A Career in Social Work

The career that I want to pursue is social work. I enjoy talking to people, helping them with their problems, and try to make their bad days better; I already have some trained skills, which I have learned in places that I did some volunteer work in the past. I also worked babysitting children of different ages and tutored others in some basic subjects. My experience of having my own small business plus all the volunteer work in the places I mentioned above, gave me a head start by assisting individuals on a regular basis. Becoming social service worker has many responsibilities.Some of the responsibilities are getting information to provide quality services in an efficient and effective manner to people with complex needs. To be a good social service worker requires a solid foundation of training, values, knowledge, theory and skills. I was born and raised in a big city and lived n the same street with my family, until the age of twenty. My parents have been together for many years and I have 5 siblings. Growing up in the 1970's, having an abusive biological father was very difficult for my mother, my siblings and me.I felt that we were a comfortable family with all the things necessary to be happy. I was unaware that my biological father was abusive towards my mother, so was one of my brothers toward his wife. When I learned it, I was a teenager and it led for my siblings and I lean toward my grandmother and stepfather. Our families were divided by religion and the abuse. My stepfather was our pillar of support; he always encouraged all of us to get an education. I had to learn rapidly to adjust to different situations and saw that folks Just were not all bad, ecause they had faced problems in their lives.This permitted me to grow and absorb in ways other children may have never imagined, and I be certain of that because of my family, it has added a great deal of my individual strength and approval of others. I have also learned many useful skills and experie nces throughout my adult life. Having a difficult time as a child myself and then being married to an abusive husband for 15 years, has given me the power and aspiration to become a Social Service Worker. It will be fulfilling a lasting vision to help persons n need no matter the emergency they may be pursuing to remedy.When I was younger I always talked about being a teacher or a social worker. As I got older and started to build my life it changed. I went from being a simple receptionist to being an office clerk, where I have to not only answer phones, but learn many other skills at administrating an office. Although I went to school for to Office administration and didn't finished it, I always have the desire to serve and help others. With the determination and drive instilled in me there is no other ending but achievement and success.The one real mistake I believe we can make in life is to not learn from the errors and challenges that come our way. In fact, it is in these mistak es and trials where I have learned the most and grow into a healthier and stronger person. I still feel in my soul that my career path is in social work and now that I know what career path I will take it is up to me to make it happen. I believe that my life experiences and skills demonstrate why the field Social Service Work is best suitable for me as an education and career.Considering my strengths, I am cooperative, g natured, generous, nelptul, numble and modest and I trust others. As a professional, I am non-judgmental, not hold responsible the client for their predicaments. Even if someone hurts my feelings, I am quick to forgive and forget. These qualities are essential for me, because I am working and will work with a variety of people, healthcare professionals, clients, and others that may exhibit inflexible and difficult personalities that may be challenging to work with. Finding the right treatment or service for each client based on their needs requires a creative person .I am also particular, hard-working, organized, and, and take my responsibilities seriously. These qualities are appropriate for when I am working individually or with a team. My extroverted personality also suits my career objective as a social service worker as interaction with others is a significant portion of this kind of work. Regarding communication skills, I am talkative, assertive, sociable and active. One of my limitations is that, although I speak two languages fluently, my strong accent is not acceptable to some when it comes to interact with clients.I am vercoming this personal limitation by taking a pronunciation course over the summer as a starting point. Some of my personal talents include being interested and passionate in a selfless and courteous manner. I am capable to sustain a considerate and gentle manner, even in hectic circumstances. I have a high score for intellect, which shows that I strive to acquire and preserve my existing knowledge, which is crucial fo r a worthy and passionate social service worker. I am honestly concerned with other individuals and try to treat everyone with consideration and compassion.I have always had the desire to study and strive in my area of interest. When I had an opportunity in 2005 to go back to school, I was fully committed to excel in my studies. My goal is not Just to get good grades, but also to fully understand the concepts in my studies and be able to analyze them. There are many social issues in our society that I would like to personally contribute to for the improvement of society. Through learning, I was able to understand some of my own experiences from the past, and instead of taking them as a terrible lessons, I accepted them as a hallenging Journey.One of my academic goals is to keep up my above average grades. I put in enormous strength and hard effort into my studies. Upon arriving at this city, I was determined that I would spend my next two years in pursuit of new ideas and experience s. I come from a country with a rich social, cultural and ethnic variety; this helps me appreciate cultural sensitivity better as well as the clients' traditional beliefs, when working with the particular client populations. Beside English, I speak French and Spanish; knowledge of two extra languages, will become n extra asset as a social service worker.The population that I want to work the most is the elderly. Elderly clients are friendly and willingly wait for a social service worker to visit them. Most of them treat the worker as an acquaintance. Proficient detachment is required, so that I will not picture the client as a family, and to keep in mind that the objective is to help them improve their ability to do well without a lot of support. I am arranging my other areas of life around my studies, so I can entirely commit and keep up with decent grades. Success is all can see in my future.

Business and the air we breathe

In December of 2008, the government’s environmental watchdog, the Environmental Protection Agency, decided that new power facilities are exempted from the requirement of installing mechanisms that will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide the plants emit into the atmosphere (David Fahrenthold, Steven Mufson, 2008).This action was adopted despite the resistance from environment oriented organizations (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008).The ruling, signed by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson, is anchored on an old statute that could be pivotal in the future operations of the power plants under the ambit of the Clean Air Act (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008). In the administration of former President Bush, the EPA has been inclined to dismiss the idea that greenhouse gases can be lumped together with soot, smog triggers and various types of air pollution (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008).The case for the classification of carbon dioxide in the category of an air polluting element began in the is suance of a permit for the construction of a power plant in Bonanza, Utah (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008). An environmental group, the Sierra Club, had challenged the permit for the plant (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008).In its motion, the group argued that the plant must first undertake mechanisms to decrease its emissions of carbon dioxide (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008). In a hearing of the EPA’s Appeals Board, a body tasked to hear issues regarding rulings and procedures of the body, the group made its case against the plant (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008).The group cited a statute that would require that the power plants must avail of the optimum technology to make the plants regulate the emission of all monitored pollutive substances (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008).This is parallel to the reminder of the group to the decision of the April 2007 ruling of the Supreme Court (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008). In that decision, Massachusetts vs. EPA (549 U.S. ___ (2007) (The Oyez Project, 2009), the S upreme Court ruled on the question whether the EPA has the power to monitor carbon dioxide and other pollutants (Oyez, 2009). In a 5-4 decision, that power was affirmed by the Supreme Court (Oyez, 2009). The case mainly stemmed from the action of the EPA in a seeming abrogation of that power (Environmental Defense Fund, 2008).In the majority decision with Justice John Paul Stevens as ponente, or author, the court ruled that the agency cannot abandon its responsibility and duty under the law to monitor the emissions of air pollutants into the air (Linda Greenhouse, 2007).Court litigations have been put on hold among them the earlier case of emissions from power facilties (Greenhouse, 2007). Stevens, joined in the decision by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, David Breyer and Stephen Souter, decided that the EPA did not do anything in court than just present a list of items that the agency will not monitor (Greenhouse, 2007).The ruling of the Supreme Court however does no t order that the Federal government conduct and enact programs to combat pollution emission (Environmental, 2008). But it is inferred that the United States Congress enact legislation to found a program for the purpose (Environmental, 2008).Massachusetts, among the parties, that did have a legal standing before the Court, was vindicated in its appeal against the EPA (Environmental, 2008). It is in the opinion of the Court that the matter be sent to Congress for final disposition (Environmental, 2008).In their opinion, air pollutants, as those emitted by the power facilities as well as motor vehicles, on which the Massachusetts case hinged, did not qualify as such under the ambit of the Clean Air Act (Environmental, 2008). In their decision, the Court ruled that it is within the scope of the powers of the EPA to regulate such pollutants (Environmental, 2008). The only exception is that if the pollutants do not contribute to the crisis of global warming (Environmental, 2008). But the EPA decided otherwise.This in complete defiance of a ruling by the United States Supreme Court in April of 2007 that carbon dioxide can be classified as an air pollutant that should be monitored under the Clean Air Act (Fahrenthold, Mufson, 2008). In the same way, the EPA granted the same exemptions to power plants emitting mercury beyond the lawful regulations (Fox News, 2008).In a decision handed down by a Federal Appeals court, the court overturned the policy of the Bush administration that stated that the government can let power plants exceed limits set for emission of the poisonous mercury element (Fox News, 2008).About a dozen state authorities had opposed the EPA regulation, saying that if the regulation had pushed through, it would release notoriously high amounts of mercury into the atmosphere (Fox News, 2008).

Amnesty Essay

Ever since we started campaigning in 1961, we’ve worked around the globe to stop the abuse of human rights. Amnesty International – Goals and strategy AI aims to maintain every human’s basic rights as established under the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. In accordance with this belief, Amnesty works to: †¢Free all Prisoners of Conscience (a â€Å"POC† is a person imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of their beliefs, which differs somewhat from the typical use of the term political prisoner). †¢Ensure fair and prompt trials. †¢Abolish all forms of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners, including the use of the death penalty. End state-sanctioned terrorism, killings, and disappearances. Amnesty International works to combat individual offences (e. g. one man imprisoned for distributing banned literature in Saudi Arabia) as well as more general policies (e. g. the recently overturned policy of executing juvenile offenders in certain U. S. states). Amnesty works primarily on the local level but its forty-year history of action and its Nobel Peace Prize give it international recognition. Most AI members utilize letter-writing to get their message across. When the central Amnesty International organization finds and validates to its satisfaction instances of human rights abuse, they notify each of more than 7,000 local groups as well as over one million independent members, including 300,000 in the United States alone. Groups and members then respond by writing letters of protest and concern to a government official closely involved in the case, generally without mentioning Amnesty directly. Amnesty International follows a neutrality policy called the â€Å"country rule† stating that members should not be active in issues in their own nation, which also protects them from potential mistreatment by their own government. This principle is also applied to researchers and campaigners working for the International Secretariat to prevent domestic political loyalties influencing coverage. Recently, Amnesty has expanded the scope of its work to include economic, social and cultural rights, saying that these concerns had arisen out of its traditional work on political and civil rights. Its 2004 annual report said that â€Å"it is difficult to achieve sustainable progress towards implementation of any one human right in isolation. †¦ AI will strive to †¦ assert a holistic view of rights protection. It will be particularly important to do so in relation to extreme poverty, and the human rights issues underlying poverty. â€Å"[2] As an example it asserts that â€Å"The right to effective political participation depends on a free media, but also on an educated and literate population. â€Å"[3]

