Saturday, August 31, 2019

Persuasion Theory Essay

One of the most deeply-debated, and researched, models of persuasion is the ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model). Developed by Petty and Cacioppo (1981 to 1986). Based on cognitive processes, it â€Å"portrays receivers as active participants in the persuasion process. Receivers produce cognitions (thoughts, elaborations) in response to the stimulus of persuasive discourse† (Stephenson; Benoit; Tschida; 2001). Petty and Cacioppo argue there are two â€Å"routes† to persuasion: central and peripheral. The central route to persuasion consists of thoughtful consideration of the arguments (ideas, content) in the message, and occurs only when a receiver possesses both the motivation and ability to think about the message and topic. The peripheral route occurs when the receiver lacks ability and/or motivation to engage in much thought on the issue. Using the peripheral route, the listener decides whether to agree with the message based on other cues besides the strength of the arguments in the message, such as whether the source is credible or attractive, the number (but not the quality) of arguments in the message, or length of the message. † Petty and Cacioppo argue that subjects produce more favorable cognitive responses to messages with strong than weak arguments. Mitigating factors include source credibility, the state of the recipient’s thinking when the message is received, and method and medium used to deliver the message (i. e. , verbal or written; print or electronic), There is a considerable body of work, both pro and against the ELM. However, from the literature it seems we are once again left with the thought that the processes involved have yet to be rigorously tested as they relate to communication theory, let alone their effect on the Domino Model. â€Å"There have been relatively few rigorous tests of this assumption via path analysis or structural equation modeling† (Stephenson, Benoit, Tschida). American graphic designer Katherine McCoy suggests that persuasion might be considered more than just trying to convince an audience of the sender’s intention â€Å"The receiver’s motivation might also be an important factor. We know persuasion is necessary for distracted, unmotivated users. But it can also increase productivity for motivated users, for instance, through the use of prompts and cues for accurate use of spreadsheet software. In product design, persuasion/seduction can clarify operation sequences for smart products and enrich the user’s product experience. Persuasion provides motivation for those unmotivated through disinterest, unfamiliarity with the content, or lack of competence for a software tool or a product’s operation. There is a complex interaction between the sender’s intentions, message content, the audience/receiver’s motivations and the communications context. Here, the receiver’s motivation is paramount† (McCoy, 2000). But how accurately can we predict motivation? An airport monitor would seem to be purely informational. A traveler hurrying to catch a plane is highly motivated and will make full use of the flight monitor – no need to persuade this audience member. But when a driver in a hurry encounters a stop sign, that driver has a low motivation level. Although the content is informational, the driver may ignore it, making only a rolling stop. Thirdly, what happens when a junk food enthusiast encounters a food package with nutritional information? This audience member has low motivation and probably ignores message content completely. † In order to achieve persuasion, an audience has to be motivated; to want to absorb knowledge, change attitude and, in turn, have their behaviour affected. The American Marketing Association found that after a study of the major persuasion theories â€Å"to date, no single theory or framework that has been developed has been able to account for all the varied and sometimes conflicting persuasion findings. â€Å"Presumably, this is because the complex process of persuasion is intricately dependent on a myriad of contextual, situational, and individual difference factors, whereas the theories remain relatively simplistic and narrowly developed. The inability of existing theories to accommodate all persuasion findings need not suggest, however, that these theories are inaccurate. Rather, these theories simply may represent pieces of persuasion processes that operate in certain conditions that are not always clearly specified†. (Meyers-Levy, 2001). For good measure, highlighting the difficult nature of this area of study, the Association added an additional strategy that people are likely to employ in processing information. a third fundamental processing strategy in response to an advertisement, referred to as an â€Å"experiential processing strategy. where â€Å"judgments are not based on thoughts prompted by message content per se but rather on sensations or feelings prompted by the very act of processing† (cited in Strack, 1992). The Domino model is certainly simplistic, as it assumes that attitudes, and then behaviour, will be altered after information is provided. However, it doesn’t recognise that attitudes are formed early in our development and are inherently difficult to change (why is it that drink-driving, anti-smoking and domestic violence programs don’t seem to work? ). So it can’t be assumed that all people will change their attitudes just because they receive information. In fact, many people may not even receive knowledge from the initial message, particularly if they already have heard the message. Given the number of persuasion theories (and they are just that: theories) it is difficult to judge with any certainty their effect on the Domino model. The simplicity of the Domino Model is probably a result of the fact that public relations is, for the most part, an inexact science – a practice that relies on the foibles of human nature. It also flawed in that what applies to a target group, does not necessarily apply to all individuals in that group. Clearly, more quantifiable research is required before either the Domino Model, or any persuasion theory can be considered exact. In fact â€Å"to date, no single theory or framework that has been developed has been able to account for all the varied and sometimes conflicting persuasion findings. Presumably, this is because the complex process of persuasion is intricately dependent on a myriad of contextual, situational, and individual difference factors, whereas the theories remain relatively simplistic and narrowly developed† (Meyers-Levy, 1999). As Carl Hovland stated: â€Å"to change attitude you have to change opinion. That requires communication†. Whether any of the above theories affect the Domino model remain to be truly tested.

Nigeria My Country

After an initial lag in 1973 and 1974, when large surpluses were saved and invested abroad, consolidated public expenditure accelerated rapidly: by 1976 it absorbed the entire oil windfall (Figure 2). By 1977 combined federation and states capital expenditure increased six fold over their 1970 level. Public capital expenditure accelerated so strongly that it alone accounted for the spending of more than half of the entire oil windfall. However, Nigeria's continued failure to improve its ranking in measures of educational success or infrastructure quality suggest that much of this expenditure was conceived too hastily and ended up largely leading to waste and corruption. Weak institutions and poor governance have contributed substantially to Nigeria’s public debt problems, as the majority of projects financed by public borrowing during the late 1970s and 1980s failed to generate an adequate rate of return needed to improve the repayment capacity of the country. Thus during the 1970s, public expenditure was primarily financed from oil revenues, made possible by the high oil prices in the 1970s, some domestic borrowing, and relatively modest external borrowing. At the time of the second oil shock in 1980, when oil prices jumped to almost $40/bbl, the Since the oil prices collapse in the early 1980s, Nigeria experienced rapid external debt built-up and dwindling foreign exchange reserves: public and publicly guaranteed external debt increased from $4. 3 billion to $11. 2 billion, while foreign exchange reserves were almost exhausted, from $10 billion to $1. 23 billion, all between 1981 and 1983.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Cooper Industries Corporate Strategy Essay

Q1. What is Cooper’s corporate strategy Cooper Industries’ main corporate strategy is broad diversification through M&A. Cooper Industries acquired firms in order to lessen its dependence on cyclical natural gas industry and to exhibit stable earnings. Cooper Industries acquired firms that had stable earning, a broad customer base and proven manufacturing operations using well-known technologies. Cooper Industries had a good corporate level strategy of diversification. Copper Industries acquired both related and non-related businesses. As a result, Cooper Industries could exhibit stable earnings. Reasons for Cooper’s diversification Threats of its original industry : Low growth level Unstable market(cyclic) Technology Issues Expensive labor and high costs. Cooper’s strengths : Skilled labor and high technology that could be used in other businesses Financially abundant. In order to refrain from possible threats and maximize its strengths, Cooper chose to diversify its business both in size and scope. By diversification, Cooper could achieve: Update of processes and equipment Retain of Brand power Retain of skilled labor and consolidated plants Retain of cheap labor and capital(by moving to Southern area) Overall, Cooper’s corporate level strategy can be regarded as good because it adds value in various ways. Cooper could gain market power and economies of scope by related diversification By related diversification and vertical integration, Cooper could reduce costs of primary goods and support  activities below competitive level. Cooper could also develop and exploit economies of scope by: Combining duplicate product lines to one division. Rationalizing manufacturing facilities to close underutilized plants. Consolidating sales and marketing programs to help develop a unified market identity. Combining sales members from other companies to promote efficiency. Q2. How does it create value? Cooper also created value by: Acquiring firms that exhibit stable earnings and counter-cyclical to those Cooper Industries had. (e.g. Invested in the electrical business in late 70’s) Acquiring firms with high quality products and firms that were market leaders. Focusing on products that served basic needs and were manufactured by proven technologies so that Cooper gained consistent earnings from stable markets with predictable growth. Transferring proven practices around the company rather than using outside consultants. Experience and judgment of senior management staffs. Cooper Industries’ key resources Structural behaviors Experienced management executives. â€Å"Cash flow is king† thinking – enforcing attention to working capital. Bottom-up strategic plans Centralized activities among divisions. Skilled labor and capital Cooper had skilled labor and capital with low costs. Acquisition-related aspects Cooper had strict guidelines for acquiring firms Cooper conducted systematic supervision over acquired firms. Cooper’s structure Chief Executive Officer Cizik, three Senior Vice Presidents who manage Administration, Finance and Manufacturing services, and three Executive Vice Presidents who manage each division : Electrical & Electronic, Commercial & Industrial and Compression & Drilling. Central control over corporate policy but delegated day-to-day operating decisions to each operating unit. Senior management is composed of former operators so that it knew what were good decisions to make. Cooper maintained a strong union-avoidance policy. Cooper’s incentives Executives were paid salaries based on the Hay system. Their bonuses were 20~40% of base salaries. Division managers had a bonus determined by Corporate Administration and EVP’s discretion. Key managers were granted stock options. When Cooper acquired a firm, administration adjusted pay scales to the same as other Cooper divisions. Cooper also adopted its standard benefits for medical insurance and pensions for new acquisitions. Cooper’s evaluation Evaluation was based on Management Development & Planning(MD&P) MD&P evaluated organizational effectiveness and individual strengths and weaknesses by focusing on the performance of key managers. Employees were reviewed by their supervisors. Each EVP conducted annual reviews of all managers in the division. MD&P uncovered existing or potential management gaps and identified people worthy of promotion. It also distinguished candidates for interdivisional transfers, which is a key resource for Cooper Industry. Q3. Should Cooper acquire Champion Spark Plugs? Why or Why not? Cooper should acquire Champion Spark Plugs Champion was doing automotive industry, which was profitable business and related to Cooper’s businesses. Champion had a strategic fit with Cooper’s long term plans such as diversification. Champion Spark Plugs fits well with Cooper’s acquisition guidelines for Diversification. Stable earnings and earning patterns that are countercyclical to those Cooper had.(Slight decrease in sales, however, occurred annually) Although Champion suffered from declines in sales, Champion was recognized worldwide and was a market  leader in the spark plug market. Champion had an internationally recognized brand name. Overall, Champion was suffering from declining demands in spark plug market at the time of the takeover battle. Champion was trying to penetrate the automotive tool business in spite of its poor technology level. So, in order for both Champion and Cooper to make more profits, Cooper should acquire Champion. Champion and Cooper can both satisfy each other’s needs. While Champion can use Cooper’s experience and skilled labor to penetrate the automotive tool business, Cooper can use Champion’s world-widely recognized brand name to explore overseas markets.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Reflection paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection paper 2 - Essay Example According to Marx, the proletariat represents the real revolutionary body free of conservatism, which developed and led to an open revolution, which withdrew the bourgeoisie. Marx asserts that the bourgeoisie attributed to the modern industry development produces its own destroyers and this leads to the inevitable success of the proletariat (Karl and Engels, 34). In relation to the communist manifesto, Marx asserts that the association between the proletariats’ labour and the bourgeoisie’s property ownership should be changed such that the right to own property can be transformed into another level of social class whose class character is eliminated. This implies that the communist policy requires that the labour will only exist to benefit the labourers in the society. According to Marx, the bourgeois stand against the communist ideology because of its intend and power to limit their freedom and more importantly remove the policy of private property. However, the communist policy dissented by voices, which argue that no need of working of private property is abolished (Karl and Engels, 69) On equal measure, other dissenters argue that communism will eventually annihilate intellectual products. This is not true, only that it reflects the bourgeois misperception. Marx affirms that the communist revolution is a sweeping rupture in the conventional property associations, which is attributed to the fundamental changes in the conventional ideologies. According to Marx, the revolution represented by the working class intends to make the proletariat the ruling class. This follows that the proletariat class will use its political supremacy to confiscate all the monetary gains from the bourgeoisie. Next, the proletariat will centralize the requisite tools of production to be directly controlled by the State. This will only be

