Supply and Demand and Larger Societal Forces

â€Å"The microenvironment consists of the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers – the company, suppliers, marketing intermediates, customer markets, competitors and publics. The macroenvironment consists of the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment – demographic, economic, natural, technological, political and cultural forces. † (Kolter, 2008) We stated on this website that marketing was about meeting needs and providing benefits and the customer should be the central focus of the business.The companies marketing strategy should be focused around this concept, however, there are factors within the companies marketing environment which can constrain this activity. These factors are both controllable and uncontrollable and have to be carefully monitored by the organisation. The companies marketing environment can be defined as the ‘controllabe and uncontrollabe elements that influence the strategic direc tion of the company'. The companies marketing environment can be analysed in two broad levels.The macro environment involves looking at uncontrollabe variables that influence company strategy. This is is discussed further in PEST Analysis. Political Influences Relationships between coffee producing nations and US State & Local government controls Economic Influences Constant demand for food and beverages Changes in disposable income could influence purchase levels There is an importance of economic indicators to the strategic planning process in any organization is the ability to benchmark economic conditions that contribute to improve profitability, business growth and market size.Starbucks have succeeded several economic factors as well as price elasticity of demand. Price elasticity of demand can be determined by the percentage change in the quantity demanded with the percentage change in price. They should consider household income that people are willing to spend more on food a nd beverages when household income increases. Starbucks innovation in joint ventures has opened new markets and opportunities increasing product use among different demographics.Starbucks has proven to be highly innovative in business culture that offers prepaid cards, priced from ?5 to ?500. Joint ventures with Pepsi Company, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Inc and inspiring entertainment with the launch of â€Å"Hear Music† have developed Starbucks with great success. Starbucks has shown their values, leveraging market power, resources, and capabilities to achieve returns higher than their competition (Investment Group, 2001).

Human Motivation the Influential Drive Behind Human Altruism

Human motivation the influential drive behind human altruism At the forefront of social psychology the issue of what motivates one to act in a prosocial manner has arisen with a vast array of theory and response. The heart of the topic lies in the ambiguity as to whether one acts altruistically as a result of an innate response of empathy and compassion, or merely due to self interest. By definition altruism refers to, â€Å"behaviour that helps people with no apparent gain or with potential cost to one’s self†, (Western 2006). Yet, this concept in itself is not unproblematic in that undoubtedly displays of altruism exist, but may not ultimately be driven by selflessness. Motivation is indisputably the integral drive behind human behaviour, and is the most crucial factor influencing human altruism. Reciprocal altruism; simply the idea that we offer assistance and expect it returned, is undeniably practiced with the motivation of one’s personal wellbeing in mind. Similarly, the concept of motivation also provides a logical understanding of kin selection whereby we are inclined to help our genetic related, as aiding one’s family will ultimate better one’s self. A cost rewards analysis, as well as social exclusion can also be depicted as highly motivated by a person’s needs and survival; and therefore can once more be deemed selfish. Thus, by grasping a concrete understanding of one’s ultimate purpose in a given situation, the question as whether we are driven by a natural selfless capacity or with intention of maximizing personal gain can be ascertained. Unquestionably, acts of genuine and authentic altruism exist, however in situations that help is required, consciously or subconsciously the helper is more likely to personally benefit from their action, than not. A motive refers to the goal or object of a person’s action. Human nature is inherently selfish, therefore when deciding whether to engage in a prosocial act; an individual’s primary concern is oneself. This is not always conscious to the individual, yet whether it is a simple question of the motives for an occupation, or concern for the environment; it is linked to maximizing personally or for society as a whole. Krous (2005), conducted research in order to determine what would motivate people in help related fields such as psychology, education and nursing to work with underserved populations; which consist of groups such as ethnic minorities, the mentally ill, the homeless and elderly. The research was conducted using 135 students from Midwestern University majoring in help related fields. Whilst factors such as work autonomy, troubled past experiences or a parent in a helping profession did inspire some to work with such groups, economic reward and prosperity as well as diverse training proved to be vital to a vast majority. Another way in which we can relate people’s motivations with the concern for themselves is through their view on the environment. This was put to the test through a study by Berenguer (2007) whereby participants were presented with illustrations of eight large trees being cut down and a dead bird on the beach covered in oil. The findings concluded that participants conveyed empathy and were dismayed by the devastating state of the environment. One needs to pose the question; what motivates one to act altruistically toward the environment? The simple fact that they are ultimately a part of the environment that they endeavor to save, and thus prevent the personal and societal hardship that would follow its total destruction. The concept that an individual’s sense of belonging in a group impacts upon their willingness to behave in a socially caring manner, once more brings the notion of selfishness to the fore. People are encouraged by their culture and society to take part in prosocial behavior. While engaging in a prosocial act often entails risk and cost to oneself, in the big picture, belonging to a group provides vast benefits. The concept that one’s belongingness will ultimately impact upon a person’s willingness to engage in a prosocial act is questioned in a number of research experiments conducted by Twenge (2007). Experiment One – donating money; had 34 participants take a personality test. Responders were randomly allocated a personality summary of either ‘future alone’, ‘future belonging’, or ‘misfortune control condition. ’ Each participant received $2 for taking part and were informed that there was a collection for the Student Emergency fund. The results had only 37% of the ‘future alone’ donate to the fund contrasting with 100% of the participants in the other groups. Thus, social exclusion lead to a significant decrease in helping behaviour. This suggests that one’s emotional state will pertain to their ability to offer empathetic understanding and an inclination to help others, as Twenge states, â€Å"Social exclusion apparently renders the prosocial behaviour tool temporarily useless. † Therefore, when an individual is emotionally vulnerable and lacking self-esteem they lose their ability to care for the wellbeing of others. Once more the proving human beings as self-interested creatures who are only willing to help when they feel they have been helped or that their society accepts them. Evolutionary theories pertaining to altruism have played a nodal role in understanding human motivations, and moreover through the kin selection theory and the concept of reciprocal altruism emphases once again that we are compelled by rational self-interest, to always put ourselves first. Kin selection focuses on actions of people who are genetically related as stated by Neyer (2003), â€Å"blood is thicker than water, implying that kin are generally favored over non-kin. The motive behind a parent, whether human or animal in protecting their off springs is in their attempt to protect and ensure the next generation. The protection of our genetic code is explored by Maynard Smith (1964), which explains that we are more than likely to help direct family over our more distant family and our more distant family over non-ki n. This idea is heightened in a study conducted by Burnstein (1994) which found that life or death helping was significantly more likely to be offered with close genetic relatedness. The notion of looking after one’s genetic coding for future generations, through the idea of kin selection once more exemplifies the way in which we are hard-wired to act in a socially caring manner to maximize person gain. â€Å"Reciprocal Altruism†, refers to the way in which humans help another person, thus building a relationship where help is expected to be returned at a later date. It is an evolutionary process that clarifies prosocial acts that occur among the non-related. A basic example of such an exchange is acknowledged by Fitness (2007), whereby two fishermen in a village agree to share what they catch for the day with one another. Therefore if one fisherman does not catch any fish they are reassured that they will not go hungry. Such an example supports the theory that engaging in reciprocal altruism increases the chances of survival over individuals who act selfishly, as long as both parties involved reciprocate. Our willingness to help is determined by the likelihood that the help will be returned, therefore in a situation where a stranger requires help it is unlikely that an act will be reciprocated and therefore we feel less inclined to help. In order for the survival of reciprocal altruism, Dovidio (2006) explains that there must be a willingness to chastise those who do cheat and find ways of gratifying individuals that voluntarily refrain from cheating. Reciprocal altruism can be considered a two way street, a relationship in which both parties will profit; and therefore is a response visibly motivated to maximize personal gain. The cost and benefits of engaging in a prosocial act ultimately determines ones willingness to involve themselves, hence supporting the concept that we are hard-wire for personal gain. From this view, humans are rational and chiefly concerned with their own self-interest and agenda. Dovidio (2006) explains the notion of a cost reward analysis, whereby in a potential helping situation the individual weighs the possible costs and benefits in order to reach the most desired outcome. An important aspect of grasping the parameters of prosocial behavior consists of learning when people will help. Dovidio (2006) references the assault of Kitty Genovese, whereby arriving home late from work she was brutally attacked outside her apartment building. This horrific event took place over 45 minutes whereby the attacker returned three times, finally stabbing her to death; with a shocking 38 onlookers that did nothing to help. This incident confirms the view that we are predominantly concerned with our own survival and self-interest as the potential helpers perceived the dangers to dominate over the benefits. Contrastingly, Dovidio (2006) cites the case of Reginald Denny, who was brutally beaten during the civil disturbance in Los Angeles in 1992. Four African Americans were watching nearby on live television and rushed to the scene fending off his attackers and transporting him to hospital, consequently saving his life. Whilst the four helpers were deemed heroes and rewarded with internal benefits of self satisfaction and fulfillment of one’s duty, it challenges the idea that we are hard-wired for personal gain as this act is undeniably a genuine expression of altruism. continuum There is a vast array of motivators that explain why humans engage in altruistic behaviour, a large majority pertaining to the desire to maximize personal gain. Such motivations are reinforced by the evolutionary theories on kin selection and reciprocal altruism; as well as one’s emotional state and the concept of a cost and reward analysis. This is not to say expressions of genuine altruism do not exist, as we have clearly established they do; they are simply few and far between. It is evident that humans have the capacity both to be incredibly selfish and heroically altruistic it would seem that tragically selfishness is hard-wired into us where we are motivated with one leading concern, ourselves. References * John F. Dovidio, Jane Allyn Piliavin, David A. Schroeder, Louis A. Penner. (2006) Social Psychology of Prosocial Behaviour. [Book] Chapter 3 – The Context: When will people help? Chapter 4 – Why do people help? * Krous, Tangala M. D. ; Nauta, Margaret M. (2005) Values, Motivations, and Learning Experiences of Future Professionals: Who Wants to Serve Underserved Populations? [Education and Training in Professional Psychology. ] Volume 36(6), pg 688-694 * Twenge, Jean (M). ; Baumeister, Roy (F); DeWall,(C). Nathan; Ciarocco, Natalie (J); Bartels, (J). Michael. (2007). Journal or Personality and Social Psychology. Social exclusion decrease Prosocial behaviour. Volume 92 (1) p56-66 * Berenguer, J. (2007). The Effect of Empathy in Proenvironmental Attitudes. Environment and Behaviour, 39; 269 * Westen, D. (2006). Psychology 4th edition. John Wiley and Sons, Hobeoken. United States of America * Neyer, Franz J. ; Lang, Frieder R. (2003). Blood is thicker than water. Kinship Orientation among adults. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol – 84. Pg 310-321 * Fitness (2007). Lecture – Altruism and Prosocial Behaviour

