major use of simile is to describe people in combative and non-combative situations. Generally, these can be seen as a type of title for the person described. Only the major characters of the epic are named with such titles. The types of titles given in the story fall in to two categories: titles of mortal men and women, and those of the gods. Even mortals are given due importance in some scenes. As far as fighting is concerned, most of the similes are linked with the characters of Achilles, Agamemnon, Hector, and Ajax, along with other men who were often referred to in battle as having the characteristics of a lion. It reflects their skill, strength, and overall mighty presence. Other types of creatures that have nothing to with battle are used to describe some of the fighters. For instance, Achilles is once addressed as a dolphin while slaughtering Trojans in the Xanthus River. Trojans try hard to save their life from Achilles. Here is the text from the epic that describes the scenario: Like shoals of fish darting before some big-bellied dolphin, escaping, cramming the coves of a good deepwater harbor, terrified for their lives- he devours all he catches- so the Trojans down that terrible river’s onrush cowered under its bluffs [Radman, Para 12]. In the epic, a mortal is often compared to a deity. In many scenes, a man’s fighting skill is mentioned as divine. Generally, this is just an elaborate way to say that a person has done something really well. Everyone knows that the God Hephaestus, â€Å"the famous crippled Smith,† was the god of fire [Radman, Para 14]. As Patroclus makes a fire that is worthy of a God, it is surely a mighty blaze which Patroclus has created. The listeners of ancient Greece wondered at these great skills. Many of these similes aimed at embellishing a person’s qualities to make them all the more impressive. While describing Gods, similes are slightly more difficult to come by. As it will sound bad to compare a god to a mortal, Homer describes them by their specific abilities. In essence, he moves laterally instead of vertically. The entire epic is filled with many different types of similes used in the graphic depiction of battles, people, places, and gods. Hats off to Homer who has used the similes in such a creative way that even an illiterate can understand what Homer means to say in his poem. The similes not only assist a reader in trying to imagine what is being read, but also allow him/her to understand how relations are described to people who are less advanced than a modern culture. The epic serves a multi-functional purpose today. It is used as a tool to learn about a culture which has faded from the face of the planet into the obscurity of ancient tales and legends [Radman, Para 16]. Apart from teaching about the wars fought, the types of armor, weapons, and the strategies used in conquests of other countries in that time period, the epic also stresses on the most important usage of and gives an insight in to the social standards of the time, how that culture behaved, what they believed, and how they lived. People will learn from this classical epic for generations to come. An epic is considered to have gained a great success when it reaches even the masses

Monday, July 29, 2019

Cardiac case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cardiac - Case Study Example n is experiencing cool, clammy skin and inspiratory crackles because of severe allergic reaction, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) anxiety, and low oxygen in the blood. These result from exhaustion of the heart, heart attack, artery blockage in the lungs, internal bleeding, pneumonia, dehydration, drug overdose causing heart function to reduce, and reduced blood pressure (Lee Linda, Bates, Pitt, & Walton, 2010). Question 3: The pain that Mr. Canton is experiencing is not significant because it is not one of the major causes of his condition. The pain in his wisdom tooth is resulting from other causes rather than myocardial infarction (WEBMD, 2015). Question 4: Mr. Canton vomits because his wall infarction is inferior. The inferior wall infarction is associated with gastrointestinal problems, particularly because of bradycardia. The inferior infarction results from cardiac sensory receptors, which mediate vasodepressor and cardioinhibitory responses, which are normally distributed to the left ventricle’s wall (Lee Linda, Bates, Pitt, & Walton, 2010). Question 5: Elevation of isoenzymes prevails in body cells having a notable concentration in liver, heart, kidney, muscle, and erythrocytes. Just as in the case of proteins that mark function of tissues, elevation of isoenzymes occurs after hypoxia is prolonged. It occurs after hypoxia is prolonged in various clinical situations, such as cardiorespiratory diseases, disorders of kidneys, liver, muscle, and lung, as well as malignancy (Krucik, 2012). Question 6: Myocardial infarction is a segmental necrosis of myocardial based in the endocardium. Areas where myocardial infarction occurs are subepicardial in the event of occlusion of small vessels, which come from coronary thrombi. For many patients, a disruptive coronary disease becomes evident at angiography. Infarction takes place where the occluded vessel is distributed. The occlusion of the left side of the coronary artery leads to major infarction of the

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Meditation in Taoism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Meditation in Taoism - Research Paper Example Taoist meditation gives the mind an opportunity to focus wholly. This form of meditation is evident in the Buddhist religion2. Meditation is a religious aspect that seeks to define life and its forms and to connect with nature. It helps an individual realize meaning of life and peace. Since Taoist meditation is a humble form of meditation, people practicing it experience a new form of transformation that generates energy enough to do anything the individual intends. Evidently, a Taoist meditation serves to connect body, spirit, and mind. Taoist meditation is a common aspect among the different groups of Taos. For some, it is purely way to attain the transformation to immortality. The Taoist meditation has health benefits because it concentrates on establishing a healthy status of the mind and body. Taos believe that meditation can lengthen life and real Taos believe in n eternity3. Meditation makes the human spirit sensitive to spiritual matters. It leads to a new form of discovery that identifies with nature. From the Taoist view, they seek to establish knowledge of nature and reality and associate with the changing forms of nature. The ultimate goal of a Taoist is to observe nature and its complexity and patterns and then apply these patterns to drive life. Taoists believe that humans are part of the vast universe. The Taoist keeps making efforts to discover the true pure mind. The Taoist meditation is an inner exercise4. The meditation takes fifteen minutes or more. It requires a cool and still internal environment. The individual must create a balance in the body posture, regulate and slow down breathing and then concentrate on the inner self. The Taoists consider the body, breathe, and spirit as the three treasures. A comfortable body posture ensures that the body weight is under a good balance and the spine remains straight. An individual must give attention to sensations resulting from the physical senses. In some cases, Taoists involve

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Managing across culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing across culture - Essay Example Being the Management Consultant for the telecommunications company which is planning to take its business to the international level and market; it becomes very important to make a thorough study about the available literatures on the different challenges that a company faces on a foreign soil and make recommendations accordingly. During the initial study, the team has found a number of possible challenges that could pose a threat to the smooth internationalisation of the company. Among the several challenges â€Å"culture shock and poor adjustment† seems to have the greater potential for disturbing the smooth internationalisation of the company. The first part or Part One of this research paper discusses the different available literatures and their observations. 1.2: Definition of â€Å"Culture† According to Adler (2008) culture can be defined as an integrated system of behavior among the human beings which takes into consideration the thoughts, beliefs, languages, co mmunications, customs and values, mannerisms of ethnic, religious, racial or social groups of people and the ability of those very people in conveying the same attitude their succeeding generations. Thus, a lot of elements joins together to form a specific culture for a group of people. From the very elements, it could be understood that culture is not a day’s process or a matter of a few months but instead culmination of habits and attitudes over a prolonged period of time and as result of multiple behavioral elements or factors (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1998). 1.3: Relation between Culture and Working Attitude According to the study and observations made by Berry, et al (2002) a human being is highly influenced by the culture to which he or she has been raised up in. As observed by Browaeys and Price (2008), culture is a system of behavior consisting of varied elements that shapes up their life and other activities associated with their lives. The culture of an individual affe cts the psychology, that is, the thought process. The psychology in turn decides the behavior, attitude and goal of an individual’s life, the likes and dislikes, and even most importantly, their working attitude. The findings of Buchanan and Huczynski (2004) in their study indicate this very fact. An individual is highly influenced by the culture to which he or she belongs. It is so because it impacts an individual from a very tender age, during the very basic years of an individual when one’s beliefs, emotions, outlook and attitude is at the nascent stage. Culture moulds the attitude of an individual at every stage, when an individual forms their attitudes towards their family, education and institutional life, their personal circles, and their attitude towards work. Culture has a greater role to play in shaping the attitude towards work of an individual. Burnes (2000) observe that different cultural factors have been influencing the communication skills and practices of the individuals in the workplace and working atmosphere for a long time. The perception of work and work pressure is also dependent on an individual’s attitude towards work. For instance, one who has been surrounded by a strong working culture will be highly motivated to work hard, turn the most impossible task into reality, the individual will not give up in any case. On the other hand an individual who has been experiencing a lethargic working culture w

