The Socio-Cultural Impact on Love, Marriage, and Kinship

Carine Garcon ANT 3212 Wayne A. Abrahamson Spring 2013 The Socio-Cultural Impact on Love, Marriage, and Kinship One’s perspective of the world is consistently altered by our surroundings and influenced by the events that take place. In the past approximately 50 years divorce rates have risen a significant incredibly high. Many researchers have associated this phenomena the contemporary society marriage symbolizes and values. This idea and representation of love have conversely affected and impacted relationships. Thus, the topic that will be investigated is how society and cultural has affected our notion of love, marriage, and kinship.One of the ways society has impacted the notion of marriage is that fact that the government attempts to regulate marriages. â€Å"A few states realize the importance of marriage, and they have taken action to try to change our notion on marriage. Louisiana, Arizona, and Arkansas they believed in covenant marriages. According to the journal cov enant marriage required the following†¦ This movement set out to promote and strengthen marriages, reduce divorce rates, lessen the number of children born out of wedlock, discourages cohabitation, and frame marriage as an honorable and desirable institution. † (Hawkins et al. 002:166) Because of the fact that the contemporary culture has lost sight of the significance of marriage, the government attempted to regulate the marriages within certain states. Furthermore, the state of Florida has made it harder for couples to get married and also get a divorce. The state has now implemented a 3- day waiting period for marriage licenses if couples do not seek premarital education, hoping to reduce impulsive, ill-advised unions. (Hawkins et al. 2002:166) It is clear why the government has attempted to regulate and restrict the amount of marriages that potentially can happen.Years ago marriage was considered to be a divine, sacred union shared between two people before God. This union was intended to be a union that lasted a lifetime and previously the option to dissipate the marriage did not exist. In the current state of marriage, people get married they do not see it as something that is supposed to be forever, but instead as something temporarily. Divorce has become too easy and feasible for people to obtain. I personally believe this current generation people confuse lust for love. Most people would tell someone that they love them, but instead it is really lust.It seems that no one really knows the differences between lust and love, so the two words are commonly mistaken and used in the wrong way. Even in movies and mass entertainment, love and relationships are portrayed negatively with glamour. The typical story begins with a man who convinces a girl with the idea and possibility of love. Once she is vulnerable the couple would most likely indulge in sexual intercourse. When this happens the man then leaves, the woman regrets the decision. These thi ngs are glamourized and popularized by the mass media and a result, the youth is then influenced to mimic the same.The psychological effects of the mass media are subtle, but long-term. (Galician 2004) As a child coming from a Christian background I read the bible very often. The bible is a great source to view and analyze the changes that have happened throughout the last 5 decades, because much of the ideals were based upon its contents. In the book of Matthew chapter 22:36-44 it states, â€Å"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? † Jesus replied: â€Å"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second command is similar stating, â€Å"Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. † (Matthew 22:36-44) Out of all the Ten Commandments these two were considered to be the most coveted and highly regarded. This emph asis on the idea that love should be a highly heralded and powerful word in is uses and approach. The order in which these commandments are given, also place emphasis and attention towards how one who is reading the text should perceive it.In the journal, On A Paradox Of Christian Love Liu exclaimed that these two commandments direct ones love to distinct objects. (Liu 2007:681) The commandments were placed in a certain order as â€Å"first† and â€Å"second† to illustrate importance and respect. By putting these commandments in an order it is assumed that the one must achieve a spiritual love with everything in your body and mind, and only after can you love can love someone else (neighbor). The bible has influenced a large amount of the Western society and culture. From a biblical stand point you cannot love anyone else unless your love is rooted with a divine spirit.I believe that if it has to do with our culture then inversely it pertains to love, thus as a society we are blinded by what we want to see. It is critical that one see’s the need to learn to take time and careful thought into deciding whether or not we’re in love. Love is patient, so it’s okay to take your time to fall for someone because if it is true love than it will reveal itself in its own right. Also, the stress placed upon by people on love results in the spending of time and hours wondering if there is true love in their relationship.The impact that culture has had on the social relations of love have led to the belief that love is based off of what one can do for the other, while in its essence and purity love isn’t based on that logic and reasoning but emotion and feeling. In the textbook it explains how a man spent most of his time away from his home, so the child grew up under the influence of their mothers and matrilineal relatives. If praise or shame failed to control the behavior of children, the withdrawal of maternal affection had a pow erful effect. King 2003) In today’s culture and society the result adverse conditions and occurrences are happening. By contemporary society, men are supposed to be considered as the primary provider for their families. Women are widely considered to be the ones that bear the responsibility of child bearing and maintaining the stability and homeostasis of the home. Though the effect is not the extent and extreme of a mother taking away her affection from a child, but the equivalent in terms of linearity would be a mother in this day and age placing the child in time out as a form of punishment.This idea also delves a deeper in the explanation of adolescent girls who become â€Å"quickly incorporated into the highly organized female kinship group, and boys [who] sought out special friendships with each other to provide mutual support in adulthood. † (King 2003) In analyzation how love is specially affected by the socio-cultural factors of today, the analysis of the term ‘kinship’ can be addressed to further the discussion. Kinship isn’t just considered to be relationship through blood, but it also means relation by marriage, or adoption.Again television and mass has led us to believe that most families are generally tight knit and very close, but in reality most families are seriously dysfunctional. (Galician 2004) Throughout all of this dysfunction, families still manage to find some form of stability amongst them. Overall kin generally stick together, and maintain a decent relationship with each other. In the textbook King explains how marriages takes place in the Ancient areas towards the east (Massachusett, Iroquois, Cherokee). He explained that if a man had a bride in mind he would have two options.Ask a family to propose a match to the other family, or to attract the girl himself. If the guy proved himself to be worthy the family would accept the couples sexual relationship, and if it eventually at the end of the process a wedding would take place. (King 2003) The family tests the couple’s relationship based upon the sex and essentially, if the sex was proven adequate, then the couple would then get married. King further explained that an ordinary man would take extra wives to help around with their community duties or ambitions.Furthermore, in this time period bride service was very common. A new husband would go live with his in-laws to perform these duties. (King 2003) These days, a new husband would not go live with his in- laws and he most certainly wouldn’t be performing bride services. This is one example of the extreme changes that have occurred socially and culturally in regards to marriage. Conclusively, culture and media has had an impact on how we view marriage, love, and kinship. Most people no longer view marriage as being permanent, but instead as being temporary.They no longer believe in fighting to make their relationship work, they’d much rather divorce or sepa rate and prevent and reconciliation in their differences. It is worldwide postulation that love is difficult, but our culture has misled us to believe that love is effortlessly attainable. Even in regards to kinship, part of love and relationships with anyone is to maintain ties with your family. Overall, because of the socio-cultural conditions the ideas of relationships are ever changing and thus complex in its nature.References Cited Galician, M. (2004). Sex, love & romance in the mass media analysis & criticism of unrealistic portrayals & their influence. Mahwah, N. J. : Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. King, Glenn. Traditional Cultures: A Survey of Nonwestern Experience and Achievement. (2003). Waveland Press, Long Grove, IL. Hawkins, Alan J. , Steven L. Nock, Julia C. Wilson, Laura Sanchez, and James D. Wright. â€Å"Attitudes About Covenant Marriage and Divorce: Policy Implications From a Three-State Comparison*. † Family Relations 51. (2002): 166-175. Web. Huston, Ted L. â€Å"The Social Ecology of Marriage and Other Intimate Unions. † Journal of Marriage and Family 62. 2 (2000): 298-320. Web. 05 Feb. 2013. Liu, Qingping. â€Å"On A Paradox Of Christian Love. † Journal of Religious Ethics 35. 4 (2007): 681-94. Print. â€Å"Matthew 22:36-44. † The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments Translated out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised by His Majesty's Special Command. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1979. N. Print.

