Factor effecting staff turnover in hsbc call centre(uk)and how it is Essay - 1

Factor effecting staff turnover in hsbc call centre(uk)and how it is effected & related with job satisfaction of employee - Essay Example To improve the competitive position, banks used cost-cutting weapons. They streamlined their processes, shifted back-office operations, boosted workforce productivity and tried to use as much as information technology as possible. Banks rate managing customer experience as the most important factor of success (Wisskirchen et al., 2006). Call centers are expected to give them this competitive edge. Call centers are the perfect embodiment of the ‘new’ service oriented economy (Moriset, 2004). Call centers use the latest technology and thus enable a day’s work to be done in an hour. These employees are often compared to the workers on the shop floor of a manufacturing unit. Call centers in any nation follow the same technique and have the same attributes. They usually have very flat management structures which provide very little scope for career advancement. Job satisfaction is call centers is very low which accounts for attrition and high turnover in the industry. There is a strong relationship between job satisfaction and staff turnover. If employees are satisfied and their needs are met, it can limit staff turnover. Job satisfaction has been defined as an attitudinal state which reflects all the affective feelings that a person has about the job, cite Biggs and Swailes (2006). This includes growth, pay, co-workers and supervisors that contribute towards satisfaction in varying degrees. The level of satisfaction differs across permanent workers and the agency workers. Many call centers appoint agency workers so that the parent employer does not have the responsibility of the staff. Permanent employees become de-motivated when their organization uses agency staff but agency workers are used to prevent layoffs and their commitment to organization is much lower than the permanent employees. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests that the basic physiological needs have to be met first before a person can look ahead. Only when the basic needs are

How Has Hooliganism (Spectator Violence) Permeated The World Of Essay

How Has Hooliganism (Spectator Violence) Permeated The World Of English Soccer - Essay Example The activities or manner is now known as soccer hooliganism which began in England near the beginning of 1950's (Giulanotti, 1994, Pp 12-13). In other European countries, parallel models of behaviour appeared about fifteen or twenty years later, near the beginning of 1970's. Italian fans fashioned a mainly obsessive variety of football support known as Ultras, who are now a chief force in the Italian sport and are widespread in a some other EU states. Football hooliganism is extremely complicated to describe, mostly for the reason that the media have been tremendously supple and undefined in assigning the "hooligan" tag to diverse occasions. The majority to mean disarray or confusion concerning football enthusiasts sees football hooliganism. Frequently this engages illegal actions and in the majority - but surely not all - cases takes place either at or just earlier than or after a football contest. Much football-throng chaos is impulsive, but a lot is set by bunch of criminals or gangsters who connect themselves to football societies and assemble to meet, and clash, from other societies (Crawford, 2004, Pp 42-43). It is frequently stated that hooliganism at football competitions turn out to be much more widespread in the 1970's and 1980's, with extra details of range of violence at contests. Nevertheless, yet again it is hard to know whether the quantity of chaos amplified or whether the rising media attention in, and exposure of, throng's chaos has destined it is reported faraway more often. Fundamental Problems Of Hooliganism Hypothetical explanations of football spectator hostility dwell in four different categories. First, there is the early on approach which accentuates that hooligan activities is a representative effort by blue-collar fans to reinstate some power over a game which they feel gradually more estranged from. Second, there is the ethogenic approach, which sees football watchers fighting as a custom appearance of mannish violent behavior. A third clarification, the planned segmentation approach focuses the implication of lower working class group arrangements and premature socialization as the key to perceptive the models of violent behavior shown by football hooligans. A concluding group of approaches see football viewer's chaos as a way of recompensing for the defeat of society sourced by post-war business and municipal expansion. This analytical research supplies a critical evaluation of some key features of the outcomes of comebacks to racism within British football. Other three features are recognized as: the conflation of racism with hooliganism'; the responsibility of antiracist operations within the sport; and the refutation of the trouble of racism within football sport. It is disputed that even as some of these interferences are praiseworthy, a common flaw is a malfunction to understand the environment and forcefulness of diverse racisms. This worry reflects more universal debates about the need to theories the intricacy and variety of the notion of racism and to recognize its opposing temperament. Writers in the past have stressed out the significance of touching away from extraordinary outsets of

