How and Why Is the Grotesque Used in Tennessee Williams’ a Streetcar Named Desire Essay

Throughout this semester, we were introduced to varying degrees of literary styles and themes. From the epiphanies discovered through American Realism, to the skepticism explored through Literary Modernism, to the conflicts of social conformity and individualism approached by a Post-Modernistic America and its writers. We have had the great opportunity of being exposed to individuals who questioned and pushed the boundaries of creativity and expression. Tennessee Williams was an author and playwright who balanced the enigmatic, macabre, and often cruel disintegration of his characters with a poetic grace. He became the keystone of a style that is known as Southern Gothic. A Streetcar Named Desire became the quintessential manifestation of the grotesque through the unraveling of the â€Å"Old South†. More specifically, his themes on the conflict between the â€Å"sensitive, non-conformist† individual against conventional society, the disintegration of the southern woman, and the divergence between southern gentiles and northern brutality to which all of Williams’ characters contributed to in some degree. The grotesque style of literature supplies the reader with a historical as well as social perspective. This provides a metaphorical reference to the â€Å"dying† South and the struggle to exist against the progressive ideals of the North, all the while, fraught with trying to keep the Southern identity and dignity intact. It is stated that â€Å"A common description (of the grotesque) has to do with causation: Southern grotesque is often said to be the literary aftermath of historical misfortune. (Presley 37). If we take into account the surrounding setting of the play, â€Å"†¦a two-story corner building on a street in New Orleans which is named Elysian Fields and runs between the L & N tracks and the river (Elysian Fields is a New Orleans street at the northern tip of the French Quarter, between the Louisville & Nashville railroad tracks and the Mississippi River. In Greek mythology the Elysian Fields are the abode of the blessed in the afterlife. ) The section is poor but, unlike corresponding sections in other American cities, it has a raffish charm† (Klinkowitz & Wallace 2187), the reader is thrust into the ensuing chaos before any of the characters are even introduced. Williams was very particular about each detail with regards to the style in which he was writing. The drama is not only a result of the surroundings, but is a symbiotic portrayal of the daily lives that exist within the grotesque. â€Å"The disorders are threefold: narcissism, familial conflict, and dream- like confusion†: (Presley 37). The Southern Gothic, grotesque style of writing can best be characterized by the profound ability of an author to evoke feelings of disgust while contrarily evoking feelings of compassion among his/her audience as well as between the characters within the work. These emotions are presented and contained within, what seems to be, a lost individual. This character may also display traits of incontinence due to physical or mental incapability. â€Å"Literature of the grotesque, according to the authoress, is distinguished by a moral or theological vision not usually associated with realistic works. Freaks appear in her fiction, she said, to reflect quite simply what man is like without God† (Presley 38). In keeping with the grotesque, Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire stretched the boundaries of this theme through the representation of the disintegration of the southern woman. By exploring the torrid longing of his character, Blanche Dubois, and her desires and fears. â€Å"Grotesque writers are â€Å"faced with the reality that they live in an age whose distortions function as indicators of how far man has drifted from his true image as a creature of God. In this vein, Williams explores the corruption of mankind, along with its difficulties in reconciling its primal nature with the rules of society: Blanche’s charm and beauty is overridden by her alcoholism, nymphomania, and general debauchery† (Presley, 1). Blanche DuBois provided the extreme case of what it is like to lose yourself. Blanche was â€Å"Deceptive, dishonest, fraudulent, permanently flawed, unable to face reality, Blanche is for all that thoroughly capable of commanding audience compassion, for her struggle and the crushing defeat she endures have the magnitude of tragedy. The inevitability of her doom, her refusal to back down in the face of it, and the essential humanity of the forces that drive her to it are the very heart of tragedy, No matter what evil she may have done, nor what villainies practiced, she is a human being trapped by the fates, making a human fight to escape and to survive with some shred of human dignity, in full recognition of her own fatal human weaknesses and increasing absence of hope† (Crandell 93). The obscure relevance to her deceptions are only a portion of why Blanche represents the grotesque. Her necessity to cling to the â€Å"old† southern ways (with a â€Å"death grip†) allows her to cling to her own sanity. She exudes narcissism to the fullest extent, but is unable to see the damage that it is causing to herself and the people around her. In the very first scene, Blanche describes the loss of Belle Reve. She goes on to embellish the loss as a personal encounter with death, to which she is the only witness to and the only effected party: â€Å"I, I, I, took the blows in my face and my body! All of those deaths! The long parade to the graveyard! Father, mother! Margaret, that dreadful way! So big with it, it couldn’t be put in a coffin! But I had to be burned like rubbish!†¦. And, oh, what gorgeous boxes they packed them away in! Unless you were there at the bed when they cried out, â€Å"Hold me! † you’d never suspect there was the struggle for breath and bleeding. You didn’t dream, but I saw! Saw! Saw!†¦. † (Williams 2193). This description was a faint cry for compassion or an attempt to restore the relationship with Stella, but through a premeditated state of self preservation. The grotesque narcissism with which she approaches the loss of the estate and their relatives only happened to her. It is this over dramatic perception that reinforces the author’s emphasis on the Southern Gothic or grotesque style apparent throughout his play. The culmination of the loss of Belle Reve, her husband’s suicide, and, later, her dismissal from her job, could have contributed to her current state. But it in the end, she chose not to face her demons, she opted to hide behind the ruse of entitlement associated with old Southern Society that proved to be her ultimate demise. â€Å"If there is any character in modern dramatic literature whose identity is bound up in such fantasies and sees erself as unique, special and entitled, it is Blanche DuBois, whose very name conjures up images of French, chivalric romances. Furthermore, it is clear that she identifies with the role of the â€Å"Southern Belle† and, in fact, retreats to memories of herself as â€Å"Southern Belle† when confronted with death and trauma. Ironically, from Blanche’s point of view, although the â€Å"Southern Belle† is fundamentally superior, she is also, simultaneously, a vulnerable, even fragile figure, in need of constant attention and care, dependant on others. (Ribkoff & Tyndall 327). The reason why the grotesque is so important to the decline of the Southern woman, and this particular character, is because there is this realization that there are no happy endings. Blanche is happy to wallow in her own self destructions and with this she is libel to take down everyone within her distinct vicinity. Blanche’s character is deprived of the one thing that she longs for which is love and by reaching for the facade of the Southern Belle, she does more damage because she is the complete antithe sis of the Southern Belle. There is also a lot of symbolism associated with Blanche’s decline. Throughout her short time at her sister’s apartment, it is evident that she was taking a lot of baths through the progression of the story. As more information gets divulged about what really happened in her past, it is almost as if she is trying to maintain that she is a Southern Belle. She is trying to convince herself that she is still clean or that she can wash away her past through her frequent bathing. There is also the issue of light. Blanche does her best to conceal herself from the light of reality by placing paper lanterns over lamps to soften the light â€Å"So, too, in A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche is described (in the same stage direction! ) as both attracted to and repulsed by light. On the one hand, she is described as moth-like in appearance. Comparable to the moth, she is strangely attracted to that which has the power to destroy her. On the other hand, â€Å"her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light†. To avoid it, she dresses naked light bulbs in paper lanterns, and when she goes out, with Mitch for example, it is always at night. † (Crandall 95). This pertains to her willingness to escape reality and is yet another way that Williams exhibits the grotesque through his writing. In further examination of Blanche, her dependency on men is another portrayal of the grotesque. She is constantly looking for and acquiring the affections of men and seems to feed upon the generous nature of Mitch, Stanley’s friend. Here we see the grotesque outlined in the form of female dependence on the male figures in their lives. At one point, Blanche rejects the union of her sister with that of the abusive Stanley Kowalski. She fantasizes about an alternative life with the financial support from Shep Huntleigh, but this still emphasizes a need for the support to exist from a male figure. Even though this wouldn’t be a stable situation for Stella, this would free her from her dependency on Stanley. This reiterates the progression from the old to the new south, but isn’t a source of stability for Stella. She still needs to rely on Stanley and in doing so we see the indignity of the human spirit due to sacrifice. It is also a theme of Williams’ that the removal of the simply â€Å"country† life, and into the throngs of a bustling city, create the setting for the grotesque situations that these characters find themselves in. Williams thought that in moving away from the country life, we are separating ourselves further from the life that God had intended us to live. There is a quiet simplicity that is associated with working the land in the country and in moving to the trappings of a large city, there is room for trouble. This is also apparent through the loss of Belle Reve. When Blanche falls into misfortune and loses the house, she is forced into a life of less prestige and honor. She loses her job as a teacher due to moral discrepancies, she is called on at the hotel that she is staying at by many men, and she is forced to move in with her sister in New Orleans. This transition represents a removal of all that is decent and good with humanity and confines us to the â€Å"cramped† quarters of a city where we lose ourselves. Stanley Kowalski’s character impresses upon the reader an animalistic quality that can only be implied to represent the conflict of the divergence between southern gentiles and northern brutality. â€Å"As much as Blanche is the representative of dreams, Stanley is the emissary of quotidian reality. His Napoleonic Code and the State of Louisiana are the realistic counterparts to Blanche’s more ephemeral Belle Reve. Whereas Blanche values civilization and its refinements-art, poetry, and music-Stanley indulges in more primitive pleasures-eating (bringing home meat from the kill); drinking, to the point of intoxication; and sleeping with women. He knows what his pleasures are and indulges them, often to excess. He enjoys life to the fullest-â€Å"be comfortable is his motto†. In his drunken paroxysms, he easily forgets himself, and becomes one with his buddies. He is, for the most part, spontaneous and unselfconscious† (Crandall 97). In the climax of the play, we bear witness to Stanley’s submission to the atavistic urges and northern brutality by the rape of Blanche. As the story progresses, Mitch (Stanley’s friend) exhibits how the loss of the Southern Gentile adds to the grotesque setting with which all of the characters exist in. At the end of the play, we are made aware that Blanche is being committed to an insane asylum. As the Doctor starts to take Blanche away, Mitch had an opportunity to intervene, but he didn’t. He felt a great deal of sympathy for Blanche, but chose to not act on those feelings and instead Blanche is committed. The reason that this is such an important example of the loss of the Southern gentile was because he had the opportunity to act and didn’t step up to defend Blanche. Southern gentiles are all about honor and dignity. With the loss of these important qualities within him, he has just let Blanche succumb to the darkness that has shrouded her since she arrived at Stella’s apartment. Even though Blanche didn’t see the hero within Mitch, they had a bond between them. They were both looking for love and for someone to take care of them. With him not coming to her rescue, the true Mitch is presented-a person who is devoid of the heroism that Blanche so desperately needed. On the conflict between the â€Å"sensitive, non-conformist† individual against conventional society, we have to re-examine Blanche Dubois. From the beginning of the play, we are well aware of Blanche’s â€Å"sensitive, non-conformist† characteristics. She is someone who was unwilling to uphold he civilities that should exist within each person. In her having tarnishing relations with a pupil of hers, she sacrifices the only thing that she had left- her dignity. â€Å"However defensive Blanche becomes, from the moment she enters the stage until the moment she leaves it, she is in search of direction and empathy or â€Å"kindness† of others in order to work through the traumas of the past and present. Ultimately, this search for understanding is he main reason she comes to New Orleans and not simply for a place to stay† (Ribkoff & Tyndall 327). The climax of the grotesque within this play seems to come as a result of Blanche’s sensitive, non-conformist attitude towards life. Her inability to accept responsibility for her current situation is the catalyst to the way that Stanley shows no tolerance for her. Stanley’s brutalities, along with his intolerance for Blanche’s current state of mind, clash to create the ultimately grotesque act of rape later in the play. â€Å"Many critics believe Stanley’s rape of Blanche precipitates her descent into madness. According to Mary Ann Corrigan, this descent is part of the overall trajectory of the play: â€Å"in each of the [play’s] 11 scenes Blanche moves inexorably closer to the disintegration of her mind and the total rejection of reality† (Humanit 334). After the disintegration of the world that Williams created in A Streetcar Named Desire, we are left with the overwhelming themes of the struggle for human affection, dignity, and resolve. Through this in-depth dissection of the characters, plot, and settings, emerge the themes that exemplify the Southern Gothic/grotesque style of writing.

