Assessment of Artistic Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Assessment of Artistic Quality - Essay Example Other types of art include decoration, literature, interactive media, crafts, fine arts, and applied arts (Davies, 2009, 134). Since time immemorial, art has been controversial. Some people may decide to dislike a particular art for various reasons. There have been incidences of art destructions especially those that are not appealing or outrageous to some people. Some artistic creations have been disliked simply because they depicted unpopular parties, individuals, rules or groups. Conventions involving art have in most cases, been conservative (Noà «l, 2008, 45). The iconographic content of art may result in controversies. An example can be derived from the depiction of the new motif of the virgins Soon alongside the crucifixion of Christ. Another example of artistic controversy is that Last Judgement by Michelangelo. This is because it breached decorum by the depiction of not only a duty but also the Apollo Like pose of Christ. This art became a nuisance to many people (Stecker, 2007, 35). The many controversies in artistic designs have necessitated assessments on this artistic project to ascertain the quality before they are displayed in the public domain (Kennick, 2009, 6). In a different generation, artistic evaluation has been done using various criterion. In this situation, I think artistic quality should be assessed before being displayed to the public in order to eliminate or reduce controversies. Despite being in existence, a wider criterion for artistic evaluations, I will in this paper focus on fine art (painting) and discuss three methods to criterion in artistic quality evaluations. These criterions include assessment in artistic style, artistic technique, and line. In most cases, people tend to assess a particular piece of art by attaching their personal feelings to the decisions that they take. The contents of the majority of formal arts throughout history have been determined by the commissioner and the patron instead of a particular artist.