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Global company analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global company analysis - Research Paper Example The launch of the first transistor radio was in the late 1950’s, although it was not the first of its kind to be invented; it was however the first to be marketed out to the general public. Sony corporation has been a publicly traded company since 1958 (Akio Morita 1986). At the beginning they relied heavily on investors to help fund and operate the company. As well as the use of non-traditional marketing tools such as the hiring of regular spokespeople to use Sony products within the general public and asking them to try it. Sony managed to stay ahead of its competition by being the leaders of innovation in the electronic market. They focused their energies on inventing rather than market research, bringing the latest and newest products out on the market before there was a demand for it. Such inventions included the portable cassette player known as the â€Å"walkman†. Besides being well known for its quality in personal recording and storage devices, Sony Corporation is also the leader of quality sound systems used in major motion pictures. It is a well known global company, which offers a variety of products around the world. Sony is subdivided in two sections. The Sony Corporation is the holding and electronics portion of the organization and the Sony Group which is branched out into other sectors, such as computer, motion picture and music entertainment. ... distribution reports showed total revenue of $88,205 billion U.S dollars and according to Forbes, Sony’s current stock exchange rate is $27.58 U.S dollars, which is down by 2.30% since last year. Although the company has seen a decline in overall revenue in 2008, there has been a slow increase in sales in 2010. The sale of video gaming consoles and systems as well as the entertainment industry continues to be the company’s largest source of income. The company’s overall goal is in maintaining their reputation as leaders of technological advancements throughout its global structure. The company was originally founded on the Japanese principals of creating a â€Å"family like† atmosphere by preserving strong relationships between management and the employees. However, as the company expanded its resources on the international scale, keeping in line with the same values and principals becomes a challenge. Akio Morita believes that the only way for a company t o be successful is by its people. (Akio Morita 1986). This is the value that Sony tries to uphold throughout all its global sectors. The Sony Corporation human resources department is actively involved in group wide initiatives to help new recruits as well as existing members in enhancing their abilities and skills in order to become successful within the company. They are continuously working at implementing global strategies in order to maintain a unified goal. The Sony Group’s global initiative in developing business leaders is an important asset to the company’s overall success. In 2008, Sony implemented â€Å"global talent directors† (Sony website), their job is to seek out and train potential recruits into business leaders. To help maintain company unity, Sony also launched a job rotation program. This

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The Influence of Developmentally Appropriately Practices on Academic Essay

The Influence of Developmentally Appropriately Practices on Academic Success in Preschool - Essay Example This affirms some of the cherished beliefs among professionals with regard to good curriculum practices while challenging others. In addition to gaining new knowledge, early childhood programs have experienced several important changes in recent years. The number of programs continue to increase not only in response to the growing demand for out-of-home child care, but also due to recognition of the critical importance of educational experiences during the early years (Willer et al., 1991; NCES, 1993). For example, in the late 1980s, the Head Start embarked on the largest expansion in its history. This expansion extended into the 1990s with a wide variety of new services for families with infants and toddlers. The National Education Goals Panel established their first goal that by the year 2000 all children will have access to high-quality and developmentally appropriate preschool programs (NEGP, 1991). The welfare reform portended a greatly increased demand for childcare services fo r even the youngest children from families with very low income. Some characteristics of early childhood programs have also changed in recent years. Increasingly, programs serve children and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. It requires that all programs demonstrate how to understand and be responsive to cultural and linguistic diversity because culture and language are critical components of children’s development. Practices cannot be developmentally appropriate unless they are responsive to cultural and linguistic diversity. The context in which early childhood programs operate today is also characterized by ongoing debates about how best to teach children. They also discuss the kind of practices that is most likely to contribute to their development and learning. Perhaps, the most important contribution of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) position statement on developmentally appropriate practices was that it cre ated an opportunity for increased conversation within and outside the early childhood education field (Bredekamp, 1987). In revising this position statement, NAEYC’s goal is not only to improve the quality of current early childhood education practices, but also to continue encouraging the kind of questioning and debate among early childhood professionals necessary for the continuous growth of professional knowledge in the field. A related goal is to express NAEYC’s position more clearly, so that effort will not be wasted in unproductive debates about apparent rather than real differences of opinion. Since the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) first published the Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) guidelines in 1987 (Bredekamp, 1987), later revised by Bredekamp and Copple (1997), the day-to-day experiences of millions of children have been affected. Over a million copies of the guidelines have been sold, and many teachers and ear ly childhood professionals have implemented DAP in their classrooms to some extent. While there is no

Monday, August 26, 2019

Critically evaluate the concept of bureaucracy as an effective system Essay

Critically evaluate the concept of bureaucracy as an effective system of organization - Essay Example Problem of red tape is often related with the term Bureaucracy. Effectiveness of bureaucratic management may be analyzed on the basis of how a formal organization relies on promptly defined hierarchical levels and different specific roles to maintain effectiveness and efficiency. It is being noticed that often bureaucracy is criticized for its inflexibility, complexity and inefficiency. Over the years, experts like Max Weber have strongly argued the importance of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is the most effective way through activities of human being can be organized within any organization. The presence of bureaucracy is there in every organization but degree of bureaucracy differs from one organization to other. This essay will critically evaluate the concept of bureaucracy as an important and effective system of the organizations. In the course of this essay different theories of bureaucracy will be discussed. This essay will help to understand the deep rooted interrelationship betwee n bureaucracy and effectiveness of the organizations. This will be a step by step approach. The first name that comes to mind about the bureaucracy theory is German sociologist Max Weber. According to the theory of Weber, bureaucracy contains some characteristics. Those characteristics are very important for the effective system of organization. Those characteristics are Hierarchy, Specialization, Division of labour and Standard operating procedures. A hierarchy is a system with well defined span of command. This characteristic states that everyone has a boss in an organization. According to the theory the boss of organization supervises entire system. The power flows from the top management through the trickle down hypothesis (Durant, 2010). According to this theory subordinate follows the orders of superiors and can appeal against those orders. As per this theory bureaucrats are specialized persons for some specific areas of works. This provides