Market Research on Luxury Watches Essay

Market Trend There was a slow-down in the growth in sales of premium and luxury watches in India in 2008-’09. It prompted the market leader Titan industries to enter the economy market. Following the footsteps, luxury watch brands like Tag Heuer and Rolex introduced low-price models. But in recent years, mobile phones may also have dampened growth in the penetration of watches in India, as they provide a time read-out as well as alarm and other time-related functions. Watch industry experts believe that their product’s original function is increasingly losing importance, and that wristwatches are now being bought as fashion accessories. Owning more than one watch is like owning different pieces of jewellery. Competitive landscape The economy watch demand is being met for the most part by the unorganised sector and by direct imports. The premium segment is increasingly being peppered by fashion brands such as Esprit, Swatch, Fossil and Tommy Hilfiger. There has also been strong value growth for these brands, with growing demand from middle- and upper-income groups in urban India. Titan, HMT and Maxima are the leading Indian players and Timex, Casio and Swatch are now the strong multinational players in the market. More multinationals are entering the retail market, but no new domestic companies have done so, and the multinationals’ share of value sales has increased over the review period. Premium Brand & Product Perception With the watches market in India now becoming fashion and style driven, especially at the premium end, companies now launch models and designs every six months. International brands such as Fossil launch spring/summer and winter ranges. Titan, on the other hand, times its launches to fit in with the Indian festive season – Deepavali and weddings. Companies like Casio and Swatch and luxury brands like Rolex are exploring a niche market for chronographs, but this is currently negligible. Companies also need to respond to product innovations. The Citizen eco-friendly watch has been well received in India and is reportedly selling well in its price bracket, eliminating the trouble of replacing batteries and encouraging the use of multiple watches. Apparel brands such as Esprit, Tommy Hilfiger, Benetton and Levi’s have all gained familiarity among India’s urban youth, who may become more willing to try these brands’ premium watches. Affluent, urban Indians may feel more comfortable about buying premium watches, while continuing to regard luxury watches as examples of overindulgent or insensitive spending. ‘New’ Rich India : The ‘New’ rich India is now indulging into the experience of owning Luxury Brands. India’s rapidly growing high-end retail market is expected to increase from the around $3. 5 billion in 2008 to $30 billion by 2015. Luxury clothing, fragrances, premium wine, high-end watches have achieved good penetration among male Indian consumers. Among women, jewellery and cosmetics can already boast high levels of awareness, followed by categories such as handbags and mobile phones. These items, while not necessarily being better (in quality, performance, or appearance) than their less expensive substitutes, are purchased with the main purpose of displaying wealth or income or status symbol of their owners. There is a distinct shift from ‘Old luxury’ to ‘New luxury’. Old luxury is defined by the attributes, qualities and features of the product, whilst ‘New luxury’ is defined by the consumer’s point of focus on the experience that their purchase stimulates and not in ownership or possession of the product itself. † The customers Redefined luxury as they believe it to be a sign of self worth – â€Å"They are worth it;† it authenticates the buyer’s success and status; it is a signal to others that the owner is a member of an exclusive group; They require flawless performance in this application, the cost of product malfunction is too high to buy anything but the best. Motivation of Study: The matter of wearing and enjoying fine timepieces is a passion that these days must be justified. We like nice expensive watches even though cheap watches exist to do the same thing. Hence like any other luxury good , today modern shoppers buy luxury goods to reward themselves, to satisfy psychological needs or to make themselves feel good to show off their personality or to boost their self-esteem. Contribution of the research: This study aims to understand the above said consumer buying behaviour which will help the present marketing Managers to better reposition their branding and advertising strategy to capture the correct target market for luxury products to boost the sales in times where economy are at a challenge. Literature Review: Research Objective: This study intends to find out if consumer buying behaviour of young purchasers are influenced by factors such as premium price of luxury watches, perceived quality of luxury watches, societal status and brand loyalty associated with the consumption of luxury brand. This study also intends to evaluate whether perceived qualities of the luxury branded watch have influence on the buying decision of consumer. It is also intended to determine whether the high quality standards of luxury watches are the reasoning consumers opt for the luxury watches. Affiliations of social status of acquiring certain luxury branded goods will also be studied to understand whether consumer buying luxury branded goods just for the matter of being affiliate with certain quarters of people having the same luxury brand of goods. This study also will also evaluate whether brand loyalty of luxury brand will influence the buying decision of consumer. This study also aims to uncover whether a person who has been abroad is a reason for the consumer purchasing a luxury watch Research Question: The purpose of this study is to evaluate what motivational factors encourage consumers into purchasing luxury brand watches . In evaluating this statement , this study aims to answer the following questions : †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Is it the price or the type of users of the brand that drives the buying behaviour of the consumer for luxury branded goods? Is it the strong emotion of discriminating themselves with the lower class consumers that drives higher class consumers to turn to luxury brands? Is it the tag name of a mega brand that drives the long term demand for that luxury brand? Is gender a deterministic factor in deciding the purchase of a luxury brand? If yes then what factors are important gender wise ? Is it the product utility or the brand perception that is key for luxury watch brands? Will a person’s visit abroad influence his decision to purchase a luxury watch? Previous Research contribution : Findings of overall previous research indicate that individual’s preferences plays a key role in purchasing luxury goods. Individual’s preferences may be based on desire and non-desires, which are based on experience in purchasing luxury items from their satisfaction, or nondesire such as bias towards brand products. Leibenstein (1950, p. 188) classified demand of goods and services consumption in relevant to motivation into two main aspects: functional and non-functional. Functional demand is â€Å"demand for a commodity which is due to the qualities inherent in the commodity itself†. On the contrary, demand of goods consumption that comes from other factors, which is not the product quality, is defined non-functional demand. The outcome from Leibenstein’s (1950) study especially stresses the role of interpersonal effects towards luxury brands consumption, and derived three main effects; Veblen, Snob, and Bandwagon INTERPERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Conspicuous Value Perceived unique Value Perceived Social Value Ostentation Non-Conformity Conformity VEBLENIAN SNOB BANDWAGON Interpersonal effects (Vigenron & Johnson) (1999 p. 7) Veblen Effect: The Veblen effect can be explained through conspicuous consumption in which people feel that it is necessary to purchase luxury products because they have a high price tag (Leibenstein, 1950). Conspicuous consumption is use by people to show wealth, power and status (Veblen, 1899). Prices of product have a significant aspect in consumers’ opinion of quality (Vigneron & Johnson, 1999). Studies by Erickson & Johansson (1995) have shown that price is used to judge quality of luxury products between a range of brands. Usually people would associate high prices with better quality. Additionally, those who do associate high prices with better quality would also suggest that high prices show a considerable amount of prestige (Lichtenstein et al. , 1993). Snob Effect: The snob effect takes into account personal and emotional desires (personal effects), and the influence of other people’s behaviour (interpersonal effects) towards the purchasing of luxury brand products (see Figure 1). The snob effect can be further explained through two circumstances. Firstly, the launch on new products which creates exclusivity in which the snob would purchase the product immediately because a minor amount of consumers at that particular time would have acquired it. Snob consumers only purchase â€Å"limited items that have a high value, whereas those readily available are less desirable. Rare items demand respect and prestige† (Solomon, 1994,p. 570). Products that are viewed as unique, popular, and expensive causes a higher demand for consumers (Verhallen & Robben, 1994), especially snob consumers. Snyder and Fromkin (1977) support the statement by Verhallen and Robben (1994) suggesting that people have the desire to be unique. India:The Affluent Masses: Luxury volumes have been spurred by a significant growth in the rich in recent past. The new rich come in varied shapes, sizes and style quotients. Exporters, multinational bankers, college kids earning plum salaries at call centers or BPO operations, well-heeled corporate wives, and successful entrepreneurs. What they have in common is that they have very high purchasing power Bandwagon Effect : The bandwagon effect represents consumers who purchase luxury products because they wish to fit in with a particular group. For example, people would consume products that are fashionable and stylish to associate themselves to similar people (Berry, 1994). Dubois & Duquesne (1993) explains that the snob and bandwagon effect are not alike. Although the similarity between the bandwagon and the snob effect is that people wish to enhance their self-concepts, the differentiation is that they purchase luxury items for different reasons. Bandwagon consumers purchase items to be fit in with others, whereas snob consumers purchase items to be unique and stand out. Individuals who fit in with groups that purchase luxury brand products and/ or wish to differentiate themselves from people who do not purchase luxury brands are influenced by the bandwagon effect (Vigneron & Johnson,1999) Luxury is reward :First time/New Purchasers :They use luxury goods as a status symbol to say â€Å"I’ve made it! †. They are motivated by their desire to be successful and demonstrate this to others. Luxury brands that have widespread recognition are popular; however they don’t wish to appear lavish or hedonistic in their appearance. They want to purchase â€Å"smart† luxury that exhibit importance while not leaving them open to criticism. Personal Effects : Consuming luxury products can also be from personal desires and taste. PERSONAL EFFECTS Perceived Emotional Value Perceived Quality Value Self-Actualization Reassurance HEDONIST PERFECTIONIST Personal effects (Vigenron & Johnson) (1999 p. 8) Hedonic Effect The hedonic effect occurs when consumers purchase luxury products and value the item. People who purchase items for self-fulfillment (e. g.inner direct consumers, Riesman, et al. , 1950, or role relaxed consumers, Kahle, 1995), and those who are not affected by interpersonal influences (e. g. conforming to group norms,Bearden, et al. , 1989) represent the hedonic effect. Dichter (1960) explains that motivation of noncognitive and unconscious is able to persuade consumer preference of products. Products that are consumed are known to have an emotional value that is added to their character (Vigneron & Johnson, 1999). When consumers purchase luxury products they expect that the item will offer benefits such as exclusiveness. Dubois & Laurent, (1994) stated that if products create an emotional value for consumers, it represents that the product is beneficial and holds an important characteristic. Perfectionist Effect The perfectionist effect exists when consumers purchase luxury items and expects superior products and performance as well as quality (Vigneron & Johnson,1999). People who represent the perfectionist effect are those who are associated to personal values and judge a product according to their value of a luxury band product. An example of the perfectionist effect is when consumers are purchasing a luxury watch they expect it to be accurate. According to Groth and McDaniel, (1993, p. 10) stated that â€Å"high prices may even make certain products or service more desirable†, because people view products with high prices with great quality (Rao & Monroe, 1989). Additionally, consumers may assess the level of how luxury a product is by its quality (Vigneron and Johnson, 1999). Methodology Research Method: Quantitative data consists of closed end information that includes numerical figures. The study has collected quantitative data by applying closed-end questions towards a questionnaire. Focus Group Discussion to understand attributes both physical and emotional that influence the purchase of a luxury watch. The group comprised of 7 individuals , 3 female and 4 male participants who have been users of luxury watches. Data Collection: Primary Data collection: Gathering information from consumers of luxury watches through online questionnaire survey Secondary Data Collection: Research insights and hypothesis design with the help of previously published research work on luxury goods buying behaviour. Sampling: Non-probability sampling method is adopted. Since the target audience or respondents of interest are consumers of premium or luxury watches, the sampling method adopted here is convenience sampling and snow-ball sampling. Measurement & Scaling: Measurement Techniques used ? Perception map : ? Utility of features in the watch : Chronograph, Double dial, Indicator light etc. ? Stylish Designs that make the watch a fashion statement Respondents were asked to rate the 10 different brands in order to obtain their perception of these brands on the above defined dimensions Based on two predefined dimensions i. e ? ? ? Exploratory Factor Analysis : To understand the underlying factors influencing the purchase behaviour of luxury watch for men & women and overall Regression: To understand which interpersonal & personal effect is critical when consumers make a luxury watch purchase decision Discriminant Analysis: To understand the group behaviours based on the following discriminating variable ? Gender ? Trip abroad ? Work Experience:Purchasing power ? AMOS : Confirmatory Factor analysis to ascertain the Exploratory Factor Analysis RESULT AND ANALYSIS 1. Discriminant Analysis: Work-Ex & Fresher Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0.627) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; Box M test is also insignificant However based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating work ex & fresher are Attributes Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsement Variable weight of discriminating function -. 366 . 361 . 331 . 271 . 262 2. Discriminant Analysis: Gender Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0. 578) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating males & females Attributes Variable weight of discriminating function. Q4_3_attrifashion_statement Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q9_2_buy_in_store .329 -. 285 -. 269 -. 259 -. 255 3. Discriminant Analysis: Abroad Visit Inference: Wilk’s lambda (0. 573) is more than 0. 4 which is not significant; however based on analysis top 5 attributes discriminating foreign visited and not visited people Attributes Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_6_attribute_color Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q5_11_attribute_straptype Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Variable weight of discriminating function . 228 . 225 . 221 -. 207 -. 205 3) Exploratory Factor Analysis-(Male & Female) Research Question:- Is gender a deterministic factor in deciding the purchase of the luxury watch. If yes what factors are important gender wise? Hypothesis:- Women while making luxury goods purchase give more importance to emotional factors whereas Men go for Physical Utility features Factor analysis for male respndents(58 males) Results:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Fac1(Ostentation): o o o o o o o o ? ? ? ? ? ? Sth to remmeber, hand gesture, to be unique Fac2(value added feature) Calculator,digital,compass. Fac3(Generic requirements) Shape, water resistance Fac4(Economic requirements) Discounts Fac 5(Tech savvy) Compass, Motion sensor Fac 6(basic) Analog,water resistance Fac 7(Wrist suitability) Strap type Fac 8(extra feautres):Date and day display, brand image Exploratory factor analysis female Respondents (23 females):Fac1(Economical): o o o o o o Warranty, after sales, analog, emotional satisfaction Fac2(Style) Social status, to be unique, fashion statement Fac3(Special requirements) Alarm,altimeter, digital,dual clock Fac4(value added feature) Calculator,compass,barometer, torch Fac 5(Tech savvy) Hand gesture,discount Fac 6(Exclusivity) Motion sensor,alarm,brand image Result Analysis:? Men:o Attach importance to Ostentaion, value added feaures and style(veblenian effect and perfectionist effect are dominating) ? Women:o Style, Economic attributes an generic requirements ( Hedonist and snob effects dominate 4. Checking the Interpersonal and personal effects shown by males and female while purchase of luxury watch in Store Research Question:o Is it the price or the type of users of the brand that drives the buying behaviour of the consumer for luxury branded goods? o Is it the strong emotion of discriminating themselves with the lower class consumers that drives higher class consumers to turn to luxury brands? o Is it the product utility or the brand perception that is key for luxury watch brands? Hypothesis:-Luxury watch purchase is primarily to show off and as an indicator of status symbol: veneblian effect. Users also buy luxury watches due to perceived emotional value or for hedonist reasons Veneblian Effect:- Snob Effect Bandwagon Effect Hedonistic effect Type of effect Veneblian snob Bandwagon Hedonistic Coefficient 0. 517 0. 499 0. 274 0. 305. Inference:- As we can clearly observe from the above table that the veneblian effect is very prominent in all cases of interpersonal or personal effects. That means People tend to buy Luxury watches to show off of their Public and Social Status. Snob and Bandwagon effect follows Veneblian effect. 5. Regression Analysis to check whether long term demand for luxury watches is driven by brand image Research Question : Is it the brand image that drives the long term demand for that luxury brand? Hypothesis : Brand Image for lucury brands is responsible for the long term demand of these watches. Inference : Regression is insignificant with respect to the variables that drive brand image. Even the R^square value is 0. 071. Hence we can infer that brand image is not a good factor to explain the long term demand for luxury watches. 6. AMOS The default model is created based on exploratory factor analysis and taking research literature into account. Model Fit Summary Check: Cmin/DF 2-5 OK GFI > 0. 9 Not OK PGFI>0. 5 OK NFI,TLI,CFI>0. 9 Not OK RMSEA max 0. 1 Not OK Model is comparatively fit as such But Goodness of fit index is not holding well. Validity & Construct Reliability S No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Attributes Q4_1_attribute_social_status Q4_3_attribute_fashion_statement Q4_2_attribute_to_be_unique Q4_6_attribute_emotional_satisfaction Q4_9_attribute_brand_image Q5_9__attribute_calculator Q5_10_attribute_compass Q5_12_attribute_torch Q5_13_attribute_barometer Q5_3_attribute_dualclock Q5_4_attribute_altimeter Q5_2_attribute_alarm Q5_5_attribute_digital Q5_7_attribute_analog Q5_8_attribute_motionsensor Q5_16_attribute_warranty Q4_10_attribute_secon_time_brandpurchase Q4_4_attribute_premiumwatch_collection Q4_8_attribute_celebrity_endorsements. Constructs Error e1 e2 Delta 1. 028 1. 079 0. 608 0. 635 1. 282 1. 323 1. 687 1. 473 1. 793 1. 816 1. 032 2. 133 1. 407 1. 074 2. 078 0. 179 1. 402 1. 367 2. 019 Lambda 1 0. 67 0. 922 0. 884 0. 997 1 0. 912 0. 971 0. 774 1 1. 135 1. 005 1. 258 1 0. 876 0. 84 0. 403 1. 231 1 AVE CR Exclusivity e3 e4 e5 e6 e7 0. 81 0. 81 Tech_Savvy e8 e9 e14 0. 84 0. 68 Value_Added _Feature e15 e16 e17 e21 1. 22 0. 75 Reliability e22 e23 e26 0. 82 0. 69 Brand_Perce ption.

