Nuclear tension between the US and North korea ( past, and present) Essay

Nuclear tension between the US and North korea ( past, and present) - Essay Example Having a background of unhappy interactions dating as early as the mid-nineteenth century, when the first diplomatic expeditions from America venturing to Korea and Japan for the sake of trade ended up killing 200 Korean troops, the history of negotiations between the two countries has been colored by high levels of distrust on either side. So far the course of events has made it evident what the policies of either country is aimed at. America, with friends in the neighborhood is seeking to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and North Korea seems to be using Nuclear weapons as both ‘military deterrents’ and as a source of ‘diplomatic leverage’ to get what it wants from the international community. With the successful nuclear tests of 2010 and the undeterminable intentions of satellite launch in 2012, North Korea’s doctrine on the nuclear program is gradually coming out into the open, striving for the same status as New Dehli i.e. the international acknowledgement of North Korea as a Nuclear Power along with the normalization of relations with the U.S. This may not exactly be acceptable to the U.S with its own concerns. However the cooperation of North Korea can only be achieved if its concerns regarding security are adequately addressed. Although this process may require patience and time, it is far better than the imposition of sanctions which further deters any developments.

Analyze an event or issue from American history since World War II Essay

Analyze an event or issue from American history since World War II - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to explore the incident using primary sources as a way of identifying the incident from the perspective of those contemporary to the siege. Primary sources can be useful to historians as they can limit the amount of bias found when relying on secondary texts or unreliable historical sources. Whilst analyzing the events of the Waco siege, this paper will therefore examine the primary sources pertinent to the event to show the importance of primary sources, especially for recent historical events. Overview of Events On May 3, 1993, David Koresh was on the cover of Time Magazine (Time, 1993). The reason for this is that he was the leader of a religious organization known as the Branch Davidians, who self-identified as a Christian group linked to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Although the group itself gained some interest in the early 1950s (Reavis, 1998), a series of leadership changes had meant that Koresh himself was now in charge of the group. The org anization itself mainly centered around a compound-style property in Waco, Texas (Reavis, 1998), which had little contact with the outside world except for daily activities (Reavis, 1998). This compound, known as the Mount Carmel Center, was to be the stage for the events of the Waco siege. As with many new religions, as the Branch Davidians grew in size there was increasing media interest in the group (Reavis, 1998). Additionally, the leader David Koresh had been investigated by some news articles which accused him of physical abuse and statutory rape (Reavis, 1998), which lead to yet more media interest in the group and their leader. Many sources also suggest that Koresh advocated polygamy and therefore was breaking the law of Texas at the time, despite his religious beliefs (Reavis, 1998). Despite these various crimes, the real interest of the event to the police was the potential that Koresh and his followers were stockpiling illegal weapons, hence the involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF). Several pieces of evidence suggested that this was the case, meaning that Koresh had violated federal law and arrest and search warrants could be placed on various members of the group by the FBI. This search warrant led the ATF to instigate a search of the compound to find these illegal weapons, only to result in gunfire that left ten people dead (Reavis, 1998). After this moment, the FBI began to get more heavily involved due to the failure of the ATS to complete their siege. Although the decision was made to seriously investigate the compound, there was a stand-off between Branch Davidians and the FBI that lasted 51 days in total. After increasing tensions, the FBI launched a tear gas attack on the compound, only to result in a fire that was later declared to have been started by the Branch Davidians themselves. The Branch Davidians: Oh, My God, They're Killing Themselves! Some of the most interesting and useful sources for learning about the Waco siege are primary sources written at the time of the event, many of which are online and easily accessed. One of these is an article written for Time magazine, published on May 3rd 1993, shortly after the events that killed the Branch Davidians. The article itself is extremely descriptive about the events of the

