Saturday, August 31, 2019

Cultural Relevance of Artwork Essay

The very spirit of an artwork remains in the time it was created. There is no better way to appreciate art than to understand its situational context, that is, the space and time of its creation. Works of art are like photographs taken in a particular time and place. In this paper we explore the situational context of three works of art: (1) Produced in the late seventeenth century, Wedding of Mary and Joseph is Peruvian painting; (2) Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando (1879) shows two young Parisian girls; and (3) Figure of a Mother Holding a Child, created in the nineteenth century by an unknown Lulua artist (See Appendix). All three pieces of art tell interesting, unique tales about their makers and the conditions of their times. What’s more, layers upon layers of human thought through different times and places of human history may be unearthed through this process of art appreciation. Our present understanding of historical societies and cultures must also influence the process of interpreting a work of art. After all, one scholar may consider a painting with the eyes of a sociologist in our time, while another may be a trained psychologist. Such designations did not exist before now. Regardless of how an artwork is interpreted and with what lens and in which frame it is looked through; works of art stay alive as we glean historical information through them. As the following section on Wedding of Mary and Joseph shows, it is possible to develop various interpretations about the time and place of an artist even if researched historical information is there to assist us in our interpretation. Wedding of Mary and Joseph Produced by an unknown artist, Wedding of Mary and Joseph is an oil painting on canvas, depicting the couple getting married before the high priest who is clothed in a â€Å"richly flower-patterned hooded mantle (â€Å"Wedding of Mary and Joseph†). † There are clergymen assisting the high priest. Joseph is carrying his staff which has flowers at the top. Moreover, both the bride and bridegroom have golden halos. Ann, the mother of Mary stands right behind the bride. By Ann’s side is a suitor of Mary who has been rejected by God’s command. The suitor is shown breaking his staff, which has not flowered like the staff of Joseph (â€Å"Wedding of Mary and Joseph†). The painting is enriched by â€Å"gold stamping,† which â€Å"unifies the composition (â€Å"Wedding of Mary and Joseph†). † There are Peruvian flowers scattered on the ground where Mary and Joseph stand. This transfers the scene of the Bible from the Holy Land to Peru (â€Å"Wedding of Mary and Joseph†). Furthermore, it describes an important movement in Peruvian art history by the name of Cusco School (Bennett). Indeed, this painting accompanies a very important period in Peruvian history. Spanish colonization had not only managed to transfer the Spanish Inquisition to the Spanish territories around the globe, but also brought European art into Peru (Bennett). The Spanish Inquisition had claimed many lives in Europe. In Peru, the Inquisition had centered on the discovery of people who were Jews by birth, but had claimed to have converted to Christianity. These people were suspected to have gone back from Catholicism to Judaism. Thus, the Peruvian Inquisition was about punishing the Jews or converted Catholics for apostasy (Lea). The Peruvian Inquisition had taken place in the seventeenth century. Seeing that the sociopolitical environment of Peru revolved around religious affairs at the time, it is not surprising that the Christian, Peruvian artists started a new art movement – the Cusco School – to create religious art in particular (Bennett). As a matter of fact, the Wedding of Mary and Joseph is a perfect example of Cusco art. The Cusco School happens to be the largest movement of art in the Peruvian art history. The movement was represented by â€Å"mestizo painters and sculptors who produced countless depictions of religious figures adorned in gold (Bennett). † The Spanish colonizers had used religious art to teach Christianity to the New World. Subsequently, the native artists of Peru had begun to meld European art with their local style and tradition (Bennett). So, while the figures of Mary and Joseph in the Peruvian painting reveal European, Christian influence on the Peruvian artist; the flowers and long tailed birds of Peru scattered on the ground show that the artist continues to love his land despite colonization. The golden halos of the bride and the bridegroom are, of course, the signature of the Cusco School. Hence, the painting, Wedding of Mary and Joseph, reveals itself as an excellent tool to understand the culture of Peru with respect to Spanish colonization. By discovering more about the conditions of the artist’s time, history of the Americas may also be studied in great depth. Moreover, this painting helps viewers to appreciate how artists are influenced by their environments and the times. Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando Produced in another place and time altogether, renowned Parisian painter, Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando (1879) shows two real girls, most probably between twelve and fifteen years of age, taking turns to perform their act at the circus (Mancoff). The facial and bodily expressions of the girls and their onlookers are open to any number of interpretations. One of the young girls is carrying balls around her chest while the other is communicating with the audience as part of her act. The girl who is communicating with the audience has a questioning, innocent expression on her face. The one who is carrying balls is possibly waiting for her turn to perform. She, too, is innocent and fresh in appearance as the other. However, she seems to be dwelling on her new experiences of semi-adulthood. Perhaps she is musing on the boys in her life – the young men who admire her very much. The audience depicted in the painting, behind the bodies of the two young girls, appears to consist of men alone after all. The men appear like judges, in their black coats, giving them the semblance of uniformed officers. Only one of the men has his face visible through the painting, and the face is hard enough for the girls to display their innocence in all its glory with the assumption that the counterpart of a harsh and doubtful attitude must be softness. Although the girl carrying the balls has her back turned toward the hard faced man, she knows that she too would have to perform. The expressions of the male and the females in Renoir’s Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando are rather similar to the expressions of the two sexes depicted in many of the artist’s works of the time. The woman is seen as the adored and innocent object that performs, even though the man is hard faced, perhaps weary of the work that he performs to fend for his family day after day. The woman is the amuser, the muse, and the object of entertainment to fend for. After all, she is beautiful (Norfleet). The only beautiful facet of the man is that he is strong – in Renoir’s paintings, at least. What is more, the man is always staring at the woman in Renoir’s works. He fondles her whenever he has the chance. The woman remains faithful to him – this is depicted through the innocence on her face. If she becomes unfaithful she knows that the hard faced man would discontinue supporting her. The French word for ‘thank you’ is merci, which, if used in English, perfectly describes the attitude of the woman in late nineteenth century Paris. Although Paris was one of the first places in the west where women were generally believed to have been liberated, Renoir’s painting reveals that the women were definitely not liberated through promiscuity or debauchery. Rather, the urban Parisian women in the late nineteenth century seem to have been given permission by their men to be out and about, entertaining them, while remaining faithful to their innocence as well as their marital vows (Norfleet). As the facial expression of the young girl carrying the balls in Renoir’s Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando reveals – women understood their position in Parisian society even as they were aware that men and women are equally dependent on each other. Then again, the painting remains open to numberless sociological interpretations. Figure of a Mother Holding a Child As our analysis of Renoir’s painting shows, it is possible to understand the situational context of a painting in any number of ways. Sociologists and historians may be more interested in discovering the history of society in a block of time. If psychoanalysts were to join in, there would be various intricacies of the human mind revealed through artworks. On that note, Figure of a Mother Holding a Child is a very interesting sculpture because there are multiple ways of understanding its import. On one hand, the sculpture is a perfect depiction of the pain of starvation that the African people have been experiencing for a long time, and that nobody outside of Africa has done anything consequential about – despite the fact that the entire world discusses it. On the other hand, it represents a ritual that the Lulua tribe of the Democratic Republic of Congo had practiced for its own survival (â€Å"Figure of a Mother Holding a Child†). The sculpture is that of a skinny, African female with an infant in her arms. The woman’s head is larger than her body. The bone lines on her neck are particularly telling. Even so, the bone lines on her neck and the wrinkles on her face had actually been created by the artist to show that the Lulua peoples had used scarification to adorn their bodies (â€Å"Lulua Tribe: Democratic Republic of Congo;† â€Å"Figure of a Mother Holding a Child†). Indeed, it is scarification that adorns the woman carrying the infant. Just the same the viewer is made to feel sorry for the woman and her child because they appear extremely poor. Made with wood and copper alloy, the woman in the sculpture has bulging eyes and a â€Å"pointed base (â€Å"Figure of a Mother Holding a Child†). † According to the Brooklyn Museum, the base was most probably â€Å"thrust into a pot containing earth and various bishimba, or materials of mineral, plant, animal, or human origin endowed with protective powers (â€Å"Figure of a Mother Holding a Child†). † In actuality, the sculpture had been created for a Lulua woman who had experienced difficulties in childbirth. The Lulua people believed that it was the evil spirit which interrupted the process of childbirth for women. So that the woman would attract the ancestral spirit of the Lulua tribe and get rid of the evil spirit, the artist gave her the sculpture to care for until delivery. The bulging eyes of the sculpture reveal that the woman is aware of the influence of the evil spirit that is stopping her from becoming a mother (â€Å"Lulua Tribe†). The Lulua peoples had migrated from western Africa to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the eighteenth century. These people lived in â€Å"small regional chiefdoms,† and therefore formed closely knit communities (â€Å"Lulua Tribe†). Because they were immigrants, they were rather concerned about their continuity. Moreover, the Lulua people believed that their sculptures had to be created for religious reasons (â€Å"Lulua Tribe†). The Lulua artists who created sculptures such as the Figure of a Mother Holding a Child must have had faith that they were carrying out their moral duty toward their own people. Indeed, the religious values of the Lulua people were guarded by their art. Sculptures of females were quite popular among them, as these figures exemplified â€Å"the union of physical and moral beautify (â€Å"Figurative Sculpture†). † The Lulua people believed in equating proper behavior with physical beauty (â€Å"Figurative Sculpture†). It can be inferred that the Figure of a Mother Holding a Child and all other sculptures created for the same reason were reminders for the Lulua people that the human body cannot be separated from morality. This principle is clearly exemplified by the bond between mother and child. Conclusion We focused on the political conditions surrounding the artist of Wedding of Mary and Joseph. Societal context of Renoir’s painting, Acrobats At The Cirque Fernando, was explored with a brief overview of gender relations in 19th century Paris. This study may have been conducted with historical information gleaned through novels, too. Finally, the cultural context of Figure of a Mother Holding a Child was explored. Although this discussion was centered on political, societal and cultural contexts of three works of art, it was clarified as part of the discussion that an artwork may be appreciated in any number of ways. There are countless theories and innumerable stories about the history of mankind. What is more, every piece of artwork tells a tale about the space and time of its artist alone. The work lives on as students of art and historians delve into paintings over and again. Any number of assumptions could be made about the situational context of an artwork thus. Perhaps, therefore, it is reasonable to state that a work of art has as many minds as interpreters as the number of people that consider the artwork through the passage of time. Moreover, only assumptions can be made about the situational context of an artwork. History is best left to those that lived it. After all, we only make educated guesses about what people of the past lived through to gather useful information for our lives in the present. Works Cited Bennett, Caroline. â€Å"Art and Architecture. † Viva Travel Guides. 11 Nov 2008. . â€Å"Figurative Sculpture. † Central African Art. 11 Nov 2008. . â€Å"Figure of a Mother Holding a Child. † Brooklyn Museum Collections: African Art. 11 Nov 2008. . Lea, Henry C. â€Å"Inquisition in 17th Century Peru: Cases of Portuguese Judaizers. † Modern History Sourcebook. 11 Nov 2008. . â€Å"Lulua Tribe: Democratic Republic of Congo. † For African Art. 2006. 11 Nov 2008. . Mancoff, Debra N. â€Å"Paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. † How Stuff Works. 2008. 11 Nov 2008. .