Globalization or denationalization summary Essay

Globalization or denationalization summary - Essay Example There an increasing pressure for the IMF and US government for the implementation of both monetary and fiscal policies that comprise of global markets. 1. The subnational: a site for globalization Study of globalization entails both focusing global in scale and also locally scaled processes and conditions that are articulated within the global dynamics. It is essential to focus on the multiple cross-border connections that are aided by the reoccurrence of numerous conditions across localities. For instance, the global capital markets consist of both electronic markets that are global and locally conditions like financial centers that provide the infrastructure and trust systems for the global capital markets to function (Sassen p 1).Focusing on sub-national practices and globalization requires theories and methodologies that engage in both global scale and sub-national scale. Study of globalization under sub-national processes offers some advantages, but is challenging since it entai ls the use of both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. However, its provides the basis for utilization of sub-national and national data, but the studies must occur within the conceptual architectures of the researchers of such techniques and data sets since such data and conceptual framework was not geared to study of globalization. ... issue is the circuits that constitute political and economic globalization since a focus of places leads to demonstration of globalization in terms of several cross-border circuits depending on location of the place. Global cities are sub-national places whereby multiple global activities take place thus positioning such cities as structured cross-border geographies. For instance, circuits connecting Sao Paulo to global networks are different from those of other global cities like Frankfurt and Bombay. Increased economic transactions in older hegemonic cities like New York, Mexico City as well as emerging geographies like Shanghai that has a increasing cross-border transactions usually deviates from the concept of globalisation that is based on international trade, global markets and international institutions (Sassen p 4). The second aspect is the role of technology since firms and financial institutions use new technologies attain a global span. Surprisingly, resource-deficient fir ms can use new technology to become a microenvironment with a global presence thus dispelling the notion that physical proximity is a characteristic of local or nation. In deed, a reconceptualization of local is the notion that local scales form part of a nested hierarchy of scale from local to regional and finally international must be rejected. The third issue that arises is the interaction of the global dynamics and various aspects of national states since global is partially embedded in to national. The above three issues attest the fact that nationalism is inadequate due to transboundary dynamics some specific structuring of global within national requires special denationalization of some aspects of the national (Sassen p 5). 2. The devastating of older hierarchies of scale Some

Poverty in Haiti Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poverty in Haiti - Essay Example During the last four years, there have been some positive changes like the restoration of political stability in 2006, the establishment of a better macroeconomic framework, the reduction of insecurity, and a slight economic growth (IMF, 2008:8). In spite of these positive signs, the country faces many challenges. In 2001, 4.4 million persons (56 percent of the total population of 8.1 million) were living below the extreme poverty line (US$1 per person, per day), and 7.6 persons out of 10 were poor (less than US$2 per person, per day) (IMF, 2008:8). At the same time, 40 percent of the poorest population only had access to 5.9 percent of total income, while 68 percent of this income belonged to the most affluent 20 percent of the population. (IMF, 2008:8). This means that 80 percent of the population was in control of only 32 percent of the total income. It has been calculated that 2 percent of the richest group in Haiti was in control of 26 percent of this income. (IMF, 2008:8). This is a clear picture of a high level of poverty and inequality. Besides that, Haiti fell from position 146 in 2000 to 153 in 2005 regarding the indicator of human development. There have been a gradual increase of deforestation, very low life expectancy at birth, and a deterioration in living conditions due to the annual average decline in real per capita income and average consumption. (IMF, 2008:8). Lack of education and the prevalence of ignorance and superstition keep many Haitians in a state of underdevelopment. For many Haitians survival is the most important issue that they face day by day. Both economic and human development have to be addressed with quick and effective solutions. 2.- Challenges Ahead. Challenges have to be identified accurately in order to tackle them in a proactive way. Haiti's Government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been implementing the guidelines established in the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (DSNCRP) in which four key challenges have been identified: achieving more meaningful social development in order to overcome the lag regarding the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), creating a modern, competitive economy to align Haiti with other Caribbean economies by rebalancing its competitiveness at the regional level, modernizing the State so it can really be at the service of all citizens by reshaping the public management system, and using at the fullest the country two comparative advantages (its cultural creativity and historical heritage, and the economic resources from the Diaspora). (IMF, 2008:9). Since poor Haitians struggle to survive desperately day by day, the most critical challenge of immediate survival must be consid ered as the highest priority problem to be solved in a viable, concrete way. 3.- Poverty