The influence of british eurosceptic tabloids on Public opinion. An Dissertation

The influence of british eurosceptic tabloids on Public opinion. An investigation into the coverage of the single currency - Dissertation Example The elites of Europe were found to be largely supportive about the European integration. They were also able to gather a mass quiescence to some extent, if not the support regarding this agenda from the public (Alarcon, 2004, p.30). Thus for many years, there was relatively little importance that was attributed towards public opinion. This was in accordance with the thinking of neo-functionalist ideologies which viewed the elite behavior as its key towards European integration. It was observed that as the EU continued to become more and more integrated there grew a questioning tendency in the general public (Hansen, 2008, p.5).This was the beginning of euroscepticism. Euroscepticism and its positive and negative features The phenomenon called euroscepticism had crept into mainstream politics in the early years of the 1990’s (Kuzio, 2010, p. 5).Historically, the term appeared to have resurfaced in Britain where the term began to be used synonymously with words like awkwardness or otherness which were regarded to be the oppositionist group against Britain’s participation within the Continental European integration project for political and economic togetherness in the 1960’s (Harmsen & Spiering, 2005, p.13). ... Similarly, the term skeptic has been interpreted as ‘an attitude of doubt or a disposition of disbelief’ (Hansen, 2008, p.7). There would be some argument that euroscepticism is rather a negative signal as a gap that lies between the desire of the political elite along with the European public. It would also argue that as it many normative implications regarding the democratic credentials in the European integration agenda when a large and growing proportion of the EU general public did not buy into the concept, it carried a negative perspective. However, it must be mentioned that there are positive attributes too in the concept of euroscepticism in the sense that it exhibits an increased awareness, mass interest and critical capacity regarding the public. The term also helps to act as a reminder to the political elite that the group would not be able to govern without having popular consent from the mass. Some would even argue stating that euroscepticism is in fact â₠¬Ëœhealthy’ as it invites a closer evaluation of the policy choices that were open to Europe and thus helped to increase the participation of the ordinary public in the policy making process of the EU (Hansen, 2008, p.7). Though Britain did become a member of the EU in 1973, it has been constantly applying for petitions to withdraw its membership form the circle. This was prompted largely by the ideologies pertaining to euro skepticism (1973: Britain joins the EEC, 2012). The political scenario in Britain can be held for propagating euro skepticism. This is demonstrated by their refusal to share power unlike their other counterparts in the continental European integration projects (Harmsen & Spiering, 2005,

Business Start Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Start Up - Essay Example We had worked out an initial business plan with my team as a basis of our operations. Our business plan had all the important sections including finances, operations, milestone objectives and marketing covered. Practically speaking, having a business plan significantly reduces the risks and provides a proactive scope. I learnt that the initial business plan is not sufficient enough, hence my team decided to keep updating the document to take guidance from it. Hornsby & Kuratko (2009 p.111) have also identified many reasons to update a business plan which are: varying financial needs and new projections yearly, additional financing needed, managing management conflicts and to induce more reality to the plan. There already are similar companies producing customised cakes and crepes, therefore I was of the view that if we want to stand out we need a comptetitive advantage. Enterpreneurship is about new ideas and creation, and strategic planning focuses on the method to achieve above ave rage performance through a competitive advantage (Hitt, Ireland, Camp, & Sexton, 2002 p.33). Two of our team mates are passionate about the baking line of foods. Utilising their talent we have designed new cake and crepe recipes alongwith additional services and packages, as our unique selling points include customised packaging, complimentary dessert decor, small goodwill presents, greeting cards and an optional nutrition card for the health conscious customers. We have drafted updates on our business plan regarding this Enterpreneurial Strategic Management Interface (ESMI). Professionalism is a function of time and experience, but we lag in it because we are beginners in business... Professionalism is a function of time and experience, but we lag in it because we are beginners in business management. There have been incidents like the one when we landed with a huge order of deserts for a new year party. The order was huge, with promising profits and potentially loyal customers. The process to meet the order produced conflicts amongst our team members. The team member responsible for managing the operations and employees, namely preparation of the deserts and managing the chefs, felt that he was doing all of the work. The one who had negotiated the contract and maintained the liaison with the customer party felt that she deserved all the credit. That’s when I, being the leader, realized that we need teamwork orientation to wheedle out the individualism. I arranged a self-development session with my fellows and pointed out that everyone’s individual contribution in the work is unique and significant. We need to develop a sense of unity in our work ot herwise the conflicts will adversely affect the output and our produce will lack harmony. We learned that there are external agencies that exist to perpetuate small businesses. One of my fellows gave the idea to take some form of external small business assistance and consultancy service. He showed me the SBA.Gov platform on the internet that helps in finding the local resources, exploring the potentials and consultancy to achieve the organization’s goals. Our current focus is to develop and strengthen ourselves through proactive planning and introducing newer food and service packages.

Red bull Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Red bull - Assignment Example The energy drink was inspired by a popular Thai drink named Krafting Daeng that was suggested for jet lag remedy. The owner of Krafting Daeng was requested to manufacture and market a new energy drink with completely new flavor. The main objective of Red Bull was to sell energy drink with a unique taste that appealed to the people living in the western countries. It sold more than one million cans in its first year and decided to expand into UK, USA, Hungary and Germany during the tenure 1992 to 1997. The company’s slogan â€Å"Red Bull gives you wings† defined the drink appropriately. However, there has been certain health risks associated with the drinks. The reason was that the ingredients of the drink contained high levels of caffeine which led to the cardiovascular diseases. However, the popularity of the company had soared and it began to promote a series of flagship events in the sports world. Situation Analysis Market Analysis of Energy Drinks Presently, the ene rgy and sports drink market is increasing steadily and has been gaining popularity among the teenagers and young adults. The sports and energy drink market saw a major increase in the sales growth of 13 percent in the year 2011 compared to an industry growth of 11 percent in the year 2010 (EuroMonitor International, 2012). There has been a rapid increase in the demand of branded and local energy drinks. In the UK Lucozade, GlaxoSmithKline was a leader in the sports and nutritional drink market and accounted for a 40 percent market share (EuroMonitor International, 2012). The sales of Lucozade were ?498 million in the year 2011 (EuroMonitor International, 2012). It is estimated that the sports and energy drink market would further grow at 5 percent in the UK (EuroMonitor International, 2012).It has been observed that in spite of the economic slowdown the beverage market has been growing steadily. Among the beverages there has been a tremendous increase in the sales of soft drinks and energy drinks especially in United Kingdom. In the year 2011 there was an increase of sales of carbonated drinks by 24 percent from 2010. In spite of health risks associated with these beverages and increase in the demand and sales of the energy drinks have been commendable especially among the youth and teenagers. The industry is dominated by established and popular companies like Coca Cola, Pepsi Co ltd, Red Bull etc (Polis, 2013). Penetration of the established companies into energy and nutritional drink segment has helped the companies in diversification of risk amidst this economic slowdown (Key Note, 2012). Figure 1: Market Share of Energy Drink Brands Source: (Energy Fiend, 2013) 5C of Red Bull The 5C analysis will helps us in understanding the macro, micro environmental and internal factors that affects the beverage market. It is one of the most instrumental tools used for identifying the important issues that require immediate attention and is also regarded as a checklist for managerial decision making. Customer: The drink is available at 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz and 20 oz can sizes and

Home birth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Home birth - Essay Example A low risk women can plan a home birth supported with all the medical care, can be transferred to hospital if needed rather, than planning hospital birth initially. Women find labor very easy to deal; since they feel control over the delivery and they have to use less drugs to cope with pain. They use methods like massage or births pools; moreover, at home she is at ease and can use any positions she likes. For the first time mothers, the need of transferring to hospital is very high compared to the mothers who have had already one delivery. But there is small chance of transferring the mother and baby to hospital after the baby is born; the problem might arise with the delivery of placenta or if the baby has problem in breathing. The most common reason for transfer is a long labor or slow progress, when either the mother or the baby gets tired and further monitoring or assistance is needed. (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006) Women who desire to have home birth will know their midwife well and if she is attended by community midwives then they team upto eight. She also meets the midwife during pregnancy. Many hospitals provide a list of midwives that can be contacted if the expecting mother requires midwifery help. (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006), (Vedam, 2003). Most women who give birth in hospital say that making journey to the hospital have to make a journey to hospital during labor is a matter of routine. Most home births also cause very little mess, a waterproof sheet on the floor is sufficient and moreover, midwives bring supplies of large absorbent pads to protect surfaces and they clear up everything after the birth (Briefing the Journalists, March 2006), (Vedam, 2003). If the women doesn’t find the local community midwife care upto the mark or has difficulty in booking a local midwife, she can book and an independent midwife. Independent midwives are equipped with experience of

Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Environment - Essay Example The remedy of such issues needs responsible and careful use of scientific principles. Therefore, it is essential for the engineer to address issues in a professional manner that will ensure there are minimal or no effects towards the environment (Brown, 2002). The purpose of this paper is to show the role of engineers in maintain a healthy environment suitable for the living of human beings. The paper will tackle how engineers are working hand in hand with environmentalist to make sure that their activities do not affect the ecology. Additionally, the paper will look at the role of engineers in recycling waste products that have the potential of being re-used and how they are trying to substitute the use of organic materials with plastics. For another thing, the role of engineers in developing the old methods of engineering that had environmental and health effects to new methods that are safe will be taken into account. Lastly, the paper is going to tackle on renewable sources of energy that can be used so as to save energy and meet the needs of the accruing world population in the years to come. Dumping of chemical wastes in the water, soil and air directly lead to the pollution of rivers and air, and automotive and industrial smoke. Urban development and housing have numerous ecological consequences; the process of building a house consumes energy and raw materials, and the subsequent expansions affect the extensive environment. The energy necessities of housing contribute extensively to global warming. The Generation of dangerous gases and other waste materials, and the release of harmful materials from the different stages of nuclear fuel phases results in global warming (Bell, 2011). Environmentalists and engineers need to work in harmony more than in the ancient times. Ecologists and other ecological scientists must work together with the engineers so as to define the necessities of significant environmental processes and conditions

Moral Dilemma Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Moral Dilemma - Assignment Example However, I may decide to keep quite as well since the money was for a good cause. Moral dilemma is when an individual is in a situation where their values and beliefs are tested. In addition, it is the act of not knowing what to do in a conflict between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing the actions. It becomes difficult, as an individual is required to choose one action, as one cannot perform all the actions. In addition, someone must suffer no matter what decision an individual makes. According to the scholars, moral dilemma is a situation in which an individual faces a conflict between doing the right thing and the quality of work produced. In many cases, these dilemmas involve a morally wrong decision whose results are desirable, or vice versa. Sometimes, an individual may be forced to make a decision between two good things. Ethical dilemma is part of a philosophy that deals with right and wrong. These are rules and regulations accepted and recognized by a certain group or culture. On the other hand, rule of law is the set of enforced rules that govern a society. They are created through legislation or by judges’ opinions. The rules define people’s rights and obligations and the disciplinary measures to be taken when an individual violates the rules (Daft, 2013). I once read this article about a company that dealt with beauty products in the new times magazine. Miller and Klaus is one of the companies that manufacture, and distribute beauty products. For many years, the company has been successful in ensuring that customer’s needs are met. Phyllis an employee, who did research on the beauty products, noticed that the company did not disclose some of the vital information in the chemical composition of a certain shampoo that would be harmful to people whose skin reacts on PH value less than 5 value of an acidic solution. After some customers were hospitalized due to the usage of the shampoo, Phyllis

Supply Chain and Operations Management Assignment - 1

Supply Chain and Operations Management - Assignment Example According to the AIMS' Institute of Supply Chain Management, it is a management of a global network used to deliver products and services from raw materials to end customers through an engineered flow of information, physical distribution, and cash.Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the management of the relationship between the supplier's supplier and the customer's customer through the supply chain participants (Distributor/Wholesaler and Retailer) between them, mainly using information flow and logistics activities to gain Competitive advantage and customer satisfaction.A supply chain, as opposed to supply chain management, is a set of organizations directly linked by one or more upstream and downstream flows of products, services, finances, or information from a source to a customer. Supply chain management is the management of such a chain.[7]In many cases the supply chain includes the collection of goods after consumer use for recycling. SCM is a cross-functional approach that in cludes managing the movement of raw materials into an organization, certain aspects of the internal processing of materials into finished goods, and the movement of finished goods out of the organization and toward the end consumer. As organizations strive to focus on core competencies and becoming more flexible, they reduce their ownership of raw materials sources and distribution channels. These functions are increasingly being outsourced to other firms that can perform the activities better or more cost effectively.