Who Killed President John F. Kennedy

Despite the plethora of conspiracies surrounding the death of President Kennedy there is overwhelming evidence supporting the theory that a single gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, killed President Kennedy. History tends to repeat its self time and time again. In this scenario it is the assassination of a President: first President Lincoln; then Garfield, McKinley, and lastly the most controversial of them all, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The details surrounding his death have been studied and questioned for decades and will be for decades more to come.One of the most controversial details in the J. F. K assassination was; how many men gunned down the President on one of the most historical days in this Country’s history. Despite all of the controversy surrounding the death of the President, the clearest and most rational answer for who shot and killed the President is Lee Harvey Oswald. On the afternoon of November 22, 1963 fear struck the Nation when President Kennedy was sh ot and killed while riding in his motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas.Allegedly the shots that were fired came from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository and were shot by the infamous Lee Harvey Oswald. The first shot hit Kennedy in the back, and went through his throat. The same bullet then hit Governor Connelly in the back after shattering a rib and, hit him in the wrist and then in his thigh. The second shot was the fatal shot to the right side of Kennedy’s head which then went on to injure a bystander. Lastly the third and final shot hit the curb as the President’s limousine raced off to get away from the danger.During Oswald’s failed attempt to flea from authorities officer J. D. Tippit was shot to death shortly after the President was killed: Oswald denied both killings. Two days after the death of the President as millions of Americans watched Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner, pushed his way through police officers and shot the alleged assassin. Ruby was convicted for the murder of Oswald. Yet three years later the conviction was over-ruled due in fact that the judge allowed in illegal testimony. Ruby died of cancer before the second trial could be held.Why was Kennedy assassinated, and by who? Neither of those questions will ever be answered yet Kennedy was greatly disliked in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and in Cuba greatly for the Cuban Missile Crisis on October 8, 1962-roughly a year before the Presidents tragic death. Either country could have hired Oswald to assassinate the President but likely if this was the case the Soviet Union would be more likely to have had a part in Kennedy’s assassination due in part to the fact that Oswald left the U. S. to gain citizenship with the Soviet Union but was turned down.On the other hand Cuba could have hired the â€Å"lone assassin† to assassinate the President over the Cuban missile crisis, when President Kennedy had Cuba dismantle th e missile system that the Soviet Union had placed there which was in fact pointed at the United States as well as having two missiles in Turkey, Thor and Jupiter. One of the biggest reasons there are so many conspiracies out there is because of the second bullet that was fired at the President, which was called the â€Å"magic bullet† it was said to have done numerous things.It apparently went through Kennedy’s upper back and out his neck, then took a sharp right turn to go through Connally’s back shattered a rib and came out his chest. After that, the bullet went through Connally’s wrist and then fell to lodge into Connally’s right upper thigh. Yet according to the Warren Report that was written by the Warren commission in September of 1964 the bullet never made any zigzag or funky turn. Connally was seated in a booster seat in front of the President which is not level with the President’s seat, it is three inches lower than Kennedy’ s seat.Also the booster seat is six inches farther towards the middle of the car. Lastly Governor Connally was not sitting straightforward in his seat. He is turned to his right, as seen in the Zapruder Film. Therefore the bullets path would make perfect sense a straight line through both men. In conclusion there is overwhelming evidence that Lee Harvey Oswald was the assassin that took the life of one of our countries’ most profound leaders, President John F. Kennedy, and acted alone. The reasoning for Oswald’s actions may never be uncovered: was he hired to get a point across; for payback, or did he act alone? The answers to these questions have been washed away into the history textbooks of our children and their children to come. May no one ever truly know the meaning behind the assassination of President Kennedy or who really took the life of President, but as the most backed up and legitimate answer is Lee Harvey Oswald.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Unusual Experience

The Unusual Experience It was the same bus I got onto every morning, but today, I fell asleep in the bus. When I woke up, I sensed something was unusual. The bus took me to a strange place that I had not seen before. Before I managed to ask the bus driver, it vanished. Wandering around aimlessly looking for anybody, the place seemed weird. Some crows were flying above me. There was an old building on the waste land. When I reached the building, a girl tapped me from behind. Liz was wearing a school uniform.She looked very beautiful as she gestured me towards the building. When I got into the building, there were many people. They were wearing the same uniform as Liz. I realised that it was a school. The students were going to their classes. Being a new student, Liz brought me to see the principal. I followed her without saying any word. In the spacious principal’s office, I was welcomed by En. Juhair. He told Liz to bring me to Class A. It was overcrowded. We took our seats at the back row. Everybody stood up and said â€Å"Sam!Welcome to Monster School! † I was so shocked to hear that. I could hardly believe my ears and eyes. All of a sudden, the students and teachers looked like monsters. Looking closer at Ms. Munirah, I noticed she wore a tail. I had an unpleasant feeling in my stomach. I turned to face pretty Liz and felt relieved that she was still the same, she was just smiling. The very thought of this bizzare place made me feel like running away. Nevertheless, I kept the thought to myself. When the school bell rang, I planned my escape route.I couldn’t leave LIz behind and decided to invite her along. She happily agreed to my infamous plan because she knew that the monsters would kill me for being a human. We rushed out of school quickly. I showed her the bus station where I got down in this morning. Apparently we had been spotted by the monsters. They were trying to catch us. As we were beginning to feel helpless, fortunately the b us came into the station. Both Liz and I boarded the bus. It was going at a maddening speed. Feeling exhausted, I dozed to sleep .When I got up, I was surprised to see a vacant seat next to me. â€Å"Did you see the girl next to me? † â€Å"Which girl? You were alone. † The bus driver looked at me with cynical eyes and shook his head unbelievingly. It was 2. 30 pm when the bus stopped in front of my house. I still could not understand what had happened to me until now. Maybe to some people this seems like a joke; to others, it is just a fantasy. However, to me, this has been a very shockingly unexplainable experience in my life.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Canadian history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Canadian history - Essay Example Canadian economy in general flourished during the period in question and even later on because it realized and responded positively to external opportunities and pressures; on the domestic front it improved inland transportation, allowed immigration developed an atmosphere for enterprise and imported technology from Europe leading to a steady growth of an economic infrastructure. One may argue that compared to Europe, the Canadian economic structure had peculiar characteristics comparable only with Australia. Canada has a small population living in an area which is endowed by the nature with plenty of raw material in high demand in Europe. Since there was no government emphasis on and efforts to developing the manufacturing sector, the Canadian entrepreneurs could focus on staples export to Europe and America. After the Confederation was announced in 1970, Canada found itself in the throes of breaking away from British political influence yet having to depend on it for the sale of its staples and import of manufactured goods. It had to set its own policies as a quasi-independent country even when it cannot shrug off the mainly European heritage. This was also a period when Europe itself was passing through the epochal period of industrialization and attendant socio-political change. The cultural difference between the people who ran Canada (such as British and French) and the changing geographical aspects impeded a uniform growth in economy. For instance, if the growth was propelled in some regions by the export of staples to Europe, in other regions domestic progress fueled the economic growth. Also, the progress at the national level varied from one period to the other. One aspect of Canada's economic growth is also stated to be a combination of dependent and independent progress workin g in coordination yet historians have been able to distinguish periods when economic growth was dependent and when it was independent. Therefore, studies of Canada's economic history revolve around H. A. Innis who proposed the development of staples export dependent on Europe and John Rae who was in favour of an independent model of growth. There are many versions of the staple theory proposed by Innis during the nineteenth century and of course many off-shoots of the independent John Rae's economic theory including the Nationalist School in the nineteenth century. But according to Neill, "the political fractionation and geographical expansion that constituted Confederation eventually tipped the balance, for Canada as a whole, in favour of growth dependent on primary product exportshowever, between 1866 and 1896, the central Canadian economy grew at a steady pace, unaided by any significant expansion of staple exports." (Neill, 1991) At a time when Canada enjoyed good relations with Europe especially in terms of trade, it was faced with a threat from the United States which viewed Canada as a weak British colony. Table 1: TRADE OF CANADA WITH VARIOUS COUNTRIES DURING 1886-1955 Year Total($ millions) U.S. U.K. 1886 96.0 44.6

