Baroque and Classicism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Baroque and Classicism - Essay Example On the other hand, classicism in art is described as forms of artistic style during the late 15th century and defined as â€Å"a movement that can be defined by its attention to traditional forms concentrating on elegance and symmetry. It takes the art of the Greeks and Romans as its idea of perfection† (artrepublic). Using these definitions, the current discourse hereby aims to contrast two distinct works of art: the baroque art of Bernini, â€Å"Ecstasy of St. Teresa†, with the classicism of Poussin, â€Å"Discovery of Achilles on Skyros†. The â€Å"Ecstacy of St. Teresa† by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is reportedly found in the Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome (Khan Academy). Consistent with the characteristics and features noted from the definition of baroque art, the â€Å"Ecstacy of St. Teresa† exhibits the embodiment of movement, energy, intense spirituality and the apparent exemplified passions of the soul as could be viewed from th e facial expression of St. Teresa. The expressed flow of movement could be viewed from the intricate folds of St. Teresa’s clothes, as well as that which was worn by the angel. Since the scenario seemed to depict that the angel had just allegedly pierced St. Teresa’s heart with a spear, the image of St. Teresa was in a suspended motion that apparently vividly shows her point of ecstacy. Therefore, the art work effectively represented baroque in terms of the effectiveness of the artist in capturing the intense passion on the face of his subject, St. Teresa.