Romulus My Father Essay Essay Example for Free

Romulus My Father Essay Essay Through the exposition of Raymond Gaita’s non-fiction biographical memoir ‘Romulus my Father’ it is evident that one’s strong culture and heritage can often heighten a sense of belonging within an individual group however in some cases can act as a barrier to belonging to society as a whole. We are shown Romulus’s strong connection to his culture and religion, which ultimately enhances his positive sense of belonging to his original heritage. â€Å"Many were Bible stories and their memory nourished his deeply religious spirit throughout his life. † The use of descriptive language â€Å"nourished† enhances to the reader Romulus’s strong sense of religion which is inscribed into him as a major part of his moral and ethics. However this strong connection to this heritage acts as a barrier for Romulus and ultimately ostracises him, leading to his alienation within the Australian context. â€Å"Even after more than forty years my father could not become reconciled to it. He longed for the generous and soft European foliage, but the eucalyptus of Baringhup, scraggy except for the noble red gums on the river bank, seemed symbols of deprivation and barrenness.† This quote explores the contrasting environments, showing Romulus clinging to old ties with his native country and then experiencing isolation within the Australian context. The description of the European landscape as â€Å"generous† and â€Å"soft† highlights Romulus’s obvious preference for his home country, this experience juxtaposes with the contrast of the â€Å"scraggy† harshness of the Australian landscape, ultimately showing Romulus’s separation from the notion of belonging within the Australian context. It is evident through the comparison of these quotes that Romulus’s strong sense of belonging within his heritage results in barriers for him in belonging within Australian society. Another example of Romulus’s isolation within Australia is obvious with his disparity with the Australian people. This quote highlights that Romulus is not familiar with the Australian land which ultimately ostracises him.

Competitive Strategies Essay Example for Free

Competitive Strategies Essay The U.S. offers a free market where businesses are able to have free enterprise to open and operate an ideal to provide a product or service to the public. There are many businesses that offer similar products and create competition. Consumers are able to have the options in the marketplace. Energizer and Duracell are two companies that offer similar products to consumers. Energizer has been around since 1986 and has grown into a mutli- billion dollar company within the last decade. Duracell first got started in the 1920’s from two scientists, and finally become a brand in 1964. This paper will discuss the two companies’ background, the competition between the two, and how they will thrive to compete in the market place in future. Corporate cultures have both gross and subtle manifestations that provide clues to the underlying norms and beliefs. Paying attention to the work practices, environment, communication paths, and even the level of humor in a company, will give one a hint of the dominant organizational culture. Identification and understanding the culture is necessary to affect any minute or large scale changes in response to market imperatives. If one does not have a clear picture of the culture one cannot effectively modify it. Mowat, J (2002, September 3) Energizer ​Energizer is formerly known as Eveready Battery Company and changes its name in the late 1980’s. By the 1990, Energizer has established their brand and had over 30 percent of the domestic market. They were trailing Duracell by 10 percent, who at that time had 40 percent of the domestic market. Energizer is the manufacturer of dry cell batteries and flashlights, with a full line production of in three major categories: alkaline, carbon zinc, miniature and rechargeable batteries. They produce more than six billion battery cells annually and has became a global leader in dynamic business of producing portable power in more than 160 countries. They may not have been around as long as Duracell, but has established the brand well in the marketplace. Dewhirst, T, Davis, B (2005, January 01). Duracell ​Duracell started with a partnership with inventor, Samuel Ruben and businessman, Phillip Mallory in the late 1920’s. Their invention was used in World War II to help assist soldiers in battle. By 1964, Duracell branded their product and introduce a product line of hearing aid batteries, flashlights, vehicle jump starters, and even the batteries for the Iphone. Duracell was brought out by Gillette Company by the late 90’s. They still produce top notch products for consumers to choose from. ​Energizer has done a good job in branding their product and being recognized by consumers everywhere. They are taking their company to another level by making other products like sunscreen and household products. They are using technology to help the company advance in new markets. â€Å"Innovation is the cornerstone of the Energizer brand and at this years Outdoor Retailer show the company will reveal the latest innovations in advanced power and lighting solutions.† Business Wire (2012) Energizer is also developing USB port chargers, sleek car chargers, and flameless lanterns. They are using technology to provide better and brighter lighting for consumers. Duracell has improved their battery brand by introducing reachable batteries with a more long lasting effect. They already have loyal consumers who purchase their brand and focus on improving the brands they already have through innovation. ​Energizer and Duracell use the same adorable bunny as their mascot to associate their brands to consumers. The question is, who used the bunny first? Having a mascot to help with brand association can help increase sales and promotions of a product. Consumers can recognize and remember to product by having the image of a mascot in their mind. There is no exact record of who had the bunny first, but packaging can be found from Duracell that has the bunny before Energizer. Either way, the pink bunnies are different in design. Energizer bunny wears sunglasses and looks cooler that may attract a younger market. Duracell bunny is happy and easy displayed on all of their products. Energizer catchy phrase has attracted consumers from all over with â€Å"It keeps going† as Duracell can only been seen with having a bunny on its packaging. It is clear who took over the mascot and was able to have their brand associated better. (2011, February 18) ​It is clear innovation and technology that will help grow both brands and improve their brand positioning. Today, Energizer has focused on other products outside of batteries and flashlights. By making items like sunscreen and lotions that has allowed them to enter into new markets to advertise too. Duracell has been around longer and have a strong history behind their brand. The company’s history has helped them in landing collaborations with the Iphone and Gillette. The differences between the two companies are Duracell brand has been long lasting but has merged and been brought out by other companies that are bigger. As far as Energize, they are involved into new markets with better products. They will have a more variety of brands and have a better brand association than Duracell in the next five years. Dewhirst, T., Davis, B. (2005, January 01). Managements always promise discipline; not all stick to the plan. The reason I suspect Energizer will stay on course is that its already performing nicely as a strong No. 2 in batteries. Energizer batteries enjoyed at least as good display as Duracell’s, while commanding prices that were equivalent or higher. Business week (2003, March 16) ​Batteries will still be popular and will be used in consumer’s everyday life. Technology has change the way we use batteries and these two companies has done a great job of establishing their brand. Innovation will take both brands far and the competition will still exist. It will be interesting to see who can become global leaders and have better products in the next five years. References Mowat, J (2002, September 3) How can one identify the corporate culture The Herridge Group Dewhirst, T., Davis, B. (2005, January 01). Brand Strategy and integrated marketing Business Wire (2012, July 30) â€Å"Energizer Transform outdoor Lighting and portable power with new Technologies and materials Designed for the Modern Outdoor Enthusiast Travel trade Gazette, U.K. and Ireland. (2011, February 18). Mascot Promotions: It pays to get into character. TTG Bloomberg Business week Magazine (2003, March 16) Will Energizer Give Schick a New Edge