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Religion and Nationalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Religion and Nationalism - Essay Example Writers and authors try to portray the relationship between religion and nationalism in different ways. Historically, there have been religious and national conflicts in South Asian countries. In this study I will focus on how Amitav Ghosh interprets the relationship between religion and nationalism in India, Pakistan, Bengal and Egypt in his writings. He talks about many themes such as the separation between India and Pakistan in 1947, the relationship between Hindus and Muslims, the alienation of a Hindu person in a Muslim country, and the ‘crises of belonging’ that seems to afflict many of his characters. The way that Ghosh characterizes people of different religions and races, the fairness of his characterization, the attitudes and the changes in them, the description of his characters as being similar or different, and the way he regards religions, nations, and countries, will all be analysed. To what extent Amitav Ghosh gives priority to religion over nationalism, the role religion plays in the lives of his fictional characters and the honesty of narration, and the elements of friction or cohabitation in his three novels will all be subject to scrutiny in this study. The overall theme of this dissertation will be the relationship between religion and nationalism, a rising issue in postcolonial discourse. In the following chapters I will illustrate how in these three texts Ghosh signals the religious and national aspects and their interrelations when he describes people in his writings. Part II - Critique / Analysis of The Circle of Reason In this part, I will discuss the importance of religion in the lives of some of the characters in The Circle of Reason and how Ghosh constantly gives hints to make this point clear. Initially, I will concentrate on the beginning of the novel and the notions Ghosh keeps pointing to at such as immigration, the separation of India and Pakistan and then of Pakistan and Bangladesh. I will also address issues like the armed insurrection in Bengal against the British; the divide between religious and national motivations; the Hindu portrayal of God and how that has changed throughout history. I will then consider whether the characters in the novel consider religion as a myth or an overarching force, and how does religious extremism spread across the border after the partition To move to other points: do some characters think of religion as a myth How do the Indians treat the missionary's Bibles and why How does the independence of a nation create instability in the frontier regions Why does Ghosh mention the Middle East while dealing with terrorists groups Does it mean that he sees Islam as a contributing factor What are the perceptions and biases in respect to marriages between Hindus and a Muslims And how is religion corrupted by myths / traditions which do not relate to the true

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Drama - Essay Example Much can be discerned about the nature of average lifestyles in post-World War II America through an examination of the play’s plot structure, other sensual elements, language, contextualization and form. Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire is based in post World War II New Orleans, specifically the French Quarter, where a mixed ethnic and social working class group attempt to live in close proximity to each other without coming to blows. It is a noisy, sometimes violent and always busy neighborhood that opens up to Blanche Dubois at the opening of the play. Blanche is a retiring former Southern Belle now attempting to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and shattered psyche to make a new start. She arrives at her sister’s tiny apartment, consisting only of two rooms separated by a flimsy curtain, explaining how she has been given a lengthy leave of absence from her teaching position in Laurel, Mississippi in an effort to provide her the time she needs to restore her nerves. From here, Blanche only becomes more complicated, complicating the lives of her sister and Stanley Kowalski, her sister’s husband, as she attempts to secure a small, quiet place on earth to call her own. From this mystifying opening, the play begins to illustrate how the two women and the man interact as they attempt to find a peaceful means of co-existence. This is made exceedingly difficult as Blanche cannot accept or understand how Stella might possibly be happy in such surroundings and married to such a ‘common’ brute man. Shortly after her arrival, she is attempting to encourage Stella to run away with her to somewhere nicer, perhaps to the home of an old beau of hers by the name of Shep Huntleigh, who is now a millionaire. It is never determined whether this individual actually existed or would have recognized Blanche had

Monday, August 26, 2019

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Case Study Example Basing on this, this paper has developed a SWOT analysis of FedEx. A SWOT analysis is a managerial strategic program aimed at analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of an organization so that decision makers can enact policies basing on information at hand. From the DI case, the weaknesses of the organization are highlighted, and in all, they are internal, and based on employees negligence. This report will highlight that. The table below shows the SWOT analysis of the organization. Political instability in various countries and regions of its interest might affect its operations. For example the Arab Spring crises that started in Tunisia to Egypt that led to overthrow of these governments through mass participation. Poor judgment by its employees on appeasing aggrieved clients can lead to customer dissatisfaction for example Poor customer relationship skills witnessed by the supervisor sending chocolates instead of offering an apology to aggrieved customers. Loses arising from inefficiency of their services through paying of refunds and compensations to clients for expenses arising from the company’s negligence. For instance DI lost $ 600 in paying trade booths which were to be used for showcasing the undelivered goods (McDougall and Charles, 48). Risk negative publicity and therefore affecting their profitability due to their inefficiency in handling DI shipments. This is portrayed by Anita Kilgour expressing her disappointment and unhappiness at how the organization handled her orders. From this analysis, we can conclude that FedEx is a strong company with minimum weaknesses in its operations. It is also a technology oriented company and because of this, it is a market leader in provision of courier services. Despite its strengths and position in the market, the company can improve on its weaknesses by improving on the terms of the money back guarantee system, to give

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The use of statistical operations to reduce the proportion of customer Essay

The use of statistical operations to reduce the proportion of customer complaints in the agency selling cars (x) in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example However, complaints should be minimized by ensuring the clients get quality services which meet their needs. According to DDDDDD, customer complaints should not be minimized by discouraging customers from complaining, rather it should be minimized by addressing the issues that give rise to customer complaints. Typically, such issues are numerous and not all can be eliminated. However, they should be minimized. Additionally, where resources are constrained, it is important to identify the vital issues which need to be prioritized. Saudi Arabian car is unsurprisingly the largest in the Middle East and by far, the most promising. This perhaps explains why manufacturers have placed much investment and hope in this area. In 2013, the car sales hit 570,000 marking a 10% increase from 2012; a trend likely to continue in 2014. The market’s importance was further emphasized in the Saudi International Motor Show in Jeddah highlighting the sharp competition arising from convergence of leading brands and new comers. This places greater emphasis on understanding the reasons behind customer complaints and further sieving into the important reasons which should be accorded greater importance by car sale agents. Understanding customer complaints and the reasons behind the complaints helps the agencies in defining needs of customers and satisfying the needs. The process considered involves the time the client first contacts the agency to seek information about a car to the time of purchase. A typical flow chart for ca r sales process is provided below, The agencies are responsible for facilitating initial contact with would be buyers, taking the buyers through the negotiation process and eventually selling and handing over the car to the buyers. More often, contact is initiated by a client, courtesy of adverts and referrals. The agents the takes the clients through a range of options available and where no desirable options are available, suggests alternative ways of

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Major Health and lifestyle Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Major Health and lifestyle Issues - Essay Example The connection is that the kind of lifestyle that a person exhibits predisposes him or her to a health issue. These issues include the cancers, obesity and cardiac conditions. They are closely related to lifestyles and behaviours such as smoking, diet and nutritional changes and overweight, and alcohol and drugs abuse. This paper will deal with some of these health and lifestyle issues in depth. Cancer is a serious and potentially fatal condition that affects the body cells. The disease is as a result of a combination of hereditary and environmental factors that result to gene mutation (Gray 2005). When cell growth regulatory genes are mutated, they fail to regulate cell growth resulting in an aberrant cell behaviour, uncontrolled expansion of cell masses that destroy the cell surrounding by causing excess pressure on organs and tissues. This affects the functions of the organs. In extensive case, the aberrant cells are disseminated in other parts of the body causing the spread of the cancer, a phenomenon called metastasis (UK 2014). When the cancer metastasis to vital organs, it spreads faster, and the prognosis becomes poor. The environmental factors that result to cancer includes exposure to carcinogens, which are present in some foods, water and air. Tobacco and diet have been found to be the causes of up to 30% of new cancer cases in the world. This means that much o f the cancer is preventable. According to WHO, cancer is among the leading causes of mortality in the world. In 2012, the disease caused an approximate of 8.2 million deaths. There are many kinds of cancers, named according to the affected organ (Naidoo &Wills 2010). Lung, liver, gastric, colorectal, and breast cancers are the most common and the main causes of the cancer-related deaths in that order (DeVita, Hellman, & Rosenberg 2005, p.  26). It is estimated that one-thirds of the cancer deaths are related to behavioural and lifestyle changes

Friday, August 23, 2019

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 30

None - Essay Example Precisely, the Toyota Prius sold many vehicles to over eighty nations. The advertisements and word of mouth has influenced the demand for the Toyota Prius. The iPhone competes with the increasing alternatives, and the prices have dropped. The distribution of the iPhones has intensified, and the products are available in different parts of the globe. The adverts in maturity stage focus on promoting the product by influencing the consumers to increase the purchasing power (Cant et al 242). Fundamentally, the adverts aim at creating a competitive edge in the ever-competitive market through a differentiation strategy. The iPod advert is an excellent example of product in the decline stage of life cycle. With introduction of new products, iPod sales have decreased. Similarly, a notable decline of interest from the consumers and retailers is evident. Maximum competition has occurred leading to negative sales growth, as well as, lower profits. Cant et al argues that stagnation characterize the decline stage of product life cycle

Returns to Education in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Returns to Education in UK - Essay Example This study has analysed returns to education in the UK. This was done using the BHPS data from 1991-2008 by using an OLS regression model adapted from previous studies. The dependent variable was logarithm of hourly wage while the predictor variable tested was years of schooling, controlling for other factors. The control variables were age, sex, race and region. Diagnostic tests was conducted to check for heteroskedascity and also the presence of serial correlations and both were found not to affect the model hence the regression was run. The analysis shows that the number of years in schooling had a positive and significant effect on the logarithm of hourly wage (about 8% per year of schooling) which suggests that there were positive returns to education in the sample. This is consistent with a number of studies that have analysed the returns to education. From the R-squared results, the model accounted for 24% of the variance in hourly wages. Thus, the regression did not explain most of the variance in hourly wages but points to the fact that the number of years of schooling is a good predictor of returns in education. However, we cannot rule out endogeneity (race results) and given low overall significance of regression.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Leaders vs Managers Essay Example for Free