Platform for ELearning Experience

Platform for ELearning Experience The world currently is at a point where information technology has become a requirement in peoples daily lives. There is a need for people to learn from where they are, and equip themselves suitably to the changing environments. There is no completion in the process of learning particularly for the general academicians and business professionals. Learning which is supported by information, technology, and communication is the new path the population desire to obtain (Chiu et al. 2014). The aim of this proposal is to provide the client with a full insight of the market landscape, in order to accomplish the desired goals and maximize the return on investment. It was taken into considerations that since the website aims to attract customers globally, its name should fit diversely and corresponds with the idea of being available and accessible. Therefore, Universal Online Academy is the name that we believe is bearing the connotations behind this idea. Furthermore, the website will outli ne a better user understanding and enable users to experience instructional design model through e-learning methods, offering education services about Big Data Analytics. The online services that the platform offers will not be just limited to digital literacy but encompass multiple formats that include a hybrid technology methodology, in particular the use of software, the overall internet and devices as well as interactive media on the companys website. According to the respected magazine Forbes, in order for a marketing strategy to be successful, it must be multi-faced, realistic and implemented consistently over time. (Forbs,2013) Therefore, a clear set of marketing objectives must be identified and implied respectively. Borrowing the existing audit, some of the components of the SMART objectives methodology are going to be analysed, which corresponds to the specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound aspects of a marketing strategy and apply those of them that are compatible with our business proposal. Starting with the specific objectives, the key milestones are: Build brand awareness among the target group Provide useful content We have defined specific target group, represented by professionals, such as system administrators, database specialists and/or business intelligence experts, who seek to expand their knowledge and expertise in the Big Data and Data Analytics field. Through the completion of the courses offered from our clients online training platform, the participants will not only improve their technical skills, but also receive a certification as a proof of their achievements. In order to fulfil this objective and enhance the brand awareness, while increasing participants level of engagement, it is believed that the proposed website should include relevant and accurate information on how the skills acquired over the training period will upgrade the organisations competitiveness in the digital environment. The appearance of respected researchers who will provide content for the recorded online courses, together with the ongoing Webinar, which aim is to encourage further discussions on relevant for the participants topics, will result beneficially on the brand awareness and reputation. Moreover, and as known, a high level of flexibility is a key requirement for the business success; in regards, participants in the online courses could be either independent individuals or organisations employees. In order to demonstrate the level of flexibility and attract more users to subscribe for the online courses our client is offering discounts for multiple course enrolments, and mobile version of the website, in an attempt to address the customers needs and provide them with convenience. Following on that, providing high quality of services on a competitive price is what the client should aim for in order to establish the newly launched website and online services on the existing digital market l andscape. Further details on the pricing strategy will be discussed later on in this proposal. In terms of measurable objectives, which refers to the quantitative data acquired that enables the business owner to track the business performance, an implementation of a search engine marketing strategy is going to be proposed. This strategy is achievable in two ways: first, is the search engine optimisation (SEO) approach and second is the paid search marketing (PSM) approach. The main advantages of these two approaches are the ability to specify the target audience and reduce the costs involved in the promotion activities. A good implementation of those two practices leads to achieving the highest ranking in the natural listing. It is due to its capability to increase the brand awareness and measure the traffic towards the website, which is critical for the business success, what makes the SEM strategy the most commonly used in the digital marketing world Implementing a search engine optimisation will allow the owner to keep track of the contribution to the website and identify from where does the traffic comes from. Moreover, keywords, Meta tags, backlinks and product images are also playing significant role throughout the optimisation, due to the vast number of websites that exist in the Internet environment. Since the main purpose of the search engine optimisation is to increase the website visibility and deliver traffic to the site, the implementation of a search engine strategy which will result in more attention from the targeted audience. 2.1 ACHIEVABLE When it comes to the achievable objectives, the visual aspects of the proposed website are going to be discussed. As the modern online user is native with the digital environment and have been exposed to thousands of different websites and online promotions, it is believed that the graphic user interface (GUI) of the website should be user-friendly. Users should be able to navigate throughout the website easily, almost intuitively. This could be achieved through a simple web design, which will allow users to explore the website, without feeling lost in it and overload with unnecessary information. The website should be designed in a smart way and offer users to continue their learning process from where they have left it, just by clicking on one button. In order to illustrate the idea of the website structure a sitemap is going to be created, which could be found in the appendix section of this business proposal. At the Universal Online Academy, many activities will be offered online at a competitive price. The company plans to enter into online training that offers educational services for business professionals. The fields of study include Big Data and Analytics (Smith, 2016). The main activities that cover Big Data and analytics at the Universal Company include pre-recorded training courses provided by well-respected and qualified instructors in which they will cover various areas in Big Data platforms. There will also be online programs that introduce online users to the world of Data Science, master data management systems, text analytics and data quality among other relevant fields of study. The company aims at providing high-quality online programs that help academicians learn the relevant skills required in achieving their goals through offering them different levels. Participants are entitled to decide on which level they want to encounter themselves based on their knowledge, which respectively are (beginners, intermediate, advanced). The courses at the website will be provided through tutorials. Universal Online Academy offers webinars, which will be organized on a monthly basis and participants can register for. The average duration of a webinar is 1.5 hours where topics could be e.g. Social Networks for Fraud Detection, Predictive Analytics using Decision Trees, Hadoop, etc.   Universal Online Academy also offers academicians the ability to earn their certificates while documenting their contact hours as well as their course completion on the website. All the courses offered on the website will be self-paced. This means that the academicians will not need to be online at specific date or time. They will study at their own convenient time, which will be suitable for their schedule. Research conducted by Fowler, Godin Geddy (2016), show that Extensible Markup Language or simply XML will be employed as the main database storing information for the Universal Online Academy. XML is a standard format within information exchange and general integration within the website. Extensive research on XML technology has led to the overall development in the e-learning industry. With the effective combination of XML as well as other related databases for portable Internet data exchange, storage and management remain the main platform for Universal Online Academy (Schulte, 2013). XML is the main database that is used to support eLearning, which makes it paramount for the application in developing the methodologies for eLearning. The learning institution will make good use of content managers who will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring materials online are either stored within the local content databases or even as links that provide good quality video for the part icipants (Rijmenam, 2014). Video recordings in most teachings will only be accessible by the teachers, students as well as mentors of the content storage databases (Ivan, 2014). The company will also use the cloud-based data synchronization which offers a promising solution in the management of heterogeneous learning materials such as texts, web pages excerpts, images, videos and links (Trifu Mircea, 2016). Such delivery of computing and storage service utility is essential in the database storing for the instructors, the participants, the sessions that follow and even in providing feedback (Pelet, 2013). According to (Marshall Taylor, 2015) the cloud storage, in particular, will provide participants and instructors with effective data storage and computing services, data processing ability within the sessions and an adaptive content delivery to a different computer and PDA devices. The ultimate goal of every marketing strategy is to build-up and/or reinforce the brand awareness among its targeted audience in order to increase the return of investment.   Philip Kotler, who is one of the most established authors in the marketing field has highlighted that the purpose of a marketing strategy is to define, measure and quantify the size of the identified market and the profit potential. (Kotler, et.al. Grant, 2014) Following on that, this business proposal aims to address and provide a detailed plan on how the client can maximize the companys profits by implementing the appropriate promotional marketing activities launching a website. Consequently, first, the characteristics of the potential customers will be examined afterwards a focus on the industry landscape is needed, which in turn will provide a better understanding of the needs emerging in the particular sector. That will furthermore, allow to match the clients offerings with the consumer demand and help measure the level of satisfaction in the post-promotional stage of the marketing campaign. Secondly, in order to differentiate the client services from the rest of the online training companies, the competitors performance are going to be discussed in the market landscape, through which the aim is to collect insights regarding the customers acceptance of the offerings in terms of pricing and preferred content delivery methods. Having gained such insights, then an appropriate website design will be suggested, that will match with the overall goals of the clients company and thereafter, extend the promotional activities with an adequate social media campaign. After implementing the proposed strategy, the client will be able to spot the advantages of understanding the marketing landscape, which in turn will allow him to address the market demand, measure the business performance and take appropriate marketing actions to achieve the objectives of the project. Having that in mind, it is going to be analysed the following business proposal in a reasonable manner, which will illustrate every phase of the marketing strategy, considering all aspects from budgeting to web design, promotion strategy and social media activities. SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING STRATEGY In eLearning, it is important to craft a search engine result page that is unique, eye-catching and well shareable through discussion boards. When it comes to Search Engines, the company will use Google as the main search engine to attract different prospects. This means the company will simply create a course content titled eLearning courses for universal online Academy then go ahead to creating a comprehensive content that lists and gives details of the courses being provided and materials to be used (Moran Hunt, 2014). The use of Google will ensure there is no crowding in the result page being presented and the differentiation of results will be made easy for learners to find. The company will ensure the search engine developed can rank for the targeted keywords specified for the courses being offered and the instructors names since they are well known professionals (Jones, 2016). Google search engine optimization has widely been used since it can rank for the specified targeted keyword variations to give users a good online experience. Some of the keywords that can be used to increase the visibility of the website are big data platforms, data analytics, online learning, data science, predictive analytics, text analytics, master data management data quality. 7. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGY Involvement in social media can be beneficial for companies; as a starting point, company has to set goals and objectives, in order to increase brand awareness and/or drive traffic to a website. Businesses need to decide on what aims to be achieved by the social media team. Furthermore, social media enables two-way communication between organizations and customers. As for social media marketing, it is more about creating awareness about the organization, promoting their goods and services through different social media channels. According to Saravanakumar and SuganthaLakshmi (2012), social media is associated with consumers communication.   