Analysing Race in William Shakespeares Plays

Analysing Race in William Shakespeares Plays This dissertation provides a critical discussion of the issues of race in such William Shakespeare’s plays as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello. Analysing the context, in which these plays are created, and applying to such theoretical tools as the qualitative research method and the social constructionist approach, the research evaluates different perceptions of race through the principal characters of the plays and investigates in depth various critical views. The received results reveal that William Shakespeare interprets the issues of race in a close connection with religious beliefs, politics and social events in Elizabethan period. Although some findings of the research are consistent with the previous studies, other results provide new interpretations and valid data as to the racial issues in Shakespeare’s plays. The issues of race constitute one of the most important themes in world-wide literature. Although in Elizabethan England the ideas of race were much ignored due to the confusion and lack of knowledge in regard to foreigners, William Shakespeare usually applied to the issues of race and racism in his plays. On the basis of such portrayal, it is clear that people of different races lived in England in those times, and that Shakespeare was aware of the complex relations between English people and foreigners. Through his characters, the dramatist uncovers the negative aspects of Elizabethan social ideologies that created a gap among races, alienating foreigners from other members of English society and contributing to their destruction. However, even today the researchers continue to dispute about the implications of race in Shakespeare’s plays. Some scholars maintain the notion that the differences in religions and cultures aggravated the alienation of various races in England, w hile other researchers oppose to this viewpoint, claiming that the colour of skin influenced the complex relations between Englishmen and foreigners. Thus, the issue of race is rather controversial and it should be discussed through religious, cultural, social, political and ethnic contexts in the plays of William Shakespeare. To some extent, such controversy can be explained by the fact that the race has always been utilised to substitute the established social systems for new social hierarchies that reflected their own norms and principles. In this regard, in Elizabethan times people were socially divided into one or another race, taking into account the colour of skin, religious beliefs and cultural traditions of various individuals. Another controversy concerns the origin of the word â€Å"race† that usually dates back to 18-19th centuries; therefore, Shakespeare’s researchers prefer to substitute the term â€Å"race† for the term â€Å"otherness† in their analyses of Shakespeare’s plays. However, such shift from one term to another term is not able to eliminate Shakespeare’s unique in terpretation of racial issues in the selected plays. William Shakespeare wrote many of his plays in Elizabethan period, the era when, contrary to the commonly accepted view, people of various races began to arrive to England. Some recent findings provide valid evidence as to the existence of black people in the 16th-century London. In this regard, the issues of race, to which the dramatist applies in such plays as Titus Andronicus, The Tempest and Othello, provide a new vision on the impact of these races on cultural and social life of English people. At the beginning, black people were taken by force and brought to England as exotic creatures that possessed no rights, but finally they became the members of English society who were called as the Moors. However, such racial integration soon resulted in rather complex tensions among different races, and Shakespeare reflected these relations in his works. As Bernard Harris puts it, â€Å"To Elizabethan Londoners the appearance and conduct of the Moors was a spectacle and an outrage, emph asising the nature of the deep difference between themselves and their visitors, between their Queen and this ‘erring Barbarian†1. Thus, English people could rarely distinguish one race from another race. However, Shakespeare, who took an active part in public life and visited various cultural and public-service institutions, had an opportunity to observe foreigners and attitude of the English towards them, depicting his observations in his literary works. In addition, Margo Hendricks claims that various economic and social changes occurred in England in the middle of the 16th century2. In particular, England established constant relations with Morocco. As a result, various merchants and military people of different races began to arrive to the country and acquire certain positions among the members of English society. All these non-English people, who arrived from Africa, Israel, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and some other places, were called as ‘aliens’ or ‘outsiders’. Despite this integration, many Englishmen revealed racial biases towards these foreigners. According to Ania Loomba, â€Å"Jews, Moors and Christians were never simply religious categories, but variably articulated with nationality, and ethnicity, and often colour†3. Thus, on the one hand, English people accepted foreigners in their country, but, on the other hand, they treated them as outsiders, if these foreigners acquired more power and knowledge in comparison with native citizens. Various violent attacks were initiated by English people against these foreigners; such hostility was intensified by Church that pointed at the poverty of Englishmen as a result of foreigners’ integration into social, political, economical, religious and cultural life of English people. In this regard, English society either rejected these foreigners or forced to assimilate to them, paving the way for racism. This can be explained by the fact that Englishmen were afraid of acquiring culture and traditions of foreigners, as they became engaged in economic relations with them. As Margo Hendricks claims, â€Å"Beginning in the middle ages, the English engagement with ‘foreigners’ often functioned on two levels: spiritual and material†4. Although Englishmen realised that they could receive material profits from their interactions with people of different races, they made everything to preserve their superior position. It was in this environment of racial tensions and complex relations that William Shakespeare created such plays as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello. The aim of this dissertation is to analyse the representation of race in the selected Shakespeare’s plays on the basis of different perceptions and viewpoints. The research is divided into sections. Chapter 1 presents a statement of the problem that reveals the core of the analysis. Chapter 2 provides a general overview of the issue, observing the context, in which the plays are produced. Chapter 3 offers a survey of the works that have been written on the issues of race in Shakespeare’s plays. Chapter 4 points at the research methods that constitute a theoretical basis for the conducted analysis. Drawing upon earlier findings and evidence, Chapter 5 observes in detail the issues of race in such plays as The Tempest, Titus Andronicus and Othello. Chapter 6 makes a summarisation of the results, while Chapter 7 stresses on the limitations of the dissertation and provides some suggestions for further research. Due to various controversies and ambiguities that emerge during the analysis of William Shakespeare’s plays, the researchers provide different interpretations of the dramatist’s portrayal of race. For instance, Hunter points at the impact of the existing religious and cultural norms on the attitude of Englishmen towards foreigners in Elizabethan times5. Thus, the researcher considers that Shakespeare’s plays reflect the spirit of that period and relations among various races. Although some viewpoints of Hunter are of considerable interest to understanding of Shakespeare’s presentation of race, his analysis is limited only to the religious explanation of racial differences. Hunter pays no attention to social and cultural changes that occurred in England in the 16-17th century, shaping the relations between Englishmen and foreigners. In his analysis Hunter suggests that Elisabeth had rare contacts with foreigners, but this is not really true, if taken into a ccount her edicts that she issued at the end of the 16th century, according to which foreigners had to be expelled from England. This fact points at Elisabeth’s awareness of foreigners and her fear of them; however, on the other hand, the Queen continued to admit black people to her court and, to some extent, supported the spread of slavery. More contradictory findings are presented in regard to individual Shakespeare’s plays. Discussing the â€Å"moorishness† of Shakespeare’s play Othello, Barbara Everett provides â€Å"a challenge to [our] perhaps too simple â€Å"African† sense of Othello†6. Everett claims that the dramatist wants to uncover racial tensions in the 16-century England, thus â€Å"Othello is, in short, the colour the fiction dictates†¦the Moor may be quite as much â€Å"Spanish† as â€Å"African†7. In this regard, Everett applies to the discussion of political, religious and social contexts of Elizabethan period in her interpretation of racial issues. Virginia Mason Vaughn regards Othello’s blackness as the reflection of his otherness, as she states, â€Å"The effect of Othello depends†¦ on the essential fact of the hero’s darkness, the visual signifies of his Otherness†8. While Arthur Little points out that Othello’s tragedy can be explained not only by his different race, but also by his marriage to Desdemona, a white female, and by his jealousy9. Davison goes further in his analysis of Shakespeare’s play, in particular, he suggests that â€Å"Othello is not ‘about’ race, or colour, or even jealousy. It dramatises the way actions are directed by attitudes, fears, and delusions that rule the subconscious than by evident facts†10. Analysing Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, Curt Breight points out that in this work the dramatist’s portrayal of race reveals colonialism and terror of James I, thus Prospero’s attempt to achieve the superior position over other people is a simple reflection of King’s actions11. Paul Brown expresses the similar opinion in regard to the play, claiming that The Tempest interferes into colonialism, and â€Å"this intervention takes the form of a powerful and pleasura ble narrative which seeks at once to harmonize disjunction, to transcend irreconcilable contradictions and to mystify the political conditions which demand colonialist discourse†12. Further, Brown points at the fact that Caliban’s rape and assault are explained by his intensified sexuality that was considered to be a characteristic feature of Indians and other races, except white people. Thus, Prospero’s control over Caliban reveals the suppression of Caliban’s sexuality as well. William Shakespeare’s play Titus Andronicus has been considered as his most unsuccessful literary work for a long time; however, the inability of researchers to understand this play can be explained by the fact that Titus Andronicus is rather ambiguous and doesn’t conform to a particular classification. Here, Shakespeare interprets the racial issues in their connections with religious beliefs of Romans and provides two-fold vision on morality of both ‘civilised’ people and barbarians. Charles Martindale and Michelle Martindale point at Seneca’s influence on this play, uncovering the dramatist’s utilisation of classical sources and claiming that â€Å"Seneca was the closest Shakespeare ever got to Greek tragedy†13. Although all these critical works provide different interpretations of Shakespeare’s plays, taken in integrity, they generate rather accurate data. This dissertation applies to two research methods – a qualitative research method and a social constructionist approach. As crucial theoretical research tools, these methods provide an opportunity to discuss the issues of race in Shakespeare’s plays through various perceptions and viewpoints. The qualitative method is aimed at analysing different interpretations of race, generating valid data that have been rarely mentioned in the earlier studies. According to Taylor, â€Å"Interpretation†¦ is an attempt to make sense of an object of study. This object must, therefore, be a text, which in some way is confused, incomplete, cloudy, seemingly contradictory†14. Drawing upon certain qualitative data, the research uncovers controversial arguments in regard to the discussed issue and evaluates cultural and social events in Elizabethan times. The principal sources are taken from various literary texts and critical researches on Shakespeare. The social constructionis t approach allows to investigate social, cultural and historical contexts of the period, in which Shakespeare’s plays are created. This approach is especially appropriate for this research, as the term â€Å"race† is regarded as a social construction phenomenon. This means that the social constructionist approach challenges the conventional biological interpretation of race, evaluating race through the social perspective. Thus, the method provides a basis for analysing the unity between race and social environment in Elizabethan era. 5.1. The issue of â€Å"Moorishness† in Shakespeare’s play Othello Although many contemporary critics and playwrights make attempts to disregard the issue of race in Shakespeare’s play Othello, the dramatist himself considers this aspect to be crucial for understanding his characters. The principal protagonist Othello belongs to the race of the Moors, and as Everett points out, â€Å"moorishness† was a condition that had a meaning, for Shakespeare and his audiences once casually familiar though long lost to us†15. According to Barbara Everett, the word â€Å"Moor† is thought to originate from mauri who lived in Mauritania province in North Africa16, but English people preferred to apply this term to all foreigners who differed from them either in race or religious beliefs. As Emily Bartels claims, the ‘Moor† was usually associated with â€Å"similarly ambiguous terms as â€Å"African†, â€Å"Ethiopian†, â€Å"Negro† and even â€Å"Indian†17, because the origin of the Moors was rather ambiguous, either the mixture of Berber and Arab or Muslim. In this regard, when Shakespeare calls Othello a Black Moor, he accentuates the blackness of the principal hero, because the Moors were both white and black. By presenting the black character, the dramatist uncovers the existence of racism in the 16-century England and reveals his awareness of the complex relations between black and white people. According to Harris, â€Å"When Shakespeare chose, for this a udience, to present a Moor as his hero, he was simply more aware than his contemporaries of the complex pattern made by white and black†18. Othello demonstrates the biases of English people, in general, and Queen Elizabeth, in particular, towards the Moors. For them, black colour of these people symbolised evil and disaster. Thus, as Margo Hendricks claims, â€Å"In the writing of the day, the Moors were described as ‘subtle’, ‘stubborn’, ‘bestial’ and intolerant†19. Othello’s blackness emerges as a result of his relations with other people who reveal certain biases towards this protagonist. Roderigo claims him â€Å"a wheeling stranger†20 with thick lips, â€Å"gross clasps of a lascivious Moor†21. Iago evaluates Othello through his racial biases, pointing out that jealousy and sexuality are characteristic features of the Moors. As Edward Berry states, Othello’s moorishness â€Å"is not only a mark of his physical alienation but a symbol, to which every character in the play, himself included, must respond†22. Brabantio also expresses his negative attitude towards Othello, claiming that he is disappointed with Desdemona who â€Å"fall in love with what she fear’d to look on†23. Desdemona herself seems to revea l certain racial biases to the person she loves. Othello’s words admire Desdemona, but she is not physically attracted to him. Such prejudices prevent her from understanding Othello who is obsessed with beauty of Desdemona. By contrasting black and white, the dramatist simultaneously uncovers the complex relations between two races, revealing that cultural differences may result in tragedy. On the other hand, such shift from whiteness to blackness or vice versa reflects the elements of racial attitude of Venetian people towards Othello. This can be explained by the fact that the Queen was obsessed with white colour, proclaiming it as a colour of goodness and virginity, while black colour was considered as a colour of evil and dirt. Such attitude resulted in the creation of the complex racial tensions between Englishmen and black people. For instance, almost all characters of Shakespeare’s play avoid calling Othello by name; instead they constantly address him as the ‘Moor’, implicitly rejecting him as the member of their society. Thus, Othello is treated as an object because of the racial differences between him and other members of Venetian society. This viewpoint can be explained b y the social constructionist approach, according to which society initially establishes some norms and principles, and further it applies these rules towards certain personalities. Othello makes constant attempts to integrate into this society, but it turns away from him. Despite the fact that he possesses some values and the rank of a general, society is not able to overcome its racial prejudices. As Everett puts it, â€Å"Othello is almost any ‘colour’ one pleases, so long as it permits his easier isolation and destruction by his enemies and by himself†24. In this regard, interpreting the racial issues of the play, Everett points at political and social situations in the country in the 16th century. In particular, moorishness of Othello may reveal his position as a foreigner, a person who differs from the rest of population and who is regarded as a damnable creature. According to Hunter, Elizabethan’s â€Å"awareness of foreigners was closely conditioned by a traditional religious outlook on the world†25. Therefore, the attempts were made to reduce the position of these people in society. In fact, Othello excels many respecta ble members of society, and he sincerely believes in the beginning that â€Å"My parts, my title, and my perfect soul / Shall manifest me rightly†26. But racial prejudices appear too powerful, destroying Othello’s intentions to achieve an appropriate place. Iago is the first person who rises against Othello, trying to prove that such people are dangerous for the existing social norms. As he claims to Desdemona’s father, â€Å"Even now, now, very now, an old black ram / Is tupping your white ewe†27. As a result, Brabantio’s initial attitude towards Othello is greatly changed under such racist words. He tries to prove that Othello has utilised some spell to make his daughter marry him. Such action reveals that in those times the Moors were regarded as people engaged in mysterious and awful affairs. Thus, the only reason for Brabantio’s accusation is Othello’s blackness. Although Othello seems to initially win the respect of Brabantio, Desdemona and some other people by protecting Venice society from Turks’ invasion, such racial prejudices do not allow them to accept Othello as equal to them. Despite the fact that they admire his courage and romantic nature, they are unable to admire him when socie ty reveals its rejection towards Othello. As a result, racism, inspired by Iago, destroys both Othello and Desdemona. Their racial differences appear too powerful and they prevent these characters from understanding each other. In this regard, Shakespeare seems to oppose to the existing social system and ideologies that are based on the principles of superiority. Othello, who is only racially different from other members of society, is regarded as inferior to them, and it is racism of these people that causes the character’s destruction. The ideologies of Elizabethan England were aimed at establishing such social norms that regarded other races as inhuman. Othello’s alienation occurs because of these social standards that shape the attitude of society towards certain individuals. The qualitative research method demonstrates that a literary text usually reflects cultural and social contexts of a certain period28; this is just the case with Shakespeare’s play, in which the dramatist portrays his characters of different races through specific contexts. Shakespeare reveals that, on the one hand, Othello’s military achievements allow him to socialise with the members of the upper class, but, on the other hand, the character’s blackness deprives him of the possibility to belong to this society. Such racial attitude of people negatively influences Othello who starts to experience uncertainty about his social stand. This uncertainty is aggravated when he decides to marry a white female who belongs to the upper class. Gradually, Othello becomes obsessed with jealousy and doubts and acts like a real animal, forgetting his noble manners. Therefore, racism gradually destroys the protagonist and reveals the hate of such people as Iago to people of other races. Iago makes everything to alienate Othello from Desdemona, Brabantio and other members of the upper class, changing people’s attitude towards Othello with his racist words. Although at the beginning of the play, Iago’s wife Emilia doesn’t express her attitude to Othello, she explicitly reveals her racist views after Desdemona’s murder when she claims: â€Å"O, the more angel she, / And you the blacker devil!†29. Further Emilia calls Othello â€Å"as ignorant as dirt†30; this comparison allows Shakespeare to show the attitude of white people towards the black race. Like Othello, dirt is black, and dirt is thrown away, because it is nasty. Many people in Shakespeare’s play have the similar opinion of Othello, alienating from him and implicitly revealing their xenophobic nature. They even provide Othello with hot temper and increased sexuality. To some extent, such viewpoint is explained by the fact that Englishmen identified black people with the son of Noah who was punished for seeing his father naked and with Islamic religious traditions of polygamy. In this regard, William Shakespeare manages to realistically portray society of his time that rejects any person who belongs to a different race or adheres to different religious beliefs. 5.2. Racism and social domination in The Tempest Although Caliban, the character of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, is not really black, he also experiences alienation because of his race. His mother comes from North Africa and is considered of Berber origin, that’s why many white people, who appear on the Caribbean island, express racial attitude towards Caliban. As a result, this protagonist is usually regarded as a devil and inferior to other characters. For instance, Prospero teaches Caliban the ways to live in the island; however, then he starts to treat Caliban as a â€Å"poisonous slave [and] devil†31, considering this vulgar barbarian as a threat to Miranda. In this regard, Prospero implicitly reveals the existing stereotypes of the 16th-century when people with black colour of skin were thought to possess intensified sexuality, thus marriages between a black male and a white female were rarely accepted in European society. It is clear that such notion is greatly exaggerated, but Christian laws and moral principles of those times were rather strict, opposing to each display of otherness. Due to the fact that Caliban’s origin is not clearly identified in the play, the character falls under the category of â€Å"otherness†, performing a subordinate role throughout Shakespeare’s narration. On the other hand, Caliban is important to Prospero who mentions to Miranda that they â€Å"cannot miss him. He does make our fire, / Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices / That profit us†32. These words prove that colonisation initiated by English people and utilisation of black population for their own benefits were crucial for England. Colonisation allowed the country to overcome many economic difficulties, such as unemployment and hunger, increasing England’s power among other European countries. Therefore, English colonisers utilised various measures to control these black people; however, Shakespeare reveals that Caliban doesn’t want to accept such treatment, he considers himself as the original owner of this place. Before the arrival of Prospero and Miranda to the island, Caliban is really perceived as a king, but the attempt of Prospero to civilise Caliban transforms the character into a slave. As Caliban states, â€Å"Thou strokst me and make much o f me†¦ / and then I lov’d thee, / And show’d thee all the qualities o’th’isle†¦ / For I am all the subjects you have, which first was mine own king†33. Prospero makes an attempt to create a hierarchical structure in the island, according to which people are divided into superior and inferior on the basis of their race and position. Such behaviour of Prospero proves that the involvement of English people in slavery began in the middle of the 16th century when Englishmen realised the benefits of slavery, failing to understand the negative impact of this superiority on black people. For instance, finding himself in close relations with white people, Caliban starts to feel alienation in the place he lives. According to Ric Allsopp, Prospero’s dominance over Caliban reveals the social structure that existed in England in that period and that deprived foreigners of the possibility to lead normal lives under racial prejudices34. Colonisation of the island aggravates these biases and provides Prospero with an opportunity to receive power over the islanders. As MacDonald puts it, â€Å"representations of racial identity and difference, similarly matter and show in early modern English literature, [are] itself the product of an age of slavery and colonial displacement†35. By applying to such claims as â€Å"Providence Divine†36, Prospero implicitly points at the fact that he has a control over the island and its inhabitants37. However, Caliban states that it is his mother who controlled the island and further transferred this right to Caliban. In this regard, Prospero, utilising various magic tricks, takes a control over the islanders by brute force, putting its inhabita nts into positions of slaves38. In order to avert people’s attention from this control, Prospero claims that Caliban has tried to rape his daughter, simultaneously revealing the stereotypic vision on barbarians. But some critics consider this accusation as Prospero’s attempt to conceal his violent actions in regard to Caliban and other native people39. Thus, it is no wonder that Caliban rises against Prospero and his control; however, finally Prospero suppresses this assault, proving that white people are superior and more powerful than people of other races. Society is considered to exist on the basis of two ways of interaction: subjugation and mutual interchange of profits. In the case of Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, the relations between two races are based on subjugation that allows Prospero, as the member of a more powerful racial group, to enslave Caliban and other native inhabitants and utilise them for his own benefits. As a result, a race of white people appears in a more advantageous position than a race of the colonised black people. It is clear that their relations are not based on mutual interchange, that’s why the members of the second group are deprived of their freedom, former life and cultural roots. However, by the end of the play Prospero realises that on a long-term basis such kind of relations can result in many negative consequences for both interacted groups. Therefore, despite the fact that Caliban usually acts as a barbarian black savage, Shakespeare reveals that, to some extent, Caliban’s actions are justified. When white people arrive to the island, where he lives and where he is thought to be a king, and deprive him of his rights and freedom, he rises against such subordinate position. Caliban, who collides with another culture and another race for the first time, is unable to understand the difference between these white people and native inhabitants. But for Prospero the difference is obvious; Prospero, Trinculo and other white people regard Caliban as a monster, and Trinculo even thinks of taking this beast to England and demonstrating him in specific shows. These shows were rather popular and beneficial for the country’s economy in the 16th century, a s people of different races, mainly Indians or the Moors, were shown to English audience for a certain fee. As Caliban understands that Prospero transforms him into a slave, he opposes him by claiming: â€Å"I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island†40. As Prospero makes an attempt to civilise Caliban, his major aim is to suppress Caliban’s nature and make the character serve him. Such dominance over wild inhabitants reflects the attitude of Europeans towards these people of different race. This attitude is especially obvious from the following words of Miranda, Prospero’s daughter: â€Å"Thy vile race / Though thou didst learn – had that in’t which good natures / Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou / Deservedly confined into this rock, / Who hadst deserved more than a prison†41. Such judgement reveals serious racial prejudices; it is clear that Caliban is not able to withstand such attitude, and his rape of Miranda and his assault against Prospero are direct consequences of this racist treatment. However, Prospero manages to stifle a rebellion and change his attitude towards these black people. He leaves the island and releases Caliban. Such actions reveal Shakespeare’s views o n colonisation and race; the dramatist proves that the relations among different races should be based on mutual benefits and freedom. But if one race suppresses another race, this suppression will finally result in the destruction of both races. Despite the fact that Caliban acquires the language and manners of the colonisers, they do not change his nature, because racial attitude, suppression and enslavement deprive Caliban of adopting these norms. Simultaneously, these actions deprive Prospero of establishing good relations with native inhabitants, instead inspiring hatred in them. But as Prospero provides freedom to Caliban, he also achieves inner freedom and understanding of other people. 5.3. Interpretation of race in Titus Andronicus Similar to Othello, Aaron, one of the characters of Shakespeare’s play Titus Andronicus, also belongs to the race of the Moors and is portrayed as a black person. But, unlike Othello, this protagonist confirms to the stereotypic representation of a black villain who claims that â€Å"If one good deed in all my life I did / I do repent it to my very soul†42. Being the lover of Queen of the Goths, Aaron manages to ruin the Andronicii, as well as Titus Andronicus. Like Othello, he is also regarded as a devil, a symbol of evil and destruction. However, Aaron differs from Othello in many ways; above all, Aaron, this â€Å"barbarous Moor†43, applies to various actions and tricks in order to intensify his social position. But as Bartels puts it, although â€Å"Aaron has the freedom and ability to manipulate and maneuver close to the court circle, he is still an underlying servant with no possible avenue for advancement†44. Aaron himself understands that his appea rance and race are serious obstacles to his acceptance in society, that’s why he wants to seclude himself from others and to â€Å"bring [his son] up / To be a warrior and command a camp†45. As a result, Aaron’s son manages to survive, while Aaron is murdered by Lucious, because Aaron is considered to be an absolute evil that deserves death. In this regard, Othello appears to perform a certain role in society, while Aaron’s position comes to simple adjustment to the existing environment. Therefore, contrary to Othello, the Moors in this play are presented as false and unfaithful. Both Aaron and his Moor lover deceive Titus and make him apply to cruelty in regard to his own family. But the charac