Expressions of the self through the body Essay

Within the framework of the 21st Century, western society is increasingly exposed to images and ideologies of the embodiment of ‘success’ and ‘happiness’. The media is rife with these conceptualisations and affects us all on varying levels of influence and intensity. The very basis of the study of the social sciences (that various spheres of the expression of societal values are interconnected and incomplete apart) is the foundation for the claim that ideologies associated with the modern capitalist value system strongly and wholly affect the understanding and expression of our identity through the management and aesthetics of our bodies. To understand the origin of this claim, and to further explain the phenomenon it identifies, several steps need to be taken. Firstly, the values of the modern capitalist framework have to be identified and adequately compared to the contemporary understanding of the body and of sexuality. Secondly, expressions of the body and sexuality will be explored, to adequately assess the influence these values have through visual media. Finally response to these values and images will be considered, in order to critically analyse the true degree of agency that has been successfully exercised within this complex association of cause and effect. As established throughout the second section of this course, the complex and influential structure of capitalism lies in the celebration of the individual, and not of the society. (Loy 1997). Characteristics inherent in capitalism are the importance of the individual; the necessity for competition among these individuals to justify the importance of the individual; and the desire to embody wealth, success and happiness through financial means. Also pivotal to the success of capitalism is the illusion of freedom of choice and agency within society for the individual to construct a unique identity (Loy 1997, Cox 1999). What is perhaps most important in terms of the relationship between capitalism and the expression of identity and sexuality through the body is the concept of commodity aesthetics, the beautification of any object to increase it’s desirability to the consumer. (Sarup, 1997) The relationship between these values and the understanding and expression of our bodies can be explained in terms of the research done by Rohlinger (2002), whereby a complex study into the representations of men in advertisements was conducted to assess the ‘objectification’ of men that he identified as prominent. While the implications of this study are more in-depth than the conclusions discussed here, the results belie, in part, the beautification of men in the media to create desire for not only the image, but also the product associated with the image. The biggest category of depiction of men he identified was the so-called ‘erotic male’, whereby a male, of often indeterminable sexual preference, was portrayed sexually, thereby appealing to both straight and gay men, thus following the dual advertising method (Rohlinger, 2002). It would thus appear as if men have been ‘beautified’ in order to increase desire for the product associated with the model. While it may seem to be a leap in logic to equate the ‘erotic’ male with the ‘beautified’ male, the reasoning behind this premise lies in the conceptualisation of beauty in modern society. While it can be argued that advertising affects these values, and that the values in turn affects the advertising, I would suggest that the attractiveness of a male or female lies wholly in terms of sexual appeal, and thus by an erotic portrayal, the beautification process – however atypical – occurs. If the example of Rohlinger’s research is further employed and employed as it was intended, it becomes clear that through advertising techniques, the capitalist framework has blatantly influenced media portrayals of the body and sexuality, and thus has direct influence on our own expression of sexuality and identity through our bodies. Within the work of Susan Benson (1997), the degree of identity expression through the body is discussed. The capitalist influence has (seemingly) autonomously decided what bodily images determine varying aspects of an identity. (Benson, 1997) In order to appear healthy and in control, a well-toned and slim body is essential. Bodies that do not conform to these characteristics thus display an out of control and unhealthy person, negatively reflecting on his or her identity. In terms of the influence of structure and agency and the way in which symbols are given value to construct an identity (Jenkins, 1996), the outward display of an identity and any agency in play, is manifested in the aesthetics of the body through the use of symbols that appeal to the senses of those who would validate the identity. These symbols can be clothing, fragrances, language and body language. It is for this reason that the media – ironically, a manifested construct of the very society it attempts to influence and control within a capitalist framework – seeks to associate a type of identity with various commodities to be marketed, increasing not only the desirability of the product, but of the identity as well. If the claim that gender and sexuality have long been two of the few certainties in one’s identity (Segal 1997), then evidence to suggest increasing blurring of the line of distinction between what expresses the embodiment of being a man or a woman, would indicate a critical turning point in social history, emphasising a shift towards the androgynous and sexual ambiguity. Rohlinger’s research further identified the depiction of men in advertisements as having an ‘unknown’ sexual orientation (2002) thus fulfilling appeal to both a heterosexual and homosexual male community, yet in very different ways. This type of depiction allows for the viewer of the advertisement to identify with a particular interpretation of the male model – further developing the idea that the agency it appears we are exercising is indeed limited within the structures we find ourselves in. This eroticising effect on the male image – and similarly on the female image – in the media is thus adopted by those who find the identity and image desirable (which returns us to the circle of desirability between the product and the identity associated with the product) and is then outwardly displayed through the appearance of the body. This adoption of a particular identity extends to the sexuality that may or may not be displayed within the advertisement as well, causing the blurring of distinction between male and female sexuality. The portrayals of men and women have become increasingly similar in society (Benson 1997) and thus too have the expressions of masculinity and femininity, weakening previous concepts of gender roles (Hearn 1999). The by-products of these influential depictions of men’s and women’s identities in contemporary society range from liberal movements gaining acceptability within a sexual context, to the increase in eating disorders, body building, and the supplement industry in an attempt to achieve a ‘healthy’ body, thereby conforming to the acceptable and desirable identity of contemporary society. The increase in support for the gay and lesbian right’s movements, as well as the continued evolution of the feminist movement, are all examples of responses to the effects of capitalism on society through the media. As in the previous section, the manifestations of various identities increasingly depict an androgynous sexuality, appealing to hetero- and homosexual members of society. (In part due to the increasing wealth of the homosexual consumer) With this subconscious validation of homosexuality in the media, it appears it has become increasingly socially acceptable to either be homosexual, or support the movement and to adopt its value system. (Rohlinger 2002; Hearn 1999; Benson 1997) This type of liberal movement, while an apparent display of agency in the determination of an identity, appears to be yet another type of conformity to the current desirable identity. Thus the response – albeit in later years – is not one based in agency, but in passive acceptance of a contemporary trend. Similar criticism can be levelled at the development of the feminist movement in current culture. While the view of Rohlinger (2002) may be considered somewhat sensationalist and one-sided, her idea that even feminism and women’s liberation has been commodified and a purchasable identity to the movement ascribed, is one that contains some validity. So far reaching is the grasp of capitalism, that it is able to commodify that which inadvertently opposes the values of capitalism, by advocating freedom of expression and a resistance to the values of the patriarchal society in existence today (Bhasin, 1993). An example of this trend would be a television advertiseme nt for a popular drink with the tag ‘Girls Night. No Boys Allowed’. This blatant commodification of the independent and liberal woman as an identity, critically wounds the credibility of the movement it seeks to ascribe itself to. The increased phenomenon of female and male eating disorders prevalent among teenagers (certainly the most influential target group in modern society) further illustrates the growing trend in conformity to the desirable body image in at attempt to embody a certain identity. At the other end of the scale (so far removed, it has perhaps come full circle) is the bodybuilding trend: whereby men and women seek to become the pinnacle of strength, power and fitness. This trend identifies not only the blur in distinction between masculinity and femininity (â€Å"active/passive† – Segal, 1997) as women attempt to embody a previously masculine identity, but also seeks to display, perhaps, a resistance (Castells, 1997) to the threat of androgyny and supposed equality of men and women in society, as men attempt to over-emphasise their physical – ergo societal – strength and dominance. In perhaps the most obvious sign of a symbiotic relationship within these two forces, the dietary and health supplement industry is booming, as it convinces millions each year that the healthy body – therefore identity – is contained within a capsule or a milkshake. In this brief and general exploration into the relationship between the capitalist society and the expression of identity through the body image, it appears clear that the values of capitalism have directly affected the expression of identity and sexuality in modern society. So influential is the media that social actors feel compelled to conform and duplicate these images in order to maintain a sense of acceptance within society. It is also evident that very little real resistance has developed to this trend, and that even those who do not physically manifest their response to this trend, appear to have adopted the ideology in more subtle ways – tellingly, purchasing products associated with the identity they subconsciously want to adopt. Thus the construction of our identity and sexuality is clearly outwardly displayed through the expression of our body, and the media of capitalism is singularly successful by directing it’s influence on our continuing desire to expres s our identity through outward appearances and symbols.

