Research of self-defence case Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Of self-defence case - Research Paper Example The government view is that, after Belcher confronted Suber, he went ahead, retrieved a gun from Brown and began shooting Suber with no excuse. the state affirms that the killing has to be unlawful and thus instructs the jury that the malice be inferred for the use of the deadly weapon (California Center for Research and Education in Government 86). The states stress that courts have been bestowed powers to settle fixtures in the criminal systems of the company. 2) What is the prosecutor's point of view? From the prosecutor’s point of view, Belcher is guilty and has two counts of charges to answer. One of the charges is that Belcher committed murder while the second one is the possession of the illegal firearm. The prosecutor finds sufficient evidence to believe that Belcher committed the heinous act, it is for this reason that the prosecutor instructs the jury to convict Belcher for murder and the illegal possession of the firearm. The prosecutor refers the charges with respe ct to Belcher’s murder reiterating that his act contravenes the state law regarding human conduct. According to the prosecutor, Murder is the unlawful killing with malice, which may be inferred by the deadly weapons or from the circumstances that may be proved by the state. According to the prosecutor, the law presumes malice from the homicide and therefore Belcher is guilty of the offense. However, the prosecutor does not take the step of prosecuting Belcher. In his response to the judgment of the jury that warrants the jury to charge Belcher for murder and voluntary manslaughter, the prosecutor finds the inference of malice regarding the use of the deadly weapon as no longer being a good law in South Carolina. He therefore makes a ruling that Belcher’s convictions be reversed and remand for a new trial to begin. The prosecutor arrives at this verdict owing to the conflicting testimonies presented at the pretrial chamber. 3) What is the element of the crime? The eleme nts of the crime are the use of the deadly weapon and malice. However, the evidence of self-defense and malice are presented with respect to this case. The evidence of malice in this case is evidenced by Belcher’s use of handgun. It is however, perceived that the notion of charging malice by the use of the deadly weapon is harmless. This makes the case complicated. 4) What is the issue inference, Mens Rea, Actus Res, or Presumptuous? The issue inference here is the Suber’s murder subject to malice. Belcher portrays the Actus reas in his submission of evidence when he states that, his decision to shoot Suber was an attempt to defend him (West Publishing Company 270). The evidence provided is presumptuous and thus fail to catch the prosecutor’s admissibility. It is therefore, upon the jury’s decision to make valid ruling regarding the pursuance of justice. It is important to note that presumption is not applicable when the circumstances and facts related to the homicide are disclosed in evidence in a manner that it draws a conclusion of malice. Presumptions are used as substitutes when theirs is a lack of direct proof. In Belcher’s case, presumption is employed owing to lack of sufficient evidence. 5) What was the previous Law? It emerges that the prosecution embraced the Bishop criminal law previously. Subject to this law, the inference of malice was drawn from the use of deadly weapons especially in the act of

Dada Arts influence on later 20th Century Art Research Paper

Dada Arts influence on later 20th Century Art - Research Paper Example The Dada leaders emphasized a total deletion of all prior prescribed rules, dogmas, and formulas. The movers insisted that the current system that controls societal ethics, moralities, and cultures must be replaced by freedom. Freedom includes the freedom do whatever one feels is art. The Dada art movers insisted that there will be no more rules, especially art rules. Thus, anyone can draw, paint, or take a picture of mundane objects and classify such ordinary objects as art (Brill 72). Further, Verkauf criticized the members of the Dada movements as individuals who prioritizing shocking society with their unorthodox art masterpieces. Verkauf reiterated that the art pieces of the Dada artists are both shocking and without any sense of reality, including artistic art sense. Some terms were recognized ad Dada art inspired. Picadia reiterated that the Dada Art movement did not expecting anything. They wanted nothing, nothing, and nothing. The Dada artists want the viewers of their art masterpieces and understand nothing, nothing, and nothing. The Dada artists clearly want freedom the established societal art norms (Brill 72). In addition, one of the founders of the Dadaism art movement is Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp and other Dadaism did not accept the popularity of the conventional art genres. Instead, Duchamp focused on the subject of the found art style. The style is characterized by the depicting an object or situation that one interestingly find.

Information And Communication Technology On Democracy Media Essay

Information And Communication Technology On Democracy Media Essay The development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has changed the world. The centrality of information in our society has resulted in many declaring that we have entered into a new stage of human existence, often referred to as the Information Age. The easy access to ICT provides new opportunities for individuals and non-institutionalized organizations to unite and coordinate in order to publish their message across international boundaries. There have been movements that have adopted ICT as a tool of democracy but the real question is whether or not ICT can function as a tool in assisting democratic movements and political parties to raise national or international awareness of their cause. E-democracy and electronic government can drastically alter the relationship between government and citizens and the way they communicate (Darin, 2005). Furthermore, ICT-usage could be developed significantly as a tool for publicizing information. Democratic movements have much to gain in adopting better media skills and a greater understanding of the dynamics of the contemporary media system and the internet. The Information Ages altered media sphere can entail new and positive opportunities for political groups and grass roots movements if they learn to master the information technology media logic. Technology has produced an altered definition of democracy. The concepts we know are based on the citizens rights and the competition of power but that definition has drastically changed. For instance, Benjamin R. Barber notes that digital technology is well-suited to enhancing democracy (Benjamin, 1998) therefore democracy itself needs to be given a new definition to adapt to how technology is influencing the term. On one hand, e-democracy is the use of technical tools particularly the Internet to allow citizens access to information; to take part in petitions, consultations, deliberation, referenda and elections; and communicate with each other to form e-communities and movements, and take part in e-campaigning and e-activism (Edemocracy, 2008). On the other hand, democracy is a political system that protects the people, a system that allows the replacement of political leaders, one that promotes the active participation of citizens in their countries political affairs. With the Information Age new ways of doing things have emerged; now there is digital democracy, E-government and E-governance concepts, all of which are dramatically changing the political environment. Power too has been impacted as a consequence of ICT. Political power is no longer in the hands of two or three but grass roots movements have become involved in politics creating a more balanced and more evenly distributed political power system. The interest in using technology to develop an electronic type of democratic system is more North American in origin than any from any other part. Declining rates of political participation in North America has called for the introduction of new innovative ways of getting citizens to participate in politics electronically. As a consequence of the origin of electronic democracy any future world electronic political advancement will depend on the North American political culture. Europe and other developing nations such as Chile are also implementing the electronic democratic system which will balance any Americanization that might have suffered world politics. ICT gives political parties better ways to target and reach voters. Website has been used as a tool giving parties the ability to become their own news reporters (Stephen, 12) and better inform their target audience. President Barack Obamas previous campaign is a symbol that using the media and internet can yield great results to a political candidate. The internet for instance, has been used for fundraising, as a social medium for reaching voters and as a way to promote their political ideologies targeting specific segments of the population. Technology makes democracy more accessible and has eased the process of participating in ones government. For example, in developed and developing countries the internet is everywhere (Andrew and Christopher, 271). Every department has its own website and the same is true for political parties. Moreover, social media channels such as Facebook, Youtube and Myspace has allowed the government and parties to interact with citizens and voters in a way never seen before. Therefore information technology makes democracy more affordable and accessible for anyone, regardless of income or social status and further allows government and parties to use technology as a tool of democracy. Access is perhaps the most notable impact that ICT has had on democracy. Having the ability to say what we think when we want has increased political participation in the last few years, at least electronically. For example, on Youtube there are countless videos of grass roots, individuals and non-governmental organizations talking and protesting about certain issues; without technology that would never have been possible. Moreover, as a consequence of technologys involvement in political affairs new political culture and ideologies will emerge which may further complicate the association between democracy and ICT. To conclude, this essay has highlighted some of the ways in which technology is creating positive impacts to democracy, be it through fundraising or its social media usage to reach targeted segments of the society. It has also given a definition of democracy and of e-democracy and finally, it shows how ICT makes it easier for one to voice ones opinions and participate in governance affairs which is the main principle on which democracy is based. Therefore, ICT does have a positive impact on all individuals, political parties, non-governmental institutions and grass roots movements if they learn how to use the new media and information technology to be more effective and proactive.

Comparing Brave New World and George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four (198

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is more relevant today than George Orwell's 1984. Although both of the two totalitarian societies are based on plausible premises, the Utopia depicted in Brave New World still has a chance of appearing today, while the Big Brother-dominated society created by Orwell, being based to some extent on the totalitarian societies that existed at the time of the book's inception, is simply obsolete.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brave New World remains more believable in modern times because the events that led up to the creation of Huxley's Utopia have the greater chance of occurring tomorrow. In both novels, the birth of the totalitarian society is brought on by a catastrophic war that probably involves the entire world. However, in 1984, the war is in the process of being fought, giving the reader the impression that somewhere in this world, there is still a non-totalitarian government which could defeat Orwell's nightmarish police state. In Brave New World, the war that preceded the creation of Utopia has long since passed; it often appears as though Utopia has always existed. This makes it much more believable than Big Brother, especially since it seems more likely to occur when the world is at peace. Also, the war depicted by Brave New World contains technology that seems particularly significant in modern times. In Utopia, Western Europe Controller Mustapha Mond mentions that the war preceding the inception of their society was fought using Anthrax Bombs. Because biological weapons have become more common part of military arsenals in recent years, readers of Brave New World have more reason to believe that its version of the war that starts the rise of totalitarianism could happen today. Finally, 1984 ... ... in Huxley's Brave New World, is more universal and more relevant to modern society than 1984's Big Brother. While both Utopia and Big Brother are equally plausible versions of a future society, the two were brought into existence by different preceding events. Also, Big Brother has a faint historical basis: Orwell meant for it to reflect the totalitarianism of the communist governments that existed in his era. Huxley gives no indication in Brave New World whether Utopia echoes a particular totalitarian society in real history, allowing it to remain plausible in an era when the brutal Communist regimes that existed in Orwell's time are virtually gone. Finally, Big Brother ensures its dominance by inflicting pain on dissidents while Utopia uses pleasure. Utopia, therefore, would stay in power more easily because pleasure is a more effective method of control than pain.