Friday, July 26, 2019

Consent theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consent theory - Essay Example Searching consent implies first of all the ability to communicate about the most advantageous results of their discussion. Deliberate behaviour by consent with coercion is a contradictoriness in its roots, since nobody can make a consent compulsory or obligatory. Each action should by controlled by moral principles (which have naturally come from Rousseau's philosophy of 'kind' human nature). Thus, theory of consent is related to some kind of convergence among people as well as inner consent, which leads to creation of stable moral obligations (Lennartz, 2005). Rawls, who is an outstanding scholar, speaks about the obligations that people identify as "self-imposed," as if each person her or himself really participates in the creation of the principles of righteousness. In addition, Samuel Freeman, who defends Rawl's concepts, writes: "In committing themselves to these principles, free and equal citizens willingly impose upon themselves certain constraints on future decision-making . . . This precommitment is general, because it is made by and applies to everyone" (Freeman, 1993). Consent theory was expected to offer a concept of political autonomy, such that one can state that their obligation to a state was to some extent consequent from their free action as a personality among politically equal personalities. Such self-sufficiency demands that the philosophy one follows be the product of their deliberative development. "It is not enough simply for it to be the deliberative process that someone exactly like me would use, in other words, i ndicative of my unique experiences and faculties, because this would allow the deliberation of someone who knew me incredibly well to count as mine. It must be the deliberation that I actually intentionally undergo" (Cushing, 2001). In order to exemplify the awareness of making choice, let's imagine the following two 'methods' of shopping. The first way is common: a person picks the goods out him/herself and pays the bill at the end of shopping, as this person has gained an obligation by one's deliberate action. The second way is more complicated: one's robot double, programmed with all experiences and tastes of this person, goes shopping, chooses exactly what the human would choose in similar conditions and picks the goods out for this person. In the latter case, it is clear that the person has no obligation to pay for the goods, since he/she does not choose them. The person would have chosen, but in fact the person did not make a choice. Similarly, the consent theory required actual act of consent or choice, which is followed by entire awareness of one's actions.The most important limitation of consent theory (which probably rubs out the most part of its significance) is its conceptual utopicity. The level of public political culture in our society is quite low, and people follow rules and legislative obligations due to the fear of being punished. People could not rely on the way others adopt common consent, as based on the principle of personal freedom, the theory rejects law enforcement of the consent. As Cushing correctly notes, "there would be a similar assurance problem with Rawls's duty-based account because citizens will not believe that others will comply simply because the relevant institutions "apply" to them" (Cushing, 2001). Thus, an essential perception of our society's political culture

Matisse The Artist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Matisse The Artist - Essay Example The essay "Matisse The Artist" discusses Henri Matisse and his art. This master piece is more than inspiration and a rare discovery of just how human imagination can go. Use of color is critical in expressing the view of man on the natural setting. This painting of Matisse offers a lesson about the past of visual art and origin of civilization. In this case, the painting is a lesson to successive generation on what creativity can do in reforming the socio-economic and political ideologies. The work is a sign of well-thought out application of color tone to reflect the internal feelings of the artist and provoke the emotion of the audience. The balance of color and space offers a critical role in imparting knowledge on common man about the potential of our wild imaginations. It is evident that pictures speak a thousand words and this manifests itself in this painting. The iconic aspect of Matisse as far as precision and definition of art is concerned speaks for generations to come and hold key into opening opportunities and interests for aspiring painters and sculptors. This painting explores the history of painting and significance of visual impression derived from such in-depth mental adventure. The natural look from the purity of the colors provides fulfillment and invokes the spirit of desire for art. The anesthetic effect of the painting is notable and resonates the idea of Matisse in addressing the inner view of people on the beauty of life. It is worth to note a textural variation.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Marketing Reserch Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Reserch - Assignment Example (Mumbai Mirror, Business Briefs, 28 May 2007). the tremendous potential of the internet for genuine marketing purposes. And with the rising volumes of online trading, the menace is only threatening to grow further unchecked. (Times of India, Times Business section, 25 May 2007). Small retailers and street vendors have protested, and in some cases, even ransacked outlets operated by modern retailers. This in part has been provoked by an unprecedented rush in the last two years mostly by Indian corporate houses who have said they want to invest billions of dollars to roll out thousands of stores selling everything from fruits to furniture. Higher prices may reduce the attraction of palm oil as a substitute for soya bean oil, especially in China and India, the biggest importers of both oils. It may also make palm oil less attractive in its use in new applications such as bio-fuels. (Mint, Money Matters, p17, 31 May 2007, www.livemint.com). Although revenue jumped 37%, India's leading retailer, Shoppers' Stop, reported a fourth quarter loss of Rs. 22 million ( US$ 543,210), for the year 2006-07. This in spite of competition from other majors like Reliance Retail and Bharti-Wal-Mart, yet to begin. While management has blamed competition, other factors like soaring employee and operating costs including bludgeoning depreciation also have a decisive role in the loss. (Business Today, It's beginning to hurt, p46, 03 June 2007M, www.business-today.com). Five examples of problem-solving research 1. Smart Accounting helps Dunlop turn around. After 12 years in the red, Dunlop India reported a positive net worth in April for 2006-07. Compared to a negative net worth of Rs. 2611.50 million (US$ 64.5 million) in 2005-06, Dunlop reported Rs 1518.20 million (US$ 37.5 million) in the positive net worth last year. Evaluating its real estate, the company transferred part of it to its associate companies, including Dunlop Properties and Bharatiya Hotels. Instead of paying cash, these companies have issued shares of equal worth to Dunlop, which has booked them as other income, thereby shoring up its balance sheet. (Business Today, Dunlop's Paper Trick, p52, 03 June 2007, www.business-today.com). 2. Handloom industry to get a new lease of life. The handloom industry is the second largest economic activity in the country after agriculture. India is perhaps the only country to produce handlooms on large, commercial scale. However, overpowered by the presence of power loom and mill sectors, the industry is going through a lean phase. However, officials are pinning their hopes on the recent initiatives of the textile ministry to boost the dwindling prospects of the handloom industry. The ministry has initiated the development of Handloom Export Zones (HEZ) at various handloom clusters in

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

How can a healthy balance of occupations be defined Dissertation

How can a healthy balance of occupations be defined - Dissertation Example The following proposal will provide a background and rationale for the intended research. The problem will be discussed so that the intended research can be understood for its purpose. The second section of the proposal will provide aims and objectives for the intended research Finally, the third part of the proposal will provide an intended methodology from which the study will be conducted in order to provide some resolutions for the objectives. The overall proposal is intended to provide a framework for the intended dissertation on the topic of defining balance through healthy occupations. Background Occupational choices are defined by Turner, Foster, and Johnson as either a â€Å"deliberate commitment to enter an occupational role, acquire a new habit, or undertake a personal project† (27). They further the discussion about the definition of an occupational role through disclosure that these roles are not always defined by an active choice, but are sometimes imposed upon a n individual. An example of this can be the role of head of the family. Occupations are most often seen as long term endeavors which are separate from the concept of an activity which is more often seen in a short term devotion to a task or purpose (Sumsion). Occupations are concerned with long term concepts that require diligence and effort towards goals which may be finite, but are more often sets of goals that continue forward through the occupational effort (Edmons). Creating a healthy balance of occupations concerns balancing the different elements of the roles that a person undertakes in order to assure that in pursuing these roles, a balance is essential in sustaining health and preventing illness. The World Health Organization or WHO suggests that in order to define well being one must look at â€Å"the total universe of human life domains including physical, mental, and social aspects† (Wilcock 310). In order to achieve harmony and balance, all aspects of human exper ience must be examined and assessed in order to provide the clarity that supports well-being (Lundy and Janes 546). A very important distinction that must be made during the study of balance of occupations is that between health and wellness. Health is defined by activities that lead toward well-being. While the terms can be overlapped, more often health is considered a state of physical being that is a part of the balance of a â€Å"dynamic integration of mind, body, spirit, emotions, and environment† (Velde and Wittman 69). Therefore in studying the balance of healthy occupations, the state of well-being must be taken into consideration. How roles are chosen and how they affect the aspects of the five aspects of wellness are relevant to the overall balance of those roles of occupation. The following factors should be taken into consideration when discussing balancing occupations: a concern with a person as a physical, thinking, emotional, spiritual, and social being who has a past, present and future, and who functions within physical and social environments; a belief in intrinsic motivation - an innate predisposition to explore and act on the environment and to use one’s capacities; a recognition of each person’