Leaders vs Managers Essay According to many scholars, management is a basically the implementation of already established processes such as planning, staffing, measuring performance and budgeting thereby enabling an organization to do well. On the other hand, leadership is entirely different. It can be described as taking an organization to the future, exploring and successfully exploiting opportunities that come up. Leadership is about having vision, empowerment and most importantly providing useful change in the organization. The main differences between leaders and managers are: the relationship between the followers and managers and leaders, how leaders and managers solve problems, and the difference in emotional intelligence between leaders and managers. Leaders and managers have a difference in emotional intelligence. A leader is an individual who strategizes a visionary and most importantly someone who inspires other people to greatness. In order to achieve this, while leading one must share their vision with the staff or people brought together to solve a problem or create a strategy. Leaders serve as role models, motivate their staff, inspire cooperation and create a community both inside and outside of the organization. They mostly follow their intuition which in most cases benefits the company and in most cases they gain followers who become loyal to them and the organization. This is a direct contradiction to managers who carry out their instructions by the book and follow the organization’s policy to the letter and as a result the staff may or may not be loyal to them. Even when the idea of a divinely appointed leader prevailed, there existed a contrary view that the leader was actually empowered by followers, this theory was analyzed by Thomas Paine â€Å"Titles are but nicknames†¦it is common opinion only that makes them anything or nothing . . . . [A]body of men, holding themselves accountable to nobody, ought not to be trusted by anybody† (1944, pp. 59-60, 63). Another major difference between leaders and managers is how their duties and relationship with their followers differ. A leader creates or rather innovates whilst the manager administers , meaning that the leader is the individual who comes up with fresh ideas in order to move the bulk of the organization into a new direction that is more beneficial and profitable. He has to come up with new strategies and tactics by keeping his focus on the horizon constantly. It is important for him to be updated on the latest trends as well as studies and the skill sets. Contrary to this, a manager simply maintains a system that has already been established and is in use. It is his duty to maintain control and ensure that things run normally and everyone in the staff is pulling their weight and contributing fully and effectively. One of the distinguishing characteristics of a typical manager is how dependent he is on the activities of a variety of other people to perform his job effectively. (Kotter, 1983, p. 360). He is rigid and unable to be creative in carrying out his duties, thereby barring him from being considered a business leader. According to Richard Rosenberg, (1992) one of the most profound examples of the difference between leaders and managers is how computers create significant changes in any organization. He illustrates how information is able to travel from top to bottom effectively without the intervention of managers somewhere in between. This shows how the difference between leaders and managers which is that managers are easily replaceable and in some cases they are not required at all to some extent. Leaders inspire greatness and effectiveness unlike managers who more or less rely on control. In other words, leadership is not what one does but actually how they respond to you. If people do not choose to join your cause then you cannot really be considered as a leader since they have inspired no one. If people do indeed join your cause then it would mean that you have inspired them, thereby creating a bond with them and the company, which is very important particularly if the organization or business is changing rapidly and needs people who believe in it to support its mission. Leaders and managers handle and prepare for problems in a different ways. Managers prepare themselves for turbulent times and during these times the primary task is to make sure that the organization’s capacity to survive and to ensure that the it maintains its structural strength as well as is capacity to survive failure and adapt as quickly as possible in the shortest time period (Peter D., 1980). Business leaders instill a staff loyalty that a manager cannot be able to because of his rigid methods and lack of spontaneity. In the case of managers, their primary job is to control their staff by aiding them to develop their assets and discover their greatest talents. In order to do this they have to know the people working for them and understand their abilities and interests. G. Lumsden (1982) describes how middle managers model themselves on top managers in a form of hierarchical mimicry: what happens is that the behavior inheritance persists. As it is passed down deeper in the organization, sans power, such behavior begins not to work so well. And at lower levels it gets muddied even further because it’s being used on individuals who don’t understand it, aren’t impressed by it, or are downright opposed to it. (p. 8) A leader focuses on the reasons why to make certain decision whereas a manager considers how and at what times decisions are made. Managers prefer to execute plans accordingly and maintain the status quo without deviating even when failures are experienced. If the company experienced failures, then a leader would learn from it and use it as a clarification point in order to get better and avoid losses in future. Levine and M. Crom (1993) in their book â€Å"The leader in you† highlight an example of leadership changes and state that â€Å"Good human relation skills have the ability to transform people from managing others to leading them. People can learn how to move from directing to guiding, from competing to collaborating and from operating under secrecy to one of sharing all of the information required, from a mode of passivity to a mode of risk taking, from one of regarding people as an expense to one of viewing people as an asset,† (P.15) In conclusion, management and leadership are not necessarily mutually exclusive. They are however different in that leadership entails inspiration as well as steering an organization whereas management is simply overseeing and delegating.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Immediate Access Storage