Social media allows customers to communicate not just with the company but with others as well. As a result, companies need to provide customers with a platform where they can build a network for interaction. Universal Online Academy is expected to establish an active presence on social media platforms with particular emphasis on LinkedIn, Twitter as well as Facebook. This will ensure a powerful connection between the company and the learning community to give the stakeholders the ability to accomplish the companys mission (Geho Dangelo, 2012). The best way to position the companys commitment is through providing learners with the best information about the online courses offered and provide answers for the users inquiries in a professional and efficient manner. When it comes to the selection amongst social media platforms LinkedIn is the preferred medium for targeting business professionals. Only in the UK nearly 60% of the students and professionals are using LinkedIn to widen their connections, future working prospects, and business opportunities. By establishing extensive connections on the platform, the organizational value of the company can be penetrated to the online users. Unlike other social media platform, LinkedIn allows B2B and B2C networking efficiently and effectively. One of the unique features that LinkedIn offers is categorizing individuals depending on their occupation, previous education, work experiences, and skills. In order for this social media marketing strategy to be successful the LinkedIn account of the website will include each instructor professional account, so that it enables users to check the instructors profile so they can have a glimpse of what each instructor could provide them with regarding their field of interest. As for Twitter being the second most used social media platform, it will be used as an instrument to attract attention and to increase brand awareness in the online environment. Since, opening a Twitter account is free, cost-effectiveness is one of the key player especially for business owners. Once a company has established a large number of audience and followers, they will create a hashtag for everyone to use and share through tweets, for instance, Universal Online Academy can produce hashtags (e.g. #UOA, #BigData, #Best-ecoursesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). By increasing the amount of hashtags shared on Twitter, the popularity of their page will be leveraged which is a desirable goal a business should aim to achieve through the implementation of a social media marketing strategy. Facebook is most commonly used across social media platforms globally, A great number of people will be exposed to different kind of pages and public accounts since Facebook has more than one billion active users. By creating a Facebook page Universal Online Academy can reach a great amount of potential subscribers, which in turns, it makes the platform effective for the client. When it comes to promoting through Facebook, introductory videos about the services provided by the website itself can be posted on the page so users can comment, like, and share the videos. With the use of Facebook, companies are able to recognize their audience, and by doing that, Universal Online Academy can post relevant information towards its followers to attract them. Therefore, Universal Online Academy can emphasize on its Facebook presence where it can promote their main website including the services that they provide. The beneficial part of using Facebook regarding any online business is creating a nd boosting up the brand image and companies position in the market since it is an easy platform that it does not require the users to obtain a high level of digital literacy. Nowadays technology plays an important role in education. More and more people are willing to expand their knowledge in various aspects of their interest. There are multiple online sites that offer courses/seminars online and provide a certificate. Universities and companies around the world offer online programs to everyone since more than 6 million students in 2012 attended online courses (McConnell, 2012). The advantages of attending online courses are many. Since many citizens do not have the time to attend offline lectures they choose to register in an online course. The most well-known competitor is Lynda.com since it has various categories for online seminars. The history of this online education server goes back to 1995. All registered members can have access to watch multiple educational videos. The online courses are taught in English, German, Spanish and French. The first 10 days the member can watch free his/her educational preferable programs to make his/her familiar with the program and see whether he/she likes it or not. After the 10 days, free trial there are various subscriptions types. The monthly membership subscription costs 25$/month. The monthly premium subscription costs 37.50$, the annual subscription costs 250$ and the annual premium subscription costs 375$/year. It is highlighted that many can pay Lynda.com, since the cost is low. In 2015 the registered members of Lynda.com reached 4 million users (Robbins, 2015). Future Learn was founded in 2012 by the Open University. It is the first UK massive open online course (MOOC) educational online server, and in 2017 109 universities were included in their platform. Future Learn was propelled with the 12 UK high ranked universities. This makes Future Learn unique, that it cooperates with the most well-known universities in the UK. The main languages of Future Learn are English, Dutch, French, Spanish and Chinese. The courses are free to attend but in the end of the online module the participant must pay between 39$ 59$ in order to receive the certificate. Future Learn in 2015 had 3.8 million registered online students from 200 different countries. (Harvegal, 2016). The Chief Executive of Future Learn Simon Nelson argued that the cost of the certificate is moderate because Future Learn wants a founding ethos online platform that everyone can have access no matter the cost. This is the reason why; people pay at the end of the module so everyone can be educated. Another competitor is Udacity. Udacity is a for-profit online educational company founded in 2011. It is well known for its computer science classes through the Stanford University. It has 1.6 million active users in 12 full online lectures. Udacity is well known for their pioneering technology courses of nanotechnology and nanoengineering.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Since these programs are very for profit, they price begin from 200$/month. It is vivid that there are thousands of online educational platforms. Technology in education is emerging. As for Universal Online Academy, many aspects should be taken into consideration, due to the fact that there are many competitors in this industry and a unique competitive advantage must be accomplished in order for the website to prosper. One of the main competitive advantage that Universal Online Academy has is the presence of a well-known and experienced instructors; who are going to deliver the best contact in the domain of Big Data and analytics. Pricing strategies will be designed to suit the diverse needs of customers from all the regions around the world. Utilizing an effective online pricing strategy will require both a test and learn strategy paired with an intuitive feel for how the institution would like the brand and the online package being offered will be perceived (Leong, 2013). In utilizing the best, online pricing strategy will lead to an effective Omni channel selling success that will be used by anybody anywhere in the world. The pricing strategy for the pre-recorded training sessions, the webinars as well as one-to-one online tutoring session will be expanded based on four very important e-learning pricing strategies. This includes the Value-based pricing and cost-plus pricing. Competitive pricing, target return pricing and the lead generation model will be the second option for the company (Tidd Bessant, 2013). For the case of the value-based pricing, Universal Online Academy will employ a pricing strategy that entails pricing the courses to appeal to the customers over an alternative competing for e-learning price. This will consider the deep value of education the customer needs (Wu, Wann-Yih, Hsieh-Chih, 2016). This means the materials being presented online will determine the prices largely depending on the perceived value of the public. Cost-plus pricing will be implemented to ensure that the company is maintaining an ample margin of profit at any given time. Another possible option for the company as stated is the Competitive pricing strategy (Kutsch, McDermott Finch, 2013). which will also be used only basing on what the competitions charge for teaching the same packages. Universal online Academy will invest a lot of efforts and preparations into developing and providing an ultimate eLearning courses online. These include perfecting the eLearning courses to choosing an ideal online payment platform (Aaronson, Brave, and Cole, 2016). The process will involve various steps, which will require the full attention of the company. It is of utmost importance that universal online academy prepares a comprehensive courses payment gateway. This means the company has a responsibility to ensure the learners are provided with the safest channels of making payments (Nawi, Mamun Raston, 2015). The channels of payments will be secured to ensure the learners have confidence when they insert their details. Universal Online Academy will employ the services of PayPal which uses an advanced data-encryption and anti-fraud technology to keep its online users data secured. In the course of the webinar, the company will offer a variety of instructional roles developed to provide effective teaching as well as a good learning experience for the students (Kohl, 2012). The webinars will last for the duration of one and half hours which are custom to the normal classroom lessons. The students will have some qualified instructors in order to address their various needs. The interaction will be the best for online delivery for the inexperienced presenters (Bates, Phalen, Moran, 2016). The webinar will be used in offering both administrative and technical support in assisting users with other aspects of attendance like their inability to log into the systems, requests for password reminders among other services. The platform would provide a chart box for complete interaction as well as the use of a webcam and a microphone for one on one communications. This will be customized to be the same as the traditional face-to-face classroom experience at the comfort of the students homes. Research has shown that eLearning was first introduced to China ten years ago. With that, only a small population of the Chinese community has access to the eLearning platform especially in the topics covering the big data Platforms. The online platform in China will target the business-to-business market. This is because most of the Chinese companies have the need to reduce staff training expenses but at the same time provide the flexibility of time and space to facilitate an easy learning process for employees (Ellis Kuznia, 2014). Universal online Academy will pursue its expansion to China through targeting the corporations and business segments, which enjoy a bigger proportion of the market shares. The company expects that with the introduction of eLearning to China, online education will grow and various expectations are highlighted with the growth of the Chinese online education system. There will be a more open communication system that will be opened for other students (Delisle, Goldstein, Yang, 2016). The Chinese students will be able to pursue foreign online education degrees in the field of Big Data Platforms such as Hadoop and Mongo DB among others. The students will be able to earn their degrees often without the need of visiting UK. Universal online Academy will ensure there is more rural reachability of the Chinese students to ensure they join the online courses to benefit from the general education system (Alman, Tomer, Lincoln, 2012). The Blackboard will also become a popular platform in China giving the website the ability to explore opportunities in giving them a better online learning experience. Not to forget that Chinese people prefer using mobile apps rathe r than PCs and laptops so the overall structure of the website should be compatible and suitable for different type of devices This proposal has effectively presented the best platform for an eLearning experience for business professionals around the world. The website requirements have been shown from the strategies that are going to be developed to give learners the best online learning experience that is well customized in order to meet their needs. It has also offered a solution in the various web design aspects that are provided for the users. Pricing strategies are also effective in giving Universal Online Academy a heads-up. To make sure that the website is efficient and it provides an exclusive content, the company will design a portal login for the users allowing them to access their paid courses or any additional material for example webinars, one-to-one tutoring, and by the end of the courses being able to pay securely for the certificate. This will ensure that the subscribers have reach a satisfactory level with their online learning experience which will eventually lead to a positive word of mou th and brand reputation. References Aaronson, R, Brave,D and Cole, A.S. (2016). Using Private Sector Big Data as an Economic Indicator: The Case of Construction Spending. Chicago Fed Letter, No. 366, 1236-1253. Alman, S, Tomer,C Lincoln, M (2012). Designing Online Learning: A Primer for Librarians. Libraries Unlimited: Santa Barbara, CA. Bates, C, Phalen, M.S Moran, L (2016). Online Professional Development a Primer: Educators Have Access to a Dizzying Array of Virtual Learning Opportunities, but They Must Be Mindful That Working with Colleagues Produces Some of the Best Learning. Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 97, No. 5, 45-63. Baule, S.M Lewis, J.E (2012). Social Networking for Schools. Linworth: Santa Barbara, CA. Chiu, D.K.W, Wang,M, Popescu,E, Qing, L, Rynson, L (2014). New Horizons in Web Based Learning: ICWL 2011 International Workshops, KMEL, ELSM, and SPeL, Hong Kong, December 8-19, 2011; ICWL 2012 International Workshops, KMEL, SciLearn, and CCSTED, Sinaia, Romania, September 2-4, 2012, Revised Selected Papers. Springer: New York City. Croes, M.M Jo-Anne V.V (2015). FrTech Skills to Life Skills: Google Online Marketing Challenge and Experiential Learning. Journal of Information Systems Education, Vol. 26, No. 4, 78-96. Delisle, J, Goldstein,A Yang,G (2016). The Internet, Social Media, and a Changing China. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, PA. Ellis, K.D Kuznia, P.F (2014). Corporate Elearning Impact on Employees. Global Journal of Business Research, Vol. 8, No. 4, 123-654. Fawcett, T Provost, F (2013). Data Science for Business: What You Need to Know about Data Mining and Data-Analytic Thinking. OReilly Media: Sebastopol, California. Fowler, M, Godin,B Geddy, J (2016). Introduction to NoSQL in a Traditional Database Course. Journal of Information Systems Education, Vol. 27, No. 2, 559-654. Forbes.com. (2017). Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2013/04/17/creating-a-successful-marketing-strategy/#6b735e9e5671 [Accessed 10 Mar. 2017]. Francis, B. (2016). Data Analytics : The Complete Beginners Guide The Black Book. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform : London. Funk, J. (2013). Technology Change and the Rise of New Industries. Stanford University Press, : Stanford, CA. Geho, J Dangelo, P.R (2012). The Evolution of Social Media as a Marketing Tool for Entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial Executive, Vol. 17,, 952-963. Harvegal, C. (2017, February 16). FutureLearn launches first Moocs offering academic credits. Retrieved March 19, 2017, from Robbins, L. (2015, May 7). What LinkedIns Acquisition of Lynda.com Means for Users. http://www.firebrandgroup.com/what-linkedins-acquisition-of-lynda-com-means-for-users/ [Accessed March 08, 2017]. Ivan, M.-L. (2014). Characteristics of In-Memory Business Intelligence. Informatica Economica, Vol. 18, No. 3, 78-96. Jones, H. (2016). Seo 2016: Ultimate Search Engine Optimization Strategy Book ? Internet Marketing, Passive Income, Social Media Marketing. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform: Luxembourg . Kohl, M. (2012). AFCS Webinars: Statewide Opportunities for FCS Educators. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, Vol. 104, No. 2, 4569-4586. Kutsch, J, McDermott,K Finch, M (2013). Pricing REI Memberships: The Use of Segmentation and Value Estimation Pricing. Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, Vol. 19, No. 4, 596-996. Leong, J. Y. (2013). Price Dispersion in Online Grocery Stores: An Analysis of the