Why Smart Companies Do Dumb Things Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why Smart Companies Do Dumb Things - Essay Example The desire to stay ahead of Pepsi and to be able to meet the taste of what Pepsi produces made the strategy of New Coke compelling to the executives of Coca Cola. In the early 80’s coke lost its market share to its rival Pepsi by two share points which represented to about $960million sales of Coke production. Coke real marketing problem was its advertisement and not its product. With a change in the soft drink consumer market, coke was not able to match up with the thought process with its commercials ads. Coca Cola had lost generation of young people with its bland advertising style. Coke advertising had a stodgy look and feel in comparison to Pepsi. Coke did not have any relevant statement for the youth in the 80’s. It was being positioned as a beverage preferred by senior citizens in comparison to Pepsi ads which targeted the youths. As a result the company did not pay any attention in improving the advertising rather focused on the product as marketing problem. Coke advertising strategy was no longer matching with the youth culture. Coke had researched every number and projection before the launch of its New Coke and the figures were accurate but it mis-leaded the company as it allowed the company to chase the wrong problem. The problem was in advertisement strategy the executives thought it to be the product. The executive of Coke got carried away with fragile and funky numbers. It ignored the issue that impacted the quality of the numbers such as research design, problem definition, how to ask questions and the analytical skills which helped to interpret the meaning of the numbers. Numbers have always been accepted blithely and so did New Coke before its launch. New Coke marketing research lacked validity as it did not communicate to its consumer that its flagship brand would be replaced with new sweeter product and its research was one dimensional. It was based only in sip testing which took place at central locations and was

Death penalty in the US Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Death penalty in the US - Research Paper Example Across the globe, the same practice continues to be observed, dating its inception to hundreds of years ago for countries that undertake the death penalty practice. By the end of the first quarter of the year 2008, up to 37 states in the U.S had embraced the death penalty practice, with 13 states and the District of Columbia remaining without this penalty (Mauer, Ryan & Malcolm 117). This practice was also upheld by the U.S military, and crowned by the fact that the federal government authorized its practice. Amid this pursuit, the ways through which the penalty is implemented remains diverse and dynamic over time. For the states in the U.S that uphold death penalty, the mechanisms used to actualize this penalty range from lethal injections to electric chairs (Campbell 78). Arguments for and against this practice remains evident, with the primary concern being human rights for the prisoners set for the capital punishment (Marquis 95). Around the globe different countries observe this form of punishment while others do not. There are countries that previously observed death penalty, but later revised their legal systems to alleviate the practice (Anckar 152). On the same note, there are countries that initially did not have capital punishment as a form of punishment according to their laws, but went ahead to formulate and implement legal provisions that allowed death penalty (Hodgkinson & Schabas 169-185). This implies that the global population remains divided for and against death penalty. This is the reason why there are countries that execute prisoners under the death provisions, while others fail to do so. In the U.S and the globe at large, decades ago realized exacerbating executions in accordance with death penalty laws. With the rising issues and agencies that promote human rights at all aspects, many countries, U.S included have embarked on a reform trail in relation to

Financial Statement Ratio Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Financial Statement Ratio Analysis - Essay Example (basic raw material) plus an oven to bake the cookies (plant and machinery), and also a place to keep the oven (premises). Plus, not to forget, skilled labor (You've got to know how to make cookies OR hire someone who can.). Last but not the least, your have to find a way to sell the cookies - either hire a salesman with a fixed pay or hire an agent with a fixed share in profits (Selling and distribution overhead). All these factors would sum up to be the 'Cost' incurred on making the cookies. Based on this cost, you may decide your expected 'Selling Price' and thus the 'Contribution' per unit. (Activity Ratios) Also, to keep things going, you would need enough money readily available for your short term requirements (like buying more raw materials, paying rent, electricity bills, wages to employees, etc.) as well as for long term requirements (paying off debts, more money for further expansion, etc.). Also, you very well know that your creditors will supply you material on credit only if you are worthy of it. i.e. you are able to pay them in time. (Liquidity Ratios) In both the cases, money doesn't come free of cost. Business should be profitable enough. Both the parties would again, check your credibility as well as the worthiness of the business. In the first case, you would be liable to pay a fixed interest to your bank, regardless of what you make. In the second, you've got to make enough money so that you and your friend are glad that you invested in the business. Therefore, to be sure of what you are doing, at every moment you would be analyzing your 'profitability ratios', like you would constantly be calculating your earnings as against your investments (EPS) and comparing it with what ever was the next best use of your money (opportunity cost). Further, you could even decide your debt-equity ratio - how much share in the profit should be sacrificed for funds and how much should you borrow from the bank. And if you make handsome profits, how much of it should be invested back in the business (retained earnings). Or maybe you have better uses for your money and decide to take a further loan against your business from the bank so as to free your capital and maximize your returns on investment (leverages). Thus, organizing your 'Capital Structure' is a very basic and important decision. The point behind this entire example is that the smallest of small business would require analyzing their basic ratios to know how well they are doing. Without comparing various financial figures (ratios) we cannot make an informed decision. Without these, you will never know what can go wrong with your business. Before staring any business you must know in advance what you may expect from the business and what you should be expecting in return for your time, effort and investment. At any stage of the business you must know how much have you given to the business and how much the business can return back and what is the present condition as well

International Business - COACH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business - COACH - Essay Example These include indirect and direct-to-consumer. In its global operations, these segments can be regarded as channels of distribution. Through direct-to-consumer segment facilitates Coach with instant access to consumers, thus providing it with an opportunity to understand the tastes and preferences of its wide consumer bases especially in regions such as mainland China, Japan, Hong Kong, North America and Singapore among others. This segment facilitated Coach with around 89% of the entire net sales in the year 2012. With regard to any future expansion strategy in a new market segment as well, direct-to-consumer strategy can be fruitful for Coach. In terms of its indirect segment of operations, royalties obtained from licensing of products is a major component. Moreover, wholesale channel is a critical aspect which also includes sales through online websites. One of the major prospects for Coach can arrive from emerging markets as it has already started to sell its offerings through au thorized retailers and distributors in a number of new markets. Shop-in-shops option created by the company can also facilitate the growth of the company in its global business operations. The company’s e-commerce strategy is also a major beneficial aspect in its global operations. In nations such as Japan, Canada and the US, a large number of visitors prefer to use online mode to purchase the products of Coach. Coach rules the global market for its fashionable handbags as well as attractive accessories. Coach focuses on merchandising and designing through team work and through having a close collaboration its licensed business partners to ensure quality offerings. Coach uses new technologies such as social networking sites like Facebook as well as Twitter to create awareness and to enhance its customer base. Coach also ensures its compliance with its Global Business Integrity Program which can enable it to maintain its legal and ethical responsibilities thus facilitating wit h significant opportunities in its business operations globally (EDGAR Online, Inc, 2013). B. Analyzing International Competitors Majority of organizations are changing their operating functions to global scale. This is likely to create a fiercely competitive global fashion retail industry. The competition against the operating firms in the global market can be analyzed by the intensity of the competition and by determining the growing competition between the fashion brands globally. Coach has significant number of major competitors in the luxury fashion products industry. Coach competes in global market with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Hermes. The competition in the fashion industry is densely intense, for having very less market-entry barriers. One of the world’s reputed fashionable luxury manufacturing product companies is Louis Vuitton. As of the year 2008, Louis Vuitton had a brand value of about â‚ ¬16.718 billion. One of the most competitive advantages of Hermes International S.A. is that it provides its consumer hand-made products, which ensures their uniqueness as well as quality. Gucci, an Italian luxury product designer brand, is a leading name in the global market, consequently having revenue of around â‚ ¬4.2 billion as of 2008 (Dickinson State University, 2011). Thus, it can be ascertained

Walt Disney World and Its Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Walt Disney World and Its Organizations - Essay Example Since its formation, the company has produced many movies that have topped the US as well as UK charts (The Walt Disney Company, ‘Company Overview’). The paper includes the company’s mission and vision along with the company’s different subsidiaries. Mission and Vision of The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company is an America based multinational company. Originally, the mission of The Walt Disney Company was to ‘nurture the imaginations of children around the world as well as to celebrate American values’ (Reocities, ‘The Walt Disney Company-a Case Study’). The mission itself states the company’s operations. Most of the company’s operations are children oriented. As it has been stated in their mission, the children are the main center of the organizational operations and even the various subsidiary activities organized by the company are entertainment as well as children oriented (The Walt Disney Company, ‘Company Overview’). However, the mission of the company has changed stating to be â€Å"one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using our portfolio of brands to differentiate our content, services and consumer products, we seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world† (Duran & Et. Al., â€Å"The Walt Disney†).... The Walt Disney Studios The Walt Disney Studios can be considered as the foundation of Disney. This legendary company started its journey from this milestone. The Walt Disney Studios is renowned for its ‘animated features and live motion pictures’ (The Walt Disney Company, ‘Company Overview’). The characters it created include Mickey Mouse and friends, which are the animation legends. The company is considered to be the world’s very first full length animation creator with its created character Mickey Mouse and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (The Walt Disney Company, ‘Company Overview’). Distribution of motion pictures is done by The Walt Disney Studios under its allied organization, Walt Disney Pictures. Walt Disney Pictures includes its other allied companies such as DisneyToon Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. The company had acquired the company, Pixar, in May of the year 2006. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International is another segment of the company which operates in international distribution of the motion pictures. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment is the segment of the company which deals in distribution of the motion pictures of Disney as well as other movies through the means of rental and sells by home entertainment markets such as DVDs (The Walt Disney Company, ‘Company Overview’). The presence of The Walt Disney Company also can be marked in the theaters. The company owns Disney Theatrical Productions House which is also considered to be among the leading producers of the famous Broadway musicals. This also consists of