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

LEGO Case Study - Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LEGO Case Study - Strategic Management - Essay Example In the 80-year history of the company, the last fifteen years or so have been one of happenings periods in the history of company. From its peak in the mid 90s to a serious slump in the late 1990s and early 2000s and then from that to a period of recovery and dominance, the period of 1995-2009 has many stories to tell for Lego (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, pp. 85-89, 2008). Problems for the company started somewhere in the 1990s but they did not made the headlines or even got the attention of the top management of the company till 1998 when the company incurred its first loss on its income statement in its entire history. Lego got back on the track of making profits during 2001 and 2002 but that was primarily because of the deals with Harry Potter franchise and when no Harry Potter movie was released during 2003, the company’s sales decreased by 26 percent and 20 percent in the subsequent year (The Lego Group, 2012). Furthermore, the company posted a record loss of over 240 mill ion US dollars and rumors started in the market that Mattel would soon takeover Lego (Lewis, pp. 21-23, 2011). There were many reasons behind the declining market share of the company. First, the toy industry was going through a similar revolution and competitive outburst as of the airline industry. Many competitors with low cost and claiming to be high quality, entered into the market to disrupt the equilibrium. For example, a Canadian toy company, Megabloks was instrumental in removing Lego toys from many shelves because not only it was of lower price to attract the customers but also even the retailers were paid with higher profit margins. Second, many of the customers of the company that were young boys were being more attracted to computer games and video games during that time thus decreasing the sales even further. Third, Lego’s main operations were in Denmark, which was high cost economy with long supply chains and many supplies. In fact, it at one point in time, Lego had more suppliers than Boeing had to build aircrafts (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, pp. 85-89, 2008). Strategies In order to understand the strategies used by Lego during the period of 1995-2009, we will have to divide the period between two sub-periods of 1998-2003 and 2004-2009 since the company shifted its strategy during the period. First period (1998-2003) During the first period of 1998-2003 and even before that, Lego was following an aggressive policy of product development. Lego was constantly trying to improve its existing products with bringing new variations. The mindset of the company’s strategists was that by providing more product variations, they would force the customers to spend more and new variations would bring more and new customers into the loop (Bender, pp. 55, 2010). In fact, it appeared that somehow Lego was trapped in the product orientation, one of the five marketing orientations. In it, the prime focus and expectation of the company was on improving the current products, bringing more colour, designs and variations hoping that would make the customers stay and even become ready to pay a premium for Lego’s products (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt, pp. 85-89, 2008). Secondly, this was a period where Lego engaged in many strategic partners with Harry Potter, Disney and other franchises in an attempt to co-brand their products. In fact, this was the prime reason why Lego was able to show some profit during these years (The Lego Group, 2012). Second

Monday, July 22, 2019

The Tournament Essay Example for Free

The Tournament Essay If you have ever regretted volunteering for a task, but had to continue, despite this, you will know how I felt, as I boarded the coach that would take me to the venue of the chess tournament. It was an all-consuming, unforgettable, always nagging sort of worry: that I would bring about my own humiliation as I lost game by game at the prestigious tournament. No. Not a worry but a certainty. For I had not practised once in the past months, while in my prime, it was normal for me to spend a couple of evenings per week at a board, revising combinations. Yes, it was this lack of practice that troubled me to the very core, that I would disappoint my team and be humiliated for it. So the odour of the garbage on the coach had little effect on me, as I contemplated the nature of the disgrace that I would bring upon myself. In an attempt to banish these thoughts from my head, I brought out my reading book, which I soon immersed myself in, but the cheers and chit chat from my team mates as the coach started could not be ignored. As I snapped out of my ponderous trance, I became aware of the true stench of this appalling place where rotten eggs and ham from long forgotten packed lunches lay neatly stacked under the seats and the random splodges of yogurt were spread over the once-fine seat covers. But as the hours passed, none of these were noticed as my nose grew accustomed to the constant whiff, and my eyes remained firmly fixed on the pages of my book. It was finally four hours later that we pulled into the drive of the B B where we would stay. Just one more night till I would be a humiliated man My first match of the next day started and ended badly. I was to play against a boy of no more than 8, who sat precariously on the very edge of his seat, with legs dangling aimlessly under the table. His age and the innocent gaze gave me hope that I could at least secure 1 point for my team. But I was wrong, very wrong. As he made his first moves, I saw he was no novice and despite my best efforts, my fiendish foe struck mercilessly, felling my pieces one by one. It was an uphill struggle, a battle I could not win and yet I tried, while to my annoyance, he squealed with delight after each capture in a childlike manner, though he had the skill of double his apparent age. I can tell you this was terribly shocking. So there was no surprise when he finally delivered checkmate, though while we did this, I dreaded the teases I would be sure to receive as the result of this lost battle, especially due to my opponents age. As I stepped from the room, my fears were confirmed. My humiliation had begun. My next match went just as badly. Still in a daze from the jests endured, my head spinning, as I tried desperately to win against my unsympathetic opponent. But my efforts were to no avail, as I lost, even more swiftly than before. But my thoughts cleared as I left the tournament room: one round to make a win. One round to avoid disgrace! After my disastrous rounds, I expected nothing more than another loss from equally capable opponents, knowing my fate for humiliation had been sealed the moment I agreed to come. But my next opponent was not something I could have anticipated given even the wildest imagination. Like a giant, he towered over the board, but it was not his height which troubled me but his bulk. His fat bulged in great flabs so that I felt he might burst and his slow, lumbering walk scarcely surprised me. One could tell clothes were not made to his size; the Nike logo on his shirt was stretched into a thin line while his fat writhed under his tight top as he reached out to move his piece. I made no mistake in underestimating my opponent this time, however, it was soon clear he was less gifted than the child prodigy I had played the first round. But there was still something strange about the game play, there was something about the way we played in his shadow that unnerved me, and before long, I once more felt myself sailing against the wind in this battle of mine. But as does a wounded animal strike back, so did I, knowing the fate that would come to me if I lost this match. But then, my silent prayers were answered: in the form of the biggest blunder I had ever seen at this level of play, and I pounced upon it, like a hungry wild cat as he throws himself on a mouse. The tide had changed, and I finished him off easily. The victory was mine, no disgrace for me.