Brand equity Essay

How much a product can earn over its identical competitor by virtue of its brand, determines its brand equity. It can be a neat result of many factors like years of experience, proven track record of quality, legacy, emotional bondage and company outlook, where it adds more value to the product and thereby helps the product to score over its identical competitors. Without brand equity a product loses its competitive advantage, and for that matter some companies â€Å"measure brand equity relying on financial measures of brand performance† (Dobney, 2007). Thus Brand India should be able to score over its Asian counterpart. Figure – 3 The brand management chain (Based on Wood, 2000; Kapferer, 2004) Integration of the theoretical constructs brand equity (Aaker, 1996) and brand orientation could be instrumental in the understanding of brand value, where brand equity commands more attention as it aims for generating long-term values for the company by â€Å"understanding the conceptual basis for the value of brand and its implications† (Keller, 1993). Brand loyalty. Brand loyalty refers to the customers’ consistent preference to buy a selected brand in a particular product category, irrespective of other provocative options presented by the competitor of that brand. This situation occurs after the customers make a trial run of the brand and get convinced about the efficacy of that brand towards fulfilling certain needs of theirs and decide to buy that brand again and again. That practice â€Å"forms the habit and thus customers continue purchasing the same brand because the product is safe and familiar† (Giddens, 2002). This situation speaks of the dual responsibility of branding too, where on one hand it should influence the rationality of its prospective customers, while invoking the emotional response among them on the other. As for example, a particular meal in a restaurant might declare about a possible health benefit with the inclusion of tomato in it by saying, â€Å"lycopene in tomato lowers the risk of cancer†, thereby influencing the rationality of the customers, and at the same time it can evoke the nostalgia in customers by labelling the meal as â€Å"grandma’s special recipe†. In this strategy lies the clue of embedding medical/healthcare tourism with general tourism and Incredible India should utilize it. Figure – 4 Brand Awareness: Brand awareness is â€Å"a gauge of marketing effectiveness measured by the ability of a customer to recognize and/or recall a name, image or other mark associated with a particular brand† (Waters, 2008). Though brand awareness cannot measure the customers’ approach towards the brand, yet it is very helpful in forming a positive attitude among the target audience about the brand. Incredible India Campaign should take care of that. Figure – 5 The above diagram shows that recollection or identification ability first created ‘aided awareness in the prospective customers, which might convert into a top-of mind awareness, if the brand convinces customers either with its logistics or direct service. Thus, brand awareness can work on two folds, primarily making its way into the mind of the customer and then working on its way to achieve the recognition, where the brand first generates strategic awareness in customers, where the customers understands the distinctive qualities of the product and associates them with their need. Current campaign strategy of Incredible India lacks that finesse. Brand Value While brand loyalty proves to be a cost-saving yet effective tool to garner higher sales, brand value â€Å"reflects how a product’s name, or company name is perceived by the marketplace† (Free, 2004), which involves both target audience and the general audience. Brand value can be tangible too, in the event of a brand being sold, where extracting the value of the brand from the value provided by other, tangible, resources becomes possible (Simon, C. J. & Sullivan, M. J. , 1993, Conchar, et al, 2005). From this perspective, even the title of the campaign in discussion, Incredible India needs to be reviewed and if needed may be replaced. The name should denote the power and strength of a brand. As for example, â€Å"if Coca-Cola’s facilities Atlanta were to burn overnight, the company would still be able to start up the next day due to its brand value† (What, 1998). Therefore it is the success story of a company that earns its brand value. However, to gauge the impact of brand value, the company needs to take help of empirical research. The process might then looks like below (Persson): Figure – 6 Brand value is the outcome of consistent and successful brand building, where the action of the company would speak louder than words, besides proving its ethical standings in the marketplace. IV. 7. Brand personality Much like a human being, a brand too serves as the ambassador of the company personality, depicting its outlook and aspirations, besides its services and promises. Thus much depends on the carriage of the brand, because it is the coveted message of the company to the outer world about its activities, aims, aspirations and promises – in short, a package of total company outlook. From this angle too, the campaign in discussion needs to be reviewed. Figure – 7 A strong brand does more than it meets the eye, however, its activity should be powered towards achieving the targeted benefit out of it. For that matter, the first step towards creating a strong brand â€Å"is to identify the benefits† (Saarte, 2008). Target benefit would surely help to determine the nature of the branding, which would help the company to identify the necessary elements into branding, such as company image, the USP of its product, type of promises, and desired platforms of bonding and more. Incredible India is yet to create a clear USP to position itself. V. Conclusion/Recommendation The detailed discussion and analysis above clearly shows that Incredible India Campaign falls far too short in achieving its desired outcome and thus needs to be thoroughly reviewed and modified to meet the demand of the time and position India as a strong brand in the global tourism market. Thus this study recommends following steps towards achieving the target of building a strong Brand India in the global market: 1. Incredible India needs to review its name, packaging, price and its history and modify it concerning the current demand. 2. Ensuring that it becomes capable of Delivering the message clearly.   Confirming the credibility of the company. Connectingthe target prospects emotionally. Motivating the buyers.   Concretizing the user loyalty 3. Incredible India has to focus more on emphasizing emotional bond with UK through exploiting the earlier history of close communication. 4. It must study and research other Asian countries pros and cons in this sector to ensure that Brand India should be able to score over them. 5. It should embed medical/healthcare tourism with general tourism to generate brand loyalty. 6. Through constant, consistent, cohesive and cogent campaign, it should create the brand awareness (UK still have a poor awareness, around 30%) 7. Periodic assessment of the campaign is a must to check the brand value. 8. Campaign should get facelift periodically with a central theme of personality. Ends. References Aaker, D. A. (1996) Building Strong Brands. The Free Press, New York. ISBN 0-02- 900151-X Atithi Debo Bhava. (2004) Incredible India [online] available from http://www. incredibleindia. org/newsite/atithidevobhava. htm [accessed 4 September 2008] Bizhelp. (2008) What is Branding? [online] available from http://www. bizhelp24. com/marketing/what-is-branding-. html [accessed 4 September 2008] Brand Definition. (2008) [online] available from http://www. investorwords. com/568/brand. html [accessed 3 September 2008] Brand. (2008) [online] available from http://whatis. techtarget. com/definition/0,,sid9_gci211703,00. html [accessed 4 September 2008] Brandguru Inc. â€Å"What IS Branding? † Viewed 24 March 2008, http://www. brandidentityguru. com/popUps/whatisBranding. html Conchar, M. P. , Crask, M. R. & Zinkhan, G. M. (2005) Market Valuation Models of the Effect of Advertising and Promotional Spending: A Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 33, No. 4, 445-460. Dobney. com. (2007) Brand equity and brand value [online] available from http://www. dobney. com/Research/Brand_equity_research. htm [accessed 4 September 2008] Dolak, D. (2001) Building A Strong Brand: Brands and Branding Basics [online] available from http://www. davedolak. com/articles/dolak4. htm [accessed 5 September 2008] Dunn, S. (2008) What is Branding and Why Do You Want It? [online] available form http://www. ecomhelp. com/KB/Branding/kb_what-is-branding. htm [accessed 5 September 2008] Free Definitions: Define Brand. What is Brand? (2004) [online] available from http://www. learnthat. com/define/view. asp? id=279 [accessed 4 September 2008] Giddens, N. (2002) Brand Loyalty [online] available from http://www. extension. iastate. edu/AgDM/wholefarm/html/c5-54. html [accessed 4 September 2008] Incredible India campaign woos more Americans (2008) The Press Trust of India Ltd [online] available from http://www. accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286- 34809894_ITM [accessed on 4 September 2008] Indian Tourism’s ‘Incredible India’ Campaign (2005) Research paper [online] available from http://www. icmrindia. org/casestudies/catalogue/marketing%20communications/C LMC010. htm ] India’s rise in medical tourism (2007) News [online] available from http://www. timesonline. co. uk/tol/travel/destinations/india/article2257994. ece [accessed 4 September 2008] Kapferer. (1994) Strategic brand management: new approaches to creating and evaluating brand equity. Free Press, New York. Keller, K. L. (1993) Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing,Vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 1-23. King, T. E. (2007) Incredible India? Campaign has Incredible Budget [online] available from http://www. travelmole. com/stories/1118243. php [accessed 5 September 2008] Lake, L. (2008) What is Branding and How Important is it to Your Marketing Strategy? [online] available from http://marketing. about. com/cs/brandmktg/a/whatisbranding. htm [accessed 4 September 2008] McCall, K. (2003) Marketing Angel [online] available from http://business. mainetoday.com/smallbusiness/mmm/030601. shtml [accessed 5 September 2008] O & M (2003). Incredible India [online] available from http://www. ogilvyindia. com/work/incredibleindia. asp [accessed 5 September 2008] Persson, N. Understanding of the nature and relevance of brand orientation and brand equity in B2B brand management – implications for future research. Ph. D. Thesis [online] available from http://www. nhh. no/Admin/Public/DWSDownload. aspx? File=%2FFiles%2FFiler %2Finstitutter%2Ffor%2Fconferences%2Fnff%2Fpapers%2Fpersson. pdf [accessed 1 September 2008] Saarte, L. A. (2008) Fitting It All Together. EzineArticles. [online] available from http://ezinearticles. com/? Branding—Fitting-It-All-Together&id=1043858 [accessed 1 September 2008] Simon, C. J. & Sullivan, M. J. (1993) The Measurement and determinants of Brand Equity: A Financial Approach. Marketing Science, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 28-52. UK Indian doctor sets shop in Goa for medical tourists (2007) News [online] available from http://www. newkerala. com/topstory-fullnews-14322. html [accessed 4 September 2008] Waters, S. (2008) Brand Awareness [online] available from http://retail. about.com/od/glossary/g/brand_awareness. htm [accessed 1 September 2008] What is the Value of a Brand? [online] available from http://www. csom. umn. edu/Assets/3478. pdf [accessed 31 August 2008] Why Brand Loyalty is Important? [online] available from http://www. brandloyalty- int. com/site. asp? pagina=8 [accessed 1 September 2008] Why India? (2007) Government report [online] available from http://www. medical-tourism-india. com/medical_tourism_india. htm [accessed 5 September 2008] Wood, L. (2000) Brand and brand equity: Definition and management†. Management Decision, Vol. 38, No. 9, pp. 662-669.