With reference to relevant academic and trade sources, explain the Essay

With reference to relevant academic and trade sources, explain the provision of your topic within your chosen destination and suggest how it may develop in the future - Essay Example ilm induced tourism is not new, it is just that it wasnt predicted in the beginning, the movie business was supposed to be about arts and not financial gains for the tourism industry. However it has changed the overall film production business. There is sufficient evidence present that shows by portraying a place in an attractive fashion tourists and visitors would flock to that place. They might have heard about the place before, but seeing it in a movie and especially in the context of the plot, it leaves a unique impact on the audience. This is a form of subliminal advertisement. Since 1935, movies have changed how they impact the audiences. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) was the first movie that attracted huge number of visitors to the location of the shooting (Roesch, 2009, p. 8), and Tahini turned into a major tourist location only because the film was shot there. By the filming of great masterpieces such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Bridge on the River Kwai (1958) and The Sound of Music (1965), their respective locations have turned them into Makkah for tourists. The great upsurge in tourist influx because of Hollywood movies did not come until the release of the blockbuster Jaws (1975). This movie proved that movies can be a marketable commodity, an attraction to lure tourists in to visit the locations shown in the movie. The era of the 70s is also marked by the expansion seen in the Hollywood world by the emergence of production companies like the Walt Disney, Time Warner, and Bertelsmann. These production giants were not only confined to making movies, they started investing in theme parks and other tourist attractions. They realized how the success of the movie can contribute to business of tourism. Suddenly the movies were not only about film production, many factors started going into the production and the eventual outcome of the movie. For instance a movie might not do very good on the box office (the movie Godzilla is an excellent example of this)

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Teenage Pregnancy Essay Throughout life teenagers go through very tough decisions that could mold their future for the rest of their lives. At such a young age, adolescents believe that they’re old enough to make their own decisions on crucial matters. One of those choices is deciding that it’s time to have a child. Teenage pregnancy is a very difficult transition that no adolescent should put upon themselves at such a young age. Once you go through with it there’s no going back; your childhood is over, it’s time to become an adult. There are too many negative outcomes for teenage mothers that pregnancy as an adolescent should be illegal. The fear of poverty sets in along with the social challenges that accompany becoming a teen mom. Safe sex and being aware of possibly going through with an abortion should always be the option. Most, if not all teenagers aren’t aware of the struggles that come with becoming a parent at that age. Providing for one’s self growing up is tough enough, but to take on the role of mending for another life that young is just mind boggling. The first people that come to thought that influence a decision like this have to be those adolescents’ parents. Older parents have to make a better effort in talking to their children about sex and the consequences that are associated with it. According to the New York Times article â€Å"Income Inequalities and Teenage Pregnancy†, Teenagers are most likely to seek sexual information from their friends (61 percent). Although they are least likely to seek information from their parents (32 percent), a significant number of teenagers (43 percent) express a strong desire to have more information on how to talk to their parents about sex and relationships. Adults of course aren’t the only ones to blame. The world we live in today is full of different types of media that can mislead a teen into making wrong decisions. For example, the television show â€Å"Teen Mom† on MTV is a very good portrayal of the life of an average teen mom. The show depicts the various difficulties associated with having a child as an adolescent. The message it tries to get across can be taken one way by some and could be taken the complete opposite by others. Some teens may think that the struggles that come with the individuals on the show could never happen to them. This is where they’re seriously wrong. Raising a child isn’t just about caring for him and tending to all of its needs; finances play a huge role in making sure you and your child don’t live through poverty. You can bet that if you’re pregnant before you leave high school, getting a degree and education will be drastically affected. In fact, â€Å"The Unplanned Pregnancy for Teens and College Students† states that parenthood is the leading reason that teen girls drop out of school. More than half of teen mothers never graduate from high school. Not only that but less than 2 percent of teen moms earn a college degree by age 30. Now keeping this in mind, it’s very difficult to find a decent paying job without a degree these days. To top that off, 8 out of 10 teen dads don’t marry the mother of the child. So now we’re talking possibly becoming the sole provider for your child. Would you want you and your kid to growing up into poverty and living at ends meet? This isn’t always the case but it looks like the ideal situation to abide by would be staying in school, getting a degree and not putting yourself into a situation that you could regret for the rest of your life. There are many different ways you can avoid putting yourself at risk to become so sexually active that the chance of becoming pregnant doesn’t happen. Re-evaluate the people that you surround yourself with. The article from the New York Times concludes that â€Å"Adolescents (ages 13 to 18) report that they are most likely to get information about sexual health issues from their peers. † Peer pressure is something every teenager will go through at one course in their lives. It’s their responsibility to recognize when it’s good and bad pressure. Why associate yourself with friends that are all about sex, drugs, and money? Knowing which group of peers to avoid hanging out with will increase your decision making and make you a better decision taker. Another way you can stray away from being a parent so young is practicing different methods of contraception. Sexual intercourse will eventually happen for every teen. Putting yourself at risk for not wrapping it up or being on birth control is idiotic. As you can see, your teenage years are supposed to be the time of your life. There shouldn’t be any stress or any major concerns with how your future is falling into place. Becoming a teenage parent is a foolish decision and isn’t worth throwing the good times away. Raising a child is a huge responsibility and in my opinion, is more of an immature move than a mature one if you’re that young. Raising a family is supposed to be a rewarding experience, not one that you should have any regrets on.