Pepsi And Analysis Product Life Cycle

Pepsi And Analysis Product Life Cycle The PLC model is of some degree of usefulness to marketing managers, in that it is based on factual assumptions. Nevertheless, it is difficult for marketing management to gauge accurately where a product is on its PLC graph. A rise in sales per se is not necessarily evidence of growth. A fall in sales per se does not typify decline. Furthermore, some products do not (or to date, at the least, have not) experienced a decline. Coca Cola and Pepsi are examples of two products that have existed for many decades, but are still popular products all over the world. Both modes of cola have been in maturity for some years. Another factor is that differing products would possess different PLC shapes. A fad product would hold a steep sloped growth stage, a short maturity stage, and a steep sloped decline stage. A product such as Coca Cola and Pepsi would experience growth, but also a constant level of sales over a number of decades. It can probably be said that a given product (or products collectively within an industry) may hold a unique PLC shape, and the typical PLC model can only be used as a rough guide for marketing management. This is why its called the product life cycle. Pepsi-Cola is still second in the carbonated drinks market and remains in the shadow of Coca Cola in terms of market share, perception and image. (Business Week, 2010) However, Pepsis insightful marketing techniques (comic strips, television ads etc.) prevented a fall of its position in the beverage industry. The study shall aim to critically analyse the product life cycle of Pepsi and would further extend to assess the consumers behaviour and satisfaction towards Pepsi in New Delhi Market (India) Limitations: There are some limitations bound with this study, Such as shortage of funds, limited resources and Small sample size (n=100). The random sampling which will be used in this study may not represent the complete population. 1C. WHY IS THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC CHOSEN? By using diversification techniques and brand management, Pepsi was able to increase its volume of sales and get a stronger market position. Nowadays, Pepsis carbonated beverages division clearly remains behind the snack division in terms of profitability and share percentage of operation earnings. Our impression is that the profits of the snack division help create the illusion that the beverage sector is as successful as the management wishes it to be. The present study aims to analyse in detail the product life cycle of Pepsi in Indian market, the study shall also focus on analysing the consumers behaviour towards Pepsi in New Delhi market. 1D. WHAT CONTRIBUTION WOULD THE PROJECT MAKE? Brand loyalty is a buyers preference for the products of Pepsi. Pepsi can create brand loyalty through continuous advertising of brand and company names, patent protection of products, product innovation achieve through its research and development programs and emphasis on high product quality and good after-sales services. It is effective influence in the way in which people perceive the product or the company. By creating feelings of warmth, affection and belonging to a product, a firm is able to relate brand to human personalities. The study would contribute towards identifying the customer needs and expectation towards Pepsi in New Delhi 1 e. objectives and research questions of the study Research objectives To analyse the product life cycle of Pepsi To determine the customers behaviour and satisfaction level towards products of Pepsi in New Delhi market To know from the consumers about the specific reasons behind the preference of products of Pepsi over other Cola drinks Research Questions Why do consumers prefer Pepsi over other Cola drinks What attracts/draws consumers towards Pepsi in India? 2.0 METHODOLOGY AND METHODS OF ENQUIRY RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Methodology defines the purpose of the research, how it proceeds, how to measure progress and what constitute success with respect to the objectives determined for carrying out the research study. (Kothari, 2007) The appropriate research design formulated is detailed below. RESEARCH DESIGN The research design is the basic framework, which provides guidelines for the rest of the research process. (Prasad, 2006) The present research can be said to be exploratory. The research design determines the direction of the study throughout and the procedures to be followed. It determines the data collection method, sampling method, the fieldwork and so on. NATURE OF DATA PRIMARY DATA: Primary data is basically fresh data collected directly from the target respondents; it could be collected through Questionnaire Surveys, Interviews, Focus Group Discussions Etc. SECONDARY DATA: Secondary data that is already available and published .it could be internal and external source of data. Internal source: which originates from the specific field or area where research is carried out e.g. publish broachers, official reports etc. External source: This originates outside the field of study like books, periodicals, journals, newspapers and the Internet. DATA COLLECTION Primary data: Primary data will be selected from the sample by a self-administrated questionnaire in presence of the interviewer in New Delhi (India). SAMPLE SIZE The survey will be conducted among 100 respondents in New Delhi (India) Sample Area: New Delhi (India) Sample unit: It will not be possible for the investigator to survey all the consumers of Pepsi so this study is based on the sampling study that will be done on the sample size of 100 persons residing in Central Delhi (New Delhi-India), this central part of New Delhi is chosen for a simple reason that it is a wonderful mix of people belonging to middle class/upper middle class/higher class SECONDARY DATA: Secondary data will be collected through Articles, Reports, Journals, Magazines, Newspapers and Internet SAMPLING TECHNIQUE Random sampling technique is employed to extract the fruitful results. This includes the overall design, the sampling procedure, the data collection methods, the field methods and the analysis procedures SAMPLING PROCEDURE ACTUALLY EMPLOYED The process that will be employed to select the sample in New Delhi (India) is simple random sampling. Simple random sampling refers to that sampling technique in which each and every unit of the population has an equal and same opportunity of being on the sample. In simple random sampling, which item gets selected is just a matter of chance. ANALYTICAL TOOLS Simple statistical tools will be used in the present study to analyze and interpret the data collected from the field. The study will use percentiles method and the data will be presented in the form of tables and diagrams. INITIAL LITERATURE REVIEW Product life cycle management (or PLCM) is the succession of strategies used by business management as a product goes through its life cycle. The condition in which a product is sold (advertising, saturation) changes over time and must be managed as it moves through its succession of stages. Like human beings, products also have their own life-cycle. From birth to death human beings pass through various stages e.g. birth, growth, maturity, decline and death. A similar life-cycle is seen in the case of products. The product life cycle goes through multiple phases, involves many professional disciplines, and requires many skills, tools and processes. Product life cycle (PLC) has to do with the life of a product in the market with respect to business/commercial costs and sales measures. To say that a product has a life cycle is to assert four things: that products have a limited life, product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges, opportunities, and problems to the seller, profits rise and fall at different stages of product life cycle, and products require different marketing, financial, manufacturing, purchasing, and human resource strategies in each life cycle stage. There are many stages in a products life cycle, some of them are explained below: Stage Characteristics 1. Market introduction stage costs are high slow sales volumes to start little or no competition demand has to be created customers have to be prompted to try the product makes no money at this stage 2. Growth stage costs reduced due to economies of scale sales volume increases significantly profitability begins to rise public awareness increases competition begins to increase with a few new players in establishing market increased competition leads to price decreases 3. Maturity stage costs are lowered as a result of production volumes increasing and experience curve effects sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached increase in competitors entering the market prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of competing products brand differentiation and feature diversification is emphasized to maintain or increase market share Industrial profits go down 4. Saturation and decline stage costs become counter-optimal sales volume decline or stabilize prices, profitability diminish profit becomes more a challenge of production/distribution efficiency than increased sales It is claimed that every product has a life period, it is launched, it grows, and at some point, may die. A fair comment is that at least in the short term not all products or services die. Jeans may die, but clothes probably will not. Legal services or medical services may die, but depending on the social and political climate, probably will not. Even though its validity is questionable, it can offer a useful model for managers to keep at the back of their mind. Indeed, if their products are in the introductory or growth phases, or in that of decline, it perhaps should be at the front of their mind; for the predominant features of these phases may be those revolving around such life and death. Between these two extremes, it is salutary for them to have that vision of mortality in front of them. However, the most important aspect of product life-cycles is that, even under normal conditions, to all practical intents and purposes they often do not exist (hence, there needs to be more emphasis on model/reality mappings). In most markets the majority of the major brands have held their position for at least two decades. The dominant product life-cycle, that of the brand leaders which almost monopolize many markets, is therefore one of continuity. Studies shave revealed that the customers are attracted more towards the companies which are innovative in nature and enjoy good brand image in the market. Innovation is now a priority in most firms around the world just as quality was two decades ago. The challenge then was how to transform a quality program and results into a quality image. Today the need is to gain image credit for developing an innovative organization and a flow of innovative products. Having a reputation for creativity not only interjects energy and respect, but adds new product credibility to support a firms culture and strategy. Business Week recently ran a story on the 25 most innovative companies (e.g. Apple, Google, 3M, Toyota, Microsoft, G.E., Procter Gamble, Nokia, Starbucks, IBM and Samsung) as determined by a survey of over 1,000 executives. Among the ideas these firms used to foster innovation was freeing time to experiment, patent sharing, having an innovator-in-chief and developing innovation metric s. While interesting, the story made the unfortunate implication that a reputation for innovativeness was due to the current strategies, processes, culture and product flow of the firm and, further, that such a reputation would result in financial success. The reality is far different. Perceived innovativeness is driven by many factors, some reaching far into the past. One factor is undoubtedly the heritage of imagination. For over 50 years, 3M has been known for its philosophy of empowering innovators. Apple, the No. 1 firm in the survey, is still drawing on Steve Jobs legacy of the first Apple nearly 30 years ago. IBM gets credit for establishing the computer industry some five decades ago. G.E.s reputation may be influenced more by the legacy of the founder, Thomas Edison, than the Jeff Immelt revolution. (Aaker, 2006) The effect of brand awareness on buying decisions tends to regard product choice as a very intricate problem-solving process (Foxall, 1992). However, in many low involvement situations, consumers do not have the time, the resources, or the motivation to engage in such EPS processes. They are used to being passive recipients of product information, who need to spend minimal time and effort to determine brand choice (Foxall, 1992). A simple heuristic method, such as buying well-known brands used as a basis for brand choice when consumers undertake commonly repeated product purchases, may explain why firms marketing low involvement products often invest considerable sums of money into advertising, in order to generate and maintain brand awareness. (Hoyer, 1984) Brand awareness is a dominant factor in both initial (trial) and repeat-purchase decisions, even when the quality of the national brand was inferior to that of a non-national brand. Hoyer and Brown (1990) Similar conclusions were obtained in the replicated study of Macdonald and Sharp (2000), further evidencing the effect of brand awareness on purchase decisions. Familiarity with a brand has an influence on consumer confidence towards a brand, which, in turn, affects the intention to buy that brand (Laroche et al.1996). Familiarity is measured by the experience and information possessed by the consumer for a specific brand hence such information will exert some effects on purchase intentions, thus constructing one of the loyalty dimensions (Bloemer et al., 1999). If we look at the Pepsi-Cola Company from the outside, there has been a certain amount of repetitiveness in its development. By following the trends and focusing on how to lower the price as much as possible, they managed to create a successful company. By investing in the development of the bottling and distribution sector, Pepsi found their balance in the market. (Nels, 2008) Then in 1920s Pepsi-Cola Company failed because they didnt concentrate enough energy on branding. Within a few years Pepsi was declared bankrupt twice. By the end of the 1930s the company was reorganized from inside and the marketing policy drastically changed. Major investment was now directed towards making people more familiar with the product. After acquiring Mountain Dew, new sources of financing and revenue opportunities were needed because the acquisition was not an instant success. Therefore, in 1965 Pepsi merged with Frito Lay. In the 1980s the decreasing sales in the beverage market induced the industry to adjust with more aggressive marketing strategy and new products. In fact, Coke marketed a new cola formula, whereas Pepsi persisted with promotional efforts and improved customer responsiveness to increase sales volume. (Thomas and Alexander, 2005) Following these cyclical changes in the marketing policy of the firm (every 20 years there is a huge turn over), one could conclude that this is the time for PepsiCos to readjust. The circumstances underlying the merger with Quaker Oats are significant. Nowadays, the market is rapidly changing and its becoming saturated. The entrance into potential new markets is more complex than ever consequently, the only way for the company to expand is by gaining market share by mergers or strategic alliances. Furthermore, the marketing strategies in foreign markets like China and India are experiencing problems in customer responsiveness. Currently, the beverage sector is following a trend of continuous launch of new products in order to attract new customers. In this sense, the challenge for Pepsi is to be able to sustain such a trend and conversely, to remain a leader in their market.

The Health Risks of Smoking Essay -- Cigarette Smoking Health Nicotine

The Health Risks of Smoking Every year nearly one in every five US deaths are related to cigarette smoking, that means that every year 440,000 people alone die from cigarettes. Deaths caused by alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined are actually less than the number of deaths caused by cigarette smoking. Being the grandchild of a grandpa who died of lung cancer from smoking, I know and understand what cigarette smoking can do. Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and of small particles made up of water, tar, and nicotine. The tar is a mixture of thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Many of the gases in tobacco smoke are harmful to the human body. These include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and other toxic irritants such as acrolein and formaldehyde. Due to the high temperatures of over 1400 degrees F, the burning end of a cigarette is like a miniature chemical factory. Aside from the tar in cigarettes there is also another very potent and harmful carcinogen called Nicotine. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine. Almost 80 percent of people who try smoking become addicted and only 1 in 5 smokers who try to quit succeed on the first try. A person can become addicted to nicotine in the first few weeks of trying it. Most people are unaware that nicotine is a psychoactive drug. A psychoactive drug is... The Health Risks of Smoking Essay -- Cigarette Smoking Health Nicotine The Health Risks of Smoking Every year nearly one in every five US deaths are related to cigarette smoking, that means that every year 440,000 people alone die from cigarettes. Deaths caused by alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined are actually less than the number of deaths caused by cigarette smoking. Being the grandchild of a grandpa who died of lung cancer from smoking, I know and understand what cigarette smoking can do. Tobacco smoke is a mixture of gases and of small particles made up of water, tar, and nicotine. The tar is a mixture of thousands of toxic chemicals, many of which are known to cause cancer. Many of the gases in tobacco smoke are harmful to the human body. These include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, and other toxic irritants such as acrolein and formaldehyde. Due to the high temperatures of over 1400 degrees F, the burning end of a cigarette is like a miniature chemical factory. Aside from the tar in cigarettes there is also another very potent and harmful carcinogen called Nicotine. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine. Almost 80 percent of people who try smoking become addicted and only 1 in 5 smokers who try to quit succeed on the first try. A person can become addicted to nicotine in the first few weeks of trying it. Most people are unaware that nicotine is a psychoactive drug. A psychoactive drug is...