Immediate Access Storage Primary storage is also known as Immediate Access Storage and is where data is stored on the main computer memory. An example of primary storage is RAM (Random Access Memory otherwise referred to as RWM (Read Write Memory). RAM is the memory chip stored within the computers motherboard, where data can be read, stored and edited. RAM is extremely fast and is where programs are usually installed, due to its ability to run programs quickly and more efficiently than Secondary storage facilities. Secondary storage is where software and some documents or spreadsheets are stored onto a hard drive or externally onto a device such as a disk, which is easily accessible when required, via any computer or laptop and easily transportable. This is a much slower form of storage but popularly used, as the computers CPU (Central Processing Unit) memory is limited in size and its storage capacity. The information is usually stored on CD ROM; external hard drives; flash memory or USB Pen drives. Secondary storage is permanent and only becomes obsolete in time (when it eventually wears out or is replaced by new and improved technology). Complex functions such as translators for high-level languages and operating systems are placed on ROM memory. (Comp Wisdom, 2006). The ROM memory chip is a viable permanent storage facility for manufacturers, as users are unable to overwrite the information stored on this device. Off-site data storage is non-volatile and is where information is stored at an other location away from the computer, which is accessible from a direct call or via the internet. Off-site data storage is beneficial as a backup if complications arise with the onsite computer system. (No-Moa Publishers, 2000) Table -Differences between Primary and Secondary Storage. (Integrated Publishing, 2010) Primary Secondary Volatile Temporary Non-Volatile Permanent Fast memory therefore expensive Slow memory therefore cheaper Smaller storage capacity (L2 Cache = 2MB) Larger storage capacity Closer to CPU or internal so faster Connects to the CPU so slower performance Examples PROM Programmable Read Only Memory, already programmed by the manufacturer, non-editable. Needs a device to burn to disk and if mistake made cannot be corrected. EPROM Electronically Programmable Read Only Memory. Holds data no power supply, electrically reprogrammed up to 100 times. Stores Calibration data in real time clocks. Other types: DRAM,SRAM, MRAM Other types: ROM cane be read but not overwritten Hard drive, CDs, DVDs, Flash Memory, Magnetic tapes, Offline storage, EEPROM. TE560_21 Figure Image of Primary and Secondary Storage. 2. Virtualization (or hypervisor) is similar to simulation where an identical copy of an operating system is made.Virtualization can be formed for various systems such as: Networks; Platforms; Applications; Desktops; servers and storage devices. This means that multiple virtual machines can be run on a single host (via virtualization),containing its own resources; operating systems and hardware, reducing the risk of software applications from causing complications with each other due to incompatibility errors or conflict. This functionality has also been developed for wireless technology including mobile phones. The benefit of mobile phones having this functionality is that the virtualized environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦would be open to developers or open to the user to add and install applications to customize the phone as they wantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ without disrupting the carrier network.(Hazelton, Nov 2008) http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFeUHVc-xcABcxrH8xDl7q3VWyYoBJL2cIMNNFsQtAB8ebnZIsFigure : Virtualization Image Blue Whale Web Inc, 2010 3. The Home Theater receiver, also referred to as an AV receiver or Surround Sound Receiver, is the heart of a home theater system and provides most, if not all, the inputs and outputs that you connect everything, including your television, into. An AV Receiver provides an easy and cost-effective way of centralizing your your home theater system. Part One discusses the audio factors to take into consideration.http://l.thumbs.canstockphoto.com/canstock4372770.jpg http://www.reevoo.com/decidewhattobuy/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/blu-ray-player.jpghttp://lh5.googleusercontent.com/public/EI_yegmdzg0GsCmGUSyDISl8zD_zZOtAolnYCF6vhX6-kF_MlIBrf8t7XoZLFT3ZJXnx5hIu2mGWXyKVUx1U7xmZEuEXKy2h3atdhqfASFF0xxwpiVuqc_tdn-OUstUeSy_y_MChmYzHM36-XmgODqD1-pTzfQaq8B08 http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/public/iz2Chel5cJXmTnGKs05sR57Qwpsu37fLsLQBaDB8ooEaPykOrG5Sa3k8luyBUldEEVxRdqIdM029Z9fmEfA157F7grt0H_Qlb5-EkHi2e8H8N18Dxm1BIF4NOPeKCeoK6K33CMeniNr9aTLn687u_qA http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTy3tuyNo0QIFkj8zWBJ17fRRIKkq2XWIy5sBlZJCucTuTGSMV1 http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQLIct0K0DjK9t8MWv_WXeB45gIxgH5nnUXuRI1LsDwVuvUugx53w http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6ejzL49EUDy6dyejZ4aLeoV7YWompLO-MEJ-n7ahkXJoIoaFOewhttp://www.4homecontrol.com/clip_image034.jpg 4. The cloud in network systems is an abstraction of the real system and itscomplex infrastructure. It hides the actual processes and network connections to the user such as servers, routers hubs, switches, cabling and storage (the points of entry and exits) that enable data processing.(Wiley Publishing Incoporated, 1998)The cloud represents the communications network such as network cables, which connect to various devices in order to communicate over short distances or over a large geographical area, similar to that of a telephone infrastructure. 5a. PDF known as Portable Document Formatis a system by which files can be displayed on various applications which is independent of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦software, hardware and operating systems which they originated from and the computer or printer from which the output originated.(Adobe Systems Incorporated, 2006, p. 33). PDF files have a sophisticated imaging model derived from PostScript page description language (Adobe Systems Incorporated, 2006)which has been redefined to incorporate binary format.PDF files contain universally accepted format of arrays; syntaxes; graphics; imagery and text containing specified instructions objects that allows outputto be consistent across un-similar devices. b. The format for storing, page layout and managing objects is compressed in PDF files via means of fixed, two-dimensional PostScript document.The advantages of using PDF files rather than HTML are:- Files can be encrypted and cannot be tampered with; can have a digital signature which can be for legal issues; images and information can be used as evidence in court, whereas HTML has no security controls. PDF have a low risk of being contaminated by a virus. A PDF file can be password encrypted. PDF reader software which is free of charge whereas HTML requires a Browser window. Font is embedded in a PDF file ensuring that layout and appearance remains intact, whereas HTML font and appearance is defined by the creator which can appear differently depending on browser functionality used. PDF is designed to take appearance of documentation into consideration, whereas HTML concentrates on structure. PDF files hold large data compared to that of HTML.(Adobe Systems Incorporated, 2006) c. PDF has a font embedded system allowing font programsto travel with the document, which are interpreted at the destination by the data structure, which is built into the application or by means of an external font file. This transfers the information into a character which is a graphical shape known as a glyph. The file compresses information which preserves data and maintains the integrity of the original document including its fonts and graphics. (Chuck Geschke, 2004, p. 24) d. A PDF contains 5 object types in relation to graphics, which are embedded into the file and transported with the document these being:- Path Text Inline Shading These objects define the position, orientation, size of text, graphics and bitmap imagery that appear on the page by means of appropriate shading, structure, syntax, colour fill and line strokes. The cleverly designed graphical parameters allow conversion and compression files to make certain discreet changes to the graphics without changing the surrounding environment.The filedetermines the imagery and displays it in the exact layout and position. This is known as the Cartesian co-ordinate system. (Adobe Incorporated, 2006) A vector (object) image is handled similarly, as paths are made up of lines called Bezier curves. (Adobe Systems Incorporated, 2006)The path object transfers these into paths that can be stroked and filled. The output format is then transferred with the file to cater for the imagery. e. There are a number of limitations that a PDF has on the end user these being:- Graphic recognition is time consuming to process documents containing Vector graphics Documents holding certain layouts like magazines and newspapers cannot be deciphered correctly. The documents are un-editable which could affect documents pertaining to lawyers, that require proofreading and alterations by the client. Due to new versions being released on a regular basis with new functionality, causes incompatibilities with documents created by earlier versions. Converting a PDF file back into a formatted word document asPDF does not recognise paragraphs, formatting, headers, footers, indentations, and line breaks. (PDF Tools, 2005) 6. A computer network is divided physically as well as logically. A collision domain (Ethernet segment) is where two or more devices are attempting to transmit packets of data at the same time and are usually contained within a broadcast domain. Devices that are attached to a hub or a switch are within a collision domain. Collision domains are usually divided by a switch or bridgesand use a collision -sensing protocol called CSMA/CD. The basic strategy for this protocol is it detects imminent collisions by abnormalities in the voltage, which occurs in the computer rejecting the corrupted frame (runt). (CISCO, 2006) A broadcast domain (Ethernet LAN) is a logical part of the network that emits data to another device.(Symatech, 2010) DOMAINS Figure This diagram shows the 2Broadcast domains in Green and the 5collision domains in Red. Table This table shows the ISO-OSI layers and the domains. Layer ISO-OSI Layers Whats processed Domain Devices 7 Application Layer Ports, sockets Interaction 6 Presentation Layer Format, encoding Translation 5 Session Layer Messages, communication Controls Dialogue 4 Transport Layer TCP segment Data transfer 3 Network Layer IP Packet, IP Address Broadcast domains. Layer 3 devices stop the flow of broadcast domains IP address, Router, level 3 switch 2 Data Link Layer Frame, Interface cards, adapters Single separated Collision, one single broadcast domain also created. Layer two network devices can divide collision domains. Switches, Bridges 1 Physical Layer Bit Stream Single Broadcast and Collision HUB, Repeaters 7. Von Neumanns architecture comprises of the four main components,see diagram below. This is used in current computers lay the foundation to what is known as the Little Man Computer'(Englander, 2010)the essential criteria for this architecture is the memory which has a stored program concept (Englander, 2010) which allows the programs to be edited. It stores the address in a sequenced address order which has its own memory slot and traced by unique location number. Memory- consists of RAM to store programs and data Control unit is used to fetch information from memory and decodes it and performs operations to complete the task Arithmetic unit performs mathematical calculations Input/output is the interface with the human operator Figure diagram of Von Neumanns Computer Architecture http://computing.llnl.gov/tutorials/parallel_comp An example of entering and adding two numbers is as follows: Take first number and input (the number is now stored in the calculator) store the number (this is stored in memory slot and number is left on calculator) -Input second number (2nd number replace first in calculator) Add first number to second (fetch 1st number from stored address location and add to number in calculator) Display/output result 8. 32 bitswide or 4 Bytes can address 4Gigabytes of memory = 4 (232 = 4,294,967,296). AMD introduced the first 32 bit flash memory device on 5th August 2001 which would allow systems to run 8 x faster than those using standard flash memory. (Advanced Micro Devices Incorporated, 2010). 9. Volatile memory is a term derived from the Latin word volatilis which translated means to fly. This terminology is applied to something that is unpredictable; subject to change; unstable or hostile. The RAM (Random Access Memory) in a computer istemporary (volatile storage), as the information stored is obliterated when the power is either switched off or interrupted, as power is required to retain information stored on the machines memory. Non Volatile memory (NVRAM) is not deleted when the connection between the memory and the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is lost. Devices such as memory disksor hard disk drivesstore informationpermanently untilit is no longer required by the user. RAM, DRAM, SRAM are all forms of volatile memory and ROM and Flash memory are non-volatile forms of memory. Flash memory is widely used in the Automobile manufacturing industries, for car applications to work efficiently. Some cars contain MCUs chips (Microcontrollers), where program functionality are stored using non-volatile memory on the MCU, allowingcar functionality to work correctly such as Cruise control, air bag safety mechanism, engine controls and temperatures.(International Engineering Consortium, 2006)It could be crucial if this information plus vital safety checks were erased every time avehicle is switched off! 10. Figure Data Flow Diagram showing Mixed number in a base other than 10 converted to a Decimal. (Englander, Number Systems, 2010) Display Answer Display Integer and Decimal parts together Convert Fractional Part to base 10 Convert Integer part to decimal Split into Integer number and Fractional parts Start with Mixed number Mixed Number = whole number + fraction Another way to convert a mixed number into a decimal is as follows:- Answer = 2.88 Round answer to two decimal places 2.875 23/8 To get Decimal Divide numerator by denominator Rewrite improper fraction with numerator on top 8 x 2 x 7 Turn mixed number into improper fraction 2 7/8 Start with Mixed number Mixed Number = whole number + fraction

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Models of Celebrity Endorsement Strategy