Benefits of Essential Oils

Benefits of Essential Oils Whenever possible, I prefer to deal with the various ailments and injuries I encounter by using essential oils rather than synthetic treatments or remedies. Essential oils are not only very effective at treating sickness and injury, but also provide the peace of mind that can only come with using an all-natural remedy. Natural substances like essential oils are easily metabolized by the body. In fact, your body knows exactly how to deal with them and thrives on them. Unlike synthetic drugs, after an essential oil performs its natural healing function, it travels on to the liver and kidney and moves easily and gently out of the body, without attaching itself to various tissues. Which essential oils have the maximum healing effect? Obviously, the essential oil that you choose will depend on the condition you seek to treat. As you experiment with various oils and application methodologies, pay attention to which of these satisfy your unique, personal needs and tastes. Here are some of the essential oils that are known to have maximum healing effects. Lavender Lavender is the one of the most known essential oils. It is used to cut down the healing time for cuts, bites and stings. The nice thing about lavender is that is does not require a carrier, it can be applied straight to the affected area. Peppermint Not only will peppermint cool you off during a fever, but it will also fight nausea and tummy trouble, whether it is morning or motion sickness. You can also pair peppermint and lavender oil up and apply it to your temples; doing so will lessen the intensity of headaches and migraines. Another use for peppermint oil is to help combat insect invasions. Doing this is simple; just add a few drops of peppermint oil to hot water and wipe any surfaces with a peppermint-infused clothe. Peppermint oil is also used to treat indigestion, respiratory problems, bowel spasms and pain, asthma, intestinal gas and more. Eucalyptus Another popular essential oil is eucalyptus. It is the most powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antispasmodic. To use it for this effect, all you have to do is add a few drops to a basin of steaming water to inhale, or add a few drops to a vaporizer. This can help disinfect and clear both your nasal passages and lungs. You can also add a few drops to a cloth, or a bandana, and inhale the oil throughout the day; doing this during cold season will also help prevent a cold. Tea tree Just like eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil is also a powerful antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic. Using tea tree oil is very simple, all you have to do is add a few drops with a carrier oil and apply it directly to the affected area. This can help treat scrapes, cuts, infections, insect bites, warts and even flaky scalp or dry skin. Also, if you have acne, you can mix tea tree oil with coconut oil or aloe vera gel as an effective acne treatment. This great oil also helps loosen chest congestion. To do so, just add a few drops to a vaporizer. Another cold-like symptom that can be treated with tea tree oil is a sore throat, just put a few drops of the oil on your tongue every hour or so and the symptoms should disappear. You can also add a few drops to warm water and gargle with it. Another great use for this oil is removal of plantar warts. To get rid of these warts, put the oil right on the wart and massage it in and when it is dry, put socks on. The best way to do this is before bed- apply it, let it dry, and put socks on for fifteen to twenty minutes, but do not wear the socks to bed. Roman chamomile This essential oil is not only good for it’s scent, but it is also a very powerful anti-inflammatory. If you are experiencing red, sensitive or inflamed, acne-prone skin, this oil can help you out. It is a lot kinder than tea tree oil, so it is ideal for those with sensitive, delicate skin. Also, a few drops of roman chamomile can be added to an antibacterial carrier oil, such as coconut oil, to help treat and soothe diaper rash and eczema. Lemon Lemon essential oil is a powerful bactericide and treats minor cuts and wounds. It is also known to brighten dull skin, help immunity and is even used in antibacterial cleansers. Lemon oil is also known for its ability to clear toxins from the body. Frankincense Next up is the â€Å"king† of all oils, frankincense. You can also combine this oil with other oils to get better results and a more effective healing. Frankincense has even been known for its ability to kill cancer cells. More simply, it is used for skin inflammation, rashes, and brings about focus and clarity. Sesame Another essential oil is sesame oil. This oil is best known for its moisturizing qualities. Sesame oil contains fatty acids, which are believed to reduce stress and blood pressure. This essential oil has even shown to assist in slowing the growth of cancer in cells as long as your diet is rich in vegetables. Rose This oil can work to improve the hormonal balance and can treat problems like PMS and menopause. This oil is also known for counteracting bedroom problems and improving the health in your skin. Geranium Geranium essential oil is known for it’s astringent properties. Apart from refreshing the skin, this oil features styptic effects, which calm inflammation and stop hemorrhaging. This oil can also be used for treating acne, managing oily skin, boosting blood circulation, and reducing bloating. Other than this, this oil is helpful in reducing scars, blemishes, wrinkles and fine lines. Pine Pine oil has antiseptic, antibacterial, and analgesic properties. Pine oil is also known to treat skin problems, such as psoriasis, eczema and pimples. You can also use pine essential oil to speed up your metabolism, aid in food poisoning, ease joint pain and arthritis, kill germs, as well as battle respiratory problems that come with cold season. Clove Clove oil also has powerful healing properties, making it useful for use as an antiseptic. This oil needs a carrier oil for its functioning, so just dilute a few drops of this essential oil in your choice of carrier and you can treat bug bites, cuts, and scrapes. Apart from this, this oil can help clear earaches, digestion problems, nasal congestion, stomachaches, and headaches. As an additional bonus, it’s an aphrodisiac. This means that it has stress-relieving properties. Rosemary Another great essential oil is rosemary oil. According to scientific studies, rosemary essential oil has been shown to help in keeping the brain optimally functional. The act of simply smelling rosemary essential oil helps in memory recall. Essential oils and their usefulness in several common health conditions Below mentioned are some of the common ailments and the essential oils you can use for relief: Hangover Pine, Grapefruit, Juniper and Cypress Rosemary essential oils Heartburn Chamomile (German), Marjoram, Peppermint essential oils Indigestion Ginger, Coriander, Cardamom and Lemon Peppermint essential oils Insect repellent Citronella, Lavender, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus and Peppermint Sandalwood essential oils Anti-Coagulant Geranium essential oil Anti-Venomous Basil, Thyme essential oils Aphrodisiac Aniseed, Angelica, Black Pepper, Basil, Clary Sage, Cinnamon, Clove, Jasmine, Pimento, Ginger, Nutmeg, Rosewood, Thyme, Sandalwood, Ylang-Ylang and Vetivert essential oils. Expectorant Coriander, Flatulence, Thyme, Sandalwood, Peppermint, Pine, Parsley, Myrrh, Hyssop, Garlic, Cedarwood, Cajuput, Bergamot, Basil and Angelica essential oils. Hypertension Camphor, Rosemary, Hyssop and Thyme essential oils Hay Fever Lavender, Eucalyptus, Chamomile and Melissa essential oils Rheumatism Cedarwood, Black Pepper, Chamomile, Coriander, Cloves, Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Ginger, Lemon, Rosemary and Pine essential oils Tonsillitis Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils Toothache Chamomile (Roman), Clove and Peppermint essential oils Influenza Ravensara, Melissa, Thyme, Oregano, Frankincense, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Tea Tree, Lavender, Sage, Lemon, and Rosemary essential oils How to use essential oils for best possible healing Here are some of the best ways you can use essential oils for maximum healing effect: Use in a diffuser Place about 10 drops of essential oil in a diffuser. Follow the guidelines of the manufacturer and inhale accordingly. Essential oils must not be directly burned. Inhale the steam Add 2 to 5 drops of essential oil into a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel over your head covering the bowl water and breathe deeply. It is essential to keep the eyes closed during this process. This technique is not really suggested for children younger than 7 years of age. Children more than 7 years of age can use swimming goggles to guard their eyes. Dry Evaporation Place 5 drops of essential oil over a cotton ball or tissue allowing the oil to evaporate into the air. To get a more intense dose, sniff the cotton ball. Otherwise, just keep the cotton ball at a distance of few feet from your face. Use in a spray Add five to ten drops of essential oil to water in a tiny spray bottle, shake, and then spray into the air and inhale. Massage While using essential oils topically, it is important to note that essential oils should not be applied to the skin in undiluted forms. When diluted, the concentration should not be higher than 3 to 5 percent. To put it differently, if you use 3 drops of essential oil, you must dilute it with one teaspoon of carrier oil. To be on the safer side, start with a 1% solution, or 1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil. The exceptions: lavender, sandalwood, ylang ylang and myrrh and tea tree oils usually do not require dilution. Add essential oil to your favorite carrier oil with 3% concentration (at most 3 drops per teaspoon of carrier oil) and apply to your skin gently. You can massage your entire body or only the area affected. Spot Application Mix 1 to 3 drops of essential oil in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil or natural aloe vera and apply to the spot that needs attention. Compress Fill a basin with water. Add 3 to 5 drops of essential oil in the water and stir briskly. Soak a washcloth in water, wring, and apply to the affected area. Do this at least three more times. Leave the last compress in place for five minutes. Bath Add 20 to 40 drops of essential oil to bath water. Also, add a few tablespoons of milk or cream to serve as a dispersant. For the reason that bath allows the oil to be easily absorbed in the skin, this is among one of my personal favorite methods. Gargle Add one drop of essential oil per ounce of water. Mix, then gargle and swish out the solution. Do not swallow. Few essential oil blends to get you started When working with blends and carrier oils, never use more than a total of 10% of essential oils in your blend. This is the essential oils to carrier oil ratio used in most commercial consumer blends. Now let’s take a look at some of my favorite blends! Muscle and Joint Blend Topical 4 drops Thyme 4 drops Black Pepper 4 drops Peppermint 4 drops Rosemary 10 drops Basil Relaxation Blend – Topical or Inhalation 4 drops Marjoram 4 drops Chamomile (German) 4 drops Clary Sage 12 drops Lavender Circulation Blend – Topical or Inhalation 4 drops Juniper berry 4 drops Frankincense 4 drops Ginger 4 drops Cypress 4 drops Black Pepper 4 drops Geranium Vein and Artery Blend – Topical or Inhalation 4 drops Myrrh 4 drops Lemon 4 drops Sandalwood 4 drops Neroli 4 drops Geranium 4 drops Cypress Sunburn Blend Topical 4 drops Chamomile 4 drops Tea Tree 4 drops Peppermint 12 drops Lavender Minor Cuts and Scrapes Blend Topical 10 drops Tea Tree 10 drops Lavender Menstrual Cramps Blend Internal 7 drops Lavender 7 drops Rosemary 7 drops Melissa Congestion Blend Inhalation 4 drops Peppermint 4 drops Ravensara 15 drops Eucaplyptus Antibacterial Blend Topical 4 drops Rosemary 4 drops Cinnamon 4 drops Basil 12 drops Tea Tree Antimicrobial Blend Topical 4 drops Cinnamon 4 drops Thyme 4 drops Lemongrass 12 drops Rosemary Antiseptic Blend Topical 10 drops Rosemary 10 drops Lavender Antiviral Blend Topical 4 drops Clove 4 drops Thyme 12 drops Peppermint 12 drops Sandalwood Headache Blend – Inhalation or Internal 7 drops Marjoram 7 drops Basil 7 drops Peppermint Immunity Blend Internal 14 drops Lemon 7 drops Thyme Arthritis Blend – Topical or Inhalation 7 drops Juniper 7 drops Eucalyptus 7 drops Basil 7 drops Cypress 14 drops Chamomile Burns Blend Topical 4 drops Tea Tree 4 drops Lavender 4 drops Geranium 12 drops Chamomile Colds and Flu Blend – Internal or Inhalation 4 drops Tea Tree 4 drops Rosemary 4 drops Peppermint 4 drops Lavender 12 drops Cinnamon Essential oils for specific diseases Essential oils that can help in the treatment of cancer Grapefruit essential oil Grapefruit oil is packed with Ascorbic Acid, which is ideal for detoxifying our bodies, and is therefore valuable for the improving the defense mechanisms of the body. You can use this oil internally. Thyme essential oil Thyme oil is really a powerful defense mechanism booster and may help fight problems like cancer. As a urinary antiseptic, it is also good for cystitis and urethritis. You can use this oil internally. Some essential oils that stimulate white blood cell production: Pine, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile, Bergamot and myrrh tea tree, and thyme essential oils can help stimulate the white blood cell production in body. Essential oils for broken bones Topically apply Cypress, Helichrysum (most significant for broken bones), and White Fir over the injured area two to three times per day. If you have ligament or tendon damage, add Lemongrass. When there is muscle damage, add Marjoram. Essential oils for broken tendons Wintergreen essential oil While Wintergreen is not a very popular oil, it is incredibly good at treating broken tendons and pain cramps. You can use this oil topically or inhale for maximum benefit. Vetiver essential oil This oil is well known for its healing effects on muscles and tendons. Use this oil topically, internally, or by inhalation. Essential oils for cold sores Roman chamomile essential oil This oil can be a powerful anti-inflammatory, so it will be the best option for cold sores. This oil is also a good bactericide that can kill the bacteria responsible for causing cold sores. Frankincense essential oil Used heavily in biblical times, this oil operates at deeper levels of the skin to deliver maximum healing. Frankincense has proven to help combat skin inflammation, rashes and cold sores. You can use this oil topically. Cypress essential oil Cypress oil is anti-antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, so that it is a powerful tool to address cold sores. Use this oil topically. Helichrysum essential oil This oil is highly anti-inflammatory and calming. This oil is regenerative and its pain reducing properties and analgesic effects make it a powerful solution for cold sores. You can use this oil topically. Essential oils for lung healing Ravintsara, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Birch and Lemon are known to give strength to the lungs. Any blend carrying these oils can fight respiratory infections and alleviate symptoms of diseases related to the lungs. Essential oils for acne and scars Lavender essential oil Lavender oil has antibacterial and antiviral properties, which could reduce the healing time for acne and other skin conditions. It doesn’t need a carrier oil. You can apply it directly on the impacted area. Obviously, topical use can get you the best results in this case. Tea tree oil Tea tree oil is powerful antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial oil. Only a few drops blended with carrier oil is all you need to disinfect the acne on your body. Manuka essential oil This oil is perfect for treating skin conditions like acne due to its antifungal qualities. It promotes faster healing of the skin. Conclusion I hope that you find whatever relief you seek in your healing journey with the incredible power of essential oils. Remember that essential oils are like water. You don’t drink just once and then never again. Instead, healing with essential oils is an ongoing process to nourish and replenish your body and soul with these astonishing elixirs. Best of luck and happy healing!