Benefits and challenges of labour migration

The countries in question can be classified according to their status as sending or receiving country in correspondence to their level of social and economic development. Workers move between them, cascading from poorer to richer countries. In each of the countries, they mainly take jobs in labour-intensive sectors with low skill requirements and low pay. These are most of all construction, agriculture, hotel and catering as well as domestic services. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrants defines a migrant worker as a â€Å"person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a resident†. But there is considerable conceptual difficulty in defining a migrant. Migration of labourer takes different forms. In one end, the place of working and residence of the labourer may be different, and the distance covered by daily commuting. At the other end, the worker’s may move permanently from their places of birth or usual place of residence, maintaining little or no contact with their places of origin. Between these two ends, people move away for differing periods of time. Based on how long they are away from their place of origin, the migrants are distinguished as ‘permanent’, ‘semi-permanent’ and ‘temporary’. Labour migration belongs to temporary migration, which is likely to stay away from their places of origin for more than a few months in a year. The temporary migrants are also known as ‘short duration’ migrants, ‘seasonal’ migrants or ‘circulatory’ migrants. The decision to migrate for economic reasons can have both positive and negative consequences. Migrants may secure a better income, have access to better social services, and be able to provide a better education for their children or benefit from the enrichment of becoming a member of a transnational community at ease in different cultures. However, migration may also cause family disruption when family members have to stay behind, and may involve sacrificing a familiar lifestyle and becoming a â€Å"stranger† in a new country. The complexity of the present day migration stream has intensified with distinctions between migrant workers, trainees, tourists, refugees and displaced persons becoming increasingly blurred. The term â€Å"migrants† appears to be broader than the term ‘migrant workers’ and is increasingly used in international discussions of human rights. The traditional explanation of migration as a movement from poor to rich nations is too simplified. There are both economic and non-economic factors affecting these flows. International migration has contributed to growth and prosperity in both host and source countries. Migrant worker remittances represent the second largest international monetary trade flow, exceeded only by petroleum. Migrants also provide a valuable source of semi-skilled and unskilled labour to many industrialising countries and provide a source of highly skilled labour to advanced countries, thereby assisting the latter in maintaining economic competitiveness. Labour migration policies differ from other migration policies directed at migration flows that may also have an impact on labour markets, for example refugee and family reunification, in the sense that they do not have humanitarian objectives but apply economic criteria with a view to responding to labour market needs. Governments at all points on the migration spectrum increasingly recognize the potential of regulatory mechanisms to maximize the positive impact of labour migration. Many sending and receiving countries are developing their regulatory capacities to manage labour mobility by considering the interests of respective governments, societies, and the migrant. Positive tensions for receiving countries: raise total output and incomes in the rich, host countries; increase efficiency in the use of the world’s resources all around, in rich and poor countries; increase the supply of entrepreneurship and stimulate the creation of small business; increase savings, investment, and human capital formation in the rich countries; accelerate the pace of innovation; increase the flow of remittances to poor countries; alleviate the economic problems associated with the aging population in rich countries. Globalization is a major driving force of international labour migration. Globalization has made migration much easier through better communications, dissemination of information through mass media and improved transport. Countries are at different stages of demographic transition, with developing countries typically having younger populations than developed countries. One of the most frequently cited costs of migration is so-called ‘brain drain’ — the loss of educated workers with valuable skills, which can impose large losses on governments that bear the costs of education and training. Brain drain is potentially a concern for all economies, both developing and developed, with some developed economies experiencing significant rates of skilled emigration. The greatest global concern in the area of international labour migration is the unprecedented rise in irregular forms of migration that has occurred in recent years. The numbers of unauthorized migrant workers are increasing in virtually every part of the world. A large proportion of labour migration occurs illegally, aided and abetted by a clandestine and often criminal industry. Increasingly, governments of both sending and receiving countries are developing regulatory mechanisms to manage labour migration. These include selective recruitment policies by countries needing labour, and strong marketing and overseas employment strategies by countries supplying labour. Migrant workers benefit host countries in a number of ways. The overall economic impact of all migrant workers to the UK for example suggests that they make a positive net contribution of around  £2.5 billion to the public accounts. There are huge implications for sending countries as a result of out-migration, the most crucial of which are the loss of expertise and skills. This brain drain is particularly acute in developing countries, especially where the move abroad is permanent. Public services, such as health, education and social services, are losing large numbers of skilled workers to migration. Structural changes and decreasing investment in the public sector has increased the pressure on public sector workers to migrate, as shown by trends in the health and education sectors. Although many economic migrants work in relatively low-paid jobs they regularly send money home to their families and relatives. However, it is difficult to estimate the scale of these remittances to sending countries because of the often informal manner in which they are returned, but there is little doubt that they contribute to the national income of the countries involved, and act as a stimulus to longer-term economic growth. Migrant workers who return home bring experience and knowledge from working in another country. This benefits the home country as a whole by adding to its pool of talented workers, particularly where the skills are relevant to the needs of the home economy and the migrant workers are willing to use them upon return. It also benefits the individual worker who will have developed through contact with people possessing a range of human, intellectual and professional skills. Access to educational and language courses in the host country should open up opportunities for career promotion at home and assist the personal development of each worker. Bibliography International Organisation for Migration. 2005. World Migration 2005. Costs and Benefits of International Migration. Kothari, U. (2002). Migration and chronic poverty. Chronic Poverty Research Centre. Institute for Development Policy and Management. University of Manchester. Working Paper No. 16. Linard, Andre. (1998). Migration and globalization: The new slaves. Brussels: ICFTU, July. Stalker, Peter. (2000). Workers without frontiers: The impact of globalization on international migration. International Labour Office, Geneva. World Economic and Social Survey. (2004). International migration trends Chapter11. World Health Organisation. Health and Human Rights Publications Series. Issue No.4 (December 2003). International Migration, Health and Human Rights. Benefits and challenges of labour migration The countries in question can be classified according to their status as sending or receiving country in correspondence to their level of social and economic development. Workers move between them, cascading from poorer to richer countries. In each of the countries, they mainly take jobs in labour-intensive sectors with low skill requirements and low pay. These are most of all construction, agriculture, hotel and catering as well as domestic services. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrants defines a migrant worker as a â€Å"person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a resident†. But there is considerable conceptual difficulty in defining a migrant. Migration of labourer takes different forms. In one end, the place of working and residence of the labourer may be different, and the distance covered by daily commuting. At the other end, the worker’s may move permanently from their places of birth or usual place of residence, maintaining little or no contact with their places of origin. Between these two ends, people move away for differing periods of time. Based on how long they are away from their place of origin, the migrants are distinguished as ‘permanent’, ‘semi-permanent’ and ‘temporary’. Labour migration belongs to temporary migration, which is likely to stay away from their places of origin for more than a few months in a year. The temporary migrants are also known as ‘short duration’ migrants, ‘seasonal’ migrants or ‘circulatory’ migrants. The decision to migrate for economic reasons can have both positive and negative consequences. Migrants may secure a better income, have access to better social services, and be able to provide a better education for their children or benefit from the enrichment of becoming a member of a transnational community at ease in different cultures. However, migration may also cause family disruption when family members have to stay behind, and may involve sacrificing a familiar lifestyle and becoming a â€Å"stranger† in a new country. The complexity of the present day migration stream has intensified with distinctions between migrant workers, trainees, tourists, refugees and displaced persons becoming increasingly blurred. The term â€Å"migrants† appears to be broader than the term ‘migrant workers’ and is increasingly used in international discussions of human rights. The traditional explanation of migration as a movement from poor to rich nations is too simplified. There are both economic and non-economic factors affecting these flows. International migration has contributed to growth and prosperity in both host and source countries. Migrant worker remittances represent the second largest international monetary trade flow, exceeded only by petroleum. Migrants also provide a valuable source of semi-skilled and unskilled labour to many industrialising countries and provide a source of highly skilled labour to advanced countries, thereby assisting the latter in maintaining economic competitiveness. Labour migration policies differ from other migration policies directed at migration flows that may also have an impact on labour markets, for example refugee and family reunification, in the sense that they do not have humanitarian objectives but apply economic criteria with a view to responding to labour market needs. Governments at all points on the migration spectrum increasingly recognize the potential of regulatory mechanisms to maximize the positive impact of labour migration. Many sending and receiving countries are developing their regulatory capacities to manage labour mobility by considering the interests of respective governments, societies, and the migrant. Positive tensions for receiving countries: raise total output and incomes in the rich, host countries; increase efficiency in the use of the world’s resources all around, in rich and poor countries; increase the supply of entrepreneurship and stimulate the creation of small business; increase savings, investment, and human capital formation in the rich countries; accelerate the pace of innovation; increase the flow of remittances to poor countries; alleviate the economic problems associated with the aging population in rich countries. Globalization is a major driving force of international labour migration. Globalization has made migration much easier through better communications, dissemination of information through mass media and improved transport. Countries are at different stages of demographic transition, with developing countries typically having younger populations than developed countries. One of the most frequently cited costs of migration is so-called ‘brain drain’ — the loss of educated workers with valuable skills, which can impose large losses on governments that bear the costs of education and training. Brain drain is potentially a concern for all economies, both developing and developed, with some developed economies experiencing significant rates of skilled emigration. The greatest global concern in the area of international labour migration is the unprecedented rise in irregular forms of migration that has occurred in recent years. The numbers of unauthorized migrant workers are increasing in virtually every part of the world. A large proportion of labour migration occurs illegally, aided and abetted by a clandestine and often criminal industry. Increasingly, governments of both sending and receiving countries are developing regulatory mechanisms to manage labour migration. These include selective recruitment policies by countries needing labour, and strong marketing and overseas employment strategies by countries supplying labour. Migrant workers benefit host countries in a number of ways. The overall economic impact of all migrant workers to the UK for example suggests that they make a positive net contribution of around  £2.5 billion to the public accounts. There are huge implications for sending countries as a result of out-migration, the most crucial of which are the loss of expertise and skills. This brain drain is particularly acute in developing countries, especially where the move abroad is permanent. Public services, such as health, education and social services, are losing large numbers of skilled workers to migration. Structural changes and decreasing investment in the public sector has increased the pressure on public sector workers to migrate, as shown by trends in the health and education sectors. Although many economic migrants work in relatively low-paid jobs they regularly send money home to their families and relatives. However, it is difficult to estimate the scale of these remittances to sending countries because of the often informal manner in which they are returned, but there is little doubt that they contribute to the national income of the countries involved, and act as a stimulus to longer-term economic growth. Migrant workers who return home bring experience and knowledge from working in another country. This benefits the home country as a whole by adding to its pool of talented workers, particularly where the skills are relevant to the needs of the home economy and the migrant workers are willing to use them upon return. It also benefits the individual worker who will have developed through contact with people possessing a range of human, intellectual and professional skills. Access to educational and language courses in the host country should open up opportunities for career promotion at home and assist the personal development of each worker. Bibliography International Organisation for Migration. 2005. World Migration 2005. Costs and Benefits of International Migration. Kothari, U. (2002). Migration and chronic poverty. Chronic Poverty Research Centre. Institute for Development Policy and Management. University of Manchester. Working Paper No. 16. Linard, Andre. (1998). Migration and globalization: The new slaves. Brussels: ICFTU, July. Stalker, Peter. (2000). Workers without frontiers: The impact of globalization on international migration. International Labour Office, Geneva. World Economic and Social Survey. (2004). International migration trends Chapter11. World Health Organisation. Health and Human Rights Publications Series. Issue No.4 (December 2003). International Migration, Health and Human Rights.