Theology Essays Familiaris Consortio

Theology Essays Familiaris Consortio In 1981, as a result of a Synod of Bishops specially devoted to further awareness of the (then) current understanding of marriage and the Christian family in the modern world, Pope John Paul II promulgated an apostolic exhortation entitled FamiliarisConsortio (On the family). The well-known biographer of John Paul II, George Weigel, claims that in private conversations held with the holy father he came to learn that the pope regarded Familiaris Consortio as one of his favorite letters he had ever written as pope to the family of God (Witness to Hope, 385). The document is a wide-ranging and broad one in terms of the sheer breadth of the content covered therein, and it is therefore hardly any wonder that a prominent Catholic encyclopedia should say of the apostolic exhortation that it is one of the most important sources for the theological meaning of the sacrament of Marriage (Stravinskas, Catholic Encyclopedia, 628). Many writers who have taken this exhortation as their springingpoint to launch into various issues, which are ancillary to marriage per se,have nevertheless been able to employ specific portions of FamiliarisConsortio, owing to its vastness of content. What we will focus on in thefollowing pages is a kind of reception of the document by Catholics (whetherclergy or laypeople) and its teachings over the more than two decades since itspromulgation. There are certainly areas of overlap among those who havecommented on the document, and these ought to be paid attention to in coming toan understanding of an authentically Roman Catholic awareness of the variousaspects of married life among Christians. Opening Observations Made in Familiaris Consortio Sectionone of the document expressly opens up the contents and applications of thedocument to a broad audience. It is written for (1) those living in fidelity tothe Churchs extant teachings and practices in the area of matrimony, (2) thosewho have become bewildered by the contemporary challenges encroaching upon thefamily, and even to (3) those who live in unjust unawareness of the freedom andhuman rights guaranteed to them to have all the fullness that marriage mightoffer. In other words, the intended audience of the document is anintrinsically ecumenical one. It is not merely addressing Catholics in goodstanding with the Church, but the holy father reaches his hand out to assisteveryone struggling with the sundry difficulties in contemporary married life.This is significant, since most prior documents, whether Casti Connubiiof Pope Pius XI, Humanae Vitae of Pope Paul VI, or even documents of theSecond Vatican Council, the intended audience has been, if not exclusively,certainly mai nly Catholics. PopeJohn Paul II notes in section six of the exhortation that the situation ofmarriage and the family in contemporary life is an ironic one in the sense thatthere are both commendable advances being made in Western culture and enormoussetbacks. It is not so simple a situation as to claim that Western culture isdoing nothing other than attacking and hindering the family and married life.Some of the good understandings reached by the contemporary Western world arethe following: an appreciation of human freedom for both sexes, a promotion ofeducation and love for children, and a promotion of the dignity of women andresponsible procreation. However, some of the setbacks against the familyshould also be noted. They include the following: the respective freedom of thespouses has been carried to an extreme sense of autonomy, the misconstructionof authority and the handing on of values with respect to the relation ofparents to their children, and the ongoing scourges of abortion, growingdivo rce rates, sterilization, and an overall contraceptive mentality. It is forthese reasons and many others besides that the Synod of Bishops met and wishedPope John Paul II to be the primary spokesperson for their conclusions reached.Everything is not well for the contemporary family, and Pope John Paul IIreasons that the family is not merely a part of an overall society(rather, it is the very foundation of all society, as we shall explore later),any attacks on its welfare must not go unanswered. Social injustices toward thefamily must be dealt with directly, and this is a primary reason for theappearance of Familiaris Consortio. Building on Prior Teaching for Fundamental Precepts Prior to the appearance of this apostolic exhortation, there hadappeared two very important documents on the nature of marriage and the family.They were the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae and an authoritativedocument coming out of the Vatican II Church Council called Lumen Gentium.Pope John Paul II, as all popes throughout history have done, takes the priorteaching on marriage and the family (especially that seen in the twentiethcentury) as his starting points on which to build. He references several timesthroughout his apostolic exhortation the encyclical Humanae Vitae (HV),especially when the content of his teaching has to do with the most explicitportions of HV on the conjugal act and contraception. Freedom Versus Autonomy There appears in this succinct encyclical Humanae Vitae a veryprofound line, which undoubtedly could be expounded upon. In section 21 of theencyclical, Pope Paul VI declares that selfishness is the enemy of true love. This recalls an earlier pointmade in our essay. John Paul II notes the dangerous tendency of contemporaryspouses to exemplify an isolationist and autonomous attitude in marriage (FC,6). In fact, for the problems listed above which are antithetical to marriageand family life, the Pope believes there is one problem most fundamentally thecause of the others. He writes, At the root of these negative phenomena therefrequently lies a corruption of the idea and the experience of freedom,conceived not as a capacity for realizing the truth of Gods plan for marriageand the family, but as an autonomous power of self-affirmation, often againstothers, for ones own selfish well-being. And if selfishness is thought to bethe enemy of true love, then any spouse acting almost exclusively in his ownself-interest is destructive toward the very bond of his marriage to hisspouse, which bond is love itself. There is an interesting irony involved in selfish individualismversus a flourishing and mutually reciprocating action of love toward anotheroutside of oneself. Whereas one would suppose that, as is often franklyadmitted, couples will tend to not want to marry because they simply want tocontinue enjoying the other person in the relationship without giving over to aserious commitment (Cf. Barbara Markey, Cohabitation: Response over Reaction).Or, further than this, some married couples will either put off childrenindefinitely or decide to not have them at all for the expressed purpose ofwishing to sexually enjoy the spouse in an uninhibited manner. The strangeconsequence though, as Pope Paul VI noted in Humanae Vitae, is that thiseventually leads to becoming overly self-centered sexually, which eventuates inman (or woman) coming to see the other as a mere instrument of selfishenjoyment and no longer as the desired companion for life (HV, 17). Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo notes that the having of a family ina natural and ordered way (such as the Church teaches couple to do) does leadto the exact opposite of selfishness and isolationism in a marriagerelationship. And this is a necessary consequence (as in, it is intrinsic innature itself) of having children. Cardinal Trujillo offers some examples thatit is the nature of family to be other-centered in even the simplest ways. Henotes, Everyone has to help everyone else in thefamily, (FC and the Family, 3). It is simply a matter of beingpractically impossible to be rapped up in oneself in the context of a familywith numerous children. The older children will have to help the younger onesat times (e.g., to put on their shoes before they go outside), and the adultswill constantly have to help all of the children to grow into responsibleadults. It is simply intrinsic to the nature of having a family that one growsto be concerned with the well-being and interests of others arou nd. In these comments by Cardinal Trujillo there isan explication of the fundamental doctrines expressed in sections 42-43 of Familiaris.In these sections, Pope John Paul II notes that the daily life of a good familyis characterized by sharing and deep communion. The community of a family isthe very answer needed to thwart selfish isolationism. This type ofother-centered communion is seen in various aspects of which the Cardinal haselaborated. For example, the family is guided by an overriding principle offree giving, and this free giving takes the form ofheartfelt acceptance, encounter and dialogue, disinterested availability,generous service and deep solidarity (FC, 43). Children helping youngerchildren whenever there arises a need for such help is a ready example ofdisinterested availability. The older child helps the younger not because he isgaining something for it, but rather because when a child needs help,especially your own sibling, you simply help that child. This also fosters arecognition of the intrinsic value in each individual human being. Love and Life the Very Foundation of Marriage and Family In his recent speech Cardinal Alfonso Trujillo agreed with Pope JohnPaul II in seeing the family as that which forms societies. According tothe Pope, the family is societys foundation, which continually bolsterssociety by being its continual giver of life (FC, 42). Cardinal Trujillonotes that this thinking is in opposition to current worldly sentiment mostreadily embodied by the United Nations in their recent conferences. The generalattitude expressed in these U.N. conferences has been to think that societiesare simply collections of individuals (Familiaris Consortio and theFamily, 3). But, nature seems to argue against this mistaken idea. Societiesare not the ones producing and nurturing and giving the individuals to thesociety. These duties are fulfilled by families, and the individuals producedusually repeat this fundamental cycle of nature by creating their own familiesand producing and nurturing their own offspring. Underlying the teaching of the family as the ultimate antidote toisolationism, are the two most fundamental realities of marriage: love andlife. The two are hardly mutually exclusive, reasons John Paul II. On thecontrary, conjugal love expressed as it out to be expressed according to thenature of man tends toward the creation of life. Procreation is a naturalfruit of the conjugal act, according to Humanae Vitae. Many thinkerssince have latched on to this fundamental Catholic point, including John PaulII in this exhortation. According to Catholic teaching, man is a hylomorphicunity. That is, he is composed of matter and form, which for man correspond tothe body and soul, which are fundamentally united. That is, what it is to bea human is to be a soul-body unity (FC, 11). But, man is also created inthe image and likeness of God, who is love. It follows that Love is thereforethe fundamental and innate vocation of every human being, (11). In marriage,the love that man longs to express is done so most fundamentally in conjugallove, the mutual and complete self-giving of a man and a woman. So sexualitycould never be seen, on this understanding as something purely physical, norpurely psychological either. It is the whole human who engages in the sexualact, so the act itself is intrinsically physical and spiritual. This is how onecommunicates his or her love for another, by the mutual self-giving in theconjugal act. However, love is not the only principle intrinsic to conjugal acts.This fact is easily demonstrable by noting that birth control contraceptionamounts to little more than artificial means of birth prevention. But since itis ever thought that this or that birth is needing to be prevented, it must bethe case that there is a natural product of conjugal love. So, Donald Ascireasons, this is the other aspect of Pope John Paul IIs theology of theconjugal act. The body by its very nature in sexuality is fecund it is opento fertility (The Conjugal Act as a Personal Act, 138). Totalunion occurs with the giving of ones body and all of its finalities. In maleclimax, a finality is the releasing of semen, in which is contained thepossibility of forming a new human life (if united with the gift of thewoman-the ovum). There is a principle of totality inherent in this reasoning -the giving of ones total self his spiritual, physical and (innatelycontained within the physical) his fecundity. But, if by some various means the conjugal act is not completedaccording to its intrinsic order something like a contradiction takes place,according to Christopher West who cites section 32 of Familiaris Consortio.West argues that one cannot possibly hold that he gives his entire self to theother if at the most important (i.e., climactic) moment of intercourse thevery moment when the unity between the two ought to be felt most of all onewithdraws him or herself from the union. Fecund is what adults are bynature. Therefore, when one does such a thing as what West describes, he isengaging in a type of lie a serious contradictory statement which says, Igive you all of myself except my fertility. I receive all that you are exceptyour fertility, (Good News about Sex and Marriage, 108). Thus, as JohnPaul II reasons in this section of FC cited by West, the innatelanguage of the total and mutual self-giving inherent in the conjugal actbecomes overlaid with a contradictory idea when man ac ting as the ultimatearbiter of his own being and sexuality decides in a moment to nottotally give of his self (since his whole self includes, as Asci has shownabove, his fecundity as well). The Essential Tension of Becoming What You Are The discussion thus far leads naturally to what many later came tosee as a profound and highly important teaching of Familiaris Consortio:Families, you are to become what you are! This passage so often quoted runsthus, The family findsin the plan of God the Creator and Redeemer not only its identity, what it is,but also its mission, what it can and should do. The role that God calls thefamily to perform in history derives from what the family is: its rolerepresents the dynamic and existential development of what it is. Each familyfinds within itself a summons that cannot be ignored and that specifies bothits dignity and responsibility: family, become what you are (FamiliarisConsortio, 17). Of course, such anexhortation is paradoxical at first blush. As David Michael Thomas remarksconcerning this papal principle, This pope is a complex blend of realism andidealism. The tension between the two is not relaxed for a minute (Pope JohnPaul IIs Advice for Families, 7). And Cardinal Trujillo asks, how cansomething become what it is? (7) More specifically, how does a family becomewhat it already is? Donald Asci has some insight to share on this front. It isessentially a cart-and-horse dilemma. It is not always easy, in terms ofaction, to identify which is the horse that is pulling the cart. The family hasa nature, and it is given this by God. However, it also has a mission, which isalso given by God. These are two dimensions of the same reality: namely, the family(Asci, 126). The family has a static nature, but it also has a dynamic mission,which is to be realized. But the mission is never realized without an alreadyextant family, which has the necessary nature to realize the mission. Nofamily; no mission. However, part of the mission is the having, nurturing, andpromulgating of good families. No fulfillment of mission; no families. It is ascenario of interrelation and reciprocation. Each gives rise to the other. Ecclesia Domestica A phrase that first appeared in recent times in the Second VaticanCouncil document Lumen Gentium with reference to the nature of thefamily was that of ecclesia domestica (the domestic church). As DavidMichael Thomas notes, the Council got this phrase from the writings of theChurch fathers, and rightly so since from the very beginnings of the Church ithas always been comprised of those who wished to convert together with all[their] household, as the official Catechism of the Catholic Church states onthis matter (413). The metaphor to describe this in the Catechism is that thefamilies of converts were as little islands of Christianity lived out in apagan world. Leon Suprenant offers the biblical metaphor of the body of Christ(which is the Church, according to St. Paul) being comprised of the littlecells of families. Furthermore, for those Catholics living in fidelity to theteachings of the Church and having children as the natural result of conjugallove, they have as their primary resp onsibility the education and formation ofthese children according to the Gospel of Christ (The Real Presence of theMarriage Bond, 253). Surely, individual parishes in union with the Holy See ofthe Catholic Church contribute to the education and formation of children, butthis is primarily to be done in the home which is one of the qualities thatmake it the domestic church. In continuity with all this, Pope John Paul II in FamiliarisConsortio employs the phrase with some frequency and further elaboration. Itis a result of parents begetting in love and for love that they procreate newoffspring, for which they in turn take the responsibility of educating thesenew beings who stand in potential of great growth and development (FC,36). It is their duty, but more to the point of love, it is their solemnprivilege to be able to take the sacred product (i.e., their own child) oftheir mutual love for each other and see its development through to completion.In this way, the parents fulfill their own duty and honor to be the firstevangelizers of their own children in teaching them of the love of Christ. Concluding Thoughts As wasstated at the outset of this brief essay, the apostolic exhortation FamiliarisConsortio is a document rich in depth and broad in the topics to which itextends its teaching. However, we have only tried here to give what seem to besome of the most important and widely commented on portions of the text. Itcertainly seems to have had a welcome reception by many of the most well-knowncontemporary Catholic writers on marriage and the family. It also appears tohave filled a void that existed to some extent in the wake of Catholic teachingon conjugal love and marriage prior to the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.One can reasonably expect that future pontificates will continue to focus onthe theology of the body so ably developed by Pope John Paul II in FamiliarisConsortio. Bibliography Asci, Donald P. The Conjugal Act as aPersonal Act: A Study of the Catholic Concept of the ConjugalAct in the Light of Christian Anthropology. SanFrancisco: Ignatius Press, 2002. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2d ed. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997. John Paul II, Pope. The Theology of theBody: Human Love in the Divine Plan. Boston, Pauline Booksand Media, 1997. Familiaris Consortio.Vatican Translation. Boston: St. Paul Books, 1982. Markey, Barbara. Cohabitation: Responseover Reaction. The Priest, November, 2000, 19-24. Availableonline from Catholic Culture. Thisencyclical in its entirety is contained within a work listed in ourbibliography. The Theology of the Body, which is a compilation ofvarious teachings of Pope John Paul II on marriage and conjugal love, has HumanaeVitae as its first appendix. The reader may freely find the encyclical hereand many places elsewhere (including the Vaticans official website).