Imagery in Jane Eyre

Imagery in Jane Eyre Much of the imagery of Jane Eyre is obvious-the chestnut tree, the grim landscapes, the red room that is like Hell. But two images are so pervasive that they serve as a substructure for the entire novel: fire and water-and their extremes, the flames of lust and the ice of indifference. The fire is in Janes spirit and in Rochesters eyes. Jane desires life, fire, feeling (p. 105); Rochester has strange fire in his look (p. 145). If these two are fire, St. John Rivers (note the last name) contains the icy waters that would put out fire, destroy passion. His nature is frozen over with an ice of reserve (p. 334); when he tells Jane, I am cold: no fervour infects me, her reply is, Whereas I am hot, and fire dissolves ice (p. 364). From the start of the novel, Charlotte Brontas fire and water imagery indicates the essential idea. The fiery passion of Jane, and, later, Rochester, must be quenched by the cold waters of self-control-but not destroyed by the ice of repression. If their bodies b urn, their minds must dampen the fires. Jane warns herself that secret love might kindle within her life an ignis fatuus (p. 153). Yet it is Rochester who is all-fire: when, disguised as a gypsy, he has his interview with Jane, she feels his powerful attraction and says, Dont keep me long; the fire scorches me. Rochester, for his part, realizes Janes double quality; she has the fire of bodily love, The flame flickers in the eye, but also the cool control of the soul, the eye shines like dew (p. 190). Earlier, Rochester insists that Jane is cold because she is alone: no contact strikes the fire from you that is within you (p. 187). When Bertha, Rochesters old passionate flame, sets his bed on fire, Jane saves him by dousing the bed with water. Miss BrontEs imagery is precise and explains the relationship between the central characters. Bertha represents the flames of hellfire that have already scorched Rochester. Jane, fiery though she is, has sufficient control to water down these f ires. Jane brought my own water jug, baptized the couch afresh, and, by Gods aid, succeeded in extinguishing the flames which were devouring it (p. 142). She will save them both from hellfire by refusing the passionate advances of Rochester. After she learns of his previous marriage, she finally gains release from her burning agony and imagines herself laid down in the dried-up bed of a great river, and I heard a flood loosened in remote mountains, and felt the torrent come .. . . (p. 281). Religiontrue religion, not the frigid religion that will characterize Rivers-is described in terms of water: the waters came into my soul . . . I came into deep waters; the floods overflowed me (p. 282). And this water in Janes spirit enables her to withstand what Rochester calls the pure, powerful flame (p. 299) that fuses them. Despite the hand of fiery iron [that] grasped my vitals (p. 299), despite her veins running fire, despite Rochesters flaming glance which is likened to the glow of a fur nace (p. 301), Jane flees to the wet turf and sheds stormy, scalding, heart-wrung tears (p. 305). This content downloaded on Tue, 5 Mar 2013 10:00:58 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions ROUND TABLE 217 Although Jane is soaked with rain in her wanderings, her emotional fires still burn, ready to be re-awakened when the dangers of Rochesters appeals have passed. Rochester alone must be purged by the fires he long ago lit between himself and Bertha. This time there is no Jane to keep him from the searing, mutilating flames that destroy Bertha and Thornfield, and, ironically, put out the fiery gleam in his eyes. But Jane, meanwhile, is guarding her own flame from the freezing heartlessness of St. John Rivers. His ice kisses cannot reach her. She cannot forever keep the fires of my nature continually low, to compel it to burn inwardly and never utter a cry, though the imprisoned flame consumed vital after vital (p. 417). She escapes from Rivers chilling grasp and returns to the scorched ruin of Rochester where she can kindle the lustre of his lamp which has been quenched (p. 417). Soon she re-awakens the glow of their love, and their two natures join in a steady flame that burns neither as wildly as the lightning that destroyed the chestnut, nor as dimly as the setting sun of St. John Rivers religious dream. The fire-water image underscores the basic idea of Jane Eyre: just as love must find a middle way between the flames of passion and the waters of pure reason, so Jane must find a golden mean between egocentric rage and Christlike submission, between Aunt Reed and Helen Burns, between the wild, Byronic Rochester and the tempered, controlled Rivers. Jane Eyre achieves this successful median in her own character and in her future life with the chastened Rochester. Image and idea join in a novel that not only shows the wildly passionate appeal of romantic art but also operates under the concept of formal control. This novel revolves round Bakha who is a sweeper boy. The author has chosen a conspicuous day from his life and through the presentation of the situation occurring on that particular day, he has drawn our attention towards the plight of low caste people. First situation is the pollution through touch of a caste Hindu. It creates a catastrophe. As Bakha walks along the road eating Jalebi and recalling the arrangement he has made for learning English, his gaze is drawn to a woman sitting in a window. He is so deeply lost in his thoughts that he has accidently touched someone passing by. Suddenly he hears, keep to the side of the road, o he low-caste verminà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ why dont you call, you swine and announce your approach: Do you know you have touched me and defiled me, you cock- eyed son of a bow- legged scorpion: now I will have to go and take a bath to purify myself. Bakha is apparently seized with fear, humility and servility. Of course he was aware of his status in life but it was a sudden shock. At this moment Bakha realizes for the first time that the society which condemns and humiliates him forms a moral barrier which he alone is unable to break down. This awareness of his own status is like a ray of light shooting through darkness. (P:59) in this regard, Alastair Niven in his book The yoke of Pity: A study in the fictional writing of Mulk Raj Anand comments that this revelation is, as instantaneous as light and as profound as darkness. He is doomed to be an untouchable in the eyes of humanity forever, and his dreams of attaining some sort of individual dignity are pretentions and naÃÆ' ¯ve.The second major situation in the novel is when Bakhas sister Sohini is molested by the priest. The irony in this situation, Anand makes us realizes, is that hue and cry is raised against the molested and not the molester. Thus we see that the holy men who appear in Anands fiction are corrupt to the core and in their eyes; the lowest of low are quite touchable for the purpose of satisfying their lust.For example, the ascetic in Coolie- he appears as Pandit Surajbhan in The Road seduces a childless woman under the pretext of turning her fertile. Here in Untouchable also, though the holy priest makes unsuccessful attempts to seduce Bakhas sister, the author has exposed the contradiction in the thinking of the so called high- caste people, while a mere touch of the clothes of an untouchable is thought to pollute a higher caste, sexual union is non- objectionable. Sohini raises an alarm to save herself from being molested by the priest Kali Nath but the priest is very clever and extricates himself from the difficult situation by shouting, Polluted, Polluted. The writer here draws our attention towards the unjust and condemnable behaviour of the so called high caste people who can easily go scotfree by turning the blame on to the suffering, sexually exploited girl. There seems to be a possibility of protest and revenge. But Anand underlines the fact that revolt in such cases is impotent and ineffective. Bakha knows the truth of the whole thing that he finds himself incapable of taking revenge. He returns home crestfallen and shout against the indignities, brutalities heaped by high caste people upon them.The heros immediate impulse is to avenge the insult but he fails to act. It is here typical treatment of the underdog as given by Anand is projected. The burden of the past, the attitude of the ruling class, and their longing for pity and sympathy crush the will to act. The oppressed underdog in the hero continues and devours him like a monster. He is a total picture of a dog crouching at the door of a banquet hall. When Gandhi calls upon the untouchables to purify their lives, cultivate the habits of cleanliness, and rid themselves of the evil habits like drinking liquor and eating carrion Bakha feels confused and cannot agree with him. But soon he feels lifted up when Gandhi calls upon them not to accept from caste Hindus leavings from their plates, and receive from them only good grain if it is courteously offered. The Mahatma implies that the untouchables should not compromise their self-respect; he also points to the caste people to be more charitable and kind to the untouchable. At the close of his speech he censures the caste Hindus for their ignorance of their religion and urges them to declare open all public wells, temples, roads, schools, sanatoriums to the untouchables, and carry on propaganda against untouchability. To drive home his point to the gathering, apparently to show how serious a matter is untouchability, he lectures on this social evil and the urgent need to root it out.

Mountains of the Moon: A Re-inscription of the Colonial Master Narrative :: Movie Film Essays

Mountains of the Moon: A Re-inscription of the Colonial Master Narrative      If Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke were alive in 1989 to see the release of Bob Rafelson’s Mountains of the Moon, what would their response to the film be?   Would they agree with the way Rafelson’s film depicts their remarkable journey into Africa to find the source of the Nile River?   Would they agree with the way the film dramatizes their relationship with each other?   The answers to these questions would help a great deal in determining whether Rafelson’s film about Burton and Speke’s expedition was accurate, or whether his film was an attempt to sensationalize their story to increase its reception.   Unfortunately, Burton and Speke are not around to answer these questions, which makes an analysis of these issues difficult.   Therefore, rather than analyzing this film from a historical perspective, this critique is concerned with what story Rafelson’s film tells.   How does Rafelson’s movie shape audience’s opinions about Burton and Speke as characters?   Does his story, through visual rhetoric, retell or reinterpret Burton and Speke’s story?   What role does Africa play in Rafelson’s film?   The answers to these questions should help determine whether Rafelson’s film is a re-inscription of the colonial master narrative, or whether it is a post-colonial critique of European colonization.    Mountains of the Moon sets out to recreate the adventures of Richard Burton (Patrick Bergin) and John Hanning Speke (Iain Glen).   The plot of the film focuses on Burton and Speke’s relationship, and their journey to discover the source of the Nile River.   One interesting characteristic that separates Rafelson’s Mountains of the Moon from previous attempts to describe Burton and Speke’s expedition is that Rafelson’s film introduces a human element into Burton and Speke’s relationship; an element that remains the focal point throughout the entire movie (Campbell, www.theparamount.org). As a result, Rafelson shifts the focus of the movie away from the business aspect of the story, and compels audiences to focus more on the friendship that develops between Burton and Speke.   Sidney Pollack’s Out of Africa shifts in the same way.   In Pollack’s 1985 film, audiences find themselves more concerned with the film’s love s tory, than with the Baroness’s coffee plantation in Africa.   This shift occurs not by accident, but rather as a deliberate attempt by Pollack to tell a particular story.   Therefore, Rafelson’s film deliberately shifts to allow him to tell his story: a story about â€Å"Two strangers made friends by a savage land.

Willing and Knowing :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Willing and Knowing ABSTRACT: This paper discusses W. K. Clifford's classic paper, "The Ethics of Belief," and the significance of his use of the locution "knowingly and willingly" in the context of morally irresponsible ignorance. It is argued that this locution can point to a very subtle and important distinction in the premisses of ethically responsible belief formation. An analysis of willful ignorance is then given. It is argued that, strictly speaking, there is no such thing as willful ignorance: what is called willful ignorance in ordinary language is just the phenomena of getting oneself knowingly to believe something by willingly and knowingly altering the evidence for one's belief, rather than the genuine phenomenon of getting oneself willingly to believe something against the evidence. The former phenomenon is not, however, morally approvable. Therefore, willfulness of belief is not a necessary condition of morally irresponsible ignorance. 1. There is a very famous passage in W. K. Clifford's classic paper "The Ethics of Belief" in which Clifford describes a shipowner who deceives himself to believe that his ship is seaworthy by 'knowingly and willingly' ignoring the evidence to the contrary, ie. by 'knowingly and willingly' changing the evidential situation that determines the content of his belief. According to Clifford, the shipowner's mental behaviour is unethical. He has no right to believe that the ship is seaworthy on such evidence as is before him. He is knowingly and willingly ignorant of the real condition of the ship and, as a consequence, carries moral responsibility for the consequences of his evil state of mind, consequences highlighted by the deaths of passengers and crew when the ship goes down. The question of why Clifford uses the words 'knowingly and willingly' when he describes the way in which the shipowner makes himself ignorant of the real condition of the ship is significant not only to Clifford's own theory but to the ethics of belief in general. One commentator (see Haack, forthcoming) has recently argued that Clifford really means 'willful ignorance' and just lacks in subtlety when he says 'knowingly and willingly'. The motive behind this interpretation is the view that only a person who is willfully ignorant of the evidence against her belief can carry moral responsibility for the consequences of the belief. In particular, involuntary ignorance, according to this view, has no such effect. I question this interpretation. In particular, I question the idea that the description of the shipowner's ignorance as 'knowingly and willingly' undertaken is somehow less subtle than its description as 'willfully' undertaken.