American National Identity And National Parks History Essay

American National Identity And National Parks History Essay Natural identity can be simply defined as the individuals sense of belonging to a nation. It is the thread that binds the citizens of a particular nation together and gives them the pride of belonging to the country. According to Smith national identity serves three important functions; it provides an answer to the fear of personal oblivion through identification with a nation since the nation is far greater and stronger than the individual; is this your language? national identity offers the individual personal renewal and self-worth by being a member of a super family politically and thirdly it promotes the realization of fraternity feelings more so through the use of symbols and ceremony  [1]  . Remember: punctuation inside of note numbers! Make sure you really paraphrase or quote directly. This seems not like your language. Every nation around the world has its main national identity. For some, it could be talking the same language as it happens in most European countries where nations are defined by their language such as France for the French speakers, Spain for the Spanish speakers, Portugal for the Portuguese speakers among others. [awk and unclear] In other countries national identity is defined by ethnic composition for example Slovakia for the Slovaks, Albania for the Albanians and Armenia for the Armenians. In other countries national identity is defined by religion such as in the Muslim countries and in Israel. [I think this is pretty simplistic national identity is much more complicated than this] America however is unique because it is a mixture of all. The Americans cannot be judged by race because all races are represented, neither by language because virtually all major languages are represented, neither by culture because America is a boiling [melting?] pot of all major cultures nor by r eligion because all major world religions are represented in America by a substantial number  [2]  . [awk] is this a point you are making or one that someone else has made that you are using. Make that clear. Americans often face the great task of establishing national identity for themselves. [think about that different types of national identity coexist there are battles in all countries about what constitutes Britishness or Americanness or Frenchness. Maybe its more complicated in the US, but Im not sure, but I dont think American are unique in having to choose among different ideas of the nation which are presented in a variety of ways] Because of the importance of nature to American self-identity, [you need to show this, not assert it] environmentalism questions have always tended to take on ideological and national significance. Preservation of natural spaces in America has involved both the creation of an alternative cultural space for the nation and creation of America as a nation  [3]  . [unclear] Americans found in national parks a unifying factor; a national identity that is to America what culture [culture is a vague term here] is to Europe. Therefore national parks are c entral to Americas national identity. This paper is going to evaluate the relationship that exists between Americas national identity and national parks. The paper concludes that national parks are the national identity of the United States of America. National parks express a certain aspect of the national identity of the US? To say they are equivalent may be stretching it . . . The first national park in the world was established in 1872  [4]  . This is Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone National Park became the first large scale wilderness conservation in the interest of the public and more so the generations to come. The rest of the world learnt the idea of national parks from America. Each country launched its own version of parks but the American model was the one that was largely used. To Americans, wilderness is not only idea but rather it is the objective of many who are seeking outdoor recreational activities. [clarify] According to Roderick Nashi, wilderness is a state of mind; the feeling of being far from civilization, from the environment that humans have polluted.  [5]   Natural landscapes which form the national parks are fundamental subjects in the understanding of national identity. This is so because nature as opposed to culture has increasingly become a source of national identity. National identity therefore can be seen as a heritage of nature. You need to make these connections clearer maybe talk about the issue of the frontier thesis? According to Howard and Graham  [6]  , the role of the natural landscapes in shaping national identity is increased by the fundamental link between ideas of the national, the native and the natural in which the prefix nat refers to a notion of birthing. Howard and Graham argue that the nation is therefore logically made up of the natives who have been born as a community of nature that gives the nation its common identity. Cite and make sure this is your language. A large number of national songs sing in praise of the nations natural landscape, for example America the Beautiful which celebrates Americas purple mountain which stands majestically above the plains and stretching from sea to sea  [7]  . There are also a great number of museums and theatres that are decorated using landscape images of natural scenes. Such as? You need to set up a more systematic organization at the outset here : introduction with your thesis; historiography how have historians written about national parks; and then perhaps background. Right now I feel like you are jumping around a bit too much. When the European settlers arrived from Europe they settled in the eastern shores of what would become the United States. However with time the population grew rapidly and with it came the need to push further west. This led the settlers into what was referred to as the Wild West. The settlers portray the Wild West as an area that had not been occupied, though we know that the Native Indians occupied the area. By so doing the settlers saw themselves as a new nation in which different people from diverse nationalities were reborn as one nation in the wild nature of the new continent. Citations! The importance of the Wild West in the history of the U.S cannot be overemphasized. Many Americans identified themselves as Americans from having been born in the continents Wild nature. Can you show this with primary sources? Due to the importance of the wild nature in rebirth of the U.S [?] it became essential to conserve part of the wilderness undisturbed in order to act like a reminder of the countrys rebirth. [could be clearer] This need acted as the ideological basis for forming national parks in the 1880s. The national parks were started in large areas with wild nature. The aim was to preserve these areas for future generations. Citations! The national parks exist to protect salient natural areas from threat of human destruction through political social and economic development. This preserves the wilderness as it was when the European settlers took possession of the land. Indeed it is this wilderness that defined Americas national identity from the time the nation was established  [8]  . [you need to SHOW this through analysis -not assert it] Construction of the American national identity is rooted deeply in nature that the two are inseparable. Awk This is in contrast to European nations, whose national identity is derived from sharing a common language, ethnic or racial heritage, religion or cultural history. America is a nation of diverse languages, diverse ethnic groups, of all races race, with virtually every religion represented and of a people with diverse cultural background  [9]  . Repetitive Race, language, ethnic group, religion and culture could not therefore be the American national identity. Amer icans found a rallying call in nature, in exploring the wilderness in the west and when much of it was getting depleted, the government started the idea of national parks aimed at protecting large swathes of the untamed wilderness for future generations. This gets repetitive youve made all these points in different places already. The national park concept has been said to be the most successful idea yet conceived in the protection of the environment.who said this? It is an American idea that spread around the globe  [10]  . The national parks were started to preserve natural and cultural heritage. Americans were particularly concerned about preservation of the natural environment for the sake of those who would want to vacation outdoors. Nature and sceneries were to be protected for the enjoyment of all human beings. In these wildernesses, people would find a serene atmosphere to relax away from the pollution that civilization engineered. Connect these themes to national identity a way for Americans to experience their land? Seeing the true America rather than the cities? The Wild West had been largely cleared by settlers and conservationists realized that unless action was taken, the whole land would be taken over by civilization denying future generations a chance of learning the history of their founding further or the culture. [unclear] Therefore preservationist and conservationist started creating awareness of the need to set aside large portions of the remaining wilderness. This process did not gain momentum until the latter half of the 19th century. From thence the first national park was established in 1872 with others following albeit at a slow pace  [11]  . [repetitive] Not all the areas that were designated as national parks were without human habitation; some areas were already inhabited by either the Native Indians or by white settlers also called frontier farmers. When the boundaries of the national parks were drawn, some of these groups met themselves [?] inside the area that had been demarcated as a national park. The federal government had then to move them out. With some resisting to be taken out of what was their rightful possession, the Federal government was forced to apply force in removing them. [awk] This resulted in long standing grudges between the communities that were forcibly removed from the designated parks and the government  [12]  . In Yellowstone national park, for example, the Indians were forcibly relocated. This caused long standing grudge between the federal government and the Indians and between the Indians and the white population whom they viewed as the government. The Indians responded by firing at tourists who visited the park. Tourists visiting the park had to do so under protection from security agencies  [13]  . The sheepherders and lumbermen had to look for new ways to feed their families. The activities that were legal, the source of livelihood that they had lived on and not only them but the generations of descendants back there was declared illegal and refused. This was of course. Youve got good secondary sources Im waiting to see what you do with the primary sources. To these Indians and frontier whites whose farms were taken away as part of parks, they would not understand how the same thing that they were living on in the days gone by could now be declared illegal. Awk The lives of the Indians were shattered. This is because their way of life had been interrupted and declared illegal henceforth. Hunting and fishing, that had always been part of their lives was termed as poaching while foraging would now be termed as trespass both of them now acts punishable by law. Cite. Examples? The deep-seated anger this action brought to the Indians is manifest today. Some Native Indians that like the Blackfeet, representing about on, have running cases against Glacier national park. They are demanding recognition according to 1895 legislation  [14]  . Awk; and you cite a source from 1901, so Im not sure how this reflects feelings of today. Obsession with pristine and uninhabited wilderness provided many misconstrued ideas and facts that led to brutal confrontations between those for conservation and preservation and those trying to provide a decent meal for them and their children. unclearThe National Park Service Act of 1916 established the dogma for park management, the chief policy for philosophy, policies and decision-making  [15]  . And? What do you want to say in this paragraph? The use of national parks as a symbol of national identity is based on two-fold role in reinforcing national identity: the national park system helps to passively express that national identity and to passively transmit it. Im not sure what this means. The national parks are an integral part of American life. Their use is extensive; they are used in post cards, in picture movies, depict and symbolize what America is  [16]  . Yes The initial impetus for starting the national parks system was the desire to have a unique national identity. Was that stated explicity? Sources? Preservation of the best scenic sites in the U.S was seen as what would create a differentiation between the United States and the European Countries. Parks would be a way for the young United States to compete with European countries which already had established national identities based of their cultures that they had build over thousands of years. The adventurers nature of the American people and their love for the wild would also blend well with national parks as a national symbol. Parks express the American identity. In addition to expressing the goals shared by society, parks play a major role in transmitting those values to the society at large and members of the national community  [17]  . I think all these points are interesting but you are essentially repeating the same things, and you havent illustrated your points with supporting evidence from primary sources. National parks are created through a political process and may even reflect the political thought of the day. Having realized the political dimension involved the establishment of national parks; conservationists have devised ways of engaging politicians in nature conservation. When? The relationship between politics and national parks is further demonstrated in the construction of nation-states, more so the evolution of national identity. Totally unclear Identity development involves the mobilization of images, myths and so on  [18]  . [is this your language?] The concept of wilderness was central in the evolution of American identity, with Yellowstone National Park representing American cultural iconography while at the same time creating confidence among the members of the public in the industrializing nation  [19]  .