circumstances in make lemonade Essay -- essays research papers

Circumstances   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circumstances; they rule our lives. One has if not no control, then VERY little control, over their actions when they are placed in harsh circumstances. It is very difficult to break through your surroundings, to beat everyone around you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a quote â€Å"Circumstances rule men and not circumstances.† The idea of this quote, that one doesn’t have control over their turnout when they are placed in harsh circumstances, shows up in other places as well. There is another quote which is similar to this one. The quote is â€Å"Circumstances define us; they force us on one road or another then they punish us for it†. â€Å"Circumstances define us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  we are only who the people around us make us out to be. We take after our surroundings. It is hard to stay away from bad things, if all that surrounding us is bad. It is difficult to resist peer pressure. In the novel Make Lemonade, by Virginia Ewer Wolf, LaVaughn wants out. She wants to get away from all of the violence, all the drugs. She wants to get out of where she lives, which is very similar to the projects, some neighborhoods near her ARE the projects, and to go to college. She wants to escape from all of the peer pressure. She understands that she is not capable of becoming the type of woman she wants to be if she never experiencing life outside of her circumstances, life outside of drugs, violence and other things of the sort. Her surroundings, the circumstance...

Promoting Indigenous Family Health Essay

It is a known fact that Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander populations don’t live as long as their western counterparts as shown by AMA Health Report Card (2011). ‘Closing the Gap’ (Calma 2008) is a campaign aimed at a national attempt to support and bring equity in health to our Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities. In order to be successful in this we must identify the key issues causing this inequity and through public awareness and government campaigns such as ‘closing the gap’, we become closer to our goal of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders reaching a full and greater life expectancy. Health reform initiatives are used to promote health care within their communities and encourage Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders to be educated about their own health. As a nurse, in order to assist in this process, an understanding of family centred health care and the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander concept of family must be utilized. With these two nursing skills, the local health initiatives and government campaign’s, we are providing the best opportunity and support for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities to take control of their health and ultimately ‘close the gap’. Key issues contributing to the ‘gap’ in health and life expectancy, as identified by AMA (2011), include; low income, limited education, low levels of employment, poor housing, affordability of health care, geographical access to health care and the acceptability of the health care practice to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities. Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service (2013) is a local health reform initiative for Aboriginals and Torres straight Islanders that provides a culturally secure environment where they can access health care due to it’s geographical location, affordability and mostly acceptability. Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service (IAMS 2013) has two centers within the Illawarra making it geographically accessible. The center is entirely aimed towards the better health of Aboriginals and Torres Straight Islanders, ensuring all health care is affordable and providing as much assistance and support where it may be needed to help these communities improve their health. The main key issue identified by AMA (2011) that is addressed within the IAMS (2013), is the acceptability. The two medical centers are entirely based on the care given to the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities, making them specialized and aware of cultural beliefs, customs and the correct communication techniques. The Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Services also employ Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander members of the community as their staff providing a culturally secure environment and a greater concept of family centred care and the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander concept of family within their approach. The AMA (2011) states that Indigenous health workers are significant in facilitating the journey of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders to better health. This also provides opportunities to the Indigenous communities to gain employment, contributing to the resolution for issues of low income and low levels of employment, as identified in the AMA Report Card (2011). Centers such as these provide Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander families a culturally secure, accessible and affordable method to be treated for their health issues in a more comfortable surrounding. On a larger scale the Department of Health and Ageing run by the Australian Government have many programs and health reform initiates in place to assist in ‘closing the gap’ as identified by Calma (2008). Element three of the Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership Annual Report (2011) have a goal of increasing the provision of maternal and child health services of Indigenous children and their mothers. To achieve this, the Child and Maternal Health Services component of their program includes $90. 3million to be used for New Directions Mothers and Babies Services (Department of Health and Ageing 2011). This initiative increases access for Indigenous mothers and their children to; antenatal and postnatal care, education and assistance with breastfeeding, nutrition and parenting, monitoring of immunization status and infections, health checks and referrals for Indigenous children before starting school and monitoring developmental milestones. This initiative provides Indigenous communities with access to health care that promotes better health in the new generation of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Australians, designed to assist with ‘closing the gap’ by raising a new generation with fewer health issues. With this, we are able to address key issues identified by AMA (2011). The main key issue addressed by this initiative is access. Consultations are held with Aboriginal Health Forums to assist in the identification of priority areas for child and maternal health services. In their annual report, the Department of health and Ageing (2011) state that this ensures that access is given those most in need considering, geographic location, affordability and acceptance. The second key issue identified in the AMA Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Health Report Card (2011) addressed by this initiative is education. The funding provided builds a solid base for providing much needed education to mothers about their babies and already existing children. In order for a program such as this to be successful, health professionals allocated to educating Aboriginals and Torres Straight islanders must be equipped and prepared to deal with the problems faced by cultural barriers as well as being experienced in a family centred care approach (Taylor & Guerin 2010). Family centred nursing care is an important factor in the health outcome of any given patient (Bamm & Rosenbaum 2008). They also claim that there is no exact definition of family, instead, the meaning of family and their level of involvement in care provided, is determined by the patient themselves. The core concepts of successful family centred care are; respect and dignity, information sharing, participation, and collaboration (IFPCC 2013). These principles are the main constituents of effective family centred health care, and ultimately better health outcomes for the patient themselves (Mitchell, Chaboyer & Foster 2007). These concepts can be utilized, with a correct nursing approach, regardless of age, gender or cultural differences. To provide the best family centred care to Indigenous Australians, nurses must utilize the main concepts above, but also have an understanding of the Indigenous concept of family. The Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander population have strong family values, however, it differs from the usual nuclear concept of family in common ‘western’ society. Their family has an extended structure, and in order to provide adequate family centred care, this concept must be understood by health professionals on all levels, including nurses (NSW Department of Community Services 2009). This concept of extended family and their Indigenous ‘community’ as their family means that children are not only the concern of their biological parents, but the entire community. Care of the children in indigenous communities is the responsibility of everyone. Family members can be blood-related, through marriage or through their community, such as elders. It is normal for a combination of mothers, fathers, uncles, aunties, cousins, brothers, sisters or elders to be involved into the care of the individual and these figures must be treated as their direct family even if not directly blood-related (NSW Department of Community Servies 2009). In order to provide family centred care, to not only Indigenous but also all patients, a therapeutic relationship and foundation of trust should be developed (Baas 2012). The principles of family centred care should also be incorporated, especially respect of the Indigenous culture and maintaining their dignity. Respect and dignity, combined with trust and a therapeutic relationship within the Indigenous community, information sharing, participation and collaboration should follow once enough trust has been developed. To gain the trust of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander patient’s and their family, firstly an understanding of their culture should be pertained. When needed, to be aware of such customs as ‘Men’s and Women’s business’, and to respect these practices within your care (Tantiprasut and Crawford 2003). This shows the patient and their family members, you respect them and their culture. Introducing yourself in a friendly and polite manner, including all family members present and always respecting cultural values is key to receiving respect back and developing trust. Acknowledge and actively listen to the needs of the Indigenous people and also their community in a culturally appropriate manner. As described in the practice resource for working with Indigenous communities published by DOCS (2009) showing respect for their elders and community leaders and involving them in important decision making processes will also show that you respect them, their culture and that they can trust you and eventually your advice regarding health issues. In order to successfully be accepted by the community, communication techniques need to be specialized to avoid offending any members of the family or misinterpreting their language. Gaining a basic knowledge of their community will assist in understanding the dominant family groups, language groups and preferred names. This ensures you don’t step out of your boundaries and remain respectful in your approach to their care. Including or consulting with Aboriginal health care workers regarding communication and Aboriginal-English would be beneficial to adequately understand their method of communication. Understanding non-verbal methods of communication and being aware of your own non-verbal communication is highly appropriate when consulting with Indigenous communities. Always speaking with respect, clearly, and avoiding jargon will deliver the best results when building a relationship within the tribes (NSW Department of Community Services 2009). Remaining open minded when consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities in aspects of communication and family relations will avoid incorrect assumptions. It is also high important to play an active role within the community and their events. According to NSW Department of Community Services (2009) within Indigenous communities’ word of mouth is a powerful tool, once an outsider is known as someone who listens actively and can be trusted, the community will be eager to work collaboratively and participate in your health approach (NSW Department of Community Services 2009). When the principles of family centred care; trust, dignity, collaboration and participation, have all been achieved and a therapeutic relationship within the community has developed, the community will listen to your health advice. When introducing a health concept to the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander families it is important to engage them actively into your care (NSW Department of Community Services 2008). Using appropriate communication techniques to explain health issues and the reasons they need to be addressed provides them with education and knowledge regarding why interventions need to be implemented. Allowing them to discuss their options and decide as a community is also important, forcing them to uptake medical help could be seen as disrespectful. Allowing time to answer all questions and concerns from various members of the family in a manner they can understand identifies that you are actively listening and honestly concerned for their health. Demaio and Dysdale 2012 show that continuity of involvement in their community, and providing a continuous support network will only further build their trust in your advice. The ‘gap’ in health and life expectancy between Indigenous Australians and ‘westernised’ Australians is a concerning issue within the country (Calma 2008). Health reform initiatives are funded by the government and local organisations to provide accessible, affordable and culturally safe health care to our Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander communities. These initiatives are designed to address the key issues identified in the AMA Report Card (2011) regarding barriers to health care. Approaching Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander family communities utilizing the family health care principles and with a knowledge of their concept of community family and understanding of their culture increases positive outcomes in their health education and furthermore assisting to ‘close the gap’. References Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Corporation 2013, ‘Ilawarra Aboriginal Medical Service’, viewed 27 April 2013 www. illawarraams. com. au Australian Medical Association 2011, Best practice in primary health care for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders, viewed 28 April 2013 http://ama. com. au/aboriginal-reportcard2010-11 Baas, L 2012, ‘Patient and family centred care’, Heart and Lung, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 534-535. Bamm, E, Rosenbaum, P 2008, ‘Family centred theory: origins, development, barriers and supports to implementation in rehabilitation medicine’, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, vol. 89, no. 8, pp. 1618-1624. Calma, T, 2008, ‘Closing the Gap: Campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander health inequality by 2030’, Australian Government, Canberra. Demaio, A, Drysdale, M 2012, ‘Appropriate health promotion for Australian Aboriginal and torres straight islander communities: crucial for closing the gap’, Global Health Promotion, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 58-62. Department of Health and Ageing 2011, Indigenous Early Childhood Development National Partnership Annual Report, viewed 28 April 2013 http://www. health. gov. au/internet/main/publishing. nsf/Content/1D00A20690DD46EFCA2579860081EEE4/$File/NewDirectionsMothersandBabiesServices-AnnualReport2010-11. pdf IPFCC 2013, Institute for patient and family centred care, viewed 28 April 2013 www. ipfcc. org. au Mitchell, M, Chaboyer, W, Foster, M 2007, ‘Positive effects of a nursing intervention on family-centred care in adult critical care’, American Journal of Critical Nursing, vol. 18, no. 6, pp. 543-552. NSW Deparment of Community Services 2008, Brighter futures: engaging with aboriginal children and families, viewed 28 April 2013 http://www. community. nsw. gov. au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/brighterfutures_enagaging_aboriginal. pdf NSW Department of Community Services 2009, Working with aboriginal communities – a practice resource, viewed 28 April 2013 http://www. community. nsw. gov. au/docswr/_assets/main/documents/working_with_aboriginal. pdf Tantiprasut, L, Crawford, J 2003, ‘Australian Aboriginal Culture’, R. I. C Publications, Sydney. Taylor, K, Guerin, P 2010, Health care and Indigenous Australians: cultural safety in practice, Palgrave Macmillan, South Yarra.