Models of Celebrity Endorsement Strategy The selection of celebrity endorsers is not an easy task; many scholars have tried to create models in order to help for the right selecting of celebrity endorsers. Hovland et al (1953) conceptually contributed one of the earliest models, which is Source Credibility Model. Afterwords, the Source Attractiveness Model (McGuire, 1985), the Product Match-Up Hypothesis (Forkan, 1980; Kamins, 1989, 1990), and the Meaning Transfer Model (McCracken, 1989) was presented through empirically researchers in turn. The Source Credibility Model and Source Attractiveness Model are categorized under the generic name of Source Models since these two models basically show and reflect research of the Social Influence Theory/Source Effect Theory, which argues that various characteristics of a perceived communication source may have a beneficial effect on message receptivity (Kelman, 1961; Meenaghan, 1995). The source credibility model is based on research in social psychology (Hovland and Weiss, 1951-1952; Hovland, Jani, and Kelley, 1953). The Hovland version of model present that a message depends for its effectiveness on the expertness and trustworthiness of the source (Hovland et al., 1953, p.20; Dholakia and Sternthal, 1977; Sternthal, Dholakia, and Leavitt, 1978), which means that information from a credible source (e.g.celebrity) can influence beliefs, opinions, attitudes, and/or behavior via a process called internalization, which occurs when receivers accept a source influence in terms of their personal attitude and value structures (Erdogan, 1999). Expertness is defined as the extent to which a communicator is perceived to be a source of valid assertions and refers to the knowledge, experience or skills possessed by an endorser. Hovland et al (1953) and Ohanian (1991) believed that it does not really matter whether an endorser is an expert, but all that matters is how the target audience perceives the endorser. However, Aaker and Myers (1987) advocated a source/celebrity that is more expert to be more persuasive and to generate more intentions to buy the brand (Ohanian, 1991). Hence, expert sources influence perceptions of the products quality (Erdogan, 1999). Meanwhile; Speck et al (1988) found that expert celebrities produced higher recall of product information than non-expert celebrities, even though the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, celebrities professional accomplishments and expertise may serve as a logical connection with the products, and consequently make the endorsement more believable to co nsumers (Till and Brusler, 2000). Trustworthiness refers to the honesty, integrity and believability of an endorser depending on target audience perceptions (Erdogan, 1999). Advertisers capitalize on the value of trustworthiness by selecting endorsers, who are widely regarded as honest, believable, and dependable (Shimp, 1997). Smith (1973) argues that consumers view untrustworthy celebrity endorsers as questionable message sources regardless of their qualities. Friedman, et al (1978) addressed that trustworthiness is the major determinant of source credibility and then tried to discover that likability was the most important attribute of trust. Thus, they recommended advertisers to select personalities who are well liked when a trustworthy celebrity is desired to endorse brands. However, Ohanian (1991) found that trustworthiness of a celebrity was not significant related to customers intentions to buy an endorsed ethnic status could affect endorser trustworthiness and brand attitudes, because people trust endorsers who are similar to them. Their findings implied that when targeting particular ethnic groups such as Africans and Asians, ethnic background should be carefully evaluated. Measuring source credibility in selecting celebrity It is quite reasonable to make sense that a sources credibility is totally subjective, but research shows that in spite of individual preferences, a high degree of agreement exists among individuals (Berscheid et al, 1971). Patzer (1983) developed the Truth-of-Consensus method to assess a sources credibility and attractiveness. The method is based on the foundation that individuals judgments of attractiveness and credibility are naturally subjective, but these judgments are shaped through Gestalt principles of person perception rather than single characteristics. Notably, on the basis of extensive literature review and statistical tests, Ohanian (1990) constructed a tri- component celebrity endorser credibility scale, (see figure) which assumes that credibility and effectiveness of celebrity endorsers is associated with given characteristic dimensions, even though McCracken (1989) argued that the celebrity world consists of much more just attractive and credible individuals. Table 2: Source Credibility Scale Attractiveness Trustworthiness Expertise Attractive-Unattractive Trustworthy-Untrustworthy Expert-Not Expert Classy-Not Classy Dependable-Undependable Experience-Inexperienced Beautiful-Ugly Honest-Dishonest Knowledgeable-Unknowledgeable Elegant-Plain Reliable-Unreliable Qualified-Unqualified Sexy-Not Sexy Sincere-Insincere Skilled-Unskilled Source: Ohanian, R (1990) Construction and validation of a scale to measure celebrity endorsers perceived expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness, Journal of Advertising, p39-52 The Source Attractiveness Model Advertisers have chosen celebrity on the basis of their attractiveness to gain from dual effects of celebrity status and physical appeal (Singer, 1983). Meanwhile, research showed that physically attractive endorsers are more successful at changing beliefs (Baker and Chrurchill, 1977; Chaiken, 1979; Debevec and Kernan, 1984) and generating purchase intentions (Friedman et al, 1976; Petroshius and Schuman, 1989; Petty and Cacioppo, 1980) than those unattractive individuals. Hence, McGuire (1985) conducted an empirical research to contend that the effectiveness of a message depends on similarity, familiarity and liking for an endorser. The McGuire (1985) model holds that sources that are known to, liked by, and/or similar to the consumer are attractive and, persuasive. The source attractiveness model also rests on social psychological research (McCracken, 1989). Meanwhile, Cohen and Golden (1972) suggested that physical attractiveness of an endorser determines the effectiveness of persuasive communication through a process called identification, which is assumed to occur when information from an attractive source is accepted as a result of desire to identify with such endorsers. Petty and Cacioppo (1980) conducted attractiveness of endorsers in terms of a shampoo advertisement to comprehend effectiveness of advertising message types. In 1983, Petty et al replicated the earlier study in 1980. Their findings emphasize the interaction between involvement level and endorser type. Under low-involvement conditions, the endorser type had a significant impact on attitudes towards the product even though no impact was found on behavioral intentions. With respect to recall and recognition measures, findings indicated that exposure to celebrity endorsers increased recall of the product category only under low-involvement conditions. Besides, the endorser type manipulation revealed that celebrities had marginally significant impact on brand name recall over typical citizens. Patzer (1985: p30) stated that physical attractiveness is an information cue; involves effects that are subtle, pervasive, and inescapable; produces a definite pattern of verifiable differences; and transcends culture in its effects. Patzer argues that people usually inflate their own attractiveness so that attractive endorsers should be more effective than average looking endorsers. Kahle and Homer (1985) operated celebrity physical attractiveness and likability and measured attitude and purchase intentions on the same product: Edge razors. Findings indicated that participants exposed to an attractive celebrity liked the product more than participants exposed to an unattractive celebrity. Recall for the brand was greater both in attractive and likeable celebrity conditions. However, unlikeable celebrities unexpectedly performed better on recognition measures than likeable and attractive celebrities. Meanwhile, findings proved that an attractive celebrity created more purchase intentions than unattractive celebrity, but conversely an unlikeable celebrity produced more intentions to buy the product than a likeable celebrity. Quite significantly, studies by Cabalero (1989) and Till and Brusler (1998) demonstrate that positive feelings towards advertising and products do not necessarily translate into actual behavior or purchase intentions. A possible reason for the lack of celebrity endorsers effect on intentions to purchase is that celebrity endorsement seems to work on the cognitive and affective components of attitudes rather than the behavioral components (Baker and Churchill, 1977; Fireworker and Friedman, 1977). In terms of gender impact between endorsers and target audience, Debevec and Kernan (1984) found that attractive female model generated more enhanced attitudes than attractive male models across both genders and particularly among males. Conversely, Cabalero et al (1989) found that males showed greater intentions to buy from male endorsers and females hold greater intentions to purchase from female endorsers. Furthermore, Baker and Churchill (1977) found a rather unexpected interaction among female models, product type and intentions to purchase products among male subjects. For instance, when the endorsed product was coffee, an unattractive female model created more intentions to buy the product than her attractive counterpart among males, whereas when it was perfume or aftershave, male reacted more positively to an attractive female model. However, Petroshius and Schulman (1989) found that endorsement gender had no impact on attitudes towards advertisements and no major impact on i ntentions to buy products. Consequently, based on above disparate and controversial arguments, there is no consistent and coherent direction in terms of gender interactions between endorsers and target audiences to aid practitioners. In brief, it is apparent that attractive celebrity endorsers enhance attitudes and recall towards advertising and brands than unattractive celebrity endorsers, however there is no consistent agreement in relation to creating purchase intentions, even though a few studies found that celebrities can create purchase intentions. Multiple celebrity endorsement Millions of dollars are spent per annum on celebrity endorsement contracts on the basis that source effects play an important part in convincing communications. Although traditional advertising knowledge suggests the meaning of an elite product contract with the celebrity, uniqueness comes with a high price label. As a result, it is becoming familiar for companies to share stars (Elliott, 1991; Sloan and Freeman, 1988). For example, former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan has endorsed products for 14 companies (Lipman and Hinge, 1991), and golfer Lee Trevino has had endorsement contracts with Cadillac, Motorola Cellular Phone, Spalding Top-Flight, and La Victoria Salsa (Shatel, 1991). Multiple product endorsements set up new questions relating to our understanding of how consumers react to celebrity endorsements. If as McCracken (1989, p.311) suggests, the celebrity endorser takes on meanings that carry from ad to ad, does endorsing multiple products affect those assigned meanings such that the consumer perceives the celebrity to be less credible and less likable (Kaikati, 1987)? Do consumers have less positive approaches toward ads and brands if multiple product endorsements are involved? What consequence do multiple product endorsements have on consumers buying aims? Does the number of products endorsed restrain the effect of frequent publicity to the celebrity endorser (Tripp, 1994)? Practical proof concerning how consumers react to multiple product endorsement is restricted, leaving unanswered issues in an important research ground. It is known the act of multiple product endorsements guides to certain impressions about celebrity. Early studies (i.e. Mowen and Brown 1981; Mowen, Brown, and Schulman 1979) suggest that simply knowing that a celebrity endorses multiple products is satisfactory to decay consumers insights of endorser honesty, as well as a brand and ad evaluations. Given a limited knowledge of how the endorsement process works (McCracken, 1989), these are clearly issues with theoretical value. The current study independently manipulated the number of exposures to a celebrity in a way different from previous studies in order to investigate the effects of continual exposure to the multiple product endorsers on consumer responses. The apply of actual stimulus is important since exposure to multiple product endorsers (vs. knowledge only) may result in effects different from multiple product endorsement effects. For example, attribution theory (Kelley, 1973) suggests that assumptions may result in consumers evaluating multiple product endorsers less favorable than single product endorsers. According to Kelley, observers identify an actors action to be characteristic when it happens in the presence of a unit and does not occur to its absence. In the case of endorsements, single product endorsements (even if viewed multiple times) compose characteristic actions since spokesperson endorses one brand and not other brands or products. In contrast, multiple product endorsements compose non distinctive actions because the endorsements take a broad view across products with the celebrity constant. Limited of the number of exposures to the endorser, this non distinctiveness may result in consumers concluding that the nature of the spokesperson was the reason for the endorsement, not the nature of product. Although multiple product endorsements (i.e. non distinctive actions) influence perceptions of the spokespersons credibility (i.e, internal attributions), the spotlight of external attributions for single product endorsements (i.e.. distinctive actions) is not obvious. Witnesses of a spokesperson who endorses only a single product may or may not trait the endorsement to the product itself (e.g. product quality). The product repr esents only one cause for the endorsement. Other potential causes for the endorsement exist (e.g., popularity of the endorser; endorsers ties to the product, company, or advertising agency; money paid to the endorser) (Tripp, 1994). In this respect, multiple product endorsements may lead to attribute suggestions about nature of the spokesperson (e.g. traits such as greediness) and, in turn, pressure such manifestations of affect as credibility and likability (Weiner, 1985). Moreover, affect may lead to comparative preferences or be short of of preferences toward associated stimulus (Bara and Ray, 1985) such as the ad or brand. Attribution theory may be used to make clear consumers assumptions about the reasons for a product endorsers support (Folkes, 1988). Commonly, when exposed to a single endorsement, consumers attribute the support to an external cause (e.g. a financial reason). However, the frequency of an action and the actions with which it co varies form the basis of many attributions (Folkes, 1988). Since a multiple product endorser is seen repeatedly and in different contexts, examination of the relationship between the number of exposures to the celebrity, endorser likability, and credibility is a critical consideration. Berlynes (1970) two-factor paradigm suggests that increased exposure to a stimulus results in a more favorable