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Me Talk Pretty One Day â€Å"Me Talk Pretty One Day† is an essay written by David Sedaris. David is forty-one years old, but he does not think it is too late to learn French. Despite the fact of his age he moves to Paris with the hope of learning a new language. A month before he left his city, New York, he went on some sort of evening school to learn the language just a little, before leaving for France. The apartment he got in Paris was only a ten-minute walk from school.After paying for his tuition, he was given a student ID, which gave him access to lots of facilities. He was very nervous the first day of class, because he knows that everyone there was expecting to perform, to perform well, also because he didn’t know anyone. He felt intimidated by the looks of the young students in the class, but also because their French sounded almost fluent already. He wasn’t the only foreign in class, they were gathered from lots of different countries like Poland, Germa ny, China, Holland, Korea, Italy, Yugoslavia and Japan.They were all in the same boat. French were the only language to be spoken when class starts, not only by the teacher, also by the students. The teacher talks condescending to the students at any time: â€Å"How very interesting. I thought that everyone loved the mosquito, but here, in front of all the world, you claim to detest him. How is it that we’ve been blessed with someone as unique and original as you? Tell us please. † (Line 35-37, page 1). This is the first time the students and teacher meets and the teacher is some sort of attacking them already.But no one understands everything the teacher says, only some of it. One by one the students were to tell about what they hated and loved after which the teacher were orally tearing them to pieces. When it was David’s turn, he tried to absorb as much of her abuse as he could understand. The teacher was using a method where she is questioning the students w ith all kind of questions. By using the method the students should be able to answer whenever she approached them with a question.The teacher used the students to practice any of her five fluent languages: â€Å"I hate you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Line 88, page 3). David â€Å"gave† himself a new identity â€Å"David the hard worker† and started to ignore everything when he was in class, because he was so eager to learn it. As time passed he didn’t see improvement, but one day when the teacher was scolding, he for the first time since he arrived to France understand everything. That gave him the desire to learn even more. The tone of the essay is very calm and easily understandable.The way he in the beginning is listening to the teacher scold them by saying: â€Å"I you not have meimslsxp or lgpdmurct by this time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he gives us a concerning about how it was just to sit there without understanding much of what you are told, which I think gives me a figurative picture. David’s attitude towards learning French is remarkable, â€Å"I’ve moved to Paris with hopes of learning the language† (Line 6, page 1) He sounds like he does not even know if he will learn it, he is just giving it a shot. It sounds like he I taking it step for step.And the fact that he only had a month with French before he arrived is fascinating and requires courage. â€Å"I absorbed as much of her abuse as I could understand, thinking – but not saying – that I find it ridiculous to assign a gender to an inanimate object incapable of disrobing and making an occasional fool of itself. Why refer to Lady Crack Pipe or Good Sir Dishrag when these things could never live up to all that their sex implied? † He thinks of commentating it, but keeps his mouth shut, because he is cleverer than that. He uses the references to â€Å"Lady Crack Pipe† and â€Å"Good Sir Dishrag† as if they were their teacher.He also calls the tea chers way of teaching is like being with a wild animal, something completely unpredictable, which was the reason why he learned to â€Å"defend† himself. In spite of his eager to learn the language he became afraid to ask for directions or stopping for coffee. The teacher made him so afraid of saying the wrong words that he didn’t want to speak at all. But when he finally understood the words the teacher was saying to him, a new world opened up in front of him and with great joy he responded: â€Å"I know the thing that you speak exact now. Talk me more, you, plus please, plus. †

Economics Issues Simulation Paper Essay

The purpose of a managed care organization is to coordinate the costs and delivery of health care. A managed care organization oversees money spent on labor, technology, and facilities such as physician offices and hospitals. A type of managed care organization is a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). A HMO â€Å"provides medical care for all its enrollees in return for a fixed annual fee per enrollee† (University of Phoenix, 2010, Key Terms and Concepts Section). An HMO tightly oversees the use of health care services thereby reducing costs and controlling utilization. For example, HMO’s reduce costs and control utilization among services are by requiring second opinions, performing pre – admission testing and reviews for continued stays or additional procedures, and allowing generic substitutions for drugs. Managed care organizations can save money by providing lower prices through contracting large volumes of services and reducing the amount of hospitalizat ions (Getzen & Allen, 2011). This essay presents a scenario in which I am a representative of Castor Collins Health Plans responsible for maximizing profits and minimizing risks. Within my job description, I am advised to develop a comprehensive health insurance plan for two entities: ConstructIt and E – Editors. This essay explains the company’s employee demographics, health risk factors, premium amount the company is willing to pay, and what company I chose to offer a health insurance plan. Based upon my analysis of potential utilization, I will provide two reasons for why each plan could be selected as well as explain my reasoning for choosing the plan. Last, I will explain why I did not offer the company a different plan. ConstructIt Employee Profile ConstructIt is a construction company composed of 1,000 employees. ConstructIt is [Avoid â€Å"it is,† etc.] comprised of 550 men and 450 women between the ages of 26 – 42 with 60% having spouses. ConstructIt employees  work profile consist of 32% great physical activity, 25% moderate physical activity, and 43% sedentary activities. The age and gender profile of ConstructIt is as follows: Almost half of the population is between the ages of 26 – 30 years One – third of the population is between the ages of 31 – 35 years Approximately 20% of the population is between the ages of 36 – 40 years Less than 10% ages 41 – 45 years. (University of Phoenix, 2010, Health Profile Section) The health profile of major risk factors among ConstructIt employees is depicted within the following table: Obesity 39% High Cholesterol 19.6% High Blood Pressure 19.3% Allergies 17.7% Migraines 16.8% Respiratory Diseases 13.5% Digestive Disorders 8.4% Thirty – eight percent of the population is diagnosed as having no major health risks. Economic Issues Simulation In addition, a combined 18% of the population smokes (University of Phoenix, 2010, Major Health Risks Section). ConstrucIt has a high number of people diagnosed as not having any major health risks. This is good because it means fewer people will seek health care services resulting in saving money for Castor Collins Health Plans. However, ConstructIt does have a high incidence of obesity rates: 39% of the group. Obesity predisposes a person to developing other serious chronic ailments such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. The high rate of obese individuals may  increase the risks involved whenever offering health insurance to ConstructIt.   Chosen Company and Plan ConstructIt is willing to pay a maximum premium payout of $4000 per enrollee and E – Editors is willing to pay $4500 per enrollee. However, E – Editors has 600 more employees than ConstructIt, which in turn increases costs and utilization rates. Based upon the health profile of ConstructIt versus E – Editor I have decided to offer ConstructIt the Castor Standard insurance plan because they have lower utilization rates in many areas. I have decided not to offer E – Editor any type of insurance plan through Castor Collins Health Plans because E – Editor has high utilization rates. In addition, E – Editors employee age groups range from 35 – 54 years where as ConstructIt employee age groups range from the ages of 36 to 45 years (University of Phoenix, 2010, Health Profile Section). As a person ages, he or she is much more likely to increase the amount of health care goods and services required to maintain one’s health. In turn, thi s also increases the expected utilization rates. Two Reasons For Why Each Plan Can Be Selected Castor Collins Health Plans contain certain factors affecting the pricing of services. These factors include limitations and exclusions for what Castor Collins is willing to pay. Castor Standard health plan does not cover pre – existing conditions where as Castor Enhanced does provide coverage for enrollees with pre – existing conditions. One reason for why I can offer Castor Standard health plans to ConstrucIt is that the majority of ConstructIt employees are younger in age and almost half the population is free from major health risks. A second reason for why I can offer Castor Standard Insurance plans to ConstructIt is that it costs less while covering more conditions. One reason for why I can offer Castor Enhanced health plans to both ConstructIt and E – Editors is because both companies have employees with pre – existing conditions. A second reason for why I can offer Castor Enhanced health plans is E – Editors contains a larger amount of middl e – aged individuals requiring specialized services. Many pre – existing conditions require specialized services that may be added or customized to the Castor Enhanced health plan. Conclusion In summary, an HMO works in connection with a group of hospitals, physicians, and providers to offer health care services for a fixed annual fee. HMOs tightly oversee the use of health care services to reduce costs and control utilization. I evaluated the employee work and health profiles of two companies: ConstructIt and E – Editors. ConstructIt contains 1000 employees willing to pay out $4000 in premiums per enrollee each year. E – Editors contain1600 employees willing to pay out $4500 in premiums per enrollee each year. E – Editors’ health profile revealed a higher utilization rate among services than ConstructIt. Economic Issues Simulation This prompted me not to offer any health plans to E – Editors at a time whenever Castor Collins Health Plans is trying to maximize profits and minimize risks. However, if E – Editors was willing to pay higher premiums Castor Collins Health Plans may have been able to customize a health plan. I did offer a Castor Standard Insurance plan to ConstructIt because their health profile revealed a lower rate of utilization among services. It is important one evaluates the exclusions and limitations listed within health insurance plans to ensure adequate and correct amount of coverage is available. References Getzen, T. E., & Allen, B. H. (2007). Health Care Economics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. University of Phoenix. (2010). The Financing of Health Care Simulation [Computer Software]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Simulation, HCS440 – Economics: The Financing of Health Care website.