From Sixth Grade to the Shoe Factory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

From Sixth Grade to the Shoe Factory - Essay Example It appears morally deficient that he should be expected to begin working at lesser pay than an adult, but the benefits outweigh the immediate costs. His financial contribution to his family and his own savings are much more helpful than continuing to go to school and depriving himself and his family of the 180,000 pesos a week that benefit the greater whole. This is wise, and a morally valid decision on the part of his family. However, Vicente is robbed of his childhood as well as his potential to develop intellectually which could lead to far better paying jobs. Nonetheless, this cannot be proven. The primary moral violation is that he is exposed to toxic glues and thus his health condition suffers. His employer should be responsible for ensuring the factory does not hurt Vicente’s health, as they are not only harming a human life but also could cripple their own workforce. On the whole, the factory should ensure that zorritas are safe and healthy by seeking alternative produ cts or insisting that the producers of the glue do something about their own product’s safety, as these will likely have long-term effects on the zorritas that will lead to poor health, reduced income, and harm to their families.

Youth Violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Youth Violence - Essay Example However, violence amongst youths is the widely recognized form of violence in the society. Throughout the world, media present reports on almost daily a basis about violence being perpetrated by youths in schools or as gangs in the streets (Lane, 2004). Youth violence does not only affect the victims but it also leads to significant effects to the families of those affected, their friends and the communities (Rutherford, Quinn, and Mathur, 2004). The effects of youth violence are not only viewed from the number of deaths, disabilities and illnesses caused, but it also affects the quality of life. Violence perpetrated by and against young people leads to increased costs of welfare and health care, causes a decline in property value, disrupts some services and causes a breakdown of the social fabric (Rutherford, Quinn, and Mathur, 2004). Webber and Plotts (2008) explain that youth violence cannot be isolated from other problem behaviors exhibited by young people. Violent youths general ly commit more types of crimes and exhibit a range of problems including truancy, drug and substance abuse, school drop-out, cheating, high rate of sexually transmitted diseases and reckless driving (Ryan, Pierce and Mooney, 2008). Nevertheless, teachers should be aware that all violent youths do not necessarily show the problems outlined above and neither do all young people having such problems have to be violent. According to Lane (2004), there is usually a close relationship between youth violence with other types of violence. For instance, a child who goes up witnessing violence at home or is sexually or physically abused may grow up with his mind set that violence is accepted as a way of resolving conflicts. Additionally, if a child grows up in an environment where s/he is exposed to prolonged armed conflict may lead to such a child to develop a mind set of terror and this can increase rates of violence (Lane, 2004). In developing a plan to manage youth violence, it is critica l to understand the factors that lead to such behaviors and its symptoms. This paper has been prepared as a guide for teachers to understand this behavioral disability. Particularly, the history of the youth violence, its cause, statistics and symptoms will be discussed. In addition, strategies that can be used by teachers to manage this disability will be discussed. The History of Youth Violence Youth violence is described as the harmful behaviors which start during a person’s early age but continue into early adulthood. A young person can either be a perpetrator, victim, or witness of violence (Webber and Plotts, 2008). This form of violence includes an array of behaviors such as hitting, bullying and slapping all which cause high emotional harm. Furthermore, youth violence may be perpetrated through assault and robbery causing significant serious physical harm which may lead to death. Recognition of youth violence as a behavior disability has a long history (Ryan, Pierce a nd Mooney, 2008). Youth violence is recognized as both social and public health behavior problem. Previously, infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia were the main causes of deaths in the United States. Once the government has been able to put infectious diseases under control, cases of suicide and homicide begin to rise causing significant number of deaths. From 1965, suicide and homicide have consistently been ranked among the fifteen top causes of death in the United States (Ryan, Pierce and Mooney, 2008). Suicide and homicide cases perpetrated by mostly the youths and minority groups in the society reached alarming levels in the 1980s. Further increase in rates of suicide and homicide increased at the beginning of the 20th century with rates of suicide among

What was the political and strategic contribution of amphibious Essay

What was the political and strategic contribution of amphibious operations to the korean war 1950-53. does this input offer any guidance to the modern UK amphibious force - Essay Example Historically, successful strategic implementation of such operations was attained by Julius Caesar and William the Conqueror during invasion of Britain. Later on, further development in war techniques and addition of air force has led to considerable changes in the existing situation. Since the World War I onwards, the art of strategic warfare reflected that if success through an amphibious attack needs to be attained, perfect cooperation is required among each three division of an army and implementation of this reflection attained its culmination during the Second World War (Schwartz 310). While the success and consequent onslaught of the Third Reich was holding the entire world with a stronger grip, participation of the United States in the backdrop of the World War II and naval collaboration of the American and Royal Navy introduced the â€Å"Golden Age of Amphibious Warfare† (Alexander, and Bartlett 1). The entire course of the World War II was changed due to several amph ibious landings conducted by naval forces of these two nations and the highest success of such collaborative effort came through success of the D-Day operation on 6th June 1944 (Alexander, and Bartlett 1). By the end of the Second World War it was clearly realized that proper co-ordination among various departments of an army and their adequate cooperation with that of the naval department is absolutely essential to win a war and development of a well-balanced naval force, thus, received considerable attention from the national security perspective. However, due to the huge financial loss that the United States and British government experienced, it order to recover from the situation, they did not have any other option than to reduce allocation of budget for defense system, leading to not only reduction in the total number of armed forces but also