Chocolate Industry Essay Example for Free

Chocolate Industry Essay The Chocolate industry in the UK has been facing many challenges in recent times. The escalation of prices of the main ingrediants such as cocoa, milk and sugar has forced companies to increase prices. Customers showed resistance to higher prices which prompted brands such as Cadbury Masterfoods (Galaxy) to reduce packaging sizes. Concerns among the public regarding obesity has also led chocolate companies to bring out smaller sizes of chocolate. A big issue facing the industry are cocoa prices hitting a 33% high in 2010 due to growing demands from the chocolate industry and a disappointing crop in the Ivory Coast, an important grower of cocoa. As per Euromonitor reports the total value of the chocolate market has grown by 3% to 5. 4 million from 2009. The main players in the market in UK are Cadbury (owned by Kraft Foods), Mars Nestle. Cadbury as of 2010 accounts for 31% value share in the market. In 2010 acquired Cadbury Plc in January 2010 for ? 11. 5 billion. Cadbury Trebor Bassett (CTB) is the confectionery division of the company, which holds a large stake in the three key confectionery areas – sugar, gum and chocolate. CTB’s key brand in the chocolate market is Dairy Milk. This acquisition has helped Cadbury as well as Kraft Foods by increasing their economies of scale as well as bring out more options to customers. Cadbury Ltd operates in both the chocolate and sugar confectionery markets. It manufactures branded confectionery and beverages, including the internationally-successful Cadbury chocolate brand. The company also manufactures dark chocolate under the Bourneville name, as well as supplying Maynards, Trebor and Basset sugar confectionery. The company owns the chewing gum brand Trident and manufactures the medicated sweet, Halls Soothers. Cadbury chocolate brands in the UK include: Dairy Milk, Wispa, Twirl, Twisted, Freddo, Crunchie, Chomp, Bournville, Decker, Boost, Flake, Dream, Time Out, Star Bar, Picnic, Fudge, Snack, Brunch, Curly Wurly, Roses, Creme Egg, Variety and its standalone organic chocolate brand Green Black’s. Cadbury also produces several other items of confectionary however the focus in this project is chocolate. In this project we will look at the competitive pressures facing Cadbury and how it remains the market share leader. Cadbury Ltd registered a turnover of ? 5. 98bn in the year ending 31st December 2009, up from ? 5. 38bn in 2008. In 2009, pre-tax profit stood at ? 378m, after falling by 5. 5% from ? 400m in 2008. Below is a graph showing positions of all key market players FIVE FORCES TOOL. Michael E Porter devised ‘Porter’s Five Forces tool’ as a way for companies to ascertain market attractiveness and competition with other companies. This tool is not just used by commercial organizations but also by public organizations and not for profit companies to understand their customers and suppliers. In the chocolate industry there is heavy rivalry due to the presence of several large scale and world renowned market players such as Nestle, Cadbury and Mars. Cadbury among others produces countlines, boxed chocolates and sharing bags as well as blocks and moulded bars. RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPANIES Existing rivalry among market players in an industry is an important part of judging market attractiveness and competition. Cadbury in UK faces competition mainly from Mars and Nestle. These three brands command equal market shares in UK and an extra percentage of market share creates big marketing spends, strong pricing and new launches of products within the company. In March 2008, Mars acquired the sugar confectionery company Wrigley US, while, in 2010, Kraft Foods completed its acquisition of Cadbury. As per Keynote reports Nestle is expected to buy out US Hershey brand. Nestle is left with reduced market share after acquisitions of Mars Cadbury. Periods of low market growth according to Porter (1980) particularly during maturity or decline of product cycles intensify competition. Competitors take advantage of the saturation of other products. With excess production capacity and lesser competition, several players engage in price competition to get higher sales. Cadbury goes head to head with Nestle Mars as other players have fairly smaller market shares and often struggle due to these top companies. According to Hooley et all (Marketing strategy and competitive positioning) high exit barriers for a company lead to higher competition as well. If a company is unable to exit a market due to high initial investments, high costs of redundancy (monetary and social) they work harder to compete with other companies. Several companies have egotistical as well as psychological reasons for remaining in a market and ensure they stay on top of people’s minds as exiting is not an option due to brand history and value. Brands such as Cadbury have incredible media presence covering internet, television, print, etc. Cadbury is a major player on the internet and uses this tool as an advantage over competitors. Newer avenues such as E-markets are intensifying competition and deterring exit of big companies. Competition in the chocolate industry is also increased due to the fact that product differentiation is low. The intrinsic quality and external value of a bar of chocolate is similar therefore competition for sales is increased. Switching costs in terms of price and availability for customers is low as many players have similar varieties of chocolate on offer. Customers may not face difficulty in changing from one brand to another due to such factors and this leads to Cadbury, Nestle and Mars to participate in increased competitiveness for higher market share. According to Hooley et All (Marketing strategy competitive positioning) if fixed costs are high then competitive is intensified. THE THREAT OF MARKET ENTRY The chocolate industry must be prepared for the entrance of new competition. Several factors can allow companies from entering into an industry. The chocolate industry has several companies that hold highest market share however there are also small companies as well as a lot of new entrants. New companies enter the industry if cost of entry is low. Companies with relatively less resources can break into markets if capital and investment is low. The requirement of large financial resources in order to compete with established brands can deter new entrants. In the chocolate industry deterrents include rising prices of supplies like cocoa, sugar and milk. The health awareness among the public has also led to dropping sales and this can be a problem for new entrants. Factors distribution channels being accessible for all chocolate companies gives new companies accessibility to enter the market due to heavy presence to retail outlets. Competitive retaliation according to Hooley can hinder entrance of new and fairly smaller companies. Big players such as Cadbury can pursue aggressive marketing strategies to combat new companies from taking over. If bigger companies were unable to respond to new companies with competitive retaliation then it would be far easier for companies to enter. The chocolate industry is composed of very few companies as the main players (Cadbury, Kit Kat Nestle) hold highest market shares. These companies have aggressive market strategies and customer loyalty as well. Existing companies have the funds to expand their presence in the market through acquisitions or mergers. For example, in 2003, Cadbury acquired the Natural Confectionery Company, which has since become a well-known product in the sugar confectionery market. Such extensions serve to diversify the market, while introducing more options in terms of products and brands. Product differentiation can also trigger entry of new companies. The chocolate market is flexible and many different varieties of chocolate can be found. New companies can use this to their advantage by launching specialized products to cater different tastes. In the chocolate industry there are several brands offering niche variety of chocolates whereas the top players are creating extensions similar to what the competitor is providing. Cadbury offers a wide variety of chocolates to compete with Mars Nestle as well as other brands such as Ferrero Rocher, Lindtt Thorntons. Hooley states that when there are gaps in a market new entrants can enter with ease. In highly segmented markets, new entrants can cater to specialized segments of the market as well as newer and experimental audiences. In every industry companies need to understand diversifying interests and requirements of customers or else new entrants can use this opportunity to cater to new tastes and needs of customers. In the chocolate industry more and more varieties of chocolate are available and there is a demand for different types of chocolates that many specialized and newer brands are approaching giving a tough time to established brands such as Cadbury. THE THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES: Every industry including the chocolate industry is threatened by substitutes. New companies can come in and revolutionize the market and offer better and more unique substitutes of whatever is already on offer. In the chocolate industry new companies can provide better alternatives of existing products by offering cheaper prices and better quality. Product improvements can be made and this makes newer companies gain an advantage over existing companies. Due to health concerns in UK many customers are shifting to options such as biscuits. BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS. In the chocolate industry suppliers can gain power by increasing prices, limiting quality and services. The rising prices of Cocoa are forcing many chocolate brands to increase prices or reduce packaging size of chocolates. Bargaining power of suppliers are medium as even the suppliers require these brands to buy. The cocoa industry depends on the confectionary industry. However to combat the high prices Cadbury is reduce. ng packaging of sizes. The price of cocoa is consistently rising and the market is very volatile BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The other side of powerful suppliers are powerful buyers. Buyers today are expecting better quality and cheaper prices. Since chocolate is a standardized product buyers can choose between many brands and switching costs are low. Brands such as Cadbury and Nestle are following customer demands such as creating healthy alternatives as well as suiting their requirements in terms of flavours, types of chocolate, etc. Due to recession in the UK many people prefer to remain at home and Cadbury is creating ‘Nights in’ options such as chocolate sharing bags. Bargaining power of buyers is high as they have the option to switch to several options. GENERIC STRATEGY OPTIONS According to Porter, a company can outperform other companies in a competitive arena through: 1. Cost Leadership 2. Differentiation 3. Focus As of 2009 Cadbury UK ltd remains market leader in chocolate confectionary accounting for 31% in value sales. With new product developments and extensions Cadbury hopes to woo new customers. With the takeover by Kraft Foods Cadbury is benefitted by widespread distribution and larger economies of scale COST LEADERSHIP: Cadbury is not a cost leader in the market however follows competitive pricing along with Mars Nestle. Due to cocoa prices rising they are increasing prices or reducing package sizes yet maintaining almost similar prices so no one can gain competitive price advantage. In October 2010, The Grocer revealed that Cadbury and Nestle were to increase their recommended retail prices by up to 7% across some of their most popular lines, including Dairy Milk, Wispa and Yorkie. Rising commodity prices led to a 3 pence (p) price increase on standard Cadbury Dairy Milk bars in October — a 30% increase on 2007 — taking the retail price of the chocolate bar to 56p. DIFFERENTIATION: Cadbury provides similar products to its competitors therefore differentiation is hard to achieve. Cadbury’s Diary Milk however is their best selling chocolate and is a plain chocolate. A similar product cannot be found in competitiors. Cadbury however is known for its unique taste and therefore offers differentiation as competitors cannot imitate the same taste. FOCUS: Competitive advantage can be gained if Cadbury focuses on target groups. As per consumer research volumes of chocolate consumed are falling however the same amounts of people are eating chocolate. Several factors such as negative health effects of chocolate and the concept of ‘staying in’ due to recession are deterring consumers from consuming chocolate. Cadbury’s responded to the increasing concern over unhealthy ingredients with the acquisition of the Natural Confectionery Company, which manufactures sweets without artificial colouring or flavourings. Cadbury can capitalise on captive audiences staying in at home with chocolate sharing bags and boxes such as Buttons Roses. Nestle is known to have partnered with Empire magazine’s dvd rental service to gain advantage over this ‘stay at home’ audience. Cadbury also needs to focus on ethical sourcing as people in the UK are expecting companies to conduct business in a socially responsible manner. Cadbury is a supporter of sustainable cocoa farming and in order to appeal to global audiences they entered into Fairtrade. To summarize focus can be on health concerns, ethical sourcing and corporate responsibility as well as seasonal demand during Christmas , Easter, ETC. Cadbury among its competitors also leads in brand extensions, the revival of Wispa is an important example. Competitors feel it comes in the way of original brand sales however Cadbury found success. RESOURCE BASED VIEW: According to the resource based view companies can achieve high performance through their developed resources. This view bases success of a company on its assets and capabilities which help to create competitive advantage. As per the resource based theory competitive edge can be found if companies possess the following characteristics: value, rarity, inimitability and non-substitutability (VRIN MODEL). Resources are further classified into tangible and intangible assets. Intangible Resources for Cadbury are: 1. Brand Name: The brand name Cadbury is very renowned. Kraft’s takeover has helped Kraft more than it has for Cadbury. Cadbury is an easily recognized brand name and is the market share leader in the UK. 2. Reputation: Cadbury has a very good reputation among buyers in the UK. In 2010 Cadbury became Fairtrade and also follows ethical sourcing of cocoa which has helped enhance its image. Cadbury’s history goes beyond 150 years and is considered a top brand. 3. Country of Origin: Country of origin is also an asset and in the case of Cadbury, the COO is UK. The COO is a method of evaluation for quality. Customers except a lot more when a brand originates from certain countries. 4. Market Domination: Cadbury has an additional asset of market domination. As of 2010 as per Euromonitor reports, Cadbury leads market share in the UK accounting for 31% value share in UK. The Kraft takeover has only helped in increasing the dominance of Cadbury due to increased distribution networks and extensive economies of scale. Following the Kraft takeover in February 2010, sales of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk were up 12. 8% and Cadbury’s overall chocolate confectionery business grew by 5%. Although Kraft’s chocolate sales rose faster in percentage terms, at 7. 5% for the 52 weeks ending 30th October 2010, this was the result of increased distribution. Cadbury’s acquisition has helped Kraft Foods. Supply chain assets such as a strong distribution network and good relationship with suppliers (cocoa, milk sugar) are also a strong asset for Cadbury. Cadbury is available at all retail outlets and due to its ethical sourcing objectives and fair-trade association it shares a good relationship with suppliers despite the volatile price environment. Other strong intangible assets for Cadbury include its existing large customer base, glowing corporate culture and production expertise. Tangible assets for Cadbury are factory and equipment as well as cash/cash equivalents. Below is a table listing assets of Cadbury on a Likert scale. Rated from 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) INTANGIBLE ASSETS: Resources| Value| Rarity| Inimitability| Non Substitutability| Brand Name| 5| 5| 5| 5| Reputation| 5| 4| 3| | Country of Origin| 5| 3| 3| 3| Market Domination| 5| 3| 3| 3| Supply Chain Assets| 5| 3| 3| 3|. To gain competitive advantage, capabilities of a firm should also be taken into consideration. According to Hooley, processes that deploy assets are capabilities. Several marketing capabilities should be included such as robust advertising and promotion strategies, distribution capabilities, pricing etc. The following capabilities can apply to Cadbury: * Advertising Promotions: Effective communications can take place through advertising, public relations, direct marketing, etc. Cadbury also launched a ? 50m advertising plan in 2010 as part of its official sponsorship of the London 2012. In recent time Cadbury has received good PR for becoming a fairtrade product. On 28th February 2011, the company began its ‘Fairtrade Fortnight’, after Cadbury announced that it planned to donate 20% of total sales from its fairtrade products to charity in order to fund a program that would give Ghanaian cocoa farmers solar panels. Examples of such good PR and great advertising campaigns help in Cadbury’s aim to gain competitive advantage. * Distribution capability: Distribution capability is a capability for Cadbury as it is available in all grocery stores including large scale retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury Asda. * Product developments: Cadbury’s newest innovations and brand extensions such as Diary Milk bliss (vanilla cream centre, extension of Diary Milk) are capabilities that help Cadbury achieve competitive advantage. Cadbury has also reintroduced Wispa which has been a big seller. During seasonal and festive times Cadbury innovates and brings out products that it is renowned for. Cadbury’s seasonal range offering new product innovations, such as Caramel Bunnies and Creme eggs are a popular choice that set it apart from competitors. CADBURY’S RELATIONSHIPS: Cadbury maintains a good relationship with its customers through effective marketing and PR tools such as social marketing and their website. Cadbury also has a good relationship with its suppliers, In order to achieve corporate social responsibility they have gone fairtrade and continue to support ethical farming of supplies such as cocoa. In 2011 cadbury donated one fifth of its profits from all fair trade certified products sold during fair trade fortnight (28th feb-13th march) to fund solar power projects in Ghana’s cocoa farming communities. Today sales of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk have resulted in 2. 3 million pounds of fairtrade premium paid to Kuapa Kokoo, a fairtrade cooperative for farmers. Cadbury has pledged to invest 45 million pounds over 10 years to secure sustainable future of cocoa farming in Ghana, India, South East Asia and the Caribbean. Cadbury has also invested in farmer education and also reducing its carbon footprint. Cadbury also keeps a good relationship with its distribution channels such as retail outlets like Tesco Asda. Relationships with the media, consumers, suppliers and distributors are the most important relationships for Cadbury. RECOMMENDATION Chocolate remains by far the largest sector of the confectionery market, with sales rising by 17% over the 5 years, compared to the sugar confectionery market which grew by just 6. 3% over the same period. This was principally down to the continued popularity of chocolate products and the rising retail price of confectionery. Countering highly competitive environment through differentiating your product and providing something different from competitors. A tough marketing strategy should be created to help increase value of the product among customers. This creates higher entry barriers for new market players and despite industry growth, market share and costs of supply a brand can cement its own and undisputable position. If product cycle reaches decline then the brand should work to reinvent the product. Cadbury at present is the market leader and with the association with Kraft they can benefit from synergistic strategies. The past few years have also seen concerns regarding the ethical sourcing and production of confectionery products escalate. As a result, organic and fairtrade ingredients have become more widely used in confectionery. Cadbury has created a good name for itself by going fairtrade and must continue to produce in ethical ways. In order to maintain competitive advantage Cadbury must continue to analyse market trends such as healthy eating, staying in and sharing as well as the public’s interest in corporate responsibility. As per keynote reports the price of cocoa and sugar has increased dramatically over the 5-year review period, which is likely to have an adverse affect on the chocolate confectionery sector. Although some companies maintained a good level of ingredient stocks in 2010, the rising cost of commodities, coupled with the increase in value added tax (VAT) in January,is likely to have a more noticeable effect on the industry in 2011. In the UK, the confectionery market continues to enjoy a high level of consumer penetration, with nearly nine out of ten adults purchasing chocolate bars or similar products on a regular or semi-regular basis. However, the market’s large size, its abundance of products and the dominance of well-known brands such as Cadbury. In response to economic downturns and the escalating prices of supplies, Cadbury should respond by producing budget and value items. In a response to escalating cocoa prices Cadbury has responded by not passing price increases onto customers by reducing the size of its products. In February 2011, Cadbury reduced its 140 gram (g) bar of Dairy Milk to 120g (removing two squares), but kept the price the same. Cadbury in order to maintain competitive advantage must continue to offer the customer value through its resources, keep the prices low as well as keep innovating and providing newer products. Another strength Cadbury should concentrate is on to keep focussing on key brands such as Dairy Milk. To have an advantage over competitors Cadbury must continue to follow market trends. REFERENCING Euromonitor reports Hooley, G. , Piercy, N. F. , and Nicoulaud, B. (2008) Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning, 4th Ed. , Harlow: FT Prentice-Hall Keynote reports Mintel reports Porter, M. E. (1980c) Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press Porter, M. E. (1980b) How competitive forces shape strategy, McKinsey Quarterly, Spring, No. 2, pp. 34-50 www. cadbury. co. uk.