buy custom William Shawcross essay

buy custom William Shawcross essay This Book Report is about Allies by William Shawcross published by Publicaffairs published on January 6, 2004 in New York. In March 2003 the United States, England, and their coalition allies took massive perils in attacking Iraq. They jeopardized one of the most thriving coalitions in history. They jeopardized both the United Nations and themselves. And they periled forming a new marsh in which terrorists could breed and prosper. Allies by William Shawcross is an investigation of the risks taken in Iraq, the motive for them and the ways in which the confrontation posed by Iraq was different from anything faced by the post-war Western accord. Perhaps for that rationale, the choice to go to war in Iraq endangered, and to some level still intimidates, to obliterate that accord. William Shawcross, a notable foreign writer with an unrivalled viewpoint on international associations, shows why the United States had to take the path; why Britain-and many other countries pursued; and why Franco-German fabrication and hindrance had to be brushed aside. Without reducingthe realism of the continuing risks or rejecting that blunders were made along this most tricky of journeys, Shawcross disputes fervently that going to war in Iraq was the correct thing to do. William Shawcross first came to fame with Sideshow, a buzzing denunciation of Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon's measures in Cambodia. This time he vigorously supports the armed forces actions of the United States administration as it attacks Iraq and overthrows the government of Saddam Hussein. Preventive war is not the uncharacteristic approach that some of George W. Bush's detractors might propose but rather an essential plan in dealing with perilous dictators. Shawcross tramples calmly on the argument over the reality of WMD (weapons of mass destruction) and the anxious setting of post-Saddam Iraq while telling at length the human rights offenses committed by Saddam Hussain and his sons Qusay and Uday to make the point that that the war was necessary. France and Germany are cast here as ungrateful opportunists for their antagonism to Bush. Jacques Chirac, in particular, is on the receiving end of much hostility by Shawcross who neverr lets pass an opportunity to mention nickname s like "The Crook" or "Super Menteur" to illustrate the president of France. Strangely, given the book's title and cover photograph of United States President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, there is slight inside information on the bond between the two men and the American and British decision makers that hasn't been well recorded in conventional news channels reporting of the war. This inconsequentiality widens to the rest of Allies as well. I wished for some ground-breaking examination or radical study but Shawcross frequently just presents his view: that Saddam was treacherous, the Americans were correct to eliminate him, and that the UN and much of Europe were incorrect to object. Another dilemma with Allies is how fluid the condition in Iraq was as the book went to press. As a consequence, Shawcross's examination runs the possibility of being obsolete and inappropriate within a moderately short period of time. Allies is a swift read and Shawcross is a very good writer but one desires that he could have given more profundity to such a complex situation. Buy custom William Shawcross essay

Are You Willing to Relocate for a Job 5 Questions to Ask Yourself

Are You Willing to Relocate for a Job 5 Questions to Ask Yourself With the internet continually breaking down barriers, the job hunt has gone global. In fact, relocation rates are at their highest since 2009, according to analysis from the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray Christmas. Your perfect job may be hundreds - or even thousands! - of miles away, but while relocating may sound like a no-brainer, the fact is that many more factors go into the decision process than simply salary. Consider these five questions for determining whether relocating is right for you. Is this in your future?1. Can you maintain your standard of living?It’s easy to get carried away by a salary offer, but the truth is that compensation is relative due to cost of living differences.For example, let’s say you’re contemplating a cross-country move from Portland, Maine to San Francisco, California. According to NerdWallet’s handy Cost of Living Calculator, the cost of living is a whopping 54 percent higher in San Francisco than in Maine. More specifically, if your current salary is $50,000, you’d have to make more than $76,000 to maintain your current standard of living. Certain factors vary more than others: while transportation varies by just eight percent between the two cities, the cost of housing differs by a staggering 161 percent.2. Is the position stable?Job security is never guaranteed, but some jobs have more potential than others in terms of security. Before accepting a position and agreeing to uproot your life, do your homework. Has the potential employer been in business for a long time? Are they financial solvent? Sources like the Better Business Bureau, the company’s SEC filings, and even quick Google news search can turn up useful information about whether the benefits of relocating for a prospective company outweigh any accompanying risks.3. Are you prepared to pay steep moving costs?While some companies cover moving costs, this is becoming less common practice in today’s tight econ omy. In some cases relocation expenses are negotiable, so be sure to inquire about the possibility. And keep in mind: a company’s willingness to pay for your move demonstrates an appealing investment on their end.If relocation coverage isn’t possible, don’t underestimate how much you’re likely to spend on the process. While costs vary by family size, distance, and your household goods, the average price tag on a domestic move is nearly $13,000. If you don’t have these funds set aside, it can make or break the possibility of a move.4. How will your family be affected?Let’s face it: moving is no fun. And even the most seamless relocation can place stress on the family unit. Keep in mind that the move isn’t entirely about you, but about all of the members of your household. Are the long-term gains worth any temporary stress and/or upheaval?Be sure to check out everything from academic rankings to college matriculation statistics in advan ce in order to determine whether the schools, programs and resources are good.Also, don’t forget to take into account your partner’s career prospects, as well as your kids’ interests and activities.5. Will you enjoy living there?All cities and towns have their own unique strengths and weakness. Before agreeing to relocate, it’s helpful to first spend some time in the prospective city. Explore everything from neighborhoods and housing to shopping and attractions. This will help you get a sense of the local vibe.Choosing to accept a new job is a momentous decision on its own, let alone when a relocation is involved. By taking time to think through all of the considerations, you can make a decision that will ensure both professional and personal fulfillment. Wondering what jobs are out there waiting to be discovered? Sign up for real-time Job Matching today!

Creative Metaphor - Definition and Examples

Creative Metaphor s A creative metaphor is an original comparison that calls attention to itself as a figure of speech. Also known as a  poetic metaphor, literary metaphor, novel metaphor, and unconventional metaphor.  Contrast with conventional metaphor  and dead metaphor.  American philosopher Richard Rorty characterized the creative metaphor as a challenge to established schemes and conventional perceptions: A metaphor is, so to speak, a voice from outside logical space. It is a call to change ones language and ones life, rather than a proposal about how to systematize them (Metaphor as the Growing Point of Language, 1991). Examples and Observations Her tall black-suited body seemed to carve its way through the crowded room.(Josephine Hart, Damage, 1991)Fear is a slinking cat I findBeneath the lilacs of my mind.(Sophie Tunnell, Fear)The apparition of these faces in the crowd;Petals on a wet, black bough.(Ezra Pound, In a Station of the Metro)Yeatss Dolphin-torn . . . SeaThose images that yetFresh images beget,That dolphin-torn, that gong-tormented sea.(W.B. Yeats, Byzantium)- Although this last line is acutely visual, its three main items, dolphin, gong and sea are as much literal as metaphoric elements of the scene: the poem had begun with the cathedral gong ringing out over the sea, and had gone on to speak of the dolphins in the waters around Byzantium. Of course, dolphin and gong also stand for something elsethe vitality of the living animal, the majesty and authority of religion over the spirit, but they do this primarily as images. Direct metaphor is reduced to a subordinate position here, in the words torn and tormented, since neither of them can literally be applied to water. The first very vividly catches the force with which the dolphin leaps from and returns to its elements. The second communicates the extent to which that element is troubled by the demands of the spiritual.(Stan Smith, W.B. Yeats: A Critical Introduction. Rowman Littlefield, 1990)- By using metaphors, much more can be conveyed, through implication and connotation, than through straightforward, literal  language. Take the case of . . . that literary metaphor dolphin-torn: what exactly is Yeats suggesting about the sea, and how else could this have been expressed? Just as writers convey meaning more open-endedly when they use metaphorical language, readers interpret less narrowly than they would literal language. So meaning is communicated between writer and reader in a less precise way, even though the metaphors may seem concrete and vivid. It is this imprecision, this fuzziness of meaning, which makes metaphor such a powerfu l tool in the communication of emotion, evaluation, and explanation too.(Murray Knowles and Rosamund Moon, Introducing Metaphor. Routledge, 2006) Creative Metaphors Outside LiteratureThe chaotic category creative metaphor includes typically literary examples such as novel metaphors and poetic metaphors. The crucial question is, however, whether it is possible to extend this category beyond literary examples. If this is possibleand an examination of the terms creative and creativity suggests that it isthen it will be possible to find many creative metaphors even in political discourse which is, actually, not very famous for being creative.(Ralph Mueller, Critical Metaphors of Creative Metaphors in Political Speeches. Researching and Applying Metaphor in the Real World, ed. by Graham Low, Zazie Todd, Alice Deignan, and Lynne Cameron. John Benjamins, 2010)Communicating Through Metaphors- Even though our individual stories are different, we communicate through the common language of metaphor by embodying our ideas in images and details. By ruminating upon ourselves, we also conjure stories of others. By this acknowledgment of othe rs experiences, we address a whole range of social, political, and cultural issues.Its impossible to live every life, fight every war, battle every illness, belong to every tribe, believe in every religion. The only way we come close to the whole experience is by embracing what we see both inside and outside the window of the page.(Sue William Silverman, Fearless Confessions: A Writers Guide to Memoir. University of Georgia Press, 2009)- The ground of appropriateness for a new insight provided by a creative metaphorthe compelling condition of the new similarity, what suggests that it fitscannot be restricted to a complex of established perspectives. For it is this complex, or some part of it, that is challenged by the new insight.(Carl R. Hausman, Metaphor and Art. Cambridge University Press, 1989)   See also: MetaphorLove Is a MetaphorThirteen Ways of Looking at a MetaphorUsing Similes and MetaphorsWhat Is a Metaphor?