How Significant Was Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generations Essay

How Significant Was Kevin Rudd's Apology to the Stolen Generations - Essay Example It was a very strong political expression that the country expressed towards the acknowledgement of fundamental human rights. The apology statement had very relevant political and social implications on Australia and the outlook of the country towards its indigenous populations. These implications stretch beyond the geographical boundaries of the country as the issue was discussed by the civil society all across the world. The objective of this essay is to analyze the significance of Kevin Rudd’s Apology to the Stolen Generations. Background of the apology The apology was a political statement which had been awaited for many years. Indigenous children and children of Torres Strait Islanders were forcefully separated from their families by the Australian government. The justification that the Australian government had for this act was the desired objective of upward social mobility and exposure of these children to the predominant modernized culture of Australia (Haebich, 2011) . These children were later referred to as the ‘Stolen Generation’. An enquiry commission The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, headed by Mick Dodson and Sir Ronald Wilson, was setup to undertake the â€Å"National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families† (Haebich, 2011 p. 1033). ... 1033). The expression ‘Lost Generation’ is justified by the large percentage of children who were deprived of their parents and living systems. The report shed light to disturbing facts that these children were unhappy in the foster homes, institutions and adoptive families they were put in (Haebich, 2011, p. 1033). The report also contained evidence of forced labor imposed upon these children. The extensive interviews, conducted by the enquiry commission, observed consequences of separation which included medical and psychological issues, addiction, violence, self harm and even suicides (Haebich, 2011). In light of all these observations there was pressure on the Australian government both from within the country and human rights movements across the world. Moreover, out of the 54 recommendations made by The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, one was that the Australian government must apologize to the stolen generation (Haebich, 2011). Since then, this has been a matter of political debate for all the governments which came to power in Australia. In other words, the apology was much awaited by the world. The Political Importance of the Apology The decision of Kevin Rudd to apologize to the Stolen Generation has its importance as a strong political expression. It must be noted here that after the report thoroughly asserting the need of the apology was published, it was denied for 11 long years. No governments owned up the moral responsibility towards the Stolen Generation and the human rights violations faced by them. The general Australian response to the report was that the observations were inflammatory (Haebich, 2011, p. 1033). There was also

Self Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self Critique - Essay Example Entrepreneurs have to be extremely organized because at the beginning they are they only ones working for their business, so this means that they have to stay focused and on track at all times. In addition to my huge workload at school, I also have to make time for extra curricular activities. Finally, because entrepreneurs have to be so open to new ideas, they will inevitably have some failures along the way. As a student, I have done poorly in some of my classes but I did not let it stop me from doing well the next semester. The key was to wipe the slate clean and think of a new class as a fresh start, and I can do the same as a small business owner. In my opinion, my three greatest strengths as an entrepreneur would be the fact that I do not take advice well, have weak communication abilities, and am not very creative. Although entrepreneurs can be single-minded, there are some occasions when they need to take advice from someone else who may be more of an expert in a particular area. I am a very individual person and like to go with my own ideas because I know that I can trust them. Also, entrepreneurs have to be able to appeal to potential investors and/or partners to help with a small business. In my honest opinion, I do not sound very convincing when I am asking for help because I can feel somewhat embarrassed. Finally, entrepreneurs need to be creative and innovative because to make a difference in the marketplace they need to come up with something new. I struggle to do this because I am always afraid that something new will not be very successful, so I try to copy other designs somewhat. I can overcome my dislike of other people’s advice by keeping an open mind and remembering that I do not know everything. As long as the final decision is mine, then I am still in control and I can always change my mind if I need to. Also, I can overcome poor communication skills by practicing making pitches to other people. I need to remember

Religion and Healing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Religion and Healing - Essay Example Religious healing causes a healing of the person as a whole as opposed to physical healing only and some people have even abandoned the medical doctors in search for religious healers. In this paper, a critical analysis of three religions would be conducted so as to identify the practices involved in comparison to common practice and Christianity. The three religions include Buddhism, Sikhism and Bahaism. There have been major conflicts between faith healing and biomedical practice in the modern era due to diverse perspectives by the two as much as there are coinciding views. Barnes and Seres note that there were dramatic changes in the 1990s that caused religious healing to become a common feature in the American society (2004). The number of synagogues and churches conducting healing services increased and the use of alternative therapies increased. Similarly, there were amendments on immigration laws that saw America flock with various cultural communities bringing in their approaches to healing. Some of these included the Buddhist priests from Cambodia, herbalist acupuncturists from China, Hmong shamans and the santeros from Cuba. Buddhism has been described by many scholars as a religion that focuses more on philosophic principles as opposed to beliefs like Christianity (Pilgrimage India, 2009). Buddhists believe that in his early life, Buddha, also referred to as the great physi cian, learnt medicine and gained knowledge on the nature of diseases and the cure which enabled him guide the other people into healthy living. Buddhism would not delve so much into the meaning of sickness but rather on what a patient needs to do to be whole. In this religion, suffering would be a consequence of anger, greed, lust or passion of hatred. In Christianity, these would be considered as sin which eventually cause suffering according to Exodus 17 (New King James Version). Buddhism argues that physical and mental wellness would be achieved through developing a centered and unified personal approach to life. The well being of the body would come through the synthesis of the body and mind where the psychological, physical and spiritual dimensions form a continuum and an active interrelation. While the common perception has been that the body and flesh; spirit and matter; and soul and body are distinct, Buddhists see all these as a process where these features are interdepende nt and one. The mind influences how the body would be. Therefore, hospitals should provide appropriate environment for people to be trained on meditative awareness no matter the religious principles upheld in the institution. The inner resources could be optimized for healing and for personal health responsibility. Buddhism does not involve miracle cures such as those conducted by Jesus in the New Testament (Kajitani, 2005). Instead, it deals with methods that involve one’s emotional elements which accompany pain and at times intensify it. Dalai Lama observes that happiness is not a result of feeling, but rightful thinking, which involves transformation of a person’s understanding of existent nature (Bryson, 2009). All problems are a result of negative thinking. Naikan therapy helps one appreciate their independence with others resulting to a positive force that offsets personal problems which induce negativity. Morita therapy on the other hand tries to close the gap b etween the world as it is and the world as thought to be by filling it with positivity. Buddhists uphold inner healing which would then translate to the physiological healing. Therefore, it would be important to respect their religion when treating them if the physician is from a

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 28

None - Essay Example Furthermore, they respect the ancestors as a sign of adhering to the religion. Paganism is practiced in the modern day world. Some even carry out practices of paganism without realizing. In fact, many practices of paganism have been incorporated in the modern religions. Most religions practice festivals which revolve throughout the year. Pagans celebrate festival according to calendar. This has been adopted by religions such as Christianity. Paganism has the characteristic of using physical objects to represent their gods. This ritual has been adopted by Christians to represent certain aspects of worship. For instance, Catholics use images of Jesus on the cross I their worship. This is not different from paganism. It amounts to worshipping of what one can see (Davy 87). Though there are sacred explanations to these rituals, the fact remain that physical objects are used to make images of God. This is a case whereby the Christians practice paganism but they are not ware. I prefer that they stop using the images. There has been the battle of whether to approve or ban the use of tattoo. Tattoo is a common activity among the youth whereby they draw images on their bodies. Many parents have differed with their children on the matter regarding it an ill activity. Some people have been advocating that the laws should reflect parental rights. This would enable the parents to make decision on whether to allow their children to use tattoos. Many states have laws that make the practice illegal to minors if it is done without parental approval. To be exact, at least 45 states in America have laws that illegalize the use of tattoos among minors (PBS, 1). According to the laws, the people who perform the tattoo are considered as the violators. The law is appropriate. The state gives parents an opportunity to exercise control over their children. Children should make such life decisions with the consent of parents. Children should not be allowed to make

Western Civ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Western Civ - Essay Example However, this failed because the powers of the Europeans were limited. The New Imperialism occurred between the periods of 1870 to 1914. This followed the increasing interests of the industrialized European nations to venture more into other nations and colonize them. The New Imperialism majorly focused on Africa as well as Asia (Canterbury, 2010). During the period of New Imperialism, these two continents were faced with several political challenges involving decline in empires as well as wars. These left them so vulnerable thereby enabling the superior nations to colonize them. New Imperialism was caused by several reasons. These causes can be categorized into economic causes, social causes and political causes (Canterbury, 2010). Economically, there was need for the superior nations to access more natural resources and exploit them from such colonies. This meant that such countries with such resources had to be colonized in order for such countries to gain access to those resources. The other economic reason that led to New Imperialism is the need to create new markets for the goods from the colonizers (Canterbury, 2010). This aimed at expanding the market bases of the colonizers thereby contributing to strong economies back in their countries of origin. The colonies were to provide this market to the colonizers thereby informing the rise of New Imperialism. The New Imperialism also arose due to the need for the growing population in the superior countries to get places for settlement (Canterbury, 2010). The population pressure back in their countries of origin forced them to colonize other countries thereby expanding their territories. This follows that as a population increases, the place to accommodate such increases become limited. Therefore, there was need to expand the territories to accommodate the increase in population. The colonizers had massive and superior weapons that aided them in conquering the