Materials&Manufacturing Report (( car body pressing )) Essay

Materials&Manufacturing Report (( car body pressing )) - Essay Example Dies is used for press blanking to the section and is specific depending on the necessity of the shape of the panel required or if there is justification in the volume of production. Blanks may be sufficient for some panels, trapezoidal, rectangular, or slightly curved shapes to be produced by line or shearing machines. The oscillating shear is a development for use since it is more flexible for the blank preparation with a stroke rate of more than 100 per minute. The blanking line includes; de-coiler, coil handling, flattener or leveller, blanking press, feeder, and stacker for blanks. The function of a corrective leveller is for the removal of; These blanks which are tailored welded for the complex panels are primed through diverse linking processes including; spot welding, laser welding, and mash-seam welding that result into better strength material that is cost effective. Pieces similar or different in gauges or materials are welded together into a single blank before the stamping process. Dense or thin or different strength groupings also result in the reduction of weight. These tailored blanks may reduce the stack tolerance and improve the dimensional accuracy of the vehicle. The inner assembly’s dimensional accuracy of a conventional door covers tolerance in the width of the steel, and the tolerances associated with piercing, stamping, and spot welding reinforcements. The improvement of accuracy is achieved by the minimization if the reinforcements. The dimensional variation of hole location in door panels have been reduced with laser welding of blanks from +/- 0.5 to +/-0.075 mm. Spot welding or seam welding may be used but for a tailored blank, the laser welding blanks are used since they provide three advantages including; However, there is a greater demand of strict control of the butt-joint pressure, the edge quality, and other parameters of laser welding that includes; welding speed, power, beam alignment,

Leadership Challenge and Charge Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Challenge and Charge - Research Paper Example Strategic thinking is similar to that of cognitive ability. Strategic thinking involves proper analysis of the problem. It does not end with mere analysis of the problem, instead planning and arriving at a solution is also considered as strategic thinking. The team leader or the manager should analyze the problems in all perspectives so that the corresponding decision or solution eradicates the problem. Another important factor is managing change and strategic thinking revolves around this concept which highlights the most prominent features of this concept. The cognitive ability, strategic thinking and analytical skills are considered as the basic requirement of a leader. Decision making skill is also one among the most important skills which a leader should possess. It is the ability to arrive at a decision based on the problem and in certain cases it might also depend on a particular situation. (Manning & Curtis, 2003). Apart from these factors, the skill to manage the difference in opinion among the team members is also required. This skill brings about several changes in the organization and hence it is considered as the crucial one. The scenario changes after every decision and this is the main reason why a leader is expected to possess the decision making skill. Though these skills play a major role in shaping up a leader, the interpersonal skills are also equally important. The Art of Leadership also includes coaching ability and learning skills that will help the leader to manage the team effectively. (Grint, 2001). Team leaders or managers must know how to coach the team members or the trainees. This in turn will enable the employees to perf orm in a better way. The interaction with the team increases the productivity of the organization as it motivates the employees to work towards achieving their goal. The art of leadership not only covers these skills, but

Psychoanalysis of the Movie Fight Club Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Psychoanalysis of the Fight Club - Movie Review Example He thinks too much too deeply of something that he was not able to sleep for several months - an apparent indication of the disease. Furthermore, the main character was also tired of doing things again and again (as part of his daily working life). Though it doesn't affect other people (i.e. no negative effect of OCD), he considers his life to be weird despite all of what he had and what he had become. He is living in a life that most people have dreamed of. A gallant job in a major automobile company working as a recall coordinator, he had almost everything a man needs which defines him as a person - decent work with decent compensation and he had his luxurious condo which he considers as close-to-being-complete material life. However, it seems like he wasn't satisfied and happy with what he had that he looks for something out of his traditional routine. This is the first turning point in the movie where the narrator thought that support seminars were working out for his insomnia until a woman (Marla Singer) came out from nowhere and ruined his concentration and everything that he is on. Marla would fulfill the narrator's sexual fetish through his unconscious personality (i.e. Tyler). Another turning point of the movie, and an important event as well, was when the narrator had wished that someday he'd wake up a different person in a different place. At this moment, it is his unconscious mind taking over the scene. There is also an apparent underlying principle of choosing Tyler (Brad Pitt) as his "alter ego" or his unconscious being. Deep inside the narrator's unconscious mind is his wish for a well-built physical body that he isn't. At first, meeting Tyler was not the "change" that he is expecting along the way. It was just same other people coming along his way and meant nothing for a change. But as a fateful event shattered his most precious possession (the condo), he turns his interest to his unconscious being (to Tyler). Prior to such incident, he was living in too much care for what he has and what he is, a characteristic inhibited by being too Eros minded. From then on, the main character would eventually be influenced by Tyler's view of life. "Things you own, end up owning you", a particular line uttered by Tyler as he was sharing out his viewpoint of the main character's fateful experience. As they get along with each other, they founded the "fight club", which unconsciously came into his mind after his self-discovery that fighting means freedom that let him out from loneliness. In a way, fight club became an escape for people seeking independence out from their own lives (Oedipal Conflict). Nevertheless, the main character frequently shows struggle and consciousness of what is happening and tries to look back to his proper life. But every time he does so, his unconscious (i.e. Tyler) would get in between persuading him to give up his "flaming worldly possessions". The narrator ends the story in a sensible way. He finally understands the undesirable dominance of his unconscious mind taking over almost his entire decisions. Though his final action and resolution were too late to stop its undesirable effect, he at least finds a solution to end and eliminate his unconscious mind, desire, and personality for good. The fight club movie implies many important things that life has to offer. It helps people

Business Strategy and Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Strategy and Planning - Case Study Example During the 1960s, distribution was decentralised. In 1973 the company became a plc. The oil crisis of the early 1970s forced it to improve efficiency. During the 1980s and early 1990s expansion into the north-east of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland made it 'national' in the scale of its operations. By the end of 1994 (Sainsbury's 125th year), the company had 355 stores in UK and an off-shore store in Calais. With the start of the new millennium Sainsbury's sold Homebase and Shaws Supermarkets to focus on the core UK business, comprising Sainsbury's Supermarkets, Sainsbury's Local, Sainsbury's online and Sainsbury's Bank. The acquisition of convenience store chains Bells Stores, Jacksons, JB Beaumont and SL Shaw increased its presence in the UK convenience sector. Today Sainsbury's serves 16 million customers each week in 455 supermarkets and 301 convenience stores across UK. The company employs 153,000 workers to deliver 'Great Food at Fair Prices'. Sainsbury's sells 6bn of British food every year, and in March 2006, reported a 5.3% rise in sales, its fifth quarter growth in a row. Sainsbury's was for decades the premier supermarket in the UK; it lost this position however in 1995 to Tesco, further slipping to No.3 in 2003 behind Walmart-owned ASDA. According to the latest TNS rankings released in June 2006, Sainsbury's remains the UK's third largest supermarket on 16.0% market share, while ASDA remains second largest at 16.4% and Tesco has increased its share to 31.1% (The information in the above paragraphs were collected, paraphrased, collated and abridged from the four web sites of: (1) http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/home/htm, (2) www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/ (3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainsbury and (4) http://www.fairinvestment.co/uk/default.aspx, all retrieved August 8, 2006). About TESCO. Tesco is the largest British supermarket chain and has significant operations in other countries. Originally specializing in food they have moved into areas such as clothes, consumer electronics and cars. By 2003 it had over 2000 stores, including a large number of convenience stores in the UK. Outside of the United Kingdom they also operate in the Republic of Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Tesco was founded by Jack Cohen, who was selling groceries in the markets of the London East End from 1919. The first Tesco store was opened in 1929 in Edgware, London. The firm was floated on the stock exchange in 1947. The first Tesco self-service store opened in 1948 in St Albans and was still trading as of 2002. The first Tesco supermarket was opened in 1956 in Maldon, Essex. Its first "superstore" was opened in 1968 in Crawley, West Sussex. It began selling petrol in 1974 and its annual turnover reached 1000 million pounds in 1979. It introduced a loyalty card in 1995 and later an Internet shopping service. During the 1990s it expanded into Eastern Europe, Ireland and East Asia. In July 2001 it became involved in internet grocery retailing in the USA when it obtained a 35% stake in GroceryWorks. Tesco has expanded also by taking over other chains, including: Victor Value, England, 1968

Study Habits Essay Example for Free

Study Habits Essay Introduction Each student has unique way of studying. They differ individually in academic performances and study habits. The efficiency of the students at this stage depend upon his/her study and how well his/her lessons. The effectiveness of the intellectual ability of a student is assessed by its ability to perform and respond in lectures, assignments and scores in examination. The values on attitude and the well-planned efforts to maintain good grades and most importantly develops a positive value which is the sense of responsibility. Different techniques applied by students on their study habits. Some manifested focused on their studies and others portray a happy go-lucky style which means a poor study habits. A person with a goal in life inspite of hindrances experienced, aspire or aim high to cope with challenges along the way.(Legaspi 2010) It is generally agreed that healthy family atmosphere and satisfactory parent- child relationship are essential for the good performance of every student. Study habit plays an important role in the academic status of a student. To accomplish such an objective, it is necessary that student should have effective and enjoyable use of leisure time where discipline comes in. Because of technological advances, there are many temptations to destruct the students and it is through this that they can counteract the growing dependency passive forms of recreations such as computer, cell phones, and TV. These can cause damage to students because they became lazy. This system should also be discouraged for they can cause mental block. The teacher exercises considerable influences of the students development of 2 attitude, mental hygiene and deals of behavior. This particular attitude displayed by a teacher from the student affects the latter significantly. The individual’s degree of intelligence or of intelligent behavior is his/her degree of ability of attention, relentive and recall, inductive and deductive reasoning and generalization as there respond to the learning process.(Legaspi 2010) Study habits of Second Year students of Saint Michael College of Caraga is very interesting topic because it will help most of the students to adopt the good method of learning and studying. It also help every students to cope up with their problems encountered from their studies. It enables them to create effective and efficient ways to their studies. On the side of the Saint Michael College of Caraga, they will able to comprehend every students and rendering good teachings which creates effective and efficient teacher.