[watch language] A common political concept of national parks has developed in the area of national identity. Unclear This is not a surprise because earlier c oncepts of national parks have been permeated with nationalist aspirations. The American landscape, in fact, emerged as a strong source of national identity construction  [20]  . This paragraph is unclear to me, and it also repeats points youve made earlier. The appropriation of national parks as an American national symbol, like all other nationalism, was exclusionary. Native Americans were not included in a nationalism that had been established on the very land they occupied. In that sense, Yellowstone National Park was symbolic of a nation that was divided between the settlers and the natives. Interesting point Beinart and Coates argue that Americans attempted to create national identity out of natural grandeur because the United States found it difficult to compete with Europe in high cultural stakes. Youve said this. Citation? To get a deeper insight into the relationship between America national identity and national parks, it is important to pay closer attention to a number of parks. This is not a paragraph. Yellowstone national park is the first national park in the world. By next year, the park will be celebrating its 140 years. The park measures 2.2million acres  [21]  . The area was sparsely populated at the time of starting the park but the government had an oversight that of how things will be in future. unclear Inside the designated area there was human settlings mostly made up of Native Indians and a few Frontier farmers. Youve said this already The government acquired all private land within the demarcated area and evacuated the people. The Native Indians having lived in this area did not welcome the relocation. However the government ensured they do. [?] This left the Indians bitter. To revenge the Indians continued hunting in the protected area as if unaware the new change of status. They also attacked the tourist who came to visit. This prompted the government to send the Calvary troops there in 1886 to stop poaching and to protect the tourist  [22]  . The Calvary sol diers went to Yellowstone and built Fort Yellowstone where they stayed until 1916 when the National Park Service (NPS) was established through the Organic Act of 1916. Youve said much of this already. Please combine the same points in one area of the paper. Yellowstone was used by the 19th century American Indian belonging to the Crow, Blackfoot, Shoshone and Bannock tribes  [23]  . unclear Some continued to live in the park even after it was designated. However in 1877 there were troubles which occasioned three hundred deaths. The Indians were forcibly removed to the Wind River Reservation. The Calvary soldiers were brought in and they protected the park between 1886 and 1918. Basically repetitive The removal of Indians follows a pattern of their removal from their farmlands to give way for settler farmers only that this time they were removed to provide vacation sites for tourists majority of them who were whites. Were the parks explicitly established for tourism? You need to bring in primary sources to discuss this. The African Americans and the Latinos did not go to the national parks often because they did not find them welcoming  [24]  . When? sources? Yellowstone is home to over 1100 structures associated with Euro-American occupation and management of the park. The legacy of early civilian and army administration and the history of concessions in national parks are preserved. ? Some of the historic landmarks are; Fishing Bridge Trailside Museum, Madison Junction Trailside Museum, Obsidian Cliff, Northeast Entrance Station, Norris Geyser Basin Trailside Museum and Old Faithful Inn. Why do you need to list these? The park has four National Historic Districts: Lake Fish Hatchery, Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful and Roosevelt Lodge. The park is also home to five National Historic Sites: Lake Hotel, Lamar Buffalo Ranch, Obsidian Cliff Kiosk, Queens Laundry Bath House and the U.S Post Office at Mammoth Hot Springs. The park is also home to 200,000 natural and cultural objects including artwork, ethnographic and archeological artifacts  [25]  . Im not sure why you need this paragraph. A substantial history of the United States is kept in the national parks. These are central to the national identity of the nation. How? What is the history that is preserved there? As seen above the history of Yellowstone national park is closely intertwined with the history of the United States to the extent that the nation can be seen through the park. But you havent illustrated this with primary sources. Its a good point, but you need to demonstrate it, not assert it. Glacier National Park with its many peaks, clear waters, and glacial curved mountains reflects Americas identity. As previously mentioned, Americas national identity is defined by her landscape the most spectacular being protected in national parks. Awk Throughout history, people visited Glacier National Park for the adventure it provides. Evidence of human habitation in this area goes back to 10,000 years ago. By the time of Europeans arrival, the area was inhabited by Native Indians of the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai tribes. They travelled to the mountains to hunt various kinds of game that were available in this place. Citations? Significance? The Europeans were attracted to the area primarily for economic gain. Some came as explorers, others as miners and eventually the settlers arrived. The Great Northern Railway reached Montana in 1891 and from thence great number of people flocked to the area attracted by prospects of mining and other economic activities  [26]  . Around the turn of the century, people began to look at Montana region as an area that was suitable for something more than farming or mining. They recognized that the area was exceptionally beautiful in reference to the landscape. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, influential leader led by George Grill began pushing for the establishment of a national park. Their desire was granted in 1910 when President Taft signed into law the bill establishing Glacier as the 10th national park  [27]  . But why is this significant in terms of your argument? The park has many historic buildings that are listed by the National Register of Historic Places. The park is home to 375 historic properties including six that are designated as National Historic Landmarks. The parks museum houses around 6,000 items related to its natural and cultural history  [28]  . These historic properties tell the history of the United States. What history do they communicate? Glacier as a national park is therefore related to the national identity of the United States because it is home to some of the most iconic landscape in North America. You cant just state this. . . . Yosemite is one of the United States most well-known National Parks. It largely covers the eastern parts of Tuolumne, Madera and Mariposa counties of California and covers an area of 761,268 acres  [29]  . The national park is governed by National Park Service and is recognized worldwide for its clear streams, groves, granite cliffs, waterfalls and its biological diversity. The park has a range of 648 to 3,997 meters above sea level and is divided into five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine and alpine. There are more than 160 rare plants in the park. Most of the landforms in Yosemite are cut from the granitic rock of the Sierra Nevada Batholiths. About 5% of the parks landforms are metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rock. The valleys, canyons, domes and other features seen in the park were formed as a result of erosion acting upon different types of uplift-created joints. Citations? Significance? Yosemites most outstanding features include the tunnel view, which is the most visited area and also the most photographed; a prominent granite cliff that looms over the valley, the El Captain, which is has diverse range of climbing routes and full-yearly accessibility thus making it the most popular rock climbing destination in the world. The high parts of Yosemite contain spectacular areas such as: Dana meadows, Tuolumne meadows, the Clark range, the Cathedral Range and the Kuna crest. In addition, the park has three groves of ancient Giant Sequoia trees, the Mariposa Grove, the Tuolumne Grove and the Merced Grove. These tree species grow larger in volume than any other and is one of the tallest and longest lived. Citations? I just found some of this information on a website, and you are not citing . . . Yosemite falls under a Mediterranean climate with mean daily temperatures ranging from 25 to 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Most precipitation occurs during the mild winter, and the remaining seasons stay almost dry. Snow accumulates all winter and into March and April. It however does not persist on the ground until November in the high country. At areas above 8,000 feet, the hot and dry temperatures are moderated by frequent thunderstorms, during summer, along with snow in July. This combination of low relative humidity, dry vegetation and thunderstorms results in frequent lightning-caused fires  [30]  . The park contains about 3200 lakes, two reservoirs and 1,700 miles of streams. Landforms in the park have been created as a result of hydrologic processes, including glaciations, flooding and fluvial geomorphic response. Yosemite is popular for its high concentration of waterfalls in a small area. These include: Yosemite falls and Ribbon falls both found in the Yosemite Valley, Bridal veil fall that is seen from the Tunnel View viewpoint and Wapama Falls in Hetch Hetchy Valley  [31]  . Paiute and Sierra Miwok are the people who lived in Yosemite area long before the whites explored into the region. The Ahwahneechee, who were Native Americans, lived in Yosemite Valley when the first foreign people entered .White travel increased in the area in the mid-19th century due to the California Gold Rush  [32]  . Jim Savage of the States Army led the Mariposa Battalion in 1851 to the west end of Yosemite Valley in while pursuing around 200 Ahwahneechees led by Chief Tenaya as part of Mariposa wars. Chief Tenaya founded the Pai-Ute colony of Ah-wa-nee. The Miwoks, most white settlers, saw the Ahwahneechee as violent owing to frequent territorial disputes. Tenaya and all the Ahwahneechee were later captured and their village burned; they were moved to a reservation in California near Fresno  [33]  . When some were later allowed to return to Yosemite Valley, they attacked a group of gold miners, which got them into trouble. They flew to the east and sought refuge with the Mono tribe at Mono Lake but were tracked down and most killed by Mono Paiutes after they stole some of their hosts horses in 1853.Chief Tenaya was killed in the attack and survivors were taken back to Mono Lake and they were absorbed into Mono Lake Paiute tribe. An Indian Village of Ahwanhee was reconstructed and is located behind the Yosemite Museum next to Yosemite Valley  [34]  . In 1855, James Masons Hutchings, an entrepreneur and artist Thomas Ayers toured the Yosemite Valley area. They created articles and magazine issues about Yosemite Valley thus responsible for most of the earliest publicity about Yosemite  [35]  . Wawona was an Indian encampment, now in the southwestern part of the park. Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia was discovered Galen Clark, a settler. Simple lodgings and roads were built in the area. The number of trails and hotels increased as tourism increased. Prominent citizens including Galen Clark and Senator John Conness, concerned by the effects of commercial interests, advocated for protection of the area. A park bill was passed by both houses of the U.S congress and was signed by President Abraham Lincoln on June 30, 1864, creating the Yosemite Grant. The park was to be set aside specifically for public use and thereby creating the first national park. It is believed that man lived in the Rocky Mountains about 10,000 years ago. The Utes lived in the mountains of West Colorado. As the Arapaho, who were plains Indians who came to the Estes Park frequently in summer to hunt, migrated westwards the Americans moved out from Appalachian  [36]  . With the arrival of Americans, Indians avoided Estes Park and Grand Lake area. Rufus Sage is the first American to have visited the region. He spent three years exploring the Rockies. Joel Estes, a Kentuckian, was the first settler. He brought his family in 1859 and eventually settled as a farmer near Fort Lupton. A few homes were set up in the upper Colorado Valley in 1879 and by 1880 people moved in to Lulu city where some gold discoveries had been made. A few homes were set up in the upper Colorado Valley in 1879 and by 1880 people moved in to Lulu city where some gold discoveries had been made  [37]  . In 1883 the town was deserted. As a result of publicity and political pressure, a b ill was passed in 1915 and signed by President Wilson to establish the Rocky Mountains National Park the Parks dedication was conducted in September 4, 19