Financial Innovations and Monetary Policy Term Paper

Financial Innovations and Monetary Policy - Term Paper Example on of debit and credit card into the economy was seen as a major step as this was believed to significantly curb the risks associated with carrying cash and eliminate the losses incurred by investors due to destruction of money as a result of losing cash or fire epidemic. Use of cash is also dispirited due to the continual problem of counterfeiting and the often contested argument that it makes it easy for criminals such as prostitutes and drug dealers to conduct business (Mishkin, 2009; Goodhart, 2000). While the prognoses for the eradication of cash have demonstrated to be quite challenging, the boom in internet shopping has sent a clear signal to futurists that the cashless society is almost becoming an overpowering reality which will present its benefits and drawbacks to consumers and banks, particularly when the whole concept of monetary policies is taken into consideration (Goodhart, 2000). Many developed economies are presently striving towards an economy where cash will be mi nimal and e-money, which in its broadest sense is electronic money often exchanged electronically through technical devices including mobile handsets and computers, is also significantly reduced (Goodhart, 2000). A cashless society implies that coins and currency will be absent but that does not imply a backward development towards barter system, but rather a development towards a society with widespread use of EFTS (Electronic Funds Transfer System). In the US, for instance, only 7% of transactions are in cash as over 90% of transactions are sealed via e-money (Palley, 2011). Apparently, these transactions are low-value transactions involving only small amounts of money. People have accepted EFTS, and it is not surprising that organizations have been forced to use EFTS to remain competitive. However, as the move towards a cashless economy proceeds incrementally, it raises significant issues with regard to monetary policy, the consumer, and payment system threats. Under the monetary

Evaluation of the Current Status of Alitalia Essay

Evaluation of the Current Status of Alitalia - Essay Example Correspondingly, this report intends to examine the prospects of Etihad Airways which has started to examine the possibility to buy a majority/total stake in Alitalia, the Italian struggling airline. Alitalia is a prominent Italian based airline group and one of the leading players in the European airline industry. The group operates under the brand name of Alitalia and offers an assortment of premium services at all levels including the purview of domestic, international and intercontinental destinations. Air One is a subsidiary of Alitalia Group that provides low-cost flights to domestic and international routes. Alitalia is a privately owned group and 75% of its ownership is retained by Italian entrepreneurial and financial world while the remaining 25% is acquired by the biggest European airline, Air France-KLM. The group is also the member of SkyTeam alliance and has opened transatlantic joint venture with Air France KLM and Delta. The group over the years has been able to secure and distinguish its position amid its customers particularly due to its superior service quality, maintenance, and passenger care. The pool of well-trained employees along with effective operational management has established it as the most punctual airline across Europe. At the same time, the extensive and ambitious investment plan to make its fleet modernize has tremendously facilitated it with attaining greater customer confidence and trust. Apart from transportation of passengers, the company also operates in cargo sector. It has been able to meet the customers’ shipping requirements through the effective arrangement of cargo charter flights (Alitalia n.d.). Moreover, it has the most modern fleet of 132 aircraft. The company’s financial health during 2012 was worst affected with increasing loss and augmenting debt. However, amid this sluggish performance, the market share of the group across all routes continued to st ay stable at around 22.6% (Alitalia 2013).

Six Sigma at General Electric Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Six Sigma at General Electric - Essay Example Its goal is to ensure that there are no problems with any product or service that GE provides. This is done through quarterly customer surveys and daily manufacturing checks by internal engineers (Cohen, 1997).Since the 1980s, GE has sought improvement in business-performance and profitability through various programs (Hendericks and Kelbaugh, 1998). However, in 1995, Welch decided that those programs were not enough and directed the company to undertake Six Sigma as a corporate initiative. He said that it "is the only initiative he will introduce, but it will be introduced everywhere".The introduction of Six Sigma within GE was a dramatic culture change requiring impetus from the very top. Welch's personal leadership and direction was necessary and instrumental in the rollout of Six Sigma. When the employees tried to dismiss Six Sigma as the program of the month, Welch changed the business structure at a corporate level to underscore the importance of the goal. He implemented two no table strategic changes:The concept of Six Sigma at GE deals with measuring and improving how close the company comes in delivering on what it planned to do. Six Sigma provides a way for improving processes so that the company can more efficiently and predictably produce world-class products and services. There is a five-phased methodology applied by a Six Sigma team to tackle specific problems to reach Six Sigma levels (Paul, 1999). (We note that when Six Sigma was first launched at GE Aircraft Engines, a four-step methodology (MIAC) was followed. Recently, the Define phase has been added to recognize the importance of having a well-scoped project and to be in line with the current practices across GE): (1) Phase 1 - define (D). Who are the customers and what are their priorities A Six Sigma project team identifies a project suitable for Six Sigma efforts based on business objectives as well as customer needs and feedback. As part of the definition phase, the team identifies those attributes, called CTQs (critical to quality characteristics), that the customer considers to have the most impact on quality. (2) Phase 2 - measure (M). How is the process measured and how is it performing The team identifies the key internal processes that influence CTQs and measures the defects currently generated relative to those processes. (3) Phase 3 - analyze (A). What are the most important causes of defects The team discovers why defects are generated by identifying the key variables that are most likely to create process variation. (4) Phase 4 - improve (I). How do we remove the causes of the defects The team confirms the key variables and quantifies their effects on the CTQs. It also identifies the maximum acceptable ranges of the key variables and validates a system for measuring deviations of the variables. The team modifies the process to stay within the acceptable range. (5) Phase 5 - control (C). How can we maintain the improvements Tools are put in place to ensure that under the modified

Integration - Causal Chains and Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Integration - Causal Chains and Strategy - Essay Example This improvement will be caused due to the increased employees’ professionalism and their motivation. Thus, TCCB customers will be satisfied with an excellent service. Customer’s satisfaction will lead to improved loan and deposit balances, and non-interest income. Also, satisfied customers will advertise TCCB to other people because of its excellent service and broad assortment of products (new loans, etc.). The 3rd chain: Customer’s satisfaction and retention will be also increased due to making thank you calls and providing cards to new and existing customers. Having TCCB cards customers will come again to the TCCB, thus will be increased customer’s retention. Finally, TCCB will improve its loan balances, deposit balances, and non-interest income. While evaluating the effectiveness of the balanced scorecard approach between two categories of branches A-E and F-J, it was obvious that the first category (A-E) demonstrated much better financial results than the second category (F-J). According to the data presented in Table 3, all branches that had applied the BSC except E, demonstrated financial increases in loan balance, deposit balance and non-interest balance. While the branches F-J also have demonstrated financial improvements for one year of performance, these improvements were hardly noticeable. In 2001, F branch demonstrated decrease ($1 mln) in deposit balance comparing with the previous financial year; performance of G branch in loan balance did not change for one year; and branch H have demonstrated decrease ($3 mln) in noninterest income (Albright, Davis, Hibbets 2001, p.59). The branches that applied BSC demonstrated only increases in loan balance, deposit balance and noninterest income; there were no decreases in terms of financial performance. While the financial improvements were performed by A-E

Reading Response Questions for One.Life ( Preface chapters - Chapter Essay

Reading Response Questions for One.Life ( Preface chapters - Chapter 5) - Essay Example Indeed, McKnight explains that many people have misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom. To many Christians, it only entails going to church and reading the Bible. However, Jesus emphasized that God’s kingdom entails going beyond this and identifying a dream which has been chosen for them by God. Ubuntu is a term associated with African Traditional Religion. It means humanness. In other words, it is a spirit of kindness and togetherness. Actually, Africans were great egalitarians who believed in the kinship system, sharing and egalitarianism. I think it was supported by Jesus because He preached about generosity, love and brotherhood. 5. If you do not already know the Lords Prayer by heart, I recommend you memorize and pray it daily throughout this class on Christian Faith and Life. Write it out here in whatever version of the Bible youve been using in your study. (You can find this prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6: 9-13 or Luke 11:

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula Essay

What Ties Mary Shelly's Frankenstein to Tony Morrison's Sula - Essay Example This novel compares to Tony Morrison’s Sula, written in 1978. The two books have strikingly similar themes, such as Family, mystery, the pursuit of knowledge, unconventional thought and love and romance. The theme of family ties seems to best join the two novels, since it is at the heart of this theme that the novels unravel. Both Shelley and Morrison seem top agree that the family is a very important institution in the society, and that its choice to accept or reject a person has serious implications on the person’s self worth, conduct and final outcome. For instance, both novels reveal that the family is the most important social order. Shelley’s Frankenstein’s begins with a narration by Robert Walton, an unsuccessful author who, in pursuit of fame, sets out on a scientific exploration of the Polar North. Captain Walton is writing a letter to his sister, Madam Margaret Walton Saville. The letter ends up being the novel Frankenstein. By indicating Waltonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s background, Shelley accounts for the inconsistencies and discontinuities seen in his narrative letter. On the other hand, Morrison’s introduction of the Bottom, the area where Sula is set brings about a slave and his master. The slave hopes to attain a reward from his master, who has become his family. The master points to the hills, the Bottomland. The authors could not have found a stronger way to introduce their stories. Shelley’s introduction of a captain talking to his sister foreshadows the close ties to be identified later in the novel. Similarly, Morrison’s introduction foreshadows the future issues which will arise from family ties. Captain Walton explains the story of Victor as received from a dying Victor Frankenstein. It will be noted that almost throughout the novel, Shelley introduces a character by first stating their family background. Victor’s birth in a wealthy family from Geneva, as well as that of his brothers Ernest and Willi am point to his current situation. The death of his mother just before he joins the University inspires him to venture in to researches in Alchemy, Chemistry and Physical Sciences. He is more fascinated with how such sciences can be used to bring back the dead. Shelley’s connection of Victor’s mother’s death to his ambitious pursuits in the University has significance in bringing coherence to her storyline. It is also a statement that circumstances affecting our beloved ones affect our life choices. Little is said about his brothers, which is understandable in a novel setting. On the other hand, in Sula, the background of the protagonist, Nel, and antagonist, Sula, take a similar perspective. The ... chapter contrasts the families of the two. Nel’s family upholds conventional living to the latter. The family wants her to lead a similar life, but she is not decided, even after meeting her unconventional grandmother. Sula’s family is the exact opposi te of Nel’s family. Her promiscuous mother and grandmother, as well as her three adopted brothers, the deweys represent an unconventional family. Nevertheless, Nel and Sula become fierce friends in their adolescence. Morrison uses the family to show how our personality types, life beliefs and philosophies are shaped. Similarly, the contrast builds in to his conflict and later resolution.     