The Terminal Tale of Today Will Be A Quiet Day :: Today Will Be a Quiet Day Essays

The Terminal Tale of Today Will Be A Quiet Day  Ã‚        Ã‚   After reading "Today Will Be A Quiet Day" by Amy Hemple, I had an eerie feeling that something bad was going on behind the scenes. I feel that the father has a terminal disease and he wants to happily live out the last few days of his life. I think that there is conclusive evidence that "Today Will Be A Quiet Day" is not a happy story, but in fact a sad one. First of all, death plays a huge role in this story. Death is brought up so many times in this story one can only conclude that there is some kind of foreshadowing going on. For example, the very first line of the story deals with disaster and death. In the first paragraph the boy talks about what would happen if an earthquake occurred while they were on the bridge. He says, "I think if the quake hit now the bridge would collapse and the ramps would be left" (1202). At the end of the first page the father remembers a boy who went to his son’s school who committed suicide. Another part of death in this story is the mention of the family dog that was put to sleep five years ago for biting a little girl. The daughter had always thought that the dog had gone to live in the mountains, but when she finds out that the dog was put to sleep, she gets all upset about her loss. Even the joke about the guillotine that the girl tells involves death. All of these examples are h ints that there is a death in the near future. The fact that the mother is not mentioned throughout the whole story implies that she is no longer around to take care of the children. The father, then, makes little hints about his departure such as, "Who will ever adopt you if you don’t mind your manners" (1204). Although, this may have been a joke it is far too serious to let go. This is a serious sign of a fatal illness. Yet another sign of fatality is the mention of the tombstone, and this is tied directly, and significantly, to the title of the story.

Specializing Education :: Schooling Teaching Essays

Specializing Education Special Education was one of those things I never truly understood as a student in the public school system. Who were these children that had to be taken out of the class for reading and math or who remained in a separate class all day? What was so â€Å"special† about them? Believe me, I could have tried to find out what was different about them and how they were taught anytime I wanted; my mom teaches Elementary Special Education. I always heard her throwing around terms like resource room and inclusion when she talked about work. But being the typical self-involved child that I was, I never listened to what she said about teaching or asked her more about her students. What I do know is that teaching Special Education involved a lot of ups and down. As a Special Education teacher, the specific tasks of my mom’s job change frequently. She has taught full-time special education classes, has worked with individual students in an inclusive setting, and most recent ly she teaches resource room. Now that I don’t have to listen to her work stories all the time, I find myself wanting to know more about what special education entails. What I discovered is that none of the methods utilized in Special Education are entirely right or wrong in addressing the educational needs of children with LD. Children with learning disabilities should be educated in the most appropriate way to meet their specific educational needs. The children who benefit from the Special Education program are learning disabled. The National Center for Learning Disabilities states that children with learning disabilities have a â€Å"neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to receive process, store and respond to information.† There has been a long running debate on the best way to educate children with learning disabilities or LD. Some feel inclusion is the most beneficial method for educating children with LD. As defined by Jean B. Crockett and James M. Kauffman in The Least Restrictive Environment, inclusion is where children with disabilities are placed in regular education classes for the entire school day and are accompanied by special education teachers or aides for subjects where they need extra help (1). Others feel mainstreaming is the best option for students with LD.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Beowulf and the Hero Myth :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Beowulf and the Hero Myth Beowulf contains a myriad of different heroic ethical and social values. Most of these values are ingeniously rooted within, or made evident by the opposing forces of the poem. The initial opposing force arrives in the form of Grendel, a vile creature who's rampages mirror that of a modern serial killer. As the poem draws toward the conclusion, it focuses on the dragon, a creature developed by the poet to solidify the rise and fall of the archetypal hero. After Adolf Hitler failed in his artistic studies at Vienna, he began to develop what would become a reign of terror on those who were not like him. His backlash towards a society that rejected him as an artist spawned his anti-Semitic and political beliefs. The same anti-societal anger has found its way into the minds of countless other killers, both past and present. Take for example Theodore (Ted) Bundy, who in 1978, after watching students drink and dance in a college bar, witnessed "a healthy ritual of joy from which we know he forever felt exiled". Shortly thereafter, Bundy left the bar and traveled to the Chi Omega sorority house where he watched from outside, entered, and then killed two girls and wounded two others. Just as Bundy had done, Grendel watched and surveyed from the distance. He waited outside the great hall, listening to the mirth and celebration from within. He hated them. The revelers inside felt no "misery of men." They were not uninvited, outcast, and below the social class of Hrothgar's company. These feelings of inadequacy propel Grendel to slaughter those who oppress him. For "twelve winters" he smashes bodies and eats his victims, creating a bloody rampage and a dire need for a savior. The question of Grendel's origin is difficult to trace. The author remains ambiguous throughout the poem, referring to Grendel as biblical, but also suggesting that he is human. The original manuscript often refers to Grendel as "man", but man" with a long vowel meant evil, whereas "man" with a short vowel literally meant a man. It cannot be certain which pronunciation the author intended, what has been butchered in the translation, or whether this was meant to be a crafty play on words.

Chicano Studies Paper

The United States, a place associated with hope, equal opportunity and freedom also faces many underlying issues. The idea of this â€Å"perfect† country has been corrupted with problems such as immigration, growing class division and most prominently the 2007 recession. These burdens have prevented people from living the â€Å"American Dream†, a concept that our country has over glorified. The root of these ongoing problems has not been properly addressed, preventing our nation from making any progress.Looking closely at the continuous problems that the Unites States has and still faces, it is viable to say that these issues revolve around capitalism. The novel, The Barbarian Nurseries by Hector Tobar illustrates how immigrants like Araceli are victimized due to unresolved issues with money and the recession. When Araceli is prosecuted for abusing and kidnapping the Torres-Thompson children, the case eventually transitions into an issue with immigration. As the case ga ins media attention people like Ian Goller and Janet Bryson express resentment toward Araceli.Within Araceli, Goller and Bryson saw a representation of immigrants, who in their mind were to blame for the issues that had erupted in â€Å"their† country, such as the everlasting recession. Janet Bryson exemplifies this anger and bitterness when she boldly states: â€Å"To those who want to point out how much these illegal immigrants [†¦] contribute to their society [.. ] Look at our full prisons, our higher insurance rates, our lowering education standards†(325). Bryson and Goller’s actions symbolize the result of capitalism, the true villain within the novel.Capitalism has never been fully recognized as the true cause for many of the problems the U. S has faced causing immigrants like Araceli to be used as scapegoats for issues they had little influence in causing. As a result, capitalism can be seen as the barbarian in the novel, which in turn leads to barba ric actions on behalf of people like Goller and Bryson, against immigrants like Araceli who are innocently trying to secure a better life for themselves in the United States.I personally found it appalling that even after Araceli was found innocent for harming and kidnapping of the Thompson kids, Goller had the audacity to try and prosecute and deport Araceli: â€Å"Your honor before you adjourn, [.. ] there is also the matter of the defendant’s immigration status† (408). These never ending accusations that immigrants have to carry, prevent them from reaching that better life that they work so hard to one day achieve in the Unites States. In the end Araceli is unjustly forced to escape and essentially start a new life from scratch due to the negative associations that an immigrant label carriers.In the film A Better Life, capitalism is also a hidden factor to many of the conflicts that are portrayed throughout the film. The film depicts Carlos, a hardworking immigrant worker striving to do all he possibly can to create a better life for him and his son. This proves to be easier said than done as Carlos’ continuous efforts backfire and he ends up getting deported. The driving force behind his inability to reach the better life he so desperately desires is capitalism.Passion and motivation can be seen within Carlos’ optimism and spirit when he says: â€Å"This country is a land of dreams, it can be a hard place, a cruel place, but it’s where I work and I dream for a better place for my son†. Unfortunately his drive is not enough to move up economically which is the key to sustaining a better living. Even when hope is created through the purchase of a truck, his gateway to living the American dream is quickly shattered when his truck is stolen by Santiago, another immigrant worker.The injustice that he had faced when getting his truck stolen led me to resent Santiago, but I later realized that he was going through his own hardships in trying to live out his own American Dream. The darkness of capitalism had led him to a desperate barbaric action, emphasizing the want for a better life as a universal battle. Capitalism further acts as a catalyst in the film as seen through Carlos unstable living in a run down neighborhood, preventing his son Luis from getting getting the proper education he deserves and needs to accomplish a better future.The probability of his son ending up in the same oppressive situation as him becomes very probable, causing doubts of the possibility of ever reaching success. This never ending cycle of constant input with no output leads to the devastating realization that this idea of a better life may be unattainable. This understanding is described by Celo who chose to face the reality of his limited opportunities by joining a gang: â€Å"They either lock us out or lock us up†. This makes me stop and realize that there is a reason behind all of the â€Å"bad† deci sions that people make, sometimes it’s becomes their only option.At the end of the film, a better life is not achieved by Carlos, instead he is seen in the desert trying to cross the border, back to the same place that he had started, making one wonder if a better life is even reachable. The 2007 recession, a result of capitalism has also had a personal impact on my family’s lives. Before the recession, my family lived a pretty stable life in a beautiful home that my parents had worked so hard to provide for us. When the recession struck its effects took a toll on my family for several years to come. Around 2009 my mom was laid off from her teaching position, leaving her jobless for over a year.During this time all of the financial responsibilities for the house were left to my dad who did not gain much income as a truck driver. Without any financial help from my mom, money became a huge issue for my family. Letting go of certain luxuries, such as going out to eat freq uently and shopping for new gadgets whenever we pleased became difficult. As payments for the house became more complicated to pay, my parents also started drifting apart. Eventually my dad was unable to make the payments for the house causing us to lose our home as well as deal with the eventual separation of my parents.All of these events led back to the recession which has definitely taken us off the path from living the better life that my parents worked so hard to achieve. Looking back at the successes that my parents have achieved only to be beaten down by the devious recession, I strive to rebuild that â€Å"better life† that we once had, full of unity, happiness, and achievement. Due to these burdens, several years later my family is still dealing with the consequences of an issue that has yet to be dealt with efficiently by the United States.Reaching a better life has become more difficult due to the Unites States’ inability to address a problem that has been plaguing our nation over and over again. This capitalist issue has shattered many hopes and dreams that many hoped to achieve. Life should not be based on lost aspirations but on anticipation for a successful future. Through the text, the novel and my personal experience our nation’s issue with capitalism can be seen as an unchanging factor in our society in both the past and present.Due to our nation’s failure in providing a solution for the problems that capitalism has ensued, its negative effects have come up time and time again. During the 1930’s the Unites States faced an economic depression resulting in a very high unemployment rate. In order to deflect the nation away from the issues the nation was facing, immigrants were targeted for the country’s falling out. The justification for these unjust actions is portrayed in the reader stating that â€Å"The deportation of more Mexicans meant more jobs for real Americans† (147).These unreasonable initiatives that the nation took in order to draw attention away from United State’s real issues, appear to be very similar to the actions taken by the nation in today’s recession. It is due to these continued patterns that reaching for a more stable, successful life has become difficult not only for immigrants but for everyone in the United States trying to make something of themselves. As Sunny Patterson states in her poem, â€Å"Money and power and greed, the game. They suck and devour the souls of the slain†.Patterson highlights how our societies corrupted desire for money and control has selfishly left the rest of the population thirsting for the day they will be able to rebuild the path toward their desired life. It is for these reasons that I believe that our nation is still in the â€Å"dessert† as Patterson suggests, facing the same unresolved problems that have progressively lead to high unemployment, rising tuition for educations, higher costs of living and so on. A positive initiative needs to be taken in order to prevent our nations from getting even worse than it already is.Martin Luther King proposes a solution to this problem when he states: â€Å"We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing oriented society to a person oriented society† (A Time to Break Silence). He suggests that a shift needs to be made from individualistic selfish needs to a population coming together and conquering the nation’s issues in unison. This idea is also suggested by Patterson after addressing all of the abominations that the Unites States has yet to address when she states: â€Å"But come, come children, rally around and maybe together we can make a sound that will shake the trees or rattle the ground†.This simple change of coming together to change a cause is an effortless act that can bring just the right push to in bringing a positive change to our nation. This small yet useful act can be used as a way to express common concerns within a population to bring about the urgently needed change that we need in our nation. It is only through this radical change as King speaks out about that our nation will finally get out of the all too familiar desert that we have revisited over and over again.