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Market entry strategy for advancis medical

Market entry strategy for advancis medical In this report, I will be discussing about a pharmaceutical manufacturer called Advancis Medical, its products, marketing strategy and market planning needed for the company to enter a new market abroad. Organization Founded in 1979 and based in Nottingham UK, Advancis Medical is a pharmaceutical manufacturer which offers a wide range of wound care products that have good clinical efficacy and are easy to use and have superior performance. Holding around 125 employees, the values and mission of Advancis Medical is to design and manufacture dressings in order to manage the wound environment and achieve optimum wound healing by: Minimizing bacterial burden Creating a moist wound environment Leaving the wound as undisturbed as possible Achieving and acceptable cosmetic result for the healed wound (advancis.co.uk, online resource) Product and market character Advancis Medical offers a wide range of dressing products which can be categorized as follows: Activon medical Manuka honey dressings Activon Tube, Activon Tulle, Algivon, Actilite, Actibalm. Silfix soft silicone dressings Episil, Episil Absorbent, Silflex, Advazorb Border, Siltape, Advasil conform, Eclypse Adherent, Eclypse Adherent Sacral. Advanced wound care dressing Eclypse, Eclypse Boot, Advadraw, Advadraw Spiral, Advazorb Plus, Adva-co, Advasoft, Kikuhime. Advancis Medical has been able to make its product famous in the market. Recently this year, the company has walked away with the innovation award in Medlink East Midlands Innovation Competition. According to the sales and marketing director of Advancis Medical, the new products have had a fantastic reception in the market. Performance Advancis Medical distributes its product in various countries. They are Greece, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and 22 other countries as well. Advancis Medical strives for continuous improvement in the performance. The firm is committed to do something best, most complete, and most efficient and most timely way possible. Then it will try to think of ways to do it better the next time. The company measures its performance carefully, ensuring that integrity and respect for people are never compromised. It wishes to attract the highest-calibre employees, providing them with opportunities to develop to their full potential and to share in the success that comes from winning in the marketplace (advancis.co.uk). 2. International marketing planning International marketing is set of activity where the marketing of goods and services are carried out across national border. Having look from the UKs point of view, export activity seems to be the significant factor in international marketing activity. An international marketing planning comes from the firms corporate strategy and includes matters like product positioning, branding strategies, choice of target countries and methods needed to enter the new target market and so on (Lancaster G., et al., 2002). 2.1 Internal and External Analysis It is necessary to analyze the environment around the company to expand internationally. Here, I will be discussing about BCG analysis as an internal analysis. BCG (Boston Consulting Group) analysis is used to analyze their products and business line. The BCG analysis helps the company in allocating resources and acts as an analytical tool in brand marketing, product and strategic management. Source: (Bensoussan B.E., Fleisher C.S., 2008) Having look at the above chart, Stars are high growth businesses or products in markets where they are strong compared with the competition. In Advancis Medical, Activon Honey product acts like a star. They have high market share as well as high growth rate. Cash cows are low-growth businesses or products which has a relatively high market share. These units are mature and successful businesses with relatively little need for investment. Products like Eclypse, Eclypse Boot of Advancis Medical are cash cows. They need to monitored and need little investment. Question marks are units or products with low market share but which operate in higher growth markets. This means that they have potential, but may require substantial investment in order to grow market share among the competing and powerful competitors. As far as I am concerned, Advancis Medical has no specific products to match this unit. Dogs refer to products or business that have low relative share in low growth markets. Silf ix soft silicone dressings of Advancis Medical are the products that act as dogs. Performing an external analysis, PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) factors will be taken into account for Advancis Medical. Political: The industry has witnessed increased political attention due to the increased recognition of the economic importance of healthcare as a component of social welfare over the years. Political interest has also been generated because of the increasing social and financial burden of healthcare. UKs National Health Service debate is an example. Economic: In the decade to 2003, the pharmaceutical industry witnessed high value mergers and acquisitions. With a projected stock value growth rate of 10.5% (2003-2010) and Health Care growth rate of 12.5% (2003-2010), the audited value of the global pharmaceutical market is estimated to reach a huge 500 billion dollars by 2004. Majority of pharmaceutical sales originate in the US, EU and Japanese markets. Social: Good health is an important personal and social requirement and the unique role pharmaceutical firms like Advancis Medical play in meeting societys need. In recent times, the impact of various global epidemics e.g. SARS, AIDS etc has also attracted popular and media attention to the industry. The effect of the intense media and political attention has resulted in increasing industry efforts to create and maintain proper government-industry-society communications. Technological: Latest scientific and technological advances in science are forcing industry players to adapt ever faster to the evolving environments in which they participate. Scientific advancements have also increased the need for increased spending on research and development in order to encourage innovation (Johnson G, Scholes K, 2002) 2.2 SWOT Analysis of Advancis Medical Strength Advancis Medical listens to the issues and problems raised by clinicians and its customers and response accordingly by developing the correct and suitable products. Good marketing strength in major geographical areas. Recently, the company won an innovation award which reflects its strength in sales and marketing sector. Weakness Discontinuation of products in the latter stages of development leading to customer dissatisfaction. Pricing strategy which turns out to be comparatively expensive. Opportunities Emergence of integrated global markets and globalization for new products Increasing demand of anti-bacterial honey products like Activon medical manuka honey. Individual brand positioning that makes their product different in the market. Threats Increased competition in markets and cheaper alternative methods found in the markets can be a possible threat to Advancis Medical. Rising raw material and transportation costs which might increase the production cost of the company. (Petryna A., et.al., 2006) 2.3 Marketing goals and objectives Besides increasing sales and profit as a marketing goal, Advancis Medical has other marketing objectives. The company highly focuses on these following marketing objectives: Gaining preference on brands and services Patient Education Customer retention by giving quick response to their queries and requests. Complying with the rules and regulations set by government. Some major reasons for Advancis Medical to look up for the market internationally are listed as follows: The company needs a larger customer base to gain economies of scale. Advancis Medical wants to reduce its dependence on any single market. Due to the high competition in the home market, its profitable for the company to go global and sell their products. Because of the economic recession, some other foreign markets have higher profit opportunities than the domestic market. 2.4 Marketing Strategy Here, Ansoff Matrix will be focused as a marketing strategy for Advancis Medical. Ansoff matrix is a tool which helps the business to decide their product and market growth strategies. Market Penetration is a growth strategy where the business focuses on selling existing product in existing markets. IT helps in maintain or increasing the market share of current product. Product development is the strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. Market development is growth strategy for a business where a company looks for a new market to sell its existing products. Here, Advancis Medical will be choosing this strategy, as the company is seeking to sell its product at an international market. Under this strategy, Advancis Medical can perform various activities to support the strategy by: Increasing the global market share by distributing its product to more geographical areas and centralized logistics. Expanding and or distributing products to china and other emerging markets. Improving international brand status and positioning through effective international marketing campaigns (Bennett R., Blythe J., 2002). Diversification is a growth strategy where a business launches and markets new product in new market. This is comparatively risky because the business is moving into markets in which it has little or no experience (tutor2u.net, online resource) 2.5 Market analysis and Market choice Advancis Medical as a pharmaceutical company can segment the market and plan its market