Reading Response Questions for One.Life ( Preface chapters - Chapter Essay

Reading Response Questions for One.Life ( Preface chapters - Chapter 5) - Essay Example Indeed, McKnight explains that many people have misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom. To many Christians, it only entails going to church and reading the Bible. However, Jesus emphasized that God’s kingdom entails going beyond this and identifying a dream which has been chosen for them by God. Ubuntu is a term associated with African Traditional Religion. It means humanness. In other words, it is a spirit of kindness and togetherness. Actually, Africans were great egalitarians who believed in the kinship system, sharing and egalitarianism. I think it was supported by Jesus because He preached about generosity, love and brotherhood. 5. If you do not already know the Lords Prayer by heart, I recommend you memorize and pray it daily throughout this class on Christian Faith and Life. Write it out here in whatever version of the Bible youve been using in your study. (You can find this prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6: 9-13 or Luke 11:

My Christian Way of Life Essay Example for Free

My Christian Way of Life Essay I would not start this personal essay by saying that I am a devout Christian and that I love helping people or something to that effect. I am a Christian; however, I am not the devout type. I do not regularly attend church gatherings. I do not really engage in community services or avoid vices. My moral beliefs were first cultivated by my parents’ teaching. They are devout Catholic, so it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus Christ is the most influential philosopher in my life. It is because of Him that I am able to walk through life confidently and accept different challenges. I am against violence and vengeance because He has taught us to forgive. Nevertheless, I still have my own spiritual doubts and questions about life and about being a Christian. I also consider myself as a victim of popular culture who has the tendency to get easily influenced by unreasonable circumstances. I am skeptical most of the time which is why I am convinced that Pepperdine is the most fitting university which can cater my needs for spiritual development. The fact that George Pepperdine did not mean for any of the university’s students to become full-pledged or devout Christians is what attracts me most in the university’s mission. It interest me not because I do not want to become strictly dictated by Christian values but because in this critical point of my life, I believe that I need all the freedom to make my own choices so I can later ponder about them and reflect on my own life. At a young age, a person must be allowed to discover his or her own spirituality by his or her own means. This way, this person can become more experienced and driven to arrive to what he or she believes is the truth about one’s spiritual being. If one would analyze one’s surroundings closely, it is evident that we live in a material world. Everything that our eyes conceive is physically material. On the contrary, I believe that there is much more in this world than earthly things. The world is a puzzle that we need to piece together—a problem that we need to solve. However, it is a problem unsolvable—a problem too complex and beyond comprehension. Yet, we can only see the world as such if we close our eyes from superficiality and open them to greater extents. Simply put, the world is merely an illusion that we have created to fulfill our sight—and the only way to avoid being fully blinded by it is to develop our own spirituality. A person who aspires to accomplish a developed spiritual being must learn how to act in his or her own accord. Religion can be quite pressuring at times, which can even cause a person to lose his way. However, if one is given enough leeway to discover everything on his or her own, this person becomes more responsible in choosing the right path without any feeling of rebellion or being forced. I am confident that through the guidance of a university which values Christianity, I can become more disciplined and responsible in discovering the spiritual aspect of my life. I do not usually attend Sunday church but I honestly have my so-called personal relationship with God. I am more comfortable in talking to Him like a confidant who is always ready and available to listen than repeating prayers everyday. George Pepperdine is right. Maybe I am not fully aware yet of what is the real Christian way of life. Maybe â€Å"personal relationship† with God is not enough to be called a true Christian. Maybe it includes so much more than just a relationship. I guess I am not that confident yet about my own spirituality which is more than just a reason enough for me to become accepted in this university.