A Self Review And Needs Analysis Of The Students Existing Knowledge And Skills Base

In order to carry out this assignment, I will begin by reflecting on my own practice and performance. I have developed an action plan, depicting five areas where I believe my practice could be improved through a strengthening of my skills and knowledge. I aimed to discover my strengths and weaknesses by completing a training needs analysis, based on the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years) 2013.This helped me to identify which areas of my practice I have chosen to focus on in relation to the benchmark, i. e. the Common Core competencies. The first standard I have chosen to address is, ‘2. 1 Be more accountable for children’s progress, attainment and outcomes’ (NCTL,2013:2), which I hope to achieve by November 2013. In order to help a child develop, we must begin by observing a child, assess their level of development and plan for them based on their interests.When observing a child we must ensure that we are recording the observations appropriately, basing the m on evidence and not opinion as is stated in the Common Core competencies (CC) (CWCD,2010:10) Good observations further enable us to create a strong foundation to plan relevant activities for children. Once this has been completed, it is extremely important to reflect on what we have done.Reflection is integral to improving a child’s progress, attainment and outcomes and provides us with the opportunity to assess the results of an activity, so we can plan appropriate next steps or adapt the activity to make it more appropriate to a child’s needs and abilities. I am confident in my ability to design exciting and relevant activities for the children in my care, but have chosen to focus on improving my ability to constructively reflect on these activities, to ensure the next steps can have the best possible learning opportunities for the child.This is why I want to devise an improved planning system whereby staff can, ‘Draw upon personal experiences and other peopl e’s perspectives, to help you reflect, challenge your thinking and to assess the impact of your actions. ’ (CWCD,2010:12) A richer evaluation from an activity will give us a stronger basis to provide next steps, which are more focused and relevant to the unique child. I intend to research evaluation techniques so I will, ‘know how to use theory and experience to reflect upon, think about and improve practice.’ (CWCD,2010:12)Prompts for evaluation should also be provided to ensure we are reflecting effectively on our activities, rather than just writing something irrelevant in an effort to ‘just fill the box’. In addition, I think it would be beneficial to display ideas of activities and possible questions around the room in relevant areas to help extend spontaneous play. As the majority of our planning is spontaneous, due to the fickle and fleeting interests of a child, we must plan daily to provide activities true to a child’s most cur rent interest.This in turn will provide us with the richer observations we require to design fulfilling activities, unique to each child. The next target I have set myself, which is to be completed by December 2013 is, ‘8. 5 Take responsibility for leading practice through appropriate professional development for self and colleagues. ’ (NCTL,2013:5) It is extremely important to frequently attend courses related to childcare as new research and theories are published on a regular basis, which change our view on the way we care for children.While in an ideal world, every practitioner would be supplied with unlimited time and funding to attend every course, this is not the reality and we therefore must ensure that we relay information from each of the courses we do attend to the rest of the staff in our setting in order to enhance the practice of the setting as a whole rather than just one practitioner. Currently, this is achieved through filling out a ‘course feedba ck form’ which is one A4 page to squeeze in all the knowledge you have gained from the attended course.This is not very effective as the forms are not sufficient to encompass the wealth of information obtained on the course. In addition, the forms are kept away in a folder in the office, which is not very accessible to staff, so the benefits are not widely disseminated. The common core competencies state that I should, ‘have the confidence to challenge the way you or others practice. ’ (CWDC,2010:14) In my workplace, this means when I identify an area that needs improving, I would be enabled to attend a relevant course to ensure all staff are consistent and up to date with correct practice.When relaying the course I must, ‘communicate effectively with other practitioners and professionals by listening to them and ensuring that you are being listened to. ’ (CWDC,2010:19) Providing carefully designed aids to appeal to all types of learners i. e. visual , auditory and kinaesthetic, such as: power-point presentations, speeches or role play activities will ensure that the new information is thoroughly absorbed by all staff regardless of aptitude.I will, ‘be proactive, initiate necessary action and be able to put forward your judgements’ by creating easy to read hand-outs or leaflets. These would be available for staff to refer to, as well as for parents/carers who attend the setting to access, so we can enable consistency between home life and nursery life for the children in our care. Another aspect of my practice I have chosen to focus on is, ‘5.5 know when a child is in need of additional support, and how this can be accessed, working in partnership with parents and/or carers and other professionals. ’ (NCTL,2013:4) This process began when I was reviewing summative assessments and overviews, and became aware that a child in my care was not achieving the expected level of development in all areas. It is im portant that I, ‘know what to do in given cases – for example, referrals†¦ raising concerns when a child†¦ is not achieving their potential.’ (CWDC,2010:20)We know it is essential to raise any concerns with parents/carers in an appropriate manner first to ensure a good partnership throughout the process, because it states, ‘know when and how to discuss concerns with parents and carers’ (CWDC,2010:15) in the common core competencies. I know from completing my childcare qualifications what the correct course of action is, however I have not had much experience in referring children or filling out CAF forms, so I thought this could be a good opportunity to expand my own knowledge in this area, thus improving my practice.I intend to assist in the filling out of a CAF form as part of the referral process so I can gain a greater understanding in knowing, ‘when and how to obtain information, advice and support for children†¦ their paren ts and carers, and when and how to report concerns. ’ (CWDC,2010:12) To develop my knowledge of the further stages of the referral process, I will continue to be involved in any meetings/conferences concerning the child. This will involve liaising with other professionals, helping me to, ‘understand the procedures, objectives, roles and relationships of partner services, in order to work effectively alongside them.’ (CWDC,2010:21)Throughout this process with reference to both the internal and external elements of the referral, it is important to be fully aware of ‘organisational procedures and legal frameworks†¦ within your own organisation and other agencies’ (CWDC,2010:17) to ensure a successful and beneficial outcome for the child and family involved in the referral process. By being fully involved in this procedure from the outset, I hope to gain the knowledge and experience to be able to initiate and complete similar referrals in the future .I have set a date of February 2014  to complete this target by, however depending on the outcome of the CAF form or referral, this could be altered. The fourth action on my target plan is, ‘3. 5 demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate strategies in the early teaching of mathematics. ’ (NCTL,2013:3) I hope to have achieved this by April 2014. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) tells us that the maths area, ‘includes essential skills and knowledge for children to participate in society’ (EYFS reference here), so it is of vital importance to ensure that we, as practitioners, have the maths skills necessary to help children achieve their full potential in this area.However, this is an area that is often neglected within settings, and it has recently come to light that it is also an area that generally children are under achieving in. To combat this, the government have launched the ‘maths champions’ project which is to be led by th e Early Years Professionals (EYP) within the setting. The project aims to boost the practitioners’ skills in mathematics and their confidence in this area in an attempt to increase the mathematic ability of the children in our care.The first stage of this is to complete an audit to assess my confidence in mathematics as well as to assess the content of the maths resources in the setting. The second stage is to complete an initial assessment, asking you maths questions, which will convert your score into a level ranging from ‘entry level 1’ to ‘level 3’ From this, data can be collected and evaluated to decide on the best course of action to improve our mathematic ability and finally take a diagnostic test similar to the initial assessment to assess what improvements, if any, have been made.I believe it is important to take part in this project because the common core competencies state that I should, ‘make good use of available information, appr aising its content and assessing what else might be needed’ (CWDC,2010:22) I am excited to see the outcome of this project, how it affects the way in which we teach maths through play and what knock on effects it may have on children in other areas of development, as we know all learning is holistic and interlinked.Lastly, I aim to, ‘2. 3 know and understand attachment theories, their significance and how effectively to promote secure attachments. ’ (NCTL,2013:2) I have given myself until the end of the first year of my foundation degree, June 2014, to do this as we will look at different theories in more and more depth as the course goes on and I will be able to provide thorough evaluation of them all.I currently work  in the baby room and so I am perfectly placed to implement my developing knowledge of attachment theories when hew babies enter the setting and transition into nursery life, and time spent away from the main caregivers. This can often be a traum atic experience for such young children, and by gaining underpinning knowledge of attachment theories, I intend to ease the transition to make it as pleasant an experience as possible for both children and their parents/carers.It is essential to, ‘understand the different ways in which babies and children form attachments and how these might change’ (CWDC,2010:12) I have very little experience working in a baby room, so I am keen to expand my knowledge of child development for this vital age where such intense learning takes place, and understanding, ‘the importance of forming positive relationships in the development of children†¦ and how this can be supported.’ (CWDC,2010:12)When supporting transitions, it is essential to, ‘communicate straightforward, reassuring messages about key transitions’ (CWDC,2010:17) in an attempt to put parents/carers’ minds at ease as children can pick up on hesitant and unsure body language and feeling s towards the situation. This will only make it more difficult for children to transition smoothly, aggravating what can already be a distressing event.One of my strengths is how I form strong and lasting relationships with parents/carers as well as their sons or daughters, I continue to keep in touch with many of the children who have left the settings as I offer my services as a babysitter for parents/carers who do not have anyone to look after their children when they go out.I must ‘reassure children†¦ their families, and carers by explaining what is happening, by involving them in decisions as appropriate, and by exploring possible actions to deal with new and challenging situations. ’ (CWDC,2010:17) Possible actions could be experimenting with strategies influenced by child attachment theories and inform hew ways to promote secure attachments.Reflection and evaluation are integral to your practice when you work in an early years setting, we must strive to cons tantly improve our practice to better the outcomes for the children within our care. I have identified my strengths and weaknesses, and in completing the program I have outlined above, I intend to enhance my performance in all areas. In relation to the target dates I have set myself, I will write up a concise evaluation to confirm whether I have achieved the desired outcomes of the 5 targets or not.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis in Context to His Era Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the major German writers was a Jewish, middle class resident of Prague, a man named Franz Kafka, who wrote disturbing, surreal tales. Writing in both short story and novel form, his work was published posthumously by a friend, Max Brod, who ignored his requests to burn his writings upon his death. Because his friend disobeyed his last request, Kafka’s work has become iconic in western literature, even producing its own connotations.   The term â€Å"Kafkaesque† has come to mean mundane yet absurd and surreal circumstances of the kind commonly found in Kafka’s works (â€Å"Kafka†,1).   Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the most widely read and famous of these works concerns a man who wakes up one day and discovers he is an insect. Literally. Known as Die Verwandlung or The Metamorphosis, Kafka wrote this story quickly, completing it between November and December 1912.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of its bizarre subject   matter, his tale has been subjected to a wide variety of interpretations. Although critics vary widely in those interpretations, the basic story involves a man who awakens in different form: he is now an insect; a â€Å"giant monstrous vermin;† yet all he wants to do is get to work. He has provided for his family and feels the pressure of helping them even now. However, in this new context , he cannot speak with his family members. Judging only by appearances,   his relatives becomes repulsed by him, calling him a burden. Each time he enters to try to be in their midst, they act mean; his father even goes so far as to throw an apple, which subsequently gets infected after it embeds in his back. Although Gregor becomes a veritable prisoner of his dirty, grimy room, his family does provide food and other nourishment-for a time. But they so abhor his appearance and treat him so despicably, that his sister finally declares that   â€Å" that thing must go.† His mother doesn’t even offer a word of protest. Because of his outsider status with his family, Gregor returns to his room one last time; desirous of relieving them of their burden. He lies down. And dies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both the structure and the setting of the story resemble that of a drama. The structure builds dramatically, with a series of three crises, leading to a denouement. Each section of the story has a defined area where the story takes place; a limited space as in plays.   With the exception of Gregor, the other characters are one dimensional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, Kafka works out of the traditional Aristotelian framework of three acts consisting of a beginning, middle, and end. Yet his style is ordinary. Has he been overrated? His plot is limited in scope, a series of episodes in the life of a character, rather than a full development. The characters are also limited. So what exactly did cause this Kafkan phenomenon?   Kafka dealt with the subject of contradiction and the absurd— with a sense of impotence against the absurd conditions and banalities of the world. Although not attracted to any â€Å"isms’ of thought philosophically, politically, artistically, or religiously, he simply expressed his own soul (Artile, 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite his lack of referencing, the wider world nevertheless laid claim to him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Jews saw him as their own visionary. They were convinced he foresaw the arrival of the Holocaust. Yet Kafka was not a religious Jew, going to synagogue only four times yearly with his father and having a bar mitzvah at age 13. Too absorbed in his personal frustrations to pay much attention to political developments, Kafka could not help becoming cognizant of the increasing xenophobia and anti-Semitism of those around him. He thought that Palestine was a good solution and often talked of moving there to operate a cafà © with his girlfriend Dora. In the midst of the anti-Semitic riots of 1920 Berlin, he said that â€Å"the best course is to leave a place where one is hated† (Strickland, 2). Indeed, his own three sisters all died in concentration camps, a   fate that might also have awaited Kafka had he lived rather than dying of TB in 1924.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Although only a secular Jew, Kafka was nevertheless attracted to Yiddish theatre. The Metamorphosis has many parallels to a classic work of Yiddish theater called The Savage written by Gordin. The son Lemekh in this tale is â€Å"defective† like Gregor Samsa.   Outcasts who horrify, both characters are animal like creatures in decline. The central metaphor of The Metamorphosis corresponds to  Ã‚   Lemekh’s position in his own family. As the housekeeper states, ‘they kill him if he comes in here, so he lies in his own room, days on end, with his eyes open, and stares, like an animal, waiting to be sacrificed’ (Beck, 54).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Beck continues to state that the Oedipal conflict and the larger theme of incest is present in both works because the sons’ love for their mothers and sisters become confused with sexual desire. They become dizzy when they see their parents embrace. When Zelde touches Lemekh, he gets hot. Similarly, Gregor wants to save the picture of the lady in furs, crawling up the glass which soothed his hot body. Crawling shows his acceptance of his animal state- hiding when others enter, fainting- which intensifies the action and shows strong emotion. Lemekh in his iron jacket and Gregor in his armor plated hard back are both imprisoned, and spiritually limited. Gordin’s play warns of the beast in every man hiding beneath his human faà §ade. Kafka’s work also seems to be pointing to the vermin which every man inherently embodies (Beck, 56).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Other groups besides the Jews also embraced Kafka. Psychoanalytic Freudianism and   Existentialism saw reflections of their philosophies in his works. The Freudians saw every range from dreamlike qualities and Oedipal conflicts to symbolic odds and ids. Kafka’s feelings   for his own father reads like a transparent Oedipal story. Many critics were of the opinion that never before had Freud ruled so supremely over a story as he did The Metamophosis (Eggenschwiler, 72).   Ã‚  Ã‚   Existentialism took Kafka to be one of their own .Because he created characters who struggle with hopelessness and absurdity, many in the movement saw him as an icon, while others in the group were disillusioned with the western status quo of the 50s and the 60s. They distorted Kafka by exploiting the heavy atmosphere of his stories, using them as the basis for the need of a more liberal society with less state intervention and more truth for the individual.The existentialists abused truth by portraying a psychotic Kafka, victim of their same angst. The humor and mischief that was so dear to the surrealists that he loved is lost with that existentialist label ( Artile, 7).    One of the most obvious themes of The Metamorphosis concerns society’s treatment of those who are different and   the loneliness of being cut off; the desperate and unrealistic hope that isolation brings (â€Å"Kafka,†3).   Ã‚  Ã‚   In his pain and rejection Gregor Samsa was far from being everyman. And most readers will not be prepared to accept him as a universal symbol. Nevertheless, it is hard to avoid the condition in The Metamorphosis that Kafka was demonstrating; at least at that time; his own despairing, tragicomic vision of the human condition ( Beck, 57).   Ã‚   Kafka’s value will always lie in the inexplicable that it contains. Final understanding will probably remain an   impossibility. The various mid-century groups that took him as their hero never saw the complete picture of his artistic merits or original thought. Although many of his stories are inscrutable and baffling, Kafka himself looked upon his writing and the creativity he produced as a means of redemption (Artile, 7).   Ã‚   Thus his work transcends all the various interpretations that have been forced upon it and stands on its own merits, remaining an important part of the Western canon; work that is timeless. References Artile, G. â€Å"Kafka Work,†2002.   ( Retrieved June 23, 2006). www.kafka.org Bloom, H.ed. Franz Kafka’s the Metamorphosis. New York: Chelsea House, 1988   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Andersen, M. â€Å"Kafka and Sacher Masock.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Beck, E. â€Å"The Dramatic   in Kafka’s Metamorphosis.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corngold, S. â€Å"Metamorphosis of the Metaphor.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eggenschwile, D. â€Å"die Verlandlung, Freud, and the Chains of Odysseus.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gray, R. â€Å"The Metamorphosis.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greenberg,   M. â€Å"Gregor Samsa and Modern Spirituality.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pascal, R. â€Å"The Impersonal Narrator of the Metamorphosis.† Kafka, Franz. Selected Short Stories. New York: Modern Library, 1952. â€Å"Kafka,† in Wikipedia 2006. (Retrieved, June 23, 2006). www.enwiki.org/kafka Strickland, Yancey. â€Å"Kafka in Berlin,† (2004). (Retrieved June 23, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   www.kafka.org.