analysis by categorizing its customer into walk in customer (who physically visit the distribution centre) and mail order customer (who order the product). Now once the market has been segmented, it is necessary to analyze which market to go. Basically market analysis involves matters like: Demographics such as age structure, religious groupings, average household size of that target market. Macroeconomic influences like fluctuation in GDP, unemployment rate, etc. Consumer behaviour on cultural attitudes, educational levels, average income and living standards. Market choice is a main strategic decision. This report is based on selling the product abroad and not in European countries, thus I will be focusing on Asian countries/market. China, India, Pakistan and Philippines are the four countries that will be taken into account. Out of four countries, one will be chosen for Advancis Medical to sell and distribute their products. Factors Country Political and Economic Trade Regulation Investment Climate Technological Social China 7 8 8 7.5 6 India 8 8 8.5 9 7.5 Pakistan 6 6 5.5 5.5 6 Philippines 5.5 6 6 5.5 6 The above values are considered out of 10 points. And having looked at the table, India is the target country for Advancis Medical to sell and distribute its product because it has the best factors out of these four countries. Source: (china-window.com; online resource accessed at 9th November 2010), (buyusa.gov; online resource accessed at 9th November 2010) (Ernst Young Private Limited, 2008) (Hahn N., 2008) (Gorrill J.R., 2007) 3. Market Entry Strategy Basically, market entry strategy is a planned method to deliver and or distribute the products in the target market. Introduction As it has been discussed earlier about market entry strategy, there are various methods to penetrate and enter a new market. The market entry strategy methods available to Advancis Medical are as follows: Exporting Indirect Exporting Direct Exporting Licensing Joint Ventures Direct Investment The traditional, normal and easy way to enter a foreign market is exporting which includes indirect and direct exporting. In indirect exporting, the company works through independent intermediaries. Indirect exporting has two advantages. It involves less investment and less risk because the company doesnt have to develop department for exporting, overseas sales force or any international contacts. Direct exporting includes exporting of products and its distribution through the channel of export agent. It is done in different ways: Domestic-based export division, overseas sales branch, travelling export sales division and foreign-based agents. Licensing is another simple way to do international marketing and penetrate the market. It is the method of foreign operation where a firm in one country gives permission to company of another country to use the manufacturing, processing, trademark and other skills provided by the licensor. Joint ventures can be defined as an enterprise where foreign investors may join with local investors and share ownership and control over the rights, operation and property. The ultimate way of getting involved in foreign market is direct investment which involves direct ownership of foreign-based manufacturing facilities (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) Country Profile As it has been discussed earlier on heading 2.5 of this report, India has been chosen as the target country. India is a natural subcontinent covered by the Himalayas in the north, the Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east and the Indian Ocean in the south. It has a land frontier of 15,200km and a coastline of 7,517km. India is the second most populous country in the world with 1,130 million people in July 2008 (estimated).The literacy rate is 65% with a great degree of regional variation. Hindi is the official language of the country and English is used almost everywhere in India acting as an associate official language in business sector. India has a parliamentary system of government with two legislative bodies; the central government and the state government. The countrys currency is Indian rupee (INR). The countrys banking system is controlled and monitored by the Reserve Bank of India. Indias economy is rapidly rising in the global economy. So, it is very fruitf ul for organizations to export, invest or do joint venture in India (Ernst Young Private Limited, 2008). Analysis of market entry strategy and making choice Market entry methods Advantages Disadvantages Exporting Manufacturing is home based, so its less risky. Provides an opportunity to learn foreign market before investing. Less or lose control over the foreign sales Less possibility of knowing who the customers are and hence failure to offer what they really want. Licensing It is a good way to start in foreign business and a door to comparatively low risk relationship -Any of the both companies get most out of the effort they do. Capital wont be tied up in foreign operation The participation remains limited to specific product, process or length of agreement. The Licensor has less control over the licensee than it does over its own production and sales facilities. Potential returns from manufacturing and marketing might be lost. -This strategy requires considerable planning, findings of fact, investigation and translation. Joint Ventures Sharing of risk as it is partner with foreign company Joint financial strength Good strategy for firms that lack physical, financial or managerial resources to undertake the venture alone. The partners might not agree over policies, marketing and investments. It may be impossible to recover capital if needed. This kind of strategy might prevent MNCs from carrying out manufacturing and marketing policies globally. Direct Investment The firm can minimize its cost economies by cheap labour or raw materials, freight savings and incentives by foreign government. The company will have good image because it creates job opportunity in the host country. The firm can have full control over its investment and hence can develop marketing and manufacturing polices. The primary disadvantage of this strategy is the firm exposes itself to the risk like worsening markets and devalued currencies. Secondly, the firm might find it really expensive to reduce or close down its operations, because the host country needs substantial severance pay to the staffs. (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) Every market entry strategy has certain pros and cons, and looking at the above table I personally would suggest Exporting strategy as a market entry method for Advancis Medical. Having considered exporting as a better strategy for the company, Advancis Medical can avoid much risk and maximize the profit. With this strategy, the company could get a better chance to know and analyze the market and if it looks favourable the firm can switch to other strategy accordingly. 4.1 Implementation It has been considered that Advancis Medical is going for exporting strategy, now it needs to look for a reliable distributor in India to sell and distribute its product. Advancis Medical needs to point out which product to distribute in India. The product named Activon Tube from Activon Medical Manuka Honey Dressing category is the best product that matches the needs of market. According to (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006), it has been argued that many manufacturing companies think that their job is done once the product leaves the factory. But they need to pay attention to how the product moves within the foreign market. They should be focused on the potential problem that might arise during the distribution of products to final users. The theory can be illustrated by the following diagram: Source: (Kotler P., Keller K.L., 2006) There is a potential distributor in India named AK Pharma Pharmaceutical Distributor. It is situated in a town called Karnataka and is a leading pharmaceutical distributor all over India. The company does more than 13000 products from 250 of Indian and Multinational companies and have a client base of over 1500 customers including hospitals, medical dental colleges, chemist druggist and doctors (akp.in; online resource). The strategy adopted by the company will follow the 4Ps of marketing in following way: Product: Medical product/medicine is a pharmaceutical product offered by all the pharmaceutical oil companies. It is difficult to offer customers a point of difference with medicine. However, Advancis medical does so by selling medicine as well as the bandages that is better and faster for wound healing. Price: With common products in pharmaceutical industry, prices between competitors are easily matched, which means its difficult to differentiate the product based on price. Advancis medical is constantly monitoring the price and if possible cut costs and make the price reasonable to compete in the market. Place: Advancis medical distributes its product in more than 30 countries. And is expanding globally which is a vital strength in the firms marketing strategy. Talking about Advancis medical in India, I believe its a perfect location for the company due to the countrys demographic factors which ensures the right number and qualities of products are supplied to various places. Promotion: This might include the company to do advertising, marketing through radios or carrying out loyalty programmes to drive sales volume and retain the customers (Bennett R., Blythe J., 2002). Hence, having an overall analysis in the report, it can be seen that Advancis Medical needs to follow an exporting strategy to India and sell and distribute the product to that targeted market.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Effective Dementia Care Essay -- Health, Diseases