Design Concepts in Architecture

Design Concepts in Architecture Design is the most basic human creative activity. One could argue that Palaeolithic cave drawings were based on this fundamental human creative need. The word design derives from the Italian word disegno, meaning drawing of a work. Many confuse the notion of Design to Art. Design can well be seen in art, but as an independent subject it must be considered as entirely different. One of the first to distinguish this difference, were several British design historians, dating from 1977. Design can be seen and experienced everywhere. Design can be a development progress or an object. Definition for the word design given by designer Richard Seymour is making things better for people. ¹ Design expands so vastly, It can be seen in furniture, advertising, machinery, books, media, fashion, computers, food and in many other fields. Design nowadays is a subject of university study, such as graphic design and industrial design etc. It has always been accepted that anyone who created something, or made something look good, aesthetic or beautiful could be considered a designer. Even though most people believe that a good design is one that looks beautiful, this is not always the case. A good design is one which focuses mainly upon its intended function. A successful design is one that completely fulfils the needs of its intended purpose, Form Follows Function. A designer must be able to meet several points: aesthetical, artistic, theoretical, mechanical, organizational and functional. The word design holds much meaning and design paradoxes are endless, it would therefore be impossible to analyse them all. The focus of this review essay is the architectural area of design. In early 1937, Czech philosopher, Jan Mukarovsky developed a model of five functions for architecture: the immediate, the historical, the personal, the social and the aesthetic. In the arena of Art and Architecture, Design is a basic principle that must be carried out through every piece of work. In this respect, design is an idea, a concept, which is transferred from the individuals mind on to canvas, paper, blue print etc. In England (16th century) the term design was used under the sense of plan from which something is to be madea drawn sketch for an artwork, but also s Bernhard Burdek said: an object of applied arts; Design can be anything that stings ones imagination. Italian designer Giorgio Giugiano says: there is nothing without design. As the 20th century approached new attitudes in Art made their appearance. New styles were discovered by different artistic experiments such as Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts Art Deco. These artistic trends and movements would encompass the styles referred to as the isms of the period, for example; Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism and others. Some of these aforementioned areas had an impact in Architecture, but it must be noted that the Architectural field consisted of its own movements which rose within these decades. Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Renaissance architects and artists would combine their knowledge in order to produce a building design which combined and encompassed both the beauty of Art, but also the power and discipline of Architecture. The roots of Modern Art dates back to the 19th century. Artists were experimenting with their paintings and sculptures in order to find something different, something that could express better what the painter, sculptor saw or felt, but at the same time enabling the observer to experience the artwork himself through his personal emotions. Areas of the Modern Art movement will be further analysed in the forthcoming paragraphs and their connection with the architectural styles which were popular at that time. Even though the modern era in architecture consists of several other movements (Usonianism, Constructivism, Purism etc), the purpose of this review is to analyze the influences that Art had on Architecture during the 20th century. Within the first decade of the 20th century, the first movement in Modern Art, to make its appearance was Expressionism. Painters such as Vincent van Gogh would flatten their paintings using lines, exaggerating certain fragments of the painting, either by using bright colours or by just the simple and minimal black and white. This simplified way of painting would usually portray sceneries focusing not on the beauty as the public was use to, but the suffering, poverty and violence were the notions presented. Parallel to Expressionism in Art, Expressionist Architecture started to develop. Most examples Can be found in Germany and a few other European countries. Similarly to artists trying to picture the cold truth of a humans life without any essence of beauty, leading architects such as Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropins and Hans Poelzig developed poetical and dramatic designs influenced by natural forms which consisted of unusual shapes and massing. Manmade materials, such as, brick, steel, concrete and most importantly glass were key characteristics to this architectural style. In the lithograph on the left, Scream, also known as Shouting, the notion of sadness , fear or even death have been pictured; the print consists only of lines, which all lead to the centre of the picture, to the most important part, the screaming figure. The facial characteristics of the human head are very minimal, and may remind one of a caricature or a cartoon; even though the face is some what destroyed the person shouting, holding his head, with wide open eyes and mouth, gives one the impression of fear; as if he was facing something that scared him. The figure itself is very thin , the minimal appearance of clothing and the skinny face, may be thought to be either an old woman or man, facing the time of death. One of the buildings which has been placed under the title of Expressionist Architecture, is Hans Poelzigs exhibition space and water tower building. This extraordinary design of its time, is located in the city of Poznan, in Poland and was completed in 1991. Throughout the building it is difficult to find any straight lines; curves and flowing shapes are what make up the Einstein Tower. It looks more like a poetic and romantic sculpture than a building for such a specific use. The steps leading up to the entrance, through the body of the building with its dome like roof, reminds one of a naturally occurring organism such as a plant or an undersea creature. In France, during the period 1907 to 1914, the leaders Picasso and Braque developed the movement of Cubism, which largely differs from Expressionism. Analytical Cubism, focused on two-dimensional, flat paintings which would picture an object by breaking it down into shapes. Lines, geometric forms and bright colours were a necessary characteristic. Synthetic Cubism derived from the method of Collage, synthesising, combining painting, incorporating pictures from magazine advertisements, cuttings and clippings of different materials to generate a complete piece of artwork. As previously mentioned, Cubism was strongly associated with two-dimensional portraying. This motif in art also had an influence on architecture. Well analysed and synthesized architectural spaces, would remain in the usual two dimensions; architectural representations were based on the artistic era of the time. Closely related to Cubism is Abstract Art. Artwork now is not a matter of copying what appeared in front of ones eyes, but something that one may call a piece of decoration. What the artist feels becomes art. During the First World War, a group of young artists, named Dada, made their presence. They found a way to express their protest to the war, through their abstract painting. Picassos Violin, appears to be very confusing. By its title, one becomes familiar with what is portrayed. The painting illustrates a destroyed musical instrument, broken/cut into pieces. With its curved shapes and brown colours it is easily understood. But what is fascinating about this piece of artwork is the way the artist has shaded each part of the violin, giving it a special significance. Even though the painting is portrayed on a canvas (two dimensional), the hole picture seems to escape those boundaries, each part appears to stand out from the canvas. Dada for me was a new beginning and a closure. In free Zurich where the newspapers can say what they want, where magazines were founded and poems against the war read out, here where there were no ration-cards and no ersatz, here we had the possibility of shouting out everything that was filling us fit to burst. Richard Huelsenbeck. During 1922 to 1924, when Dada began to lose their influence, Surrealism was introduced. Painters were creating dream like pictures. Within these paintings one fragment would blend and merge into another and depending on the angle in which one viewed the drawing, the picture on the canvas would change. The same object could have two or more uses within the painting. Architecture has embraced most art movements and Surrealism was not be left out. As was analyzed in the previous paragraph, painting fragments, which had multiple uses, were one of the principles undertaken in this art style. Architects were incorporating two or more in some cases uses to a building, multiple approaches and embeddings. Within this surrealist painting of Dali, different elements accommodated a different story; and in some cases may have more than one role. In the centre of the painting , a female face appears, her eyes are also seashells on the beach, her forehead and nose form a fruit bowl full of pears; on her left hand side there is a dark tunnel with a river, whereas on the left side of the painting, there is mountain with sea waves running down towards the females face. The mountain to the right acts as a dogs head and what seems to be its collar is a bridge; many other such elements are hidden within this painting. These two multi-storey buildings, appear to be dancing. The male (cylindrically shaped building on the right), Fred, is standing next to Ginger (female). Fred seems to be reaching out his right arm to his dancing partner. This concrete structure, relates to the strong nature of a male. On the other hand, Ginger, as a woman, constructed from glass, appears more fragile, just as a woman can be elegant and delicate. Advertisements, comic books, magazines, posters, movies and everything else which portrayed some sort of a commercial image came in fashion; art was now called Pop Art. Although many believe that Pop Art was discovered in America, continuing from the movement of Abstract Expressionism in the 1930s, Pop Art was actually first seen in London. Leader and inventor of this movement was English painter and Collage artist Richard Hamilton. Often called the intellectual father of Pop Art. The Abstract era continues to grow in the United States and in Europe. Op Art, also known as Optical Art is appearing. In the period of the 60s and the 70s, vibration and optical illusions created either by monochrome, images or outstandingly bright coloured pictures consisting of basic geometric shapes were this movements principles. Similarly to optical illusions in Op Art, illusions of such type can be found within the world of architecture; maybe this is not an era called Op Architecture but defiantly architects have been inspired from this particular artistic style; Soon after came minimalism, with Kenneth Noland, Larry Poons and others. Minimalism consisted of simple colours and solid shapes based on geometric forms. Artists would reduce as much of the elements as possible within their work in order for it to appear simple but yet again well worked. Such fragments would be colours, textures and volumes. Architect Mies van der Rohe, adopted the so well know phrase les is more, by developing building designs which consisted of open plan layouts, minimal exteriors etc. Minimalism and Architecture is still a movement that continues to grow. Minimalist architecture comprising of simple volumes and clear lines, which sometimes look very similar to solid geometric shapes, is a style of architecture found all around us. Oil, water colour, charcoal, pen and ink, sculptures and photography are some of the art forms that can be found within the Fine Art department. There are different techniques in which an artist can experiment and develop in order to produce what might be a masterpiece. The French word coller meaning glue is the term used do describes one of those methods. The assembly of different materials, which create a new image, is else known as Collage. One of the first examples that can be related to this motif was found in China and dates from 200 BC, during the invention of paper. It was not until many decades later, in the era of Modern Art and during the Analytical Cubism phase, when Collage was formally introduced. Pablo Picasso and George Braque were the first to bring out the glamour of this technique in the year 1906-07. George Braque was the inventor of collage in Modern Art. He mostly applied this technique on his charcoal drawings. One of the earliest most famous collages was Picas sos Guitar, Sheet Music and Glass. By autumn 1912 it was apparent that Picasso was very interested in the three-dimensional construction of a collage. As in Picassos Violin (pg.4) for one to understand what is portrayed, one should be familiar with the object in question; in this case Guitar, Music sheet and Glass constructed in September 1912, follows the same principle. The rear surface of the collage appears to be a section of flowery wall paper; the shapes in which the other fragments of the collage are cut are very simple and one could say effortless; but the way in which they are arranged together gives the observer a clear impression of the subject. On the left hand side of the collage the body of the guitar is formed from a wood-like cut-out. The blue rectangle next to it reminds us or the neck of the guitar, and below this the white circle resembles the sound hole. A black cut out of a semicircle forms the base. To the right are strips of sheet music and below a newspaper cutting and one of Picassos sketches picturing an abstract view of a wine glass, are the fragments which are used in order to compete the Guitar, Music s heet and Glass collage. Tatlins assembly on the left is a three-dimensional abstract construction. This creates the feeling of anger or fear and is due largely to the materials chosen. Canvas or board paper are replaced by an old wooden board. Industrial materials replace paper cut-outs which are secured by screws instead of glue. The artist, in this case, is not interested in a clean finish, but creating a rougher and more textured result which all add to its beauty. The discovery that the very distinction between flat and volumetric was no longer absolute, that through a process of unprecedented spatial semantic complexity, something deeply unsettling was happening to art.? Picasso started to experiment with his papier collers adding other materials which had a special significance. Cardboard, wood, metal and other textiles were incorporated within his Cubist artworks which were soon characterized as surrealist; In the years to come, several more artists, such as, Vladimir Tatlin, Varvara Stepanova and Alexandr Rodchenko, were producing collages. Newspapers, advertisement strips, magazine parts, photographs were some of the materials used. During the First World War, a young group of artists known as Dada were introduced, and soon became very popular. Dada attempted, in their own artistic way, to protest against what was happening to the world around them. The Dada movement was controversial at the time. They introduced a new art form, the art of expressing, in a more literal way, their thoughts about the disaster of the Great War. Dada meaning Hobby Horse in French, consisted of six members. Hugo Ball, his lover Emmy Hennings, Tristan Tzara, Hans Richter, Marcel Janco and Hans Arp. The group were based in Switzerland and the Dada era was born in 1916 in the city of Zurich. Dadaism did not only produce drawings or paintings; it was an era where all visual and intellectual arts were combined together. They used drawings, paintings, sculptures and poetry. It combined artistic, philosophical, music and political aspects. Hugo Ball would take poems apart and place the words in a random sequence. This recycling words technique and later on the photomontages and collages produced by the Dada group, would make one think that they were not so much inventors but recyclers; On the other hand another member of the group, Hans Arp was concentrating on the visual representation of their protest. Through collages and reliefs he was expressing the need of change. Within those collages, elements of wood, screws and paper can be found. The construction of those art works, were based on the law of change as Arp would say. Coming back to the motif of three-dimensional collages reliefs (page 8, Picasso), the Dada reliefs made this motif obvious. The shape in which the elements of the reliefs were cut was well thought, planned and processed. Sketched beforehand and placed exactly in order to complete the artwork. Usually curved and orientated in a natural like way would be remeniscent of organic cultures and the era of Impressionism. We do not wish to imitate nature; we do not wish t reproduce. We want to produce. We want to produce the way a plant produces its fruit, not depict. We want to produce directly, not indirectly. Since there is not a trace of abstraction in this art we call it concrete art. First collages created by Hans Arp were very minimal and simple. One could say that little effort had gone into creating them. Dadas reliefs are some what different to what one has seen through the history of collage. Shapes cut out from wood in natural forms are stuck one on top of the other. This technique could remind one of the three-dimensional construction of collages during the period of 1912-14 (pg.8). But in the reliefs on the left, an abstract assembly consisting of organic shaped, wooden fragments , painted in pastel colours, give the impression of a playful scene. Maybe one from the deep oceans or a field covered with flowers; Moving away form the notion of three-dimensional construction, Dadas work also consists of papier colles; Rectangles arranged according to the Laws of Change, is one of dadas paper collages; squares and rectangles in two shades of blue are cut and randomly placed on the rear (blue) surface of the collage. No right angles appear anywhere in this piece of artwork, nor in the position in which the paper fragments are placed on the board, nor in the way the elements are cut. Arp was always pleased to work and create art with other artists. In 1916 Arp invented the Fatagaga pictures. Fatagaga was a word which derived from the first syllables of the sentence: Fabrication de Tableaux garantis gazometriques, meaning: production of guaranteed gasometric pictures. Based on this new term, Arp and other artists created the i-drawings. The group continued to express their compassion to the sufferings of the public, but this time their collages, or as they called them, photomontages, were not so simple looking. Dada brought photographs in the papier colles, which pictured human bodies with different heads or objects placed on their forehead in combination with written illustrations, suggesting in their way the political and social exasperation towards the world. With Analytical Cubism, art opened its doors to papier colle, the construction and design of collages. Dada introduced that a collage did not only have to consist of paper and glue, but it could incorporate other materials as well, (wood, photographs, paint etc). Max Ernst said: I had to admit that in most of my collages there was no use for glue; that I am not responsible for the term collage; As the 1920s entered Dada collages formed a big change; collages where now consisting if geometric shapes, well processed and cut. The i-picture on the left, is one of Arps i-drawings. Rectangles and squares with sharp lines and right angles are places adjacent one to the other; in contrary to the Rectangles arranged according to the Laws of Change (pg.11), this collage looks more like a collage an architect would create; well planned and placed fragments in basic colours. Its one of the first times where one sees the illustrations of text within Dada pa co. The letter i is placed in the centre of the collage catching ones attention, from the first glance. The Art Critic (image on the left), moves away from the graphic collages that Dada were concentrating on until the 1920s. The illustrated bright orange rear surface of the collage, gives a new feeling to the whole picture; human forms are introduced with satiric elements. The man body is a different collage fragment to the out of scale head; facial characteristics are exaggerated by the added sketches/doodles representing eyes, lips teeth etc. Part of a shoe on the forehead of the Frankensteins man and a large pen in his right hand, weapon like, add to the style of the collage. On the right a male figure appears through the newspaper cutting on a black and white photograph. A woman looks stunned by the large figure in the centre of the collage. Additional fragments taken from magazines are added to the whole creating a troublesome image. Even though collages and photomontages started to disappear during the surrealist era in Art, there are a few examples for such stylistic papier colles. Max Ernst was one of the most popular surrealist painters in the 1920s. Within his works, numerous collages can be found. By cutting and reorganising sentimental illustrations, surreal collages would make their appearance. Other artists, such as Dali were strongly connected with surrealist collages Dali would play with the observer. He did this in the way in which the fragment of his collages where placed together, he would confuse the observer about what was being viewed, where as what was actually being portrayed was different to what the eye would see. Dalis playful scene of brightly coloured elements consists of both painting and collage; this technique has been seen before with Picassos Guitar, Music Sheet and Glass collage (pg. ). The rear surface of the Accommodations of Desire collage, is painted; this would be separate to the lion heads which are glued on. The collage consists of nine incomplete lions heads and is violent in its suggestions. In the top centre of the collage a sexual scene is suggested, with a naked women and a man standing close to her. Photomontage did not make its official appearance till the First World War and the Dada movement, but there are many examples in the past, dating back as far as the Victorian era to prove that this technique was seen before. German word Montage means fitting, and explains exactly what a photomontage is, the fitting of multiple pictures/photographs together and creating a new image. Million Fox Talbot was one of the people associated with the invention of photography. He would experimented with his photographs, as any individual would when trying to invite something now, such as photography; by placing tree leafs of the photographic plates, it would remind of some sort of photomontage; In those days, without the invention of photographic paper, the photographic plates were reused and must have be well cleaned in order for the next photograph to be taken. By not cleaning the plates whilst taking a new photo, the result would look as if one image had been placed on the other. In this wa y, photomontage was beginning to appear. In this way they would experiment with multiple plates and effects. During the Victorian period, several examples of such experiments can be found. One of the most striking of its time, were the postcards portraying a human body with a different head. With the revival of Pop Art collages and photomontages were brought back to file. Pop Art Daddy, Richard Hamilton was strongly associated with those art motifs. A collage made from photographs or photograph parts is called a photomontage. At the time, for many people Pop Art was difficult era to be understood. The images portrayed in the Pop Art movement were generally seen in other context and individuals had problems embracing the new art form. In 1957 Hamilton defined Pop art as: Popular (designed for a mass audience), Transient (short-term solution), Expendable (easily forgotten), Low cost, Mass production, Young (aimed at youth), Witty, Sexy, Gimmicky, Glamorous and Big business. But Richard Hamilton found different ways in which he engaged the public with his art. His influence of Abstract Art was obvious in his works, which mostly consisted of collages and photomontages. The images used in order for him to produce a collage would have often been seen in other artistic works in the past; but Hamilton would manipulate them and make look unique. One of the first examples in Pop Art and Hamiltons most famous collage / photomontage is Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing. In August 1956, an art exhibition opened its doors to the public. The exhibition hearing after the name This is tomorrow, took place in the Whitechapel Art Gallery, in London. The aim of this exhibit was o present new ideas to the public rather to a certain group of people. These new ideas exhibited would accommodate new, exiting and futuristic aspects which were introduced in the everyday life of an individual. For example aspects of Cinema, Comic books, Pop music, Science fiction and even the unforgettable, sexy Merlin Monroe were present; The exhibition was a space surrounded with playful imagery, music and even some shocking aspects which would make the public wonder about what Tomorrow would bring to their lifes; Richard Hamiltons collage Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing, was created for the purposes of advertising posters and catalogue for the exhibition. Even though the artwork, consisting if collage and photomontage was only creating for commercial use, it was one of which made the British Artist famous; As mentioned in the side text, Richard Hamilton would recycle work of others, or imagery seen elsewhere; this is quite predictable, as collage can be alternatively described as a way of recycling imagery, text and photographs from other sources; but in this particular example of the collage pictured above [Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing ], the title itself is reused; the original quat derives from an advert starting: just what is it that makes todays homes so different, so appealing? Open planning of course and a bold use of colour. all components of the collage are taken from popular 1960s adverts; The rear surface of the collage had been originally seen in the advert for Armstrong floors company floor surface types; the particular image was found in the Ladies Home Journal. Secondly, the young semi naked male, pictured holding a tennis racket, is the famous Irwin Zabo Koszewski, body builder. [photograph taken from Tomorrows Man magazine]. The woman sitting on the sofa at the rear right side of the artwork is believed to be artist Jo Bear. Opposite, on the left side, the element of the staircase accommodating a young female cleaner, was taken from the advertisement of the new, at the time, Constellation model of a hover. The painting / picture, which is hanging on the rear wall if the interior pictured in the collage, Young Romance, is part of an advert in Young Love. Below there is a television; produced be the Stromberg Carson company (1955). But not all the element accommodated within this collage are exactly cut and pasted in order to create this Pop image; Richard Hamilt on has modified certain parts, which without any hesitation contain a secrete meaning within them; in order to make this more clear, the rug, behind the young bodybuilder is actually a blown up image of the Whitley Bay Beach crowed; lastly on the ceiling of the interior, the image of the earth emerges; most probably this photograph is taken from the Life Magazine [September 1955 edition]. There may be different meanings hiding in this collage. But my personal view ion this artwork, is based on the promotion of the perfect home and family. During the period of the 1960s all was based on the visual aspects of life, new elements in the entertainment field of the public culture were been modified and everything was surrounding the new popular and exiting; cinema, magazines with shocking playful and colourful imagery were incorporated in peoples daily routines; Based on the collage Just what makes Todays Homes so Different, so Appealing , I believe that the artist is trying to portray the Perfect couple. A young , hansom, muscular male, with a sexy, beautiful woman by his side; elements of taking care if the physical body condition of both parties are suggested through the element of the tennis racket; Now there is the opportunity for the female to be the lady of the house; economical changes are suggested; now cleaners can be hired to keep the house in its perfect / clean condition and women can start taking care of themselves. Photographs were a major inspiration for Hamilton works; elements of advertising, film, photography, fashion, music, style, mass media, TV etc were always precent in his work. During the 60s R.Hamiltons works took on a more domestic feel. He was portraying interior spaces which were very similar to the scene of a film set. Some would characterise his work ironic, but for Hamilton that was not the case. By applying in his work imagery seen in the wider public and mass media environment, he addressed a problem which the outside world was facing and at the same time he would picture its possible solution. Hamilton explained in 1968: One wasnt just concerned with a car and the idea of speed but [with] the way it was presented o us in the mass media presenting a glamorous object by all the devices that glamorous advertising can add. The Pop paintings are anthologies of the mechanics of visualisation. Maybe it is not only about the entrainment and the economical but also about the political changes taking place at the time; women are becoming more important and have a say in different important matters; every home should accommodate the newest designs of furniture and electrical facilities; (TV, Hoover, Tape recorder) The perfect home sheltering the perfect couple The images of the earth on the ceiling of the interior may suggest that even in such a house, with all its fashionable and great conditions, it is actually what everyone feels within it; our house is our world; American, visual artist, Christian Marclay, concentrates on exploring the connections that may exist between music, sound and photography. He transforms sound into visual and physical form; this is represented by video, photography, sculpture etc. One of Christian Marclays projects was the Body Mix Series (1991). The project consisted of several album covers, which were collaged in such a way, in which a whole new image immerged through the stitched together pictures. One of those Frankenstein images, named Doorsiana, consisted of six different covers, one of which was the face of Jim Morrison and Diana Rosss left arm, in connection with several other albums. Seliger: It seems that from the start your work has always had a lot to do with collage, both in performance and with the objects. Marclay: Yes. Ive always used found objects, images and sounds, and collaged them together, and tried to create something new and different with what was available. To be