Thermosyphons :: physics

Tasked with the quest to economically and efficiently extend civilization into the Northern regions, the construction industry has been hindered by the presence of perennially frozen ground. The thermosyphon is a device that facilitates the harmonious union of structure and ice. This paper will serve as a tutorial on thermosyphons, and present an exploration into the physical concepts that allow their operation. The physical concepts and phenomenon that enable the operation of thermosyphons can at times be complex-but don’t be scared. This tutorial will start with the most rudimentary explanation of thermosyphons, and proceed from there to deliver more in depth examinations in a step by step process. Let’s get right down to business. The steps in thermosyphon operation are: STEP 1-Heat flows into the thermosyphon, STEP 2-Heat flows through the thermosyphon tube, and STEP 3-Heat is released into the atmosphere. Simply stated, a thermosyphon is a device which moves heat from one place to another. There are different types of thermosyphons which are used for different applications, but for the purposes of this primer we will concentrate on thermosyphons used by the construction industry to stabilize frozen ground. For example, consider a road built over permafrost.. In this situation it is desirable to keep the ground from thawing, otherwise the road embankment will be destroyed. A thermosyphon â€Å"collects heat† from the frozen ground. This collected heat is brought to the top of the thermosyphon and the cooling fins, where it is released into the atmosphere. In this way, the ground remains frozen. Now, the thought of frozen soil warming the atmosphere may be hard to grasp. This brings us to an important point about the thermosyphon- they only work when the ambient air temperature is below the temperature of the soil (less than 31 degrees Farenheight). With this in mind, we can consider thermosyphons from a different perspective; a thermosyphon increases the exposure of sub-surface soil to freezing temperatures. Another thought, although not totally correct from a physical standpoint, is that the thermosyphon brings cold into the soil. Let’s examine the thermodynamic process by which a thermosyphon operates. This process is outlined below in a step by step chronology. Step 1-There is an accumulation of the working fluid in the bottom of the thermosyphon. The most important factor that governs the choice of a working fluid is that it must have an extremely low boiling point. Permafrost soil is typically at a temperature of 31F and consequently the fluid boiling point should be less than 31F.

William Isaac Thomas

The Thomas Theorem William Isaac Thomas (13 August 1863 – 5 December 1947) was an American sociologist. I decided to write about the W. I Thomas after reading about the other theorist I decided that W. I Thomas theory was much more intriguing and very controversial. W. I Thomas is well known for his quote: â€Å"If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences. † In 1928, the sociologist W. I. Thomas formulated this statement which later became known as the Thomas Theorem. In other words, the interpretation of a situation causes the action. This interpretation is not objective. Actions are affected by subjective perceptions of situations. Whether there even is an objectively correct interpretation is not important for the purposes of helping guide individuals' behavior (http://en. wikipedia. org, 2011). The Thomas Theorem in my interpretation means that whatever you think or believe in it will become true. I agree with this theory to a certain extent that this only applies to some things in life and not all. For example if I think that I am going to be a millionaire it will not just come true I would have to do something in order to make my thoughts come true. How we view the world creates real and tangible outcomes in how we feel and what we do. W. I. Thomas (1863–1947) (1966) stated that whatever we believe to be real will become real in its consequences. So if we believe one religious or political group is right, we will act in a way that supports that view, and we may disagree with those who view things differently. We may try to convince them that our view is right (Vessling,2010). Although many people do not agree with the Thomas theory there are many who do. Law enforcement agencies use it to train officers in the handling of the mentally ill, and it’s been used effectively to explain everything from beauty contest outcomes to panic runs on bank deposits(soulshelter. com, Tim, 2008). The Secret, written by Ronda Byrne and As a Man Thinketh, written by James Allen are both self help books and based on this theory. Some say the formulation of the Thomas Theorem is ambiguous. It could mean, â€Å"The consequences of a situation follow from how it is perceived, not the way it really is,† or â€Å"The power to define a situation includes power over its consequences. † It also could simply mean, â€Å"Beliefs have consequences, regardless of whether they are true. † Whether Thomas was referring to self-fulfilling prophecies, or expressing skepticism about the existence of an objective world; depends on how the statement is interpreted (www. ehow. com, 2011). Frank Van Dun criticized the theorem, he goes on to say: â€Å"The consequences of a situation being believed to be true are the same as if it is actually true,† it is false, because one can't create or negate a reality by wishing for or denying it. If it means, â€Å"The consequences of a situation are real no matter how well it is defined,† it is trivial because that reduces to the aphorism, â€Å"Get real. † Besides the negative feedback from many, W I Thomas was also a pioneer of a psychological approach to social phenomena, and thus can be regarded, together with William Graham Sumner and Wilhelm Wundt, as a forerunner of cultural psychology. His The Polish Peasant was an important landmark in American sociological research. He used biographic data personal letters, autobiographies, diaries, and other personal documents developing the life-history method for which he became famous along with the ideas of George Herbert Mead, Thomas' concept of the â€Å"definition of the situation† later proved to be an important starting point for the revolution of symbolic interactionism against structural functionalism(http://www. ewworldencyclopedia. org, 2011) In conclusion I am a Christian so I believe in God, I also believe that if I ask God to do something that it will be done. The bible reads in Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (King James Bible). W. I Thomas theory maybe a little farfetched to some but this is truth to many. Based on my research I can relate more to the Thomas Theorem. References Alden, WH. 2007) William Isaac Thomas Retrieved from http://www. newworldencyclopedia. org/entry/W. _I. _Thomas Phillips, Colby. (2011). What is the Thomas Theorem of Sociology Retrieved from http://www. ehow. com/info_10068714_thomas-theorem-sociology. html Tim (2010) Understanding the life Through the Thomas Theorem Retrieved fromhttp://www. soulshelter. com/fortune/understanding-the-world-through-the-thomas-theorem-2/ Vissing, Yvonne (2011) An Introduction to Sociology