Sexual Harassment and Workplace Violence Essay -- Sexual Harassment in

Harassment has plagued the world for centuries. Why should the workplace be any different? Sexual harassment and workplace violence are not only of historical roots, but contemporary issues are still present in the workforce today. Managers are addressing and combating modern sexual harassment and workplace violence, however instances still occur (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011). â€Å"Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted action or activity of a sexual nature that explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, performance, or work environment† (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011). According to the EEOC, â€Å"Harassment can include â€Å"sexual harassment† or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.† Sexual harassment is not limited to the employee/employer relationship, but can included clients or customers. Harassment does not have to be sexual in nature, but can include harassment about ones gender in general (EEOC, n.d). Sexual harassment can be traced back for centuries. African-American slavery in the United States is an early example of situations that involved sexual harassment of workers by their superiors. African-American women imposed in slavery often succumbed to sexual advances. Late nineteenth and early twentieth female clerical workers were also often subjected to sexual harassment by their male superiors (Siegel, 2004). Publicly published articles and government hearings sparked interest in sexual harassment in the late nineteenth century. Interests in the problem of female sexual vulnerabilities during this time period lead to the composition of several books that embedded context of the subject within their pages. Helen C... ...(n.d.). Workplace violence, issues in response. Retrieved from website: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/workplace-violence/workplace-violence/view United State Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010). Census of fatal occupational injuries summary. Retrieved from website: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm United States Department of Labor, Occupational and Safety Administration. (n.d.). What is workplace violence. Retrieved from website: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/ U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), (n.d.). Sexual harassment. Retrieved from website: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , (2011). Sexual harassment charges eeoc & fepas combined: fy 1997 - fy 2011. Retrieved from website: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics Sexual Harassment and Workplace Violence Essay -- Sexual Harassment in Harassment has plagued the world for centuries. Why should the workplace be any different? Sexual harassment and workplace violence are not only of historical roots, but contemporary issues are still present in the workforce today. Managers are addressing and combating modern sexual harassment and workplace violence, however instances still occur (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011). â€Å"Sexual harassment is defined as any unwanted action or activity of a sexual nature that explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, performance, or work environment† (Robbins, Decenzo & Coulter, 2011). According to the EEOC, â€Å"Harassment can include â€Å"sexual harassment† or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.† Sexual harassment is not limited to the employee/employer relationship, but can included clients or customers. Harassment does not have to be sexual in nature, but can include harassment about ones gender in general (EEOC, n.d). Sexual harassment can be traced back for centuries. African-American slavery in the United States is an early example of situations that involved sexual harassment of workers by their superiors. African-American women imposed in slavery often succumbed to sexual advances. Late nineteenth and early twentieth female clerical workers were also often subjected to sexual harassment by their male superiors (Siegel, 2004). Publicly published articles and government hearings sparked interest in sexual harassment in the late nineteenth century. Interests in the problem of female sexual vulnerabilities during this time period lead to the composition of several books that embedded context of the subject within their pages. Helen C... ...(n.d.). Workplace violence, issues in response. Retrieved from website: http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/workplace-violence/workplace-violence/view United State Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2010). Census of fatal occupational injuries summary. Retrieved from website: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.nr0.htm United States Department of Labor, Occupational and Safety Administration. (n.d.). What is workplace violence. Retrieved from website: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/ U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), (n.d.). Sexual harassment. Retrieved from website: http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission , (2011). Sexual harassment charges eeoc & fepas combined: fy 1997 - fy 2011. Retrieved from website: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics

Budget Management and Variance Analysis Essay

A budget is a tool that helps managers to ensure that the required resources are obtained and used effectively and efficiently as the organization moves towards achievement of its objectives. The budgets are determined yearly and are based upon the previous year’s budget and variances. This paper will discuss a development of operating budget, comparison expense results with budget expectations, description of possible reasons for variances and strategies to keep results aligned with expectations, recommendation some benchmarking techniques that might improve budget accuracy. The operating budget is a plan for the organization’s revenues and expenses that generally covers a period of one year (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). In healthcare organization the nurse manager of each cost center involves in the preparation and control of the operating budgets (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). The finance office of the organization provides support throughout the budget process development. The budgets for the costs centers are combined, and the executive management of the organization makes final decisions on a budget to be submitted to the board for approval. The nurse managers need a variety of information to begin the process of preparing operating budgets for their cost centers, such as the information generated by the organization’s environmental review and by its development of general goals, objectives, policies, organization wide assumptions, program priorities, and specific measurable objectives (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). For example, the environmental review and the general goals, objectives, and policies allow the manager to understand what the organization wants to accomplish and what it believes it will be able to accomplish. For another instance, the organization-wide assumptions and specific measurable objectives then provide the manager with information needed to start preparing the specific details of the budget. In addition, within nursing administration, additional back-ground information is needed before nurse managers can commence cost center budget preparation (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Especially the organization’s approach to delivering nursing care must be clearly understood by all nurse managers. For example, responsibilities of LPNs as opposed to RNs, role of nursing assistants, or proportion of staff works on each shift. According to Finkler, Kovner, & Jones (2007), the primary steps of the operating budget development include the calculation of expense budget for personnel, the expense budget for costs other than personnel services, and the revenue budget, budget submission, and budget implementation. To prepare the revenue or expense portions of the operating budget, the first step is to ascertain the volume of work for the coming year (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). The amount of work performed by a unit is referred to as its workload (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Workload budget is budget that indicates the amount of work performed by a unit or department, measured in terms of units of service. Workload may be measured in a variety of ways, such as the number of patients, patient days, deliveries, visits, treatments, or procedures. Each cost center must determine the measure that is most appropriate for its unit of service. Once a cost center defines its key unit or units of service, it must predict the number of units of service that will be provided in the coming year. This will allow development of the operating budget. Expense budget for personnel is budget for all personnel under the manager’s direction, generally within a cost center such as RNs, LPNs, aides, and clerical staff (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Expense budget for other-than-personnel services is budget for all expenses for other-than personnel services such as supplies, minor equipment, including both direct unit or department expenses and indirect overhead expenses (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Budget submission is another step in budget development, when revenue and expense portions of the budget must be summarized and submitted for review together with detailed supporting calculations and narrative justification (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Budget revisions may be required as the result of a series of negotiations over the submitted budget (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Budget implementation is a final step of budget development, when managers must address a number of issues in implementing an approved budget, including development of a staffing plan that provides coverage for staff weekends, olidays, vacations, and sick leave as well as busy and slow periods (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). A budget variance occurs when the actual results of financial activity differ from your budgeted projections (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). The expense reports show the difference between the budget and the actual amount spent and the result is called the variance. Variances may be within the budget, which is favorable, or over the budget, which is unfavorable (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). The variance is used to predict the budget for upcoming years, help with spending during the current year, and help with evaluating the managers and their departments. To determine the cause of variances the managers must investigate and justify to upper management why the variance occurred. There are a variety reasons for variances, which must be identified and controlled if possible. While analyzing the nursing expense results from various units for a pay period, there were some favorable and unfavorable variances. While reviewing the expense record the paid productive hour’s variance was within the budget and the paid nonproductive hour’s variance was 60 hours over the budgeted hours. The unfavorable variance of paid nonproductive hours may have occurred due to some staff being on modified duty, sick leave, meeting time, or education time, which means they are getting paid with no patient care involved. The overtime percentage of hour’s variance was 7. 5% over the budget and the registry percentage of hour’s variance was 8. % over the budget, both are unfavorable. The overtime may have been caused by bad time management, late arrival of the next shift, or working past shift hours due to not enough staff. The increase in the registry hours may have been due to not enough regular staff due to hiring freeze or staff being off for personal or illness reasons. The hours per patient day (HPPD) licensed productive hours was . 13 over budget, the direct product hours was within budget, and the total productive hours was within budget. The hours per patient day over budget may have been caused by the unit being over staffed or also due to the overtime and registry hours. The average daily census (ADC) per unit varied from being within budget to 7. 50 over the budget. The daily census is very unpredictable and depends on the time of year, the admissions from ER or the clinic, and transfers from other hospitals or facilities. Strategies to keep the results aligned with expectations may be done by performance budgeting, which will analyze key reas such as staffing, cost control, increased productivity, and indirect and direct patient care. The activities affected by analyzing these performance areas would be daily staffing calculations, reduced cost to the unit, working more efficiently and better time management, patient care planning, and time spent on patient charting. Offering incentives could also be a good way to involve the staff by informing them of the budget goals. Benchmarking helps to identify performance gaps and identify where improvement is needed. â€Å"Benchmarking is used by large health systems and smaller practices alike as a tool to identify targets and set goals enabling staff to compare the operation’s service, process, and outcomes with those already attaining best practice† goals† (Borglum, 2008, para 12). There are many benchmarking techniques; for the purpose of this paper three will be discussed, financial, performance, and operational. Financial benchmarking is performing a financial analysis and comparing the results in an effort to assess your overall competitiveness and productivity† (Cimasi, 2006, para 10). â€Å"Financial benchmarking is among the more effective techniques for extracting information from a health care enterprise’s historical operating performance and presenting it in a form that facilitates informed judgments that help predict the subject entity’s future operating performance and financial condition† (Cimasi, 2006, para 16). Performance benchmarking involves comparing the performance levels of organizations for a specific process, this information can then be used for identifying opportunities for improvement and/or setting performance targets† (Business Performance Improvement Resources, 2011, para 26). â€Å"Performance levels of other organizations are normally called benchmarks and the ideal benchmark is one that originates from an organization recognized as being a leader in the related area† (Business Performance Improvement Resources, 2011, para 27). Performance benchmarking may involve the comparison of financial measures (such as expenditure, cost of labor, cost of buildings/equipment, cost of energy, adherence to budget, cash flow, revenue collected) or non-financial measures (such as absenteeism, staff turnover, the percentage of administrative staff to front-line staff, budget processing time, complaints, environmental impact or call center performance)† (Business Performance Improvement Resources, 2011, para 28). In conclusion, the operating budget is a plan for the organization’s revenues and expenses that generally covers a period of one year and developed by the nurse manager with support of the finance office of the organization (Finkler, Kovner, & Jones, 2007). Variances may occur at any time, may be internal or external, and in most cases are correctable once investigated by the mangers. Benchmarking is used in strategic management and compares processes and performance to help improve organizations. The use of financial ratios and benchmarking is critical to understanding an entity’s overall historical performance and to the forecasting function of valuation analysis† (Cimasi, 2006, para 28). This paper has discussed specific strategies to manage budgets within forecast, compared five to seven expense results with budget expectations, described possible reasons for variances, gave strategies to keep results aligned with expectations, recommended three benchmarking t echniques, and identified what might improve budget accuracy, and justified the choices made.

Spm Essay Module

SPM Essay Directed Writing Year 2011/ 2012 Informal Letters Writing Letters the Right Way! This week we will take a look at letter writing. Generally, students are taught to write two types of letters – formal letters and informal letters. Informal letters are easier to write in terms of format, language and tone. These letters are sometimes called social or friendly letters. Examples of informal letters include letters to family members and friends. When writing an informal letter, remember to use the right format. Format of Informal Letters: use the most common salutation _____________, include the writer’s address and ate in the upper right hand corner. The date can be written in different forms. (7th September 2009, 7 SEPTEMBER 2009 or 7. 9. 2009) _____________, _____________. _____________. Dear _______, ____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________. _______________________________________________ _____________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________. nclude a suitable complimentary close. (Your loving daughter) Do not use ‘Regards’ as it is considered slightly more formal and distant. Also, do not use ‘Best Wishes’ as this is considered inappropriate. Reminder! – When you write an informal letter†¦ ? Do not use slang words. ? Do not use words which are in a language other than English. This means you cannot write ‘Dear Abah’, or ‘Dear Amma’ even if that is how you address your parents. ? Do not sign off with ‘Love and Kisses’. Keep that for your personal letters. _________________, _________________ TOPIC: HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Your Task:You received a letter from your pe n pal. In the letter, she expressed anxiety of gaining weight. Write a letter to her giving suggestions about how she can reduce weight. Below are the suggested ideas that you would include in your letter. Diet ? Balanced diet to provide sufficient amount of nutrients ? Enjoy plenty of whole-grains, fruits and vegetables Exercise ? Exercise regularly helps to burn calories and manage weight ? Trade some coach time for physical activities ? Eat moderate portions ? Take stairs instead of elevator ? Eat regular meals ? Walk to near destinations ? Drink plenty of water ? Avoid late dinners

HARMONY AND COURAGE AS PRINCIPLES FOR SURVIVAL essays

HARMONY AND COURAGE AS PRINCIPLES FOR SURVIVAL essays Mononoke Hime is a powerful tale of the struggle between gods and humans. In pursuit of the cause and the cure of his curse, Ashitaka heads west where he is confronted by the bitter battle between the people of Tatara and the guardian-gods of the Forest of the Shishigami, worsened further by the antagonistic presence of the samurais. He is enchanted with the Mononoke Hime, San, a human raised by Moro, the head of the clan of mountain dogs protecting the forest. Given her upbringing, San has grown to hate humans, and has taken it upon herself to war against them for the sake of the forests preservation. Ashitaka later meets Eboshi Gozen, the head of the iron-making village of Tatara. Beloved to her people, composed of social outcasts, Eboshi, for her part, is set out to destroy the forest for the necessary mining activities. In all this, Ashitaka is caught between two factions who are essentially fighting for their respective survival. This dilemma evidently points to a central theme in Japanese religion-ultimately, Japanese life, and that is the close relationship binding gods (kami), humans, and nature to one another (Earhart, 1982, p 7). In contrast to monotheistic religions, the Japanese religion does not rank gods, humans, and nature in a vertical order, but perceive them co-existing in a harmonious relationship. To illustrate this quality of a non-hierarchy, experiences are not exclusive in gods only or in humans only. Case in point, the boar gods Okkotonushi and Naganokami felt immense pain and suffering, causing them to become Tatarigami. In turn, the Japanese believe, every being, including nature, can potentially have kami, in other words, become a god. Harmony is an important element in Japanese life (de Mente, 1994, p 2). It is believed to be rooted in the primitive religion of Japan, Shinto. Anthropologists, de Mente (1994) explained, attributed the need for harmony to the demands of rice cultivation and the ...