Character of Technique essays

Character of Technique essays Influence of Orson Wells; Citizen Kane. There's no kidding the genius of the perhaps the greatest inovator of modern film: Orson Welles. Accomplishing in his early twenties what only a few have in their lives, this bright young star promised to alter hollywood roots forever. After working his way into a movie deal with RKO Studios, Welles created his most recognized 1941 masterpiece, Citizen Kane. Kane not only won the 1941 Oscor for best Film, but Orson shattered all kinds of molds with his controversial writing, his experimental directing, and his disturbingly convincing role as the media mogul Charles Foster Kane. Fifty years later, Citizen Kane is universally accepted as the greatest American Film ever made. Growing up, Orson Welles produced, directed, and starred in his own brilliant projects. Citizen Kane was no different. Implementing ceilings into the shot enlightened mise-on-scen and took realism to a whole new level. Complimenting the depth of the screen is Orson's amazing use of the long take. This encorporates a single camera shot lasting longer than one minute. After one viewing, this auther counted thirty-five uses of the long take in this 119 minute masterpiece. There is one scene towards the end of the film portraying Kane in his elder, darker years. The take begins in a room inside Xanadu, Kanes multi-million dollar estate, where Susan Alexander leaves the disturbed Kane for good. It continues with Kane smashing up the room. He then leaves the room and walkes passed his confused staff of waiters, butlers, and door men into a mirrored hallway. The camera work is so suddle yet so effective, it literally speaks to you without words. The long shot not only displays the sleakness of the film, it avoids over-editing, providing room for brilliant dialogue. Welles also demonstrates his prestigious stan ...