Gen200 Personal Responsibility Essay

Personal Responsibility The pathway to successful future begins with taking a close look at the ability to commit and be accountable for all actions even when no one is looking. Making the right decision and understanding that there will be challenges along the way can definitely prepare the body and mind to readily face them head on. The personal responsibility of an individual plays an important role to reach the ultimate goal to be successful. Personal responsibility pertains to our ability to discipline ourselves as well as taking a responsible approach and ownership on our career, education, family and most of all our actions.I believe that personal responsibility is vital to academic achievement of an individual because it can exercise self-efficacy, helps to recognize problems easily and manages time effectively to achieve success and happiness. There are many other factors in life that are struck by the effects of personal responsibility, but only a few are highly significant and usually kicks off the rest of the constructive effects. Establishing a relationship between personal responsibility and academic endeavor is very significant because it forms a ground rule to move forward and accept the reality of a decision made and what is destined to happen.Receiving an education is a choice, therefore it is our personal responsibility to make sure that we can meet the academic demand require. A strong sense of self-efficacy supports that responsibility because it can somehow motivate us to move on and challenge our way to academic success because we believe in our ability to reach our goal. Self-efficacy is an individual‘s perceived capabilities to attain designated types of performances and to achieve specific results (Pajares, 1996; Tella & Ayeni, 2006).When we accept responsibility for our own actions we can easily recognize and overcome the tests that are bound to happen along the way. Our positive outlook strengthens our confidence and definitely boosts our self-worth because it encourages us to be more responsible. We have to be careful however on instilling boosts of high expectations or beliefs, the effects can be very disappointing when it is not fully realized. The focus should be on realistic capabilities and potentials so that we can appreciate success in terms of self-development rather than achievements (Bandura, A 1994).Acknowledging responsibility helps to take control of daily life. Another factor that needs a great sense of responsibility is time management. Overwhelming schedule managing education, career, household and other activities can definitely put a person in a bind if schedule is not well planned. When there is a set objective and commitment to achieve that goal, a clear sense of direction in life must be established as well. Setting preliminary goal as well as short and long term goal can definitely put some perspective to how an individual wants to accomplish that objective.With that in mind, time m anagement will be effortless knowing what can be done now and what to accomplish later. A permit for any adjustments on any unforeseen challenges can be detected and easily resolve because commitment and responsibility makes a stand to face any setback and move on to continue the raise to success. A person can manage time effectively because of accountability and the will to accept responsibility for any actions, knowing that there will be consequences. So in order for me to be successful in every aspect of my life, I need to manage time effectively.Well managed time sees the possibilities of new opportunities and helps you create want you want in future. Here is my preliminary plan for this school year: Preliminary plan: 1. Set my short and long term goal. 2. Read on my syllabus and take note of important projects and due dates 3. Prioritize and organize my schedule according to my work and scheduled assignments and required readings. 4. Schedule time to be online and work on DQâ⠂¬â„¢s and assignments. 5. Schedule learning team discussion and assignments In keeping personal responsibility intact and focused, there is no doubt that challenges are bound to happen.Successful status academically, professionally and life in general will always present extreme encounters along the way, testing how strong the concentration and motivation devoted to the goal. Another important factor why responsibility is essential in daily academic life is learning to recognize challenges. Any challenges does not have to set us back, perhaps they should motivate us to be more proactive and ready to face these challenges head on. The quicker any problem is resolve, the quicker to move on and refocus on all the academic requirements and accomplish them right away.As we anticipate and accept that there will be hurdles then we can easily adjust to the situation and find a reasonable resolution. In order to race to academic success, I must remain motivated and focus on the big picture all the way through finish line and graduate. With a sensible practice of personal responsibility I believe I can tackle the duties to achieve my objectives. Establishing a relationship between personal responsibility and academic endeavor is very significant because it forms a ground rule to move forward and accept the reality of a decision made and what is destined to happen.Having the freedom to make the choices, plans and organize to be successful academically gives me the power to do what is right and accept any failures and easily move on with an effective strategy that will lead me to the ultimate goal to successfully graduate. References Pajares, F. (1996). Self efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of Educational Research Tella, A. , & Ayeni, C. O. (2006). The impact of self-efficacy and prior computer experience on the creativity of new librarians in South West, Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice , 8 (2). Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V.S. Ramachaudra n (Ed. Annotated Bibliography Pajares, F. (1996). Self efficacy beliefs in academic settings. Review of Educational Research The article aims to examine self-efficacy and findings made by Bandura’s (1986) in study of self-motivation and taking control of academic aspirations. The summary of discoveries in the relationship of self-efficacy and academic performances which validates measures that match up with personal responsibility. Tella, A. , & Ayeni, C. O. (2006). The impact of self-efficacy and prior computer experience on the creativity of new librarians in South West, Nigeria.Library Philosophy and Practice , 8 (2). This is good resource regarding the study on the impact of self-efficacy prior to computer experience of librarians from Nigeria. The study involves a number of new librarians that are independent and dependent variables. The outcome of the study presented that self-efficacy and computer experience has a major impact on creativity. Bandura, A. (1994). Self-ef ficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed. ), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press. (Reprinted in H. Friedman [Ed. ], Encyclopedia of mental health.San Diego: Academic Press, 1998). This a great reference regarding self-efficacy beliefs and processes regulating emotional states and reactions. Talks about level of motivation reflected in choices and actions. The discussions on the use of influences over a person’s own impulse, thoughts and emotional situations as well as performance on given task. Insights on the development and exercise of self-efficacy over the lifespan. http://www. schoolsucks. com/paper/Academic-Personal-Responsibility/16640. html http://www. des. emory. edu/mfp/BanEncy. html http://www. des. emory. edu/mfp/PajaresSE1996. html

Two Heads Are Better Than One Essays

Two Heads Are Better Than One Essays Two Heads Are Better Than One Essay Two Heads Are Better Than One Essay Two Heads Are Better Than One Two heads are better than one. Is working in a group better than working independently? I think so because you can get more ideas, do the work in a quicker time period and accomplish bigger goals. Firstly, if you work in a group there are more people with you which means there is a variety of thinkers. A variety of thinkers means a mixture of ideas and more success. For example, say you and your staff members have created a product and you want to advertise it in many ways. If you were just working on it alone, you probably wouldn’t get as many results as well as the same quality of work as you would in a group. Secondly, when you do group work instead of individual work, you tend to do the work much faster because the work is divided. The more and more people there are, the lesser time it takes to finish the same work. Let’s take a simple example, a project on aeroplanes. You have to answer about 6 questions on aeroplanes and make a poster board. If you are working in a group, you can divide all the work to each member of the group (answering questions, designing the board, editing, etc. and the process will go much quicker than you having to do all of it yourself. So group work is done much quicker than individual work. Lastly, when you work in a group you can accomplish bigger goals because there are more people. For example, say you have a goal to help the hungry people in the community. If you try to accomplish this goal by yourself, it would be very difficult to do. But when you make an organization, everybody can help and you will meet the needs of your goal. To sum up, it is better to work in a group than to work individually. Thus, two heads are better than one.

Susan McClarys Music

Susan McClarys Music Although music is the sphere where the words cease to exist and where only the melody has the enchanting force that wins over the hearts of the audience, there is the chance to combine the two. In opera, the power of music and words is a single force which drives the audience through the plot of the story, making them feel every turn of the plot with every vein of theirs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Susan McClarys Music specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Trying to bring together music, gender and sexuality, Susan McClary manages to work the ideas underlying Carmen, the famous opera where sensuality collides with the art of music to create a perfect child of love, whose name is masterpiece. Arguing that music serves to express another point of the relations between a woman and a society in Carmen, McClary suggests a specific version of the impact of the music in the opera. It is obvious that McClary suggests that th e music should serve not only as the background for the opera, but also as the means to emphasize the tenseness of the moment, make the audience feel the opera through, so that they could understand with their own heart what the author meant and what thoughts whirled through his mind as he was composing the art of his. McClary also drives to the idea that the music is supposed to coordinate with the key points of the ideas suggested by the storyline. Thus, she presupposes that the role of music as the evidence is enormous, and thus it needs careful observations so that the idea which the music carries could not escape the spectator’s eyes and be well understood. McClary provides certain premises for the argument, and these premises seem to be sufficient to start a discussion about. McClary emphasizes that the music should necessarily support the ideas which the plot suggests. Such must be the musical illustration that it should make the audience not only hear the beautiful me lody, but also see what it describes, watch the range of images rushing through their minds as the story unwinds into a perfect symphony, the union of music and words. The evidence which McClary uses is quite sufficient. Basing her arguments on Carmen, McClary clarifies her idea of he role of music in the opera. The methods which the author uses in her research are rather sufficient to see the problem in depth and to analyze it, there are certain suggestions concerning the evidence. Indeed, the examples which McClary drives are of utter importance and are full of meaning, yet it would be desirable that the experiment should be taken a bit further and to touch upon some more examples. The suggested evidence is convincing, yet it would be better if the author based her research not only on a single opera, but involved some other specimen of the opera art to consider. Thus, the multiple issues of different pieces of music would have been considered closely, and the result would have be en more objective.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a matter of fact, the question of whether music can serve as a piece of evidence is a thing in itself, demands close consideration. If considering music as a form of evidence, one must pay attention to the tiniest details which usually pass unnoticed by the rest of the people. Music as an evidence is a note falling out of the order of the musical party, or a sudden change of the tone, or the winds or strings sounding in a different way. The fault of music as an evidence is that it is very uncertain, rather leaving questions to answer than the solutions to the problems. Music frames the scene described in the play, without creating the additional features. It suggests some more hints to the puzzle which the author gives, yet it does not provide any clear answer. Where music reigns is the depth of the subconscious, tha t is, the sphere where there can be no certainty. With such evidence, as light as a feather, it is impossible to make any solid assumptions about the idea of the opera. However, there is hardly anything that music cannot say. With each and every note, with the change of tone and melody, it makes people think of certain things, and different ideas and images float through their minds as they listen to the enchanting melody. This is where the subjectivity which McClare is speaking about matters so much. The individual perception of the music plays an important part in evaluating the role of music as a piece of evidence for the opera. I case the melody evokes the same ideas in minds of different people, the goal has been achieved and the music has played its part as the means to emphasize the curves and lines of the plot. The so-called â€Å"musical language† must not be underestimated. When used with the maximum of its expressivity, it can speak of different social problems as well as of the personal ones, crying about those living in misery and helping the others to understand the life of those in need. Binding people together, music can close the age, race of money gap between different layers of society and make them come to understanding each other. Throwing some light upon the problems which have been topical for a number of centuries, music can help people to solve these problems. Pushing the audience to think, music opens their hearts to the ideas which would have never occurred to the audience if they had not listened to the motifs as old as the hills.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Susan McClarys Music specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this respect, music provides a sort of healing, which can make people see the light. Disregarding the form which the music takes, and the way the words sound, whether the latter make a song or a recitative, whether they float smoothly or sound l ike a drum, the music will remain the most powerful means of saying what escapes people’s attention.