Reseach Workoholics Essay

Is a 40-hour work week too much? Should there be a mandatory cap on the number of hours a person can work? Should there be changes in employment laws to give Americans more relaxation time? A workaholic definition is a noun a person who compulsively works hard and long hours. But the definition in a workaholics eyes is a person who â€Å"values work over any other activity†, according to careercast.com. Merriam-webster.com says it’s a â€Å"compulsive worker†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ (Productivity) The reasons for someone to become a workaholic are some people don’t feel their lives are fulfilled unless they’re engaged in constructive activities. The more they work, the happier they are. It’s addictive. Where in the world can they be productive and reap the rewards of their labor but at their job? Workaholics can’t be idle. They need to be constantly working. Proving their value Children who were raised in dysfunctional families, or by perfectionist parents, and were made to feel like their best was never good enough can grow up to be workaholics. Spending their adult lives immersed in their work is a way for them to constantly prove themselves and their worth. Escaping problems and negative feelings another reason why people become workaholics is because they lack a sense of control in their lives. They have problems at home they can’t fix, or they don’t want to deal with, for example. Being at work all the time allows them to escape painful, negative feelings. It also gives them a sense of control they can’t find otherwise. Adrenaline rush working non-stop provides an adrenaline rush to some people. Being extremely busy, rushing to meet unrealistic goals, and pushing themselves beyond their limits gives them that intense feeling they crave. That same adrenaline rush- the increased heart rate, the burst of energy, the heightening of their senses- comes from roller coaster rides and other thrilling activities. In 1965, a U.S. Senate subcommittee predicted that as a result of increasing labor productivity from automation and â€Å"cybernation† in other words, the computer revolution. Americans would be working only about 20 hours a week by the year 2000, while taking seven weeks or more of vacation a year. By the mid-1970s, and especially after 1980, median wages weren’t keeping pace with increases in our capacity to produce. But flattening incomes didn’t derail the consumption train. Americans continued to buy more, in part by going deeper into debt, by having more members of the family enter the workforce and by working additional overtime. By the boom times of the late 1990s, Americans worked more than the notoriously workaholic Japanese. To answer the question of limiting the number of hours you can work I think we would have a happier and healthier society if we worked a little less. As of right now, some jobs require a lot of time and energy. Legalizing mandating the number of hours worked is an interesting idea. It would see a drop in stress levels, more family time and participation and healthier workers. This probably wouldn’t make too many people happy at first, though, and it would take some getting used to. It is a way to raise healthier families and having less levels of stress that are exhibited in really tough jobs, like ER doctors and nurses, and other highly stressful occupations. American work-life balance according to the Center for American Progress on the topic of work and family life balance, â€Å"in 1960, only 20 percent of mothers worked. Today, 70 percent of American children live in households where all adults are employed.† I don’t care who stays home and who works in terms of gender (work opportunity equality for all – it’s a family choice). Either way, when all adults are working (single or with a partner), that’s a huge hit to the American family and free-time in the American household. The U.S. is the ONLY country in the Americas without a national paid parental leave benefit. The average is over 12 weeks of paid leave anywhere other than Europe and over 20 weeks in Europe. Zero industrialized nations are without a mandatory option for new parents to take parental leave. That is, except for the United States. Let’s say someone make $60k/year. Excluding benefits, employee taxes, etc., let’s consider this equivalent to $30/hour. ($30/hour x 40 hours x 50 weeks = $60k). Now they want to figure out the hourly number that he/she use to decide if it’s worth it to do something. For example, if he/she owe a fine on something he/she don’t think they should owe, but it’s only a $5 fine, it’s not worth spending an hour ($30) to contest it. BUT, it’s not clear to me if he/she should use $30/hour for this number, because I’m only working 8 hours/day. Like, if someone is willing to pay me for 40 hours/week at $30/hour, presumably he/she could get one or two more such jobs. Or should she/he divide that by 3 to get $10/hour because really for every 24 hours, they’re only â€Å"able† to earn $30/hour for a third of them? Because some of these activities he/she would be doing in my off-hours (e.g., they’d have to dispute that fine after work). Or is it something in between?

Hitler Was a Bad Leader

One of the most controversial topics in history is whether or not Hitler was a good leader; to this I say he wasn’t. During Hitler’s reign of power, more like reign of terror, he may have brought success to the world but none of it can undo his damage; none can ever compensate for the lives he took. Hitler was a terrible leader in that he manipulated the young, he was very hypocritical, and he caused the Jewish Holocaust. Hitler may have done more damage than good; however, he did know what he was doing. Hitler knew he needed supporters, and so he went to the people who would be the easiest to bring to his side.According to Hitler himself in his speech at Reichsparteitag in 1935, â€Å"He alone, who owns the youth, gains the Future! † Hitler’s manipulation of the youth succeeded into misleading an entire generation of idealistic German boys with the idea of racial and national superiority. Hitler strongly believed that any race or appearance different from what he claimed perfect, which was to be blonde with blue eyes, were to be destroyed. He used these â€Å"perfection† of people to become his base of support to help him carry out his barbaric attacks and later the holocaust.The young children did not know any better than to listen to their leader, so they acted without question, basically willingly helping him commit his sickening mass murder. The fact that he chose to manipulate younger children shows how pathetic he really was in that he wanted them because they were easier. Aside from his manipulating of innocent children to become his personal slaves, another reason he was a horrific leader was that he was a hypocrite. Hitler is most known for his act of murdering thousands of Jews because they were not blonde with blue eyes, but in reality, who is he to judge?Last time I checked, Hitler wasn’t even German but Austrian with black hair. This shows that he was an extremely racist man in that he attempted to take ou t an entire race because they were not his preferred ethnicity. This also shows that he was not fit to be a leader in that leaders are supposed to practice equality of all people, and are supposed to be of exemplary character. Seeing how he let his racist ways control him into committing such horrendous crimes just adds to how bad of a leader he really was.When someone first hears the name Hitler, there is usually a strong negative connotation that comes with it in that most people relate him directly to being the cause of the holocaust. The first reason he should never have been leader was that any person with such a sick and compulsive mind should never be in power. Already having such a fixed mindset, it should have been known that he would only do damage with his power. According to those around him, Hitler’s reasoning for the killing was that Jews were the cause of Germany’s problems.First of all, with no actual proof, it shows that Hitler acted on feeling instead of reason which obviously would only lead to downfalls. It also shows that he was a liar, and never should a country have such a ruler. Even if it is what he believed, it also shows he acted on impulse and simply what he believed instead of what was for the good of everyone. However, if he would still try to persuade people that he believed it really was for the good of all, it then just shows how he had the worst judgment and should not have been named ruler.Hitler was one of the worst rulers in our history because of his lack of good judgment and because of his wrong doings. Hitler gained support through the manipulation of innocent minds, which shows he was weak. He lived and spoke through hypocrisy, especially when he acted in killing thousands of Jews because of something they could not change. Hitler may have had some minimal success in adding to the world, but his injustices will forever shame him into being a horrible leader.