response initially due to a learning factor. At some higher number of exposures, however, a negative response (possibly due to tedium) begins to predominate. Taken together, these two theoretical ideas suggests that the number of products endorsed and the number of expo sures to the endorser may interact such that the number of products endorsed moderates the effect of number of exposures. Thus, inclusion of actual exposure allows for the first tests of any multiple product endorsement effects on both dimensions of credibility and likability beyond that due to repeated exposure to the endorser (Tripp, 1994). The product Match-Up hypothesis Forkan (1980) and Kamins (1990) conducted empirical experiment to test the Product Match-up Hypothesis, which contends that messages conveyed by celebrity image and the product message should be congruent for effective advertising. The determinant pf the match between celebrity and brand depends on the degree of perceived fit between brand such as brand name and attributes and celebrity image (Misra, 1990). Advertising a product via a celebrity who has a relatively high product congruent image leads to greater advertiser and celebrity believability (Levy, 1959; Kamins and Gupta, 1994; Kotler, 1997). Importance of proper match-up between celebrities and products has been emphasized. From practitioners perspective, a senior vice president of a leading beverage company states that celebrities are an unnecessary risk unless they are very logically related to products (Watkins, 1989). Another practitioner quoted by Bertrand and Todd (1992) argued that if there is a combination of an appropriate tie-in between the companys product and the celebritys persona, reputation or the line of work that the celebrity is in, advertisers can get both the fame and the tie-in working for them. Meanwhile, many studies report that consumers also expect congruity between celebrity endorsers perceived images and their endorsed products (Callcoat and Phillips, 1996; Ohanian, 1991; OMahony and Meenaghan, 1997). Otherwise, Evans (1988) argued that if celebrities do not have a distinct and specific relationship to the product they endorse, the use of celebrities could produce the Vampire effect which happens when the audience remembers the celebrity, but not the product or service. Meanwhile, the absence of connection between celebrity endorsers and products endorsed may lead consumers to the belief that the celebrity has been bought to endorse the product/service (Erdogan, 1999). Significantly, the proper match-up between a celebrity and a product has been based on celebrity physical attractiveness, and the match-up hypothesis predicts that attractive celebrities are more effective when endorsing products used to enhance ones attractiveness (Kahle and Homer, 1985; Kamins, 1990). Research also identifies that characteristics of a celebrity interact positively with the nature of the product endorsed (Friedman and Friedman, 1979; Kamins, 1990; Lynch and Schuler, 1994). Choi and Nora (2005), who used a cognitive approach that focuses on consumers attributions of celebrity endorsement motives, emphasized that the level of celebrity and product congruence will influence celebrity endorsement effectiveness through the process of consumer attributions of the celebritys motive for associating him or herself with the particular product and the subsequent effect of these attributions on the consumer evaluations of the endorser, the advertising, and the brand involved in the endorsement. Surprisingly, Kamins and Gupta (1994) found that the match-up between a celebrity endorser and the endorsed brand also enhances the celebrity endorsers believability and favorable attitudes (Till et al, 2006). Friedman and Friedman (1978) found that celebrity endorsers are more appropriate where product purchases involve high social and psychological risk. Meanwhile, Kamins (1989) and Kamins, et al (1989) found that celebrity endorsers were able to generate desired effects on high financial and performance risk products/services such as management consultation and computers. Conversely, Callcoat and Phillips (1996) reported that consumers are generally influenced by endorsers if products are inexpensive, low-involving and few differences are perceived among available brands. As a result, these contradictory arguments lead to the conclusion that advertising is a powerful mechanism of meaning transfer that virtually any product can be made to take any meaning (McCrackens 1987; OMahony and Meenaghan, 1997). The almost studies in terms of evaluating celebrities endorser and endorsed products/brands are using consumer samples. Only one study by Miciak and Shanklin (1994) investigation considered advertising practitioners when choosing celebrity endorsers based on a small sample including 21 agencies and 22 company practitioner. Remarkably, more recently, Erdogan et al (2001) investigated a larger sample that is the 300 largest British advertising agencies (Campaigh, 1997) to consider important celebrity characteristics from the practitioners perspective when selecting an endorser by conducting exploratory interviews and a mail survey. Their findings provide implications for both theory and practice. At the theoretical level, the research firstly shows that managers do not see celebrities as undimensional individuals such as attractive and credible when selecting celebrity endorsers, because celebrities are different unknown endorsers as they represent a variety of meanings that are drawn from the roles they assume in television, film, politics, and so on (McCracken, 1989). Secondly, managers have implicitly incorporated the findings of product match-up hypothesis research in their decision-making. On the other hand, for practitioners, as none of the advertising agencies had any written documentation regarding celebrity endorsement strategy, Erdogan et al (2001) set the criteria through providing a possible check list of factors in Table 3 below, when practitioners select celebrity endorsers. However, DeSarbo and Harshman (1985) argue that neither the source credibility and attractiveness nor the match-up research is adequate in providing a heuristic for appropriate celebrity endorser selection, although the Match-Up Hypothesis extends beyond attractiveness and credibility towards a consideration and matching of the entire image of the celebrity with the endorsed brand and the target audience. The Meaning Transfer Model McCracken (1989) organized an empirical research evaluating effectiveness of the endorser depends upon the meaning the person brings to the endorsement process in part. McCracken (1989) and Brierley (1995) pointed out that the number and variety of the meanings contained in celebrities are very large, which includes status, class, gender, and age and personality and lifestyles types, more importantly, the cultural meanings existing in a celebrity go beyond the person and are passed on to the products. Fortini-Campbell (1992) argues that products just like people have personalities, and claims that people consume brands with personality characteristics like their own or ones they aspire to possess in celebrities. Similarly, according to Fowles (1996), advertisers rationale for hiring celebrities to endorse products is that people consume images of celebrities, and advertisers hope that people will also consume products associated with celebrities. Celebrity endorsement actually is a special instance of a more general process of meaning transfer (McCracken, 1989). This process is a conventional path for the movement of cultural meaning in consumer societies through formation of celebrity image, transfer of meaning from celebrity to product, and from product to consumers. McCracken (1988) defined that meaning begins as something resident in the culturally constituted world, in the physical and social world constituted by the categories and principles of the prevailing culture. Furthe rmore, McCracken (1989) found that several instruments facilitate this transfer. Firstly, the movement of meanings from the culturally constituted world to consumer goods is accomplished by advertising and the fashion system. Then, the movement of meanings from consumer goods to the individual consumer is accomplished through the efforts of the consumers. Hence, meaning circulates in the consumer society. Besides, McCracken (1986) argued that advertising is one of the instruments to move meanings from culture, to consumers, to goods; this movement is accomplished by the efforts of promotional agencies. Similarly, Domzal and Kerman (1992) claimed that advertising is an integral part of social systems, whose function is to communicate the culturally constructed meaning of products to consumers. As the figure 1 shows, the meaning that begins in the dramatic role of the celebrity resides in the celebrity themselves in stage 1. In stage 2, this meaning is transferred when the celebrity enters into an advertisement with a product, and some of the meanings of the celebrity are now the meanings of the product. In the final stage, the meaning moves from the product to the consumer. Notably, celebrity endorsement makes a very particular contribution to each of these three stages in meaning transfer process. In sum, as McCracken (1989) suggested, the meaning transfer model presented is intended to demonstrate that the secret of the celebrity endorsement is largely cultural in nature, and that the study of the celebrity endorsement is improved by a cultural perspective. Consequently, advertisers should assess the culture that encompasses a celebrity to determine whether these meanings are feasible for brands/products in order to achieve effectiveness of the endorser. Definition of celebrities Celebrities are people who enjoy public recognition by a big share of a certain group of people. Whereas characteristic like attractiveness, amazing lifestyle or special skills are just examples and specific common characteristics cannot be observed, it can be said that within a analogous social group celebrities generally vary from the social standard and enjoy a high degree of public awareness. This is factual for classic forms of celebrities, like actors (e.g. Meg Ryan, Pierce Brosnan), models (e.g. Naomi Campbell, Gisele Buendchen), sports athletes (e.g. Anna Kournikova, Michael Schumacher), entertainers (e.g. Oprah Winfrey, Conan OBrien) and pop stars (e.g. Madonna, David Bowie) but also for less obvious groups like businessmen (e.g. Donald Trump, Bill Gates) or politicians (e.g. Rudy Giuliani, Lee Kuan Yew). Celebrities appear in public in different ways. First, they appear in public when satisfying their profession, e.g. Pete Sampras, who plays tennis in front of an audience in Wimbledon. Furthermore, celebrities appear in public by attending special celebrity events, e.g. the Academy Awards, or world premieres of movies. In addition, they are present in news, fashion magazines, and tabloids, which offer second source information on events and the private life of celebrities through mass-media channels (e.g. Fox 5 news covering Winona Ryders trial on shoplifting, InStyle). Last but not least, celebrities work as spokespersons in advertising to endorse products and services (Kambitsis et al. 2002, Tom et al. 1992). Advantages and disadvantages of celebrity endorsement strategy Potential Advantages Potential Disadvantages Preventive Tactics Assisting product  marketing and  increased attention Overshadow the brand Pre-testing and careful planning Image polishing Public controversy Buying insurance and putting  provision clauses in contracts Brand introduction Image change and  overexposure Explaining what is their role and  putting clause to restrict  endorsements for other brands Brand repositioning Image change and loss of  public recognition Examining what life-cycle stage  the celebrity is in and how long  this stage is likely to continue Underpin global  campaigns Expensive Selecting celebrity who are  appropriate for global target  audience, not because they are  hot in all market audience Source: Erdogan, B.Z (1999) Celebrity endorsement: A literature review, Journal of Marketing Management, Vol 15, p295 Mathur et al (1997) state a variety of reasons that firms use celebrity endorsers including that firms may feel that the life experiences of endorsers fit the advertising message, that the endorser has high appeal with the firms target consumer group, or that the endorsers universal appeal makes the advertising universal. Celebrity endorsement can bring out several positive effects. They are that advertisements become believable (Kamins et al, 1989), message recall is enhanced (Friedman and Friedman, 1979), recognition and perception of brand names is improved and attitudes about products with low purchase involvement are affected (Petty et al, 1983; Till et al, 2006), positive attitudes about brands results (Kamins et al, 1989), and distinct personalities and appeals for products and brands are created (McCracken, 1989; Dickenson, 1996). Moreover, celebrity endorsements are believed to generate a greater likelihood of customers choosing the endorsed brand (Heath et al, 1994; Kahle a nd Homer, 1985; Ohanian, 1991). As a result the use of celebrity endorsement is an advertising strategy that should enhance the marginal value of advertisement expenditures and create brand equity by means of the secondary association of a celebrity with a brand (Keller, 1993). Meanwhile, research indicates that celebrity endorsements can result in more favorable advertisement ratings and product evaluations (Dean and Biswas, 2001). Some of the most difficult aspects of global marketing to gasp are host countries cultural roadblocks such as time, space, language, relationships, power, risk, masculinity and femininity (Mooij, 1994; Hosfsted, 1984). Under this situation, celebrity endorsements are a powerful device by which to enter foreign markets; and celebrities with world-wide popularity can help companies break through many such roadblocks (Erdogan, 1999). On the other hand, there are also many potential disadvantages and hazards in utilizing celebrities as endorsers as a part of marketing communication strategy. Firstly, benefits of using celebrities can reverse markedly if they for example, suddenly change image, fall popularity, get into a situation of moral turpitude, lose credibility by over-endorsing or overshadow endorsed products (Cooper, 1984; Kaikati, 1987). Secondly, negative information about a celebrity endorser not only influences consumers perception of the celebrity, but also the endorsed product (Klebba and Unger, 1982; Till and Shimp, 1995). Thirdly, another common concern is that consumers will focus their attention on the celebrity and fail to notice the brand being promoted (Rossiter and Percy, 1987). Fourthly, celebrities who are blamed for negative events such as accidents can have detrimental influence on the products they endorse (Louie and Obermiller, 2002). Besides, Mowen and Brown (1981) argue that if a celebritys image ties in with many brands/ products, impact and indentify with each product may reduce since the relationship between the celebrity and a particular brand is not distinctive. This can not only compromise the value of the celebrity in the eyes of stars fans (Graham, 1989), but also can make consumers to think the real nature of endorsement that has less to do with the brand/product attributes, and more to do with generous compensation for the celebrity, leading consumers to overt doubt about their motives, so as to cause the negative influences on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions among the multiple products endorsed by celebrities (Cooper, 1984; Tripp et al, 1994). The f