The Many Cognates of Cede

The Many Cognates of Cede The Many Cognates of Cede The Many Cognates of Cede By Mark Nichol The word cede and words with the syllable -cede share an origin with other similarly spelled words that in some sense refer to withdrawal. This post lists and defines those terms. Cede, meaning â€Å"assign,† â€Å"grant,† or transfer, is just one of multiple words descended from the Latin verb cedere, meaning â€Å"go† or â€Å"yield.† The term cession, which refers to an act of ceding, or yielding is rare. Concession is more common in that sense; the verb form is concede, and concessional and concessionary are the uncommon adjectival forms. (â€Å"Concession stand† and the plural form of the noun describe business operations in which one party grants another party the right to sell goods on the first party’s property.) Accede (â€Å"go to†) means â€Å"agree,† â€Å"approve,† or â€Å"consent,† with the sense of doing so reluctantly, or â€Å"take an office or position,† and the noun form is accession. To intercede (â€Å"go between†) is to intervene or mediate; the act of doing so is called intercession. Precede (â€Å"go before†) can refer to being ahead of or in front of, earlier, or more important. The noun form precedence applies to the quality of priority; another noun form, precession, is rare but is seen in â€Å"precession of the equinoxes,† a reference to an astronomical phenomenon. To recede (â€Å"go back†) is to move away or slant backward, or to decrease (it can also mean â€Å"give something back to the former owner†); most references to the noun form recession pertain to a general decline in economic prosperity. Recedence is a rare term for the act of going back. To secede (â€Å"go apart†) is to separate, as part of a nation from the whole; the noun form is secession. Several other words share the root -cede, but with altered spelling, such as proceed (â€Å"go before†), which means â€Å"advance,† â€Å"come forth,† or â€Å"continue.† The noun procedure describes a set of steps, or a way, to accomplish something, and proceeding can be both a form of the verb or, in plural form, a noun describing a sequence of events. The noun proceeds refers to money brought in, and procedural serves both as an adjective and as a noun describing a work of written or recorded fiction that focuses on a sequence of procedures such as the steps taken in solving a crime. Two other nouns derived from proceed are process, a synonym, as a verb, of proceed and, as a noun, of procedure (in addition, the noun process refers to a prominent part of an organism), and procession refers to a forward movement, especially an orderly, often ceremonial parade of people. (It can also be a verb referring to such a movement.) Processable and processability, meanwhile, refer to the capability or suitability of something to be processed. Succeed (â€Å"go after†) means to do well (and the act of succeeding is called success), but it also pertains to inheriting from or following another person in order; this action is known as succession, and one who follows is a successor. To exceed (â€Å"go from†) is to go beyond or extend outside of or to be greater than; excess refers to the act of going beyond but has a negative connotation. Words that don’t seem at all related but are include abscess (â€Å"go away†), which refers to pus collecting in a cavity within inflamed tissue, and ancestor (â€Å"one who goes before†), which means â€Å"one from whom one is descended†- the adjectival form is ancestral, and the noun ancestry refers to one’s forebears- and antecedent (â€Å"go before†), which means â€Å"something that precedes.† To cease (â€Å"hold back†) is to stop (and cessation refers to the act of stopping), and decease (â€Å"go from†) means â€Å"death,† though it is much more often used as a verb to mean â€Å"die.† (One who dies is a decedent.) Predecessor (â€Å"one who goes before†) refers to someone who has preceded another person in a position; it is an antonym of successor. Necessary (â€Å"not go†), too, derives ultimately from cedere; it means â€Å"inescapable† or â€Å"required.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1The Letter "Z" Will Be Removed from the English AlphabetOne "L" or Two?

Critiquing Strategic Plans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critiquing Strategic Plans - Essay Example The strategic plan is to have substantial investments so as to assure the long term efficiency and to achieve substantial revenue growth. (James, 2009) Any investment will be done in accordance with the minimum funding level policy for the company’s reserve. The company subsection entails dynamism in aspects as in the vision and mission which is a strength.However; the company has several specific operations with the long term inefficiency costs. This insufficient costs constitute company weakness.The company should therefore set manageable subsections of the objectives that will be handled in accordance to the available costs. (James, 2009) The Arizona Strategic Highway Safety Plan is scheduled to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on public roadways. The mission is to have zero deaths across the public roadways. Ordinarily, there are 12 safety emphasis areas including speeding and aggressive driving, impaired driving, occupant protection (seatbelts, child safety seats), motorcycle safety, distracted driving, roadway infrastructure improvements (intersections, lane departures), age-related driving, heavy vehicle/transit/bus safety, non-motorized users (bicyclists, pedestrians), natural risks (weather, animals), traffic incident management (secondary collisions, work zones) and cross-jurisdictional issues. The safety plan outlines a clear set of actions and proposed strategies to be taken over the next five years to reduce motor vehicle and pedestrian-involved crashes, and save lives on roadways (ADOT, 2014 ) The strength is the support of the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Arizona Department of Health Services, our federal partners and the hundreds of participating stakeholders across our state. The strategic plan has not involved the educative programs and this is a weakness. There is need for proper education on the

American history-us constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American history-us constitution - Essay Example The 19th century saw the birth of a rigid US Constitution with the adoption of the Ordinance of 1787. May 14th saw the Constitutional Convention meeting at Philadelphia and on September 17th, the Constitution was finished and signed by the delegates. The 20th century is the modern period of the US even though seriously marred by the two World Wars (1914 - 1918 and 1939 - 1936 respectively) and the Great Depression of the mid 1930s. The history of the America has been a very dynamic one. It can be divided into a five timelines: timeline of the colonization (1000 - 1764); the timeline of the American Revolution (1765 - 1786); Adoption of the Constitution (-'the biggest experiment in democracy'); the Civil War and Modern Times timeline (1861 - 1904); the World War II timeline (1939 - 1945).1 This dynamism is described by the Professor of History at the Moritz School, Ohio State University, Michael Les Benedict, in more than 40 essays in American History. Perhaps Benedict's works give the most comprehensive analogy of the biggest experiment in the history of democracy; the United States Constitution. The US constitution can be considered as the apex of US history. In an essay entitled Expanding the Scope of American Constitutional History, Benedict asserts that 'in the nineteenth century every history of the United States attended closely to the nation's constitutional development--to the constitutional issues that precipitated the American Revolution, to American History 3 the operation of the Articles of Confederation, the framing and ratification of the Constitution itself, issues of state rights versus nationalism, constitutional aspects of slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction.' (Benedict) This statement by Michael Les Benedict is a clear indication that US history is mainly inscribed in its Constitution. The United States is a former British colony and at the time of the colonization used mainly Crown laws in its colonies. In effect, the authors of the Constitution of the US attempted to do away with those aspects of British laws that limited democracy and civil liberties in the light of the history of that great nation. That was the reason why the Bill of rights was inserted into the US constitution to protect the rights of the minority and to ensure equality for all in the USA. An analysis of post Constitutional Amendments proves that Benedict's findings on the US constitutional history can still be confirmed today. All constitutional amendments of the US Constitution are indeed geared towards ameliorating the ethical values of a revolutionary people. The Bill of Rights has given the US the name of the most democratic nation of the World and has equally given the US the fame of a land of freedom. From its discovery to the present, the US has always been called the 'land of opportunity' for all. Equally inscribed in this debate are recent measures taken by the US to assert the protection of its constitution and civil liberties of US Citizens in the fight against terrorism. This fight saw the adoption of the US Patriot Act post 9/11. 'No nation is more proud of its system of

Verview of the Bhopal, India disaster Research Paper - 1

Verview of the Bhopal, India disaster - Research Paper Example In December 1984, water with 42 tons of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas entered into tank 610. This resulted into an exothermic reaction that raised the temperature to over and above 200 degrees. The rise in pressure caused the tank to release 30 metric tones of MIC into the ambiance in less than 60 minutes. The northwesterly wind blew the gas over Bhopal (Hanna, Morehouse, & Sarangi, 2005). The gravity of the situation had magnifying factors such as poor safety systems; some of which were off to save on money; the flare tire disconnected; the vent gas scrubber was out of caustic soda; the pressure valve was not working; mandatory refrigeration of MIC was incorrect. Union Carbide ignored recommendations given to them by an American team that had performed inspections on the plant in the year 1961. This inspection revealed 61 potential hazards, none of which Union carbide corrected (Born, 1996). The disaster hit catastrophic levels owing to the burgeoning of casual settlements around the plant. Further, there lacked disaster preparedness actions induced by the appropriate authorities (Hanna, Morehouse, & Sarangi, 2005). Inquiry into the incident further revealed that the plant used unapproved technologies in its productions. The morale of the employees of the firm was low, and attempts to cut down expenses led to poor environment. Most of the qualified work force left the company for better jobs leaving under qualified staff at the plant (Born, 1996). This coupled with lacked of skilled operators led to the occurrence of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Following this nasty incident, Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) tried so hard to shift liability to it subsidiary, Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). The UCC claimed that UCIL was autonomous in its operations and as such were culpable (Fernando, 2009). They also tried to blame the incident on disgruntled employees and Sikh extremists whom they

PHIL 102 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

PHIL 102 - Essay Example Simply, it is assumed to be a moral good in itself. Kant, a deontologist and philosopher, asserts that there are certain things that people are entitled to do, regardless of their repercussions. For instance, he perceives that people have an obligation of always standing for the truth. It is pertinent for anyone to find their moral obligations via the use of hard logic or reasoning. According to Kant, people begin to instill knowledge of the categorical imperative when they start to question and contemplate on the nature of ethics. Moreover, Kant asserts that acting with regard to morals is practically intricate and should not be easy especially in cases when one has a conviction to do something else. This apparently implies that acting morally may encompass people to act within a state of emotional detachment. For instance, reasons why smokers find it hard to quit smoking knowing that it is a morally wrong act, is questionable. In his categorical imperative, Kant states that moral truth is a concept beyond human experience and it is practically intricate to depend on senses to learn its meaning. In addition to moral truths being priori, they aid people to infer what it actually means to act morally and more so, comprehend why doing something or behaving in a certain manner is a morally good thing to do and this is through use of reason. Kant explains that, reason leads for moral actions but does not follow. Kant argues that the contemporary ethical debate starts with an assumption that a person requires free will for them to be morally accountable. Regardless of the fact that one may do good under instruction, Kant argues this to be a moral accident and not necessarily a moral act. Therefore, to qualify in acting in a truly moral manner, someone ought to choose to execute something by themselves. However, for Sigmund Freud, we cannot ever be completely sure of our actual motives. Moreover, it is

The anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact Coursework

The anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact - Coursework Example However, in the middle of the middle of the government’s role to provide security of its citizens, the anti-terrorist laws have created a huge negative impact. This report will discuss the anti-terrorism law in the U.K. and its overall impact. Light will be shed on how this law has innocently disrupted lives. Introduction Oxford dictionary defines terrorism as the â€Å"unofficial and unauthorized use of violence in the pursuit of political aims (Oxford Dictionary, 2012).† Terrorism is not a new concept, it has been used since the prehistoric times but it is relatively hard to describe in words that can encompass the entire concept behind this term. Terrorism has been used as both, a tactic as well as a strategy; for criminal purposes and as a holy duty. Whatever is case; an act of terrorism is extremely reprehensible and has no justifications what so ever. Unfortunately, this line of thought is not adopted by all people. Terrorism has always been useful approach for th e side whose argument or strength is weaker as compared to the other. On a larger, national scale, terrorism is defined as the use of violence to inculcate fear in the minds of people and intimidate and coerce governments and different societies to pursue goals of the terrorists. The reason why terrorism is so wrong is because its influence goes way beyond just the intended victim, it at times have consequences for entire nations (Terrorism Research, 2012). Terrorism Ever since the incident of twin towers in America on 9th September, 2001, the threat of terrorism has magnified. Ever since that unforgettable day referred to as 9/11, terrorism is a word that looms large in the minds of people. War against terrorism is a commonly heard term and many different nations as well Britain are participants in this war to provide their citizens with a sense of security and to keep them safe from terrorists. However, for the United Kingdom, there is nothing new about the threat of terrorism or the legal response to it. Throughout the course of history, Britain has been the victim of many terrorist acts. However, for the purpose of this report, the events, legislation and the effect of that legislation prior to 2001 will not be considered. The disastrous occurrence of 9/11 did not result in any immediate or drastic change in the legislation that was directed towards curbing terrorism. Most of the legislation pertaining to terrorism already existed. However as a direct consequence of 9/11, The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 were passed. This terrorism act incorporated in the British legislation has resulted in Britain having the most comprehensive legal framework in all of Europe to fight terrorism (Bennet, 2005). The Anti-Terrorism Act The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 were aimed at amending the Terrorism Act 2000. Its purpose was to include more stipulation about terrorism and security. It provided provisions for the freezing of assets and immig ration and asylum. The act intended to amend as well as extend the scope of criminal law and its powers for preventing crime from happening and enforcing that law. The Act included in it laws which made retention of communication data legal. The Act also included provisions for the control of pathogens and toxins (Anti-terrorism, 2001). The major constituent of the bill was the government of the time’s determination to find a way of dealing with foreign nationals and visitors who were suspected of involvement in terrorism activities by

PHIL 102 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

PHIL 102 - Essay Example Simply, it is assumed to be a moral good in itself. Kant, a deontologist and philosopher, asserts that there are certain things that people are entitled to do, regardless of their repercussions. For instance, he perceives that people have an obligation of always standing for the truth. It is pertinent for anyone to find their moral obligations via the use of hard logic or reasoning. According to Kant, people begin to instill knowledge of the categorical imperative when they start to question and contemplate on the nature of ethics. Moreover, Kant asserts that acting with regard to morals is practically intricate and should not be easy especially in cases when one has a conviction to do something else. This apparently implies that acting morally may encompass people to act within a state of emotional detachment. For instance, reasons why smokers find it hard to quit smoking knowing that it is a morally wrong act, is questionable. In his categorical imperative, Kant states that moral truth is a concept beyond human experience and it is practically intricate to depend on senses to learn its meaning. In addition to moral truths being priori, they aid people to infer what it actually means to act morally and more so, comprehend why doing something or behaving in a certain manner is a morally good thing to do and this is through use of reason. Kant explains that, reason leads for moral actions but does not follow. Kant argues that the contemporary ethical debate starts with an assumption that a person requires free will for them to be morally accountable. Regardless of the fact that one may do good under instruction, Kant argues this to be a moral accident and not necessarily a moral act. Therefore, to qualify in acting in a truly moral manner, someone ought to choose to execute something by themselves. However, for Sigmund Freud, we cannot ever be completely sure of our actual motives. Moreover, it is

Ultimate Reality and the Nature of a Human Being Essay

Ultimate Reality and the Nature of a Human Being - Essay Example Because of our limited understanding of reality, individuals create a personal perception of the truth of ultimate reality. The understanding of ultimate reality provides explanations of the causes of some phenomena such as living and non-living things in the universe. The explanations of the causes of existence make human beings create the meaning and purpose of life and living. For example, those who see the world from a religious viewpoint attribute the existence of a diverse universe to the works of an infinite Supreme Being. Thus, human beings come up with various attributes of the Supreme Being. Human beings derive the meaning and purpose of life from the perceived attributes of the Supreme Being. For the Christians, the purpose of living is to fulfill God’s creation. According to Goheen and Bartholomew (2008), the Bible is the true story of the world. It teaches that the definitive goal of the world is the establishment of God’s kingdom. Therefore, the Bible should be regarded as God’s message about how is working to resolve the world and all human beings. The practical implication of understanding ultimate reality is the emergence of various views that attempt to provide satisfactory explanations of existence. Each and every person creates their own individual perception of reality. The perceived individual reality helps in shaping the consensus reality of the human nature. Because of the limited powers of reasoning and experience, humans may not understand the entire diverse nature or even provide satisfactory explanations of its existence. It is such limitations of reasoning that make people resort to religion to explain what the basic human reasoning cannot provide. Therefore, what the human reasoning cannot explain is attributed to the Supreme Being. Human beings seek to understand themselves in relation to the ultimate nature. To understand the ultimate nature, an individual needs to understand God, the supreme being. Thus, God is strictly

Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay Example for Free

Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection Essay The theory of evolution by natural selection is about the changes that occur in all living things on earth over time. This process of change, which started on the first day of life on earth and continues up to the present, is what fortifies living things and enables them to survive and perpetuate their species. Detailed in a 500-page book entitled â€Å"On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection† published by Charles Darwin in 1858, the theory of evolution by natural selection essentially holds that on this earth, only the brawny and the brainy remain standing as a result of a perpetual struggle for survival. It follows, therefore, that only the stronger and the smarter of the species get the opportunity to reproduce and keep their kinds endure. As a further result of this process of natural selection, the descendants of the surviving species only exhibit the traits (whether physical strength, size, agility, quick-wittedness, or the ability to change appearance) possessed by their ancestors that permitted them to stay alive in their particular habitats. It further follows, that as a result of this perpetual process of change, the creatures of the present are vastly different from the original or earlier creatures that lived on this earth. (Regents of the University of Michigan. , 2005) Let us take as an example the case of the â€Å"peppered moth (Biston betularia)† in England. This particular species of moth that were found living among lichens in the trunks of trees before 1800 had a generally light coloring. Its coloring, therefore, enabled it to camouflage its presence among the lichens, thereby avoiding the predating birds. With the advent of the industrial revolution, the black smoke (soot) emitted by the industrial plants obliterated the lichens and darkened the trunks of trees. This development exposed the moth to their predators, resulting to a decrease in their population. In order to survive, the moth metamorphosed and by 1819, a darker variant of the moth appeared – one that was able, once again, to escape the eyes of the predating birds. (Regents of the Univ. of Michigan, 2005) Reference Regents of the University of Michigan. (2005). Evolution and Natural Selection. Retrieved June 22, 2007, from http://www. globalchange. umich. edu/globalchange/current/lectures/selection/selection. html