The UK Conservative Government 1990-1997 and the UK Labour Government 1997-2002 Essay Example

The UK Conservative Government 1990 The UK Conservative Government 1990-1997 and the UK Labour Government 1997-2002 Essay The UK Conservative Government 1990-1997 and the UK Labour Government 1997-2002 Essay The Conservative Government of 1990 under John Major aimed to move urban politics in a new direction. The removal of Margaret Thatcher from office and the re-appointment of Michael Heseltine to the Department of the Environment signalled this change in direction. The policies of the 1980s were based on privatisation with respect to the redevelopment of deprived areas. The policies from the 1980s however received much criticism from the Audit Commission Report, as well as Conservative supporters alike. The Audit Commission had described Urban Support Programmes as a patchwork quilt of complexity and idiosyncrasy, and the economic decline, combined with changing patterns of economic growth led to poverty. During the 1990s however, the governments emphasis was placed on collaboration or local governance, which became more widespread. The need for a governmental change of view from the previous decade was realised in 1990 in the review of Action for Cities. The government called for a spirit of co-operation, of partnership between all of those involved in central and local government, including local businesses. The idea of partnerships between public and private sectors was introduced in May 1991. Much of the literature on the topic of urban regeneration policies is interested in the relationship between local authorities and businesses. The main reason behind this is the urban policy agenda established by the Conservatives in the early 1990s, which was principally about the pooling of resources between local government and businesses. The new Conservative Partys first urban initiative, City Challenge was set up in May 1991. This policy was designed by Michael Heseltine, and the emphasis was on partnership and competition. The government invited local authorities to bid and compete with each other for regeneration funds. City Challenge placed local authorities back at the centre of urban policy. In the first round of bidding, 21 authorities were invited to bid, of which 11 were successful. In the second, all 57 urban programme authorities were invited to bid, and 20 were successful. The City Challenge scheme had many critics who questioned the selection process. The policy had run for 18 months when the government announced in November 1992 that they planned to wind down the urban programme and City Challenge. In 1993, the Urban Programme was brought to an end in the 1993 reforms. The Urban Regeneration Agency was formed and brought about the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and English Partnerships (EP). EP was officially launched by the government in November 1993, and it brought together English Estates, Derelict Land Grant, and City Grant. It was designed to upgrade derelict land for redevelopment in partnership with local councils and the private sector. English Partnerships was given powers to override local authority planning restrictions, and used the funds to offer financial assistance as a means of gap funding for the areas deemed to be in greatest need. There was a lot of controversy over its role in the process of urban renewal. When the policy was launched, the government announced that there would be one senior regional director for each of the ten regional offices. This top-down implementation placed full control of the region with one senior officer, as oppose to the individual authorities being given more control as they were with the City Challenge policy. The SRB was launched in April 1994. It consisted of 20 existing programmes, which included City Challenge, and also brought about the integration of the regional offices of Whitehall. The budget they had to operate with was  £181million in 1994 and 1995, and  £ 220million in 1996 and 1997. The co-ordination of this policy was welcomed, but critics argued that instead of elected regional bodies, the government had increased central administrative powers. The SRB was considered to be the new flagship regeneration programme and consisted of three main strands: (i) partnership, (ii) integration of social and economic issues, and (iii) competition. Rounds 1 3 of the SRB were conducted under the Conservative Party, however the Labour Party was elected in the middle of round 4. The Labour Party in power (1997-2002): The Regional Development Agencies (RDA) Act was passed in 1998 and set out New Labours policy of delegating the task of urban regeneration to each specific region. The main purpose of the RDAs was to further economic development and the regeneration of the area in question. Other aims were to promote business efficiency, investment, competitiveness, and employment in the area, whilst also enhancing the development and application of skills relevant to employment in the area. The RDAs were officially founded in 1999 and eight were set up in each of the regions, and a ninth for London set up in 2000. The RDAs took over from English Partnerships in terms of the responsibility of regional development. The special functions of the RDAs include formulating a regional strategy in relation to their purpose, promoting regional regeneration, taking forward government competitiveness agenda in regions, and taking the lead on regional inward investment. Following consultation with regional partners, the RDAs presented the strategies to the government in October 1999, and in January 2000, the government responded by giving a broad welcome of the strategies. The governments response was to significantly increase the RDAs budgetary flexibility. New funding was brought together in a single cross-departmental budget by 2002-2003 of  £ 1. 7billion. Government Offices for the Regions were established in 1994, but under the Labour Government, were given an increasingly pivotal role at the heart of Government. The Government Offices (GOs) worked together with the Regional Co-ordinator Unit (RCU), which was established as the headquarters for the GO network in 2000, as a result of the Performance and Innovation Unit Report, Reaching out the role of central government at regional and local levels. Together, the GOs and RCU aimed to cut through bureaucracy and add value to delivery through its shared experience and best practice, bring together key stakeholders and local partners, and providing a high quality of service. This aim was to be provided by combining skills in the GOs at the local level, with the co-ordinating role of the RCU in influencing policy design and implementation in Whitehall. Regional Chambers (RCs) or as some are known, Regional Assemblies (RAs) form a partnership working between local authorities and regional partners. Each chamber has been formally recognised by the Government as being representative of the interests of the region in relation to the work of the regions RDA. Each RC is made up of 70% local authority members, and 30% from other sectors including industry, education, environment, NHS, and TUC. The RCs initial focus was primarily on the RDAs regional economic strategies, and they have also sought to build up effective working relationships with the RDAs, GOs and other regional interests and stakeholders. The Deputy Prime Minister announced a new role for EP in July 2002. The new role provided a fresh mandate and a clear strategy to support sustainable development and growth in England. As part of a mergence with the Commission for the New Towns, EP will work with the private sector, the Housing Corporation, and local authorities to help increase the amount of affordable housing. EP will aim to make best use of the nations supply of land by developing on brownfield land, and by using surplus land in the best way possible. EP will work closely with a range of partners in support of the RDAs regional strategies to try and achieve its targets. Another Labour policy to achieve urban regeneration is the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU). The NRU was set up to lead and oversee the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal, taking over this task from the Social Exclusion Unit in April 2001. The aim is to deliver economic prosperity, safe communities, high quality schools, decent housing, and better health to the poorest parts of the country. The overall aim is to bridge the gap between the poorest areas of Britain and the rest of the country. The NRU identified the 88 most deprived local authorities in the country and devised a best value programme, by which the Government are to invest a lot of money in improving public services in these areas. This strategy is being funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF), which is  £300million in 2002/3 and will be  £ 25million for 2004/5. Another branch of the NRU is the New Deal for Communities (NDC). The NDC works in a similar way to the NRU, but it places local people at the heart of it. Local people, community and voluntary organisations, public agencies, local authorities and business are encouraged to work in partnership to deliver significant change by turning local peoples aspirations into action. The strategy is targeted over the next 10 years, and aims to develop a local strategy to tackle social exclusion in order to create vibrant and sustainable communities. Comparison and contrast between Conservative and Labour policies: The main difference between the various policies on urban regeneration between Conservative and Labour Governments is the socio-economic factor. The Conservative Party continued the 1980s theme of economic development, albeit with more cohesion and co-ordination. From the outset, the emphasis was placed on partnerships between local authorities and businesses to regenerate economic development, which would in turn provide more employment and bring about social improvements. The competitiveness encouraged local authorities to form partnerships with businesses as it gave a greater possibility of receiving a grant from the City Challenge fund. When the Labour Party first came to power, they formed the RDAs and to begin with, placed the initial emphasis on continuing the economic development. Whereas the Conservative Party only produced a transparent policy solely to increase partnership and competition, whereby local authorities only receive funding based on how well they can submit an application, the Labour Partys policy tied in a lot more objectives. Promoting business efficiency, investment, employment, and developing skills relevant to employment in the area is a much wider policy and the various regions will have different specific policies relevant to each region and sub-region. When the Labour Government integrated the Government Offices with the Regional Co-ordinator Unit, they highlighted the objective to cut through bureaucracy, a total contrast to the Conservative Government. It was the Conservatives policy to increase the level of bureaucracy with the SRB. The increase in administrative powers at the top followed by delegation of funding is a form of top down and trickle down implementation, the opposite approach to that of the Labour Party. It was Labours policy to bring together key stakeholders and local partners via the GO, and a much wider contribution was created in the form of the Regional Chambers. The RC took a bottom up approach in its purist form. It incorporated people from all corners of industry, the market place, and services to form a mixed composition, and worked hand in hand with RDAs to bring together the needs for the whole region. With respect to English Partnerships, the way in which the two governments implemented their policies varied significantly. While the Conservative Party focused mainly on economic growth and employment, the Labour Party dealt more specifically with the housing needs and social problems faced in Britains deprived areas, as they did with the NRU strategy. The Conservatives focused on the development of brownfield sites as a means of generating jobs and providing large flagship projects, as oppose to the Labour policy of providing affordable housing and building new communities. In general the two Governments used similar methods of integration of funds and resources as a means of generating the funding for urban regeneration. The amount of money invested in regeneration by the Labour Government was far greater than that of the Conservative Party and the programmes that the funds were invested in were different to. In conclusion, the Government of 1990-1997 took an economic viewpoint whereas the 1997-2002 Government placed their regeneration policies closer to home with social based policies.