Sunday, August 25, 2019

American History Since 1865 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American History Since 1865 - Essay Example One can safely conclude that the containment policy was somewhat of a success. The strategy acknowledged that the Soviets will continue to expand. From Kennan’s perspective, it was a dangerous policy as it flared tensions between two superpowers. It also initiated the ruthless intention of the USA to build up arms and support dictatorships to fight anti-communism. Kennan’s strategy was overblown as the government took this as a chance to launch a full-scale war against communism. The ultimate goal went from containment to overthrowing a regime. However, policy was a success as it did halt Soviet expansionism as democracy prevailed. The risks that were implemented with this policy were too high compared to the benefits. The three most important events that occurred in the civil rights movement were: the bus incident of the Rosa Parks, the Civil Rights act of the 1964, and the â€Å"dream speech† of Martin Luther king. These events were vital to the development and progression of the civil right movements for various reasons. The Rosa Parks incident was critical to the Civil Rights movement because it initiated the Montgomery bus boycott. The boycott was essential because it boycotted all the buses because it implemented social and political campaign that attempted to eliminate segregation.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Management Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management Development - Essay Example The field of human resource development is particularly related to organizational learning and transfer of learning, each of which is a significant objective. The last twenty years have yielded a large amount of research about which factors are key influential factors in the process of transfer of learning (Mailick, 1998, pp. 57-68). This has led to the practices of management training becoming highly popular over the past few decades, since its link to increasing aptitude and improved management practices for both middle managers and top managers. However, research (Mumford, 1994, pp. 20-33) shows that most of the substantial resources that companies are allocating to such management training will be wasted, since institutional learning and training hardly transfers into the organization’s workplace. For this reason, the programs have not had a significant impact yet, which leads researchers to further study into such features of human resource management (Ashton et al, 1975, pp. 1-9). The past few decades have been a misguiding era due to the conflicting management beliefs, findings, and practices in the global economy. While there is still much debate about the effectiveness, methodology, and validity of management development (Mumford, 2004, 71-84), companies are still investing millions in executive management education. This does not pertain only to academic training. The corporate training programs are innovatively designed to cater to several needs of the trainees, such as punctuality of delivery, profound information coverage and job relatedness. For this reason, these training sessions provide learning, which is presented in the context of an organizational workplace, administered at the appropriate time, and sized in small and effective doses, which are easy to comprehend. However, these programs have also failed to produce desired results of significant magnitude, which is why the true effectiveness of management development is still in quest ion. Discussion The operations of a business being international in the new global economy (ILO, 1998, pp. 10-28), further complicate the management and technique required for survival far beyond how they would be for a domestic firm. Research (Hill, 2007, pp. 28-51) shows how the strategy of the organization (what to do) is receiving more attention on an international scale than its own implementation (how to do it) or the training of international managers (the people who will do it). The shortage of qualified and capable international managers is a large reason why these companies cannot successfully practice such international strategies, even though the quantity of available research (Rothwell, 2006, pp. 66-79) on the IHRM policies that MNEs practice is insufficient to support this fact. This research is especially limited regarding international markets other than those of the west and their IHRM practices, thus constraining the validity of this discussion. One major criticism that the existing research (Garavan et al, 1999, pp. 191-207) on management development observes is that the core problems that affect the implementation of management have not received sufficient attention. This pertains especially to the academic perspective about management, which tends to restrict its scope particularly in the UK. This does not allow for room to

Friday, August 23, 2019

Finance Principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finance Principles - Essay Example It can be explained as, if one of the asset in the portfolio is giving negative return, then it would not have a significant impact on the overall return of the portfolio because the other assets might be performing well and thus making up for the asset which is not performing well. Diversification helps an investor to have consistent return on its portfolio over a period of time. An investor who is risk-averse in nature would always strive to have a completely diversified portfolio in order to minimize risks associated with it. Quantitative measure of portfolio is possible with the advent of several portfolio selection theories. Using those quantitative measures one can have the benefits of diversification to the maximum amount possible. The diversification strategy proposed by Markowitz is based on the covariance between the returns generated by the assets included in a portfolio. The diversification theory proposed by Markowitz is related to the risks associated with the portfolio as a whole and not the risk associated with any asset in isolation. Markowitz used variance as a measure of risk. Markowitz tried to develop a diversified portfolio by including those assets in the portfolio which are not perfectly positively correlated with each other, so that the variance in return of the portfolio is minimized without affecting much on the return of the portfolio.1 Mean – Variance Diversification Mean – Variance diversification portfolio theory utilizes marginal analysis as a means of achieving optimal level of diversified portfolio. It is based on the fact that diversification should be enhanced until and unless marginal cost is less than the marginal benefit. The advantage of this theory is the minimization of risk. The costs that are considered in this theory are holding costs and transaction costs. The standard deviation of the returns generated through the combination of assets is used as the risk measure in case of this theory of diversificat ion. Marginal benefits associated with diversification of portfolio get increased with decrease in correlation between asset returns. On diversification of the portfolio the expected value of standard deviation goes on decreasing. Optimal diversification depends on the expected correlations between each pair of assets in the portfolio, the buying costs of each of the assets, the holding costs of the assets and expected premium on equity used as asset in the portfolio.2 Risks associated with any portfolio can either be unsystematic risks or systematic risks. As discussed earlier risk gets reduced with diversification. However, diversification reduce risk only to a certain level, beyond which it is not possible to reduce risk because changes in the market conditions as a whole affects in variation of prices of all the assets included in the portfolio and it is not possible to reduce or eliminate this variability beyond a certain level. Hence it is necessary to divide risk into two par ts, namely systematic risk and unsystematic risk. The risk which represents that portion of the variability in asset caused by the market movements are known as systematic risk. This type of risk is unavoidable in nature and is sometimes termed as beta as mentioned in the Capital Asset Pricing

The Aurora Shootings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Aurora Shootings - Essay Example July 20th, 2012 was marked with unbelievable horror, violence and sorrow which will be remembered for a long time due to the loss of lives and the fearful scars it left on the surviving individuals. The screening of the English movie â€Å"The Dark Knight Rises† at one of the movie theaters in Aurora, Colorado, was converted from an exciting and fun-filled event into a deadly massacre spreading fear and panic everywhere. The shooting resulted in the death of 12 and the injury of 58 people in the theater; according to the police reports, nearly every injury was the outcome of gunshots (Pearson 2012). This rampage has been covered by media extensively elaborating each and every detail, number of victims and survivors, aftermaths of the shootings, government actions and emotional stories of the massacre victims and their mourning relatives. James E. Holmes, the suspect of Aurora shootings, entered the movie theater through a rear exit door, armed with a gun and wearing ballistic helmet and protective gear over his body, shot at random in the movie theater. According to the law enforcement agencies, Holmes also threw a tear gas; however, the substance is still under suspicion. Holmes was arrested within first seven minutes of the panic calls from the movie-goers, while the victims were hurriedly sent to the nearby hospitals (Pearson 2012). The Aurora shootings left many questions lingering amongst the people regarding security of movie theaters that how could an armed person enter a theater and many questioning eyes were raised against the gun ownership laws of the United States. On the other hand, reasons that provoked Holmes towards a merciless shooting spree are also being investigated and researched.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Dracula and Kenneth Essay Example for Free

Dracula and Kenneth Essay The high angle shot and extreme long shot looking down at Dracula and Harker crossing through the hall. This shot draws attention to Draculas extremely long red cape streaming out behind him like a trail of blood. The low angle shot shows Dracula looming over Harker and makes him look powerful, like he is in control. Many two shots are used to allow the audience to make comparisons between the two characters. The low angle shot is also used to emphasize the shadows movements. The low lighting helps with casting Draculas shadow which is again typical of horror. Draculas eerie shadow moving in the gloom is very effective for scaring the audience as the combination of shadow with candle light works exceptionally well for this scene. This candle light makes the gloomy aspect more present as the castle is immense and there are not very many candles so most of the entrance hallway would be beyond the reach of the light and in darkness, which makes it very scary as you do not know what lurks in the gloom. There is orchestral music played by the strings which go low and slow to create a sinister atmosphere. This music adds to the feeling of tension, the feeling that something is going to happen. The music gets louder and quicker when Harker offends Dracula by laughing and Dracula gets furious and pulls out a sword. This combined with the change of pace and volume of the music makes the audience become afraid, a typical trick of horror. There are many different sound effects in this scene from Dracula. There is the howling of the savage wolves, which scares the audience and makes the element of horror and wildness of the setting more clear. There was the thunder, which is typical of a horror movie. The clanging of the huge, metal gates emphasizes the feeling of the strength and inescapability of the castle and that Harker will not be able to escape and this will be his prison for the rest of his life. Harkers costume is typical of a man of those times. He wears a suit and is very neatly presented. He has his hair combed very carefully. Draculas is very different. He wears a huge red robe which trails out behind him like blood. His hair is curled up high and is white and it mixes with the skin on the back of his neck which makes him look weird and scary. His skin is white and wrinkled like an old man and this creates the effect that he has been drained of all his blood and that helps you to understand his lust for blood and the way he talks about the preciousness of blood. It makes him look very scary and effective, almost dead in a way. It also makes him look exotic and abnormal. He would stand out in a crowd of normal people. There were quite a few similarities between the film extract and the text; both were set in a huge, Gothic castle with a vast courtyard. The stone was massively carved and the door was old and studded. Both had creeping shadows and lanterns. In both the film extract and the text, Dracula is portrayed as having hairy palms (abnormal), profuse hair, an extraordinary pallor as he is very pale, he is portrayed as being an old man in both and he is also similarly portrayed as speaking with a strange intonation (foreign accent). The similarities between the film extract and the text with Harker is that in both they portray his feelings of anxiety and his crossing of the threshold is made significant. The differences are that in the text, Dracula is described as having bushy eyebrows and a moustache whereas in the film extract he has a plain face. In the text, Dracula is dressed in all black while in the film he is dressed in white which emphasizes his paleness with a red cape that is more powerfully visual as looking like blood flowing behind him. Also in the text Dracula is portrayed as having a red mouth with protuberant, pointed teeth while in the film he is shown as having a pale mouth and normal teeth. The director uses this look in order to make Dracula look like a normal human, adding to the feeling of mystery surrounding him, and to make him different from the stereotypic image of Dracula. Summary These two films engage a modern audience in the way the films use clever tricks to give suspense, which can be overlooked in some of the newer horror films that rely on the amount of blood that comes out rather than clever filming and jumpy moments. In short, Dracula and Frankenstein were very similar in the way that they portrayed the typical horror tricks and consisted of similar camera angles to each other point out various bits. I thought that Dracula, both the written extract and the film extract fitted the horror genre a bit better than Frankenstein as it was more believable for me. I also thought that the film extract was much more scary, although Frankenstein wasnt bad and had its moments of fright. My final views were that Dracula was on the whole filmed better than Frankenstein as it used the different camera angles more effectively in my opinion. Andrew Baillie 10ALB Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Developing Green Infrastructure in New York CIty