Converting Paper Records to a Computer Based Health Record Essay Example for Free

Converting Paper Records to a Computer Based Health Record Essay Traditional utilization of paper based medical records leads to the dispersion of clinical information as a result of the heterogeneous character of hospital systems. Due to this, the development of a clinical information system that can integrate hospital information as well as enable cooperation amongst legacy systems became a difficult task. System integration as well as the development of an efficient clinical information management system was thereby dependent upon the creation of conceptual and architectural tools that will enable such an integration. In line with this, many healthcare institutions are currently seeking to establish the integration of their workstations through the utilization of technological tools. Such tools are effective in the arrangement of clinical matters as well as in the arrangement of administrative and financial information. Clinical information systems are utilized by healthcare institutions in their integration of information. At this point, the utilization of electronic medical systems in healthcare delivery is evident in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Hong Kong, Canada, as well as Australia. The current shift from a human memory based paradigm to a technological paradigm can be traced to the recent emphasis given on health care quality improvement and cost reduction. In lieu of this, policymakers started to adopt health information technology such as the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). According to Tim Scott in Implementing an Electronic Medical Record System, most information regarding the use of EMR systems are derived from the Regenstrief Institute, Brigham and Womens Hospital, the Department of Veterans Affairs, LDS Hospital, and Kaiser Permanente. The information derived from the following medical institutions shows the following. First, success is dependent upon the organizational tools rather than on the type of technology used. Second, minimal changes were noted in terms of increase of quality and efficiency as a result of the system’s adaptation. Such findings thereby led to the slow adoption and implementation of EMR systems since majority of medical institutions as well as healthcare systems required the high verifiability of the systems utility. True enough, researches within these institutions also showed that EMR systems increase the quality of patient care as it decreases medical errors, however, the economic aspect regarding its use has not been well documented leaving most medical institutions adamant regarding its implementation. In lieu of this, the paper is divided into three parts. The first part will present the rationale behind the formation of the technology based medical paradigm. It will be formulated within the parameters of Thomas Kuhn’s conception of scientific revolutions. The second part present a discussion of the various EMR components and the problems encountered in its implementation at Kaiser. The last part, on the other hand, will concentrate on presenting possible solutions to the problems evident in the utilization of the EMR systems within the Kaiser program while giving specific emphasis on the role of the agent in successful implementation. Thomas Kuhn, in his work entitled The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, discusses the very nature and necessity of what he calls scientific revolutions. In this particular work, Kuhn sees an apparent parallelism between political revolutions on the one hand, and scientific revolutions on the other. Kuhn writes: â€Å"scientific revolutions†¦ (are) those non-cumulative developmental episodes in which an older paradigm is replaced in whole or in part by an incompatible new one† (2000, p. 50). On a preliminary note, paradigms are frameworks in and through which we approach phenomena, in general. They are models, so to speak. Naturally enough, different models employ different methodologies, different methodologies in turn, generate different types of knowledge, which, consequently, have different criteria of proof or validity. Scientific development, as Kuhn contends, may appropriately be characterized by paradigm shifts and this he calls scientific revolutions. It is important to note that scientific developments do not occur in a vacuum. For the aforementioned reason, there is a felt need to situate scientific developments in the historical context within which they are conceived, proposed and ultimately, institutionalized and integrated as part of society’s shared knowledge. This is to say that scientific revolutions are also proper objects of historical analysis and discourse in as much as political revolutions are. Kuhn contends that there is a parallelism between political and scientific revolutions. As pointed out earlier, it is important to note that he characterizes scientific revolutions as â€Å"those non-cumulative developmental episodes in which an older paradigm is replaced in whole or in part by an incompatible new one. † Kuhn’s characterization emphasizes two important points. First, â€Å"that there is a replacement of an old paradigm by a new one†. Second, â€Å"that the new paradigm is not merely something new; it is also incompatible with the old paradigm†. This is to say that the incompatibility or the irreconcilability of the new paradigm with the old paradigm serves as warrant for the necessity of such a revolution. Although there are significant differences in both scientific and political developments, Kuhn argues that one may be justified in using the notion of revolution as a metaphor for understanding them. He writes: Political revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense, often restricted to a segment of the political community, that existing institutions have ceased adequately to meet the problems posed by the environment that they have in part created. In much the same way, scientific revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense, again often restricted to a narrow subdivision of the scientific community that an existing paradigm has ceased to function adequately in the exploration of an aspect of nature to which that paradigm itself had previously led the way. (2000, p. 150) Kuhn’s parallelism is thus, founded on the idea that in both cases, a sense of malfunction (in our institutions as for the case of the political, and in our paradigms as for the case of the scientific) necessitates for the occurrence of a revolution. In relation to this, the shift from a human memory based paradigm to the technological paradigm may be likened to a revolutionary development within the field of medical data acquisition and retention. The difference between the human memory based paradigm as opposed to the technological paradigm stems from the ascription of greater subjectivity in relation to human memory based data as opposed to technologically maintained data. As was stated in the first part of the paper, the heterogeneous characteristic of medical institutions stems from the existence of various separate holistic systems within it. As a result of this, deriving and correlating clinical information becomes tedious. The main reason for this stems from human memory based paradigms utilization of paper based records which has a high probability of non-viability and unreliability. Examples of this are evident in evidence-based medicines non-adherence to the traditional methods of training and practice. Second, paper based records fall short of their original expectations. The objective of the healthcare record is to identify problems and to understand the impact of the illness on the individual thereby enabling the amelioration of the problem to the patients satisfaction, within the bounds of medical capabilities and society’s resource limitations(Simpson and Robinson, 2002, p. 115). The main limitation of the paper bound records, therefore, stem from their inability of being multiply accessible to members of society. On the other hand, Scott related the reasons for the development of a technology based paradigm with the high verifiability of the positive results of technologically determined medical care processes. According to Scott, new technologies make it possible to evaluate and intervene to improve care in ways not heretofore possible (2002, p. 2). In line with this, members of both the public and private sector lobby for the accessibility of technological improvements. For the members of the private sector, this is due to the inclusion of the medical industry within the business sphere. For the members of the public sector, on the hand, demands for greater accountability for health care stems from the prevailing belief that technological advancements must be made accessible to the general public. According to the IOM, information technologys role in the substantial improvement of the redesign of the healthcare system is important since it ensures the formation of a strong infrastructure in supporting efforts to reengineer care processes oordinate patient care across clinicians and settings and overtime, support multidisciplinary team functioning, and facilitate performance and outcome measurement for improvement and accountability (qtd in Scott, 2002, p. 4). The results of the success of the EMR are traceable to the developments within the field of e-Health. According to Silber, EMR serves as the fundamental building block for the development of va rious applications such as the use of ICT by the Primary Health Care Team. Others involve the use of ERM for validation of research or as an instrument in Continuing Medical Education. Information necessary for the functions ascribed above, in relation to the personal health record, are possible since the health record’s functionality enables the inclusion of the following: practitioner order entry, electronic patient record, document management, clinical decision support, administrative data, integrated communication support, as well as access to knowledge and resources. According to Raymonds and Dolds, the functions of each component are as follows. The electronic patient record presents the patients history. Document management, on the other hand contains the actions undertaken in relation to the patients diagnosis. Clinical decision support as compared to the later contains the alerts based on current data from the electronic medical record, evidence based practical guidelines or more complex artificial intelligence systems for diagnostic support†. Access to administrative related information such as admission and discharge are contained within the section encompassing administrative data. Integrated communication support however provides the tools for the facilitation of effective and efficient communication amongst members of the patients health team. The last part enables access to other sources of information regarding the patients condition (Scott, 2007, p. 4). The Kaiser Permanente EMR implementation presented one of the main problems in relation to the utilization of the components of the technologically based paradigm. It was recognized that the problems arose due to several factors which range from the software’s lack of efficiency up to the non adherence of specific qualities of the program with the social conditions in the region as well as the team’s lack of background in relation to the efficiency the program necessitates with regards to the division of the work flow as well as its dependence upon all the players within the medical institutions that the program was implemented. Scott however stated that what should be given credence with regards to the above failed project is not so much as the failure of the program but the possibilities it opened in relation to the creation and implementation of new EMR programs in the future. Scott states, success and failure are socially negotiable judgments, not static categories† (2007, p. 43). Hence if such is the case it is thereby possible to conceive of the problems noted by Hartswood et al (2003) in relation to the user-led characteristic of EMR. The social negotiability of judgments thereby ensures the possibility of reversals in judgments as soon as occasions arise wherein a perceived failure may be reconnected with an overall success. In line with this, the continuous developments within the various EMR systems produced and implemented within the country ensures the viability and possibility of a near success and perfection within the system which in a sense also ensures the possibility of another scientific revolution in the near future whose scope may extend beyond that of the technological sphere.