Female Authors and the Novel Essay

The contribution of female authors towards the development of the novel is significant. Indeed it can be argued that feminine sensibility plays a key role here. G K Chesterton describes the novel as a feminine art form, and he explains that it is the female eye for homely detail, as well as the talent to depict the intricacies of relationships, that make it so (39). These qualities are important because they serve to counteract the male tendency towards philosophy and idealism. Such tendencies must be overcome because the novel is aiming for an individualistic and democratic voice which is beyond all factionalism. The search for an individual voice had been the aim of literature since the Protestant Reformation. It was the aim too of the Enlightenment; but the practical effect was only to introduce the rigid formality of classicism. So the constraints of the Church had been replaced by just another form of constraint. Such constraints were overcome in the end by the female prose writers, and gradually over a long period. In this respect we will examine the two writers Aphra Behn and Mary Shelley, separated by a century and a half. The former presages the advent of the novel, while the latter perfects the form and paves the way for the great Victorian age of the novel. Classicism was the key barrier to the development of the novel. All efforts towards informality were frowned upon by the stalwarts of Augustan literature, led by Dryden and Pope, so the novel was perforce directed underground. Here it flowered in the hands of the women writers, who were mostly ignored because they concentrated on sentimental romance, and appealing to woman readers alone. Daniel Defoe is now regarded as the first proper novelist, but it is plain to see that he has adopted a form established by the female writers, who produced mostly trifling and salacious romances. Such a description may be applied to Aphra Behn’s Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, but it is also notable for being the first epistolary novel. Her reputation, however, rests on Oroonoko, a love story involving an African prince captured by slave traders. Though not yet a proper novel, it contains many innovations that point in that direction. Behn assumes a conversational tone with the readers in places, inspiring familiarity. It also contains an omniscient voice of narration, which was to become the most distinctive characteristic of the novel proper. However, she feels obliged to explain her omniscience, and so the narrator is tangentially involved in the story itself. She knows all the incidents in Africa because she has lived the slave plantation and has conversed with the African prince. By the time Mary Shelley writes Frankenstein, the novel form has almost come into its own element, and its history boasts such great novelists as Defoe, Fielding, Richardson, Sterne, Smollet and Austen. Nevertheless, Shelley’s original contribution in not insignificant. The voice of the novel reflects ‘individual expression’, and this has been largely perfected by this point. Shelley goes on to tackle the theme of individualism itself. It is the story of a mad scientist who cuts himself off from the world in order to create a being from assembles and inanimate organs. We discover similarities between the project of the mad scientist and the project of the novelist giving life to his fictional creations. The novelist functions as an individual, and his is probably the loneliest occupation of all. At the same time it is his task to create individuals, purely from the imagination. Shelley’s theme is at heart the mutual dependency of creator and creature. Though she is outwardly concerned with the misuse of science, and of the terrible consequences of mechanization, the underlying theme remains that of individualism. In this sense we may interpret her novel as an exploration of the limits of the novel. In conclusion, female writers can be said to be largely responsible for the development of the novel from the Restoration onwards. The evolution of the novel has avoided the limelight, yet the novel has been the primary vehicle for the advance of individualism. Only with the Industrial revolution and the rise of democracy does the novel burst forth as the principal mode of literature. Aphra Behn and Mary Shelley were key proponents in novel’s development. Works Cited Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko. Ed. Janet M. Todd. New York: Penguin Classics, 2003. Chesterton, Gilbert Keith. The Victorian Age in Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1966. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Collector’s Library, 2004.

Drexel University Dining

James Kirwan and Joey Mannarino John Borczon position 102 2/28/13 Drexel dine Not Meeting Basic take As any college school-age child knows, the tincture of a schools eat h only is extremely important. To be self- do as disciples, it is an absolute moldiness that a student is strong and exhaustively for you(p). One of the keys to existence strong and tumefynessy is a healthy and balanced diet, filled with a miscellany of viandss. At Drexel, we argon being deprive of this necessity. While we do drive home a eat sign of the zodiac that is open for most of our day, actually eating at that place is an issue. For all freshmen at Drexel, a eat object is required.There ar three different tralatitious meal plans, ranging from a hefty $1,830 to $1,915. all(prenominal) three traditional plans revolve virtually the Handshumacher eat revolve or so. The custom meal plans excessively provide various(a) options, that in the end, focus around the Handshumacher Dining Center as well. The meal plans are rottenly expensive however, considering the tuition most students are paying(a), this is non the issue. The issue is the quality of aliment in the eat manor abidance. It is one point for students non to enjoy the proveder that they eat, nevertheless even much of a occupy when the feed they are eating is serious to be eaten.Just in the last a few(prenominal) weeks, at least 10 large number form been bed ridden for days callable to, what they believe, to be forage tipsiness from the Handshumacher Dining Center. This is a major problem. Once a person has recoil a food-borne distemper, participating in academics and/or extracurricular activities becomes near im workable, affecting students lives and grades severely. With students potentially in peril of becoming cronk and being unnatural in their academics, this is more than just disliking the dine hall. The Handschumacher Dining Center is not impudent by any means at al l.After eating thither a few times, occurrences such as finding a single b deprivation hair in our mashed potatoes and flakes of crude in our drinks became a unconstipated ordeal. When trying to fix club soda from the soda machine there would be various particles coming from the machine itself. Once it comes pop of the dirty machine, it get out then go into one of the glass cups provided by the dine center. These are rarely cleaned properly and there al way of lifes spots and otherwise difference on them (see below). pic This is withal a major problem with the utensils and even the plates.There is simply no excuse for this, as we are paying a straightforward amount of bills for the dine hall. The entire eat hall environment is a disgrace. Upon entering the dine hall, you are lead d shit got a flight of stairs into a dull gray basement with next to no natural lighting. The airfield where the food is alert for the students is not visible, and establish on the food that is served, belike for good reason. Once our tray is filled with whatever sub-par food they have prepared for us, we are to go into a very poorly knowing seating area. The eating environment is remote from pleasant.Half the challenge is finding a put back that is clean enough to eat at, as the tables are not regularly cleaned strike when students leave them. One could argue that it is the students office to keep the tables clean, but this is simply illogical. If there are people being stipendiary to clean the tables, a student is not going to go out of their way in making veritable their area is cleaned. The lack of cleanliness of the eat center extends beyond the seating area. If what we see out in the seating area is bad, what goes on rear the scenes is even worse.In a December 2010 pascal Food Code inspection, there were pilfer feces found in the kitchens and terminal areas, fruit flies observed underneath a self-serve beverage station and lack of a dedicated sink fo r mop-water disposal, among other violations (Strauss). The Triangle, Drexels overboldspaper, has various accounts recorded intimately the Handschumacher Dining Center, one of which includes a student seeing a live abstract running around. In these conditions, it is just closely impossible for any food prepared to possibly be sanitary.This January, The Triangle perform another article that discusses students receiving food poisoning and even the norovirus from the Handschumacher Dining Terrace. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus usually contagious through undercooked food and occasionally take aim contact with an infected person. The student who contracted the norovirus ended up being displace to the ER. In the Drexel Facebook group there are posts weekly that complain about food poisoning or stomach aches caused from this eat hall. One of those students is Maggie Heath-Bourne.She personally knows a good deal of people who have gotten sick from this dine center. She wa s unable to attend her Wednesday classes. Maggie also positive that the dining center caused her illness because she had been really rushed at the ancestry of the week and just now had time to go to the Hans on Monday and Tuesday, and she got sick on Wednesday. Since the university basically requires its freshman to eat at this dining hall, something needs to be done. There is no reason students should be scared for their health by eating at their own dining hall.The issues above are perfectly unacceptable for our dining hall, but in actuality, these are issues approach by kinda a few dining halls around the country. In examining the various dining halls that have had problems there seems to be one parkland thread- the food production company Sodexo. We asked friends of ours how snug they were with their dining halls. Those who were happy with their dining halls went to schools that did not have Sodexo. Most of these students dining halls were keep backled by Aramark. In f urther research, it became apparent that Sodexo is the idea of our problems at Drexel.The same types of problems that we had at Drexel were faced by students at Fordham University, who also contracts Sodexo. An evoke of the inspection read The inspections unearthed evidence of mice, roaches and indecent storage of food, shortcomings that placed Fordham eateries in the last-place grade bracket (Ram Online). This is concerning not only when for Fordham students but for any school that allows Sodexo to control its dining environment. The case at Fordham got so out of hand that the dining hall was required to be shut passel for a little while. Once it was at last opened back up, the tudents decided to indorse a protest. However, this protest got them absolutely nowhere. At Drexel, there has to be a solution that we earth-closet achieve to get a decent selection of food in our dining hall. At Fordham University, the method of a protest failed, as Sodexo still stayed as the scho ols main food supplier. Sodexo claims on its website that it has a board of students that overview its dining services. This board of students does not have a representative from Drexel University on it. If we had some input about our dining hall through this board, maybe there would be some action taken.Another solution we could execute is introducing a board of various students that oversees and whole kit and caboodle with the kitchen supply to make sure the meals are both well prepared and well varied. These students would need to be Drexel students who frequent the dining hall. By being on this board, they will receive no benefits towards their dining hall plans or anything of the tell aparts. It would be a totally transparent board also. This way, students would have an way out to go to to complain about the problems in this dining hall. The way it is set up now, it is extremely hard to get a meeting with anyone in the dining hall.For the habit of this paper we attempted to set up a meeting with the director of residential living on campus. It took us about an entire month to schedule a meeting with this man. For a campus environment that can be fair to all, the food staff needs to be much more accessible. It is ridiculous that we have to wait so long for a meeting with individual who can make a remove for us. This student board could supervise Sodexo until its contract with Drexel University is over. However, as soon as possible getting Sodexo out of Drexels dining hall would be ideal.This company has proven time and time again passim the country that it cannot maintain a dining environment. Sure, it can provide food, but not good or safe food. This student leadership board could take a look at other food companies that are doing a better wrinkle satisfying both students needs and also pass health inspections. Drexel has decent dining options outside of the dining hall. There is a second dining option, accessible only through our dining dollars which is kept fair clean. The food choices are from chains across the country. The election of food is not the best, but at least it is kept clean. This would probably not be the direction for our dining hall to go in. Drexel has a mental faculty dining hall, run by Sodexo, which is treated in a different stylus entirely then the Handschumacher Dining Center. why should the students be getting second regulate food when they are paying for a meal plan? Also, Drexel just authoritative a large scale confess that is going to a renovation come across for the area outside of the main building. With this money, Drexel could have begun production on a dining hall run by the twelfth Street Caterers, also a Drexel company.With so many possible solutions why do we allow Drexel to continue to feed us the same dirty and poorly made food? We have to find some sort of way to make sure that Drexel implements the students opinions into choosing a new plan and direction for its dining hall. To start, we essential set up some sort of board for students to voice their opinions directly to Sodexo. From there, we must see what we can do to get Sodexo out, and using this same board of students, create a new solution that pleases all students and also follows health standards. No issuing what we do, we cannot keep going in the expressive style that we are going.