Developing Green Infrastructure in New York CIty Chapter 1 New York City, U.S.A. New York City background City of New York is the most heavily populated city in the United States and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. From the geographical point of view, it is located in a coastal area at the mouth of Hudson River into the Atlantic Ocean. The city’s territory has been extensively altered by human intervention, especially with considerable land reclamation. At the present time the city total area is 1214km2, 790km2 out of it being land and is increasing with every year. New York City’s land use is characterized as a highly developed urban core on Manhattan Island and a sprawling dense suburban area. The average building height in the city is approximately 142m. The city’s climate is vastly affected by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean having 2.5 °C as average temperature in winter and 24.9 °C as average temperature in summer. Hurricanes and tropical storms are rare in New York, however they are not uncommon and always have the potential to strike the area. Urban heat island in New York City In the city of New York, urban heat island is a very well-known fact and it causes a lot of problems in various parts of the city, especially in the areas with high buildings. In the last two decades there have been countless researches and analysis made by different scientists and city government regarding atypical increased heat in some urban districts. In the last years, abnormal city climate became a bigger concern also for general public and the number of local communities involving in various heat mitigation programs is increasing. One of the most problematic zones regarding urban heat island is Manhattan. This district has the shape of a high urban canyon with buildings height ranging from around 70m up to 541m but the average height is of approximately 130m. The traffic in this area is overwhelming and combined with the large amount of materials that can absorb heat during the day, Manhattan is considered the hotspot of high temperatures in New York City. However, during the day there are multiple regions with higher temperatures than in Manhattan. But then again during the night, the temperature remains elevated in this specific region while in the other areas, the cooling process happens much faster and considerably easier. Figure 5‑a Manhattan map During summer temperatures are elevated and in this period urban heat island is more accentuated. Summer temperatures in the city are in average 4 °C warmer than surrounding suburban and rural areas. During winter city temperatures are in average 3 °C warmer than surroundings.[1] According to this research Variations in New York city’s urban heat island strength over time and space[2] in New York City, on a typical summer day with 30 °C air temperature, roofs and upper parts of buildings’ facades can reach more than 80 °C, while the pavements and streets on the floor of the urban canyon have a temperature varying from 65 ° to 80 °C. Mitigation strategies Urban heat island mitigation programs Absence of parks, gardens and street trees is a well-known problem in New York City districts and in 1996 the first program with the intention of greening the city has begun. It is called the Greenstreets and the purpose is to â€Å"change unused road areas into green spaces that beautify neighborhoods, improve air quality, reduce air temperatures (†¦). Since its beginning, over 2500 Greenstreets have been built citywide†[3] and the below table shows the current status. Figure 5‑b This table shows the percentages of vegetation and impervious surfaces in some of the New York City neighborhoods. The percentages are comparative to the specific zone. Landscape architects work together with the city government and local community groups to determine how best to increase the green infrastructure in the city. In Manhattan, more than half of the buildings’ roofs and terraces are no longer impervious because of the multitude of programs implemented by the government to fight the heat. The most important plan is called PlaNYC 2030[4] and it was implemented in 2007. Since then 903000 trees have been planted and in 2014 New York City had the cleanest air in the last 50 years. Moreover, since September 2013, an additional 185000m2 of black asphalt felt roofs have been upgraded to green roofs. Currently only 14% of the city area is covered by parks and gardens and they help reduce the heat, but the program is continuing. According to NASA â€Å"about 14 percent of the New York City’s impervious surface area consists of rooftops, most of them dark, heat-generating surfaces, typically tar†[5]. If this all this area is to be transformed into green roofs, then the percentage of gardens could grow up to 28%. In January 2010, one major project called Green light for Midtown[6] has been implemented in the midtown area, Manhattan. The idea was developed as a little part of the PlaNYC 2030. This project was a â€Å"major initiative in the City’s efforts to improve mobility and safety†[7]. However it also had a smaller and not that important objective to increase the green areas in midtown and have lighter colored streets and pathways. Some trees have been planted but more have been placed in large pots to ensure flexibility. Most of the streets have been temporarily painted in green and blue colors. The project was a success at that time as the lighter surface colors ensured a lower temperature for pedestrians. Another program called NYC  °Cool Roofs[8] (White roof project) [9], has as purpose turning most of black asphalt felt roofs in New York City into white roofs. The procedure is by painting the roof covering with a highly reflective paint, of minimum 0.75 albedo as stated in the project law[10]. According to the White Roof Project research on a summer day with 32 °C a white roof surface temperature is with 6 °C warmer than the air temperature and with 44 °C cooler than a black asphalt felt roof[11]. Since the project started in 2010, more than 535000m2 of roofs have been painted white in New York City metropolitan area[12]. Figure 5‑c Map of New York City with white roofs at the end of 2012 Figure 5‑d White Roof Project research Even though white roofs are more used than green roofs, the latter have greater heat mitigation potential. In Manhattan, while a white roof has the power to cool the air temperature with 0.7 °C on a summer day, the same area of green roof can cool the air around with approximately 3 °C and the effect is extended on a larger area.[13] Indoor temperature New York City has to struggle every summer with air conditioning and mechanical ventilation of every building. Because of the intense heat and the amount of units running in the same time, long power blackouts are very common and people had to find solutions to improve the air quality indoor. A lot of companies took the decision to install living walls indoors because of design reasons, but in time they realized the positive effects that they have on indoor climate. As a result, this solution became with time popular and more people and companies take the decision to install a living wall inside to help the air conditioning. Indoor temperatures during summer are very close to the outside temperatures and a living wall indoor can reduce the room temperature with as much as 7 °C. Green structures Figure 5‑e The Trump Tower in New York City Green facades and living walls are a common choice between New Yorkers but not as common as green roofs. Living walls are mostly used inside or on terraces and balconies. Green facades are also an appealing design in New York City and they appear mostly on old buildings. On new buildings, a full or partial green faà §ade is achieved by plants that people grow in their balconies or hanging from the outside window sill. Green roofs are increasing not only because of the multitude of promoting programs and laws but also because people discovered the benefits that these structures have. Most of them are becoming used as fruits and vegetable gardens, especially on the apartment blocks, schools and kindergartens. Moreover a nice flower garden on each apartment terrace increases the property value. Therefore the real-estate agencies are taking advantage of this feature and implement green roofs and green walls in more and more buildings. As a conclusion, most of the people’s reasons for adding a green roof or living wall anywhere in the city are more oriented to economic benefits or attractive view and practical usage. However the effect on the city climate and indoor temperature is the same. Communities involvement Figure 5‑f Public tree nursery The city government has a very efficient and well-organized informing procedure for local communities and the number of volunteers for helping cool the city is increasing. Also Central Park in Manhattan area, during summer is considered the heart of cool and shade and people realized how much power vegetation can have on the city climate. Therefore one of the most important practices that communities are doing is helping the government create spaces or use the existing parks for public tree nurseries. When trees reach the necessary size, volunteers help the government plant them on streets or in areas where shade is needed.[14] As a result, New York City is becoming a greener city. Moreover, through the program NYC  °Cool Roofs and White Roof Project, people volunteer to paint their own roofs white. 1 | Page [1] Slosberg, R. B., Rosenzweig, C., Solecki, W. D., 2007. New York City Regional Heat Island Initiative: Mitigating New York City’s Heat Island with Urban Forestry, Living Roofs, and Light Surfaces [2] Gaffin, et al., 2007. Variations in New York city’s urban heat island strength over time and space [3] NYC Parks. Green Infrastructure. [online] [4] Myors Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, 2014. PLANYC Progress report 2014 [5] NASA. The Making (and Breaking) of an Urban Heat Island. [online] [6] New York City Department of Transportation, 2010. Green Light for Midtown Evaluation Report [7] New York City Depertment of Transportation. Pedestrians – Broadway. [online] [8] NYC  °Cool Roofs, 2012. NYC  °Cool Roofs Annual review 2012. [9] White roof project is a continuity project of NYC  °Cool Roofs White Roof Project, 2010. White Roof Project. [online] [10] A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York and the New York city building code, in relation to roof coating standards, 347-A (January 1, 2012) [11] See Figure 5-d [12] NYC  °Cool Roofs, 2014. NYC  °Cool Roofs. [online] [13] Rosenzweig, C., Solecki, W. D., Parshall, L., Lynn, B., Cox, J., Goldberg, R., . . . Watson, M., 2009. MITIGATING NEW YORK CITY’S HEAT ISLAND Integrating Stakeholder Perspectives and Scientific Evaluation. [14] American Society of Landscape Architects (Producer), 2012. Urban forests=Cleaner, cooler air