Manage Under Uncertainty

University of Newcastle October 2012 [Yellow Auto Case Study] [GSBS6001 Individual Assignment] [By: Shih Yun Lin (3172398)] Executive Summery Managers are constantly faced with critical decisions that will heavily impact on the company’s competitive ability and profitability. This report will analyse the critical decisions made in the case study The Change Story of Yellow Auto Company from a sociologic decision making perspective.The case study presents four main decisions which are: increase of market share, change in decision management style, clarify job description and invest greater time and money in human resources. The analysis of these decisions centres on the relationships between employees and managers and the positive and negative attributes of group decision making. The case study demonstrates that the decisions made by Yellow Auto have been successful in achieving the organisational objective of an increase in market share and an improved human resources quality.R ecommendations have then been made in order to improve the company’s future decision making process including: a more consultative decision making process for high risk decisions, a hybrid management style, a different set up for job descriptions and quality management for human resources activities. Table of Contents Executive Summery2 Introduction3 Critical Decisions4 Increase of Market Share4 Change in Management Style5 Clarify Job Descriptions6 Invest Greater Time and Money in Human Resources6Recommendations7 Conclusion9 Reference List10 Introduction Companies must constantly make critical decisions in order to choose strategies in order to gain a competitive advantage or keep up in the rapidly evolving market. The factors influencing decisions and the relative advantages and disadvantages can be viewed from multiple perspectives. This report will analyse the decisions made in the case study The Change Story of Yellow Auto Company from a sociologic decision making perspec tive.The sociological perspective focuses on the patterns of social relationships, interaction and culture and how this impacts on the company’s decision making process. Various critical decisions have been made in this case study including: Increase of market share, change in decision management style, clarify job description and invest greater time and money in human resources. These decisions have all strongly impacted the company and will continue to impact it in the future.These decisions will be explored with a sociological focus, discussing positive and negative attributes of each decision. Recommendations will then be explored in regards to how the company can improve their decision making in the future. This case study report is based on credible research retrieved from published books and accredited journals obtained from the internet. Critical Decisions Increase of Market ShareThe first critical decision in the case study is the goal set in 2001, to increase Yellow Auto’s market share to 50%. This goal has been derived by the top managers alone and without any input for from the middle managers or front line staff. The managers believe the only way to achieve this goal is through an improvement in the human resource quality. There are many sociological factors in this decision including autocratic management style and small group decision making.Firstly Yellow Auto’s management style is comparable with that of McGregor’s Theory X management style in which top management makes all the decisions and maintain a strict control over the business (Mathis, 2010). This decision making and enforcing style can be effective due to the nature of small group decision making, in which smaller groups are able to reach consensus more easily. This is due to it being a more timely approach as lower number of people correlates to a reduced number of differing opinions and an increase in the participation of all members.The group is then abl e to work out the differences in points of view and come to an agreement. The communication flow from this point is then one way as determined by the autocratic style and the decision can be implemented throughout the rest of the organisation. There are also many negative attributes with the style of decision making however as the subordinates of Yellow Auto have not been included in the decision making process they may not be as motivated to implement the decisions made by the top managers.This is exacerbated in the case study as this decision to increase the market share of the company is risky due to the economic situation in Turkey. Turkey had experienced a financial crisis in both 2000 and 2001 the latter being ‘particularly far reaching in terms of its impact, resulting in a major collapse of output and employment’ (Onis, 2006). Accepting this level of risk without the consult of other employees can increase uncertainty within the company and cause employees to fe el segregated from the company.Furthermore the use of a small group in this decision making process has the potential of experiencing the Abilene paradox (Harvey in Teale, 2003:290) in which some top managers may not voice their concerns to avoid being discredited or appear to lose faith in the organisation. In order to identify and address these potential issues management of Yellow Auto decided to work with academics in the implementation of this decision. Change in Management Style Following an audit from the external consultants they proposed that the utocratic management style currently in use is a barrier preventing the company from achieving their goal of an increase in market share. Accepting this advice, the top management of Yellow Auto change to a more democratic management style opening systems of communication and the development of trust in employees throughout the organisation. This changes the group structure of Yellow Auto as where previously employees could be cons idered part of Scott’s out status, they have now have the opportunity to move up to the fringe status or actively participate as a primary set member (Scott in Harrison 1999:222).This leads to increased motivation with employees and gives them a greater connection to the company. By increasing the amount of people participating in decision making, Yellow Auto are able to utilize the diverse human resources that they have in order to generate more creative ideas and solutions to issues the company has. There are downsides into an increased group size however as reaching a consensus with more people is much more difficult. There is also an increase in the time it takes to make a decision and leads to unproductively and can create divisions within the company.Clarify Job Descriptions Another critical decision made in the case study is to interview all employees in order to analyse their jobs and clarify their job descriptions. This was completed due to employees stating that the ir responsibilities were not clear and authority and relationships were not clearly defined. Upon completing the analysis it was observed that some of the tasks between managers and employees were overlapping and steps were introduced in order to distinguish between tasks and develop more comprehensible job descriptions.By distinguishing and identifying employee’s roles, the relationships between the employees are explained and can lead to better understanding of authority and improve communication throughout the organisation (Mathis, 2010). It also prevents particular roles from overlapping and can ensure that the right employee is completing the necessary job. While ensuring that job descriptions are up to date and clearly defined this can also have some negative implications for the company. Firstly in order to complete this is very costly and time consuming.It can then freeze the job, preventing it from evolving and result in a lack of flexibility and remove initiative fr om the employee. By describing the responsibilities of the employees it reinforces the boundaries of responsibility and can lead to the ‘it's not my job’ (Mathis, 2010) reflex. Invest Greater Time and Money in Human Resources The final critical decision made in the case study was to invest greater time and money into human resources. This decision has a heavy focus on sociology with the relationship between employees and an emphasis on communication.Yellow Auto hired new staff to fit the right jobs and invested heavily in their training. Training included individual aspects such as interpersonal skills, time and stress management as well as group sessions which increase coordination and communication and team spirit. These training methods and exercises focus on building the characteristics of effective groups including: cohesion, group roles, norms, conformity and interaction (Ayson, 2012). Cohesion is created through the team building activities and the job descriptio ns which also lead to an understanding of the roles and norms of the group.This allows for group activities to be conducted in an acceptable manner with each member of the group knowing how to act and what duties they must perform. This creates an environment in which the employees can work together easily without confusion and make decisions as well as perform their individual tasks to an acceptable standard. These characteristics also have negative attributes and can encourage groupthink, where ‘independent critical thinking and objective moral judgment will be suspended in deference to group norms and in observance of group consensus’ (Harrison, 1999:184).Setting particular roles may also create a reliance on particular group members and if they are not present or leave, then the group suffers and is not able to operate without the person carrying out their tasks. A similar issue that is present with these three characteristics is the reduction in innovation as the g roup has set standards of behaviour and expectations the need or ability to generate innovative responses is reduced. Lack of innovation and individual thinking is also an issue with conformity.In order to demonstrate that the group is performing well and in order to reduce conflicts, individuals conform to the group’s suggestions and decisions (Popova, 2012). While this may be beneficial in the sense of reaching decisions and working cooperatively in order to achieve goals, it limits the effectiveness of the group and the results of the group could be the same as that of an individual. Another positive aspect of Yellow Autos investment in human resources is the group interaction achieved through this program.As the employees train and work together communication and teamwork skills are improved which results in a greater ability of the group to work together in order to achieve organisational goals. It also allows employees to understand how to use each individual’s s kills and abilities in order to improve the decision making process and produce superior outcomes. Recommendations The decisions made and the decision making process in the case study are open to criticism.The result of these decisions however demonstrates that the correct steps were taken in order to achieve and exceed the organisations goal of an increase in market share to 50%. In light of the success of Yellow Autos decisions there are still various recommendations that can be made including: a more consultative decision making process for high risk decisions, a hybrid management style, a different set up for job descriptions and quality management for human resources activities.. Firstly the decision to increase market share to 50% was a high risk decision which had potential to highly negatively impact the company.Due to the nature of this decision as high risk and potential impact to the majority of employees Yellow Autos managers should have not made this decision alone. Ins tead this should have been a consultative process with employees and academics to discuss the potential impacts and rewards of the decision. This will lead to motivation for the employees as they have been a part of this decision as well as increase in commitment to the company as the employees can feel valued by the organisation as they are playing an active role in its future (Teale, 2003).Secondly, the company’s management style began as autocratic and then changed to democratic at the request of the academics. Yellow Auto should not just use one management style, but a hybrid of the two in order to effectively make and enforce decisions. By using a hybrid management style the top managers can decide the level of employee consultancy depending on the nature of the decision and its affect on the company and employees.This will ensure that the right amount of employee contribution and new ideas are gathered as well as coming to a timely and efficient solution. Another recomm endation is how the job descriptions are set. While ensuring tasks are not overlapping and there is an understanding of employee’s roles and responsibilities are necessary, the job descriptions should not be written in a way that restricts the employee’s activities or discourages flexibility and initiative.Finally with the heavy investment in human resources Yellow Auto needs to ensure that these activities are quality controlled and that the group interactions and decision making activities are effective. For example this means that issues such as conformity need to be addressed and such as demonstrated in the Asch Paradigm in which managers can encourage individuals to speak up, which then in turn enables other employees to snap out of conformity (Popova, 2012). ConclusionA number of critical decisions have been raised in the case study including the decision to increase market share, change in management style, clarify job description and invest greater time and mon ey in human resources. The decision making process involved in reaching these decisions and the potential positive and negative outcomes have been analysed from a sociological perspective. The case study has demonstrated that these decisions have yielded the desired result of an increase in market share and had many other benefits towards the company.Even so various recommendations have been made in order to improve Yellow Autos decision making process and improve the successfulness of the company. Reference List Ayson, S. (2012). Managing Under Uncertainty: Sociology of Decision Making, Lecture Slides. Harrison, F. (1999). The Managerial Decision-Making Process. 5th Ed. Houghton Mifflin Mathis, R. (2010). Human Resource Management 13th Edition. South-Western Cengage Learning Onis, Z. (2006).Beyond the 2001 Financial Crisis: The Political Economy of the new Phase of Neo-Liberal Restructuring in Turkey. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www. cesran. org/Dosyalar/MAKALELER/ZIYA_ ONIS_Beyond_the_2001_financial_crisis. pdf Popova, M. (2012). Elevator Groupthink: A Psychology Experiment in Conformity, 1962. Retrieved October 19, 2012, from http://www. brainpickings. org/index. php/2012/01/13/asch-elevator-experiment/ Teale, M. (2003). Management Decision-Making: Towards an Integrated Approach. Pearson