Parents and children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parents and children - Essay Example Parents bring children to the world, and they have responsibility to control children’s eating patterns. Thus, parents should educate their children having a proper eating practice as they are most influential people over their children’s health (Xinhua News Agency 1). First, parents have the resemble genes with children. Specifically, the bodies of babies are from their mothers. The most essential part is the face with its main components such as eyes, nose or mouth that are generally similar. It is an innate characteristic that no one could instead of. Besides, the eating habits might be alike. If children’s parents like eating pork, then it’s really possible that their children like that too. According to Parents’ Influence on Children’s Weight-Related Behaviors, Parents who consume fruits and vegetables have children that are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, and parents who consume junk food will more likely have children who do the same (Xinhua News Agency 1). This implies that parents and children have comparable eating behaviors. Children get along with their parents every day, and they imitate and learn many things from parents. For instance, when parents are busy, and they don’t have time to coo k, they might buy junk food for themselves. Children will also eat junk food. If parents don’t limit times buying junk food to children, they will be used to eat them and lead to obesity. Second, parents are the most influential to children because children admire their parents. It was report that among the family members, over 80 percent of children consider their father or mother as the one that influences them most, with 43.1 percent choosing mother and 37.6 percent father (Xinhua News Agency 1).They thought parents know about many things that are from the world; they tell stories and buy gifts to them; they met many people. Besides, once they get fever, parents know which medicine they should eat. All of these behaviors are

Toothbrush with Unique Double-lock Mechanism Case Study

Toothbrush with Unique Double-lock Mechanism - Case Study Example Thomas also believed that by replacing toothbrushes regularly, patients could save more money in dental work and would then decrease their chances of needing dentures, and that improved oral hygiene could increase a person's life expectancy to four years, as his studies showed. Thus, Butler and Thomas then agreed that a market existed for a toothbrush that could attend to these issues and decided to follow through with their idea. Butler and Thomas wanted to produce a toothbrush, which was similar to the safety razor, which was at the time, very widely used. They wanted it to have two separate sections: a re-usable handle, and a disposable head. The disposable heads would be in multi-unit packages to encourage customers to frequently change the toothbrush and to lower the costs of packaging as well, since they have discovered that the packaging costs were around 50 percent of the total toothbrush price. Butler and Thomas also felt that the retainable handle would then elevate the concept of toothbrushing to something of a higher value personal possession instead of just the regular disposable one. Thus, they came up with the idea that the handles could be personalized using a variety of materials like plastic, brass, or stainless steel. It could also have floss holders, mirrors, interproximal brushes, or gum massagers. In addition to this, they thought of marketing bathrrom holders or travel cases. However, Butler and Thomas then discovered that there were already a number of toothbrushes out in the market that catered to the needs they wanted to attack. But they found out that these toothbrushes had disadvantages when it comes to the locking of the head to the handle. As a result, they concentrated their efforts on developing a better locking mechanism. Butler tried a lot of approaches but they all posed different disadvatages: they were either too weak, too difficult to attach, or too expensive. But in May 1987, while travelling with Julie McBride, Butler suddenly thought of the idea of the double-locking mechanism, which consisted of two locking mechanisms that would make the head stick to the handle safely. This design also enabled the consumers to constantly check if the lock was in place. Butler then took his rough sketch of the design to an engineering firm in London, which then produced a prototype for him. Addressing Issues Despite his success in coming up with the double-lock mechanism idea, he was confronted with several issues that he needed to address. With regards to the feasibility of manufacturing the product, they had to consider the following: product style, types of models required, engineering specifications, collapsibility, and tolerances in tool requirements, and aesthetic appeal of the product to the consumers. These were the aspects of the concept of the product that they have yet to resolve. The Process Butler knew that after the prototype has been made, that there were still a lot of steps for him to do, to ensure that the

Do adult students on full-time courses suffer from stress Hypothesis Essay

Do adult students on full-time courses suffer from stress Hypothesis - Essay Example ss† (from the Latin dis = bad, as in dissonance, disagreement), and â€Å"eustress† (from the Greek eu =good, as in euphonia, euphoria)†¦However, the fact that eustress causes much less damage than distress graphically demonstrates that it is â€Å"how you take it† that determines ultimately, whether one can adapt successfully to change.(p.6) Thus, stress may affect an individual positively or negatively. It depends on one’s outlook of the situation. Do adult students on full-time courses suffer from stress? Based on Seyle’s definition, the answer would have to be in the affirmative. Firstly, the adult student would experience distress because as an adult one has several responsibilities namely, children, family, work, or one may even be in the process of fostering a social relationship which will require quality time. As Seyle implied distress or eustress is determined by the individual’s perception of the circumstances. Consequently, an individual who has family responsibilities and is also a full-time student may view the course as a distressing factor because the time lost in attending these courses may have been used to obtain a job that would provide income to attend to the needs of the family. This individual may experience and perceive this lost time as depressing and as a result may respond negatively to the conditions , thus worsening his/her mental and physical well-being. Contrastingly, the same individual could decide to take a different perspective and recognize the value of this time as an investment into procuring a job with better-quality remuneration that could not otherwise be acquired. This student, then by changing his/her viewpoint can reduce the stress level from a high threshold to a low level. Moreover, the acquisition of skills and knowledge allows one to obtain increased earnings. The National Center for Education Statistics purports that the median earnings of males with a college degree in 1993 were $33,000 which was

The Second Vatican Council Essay Example for Free

The Second Vatican Council Essay The Second Vatican Council began in 1962 and ended in 1965. For the first year Pope John XXIII opened the council, he unfortunately died in 1963. Pope Paul VI then took over and closed the council in 1965. â€Å"A combined total of 2,865 bishops and prelates attended the council, which issued sixteen formal documents† (John and Hardon, 2000). The second Vatican promulgated some of the most important documents present in the Catholic religion. They also changed the way the Laity were involved in the church. A Lay apostle is someone who has committed to God (through baptism and confirmation) and strives to deliver the divine message of salvation to others throughout the world. â€Å"The need for the apostolate is shown by the manifest action of the Holy Spirit moving laymen today to a deeper and deeper awareness of their responsibility and urging them on everywhere to the service of Christ and the Church. † (Jackson, 2010). Therefore the statement suggests that the Holy Spirit is the one to give us a deeper understanding of what we as Catholics must do to become a good lay apostle, and that our responsibilities are within the church and our beliefs in Christ. Nazzaro (2010) states â€Å"A Lay apostle walks closely with Jesus throughout each day†¦ We serve Jesus through service to others. † In order to become a good lay apostle we must be close to the Lord daily whether saying prayers or attending church, and in order to serve him we must spread the word of God to everyone that would be interested in following Christ. The Second Vatican Council made the dogmatic constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium). This was a set of rules in which Catholic must abide by. The constitution of the church states that everyone is part of the church and therefore everyone has a responsibility for its growth and the spread of the kingdom of God throughout the world. Due to this responsibility the council recognised the need for the role of the laity to cease from being passive and instead become active. The role is stated by Paul VI (1964) â€Å"they may make Christ known to others† The Vatican II council was one of the most significant events to have happened in the Catholic Church. This was because the council made many changes, its purpose was to bring the church up to date by opening it to dialogue with the modern world in terms of other Christian traditions, other faiths, the cultural, the political and the technical milieu in which we all live. (Doyle, 2006. Bishop Butler, 1967). The church felt that they were ‘behind times’ therefore their goal was to modernise themselves so that they kept up with its people. This meant that the church allowed the freedom of speech to all catholic people. The council wanted a wider input from the community therefore they allowed the laity to have an active role in the church. Other changes included allowing women on the sanctuary, before the second Vatican only males could be alter servers. Churches were not encouraged to study the bible, but rather the catechism, however nowadays churches can study both. Catholics had little to do with Protestants and they weren’t allowed to enter protestant churches, this has also been changed. For most Catholics, the biggest changes the Council made was â€Å"the priest and altar turned toward the people and the Liturgy of the Word and the Canon of the Mass in the vernacular† (McInerny, 2001). This implies that the mass is now read in a language the people understood. Before the Vatican II, mass was read in Latin, which the Laity saw unsuitable as they did not follow or understand the ceremonies attended. The Laity played little part within the church before the second Vatican council was formed. The laity attended mass to listen to the word of God, which was delivered and preached by the clergy. However the insight of Vatican II now means that, â€Å"the laity have a full and active role to play both in the church and in the world. † (Kinast, 1979:384). This implies that the people of the church not only have to take part within the church but they must do their own duty outside of the church. This means getting involved within church events such as fundraising or helping out with the offerings within the sermons. The council felt there was many reasons for changing the role of the laity. One important reason was to enable the Church to adapt with current changes of the modern world. A quote from Pope John XXIII as on his deathbed (24 May 1963) (cited in Bishop Butler, 1967) was â€Å"Those who have lived as long as I have were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions, and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead. He recognised that the Church was at an important stage and that in order to seize opportunities and bring others into the faith, there needed to be a role for the laity. Bishop Butler (1967) supported this in stating; â€Å"Catholics were not meant to be museum keepers, but rather gardeners whose responsibility it was to prepare a beautiful harvest for a glorious future†. In other words, the laity are there to serve the Lord in as many ways possible, it would be an opportunity wasted if God’s children (the laity) were not sent out to spread the message. Lay Christians are dedicated to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit as aforementioned. They are called to be heralds of faith and through them the Church can become the salt of the earth. This is why the council felt it was important to change the role of the laity as they realised the Holy Spirit acted through them. There have been many developments within the church since the Vatican II. This includes the involvement of other helpers within the church. The Lay people due to the changes were able to do a lot more within the church services. These include readings and Eucharistic ministers. They also have female alter servers, which before the Vatican II would never have been allowed. Some felt that the Vatican II did little for the Church today; â€Å"Although the Second Vatican Council had enormous impact, it cannot be isolated from prior and parallel liturgical, theological, biblical, and social developments† (Mcbrien, 1997), however I disagree. Without the Vatican II’s introduction of the Constitution on the Church, the role of the Laity would not have been transformed to the state that we know today. Because of the Vatican II, the church today has many different roles for people. These include Church Church cleaners, flower arrangers, prayer groups, liturgy groups, pilgrimage groups (including taking the sick to Lourdes), bereavement care centres, parish teams, school chaplains and many more. In creating these jobs not only decreases the work load for the Clergy but it allows the community to get involved within the church and spreads the word of God. There are many developments that may happen in the future. Some have already been discussed but still have yet to be decided. One thing that may develop in the future is the decision on birth control. Although the Catholic Church has still banned contraception there may be good reason for the introduction of it for example the discussion of the prevention of HIV. Another development that could be changed is the marriage of priests. There will always be a place in the church for a celibate priesthood, but there should also be a place for a married priesthood in the church, stated by Daly (2011) (cited in McDonald, 2011). The statement provides challenges to the Catholic religion and that one-day the ban may be shifted. Another issue is that Homosexual marriage may occur in the future. Many religions including Christianity are still against this decision however, todays society is beginning to accept it and thus the Church may also come to the same agreement. A final development for the future would be female ministers. Although there has been much dispute about this topic, the church may alter its decision and adapt to the ever-changing society. Now that there is the Laity, the church must do its duty and continue to listen to the requests and suggestions made by the Laity. The church and the Laity can be said to be a family or a community and without the Laity or the Clergy present, the Catholic religion may not survive. Therefore the second Vatican’s decision on apostolate of Laity was very important as they help the survival of the religion and the message to be spread throughout the world.