Marketing strategy of a furniture store

Marketing strategy of a furniture store Customers are core for any business. Companies manufacture products to fulfill their needs. Every company would like to increase their market share through sales by beating their competitors. In order to achieve this, one should have efficient and effective marketing plan. The most vital element of a successful marketing plan knows your customers likes, dislikes and expectations. Basing on these factors a marketing strategy could be developed which allows you to fulfill customers needs by understanding your competitors and identify changes in market place. The every purpose of marketing plan is to outline a strategy to attract and keeping customers. This could be done by defining your market, identifying your customers and competitors. The two main marketing principles are: Entire efforts of a company should be directed towards satisfying customers. Sales volume which is profitable is more important than maximum sales volume. Marketing strategy Marketing strategy is identifying customer groups and serves them better than its competitors by offering tailor made products, prices, distribution and promotional methods to that segment. The strategy should address unmet customer needs that earn potential profitability. Target marketing Identifying separate customers who makes up large groups which helps to locate their needs more specifically. This smaller segment of the general market is convenient for market research and information helps to serve this segment better. This segmentation can be done in two ways Geographical segmentation serving customers needs in a particular geographical area. Customer segmentation identifying those people who buy products and services and targeting those groups. Products and service: To satisfy the target markets product is very important. This is how organizations earn revenue. These products may be in the form of goods, services or ideas. Promotional strategy: Promotion is communication process with the customers about the products through advertisements and direct customer interactions. This helps companies to distinguish their product from competitors. Pricing strategy The right price is the crucial for maximizing total revenue. In general higher prices means lower volume and vice versa. Micro Audit Consumers Industry and market related information regarding consumer buying patterns plays very critical in expecting future levels of demand. Having sales volume information of past helps to foresee the market trend and buying pattern. Key information like current market volume, demand, etc helps to identify the profit potential market. This information helps to build relationship with customers by identifying their needs, wants, preferences and buying habits. Key Points: The market for kitchens (including  furniture, worktops, sinks and taps, appliances sold as part of a kitchen and installation) was estimated to be worth  £3.25 billion in 2008, but it is estimated that it will decline to  £3.12 billion in 2009. Product innovation, fashion in the home and the desire for individuality are all strong drivers to growth in the market. Added to this, the growing emphasis on the kitchen and its central place at the hub of the home is also stimulating interest in the kitchens appearance, functionality and furnishings. Mintel believes the consumer market will return to growth by late 2010 or early 2011, accelerating to 2014. All the previous positive factors remain in place for a recovery. Kitchens UK: August 2009 Mintel Competitors Sustaining competition in market is important for any business success. Identifying the direct competitors and analyzing their market information like where they stand in market, their strengths and weakness, sales performance, pricing strategy, studying their product range and promotional methods helps us to prepare strategies to penetrate into their market for greater market share. Distributors and suppliers Building proper distribution channel to reach target audience is important. Distributors are one of the key elements in supply chain of a company as he helps to move product from hands of the company to the hands of customers. Reaching target market is unlikely without proper distribution channel. A distributor saves both money and time for companies by their expertise in what they do. Macro audit Macro environment considers challenges in the world at large. These elements are politics, Economy, technology, laws and environment which impact the market. Having detailed information about these elements helps an organization to serve market better. Politics Political system like taxation policies, foreign trade policies, how supportive the government is for private sector helps an organization to plan their marketing strategies more efficiently. Economy Information like inflation, disposable income levels decides the income of the market place which is vital for planning pricing strategy. Technology In todays world technology is growing in very fast phase. Technology enables business to communicate more efficiently and saves time which helps to take efficient decisions. Environment Environmental policies have a major role on the manufacturing process. Availability of raw material, energy costs and pollution are the major influencing factors of quality of product. Research Requirements Retailers Opinion: Retailers knows and understands the behavior pattern of customers. They will have the first hand information on market and what exactly customers are looking for in a product they want. Retailers even have key information on taste of customers who belongs to a particular geographical region. Research methodology: one to one interview is the best research method for this objective. One to one interviews help to get most of the information possible from a retailer which may miss through questionnaire or online survey. Through this method we could able to know the retailers personal views on our product as well as his experiences with customers while selling our product. This information regarding our product and service helps us to understand our lagging points and allow us to work on them. As retailers interact with different kinds of customers during their day to day business they know the customers preference and choice better. So, retailers are the best source of information regarding the pattern of customers buying behavior and the factors which influence their buying decision. As retailer being the possible large data base of information regarding customers, one to one interview research method is the best to collect the information in its totality. Fashion and Trend: In the matter of fashion and trend only change is constant. Peoples taste vary from person to person, place to place etc. people always get influenced by latest trend and fashion. Research methodology: conducting surveys through online as well as placing questionnaires at shops to answer are the best methods to collect information. Young working people who are single and newly married couples are best sample for this kind of survey. These sample can be questioned online by preparing questionnaire with pictures of product with different kinds of designs and asking them which kind of furniture they like and why. Through this method coverage will be more as most of the youngsters use net. At shops customers can see, feel and know more about the product. So, getting answers for what they like or dislike in a product example color, comfort, style, and design etc through questionnaires placing at shops helps to analyze the thought process while shopping. Target Customer segment profile: Before venturing into new market it is important to study the characteristics of that target group as customers thoughts and opinions are different depending on factors like place, income etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Research methodology: Focus group is the best research method which can be adapted here for this research. The targeted group can be working professionals, business men above age 25 who belongs to both mid and high income markets. This information could be gathered at offices, social gathering places like hotels, restaurants, organized events etc. Feedback from a group has more diversified opinions on a product. This provides most invaluable information about brand, quality, pricing, design etc which helps company to provide best possible quality furniture with appealing design at affordable prices (Saunders M. et al., 2006). SW/OT Analysis Stateroom Furnitures Strengths It is very popular brand known for its quality hand crafted furniture which is made of wide variety of wood. Have wide product range of kitchen furniture which covers from high end dining set to china display cabinets. Capital reserves are available for development and even extra funds can be raised in strong business cases. It has a facility with new machinery which could be used to manufacture a variety range of furniture. Stateroom Furnitures Weakness SR furniture could not utilize its potential in market completely. Many people back off from buying the furniture for its price even though they like it. Its market is limited only to certain section because of its old fashioned design. The material used to make furniture is limited to wood which leads to lack of variety in product range. Though the brand is popular its distribution is limited only to up-market stores in cities and counties. Only 55% of the factories capacity is being utilized. Market Opportunities A huge section of market with young audience is open to target the products. Furniture with modern stylish designs and made of different materials are in huge demand. This space in market in not yet ventured by SR There is demand for branded quality furniture around the world not only for domestic purpose but also business purpose. Large section of market with audience who belongs to middle income group is still open. Market Threats Change of peoples perception towards kitchen as cooking, eating and hanging out area is a threat to kitchen furniture sales. Plastic and Self assembly furniture is becoming popular which are cheap and comfortable to use. As young audience dont like old fashioned furniture there is threat of losing this market completely in future. Reduction in room sizes may lead to not using the dining set which will affect SR sales figures because 50% of sales are of dining sets. Resultant Strategies Different strategies can be developed by using TOWS frame work: S-O Strengths : Opportunities Strategies Capital reserves, Product range and brand reputation could be utilized (S1/2) to promote present sales. Utilize brand reputation to export and contract sales (S1) could be increased as there is demand for quality brands all over the world. (O3) Brand reputation and Capital reserves and factory capacity (S1/3/4) could be utilized to manufacture and market modern style furniture for young audience.(O2) W-O Weakness :Opportunities strategies A Product range at reasonable price (W1/4) could be manufactured and marketed through more outlets even in small towns for middle income group which is a large market segment. (O4) Making furniture with different variety of materials (W2/3) like steel, Plastic etc covers more market and could attract young audience. (O1/4) S-T Strength : Threats Strategies Brand image (S1) can be utilized to venture into other furniture segments like office, bedroom, etc. (T4) For the future: Utilize capital reserves (S3) to venture into plastic and self assembly segment (T 2/3/4). Utilize capital reserves (S3) to change perception of people over dining set and other furniture by running campaigns. (T1) W-T Weakness : Threats Strategies Should make furniture with low cost materials like plastic and others (T2) for mass market which can be sold at reasonable prices (W1). Factory capacity could be utilized to manufacture adjustable furniture with innovative designs (W2/5) to answer space problems which can capture the market of young and other segment who dont like traditional furniture (T3/4). Marketing Strategies Unique selling proposition The USP aims at making new range of durable kitchen furniture made with different materials like wood, steel, Plastic etc. and designed appealingly according to the taste of all age groups. Positioning To be successful SR furniture should use its brand reputation to capture market neglected before which became advantage to competitors. Thus it is targeted at both sophisticated clientele and mass market by positioning itself as quality furniture maker for all age groups. The marketing mix should be planned in such a way that the product range has both quality and appealing designs to cover all age groups and mid income market. This can be achieved with two lines of products where one is positioned at mass market with affordable furniture range and the other for sophisticated and higher income group. This product mix could be achieved with both traditional and modern designer furniture range made of different materials like steel, veneer, plastic etc. This is illustrated in brand positioning map below: Price vs. Quality Design Good Quality Appealing Design Affordable Price SR Galiform PLC High Price Kohler Mira Jaccuzi UK Group PLC Bristan Group Poor Quality Design The above illustration shows that the market positioning is to capture both high end and mid market by offering good quality furniture. Competitive Strategy SR Furniture seeking to venture into new market with affordable price range for mid income group rather down market as the product range is mainly concerned about the brand image it carries for its quality and design. With current product range its strategy is to capture both high end and mass market of all age groups. Mid market prices could be achieved as the material usage will vary for different designs without affecting the quality and durability of the product. This mass market is going to sustain as getting good brand like SR Furniture at affordable price is great value for money. Growth Strategy Utilizing the brand reputation to venture into new market with new product range is very good move as it makes market penetration easy. The strategy of making a product range of modern designer furniture for sophisticated market could carve its share easily as there is lot of room in market with young audience and others who dont like traditional designs but still appreciate SR brand for its quality. In long term this strategy gives a great scope to enter into the other furniture segments like bedroom, living room etc. Marketing mix differences Consumer vs. Business Marketing mix differs from business market and consumer market. Product Consumer market: Product range should consist furniture with appealing design to all age groups. Consumer prefers good looking furniture which is comfortably fits in their rooms and easy to mobilize during house shift. Business market: Business market includes buyers like hotels, restaurants etc who dont shift often. They prefer durable furniture which lasts long and design of furniture is very important in setting up a good ambiance and image in market place. Price Pricing strategy varies between consumer and business markets as the buying pattern differs. Business clients place bulk orders and consumers buy individual pieces of furniture. Furniture manufactured for business purpose could be costlier as it is manufactured according to the specifications of business client. Place Furniture is sold through retail stores at different locations for convenience of individual consumers to shop and transport. There would be no specific location to sell furniture for business purpose. Manufactured furniture according to the clients order would be transported directly from factory. Promotion Television advertisements, ads in news papers and magazines, hoardings, exhibitions and other promotional methods are adapted to reach consumer market. Catalogues would be designed with products picture and key information which are distributed to clients personally by marketing team.