Moynihan report :: essays research papers

The Moynihan Report In reading the Moynihan report I must say that I do agree with most of what the report is saying for the most part. There are some things that I totally disagree with, but it would take forever to write about all of what I agree with. In this paper I will focus on the Anthropology social science use of it all and the social justice issue of gender with race intertwined. This report was very interesting to me because it seems to somewhat answer a lot of questions about the African American male. Is family structure really that important for an African American male to be a productive person in society? In reading this report one may lead more towards the answer of yes more so than no. Anthropology: the scientific study of the origin, culture, and development of humans. I think that the use of this particular social science was used quite accurately because it explains to you time and time again that where a person comes from, what type of culture the know, and the development that the go through is all within the family. I believe that the father of a family is the most important role for an African American male to see because if the father is not around for the younger male to see then there is no major positive male influence for the younger male to see. The family for African Americans isn’t as strong for us as it is for other races. Within the report it seemed to focus more on the African American male and the role of the male or father heavily. It seems to me as if the report is saying that, if a male grows up in a single family home, with no enriching   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  culture, in a bad area. Then it will be less likely that that person will have a tough time in finding a job, help take care of their family, or staying out of trouble. I know within my family my brother and I grew up with both parents in the home. In a nice neighborhood with our mom and dad coming from two different cultural backgrounds, but we knew and was taught both and I know that we a well-rounded people because of it. My brother has been married for almost ten years, two children and has been in business for himself since he was 21 years old.