Case Study of Bicester Village in UK-Free-Samples for Students

In today’s modern world, incomes are rising rapidly and luxury goods are getting available widely, with the attitudes regarding the display of wealth shifting with time. Due to this, more and more Chinese consumers are feeling more comfortable in buying luxury goods. Because of this, the love for these products in china is moving down the economic ladder, meanwhile creating challenges and opportunities simultaneously for the marketers who are used to serving just the very rich consumers. The upper middle class account for a large share of the market and their numbers are increasing swiftly. The interest in the luxury goods segment is moving over jewellery, handbags, fashion and similar products. A large number of the Chinese luxury goods consumers are also spending their money on spas and other wellness activities. The consumption for such luxury services are rising faster in comparison with luxury goods (Li, Li & Kambele, 2012). Over the past decade the Chinese have directed the world towards luxury shopping. By 2015, China was offering more luxury retail selling space than Japan and was swiftly catching up on USA, with the Chinese accounting for almost a third of the overall global luxury spending. Particularly the wealthy Chinese tourists have been the key directors of the international luxury goods sales for more than a decade. As stated by the travel data released by Euromonitor International, the Chinese tourists made approximately 3 million trips to the USA in 2015, which was an upsurge of around 8% from 2014 and a huge 206% upsurge accounted for in the five years from 2010 to 2015 (Travel in China, 2016). In 2015 itself the Chinese made around 5 million trips to Japan, 2 million trips to France and 285 thousand trips to the UK, with most of these trips related to shopping expeditions or significant luxury retailers and shopping hotspots (Economic Impact 2016, 2017). However, in the years 2014 and 2015, the mainland of China recorded its lowest growth of sales of luxury products from the time when records began (Global luxury goods sales growth to stabilise in 2015 - Bain, 2014). Among some of the other factors getting influenced, this decrease in growth also implied that China would not be able to overtake Japan and then go on to become the world’s second largest luxury goods market in the world in the next consecutive five years and it is anticipated to uphold its current position ahead of France and UK in the short to medium term. China recently put in an effort of curbing the wrongdoings in the luxury goods consumption. The effort became a crackdown on the grey luxury goods market that had prospered because of the major price variances among luxury goods within and outside of China. In cases of some Swiss-made timepieces, the alteration in price can be as high as 90% between Western Europe and China (Hancock, 2017). The major players in the grey market are mainly professional shoppers, who are travelling abroad in most cases for buying luxury goods in bulk. They take that back with them home for selling those wares either openly or online, and it has went on to become a business that is worth billions of US dollars. Back in 2016, the government stepped in to combat the grey market by stepping up their customer control and raised penalties for false declarations, which resulted in the increasing numbers of professional shoppers getting caught. However, this is just a single part of the crackdown. Beijing has even presented harsher taxation laws in major categories, with hiking tariffs on watches from 30% to 60% and on jewellery from 10% to 15% (Master & Wendlandt, 2016). These tariffs are applicable on the goods that are legitimately purchased through the internet and delivered in packages to China, and even on goods purchased abroad and brought back to China. The government also put a cap of CNY100,000 (US$15,473) per card on yearly withdrawals at foreign UnionPay cash machines. This is a huge issue for well-heeled Chinese tourists who are into shopping at luxury department stores like Barneys in New York, Galeries Lafayette in Paris and Harrods in London (Lopez, 2016). Several brand leaders in the luxury goods industry were bewailing about the adverse international trading conditions for a long time, and their influence on China’s previously fast growing luxury goods market. This fresh crackdown over overseas spending by Chinese shoppers is another headwind to face and might be the most disorderly one till date. It was the hope of the Chinese government that higher tariffs would help durable luxury goods demand in the domestic market (Roberts, 2017). The enormous and creating number of Chinese luxury buyers can be credited to the rapidly rising disposable family pay rates in China. The amazingly well off Chinese families are clearly exceptional drivers of improvement for luxury and the prime concentration for luxury brands. In any case, the rising Chinese middle-class, including families with pay rates between USD 9,000 and USD 34,000, have transformed into the fast rising buyer divide in China – they have transformed into the subject of much thought from overall brands (Aroche, 2015) These new contenders, whom are generally arranged in second tier urban groups, spend a considerable measure of their pay on luxury, using their purchases as pictures to demonstrate their extending social and money related status, and their desires to accomplish status. In spite of the way that middle-class customers spend less out and out than their wealthier accomplices, their numbers are adequately basic to solidly affect indicate luxury spending in China. According to McKinsey and Company, the overall organization consultancy firm, the Chinese middle class included 500 million people in 2015 (Barton, Chen & Jin, 2013). This number is foreseen to grow more than 550 million by 2022, tolerating that people numbers stay predictable (Atsmon & Magni, 2012). An interesting typical for Chinese luxury customers is that they are comparatively more young than their European and American accomplices – 45% of Chinese luxury buyers are under 35 years of age, they are all around 14 years more energetic than their European accomplices, and 25 years more young than their American accomplices (Cbbc.org, 2015). The ordinary time of Chinese luxury customers is 33.1 years, with more than 80% of all Chinese luxury purchasers between the ages of 25 and 44. Women have transformed into a crucial rising measurement in the Chinese luxury goods exhibit, which has for the most part been overpowered by folks in the region of 35 and 45 years old (Yi, Yuan & Kumah, 2013). This is because Chinese women are beginning to get up to speed with men in numbers in the workplace, and thus are expanding more cash related flexibility and societal position. In like manner, their getting power has extended, and they are obtaining more luxury goods than whenever in late memory to repay themselves for steady work and individual accomplishments. With 25% of Chinese women increasing more than their male accessories, they now speak to three-fifths of the luxury goods publicize (Yi, Yuan & Kumah, 2013). Regardless of the directing of domestic luxury use, Chinese tourists are spending more in luxury retail territories abroad. Of the 27% of total overall luxury purchases by Chinese customers, it is assessed that almost 60% of luxury usage occurs outside the mainland and abroad (KPMG.com, 2017). As voyaging twists up obviously less requesting and all the all the more captivating, Chinese tourism has exploded, with the amount of Chinese tourists outperforming 80 million out of 2012. It is assessed that 72% of Chinese tourists purchase luxury goods abroad, and Chinese tourism is transforming into a basic jar to neighborhood economies around the world (KPMG.com, 2017). Another basic example in the Chinese market is the growing advancement of the Chinese luxury client, as tastes of arranged buyers create with stunning pace. There is a perceivable move of enthusiasm from luxury products showing logos to more minimized and exceptional products, leaving comprehended brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci endeavoring to remain mindful of prior yearly advancement rates. This ponder is most obvious in tier one urban groups, for instance, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, where clients have been acquiring luxury for a long time and are getting the opportunity to be perceptibly capable about shape and curious about what the world sees as in vogue. These tenured shoppers are beginning to focus on brand heritage, craftsmanship, and lack in their luxury purchases rather than obvious logos doubtlessly demonstrating wealth (Ye, Bose & Pelton, 2012). At the same time, significant amounts of the Chinese middle class are coming into wealth where they can endure the cost of luxury shockingly. Along these lines, there is up 'til now a strong enthusiasm for most likely comprehended, logo-decorated products that clearly demonstrate their newly found status in the Chinese social chain of significance. As the luxury goods market sections transversely finished wage levels and social classes, luxury goods associations are standing up to new troubles in fitting their product portfolios to meet distinctive slants, while meanwhile keeping up consistency and particularity in their brand cachet (Zhan & He, 2012). The need to use luxury goods is a direct result of the Chinese masses wanting  to exhibit their anomalous condition of wealth  to others. The  rising gaining power and the effect of Western lifestyles have upheld luxury consumption and thus some first class brands have extending their embodiment in China with a particular true ob jective to misuse that condition. Nowadays, the best way to deal with be known among  Chinese consumers  in the luxury market is through the web using digital frameworks and  tools. Indeed,  social media  and e-commerce  hold a strong effect over Chinese luxury buyers.   A generous number of Chinese purchasers knew accurately what they'll purchase before they arrive  at the store due with 90% of respondents communicating they plan their purchases early (Chiu, Ip & Silverman, 2012). Chinese buyers give watchful thought to the brand and country of-base of luxury goods and tend to hold slants for without a doubt comprehended foreign luxury brands with surely understood logos. Disguising any indication of disappointment go up against" could be a basic method of reasoning fundamental Asian purchasers' strong desires for indulgences regardless of the low ordinary pay. Gifting has been identi?ed as another basic manner of thinking in Chinese luxury product obtaining. Eating up exorbitant gifts re?ects the social chain of significance and furthermore upkeep of the agreement between collect necessities and individual needs. Asians a great part of the time purchase luxury goods for relatives and "package" families with luxury brands to display family wealth and status. Past research has associated gifting to working up guanxi in the Chinese society. Guanxi, illuminated as social ties, expect a key part in various walks around Chinese regular daily existences. Chinese pur chasers tend to assume that the all the more exorbitant the gift, the greater affirmation will be grabbed, the more "face" will be gotten, and the better relationship will be proficient (Zhang & Kim, 2013). Chinese purchasers are existing the components of unmistakable, likeness, self-delight and the journey for quality, which is advanced in the theoretical luxury consumption motivation. Meanwhile, Chinese purchasers in like manner have the refinement of the luxury shopper motivation: they have little motivation of regular self-explanation, however are of unprecedented vitality for the mission for materialistic play and superstar motivation. Here we can see the impact of customary culture of Chinese clients for their luxury shopper motivation (Ko & Megehee, 2012). Chinese shoppers' luxury consumption motivation has the going with perceptible components. To the exclusion of everything else, with respect to Western buyers, they focus on individual organized consumption regard; Second, in regards to Western purchasers, they focus on having a place individual immensity; Third, concerning Western clients, Chinese shoppers have a tendency to use the products' or brands' picture, and the consumption to express their class and status in people in general eye. Fourth, with respect to Western shoppers, they focus on the principle properties of luxury, when the Chinese clients pick and purchase the luxury goods; there are more group motivations to avoid the peril of buyers and to meet the mass intrigue. Fifth, in the luxury consumption of Chinese purchasers, there is a huge bit of them are used to set up their social relations as favors, to address social issues. Finally, starting late, due to the hoarding of social wealth, and furthermore the impact of the contemplation of consumerism and intemperance, Chinese buyers have begun to have a particular measure of individual arranged luxury purchaser motivation, for instance, self-happiness, fine quality and self gift (Jiang & Cova, 2012). The luxury discount village of Bicester, UK, was opened at Clarks Village in Somerset in 1993, the past site of the Clarks shoe mechanical office and not far from the Shoe Museum. McArthurGlen, set up by Harvard-taught Joey Kaempfer, by then started copying US-style outlet malls in Europe with centers like Cheshire Oaks close Manchester. Today there are around 30 outlets in Britain, all things considered, a middle-class space with idealistic brands and the earth to match. Retail outlets are a beating position in a troublesome market. Most UK outlet centers have had yearly sales improvement of 10 for every penny over the latest couple of years, according to Jonathan Adams, senior head of retail valuations at property consultants CBRE. That is before designs for buyer spending: the Office for National Statistics said UK retail sales volumes rose 4.1 for each penny in September year on year. Outlet malls have similarly beated full-price shopping centers in capital regard, as demonstrate d by CBRE, growing by 40 for every penny overall since 2012; full-price shopping centers created by under 1 for each penny (Shannon, 2016).   As the outlets wind up observably higher-end, so do the shoppers. Regard Retail, the proprietor of Bicester, the most upmarket of the UK's outlet malls, says the well off and middle classes come to search for regard rather than discounts — a fine, perhaps solely verbal, differentiate. Certainly, idealistic luxury shoppers might be less arranged to treat themselves to a section price pearl on Bond Street — yet grabbing it decreased cost at Bicester is one of a kind. With the view of directing overall money related improvement, an unfriendly to corruption crackdown on self important "gift giving" in China and dread attacks counteracting tourism to elsewhere in Europe, top notch members, for instance, Time and Gems offer an appealing customer base and superior to anything normal edges (Seo, 2016). A common criticism of outlet malls is the idea of the stock since shoppers are clueless that products can be made especially to be sold in these outlets. Value Retail rushes to point out stock is not "made for outlet" in the watch and fine diamonds part, yet rather is from the brand's past gatherings or is a bit of an assurance of reconditioned stock. Some are watchful this contemplates well the brands. Having halted or unsold stock to fill these outlet stores proposes either poor stock control or associations creating especially for the outlets The Chinese economy has moved toward becoming enormously all through the last ten to twenty years, and all inclusive tourism to China is winding up fundamentally speedier. A part of the reasons behind this gigantic improvement are the general advancement of tourism, the Chinese open-door course of action, more persistent flights among China and whatever is left of the world, and unprecedented changes in Chinese transport establishment, lodging settlement and tourist attractions. Also in China, widespread tourism is viewed as a techniques for pulling in foreign exchange and as a lift to money related advancement. When measuring the impact of tourism, the primary issue is that tourism is not typically named a singular industry. In dealing with this issue, tourists' uses per thing total must be cured for foreign imports, and ought to be allocated to the conveying family unit industry. Basically after these modifications, would one have the capacity to assess the quick impact of tourism on, for instance, regard included or work. The second issue is picking the kind of underhanded effects one wishes to consider and, immovably related, picking of the exhibiting approach for assessing of the picked impacts. Various circumlocutory effects are caused by linkages between tourism-arranged organizations and diverse undertakings. Packs into these linkages overwhelmingly show that tourist establishments and tourism-orchestrated organizations have strong in turn around linkages with giving endeavors, however forward linkages with supplying industries are in every way that really matters truant (Xu, 2013). Today, the financial returns on several luxury shopping mall investments seem much less lucrative than they were five years age. This is due to the slower economic growth that is being specially felt in the interior of Greater China. Crucially, as shopping malls faces slower footfall and as retail sales subside, the luxury brands would require rethinking their growth strategies for the interior. The implications for the luxury industry totally are possibly far reaching, with the situation that China’s interior was previously viewed as a beacon of future opportunity. In case we look outside of Greater China, a noteworthy piece of the positive sales compel saw in 2014 and 2015 in the made regions was truly fuelled by wealthy going to Chinese tourists. In any case, after the Chinese government ruined the renminbi in August 2015, China's outside spending power has become appalling. Added to that, the Chinese economy is set to continue cooling. These two troubles solidified will no doubt influenced the business' property sales mix, possibly setting off another move in overall wage control in 2016 (Carcano, 2013). The impact of a weakening economy is most likely not going to keep rich Chinese buyers from taking off to buy their luxury goods, be that as it may it might change their objective of choice and also signify in-objective spend. Short-pull objectives, for instance, South Korea and Thailand could get the prizes. In case Chinese purchasers cut back on outside trips help far from home, by then we could start to see yet another move to be resolved of vitality between the locale. Spending in North America, Western Europe and Japan could go down, while spending in China could even go up. It is difficult to envision how the condition will make later on. What we can state, nonetheless, is that, according to the examination, 2015 wound up being a champion among the most purposely fundamental years ever for the overall luxury goods industry. Aroche, D. (2015).  Are You Reaching The Global Chinese Luxury Consumer?.  Luxury Society. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://luxurysociety.com/en/articles/2015/11/are-you-reaching-the-global-chinese-luxury-consumer/ Atsmon, Y., & Magni, M. (2012).  Meet the Chinese consumer of 2020.  McKinsey & Company. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/asia-pacific/meet-the-chinese-consumer-of-2020 Barton, D., Chen, Y., & Jin, A. (2013).  Mapping China's middle class.  McKinsey & Company. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/mapping-chinas-middle-class Carcano, L. (2013). Strategic management and sustainability in luxury companies.  Sustainable Luxury: A special theme issue of The Journal of Corporate Citizenship,  52, 36. CBBC - China’s Middle Income Consumers. (2015).  Cbbc.org. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.cbbc.org/news/china%E2%80%99s-middle-income-consumers%E2%80%99-report-released-b/ Chiu, C., Ip, C., & Silverman, A. (2012). Understanding social media in China.  McKinsey Quarterly,  2(2012), 78-81. Economic Impact 2016. (2017).  WTTC,org. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/regions%202016/world2016.pdf Global luxury goods sales growth to stabilise in 2015 - Bain. (2014).  Reuters.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/article/luxury-report-idUSL6N0S93YG20141014 Hancock, T. (2017).  Chinese shoppers begin to buy luxury brands again — at home.  Ft.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.ft.com/content/61bc103a-e38a-11e6-8405-9e5580d6e5fb Jiang, L., & Cova, V. (2012). Love for luxury, preference for counterfeits–A qualitative study in counterfeit luxury consumption in China.  International journal of marketing studies,  4(6), 1. Ko, E., & Megehee, C. M. (2012). Fashion marketing of luxury brands: Recent research issues and contributions.  Journal of Business Research,  65(10), 1395-1398. Li, G., Li, G., & Kambele, Z. (2012). Luxury fashion brand consumers in China: Perceived value, fashion lifestyle, and willingness to pay.  Journal of Business Research,  65(10), 1516-1522. Lopez, L. (2016).  It looks like China is about to squash a $7 billion luxury industry.  Business Insider. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.businessinsider.in/It-looks-like-China-is-about-to-squash-a-7-billion-luxury-industry/articleshow/51706401.cms Luxury experiences in China. (2017).  KPMG.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://home.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2016/06/it-Luxury-experiences-in-china-2011.pdf Master, F., & Wendlandt, A. (2016).  China's gray luxury market threatened by new tax regime.  U.S.. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-luxury-greymarket-idUSKCN0WY528 Master, F., & Wendlandt, A. (2016).  China's gray luxury market threatened by new tax regime.  U.S.. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-luxury-greymarket-idUSKCN0WY528 Roberts, F. (2017).  China's Luxury Market Set for Steady Performance Amid Unfavourable Market Environment.  Euromonitor International Blog. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://blog.euromonitor.com/2017/03/china-luxury-market-steady-performance-amid-unfavourable-market-environment.html Seo, J. (2016).  Why Does Everybody Love Bicester Village, England's Famous Luxury Outlet Mall?.  Forbes.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/juyoungseo/2016/07/11/why-does-everybody-love-bicester-village-englands-famous-luxury-outlet-mall/#7cbb637b1218 Shannon, S. (2016).  How Bicester Village retail outlet became a new luxury destination.  Ft.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.ft.com/content/c6bafc88-895a-11e6-8cb7-e7ada1d123b1 Travel in China. (2016).  Euromonitor.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017, from https://www.euromonitor.com/travel-in-china/report Xu, G. (2013).  Tourism and Local Development in China: Case Studies of Guilin, Suzhou and Beidaihe. Routledge. Ye, L., Bose, M., & Pelton, L. (2012). Dispelling the collective myth of Chinese consumers: a new generation of brand-conscious individualists.  Journal of Consumer Marketing,  29(3), 190-201. Yi, J., Yuan, M. F., & Kumah, S. (2013). The Attitude, motivation influence people’s buying Luxury goods: A survey of Chinese in China.  Journal of Business and Management,  15(3), 15-24. Zhan, L., & He, Y. (2012). Understanding luxury consumption in China: Consumer perceptions of best-known brands.  Journal of Business Research,  65(10), 1452-1460. Zhang, B., & Kim, J. H. (2013). 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Competitive Operational Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Competitive Operational Strategy - Case Study Example The company has regional offices in Malaysia, South Africa and Poland to meet the demands in Asia, Africa and Europe. The company was privatized in the year 1986. The major reasons for the decision to change the product line are the uncertainty in military contracts due to political changes and inefficiency in the government system. The civilian aircraft industry was also facing crisis as many firms in the line wound up their operations due to high competition and fluctuation in demand due to the entry of second hand aircrafts in the field. Thus there existed an uncertainty in the civilian and military aircraft sector. So the company decided to lay higher emphasis on industrial products. 2. As the demand for industrial products will be more in developing countries of India and China with a huge consumer base the necessity of shifting the head office from Europe to Asia have to be seriously considered. One of the major problems faced by the company is the high finished goods and work in progress. In spite of it overtime is given to execute orders at short notice. This is a paradox. The reason given by the production department is that they can manufacture only in batches and cannot cater to the variation in demand. The execution of orders at short notice involve over time and sometimes high rejection. ... In spite of it overtime is given to execute orders at short notice. This is a paradox. The reason given by the production department is that they can manufacture only in batches and cannot cater to the variation in demand. The execution of orders at short notice involve over time and sometimes high rejection. The purchase department is of the opinion that a raw material inventory has to be built up to meet the fluctuating demand. Although a minimum of raw material, work in progress and finished goods inventory has to be maintained, to maintain uninterrupted production and to meet unexpected demand. To overcome this, an ABC analysis is required to stock minimum quantity of high value items. Though the company has these problems it has an efficient management team that is skilled in decision making at the appropriate time. They have a customer focus and discuss freely the day to day problems among themselves and arrive at a consensus. The top management team portrays higher leadership qualities in its operation. Effective communication is one of the tools used by the company to enhance its leadership. The vision and mission of the company is shared by all the employees in the organization. "Effective leadership is one key element in the success of a group and virtually anyone can learn to be an effective leader." (Effective leadership. 2001). Both suppliers and customers are regarded as partners of the company. At present the company has its product lines in three segments namely military operations, civil operations and commercial operations. Though the company has commercial operations in its product lines it is less established compared to the other two. Programmable Logic Controllers systems and the associated software are the main products

Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Education - Essay Example The hurdle ahead to making and cultivating of bright future leaders lie in the fact that there must be a solid, rational and foolproof system in place that ensures the supply of the best possible talent in a systematic manner for generations, just like the flow of fresh waters from glaciers, unconditional and superfluous. Young talent originates from the children of a nation. Indeed the birth of a â€Å"born brilliant† is the miracle of Mother Nature but the polishing of a gem till its transformation into a priceless jewel that the world can admire but cannot afford to buy is the duty of a jeweler. Similarly the states today need to nourish their children and develop them into accolades that honor the nation in the future with standout performances in the fields of military, science and technology. Perhaps this one of the most significant reasons that why developed countries spend large chunks of their budgets on the development programs for children; and why do they allocate high percentages of their budgets to educational and other development programs that are aimed at providing the best of the facilities and infrastructure to their children. Some Exemplary Moves It took United Nations (UN) not long to correctly identify the benefits and meaningfulness of children to the progress and success of the world in the long run. UN was proactive in addressing to the arrangements that were required to be made in order to provide a platform to children and adolescents to coin their opinions and voice their concerns on higher levels. Several resolutions have been passed in the UN as part of the process that ensures that member states provide bright and lucrative opportunities to the young members of their populations to be a part of the decision making process and of the work force (Harry Sheir, 2001). Inviting young individuals to higher platforms and including and considering their opinion and views into the final decision making has become the order of the da y in most developed countries as of today. Activation of youth parliaments and student convoys of International Relations and Law students travelling from one country to another in search for knowledge and solution to modern day political enigmas and scenarios is a rising trend. United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Children is also a great breakthrough in the right direction. In light of the articles and clauses of this convention the rights of children to participate in decision making were addressed and implemented in various countries. Developed nations like UK have adopted this convention as one of the primary guidelines to enhance the development of children in its territory and to give them more rights and space to work with (US Census Bureau, 2011). In United States of America, children development is a seriously considered issue and it entails a lot of policy making measures around it. There are several prominent state funded child care and development programs in the US that ensure that children are given the best possible facilities and infrastructure to grow and nourish and flourish. To ensure that children are taken care of well at all times programs such as Child Care and Development Block Grant is one example of state funded programs for children that cater to families belonging