Limitation Of The Study Guide Essay

Identifying limitations, and explaining how important they are There are many possible limitations that your research may have faced. However, is not necessary for you to discuss all of these limitations in your Research Limitations section. After all, you are not writing a 2000 word critical review of the limitations of your dissertation, just a 200-500 word critique that is only one section long (i.e., the Research Limitationssection within your Conclusions chapter). Therefore, in this first announcing move, we would recommend that you identify only those limitations that had the greatest potential impact on: (a) the quality of your findings; and (b) your ability to effectively answer your research questions and/or hypotheses. We use the word potential impact because we often do not know the degree to which different factors limited our findings or our ability to effectively answer our research questions and/or hypotheses. For example, we know that when adopting a quantitative research design, a failure to use a probability sampling technique significantly limits our ability to make broader generalisations from our results (i.e., our ability to make statistical inferences from our sample to the population being studied). However, the degree to which this reduces the quality of our findings is a matter of debate. Also, whilst the lack of a probability sampling technique when using a quantitative research design is a very obvious example of a research limitation, other limitations are far less clear. Therefore, the key point is to focus on those limitations that you feel had the greatest impact on your findings, as well as your ability to effectively answer your research questions and/or hypotheses. Overall, the announcing move should be around 10-20% of the total word count of the Research Limitations section. THE REFLECTING MOVE Explaining the nature of the limitations and justifying the choices you made Having identified the most important limitations to your dissertation in the announcing move, the reflecting move focuses on explaining the nature of these limitations and justifying the choices that you made during the research process. This part should be around 60-70% of the total word count of the Research Limitations section. It is important to remember at this stage that all research suffers from limitations, whether it is performed by  undergraduate and master’s level dissertation students, or seasoned academics. Acknowledging such limitations should not be viewed as a weakness, highlighting to the person marking your work the reasons why you should receive a lower grade. Instead, the reader is more likely to accept that you recognise the limitations of your own research if you write a high quality reflecting move. This is because explaining the limitations of your research and justifying the choices you made during the dissertation process demonstrates the command that you had over your research. We talk about explaining the nature of the limitations in your dissertation because such limitations are highly research specific. Let’s take the example of potential limitations to your sampling strategy. Whilst you may have a number of potential limitations in sampling strategy, let’s focus on the lack of probability sampling; that is, of all the different types of sampling technique that you could have used [see Types of probability sampling and Types of non-probability sampling], you choose not to use a probability sampling technique (e.g., simple random sampling, systematic random sampling, stratified random sampling). As mentioned, if you used a quantitative research design in your dissertation, the lack of probability sampling is an important, obvious limitation to your research. This is because it prevents you from making generalisations about the population you are studying (e.g. Facebook usage at a single university of 20,000 students) from the data you have collected (e.g., a survey of 400 students at the same university). Since an important component of quantitative research is such generalisation, this is a clear limitation. However, the lack of a probability sampling technique is not viewed as a limitation if you used a qualitative research design. In qualitative research designs, a non-probability sampling technique is typically selected over a probability sampling technique. And this is just part of the puzzle? Even if you used a quantitative research design, but failed to employ a probability sampling technique, there are still many perfectly justifiable reasons why you could have made such a choice. For example, it may have been impossible (or near on impossible) to get a list of the population you were studying (e.g., a list of all the 20,000 students at the single university you were interested in). Since probability sampling is only possible when we  have such a list, the lack of such a list or inability to attain such a list is a perfectly justifiable reason for not using a probability sampling technique; even if such a technique is the ideal. As such, the purpose of all the guides we have written on research limitations is to help you: (a) explain the nature of the limitations in your dissertation; and (b) justify the choices you made. In helping you to justifying the choices that you made, these articles explain not only when something is, in theory, an obvious limitation, but how, in practice, such a limitation was not necessarily so damaging to the quality of your dissertation. This should significantly strengthen the quality of your Research Limitations section. THE FORWARD LOOKING MOVE Suggesting how such limitations could be overcome in future Finally, the forward looking move builds on the reflecting move by suggesting how the limitations you have discuss could be overcome through future research. Whilst a lot could be written in this part of the Research Limitations section, we would recommend that it is only around 10-20% of the total word count for this section. Limitations Limitations of a dissertation are potential weaknesses in your study that are mostly out of your control, given limited funding, choice of research design, statistical model constraints, or other factors. In addition, a limitation is a restriction on your study that cannot be reasonably dismissed and can affect your design and results. Do not worry about limitations because limitations affect virtually all research projects, as well as most things in life. Even when you are going to your favorite restaurant, you are limited by the menu choices. If you went to a restaurant that had a menu that you were craving, you might not receive the service, price, or location that makes you enjoy your favorite restaurant. If you studied participants’ responses to a survey, you might be limited in your abilities to gain the exact type or geographic scope of participants you wanted. The people whom you managed to get to take your survey may not truly be a random sample, which is also a limit ation. If you used a common test for data findings, your results are limited by the reliability of the test. If your study was limited to a certain amount of time, your results are affected by the operations of society during that time period (e.g., economy, social trends). It is important for you to remember that limitations of a dissertation are often not something that can be solved by the researcher. Also, remember that whatever limits you also limits other researchers, whether they are the largest medical research companies or consumer habits corporations. Certain kinds of limitations are often associated with the analytical approach you take in your research, too. For example, some qualitative methods like heuristics or phenomenology do not lend themselves well to replicability. Also, most of the commonly used quantitative statistical models can only determine correlation, but not causation.