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Satires Analysis

Satires Analysis John Donnes Life and Satires Analysis John Donne was born in 1572 in Breadstreet, London. Many call him the founder of metaphysical poets. He and his two siblings were raised by their mother after their father died in 1576. Donne and his family were strict Roman Catholics, but Donne later questioned his religion. His brother Henry died in prison in 1953 of a fever. He was in prison for giving sanctuary to a priest and it was soon after this that Donne wrote his first book of poems. The book was entitled Satires, and it has long been considered one of his best works. This really says a lot about his ability considering that it was his first published work. During this time Donne did very well for himself and he had what seemed to be a very promising career. All he had gained was ruined when he secretly married Anne More, daughter of Sir George More. More had Donne and his friends thrown in Fleet prison for several weeks. He was then fired from his job and he and his wife lived in poverty for almost ten years. Soon after this they moved to Pyrford, Surrey where they began to raise a family. Finally, in 1609 Sir More and Donne reconciled and More paid his daughters dowry. This helped them greatly financially. They also received help from friends and soon returned to their feet. Donne worked many odd jobs over the next few years and published many works. In two different works he denounced his Catholic faith. He later joined the Anglican Church and became a preacher. His wife died not long after, just as things were beginning to look up for Donne. They had twelve children together and only seven of them were alive when she died. Donne then returned to London in 1920 where he wrote the majority of his works. In 1621 he was chosen to be the Dean of St. Pauls and he held that position until he died. While in London he also became quite engrossed with death. The last thing Donne wrote before he died was Hymn to God, My God, In My Sickness. He died on March 31, 1631 before the great fire of London destroye d the city in 1666. Donnes monument survived the fire and it can be seen still to this day. Donnes book Satires was written early in his career. He was in his early twenties when it was completed. It consists of five different satires and it was quite popular. The first three were written around 1593 and the last two were written around 1597. The exact dates of his elegies and satires are not known, but they were probably written around the same time. The book wasnt published right away, but it circulated more than his songs, sonnets, and elegies did combined. His songs and sonnets were more popular and revealed more of his inner self and his soul. The book is about average poets, politics, religion, and other Elizabethan topics. â€Å"The Satyres are considered by some to be among the best examples of their particular genre, formal verse satire, but this genre, based upon Roman models and especially on Juvenals satire, had only a brief vogue in the 1590s† (Zivley 87). Donnes first satire is entitled â€Å"Nones Slave†. â€Å"The object of the speakers contempt and the subject of ‘Satyre I is ultimately his own fallen state and, by extension, the fallen state of man† (Lauritsen 123). He explores many different ways of asserting his freedom in the corrupt, distorted English government. It depicts the ins and outs of court life. Donne believed one should be able to do as he wished. He didnt think anyone should be limited by the government or their religion. Most of Donnes early poetry dealt with this topic. He wanted prestige and a more worldly position without obeying the current laws to obtain it. Donne was the victim of Englands oppressive legal system numerous times and he still fought for the freedom he deserved. The protagonist is continually being distracted from his studies by a young boy. The two characters are complete opposites and they butt heads. The protagonist is a simple, peaceful man and he doesnt care for materia l things. The boy isnt quite as simple and he is very materialistic. He judges his friends by their appearance and social standing. The second satire condemns vices and it includes very little praise. It centers on corrupt lawyers and fraud. Cocus is an earlier poet and he is the antagonist of the satire. â€Å"The description of Cocus in ‘Satyre II is the only extended portrait of a contemporary writer in Donnes satires, and even in that poem he reserves most of his scorn for Cocuss behavior as a lawyer† (Dubrow 80). He uses fraud to harm his clients and others. Their losses become his personal gain. The protagonist seems to be a guardian to Cocus and he calls him up for judgment. He goes on an unrelated rant when asked to account for his own actions. However, he isnt afraid to condemn Cocus when asked about his practice. The protagonist believes lawyers to be the worst of all sinners. He even places them below Satan himself. In Donnes third satire entitled â€Å"Of Religion†, he describes some of the most radical thoughts of Europe in the 16th Century. In this poem he criticizes all authority in that time. He especially criticizes both the Catholic and Protestant faiths. Nothing religious or secular was safe from Donnes criticisms. â€Å"Most critics agree that the satire represents a transitional stage in the progress of Donnes religious thought from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism while they differ on whether it illustrates his struggle to renounce the faith in which he was raised or his search for a new faith† (Moore 41). He also stated that we are all responsible for the state of our own souls. The protagonist is the only character included in this satire. He starts out in a state of depression and his mood gradually improves. This improvement comes through a chain of questions and reasoning. He is now on a search for spiritual truth. He believes that there is only one true religion f or mankind. He just isnt sure which religion is the right one. This is by far the most popular and recognizable of the five satires. In Donnes fourth satire he speaks of many different things. He wrote about the assault of foreigners in England, perpetual rights, Guianas rarities, Danes massacre, and Roman Catholic historians. Foreigners were highly unpopular in England and they were often harassed and assaulted. He spoke of perpetual rights or promises of offices given to people. Danes massacre refers to the killing of all the Danes in England by order of Ethelred on November 13, 1002. The Roman Catholic historians that Donne spoke of were Jovius and Surius. They were both known as liars and took much blame from Donne. A young antagonist appears in this satire, and he is much like the antagonist in the second satire. The protagonist serves as a reflection of Donne himself. â€Å"Despite the playful tone, however, the emphasis is firmly on the speakers guilt† (Bradbury 95). Donne criticizes the protagonist for his many sins. His fifth satire is a persuasive poem and it is based on The Courtier written by Castiglione. It also returns to the second satire by including the theme of law. It showcases his public duty much like his other four satires. In this one his public duty is to serve as Sir Thomas Mores secretary and it is addressed to his patron, Sir Thomas Egerton the moral courtier. Officers who take advantage of their suitors are now under attack. This satire is usually the most ignored and the least understood. There has always been much speculation over the meanings of John Donnes works. Critics still view him highly although his works are often misinterpreted. He was and still is considered one of the greatest metaphysical poets of his time. Works Cited Bradbury, Nancy M. Speaker and Structure in Donnes Satyre IV. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 25.1 (1985): 87-107. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. Dubrow, Heather. â€Å"No Man Is an Island: Donnes Satires and Satiric Traditions. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 19.1 (1979): 71- 83. JSTOR. Web. 23 Nov. 2009. Lauritsen, John R. Donnes Satyres: The Drama of Self-Discovery. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900 16.1 (1976): 117-30. JSTOR. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. Moore, Thomas V. Donnes Use of Uncertainty as a Vital Force in Satyre III Modern Philology 67.1 (1969): 41-49. JSTOR. Web. 22 Nov. 2009. Zivley, Sherry. Imagery in John Donnes Satyres. Studies in English Literature 6.1 (1966): 87-95. JSTOR. Web. 22 Nov. 2009.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Symbols, Motifs, and Themes of Bless the Beasts and the Children :: essays research papers

Bless the Beast and the Children symbols, motifs, and themes essay In Bless the Beasts and the Children, symbols and motifs help progress the story and develop the theme that ?when faced with a certain situation, boys will do great things?. The boys can use symbols and motifs to help them get through obstacles without giving up and acheive their goal. The boys also give up symbols and motifs they used for comfort or stability that they no longer need because of their independence and maturity. All of the boys carry around a radio, hat, and flashlight which each symbolize how the boys rely on physical things to soothe their emotional distress. The radios give the boys a sense of security when they?re afraid. The hats symbolize shelter for the boys away from the society. The flashlights symbolize a comforting presence when they?re alone. These items all symbolize the boys? immaturity in the beginning which helps progress the story by how the boys can throw them away at the end and declare their maturity and emotional stability. This symbol helps develop the theme because they are faced with the situation of being alone when they?re not stable enough to be dependent on themselves so they use these things to replace that feeling. The gates that constrain the buffalo in their pens symbolize a barrier or obstacle that the boys have to face to get one step closer to their goal. The boys have to solve many conflicts to get their freedom and the buffalo have to get through the gates to get theirs. The buffalo is a motif representing the boys and their struggle not only for freedom but to find themselves and find happiness in society. The gates help progress the story because it is the final challenge the boys have to overcome before completing their goal and gaining independence. This symbol helps develop the theme because it shows that the boys didn?t back out, faced up to the challenge and got what they wanted. Cotton symbolizes the boys? dependency, insecurities, and innocence. Cotton is a vital role in the book because he is a father like figure to the boys that they can fall back on when they uncover obstacles and feel distressed, he can comfort them. The boys are very dependent on Cotton?s wisdom and knowledge throughout the whole story because the boys are still children and need someone to support them, and they are very insecure about themselves and think that they need Cotton.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Education: Empiricists vs Rationalists Essay example -- philosophy of