Grammar Tips An Overview of Grammatical Mood

Grammar Tips An Overview of Grammatical Mood Grammar Tips: An Overview of Grammatical Mood In humans, a mood is a feeling or an emotional state. If you’re in a good mood, for example, you’re feeling happy. But a grammatical mood is something else. So to help explain what a grammatical mood is, let’s look at the indicative, imperative, conditional, and subjunctive moods. What Is Grammatical Mood? Grammatical mood refers to how a sentence is constructed to reflect what we’re trying to do. Asking a question, for example, is different to giving a command. Consequently, we use slightly different sentences to do different things. And every sentence has a mood accordingly. Some sentences also have the Moody Blues, but thats a different issue.(Photo: Nationaal Archief/wikimedia) Strictly speaking, you dont need to know which mood you are using at all times to write effectively. And the lines between grammatical moods are sometimes blurred in English, which can be confusing.* But understanding the basics of mood can help you avoid errors in your writing, so we suggest checking out our guide to the basics below. The Indicative Mood We use the indicative mood whenever we express an opinion, make a factual statement or ask a question. For example: I love sleeping. He is going to bed. Has she gone to bed yet? The indicative mood is thus the most common grammatical mood by far, covering most statements. Depending on who you ask, though, questions can be classed separately as being in the interrogative mood. The Imperative Mood A command or a request is an example of the imperative mood: Please go to bed. You need to go to bed now! Sentences like this can be very short because, as in the first sentence above, the person being asked or told to do something is often left out. The Conditional Mood Conditional sentences typically use the modal verbs â€Å"could,† â€Å"might,† â€Å"should,† or â€Å"would.† This is because they express something that is uncertain or depends on something else. For instance: He could to go to bed if he wanted to. The sentence above is conditional because it refers to an outcome (i.e., going to bed) that depends on something else (i.e., wanting to go to bed). In other words, one part of the sentence is conditional on another part. The Subjunctive Mood The subjunctive mood concerns hypotheticals, such as wishes or suggestions. Typically, they are also â€Å"if† statements, such as: If I were tired, I would go to bed. Here, for example, the speaker is not tired. As such, the possibility of going to bed is only raised hypothetically, not as a likely course of action, so the sentence is in the subjunctive mood. This is distinct from the conditional example above, where going to bed is a concrete possibility. One common error related to the subjunctive mood is mixing up â€Å"were† and â€Å"was.† The confusion here is rooted in their past tense uses, where â€Å"was† is singular and â€Å"were† is plural. In the subjunctive mood, however, â€Å"were† can be both singular and plural. For instance: If I were him, I would go to bed. âÅ"“ Were we to go to bed now, we would sleep soundly. âÅ"“ If I was less busy, I would sleep more. âÅ"â€" Although a fairly minor error, it’s worth looking out for this in your work. And if you need a little more help telling your subjunctives from your conditionals at any point, don’t forget that we’re always available to proofread your documents, which includes a full grammar check. * If you have more than two grammarians in a room, at least one will insist there is no such thing as the conditional mood in English. And this can quickly descend into name-calling. Overall, though, we find it easy to ignore this for our day-to-day writing and proofreading needs.

Method Overloading Default Parameters in Delphi

Method Overloading Default Parameters in Delphi Functions and procedures are an important part of the Delphi language. Starting with Delphi 4, Delphi allows us to work with functions and procedures that support default parameters (making the parameters optional), and permits two or more routines to have an identical name  but operate as completely different routines. Lets see how Overloading and default parameters can help you code better. Overloading Simply put, overloading is declaring more than one routine with the same name. Overloading allows us to have multiple routines that share the same name, but with a different number of parameters and types. As an example, lets consider the following two functions: {Overloaded routines must be declared with the overload directive} function SumAsStr(a, b :integer): string; overload; begin   Ã‚   Result : IntToStr(a b) ; end; function SumAsStr(a, b : extended; Digits:integer): string; overload; begin   Ã‚   Result : FloatToStrF(a b, ffFixed, 18, Digits) ; end; These declarations create two functions, both called SumAsStr, that take a different number of parameters and are of two different types. When we call an overloaded routine, the compiler must be able to tell which routine we want to call. For example, SumAsStr(6, 3) calls the first SumAsStr function, because its arguments are integer-valued. Note: Delphi will help you pick the right implementation with the help of code completion and code insight. On the other hand, consider if we try to call the SumAsStr function as follows: SomeString : SumAsStr(6.0,3.0) Well get an error that reads: there is no overloaded version of SumAsStr that can be called with these arguments. This means that we should also include the Digits parameter used to specify the number of digits after the decimal point. Note: There is only one rule when writing overloaded routines, and that is that an  overloaded routine must differ in at least one parameter type. The return type, instead, cannot be used to distinguish among two routines. Two Units - One Routine Lets say we have one routine in unit A, and unit B uses unit A, but declares a routine with the same name. The declaration in unit B does not need the overload directive - we should use unit As name to qualify calls to As version of the routine from unit B. Consider something like this: unit B; ... uses A; ... procedure RoutineName; begin    Result : A.RoutineName; end; An alternative to using overloaded routines is to use default parameters, which usually results in less code to write and maintain. Default/Optional Parameters In order to simplify some statements, we can give a default value for the parameter of a function or procedure, and we can call the routine with or without the parameter, making it optional. To provide a default value, end the parameter declaration with the equal () symbol followed by a constant expression. For example, given the declaration function SumAsStr (a,b : extended; Digits : integer 2) : string; the following function calls are equivalent. SumAsStr(6.0, 3.0) SumAsStr(6.0, 3.0, 2) Note:  Parameters with default values must occur at the end of the parameter list, and must be passed by value or as const. A reference (var) parameter cannot have a default value. When calling routines with more than one default parameter, we cannot skip parameters (like in VB): function SkipDefParams(var A:string; B:integer5, C:booleanFalse):boolean; ... //this call generates an error message CantBe : SkipDefParams(delphi, , True) ; Overloading With Default Parameters When using both function or procedure overloading and default parameters, dont introduce ambiguous routine declarations. Consider the following declarations: procedure DoIt(A:extended; B:integer 0) ; overload; procedure DoIt(A:extended) ; overload; The call to DoIt procedure like DoIt(5.0), does not compile. Because of the default parameter in the first procedure, this statement might call both procedures, because it is impossible to tell which procedure is meant to be called.

Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Germany - Essay Example As per Benjamin Freedman, the Zionists which consisted of the Jews from Germany were the main people, who wanted America to enter the Second World War, to fight against Germany and help Britain. Hence the Zimmermann telegram could have been just a pretext. Till then America had been very much neutral in the war and was having trading ties with Great Britain. 2. Woodrow Wilson pointed out that, the entry of US in its war against Germany would automatically pull them into the Second World War, which would mark the beginning of a new era of bloodshed and arrogance on the part of the US. Thus if the US had remained out of the war, it would have made Germany become a superpower and dominate the world affairs. ( www.eyewitnesstohistory.com ) Thus history had changed its course due to the US participation in the war, which made it much powerful due its military might and a superpower of the world. Thus US would have been a much peaceful nation and would not have made many countries its enemy, if it had kept out of the Second World

Forming an International Organization Assignment

Forming an International Organization - Assignment Example The alliance also seeks to remove the barriers of trade imposed by member states, and this includes the introduction of free movement of goods and people. The alliance will also seek to prevent an emergence of another war, by promoting cohesion and peace within the region. In conclusion, the alliance will have four organizations, each performing different roles. These organizations are the office of presidents, the office of ministers, the administrative unit, and the office of security affairs. The office of the Presidents is the highest authority, and they are responsible for policy formulation. Normally, a policy will be decided by a vote, and a policy that garners majority votes will be implemented. The office of the ministers will be responsible for discussing the methods of implementing the policy, while the administrative unit will have the responsibility of implementing the policy under consideration. The office of security affairs on the other hand will have the responsibility of identifying the internal and external security threats that face the region. This is for purposes of finding a solution on how to mitigate the threats under

British Colonialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Colonialism - Essay Example When a territory builds and maintains colonies in other territories, this is known as colonialism (Kohn, 2006). When the West or Europe pictured the Arabic and Asian states, they showed people living darkness and void (Kumar, 2007). They showed they did not want to grow and get updated. They showed that the people were simple and could be made to do anything. This is what was thought about South America and Africa when it was colonized (Kumar, 2007). This also brought these governments the support of their citizens (Kumar, 2007). When Europe wanted to conquer these "Oriental" countries, they passed a message to the people that they wanted to develop the territory to be colonized. They planned to strip the territory of its history and cultures and create a new one as they seem to be fit (Kumar, 2007). Orientalism was so depicted and explained as if it was a curse or a bad thing going on in the world. The true meaning of orient was hidden and in the shade of Orientalism, the West exploited and colonized the Asian and the Arabic countries (Kohn, 2006). Thus, Orientalism was one of the tools used by Europe to colonize the Arabic and Asian Countries (Kohn, 2006). ... Vathek (Salah, 2007) One of the examples of orientalism among the British colonial writers was Vathek (1782) by William Thomas Beckford. Beckford (1760-1844) was and English novelist (introduction to Beckfordiana). He was also a member of the parliament from 1784 to 1790. Vathek was originally written in French at a time when orientalism was entranced in the European population. The plot tells the story of the fictional ruler Vathek who falls from power and then engages himself in deplorable activities with his mother to gain supernatural powers. The setting of the tale is oriental, i.e., in the Arabic countries. The novel clearly shows how backward and downgraded the people of the East were considered. The story clearly shows the supernatural and superstitious beliefs and casts the image of the Eastern countries as those who live in the early ages when everything was considered to be supernatural and science and technology played no role. Kubla Khan (Library, 1999) Another example of orientalism among the British colonial writers is the poem Kubla Khan written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge (1772-1834) was an English poet and a romantic (Poetry Foundation). Kubla Khan is a poem describing about a king who claims to be Son of God and thus ascends to the throne on the grounds that God wants him to rule. He makes his subjects build him a house that is suitable for residence for the Son of God. This poem though short shows how the countries in the East are ruled through superstitions and that the British need to go and save the people from such superstitious beliefs of the people there. Thus they could potrait the image among their people that they are colonizing the territory to revive but instead destroy the culture and history of the

Weekly ass. #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly ass. #1 - Essay Example My experience of the storming phase was prominent in a class grouping of a minor subject. The group was comprised of students of different fields and had little similarities, as well as academic language. It took a great deal of quarreling before we got to perform the task assigned by the instructor. Most of today’s workplace require the following soft skills: 1) proactive attitude, which was described as â€Å"the disposition to say yes rather than no† and marked by a willingness to â€Å"help and take action;† 2) problem solving, which is comprised of the problem-finding and the problem-shaping phases; 3) provide services, which is a service orientation based on consistency, sincerity, and mindfulness; 4) teamwork, which is the â€Å"ability to be friendly and work with others in structured groups;† and 5) communication skills, which is characterized by the effectivity and efficiency in conveying â€Å"ideas and information† (Tarnogol, 2010). The significance of possessing such skills becomes evident in the interaction with or between â€Å"difficult people† (Rao, 2010, p.

Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five - Essay Example The main similarity of both works is that they are personal stories of soldiers coming through war and battlefields. "Slaughterhouse-Five" is a personal story which reflects Vonnegut's experience in WWII. The story is unique because the author depicts events, experience, time, memories through different frames which do not connected with each other. "Dispatches" by Herr portrays a life of a war correspondent in Viet Nam. Herr mentions "What a story he told me, it took me a year to understand it" (Herr, 1991). His personal narration plays a crucial role in plot development appealing to readers through its simplicity and veracity. Both authors use colorful language means to share the atmosphere of war. For instance, Vonnegut writes: "We had been foolish virgins in the war, right at the end of childhood" (Vonnegut, 1969). Both authors depict that war changed worldviews and emotions of soldiers faced with enormous emotional burden and fears. War is depicted as the time when people feel lack of money as Billy does. Vonnegut shows that after the war-time, Billy bears in mind the importance of wealth and richness seeing the marriage with Valencia as the great opportunity to improve his financial position.

Is Nationalism a Rational Phenomenon Coursework

Is Nationalism a Rational Phenomenon - Coursework Example Nationalism turns out to be involuntary when a member of a country is born in a particular nation. It was not a choice to be born there so it becomes involuntary. People who permanently change their citizenship and get that of another country are voluntary, members of their country of choice. Thus, voluntary. The concept of nationalism is deeply intertwined with questions like; - What does a nation refer to and what is the meaning of national identity. - What does it mean to belong to a nation? - Is this nation membership non-voluntary or voluntary? - Is nationalism rational? - Is it appropriate to always care about one’s national identity? - How much should one care about nationalism? Nationalism is also viewed as a doctrine that believes that a nation which is at this point defined as a culture or ethnicity is entitled to be an autonomous or independent political community that has its basis on a common destiny or a shared history. Those who are very extreme about nationalism define it in terms of genetics or even race. Nationalism highly influences the history of the world. Over the past years, nationalism has been written off from philosophic debates. It has however surfaced in the philosophy arena especially as a result of the constant troublesome nationalists' clashes for instance in Yugoslavia. The rush of nationalism normally presents an ambivalent that is moral and creates a very interesting picture. The fight for political independence and national awakening is known to be cruel to humanity but at the same time heroic.It leads to the creation of a full and free state that passionately responds to deep sentiments. However, in the process of attaining this, inhuman and violently explosive mechanisms are used to clean the nation off of the non-nationals even to the tune of well organized and executed mass murder.

Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five - Essay Example The main similarity of both works is that they are personal stories of soldiers coming through war and battlefields. "Slaughterhouse-Five" is a personal story which reflects Vonnegut's experience in WWII. The story is unique because the author depicts events, experience, time, memories through different frames which do not connected with each other. "Dispatches" by Herr portrays a life of a war correspondent in Viet Nam. Herr mentions "What a story he told me, it took me a year to understand it" (Herr, 1991). His personal narration plays a crucial role in plot development appealing to readers through its simplicity and veracity. Both authors use colorful language means to share the atmosphere of war. For instance, Vonnegut writes: "We had been foolish virgins in the war, right at the end of childhood" (Vonnegut, 1969). Both authors depict that war changed worldviews and emotions of soldiers faced with enormous emotional burden and fears. War is depicted as the time when people feel lack of money as Billy does. Vonnegut shows that after the war-time, Billy bears in mind the importance of wealth and richness seeing the marriage with Valencia as the great opportunity to improve his financial position.

Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt Essay Example for Free

Female Genital Mutilation in Egypt Essay Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a socio-religious practice that is very prevalent in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It entails the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia for cultural or any other non-therapeutic purpose. As of 1999, at least 130 million girls and women were believed to have undergone FGM. In the same year, it was estimated that about 2 million girls are at risk of being subjected to some form of the procedure every year (WHO 3). FGM is criticized mainly for its detrimental effects on a woman’s physical and psychological health. Girls and women who had been subjected to FGM may die of hemorrhage, shock, urinary tract infections or tetanus (WHO 21). They may likewise experience psychological disorders such as severe depression, anxiety and psychosomatic illnesses (Markle, Fisher and Smego 79). Advocates of FGM, however, claim that Islam requires the practice in order to preserve a woman’s chastity (WHO 6). The actual origins of FGM are very obscure – ethnologists and historians have come up with different theories regarding the existence of the practice. While FGM is commonly associated with Islam, historical evidence shows that the former has predated the latter by at least 1,200 years. The procedure was believed to have been first discussed by the Greek historian Herodotus (484 – 425 BC) (Bullough and Bullough 205). According to his writings, the Ethiopians, the Hittites and the Phoenicians during the 5th century BC were already practicing FGM (UNFPA n. pag. ). The early Romans, the Egyptians and the Arabs likewise performed FGM – there are historical accounts of Egyptian mummies exhibited signs of having undergone the procedure (UNFPA n. pag. ). For the ancient Egyptians, FGM was regarded as a sign of distinction among the aristocracy (Momoh 5). In Western Europe and the United States, FGM was known as clitoridectomy. Until the 1950s, doctors in these regions used clitoridectomy to treat â€Å"ailments† in women such as hysteria, mental disorders, nymphomania, masturbation and lesbianism (UNFPA n. pag. ). FGM is usually done on girls between 8 to 10 years old. Reproductive health experts, however, point out that the procedure is already being carried out on younger girls – there have been cases wherein infant girls were subjected to FGM just a few days after their birth (WHO 147). FGM is classified into four general types: a. Type I – Excision of the prepuce, with or without excision of part or the entire clitoris. b. Type II – Excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora. c. Type III – Excision of part or the entire external genitalia and the stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening (infibulation) (Momoh 6). d. Type IV – Pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and or the labia; scraping of tissue surrounding the vaginal orifice; cutting of the vagina and or the introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina to induce bleeding or to tighten the opening (UNFPA n. pag. ). FGM is usually performed by traditional midwifes or village barbers. They use unsterilized instruments such as razor blades, knives, broken glass, scissors or sharpened stones. Furthermore, they conduct procedures without anesthetic in unhygienic settings (WHO, 148). A new phenomenon, however, has emerged in the recent years – the â€Å"medicalization† of FGM. Despite laws banning the practice of FGM, hospitals in Egypt, Kenya and Sudan now clandestinely perform the procedure. Under the pretext of an illness, female teenagers in these countries are circumcised in the hospital either early in the morning or late at night. The procedure is done during these hours in order to evade detection and arrest. The punishment for performing FGM is relatively stiff – a $625 fine or incarceration for up to a year. But doctors willingly look the other way for the money – medical practitioners in Kenya, for instance, are paid between $37 and $125 for every procedure they perform. Traditional practitioners, in sharp contrast, could charge only as much as $25 (Nzwili n. pag. ). Egypt’s current problem with FGM can be traced back to the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in 1994. The ICPD was held in Cairo – supposedly a turning point in the understanding of health, development and women’s rights in the Islamic world. Critics, however, pointed out that the Cairo Program of Action merely â€Å"forwarded a holistic vision of the connections between sexual ad reproductive health and women’s economic autonomy, social and political equality, access to education and freedom from violence† (Chavkin and Chesler 35). The issues regarding the right of women to control their sexuality and the relevance of this right to achieving health and social justice were inadequately discussed (Chavkin and Chesler 35). Despite this shortcoming, the ICPD managed to transform the issue of FGM from a relatively low-profile subject into matter of national debate. Conservative religious leaders who participated in the conference and their allies in the Egyptian press expressed their approval of FGM by claiming that it is an important part of national and religious identity. Progressive women’s groups, on the other hand, argued that the practice perpetuated the inferior status of women in Egyptian society. In the process, this dispute on FGM showed that the topic of women’s rights is simply a means for Egyptian politicians to attain popularity among the electorate (Chavkin and Chesler 35). Eager to make a good impression on all the foreign delegates of the ICPD, particularly on those from the West, the Egyptian minister of health stated that FGM was already a dying practice in Egypt. But on the very next day, CNN reported about the circumcision of a young girl that took place somewhere in Cairo (Chavkin and Chesler 35). The minister, in an act of political face-saving, declared that the Egyptian government was determined to confront and put an end to the practice. In order to appease Egypt’s conservative sector, meanwhile, he signed an ambivalent decree which allowed only public medical facilities to perform FGM. The law even included provisions which set standard fees and special days when families could book appointments (Chavkin and Chesler 36). The aforementioned aftermath of the ICPD showed the greatest obstacle towards fully implementing anti-FGM policies and programs not just in Egypt but in all other countries that practice FGM – the reconciliation of universal imperatives of human rights with the values of local cultures. The same dilemma also hounded other FGM-related fatalities, particularly the death of four-year-old Egyptian girl Amira Hassan. She died in 1996 due to anesthesia-related complications while undergoing FGM. Instead of pressing charges against the doctor, Ezzat Shehat, Hassan’s parents simply dismissed her demise as â€Å"a will of God† (HURINet n. pag. ). They believed that subjecting their daughter to FGM was their duty as good Muslims (HURINet n. pag. ). Most Egyptians continue to believe in the said relationship between FGM and Islam. A 2005 UNICEF report on the practice revealed that about 97% of women between 15 and 49 years old were subjected to circumcision (Reuters-AlertNet n. pag. ). Despite a 2008 law which renders FGM punishable by three months to two years in prison and a fine of LE 1,000 to LE 5,000, the practice continues to be secretly carried out in Egypt. According to the country’s conservative and religious groups, FGM is necessary to maintain a woman’s chastity (Samaan n. pag. ). Indeed, cultural and religious beliefs are also major factors behind the issue of FGM in Egypt. The practice has already existed long before the advent of Islam. And for a good reason – patriarchy was already in existence even before the emergence of religion. For a patriarchal society to survive, female sexuality must be limited and controlled (Turshen 146). FGM is regarded as one of the most effective means of controlling a woman’s sexuality. The clitoris, the labia minora and the labia majora – the organs removed in FGM – enable a woman to enjoy sexual intercourse. In a patriarchal society, women are not supposed to experience the pleasures of sex. They are supposed to be sexless beings, faithfully serving their respective families and engaging in sex only for the purpose of procreation. Women who do otherwise are considered promiscuous (Turshen 146). It is therefore believed that circumcised women are less likely to be unchaste and commit adultery. In addition, FGM is viewed as a means of emphasizing femininity. When a woman is circumcised, the parts of her body that are metaphorically seen as male, such as the pubic hair and the clitoris, are removed. During ancient times, it was believed that the clitoris â€Å"would grow and protrude like the (penis)† (Turshen 150). Men, on the other hand, undergo circumcision in order to enhance their sexuality. Male circumcision entails the cutting of the foreskin of the penis. A circumcised penis is believed to be more responsive to sexual arousal than an uncircumcised one; thus the ancient belief that circumcision is necessary for virility. Furthermore, a circumcised penis is easier to keep clean. Circumcision eliminates the formation of smegma, a combination of oil, moisture and dead skin cells which serves as a lubricant during sexual intercourse (Turshen 146). Islam does not directly state that all Muslims must be circumcised regardless of gender. However, much of the existing Islamic literature today emphasizes a special link between Islam and FGM (Turshen 151). The most well-known hadith (oral traditions that record the Prophet Muhammad’s speech and actions) about FGM tells of a debate between Muhammad and Um Atiyyah, a woman who used to circumcise female slaves. Muhammad was said to have asked Um Atiyyah if she continued to practice her profession (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). She said she did, adding that she would not stop doing so â€Å"unless it is forbidden and you order me to stop doing it† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). He then replied, â€Å"Yes, it is allowed. Come closer so I can teach you: if you cut, do not overdo it (la tanhiki), because it brings more radiance to the face (ashraq) and it is more pleasant (ahza) for the husband† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). Since the first centuries of Islam, however, Muslim scholars have been scrutinizing the authenticity of the hadiths. They believe that majority of the hadiths were â€Å"contradictory and (contained) affirmations that gave a bad impression of the Islamic religion† (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). In lieu of the hadiths, Muslim scholars came up with their own explanations behind the association of FGM with Islam. The first theory was that FGM was a means of saving women from the degradation that they experienced in the pre-Islamic era. For the Muslims, the pre-Islamic era was the â€Å"Age of Ignorance† – a period of corruption, bloodshed, moral turpitude and social chaos (Akhtar 23). Women in the pre-Islamic era had few rights. The practice of burying infant females in the sand was very rampant. Those who managed to live to adulthood, meanwhile, had no other means of survival except through prostitution (Akhtar 23). It has been mentioned earlier that the organs removed in FGM – the clitoris, the labia minora and the labia majora – enable a woman to enjoy sexual intercourse. By removing these organs, therefore, it was expected that women would no longer take pleasure in sexual intercourse and abandon prostitution in the process. The second theory is that some Islamic societies might have acquired the practice of FGM from other cultures or religions. During Muhammad’s time, the Jews were considered as the elite of Arab society. Consequently, it became inevitable that Islam was influenced by Jewish doctrines and practices such as circumcision (Denniston, Hodges and Milos 148). But this begs the question of how come even Muslim females are circumcised – the Jews circumcise only males. The answer is that Islam might have tailored certain Jewish doctrines and practices to suit its own objectives. One of the objectives of Islam was to uplift the status of women (Akhtar 23). In order to achieve this goal, Islam put its own flavor to the Jewish practice of circumcision. As a result, even Muslim women were required to undergo circumcision. Despite varying explanations regarding the origins and purposes of FGM, one thing is certain – it is not without detrimental physical and psychological effects. The most immediate negative effects of FGM are severe pain and hemorrhage, which, in turn, can result in hypovolaemic shock and death. Other direct effects include abscesses, wound contamination and local infections – obvious results of performing the procedure in unhygienic surroundings using unsterilized tools (WHO 149). FGM also has substantial long-term risks. The practice usually obstructs the drainage of urine, vaginal secretions and menstrual blood. This occurrence, in turn, results in chronic pelvic infections, menstrual dysfunction and menstrual pain. Urinary retention, meanwhile, leads to chronic urinary tract infection and renal damage. When menstrual blood is unable to flow out of the body, abdominal pain and swelling ensue (WHO 149). The abdominal distention that circumcised women experience due to the lack of menstrual flow has been misinterpreted as a pregnancy. As a result, some circumcised but unmarried women have been subjected to honor killings – killed by their male relatives in order to preserve the honor of their clan. FGM also exposes a woman to the risk of contracting HIV. Unsterilized instruments may transmit HIV-infected blood into an HIV-negative patient (WHO 149). Women who underwent FGM may also experience difficulties in sexual intercourse after the procedure. Penetration may either be painful or impossible due to a narrow introitus. Prolonged postcoital bleeding and anorgasmia may likewise take place. In some cases, surgery was necessary to open up the vagina for penetration (WHO 150). FGM may render a woman infertile. Chronic pelvic infections often lead to the obstruction of the fallopian tubes. The latter is one of the most common causes of ectopic pregnancy, which can lead to the death of both the mother and the baby. Narrowing of the introitus, meanwhile, may force a couple to use the anus or the urethra for sexual intercourse. Fluctuating hormones during pregnancy put circumcised women at more risk for genital and urinary tract infections than their uncircumcised counterparts (WHO 150). The most common psychological disorders among circumcised women are depression and anxiety – they have to conform to parental and societal expectations while dealing with pain, complicated recovery and other long-term health effects. Painful sexual intercourse may result in them having immensely traumatic memories of their wedding night. Circumcised women also have to live each day in fear – they constantly view each cyst that grows in them as a possible symptom of cancer or other serious ailment (WHO 152). When the physical pain becomes too much for them to endure, they might resort to suicide. Female genital mutilation is one of the worst forms of violence that can be inflicted on a woman. In an effort to tie her to the home, she is horribly mutilated and made to live in constant pain for the rest of her life. A circumcised woman is also made to live in fear. She is constantly warned by society that to avoid circumcision is to face ostracism and even condemnation. Much still has to be done before FGM will finally be abolished. But the first step remains to be education. Societies must be made aware of the importance of educating girls. Numerous studies have already proven that girls who have attained basic education are healthier and are less likely to die in childbirth than those who did not. When the members of a particular society – both male and female – are healthy, this society becomes productive. Works Cited Akhtar, Shabbir. The Quran and the Secular Mind: A Philosophy of Islam. New York: Routledge, 2007. Bullough, Vern L. , and Bonnie Bullough. Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia. New York: Taylor and Francis, 1994. Chavkin, Wendy, and Ellen Chesler. Where Human Rights Begin: Health, Sexuality and Women in the New Millennium. Chapel Hill: Rutgers University Press, 2005. Denniston, George C. , Frederick Mansfield Hodges and Marilyn Fayre Milos. Male and Female Circumcision: Medical, Legal and Ethical Considerations in Pediatric Practice. New York: Springer, 1999. â€Å"Egyptians Stand by Female Circumcision. † 10 December 1996. The Human Rights Information Network (HURINet). 27 February 2009 http://www. hartford-hwp. com/archives/32/018. html. â€Å"Egypt Mufti Says Female Circumcision Forbidden. † 24 June 2007. Reuters-AlertNet. 27 February 2009 http://www. alertnet. org/thenews/newsdesk/L24694871. htm. Markle, William H. , Melanie A. Fisher and Raymond A. Smego. Understanding Global Health. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2007. Momoh, Comfort. Female Genital Mutilation. Abingdon: Radcliffe Publishing, 2005. Nzwili, Fredrick. â€Å"In Africa, FGM Checks into Hospitals. † 5 December 2004. Women’s ENews. 27 February 2009 http://www. womensenews. org/article. cfm/dyn/aid/2097/. â€Å"Promoting Gender Equality: Frequently Asked Questions on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. † n. d. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 27 February 2009 http://www. unfpa. org/gender/practices2. htm. Samaan, Magdy. â€Å"Shoura Council Passes Child Law, Criminalizes FGM. † 12 May 2008. Daily News Egypt. 27 February 2009 http://www. dailystaregypt. com/article. aspx? ArticleID=13659. Turshen, Meredeth. African Women’s Health. Trenton: Africa Word Press, 2000. World Health Organization (WHO). 1999. Female Genital Mutilation Programmes to Date: What Works and What Doesn’t. Geneva, Switzerland: Department of Women’s Health – Health Systems and Community Health. World Health Organization (WHO). Mental Health Aspects of Womens Reproductive Health: A Global Review of the Literature. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2008.