A Case Study on Branding Bangladesh

[pic] DEPARTMENT of MARKETING COURSE NAME: Product and Brand Management. An assignment on- Country Branding: A Case Study on Branding Bangladesh. Submitted To: Shaikh Rafiqul Islam Associate Professor, Department of Marketing. Submitted By: Revolution 8th Semester, Session: 2008-09. Date of Submission: 10/12/2012. [pic] REVOLUTION 3rd Batch Session: 2008-09 |Serial: |Name of Students : |Roll No: | |01. |Farjana Nur Purabi |091648 | |02. Anik Kumar Devnath |091654 | |03. |Sheikh Sazzadur Rahman |091664 | |04. |Md. Ashiqur Rahman Rana Biswas |091695 | |05. |Rumana Jahan |091743 | |06. |Md. Masudur Rahman |091750 | |07. |Md. Rabiul Islam |091758 | |08. Md. Mushfiqur Rahman |091759 | |09. |Mohammad Ullah |07882876 | December 10, 2012. Shaikh Rafiqul Islam. Associate Professor. Department of Marketing . Jagannath University. Dhaka-1100. Dear Sir, Here is the assignment you allocated us to prepare on â€Å"Branding Bangladesh†. After researching and studying the current situation of the country based on collected data we have been able to prepare the assignment.All of the major points and insights information associated with the given issue are included here. Besides, we have attempted to include some of our personal assumption, practical experience and idea to make the assignment more fruitful. Thanking you for giving the break accomplishing such an interesting educative task. Hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, Group :- Revolution. 8th Semester. 3rd Batch. Session :- 2008-2009 Title Page Country Branding: A Case Study on Branding Bangladesh Tourism Export Brands Culture and Heritage pic][pic] People Investment Foreign and domestic policies [pic] [pic] [pic] Country branding is different in branding from a product. In developing the strategy, it would involve many intricacies and can be a long drawn out process. Branding Bangladesh is all about positioning Bangladesh in the minds of people. Branding Bangladesh is an important concept because it will help t he country to understand how publics perceive her across the nations.Those people are consumers, potential tourists, and, most importantly potential investors. In the growth process of Bangladesh they all are participating actively. An effective nation branding campaign accelerates the economic growth of Bangladesh and the citizens feel dignified. It must be remembered that there are around 195 nations in the world; all are aggressively competing for the attention of investors, tourists, and citizens. Therefore, a well-planned nation branding campaign is crucial for the branding of Bangladesh. Table of Contents TOPIC |PAGE | |PART: A (Introductory Part) | | |Preamble |7 | |Objectives |7 | |Methodology |8 | |Limitations |8 | |PART: B (Theoretical Framework/Literature Review) | | |Literature Review |9 | |PART: C | | |Brand Dimensions of Bangladesh |10 | |Strategies for Branding Bangladesh |12 | |Country and Corporate Brands Co-positioning |16 | |Findings at a glance |16 | |PART: D | | |Recommendations |17 | |Conclusion |17 | |References |18 | Creating a branding program for Bangladesh demands an integration policy that most countries do not possess. To boost our commercial success it is very important to take action regarding branding Bangladesh.Branding Bangladesh the government should always observe their global image in countries they aim to target and the stakeholder should collaborate together and agree on a national stratagem. If the stakeholders could unite as one, pin down the purpose and objectives, and fulfill the process, it would reflect the will of one nation. Maintaining continuously the reputation in every sector (Tourism, exports, culture, people, brands and policy) is important to accelerate the task of branding. This assignment aims at clarifying the concepts of branding Bangladesh and argues that for a developing country like Bangladesh, branding is a prerequisite for national development. The specific objectives of this paper are: Review the conceptual and theoretical foundation of nation branding by leading authors in the marketing field; ? Examining and defining Branding Bangladesh and discussing its challenges. ? Attaining insights into branding Bangladesh ? Being familiar on the subject matter for later investigation for branding Bangladesh. DATA COLLECTION: Considering the objectives of the assignment, time, types of respondents, we collected both Primary and Secondary data to find out the necessary information regarding the strategies of branding Bangladesh. The sources are mentioned here- PRIMARY DATA: ? Taking personal interview of concerning people of tourism board; ? Discussing with the concerning people of Brand Forum of Bangladesh.SECONDARY DATA: ? Studying different articles and advertisements published in daily newspapers; ? Visiting different websites and journals. While preparing the assignment we faced some problems that were unavoidable and these limitations are mentioned below: ? This assignment was t otally an unfamiliar type of assignment to us; ? People of the authority were unwilling to provide full information about our given topic; ? The permitted survey time we have got was very limited; ? We did not get enough concern person to collect necessary information; ? Our communication was confined only to the Dhaka city. Bangladesh has always held great promise.It enjoyed widespread international public support during the war of liberation, not only because its struggle was identifiable, but also due to the fact that it aimed to establish a socio-economic equilibrium and an equitable society where each citizen would have the opportunity to flourish. Another interesting problem the nation faces is that when it is compared to other countries it is invariably compared to nations with drug, mafia, and terrorist problems. While it is true that Bangladesh a huge population, with high unemployment rates, and increasing price inflation, often comparing it to failed or a semi-failed stat es does not do it justice. The weak status continued till the nineties. Then even Transparency International started ranking us as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. However, the nation's image started improving post-2000 as did its performance indicators.The major indicators for socio-economic growth include: improvement in health status, increasing literacy, progress in gender balance, enhancement of employment opportunities, building transport and communications facilities, huge increases in media reach amongst rural and urban people, booming ITC businesses, a rise in remittance and agricultural, industrial, and ready-made garments (RMG) booms. In 2006, our global image increased exponentially with Prof. Yunus and Grameen Bank winning the Nobel Peace Prize. That put Bangladesh in a strong position, globally and we cannot let that slip. Therefore, it has become imperative to develop a nation branding campaign to keep us in the global limelight for the right reasons.Wh ile branding Bangladesh, the brand strategists must consider two key basic objectives: Firstly, it is crucial to instill pride in Bangladeshis and to persuade our people to be positive and feel dignified about themselves and for their country. The success of the nation branding program strongly depends on their active participation, ownership, and support. They should be proud of their country, culture, and heritage. Secondly, the government should come up with an aggressive but distinct nation branding campaign immediately, it is essential for our progress. Countries like India, Thailand, China, Malaysia, etc started similar branding journeys more than a decade ago and should not lag too far behind.We need a forceful branding campaign for our country so that we can emerge as an Asian Tiger by 2021; which will also mark the 50th year of our independence. Dr. Khalid Hasan  is Managing Director, Nielsen Bangladesh and Treasurer AmCham Bangladesh. Acknowledgement: AmCham Bangladesh. Brand Dimensions of Bangladesh Anholt is recognized for Anholt-GfK Nation Brand Index (NBI), and it is based on the same six categories to measure the global perception of a country. The brand of a country is judged based of the six dimensions. In case of branding Bangladesh we might focus on these dimensions and create brand image for Bangladesh. Fig: The Six Dimensions of a national branding Dimension 1: TourismTourism is one of the most visible aspects of a country brand because it receives considerable financial support from governments, and is therefore the main marketing tool at the national level. It is a major economic driver through employment, international visitor expenditures, investments, and regional development. Bangladesh Tourism Board has adopted different policies and strategies to promote and champion Bangladesh. It includes brand taglines like â€Å"Beautiful Bangladesh. † Dimension 2: Export brands There is a constant struggle to increase share of exports within the global market. In order to attain this purpose, the quality of exported products or services has to be superior to that of competitors. Export brands represent an important mark for Bangladesh.An increase in exports can raise the self-esteem of a country, which in turn boosts self-confidence and further success. Ten years ago, as a country Bangladesh was little known across the Globe. Today, most of the countries label as the country of high quality garments product and this is mainly due to the performance of our garments industry. Dimension 3: Investments All countries, be they developing or developed, are now striving for an investment-friendly image. Country brand, and everything that it stands for, has a lot to say when it comes to attracting foreign direct investments. In case of Bangladesh it is very good for us that a large number of investors are coming in different sectors.Dimension 4: Foreign and domestic policies. Nations are also judged in accordance with th e foreign and domestic policies that their leaders initiate. Foreign and domestic policies must be coordinated so that they would invigorate the national brand. As a country we have to increase the ability to meet the residents’ needs for health, education, human rights, political participation more effectively. Dimension 5: People It is worth mentioning that the branding of a country must start from inside because a country’s brand is most frequently promoted by its people. In 2006, our global image increased exponentially with Prof. Yunus and Grameen Bank winning the Nobel Peace Prize.That put Bangladesh in a strong position, globally and we cannot let that slip. Beside, Sakib-al-hasan, a Bangladeshi cricketer also increases the brand image of our country holding number one position in ICC Cricket ranking. Joining the mission of UN, Bangladesh Army has created a new dimension for Bangladesh and it is obviously a good sign for our country Dimension 6: Culture and Heri tage Last but not least, one should not overlook the cultural dimension of a country brand. Culture penetrates all areas of life, including all scientific endeavors. For this reason, culture has turned into the ultimate reference point, a conventionally accepted solution to all problematic questions.Strategies for branding Bangladesh We should take on a more conscious effort in branding country because country images draw out identifications, affect evaluations and purchase decisions. Additionally, countries compete for tourists, foreign investments and talented people. Let us look at this figure- Setting objectives: Branding Bangladesh we have to set clear and distinctive objectives that will help us to accomplish the different task most effectively. Different objectives might be: ? To be a Middle Income Country (MIC) ? 30th largest economy ? Per capita us dollar 6000 ? Economic goal †¢ Agro and labor intensive industry †¢ GDP growth to 10% †¢ Environmental protectio n Transportation and ship building hub. Performing SWOT analysis: Performing a SWOT analysis for nations is an idea that has been promoted by many others. In his book The Marketing of Nations, Philip Kotler (1997) confirmed the idea that each nation must assess its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) periodically in its five areas of capability: †¢ Government leadership; †¢ Factor endowments; †¢ Industrial organization; †¢ Social cohesion; †¢ Culture, attitudes and values. Based on the guidelines we might perform an effective SWOT analysis that will help to figure out our own most effectively and define the country’s objectives. S- Strength |W- Weakness | | | | |Potential Growth economics, |Lack of Coordination among different groups, | |Successfully meeting the millennium development goal. |Lack of coordination between corporate and country co branding, | | |Insufficient budget. | | | | | | |O- Opportunity |T- Threat | | | | |Posi tive sovereign credit achieved, |Corruption, | |Making agreement with different countries. |Political instability. | | | | Choosing a Specific direction for distinctive branding For distinctive branding we might choose a specific direction from industries, personalities, natural landmarks or historical events.This process will help create brand image more effectively. Expanding upon an Umbrella concept: Expanding upon an umbrella concept will help to cover separate branding activities with consistency. Different branding activities will be coordinated through an umbrella concept. Consulting with opinion leaders to look at national strengths and weaknesses and compare those with the research we might do create this concept. Allocating adequate funds to finance each branding activities: To create a successful brand image and create a greater impact regarding brand adequate fund is necessary and concerning people should handle the matter with kin interest Creating Export Control:Creati ng export controls to ensure exported products are trustworthy and meeting the affirmed performance is necessary for branding Bangladesh. We have good will in foreign market in case of exporting garments products but sometimes it has been seen that due to some reasons our country is branded negatively and to avoid this we need to control export market. Maintaining balance between promise and performance: We will have to be very careful to maintain balance between the promise and performance. Sometimes it has been seen that we can’t afford quality service for the promising things e. g sometimes foreigners come to our country to enjoy heritage sides but due to transportation facility and accommodation facility they don’t get expected performance.This point is the main thing to create a positive brand image for Bangladesh. Performing Activities on a regular basis: Creating positive brand image different campaigns are needed. But we have to keep in mind that these campaign s should be taken consistently and thinking the vision and long run interest of the country. Creating strategy and Working out program to make the strategy tangible through improvement programs, campaigns are important to reinforce the past campaign. Making all the members interactive: Ensuring the cooperation and involvement of representatives of government, business, the arts, education and importantly the media we can make a fruitful effect for Bangladesh.In recent years the growth of Media sectors has constantly drawn our attention and the media might play a crucial role to brand Bangladesh. It is necessary to mobilize all those available forces of politicians, business people, artists, sportsmen and scientists to create a strategy for enhancing the image and reputation of Bangladesh on the international markets, i. e. for creating the national branding strategy. Country and Corporate Brands Co-positioning The concept of countries as brands has been increasingly recognized in th e post-modern global world. A strong country brand can provide corporate brands with a unique set of values, which supports their positioning on the international market.Simultaneously, once corporate brands achieve worldwide success, they contribute actively to developing new features of the country brand. A nation’s image can provide competitive advantage to its company/product/service brands. Until and unless Bangladesh has some international brands it will be very difficult to create good brand image for Bangladesh. Consider Finland, a country which was outside the global arena ten years ago, and therefore little known. Today, we label it as the country of high-tech mobile phone technology, and this is mainly due to Nokia’s performance. In Bangladeshi context there are some brands (Square, Walton etc) so the overnment should coordinate to development of the company and in the mean time these companies should take initiatives for the country branding Besides that we might consider the task of Prothom Alo and Airtel Company, who jointly arrange the design of the largest â€Å"Alpona† at Manik Mia Avenue and thus made a new dimension for themselves as well as create a good image for Bangladesh in the world. Findings at a glance: ? It is now more critical than ever to create a unique identity for destination because it is now more competitive for survival in the global market. ? Limited budget and little management control create obstacles on the way of creating good brand image for Bangladesh. Political pressures, External environment factors such as economic downturn, natural disasters and pandemics can affect the process of branding Bangladesh. ? A major challenge for Bangladesh is that when the tourists’ visit the destination and found the reality does not match the projected image from the pre-trip information gathered prior to trip, the gap will lead to disappointment and they will become brand terrorists. This would lead to l ow repeat visitation and damage the brand image indirectly. ? Local governors and mayors have different objectives to promote their own region and cities rather than the nation. ? Failure of government to control the flow of information through the Internet that shapes the national image. We need to conduct research among the people of Bangladesh, covering different segments, to understand their views and expectations. This will help in understanding the pulse of the nation and giving ownership to everyone, thus, satisfying different target audiences, different needs, and different institutions. The research should be conducted both internally (to understand the country's socio-economic situation) and externally (global research among the investors and tourists). The findings will help develop a strategic plan on the nation-branding campaign; ? Concerned groups should make regular promotional activities to brand this country; The tourism sector of should be taken under focus to incr ease international brand value of Bangladesh by capturing large number of tourists; ? Both the government firms and Multinational Firms need to make attention to increase the international brand value of Bangladesh; ? The key focus should be on the six dimensions which are mentioned earlier in the assignment to make our country value stronger. Country branding is not about constructing slogans. Country branding involves planned communication management and purposeful social engineering. Branding is no longer a choice but a necessity, and the branding is not a function to be performed solely by the state or individual corporations, but an integrative and concerted effort by all concerned stakeholders.If a country is effectively branded â€Å"soft power† can be engendered giving that country vast competitive advantage. However, only few developing countries have articulated and implemented a country branding strategy. The notion of an umbrella country brand inspiring, guiding a nd feeding commercial brands is a compelling one. Branding of developing countries could unleash a sustainable wealth creation behavior which will greatly help these poor countries break out of their poverty cycle. There is now an opportunity for developing countries to close this gap by turning their attention to employ professionalism in country branding. Books:- ? Kevin Lane Keller (2012-2013), Strategic Brand Management,3rd edition. Philip Kotler, Nation Branding 1997. Publications:- ? Mathias Akotia, CEO – Brand Ghana Office Accra, Ghana,† Country Branding: Promoting Investment, Tourism and Exports through Country Communication Management and Social Engineering†. ? Dr. Khalid Hasan, Managing Director, Nielsen Bangladesh and Treasurer AmCham Bangladesh. Acknowledgement: AmCham Bangladesh, â€Å"Nation Branding†. Websites:- ? http://www. bangladeshbrandforum. com ? http://www. thedailystar. net ? http://www. tourismboard. gov. bd ? http://www. interbrand . com ———THE END——— ———————– Letter of Transmittal :- Executive Summary PART: A Preamble ObjectivesMethodology Limitations PART: B Literature Review PART: C Findings Export Brands Tourism Country Brand Investment People Foreign and Domestic polices Culture and Heritage Setting Objectives Step-1 Performing SWOT Analysis Step-2 Expanding upon an Umbrella concept Step-4 Choosing a Specific direction for distinctive branding Step-3 Strategies of Branding Bangladesh Creating Export Control Step-5 Making all the members interactive Step-9 Allocating adequate funds to finance each branding activities Step-6 Maintaining balance between promise and performance Step-7 Performing Activities on a regular basis Step-8 PART: D Recommendation Conclusion References Read also: Padma Bridge