The importance of experience in education has always been the subject of philosophical debates. These debates between empiricists and rationalists have been going on for quite some time. Rationalists are of the view that knowledge acquired through senses is unreliable and learning can only be done through reasoning. On the other hand, empiricists believe knowledge is acquired through empirical impressions and concepts that cannot be learnt without being experienced (Evans, 1992, p. 35). This debate was however resolved by Kant who argues that both experience and rationality are necessary in learning. John Dewey was an American philosopher of the twentieth century and he also contributed to the debate on the learning process. In his book Experience and Education, Dewey (1938), he stated, â€Å"the belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative† (p. 25). This famous quote has been evaluated a nd referred to regularly in the debate on learning through experience. According to Dewey (1938) experiences can only be termed as educative if they lead to further intellectual and moral growth. In order for experience to be termed as educative, both the community and the individual have to benefit from the said experience. The experience has to contribute to growth in curiosity, sense of purpose, and initiative in the learner. He was of the view that traditional education was hierarchical and therefore undemocratic in nature. According to him, in order to produce well informed, thoughtful and democratic students, learners need to participate in all aspects of the school program and gain the experience. Eventually, a learner has to reflect on the experience ... ...work became widely accepted. However, his philosophy will continue to earn critical acclaim even in the coming days. Works Cited Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (1985). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. New York, NY: Kogan Page. Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York, NY: Macmillan. Evans, N. (1992). Experiential learning: Assessment and accreditation. New York, NY: Routledge. Ewert, A. (1989). Outdoor adventure pursuits: Foundations, models, and theories. Columbus, OH: Publishing Horizons. Goodlad, J. (1984). A place called school: Prospects for the future. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill. Kolb, A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lewin, K. (1952). Field theory in the social sciences: Selected theoretical papers. London: Tavistock.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Medieval Europe †Papal Reformation Essay

Since the Council of Nicaea called in the fourth century by Constantine to the early eleventh century, the Church was never established as a free standing institution. For over eight hundred years the Church had been under the authority of secular powers. Charlemagne and the Carolingians emperors saw themselves as the ones to maintain the Church materially, organizationally, and spiritually, while the pope was only an example of ideal Christian living. Social deterioration led to the corruption of the Church and its offices; simony being the biggest problem. The papacy itself was corrupted by simony and Roman politics. While reform had been taking place in the local levels for some time, the papacy was the last part of the Church to be reformed. The papacy reformation came about through three major popes: Leo IX (1049-1054), Nicholas II (1059-1061), and Gregory VII (1073-1085). The actions by these popes in the eleventh century would root out the corruption within the church and caus e conflict between the secular authorities and the papacy resulting in the separation and establishing of the Church as a power on its own. After numerous corrupt popes, Leo IX is considered to be the pope that started the papacy reformation. Ironically, he was appointed pope by his cousin Emperor Henry III. After being coroneted, Leo spent less than six months in Rome traveling through Italy, Germany, France, and as far as Hungary ( Blum, 485). According to Backman, â€Å"Leo recognized two things from the very start: first, the papacy could not be properly reformed so long as it remained mired in Roman factional politics; and second, the papacy needed to be seen by the faithful in order to secure the gains of the reform† (Backman, 268). Leo was literally the first pope to be seen by most Christians (Backman, 268), and he wanted to â€Å"project an image of the papacy in action† (Blum, 485). For a long time the title of pope was just a name without any meaning or power; however, Leo would change that with his travels. Leo’s great accomplishments were abolishing simony, help ending the practice of cl erical marriage, and improving the clergies training and education. Pope Leo IX, through his travels had plans of establishing his authority while also rooting out corruption still in local churches. â€Å"Leo staged large-scale Masses, pronounced Peace and Truce decrees, and offered all the faithful the opportunity to air grievances about their local church and ecclesiastical leaders† (Backman, 269). Clergy that had obtained their position by way of simony were given the chance to retain their office only if the confessed their faults and swore publicly to dedicate themselves to the reformed Church. According to Backman these acts were performed in public for two reasons: First, the people themselves got to hear the confession of their clergy, and second, the pope got the pleasure of having the faithful see the priest, bishops, and archbishops kneeling before Leo, in other words, used the reform-celebration itself as a means for establishing papal authority over the episcopacy. Henceforth, everyone understood that the bishops served as the legitimate leaders of the Church because the Holy Father himself had publically bestowed their office upon them. The papacy now stood at the head of a new hierarchy and determined its legitimacy. 269 The last major contributing act Leo had towards the reformation was the creation of the College of Cardinals. Leo saw that the Church was not intellectually able to deal with issue it was faced with. He created a body of advisors for the papacy that included theologians, lawyers, philosophers, historians, scientists, and diplomats. These handpicked advisors would lend expert council to the pope on settling and resolving doctrinal issues never really solved by the Church. One of the issues they dealt with was celibacy for the clergy; this would not be settled until Pope Nicholas II. The papacy was now the decision making center on doctrinal issues for the Church. Leo IX was a major turning point for the Church, but unfortunately he would not finish what he started. The next pope to further the papal reformation was Nicholas II. Pope Nicholas II built upon what Leo IX had already done. Nicholas and a council produced the Lateran synod of April 1059. The synod ended clerical marriage and established clergy celibacy. It also added to the strict prevention of simony. Also with the synod, Nicholas and the council made two major decisions that would shape the papacy up until today. The first of these decisions was to condemn the practice of lay investiture. â€Å"The ritual by which a lay prince â€Å"invested† a priest or bishop with the insignia of his office suggested that the ecclesiastical authority was subordinate to the secular† (Backman, 270). The papacy now condemned this seeing as the reforming popes were trying to establish the Church as an entity on its own. The Church wanted to control everything about itself and completely cut off any secular ties trying to control it. The second major decision Nicholas and the council made was mad in the Papal Election Decree of 1059. This was to ensure no pope could ever be placed in power by a secular ruler but only elected by the College of Cardinals. Backman describes it as this: †¦for all eternity the only way for any individual to become the legitimate pontiff of the Holy Catholic Church was to be freely elected to the position by the College of Cardinals. This decree removed the Holy See from the clutched of the Roman magnates, but it also declared the papacy’s independence from the imperial power. 270 These actions changed the state’s authority over the church that had been present since Constantine. When Henry IV came to power in 1056, he did not like the actions taken by the Church and trying to separate from his authority. The tension between the papacy and secular powers came to a high during the pontificate of Pope Gregory VII. Now Gregory VII had begun his career in Rome during the pontificate of Leo IX as Leo’s â€Å"‘secretary of state’ and author of his important papers† (Blum, 485). So Gregory had been around since the beginning of the papal reformation. His actions and policies would lead to the biggest conflict between the Church and State during this reformation. After dealing with carious rebellions, Henry IV’s resent meant lead him to prepare to attack Rome and deal with the papacy’s action. Henry wanted to show that he had supremacy and was the ruler of both Church and State. Before Henry could attack, Gregory responded with a declaration called the Dictatus Papae. This was a list of twenty-seven single sentence decrees about papal power. Gaudemet defines them as, â€Å"lapidary and unrestrained terms the universal power of the pope; his authority over bishops, clerics and councils, and his right to depose the emperor, to certify every canonical text, to make law and to deliver judgment from which there is no appeal† (Gaudemet, 470). Gregory was trying to establish that he alone, as the pope, had complete supremacy over both Church and the emperor. Henry took these Dictates as a direct attack on his royal rights and power. This led to both Gregory and Henry writing letters back and forth to each other with increasing t ensions with each letter. These letters led to both of them excommunicating and deposing the other from office at the end of 1076. The excommunicating of each other would lead to a major event in establishing supremacy to the pope. Gregory, being the pope, was still head of the Church, and Henry found himself still excommunicated. Henry and his advisor devised a plan to get him forgiven and restored into the Church. Being the pope meant that Gregory was a priest, and he would have to forgive a penitent sinner. Gregory was caught off guard at his castle in Canossa, Italy by Henry’s arrival and asking of forgiveness. This had made Gregory furious, but he had to forgive him. Gregory used this to his advantage, showing that he had supremacy over the emperor. Gregory made Henry stand outside his window barefoot wearing penitential rags for three days begging for forgiveness and pleading for restoration. While this move by Henry helped him with his enemies and restored him back into the Church, this move also hurt him. This move now shifted the supremacy towards the pope. The emperor was now seen as submissive to the pope and had to do what the pope said. While more conflicts happened between Gregory VII and Henry IV, the investiture struggle would not end with them. It was officially ended in 1122 with Henry IV’s son, Henry the V, and Pope Calixtus II (1119-1124) with the Concordat of Worms. This allowed ecclesiastical appointment to be made by the Church alone but also allowed secular rulers to participate with the lands and appurtenances supplementary to the positions. The issue of papal supremacy over imperial supremacy was circumvented, only to erupt again in centuries later. While Urban II (1088-1099) was able to finalize the reform of the Church during his pontificate, it wasn’t really until the end of the twelfth century that the Church reform came to a conclusion. Gregory VII and the popes following openly proclaimed the Church’s supremacy and sovereignty over the secular world. They had not only made the Church a standing institution on its own, but they had reversed the historical roles of the Church and State. Since the time of Gregory VII, the papacy had become a massive bureaucracy. The Church now had an ostentatious financial machinery, judicial system, bureaucratic structure, police network, and standing army. The Church was now its own free standing institution and would eventually become its own sovereign city-state.