Dementia care offers support and services to an individual affected by the disease itself, which is dementia. It addresses the right and needs of the person with dementia and their families. Improving quality of life and changing attitudes towards dementia is the main goal of dementia care. Dementia care also provides quality of care, maintain dignity and promote health, security and comfort in consideration with the standard of care and ethical guidelines (Adams & Manthorpe, 2003). Understanding dementia care is necessary for those health care providers who are planning to handle dementia patients. Care worker should know their duties and responsibilities and have the required knowledge and skills to establish quality care. To find relevant information regarding dementia care the author is planning to build effective search strategy that will fabricates this essay. In fact, the author plans to use voyager at studynet to find relevant electronic books and journals using the â€Å"dementia care† as keywords. Furthermore, the author also plan to use PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Nursing Times, and British Medical Journal using dementia and dementia care as keywords, and the limitations set was Humans, Journal Article, English, Core clinical journals, nursing journals and must be published in the last ten years up to present. Dementia is now becoming a universal issue that really concerns developed and developing countries due to the increasing rate of dementia cases throughout the world. In terms of its prevalence and incidence worldwide, there is about 24 million people having dementia and this number will be double in 20 years time to an estimated number of 42 million by 2020 and 81.1 million by 2040 if mortality, preventi... ...emory impaired due to the disease process, their ability to feel and perceive emotions are still intact. They may not be able to complain it but they can feel it and it will contribute to make their physical, intellectual and emotional condition worse. Furthermore, care should not be base on the exchange of money it would be better if it is base on the responsibilities of the provider and rights of the recipient. Altogether, competent and compassionate dementia care requires knowledge, skills, positive attitude and values that will makes dementia sufferer feels that they are love, valued and worth by others. It can also help them become used to their condition. Additionally, successful dementia care demands effective leadership, developed quality care, adequate resources, competent staff and proper training, supervision and support for health care provider.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Child in Flannery O’Connor’s A Temple of the Holy Ghost Essay

The Child in Flannery O’Connor’s A Temple of the Holy Ghost â€Å"None of their ways were lost on the child† (236). This passage introduces the main character only named the â€Å"child† in Flannery O’Connor’s short story â€Å"A Temple of the Holy Ghost† and indeed she is influenced not only by the two girls that this line refers to, but by everything she hears and sees. She is very direct and speaks without thinking, for example when she asks her mother to invite Mr. â€Å"Cheat,† an admirer of Miss Kirby’s, the schoolteacher who is lodging with her family. Her directness can be read as â€Å"ugliness† as she herself calls it. The line â€Å"None of their ways were lost on the child† (236) mentions for the first time the very important characteristic of the child that turns out to be central to the story, that really nothing, especially things that are said, are lost on the child, they are much more repeated and reappear throughout the story in different contexts. The story shows a girl caught between Catholicism and secular things, as she mixes everything in her very own picture of the world. The first thing that has an impact on the â€Å"child† is when the girls tell how Sister Perpetua told them to stop â€Å"ungentlemanly boys† by saying â€Å"Stop sir! I am the Temple of the Holy Ghost!† (238). She sees how the phrase influences Miss Kirby and she herself feels â€Å"as if somebody as given her a present† (238). This phrase reappears as a motif later in the story and already in this original context the religious is confronted with the secular. She constantly thinks about being a â€Å"good person,† she would even like to have been a saint, â€Å"because that included everything you could know† (243) but she thinks that she has too many faults such as being a liar, ... ... smell and she finally realizes she is â€Å"in the presence of God† (247). These effects make her calm down and start to pray and confess her â€Å"sins† although â€Å"mechanically†: â€Å"Hep me not to be so mean†¦Hep me not to give her so much sass. Hep me not to talk like I do.† When the priest finally raises the monstrance â€Å"with the Host shining ivory-colored in the center of it† she is in turn reminded of the freak at the fair and what he said and the religious world and the world of the fair are mixed together in her mind. The last image of the story is the child seeing the setting sun from the car on their way back home from the convent and she imagines it to be a Host that is â€Å"drenched in blood.† One last time the interrelation of church and fair become visible as she imagines this scene right after Alonzo mentions that the fair has been shut down on request of preachers.

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Essay -- essays resea

Organizational Behavior Organizations have been described as groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose. This definition clearly indicates that organizations are not buildings or pieces of machinery. Organizations are, indeed, people who interact to accomplish shared objectives. The study of organizational behavior (OB) and its affiliated subjects helps us understand what people think, feel and do in organizational settings. For managers and, realistically, all employees, this knowledge helps predict, understand and control organizational events. There are not two identical organizations. When you look for a job you look for a place that is comfortable to you. Organization behavior is the way we study the people of organizations. All depends on your choice of a small business or a business in the Fortune 500. The way the organization runs itself is something that you have to â€Å"fit in.† This essay is going to guide you through the many different termino logies and concepts. Organization learning is defined as, â€Å"the process of acquiring knowledge and utilizing information to adapt successfully to changing circumstances† (Schermerhorn 5). This course that we are taking is just one example of organization learning. There are people out there that study organization learning of the businesses out there. This is where you get your comparisons of different organizations. This course has made me look different at the organization that I work for. The world today i...

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Determination of Dissolved Oxygen In a Water Essay

INTRODUCTION In an alkaline solution, dissolved oxygen will oxidize manganese(II) to the trivalent state. 8OH-(aq) + 4Mn2+(aq) + 2H2O(l) ï ¼ Ã¯ ¼ Ã¯ ¼Å¾ 4Mn(OH)3(s) The analysis is completed by titrating the iodine produced from potassium iodide by manganese(III) hydroxide. 2Mn(OH)3(s) + 2I-(aq) + 6 H+(aq) ï ¼ Ã¯ ¼ Ã¯ ¼Å¾ 2Mn2+(aq) + I2(aq) + 6H2O(l) Sodium thiosulphate is used as the titrant. Success of the method is critically dependent upon the manner in which the sample is manipulated. At all stages, every method must be made to assure that oxygen is neither introduced to nor lost from the sample. Furthermore, the sample must be free of any solutes that will oxidize iodide or reduce iodine. Chemicals: Manganese(II) sulphate solution – prepared by dissolving 48 g of MnSO4.4H2O in water to five 100 cm3 solution; alkaline potassium iodide solution—prepared by dissolving 15 g of KI in about 25 cm3 of water, adding 66 cm3 of 50% NaOH, and diluting to 100 cm3; concentrated sulphuriv(VI) acid; 0.0125 M sodium thiosulphate solution; starch solution (freshly prepared). Apparatus: 250 cm3 volumetric flask, 250 cm3 conical flask, measuring cylinders, titration apparatus, magnetic stirrer Procedure: 1.Use a 250 cm3 volumetric flask to collect water sample. Fill the flask completely with water without trapping any air bubbles. 2.Add 1 cm3 of manganese(II) sulphate solution to the sample using a pipette. Discharge the solution well below the surface (some overflow will occur). 3.Similarity introduce 1 cm3 of alkaline potassium iodide solution. Be sure that no air becomes entrapped. Invert the bottle to distribute the precipitate uniformly. [Hazard Warning: Care should be taken to avoid exposure to any overflow, as the solution is quite alkaline.] 4.When the precipitate has  settled at least 3 cm below the stopper, introduce 1 cm3 of concentrated sulphuric acid well below the surface. Replace the stopper and carefully mix until the precipitate disappears. A magnetic stirrer is helpful here. 5.Allow the mixture to stand for 5 minutes and then withdraw 100cm3 of the acidified sample into a 250 cm3 conical flask. 6.Titrate with 0.0125M sodium thiosulphate until the iodine colour bec omes faint. Then add 1 cm3 of starch solution and continue adding the thiosulphate solution until the blue colour disappears. 7.Record the volume of thiosulphate solution used and calculate the dissolved oxygen content in the sample in mg dm-3. Remarks 1.If the water sample has a low DO value, it is recommended to withdraw 200 cm3 of the acidified sample into a 500 cm3 flask for the titration describe in step 5. 2.This experiment can be further developed into a project to study the extent of water pollution. (a)The water sample under investigation is divided into two portions. One portion of the sample is immediately analysed for dissolving oxygen using the Winkler method. The other portion is stored in the dark for five days. (b)Repeat the analysis with the water sample that has been stored in the dark for five days. The difference between the two measurements is the five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), measured in mg dm-3.