Franz Liszt: Biography and Works

Franz Liszt: Biography and Works Franz Liszt and the New German School In pre-modern Europe, most artists were content to follow a proud classical tradition, offering creative embellishments of their own as a contribution to the field and following the rules of composing a proper sonata, concerto, or waltz paying special attention to chord progression, harmonics, and tonality. Because much of the music was purely instrumental, each piece identified a theme in the title (i.e. Danse Macabre, Mephisto’s Waltz, Liebestraume, Moonlight Sonata etc.) and sought to bring it to life through music. While there were noteworthy artists in the field, very few had the creative ability to usher in a new era or popularise a new form of expression, which is probably why only a handful of Europe’s finest are known offhand today such as Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart and Wagner. In the mid-nineteenth century, the idea of the New German School was born and Franz Liszt was one of the most important members. It did not matter that he was not born in Germany, but bec ause the art and culture of Germany had such great influence over his work, he was claimed as one of the Great German Artists by Franz Brendel and other music commentators associated with him. Most classical aficionados have heard of Franz Liszt because of the dark dynamic quality of his work, and the artistic risks he had taken in many of his compositions—he broke conventions relating to harmonics, chord structure, tonality, and quite often did not give the work a suitable ending.[1] This is rather startling because most people settle into a routine at an advanced age—i.e. they would have ‘found their voice’ and spent much of their time refining the message—indeed, it was expected. However, many of his critics believed that Liszt’s later work was not the birth of something new. Instead, it was considered a diminishment of capabilities and a sign of some internal sickness that attacked one’s artistic sensibilities. According to Ernst Gà ¼nter, ‘the music of Liszt’s final decade (1876-1886) is the product of aesthetic weariness and distrust of the very principles of art. The disaffection of the later Liszt, which he vouched for only in isolated remarks, becomes effective in the compositions as the destruction of the aesthetic norms.’ However, one can argue that his later work was a natural progression of his earlier work and tragic events in his personal life and the rapid rate of change in the world may have had a greater influence on his later compositions than simply mere disenchantment with art itself. Instead, much of the research suggests a growing disenchantment with the world itself as he comes to face his own mortality and his interest and focus is further removed from the world around him to the afterlife instead. This paper will examine a sample of Liszt’s final works and attempt to answer the question of whether his change in style is the result of ‘aesthetic weariness’ or the next logical step in his creative path and reflective of his journey as an artist reflecting the times in which he lived. We will examine a few of his past compositions to establish a context and then discuss personal events that had taken place around the time he began to exhibit the noteworthy abandonment o f ‘norms.’ Liszt’s Persona Even today, scholars have a difficult time characterising Franz Liszt’s contribution to the musical world and what he stood for. He certainly had harsh critics and adoring fans during his stage career as expert interpreter and composer and his biography makes it difficult to put him into a box, personally or artistically. According to Liszt Scholars Michael Saffle and Rossana Dalmonte: ‘Here is where many differences of opinion concerning Liszt and his music originate. Liszt’s lifetime spanned the transitions from Napoleon’s Europe to Bismarck’s, and from the earliest railroad trains to electric lighting; his works reflect both romantic (which is to say, modern) and post romantic (which is to say, modernist) concerns. Thus, in the last analysis, it proves extremely difficult to place or describe Liszt, even through comparisons to other great figures of the past. So much is lost if we simply consign him to this or that box.’[2] During his career, he had become something akin to the nineteenth century equivalent of a rock star. Women would fight over his handkerchiefs and gloves, and the expressive passion he brought to his performances often reduced many a patron to tears. Not surprisingly, he was renowned as a ladies’ man and often found patronage (and love) from wealthy noble women. During his travels, he introduced much of the work of German composers such as Schubert, Schumann, Franz, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn to the rest of Europe, and when he switched gears from performance to composition, the German influence became evident although he hails from Hungary. As a composer, his primary aim was to wed music and poetry—a fact that he shared with Agnes Street-Klindworth, a woman with whom he had an affair and corresponded with until his death in 1886.[3] As with most poets, his songs reflected his internal state. At the time, he was absorbed in presenting dramatically flawless interpretations of the masters and he incorporated some elements of theirs into his music, though many of his critics believed that he had taken the wrong ones (i.e. Brahms).[4] Intriguingly enough, many of his contemporaries acknowledged that many of his transcriptions and interpretations of other’s works are so creative that they had taken on a life of their own. However, one can speculate that his early compositions reflected his own grand ambition to utterly master the piano as he rearranged the songs of many of the greats in his field into something that only he, with his unusual hands, could play.[5] Toward the end of his life, he had become much more contemplative, devoting much of his time composing spiritual choral pieces and wandering across Europe, which may also be considered ‘unconventional’ for a man in his mid-sixties (especially as most people did not get to live that long in the first place). Gunter notes that Liszt’s work began to ‘slip’ after 1876, however, it can be argued that his style began to shift radically from the mainstream to a new form of expression entirely. As with many artists, much of the inspiration from Franz Liszt’s music had come from his life experience, his natural temperament, and his passion for his art. In Ihr Glocken von Marling a late composition, it becomes increasingly clear that he is turning toward the more religious themes that started to creep into his work during the latter part of the 1860s. That decade brought much personal loss to Liszt. He had buried his son, daughter, and mother, his marriage to Princess Carolyne was thwarted, and he had to endure smear campaigns by a psychotic stalker.[6] At the same time, he began to turn away from the material toward the spiritual and he began to resemble more closely the archetype of the wandering ascetic. In 1876, he suffered an accident that left him the use of only nine of his fingers—even so, he was still the standard by which most pianists of his time compared themselves and composed at the speed most people write letters.[7] In his final decade, his compositions had become more concerned with the themes of death and dying as his growing ill health and spiritual sentiment was coupled with his belief that he truly had no talent. For instance, Ihr Glocken von Marling approximates the sound that calls the villagers to worship. The repetition of the chords imitates the pealing of the bells in the churchyard. The fact that it is more or less written entirely in the treble clef lends an ethereal sound to the work.[8] While that claim is ludicrous, it is a rather valid concern because he did spend most of his career creating transcriptions of other compositions. He has always had an obsessive and perfectionist streak, which he channelled effectively through his art. In one of his later letters he writes: ‘For the last two weeks I’ve been absorbed in cypresses†¦I have composed two groups of cypresses, each of more than two hundred bars, plus a postludium, to the cypresses of the Villa d’Este. These sad pieces won’t have much success and can do without it. I shall call them Therenodies, as the word elegie strikes me as too tender, and almost worldly. A few more leaves have been added to the cypresses—no less boring and redundant than the previous ones! To tell the truth I sense in myself a terrible lack of talent compared with what I would like to express; the notes I write are pitiful. A strange sense of the infinite makes me impersonal and uncommunicative.’[9] Perhaps his uncommunicativeness can be interpreted as his growing inability to conform to mainstream preferences. It is true that many of his later works focus on spirituality and Hungarian nationalism. This religious sentiment grew to a raging crescendo as he was writing the Via Crucis in which he was forced to contemplate the passion and death of Jesus and his own emotions on the matter, as he was a deeply religious man. ‘The Via Crucis possesses a complex cyclical structure unified on a variety of levels through precisely controlled motives and pitch relations, many of which take on an iconographic significance. This strange and profound work should silence those who cast doubt on the sincerity of Liszt’s religious beliefs. It is the product of deep, anguished contemplation of the passion of Jesus, a process during which one can well imagine Liszt came to identify strongly with the suffering Christ. Via Crucis conveys not only the horror and sorrow of the crucifixion, but also the wonder of God’s redeeming love for humankind.’[10] It is very clear that at this point in his career, he is finished competing with the greats of his age and is simply looking to express his true self through his art. In other fields, refusal to imitate was often seen as an affront to the scene and the fruits of one’s labour were not even considered art (i.e. Vincent van Gogh). Rather than simply producing brilliant transcriptions, he is looking to himself as a Christian, as a Hungarian, and a man that is looking at the winter of his life for inspiration. Instead of becoming despondent about his art, he was invigorated with passion, creating pieces that he intended for performance, particularly about the great Hungarian heroes in history, Mosonyi in particular. Although he had not previously done much work in the Hungarian style during the 1870’s, during the 1880s, he had become much more interested in freeing himself from the stylistic constraints of Western European music. When we had quoted him previously, Liszt said that he lacks the talent to express what he wants to say because there are so many tropes and ideas that he wanted to create through music and he simply did not have sufficient talent to carry it out. From what we know of him historically, he was never one to suffer from a lowered sense of self so he may have meant that his ideas have simply outgrown his ability to express them in art. Using the portrait theme was one of the defining art forms of the 1870s as Mussorgsky created his famous Pictures at an Exhibition ten years before. However, unlike the nationalist sentiment that had become a form of religion in modern Europe, it did not displace his faith in God as noted in Liszt’s letter to his publisher when he first brought up the idea in 1885.[11] As with Via Crucis, scholars concur that his Hungarian Portraits have the depth, resonance, and relevance to the period and served as a foreshadowing of other pieces of that nature. ‘The piece touches upon a number of harmonies which resonate with significant moments earlier in the cycle. It builds to a climactic apotheosis of the main theme in D minor, which subsides to a tender recollection of the contrasting theme in D major, and closes on a solemn note of faith and hope. In spite of the strong projection of the tonic at the conclusion, however, Liszt rigorously avoids stating the tonic root in the low bass, perhaps signifying that life is part of a greater continuum in which only God has the final word.’[12] Conclusion Much of Liszt’s work in the last decade of his life revealed an even deeper understanding of life than when he was younger. Although he was more likely to observe the conventions of composition in his youth (quite brilliantly in fact), he did not yet have more than the intellectual understanding that art was expressive and indicative of life—indeed, that it was not separate from that of the creator but instead flowed organically from his mind and his talents. Unfortunately for Liszt, his knowledge of life’s pain and the existence of other great talents in the arena (i.e. Wagner) led him to doubt his own abilities as an artist. Because he had experienced one of the most devastating losses of all—the deaths of his children, he may have lost all faith in the ‘natural order of things’ recognising that life was often chaotic, out of harmony, and progressed along unexpected paths. Because art is not formed in a vacuum, he poured his energy into crea tion, which is why the body of his later work is characterised by a focus on the sacred, death and dying. In his later years, he tried to turn these realizations into art, and indeed succeeded in creating poetry from his music. Do Liszt’s late compositions perpetuate the progressivism of the 1860’s? Not by a long shot: his songs are religiously themed with sub-themes of destruction, death, and dying in a time characterised by invention, discovery and increasing secularism. Nevertheless, it would not be fair to say that his works signalled artistic breakdown because his exploratory approach created the brilliant sacred pieces Via Crucis and Rosario, Years of Pilgrimage, and The Hungarian Portraits among many others. However, in an age where spirituality becomes increasingly unpopular, artists that reflect it in their work are often alienated by the mainstream and their work is deemed inaccessible. Bibliography Baker, James M. ‘Larger Forms in the Late Piano Works’ in Ed. Hamilton, Kenneth. The Cambridge Companion to Liszt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005 Botstein, Leon. ‘A Mirror to the Nineteenth Century: Reflections on Franz Liszt’, Franz Liszt and His World. (eds. Christopher H. Gibbs Dana A. Gooley) Princeton: Princeton University Press: 2006 Gorrell, Lorraine. The Nineteenth-Century German Lied. New Jersey: Amadeus Press LLC, 2005 Hamilton, Kenneth. ‘Liszt’s early and Weimer Piano works’ in Ed. Hamilton, Kenneth. The Cambridge Companion to Liszt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005 Liszt, Franz Agnes Street-Klindworth. Franz Liszt and Agnes Street-Klindworth: A Correspondence, 1854-1886. New York: Pendragon Press, 2000 Saffle, Michael and Rossana Dalmonte. Liszt and the Birth of Modern Europe. New York: Pendragon, 2003 Walker, Alan. Franz Liszt: The Final Years, 1861-1886. Cornell: Cornell University Press, 1997 1 Footnotes [1] Leon Botstein. ‘A Mirror to the Nineteenth Century: Reflections on Franz Liszt’, Franz Liszt and His World. (eds. Christopher H. Gibbs Dana A. Gooley) (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press: 2006) 518 [2] Michael Saffle and Rossana Dalmonte. Liszt and the Birth of Modern Europe. (New York: Pendragon, 2003) 8 [3] Franz Liszt Agnes Street-Klindworth. Franz Liszt and Agnes Street-Klindworth: A Correspondence, 1854-1886. (New York: Pendragon Press, 2000) 116 [4] Hamilton, Kenneth. ‘Liszt’s early and Weimer Piano works’ in Ed. Hamilton, Kenneth. The Cambridge Companion to Liszt. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005) 57 [5] Hamilton, 65 [6] Alan Walker. Franz Liszt: The Final Years, 1861-1886. (Cornell: Cornell University Press, 1997) 175 [7] Walker, 369 [8] Lorraine Gorrell. The Nineteenth-Century German Lied. (New Jersey: Amadeus Press, LLC, 2005 ) 246 [9] Liszt qt. Walker, 370 [10] James M. Baker. ‘Larger Forms in the Late Piano Works’ in Ed. Hamilton, Kenneth. The Cambridge Companion to Liszt. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005) 126 [11] Baker, 134 [12] Baker, 135