Communal harmony and the question of cultural identity Essay

Harmony and the co-existence of mutli-faceted elements are the two essential ingredients of any society which seeks sustainable longevity. In a pluralistic society the question of harmonious existence of its different structural units becomes all the more pertinent. An analogy can be observed with the human body wherein the different functional systems work in unison to create a perfect coherence. Like in the human body where, different organs combine to form organ systems, in a human society smaller population groups combine to form socio-cultural entities based on particular types of identification. Unlike their biological counterparts this process of identification is not scientific and fully rational. The identification followed by human beings depends on ceratin social mores and socio-cultural guidelines which may vary from race, colour, creed, gender, class etc. to religion, region and nationality. This process is sometimes a skewed one as during the course of it a particular social grouping more than often identifies comparatively with respect to other grouping and instead of harmonising itself with other groupings differentiates with them. In case of India, the scenario is not only a peculiar one but is also intertwined with its socio-political realities. We live in a highly diversified pluralistic society wherein the number of cultural elements outscore the structural ethos provided by any type of government. The different communities in India classify themselves according to different criteria which differ temporally as well as contextually. The classification process is so well differentiatied that many of the times, people originally belonging to a particular group start associating themselves with completely different groups in different contexts e. g. people belonging to a particular caste group may associate differently with each other on the basis of economic class or educational standards. The concept of cultural identity is at the core of the Indian society. The historical formation of Indian society provides us with an idea of its multi-faceted diversity and non-inclusive cultural developments. Social history of India outlines how various indigenous as well as foreign elements reacted and intermingled in an undefined manner to produce newer cultural traits for the population to identify with. Religion, language, ideology etc. have, from time to time, given various channels for cultural identification. The communal formation of Indian society is to be observed in not a narrow way. Though religion provides the most simple way of communal identification in India, we must remeber that the idea of community is central to process of communalization

Friday, August 16, 2019

My ambitions in life Essay

My name is Jennis Dave Mirafuentes, I am now 16 years old. Were all 5 children in my father side, why I say in my father side only? It is because my father before was having his first family but they were separated because of some instances. We have 3 girls that is daughter of my father in his first wife and we are 2 in my mother side and we are both boys. We are now living in Km. 8 Ulas, Davao City. I finnish my primary study in Talomo Central Elementary School and my secondary in Talomo National High School. My first ambition in life when I was only a child is to become an architect because I love making an illustration of an house before but it was changed when I grow up because I realize that having an architecture course is difficult. When I was in my fourth year in high school I was still thinking of what course I will take in college. And from that time I realize in myself what if I will follow the steps of my mother. I will continue her job in teaching other people because before my mother was graduated of education and she is also a board passer but when the time that she raise me and my younger brother she doesn’t have enough time in teaching so that she decide to stop teaching and focus in caring of us. That’s why I decided to become a BS-Math student, Math because it was my favorite subject. Why I should become a teacher? Maybe now I still don’t have an ability to teach wisely other people but I didn’t refuse my ambition because the reason I studied is to learn the techniques on how to become an effective teacher. Maybe now I was only holding one quality to become a teacher and that is my determination and willingness to teach.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Difference Between Counselling and Mentoring

Mentoring are both to do with helping people to develop. Counseling helps people to develop with the emotional concern in a safe and trusting relationship. For example, one of the staff In the Restaurant that I work In was worried about his father being ill in India. He wanted to go and see his father to see how he was progressing with medical treatment. He was also worried that his father is old at the age of 85 and that he might die.He was also worried whether they had enough money in India to look after his father well. So all the staff supported him by counseling and asking him questions about his father and his family in India. We asked him whether he had enough money to send to India for his father's treatment. We asked him whether he had enough money to pay for the trip to India. We asked him which hospital his father was in and Is It a good hospital. We asked him what kind of treatment his father Is getting.We asked him whether can afford to take time off work to evils India. According professional counselors, counseling is about asking questions and not serially giving answers or making suggestions. For example, if we were to suggest that he go to India tomorrow and then find out that his father recovers fairly quickly, our friend may feel that his Journey was waste of time and when he was to come back he might blame us for him loosing two weeks pay from work and also for wasting money on the trip.That's why when counseling we don't make suggestions but let the person decide for themselves as what they should do about the problem. This makes sure that they are responsible for their decisions and consequences. Mentoring Mentoring allows a person to turn to another more experienced person on a regular basis to develop their own skills and ability In the work place.For example, when I started working in the restaurant I had no idea how to work as a waiter, so I was told by the management that I could talk to a colleague who had been a waiter for three yea rs in India and ELK. He explained to me what a good waiter does and how he treats the customer. Mentoring encourages a person to do what's right for them. For example, my mentor told me that the customer is very important, so I decided make sure that I talk to the customers about curries, about India and about News stories.I want them feel they are my friends and that I know them as a friend. For me mentoring provided regular time to talk to my mentor and discuss new ways work shift I usually have a discussion with my mentor about how I worked each right. I feel safe to discuss things to do with developing the business with my mentor rather than with my manager. My mentor and I have developed a relationship which helps me with my professional development through support and understanding. My mentor and I have become more like friends at the work.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Analyse How Moliere Uses Comedy as a Dramatic Technique in Le Tartuffe

Set in the 17th century, Moliere’s Drama, Le Tartuffe is a satirical representation of religious hypocrisy. Its comedy drives the play in a direction where the audience can not only be entertained but understand the morals which are portrayed. It is important to realise the historical context that influenced Moliere’s work of Le Tartuffe in order to understand the construction of the characters and comedy portrayed. Commedia dell’arte were a group of traveling players in Italy who specialised in improvised theatre, creating stock characters for every performance for the audience to identify with and understand their representation in a comic way. Some of these features have been known to have inspired Moliere’s construction of the plot and characters such as Clever talking Dorine shedding light on the truth. In that way, Dorine almost acts as a comedic dramatic tool to highlight the truths and themes of the play. This is particularly evident in her dialogue towards Madame Pernelle, ‘Il passe pour un saint dans votre fantaisie:/Tout son fait, croyez-moi, n’est rein qu’hypocrisie’(Moliere: 1. 1. 69) In supporting this idea, Peter Hampshire Nurse writes that Dorine has ‘brilliant wit with which she ridicules hypocrisy’ (1991:85). Although the majority of modern audience’s would find the witty servant humorous, Paula Alekson noted that ‘Moliere became a master of â€Å"Le ridicule†, so much so that in the process of making the audiences laugh, he made a multitude of serious enemies’(2007:ll 15-16). Away from the controversy that the themes created, Moliere generates much more of the comedy in terms of language, structure and pace of the play. For example in the exposition, when Madame Pernelle talks to the rest of the characters, we are able to see the desire of power towards the daughters as they try to speak by saying, ‘Mais†¦. Je crois†¦mais ma mere’ (Moliere:1. 1)but are cut off every time. Furthermore, repetition is used when Orgon says, ‘Et Tartuffe? / Le pauvre home! (Moliere:1. 4) This conveys Orgons constant obsessive nature over Tartuffe which provokes laughter. Of course when being performed the proxemics and movement of the character along with the dialogue would emphasise the comedy and complete farce that Moliere had stylized the play with. Overall, we are able to conclude that Moliere uses a variety of different techniques, and themes to make the comedy work for the play. We realise that it is not just a form of entertainment but to aid the audience in following the events in the play; to understand the central themes. Andrew Calder noted that Moliere does this in both his plays, Le Tartuffe (1664) and Don Jaun (1665). Calder states that they go ‘beyond the comic stage, and both reflect a lively interest in some of the most topical, moral and theological issues of the time. ’ (1973:153). [Wordcount:457] Bibliography Moliere, 2006. Le Tartuffe. Paris: Larousse. Alekson, Paula. 2007. Dramatic and Theatrical Style a la Moliere: Le ridicule, le naturel, and â€Å"The comic war†. [online] Available at: http://www. mccarter. org/Education/tartuffe/html/4. html Calder, Andrew. 1973. Moliere: The Theory and Practice of Comedy. London:Athlone Nurse, Peter Hampshire,1991. Moliere and The Comic Spirit. Geneve:Libraire Droz

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Property and Computer Crimes Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Property and Computer Crimes - Research Paper Example This is a serious implication on the criminal justice system. False imprisonment may actually start with framing. It corrupts the justice process by trivializing the evidence it is supposed to rely on to give a ruling in the cases before it. It presents no particular harm to the defendant who may falsify the evidence to escape prosecution. On the contrary, it renders the criminal justice system impotent and not capable of instilling justice. Falsifying evidence jeopardizes the criminal justice system, in fact, more than the victim. When that happens, we are only addressing the harm done to the criminal justice system and not the person falsely imprisoned. If one of the basic functions of criminal law is to condemn any conduct that society considers blameworthy, then false imprisonment seriously implicates it (Brenner, 2010). This refers to forcefully seizing a person and taking him/her to a place where he/she is unlikely to be found with the aim of holding him/her for ransom or abducting him/her with the intention of harassing him/her either physically, mentally or sexually, taking him/her hostage and several other reasons (Legal-explanations.com 2007). According to Gilmore, kidnapping charges have serious implications on the criminal justice system. While the perpetrator may be sentenced to 15 years, this could potentially yield to a mere three to nine years. This looks like an injustice, considering the immensity of the crime committed. The criminal justice system involves the filing of charges followed by the issuance of a warrant of arrest then the transmission of an extradition request all which make the process of prosecution. However, each case determines itself. The criminal justice system does not necessarily guarantee the return of the kidnapped child and this may delay and complicate the due process of law. Perhaps this