Strengths and weaknesses of quasi-experimental designs Assignment

Strengths and weaknesses of quasi-experimental designs - Assignment Example The design is also able to apply selective control on the investigated variables in circumstances where experimental design cannot. The design also has strength in its ability to counter the emerging trend of resistance to randomization. This is particularly applicable when people are involved as participants with consideration of the principle of free consent. While participants would resist randomization into a control group, quasi-experimental design does not involve randomization and is therefore easily acceptable to people. Consequently, sample generation and sampling is easier in a quasi-experimental design (Polit and beck, 2007). Further, the design allows some level of control in the research process that may be used to control expected threats. A researcher can for example control when to collect data to allow room for sufficient treatment effect (Evans and Keenan, 2009). The design, however, has a number of weaknesses. It for example considers many sets of hypotheses that must be investigated by the researcher. This therefore makes it more hectic and probably time consuming than other designs. This is because other possibilities must be explored to consider effects of lack of control. Another significant weakness of the quasi-experimental design, which originates from its lack of a control set up, is its susceptibility to confounds that a researcher cannot explain or account for. In the presence of a control set up, a researcher can identify variations in the control group to make appropriate adjustments to the treatment group and therefore account for the possible confounds. This therefore means that the observed results in the quasi-experimental designs are possibly influenced by confounds. As a result, there is loss of confidence over validity and reliability of results from quasi-experimental designs (Polit and beck,

Was Peter Berger right when he changed his views on secularization in Essay

Was Peter Berger right when he changed his views on secularization in the 1990s - Essay Example My paper hence deals with the idea that Peter Berger was right in changing his views on secularization. The paper will also deal with the different ideas that Berger worked with and related to in his studies on religion and secularization. In this context, ideas of modernization, pluralism, supply-side of religion and the rational choice theory as well as the sociological relevance of religion are considered within this paper. Secularization is the lessening of religious influence in a society; it is the loss of religious institution’s authority to dictate to the public the practices required in organized religion. Bryan Wilson talks at length about the need for another force in place of religion in a society that is heading towards or has already adopted secularization. Religion forms the crux for most people in today’s world. The need or presence of religion cannot be ignored in one’s life and it is this presence that has driven scholars from all walks of life to study the effects and consequences of religious presence in our life and to present their view points. Secularization became prominent when religious debate turned towards whether secularization was beneficial or not. For Peter Berger, secularization is, â€Å"the process by which sectors of society and culture are removed from the domination of religious institutions and symbols. It operates at three levels, one is a social structural: in the west, Christian churches have lost functions that are now performed by secular agencies.† (Berger, 1969) To put this idea into simpler terms; the importance of religion in any person’s life is reduced since religion loses its previous stature and place in an individual’s life. Earlier, individuals paid more attention to religious details and believed that religion had to function in cohesion with state policies. This is

The Electronic Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Electronic Media - Essay Example Let me explain you the theme of my content first. These eight heroines are performed on the stage through dance, music and instruments. 1. Abhisarika: She is a beautiful damsel secretly meets her lover at night. 2. Vasaksajja: This damsel has been dressed up beautifully and going to her husband for union. 3. Virahotkanthita: This damsel is distressed by her separation with her husband or lover. 4. Swadhinpatika: The damsel, who has given herself completely both physically and mentally to her husband or her lover. 5. Kalahantarita: Kalaha means quarrel or fight. This lady has quarrelled with her husband and separated from her husband. 6. Khandita: This lady has had a quarrel with her husband but still living with him. 7. Vipralabdha: This heroine is the lady who is deceived by her husband. She comes to know that he has spent his night with another lady. She is hurt and humiliated by the adultery. 8. Proshitpatika: Her husband has left her for some work. He promised to return on a part icular day and yet he has not come. So she is concerned and sad. It is a very beautiful concept for writing a script. Basically this is the script suitable for stage performance. Prior to internet, if I had to bring it before the audience, I would have written the script in the form of a play, a dance belle. Theatre was one of the major means to reach a large audience before electronic media. Theatre has a prolong history of thousands of years. Even before the advent of print media, theatre was the major source of reaching to the people. The content in the theme can be written in the form of dialogues and lyrics. It would create a good effect on the audience. The writer has a wide scope for creative writing. The program needs to be accompanied with traditional musical instruments and Indian classical music. Prior to print media, paintings or sculptors were also the media of communication. The producer used to share his content with his audience through painting and sculptors in anci ent time. The painters in those days used to convey the theme through their paintings. Here are the paintings of three of the eight Heroines according to their moods: Abhisarika Vasaksajja Virahotkanthita Distribution through print media: After the advent of print media, it became easy to reach the audience through articles and illustration. With the help of a good artist, the producer can make his content more effective with fantastic illustration of each heroine. In print media the theme of Ashtanayika (Eight Heroines) can be reached to the audience through articles accompanied by fantastic illustrations. Part 2: Distribution of Content through Electronic Media Manipulation of the Content for Radio: The distribution process became more complex and comprehensive after the advent of electronic media. Electronic media contain Radio, television and other New Media. Being a producer, if I want to reach to the large number of people, I have to redesign the same content to make it suitab le for radio. When we consider the same content for electronic media, we have to adapt the content according to the need of electronic media. Radio is regarded as a blind medium. The content, which

Strengths and weaknesses of quasi-experimental designs Assignment

Strengths and weaknesses of quasi-experimental designs - Assignment Example The design is also able to apply selective control on the investigated variables in circumstances where experimental design cannot. The design also has strength in its ability to counter the emerging trend of resistance to randomization. This is particularly applicable when people are involved as participants with consideration of the principle of free consent. While participants would resist randomization into a control group, quasi-experimental design does not involve randomization and is therefore easily acceptable to people. Consequently, sample generation and sampling is easier in a quasi-experimental design (Polit and beck, 2007). Further, the design allows some level of control in the research process that may be used to control expected threats. A researcher can for example control when to collect data to allow room for sufficient treatment effect (Evans and Keenan, 2009). The design, however, has a number of weaknesses. It for example considers many sets of hypotheses that must be investigated by the researcher. This therefore makes it more hectic and probably time consuming than other designs. This is because other possibilities must be explored to consider effects of lack of control. Another significant weakness of the quasi-experimental design, which originates from its lack of a control set up, is its susceptibility to confounds that a researcher cannot explain or account for. In the presence of a control set up, a researcher can identify variations in the control group to make appropriate adjustments to the treatment group and therefore account for the possible confounds. This therefore means that the observed results in the quasi-experimental designs are possibly influenced by confounds. As a result, there is loss of confidence over validity and reliability of results from quasi-experimental designs (Polit and beck,

The Electronic Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Electronic Media - Essay Example Let me explain you the theme of my content first. These eight heroines are performed on the stage through dance, music and instruments. 1. Abhisarika: She is a beautiful damsel secretly meets her lover at night. 2. Vasaksajja: This damsel has been dressed up beautifully and going to her husband for union. 3. Virahotkanthita: This damsel is distressed by her separation with her husband or lover. 4. Swadhinpatika: The damsel, who has given herself completely both physically and mentally to her husband or her lover. 5. Kalahantarita: Kalaha means quarrel or fight. This lady has quarrelled with her husband and separated from her husband. 6. Khandita: This lady has had a quarrel with her husband but still living with him. 7. Vipralabdha: This heroine is the lady who is deceived by her husband. She comes to know that he has spent his night with another lady. She is hurt and humiliated by the adultery. 8. Proshitpatika: Her husband has left her for some work. He promised to return on a part icular day and yet he has not come. So she is concerned and sad. It is a very beautiful concept for writing a script. Basically this is the script suitable for stage performance. Prior to internet, if I had to bring it before the audience, I would have written the script in the form of a play, a dance belle. Theatre was one of the major means to reach a large audience before electronic media. Theatre has a prolong history of thousands of years. Even before the advent of print media, theatre was the major source of reaching to the people. The content in the theme can be written in the form of dialogues and lyrics. It would create a good effect on the audience. The writer has a wide scope for creative writing. The program needs to be accompanied with traditional musical instruments and Indian classical music. Prior to print media, paintings or sculptors were also the media of communication. The producer used to share his content with his audience through painting and sculptors in anci ent time. The painters in those days used to convey the theme through their paintings. Here are the paintings of three of the eight Heroines according to their moods: Abhisarika Vasaksajja Virahotkanthita Distribution through print media: After the advent of print media, it became easy to reach the audience through articles and illustration. With the help of a good artist, the producer can make his content more effective with fantastic illustration of each heroine. In print media the theme of Ashtanayika (Eight Heroines) can be reached to the audience through articles accompanied by fantastic illustrations. Part 2: Distribution of Content through Electronic Media Manipulation of the Content for Radio: The distribution process became more complex and comprehensive after the advent of electronic media. Electronic media contain Radio, television and other New Media. Being a producer, if I want to reach to the large number of people, I have to redesign the same content to make it suitab le for radio. When we consider the same content for electronic media, we have to adapt the content according to the need of electronic media. Radio is regarded as a blind medium. The content, which