Monday, August 19, 2019

Real Politics :: Free College Admissions Essays

I have worked on many political campaigns in my life and I have enjoyed the work but the Virginia Gubernatorial election was a turning point in my life. I was seventeen and this campaign was different, this time I had a lot of responsibility, I was in control of a portion of a city and I was determined to show people that I could make a difference. It was the knowledge that I could make a difference that showed me that I wanted to work in politics either running as a politician or campaigning for one. I will continue to gain experience by volunteering on political campaigns and I will gain knowledge by completing my Bachelor’s degree in political science. This was the day that I decided that I can do more and effect more than I had ever believed possible. It was November sixth and right in the middle of fall. The leaves were changing color, falling off the trees, and the foliage was covering the ground. I remember my parents waking me up at 5am; it was hard for me to wake up because the night before I stayed late working at campaign headquarters and preparing for this day. It was the last day to make a difference; it was Election Day. When I finally got out of my bed it was still dark, I jumped into the shower then picked up a bagel for the road. It was dark and cold outside and my hands were shaking either from being nervous that I wouldn’t do a good job or just the cold weather. It was about a ten minute car ride to where my mother and I would be working for the day. When we arrived we immediately set up the signs, so everyone would know that this was the voting place. My mom went inside the school to meet some of the other people who would be working at the school. Her job was to check off all the people who voted that day. This list would later be given to me so I could relay the information to headquarters. But while she was inside I was still setting up the signs outside. This would be the beginning of a long and frustrating day. As I was putting up the signs I ran into another person who was also putting up signs for our candidate.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Public Surveillance in the USA Essay -- CCTV, Privacy Rights, Right of

1. Introduction All the developed countries (developing countries are also in no way lagging behind) the incidence of the people being monitored under various surveillance systems is high of which closed circuit television system (CCTV) is gaining dominance. For instance, the UK has over 4.2 million of them, giving it a ratio of one for every 14 persons and the USA is reported to have been installing it on a rapid pace in every conceivable location as town centers, schools, public transportation systems etc with a spiraling budget estimated at $100 million. With the terrorists attacks looming large in the wake of 9/11 attacks and despite the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the trends are going towards more and more technology oriented surveillance methods. This has naturally caused widespread concerns about the privacy issues and necessitated more evidence based research to inform policy and practice. The critical issue that needs to be addressed in the argument for or against the use of public surveillance system in the USA is which one takes precedence, viz, whether safety of the public and property at large or the invasion of the rights of the individuals who are subjected to some sort of interference in their privacy. In other words, does a citizen have an unfettered right to privacy even when it comes to issues relating to the enforcement of law in prevention of terrorist attacks, crime and restoring security and peace of the citizens at large? I propose to argue in this paper in favor of the need for public surveillance system by advancing the reasons for its imperative and take the view that it does not amount to prima facie violation of individuals' rights and in contravention to the rights guaranteed under the constitution... ...lsh. "Public Area CCTV and Crime Prevention: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Justice Quarterly 26.4 (2009): 716-745. Web. 24 Apr. 2011 Print Gill, M., & Turbin, V. (1998). CCTV and shop theft: Towards a realistic evaluation: In C. Norris, J. Moran, & G. Armstrong (Eds.), Surveillance, closed circuit television and social control (1998) (pp. 189-204):. Aldershot: Ashgate: Print Slobogin, Christopher. Privacy at Risk: The New Government Surveillance and the Fourth Amendment. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print Sutton, Adam, and Dean Wilson. "Watched over or over-watched? open street CCTV in Australia." Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology 27.2 (2004): 211-230. Print. White, R., & Sutton, A.: Crime prevention, urban space and social exclusion. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Sociology, 31(1): 1995: 82-99. Print

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Reaction About The National Sports and Physical Education Association Standards

The National Sports and Physical Education Association (NASPE) came up with the 3rd edition of the National Guidelines and Standards for the Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) which provides programs with guidance on the 2008 Initial and Advanced national physical education teacher training standards. Below are the INITIAL PETE Standards and reaction or view about each category: 1. Scientific and Theoretical Knowledge. Physical education teacher candidates know and apply discipline-specific scientific and theoretical concepts critical to the development of physically educated individuals. This standard assures that the teacher candidate has the scientific bases which could explain the concepts critical to the progress of an individual. The elements which must be done by the teacher started in describing and applying the scientific concepts related to the movement, physical activity and fitness, followed by identifying historical, philosophical and social perspectives of physical education issues and legislation, then lastly, analysing motor skills and performance concepts. It is very important for the teacher to know what he is teaching to the learners. This will help the teacher find ways on how to attack or target and plan for a physical fitness activity that is very effective and scientific. This is the most important thing to provide effective and purposeful program for physical education. 2. Skill-Based and Fitness-Based Competence. Physical education teacher candidates are physically educated individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to demonstrate competent movement performance and health-enhancing fitness as delineated in NASPE's K-12 Standards. After having the knowledge about the bases of the concepts in developing physically educated individuals, a teacher candidate should also know how to demonstrate different movements and fitness activities. He must reach and maintain a health-enhancing level of fitness throughout the program. This is important in conducting variety of physical activities and maintain the level of fitness. It also stated that there should be no discrimination among the persons with disabilities. Teacher candidates with special needs are encouraged to modify or use different ways in providing physical activities. . Planning and Implementation. Physical education teacher candidates plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences aligned with local, state and national standards to address the diverse needs of all students. This refers to the ability of the teacher candidate in designing, planning, managing and implementing learning experiences. Teacher should provide a progressive activities to meet the needs of the learners, especially today there is an increasing number of persons with a poor- healthy lifestyle. . Instructional Delivery and Management. Physical education teacher candidates use effective communication and pedagogical skills and strategies to enhance student engagement and learning. A physical educator must possess an effective verbal and non- verbal communication skills to encourage them to participate and get interested with all the planned physical activities. This is an effective avenue to promote fitness and wellness. A teacher who does not know how to communicate and deliver the competencies is not effective. Delivery and communication is a very important standard to make all the learners understand the importance of engaging to physical activities and enhance their abilities and skills. 5. Impact on Student Learning. Physical education teacher candidates utilize assessments and reflection to foster student learning and to inform instructional decisions. This standard refers to the employment of assessment and evaluation of the physical fitness activities. The importance of the assessments and reflection is knowing how effective the designed program or activities. It is also important to identify which part of the program needs to be improved and be adjusted. This helps the teacher to know the effect of the activities to the learners. 6. Professionalism. Physical Education teacher candidates demonstrate dispositions essential to becoming effective professionals. It is very important for the teacher to be a model of character/ behaviors, dignity and respect. Teacher must believe that all students can become a physically educated individuals. (REFERENCE: 2008 National Initial Physical Education Teacher Education Standards National Association for Sport and Physical Education ) In general, NASPE’s standards for the Physical Education Teacher Education will provide all the professional physical education teachers a guide and tool in achieving its mission- to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high quality physical education, sport, and physical activity programs. Physical Education teachers must be aware of this standards to properly direct the learners. Sadly, not all physical educators are familiar with these standards. The reason why, especially in our country, Philippines they see physical education as a non- academic subject and always given the less priority. As the head- teacher of our institution, I will make sure that all my physical education teacher will follow this standards.