Archaeology of a German Hillfort Called Heuneburg

Archaeology of a German Hillfort Called Heuneburg Heuneburg refers to an Iron Age hillfort, an elite residence (called Fà ¼rstensitz or princely residence) located on a steep hill overlooking the Danube River in southern Germany. The site includes an area of 3.3 hectares (~8 acres) within its fortifications; and, according to the latest research, at least 100 ha (~247 ac) of additional and separately fortified settlement surrounds the hill. Based on this latest research, Heuneburg, and its surrounding community  was an important and early urban center, one of the first north of the Alps. Alternate Spellings: Heuneberg Common Misspellings: Heuenburg History of Heuneburg Stratigraphic excavation at Heuneburg hillfort identified eight main occupations and 23 construction phases, between the Middle Bronze Age and Medieval periods. The earliest settlement at the site occurred in the Middle Bronze Age, and Heuneburg was first fortified in the 16th century BC and again in the 13th century BC. It was abandoned during the Late Bronze Age. During the Hallstatt Early Iron Age period, ~600 BC, Heuneburg was reoccupied and extensively modified, with 14 identified structural phases and 10 phases of fortification. Iron Age construction at the hillfort includes a stone foundation about 3 meters (10 feet) wide and .5-1 m (1.5-3 ft) high. Atop the foundation was a wall of dried-mud (adobe) brick, reaching to about a total height of 4 m (~13 ft). The mud-brick wall suggested to scholars that at least some sort of interaction took place between the elites of Heueneburg and the Mediterranean, illustrated both by the adobe wallmud brick is strictly a Mediterranean invention and was not previously used in central Europeand the presence of approximately 40 Greek Attic sherds at the site, pottery produced some 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) away. About 500 BC, Heuneburg was rebuilt to match Celtic models of hillfort design, with a wooden wall protected by a stone wall. The site was burned and abandoned between 450 and 400 BC, and it remained unoccupied until ~AD 700. Reoccupation of the hilltop by a farmstead beginning AD 1323 caused extensive damage to the later Iron Age settlement. Structures in Heuneburg Houses within the fortification walls of Heuneburg were rectangular timber-framed structures built close together. During the Iron Age, the mudbrick fortification wall was white-washed, making this prominent structure stand out even more: the wall was for both protection and display. Crenelated watchtowers were built and a covered walkway protected the sentries from inclement weather. This construction was fairly evidently built in imitation of classical Greek polis architecture. Cemeteries at Heuneburg during the Iron Age included 11 monumental mounds containing a rich array of grave goods. Workshops in Heuneburg held craftspeople who produced iron, worked bronze, made pottery and carved bone and antler. Also in evidence are craftspeople who processed luxury goods including lignite, amber, coral, gold, and jet. Outside Heuneburgs Walls Recent excavations concentrated on regions outside Heuneburg hillfort have revealed that beginning in the Early Iron Age, the outskirts of Heuneburg became quite dense. This settlement area included Late Hallstatt ditch fortifications dated from the first quarter of the sixth century BC, with a monumental stone gate. Iron Age terracing of the surrounding slopes provided a place for expansion of the settlement area, and by the first half of the sixth century BC, an area of some 100 acres was occupied by closely spaced farmsteads, enclosed by a series of rectangular palisades, housing an estimated population of about 5,000 inhabitants. The suburbs of Heuneburg also included several additional Hallstatt period hillforts, as well as production centers for pottery and artisanal wares such as fibulae and textiles. All of this led scholars back to the Greek historian Herodotus: a polis mentioned by Herodotus and located in the Danube valley ca 600 BC is called Pyrene; scholars have long connected Pyrene with Heuneberg, and the identified remains of such an established settlement with important production and distribution centers and a connection to the Mediterranean is strong support for that. Archaeological Investigations Heuneberg was first excavated in the 1870s  and sustained 25 years of excavations beginning in 1921. Excavations at Hohmichele mound were conducted in 1937-1938. Systematic excavations of the surrounding hilltop plateau were conducted from the 1950s to 1979. Studies since 1990, including field walking, intensive excavations, geomagnetic prospection, and high-resolution airborne LIDAR scans have concentrated on the outlying communities below the hillfort. Artifacts from the excavations are stored at the Heuneburg Museum, who operates a living village where visitors can see the reconstructed buildings. That web page contains information in English (and German, Italian and French) on the latest research. Sources Arafat, K and C Morgan. 1995 Athens, Etruria and the Heuneburg: Mutual misconceptions in the study of Greek-barbarian relations. Chapter 7 in Classical Greece: Ancient histories and modern archaeologies. Edited by Ian Morris. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p 108-135 Arnold, B. 2010. Eventful archaeology, the mudbrick wall, and the early Iron Age of southwest Germany. Chapter 6 in Eventful Archaeologies: New approaches to social transformation in the archaeological record, edited by Douglas J. Bolender. Albany: SUNY Press, p 100-114. Arnold B. 2002. A landscape of ancestors: the space and place of death in Iron Age West-Central Europe. In: Silverman H, and Small D, editors. The Space and Place of Death. Arlington: Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association. p 129-144. Fernndez-Gà ¶tz M, and Krausse D. 2012. Heuneburg: First city north of the Alps. Current World Archaeology 55:28-34. Fernndez-Gà ¶tz M, and Krausse D. 2013. Rethinking Early Iron Age urbanisation  in Central Europe: the Heuneburg site and its archaeological environment. Antiquity 87:473-487. Gersbach, Egon. 1996. Heuneburg. P. 275 in Brian Fagan (ed), The Oxford Companion to Archaeology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Maggetti M, and Galetti G. 1980. Composition of iron age fine ceramics from Chà ¢tillon-s-Glà ¢ne (Kt. Fribourg, Switzerland) and the Heuneburg (Kr. Sigmaringen, West Germany). Journal of Archaeological Science 7(1):87-91. Schuppert C, and Dix A. 2009. Reconstructing Former Features of the Cultural Landscape Near Early Celtic Princely Seats in Southern Germany. Social Science Computer Review 27(3):420-436. Wells PS. 2008. Europe, Northern and Western: Iron Age. In: Pearsall DM, editor. Encyclopedia of Archaeology. London: Elsevier Inc. p 1230-1240.