Biomedical approach Essay Example for Free

Biomedical approach Essay The Biomedical approach includes the administration of various pharmacological agents which can be utilized to treat various mental disorders. It is usually administered for short durations in combination with psychotherapy. It brings back to normal the various chemical substances that are present in the brain (neurotransmitters). When the neurotransmitter levels are normal, the effect of psychotherapy would be better. The biomedical approach can be utilized to treat various psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, OCD, depression, anxiety, etc (MINDD Foundation, 2008). The psychodynamic approach includes various theories that utilize the internal drives and forces that may be present in the individual (some of which may be unconscious), to ensure that the individual can undergo a psychological change and get to better control over several problems. It is effectively utilized in pain management. Psychodynamics is considered to be the interaction of the id, ego and the superego so as to satisfy ones needs (which play an important role in the development of the personality). The psychodynamic approach was developed by the followers of Sigmund Freud. This approach gives greater consideration to the unconscious motives that affect behavior, emotions and feelings. The behavior of adults is strongly affected by the childhood motives (Simply Psychology, 2009). The humanistic-existential approach concentrates on the motivations and the needs of the individual and is similar to the psychoanalytical theory. This therapy focuses greater on the free will of the individual rather than on obstructing human nature. This is one of the major differences that are present between humanistic-existential and psychoanalytical approach. It also tends to concentrate greater on solving the problem rather than the problem itself (University of Hawaii, 2008). Cognitive and behavior therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves determining and sorting out improper thoughts (that may be associated with depression), solving various problems and improving the problem-solving skills, and ensuring that people are able to engage in more enjoyable activities (that can ensure that the individual learns about potentially rewarding activities and performs them in the future) (University of Michigan, 2006). Reference Simply Psychology (2008). Psychodynamic Approach, Retrieved on May 29, 2009, from Web site: http://www. simplypsychology. pwp. blueyonder. co. uk/psychodynamic. html The MINDD Foundation (2008). The Biomedical Approach, Retrieved on May 29, 2009, from Web site: http://mindd. org/s/archives. php/48-Biomedical-Treatments. html The University of Hawaii (2008). The Biological Paradigm, Retrieved on May 29, 2009, from Web site: http://www2. hawaii. edu/~heiby/overheads_%20paradigms. html University of Michigan Depression Center (2006). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Retrieved on May 29, 2009, from Web site: http://www. med. umich. edu/depression/cbt. htm

Social Impact of Communication Technology

Social Impact of Communication Technology INTRODUCTION New communication technologies have become a phenomenon of the modern age. It is used by millions of people worldwide, and significantly influences their way of living and communicating with one another. Rogers (1986) defined several social impacts which have emerged through extensive usage of new communication technologies. Information overload and knowledge gap are examined in this paper as two possible social impacts of new communication technology mentioned by Rogers. Practical examples are reviewed, assessing whether information is equally distributed among all social groups and how information usage has evolved in modern society. 1.0 Information Overload Most people are unable to effectively manage the amount of information to which they are constantly exposed. Overloading of our memory can be compared to an overflowing glass filled with water. If water keeps flowing continuously into a full glass everything above the glass ribbon overflows. . Our information absorption is limited, and our brain can only handle a certain amount of incoming information. Nowadays, people are flooded with information which is coming from various sources, and is very difficult to differentiate value-add information from information noise. As John Naisbitt in his book Megatrends said:†We are drowning in information and starved for knowledge† (Naisbitt,1982, p.24). On the other hand, it is good to have so much information at our finger tips, while information is available more easily than any-time before.There is very little we can’t find out within seconds with search engines running on our communication gadgets. Among the many researches documenting information overload, is the most noticeable is research by Reuters agency called â€Å"Dying for information† published by CNI in 1998. The research indicated that people cannot cope with the volume of information which they receive every-day. They spend substantial time searching for information, needed for decision taking, and information collection distracts them from main responsibilities. One disturbing effect is the increase in the level of stress which is linked to enormous amounts of information received. Thus, the finding showed how information overload influences our mental health and social life. In a second research conducted by University of London, published in 22.4. 2005 by BBC News, that the relation between communication technology and mental sharpness was observed. Distractions from incoming email or phone calls caused up to a 10-point fall in IQ. One can notice that information overload can impose both direct cost linked to cost of information maintenance and indirect cost imposed trough, impact on health or social life. 1.1 The blurring of lines between entertainment and information overload Donald O. Case in book ‘Looking for Information’ describes difference between informative information and entertaining information (Case, 2007, p. 108). Separating the search of â€Å"informative information from entertaining information† in everyday life is often almost impossible. People daily receive increasing number of information from news, blogs, tabloids; social network-status posts and they often cannot differentiate which information is useful and they need to understand versus information which might not be completely accurate. Does the excessive flow of information necessarily lead to more thinking? Or does it cause the society to think less? There are some writers who believe that too much information can lead to the increase in the level of ‘noise’ or confusion in understanding the meaning to the message. One of the most interesting elements of this noise was caused by development of Internet which gave rise to virtual communities, or vi rtual cultures. Kovà ¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ovà ¡ (2011, p.251) refers to creation of own fantasy world where the individual (subject) can manipulate and recreate his identity according to his or her own imagination. The main aim of this virtual world is to bring into the online world the best version of oneself, with a new identity. One disturbing impact of virtual identities can be seen in the way how people view relations. In Japan the growth of virtual world games caused rise of Otaku culture. In BBC, 24.10 2013 has been published an article about men who prefer virtual girlfriends to sex. Most of those people also decided to change their identity for abetter one. Nowadays, people have areal problem to cope with all the information around them and they do not understand difference between reality and fantasy. It seems that quantity of information become more important than the quality. Therefore, one can observe that from all of these examples, it is obvious that information overload brings alot of disadvantages which affect us. Our environment is fast-changing and so is the way how we receive, manage and use information. Amount of information determines the usage and evolution of communication technology. 2.0 THE KNOWLEDGE –GAP HYPOTESIS Knowledge as other kinds of wealth is not distributed equally throughout our society. People who are struggling with financial poverty are also often information poor, with limited access to newest communication technology. Knowledge gap theory is based on the premise that while the production of mass media increases, the knowledge gap between different social groups widens. One reason is the ability of opposing social groups to respond to changes that are taking place in the society and adapt within a certain time interval. In the first hypothesis about knowledge gap found in the study of Tichenor, Donohue Olien (1970,p.159), the authors wrote: â€Å"As the infusion of mass media information into a social system increases, segments of the population with higher socioeconomic status tend to acquire this information at a faster rate than the lower status segments, so that the gap in knowledge between these segments tends to increase rather than decrease.† The author also point s out that in measuring the knowledge gap, one should factor in people with access to more information only, and not people who have very little access to new information, as this could incorrectly skew the results. People with low socioeconomic status would most likely have lower access to information. A key indicator of socioeconomic status is education. At the same time, education is also an important factor that influences interest in obtaining information. 2.1 DIGITAL DIVIDE In the new era of globalization, communication technology plays an increasingly important role. Number of people is connecting to the Internet to conduct their daily activities and they are becoming more and more dependent on technology. The access to information has become synonym of access to communication technology. Inability in access to communication technology can result in information inequality. Very often the theory of a digital gap (digital divide) is quoted, which expands the previous concepts of knowledge-gap hypothesis, information poverty and knowledge. Simply the digital divide can be defined as the gap between those who have the possibility of access to modern information and communication technologies and benefit from them and to those who do not have this privilege. Multiple publications examined the phenomenon of digital divide from different angles. Norris (2001) in his work makes a clear distinction of three different aspects of understanding the digital divide. First of all, he defined first aspect as global divide between countries. This means inequality in access to information communication technologies andinternet between developed and developing countries. As a second aspect Norris described social inequality within one nation or state (social stratification within counties), where the inequality is between information poor and information rich. Last aspect of digital divide highlights the democratic gap which refers to the difference between those that use digital technology to participation in public life and those who through these technologies do not engage publicly. As an illustration, in Slovakia since 2005, research is being conducted by the Institute for Public Affairs Slovakia, in the area of communication technologies usage in Slovakian households, under the name Digital Literacy in Slovakia 2013. The research shows that people with higher education degree are more active users of communication technology than people with lower education degree. Low educated, low-skilled, low-income households and residents of small communities belong to the part of population which stood at the edge of the digital divide (IT News, 2013). It is apparent that the lack of information access is not only an issue of developing countries of the third world but still a hot topic among developed countries too. The task of a modern society today is to ensure equal access to information and to take appropriate measures ensuring that access to information is available to all. Conclusion This paper examined the social impacts caused by the implementation and usage of new communication technology in our day-to-day life. Differences were examined between the inequality of those who benefit from technology and those who do not. Although social networks and communication gadgets have become a part of our culture, for the first time in our history, an unintended consequence is that information overload has led to an information crisis. Practical examples examined different angles of social impacts of communication technology and information evolution in modern society. Society as a whole may need to take steps to assure that access to information is available to all, while defining clear rules and practices to effectively manage and process information inflow.