The Turning Point in Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare :: Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

In this essay, I will be explaining how act 3 Scene 1 is a turning point. ?Romeo and Juliet? is a tragic love story based on two passionate lovers, Romeo and Juliet. However, their families dislike each other, forcing the young couple to only painful end. William Shakespeare made this story full of betrayal, love, jealousy, anger and death. In act 3 Scene 1, it shows the turning point of the whole account as one of Romeo?s best friend, Mercutio, is stabbed by Tybalt and died. Therefore, guilty Romeo decided to seek revenge and killed Tybalt. The author then introduces the prince of Verona who once said that if anyone ever disturbs the peace again, they will be executed. This shows that Romeo must suffer the consequences by being banished from Verona. In this essay, I will be discussing about seven turning points of the play. This story is mainly a comedy because there are the three playful friends who are Benvolio, Romeo, and Mercutio joking around and teasing the nurse mercilessly in Act 2 Scene 4. This phrase proves that the following statement is true: tis no less, I tell ye, for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of the moon?. After that, the nurse scolded the three young men for teasing her and called them a spoil brat, which makes the plot a little more humorous. After the turning point, the play becomes a tragedy. This is because Tybalt wants to kill Romeo but ends up with Romeo killing Tybalt looking for revenge and justice for Mercutio. Now that he committed a serious crime, he is a wanted person. He is a murderer and criminal in Verona, he is banished and he is not allowed to go back to Verona or else he will be executed. The main theme of this plot is love, like the relationship between Mercutio and Benvolio. They are both looking after each other, to prevent from something bad from happening. In the beginning of Act three scene 1, Benvolio wants Mercutio to withdraw because the Capulets are about and looking for trouble. This shows that Benvolio doesn?t want Mercutio to get in trouble since he is a troublemaker. After that, the main theme changes into death as two of the main characters died. As Romeo went to the Capulet?s party, which is an insult to Tybalt, there would be more hatred and misunderstanding between both of the family.

Professional Marketing Report on Armani

A target market has also been chosen and studied and has appealed to the female racket. Market segmentation is also taken into consideration with the introduction of a new product as it identifies target markets by groups, which are identified by similar and distinguishable aspects while using the different segmentation groups. The report focuses on a ‘personal' profile of an individual from the target audience as well as using a score card approach along with perceptual mapping, which Indicates what the strengths and weaknesses of the fragrance may be.The fourth section of the report focuses on the product Itself as well as the different levels that are Involved In guaranteeing that the product Includes all complexities that encourage consumers to purchase the fragrance. The core, embodied and augmented levels of a product all have their own significant roles in the creation of a well-known brand. Giorgio Airman have considered whether keeping their obvious attributes or not f or the packaging and the branding of their new fragrance would confuse consumers of this well-known brand.However the new fragrance may have a different look to it, but still has the Giorgio Airman logo to reassure loyal customers of the brand's integrity. The fragrance will be classified as a premium fragrance, however Giorgio Airman have set their prices so that consumers that earn a medium income can also afford to purchase the new fragrance. This allows consumers with a medium to high Income to afford the product depending on the size bottle they wish to purchase. Promotion of the fragrance Is needed and the use of the pull and push strategy Is used to convince the target audience to purchase the product.Promotional material such as billboards, advertisements on the television, ‘pop-up' advertisements on the internet and advertisements in fashion magazines will be used to ensure publicity of the product and the report states how this will be achieved. Lastly, the distribut ion strategy is taken into consideration that involves the consistency of those of the competing suppliers. The places of distribution that Giorgio Airman will be introducing its new fragrance to will be discussed as well as the reasons behind the choice they have made to target certain wholesalers.

The Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship: The American Dream

I have always been fascinated by the concept of the â€Å"American Dream†. Even if, nowadays, this concept is more and more criticize because some people believe that the structure of American society doesn’t follow anymore the idealistic goal of the â€Å"American Dream†, providing example such as inequality in class or race which suggest that the â€Å"American Dream† is not attainable for all. But to me the term â€Å"American Dream† stays unchanged: all people can succeed through hard work, and all people have the potential to live happy and successful lives. And in my mind, the entrepreneurship is one of the most famous way to achieve this â€Å"American Dream†. Steven BUYERS who is the founder and owner of EnergyLogic –a fast-growing company in Northern Colorado, appears to me as a very good example of this â€Å"American Dream† which is about hope and the potential for change. In fact, I feel this at the same time through the very innovative and sustainable development oriented concept of his company, and the take of initiative he seems able to show without having a precise idea of where it will lead him. In this paper, I’m going to discuss two major topics which seems relevant to me given Steven BUYERS’ experience, they are: the self-made man and the capacity to see opportunity. Self-made man The first thing I would like to precise is about the vision I have of a self-made man. Obviously when I use this term I’m not saying that Steven BUYERS is the only one responsible of the success of his company, because it would mean that nobody have accompanied him in this project and it wouldn’t be fair not to think about his employees or his wife who has apparently plays a huge role in his success. But I rather mean that he had managed to create and manage a success business starting from like nothing. The concept of the self-made man is necessarily connected with the â€Å"American dream† that I have mentioned before. The self-made man comes from unpromising circumstances, is not born into privilege and wealth, and manages to become a great success in life by his own efforts. The story of the self-made man embodies the goal of every man: â€Å"to become the captain of his own destiny. Actually this is really close to the reasons that people become entrepreneurs and starts their own firms, that is to say: â€Å"be their own boss, pursue their own ideas and pursue financial rewards. † A self-made man is anyone who attains far greater success which was not predictable. The background that Steven BUYERS told us about isn’t exactly what we can call a â€Å"predestinated background†. Indeed, he went through many different jobs and life’s experiences (from the army to a bookstore) before he found his way which tends to prove us that he is one of whose are able to create their own greatness. Finally I would say that being a self-made man, as being an entrepreneurship, is the result of a difference in your character and a willingness to do whatever it takes to be the best and achieve your dreams, just as the concessions made by Steven BUYERS at the beginning of his project. Capacity to see opportunity â€Å"An opportunity is a favorable set of circumstances that creates a need for a new product, service or business. † When we know that homes represent 20% of the energy use in USA –whereas transport â€Å"only† represents 27%, it appears logical to focus on this problem. But at the time that Steven BUYERS started his business, that is to say in 1998, nobody cared about saving energy. He came with this really simple question: â€Å"How to be more efficient with houses’ energy? †, and his project was to provide people with a solution. As far as the opportunity recognition is concerned, Steven BUYERS has done a really good job. Indeed, he identified a product/service that people need and are willing to buy. Everybody isn’t able to see opportunity, because opportunity isn’t just an idea you come with thinking it could work. And this is a crucial point which will determine if the business is going to work, or not. An opportunity has to perform four essential qualities: attractive, durable, timely and anchored to a product. That was the case for Steven’s idea. It was attractive because it allows people to save money; it was durable because it lasts a life-time; it was timely because sustainable development was beginning to develop; and finally it was anchored to a product because it deals with houses and isolation. What is even more impressive in this recognition of opportunity is that Steven BUYERS hasn’t done any real market study or business plan before launching his company. To me the way to identify an opportunity which fit the best to Steven BUYERS is the personal characteristics of entrepreneur. This capacity to see opportunity is an essential trait in my mind which is related to creativity. To conclude I would cite the philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson: â€Å"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. † Being an entrepreneur means being able to go where nobody else went before you, being able to take risks, being able to see opportunities where nobody has looked before you†¦ In my mind there is different ways to succeed in your job. Steven BUYERS succeed by seeing opportunities and managing his own success story as many self-made men have done before him. But no matter what is your background as far as you take your chance to develop successfully your business idea. Unfortunately, nowadays, entrepreneurs are more and more assimilated to capitalism and all the unfairness it can raise. As a result, famous self-made men such as Rockefeller are not as well-recognized as they were in the past –and sometimes even criticized. So we can wonder if the â€Å"American Dream† is still an example to follow or a goal to reach for the majority of American people.