Tess of the DUrbervilles the role of Chance Essays

Tess of the DUrbervilles the role of Chance Essays Tess of the DUrbervilles the role of Chance Paper Tess of the DUrbervilles the role of Chance Paper Essay Topic: Literature Thomas Hardy professed himself disillusioned with the idealised traditional Victorian denouement or regulation finish, which he described as indescribably unreal and meretricious. His distaste for such unrealistically happy endings is obvious in Tess fate, which he retained despite the fact that he received letters from readers imploring him not to let her die. Her death was the natural and, in one way, the more satisfying ending. It is therefore somewhat jarring to find in the work of one who was so vehement in his wish that Tess should be Faithfully Presented to find irregularities in the flow of events which impede the smooth consistency of the plot and characters. Most strikingly, throughout the book are incidents of the failure of characters to perform the right action or make the right decision, in a situation in which it may have greatly reduced their suffering and resulted in a naturally happy ending. For example, after Tess confession and Angels rejection of her, Hardy repeatedly refers to the fact that if she had been a woman of the world [she] might have conquered him by exploiting the back current of sympathy which remained in Angel (Ch XXXVI); If [she] had been artful he would not have withstood her (Ch XXXVII). However, she does not see this she accepts his rejection. If Tess had suggested that no one could know or care about her misfortunes or reproach the couple for them, Angel would have had to admit the thought arose in [his] own mind. From Angels departure to his return, Tess manages to retain her devotion to him despite his treatment of her, the hardships she endures in his absence, his lack of communication and the torment of Alec DUrbervilles pursuit. She shows an incredible persistence and largeness of spirit in resisting the temptation to surrender her hopes of her husband recalling her. But eventually, driven by concern for her family, a desire to be their Providence, she crumbles just days before Angel finds her. The coincidence of times and the tragedy of the narrowness of the interval is unrealistic and even cliche. Existing merely to heighten the suspence and tragedy. Many of the unreasonable jumps and coincidences in Tess serve to hurt the heroine and emphasise her position as a victim both of society and a cruel fate. This may be a deliberate device on the part of the author, who was an admirer of Tess, to invite the sympathy of contemporary readers who may have been disturbed by her sexual encounter with Alec early in the novel, and who needed reassuring that Tess was in fact A Pure Woman, and the victim of unfortunate events rather than their instigator. Tess purity, so emphasised, and her automatic tendency to find sweet pleasure somewhere even after the hardest setbacks may also seem implausible, but Tess is a complex personality characterised by duality her split nature being seen in her division between peasantry and middle class, her illustrious name and low origins, her two dialects and the mysterious maiden/harlot contradiction on the edge of her nature. Tess has enough spirit to defend herself against the Queen of Spades and determinedly take her leave of Alec, and even when she submits to Angel Clares judgement she attempts to defend herself a little. Tess stands as a symbol of the split between to two worlds of traditional agriculture and progressive industry and also between those of traditional rural culture and the more refined and educated class. Hardys main implausibilities lie way in which the fate which the President of the Immortals has in store for her seems inevitable when viewed with hindsight and is facilitated by so many acts of Chance. Chance governs Tess fate. In the first chapter, Parson Tringham describes how his researches into the DUrberville/Darbeyfield link had been instigated by a casual sighting of the higglers cart and been led to make inquiries. Without this fairly vital chanced happening, unless the parson had been inspired some other way, it is doubtful that any of the events that followed would have occurred. The Durbeyfields discovery of the illustrious link gives them the idea of contacting the Stoke-DUrbervilles and it is hinted marry some noble gentleman. Although she at first refuses to countenance this, such thoughts lead Tess to drift off and neglect the cart which should have been driven by her father, but for the fact that he was rendered incapable by the ale he had consumed in celebration of his newfound aristocracy. By Chance, the lantern also goes out as a mail-cart is speeding down the road, causing the death of Prince. The fact that she regarded herself in the light of a murderess (Ch V) over the horses death and the familys loss of income is the only reason Tess acquiesces to be sent to visit Mrs DUrberville at the Chase, the site of her ruin. It is clear then that Chance played the major role in conducting Tess to the Chase. But later, Chance was also the pivotal player in the collapse of her marriage to Angel particularly, the fact that she could not tell him her trouble before the marriage. He even supposes that if only she had told him them he would still have loved and married her. However, despite her efforts, Chance prevented her from confessing her secret during their days at Talbothays. When she tried to tell him outright, he inadvertently made it very difficult for her. When she wrote him a letter containing the story, by an extraordinarily unfortunate circumstance, it slipped under the carpet and he did not see it. When Tess has finally used her allowance from Angel, while working at Flintcombe Ash, she travels to Emminster, intending to ask the Clares for help something that requires great courage of she who is proud and does not want to beg, as well as ashamed to admit the seperation between she and Clare. By Chance, the family is with the congregation when she arrives, and she is forced to the way she came and lurk in the bushes where it chances that she overhears to conversation between the Clare brothers and Mercy, which completely destroys her confidence and prevents her from returning to the Clares house. She is left in a very financially frightening position. Finally, it is all due to Chance that she happens upon the preaching of none other than Alec DUrberville, so many years after she departed Trantridge. It is also a coincidence that he has been converted by Angels father, and has fallen in with the sign-painter with whom Tess travelled. This chance meeting rekindles his lust for her, and is the direct cause of the renewed pursuit. Although she resists him for a long time, with the death of her father and the eviction of the family she finally feels it is her duty to support them by surrendering to Alec. The tragic coincidence of Angels arrival so soon after she has given up hope causes her to become bitter, even driving her slightly mad, and she kills Alec in her distraction. There is a sense of inevitability about the remaining chapters she has sooner or later to be hunted down by the authorities, and her seeming desire for death aids her capture. Chance is one of the most common plot devices in Tess, and coincidences and chance happenings abound to a frustrating degree, especially when they increase Tess anguish needlessly. However, a novel cannot be expected to adhere to the pattern of real life, howeber Faithfully Presented coincidences are natural to hold the plot together and prompt dramatic events. The tragedy of the sum of unfortunate circumstances which lead to Tess downfall are poignant because of the attachment one forms with Tess, but Tess of the DUrbervilles is a tragic novel, most of its drama relying on the imminence of suffering in her short life.

How near are university researchers in resolving the cancer puzzle

How near are university researchers in resolving the cancer puzzle Hashtag: #DiaMundialcontraelCancer (World Day Against Cancer) Complete Cure for Cancer Multiple Diseases in One Along with 14 million cancer patients and in memory of 8.2 million people who died from the disease, humanity observed the 2015 #DiaMundialcontraelCancer or World Day Against Cancer asking the same unanswered question. Is there a complete cure for cancer? While the number of new cases according to WHO will rise to about 70% in the next few years, a complete cure for cancer remains an elusive dream. The reason is that cancer, unlike other diseases, is actually a large group of diseases that rapidly spread from the affected part to other organs of the human body. Knowledge about the causes and prevention of cancer is wide but still, after so many years of exhaustive study, researchers are still all at sea and cannot offer a complete cure for cancer. Early detection and treatment according to WHO increased the possibility of the cure, but with 8 million cancer-related deaths and estimated 70% rise in the number of new cancer cases over the next 2 years, these methods seems inadequate. The most probable reason is the fact that not all people, due to behavioral, economic, and other factors, is health conscious or be able to avail of cancer diagnostic services. Alternatively, cancer prevention or avoidance of physical (ultraviolet and ionizing radiation), chemical (asbestos, smoke from tobacco, etc), and biological (viruses, bacteria, etc.) carcinogens has more potential, but modification and avoidance of risk factors is another problem because it depends on age, individual lifestyle or status in life. A cure for cancer, therefore, is the most appropriate solution in reducing fatalities of this dreadful and life-damaging disease. Cancer Research Developments The institution of higher education such as universities and colleges around the world has cancer research facilities that consistently attempt to develop anti-cancer drugs. In particular, the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center or UCCCC and University of Edinburgh UK Cancer Research Centre are very active in developing a treatment for cancer. UCCCC in 2014 finally tested OTS964, an anti-cancer drug developed in almost a decade, in rats. Anti-cancer drugs developed by UCCC before can only suppress the growth of cancer cells but OTS964 effectively killed or eradicated T-lymphokine-activated killer cell, cancer cells believed responsible for tumor growth. UCCC is now preparing for phase 1 clinical trial for OTS964 and working to crack the code behind abnormal DNA sequence responsible for the reproduction of cancer cells and develop a drug for altered DNA. Researchers in University of Edinburgh UK Cancer Research Center are now ready to begin clinical trials of panRAF inhibitors, a new class of drugs targeting Src family kinases in melanoma ( the deadliest form of skin cancer) patients with BRAF inhibitors-resistant tumors. The drug is capable of halting the growth of faulty protein responsible for boosting the growth of melanomas. By targeting multiple signaling biological pathways simultaneously, panRAF inhibitors can eliminate drug-resistant cancer cells and restore the effectiveness of other cancer treatments. The development of these promising anti-cancer drugs and implementation of pioneering techniques in cancer treatment research suggest that academic researchers are years away from discovering the ultimate cure for cancer. However, since researchers already discovered the weak points of killer cancer cells and technology is rapidly advancing, it will be sooner than expected.

Solar panels in Burkina Faso Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Solar panels in Burkina Faso - Essay Example Lastly the paper conveys the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels and its status in the upcoming years. Keywords: Burkina Faso, Solar cells, P-N junction, Electron-hole pairs Poverty is one of the major problems in many of the undeveloped countries throughout the world. Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa, currently ranked by UN as the third poorest country in the world is facing a multitude of problems as a consequence of its increasing poverty (BBC News). With a nation of about 16 million of which 80% are dependent on agriculture, the 2009 West African floods which displaced 150000 people and also resulted in destruction of homes, shortage of food and water supplies, lack of access to the hospital and a massive decrease in power supply after the destruction of leading power plants caused severe problems for the people (CNN). Western Africa is one of those areas which are facing extreme energy problems especially in the electrical sector. According to an articl e by Itai Madamombe (African Renewal) blackouts are routine in almost all West African countries. Being a landlocked country Burkina Faso is unable to achieve its required electricity production via hydroelectric power stations. According to the CIA world factbook the electricity production of Burkina Faso in 2009 was 664.4 million kWh which was well short of the electricity consumption of the previous year. This led to imports of around 144.6 million kWh. ECOWAS has thus drawn plans to employ alternative sources of electrical energy with special emphasis on solar power so as to provide regular electricity at a much cheaper cost. Rollo, a small town near the capital Ouagadougou with a population of just 7783 people was deeply affected in the 2009 floods (Wikipedia). Lack of clean water supply and poor sanitation resulted in an increased infant and under-five mortality rates. As the population increased and agricultural land extended the need for this clean water is soaring. To achie ve the above mentioned goals, photovoltaic solar panels can be installed within water pumps so as to provide this precious commodity. The mechanism behind its working along with its installation procedure, and its efficiency are all discussed below. Solar photovoltaic energy conversion is a one-step conversion process changing the incoming light energy from the sun into the required electrical energy. According to The Physics of Solar cells the light energy comprises of many tiny and minuscule particles known as photons. When light energy is absorbed by the panel, the electrons are excited. The built-in structure of the panel however herds the electrons in a single direction of the external circuit creating an electromotive force (E.M.F). This force then helps in driving the electrons through the load to do the electrical work. A Solar panel consists of many solar cells arrayed together. A blocking diode or a bypass is used to prevent total loss of energy in case one of the cells st ops working. Figure 1 shows a structure of a typical solar cell. A solar cell is made of semiconductor usually silicon. It has three layers, a top layer of N-type semiconductor, an absorber layer consisting of a P-N junction and a back layer of P-type semiconductor. An anti-reflective coating is used so as to prevent reflection and increase efficiency. Also a protective covering of some material like glass is used which allows