Monday, August 12, 2019

Marketing and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing and management - Essay Example Its customers include white collared as well as blue collared workers irrespective of their race, age and income group. Its homely atmosphere and common place ambience bestows it with a distinctive quality that makes a working family man comfortable to visit the place with his family. Its main target customers are the middle class people, both males and females aged between 18 to 25 years. Its relationship with its customers has remained unchanged through the thick and thin of time. Never has it attempted to change the profile of its target customers. The customers too have remained loyal to the company. Dunkin’ Donuts value proposition is to frame a clear idea of the type of customers it seeks to serve. An attempt to target any other type of customers will not be very effective rather it would then run the risk of losing its existing customers. The primary focus of Dunkin’ is the middle class people. Some time back Dunkin’ had termed a new sandwich as â€Å"Panini†. It was not accepted by the customers because they felt that the name was too fancy. It was then renamed as â€Å"Stuffed melt†. The company aims at broadening its customer base by providing them with products and services that they want. They came out with a campaign that involved its existing customers and clients. People shared photos along with the brand name and posted these photographs on the walls. This helped to nurture a relation between the company and its customers and drew in more coffee addicts. This measure broadened the customer base and increased brand awareness. (Fall 2006, The Bright Agency. p.10) Starbucks is another fast food restaurant that gives a tough competition to Dunkin’ Donuts. However, the two companies target different customers and have totally different requirements for their respective coffee shops. Starbucks has differentiated itself as a service provider to high end customers. Its ambience is

The value of an education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The value of an education - Essay Example One of the most well-known facts about society’s advancement is the fact that from an archaeological perspective, we have banded together to increase our chances of survival. At its root, this suggests that we band together to work together and to learn from one another. Learning from a person is what modern education is today. Society can only progress forward due in part to education and without it, it is a wasteful experience. Education progresses people beyond their limits, allowing for improvements that would not be otherwise possible. It becomes more concrete when perceived from the lens outside of what is commonly understood and held. The implications of a good education can become a persuasive argument for socioeconomic development. One can identify trends within any society to see that education is a tool for success when building a middle class and to some extent, solidifying the community. However, education is a complex issue that holds different keys and locks, al l of which cannot be answered through a singular answer. The importance of an education is valued through what it can grant, provided that individuals help to support their educators but are often hindered by aspects like geography, familial dynamics, and income; which should be overcome if one looks to improve society. Economic development can bring about change in its purest and simplest form. At its core, it can be said that an education has a key role in improving the quality of life and well-being. This is an important aspect of society.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Consumer behavior Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Consumer behavior - Article Example The consumers tend to involve themselves in the products and follow up on the progress of the offers. An example of enduring involvement is a motorcycle enthusiast who constantly researches about motorcycles to find the best models. Further, enduring involvement is characterized by substantial interest in activities that boost the enthusiasm. Such activities include going to motor showrooms to check the models in the market. Situational involvement occurs when a consumer is interested in a product for a short time. The situation happens mostly as a result of need or demand for a certain commodity. The consumer may not have information or necessarily be interested in a long term involvement and looks for information to enable him make a purchase decision. For example, a consumer may get involved in smartphones when he or she wants to buy a phone. However, the interest on smartphones fades when the consumer purchase a smartphone of his choice. There are instances where consumers report their interest towards a certain offering or decision. In such instances, the consumer exhibits felt involvement and feels motivated towards making decisions regarding certain offerings. A consumer gets involved in offerings that he or she has had a psychological experience with (Samli 131). Thus, felt involvement arises from a historical perspective of the consumer about a product. For example, a consumer may form a positive opinion about a car that he or she has witnessed winning car races. Cognitive involvement occurs when a consumer is keen on understanding the offers in the market before making a purchase decision. The consumer then compares the information against his goals and makes a wise decision. In essence, cognitive involvement treats information gathering as part of the objectives off the consumer. For example, a consumer interested in a Ford

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Evolution of Color Vision in Mammals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evolution of Color Vision in Mammals - Essay Example Along with visual system alterations, these changes have caused significant differences in the salience and nature of mammal color vision (Schwab et al 11). This paper will seek to discuss how color vision has evolved in mammals, especially with regards to marsupials, dolphins, and primates, discussing the relevant biological mechanisms, color vision utility, and variations in color vision among the listed mammals. Majority of mammals are not able to distinguish color at all, instead living in a sort of black and white environment. Primates and marsupials are among the few mammals that can distinguish colors, which is proved by the distinct cells present in their retinas that are able to visualize colors (Schwab et al 23). Cone cells are fundamental in the ability to distinguish colors, thus color vision, while rod cells are found in animals that do not have the ability for color vision. Majority of mammals only possess the rod cells, except primates and marsupials. ... There are only two types of rods; one that has a short wavelength sensation, which enables it to sense blue color, and another for long wavelength sensation that allows it to sense for red color (Schwab et al 24). Color vision evolved from a vision in black and white with long wavelength sensing rods separated into red cones that sense red color and green cones that sense green color. Marsupials have also been found to have three forms of cones. As might be expected, color vision evolution in marsupials was distinct from the evolution of color vision in primates. This led to some distinct differences. The three cones that marsupials possess are not blue, red, and green. Rather, they are ultra violet, blue, and red because the rods for short wavelength sensing separated into ultra violet and blue cones (Gegenfurtner et al 44). However, as of today, no one knows what color sensations these cones have. The only way to find out something about marsupial vision is through behavioral testi ng. The quendka and cathemeral dunnart marsupials have trichromatic vision that is different to that of primates since their S-cones can sense UV light, whereas the L-cones of the fat-tailed dunnart have a special sensitivity for the spectral region in the green-yellow region. It has been hypothesized that the L and M cones combine to allow for sensing of brown and cryptically colored green. For the honey possum, the L-cones evolved to a further length than for fellow marsupials that conferred yellow-red sensitivity (Gegenfurtner et al 44). Color vision evolution for primates differs greatly compared to other eutharians. Primates are thought to

Friday, August 9, 2019

MRKT - Buyer Behaviour - Assignment 1Individual report Essay

MRKT - Buyer Behaviour - Assignment 1Individual report - Essay Example A lot of other factors like of age, sex, ethnicity, etc are involved in designing the needs and choices for body modification among individuals. Body modification is influenced by a large number of issues. In fact, the concept of enhancing one’s looks depends upon a host of factors like demographics, income distribution, among a few others. The diversified notions regarding different body modification products can be judged best by analysing the customers who are in any case the best judge of a product. Theoretical models of consumer behavior portray the decision making process of an individual as a function of ones own needs and wants; however, in many cases, buying decision of the same individual gets affected by the needs of others i.e., family, friends, social class etc. Consumer behavior is a new subject which has its inputs from economics, psychology, social science and political science. Effectively, the behavioral trend of customers is tracked through the stimulus-response analysis. Marketers provide a stimulus through their product offerings and try to attract the customers through packaging, promotion and pricing. The customer responds to the stimulus by their choice of purchase. The most efficient method to analyse a customer’s buying behavior is through inductive analysis. In this study, the effect of internal and external factors that might be affecting the customer is identified. ( Solomon M. R., Dann S. Dann and Bennett, 2007) In analysing the buying behavior of customers for body modification products, a survey was conducted across some random respondents. The summary of the findings are diverse and interesting. In order to make the research comprehensive, different forms of body modification techniques were selected; Botox treatment, Lasik surgery, tattooing, body piercing, hair transplantation, and breast implantation. Botox treatment is a common therapy to remove wrinkles in the eyebrows area. It is done through

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Communication - Essay Example It is therefore important to effectively correspond to all stakeholders on appropriate strategies and objectives for calamity control procedures. This paper describes the five critical assumptions of an effective disaster communication strategy. To understand the five critical assumptions of an effective disaster communication strategy, it is important to posit that these strategies are based on the divergent stages of an effective calamity management procedure. Disaster management is categorized into various stages i.e. mitigation, preparedness, responses, and recovery stages. Consequently, a useful calamity communication plan of action has five basic postulations. According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, these include â€Å"customer focus, leadership commitment, inclusion of communication in planning and operations, good information, and media partnership† (134). Customer focus Studies done in the past have elucidated the fact that an effective disaster control structure is ought to focus on the consumer. In other words, the first priority should be to benefit the consumer. According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, an efficient disaster control structure considers the requirements and desires of the consumer and necessitates all stakeholders to be alert, quick to respond, and instructive. It is of significance to consider the fact that the consumers of a disaster control procedure are varied and may comprise workers or employees from international organizations, national institutions, governments, as well as a number of additional stakeholders associated with calamity control. It may also comprise o local individuals. Available sources posit that information relayed to each of the consumers affected must be on the basis of individual or institutional requirements (135). Leadership commitment According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, the initial stages a successful disaster control plan of action is established or instituted in participation and involv ement of the individuals involved in decision making within the body or institution involved in the process. Decision makers in the body conducting the operation must be loyal in terms of giving out and publicizing facts associated with the impending calamity. It is also important to involve decision makers in other related bodies and stakeholders as well as the local leaders in propagating all the facts of the calamity. This is attributed to the fact that articulate discharge of the relevant and useful facts regarding an impending calamity is important and hence individuals with necessary communication skills such as local leaders of the involved body are ought to be involved (135). Decision makers in a calamity situation are also ought to candidly encourage, approve, and support effective sharing and exchange of facts and information among all the stakeholders. Preparation and implementation It is also of importance to posit that dedication and loyalty of decision makers in disast er correspondence in relation to forecasting, preparation, and necessary procedures is critical. An expert in correspondence matters should therefore be involved and be incorporated or integrated in the decision-making group. Discharge of relevant information and facts of an impending calamity as well as other plans of actions geared towards mitigations procedures has been made less complicated by the use