Marketing plan for a medical distribution company in Iraq

Marketing plan for a medical distribution company in Iraq This company believes that the success of its business is highly dependent on the strategies that the management will adopt in running the business. Accordingly, there was a need to establish a business model that would be used in operating the medical distribution office (scientific bureau). The company will implement the following two business models: Business model 1: Where the distribution office purchases products from the manufacturers, and then prices them before delivering them to customers. Business model 2: Where the distribution office acts as an agent on the manufacturers behalf, such that the manufacturer pays the distributor a commission on sales according to a mutual agreement. The scientific bureau will make use of both business models in order to maximize gains from the business. The first model will help the company to gain profits by selling quality products at affordable prices. This model is also flexible because it allows the business to set prices that are compatible to the situation at hand. An example is where the business may want to attract customers through lowering prices. The second model will be useful to the company because it will reduce financial pressure as well as bringing in more capital. The business will only be required to supply products to customers on behalf of manufacturers to get commission. This essentially means that no initial capital outlays will be required since the manufacturer will be liable for all expenses. This model appeals to multi-national companies who want to get a foothold in the developing economy of Iraq, since they cant come in themselves because of the volatile security situation. CORE STRATEGY Mission statement: To continuously facilitate clients by effective provision of medical supplies and services, while considering the social, political and religious beliefs of the surrounding environment. Market scope The market segmentation for the company will be based on faith communities. Baghdad, like many other provinces in Iraq, is divided into mainly Sunni and Shiia communities.  [1]  These are the two denominations of the Muslim faith. The companys employees will be highly trained and have knowledge of how to interact appropriately with each of these communities since their traditions, political beliefs and some religious beliefs are different. The distribution office will focus on these communities in Baghdad and beyond and will address the medication needs of hospitals, health centres, physicians, and pharmacies. The individuals category will mostly be served by the hospitals and pharmacies and will further be categorized into men, women and children. Notably, each of these customer focus groups has different needs, despite requiring common medications in certain circumstances. During the start up phase the company wont be targeting the Kurdish community that lives in the north of Iraq. This is because the company is unfamiliar with their language, traditions and the way they conduct business. However, during the growth stage the company may consider working as an indirect distributor to this community by building links with Kurdish traders. They in turn will target the Kurdish community. Because the security situation in Iraq continues to be volatile  [2]  , people continue to be injured on a daily basis. The company will provide the hospitals and pharmacies with the appropriate equipment, supplies and medication to deal with these injuries. In addition to that, the company will provide medical equipment needed to revive the health industry. This industry has been damaged by 30 years that saw the Iraq/Iran war and the 1st and 2nd Gulf Wars. As the business continues to grow, it is highly probable that the products portfolio is likely to expand such that more goods will be incorporated. Examples will include dental equipments, laboratory equipments such as microscopes, X-ray machines and other radiography machines. Basis for differentiation The distribution office will ensure that the goods obtained are of high quality and that counterfeit drugs like the ones possessed by other sellers are avoided. The pricing would be such that the distribution office makes enough profits but offers a price that is lower than that of competitors. This will most definitely attract customers to the office as they seek lower prices. This is an important strategy even for a start-up company because the economy in Iraq is developing slowly. The distribution office will be the first to introduce a loyalty program, which will reward regular customers with discounts. This loyalty program will be designed in such a way that customers gain points whenever they shop at the medical distribution office, which can then be redeemed in the form of products or reduction in prices. A certain number of points will allow customers to gain goods worth a specific amount of money. This, in turn will promote customer loyalty and consequently enhance the distribution offices differentiation. STRATEGIC RESOURCES Core competencies: The companys internal resources will give it a competitive advantage; mainly its knowledge capital and the dedication of the employees. These employees will have a high standard of knowledge about the companys products and after sales care. They will undergo training courses in all these elements and be required to up-skill on a regular basis in order to be promoted within the company. They will also be highly trained in communication and will have a great cultural knowledge, which will enable them to develop unique relationships with customers from different backgrounds. This approach is unique and will be essential for the success of this business. Furthermore, the companys strategy will embrace a combination of a wholesaler/agent model. This will ensure that the companys financial resources are not depleted; while the company continues to make profit. Also, the office will enhance customer needs satisfaction due to the availability of products and fair prices. The two business models will allow flexibility in such a way that the company can easily adjust to new opportunities. These could include the sale of medical equipment such as wheel chairs, radiography equipments and surgery kits among others. Strategic assets Apart from the medical supplies, the distribution office will have three transport vehicles that will be used to ferry products from the store to the customers location. These transport vehicles, will be driven by skilled drivers, who know the ins and outs of the city of Baghdad. This is essential due to the traffic disruptions caused by highly security measures and checkpoints.  [3]  This is to ensure that goods are delivered on time thus improving customer satisfaction. The distribution office will also have special forklifts that will be used in transferring items from the store to the loading zone during a sale and from the loading zone to the store during delivery. These forklifts will not only save time but also reduce the number of staff required to work at the store. These will set the business apart from competitors because we believe this strategic asset will give the businesses an added advantage over competitors. PARTNERSHIP NETWORK Supply chain management The distribution office will use an integrated supply chain that aims at connecting the manufacturers, retailers and customers. An integrated supply chain will help to join the functions of the firms involved so that they can easily connect to one another and obtain important information. The company believes that a supply chain can only perform effectively if the right technological infrastructure is utilised. This approach is new to the Iraqi market, which has not traditionally relied on technology. The medical distribution office will make use of supplier portals  [4]  . This technology has an advantage in that it combines a variety of activities including order management, demand visibility, bar code generation, advance ship notice functions and the generation of shipment requirements. This system will assist the medical distribution office in organising its supply chain in such a way that information flows effectively between the office, the retailers and the manufacturers. As a result, supply will be continuous and factors within the supply chain including demand and order replenishment will be addressed with ease. Other key relationships The business needs to establish proper relationships with other stakeholders other than the manufacturers and customers in order to enhance co-existence. Good business in Iraq is determined by how well connected the business owners are. The strength of relationships that they have with others in the business world, government representatives and within the community cannot be underestimated. The business will join the scientific bureau consortium so as to act together in dealing with issues such as government regulation. In essence, it is advisable for a business to be part of a group with similar interest. CUSTOMER INTERFACE a- Target market: As stated above, the medical distribution office will focus on Sunni and Shiia faith communities. This market segmentation plays an important role in ensuring that the needs of each segment are met. The company will focus on pharmacies, hospitals, and governmental bodies in these communities. It will then further divide the communities in terms of men, women and children. This allows for easy collection of information regarding the needs of a particular group so that they can be served more effectively. In essence, segmentation allows specialised treatment of clients. According to recent information on the World Health Organisation website  [5]  , the following are the most common illnesses that the company will be providing medication and services for: Water-borne diseases, such as typhoid fever and hepatitis A, are on the rise as a result of the damage to water and sewage systems caused by the war. Heart diseases are a leading cause of death both cardiovascular and rheumatic heart diseases are on the rise. The second one especially, because of the uncertainty of the security situation and the country experiencing three wars in the last 30 years. Upper respiratory tract and diarroheal infections are high among children. Incidences of childhood cancer are ten times that of developed countries. This is highly contributed to the emissions from bombs during the wars. There are inadequate supplies of chemotherapeutic drugs, which is an area the company can build on. Maternal mortality rates are very high as over 40% of births occur outside of health institutions. Upon entry into the Iraqi market, competitors will react negatively and may even attempt to push the distribution office out of business. The distribution office will need to be well prepared; which will involve a proper analysis between targets and the firms resource configuration. The company will be using the combination of its core competencies (as detailed above) and its supply chain technology to achieve its targets. This approach will minimise the threats of competitors and other new entries to the market. Once the company has been established, new opportunities such as increased business within the same industry or in a different setting may be undertaken thus increasing the business profitability. b- Fulfilment and support The business will make use of direct channels to distribute the products. From the manufacturer, the distribution office will sell or deliver them straight to the individuals or organisations buying the products. This direct approach will minimise the cost and enable the office to build good relations with both the manufactures and the clients. The client base will be served by a dedicated customer support staff that will help in recording order specifications so as to ensure the right products are bought. The skilled drivers will ensure that they are delivered in time. With time, the distribution office could have a few subsidiaries within the region to supplement the main office. c Pricing structure: The pricing strategy will depend on the prices offered by the manufacturer. The strategy for the medical distribution office will be to provide a price that is slightly below that of competitors. While this may impact on profitability, it will attract more customers to the office. BUSINESS RESEARCH Opportunities in setting up a medical distribution office in Iraq It emerged that the warfare that has existed in the country for the last 30 years has put the country in disarray and not many businesses have been able to operate at an optimal magnitude. Currently, Iraqs 29,671,605  [6]  population is served by only 150 medical distribution centres. This can be attributed to the serious damages to infrastructure that occurred during the wars  [7]  . Most of the offices that exist are either small or medium sized, with a capital value of between $1million to $3million US  [8]  . This indicates that the populations demands are not being met, that the competition is not stiff, and a well-organised medical distribution office is bound to excel in the Iraq market. Local population preferences The buying habits of Iraqi people are to buy medicine from local pharmacies, as they often skip the doctors diagnosis. However, if they do get a local doctors prescription, they prefer to buy their medicine from their local pharmacies because there is a lack of medical supplies in the hospitals  [9]  . For example, a Sunni person will visit their local Sunni doctor and buy their medication from a Sunni pharmacy. These findings support the approach that this medical distribution office is taking by targeting communities. At the start the Sunni and Shiia community and, at a later stage, the Kurdish community. While some Iraqi people preferred local products because their sources could be trusted, others were of the view that imported medicine is likely to be more effective especially if it comes from the developed countries where manufacturers use more advanced production methods. Statistically, 8 out of 10 of the participants  [10]  preferred to use imported medication while the others indicated they would rather use local medications. The group in support of the imported medication maintained that international companies tend to manufacture good quality products as opposed to local companies. They tended to trust imported medications more because they used them successfully before. Furthermore, they believed that as the industrial infrastructure is damaged in Iraq it is hard for these local factories to produce good quality products. The number of products they can produce also limits these local factories. As a result, they were afraid of trying out the local medications. Participants who preferred local medications did so because they had been using them for years and didnt want to switch. These findings suggest that the business should continually supply imported medications, as these are likely to attract higher demand than local medicines. (See figu re 1) 1-MACRO ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS Political factors Political stability in Iraq is quite uncertain and businesses investing need to take proactive measures aimed at protecting their businesses from harm in case of an incident. It is notable that while things have cooled down and reconstruction efforts are underway, it may be hard to predict political unrest that is likely to occur. The political system in Iraq is composed of a number of parties of differing, specific faiths. They are either Sunni, Shiia or Kurdish parties. It is essential for the business to have political connections, as the level of corruption in Iraq  [11]  is so high that it would be very hard for a business to succeed without both political and financial support. Economic factors The International Monetary Fund predicted that Iraqs economy would grow by 7.9% in 2011  [12]  . This growth is linked to the improving security situation in the country. The level of employment will rise, therefore increasing the populations disposable income. Baghdad remains the most economically important city in Iraq, with the highest population. It is also regarded as the richest city in the country.  [13]  It is the capital city and is therefore bound to be the centre of all activity. Given its estimated population of 8 million people, the medical distribution office is likely to perform well in Baghdad. With continuous restructuring of the city to clear the effects of the war, normal business is expected to resume such that the business will perform well. Social-cultural factors Iraq is rich in terms of social and cultural aspects. Being a Muslim dominated country, with different denominations within that faith, it is notable that there are visible differences with the rest of the world in terms of social behaviour and business expectations. It is therefore important for this business to train its employees how to interact and communicate with these different communities. There are, however, some similarities that should be respected and complied with. Crossing ones hands or legs during a conversation, for example, is considered rude and should therefore be avoided. A handshake at the beginning and departure is highly regarded. Friendships and connections are highly emphasised in Iraq and it is common to find people doing business only with the people they know. Bribes are also common such that getting various tenders and privileges may require a business to part with a significant amount of money as a bribe unless the owners are well connected politically.à ‚  [14]   Technological factors Traditionally, most businesses in Iraq have not relied heavily on technology, beyond the basic use of emails, fax etc. One of the main obstacles for the use of technology has been the shortage of electricity. It is, however, an area that is developing rapidly in recent years. It is expected that it will be essential for the success of the business. This supports the companys plan to introduce supplier portals as part of its supply chain. Environmental factors Baghdad is centrally located and is therefore a viable location for business. Being at the centre of most economic activity in the country, Iraqs capital Baghdad is expected to have good returns for businesses. Since the security situation is still volatile, and the government is focusing on stabilising it and on the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure, it is putting all its efforts into these areas. The implementation of environmental legislation is not a priority for the next few years. Legal and regulatory The legal system in Iraq is improving slowly. It is however notable that bias still exists within the system for people with money or political connections. Bribery is highly apparent and one is likely to be served faster if they give a bribe than when they do not. For the medical distribution office the regulation is that all the companys products must pass the quality control insurance department test in the Ministry of Health. Also, the company must register with KIMADIA  [15]  , which is a department in the Ministry of Health. This is the only authorised governmental body to which the company can tender in order to supply the governments needs for pharmaceutical products and equipment. If the company fails to comply with these policies, it will not be able to practice in the Iraqi market. Industry Analysis Prior to the costly Iraq/Iran war, the health industry in Iraq was characterised as being one of the best in the region. Following the first Gulf War in 1991, the UN imposed sanctions to encourage Iraq to disarm its weapons of mass destruction. The effect of this had disastrous effect on the economy, especially on the health sector. UNICEF estimated that 500,000 died as a result of a lack of medical supplies, clean water and malnutrition during this time. This sanction was lifted after the invasion of Iraq in 2003  [16]  . The industry remains unstable as most businesses are still recovering from the effects of the wars. As the economy in Iraq is emerging gradually the performance of the health industry is quite encouraging. It is estimated that the health infrastructure will need around $8 billion US to be revived. As Iraq is a country with 90% of its revenue coming from the sale of oil, therefore the development of the health sector largely depends on how many barrels of oil are exported. The Iraqi budget for 2011 will be approximately $86billion  [17]  , with around 7% (or approx. $6 billion) of it to be allocated to the health sector. This excludes the private sector health facilities (pharmacies, hospitals etc). This would indicate that there is room for more than the 150 medical small to medium size distribution offices that currently serves the population. Most of the private health care facilities, including the medical distribution offices, are locally owned. As a result, the population is more likely to identify with the owners, given similarity in culture. There are very few foreign owned businesses in Iraq because of the unstable security situation and the governments inability to protect foreign investors. (See figure 1) (Figure 1) Ranking of Iraq in Protecting Investors Compared to good practice and selected economies  [18]   The health sector in Iraq is controlled by government regulation. It dictates the types of medication and medical equipment that can be brought into the country. However, the government has no legislation as regards the price of products. This falls under the individual medical distribution offices remit. Competitor Research: There are a number of scientific bureau (medical distribution offices) competitors in Baghdad. Most of these businesses are small to medium sized businesses, all of which aim at providing medication and medical equipment. The major and most respected competitors are Al Assad Scientific Bureau, Al Bashaer Scientific Bureau, and Kasim Irzzouki Scientific Bureau. Al Assad is a leading distributor and has been a main vendor for the Ministry of Health. It is well known and enjoys a high market share both in Baghdad. However, the company does not have any branches or market share in the Shiia southern region of Iraq, especially Basra. In addition to that the company has not won any tenders with the Ministry of Health for the last two years. Kasim Irzzouki is the main distributor in Iraq for Organon.  [19]  This company mainly produces anti-impotence drugs for both men and women. It has the major market share in this area and distributes all over Iraq. Al Bashaer has a wide range of Egy ptian and Indian medical products. They are well known for supplying hospitals with disposable items such as cannulae and Foley catheters. Neither Al Assad or Al Bashaer has done well outside of Baghdad. It is worth noting that none of the major competitors supply chemotherapeutic drugs, even though there is a need in the Iraqi market due to the high incidences of childhood cancer. Market analysis, planning and research The population of Baghdad is approximately 8 million. This is a considerable market size and the business could benefit immensely if it could manage to get a large market share. During the start-up phase the companys operations will be conducted in Baghdad. There are approximately 10,000 physicians in Baghdad  [20]  . Furthermore, there are around 1,500 pharmacies in the city  [21]  . There are three main governmental hospitals and three main private sector hospitals. This indicates a large potential client base for that the medical distribution office. It is notable that the medication market has widened significantly. It is projected that in the next few years, as the security situation and the economy in Iraq improves there will be a return of pharmacists and doctors who fled, for their own safety, during the last 20 years. There will also be an increase in the number of hospitals, and it is projected that the population will increase. Baghdad is divided into two main regions, Al Kahr and Al Risafa. Each of these regions has both Sunni and Shiia communities living in separate areas. There are only a few areas where you will find a mix of these communities living together. There are other minority groups too, but the company will not focus on them at first. The market strategy for the company is to target the hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and medical centres in each of these areas. The company will rank these potential clients in terms of the number of people they treat on a daily basis. During the start-up phase the priority will be to target those with the largest client base and build a relationship with them. The company will also target those with a smaller client base, but with less frequency. The Ministry of Health will be one of the major potential clients. In the expansion phase, the company will target the other provinces in southern and northern Baghdad. The southern provinces of Baghdad are mainly Shiia communities, while the provinces north of the city, as far up a Kurdustan, are Sunni communities. As previously mentioned, the knowledge capital of the companys employees will play an important role in its development. The staff will have a wealth of cultural knowledge, which is essential for the business. They will be highly skilled, which will enable them to build and maintain good relationships with customers from different communities. Repeat business should occur once good relations have been established between the institution or individual and the medical distribution office. The company will also adopt Internet advertising. The web site will include the companys details such as the address and the products they deal in, with the objective of informing customers about their work. Most of the Internet posts will contain the businesses achievements and well-known clients in order to promote a professional look. In addition to raising more capital, the companys growth strategy is to implement the same ideology in provinces other than Baghdad. It may also branch into sales in the Kurdish community as an indirect supplier, and introduce new products to the Iraqi market. ORGANISATION MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS Management team and model The team The management team will consist of the board of directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the human resource manager and the head of accounts. This team will be responsible for steering the business through addressing various aspects. The CEO will oversee the operations of the company and manage resources in such a way that the business objectives are met. The CEO will govern every employee in the company through the Human Resource Manager. The business will employ two HR officials, one of who will be the HR manager. He or she will oversee the business human resource needs and ensure that the business is well equipped with people skills to enhance smooth operations. The HR will govern the hiring process, training, payment issues and employee welfare within the business. One of the employees in the accounting department will act as the head of accounts. He or she will ensure that financial resources within the business are well managed and accounted for so as to ensure that the needs o f the business are met effectively. The head of accounts will also be responsible for effectual distribution of resources within the firm. Management model The management will apply the management by objectives model (MBO). Under this method, the company defines objectives, which should be met by all employees and then compares their performance against these objectives. This model is effective in maximizing performance and avoids indulgence in activities that deviate employees from their objectives. Accordingly, the business is likely to succeed as opposed to where employees efficiency is unaccounted for. Management philosophy Concern for employees The business intends to maintain an integrated system, whereby the management will oversee efficiency in the firm while allowing employees to actively participate in the management process. The employees remain the major assets of the firm and are definitely responsible for the success of the business. The business will go to every length to ensure that it finds; hires and trains good employees and treat them like family. The management will ensure that they communicate effectively with employees and continually acknowledge their importance through proper reward systems and involving them in management decision making. Hands-on management Managers will be expected to know the business comprehensively and guide employees through the accomplishment of the business main objectives. They will continually interact with customers and employees in order to effectively understand and meet their needs. Managers will set the pace for the employees and as many business people would attest, employees are likely to wo