Gender Roles in Society Essay -- Sociology Gender Sex Dominant Essays

Gender Roles in Society Since the beginning of time men have played the dominant role in nearly every culture around the world. If the men were not dominant, then the women and men in the culture were equal. Never has a culture been found where women have dominated. In â€Å"Society and Sex Roles† by Ernestine Friedl, Friedl supports the previous statement and suggests that â€Å"although the degree of masculine authority may vary from one group to the next, males always have more power† (261). Friedl discusses a variety of diverse conditions that determine different degrees of male dominance focusing mainly on the distribution of resources. In The Forest People by Colin Turnbull, Turnbull describes the culture of the BaMbuti while incorporating the evident sex roles among these â€Å"people of the forest†. I believe that the sex roles of the BaMbuti depicted by Turnbull definitely follow the pattern that is the basis of Freidl’s arguments about the conditions that determine vari ations of male dominance. Through examples of different accounts of sex roles of the BaMbuti and by direct quotations made by Turnbull as well as members of the BaMbuti tribe, I intend on describing exactly how the sex roles of the BaMbuti follow the patterns discussed by Freidl. I also aim to depict how although women are a vital part of the BaMbuti culture and attain equality in many areas of the culture, men still obtain a certain degree of dominance. Friedl argues that â€Å"the source of male power among hunter-gatherers lies in their control of a scarce, hard to acquire, but necessary nutrient-animal protein† (263). This is proven by the people of the BaMbuti since they do in fact rely on the hunter-gatherer method which is a process where the people depend on wild plants and animals for subsistence. Although the women of the BaMbuti culture contribute a substantial amount to the hunting process by foraging for mushrooms and nuts and by driving the animals into the net, the men actually kill the animal and distribute it among the tribe. Turnbull states that â€Å"survival can be achieved only by the closest co-operation and by an elaborate system of reciprocal obligations which insures that everyone has some share in the day’s catch† (107). According to Friedl this distribution obligates others to the hunter and â€Å"these obligations constitute a form of power or control over others, both men and... ... to the degree of dominance held by men in the BaMbuti culture. Although this degree might not be extremely high and women do acquire a certain level of equality with the men, the patterns expressed by Friedl in â€Å"Society and Sex Roles† are consistently followed throughout Turnbull’s book, The Forest People. The Forest People is a great example of the patterns expressed by Friedl in her article. Friedl’s hypothesis that men tend to dominate based on the amount of resources distributed and on the division of labor based on sex is proven through the actions of the BaMbuti people. The present dominance that exists by men in nearly every culture is one that is likely to continue for many years if not forever. Friedl suggests that â€Å"as long as women spend their discretionary income from jobs on domestic needs, they will gain little social recognition and power† (269). She proposes that the only way women will attain equality is to â€Å"gain access to positions that control the exchange of resources† (269). If in fact women do continue to gain these higher positions, then male dominance may eventually become obsolete and egalitarianism may one day become the basis of industrial societies.

The Obese Children of Today Essay -- Health Obesity Overweight Essays

The Obese Children of Today What I know about obese children is that they are very unhealthy and that their chances of living a long productive life is practically obsolete. Ihave imagined many stereotypical things about these obese children. For instance, I believed that the obese child got to be how they are from their own good will. I also assumed that the obese child was a lazy individual with no sense of direction, simply an individual with no discipline and with low self-esteem. I thought of them as being eating machines with no self-control. In essences I felt that these obese children have given up in living a normal life (normal being what we as a society consider to be our mainstream). I was completely blinded that the blame should be placed on the child and on the parent for lack of effort in their part to stop the condition of being obese. As I began to do my research on obese children in the Internet, I came to the realization of a tremendous amount of information, which seem to be useless in that specific point of time. The way I began was by choosing a web browser, which there were a few to choose from. I decided to first choose Yahoo, and on Yahoo's searcher I placed the tittle of obese children, which to my surprise gave an enormous amount of sites to go into, in fact it gave me over two-million sites to go into. I began to start reading the tittles to see which one came closer to my need. I began to become enormously frustrated with the search because none of the tittles that I read was to my liking. Further and further I went and yet no paradise and finally I came to a tittle that interested me, but to my regret the site was not what I needed. Finally, after my disillusion of not finding what I wanted i... ... stereotypes came crumbling down. Yes, it may seem that we are trying to find a way to blame someone or something else for being overweight, but that is not the case because children are just not active any more and if that inactivity continues we are just asking for many problems to come in the future. Works Cited Belfry, John. Child & Family. "Canadian Children Face Activity and Fitness Crisis" http://www.cfc.ca/docs/00000946.html12/1/98 Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness. "Fitness, Activity, and sports participation in the Preschool Child (RE9265)" http://www.aap.org/policy/05043.htm12/1/98 Gidding, Samuel S. MD. AHA Medical/Scientific Statement. "Understanding Obesity in Youth" http://www.amhrt.org/Scientific/statements/1998/1202.html#B18 12/2/98 Life Skills for Vocational Success. http://www.workshopsinc.com/manual/Chp6/1.html 12/2/98 The Obese Children of Today Essay -- Health Obesity Overweight Essays The Obese Children of Today What I know about obese children is that they are very unhealthy and that their chances of living a long productive life is practically obsolete. Ihave imagined many stereotypical things about these obese children. For instance, I believed that the obese child got to be how they are from their own good will. I also assumed that the obese child was a lazy individual with no sense of direction, simply an individual with no discipline and with low self-esteem. I thought of them as being eating machines with no self-control. In essences I felt that these obese children have given up in living a normal life (normal being what we as a society consider to be our mainstream). I was completely blinded that the blame should be placed on the child and on the parent for lack of effort in their part to stop the condition of being obese. As I began to do my research on obese children in the Internet, I came to the realization of a tremendous amount of information, which seem to be useless in that specific point of time. The way I began was by choosing a web browser, which there were a few to choose from. I decided to first choose Yahoo, and on Yahoo's searcher I placed the tittle of obese children, which to my surprise gave an enormous amount of sites to go into, in fact it gave me over two-million sites to go into. I began to start reading the tittles to see which one came closer to my need. I began to become enormously frustrated with the search because none of the tittles that I read was to my liking. Further and further I went and yet no paradise and finally I came to a tittle that interested me, but to my regret the site was not what I needed. Finally, after my disillusion of not finding what I wanted i... ... stereotypes came crumbling down. Yes, it may seem that we are trying to find a way to blame someone or something else for being overweight, but that is not the case because children are just not active any more and if that inactivity continues we are just asking for many problems to come in the future. Works Cited Belfry, John. Child & Family. "Canadian Children Face Activity and Fitness Crisis" http://www.cfc.ca/docs/00000946.html12/1/98 Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness. "Fitness, Activity, and sports participation in the Preschool Child (RE9265)" http://www.aap.org/policy/05043.htm12/1/98 Gidding, Samuel S. MD. AHA Medical/Scientific Statement. "Understanding Obesity in Youth" http://www.amhrt.org/Scientific/statements/1998/1202.html#B18 12/2/98 Life Skills for Vocational Success. http://www.workshopsinc.com/manual/Chp6/1.html 12/2/98