Business and market analysis of Tea company

Business and market analysis of Tea company Tapal Tea (Pvt) Limited is one of the leading manufacturer of brand tea in Pakistan and south Asia. This product is introduced by Adam Ali Tapal in 1947. Its business is growing from day by day through its inception. There is no business in the world that cannot face the competition in the market. Tapal also faces tough competition from different brands of the company like Lipton, Brook bond and supreme which are also giving tough completion to Tapal. It is one of the largest Pakistani company who has started in Judie Bazaar one of the busiest business area in Karachi, Pakistan. Tapal is one of the largest local companies who do not have any investment from abroad. This business started as sole proprietorship and becomes Private Limited Company now. It means to say that the company now has legal status than before. In 1997, Tapal tea is one of the first company who got the ISO-9001 quality standard, a symbol of high quality. Tapal company main focus is quality. They never compromise on quality. A customer can pay more price but they are not ready to compromise on quality. It includes who are the customers of the product. Tea is one of the hot beverages which are commonly used by different peoples of different ages from rural to urban areas. The market of tea is very strong in the Pakistan. Learning Outcome 1 Vision statement Linda Jackson Burrs states that vision statement is where you see you future state. Creating a vision statement takes some thought as to what is really doable and believable The vision of company to expand the business, consistency in price and further improve quality of the product Mission statement Jeffrey Abrahams states that every company, n matter how big or small, needs a mission statement as a source of direction, a kind of compass, that lets its employees, its customer and even its stockholders know what is stand for and where its headed. Our mission of the company is to provide world class product in minimum price, not ready to compromise on quality, to have good relations in the market and makes perfect market for the competition. There are so many organizations that are only writing mission and vision of the company and not following on them but Tapal Company Limited is one of those companies that is clearly doing what is their promise to do like not compromising on quality of the tea, producing new brands of the tea and expanding their business to the wider extent. Marketing strategy Marketing is one of the key elements in addition to other functions without which the company cannot get success. Marketing of the product is not easy task by any means, so proper care should be taken very carefully otherwise the project can be failed. It based on a process in which organization to focus on the availability of its resources to increase its profit by increasing the sale. Marketing planning Marketing Planning is a set of document in which details of action is given to achieve the objects set by the management for a period of one or up to five year. It could be based on selling of any kind of product. Marketing plan is usually based on the whole business plan. Strong planning can play major role in the success of product sale in the market. Its very important to have a very aggressive plan if you are not an introducer of new product and still you want to grab the market. Link between Marketing Plan and Marketing Strategy Whenever you want to launch a product you must plan it. If you plan well it gives you a good picture how much you can achieve but if you didnt then it might cause an organization very heavily so marketing plan which is a business plan for a company is very important for the launch of a product and even if you want to do some extension in your product and at the launching time you need a marketing strategy to increase the sale up to the maximum level. Marketing strategy is the foundation of marketing plan. And marketing strategy can make marketing plan more effective so we can say they both are very important for the success of the product. Impact of Strategy over Planning Strategy always plays a big impact over planning because even if the planning is excellent but they are unable to create a good strategy then everything will be good but on papers only. The external requirement which need to be taken from the customer can only be achieved by the good business strategy. So we can say for the success of planning you must have good strategy as well. Marketing planning problems There could be so many problems when you make marketing planning. There could be so change in the environment means you need to change the forecast. They are unable to give the required factual information and doest make good marketing decision. It could be possible that they spend too much for the advertisement and doest get the response they want. May be they lack experience for preparing a strong marketing plan. Component of Marketing Planning There are so many marketing components which are used in the business I am discussing in this assignment. In brief they are price, product, promotion, placement, people, environment and process. When Tapal make a marketing plan they always consider what price should they set for the product because they have so much competition in the market, they always make sure that when they introduce a product it has to be unique so they will grab the high share in the market. They always promote their new products so all will know something new and different is coming in the market. Every time when they plan they make sure what area they need to cover and where to launch the product. They always make sure in their planning that how people will obtain the product. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors http://marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-swot.html This is an abbreviation of strength, weakness, opportunity and threat. I will analyze this tool in my selected firm http://hrmadvice.com/assets/images/swotanalysis.jpg Strengths Continuous innovation for increased customer value, for example: First to introduce soft pack in the country, The pioneer of selling Jasmine Green Tea in Pakistan. The only company selling round-tea bags in Pakistan. Tapal is one company that is catering to the needs of all segments of the society. They are exporting their product in so many countries Qualified Research Development team Brand awareness targeting the local market. Weaknesses They are importing some products which increase their cost and decrease their profit. Sale on cash system gives chance distributor to switch to other any time. Tight quality control increase the cost and sometime relationship with distributor is also gets disturbed. Opportunities Tea begs market is increase day by day and they already have a big share in this so they can easily grab more percentage in the market. Customers are very much attracted and like strong taste and quality of tea offered by tea providers. There are so many areas in the country which are still not fully covered by any tea provider company. They are importing Duty free tea from different countries. Green tea requirement is continuously growing. Threats Strong position and big name of Unilever makes extremely difficult for Tapal to counter-attack because of low budgets and they are financially very strong. Unilever is a big name in the country more than Tapal worldwide. High import duties encourage smugglers of tea to grow. They should take immediate step to promote their products in the market because they are spending very less amount for the marketing of their products and all other competitor spending too much money to market the product and to grab more shares in the market. Learning Outcome 2 Producing marketing plan for Tapal Pvt Ltd Before thinking about any plan you have to be sure about the whole industry overview. So out plan is to introduce variety of tea products in Pakistan by Tapal pvt ltd. As we know that is one of the most popular drinks in the entire world and especially in ASIA region people are literally crazy about tea. The demand for tea is very high in Pakistan. With such a huge public who likes to drink tea, the competition is also there and very tuff as well. Brands such as Tapal, Lipton, Brooke Bond and Supreme, are the biggest tea brand in Pakistan. The target people are very common for the entire brand who love to drink the tea. And we know that the area which they need to cover is very Hugh. It consumed on daily basis with very high quantity. The current demand is very high and its demands are getting higher and higher. As competition is very tuff so market share is divided into many company and our plan is to grab the maximum share from the market. Our plan is to produce those kind of goods which are more consuming and more in demand so thats how we will be able to grab the more public and for that we need huge amount to invest in business because we need to spread all over the country and have to market our product at every corner so it will cost us very high. For that we need to see is the time is good to invest so much in the business. Are the political and social conditions of the country supporting our decision of investing such a big amount? If we are sure that the decision will favor the company it will maximize it profit by increasing the share and capturing the big market then it could be a plan which we will definitely follow. We know that if our customer is happy with our product than our competitor will have to face a strong fight through our product and we definitely win the maximum market share. Marketing Mix Element of marketing mix normally referred as 4 ps which are Product, price, place and promotion. A product is a service given by the company to its customers and price will be amount customer paid against the product of a company they have purchased. It all depend on company what price they need to fix for the company. The place could be from where it was purchased. E.g. tea can be purchased by big store and its a place or by any small shop as well and last thing is promotion which describe how the company helps to market its product. Marketing mix can affect the decision taken by the upper management like if management dont want to spend a lot on product marketing but marketing mix strategies forces them to spend more for it. If management plans to increase the price of the product but the time they might follow the marketing mix strategies which force them to retain with the same price. 7C By the help of different definition we will grab the meaning of 7c which are consists of Context, Commerce, Connection, Communication, Content, Community and customization. These entire customer based details available in marketing which help the company to interact with the customer. 7P The 7p in marketing are product, price, promotion, place, people, processes and physical evidence. They are effective for any kind of marketing process ensure that an appropriate value is assigned to each one of them. The 7p are as important in marketing as the success or failure might result due to them. The actions and budget so important when making a plan for the company because the action you do when you are implementing a plan is very vital because a wrong action can disturb the whole planning and proper budget setting is a key of success of planning because if you didnt budget out your plan you can be short of finance. Planning and action always controlled the organization because it makes you organized and the organization is always prepared for what their next step will be. Due to these reason the organizations are always prepared and taken all kind of action well before time and they are not worried about what they need to do. Learning Outcome 3 How your marketing plan support your organization strategy objective Marketing plan come through a long process it start from a single department and ends up to management decision, plan must be always like easy to understand for management to approved it and realize the facts of market strategies for what they want from customer, Tapal always make a attractive marketing plan which always looks different from others, for now this marketing plan which is very supportive for the organization is just because its meets the need of customer in a very smart way like they introduced a new tea flavor which is they want to be market the product by new style which a customer attract and also get some benefited for an organization. How your organization implement your plan Tapal is a big in industry so any body at any time can interested in the advertisement for its product, it is the best way to approved the marketing strategy by showing that there are 5 major advertisement companies are ready to launch and advertised our new product in the market, and if the plan is 100% correct then organization never refuse because they get more revenue and goodwill in the market. If the plan is according to organization and customer then it is easy to take decision for management. Plan should be compressed and productive for organization. Plan should be not very costly. Plan should be not so long time process Plan should be as per new techniques and 3D type as per new generation like Plan should be process after research Plan should be shows new market prices Plan should be long life and skill full. Discuss link between strategy and implementation and skills needed for implementation As we discussed above that is the plan is strong then management never refuse them because they also want to be leader in the market, before making a plan it need a strategic thinking on the plan to make it perfect and executive, after that this plan need some skills like added some technically and moderate touch to improve the product quality and price, so that the organization easily implement on the upcoming strategic plan with full of skills. It is very easy to make a plan but is not easy to do implement on it so if the plan is make with strategic and skilled so it could more productive to introduce in front of management and if the plan is in according to the new market requirement so it is likely to be more attractive if there is a less skills include in it. Outline your approach to gain your agreement for marketing plan If the plan is according to companies favor so there is no any chance that it could be rejected. Always approach will be positive to make the plan competitive and advance. Tapal is always look in those matter which are highly skilled, attractive and sincere with the organization, to gain the agreement for strategic plan for organization is a very important role for marketing department to extent their plans which are still are in favor of organization and as before management like the approach to get always new marketing style, the best approach for management is that to produced their best efforts to capture the market because know a days their so many competitors in the market if they lack in the advertisement or promotion or introducing in new products then it could be easy for other competitors to overcome. Describe your publicity and promotion strategy as part of your organization The first approach is that tapas needs to be improve their marketing style just because know a days people need electronic media advertisement and promotion on all the product to get all the products in a very cheap and reason able price this can increase in the number of customers but also increase in loyal customer. The best approach to get the agreement extent or more loyal tapal need to make advertisement in TV ads and make a ads with the celebrities to make people more attract. For tapal it is not a big deal to make ads with celebrities. They also need to do some sale promotion and prizes for kids to make them also a part of tapal, and take some social activities like arrange some games, concerts, charity and convocation and show sponsoring in these activities to make good image in the market. Identify and describe your evaluation review measure and trend for the effectiveness of your plan To maintain the level of the marketing in the fast running industry because there is not only one part or trend to evaluate and measure the causes of market its a long and lengthy process which each and every department of the organization is involved in it, according to new trend we can say that people need always new and productive so Tapal team is always try to first in the line and make sure that the plan for marketing is effective for organization and its growth, as review the trend is that people need always low product price rate but now a days they also want some prizes or promotion on the product to get more benefit from the product they buy. It is not easy to maintain both of these issues with each other, team is always tried to make their plan effectiveness and evaluate the main issue in front of management. Conclusion At the end of this course we can understand vision and mission statement of business and how we can make marketing plans keeping all risk factor in mind. How we can control planning and how we can support our organization object. How to publish and promote the strategy of our company and how our plan can be affective.