The Role Of Women In The Church Religion Essay

The Role Of Women In The Church Religion Essay Ever since the beginning of the feminist movement the roles that women have or have not played whether in or out of church and no matter what culture or civilization they have come from has definitely come under some major debates. One area for disagreement is the roles women have in the Church. With there being some churches that are not so ridged with their traditions and practices; they have begun placing women in leadership positions like pastor or teacher. However; there are still churches that are steadfast to the Bible and not so ready to embrace such changes. Much of the confusion comes from how women are seen in the scriptures so because of this we will use the Bible to help us better comprehend the roles women had in the church during the first century so we can try to apply that to the meanings in the twentieth and the twenty-first century. Many people would debate the Bibles importance to modern-day understanding until the cows come home but the biggest debate is about them in roles of worship. Had the Bible not been written under guidance of holy inspiration then it could be seen for what it is and not simply be bound by the teachings, which in turn could consequently allow one to pick or choose whatever agrees to their point of view. However, since the Bible is all about holy inspiration for which it comes from, then there should be a careful respect to what the passages signifies about any given issue which currently is at hand. Beliefs and behaviors that have come up after the Bible was written must as a consequence be carefully examined and by doing so the practices may or may not demonstrate competence after comparison with scripture. Before we discuss exact questions regarding women in worship, we should study the ideologies resulting from the relationship of Adam and Eve which is described in Genesis 1. We see the Apostle Paul often uses this passage as a guideline when conversing about women and womens issues. Genesis 1:27 says: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Most interpret this as man and woman are both by the same token in the image of God; however in this instance the word man is to reference more the meaning of humanity. In Genesis we are shown that Adam and Eve were given common power over creation; however the sheer fact that Adam was created in advance of Eve has major impacts to Paul and all the scholars in the Old Testament. For these scholars it proposes that there very definite role differences between the two sexes. They saw the role of the man as leadership whereas they see the role of woman as more of a source of strength a nd support to man. As we review the letter to the Ephesians from Paul in Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. We can see this as an important analogy because if one wants to understand the Christian dominance of a man over his wife, we must think about how Christ proved his leadership over the Church. In general, he gave his life the church and not by using force or coaxing for her submission. Now when we contemplate mens and womans ministry in the church, we find it is important that we keep in mind these role differences. We must also take a look at the notion of open ministry where women can worship and teaching in the Church. There are two major passages which give definitive orders about women during worship and they are in the letters of the Apostle Paul. Many find that these two passages are quite frequently used when one wants to deny women public roles in the church. The first is in I Corinthians 14:33 35, which shows the passage imposing silence on women during worship service. Likewise and with more details, I Timothy 2:8 15 also contains the command to be silent, it also shows about power and control as well as references to the reason for Adam and Eves fall from grace which helped in the understanding and continued denial for equally in sexes in the church. In my viewpoint I believe that 1 Timothy 2:8-15 gives the best understanding just how things were viewed which is why I chose to use the entire: I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. But women will be kept safe through childbirth, if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. I believe this shows the separation of the sexes and describes their place in worship and who has authority/control/power -however you want to say it over whom. Now as with woman being raised in the U.S. today reads the letter for the first time they may be quite offend by the obvious narrow-mindedness. However, there are some accurate historical and cultural references that need to be considered when looking for the meaning and intent of the passage. First the letter was written by one man to another man who was Paul to Timothy. We are led to believe that he was preaching in the city of Ephesus when Paul tells him he must stay in Ephesus so as to correct false teachers who were making a disturbance in the church. We see how many different observers have tried to recreate the deviations of these false teachers however this can prove to be a difficult since there are no exact records of what was said, so we must make reference from the text itself to give us a clue. One plausible heretical doctrine was the one of self-denial as a way to reach holiness. The practice of austerity that is being indorsed comprised of; self-restraint from certain foods, from marriage, and sex which is added to all of the physical training as another way to reach holiness. It was believed that by doing these practices, one could attain something similar to heaven on earth. Simply put, there was perhaps a denial of any future rebirths to be taught instead of the more spiritual one that we are lead to believe is reached in afterlife. We can also infer from Pauls comments that numerous women in the church would rehabilitated the meaning which was persuading them to abandon their traditional roles in favor of more open ways of life which were more in line with their the new-found holiness or spirituality. With this said it explains Pauls strong words which make reference to Eve about how she misled into sin whereas the idea of bearing and raising children was most certainly spiritual thing unlike they were being led to believe. Nevertheless, there are other parts of the passage which warn women not to teach or have control/power over a man that have been agreed upon by so many they have everlasting claim; their words and grammar, in Greek, do not seem to lend themselves to any other cultural reference. The teaching that Paul was truly worried about was so must more about real faith while the control/power which is in question seems to speak more about the roles of leadership for women in the church. But then again, before anyone can make any conclusions on a Biblical truth it must first hold true throughout the scriptures. May be we should look at other passages; like.in Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Some believe that this teaching could have had some bearing in the false teachings of Ephesus and Corinthians in regards to women. We are shown that even Christ revealed to us that in the spirit world no one would not be pre arranged but would be like the angels. As a result, the women who were being misled by teachers seem to abandon their traditional roles. On the other hand, the current reader may wonder what one meant when they wrote the line about both sexes being one in Christ Jesus. Some would see it as meaning that no one sex is inferior to the other. Once past the Old Testament, there are strong instances, like in the book of Acts, which shed some light in the form of documented practice, on the order not to have control/power over men. Here we have prophetesses like in Acts 21: 8-9, where Philip, who was one of the seven deacons, has four daughters who predicted. Prophesying was not just the predictions of the future but also the passing on of Gods Word to the people, i. e. teaching. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 11:4-5 we have Paul conveying, Every woman who prays or prophesies. Obviously women in Corinthians were worshipping because everyone did that so they could be closer to God. We also see in Acts 18 where Precilla and Aquila worship and teach. As you read this, you could interpret this being significance because Precilla, who is the women, seems to be mentioned first due to the fact she has great knowledge. You are shown their teaching together and their successes which are confirmed in Acts 18:26 the ways of the Lord more a dequately. We also see this in the story about Lydia, business women who lived in Philippi and receive the message that Paul gives during worship which seems to be the incident which starts the strong church movement in Philippi. This occurrence only infers from the passage that she played an important part of that strong church, since no men were mentioned of converting. These passages in some way give inquiry to the real nature of the halt on teaching and the meaning of no control/power mentioned in 1st Timothy. It is obvious that women were teaching men and at times they were even co-teaching with male teachers. The case in point about the prophetesss while compelling is not recognized as being a modern gift, however teaching certainly is and is a prophets function. Those that interpret the Bible also discuss womens ministry in the New Testament which has brought to light the traditions of the day regarding women. We see that Pauls main concern was spreading the Gospel and making the message made attractive in every way. Thats why we see Paul encouraging women just how important it is in maintain customs like veil wearing because if not they will be seen as loose or immoral and disgrace the Gospel message. Think about what the women in the US who are not of the faith are thinking when they see for the first time that only men run the services. It could come across as women being suppressed by men and that the gospel message is suggesting women are inferior to men. In a nutshell, the thought that there is no authorization in the scripture coming right out and saying that it is forbidden for women to have leadership roles, or their own ministry or even teaching the word of God but can be left up to interpretation make me believe that if women are not allowed to have some kind of input in to the church or their teachings then it seems that a valuable resource is going to waste for the church and its future followers. If we simply look at it from the perspective of a husband not thinking that his wifes thoughts and ideas are worth listening to than the family can surely seem inadequate, dysfunctional or even destined to failure. For that reason, the church tries to realize Gods purpose for women by remembering the truths of the scripture and relating them to our present day culture. By doing this we are allowing men and women to convey the Christian message in its most powerful form. As stated by John Toews in article A doctrine or a truth has pow er only to the extent that it is modeled in a life style which is in harmony with it. Paul, and the rest of the New Testament, proclaims that male and female are reconciled and gifted in Christ, they are one and equal in Christ. It is now time for that truth to be modeled in the church if the church is to be the true eschatological people of God. We should look at the true meaning of the Bible and follow what is best for the continuing of the church and the life of the Gospels even if it means allowing men and women to be equal in the spreading the word of the Lord.

The Crucible - fear and suspicion Essays -- Essay on The Crucible

In the Crucible, Arthur Miller shows us how fear and suspicion can destroy a community. As the play develops, Miller shows us how fear and suspicion increase and destroy the community. Throughout the play it becomes apparent that the community gets more and more divided as time goes on. In the beginning there were arguments about ownership of land between some of the villagers. As the story progresses people fear for their own safety and begin accusing their neighbours of witchcraft in order to escape being hanged. Salem became overrun by the hysteria of witchcraft. Mere suspicion itself was accepted as evidence. As a Satan-fearing community, they could not think of denying the evidence, because to deny the existence of evil was to deny the existence of goodness; which was God. In the 17th century a group of Puritans migrated from England to America - the land of dreams - to escape persecution for their religious beliefs. As Arthur Miller tells us in the introduction to Act 1 'no one can really know what their lives were like.' We would never be able to imagine a life with 'no novelists' and 'their creed forbade anything resembling a theatre or vain entertainment.' 'They didn't celebrate Christmas, and a holiday from work meant only that they must concentrate even more upon prayer.' They led a very austere and bleak life. The people of Salem - from which the audience derive their "good" and "evil" characters - were superstitious and highly religious, and their Theocratic form of government offered them security and unity. However, this strong religious background also offered the option to use it misguidedly to promote the evil of false accusations. The excessive and blind religious fanaticism... ...n 1947 but a year later in 1958 his conviction was quashed by the Supreme Court. The play is relevant to any society destroyed by fear, suspicion, paranoia and accusation - other societies where something similar has happened include East Germany under communism after World War 2, Afghanistan under the Taliban and China under the Cultural Revolution when the Red Guards would decry people for being bourgeois reactionaries. In conclusion I think that the ideas of fear and suspicion appear throughout the play. Initially the suspicion starts on a small scale but gradually develops and destroys the community. The fear of the devil at the beginning extends and includes fear of others and neighbours but when the court comes into action the community are also afraid of the court. All the fears and suspicion mounts up and the community is thrown into turmoil.

Lifes Lessons in The Once and Future King :: Once and Future King Essays

Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King "The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing, which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn." Throughout The Once and Future King, Wart learns many lessons in some unlikely places. Young Wart is the adopted son of a nobleman when he meets Merlyn, a magician, who takes him on many adventures, turning him into several different animals and teaching him skills, both mental and physical. Wart learns to treat people with respect and kindness. Soon after, Wart pulls a magical sword from a stone, which proves him the rightful king of England. Merlyn, who knew this from the start, advises Wart-now called Arthur- on how to be a good king. What Arthur really wants to do is end the chaos that passes for law in his country. He wants his men-the knights of the round table- to help defenseless people and prevent the rich and strong from simply dominating everyone. Many young knights love the chivalrous idea and admire Arthur. Arthur's wife Guenever has an affair with one of Arthur's best knights, Lancelot. Since he is a just king, Arthur feels obligated to persecute them for adultery and treason. This went along with Mordred's plan to upset the court and, since he was the only son of Arthur (not with Guenever however), to become King of England. Lancelot kills Gareth, Gaheris, and Agravaine, all knights of the Roundtable. Mordred convinces a surviving knight, Gawaine that Lancelot killed them out of his own hatred of England. Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King :: Once and Future King Essays Life's Lessons in The Once and Future King "The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, "is to learn something. That's the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing, which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the only thing for you. Look what a lot of things there are to learn." Throughout The Once and Future King, Wart learns many lessons in some unlikely places. Young Wart is the adopted son of a nobleman when he meets Merlyn, a magician, who takes him on many adventures, turning him into several different animals and teaching him skills, both mental and physical. Wart learns to treat people with respect and kindness. Soon after, Wart pulls a magical sword from a stone, which proves him the rightful king of England. Merlyn, who knew this from the start, advises Wart-now called Arthur- on how to be a good king. What Arthur really wants to do is end the chaos that passes for law in his country. He wants his men-the knights of the round table- to help defenseless people and prevent the rich and strong from simply dominating everyone. Many young knights love the chivalrous idea and admire Arthur. Arthur's wife Guenever has an affair with one of Arthur's best knights, Lancelot. Since he is a just king, Arthur feels obligated to persecute them for adultery and treason. This went along with Mordred's plan to upset the court and, since he was the only son of Arthur (not with Guenever however), to become King of England. Lancelot kills Gareth, Gaheris, and Agravaine, all knights of the Roundtable. Mordred convinces a surviving knight, Gawaine that Lancelot killed them out of his own hatred of England.