The social responsibility of engineers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The social responsibility of engineers - Essay Example Can a business really have responsibilities? It is only people who can be said to be either responsible or irresponsible. If a corporation is viewed as an artificial person, then it follows that its responsibilities are also artificial. Therefore we conclude that businessmen are the ones who should be responsible. Therefore when saying that businesses should have a social responsibility, implies that the corporate executives running these businesses are the ones to take up responsibility. Even if a corporate executive is an employee of the business owners, he still has direct responsibilities of running the business (Friedman). A businessman is said to be socially responsible if he/she were to act in a way that does not necessarily interest his/her employers. For example, a corporate executive may refrain to increase the price of certain products out of concern that doing this might lead to inflation. Such action could be contrary to the best interests of the corporation. The corporate executive could hire less qualified personnel in order to contribute to poverty reduction. In each of the mentioned cases, the business man would be spending either the employer’s or the customers’ money for a general social interest. His actions would therefore be evidence of social responsibility. If a businessman were to spend the stockholders’ or the customers’ money in a different way from that of his customers, he would be in effect imposing taxes on them. This process may lead to political questions since it is the work of the government to impose taxes and plan expenditures (Friedman). Social responsibility has its consequences. Let us take inflation for example, what if a businessman was told that he has to contribute in fighting inflation, what actions would he take? Lowering the price of the products could lead to a great financial loss. Reducing the rate of production would lead to shortages and if were to reduce the employees’ wages, these would

Boots-PLC Financial Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Boots-PLC Financial Report - Case Study Example 53). The net profit was 501.7 m in 2005 and 550.1 m in 2004 (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 46). The net profit margin has changed from 0.103 (2004) to 0.092 (2005). The following graph supports the information on the changes of group turnover, net profit, and net profit margin throughout the last 5 years. It is important to notice that while the group turnover is increasing (more goods are sold), the net profit are decreasing (non-operating costs are rising), and the profitability of the company is falling. Nevertheless it is high enough in compare with the main competitors: Alliance UniChem had the same net profit margin of 0.022 over two years (Alliance UniChem Key Financial Data, 2005); and J Sainsbury has decreased its net profit margin from 0.031 in 2004 to 0.020 in 2005 (J Sainsbury Financials, 2005). More detailed comparison is available in Appendix 1. Current assets of Boots PLC in 2005 were 1575.8 m, while the current liabilities were 1074.1 m (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 47). Therefore current liquidity ratio for 2005 is 1.47, which means that a company can meet its short-term obligations without serious troubles. The current liquidity ratio for the year 2004 was 1.52, which means the ratio of current assets to current liabilities has decreased - definitely, not a good sign for the company. Looking at the cash flow statement of the Boots PLC one can see that cash inflow from operating activities has significantly decreased from 637.8 m in 2004 to 514.7 m in 2005 (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 48) due to lower operating profit and larger increase in working capital. Still the main cash inflow comes from operating, which is a sign of financial health of a company. Also the company has increased its debt significantly by 668 m (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 64) returning funds to shareholders to make the balance sheet more efficient. Therefore overall closing net debt in 2005 was 594.1 m comparatively to 148.5 m in 2004 (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 48). Long-term debt/equity ratio=long-term debt/shareholders' equity Long-term liabilities of Boots PLC are 588.7 m (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 47). Equity shareholder's funds are equal to 1,609.4 m (Boots Group PLC Annual Report 2005, p. 47). Therefore debt-to-equity ratio is 0.37, which is a low number indicating that a capital structure of a company can be shifted more towards using debt. The high liquidity ratio shows that it is possible to use debt furthermore. 1b. Currently the company's use of retained earnings for financing its operations is low in compare to its use of debt. Nevertheless, high liquidity allows further use debt for financing. The capital structure of Boots PLC is not optimal; the company should take the opportunity of increasing its debt for financing. The other ways of financing operations of Boots PLC can be achieved through the use common or premium stock. 2a. I. 'Dividends

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 95

History - Essay Example These campaigns have however occurred in different periods of time, with each exacting its own influence on the feminist movement. This paper focusses on the evolution of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Often referred to as the â€Å"second wave feminism† the 1960s and 1970s feminist movement arose out of the turbulent social turmoil experienced during this period of American history. In these years, the feminist movement became more radicalized, under the directorship of various outspoken American women. The 1960s and 1970s were characterized by a mass entry of women into the workforce as a result of shifting workplace stereotypes against women in the previous decades. Accordingly, the Second wave feminist movement was primarily focused on disassembling workplace inequality, including salary inequity and increasing women’s access to better jobs. Feminists proposed to achieve this by seeking the abolishment of discriminatory laws and unfair labor practices. To this end, feminist activists distributed education materials to women across the country, regarding reproductive health and sex and pursued the legalization of all types of birth control. Feminists created polit ical organizations and published articles, books, as well as essays critiquing sexism and patriarchy in society. However, to achieve equality, feminists realized that women were required to transform the manner in which the society spoke about, thought of, and treated women. This required more than merely changing laws — this demanded a radical shift in every aspect of the American society to ensure that men and women would be regarded as equals. The main objective of feminists in this period was to reverse the ubiquitous belief that since women differed from men biologically, they were inherently more emotional, intellectually inferior, and were better off executing to domestic chores as compared to professional tasks and politics. Additionally, the feminist movement of the

MSc Managerial Finance RESIT ASSIGNMENT JUNE 2013

MSc Managerial Finance RESIT JUNE 2013 - Assignment Example Ratio analysis is considered to be a very accurate and reliable tool when it comes to analyzing and interpret the financial outlook and performance of an entity. The main reason for performing a ratio analysis is to quantify the results of the financial operations of an entity and analyze them in the light of financial performance of the prior year(s) in order to assess different aspects of the financial feasibility. [Peavler, R. (2001)] The financial ratios are usually divided into various sub categories such as profitability, gearing and liquidity, each put emphasis on a different area of the financial outlook of the organization. These analyses form an integral part of the financial statement analysis, especially from the investor’s point of view, which are always looking for avenues to invest in countries having strengthened and stabilized financial ratios and representing an upward trend. It is of great significance that the ratios must be benchmarked against a standard i n order for them to possess a meaning. Keeping that into account, the comparison is usually conducted between companies portraying same business and financial risks, between industries and between different time periods of the same company. [Investopedia.com (2012] The financial ratio performance of The GAME Group Plc has been evaluated for the last three years in order to draw attention to various financial trends and significant changes over the period. The analysis is divided into three main categorize namely Profitability, Liquidity and Gearing. Profitability ratios identify how efficiently and effectively a company is utilizing its resources and how successful it has been in generating a desired rate of return for its shareholders and investors. Liquidity ratios measure the ability of the company to quickly convert its asset into liquid cash to settle its short term liabilities. Whereas, the Gearing ratios identifies the extent to which the company is financed through debt and to what degree the operations are being conducted from the finance raised through raising equity capital or otherwise. For the purpose of financial ratio analysis, the financial year from 2011-2009 has been evaluated in order to analyze the financial outlook of The GAME Group Plc. The information has been extracted from the annual report of the company. Profitability Ratios    2011 2010 2009    Profitability Ratios Gross profit margin 26.30% 27.80% 26.14% Net profit margin 1.75% 5.00% 6.31% ROI 2.33% 9.23% 11.48% ROCE 4.79% 18.24% 29.22% Gross profit margin is an analyzing tool which assists in identifying how effectively and efficiently the company is utilizing its raw materials [1], variable cost related to labor and fixed costs such as rent and depreciation of property plant and equipment. The ratio is calculated by dividing the sales revenue by the gross profit. If we analyze the gross profit margin trend of The GAME Group Plc it appears that there is decline in the percenta ge over the last financial year. The gross profit margin was the lowest in the financial year 2009 when the gross profit

Issues in Human Sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Issues in Human Sexuality - Essay Example Traditionally, we believed that the feminine role was an expressive one, and the masculine role as instrumental. Expressive activities of the woman fulfill internal functions, and man, on the other hand, performed the external functions of a family, such as providing monetary support. Gender identity, to a large extent, refers to an individual’s identification with male or female gender roles and behaviors and the labeling of different activities as feminine and masculine, which is largely a social construction based on stereotyped expectations regarding gender and perceived gender differences. It is recognized that individuals’ identification with masculine and feminine personality traits could vary when measured in different contexts or when gender identity was more or less salient to the other variables being examined-as found in the observations. If we closely examine the whole thing, we learn that the gender role is a set of behavioral norms associated particularly with males or females in a given social group or system. All societies, to a certain effect, have a gender/sex system, although the components and workings of this system vary widely from society to society. A persons gender role is composed of several elements and can be expressed through clothing, behavior, choice of work, personal relationships and other factors. There is nothing strange in seeing that people spontaneously categorize stereotypically masculine and stereotypically feminine traits and job labels according to gender even when the task at hand has nothing to do with gender. They are grounded in perceptions of differences between these gender categories.